Chapter 423: This isn't Going to be Easy

Going into the bathroom first, I lightly poured warm water over my body before soaking in the hot spring, waiting for Lillywood-san.

……Why did the "scenery here become so different from yesterday"? What kind of arrangement did they place here?

The trees were dazzlingly green and lined with leaves, making me feel as if I was taking a bath in an onsen in the middle of a forest. It felt cool and refreshing, so taking a bath here was great.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting."

[Ah, no…… Huh?]

As I was thinking about this, I heard Lillywood-san's calm voice call out, making me reflexively turn towards her…… and stiffen.

[W- W- Wha……]

"Is something the matter, Kaito-san?"

When Lillywood-san appeared, her white skin, which was usually hidden by her poncho-like ethnic-style clothing, was unsparingly exposed and even seemed to glow.

And the most eye-catching things were those huge twin hills that looked like melons, boasting their overwhelming presence…… and those well-shaped protrusions at their peaks……

[Why the heck are you "barenakeeeeeed"!?]

"Eh? Isn't bathing supposed to be done without any clothes?"

[Please wrap a towel or something around your body!!!]

"H- Huh…… But I'm a tree, so……"

[I don't care if you're a tree or not, just wrap a towel around your body!!!]

"Ah, y- yes!?"

Hurriedly turning my gaze away from Lillywood-san, I shouted. I- I was completely caught off guard…… I had an uncomfortable feeling ever since I agreed to take a bath together with her, but Lillywood-san…… Don't you have any shame at all!?

I mean, her stance was that she was a tree, so she probably thought that I wouldn't be lusting over her body if I saw her naked.

I- I never expected that Lillywood-san, who I thought was the safest, was the most unguarded of them all…… I felt like I've been corkscrewed even though we just started bathing together.

Especially her tremendously destructive body. It was completely burned into my brain. T- This is quite dangerous.

"Well then, I'll be entering the bath too…… As I recall, "it's proper manners to not soak your towel in the bath", right?]

[No, you can't!]

"Eh?"

[Today's onsen isn't a murky one, so you definitely can't do that!]

"E- Errr……"

[Please enter the bath with the towel still wrapped around you. Please. I'm begging you!]

"I- I understand……"

At this point, I didn't care about the etiquette of entering an onsen anymore. If I kept seeing Lillywood-san's amazing body, I feel that my reasoning would be smashed to pieces.

Even though she was confused why I looked at her menacingly, Lillywood-san nodded and soaked in the onsen with the towel wrapped around her body.

"Haahhh…… This feels great. It's nice to soak in warm water once in a while, isn't it?"

[E- Errr, do you not usually soak in hot water?]

"I usually only take cold baths. That bath would also be my meal……"

It seems that Lillywood-san, a tree spirit, basically doesn't eat solid food and only drinks water.

Being careful not to look at Lillywood-san's direction as much as possible, I tried to distract myself by continuing the conversation.

"Even so, fufufu…… It's been a long time since I've bathed with someone like this. I've only bathed with Isis and the others a few times, you see."

[Is that so…… I know it's a little late to ask this now, but are you really sure you want to be in a bath together with me?]

"Yes, I'm glad to be able to deepen my friendship with you, Kaito-san."

[………………….]

She doesn't have any intentions. She doesn't have any intentions. She doesn't have any intentions…… Calm down, don't have any strange delusions.

"Rather, isn't it me who should ask if it's alright with you to take a bath together with me, Kaito-san? A tree like me would only add to the scenery at best, wouldn't it?"

[N- No, rather…… I don't think of Lillywood-san as a tree at all. You look like a normal woman in my eyes.]

"Really? But look, my hair is just a bundle of leaves, you know?"

[……I'm not talking about something like that.]

Lillywood-san's hair was certainly made up of layers of green leaves, but to be honest, that's the only thing tree-ish.

The rest of her body looked just like the body of a human female…… It's impossible for me to think of her as a tree.

"No, there are also other parts…… Look at this."

[Wha!? W- What are you doing!?]

"Ehh? No, as I was saying, my "feet are actually roots"……"

[Could you please not spread your legs!? I could see it, you know!!!?]

"You can see it? Ahh, you mean my "genitals"? That certainly was quite indecent of me. I'm sorry."

[Could you please not say such things out loud!? Also, that's not the point, you know!?]

H- Hey, isn't she seriously too unpredictable and unguarded!? Doesn't she realize that she's a beautiful woman!? Also, does she even understand that I'm a man?

"……H- Huh…… However, even if Kaito-san sees the body of a tree like me, it's not like Kaito-san would get sexually aroused……"

[I will get aroused! I am sexually aroused!]

"……Ehh? I- Is that so? H- However, I am……"

[No matter what Lillywood-san thinks of yourself as, I can only see Lillywood-san as a beautiful woman!]

"………………………"

When I shouted these things, feeling as if my face was almost boiling hot, Lillywood-san looked at me in a daze.

"……I- Is that so…… You're a strange person."

No, I'm pretty sure my reaction is normal. I mean, Lillywood-san, you've probably only shown your body to people like Isis-san, haven't you? Lillywood-san probably doesn't know this, but I'm sure other guys would have the same reaction as me……

Apparently, Lillywood-san was really surprised that I was feeling aroused by the sight of her body, as she stared at me with her eyes wide open.

After a few moments of silence, just like a blooming flower, she smiled beautifully.

"……You're a really strange person. However, being told by you like that…… I don't know the reason why, but I guess I, "who feels happy about that"……. am also strange."

[……E- Errr.]

"I'm sorry. I'll make sure to behave like a woman in front of you, Kaito-san."

[Ah, y- yes. I'll be thankful for that.]

"Yes, fufufu……"

Chuckling for a bit, Lillywood-san straightened her posture and looked at me with an elegant smile on her face.

Dear Mom, Dad—————- I wonder why? Was it because of the conversation we had earlier…… but my heart is pounding strangely fast. I- I didn't see this one coming…… It seems like this mixed bath together with Lillywood-san———- isn't going to be easy.

Lillywood is even more unguarded than Isis.

Serious-senpai: [T- This is impossible! Even though they aren't lovers, but for them to have this much sweetness!? A- Are you a monster!?]

This time is stomach-aching Lilia.

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T/N: 12/259