Mixed Bathing in Another Dimension: The Hero of the Unlimited Bath

by Nagaharu Hibihana

  “Private baths? Just how rich are you people?”

  “Well, I don’t know about other countries, but it’s pretty normal to own one in mine. I’ve also been using shampoo since I was a kid, you know?”

  “No wonder you’re so used to this... Your world sounds amazing.”

  As we spoke, it reminded me how I was still living in another world, despite the fact that I was bathing in a very familiar place. Clena’s silver hair and Roni’s custard cream-colored hair were both sights I rarely saw back home.

  “I wonder if gifts grow?” I asked. “You know, like levels and stats.”

  “They probably do, based on personal growth.”

  “Oh. Well, it doesn’t seem like this will ever be useful in battle regardless of how much I grow, so I wish I could at least figure out a way to make it a little more comfy.”

  “Yeah, I wish that the three of us could at least fit...” Clena looked to Roni. I followed her eyes and saw Roni happily beating clothes with her wooden stick. She seemed to be a fan of the beating wash style. It was heartwarming to watch, but perhaps because I was born in modern Japan, it seemed really inconvenient how we didn’t have a washing machine.

  “Either way, watching her sure soothes the heart...”

  As soon as I made a dopey face, Clena glared at me. “She’s mine. You’re the party leader, Touya, but I’m Roni’s master, and don’t you forget it.”

  Clena had given me the seat of party leader and allowed me to become the new target of Roni’s instinctual loyalty, but she wasn’t prepared to let me have Roni herself. I understood exactly how she felt. But I wasn’t the type to just shut up and back down, so I replied to Clena with an honest declaration. “Don’t worry. Eventually, it won’t matter, since you’ll be all mine, too.”

  “...I’m expecting great things of you,” Clena said, as she bashfully averted her gaze.

  Now that I had bathed with them, Clena was expecting great things from me in return. I needed to take proper responsibility, as a man.

  After we got out of the bath, we spread a big cloth on the floor and got ready to go to sleep. The cloth wasn’t very thick, but since the ground was close to sand, it didn’t hurt our backs. Lizardmen’s tails got in the way if they tried to sleep facing up, so they all slept face down and curled up. But we didn’t need to go that far – the three of us were going to line up in a row and sleep side by side.

  Up until yesterday, Clena and Roni had belonged to a different group than me, but since we were an official party now, I’d wanted us to try sleeping together. We fought a bit over who got to sleep in the middle, but in the end, Roni won out. The fight for the middle had started between Clena and I, but in the end, Roni seemed really excited for the chance, so we decided to relinquish it to her. We also used some thin string that Clena had in her things to hang up the laundry inside the tent.

  As I watched Roni hum and happily hang up the red, orange, and two white pieces of underwear, I asked Clena a question. “Do you always hang up laundry at night?”

  “What, you want to hang it up during the daytime and just sit there and wait for it?”

  I looked down at her. “...Oh, I see.”

  I thought that hanging up laundry under the sun was the best way to dry it, but travelers were busy traveling during the daytime. And it’s not like they could use their underwear as a flag or something.

  “People only do proper laundry like that in towns. If you happened to find an abandoned hut, I guess you could rest there for a few days and do it there.”

  “Yeah, that makes sense.”

  “What did you do on your way here from Jupiter?”

  “It took us a day to reach the mountains from Jupiter, then a day to get over the mountains, then another day to reach the wasteland and the monster horde.”

  Clena couldn’t believe her ears. “Wh-what a crazy schedule...”

  Even though it had been necessary in order to save the Torano’o tribe, I thought it had been crazy as well. Incidentally, the Torano’o tribe left their laundry to the wives of the settlement. Normally, they only washed those skimpy loincloths they wore, so they weren’t really used to heavy laundry, but since the loincloth was a durable piece of clothing made for travel, they didn’t have to worry about them getting torn or anything.

  “Don’t you know about the spot where the Torano’o tribe hangs all their loincloths?” I asked.

  “No, I always just followed you whenever you walked around.”

  Now that she mentioned it, I realized that I’d left my laundry to the female lizardmen as well, and I’d never actually gone there myself. Since Clena had always stayed with me, there was no way she’d know about it. “I’d hesitate about hanging up laundry right outside of the tent,” Clena said, “but maybe a place like that would work.”

  “Okay then, I’ll guide you there first thing in the morning. That way, it should all dry before lunch.”

  “Figures, with this climate...” The sun was really strong in these parts.

  “I’m all done!” Roni called out.

  “Thanks for the hard work, Roni,” I said.

  Once she finished hanging up the laundry, Roni came over to us and sat down on the cloth. Her tail was swishing amicably.

  With our preparations finished, we decided to go to sleep. When I looked up at the ceiling, I could see Clena’s bra hanging in the tent and the stars in the night sky behind it. It made me feel a little embarrassed, so I rolled over on my side. Roni was already sleeping soundly in the middle, and when I looked beyond her, my eyes met with Clena, who had also rolled over onto her side. Oh no, this is way more embarrassing.

