Volume 8 - CH 6

Chapter 6 – Guilt and Hot Springs

We camped in the mountains in search of hot springs. That morning, after a light morning greeting in the hut boat, we went outside.

“Good morning, everyone.”

“Good morning, Wataru-san.”

After exchanging greetings with the members of Girasole, I summoned the food storage boat for breakfast.

“Wataru-san, what are your plans for today?”

“I’m going to look for hot springs, and the rest will depend on the results. If it looks like it will not be possible, we will return immediately. If it looks like it will work out, I would like to fix up the location of the hot spring.”

“I guess you never know until you go there. Fufu, I feel like it is good for an adventurer.”

Are you saying that the hot springs are a treasure?

“…I’m a merchant, you know.?”

“…That’s right. Wataru-san makes money, but you don’t feel like a merchant.”

I only sell pepper, you know. But if I am making money, I should have no problem calling myself a merchant.

“Now, let’s not talk about this anymore.”

It’s going to be quite sad if we keep talking. After finishing breakfast, we proceeded in the direction where we thought the hot springs were located. I ask Claretta-san to point us in the right direction, but I’m doing a terrible thing by asking her to take us to a place where the smell is even worse than before.

As Claretta-san led us onward, my nose began to detect a smell similar to what I would experience at a hot spring resort. I don’t mind this smell, but the ladies don’t seem to like it, so it makes a big difference where you grew up.

A little further on, we came to a small river? We ran into it. The width of the flowing water is no more than 50 cm. …I wondered if it was a hot spring. Looking at the end of the stream, I could see a cliff-like place.

“Perhaps, there is the source of spring at the place of that cliff. Let’s go there. We will go slowly, so if you feel sick, please tell me immediately. There is a possibility that dangerous gas is coming out.”

“What will happen?”

I couldn’t answer Alessia-san’s question. To be honest, I hardly know anything about the dangers of hot springs. What should I do in the first place?

“I’ve been to hot springs before, but this is my first time finding the source, so I don’t really know either. What do you suggest we do?”

I’m being taken aback. Their gazes are cold. Even I know that. I’ve been excited since I realized the potential of the hot springs, but yesterday’s climb up the mountain made me calm down. I don’t know what to do…

“It’s potentially dangerous, isn’t it?”

Alessia-san confirms again.

“Yes.”

After a little thought, Alessia-san spoke up.

“Claretta can use detoxification magic, but I don’t know if that’s enough to deal with the situation. Wataru-san, would you be okay with the adventurers making sure it is safe?”

“Yes, please. I can only think of a way to turn back if I get sick.”

“Wataru-san, can you get the rope out?”

“Yes, sure.”

Marina-san and Carla-san, with the rope, enter the forest under the direction of Alessia-san. …Could it be…

“Wataru-san, if it is safe, you will summon the Hideaway to this area, right?”

“Eh? Yes, I intend to do so. But I want to summon it near the source if possible, so it would be futile to search for it.”

“I understand. Dorothea, Ilma, please search the area and find a place.”

The movements are brisk when Alessia-san starts to divide. Is this the quality of a leader…?

After waiting for a while, Marina-san and Carla-san returned, dragging a goblin wrapped around a rope. I see they also caught a bird in their hands. I somehow had a feeling.

As it was, Marina-san ran near the hot spring and came back, leaving the bird and goblin where the steam was. Immediately after that, Claretta-san cast a magic spell. Is that detoxifying magic?

If it were in Japan, I think this would be a pattern that would completely piss people off. Goblin aside, they would be pissed off with the birds.

“We’ll see how things go for a while with this.”

“Yes, well, let’s have some tea.”

Dorothea-san and Ilma-san also returned, so I summoned the food storage boat and served snacks and tea. I drink tea leisurely and watch the birds and the goblin.

…I feel like I’m doing something terribly, terribly bad. No, I know I’m doing something terrible. Aside from the goblin, I feel bad for the birds.

Dorothea-san and Ilma-san’s patrols have revealed that there is a cave a little further on—a cave on an uncharted island. There’s something romantic about that, isn’t there? The ladies seem happy, and I guess we’ll have to explore. I hope there are no insect monsters.

