After Shiro-san and I finished washing each other’s backs, we slipped into the hot spring together. She seemed to have found enough satisfaction in that initial back-hug to satisfy her for the moment, so the rest of the process had been smooth and free of any further "happenings."
We soaked in the tub while gazing at Mount Fuji. It looked so massive and grand that it was truly a sight to behold. As the hot water warmed my body, the pleasant sensation reminded me once again of just how wonderful hot springs really were.
"The sunset isn't actually frozen, is it? It’s moving," I noted.
"I left the finer details to the Earth God. I simply told her I wanted a magnificent view with the perfect atmosphere for a hot spring," Shiro-san replied.
"I’m surprised Eden-san followed those instructions so obediently. Was she really that worried about her actions being in a gray area on the verge of breach of contract?"
"It is partly because the matter involves you, Kaito-san, but I also informed her that once this festival is over, I will permit the inheritance of the memories she has previously hidden. I believe you will understand the meaning of that in time as well."
"Hmm... Wait? So, it really is about me."
"Yes. It would be unthinkable for the Earth God to flirt with a breach of contract unless you were the one involved, Kaito-san."
"I see..."
Now that she mentioned it, the only times Shiro-san and Eden-san ever really clashed were when it concerned me. Otherwise, they both seemed to strictly abide by the contracts they had established, so they rarely had any reason to quarrel.
Hidden memories... If she said I would understand later, did that mean they were things I once knew but had been erased? Well, Eden-san was an almighty God, so I wouldn't be surprised if she was capable of such a feat. Since it was something I would find out eventually, I decided to leave the matter alone for now.
"Still, hot springs really are great," I sighed contentedly.
"You truly do love them, don't you, Kaito-san?"
"Now that you mention it... Well, it’s not like I’ve always been this way. I wonder why? It’s not necessarily that I’m desperate for a world homecoming or anything like that, but maybe seeing something in this otherworld that reminds me of where I came from makes me happy. Hot springs always have such a Japanese-like atmosphere, after all."
Before coming to this world, I had never particularly cared for hot springs, nor had I ever gone on trips specifically to visit them. The first one I encountered here was the bath at Isis-san's castle.
Alice had been the one to build it, and as one would expect from her, it was a Japanese-style open-air bath. I remember feeling a strange sense of relief because of that familiar Japanese-like atmosphere.
The next hot spring I visited in the Sanctuary had also been designed with an unmistakably Japanese feel, complete with beautiful autumn leaves. While I wouldn't go so far as to call it homesickness, perhaps I had grown to love them as places where I could savor that specific cultural vibe.
I had always enjoyed baths in general, so I suppose it was a combination of factors.
"Ah, and I guess the fact that I’ve often ended up sharing these baths with my lovers has played a part, too. Just like I’m here with you now, Shiro-san... I think I just love these moments where I can share things I enjoy with someone I love."
"I see. Then this current moment... for you, Kaito-san, is a time where you are sharing something you enjoy with the me you 'love so much'."
"Heh... Ahaha, yeah. That’s exactly it."
The way she put so much deliberate weight on the "love so much" part was so typical of Shiro-san that I couldn't help but let out a wry smile. But it was just as she said—this was a moment of pure happiness shared with the lover I adored. And to me, that felt far more luxurious than even the most magnificent scenery.