After we finished fishing, we spent some more time playing around, and before I knew it, the sun had slipped below the horizon. For dinner, we enjoyed cooking together using some of the small fish Isis-san had caught. Once we had finished our meal, it was finally time for the main event: the bath.
Of course, arranging a bath while camping is usually a tall order... or at least, it would be in a normal world. But this was a world of magic, where storable lodge-houses were a thing, and naturally, portable baths existed as well.
"Isis-san, since we both like hot springs, I went ahead and bought a rather rare hot spring-style bathhouse."
Hot springs were somewhat of a niche interest in this world, making them quite rare. I’d had a bit of trouble tracking one down, but eventually, I’d managed to purchase a storable bathhouse designed in the style of an open-air hot spring.
It was a luxury item with built-in barrier magic. The barrier ensured that no one could look inside or enter from the outside, allowing for a completely private, worry-free soak.
Well, it wasn't a genuine hot spring, but it certainly looked the part.
"This much space should be enough... Deploy! Whoa, that’s huge!"
"...A strange building... It is all made of wood... Does it look a bit like Lilliwood’s place?"
"Yeah, I think this was probably modeled after the hot springs from my old world. That wooden structure is the dressing room. And that part over there is like an engawa—the idea is to sit there and cool off after getting out of the water."
"...I see... So that is an engawa... I have read about them in books... but this is the first time I have seen one."
Come to think of it, when I visited Sieg-san’s house, hadn't she mentioned that an engawa was a rare sight? Apparently, Rei-san had built theirs by mimicking a friend’s home, so it wasn't a standard architectural feature in this world.
That made sense, given that buildings here were typically Western in design. Something like this was bound to be uncommon.
"Anyway, it looks like we can have the bath ready in no time just by operating this magic tool. Isis-san, would you like to go in first?"
"...Eh? ...Can we not... go in... together?"
"Ah—um..."
"...Kaito... Do you... not want to be... with me?"
"No, I don't hate the idea! Let's go in together!"
"...Mhm!"
I’d expected this to some extent. Given how things usually went, I’d figured it might turn out this way... and after seeing the lonely look in Isis-san’s eyes, I knew I didn't have the heart to refuse.
Still, no matter how many times I experienced it, mixed bathing always came with a unique sense of embarrassment. I mean, it wasn't that I disliked it—far from it—but it was still a lot to take in.
Since I’d mentally prepared for this possibility, I managed to keep my cool as we moved to the dressing room once the water was ready. The room wasn't divided by gender, but it was spacious enough for both of us to use without any trouble.
"I’ll head in first."
"...Mhm? ...I only have to make my clothes vanish... so I will be ready... quickly?"
"Wait! Hold on! Please wait until you've at least got a towel ready!"
"...O-Okay... I understand."
That’s right, I’d forgotten. I’d offered to go first because I thought she’d need time to undress, but since Isis-san’s clothes were fashioned from magic power, she could strip down in a heartbeat just by releasing the spell.
However, my heart wouldn't be able to handle it if she suddenly stood stark naked right in front of me, so I made sure to set some boundaries beforehand.
In the end, Isis-san finished her preparations first and ended up waiting for me, as she was determined for us to enter the bath together. I didn't take much longer myself, so I hurried through my change and we stepped into the bathing area.
"Oh, this is even wider than I thought."
"...Mhm... It is beautiful."
The open-air bath inside was so massive it was hard to believe it had come out of a portable item. While it couldn't compete with the sprawling baths at Isis-san’s castle, it was almost too large for just two people.
The stone bathtub felt exactly like a real hot spring, and the atmosphere was perfect. Being near the lake and the mountains gave us a spectacular view.
"...Kaito... I will... wash your body... for you."
"Ah, sure. Thank you."
"...Mhm."
I’d shared a bath with Isis-san a few times before. The first time, I’d been so flustered I nearly fainted from a rush of blood to the head, but we were lovers now. I liked to think I’d grown a bit more mature and could handle this with a degree of composure.
If it was just a simple back-scrubbing, I told myself I could remain perfectly calm.
"...The other day... Shaltier... taught me... a washing method... that Kaito likes."
"............"
I heard something bad. Something very, very bad. Isis-san was so earnest that she took everything that idiot said at face value, which meant this was going in a dangerous direction.
There was zero chance Shaltier had taught her a normal, respectable technique. Pranks were that girl's specialty. She was too shy to do that kind of stuff herself, but she was a total precocious girl when it came to having an encyclopedic knowledge of things she’d never done...
"...Ah, just out of curiosity, Isis-san, what kind of method did she tell you about?"
"...The washing method... that Ein used on Kaito... she explained it... in great detail."
That was bad. That was catastrophic. The "Ein method" was a reference to our bath during the Six Kings Festival, and that meant—
The moment the realization hit me, I felt an incredibly smooth, soft sensation press against my back. The feeling of her skin sent the blood rushing to my face in an instant.
Serious-senpai: "The sweetness... the sugar... my consciousness is fading... I’m... done for..."
Machina: "It’s okay! Here, snap out of it!"
Serious-senpai: "...Huh?"
Machina: "Don't you worry. As long as I'm here, I won't let you faint halfway through!"
Serious-senpai: "The way you say that... it literally sounds like 'I won't let you escape, so stay awake and suffer in agony'..."