Chapter 16 The Hot Spring and Summer Vacation Plans
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
It’s been 3 months since the village started building the hot spring. A big hot spring was completed on the east side of the village. It has a public hot spring and a ‘treatment place’ for long stays for healing purposes.
The opening ceremony was held on the first day of summer vacation, and it was packed with villagers and adventurers staying there.
”I never imagined soaking in hot water during the hot season, but it feels different from swimming!”
Ares (previous party’s fighter) said while soaking in the hot spring with me, Jan, and our 3 friends.
”…More importantly, why did they separate the men and women?”
Ares muttered as he looked at the tall wall in the bathroom.
”Of course they did…”
I said quietly.
”Well, it’s easy for you since you’ve had a harem experience at the hot spring.”
Ares shot me a glare. Oops, I dug my own grave.
”Isn’t there a bad spot in the wall somewhere?”
Ares examined the wall boards with wide eyes.
”Ugh, ahem!”
”Ah… Lord… no, just kidding…”
Ares nervously stepped away from the wall at my dad’s cough from the corner of the hot spring.
”It’s you, huh, Ares! You’re the one saying silly things! I can hear everything!”
A loud voice came from the other side of the wall. It was Liz.
Well, it’s just a single board, so it’s easy to hear…
* * *
”However, the hot spring turned out to be more impressive than I expected. Now I need to talk to the Minister of War in the royal capital.”
”Will the barracks be built after that?”
Koichi, my big brother, asked next to my father.
”No, the construction will start before I leave for the royal capital. We’ll also grab some budget while I’m at it. The Minister of War should have some discretion over the barracks.”
”Still, Kazumi’s idea… is amazing.”
Koichi, why are you calling her by her first name?
”She might be a girl worthy of being my wife.”
”!”
I was about to stand up and confront Koichi because of his selfish words, but…
”Don’t say stupid things. That girl is Hiroya’s crush, you know?”
My dad glares at Koichi.
”…But it should be fine to check Kazumi’s feelings.”
Koichi keeps pushing back.
”Just drop it. That girl has no feelings for you. After all, she’s in love with Hiroya.”
Saying that, my dad smirks at me. Seriously, dad in this world are different… Or maybe my dad in my past life was like this too, and I just didn’t notice?
”…Is that so…”
Koichi fell silent after saying that. He glanced at me with a glare.
* * *
”Ahh… so delicious…”
After coming out of the hot spring, I joined Kazumi, Rena, and Martina at the rest area, enjoying the ‘honey lemon’ made from Ms. Giselle’s recipe.
”After sweating in the hot spring, honey lemon! It hits the spot!”
Rena chugged it down and wiped her mouth.
”Coffee milk after a bath is also hard to resist, though.”
”Coffee milk?”
Martina tilted her head at Kazumi’s words.
”It’s coffee with milk… no, wait, it’s milk with coffee in it. It’s super delicious when you drink it right after a bath.”
Saying that, Kazumi put her hands on her hips and gulped down her honey lemon.
”I don’t like coffee because it’s bitter…”
Martina frowned.
”No, it’s not bitter at all! There’s more milk, and it’s really sweet.”
I remembered the taste of the bath while teaching Martina, and I couldn’t help but swallow hard.
”…Yeah. Making coffee milk might be good…”
Oh, Kazumi is getting all fired up about work again?
* * *
After dropping Rena and Martina off at their house, I headed home with Kazumi.
”The night breeze feels nice after a bath…”
”Yeah. Unlike Japan, it seems like there’s no ‘tropical nights’ here.”
Kazumi’s hand, which I was holding, felt slightly warm.
”It’s the same during the day. It was tough going around for work when it was over 35°C (95°F). Compared to that, summer here is like heaven.”
”Summer work… that was hell…”
I suddenly remembered the sweaty sales rounds with this Boss Miura. Ugh…
”But the winter in this village seems harsh.”
