CH 226

Chapter 226 : The Open-Air Bath She’s Been Waiting For

After walking through the woods for a while, Ester and I finally arrived at the bathhouse.

Celine and Nicola were bathing here this noon, but no one’s here now except us.

The water in the bathtub has completely turned cold and there are some leaves floating on the surface of the water but the water itself is not dirty at all, probably because of the effect of the potion.

「Hmm… I think we still can use this water.」(Mark)

This is good. I can save my mana and potions at the same time.

「Hold on. I’m gonna warm the water up.」(Mark)

「Un!」(Ester)

I crouched down, put my hand in the water, and released my fire-attributed mana to warm it up.

「By the way, it’s much bigger than the footbath you made the other day.」(Ester)

While saying that, Ester crouched down next to me and put her index finger in the water, feeling the temperature of the water rising slowly.

「I didn’t mean to make a footbath back then, but yeah, it’s bigger than that. It’s gonna take a while, so please be patient.」(Mark)

「Alright~」(Ester)

I’m not that good at fire magic, so I still can’t boil water in an instant.

However, Ester seemed to enjoy watching me warming up the water, so I decided to take my time.

After pouring my fire-attributed mana into the water for about five minutes, the water started to evaporate.

「Hmm… I think it’s warm enough.」(Mark)

「Can I enter now~?」(Ester)

「Yeah, but put your clothes off first in the dressing room and throw them into the basket. Here’s your towel.」(Mark)

While saying that I pointed at the dressing room at the edge of the bathhouse.

Afterward, I took out a towel from my Item Box and handed it to Ester.

「Thank you!」(Ester)

「Well then, enjoy your bath. I’ll be waiting outside.」(Mark)

「Eeeehh? You’re not going to enter with me? Tori-sensei told us to enter together, right?」(Ester)

「Uhh…」(Mark)

Ester brought her face closer to mine. She seemed a bit disappointed.

Now that I was looking at her face closely, I realized that her forehead and cheeks were all sweaty, and she had dark circles under her eyes.

She has been trying to look energetic as usual but it seems that she actually is very exhausted.

Tori-san was joking but I think he’s right. It would be bad if Ester passed out in the bathtub.

Guess I have no choice but to enter the bath with her.

「…Alright then. Anyway, you should go to the dressing room and put off your clothes.」(Mark)

「Okay~」(Ester)

As Ester walked toward the dressing room, I took my clothes off, washed my body with water magic, wrapped the lower part of my body with a towel, and soaked myself in the bathtub.

Not long after, Ester came out of the dressing room stark naked.

I handed her a towel so that she could cover her body but she didn’t seem to read my intention. She’s holding the towel in her hand instead.

「Aa! You enter before me! Well then, I’m going too! Incomiiiing~~」(Ester)

Ester dashed over here, but when she was about to jump into the bathtub, I stopped her.

「Waaait, wait!」(Mark)

「Eh?」(Ester)

「Before you enter, you should wash your body first. I’ve prepared a basket with water for you over there.」(Mark)

「Ah, I see. Alright then.」(Ester)

Ester pouted for a second. She then approached the bucket, crouched down, and started washing her body.

I would feel guilty if I stared at her naked body, so I decided to look up, enjoying the scenery of the clouds floating in the blue sky.

A minute later, I stopped hearing the sound of Ester washing her body, and then I heard the sound of her entering the bathtub.

I was trying not to look at her but I could tell that she was sitting next to me.

「Aaahhh~~ So this is how it feels bathing in a hot water bathtub~ It feels soooo good~….」(Ester)

「Right? I’m glad you like the bath.」(Mark)

「Thank you, Mark! Umm, by the way, why do you keep looking up?」(Ester)

「I’d feel bad if I saw your naked body too much, so…」(Mark)

While still looking up at the sky, I answered her.

「Eh? Why? We’re friends, right? I don’t mind if you see me naked, so don’t worry about it!!」(Ester)

「Being friends doesn’t mean it’s okay to see each other’s naked bodies. We’re still a male and a female.」(Mark)

While I was giving her a lecture, Ester glanced at the towel wrapping the lower part of my body and thenー

「Eii!」(Ester)

ーshe grabbed it and pulled it off, exposing my little wiener.

「Wh, What are you doing!?」(Mark)

「Mark, you talked too much! I told you you don’t have to worry about it! Look! Now we’re both naked~!」(Ester)

Uhh… Unlike Delica and Pamella, Ester doesn’t seem to feel ashamed at all showing her naked body…

「Alright, alright. I’ll stop looking up, so let’s just enjoy the bath, okay?」(Mark)

「Un!」(Ester)

I sighed and lowered my gaze.

Ester mischievously grinned at me for some reason. She then moved closer to me and pressed her wet arm against mine.

「Umm, Ester, this bathtub is large, so you can sit wherever you want, you know?」(Mark)

「Yup! And I want to sit here, right next to you!」(Ester)

「I, I see… Alright then…」(Mark)

It’s kinda embarrassing but I’m fine as long as she’s happy.

Somehow, I felt like Ester occasionally glanced at my crotch but I think she was just curious about a male’s body, so I tried as hard as I could not to mind it.

Just like that, Ester and I took our time, enjoying the bath until the sun started to sink.