Bathing in swimwear gave the experience a casual feel, making it easy to hop between the various tubs. Normally, if I were at a hot spring, I’d want to soak leisurely in a single pool, but a facility like this—resembling a super sento—made me want to experience everything it had to offer.
"This waterfall bath is incredible, too. Is it powered by a magic tool?"
"I am quite certain that is the case. A magic tool of this magnitude would be quite expensive, though..."
Well, I had given Alice a massive sum of money for the construction of this house. Since she handled all the labor herself, her overhead was likely minimal. It made sense if she had poured the difference into the equipment. Between the strange gimmicks and hidden devices, I got the feeling there were magic tools tucked into every corner of the place.
"However, Kaito-sama, the baths in your world are rather unusual, are they not? It is almost like bathing beneath a literal waterfall."
"I wonder. We do have a practice called waterfall training, where you stand under a cascade as part of ascetic discipline. It’s possible the idea came from that. Besides, people in my home country really love their baths."
"I see. By the way, I can adjust the intensity of the flow. Is it acceptable as it is?"
"Ah, yes. This is perfect."
I wondered if her "support" for the waterfall bath was limited to adjusting the volume and pressure. Regardless, the falling water felt great as it pummeled my shoulders. It seemed like it would be a godsend for muscle tension.
After I’d had my fill of the waterfall, I decided to move to the aroma bath for a bit of relaxation.
"This is incredibly stylish. The scent is quite potent... but I didn't even notice it until I got close."
"A specialized magic tool prevents the fragrance from spreading, ensuring it does not interfere with the other baths."
The aroma bath was filled with colorful, floating flower petals, giving it a vibrant look that women would surely find charming. The scent itself was elegant and wonderful. It was strong but not overwhelming, creating an atmosphere that made it easy to unwind. I assumed the mechanism for containing the scent was the same principle used in those wind magic tools for smoking.
As I soaked in the aroma bath with Illness-san, the pleasant fragrance tickled my nose, and the tension naturally drained from my shoulders.
"This is great. I always thought something this fancy would be out of my league, but I’ve realized I really enjoy fragrant baths."
"Many among the nobility prefer them as well. Though Milady is not particularly fond of them."
"Now that you mention it, she isn't a fan of herbal teas either, right?"
"What Milady truly dislikes is the scent of mint. It seems she was once subjected to a mint-scented bath during her time at the Royal Castle, and she has carried an aversion to it ever since."
I remembered hearing that Lilia-san wasn't fond of herbal teas or black teas with sharp, refreshing aftertastes. If she also disliked mint-scented baths, it was likely that her issue was with the scent itself rather than just the flavor. I made a mental note to keep that in mind when choosing gifts for her.
"By the way, how about you, Illness-san? You give off the impression that you like roses, so I figured you might enjoy herbal scents too."
"Indeed. While I wouldn't say I have a specific favorite, I do find them quite pleasant."
"Do you ever take rose baths?"
"I rarely have the opportunity to prepare a rose bath for my own personal use."
That made sense. Rose baths looked beautiful, but the preparation and cleanup seemed like a nightmare, making them difficult for one person to manage alone.
"I’m fairly fond of roses myself, so I’ve always been curious about them."
"If you wish, I can prepare one for you next time. We could do so here, or in the main bathroom you usually use."
"I see... Hmm. If the opportunity arises, let’s have it in the main bathroom. That way, you’ll be able to enjoy it too, Illness-san."
"Thank you for your kindness. It would be my pleasure."
Seeing Illness-san offer a happy smile at my suggestion made me feel a bit bashful, so I decided to move on to the next tub.
"Let’s try the sleeping bath next."
"As you wish. We have an indoor version and one styled like an open-air bath. Which would you prefer?"
"How is there an open-air bath in a basement? Actually, how would that even work?"
"It is merely open-air in style. Space magic is used to recreate the scenery of the outdoors."
"Oh, I see. So it's not actually outside. Well, in that case, let’s go with the open-air style."
Normally, that would be the obvious conclusion, but when dealing with someone of Alice’s caliber, I felt like she could actually pull off the contradiction of an outdoor space deep underground.
"Actually... do you provide support for the sleeping bath too?"
"Yes. I shall provide a pillow for you."
"Ah, that’s definitely important."
Since the point was to lie back and relax, a pillow was essential. I hoped for something soft and comfortable, though I expected the standard stone or wooden blocks found in most public baths.
Serious-senpai: "Wait! Stop right there! Illness just said she’d 'provide' the pillow! Meaning it’s not part of the tub itself! Stop! For the love of God, don't do that while you're in swimsuits!"