Chapter 226 - Hot Spring, Part Six

A morning at a hot spring inn always makes time feel like it's slowed down.

By the time we made it to the main hall, the snow outside was still falling.

Large flakes drifted down through the mountain forests, unhurried.

In the distance, pale white steam rose from the hot springs.

The whole world felt quietly wrapped in winter.

Inside the inn, though, it was warm enough to make your eyelids heavy.

The wood-burning stove crackled.

The air carried the smell of cooking rice, grilled fish, miso soup, and hot tea.

Maids moved back and forth without a sound.

From somewhere in the wooden hall came the occasional clink of tableware.

And the noise of children.

That last one had the most energy, by far.

"Papa!"

Christina came charging over first, pitter-pattering across the floor before latching onto my leg with both arms.

"I'm hungry!"

"If you're hungry, why didn't you just eat?"

"Because I wanted to wait for Papa and Mama!"

...Adorable.

I bent down and scooped her up.

Lucy stood nearby, her little face still a bit flushed. She clearly hadn't fully recovered from this morning. She stole a glance at me, then said quietly:

"Papa, good morning..."

"Good morning."

"Um... the books say... for that kind of thing, it's better to lock the door..."

"Thanks for the reminder, Lucy..."

This hot spring inn has no door locks.

Lucy really does already understand a lot of things.

Is reading too many books actually bad for you?

She's only six.

On the other side, Lara was already sidling over with a mischievous grin.

"Papa~ did you have fun last night~?"

I furrowed my brow and pinched Lara's cute cheeks.

"Who taught you to say that?"

"Mama Aisha~"

Aisha immediately started whistling.

I reached out my other hand and pinched Aisha's cheek.

Honestly...

And finally, Windsor walked over at her own unhurried pace. She looked at me for a few seconds, then nodded.

"Papa."

"Hm?"

"You worked hard."

"Why would you say that?"

"Aunt Ghislaine said that for this kind of thing, Papa usually works very hard."

"...What exactly did she tell you?"

"Before, Pursena was feeling very unwell, and I didn't know what to do, so I asked Aunt Ghislaine. She said this kind of thing needs a man. I kept asking after that, and gradually figured out a bit."

"Specifically... what did you figure out?"

"Sleeping together — a man and a woman. The mamas are probably the same as Pursena, that every year during a certain season they feel unwell. But with Papa there, sleeping together fixes it. Though it seems like for certain reasons, Papa ends up very tired."

"...Mm. You've got a pretty good understanding of it."

"Aunt Ghislaine also said that a woman and a woman sleeping together can solve the problem too, as long as they're skilled enough."

"..."

I patted Windsor's head. She narrowed her eyes slightly.

Very cute. Mm.

Ghislaine... when we get back, I am definitely coming to find you.

Just then, Edward jumped up from across the hall and called out:

"Sis Windsor! I saved you a seat over here!"

"Oh."

"Tea's poured too! And I already picked the bones out of your fish!"

"Thanks."

Windsor walked over without a second thought. Edward was visibly delighted, even his posture straightened.

How to put it. Fine. I'll cut you a little slack today, you brat.

If not for this morning's little accident, you think you'd be sitting next to my daughter?

Ariel sat not far away, elegantly sipping black tea. The smile at the corner of her mouth was completely unstoppable. She was absolutely enjoying every second of this. She might have already started mapping out the political landscape after the First Prince married the Greyrat family's eldest daughter.

Not happening. As long as Windsor had no interest in it, I would never agree.

On the other side, Cliff was holding Cleve while he ate. He opened his mouth to say something.

"Rudeus, you..."

Two-year-old Cleve cut in with great seriousness.

"Father. Don't talk too much while eating."

Cliff went quiet.

Elinalise lost it completely.

"Hahaha, just as serious as Cliff~"

"Mother, please don't laugh so loudly."

"You're just too cute, Cleve~"

"Mgh... Mother..."

Elinalise hugged him tight, practically the one acting spoiled. Zanoba nodded with satisfaction.

"What an outstanding child!"

Julie nodded right along.

"He really is! Very upright."

Cleve, still trapped in Elinalise's arms, managed to respond with desperate politeness.

"Th... thank you for the praise..."

...This kid. He's going to be something else when he grows up.

I was still thinking that when Christina suddenly jumped down from my arms, grabbed her little bowl, and pitter-pattered off toward the corner.

Orsted was sitting there alone, quiet as ever.

"Uncle Orsted!"

"Hm?"

"Here, eat this!"

Tina raised her spoon, ready to feed him.

Orsted looked down at her for a few seconds.

Then he nodded, bent down, and ate it.

"Is it yummy?"

"Mm."

Orsted gently patted her head.

Tina lit up instantly.

"Hehe~"

Then pitter-pattered back to me.

Mm. My daughter really is too cute. I'm sure Orsted feels the same way.

A voice came from the window.

"Rudeus, morning."

I turned.

Nanahoshi was sitting by the window, black hair loose over her shoulders. The snow-covered scenery framed her from outside. On the table in front of her sat hot tea and an open notebook. One hand propped up her cheek; the other turned her teacup slowly.

"Morning, Nanahoshi."