  “Why did you roll over, too?!” she whispered.

  “I just felt like I might remember what the thing hanging from the ceiling usually hides...”

  “Urk... Never mind. Just turn the other way.” I couldn’t see her face anymore, but I guessed it was red.

  With my back to the two of them, I tried to stay still. I was still a bit nervous, and I wasn’t as tired as either of them, so I had trouble getting to sleep.

  Then, I heard Clena whisper from behind me. “Hey, Touya...” As I was deciding whether or not I should turn around before I answered, she kept going. “Uhh... Take good care of us from tomorrow on, okay?”

  I sensed a bit of a bashful tone in her relaxed voice. I wonder what sort of face she’s making? The moment that thought came to me, I rolled around and looked at her.

  “J-just keep looking the other way...”

  “No, I wanted to see your face...” I found myself unable to continue my sentence. I hadn’t thought about what I’d do after I looked at her.

  As I tried to figure out why we were staring at each other, Roni grabbed both of our hands and pulled them toward her chest, so that all three of us were holding hands in a semi-hug.

  “We need to all get along...” Roni said with a dopey grin. It seemed like she was talking in her sleep.

  I slid my hand ahead a little and interlocked my fingers with Clena’s. Once I did that, she moved her hand toward me and gripped mine in return. This time when we stared at each other, we both had soft smiles on our faces. It felt pretty good.

  With our hands connected, we went to sleep, watching each other under the slivers of moonlight that slipped in through the tent.

  Maius’ assault had been an unexpected twist, and they’d told me it’d be okay for me to run away. I was glad that I’d stayed and fought, though.

  Outside the tent, I could hear the Torano’o tribe enjoying their banquet. Clena looked at peace, while Roni was happily asleep. I would have lost all of this if I’d chosen to run away. I’m so glad I managed to scrounge up what little courage I had back there.

  Then, something caught my eye – beyond Roni’s modest mounds, upon which my hand currently sat, I could see Clena’s bountiful cleavage, nestled right underneath her head. I’d frantically put on a bath towel so I didn’t have to experience the torture of holding back in her presence, b
ut maybe I had been a little too hasty. No, this is bad. I still have so many more people to bathe with: Haruno, Sera, Rium, and all the other beautiful women I have yet to meet. In order to do that, there are things I need to acquire. To protect the women of this world, I need power, status, and fame. And more than anything, I need the mental fortitude to withstand bathing towel-less with a girl! I know what I’m aiming for... Yes... That massive bath I once dreamed about... As I stared at Clena’s white breasts and reaffirmed my resolve, I closed my eyes and descended into slumber.

  Spring Bath – Haruno’s Feelings

  My name is Haruno Shinonome. I’m a 16-year old high school student at an all girls’ school. Right now, I’m in another world, where I’m doing my best as a Heroine of the Goddess.

  On our way to Athena, we stopped at a small village. There was no large inn or temple there, so we borrowed a chapel and set up a tent around it. Since I was a heroine, Sera, Rium, and the three temple knights who’d befriended us were allowed to use the chapel as shelter.

  “Rin!” Sandra scolded Rin, who’d wasted no time in lying down on a long bench within the chapel.

  Rin was a year older than me, and had her wavy hair styled in two miniature ponytails. She was slim and stylish, so I often asked her for fashion tips. She really knew a lot.

  Sandra, on the other hand, was tall, and kept her blue hair in a ponytail. She was 18 years old. Rin wasn’t exactly a goof-off, but she was clever and always tried to take the easy route, which often irked the more stern and serious Sandra.

  “I’m going to go help outside. Sandra, can I leave this area to you?”

  “Of course, Sera.”

  Sera and Sandra were on a first name basis with each other. They were the same age, and had grown up in Jupiteropolis together. Once Sera finished praying, she brought Rium in and prepared to make dinner.

  “Haruno, let me help you take your armor off.”

  “Thank you, Lumis.”

  Lumis, the girl who was helping me take my armor off, was so skinny and petite that people often thought she was younger than me, but we were actually the same age – 16. She was the one I got along with best, and the only one of the pilgrims who didn’t refer to me as ‘Lady Haruno.’

  Once I finished taking my armor off, it was my turn to help Lumis. She currently had her brown hair in a side ponytail, but used to have a short haircut that often made people mistake her for a boy. I couldn’t understand why – she was way too cute for that!

  We ate dinner, but it was still too early to sleep, so I sat inside the chapel and did some thinking. “Hey, Lady Haruno.” Rin called out to me, probably because she’d figured out that I was bored. “Can I ask you a question? What do you like about Sir Touya?”

  “...Um?”

  Well, that’s pretty abrupt. I guess she wants to talk about love with me, all of a sudden? What are we, elementary school girls on a field trip? I do like him, but... How does she know? Oh, she must have seen us kissing... That was so embarrassing.

  “Hey, Rin...” Sandra tried to stop Rin with an exasperated look on her face.

