Chapter 18: Spirit Release
First things first, I need to eat. Today’s meal consists of a large slice of bread topped with a meat sauce that resembles Bolognese.
As I glance around, I notice the staff and customers are all on edge. Is it Ash, or is it his intimidating expression? I can’t help but smile to ease the tension.
I find it strange that there are so many menu items with bread as the base. Apparently, not long ago, there were no plates, and bread served as a substitute. Ash explained that while they now serve food on proper dishes, the remnants of that practice still linger.
“That’s quite unusual.”
“It used to be a road, so they wanted to prevent two-horse carriages from mistakenly entering,” he replied.
At the entrance of the alley leading to my rented house, there’s a simple iron gate, carelessly marked with a sign indicating it’s a dead end.
The distance to my house is just one house away; if I walk, I can see it’s a dead end right away. The driver sitting behind the horses would have already moved forward by the time he sees the turn, so perhaps that’s why they put up the gate—to warn him beforehand? It wouldn’t be easy to backtrack.
The houses on either side of the alley are adorned with greenery, and there are potted plants lining the path. I have a few large pots in front of my house as well. If I leave them as they are, it seems like my front yard would be completely filled with two houses’ worth of pots, so I had to assert my territory a bit…
“Nice taste.”
I feel a bit pleased by the compliment. I’ve changed the door, and repaired the floor and walls that were full of gaps. While the exterior hasn’t changed much aside from the door and windows, the interior is a different story.
“So, what about hot water? It’ll be in the kitchen.”
I heard that at inns, they charge extra for hot water, which they provide in a tub.
Since I don’t plan on using the bath here, I have nothing prepared, but I do have a large washbasin for washing dishes. I’ve never used it, so it should be fine to repurpose it for bathing.
There’s also a bathhouse, but it’s a steam bath. I wonder if they utilize the heat from the oven where they bake bread; it’s connected to the bakery. It’s quite lively, with barbershops and massage parlors attached, but there are also women seeking springtime pleasures, which makes me hesitant. I’ve had a bad experience that made me turn around due to hygiene concerns.
In the town by the river, there were types of baths with bathtubs, but hygiene was still… an issue. Especially after I discovered syphilis through [Appraisal], I’ve sworn off those places. I don’t want to go myself, nor do I want to invite anyone.
So, the reason I didn’t invite Ash to the town’s bathhouse isn’t because I was unsure whether it was a men’s or women’s bath.
However, since we both carried wild scents from the wolves, I don’t want to linger like this for long.
“Could I ask you for a favor?”
“Then just sit on one of those chairs and wait.”
The first floor is a workshop, but it’s only for potion-making, so it doesn’t take up much space. I’ve placed a sofa and a desk in the available area.
I fetch water from the courtyard and boil it in the kitchen. I quietly teleport back home to grab towels, sheets, and tea. What else am I missing? Ah, I should also light the fireplace; it might get cold.
I leave the first-floor fireplace to Ash and tend to the one on the second floor. Since I’ve used it once when I repaired it, there shouldn’t be any issues.
Once the hot water is transferred to the washbasin, I prepare a bucket of water for adjustments, and I’m done.
“Here you go. The toilet is through that door. I’ll be upstairs.”
“Ah, thank you.”
By the way, the toilet was directly placed in the corner of the kitchen, but I’ve separated it with a wall.
Why, of all places, the kitchen? It seems the sewage runs beneath the road and flows into the same drainage as the kitchen. Thanks to the wall, the kitchen feels cramped.
I want to shout, “Good luck, summoned Hero from Earth, with the toilet and bath situation!” but it seems the last Hero was summoned nearly three hundred years ago. He’s definitely not from the same era as me. I’ll leave the reforms to my sister and her friends. Go, national power!
After observing for a while without hearing any calls, I teleport home in a hurry to wash my hands, feet, and face, and change clothes. I still feel like I smell a bit, but it can’t be helped; I’ll take a proper bath later.
I prepare a tea set and cookies on a tray. Honestly, while I’ve put some effort into the first floor, the rest of the interior has been left untouched. I barely managed to place a bed, desk, and chair on the second floor.
For now, I’ll pretend to have guests on the second floor while actually living on the third. There’s nothing there, though.
“Well then, shall we begin?”
“I’m sorry. I’ll rely on you.”
I sit on a chair facing Ash, who is seated on the bed.
I reach out and touch the little blue bird. It doesn’t stop pecking at Ash’s ear, even after I touch it. It seems the little bird can’t help itself.
I think it would be nice to do something about the ribbon-like glowing collar around its neck, but how should I go about it?
As I ponder this, I flick it with my finger, and it snaps off.
“Ugh!”
“Oh, sorry!”
I didn’t mean to startle it; it caught me off guard.
I catch Ash as he leans forward and lay him back on the bed. His chest pressed against mine, but it felt more like a solid wall than anything else. I should be feeling flustered since he’s supposed to be a woman fresh from the bath… but with that knight carrying him, he’s definitely still a man.
As I cover Ash with a blanket, the little bird hops onto my shoulder. When it was stretching and pecking at Ash, its feathers looked sparse, but now it’s all snug and round.
“Make sure to stop the revenge on this person, alright? Good job, you too, take a nice rest.”
I won’t stop the others, though.
I gently move the little bird to Ash’s pillow, and it shivers slightly before closing its eyes.
Now, onto the bath! When I return home, Rishu starts sniffing around me. I guess I really do still smell.
I slowly sink into the hot water and sip milk, then lie back on the sofa, petting Rishu who’s sprawled across my stomach, just relaxing.
I should probably tidy up the third floor a bit, just in case someone sees it. I’ve set up a firewood storage area and placed some dishes and pots. Ah, I should attach a lock to the room door.
I think of all the things I need to do. Planning the layout and interior of the house is fun, but I might be spreading myself too thin and not keeping it organized.
It’s tough not knowing when Ash will wake up. For now, I guess I’ll just stay at that house for a while.
Tomorrow, I’ll go buy a bathtub.