The scenery shifted from the grassy hill, where the only light had come from the fireworks blooming overhead, to a wooden corridor illuminated by a soft, gentle glow. I walked along the boards in my bare feet.
It seemed an incredible number of fireworks were being launched for the White God Festival; even though quite some time had passed, the thunderous booms still echoed in the distance.
Regardless, as I stripped off my clothes and wrapped a towel around my waist, I found myself wondering exactly how I had ended up in this situation.
"Since our negotiations were concluded," Shiro-san said.
"...That’s right."
She was right. We really had discussed this. Back when we visited the exhibition booth, one thing had led to another, and I’d ended up promising to join her in a hot spring.
Shiro-san had worn a swimsuit just as I’d requested, so I couldn't exactly go back on my word now.
Besides, watching fireworks while actually soaking in a hot spring was a rare luxury. To be honest, I was looking forward to it.
I was... nervous, though. Even with a swimsuit, the amount of skin visible compared to her usual outfits or the yukata from earlier was on a completely different level. I struggled to decide where to look.
"...Setting that aside, has this hot spring been upgraded or something?"
"I make daily improvements. It is free-flowing from the source."
Where on earth is the source even coming from...?
This was the same hot spring I’d shared with Shiro-san and the three Supreme Gods when I last visited the God Realm, but coming back after all this time, it had clearly been overhauled.
The unnecessarily vast space had been made a bit more compact, while the landscaping had clearly been a priority. With more trees and flowers, the view was even better than before.
"...I feel like the water itself is different too."
"It changes daily."
"Eh? It changes based on the day!?"
"Yes. It rotates on a monthly cycle. It is free-flowing from the source."
"...Just what kind of source is it? What kind of..."
Since she was pushing the "free-flowing" aspect so hard, she might have created some kind of subspace just for the sake of the plumbing. Regardless, if what Shiro-san said was true, it meant this place had thirty different varieties of water... Wait, that actually sounded really cool.
"You are welcome to visit every day, you know?"
"...To be honest, I can't say I'm not interested in the other types of water. So, well, if the opportunity arises..."
I actually liked hot springs quite a bit. Today's water appeared clear with a faint bluish tint. It wasn't a color I saw often, but it was beautiful.
It had a refreshing fragrance, too. After a quick rinse, I waded in. The water had a cool, invigorating quality that felt amazing.
"...By the way, the trees and flowers here change daily as well."
"The scenery changes too!?"
"You are welcome to visit every day, you know?"
"..."
A hot spring where I could enjoy thirty different combinations of scenery and water? The temptation was incredible. I almost reflexively told her I'd be back every single day.
Putting the "every day" part aside for a second, my desire to return was already immense. Honestly, I felt like I was being played right in the palm of Shiro-san's hand...
"Anyway... the fireworks look amazing from here."
"Is it not a fine thing to watch the fireworks while soaking in a hot spring?"
"I feel like I'm experiencing the height of luxury. I'm glad you suggested this, Shiro-san."
"If it makes you happy, Kaito-san, then I am happy as well. By the way, Kaito-san... a drink served by your lover is also available right now."
"That’s an extremely tempting offer."
With a slight smile, Shiro-san made a tray holding a set of hot sake appear atop the water. She handed me a sake cup and poured the drink for me.
It felt like true decadence. I took a sip.
"This is delicious. To be honest, I’ve never been great with Japanese sake, but this is incredibly easy to drink."
A lot of sakes are quite dry, and while I didn't hate them, they weren't really my favorite. However, this hot sake went down smooth.
I suspected the alcohol content was fairly high, but it wasn't harsh at all; instead, it was sweet. A fruity aroma bloomed in my mouth, followed by a pleasant aftertaste.
"I brewed it specifically to suit your tastes, Kaito-san, so I am glad you like it."
"...Thank you. Since we're here, could you bring out another cup? You should join me, Shiro-san."
"Very well. Then, I shall."
This time, I poured the sake into the cup Shiro-san held. We shared a light toast and drank together. Beautiful fireworks continued to blossom in the sky, and the water gently warmed our bodies.
With my beloved lover by my side, pouring drinks for one another as we enjoyed the sake... I truly felt, from the bottom of my heart, that this was a moment of such incredible luxury that words couldn't quite describe it.
Doctor M: "So, what exactly am I supposed to do?"
???: "Well, you see, Serious-senpai suffered major mental damage and supposedly needs five chapters to recover. Right, Serious-senpai?"
Serious-senpai (Requires 5 chapters for recovery): "Y-Yeah, that's right, but..."
???: "In other words, Serious-senpai is looking for some mental healing. Don't you think she'd feel better if you told her some stories about your beloved child?"
Doctor M: "I see! Leave it to me!"
Serious-senpai (Requires 5 chapters for recovery): "You've got to be kidding me... What have you done? Think about the line you aren't supposed to cross! Sure, faking an injury was my bad, but this is the one thing you definitely shouldn't do! Don't you have any mercy!? Or a conscience!? Anything!?"
???: "Nope, not a bit."
Serious-senpai (Requires 5 chapters for recovery): "You monster! Demon! Alice!!"
???: "You've got the wrong person. Now, Doctor, if you please."
Doctor M: "Leave it to me! All right, Serious-senpai, I'm sure you already know, but let's start with a summary of my beloved child. Don't worry, I'll keep this part brief—only about 86 hours—and from there we'll get into the episodes that will truly heal your heart..."
Serious-senpai: "I'm cured! I'm already cured!! Please, stop! Noooooooooo!?!?"