Just looking at the ecstatic grin on Clena’s face made me pretty happy, too. She must have been overjoyed. Lycaons sensed out ranks within groups and obeyed the leader. Therefore, Roni had instinctively treated Clena as her leader. That’s why I figured all we needed was someone to stand at a higher rank than Clena. In other words, me – the one who’d saved both of their lives. I’d simply become the leader of the party, while Roni could go on being Clena’s raver. I had hoped that deceiving Roni’s instinctive loyalty might be all we needed in order to get her to act friendlier. It may have seemed like I was trying to gain control of Roni for myself, but Clena had given me permission without a second thought. Perhaps because she’d been disowned, Clena had no real hang-ups about this sort of thing, but whether or not she could become equal friends with Roni was very important to her.
“If you’re planning to use our debt as an excuse to steal Roni from me, then I’d say no, but you won’t do that, right, Touya? We’re going to stay together, aren’t we?”
“Of course. I have a conscience, you know.”
“Then I have no problems with this. Not when it comes to you, Touya!” Clena said with a smile.
“Thank you so much, Sir Touya.” Roni nodded her head deeply.
The problem now was whether or not I’d be able to accept this situation – but I’d already given up on worrying. Rulitora and I were basically like boss and employee by that point anyway. Rulitora didn’t keep track of his exact age, but he was apparently over 30, and when we stood together we looked just like an adult and a child, so it was hard for me to look at him as a friend. After all, Rulitora had already gotten married and had children. Unfortunately, they’d died in the battle with the sandworm, which had been one of the reasons why he decided to sell himself as a raver. This was part of why we eventually fell into a boss and co-worker relationship. If anything, it was closest to how a loyal retainer would act toward the young lord he served. I just had to be careful that I didn’t become a stupid young lord.
“Remember, I had no problems accepting Rulitora’s demeanor,” I added.
“Is this pretty much how you were treated in your other world, too?” Clena asked.
“No way!” I laughed. I’d been born into a run-of-the-mill family, so I answered her honestly. “I’m going to become the kind of man that Rulitora will be proud to serve. I’m ready to grow.”
I’d vowed to get stronger in order to bathe with Haruno and the others, but this basically meant the same thing. I had to rise up to that sort of status somehow, or else I’d never be able to bathe with everyone.
“With that goal in mind, this is nothing. And if it solves your problem too, Clena, then that’s the icing on top of the cake.”
“Icing... cake?”
“It means I couldn’t be happier.”
Sometimes, there were phrases that didn’t get translated through the Goddess of Light’s blessing, which caused some problems. The nuances of certain sayings and idioms could be translated, but it didn’t ensure that everything always made sense, so one needed to be careful. If there was an idiom that matched up in this world, it’d just get translated into that, but if there was no applicable idiom, it’d just get translated as-is using this world’s language. For example, proper nouns such as monster names and people’s names like Clena and Roni were simply transmitted to me as sounds, without being translated. Another drawback was how it allowed me to read and write, but since I wasn’t used to writing in this language, it took me a lot of time to get anything done. There were a lot of people in this world who couldn’t read or write, so just being able to understand it gave me more than enough ability, but still.
Anyway, the next thing I knew, Clena was staring straight at me with an ear-to-ear grin. She looked really happy. When I thought back and recalled how she’d been so worried about Roni despite being on the verge of collapsing due to her burns, I realized just what a good person she was. I couldn’t understand what kind of noble family would want to disown a girl like this. She didn’t seem too worried about it, though, so I figured it’d be a bad idea for me to touch upon it. Besides, thanks to her family, I’d gotten both Clena and Roni as new party members, so I decided to be thankful instead.
Here, I’d like to give a little analysis of how I thought I appeared to Clena and Roni. I was a suspicious man who traveled with a sand lizardman. They’d had no other choice but to go inside a tent with me, with no idea of what I was planning to do to them, but to their surprise, I’d helped them. I even healed all their burns, which might have scarred them for the rest of their lives. I may have appeared a bit conceited, but I hope they found some charm, or even some “gap moe” in my personality. Either way, I was grateful that Clena and Roni had come to trust me.
