The valley was not far from our tent.
Did Aileen intentionally set up over here?
Seems like she wasn’t just wandering aimlessly but was following an efficient path.
“Alright, Noah, you go wash up first. I’ll keep watch.”
Aileen, standing a good distance away, handed me some spare clothes.
Watch… not that it’s really necessary.
If I just widen my sense a bit, I can roughly tell what’s around me.
Of course, my head might feel a bit dizzy…
“Y-yes…”
I accepted the clothes and headed towards the water.
The current was flowing gently, neither too strong nor too weak.
Oh! There’s fish too!
If I catch one, can I grill it later?
Thanks to Aileen, it won’t smell bad anyway!
Grilled fish from such an adventure really sounds romantic.
Gulp – While I was pondering what fish to catch, Aileen approached me.
“Noah.”
Her voice sounded a bit low.
Maybe she’s a bit annoyed since I’m dilly-dallying.
“Y-yes… I’ll go in quickly…”
“No. That’s not it… um… I don’t know if I can ask this, but can you wash by yourself?”
But surprising words flowed from Aileen’s mouth.
Well… I could technically wash alone if I took my Great Sword in with me.
It’d be inconvenient and take a long time, but for some reason, after two months, I got used to it, and it’s not so bad, right?
“Y-yeah, I can wash…”
“Umm…”
After hearing my answer, Aileen started mumbling again.
“I-I really can do it alone…”
“No, no. Let’s wash together. I’ll wash you.”
Huh? Huh??
“Y-yes…?!!”
“It’s just that you’ve got a lot of dirt all over, and it seems too hard for you to wash alone. So let’s hurry and get undressed.”
With those strange words pouring out, Aileen started taking off her clothes…!
Oh no, this is bad…
I quickly turned my head and narrowed my sense.
Of course, I couldn’t see Aileen’s body, but… still, something about it… it’s just… awkward.
“What are you doing? Hurry up and undress.”
W-whoa…
Hearing her say such things in that voice…
The stimulation is too much for a 25-year solo!
“Should I take them off for you?”
Gah…!
Stop it!!
“Alright, fine…”
Should I just drop the Great Sword?
Then I wouldn’t feel Aileen’s presence so strongly…
If I couldn’t see colors or details, wouldn’t it be okay…?
In the end, I couldn’t let go of the Great Sword.
Instead, I squatted down and took off my shoes.
Then I went for my top… my clothes…!
They were soaked in sweat and blood and wouldn’t come off easily!
Moreover, trying to take them off with one hand… ugh…
While I was struggling with my half-turned shirt, Aileen’s voice reached me.
“Okay, hands up.”
“Th-thank you…”
I let the Great Sword drop and raised my arms.
Then my shirt came off quite easily.
“You can handle your pants, right?”
“Y-yeah…”
Just let me use both hands to take them off…
I took off my pants and turned slightly.
I can’t see Aileen, but she can see me…
It’s just… embarrassing.
“Aileen, please, you can go in first…”
I said, turning my back and waving my hands.
Aileen sighed deeply at my back.
Why! What!
W-well! I had to level up my Great Swordsmanship!
I wouldn’t mind having a nice full chest!
Yeah! I’m jealous of your big chest! Huh?!
But it must be super uncomfortable when it bounces around, right?
And besides, I’m a guy! Huh?!
That stuff doesn’t matter on my body!
I clicked my tongue and picked up the Great Sword.
Though my eyes were closed, I quickly glanced at Aileen and plunged into the valley with a splash.
“O-oh my gosh!”
It’s really cold!
H-huh… I nearly had a heart attack…!
As I soaked in the cold water, Aileen followed me in.
W-wait, wait, wait!
Take a look at that!
Huh? She’s not wearing anything.
Every step she takes makes… everything bounce.
Whew… this is insane…
I glanced around my own body.
I felt a bit sick.
As I clicked my tongue inwardly, I turned my body away from Aileen.
“Alright, first off… I’m sure you can feel everything, but let me rinse your body. Don’t be surprised.”
“Y-yes.”
After Aileen scooped up some water with both hands, she carefully poured it on my back.
“Ugh, ugh…!”
I was tense, but it was still cold…
After several repetitions, Aileen spoke again.
“Now I’m going to wash your hair. Close your eyes tight.”
“Y-yes.”
Though my eyes were already shut, I was worried that if I said anything, Aileen might get flustered, so I just nodded.
Then, with the sound of water splashing down, cold water trickled from the top of my head.
But now it felt a bit less cold, maybe because I was adjusting.
“So now I’ll use soap… how should we do this?”
Huh? Soap? Isn’t that easy?
I tilted my head, trying to respond.
“Y-yes. Please do it.”
For a moment, I heard Aileen inhale.
It seems the water’s cold even for Aileen.
I thought she’d be used to it, but maybe she hasn’t washed much in scenarios like this?
I was used to washing in the valley.
When I first came to this world, I realized there were no faucets in the inn’s bathroom and thought, “Ah… you have to wash outside if you don’t have money in this world.” So I went outside to wash.
