Part 3
---[Underwood] Leafy Emerald Green Hall, Large bathhouse.
The large bathhouse was located at the western side of the Great tree and similar to the other rooms, it was made from a gorged out tree burl. And with just one glance, one could already see the difference between it and the normal type of bathhouses.
As this hall was made from the naturally forming burl on the tree branch, without any extra materials brought in from the outside. The patterns on the wall were all in sync and it gave the bathhouse an inconceivable sense of wholeness.
Kuro Usagi who had followed Sala into the large bathhouse could not suppress her exclamation:
“Wow……!”
“Do you like it?”
“YES! This place really looks great!”
Kuro Usagi entered the bathhouse while gesticulating excitedly with her arms.
However, in the next moment, a tortured scream could be heard coming from the back of the bathhouse.
“Oi Pain…Ouch Ouch Ouch Ouch! Oi, Oi Oi! You……I say…..How many times must I tell you before you get it? Don’t use your fingernails to scratch me……”
“I can’t help it! This is my first time helping to wash another person’s hair, so just bear with it a little!”
*Splash!* And it was accompanied with the sound of water being poured.
Although Kuro Usagi and Sala didn’t know what was happening, but those two voices sounded very familiar to them. As they walked closer to the two silhouettes that were somewhat blurry from the cover of the steam, what came into their sight was the scene of Asuka and Percher who were harmoniously……
“Okay, done. Next is the body. Now, turn behind.”
“No……Don’t want!”
“No isn’t an option. If Izayoi-san’s information is accurate, bathhouses shouldn’t be that widespread during the 16th century. So you should take this opportunity to learn the culture of the Bath-taking Country!”
*Splash!*……Just like that, Asuka was washing Percher, albeit a one-sided affair it looked quite harmonious.
Although they had already been surprised that there were people who were much faster than them in the bathhouse already, the sight of Asuka helping Percher to bathe compounded to their surprise. Just what could have happened in the short ten minutes that they had taken to arrive at the bathhouse?
“Um, …… That……Asuka-san, why are you and Percher together in the bathhouse?”
Asuka instantly stopped her hands that were scrubbing Percher as she finally noticed Kuro Usagi and Sala’s presences in the bathhouse.
Slightly blushing, she turned her face slightly as she mumbled something:
“……Izayoi-san forced us with a threat...…”
“A threat?”
“He said something like [Would you like me to strip you girls bare and scrub you clean? Or would you go hand in hand to wash each other harmoniously? Here, choose one now.] ……Hearing that, it sounded as if we would really be stripped by him if we tried to resist, so without a choice, I’m here helping her to bathe.”
Saying that, Asuka’s face blushed even redder and pouted.
[As……As expected from the strongest Problem child……even the method to persuade people to patch up their broken relations is of such a hearty and forthright manner……!]
Kuro Usagi was half in admiration of Izayoi’s move in this matter and half in a daze with a tinge of melancholy.[31]
Seeming to have some soap in her eyes, Percher was furiously rubbing at her eyes.
“That freak of a boy……Sooner or later, I will make him contract sepsis[32] and die a pitiful death!”
“That sounds like a good idea. Tell me when you do, because I will gladly help as well.”
Percher’s voice sounded a little choked as her eyes started to tear up.
Having completed her task of washing the entire body, Asuka finally turned back to take a good look at Kuro Usagi and the other.
“Oh. Representative-sama came here too? “
“Yes. But don’t call me Representative-sama. In this kind of setting where we appear with honesty without clothes, that way of addressing me will be too formal. Just call me Sala directly. I won’t mind.”
“Really? Then you can call me Asuka too.”
Exchanging a smile with each other, they grabbed Percher who was attempting to escape as they proceeded into the bathing pool.
As the smell of tree leaves and branches wafted up from the steam, the [No Name]’s bathhouse by the Water Tree Gift was similar in that aspect. After all, it’s only to be expected for the water tree of their Community had originated from this place. But in regards to the refreshing sensation and the concentration of the scent, to even permeate to the depths of the nasal cavities, it’s still [Underwood] that had that upper hand.
Ignoring Percher who was still throwing her tantrum, Asuka, Kuro Usagi and Sala seemed to huff a sigh of relaxation as they enjoyed their dip.
“You are called Asuka right? Although it might be a little late for me to say it but please accept my thanks for lending a hand when the Titans appeared for that has greatly saved us.”
“That’s nothing. After all, taking care of problems caused by Demon Lords are part of our motto…… and anyways, the one who really caused them to retreat wasn’t me.”
Asuka frowned as she sank lower to dip her shoulders under the warm waters. Until now, recalling that scene was still appalling and wretched.
Just at the moment when she was surrounded by the dense fog, the shadow that zipped pass her in a flash and the sound of metal clanging against each other. The Titans that started to be ripped and massacred in groups of twos and threes. And that pure white knight that was dyed red due to the bloody fluids of the enemies she cut down.
“Faceless…… That’s not her real name right?”
“YES! She’s the favored loyal servant of the Demon Lord---The star class spirit in charge of gold and portals, [Queen Halloween]. As favored loyal servants, they are also knighted by her with a name and are to carry out certain tasks for her with that name.”
“They would receive an unprecedented Gift when they serve as the knights protecting their Queen. And it so happens that one of them is in this place, giving us quite a bit of breathing space.”