We take our time and observe. After lunch, we head for the source since it seems that both birds and the goblin are alive.

“The hot spring is flowing out of those rocks, isn’t it?”

Hot water is flowing from a crevice in the rocks on the cliff, forming a small river. The quantity of hot water is abundant. It looks as if it could be poured from the source.

“I wonder if it’s safe.”

Alessia-san said a little uncomfortably. I can understand why she would be concerned.

“If you get used to this kind of hot water, you’ll be addicted to it.”

“It’s a little hard to believe, but I have high hopes. Next time, we’ll make sure the water is safe, right?”

Do you really have high expectations? You have a questioning look on your face, don’t you? I’ll do my best to return the favor. Depending on the hot springs, though…

“Yes. We’ll have to get the goblin to help us again, won’t we?”

I feel uncomfortable saying that myself. The goblin looks at me like it’s going to kill me.

We roll the goblin under the running hot water.

The goblin starts to go berserk.

“Is there something poisonous in the water?”

“Um, Wataru-san, I think it’s hot.”

…I know, right? The steam is coming out of the water. It’s hot, isn’t it? Claretta-san is right.

“Shall we go downstream a little? If it’s downstream, it must have cooled down.”

Thinking about it, there was no need to check the source of the hot water. Once we got to a place where the steam had subsided to a certain extent, we put the goblin a little upstream from where we were waiting.

The bird was likely to die if we put it in, so we soaked it lightly in the cooler water further downstream to see how it would do.

“Since there seems to be no problem at the moment, let’s clear the summoning place for the Hideaway, shall we?”

Since it is so far away, I will cut down a tree near the source and carry it away. After that, let’s use magic to expand the space.

“…Um, can’t we use earth magic or something to neatly clear the land?”

“Earth magic? Unfortunately, we don’t have any members who can use it.”

Come to think of it, I haven’t seen any Earth-related magic. Well, if they can’t use it, there’s nothing we can do about it. How shall we clear the land for the hot springs?

In light novels and such, when there is a hot spring, there should be something that can be done with magic… Maybe it should be possible in this world, too. We just didn’t have any members who could use earth magic, though…

I’ve bought some tools that can be used in construction, but they were supposed to be supplementary to the magic. If not, maybe I should go to the dark elf village and look for some. I’m sure there are people who can use them.

At any rate, I’ll summon the Hideaway to the cleared area and only bring the birds. If they are fine for a while after getting out of the hot spring, it should be fine.

By the way, the goblin was left as it was, and it was decided that the bird would be released because it was considered not tasty. Please don’t tell anyone that I was a little relieved.

I slaughtered a lot of horned rabbits and sea monsters, but I felt relieved when I found out that the bird we caught to check for poison was released safely. I like being relieved myself.

“So, Wataru-san, what are you going to do now?”

“Well, yes. For now, it looks fine, but just to be safe, we’ll keep an eye on it until tomorrow. I’ll pour a little hot water on my arms later, and if my skin doesn’t get too rough, then tomorrow we’ll finally bathe.”

“You shouldn’t try it yourself, Master. I’ll do it.”

“You don’t have to worry so much. The goblin and the birds are looking mostly fine. It’s just a precaution. I’ll test it.”

“If it’s fine, then it’s fine with me, right?”

That’s true, but… I feel like I want to go on and be useful in a place that seems okay, but… I don’t know if I should be a wimp here.

“I understand. Ines, please.”

“Yes.”

“So, Wataru-san, if it’s okay, how do we get in?”

“Right. It looks quite hot, so I think it would be better to fill the bathtub with hot water and add water to it after a while. If the water is good, we should maintain it well.”

I think I remember hearing that hot springs start to oxidize and lose their ingredients if they come into contact with air. In Kusatsu and other places, they cool it down in hot water fields and so on, but which is better? Well, let’s try it this time with added water.

“Fufu, Wataru-san, you’re getting kind of energetic. Are you having so much fun?”

I am embarrassed, but I am really looking forward to it. The mountain climbing on the way to the site had dampened my spirits, but if there is a hot spring in front of me, I’ll get excited, won’t I? Sorry for being so simple.

“Yes, I am looking forward to it, because as you saw on the DVD, hot springs are a popular place in my country. I hope you are looking forward to it too.”

