Chapter 100.2

100 Part 2

— I’m not going to stare or anything like that!!

“Kuhuhuh!”

— Calm down, calm down!

Haruki pulled himself together and resisted the urge to laugh.

Having regained his composure, Haruki readied himself to enter the mixed bath.

There, he found a woman with an unmistakable figure.

“…”

A completely naked woman was taking a bath in the mixed bath.

Though she was a fish-woman…

“…”

Seeing Chep floating in the hot water of the mixed bath caused Haruki’s eyes to twitch.

— I knew it!

— What on earth are you doing here!?

Half-frustrated, Haruki quickly took Chep to the men’s bath with him.

After taking her out of the hot springs, he threw a bucket of water at her.

“Haaahphew!? Uhh… I thought I was going to die!”

Haruki seemed a bit disappointed with the fact that she only thought she was going to die.

But on the other hand, he was relieved that she didn’t.

It would have been a nightmare to have an acquaintance of his boil to death in the hot springs.

“I’m glad you’re safe. But why did you come here?”

“Huh? Did you hear something?”

“Hey!!”

Blinking, Chep stared at Haruki, perhaps because she had finally noticed his existence when he yelled at her.

“Ahhhhh!! I’m being disgraced by a molester!!”

“Shut up!”

“Ngyooh!!”

Haruki bonked Chep on the head with his fist.

It was dangerous to be called a molester in an open-air bath where everyone could hear you scream.

It would be best to avoid behaviors that would get the police being called on them.

“How terrible! To be approached by a naked gentleman, then splashed at, and punched at when trying to call for help…”

“You’re the terrible one!”

— What’s wrong with you…?

Haruki felt an intense headache as he saw Chep drooping and covering her face with both hands.

Sure, Haruki was barely hiding his important spots with a cloth, but that was because he was in a hot spring.

He didn’t have such a mentality that would make him feel comfortable to walk in his birthday suit around others.

The reason he had splashed at her was in order to save her, and the reason for him bonking her in the head was just to shut her up.

He by no means had any outrageous intentions.

He was being falsely accused.

“*stares*”

— Hmm?

Chep seemed to be looking at Haruki through her fingers as her hands still covered her face.

When Haruki looked at that, Chep yelled “Nooooo♪” and closed her fingers, blushing.

— This fish…

— Should I give her another bonk on the head?

— But at full force this time.

“… Why were you soaking in the hot springs? Didn’t Karen tell you to wait quietly in the room?”

“She did tell me. But I was just attracted by the magic of these hot springs, so…”

The magic of these hot springs.

Those words caught Haruki’s interest.

Akane had told Haruki that if he soaked in the hot water that sprang from the dungeon, the hindrances caused by the rapid leveling up would be improved.

Soaking in the hot springs had actually freed Haruki from the pain caused by the Level-Up sickness.

Could it be that his condition had improved like that because the hot springs have magical power?

“This is the magic of these hot springs, which are so great for the skin!”

“So that was it…”

— And here I was, getting my hopes up. I feel like an idiot now.

Haruki hung his head in disappointment.

Certainly, this hot spring was said to have a beautiful effect on the skin.

However, it was a mystery whether it was effective for a fish like Chep.

“It was so cruel of Karen to forbid me from soaking in these hot springs that are so great for the skin! I’m sure she’s afraid I’ll become even much more beautiful than I already am!!”

“…”

— How do you manage to be so wrong all the time?

— You really don’t have much going for you other than Samaikuru’s Safeguard, don’t you?

Haruki breathed out a deep sigh.

“Listen here, Chep. This isn’t the woods. We’re in the middle of a city where humans live. If you run off somewhere without having either me or Karen around, some other human might see you, and then another adventurer will come and kill you. That’s why Karen told you to stay in the room, and that’s why I don’t want you going off on your own.”

“I… I see.”

“If you get it, then don’t ever go off on your own, okay?”

After saying that, Haruki went back to soaking in the hot springs.

Now probably aware of her situation, Chep walked around the porch of the hot springs while dropping her shoulders.

As she approached the mixed bath…

“Hey, where do you think you’re going?”

Moving quickly, Haruki grabbed Chep by her head.

“I-I’m going back to the princess’ hot springs!”

“Did you hear what I said?”

“I did. You’re really worried about me going off on my own, right? Ehehe.”

With cold eyes, Haruki looked down at Chep, who was wriggling her limbs while hanging from her head by Haruki.

— Don’t you ever feel ashamed of yourself…?

“So why are you going off on your own, then?”

“I’m a princess! Isn’t it natural for me to go to the princess’ hot springs?”

“It doesn’t matter if you go to the men’s bath or the women’s bath. No one will care about your gender if they see you.”

“Huh!? I’m feeling some very rude vibes again.”

“Must be your imagination again.”

During their conversation, Haruki gave off instructions to Esta.

Esta would be in charge of making sure Chep didn’t escape.

Having left Chep under Esta’s supervision, Haruki went back to soaking in the hot springs.

However…

“Let me go! I don’t want to be in the gentlemen’s math! Waaahh!!”

Even though he was in the hot springs for a change of pace, Haruki had no time to relax.