“Speaking of which, have you and Roni always traveled together, Clena?” I asked.
“We found several people who said they’d join us on the road from Junopolis to here, but Lady Clena said we couldn’t trust any of them,” Roni answered.
“They were all more or less brigands. Don’t tell me you actually thought they could be trusted, Roni?”
“They were suspicious,” Roni said bluntly. Her lycaon blood also gave an extremely good sense of smell, just like a wolf’s. “But you smell really good, Sir Touya!”
“Oh, thanks. I bet it’s all thanks to the Unlimited Bath.”
Apparently, I smelled good. It probably had something to do with the fact that I used soap from the Unlimited Bath to keep myself clean. As usual, my gift came in handy in the weirdest places.
“There was also the problem of whether or not we could mention anything about the desert kingdom,” Clena added.
Since all history of the desert kingdom had been erased from the entire Olympus Alliance, searching for it had become something akin to sticking one’s nose into a taboo subject. Since I was interested in the desert kingdom as the birthplace of the demon lord, and I seemed trustworthy, they’d gotten a good enough impression to ignore the fact that they barely knew me. Basically, it was like they’d found someone with the same interests. I could understand that – especially when I thought about how we were all heretical believers of the same myth. In the end, I also felt like I’d be able to get along well with Clena.
“Now, about the bath...” she spoke up.
“You still want to go on about that? I’m happy to, but are you two sure you’re okay with this?” Clena seemed fine, so I ended up hesitating. “Um, of course, if you just want to use the water, I can dump hot water into the laundry tub as usual.”
But Clena swiftly kicked my proposal right out the window. “Why don’t you just bathe with us?” Of course, as she said this, her cheeks were also turning a violent shade of red.
“Like I said, I didn’t save you so that I could force you to do things like this.” I tried to remind her of that fact.
“I’m not ashamed of a single thing on my body. And you’d prefer to do things this way, right?!” As she spoke, Clena walked toward me and made her declaration right before my eyes. It seemed like she was forcing it out a little.
When I looked straight up at her from my sitting position on the ground, her plump breasts prevented me from seeing her face, but I was sure she looked absolutely triumphant. “...What happened to all that embarrassment you displayed when I was healing you?” I took a jab at her.
In response, Clena rolled her eyes and shoved her face toward me. “A strange man who I’m not sure I can trust, and a man I do trust. Why would I act the same way towards both?”
“Touche.” She was right. Clena had decided to trust me, which is why she was acting this way now.
“I think you have room to grow, but that lack of confidence is really dragging you down. Seems like you’re still at a low level, though, so I guess it can’t be helped.”
“Leave me alone.”
“An otherworlder like you made it this far with only a sand lizardman for company, so I bet you’re not used to traveling with a party. Don’t worry, though, I�
�ll help you out,” Clena said, with an amused laugh. Honestly, I couldn’t be more grateful. “Besides, this is also a way for me to pay you up front.”
Pay me... for what? I had no idea what she was talking bout.
Then, Clena shot me another grin and went on. “For your growth, and your future.”
“Because I’m a Hero of the Goddess?”
“That’s one reason, but the main one is your magic.”
“Magic? But I can only use basic stuff.”
“You used that basic magic to heal my burns without leaving a single scar, didn’t you? That’s way more amazing than you may think it is.” Clena placed a hand on her chest. She looked sort of happy. “You’ve only just begun studying cleric magic, but how long do you think it usually takes to cast a spell?”
“For Healing Light, it depends on the size of the wound, but it takes less than a minute to summon a light spirit.”
“That’s about average for normal magic. But this past week, you’ve been using your MP for over six hours a day in order to power your gift. And you’re only going to keep on using it that way. Don’t you think that’s incredible?”
