“……”
“…”
An awkward atmosphere cut through the warmth of the hot spring, enveloping us.
Not in my wildest dreams did I think that I would find myself in an outdoor bath, just the two of us, a woman and I. The unexpected situation left me speechless, my lips feeling parched in the humid air.
Of course, the discomfort wasn’t unpleasant or awkward in the typical sense. It was just that bathing with a mature woman in such an intimate setting was making me blush and feel bashful—so much so that I worried that the involuntary swallow of nervousness might make me seem like some lecherous pervert. I was cautious of my gaze, concerned it might be interpreted as sneaky glances, wanting to avoid any misunderstanding.
Anyway…
‘It seems my mentor had quite a fondness for hot springs.’
After all, the medieval era was also a time when historical plagues were rampant. It was a period when washing in hot water was often taboo, due to the belief that the heat might allow diseases to invade through open pores.
Given the prevalence of wigs during the late Middle Ages, this was due to the unsanitary conditions leading to syphilis outbreaks, causing skin rashes and hair loss, which people sought to hide. Likewise, perfumes became popular to cover foul body odor. How extreme must it have been!
However, that historical reality was just one aspect of the past, and in romance fantasy novels, the modern awareness of hygiene contrasts starkly with the era depicted, smilingly allowing major characters to pay attention to their cleanliness.
No one would admire protagonists who were shabby and smelled!
Additionally, humorous episodes involving men and women “bathing” are essential in romance fantasy narratives.
“You must have liked hot springs, huh?”
Typically, women would shy away from such embarrassing situations, so I wondered if Rachel had a craving for the experience that outweighed any modesty.
As they say, those who know good food fear the terrible taste, and perhaps her memory of the hot spring experience had overwhelmed her patience.
Of course, Rachel might see mixed bathing as no big deal.
But then—
“It’s my first time.”
I heard an unexpected answer.
“First time?”
“Yes. I’ve only seen them. It’s the first time I’ve actually soaked in one.”
As I mentioned before, the lack of awareness of hygiene in the historical context wasn’t just ignorance.
In this romance fantasy world, people bathe using heated water, created by fire. In less favorable situations, they naturally washed in cold water.
Rachel’s “first time” most likely referred to soaking in a natural hot spring.
“I see.”
“Why do you ask?”
“Oh, just curious.”
“You must have experienced this before, right?”
I felt Rachel’s gaze but continued to look at the sky instead of answering.
“It’s my first time too.”
This was, across my past and present lives, the first time I was enjoying a hot spring.
In my past life, I hadn’t even owned a small bathtub at home, let alone a hot spring! I often couldn’t afford heating costs, so I usually bathed in cold water.
For someone like me, an open-air bath felt like a paradise I could only enjoy in imagination.
In my current life, I had no opportunities to experience a hot spring until now. The warmth that wrapped around my skin penetrated deep within me, washing away the accumulated waste and gently caressing my suddenly relaxed insides. It was undoubtedly a blissful experience that could rival the idea of paradise.
Perhaps the reason we enjoy the sound of rain is due to its similarity to the sounds we heard while in our mother’s womb—similar to the warm amniotic fluid, this hot spring may evoke that same nostalgic feeling.
“Anyway…”
It was at that moment, amidst this life-reflective thought, that I heard another unexpected reply.
“That’s a relief. Your first….”
“Huh?”
It was then that I could finally face Rachel for the first time. I had been scanning the surroundings since she first dipped her toes into the open-air hot spring, my gaze wandering with no direction.
And now, I was able to see it.
Rachel’s face, tinged with rosy color.
Her usually indifferent face, which never even turned a shade of red from hard training or the effects of alcohol, was now flushed due to the warmth of the hot spring. It seemed she was quite flustered by the unfamiliar sensation of the hot water wrapping around her.
“Yes, yes?”
“Relieved? Why?”
“Ah… no, never mind. Please disregard it. Just an empty statement.”
Rachel, whose personality was always calm and stoic, revealing no emotional fluctuations, had obviously never shown any sign of embarrassment. After all, that was a basic trait of a bodyguard.
I had never heard her stutter, nor had I seen her face turn beet-red before now.
And for the first time, her gaze, which always met mine directly, had gone astray. Not because of me, but due to Rachel deliberately avoiding eye contact.