She'd seemed a lot more relaxed lately. Probably because of this trip.

I got up and went to sit across from her. A maid brought tea shortly after.

Nanahoshi glanced at me. Then the corner of her mouth slowly lifted.

"Your complexion today... isn't the best~"

"What are you talking about? I'm perfectly fine."

"Oh? Stubborn."

She took an unhurried sip of tea.

"There were strange sounds from next door all night. I thought the inn was haunted."

"...Impossible. I cast Silence Magic."

"Right, Silence Magic. But silence is silence — I'm right next door. Do you know what that means?"

"What?"

"You can still feel the vibrations."

"...You actually felt that?"

"Heh. I am a Dragon Person. A certain Mr. Rudeus kept at it almost until morning. Hard work, huh?"

"Don't call it work..."

"Then what should I call it?"

"..."

Nanahoshi burst out laughing. Aisha started laughing too. My wives had clearly heard everything.

Sylphiette turned red and ducked behind Roxy.

Eris wore a thoroughly triumphant expression, practically announcing out loud that she deserved a great deal of the credit for my complexion today.

But Eris... that's not really something to be proud of.

Roxy sighed quietly.

"Miss Nanahoshi, please stop teasing Rudeus."

"Me? Teasing him?"

"You're laughing very happily."

"Because it really is funny."

Nanahoshi looked back at me and lowered her voice.

"Still, your stamina is absurd. You actually kept going until morning? Those films back in Japan — I always assumed that kind of thing was just exaggerated for effect."

"...You don't sleep?"

"As a Dragon Person, I don't really need much sleep. I could even measure the rhythm of you and your wives from the vibrations alone."

"Ariel definitely arranged the rooms on purpose."

"Actually, I arranged them myself. I didn't expect you'd get to work in such a cozy hot spring inn."

She said it with complete sincerity.

Then she lifted her tea and looked out the window.

The snow still fell, slow and steady.

The main hall was warm and easy. The children were laughing and shouting. Windsor had started discussing swordsmanship with Edward in earnest, he didn't fully follow, but he nodded along seriously. Lucy was helping Tina wipe her mouth. Lara, for reasons unclear, had begun making predictions about who would be the first one to fall into the snow today. Elinalise, Cliff, Zanoba, and Julie had already started placing bets.

Nanahoshi watched all of it in silence.

Then she said, softly:

"It's just like those old TV dramas."

"The Japanese kind?"

"Yeah."

She smiled.

"Snow. Hot springs. A wooden inn. Everyone sitting together for breakfast."

"Next someone should come out holding a ping-pong paddle, right?"

"You know about that?"

"Of course. I've watched a lot of Japanese anime and dramas."

She rested her cheek on her hand.

"But honestly — I used to really want to come somewhere like this."

"You never did?"

"Students don't have time for that."

"True."

"What about you?"

I thought for a moment.

"In my previous life, I basically never traveled."

"I could have guessed that."

"Why?"

"You just feel like the type. Very earnest. Wouldn't travel. Would study, work, get married because his mother told him to, and live out a perfectly stable life."

"Ho..."

"Am I wrong?"

"Pretty much spot on."

Nanahoshi laughed. A relaxed, easy kind of laugh.

Because a conversation like this, about our previous lives, only the two of us could have it. Only we knew.

Trains.

Cell phones.

Convenience stores.

Anime.

Vending machines.

Air conditioning in summer.

Kotatsu in winter.

Ice-cold cola.

All of it.

The people of this world wouldn't understand. My wives wouldn't understand. The children wouldn't understand.

Only Nanahoshi and I would understand.

Two people from the same world.

"It really is strange, though."

Nanahoshi said it quietly.

"Back in Japan, I never once imagined that someday I'd be drinking tea in a hot spring inn on a snowy mountain in another world."

"Imagining that would be the strange part. This is another world."

"Fair point."

She turned her teacup slowly.

Then she looked out at the hall. At the children laughing and playing. At her friends talking. At all that warmth and noise.

Her gaze went soft.

"Honestly... Rudeus."

"Hm?"

"I think I've gotten a bit used to this world."

"Really?"

"Before, I always told myself I had to go back no matter what. But now..."

She paused.

Then said, low and quiet:

"Even if I really can't go back, it doesn't seem like such a big deal anymore."

I watched her without saying anything.

Nanahoshi kept her eyes on the hall. On everyone there.

Her voice was very soft when she added:

"It's just... if I truly can't go back, you have to stay with me always, Rudeus."

The hall was still loud and full of life.

But somehow, in that moment, Nanahoshi's voice felt like the only sound in the room.

I smiled.

"Glad you've come around. Though didn't you already say that to me once before?"

Nanahoshi looked at me for a long moment.

Just looked at me.

It got a little awkward.

Then something shifted in her expression, like she'd worked something out. She took a quiet sip of tea.

"Right. Once I finish researching the potion, it'll be hard for you not to stay with me even if you wanted to."

"Isn't that still stuck with no progress?"

"There will be progress. Even if you die first, I'll keep researching until it's done."

"Wow. That's bleak."

"Heh."

She laughed, dropping her gaze back to her tea.

But the smile at the corner of her mouth was much softer than before.

➤ Next: Hot Spring, Part 7