“But as long as I don’t overuse it, I feel hardly any physical stress.”
“Yet the fact that you continually use it is enough to enhance your MP. And probably your MEN stat, too. The next time you update your status card, I bet it’s going to look crazy. You got a blessing from the Goddess of Light as well, remember.”
Status cards weren’t convenient enough to display stats in real time, which meant mine currently displayed the stats I’d had before I departed. I thought that the battles I’d taken part in during hunting would enhance my physical stats, but if Clena’s right, then my MP and MEN are going to grow by a lot as well. If the formula was one minute for one spell, then I’d cast 360 spells per day. When I look at it that way, I guess I really have been training myself thoroughly.
“So you’re saying that I’m someone worth betting on?” I asked.
“Adding in the fact that you saved us, and what you discussed with the Torano’o tribe, I believe in you now.”
“That sounds a bit calculating...”
“I don’t know who you’re comparing me to, but I’m just being honest. Besides, I’m sure whoever you’re thinking of must want something from you as well.”
“Want something from me...?”
I was thinking of Haruno, of course. When I looked back on it, it seemed like Rium’s attraction to me came from simple curiosity, while I couldn’t deny that Haruno and I had sought comfort and sanctuary in each other. Sera was so oblivious that I had no idea what she wanted.
Huh. So that’s what she means. All of a sudden, I understood. I’d promised Haruno that we’d bathe once we got stronger, but that strength meant the power to stand up to a threat that ran rampant in this world. Haruno had most likely seen some kind of potential in me, and I’d decided that I wanted to get strong enough to live up to it. Up to this point, I’d only thought vaguely about growing strong enough to fulfill my promise, but thanks to Clena’s words, I was starting to see the concrete details. I wanted to gain the power to survive in this world, and grow strong enough to protect girls. I also wanted to gain success and social status in this world – which meant that I needed to answer to Clena’s expectations and protect her and Roni.
“Okay. Er, I mean, thank you. Thanks to your words, Clena, I’ve gotten a more concrete picture of my goal.”
“I’m glad I could be of help. I’m expecting great things from you.” When she spoke, she sounded slightly relieved.
I stared into her eyes, and she stared right back at me. Despite being disowned, she hadn’t abandoned her pride as a noble. She was a confident woman. In her mind, I guess she trusted in me like one would trust in a good investment. Some people might feel angry at that and call her conniving or calculating, but I didn’t feel that way.
Clena believed that I was going to rise to do great things. If I got angry there, then I was set to fail. Accepting her trust and answering up to it was the right path to take. I needed to feel confident and proud that she trusted me, and do my best not to let her down.
“Okay, I got it. Now, please take this opportunity to tell me exactly what you want from me.” When I said this, Clena beamed. “Okay. It seems like there are some things you don’t understand about this world, so I’ll explain from square one.”
“Please do.”
“I told you about how I was disowned, right? We went on a journey after that, and haven’t belonged to any organization since then. Got it?”
I nodded. If I called her unemployed and homeless here, she’d probably get angry.
“What I want is for you to become a home for us to return to, Touya.”
“In other words, your guardian?”
Clena nodded with solemn eyes. Ever since Clena and Roni were disowned, they’d had to support each other all on their own. They also probably hadn’t been able to find any party members due to the desert kingdom and how it was erased from history. Maybe that had something to do with the reason why they were disowned.
Then I appeared – a Hero of the Goddess who saved their lives and seemed to have some potential for the future. I was also one of the few humans who was willing to help them search for the desert kingdom, which translated to heresy in the Olympus Alliance. No wonder they can’t ignore me. If I was in Clena’s shoes, I’d do anything to try and join my party. There was a very low possibility that they’d make it to the desert kingdom on their own, after all. It was calculating, but it made more sense than assuming she’d fallen in love with me at first sight.
“Still...” I muttered. “Would it be too greedy to ask for a little love as well?”
