After we decided to stay the night, Anima and I went back to fishing. Later, we used the kitchen in the log house to cook up a meal together, feasting on the fish we'd caught.
Once dinner was over, Anima suggested I take the first turn in the bath. I was currently soaking in the pleasantly warm water.
The bath in this log house was made of cypress, giving it a feel distinct from a natural hot spring. While there was no scenery to speak of, the wooden walls and tub created a cozy atmosphere, and the scent of the wood was incredibly soothing.
Furthermore, true to the log house's high price tag, the tub was spacious enough to fit several people at once, allowing me to stretch out and relax.
I was just beginning to unwind, thinking about how wonderful baths truly were, when my peace was shattered by a loud shout.
"Master! Please excuse the intrusion!"
"...Huh?"
"I apologize for the delay! It took me some time to steel my resolve!"
"..................What?"
I spun toward the voice to find Anima standing there, looking perfectly prepared for a soak with a towel wrapped around her body. Wait, wait, wait! What’s happening here? I did a double-take, my brain scrambling to process the situation. Why was this happening?!
"A-Anima?! What are you doing here?"
"Sir! I was informed that it is a rule for those who have become Master’s lover to bathe with him in order to deepen their bond!"
I almost shouted back that no such rule existed... but then, memories of the various mixed baths I’d been through flashed through my mind. Well, now that she mentioned it, I had shared baths with my lovers before... No, hold on, I hadn't bathed with Sieg-san yet. We haven't, right? Rei-san had tried to force the issue more than once, but it always ended as a failed attempt. So yeah, we hadn't.
"...Anima, where on earth did you hear such a ridiculous story?"
"From Alice-dono. She said that in Master’s home world, this is a traditional practice for lovers known as a 'naked relationship'..."
"..."
I am absolutely going to punch that girl later.
While I fumed internally at Alice for filling Anima's head with nonsense, Anima stepped closer to the tub. She scooped up some water with a bucket, rinsed herself off, and then reached for the towel wrapped around her.
"Stop, Anima! What are you doing?!"
"Sir! I was about to remove it. Since one should not soak in the tub while wearing a towel, I was going to take it off... Oh, perhaps I should have removed it before rinsing myself? My apologies. I do not usually use towels when I bathe..."
She used to be a Black Bear, so it was only natural that she was unfamiliar with human bathing etiquette. During her time as a bear, she probably just splashed around in the river.
Well, since this wasn't a public bath, it wasn't like the washing order mattered much, and I didn't need to be a stickler for the rules regarding towels... No, that's not the point!
"...Anima, you can leave the towel on."
"Y-Yes... Understood."
This was a mess. The problem was that since Anima had already rinsed herself, it was too late to clear up the misunderstanding and ask her to leave.
I mean, I knew Anima would listen if I explained it properly, but I felt terrible asking her to step back out into the cold room while she was already wet.
"...I have to ask, Anima. Aren't you embarrassed?"
"I had more than enough time to prepare myself mentally. Besides, my body has belonged to Master from the very beginning! Therefore, there is no problem!"
"...I-I see... Okay. Anyway, just keep the towel on..."
"Sir!"
Despite her bold words, Anima’s face was beet red. She was clearly mortified. However, Anima possessed a certain decisiveness—a boldness that pushed her forward.
Once she set her mind to something, she didn't hesitate. If I hadn't stopped her just a second ago, she definitely would have dropped that towel without a second thought.
"Then, if you'll excuse me."
"...Y-Yeah."
I just had to brace myself. It was fine. The water was clear, but she was properly wrapped in a towel, and Anima wasn't the type to do anything crazy.
As long as I didn't overthink it... I-It should be fine.
With that thought, I stole a glance at Anima as she stepped into the tub. Her chest was... impressive. Being wrapped in a single towel seemed to emphasize her figure even more... No, wait, stop. Calm down. What was I thinking?!
"The water is quite pleasant."
"U-Uh-huh. It is."
"I never could have imagined soaking in warm water like this when I was a Black Bear. But now that I am used to it, it is remarkably soothing."
Anima seemed calm. In fact, she felt surprisingly composed. Her cheeks were flushed, but her voice was steady. If anything, she seemed to have more poise than I did.
Well, at this rate, we might actually get through this without any major issues...
"...Master, may I ask you something?"
"S-Sure. What is it?"
"...W-What... what should I do next?"
"..."
I take it back. The reason she seemed so composed was likely because she had simulated everything up to "entering the tub with me," just as she’d said about steeling her resolve. That was why she could act so boldly.
But it seemed she hadn't thought a single step beyond that, and now she was visibly starting to panic.
Her eyes were darting around restlessly, and her face was turning an even deeper shade of crimson. And above all, my intuition—honed by the countless bathroom disasters I’d survived—was screaming at me.
This mixed bath wasn't over yet. Not by a long shot.