Feeling the seasons of spring and summer in this village, I imagined what winter would be like. Compared to Japan, it’s probably closer to the climate of Tohoku or Hokkaido.
”I’m fine with the cold~. I can’t handle the heat.”
”I’m not good with either…”
As we continued our pointless conversation, we hurried along the path to Kazumi’s house.
”…So, there’s a month of summer vacation here too. What will you do during the break?”
Summer vacation, huh… The homework will probably be done quickly.
”Practice… maybe…”
I’ve almost mastered the forms of Obu Muso Style. I’m not as good as before, but my skill level is decent.
It can’t be helped that my stamina isn’t up to par. So, recently, I’ve been getting my master to train me in combat against other people. I’m learning how to fight against various weapons, like how to deal with a shield, a hammer, or an axe.
”I see…”
Kazumi’s mood clearly seemed to drop, didn’t it?
”Well, the practice is only in the early morning. Since it’s hot during the day, master goes to work before that…”
”Oh! It’s like the morning exercises during summer vacation!”
”Exactly! Anyway, I can finish my homework quickly, so I might be pretty free.”
”I see! Then maybe I’ll join Rena for early morning training too?”
Hehe! Kazumi looks happy.
”Yeah. You should ask her later.”
Recently, Kazumi learned the magic of ‘telepathy.’ It seems that those who can use ‘telepathy’ can exchange little messages.
I can only use ‘Physical Boost’ for now, so it’s a shame I can’t join in on the conversation.
”I just heard. She said it’s okay. ‘Since Hiroya is a sleepyhead, let’s go wake him up together,’ she said.”
”Ah, that’s a relief.”
”What’s with you? Two beautiful girls are going to wake you up, so be more excited! …Wait, if we include Martina, that’s 3 girls.”
After getting a bit angry, Kazumi puts her finger on her chin and looks up at an angle. It’s a habit she has when using ‘telepathy.’
”Huh? Martina too?”
I hope I’m not going to be woken up by that selfish body…
”Martina’s consciousness has regressed to that of a 6-year-old, right? But her body still remembers the skills of a ‘thief,’ they say.”
”Really? That’s amazing.”
”So Rena suggested the two of us learn some self-defense using daggers.”
Hmm. Even though it’s a rearguard role, training in close combat might be important.
”…Hey, Hiroya.”
Kazumi, who seems to have finished her telepathy, suddenly starts fidgeting.
”Huh? What’s wrong?”
”…Lately, you’ve been really close with Martina, right?”
”Uh… no… it’s not like we’re being all touchy-feely or anything…”
Martina’s physical affection is definitely intense.
”She’s getting too close, isn’t she…”
”…It’s not like I did anything special, okay?”
”I think that girl, even though those bad memories should be erased, she probably knows deep down that you saved her, Hiroya.”
”…”
”Well, even if that’s true, it doesn’t mean she’ll remember that event because of it.”
Kazumi looks down a bit. At that, I said.
”I really hope that doesn’t happen. If she remembers that… Martina’s heart will break.”
”Yeah… But that girl… I don’t know if she realizes it, but she probably likes you, right, Hiroya?”
”Huh…? No way! There’s an age gap! Even if that’s the case, if her regressed mind goes back to normal, she won’t feel that way anymore.”
Kazumi stares at me as I hurriedly wave my hands, saying ‘no way.’
”…I have a favor to ask…”
”What is it…?”
”I know it’s selfish of me to say this, but…”
”?”
Kazumi suddenly goes quiet.
”…No, it’s nothing!”
Before I knew it, we had arrived in front of Kazumi’s house.
”Well, I’m going home, Hiroya! Thanks for walking me back!”
”Yeah. Good night, Kazumi.”
”Ah! Hiroya! A shooting star!”
”Huh? Where?”
I look up in the direction Kazumi is pointing.
At that moment, I feel a soft and warm sensation on my cheek.
”Okay! Good night, Hiroya!”
Saying that, Kazumi runs to the entrance, and I watch her while holding my cheek.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.