Shallow Trick
Han Seo-Jin, appearing like a ghost.
Eri and Makoto gasp at her figure dressed in a yukata suitable for the ryokan.
“Yikes!”
“We didn’t do anything, Han Seo-Jin!”
Slap.
Eri and Makoto tremble, hugging each other tightly.
Han Seo-Jin’s gray eyes fix on the two.
“I’ve already seen everything.”
Gasp.
Eri and Makoto’s expressions stiffen.
She has already seen everything.
They’ve been caught plotting something as scandalous as mixed bathing by none other than Han Seo-Jin, Kim Deok-Sung’s secretary.
Eri and Makoto feel so embarrassed they want to hide in a mouse hole.
“Th-that’s… Han Seo-Jin…”
Eri falters, trying to explain.
“Like I said earlier, this isn’t the way to do it.”
Han Seo-Jin cuts off Eri’s rambling.
Not the way?
Eri’s mind fills with question marks.
“I’m not trying to blame you. Right now, besides you two, there are other female students in the large bathhouse. If we change things up now, the chances of mixed bathing will likely be impossible because of the other students.”
Han Seo-Jin calmly lays it all out.
As the planner of the Harem Plan, mixed bathing is not just intellectual but actually encouraged.
The closer the heroines get to Kim Deok-Sung, the less noise there will be when the Harem Plan is officially established.
“In other words, if you’re going to do it, do it right. You need to change the sign when there are no other female students around, just before Kim Deok-Sung arrives.”
Just like when they changed the shower sign at the summer school.
Han Seo-Jin swallows her next words.
At that time, the target was Aris.
She remembers lurking near the beach shower room, ready to secretly change the sign just before Aris entered.
“Impressive… You really are something, Han Seo-Jin!”
“Awesome…!”
Eri and Makoto’s eyes sparkle at Han Seo-Jin’s words.
The two ball their fists.
Although she’s not a hero, Han Seo-Jin, the capable career woman, is an object of admiration for them.
“I’m glad you understand. Now, enjoy your hot spring bath.”
Just as Han Seo-Jin bows her head,
“We can’t just enjoy it without you! Come with us, Han Seo-Jin!”
Grappling.
Eri grabs Han Seo-Jin’s wrist.
“Yeah! I want to soak in the hot spring with Han Seo-Jin too.”
“I want to take a hot spring bath with Han Seo-Jin.”
Makoto grabs my wrist on the opposite side.
Seeing this, Han Seo-Jin’s gray eyes slightly dim.
What matters most to her is Kim Deok-Sung and the Harem Plan.
For the successful execution of the Harem Plan and, ultimately, his happiness, it’s important for her to build relationships with the other harem candidates, Eri and Makoto.
So, it’s best to accept their offer now.
The calculations finish in Han Seo-Jin’s mind.
“Alright. Let’s take a hot spring bath together.”
“Great!”
“A hot spring bath with Han Seo-Jin…!”
As soon as Han Seo-Jin’s words finish, Eri and Makoto sparkle with excitement, grabbing her arms and pulling her into the large bathhouse.
Not long after Han Seo-Jin, Makoto, and Eri disappear into the steaming entrance of the bathhouse.
“Nishishishi.”
With a giggle, a beautiful girl with striking red and black two-tone side tails, Kurosawa Haru, appears in a yukata.
She notices a sign.
‘According to the laws of this world, changing bath times means the protagonist enters the bath, right? Nishishishi. Then if I change the bath time, I might get to bathe with Deok-Sung oppa!’
Hmm.
Haru inwardly pats herself and reaches for the sign before pausing.
‘But how do I know when Deok-Sung oppa will come?’
If she doesn’t know his bath time, changing it wouldn’t help at all.
Lost in thought for a moment, a brilliant idea pops into Haru’s head.
Swish.
Haru pulls out her phone from her pocket.
Tap, tap, tap.
She quickly types out a message on her smartphone.
[Oppa. Let me know when Deok-Sung oppa arrives and heads to the large bathhouse.]
The recipient of Haru’s text is Yuji, who was assigned to share a room with Kim Deok-Sung.
[Huh? Why?]
Yuji’s reply comes back almost immediately.
[You don’t need to know the reason.]
[Just do it.]
[You’re such a fool, oppa.]
Haru’s fingers fly over the screen as she hastily replies.
[Got it…].
The reply comes back quickly.
Reading it brings a smile to Haru’s face.
“Nishishishi…”
Now that she knows the timing, all that’s left is to swap the sign.
*
After the weekly sightseeing tour, we finally arrived at our accommodation.
The place was a traditional ryokan, just like in Japanese anime.
It wasn’t an actual ryokan in Beppu city, but I had heard that after the anime aired, they built a new ryokan based on the [Weakest Hero] concept, and it became quite popular in the community.
There were even popular posts of pilgrimage reviews from those who visited.
The ryokan looked exactly like what I had seen in the anime and review posts.
Unlike in the real world, however, there were no character standees.
Anyway, since I was in a different gender group, I naturally wouldn’t share a room with Rin, Evangelin, or Beatrice.
The boys assigned to the same room as me were Yuji and Ishihara.
Thank goodness they weren’t strangers.
I thought to myself as I climbed the stairs to the assigned room.
Creak.
I opened the door and stepped inside.
“Kim! Did you enjoy the group sightseeing?”
“Did you arrive, my brother!”
Familiar faces greet me in the tatami room.
Familiar faces greet me in the room.
It’s Yuji and Ishihara.
Crunch.
Two young men in yukatas are munching on snacks and tea on the table.
