Chapter 422 - Could it be That I Really am Under the Curse of Mixed Bathing?
After the turbulent first day, the second day was a festival organized by Lillywood-san. It seems that Lillywood-san is planning a festival based on the theme “Interacting with Nature”, so unlike the first day, it doesn’t seem like it would lead to a battle.
I somewhat like peacefully walking around in forests, so I’m looking forward to tomorrow. And thus, the second day of the Six Kings Festival has……
[I’m going to wash your back today, Kaito-kun!]
[……I will…… wash your back.][H- Hmmm. As for me, I’m already traumatized, so I’d like it if we could wear swimsuits……]
“……Ummm, please calm down.”
Can we just do a time skip and head straight to the second day!? Couldn’t we possibly end it with the words “before I knew it, the day passed” or something like that!?
I’m a little tipsy right now, so I’m worried that I can’t hold on to my reasoning, you know!? Also, why the heck are you here, “Lillywood-san”!?
“N- No, I don’t have any idea either…… Ein just suddenly brought me here……”
[Ein-san did?]
The trio currently in front of me, Kuro, Isis-san and Alice are having a frightening discussion about who would wash my back. Well, their discussion aside…… No, well, it’s not like I can really ignore what they’re discussing now…… More importantly than that, why is Lillywood-san here? She wasn’t here yesterday!When I looked at Ein-san, who seemed to be the cause of the problem, she nodded once for some reason before going closer to where Kuro and the others were.
[Kuromu-sama, I don’t mean to be rude, but I have a suggestion to make.]
[Unnn? A suggestion?]
[Yes. Kaito-sama only has one body. Of course, there is the option of having the three of you washing his back at the same time but…… I suggest that we set up a rotation schedule instead.]
[A rotation schedule?]
Whoa there, why do I feel like she suddenly started saying ridiculous stuff? I knew that these words weren’t meant to support me. In fact, I have a feeling that what she’s saying is going to make things even worse……
When Kuro asked back while tilting her head, Ein-san bowed once and continued.
[Yes. In the Six Kings Festival, I heard that each of you would be walking around with Kaito-sama on the day you are in charge of…… How about “the person who goes around with Kaito-sama tomorrow may monopolize Kaito-sama for the night and bathe alone with Kaito-sama”?]
[ [ [!? ] ] ]
When Kuro and the others heard Ein-san’s outrageous words, they froze with faces that seemed like they’d just seen the truth of the world…… W- What should I think about this? Is it better than going in with all of them? Or perhaps, is this going to have more destructive power because a single person is focusing their destructiveness on me? I- I’m not really sure.
I was stunned by Ein-san’s sudden suggestion, but there was another person who had the same expression on her face.
“……Is it just my imagination? Given that I’m being brought here…… I feel that Ein’s statement “included me in this” as if it was a matter of course?”
[What a coincidence. That’s how it sounded to me too.]
Exchanging glances, Lillywood-san and I exchanged words with each other. But oblivious to our confusion, Kuro and the others started thinking with serious expressions on their faces.
[I’ll have more time alone with Kaito-kun!]
[……T- That would certainly make me feel a little less embarrassed, so I guess I’m rather in favor of that suggestion.]
[……Ein…… Genius.]
……Why does it feel like the suggestion is getting accepted? W- What do I do now? Should I throw out my objection here? Thinking about Lillywood-san, I think I should stop them here…… I’m not sure yet if Lillywood-san was included in their count or if I would be able to take a bath alone tonight……
[Then, it’s Lillywood’s turn today!]
[……Unnn.]
[I guess so.]
They included her too!? No, no, you can’t do that! Putting Kuro and the others aside since they want it themselves, but Lillywood-san wouldn’t want……
[Wait, everyone, that is……]
“Please wait. That’s something I can’t accept.”
As I was about to complain to them, Lillywood-san interrupted me and spoke up first. Unnn, I knew Lillywood-san wouldn’t like that, so it’s better if Lillywood-san tells them herself……
” “I don’t really mind” if that were the case, but wouldn’t Kaito-san dislike that? I won’t accept this without Kaito-san’s approval.”
Eh? Arehh? Why do I feel like I heard words that I wasn’t expecting? I somehow felt like I heard Lillywood-san say something like she doesn’t mind taking a bath with me.
I guess I misheard her huh…… That’s right, I obviously heard it. There’s no way that the modest Lillywood-san would ever say such a thing……
[I see, what do you think, Kaito-kun? Do you dislike taking a bath together with Lillywood?]
[……Unnn? No, it’s not that I dislike that but Lillywood-san wouldn’t……]
[Then, there’s no problem!]
[……Eh?]
“That’s right. If Kaito-san doesn’t mind, then certainly.”
[……Arehh?]
T- That’s weird? Why the heck am I still hearing things? I somehow felt like I heard Lillywood-san say “certainly” or something like that……
[L- Lillywood-san!? A- Are you sure about that? We’re going to be taking a bath together, you know!?]
“Yes. I don’t really think Kaito-san would enjoy bathing with a “tree” like me but……”
[……Huh? Eh?]
Tree? Arehh? Could it be that for Lillywood-san…… Could it be that, as a tree spirit, she considers herself as more like a tree than a living being, so she doesn’t care about things like that?
T- This is bad! Even if Lillywood-san thought that she was a tree, I could only see Lillywood-san as a beautiful woman, so I think I should find a way to somehow get rid of this suggestion……
“However, I’m glad to hear that Kaito-san doesn’t mind. I also wanted to deepen my friendship with Kaito-san, but I couldn’t find the time to do so…… I’m really happy to have an opportunity like this.”
[Ahh, i- is that so……]
“Yes. Thank you very much.”
[……………….]
W- When she smiles with such heartfelt joy on her face, there’s no way I could say that I wanted to stop this now……
Guhh…… There’s no way I can make Lillywood-san, who was this delighted, to feel dejected. In that case, I’ll just have to do my best to endure it…… Well, I guess it will be alright huh? Lillywood-san is a proper, mature woman. She’s ladylike, so there’s no way that she would do anything strange.
I think it would rather be easier to maintain my reasoning with her rather than when I’m taking a bath together with Kuro and the others.
With that in mind, I agreed to take a bath with Lillywood-san.
What I didn’t realize though is that my naivety would come back to haunt me as a terrifying penance…… which I didn’t know of at that time……
Dear Mom, Dad———— How should I say this…… Through an unexpected turn of events, I ended up taking a bath with Lillywood-san. Well, I’m sure it will be fine since it’s Lillywood-san but…… I knew it————– Could it be that I really am under the curse of mixed bathing?
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