The day after the peeper first appeared, the operation to secure the culprit was finally set in motion.
Working alongside the hotel staff, the group laid every trap and established a discreet system for monitoring and investigating the large public bath. Time flew by as they hammered out the final details—how to deter the voyeur, how to lure him in, and how to ultimately restrain him.
As evening fell and the decisive moment approached, the atmosphere in the women's open-air bath was anything but tense.
With a rhythmic rattle, the door slid open. A procession of girls, towels wrapped around their bodies, stepped out and began putting on a convincing show of being completely at ease.
"Whoa! It’s so huge! And beautiful!"
"It really is. Though it’s a shame the location doesn't offer much of a view."
Melt and Anhel were the first to step into the open-air bath. Their hair colors were striking enough, but it was their spectacular figures that truly commanded attention. While the two scanned the area, radiating an air of ordinary guests ready for a soak, the Yamato warrior shrine maiden trio followed close behind.
"An open-air bath! Truly, it brings Yamato to mind, gozaru!"
"The size is adequate. It seems we’ll be able to relax quite comfortably."
"W-W-WHOA! I-I-IT R-REMINDS ME OF H-H-HOME...!!"
There was Sakura, seemingly without a thought in her head; Setsuna, acting with her customary cool-headed composure; and Raiha, who was the only one being painfully stiff. Despite their varied reactions, the three warrior shrine maidens shared one common trait: they were all exceptionally beautiful girls.
Enveloped in steam, the girls carefully noted the locations of the rigged peep-holes. They exposed their skin and feigned relaxation, playing the role of decoys to perfection.
"Ahh... This warmth is just what my tired body needed..."
"An-dono, you’re far too young to be acting like an old woman... or so I would say, yet I can certainly sympathize with that sentiment, gozaru!!"
"B-Both of you, I think it would be wise to wash up first...?"
Anhel and Sakura soaked up to their shoulders in the milky-white water, letting out deep, blissful sighs. While Raiha reverted slightly to her usual self and offered a word of caution while performing her kakeyu, Melt and Setsuna were engaged in a playful exchange a short distance away.
"Your skin is so lovely, Melt... Your figure is wonderful, too. I'm almost jealous."
"You’re one to talk, Setsuna! You have that porcelain skin that makes you look like a proper noble lady. And you always hide it, but your chest is actually huge, too!"
"Fufu... Thank you. Since we have the opportunity, why don't we help wash each other’s backs?"
"I'm in! Hehe, let's deepen our girl-to-girl friendship!"
Chattering away, the two began washing each other with soapy towels. Their cheerful giggles and suggestive, intimate banter filled the air, mingling with the voices of Anhel and the others warming themselves in the bath.
"Sigh, it’s nice to finally relax, but if I’m not careful, my chest just floats right up. It’s such a pain..."
"I understand, gozaru. Being able to let loose like this is wonderful, but in moments like these, I almost feel like wrapping my sarashi back on."
"It’s fine since it's just us today, but when it’s crowded, people do tend to stare..."
The three spoke in fairly carrying voices about the specific struggles that came with being well-endowed. Between them and the two washing each other in an intimate display, the sight was a literal masterpiece of fanservice.
However, this slightly embarrassing conversation wasn't born from a genuine lack of caution. It was a calculated move to draw the interest of—and provoke—the Clear Plate possessor they knew was lurking nearby, waiting for his chance to strike.
Having volunteered for this mission, the girls were giving it their all, acting out their parts to create the perfect opening for the culprit. If the depraved peeper, blinded by his own lust, were to press his face against the peep-hole, the tracking trap would be triggered.
After that, Yugo and the Security Force would handle the heavy lifting. Precisely because they trusted the men working to catch the criminal before he could escalate to more serious offenses, the girls were literally baring themselves to the task, sacrificing their dignity to see the mission through.
Several other girls had also joined the operation to support Yugo and the group.
However... among those participants, there were some who seemed to be losing heart at the sight before them, seemingly unable to find the courage to even step into the bath.