Behind them, the balcony and bathroom are visible.
Thud.
I drop my suitcase and backpack in the room.
A yukata hangs on the coat rack.
Looks like that one’s for me.
But is wearing a yukata like a rule when you come to a ryokan? Can’t I just wear something else?
With that strange question in mind, I change into the yukata and sit in front of Yuji and Ishihara, who are diligently devouring the snacks.
“Did you guys wash up?”
Is it customary to have snacks available in a ryokan?
It reminds me of the complimentary drinks at a motel.
Crunch.
I pop a snack into my mouth.
It’s not bad.
Actually, it’s pretty good.
“Yes, we’ve washed up.”
“Yeah.”
Yuji and Ishihara nod at my words.
“Damn······.”
I chew and swallow the snack.
Of course, there must be no distinction between male and female bathing areas in this world like a light novel.
“I heard the male bathing hours are still going? Kim, wouldn’t it be a good idea to head over?”
Yuji says with a slightly awkward tone.
Still bathing hours, huh?
This is the first proper hot spring I get to enjoy since coming to Japan.
I definitely don’t want to miss it.
“Really? Then I should go now. I’ll be right back.”
“Have a good trip!”
“Enjoy your time!”
As I receive their send-off, I leave the room.
But I feel like I’m forgetting something.
*
Thud.
The door closes.
“Huh.”
Yuji lets out a sigh of relief.
Tap tap.
Yuji’s fingers move.
[Kim just left]
The recipient of his message is Haru.
As soon as he sends it, the read receipt pops up quickly.
[Got it! Thanks, oppa!]
A formal thank-you comes back.
A smile spreads across Yuji’s face as he reads the message.
“Hang in there, Haru.”
Once a supporter of his childhood friend Rin, Yuji’s heart now leans more towards Haru, his only blood relative, who he has confirmed has feelings for Kim.
Besides, Kim Deok-Sung is his closest friend and the man he truly respects.
If it were any other guy, it might be different, but for him, there’s no reason to oppose a relationship with his sister.
In fact, he welcomes it.
If possible, he hopes his sister ends up with someone she likes.
Just as he thinks this, crunching on the snack.
Flash.
With a burst of light, a shining black-haired girl with a hime cut appears.
It’s Kusunagi.
“Oh my. Master, are you thinking of pairing the lady with that man?”
Suddenly, Kusunagi’s pretty face turns towards Yuji’s phone.
“Ah, what?! Uh······.”
Yuji is taken aback.
“Haru is a precious little sister, but if she ends up with him, I have no objections. She likes Kim as well······.”
Yuji scratches his head while explaining.
“If it’s my brother, I’m all for it!”
Ishihara raises his hand excitedly from the side.
Seeing that, Kusunagi nods with a meaningful expression.
“I see······.”
Kusunagi’s eyes glimmer.
“Maybe I’ve found a way to keep that man close to Master?!”
“Did I find it?!”
If I can connect that man with Haru.
Then she would no longer show any interest in the Master.
With that judgment in mind, Kusunagi sticks close to Yuji.
“Alright! Then I, Kusunagi, will help the Master connect the lady with that man!”
“Really? Thank you!”
Hearing Kusunagi’s response, a pure smile appears on Yuji’s face.
Crunch.
Ishihara, watching the scene, bites into her snack.
This happened after Kim Deok-Sung left the room.
*
I walked out of the room towards the large bathhouse.
I left the Durandal, which dwells with the Black Prince, back in the room, so it’s been a while since I’ve been alone without that voice.
Honestly, I don’t want to take a hot spring bath with the Black Prince.
While most high-end ryokans have small outdoor baths in each room, this damn light novel world ryokan doesn’t have any.
So to take a hot spring bath, I absolutely had to go to the large bathhouse.
This is all convenience-based setting for hot spring luck scrubs.
The problem is that I’m stuck in this convenience-based setting.
‘So this is the large bathhouse.’
I can see the entrance to the bath, with hot steam seeping out.
Looking at the sign in front, it’s definitely now the male bathing time.
‘Is it really male bathing time?’
A moment of doubt arises.
The changing of male and female bathing times due to external factors resulting in the protagonist encountering heroines in the bath is a universal law that transcends light novel rules.
Naturally, this was also a plot point in the original work.
I stopped in my tracks, lost in thought.
‘But not washing feels odd too.’
If I don’t wash now, I’d have to wash again during late-night hours after dinner when the bath reopens.
But waiting until then without washing feels uncomfortable.
I should at least poke my nose in to check, so I decided to head in.
With resolve, I entered the steamy large bathhouse.
After stripping and placing my clothes in the locker, I opened the bath door.
Under the clear sky, there was a massive outdoor bath, just like the ones seen in anime.
And inside it were.
Numerous girls soaking in warm water.
“Damn it.”
Was my suspicion confirmed?
I didn’t know where to look.
“De-Deok-Sung…!? Is that you…!?”
The first voice I heard was Rin’s.
Thanks to the excessive steam filling the outdoor bath as in anime, I couldn’t see clearly, but true to Rin, her curves were evident even through the watery haze.
As soon as Rin finished speaking, all eyes turned toward me.
“Master! You’ve come!”
“My lord! Ugh… I’m so embarrassed…”
“What’s going on?! Ho-how did you?!”
I then heard voices from Eri, Makoto, and Olivia.
Washing was out of the question.
Just as I sighed and was about to leave, I heard a sound—splashing…
Just like in the hot spring anime, the sound of water falling echoed in my ears.
I’m going crazy.
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