“I trust you.”

“Yes, I’m sure you’ll like the hot water with no problem.”

I guess there are some things that are hard to convince people. We’ll have dinner on the Hideaway and only let the birds go first.

“Master, I’ve poured hot water on my arm. Do you want me to leave it like that?”

“Yeah, but if you feel any discomfort, rinse it off immediately.”

“Yes, I understand.　”

After we finished eating, I observed Rimu’s recent training routine. Fuu-chan is very interested in the evolved Rimu and is popping around him.

Marina-san, who was watching, was also enthusiastic. She is probably thinking about increasing her level. Dorothea-san was looking at them with a bit of envy.

Dorothea-san would also like to try taming slimes, wouldn’t she? Since there will be a hot spring, I wonder if we can find a slime that can use fire magic?

After spending some time relaxing, we went to sleep. Tomorrow is the hot springs.

………………

“Now, everyone, it’s time for the hot springs.”

After breakfast, Ines’ arm was not showing any abnormalities, and the goblin was also fine. Then it’s hot springs, right? With full of energy, I headed to the hot spring with the ladies in tow.

I summoned a bath boat right under the source and filled it with hot water. Then, I summoned another hut boat and changed into a bathing suit.

“Master, are you going to go in first?”

“Yes, it will be fine. Ines’ skin was fine, wasn’t it? You worry too much.”

“But, Master. I think it would be better if I go in first.”

“Hmm, but even if Ines and Felicia went in first, I would go in right after you, so it wouldn’t make sense. If there are enough abnormalities to be noticed immediately, then the birds, the goblin, and Ines’ skin will be showing abnormalities, right?”

I get out of the hut and check the bathtub. It’s more than half full. I asked them to fill it with water and stir it. After filling it with water a few times and getting it just right, I soaked myself in the hot spring water.

“Uh-oh…”

I soak slowly in the hot spring. I take a bath every day, but I think it’s just my imagination that it feels so special to take a bath in a hot spring. Because I don’t even know what the benefits are…

“Master, are you all right?”

“Yeah, no problem. It feels good.”

When I touch my skin in the hot water, it feels smooth and slippery. This means the spring water has a mildly alkaline quality, right? Probably.

“Do you feel any pain when you soak in this hot water, Rimu?”

I forgot that there was Rimu on top of my head and just went into the hot spring as normal. When I realized it, he was diving into the hot spring from the top of my head… I panicked. I scooped up Rimu in a hurry and checked him.

“Bath.”

He seems pleased. I told him to let me know as soon as he felt any discomfort, and we soaked in the hot spring together.

Although it concerns me that the women are watching me while I soak in the hot spring. It’s a special experience to soak in a hot spring in the great outdoors. I’d love to have a rock bath. I wonder if there are any stonemasons? Dark elves who are stonemasons. I can’t picture it.

Soaking slowly in the hot spring. Wiping myself with a towel, I feel a little slippery.

“Wataru-san, are you all right?”

“I’m fine, Alessia-san. I think there is nothing wrong with my skin.”

I let her touch my arm and say, “It’s getting smooth, isn’t it?” She told me she couldn’t compare them because she didn’t know the original… I think she’s right.

“Then Ines and I will try it, and you can check.”

The ladies touch Ines and Felicia’s skin to check. After that, I gave them permission to come aboard and soak in the hot springs.

“Ines, Felicia, how does it feel?”

“It feels good. I’m surprised it doesn’t smell too bad in the hot spring.”

“It feels good to me too. But my skin feels slippery… is it okay?”

“Yes, it’s fine. That’s how it feels in a hot spring. When you are satisfied, get out and wipe your body, and you will see.”

After getting out of the bath and wiping their bodies, Ines and Felicia are swarmed by Girasole members.　

“It’s getting really slippery, isn’t it?”

Alessia-san says.

“Yes, it’s not a drastic change, but it’s smooth enough that I can tell the difference.”

Ilma-san is analyzing Felicia’s skin with a serious look on her face.

“I’m next. I’m going to get changed.”

Alessia-san runs to the Hideaway. The other members hurried after her. The hot springs proved to be good, right?