“Huh? That stuff comes later, right? Besides, at this point, I think I’m already rather fond of you...” Clena replied with a straight face.
It appeared that the philosophy behind love and marriage in this world differed a bit from mine – although I’d heard that things used to be similar to this long ago. Being surrounded by cute girls sounded like the ultimate male fantasy, but I knew that things were never that sweet in reality.
“When you first touched me, I was shocked, but you did save me and all...” Clena said. “And refusing to run and fighting in the last battle gave you a lot of bonus points. It made me feel like I could count on you in a crisis.”
“I was just scared of the guilt I’d feel if I ran, really!”
“Yeah, I’ve grown to look at that as one of your cute points.” Clena smiled mischievously.
“...Well, thanks.” I was so embarrassed that I had to look away from her.
In order to change the subject, I spoke to Roni next. “And what do you want, Roni?”
“Huh? I can say something, too?”
“Of course.”
“Roni, just take him up on his offer,” Clena added.
“Uhhh, umm...” Roni crossed her arms and thought.
Since she’s Clena’s servant, does she always only think of herself as one half of a whole?
Then, Roni’s ears twitched, and she spoke to me in a sweet, childlike voice. “Ummm, please become good friends with me and Lady Clena!”
Oh no. I feel like something hot is going to come gushing out of my nose. She’s just too cute! “...Can I hug you?” I asked.
“Huh? What?”
“Touya will come from the right, and I’ll come from the left.” It turned out that Clena had been thinking the exact same thing.
“Whaaat?!”
We sandwiched Roni, then hugged her as tight as we could and rubbed our cheeks up against hers. At first, Roni looked bewildered, but then her face relaxed, and she started to look happy. She’s so cute.
“Hey, don’t you think it’s about time we took a bath?” After we gave Roni some love, Clena invited me to bathe with her once again. Her cheeks were crimson as usual, and her voice sounded shrill.
Honestly, I was overjoyed at the idea of bathing wit
h her, but I still wasn’t sure whether it was a good idea or not. If I take into account the discussion we just shared, I can see it being a perk they could offer in exchange for my protection. On the other hand, they don’t really have anything else to offer me in the first place... In that case, should I just honestly accept their feelings and be careful not to ask too much of them?
“...Okay,” I said. “Let’s do it. Clena, Roni... I want you to bathe with me!”
I’ve made up my mind. I’m going to bathe with them, and protect them.
“Now those are the eyes I like to see,” Clena said. “Roni, what do you say?”
“Oh, I’ll join in too, of course. Please let me wash your back for you!” With a full-faced grin, Roni wagged her tail and agreed to bathe with us.
She was acting just like a servant, most likely on purpose. Currently, she was clad in a long-sleeved shirt and pants under her armor, but I bet she’d look great in maid clothes. I also thought it’d be nice to put her in a kimono and make her look like a Japanese style inn attendant. She was just so obedient, it almost made me worried – but also made me want to do my best to protect her.
When I looked at Clena, I saw that she was also giving Roni a warm, protective grin. She probably felt the same way I did. When our eyes met, we both showed each other smiles filled with love. In that moment, we completely understood each other. We both needed to do our best to protect Roni.
“But are you sure you’re okay with this, Lady Clena? Lately, your tummy’s gotten a little...”
“No one asked you to mention that!” Clena quickly shouted, red in the face.
“Y-yes ma’am!”
Even though she sounded mad, Clena’s face still looked slightly happy. Roni had probably never taken a jab at her like that before. Either way, I lacked the courage to comment on the situation, so I resigned myself to silently watching them play around.
A few moments later, we entered the Unlimited Bath. Clena and I carried in changes of clothes, while Roni brought in a washboard and a stick of wood. During our travels, bathtime would be the perfect chance to wash clothes. After all, where else would we be able to get so much water at once?
Mixed Bathing in Another Dimension: The Hero of the Unlimited Bath Page 20