  But Rin’s eyes were glimmering, and she wouldn’t be stopped. “What’s the big deal? I need to know how Lady Haruno feels, otherwise I won’t know if it’s okay to cheer him on or not.”

  Lumis, you look way too interested for your own good. And Sera, you’re turning red and all, but it’s so obvious how you want to hear the answer... I’m not going to say anything, though. I mean, it’s just too embarrassing. And my face is already burning up. My cheeks must be as red as cherries.

  I picked up Rium and sent my thoughts out to Touya, wherever he was under the starry sky. At first, he’d seemed a bit scary, but I soon realized that he wasn’t at all. He was a pervert, but he was also a kind person who cared about us. I know, I know, that still makes him a pervert.

  They had introduced several male party member candidates to me, but they all seemed like they just wanted to use me, mostly for impure purposes. It felt more like I was being set up for marriage rather than looking for allies to journey with, and I doubted it was only in my mind. Political marriage, you know, that sort of thing. Perhaps that’s why I started to like him. Compared to them, Touya acted much more considerate to me, so I liked him better. He never did anything I didn’t like, either.

  I understood that the reason I liked him was probably also due to the fact that he was one of the few people I could really trust and feel close to in this alien world. But Touya saved me from having to look at lusterless hair and remember that I was in a completely different world. When he took me shopping to help me get used to going out into this world, it had sort of felt like a date, so I’d been a little excited. Honestly, I decided to kiss him that night because I wanted to burn his memory into my heart before we went our separate ways. It was the first time either of us had ever kissed someone, so I figured it’d become an important memory. At least, that’s what I hoped.

  There’s no use crying over the fact that he’s going to bathe with other girls for the first time instead of me. This is a choice I made. And I haven’t given up on Touya. I like him, remember? Besides, he said he wanted to bathe with Sera, Rium, and I. I’ve been coming up with my own plan, and I think it includes getting to know his new friends. I’m sure Touya will only party up with good people, after all. That’s why I need to hurry up and get strong enough to survive in this world, so that I can–”

  “...Haruno.”

  “Hm? What’s wrong, Rium?”

  “You’re talking.”

  “...What?” As I looked around, I saw everyone staring at me with gentle eyes.

  I was so embarrassed that I hid my face. I was sure I must have been red up to my ears.

  My name is Haruno Shinonome. I’m a 16-year old high school student at an all girls’ school. Right now, I’m a girl who’s in love with Touya Houjou.

  Post-Bath – The Author’s Booth

  Nice to meet you. I’m Nagaharu Hibihana. How did you enjoy Mixed Bathing in Another World Volume 1: The Hero of the Unlimited Bath?

  Since you’re here, allow me to tell you a behind-the-scenes story. It takes place back when the only thing I knew was that this would be a story about a modern guy getting summoned into a fantasy world. I hadn’t even decided on the title. When I read about how medieval Europe, the main model for Western-style fantasy worlds, was less sanitary than our modern age, a question popped into my mind. Would a modern person be able to withstand living in a world that has much lower sanitation standards than ours?

  Since this is fantasy, I could have just explained it with magic. But when I looked at this aspect, which people might usually ignore, I thought: “Well then, why don’t I give my character an ability that will help him live his life?” That’s where the idea for the Unlimited Bath came from.

  An idea alone isn’t enough, though. The important thing was what my main character Touya was going to do with his power.

  “Okay then! Mixed bathing!” That was the first thing I thought of – the first newborn cries of Mixed Bathing in Another Dimension.

  No, really. That’s exactly how it went. And Masakage Hagiya-sensei is the one who drew this fantasy world of swords, sorcery, bubbles, skin, and mixed bathing. When I saw the illustrations that kept coming, I swallowed down my joy, wondering if it was really okay to include all these great illustrations with my work.

  I’d also like to thank my editor, K-sama, who gave me a lot of advice, the editing department at Overlap, and everyone who was involved with the publishing and sales. I really owe you all a lot. Also, I’d like to send out a big thank you to everyone who’s been reading my work and supporting me since my web serialization days. I was only able to deliver Mixed Bathing in Another Dimension to everyone thanks to you. And finally, to everyone who was kind enough to pick up and read this book: Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

  Thank you so much.

  Late February, 2015 – Nagaharu Hibihana

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  Copyright

  Mixed Bathing in Another Dimension: The Hero of the Unlimited Bath

  by Nagaharu Hibihana

  Translated by Dan Luffey

  Edited by C. Vanstiphout

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  Copyright © 2015 Nagaharu Hibihana

  Illustrations Copyright © 2015 Masakage Hagiya

  Cover illustration by Masakage Hagiya

  All rights reserved.

  Original Japanese edition published in 2015 by OVERLAP

  This English edition is published by arrangement with OVERLAP Inc., Tokyo

  English translation © 2017 J-Novel Club LLC

  All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher is unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property.

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  The publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the publisher.

  Ebook edition 1.0: February 2017