Page 125

(Walson)

As I soak in the hot water of the public bath, I immerse my body below the head in the hot water. I must say, this place is more of a city than a town.

I can't help but admire the funding that's given to the town of Nonokuta, the city management even somehow managed to build such a large-scale bathhouse.

You see, originally, Nonokuta didn't have any hot springs, which means all the hot water in this bathhouse is heated artificially whenever they want to use it.

It must be difficult to maintain such a large amount of water at this temperature, whether by using magic or magic stones.

The bathhouse has a European-style design, with two large pools that can accommodate at least fifty people bathing at the same time. Water flows from high outlets, creating a rushing sound throughout the bathhouse.

I wonder if Grace can join in and take a bath...

After arriving in Nonokuta Town, I thought it would be a good idea for everyone to disperse and do whatever they wanted. It's time to relax after spending seven days in the car. Even in another world, sitting in a vehicle for too long can get boring, just like in my previous life.

I took Barella with Grace and Melon to go shopping. We need to buy some suitable and trendy clothes, especially for Melon. She's similar to me in some ways and has a "as long as it fits" philosophy when it comes to clothing.

So, today I'm going alone... even in the hotel room, I'll be sleeping alone... damn it, even when I was in the [Dog House], I slept alone in the freezing driver's seat!

But... There's no other way. I can't invade Barella's territory, and it would be strange to share a room with a female friend. If I were to be with Grace and Melon, Barella would be left all alone... it would be quite awkward if any one of their close friends was missing. So, I'll sleep alone, and tonight I'm prepared to spend it with the slime ball.

At this moment, there's no one else in the public bath except me. Outside, the noise is quite loud.

Hmm... There's currently a "Festival of Blessings" taking place outside. It's a spontaneous event organized by the Vantinom Church to bless and give benefit to the public. How coincidental that it's happening on the day we arrived.

The townspeople are gathered at the square, receiving blessed food from the priests, watching theatrical performances, and the small vendors are starting to gather and do business there.

Considering all of these circumstances, I've basically reserved the entire public bath all for myself, it's quite an enjoyable thing, to be honest.

Going off-topic, let me tell you about my recent visit to the Adventurer's Guild.

Hmm, it's been a while since I went this deep into that place... into the Adventurer's Guild.

The last time was when I was thirteen years old.

Back then, I exchanged the slime cores that Maany obtained from training in the mountains for money at the Adventurer's Guild. When I was there, I was instantly surrounded by a bunch of shirtless men who kept pinching my cheek, and one particularly strong guy with sweat-covered hands picked me up effortlessly!

Damn it, I still remember the sweat stench sticking to my cheek! Not to mention that damn gay guy who kissed my cheek and called me cute.

That day, I almost killed someone for the first time and embarked on the path of a Demon King!

This incident has cast a dark shadow over the Adventurers' Guild for me. I spent over five hours there today, with two hours dedicated to overcoming my biggest fear!

Even when I entered, my legs were trembling all over. They were shaking so much that one of the receptionists walked over and asked if I had gotten lost and needed help finding my mom.

Damn it! Is being short a crime or something? The Adventurers' Guild is truly a terrible place!

...

... Sorry, I just went off rail. Ahem, let's get back to the point.

In any case, I went to the information center attached to the Adventurers' Guild building—damn it, they put it at the very back—and went to verify the intelligence.

Damn it, when I was there, there were so many people here, and they were all intimidating... A bunch of people were crowded around the information center, and I had to wait in that damn line!

... Anyway, in the end, I managed to confirm the current state of the world's affairs.

The overall balance of the nations is more or less the same, but the problem of rampaging monsters has intensified... The previously isolated incidents of rampaging monsters in the central part of the continent have become more frequent. The situation within the Teigitan Kingdom's borders is gradually getting out of control, with sporadic severe disasters occurring.

The latest news says that the situation in the Western Holy Alliance is even worse, but its authenticity is yet to be confirmed. The reason is simple: it's difficult for news to flow from the Western Holy Alliance to the Eastern countries since both sides have closed their borders. Currently, as the central nation, Braatio Empire, leans towards the west, the price of information has skyrocketed, and its credibility has declined significantly.

Um... please, don't start a war. If it actually happens, there's a good chance we'll be dragged onto the battlefield...

When I finally left the information center, drenched in cold sweat due to my fear, that's why I'm in the bathhouse now. Hot water has a magical property; it makes you feel like you've been reborn...

...

I squinted my eyes, my body tense as I soaked in the hot bath.

Amidst the sound of footsteps on the wet floor, a man entered the men's bathhouse. It shouldn't be a problem, but the red dot on my [Mini-map] disagreed.

... Geez, can't I just enjoy a bath in peace?