Sala had a mixed expression of relief and tension.
Asuka seemed to have lost her interest as she said an ‘Oh.’ before turning away.
“No matter how strong she is, she’s still one of the Demon Lord’s underlings right? I don’t see how we can trust that kind of person.”
“No, the time that [Queen Halloween] had been a Demon Lord is now in the long past……Ah, but she still isn’t the kind that can make people feel entirely at ease. According to Shiroyasha-sama, she’s called [One of the Biggest Three Problem Child in Little Garden].”
“Yep. When I was young, my nanny always use the “If you do bad things you will be napped away by [Queen Halloween]” kind of story to scare me.”
“Fufu, what’s that? That sounds just like Namahage[33] or Raijin[34].”
“YES! That also shows how respected and feared she is in the cities of Little Garden.”
“Is that so?”*Bulupluplup* Asuka replied before blowing bubbles under the water.
Sala swung her long hair back before asking as she suddenly remembered something:
“Come to think about it, Asuka, what’s your Gift? Looking at it previously for just a while, I couldn’t figure out what sort of Gift it was. But I guess it should be quite unique right?”
“Me? My Gift…… it’s called [Ikō][35], have you heard of it?”
“……what?” Sala widened her eyes as her pitch also rose by an octave.
Kuro Usagi wiped the blissful expression that she had previously and now took on a serious expression as she closed in on Asuka.
“Asuka-san, regarding your Gift, Kuro Usagi has something to tell you.”
“……what is it?”
“The Gift that Asuka-san possess is definitely not an inferior talent…… but it isn’t a Gift that can be counted as suitable for combat. This sort of talent that can allow the utilization of other Gifts to their best capabilities is best suited for the expansion of our Community. So, you needn’t push yourself to participate in the Games of Demon Lords……”
“……”
Asuka had known that all along. And it was ever since her initial Game with Galdo Gasper that she had already realized that fact.
During the battle with Galdo Gasper, the battle with Ratten and also during her battle with Percher just a little while earlier…… she had always felt that she was being pushed into the corner due to her lack of physical strength. If only Asuka could possess one percent of Izayoi’s strength, she wouldn’t have had that hard a time in her battles.
“……Maybe it’s just me wanting to be stubborn, I guess.”
“Eh?”
“Before coming to Little Garden, I had never found myself lacking in any way. Although it could be said to be a long term dissatisfaction with the life, but I had a prestigious background, and my grades in academics would always be higher than that of the average……but after coming to Little Garden, the things that makes me itch with irritation has started to grow as much as the number of happy things I’ve experienced in here.”
Asuka’s expression was a little melancholic as she muttered. Although it sounded really ironic, but Asuka did understand that this was part of the flow in life where it gets choppy at times and calm and smooth sailing in others, and did welcome those changes and experiences. This is because right from the start, she had already possessed a very broad-minded approach in life and could accept the bitter and sweet dishes that were served to her in her life.
But she believed that the reason for her acceptance wasn’t just due to the environment in Little Garden.
Asuka was acutely clear that it was due to friends like Izayoi and Yō who stood by her side that she could learn to accept all the things that life threw in her way.
“……To tell the truth, I’m not that worried about Leticia. For I’m very clear on how dependable she is. But Kasukabe-san……looked quite down lately…… so……”
And she couldn’t help but be worried by that.
Hearing Asuka put it that way, Kuro Usagi was stumped for words.
“Asuka-san……”
*Bulupluplup*Asuka blew bubbles as she sank herself to the bottom of the pool.
Sala who had been listening by her side suddenly placed her hand to rest on Asuka’s shoulder.
“Asuka’s friend is called Kasukabe?”
“Eh?......Yeah, that’s right.”
“Then, for tomorrow’s search, I will make it a priority to search for your friend.”
“……what?” Asuka and Kuro Usagi asked together. They had thought that a pair of human and rabbit ears may have heard it wrong.
But this was to be expected. Who would have thought that an Alliance representative would say words like leaving the main camp of [Underwood] to infiltrate the enemy’s encampment?
But Sala only nodded her head forcefully as she said while staring at their faces.
“In exchange for that, I would like the both of you to defend [Underwood]. Although it’s a Community and Community ground that I belong to for only a few years, but to me, it has already become my second home. With the two of you who possess strong combat prowess, I guess I can have no worries as I go to infiltrate the enemy’s citadel.”
Saying that, Sala laughed heartily. Although this was said out of consideration for Asuka but the real intention was more than that.
To allow Sala who had the ability to fly to go to the citadel while Asuka who possessed the huge iron doll to face the Titans.
What she wanted to say might have been the fact that Games weren’t played with only the power level in mind but the ability to assign the correct resources to the correct places where they would be best utilised.
Asuka gave a wry smile at Sala’s attempt of encouragement but had also seemed to have accepted that piece of feelings to tuck away her burdens in her mind as she nodded her head in agreement.
“Okay, I understand. I will be defending [Underwood]…… I will be leaving Kasukabe-san to you.”
“Nn. Leave it to me. I will use our flag… … my dragon horn to make an oath of it.”
Sala pointed to her majestic dragon horns while giving it a *Klunk Klunk* knock with a certain degree of wanting to show off her prided horns. But that strange action caused Asuka and Kuro Usagi to burst out laughing and that caused the bathhouse to be instantly enveloped in a joyous laugh.
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