Her crimson face, lips that seemed to be nervously chewed, and her eyes wandering over the still surface of the water—this response was the most human I had seen from my stoic mentor. Perhaps because of that, for the first time, I had a childish thought of wanting to tease my mentor.
This awkward moment seemed like it could provide a delightful morsel for banter.
“And I believe you mentioned ‘first’ and then ‘incident’? What’s that all about?”
I clung on to the fading tail end of her sentence. She had clearly said “first incident,” and the surprise on her face as she swallowed the rest of her words was evident.
Right after, her face flushed a brilliant red.
What could ‘that’s a relief’ mean, and what was the continuing thought that followed? I was curious.
Rachel, who had never mentioned bathing in a hot spring before, might have had a longing strong enough to not shy away from mixed bathing with a man—how puzzling that seemed!
More importantly, her recent behavior had been rather strange.
After her unexpected challenge to a spar, she deliberately brought me close by loosening her pressure bandage on her chest, and had asked if I had mixed with Ariel’s scent.
Then she had left a curious remark about abstinence depending on who the person was.
Having spent over half a year together, and not spending a single day apart during that time, it would have been odd not to notice Rachel’s strange reactions.
However, what specifically those reactions hinted at was ambiguous, so I had merely refrained from responding.
There’s nothing more awkward than making a fuss out of the matter!
With all these puzzling reactions and the bizarre occurrence of mixed bathing…
Perhaps I could utilize this moment to tease my mentor and glean some insights.
As Rachel hesitated, her face as red as a tomato, she finally let something slip.
“…First incident… Ah, no! First case…? No…”
But she ultimately couldn’t complete her sentence.
She had buried her head beneath the surface of the water, yet her lips, reflected in the water below, seemed to chastise her for failing to fulfill their role.
“A first incident? Well, enjoying a hot spring in such a small town is certainly an event worth celebrating.”
“……”
“First case? Well, enjoying the hot spring in such a small town is certainly a rare occurrence.”
“……”
It felt like a little rebellion on my part, long overshadowed by my mentor’s authority.
Moreover, seeing Rachel, who usually appeared cold-blooded and stoic, blushing and flustered, stirred up an unexpected desire to tease her. Her once immaculate demeanor now displayed a touch of human vulnerability that was ridiculously endearing.
Just as the imperfections nestled in her perfection became more apparent, it allowed the walls between mentor and disciple to lower, making our employer-employee relationship feel a bit more relaxed and playful.
As I playfully picked at her, little ripples began to form around Rachel.
It was the vibrations of magic creating their own waves.
“…”
Just as I thought it might be time to ease off my teasing.
“It’s too hot. I’ll get up first.”
Suddenly!
Rachel sprang up.
The surface of the water rippled in response to her movements.
As she rose, I came to realize that her humorous side wasn’t quite finished.
And perhaps, beyond her swordsmanship and bodyguarding skills, she might just be a bit of a goofball.
After all, no one is perfect in every respect.
Anyway.
“……”
Caught in cognitive dissonance, I couldn’t help but stare, as if a goddess from Greek mythology had descended before me, rendering me speechless by her beauty.
With skin as fair as ivory, it was hard to believe she once roamed the battlefield.
Two droplets, subtly accentuating her womanly maturity, stood proudly.
Above the hills of those droplets bloomed two pink cherry blossoms.
Her well-trained body emanated a healthy beauty.
Truly, it would be no exaggeration to say she possessed divine allure, effortlessly capturing the attention of everyone in the vicinity.
“R-Rachel…?”
Had I dared to immerse myself in the gods’ bath, provoking their wrath as my modesty towel melted away?
Did the gods, angry at the intrusion of poor mortals into their domain, untie their towels to tease me?
Whatever the reason, the moment marked the advent of a great storm in the relationship between master and disciple.
“Why, why are you looking at me that way?”
Sensing something amiss in my unexpected gaze, Rachel instinctively recoiled and glanced down.
There it was, a towel, floating innocently on the surface of the water.
Soon after…
Rachel’s scream echoed through the backyard.
“Eek—!”
And that scream was the first I had ever heard, encompassing all the memories of Elden.
It wasn’t the battle cry of a knight, but rather the shy squeal of a woman.
“D-Don’t look—!”
Umm…
Oh, what to do…
“Me? I-I didn’t see anything!”
“What?! Are you saying you’re disappointed that you couldn’t see me?!”
“No!? I-I really didn’t see anything!”
Though in truth, I had seen it all now.
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