Of course, I felt it was weird, but since I was staying in such a cheap inn… I just thought it was nonexistent.
However… it was a bit chilly then, so I didn’t wash well.
Maybe I looked too dirty… the inn lady brought me warm water.
She told me to ask for it next time… apparently everyone uses it that way…?
Anyway.
So I’m familiar with valley water!
Aiden, you…
“Then I’ll start.”
“Y-yes.”
I could hear Aileen’s trembling voice and the sound of soap bubbles forming.
I tightly closed my eyes, worried about soap getting in.
But.
“Huh?!”
Aileen’s hands weren’t reaching for my hair; they were headed for my waist.
“Uh, no… h-huh…? Wha…?”
Even as I made strange noises, Aileen didn’t stop and continued soaping me up.
Every time her hands swept over me, I needed to hold my mouth and clench my body tight.
“Just endure a bit more… it’ll be over soon.”
Then Aileen’s skilful hands began to scrub every corner of my body.
But… but… I seriously wanted to tell her to stop…
Why is she so thorough at washing me…?
It’s bizarre… she must have incredible skills.
Is she experienced…?
“Alright… it’s done. Now we just need to rinse.”
I wanted to say just a bit more, but…
The last remnant of my pride as a man kept my mouth shut.
Huff-!
To cool my dazed head, I dove underwater.
Feeling the bubbling soap rising from my mouth, I recalled Aileen’s earlier washing.
Was it this refreshing feeling when accepting a new-born at a bathhouse?
Maybe… I should act like I can’t wash in the future…?
The last shreds of my pride as a man clashed fiercely with my instincts.
*
Watching Noah, who was shivering and drying his hair with a towel, I muttered quietly.
“Seriously… is he really the same person…?”
I closed my eyes and imagined that earlier scene.
The one where he was drenched in blood, tearing apart a black bear.
When hunting, Noah was… a completely different person.
The always carefree face was filled with hatred and rage.
And behind those always-closed eyelids were.
Empty, devoid of any emotions, red eyes.
His body, which used to shrink under my nagging, never bowed before that fearsome beast.
His fighting style was completely different from usual.
While most would expect to strike and retreat with their Great Sword, Noah was not like that.
He advanced without taking a single step back, even when within arm’s reach.
If his sword was blocked, he would use his shoulder, fist, legs, and head.
Utilizing every part of himself to hunt those beasts seemed almost beast-like.
At first glance, Noah’s small body seemed to be swinging the Great Sword.
But it was the opposite.
He used the recoil to deliver even stronger attacks.
This wasn’t the battle of an ordinary person.
It was a fight driven by innate talent.
I believed that, thought that.
Until I saw Noah’s naked body.
Her body, which always wrapped itself up even in the hot summer, was covered in scars.
It would be faster to find a part without scars.
Priestly healing leaves no scars.
Then, those scars must have come from potions poured on wound sites.
Two months.
It has only been two months since she became an adventurer.
Of course, it’s true she has innate talent.
But she wasn’t living off that talent.
What in the world has happened to her?
What experiences must she have gone through to live so desperately?
I couldn’t understand.
According to Hermila, Noah had no family.
Could she be someone who also endured similar pain as me?
Did she lose everything valuable, which allowed her to be like this?
If that’s the case, what would happen if Noah were to understand the darkness of this world?
If she came to know the ugliness of humans and decided to pour her life into saving this world.
What choice would she ultimately make?
I want to know.
But I don’t want to know.
I wish she would remain unaware of this filth.
I hope she doesn’t lose her light.
I opened my eyes.
Noah, still struggling to dry his hair, came into view.
If he dries it like that, it’s all going to clump together.
I couldn’t help but chuckle.
Really, he can’t do anything except hunt.
Can’t even take off his clothes properly.
Claiming he could wash by himself but asked for soap, making it a hassle.
Was he looking for warmth from someone?
Though it felt burdensome, it didn’t feel that bad remembering my sibling.
“Hah…”
Fine. Just a little.
Even if by chance, I were to disappear from this world.
I’ll help you just enough so you can manage on your own.
“Noah.”
“Y-yes…?”
“I’ll dry your hair. Come here.”
“I-I can do it too…”
“Just hurry up – I’m faster at it.”
“Y-yes…”
Noah, hunched over, cautiously walked toward me.
“Well, uh… thank you…”
I didn’t want to use the ‘Divine Power’ the goddess gave me.
But drying hair and blocking smells are fine.
Since it’ll make it easier for me too, let’s use it.
I summoned my Divine Power and stirred up a warm breeze.
“Oh…? A-Aileen! What is… this? Seriously…!”
“Ha-ha, Noah, you’re a grown-up now, aren’t you?”
“N-no… ahhh…!”
A little healing too.
Because I didn’t want to waste potions.
The potions in my bag…
I guess I’ll just sell them somehow.
They sell quite well.
I summoned my power again to clean up the small wounds from earlier’s battle.
“W-what…? Healing?”
