MTLNOVEL Volume 1 Chapter 68 - Water Bath Called Potion Bath
I returned to the living room with Kaede-chan, dressed in her clothes.
Just as we got back, the pizza we had ordered arrived, so I took out some alcohol from the fridge, and we started our celebration.
“Cheers!”
The three of us placed the pizza on the low table and toasted while sitting on the sofa.
“Wow, I did practically nothing and still got 200 million yen.”
Nanapon starts happily drinking her canned chu-hi with a low alcohol content.
“You got caught, didn’t you?”
“Well, yes. But if I got 200 million for that, I wouldn’t mind getting caught again.”
“Next time you might get roughed up, you know?”
“…I’ll pass on getting caught again.”
“Both of you, please be careful.”
“I can afford to spend money, you know.”
Otherwise, I couldn’t enjoy luxury trips with Kaede-chan.
“Senpai, you should curb your slightly combative tendencies. You’re generally mild-mannered, but when you hold a sword, you try to draw it or provoke the other party.”
“Did I provoke someone?”
“You provoked Satsuki-san, didn’t you? Just so you know, she’s also combative.”
“Hmm, I’ll be careful.”
“Please do.”
I’ll try to keep in mind the principle of valuing life.
“Oh, by the way, here you go.”
Nanapon takes a wrapped box out of her backpack and hands it to Kaede-chan.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a housewarming gift. I wasn’t sure what to get, so I chose a coffee set.”
“How thoughtful of you.”
“Thank you, Nanaka-chan.”
Kaede-chan and I thank her.
“Really, you two are living together. How’s room-sharing going?”
“It’s fine. Sometimes when I leave early for work and see Senpai still sleeping, it makes me want to quit my job.”
“I might feel the same way if our positions were reversed.”
“Do you, Elenora-san, have any issues?”
“Well, Kaede-chan always locks her room, even when she’s sleeping, going out, or taking a bath. It’s terrible.”
“That’s because you, Okita-san, are constantly trying to break in. Especially when it’s time for bed… you’re the worst.”
“My opinion of Okita-kun has dropped again.”
“Every night, I hear the doorknob rattling. It’s now my cue to sleep.”
“Scary…”
“By the way, Nanaka-san, how was it after that? Were you harassed?”
“They diverted the topic blatantly… No, I was escorted by a member of the Self-Defense Force who was in front of the hut. No one would dare approach me then.”
“Why do female adventurers get approached so often? What do you do?”
“I’d like to know since I’ve just been told to be less combative. Okita-kun is never approached, so I have no idea.”
“What do we do… Hmm, first of all, we don’t go alone, and we avoid places that aren’t popular.”
“You’ve been doing the opposite, haven’t you?”
Nanapon had been operating solo in deserted places. Probably because she has the Clairvoyance skill.
“Well, yes. Honestly, even if you ask me… I don’t have that much experience.”
“Kaede-chan, what does the guild recommend?”
“Female adventurers are generally encouraged to form parties. Also, they’re advised not to linger near the gates. It’s considered a safe zone, so it becomes a hotspot for recruitment and pick-up attempts.”
“I see.”
“Were you approached a lot when you were active, Kaede-chan?”
“We were a party, and our leader was A-rank. No one dared mess with us. However, it was prevalent within the guild.”
“What should we do now? The Self-Defense Force said they would issue a warning to each guild, but will it be effective?”
“It works for a few weeks, but then things go back to the way they were. It’s always been like that.”
“Hmm…”
“Are you going to quit the Diana Mines?”
“I’ve been exposed, and I’ve reached level 7, so I’m thinking of moving on to the next step.”
“Oh, your level went up! That’s great!”
“I also acquired a new skill, Persuasion.”
“I have that too. It’s useful for job interviews.”
“New recipes aren’t so bad either.”
“What can you make now?”
“Enhancement Potions. They can increase strength, speed, and defense.”
“That sounds problematic.”
“I agree. So, I won’t sell these.”
“Good decision. If you reveal that, the number of people targeting you will increase. Some might even be quite aggressive.”
Kaede-chan says this and softly grips my hand.
“By the way, where will you go if you leave the Diana Mines?”
“Don’t you know any good places?”
“There aren’t any. That place is unique.”
“I guess we have no choice but to go the usual route.”
“What about me? People will find out I’ve been acting with you.”
“I know… Nanaka-san, would you rather turn into a man or wear a mask?”
“Neither.”
“How about adventuring with Okita-kun?”
“Fine, I’ll wear a mask…”
“Why do you sound so displeased?”
Kaede-chan asks while ignoring my hand caressing hers.
“It’s hot and suffocating… but I’ll endure it.”
“Use a potion to wash your face if your skin gets rough.”
“Alright, then.”
“By the way, what’s this about potions?”
Kaede-chan asks.
“Didn’t you tell Asakura-san about your experiment? I brought a change of clothes because I thought I’d take a potion bath.”
“Wait, a potion bath? What kind of luxury is that?”
“Look at Elenora-san’s hand that you’re holding. It’s incredibly smooth, isn’t it?”
“True!”
“According to Okita-san’s experiments, washing your face with a potion cures acne, and taking a potion bath rejuvenates your skin.”
“Really? Senpai, why didn’t you tell me?”
“It’s too cold. Potions are no good when heated, and it’s freezing now. I was planning to tell you in the spring.”
“I see. Then please prepare it, Senpai.”
“Do you even listen? You’ll catch a cold.”
“We have healing potions, right? And if I catch a cold, you’ll take care of me, won’t you?”
The image of me wiping a bedridden Kaede-chan’s body comes to mind.
“True, we have healing potions… Alright, if it’s a short bath, it should be fine.”
I let go of Kaede-chan’s hand, stand up, and head to the bathroom with a bag from my room. Then, I start filling the bathtub with healing potion.
This is going to take a while… what about the celebration?