Before the sun rose, I had already escaped the labyrinth.

There was no sign of Refrea at the entrance.

Surely she hadn't stayed there all night—she must have finished her business and left.

Or perhaps she met someone there and went inside the labyrinth together.

As I pondered these thoughts, I was about to head back to the inn under cover of darkness when Refrea suddenly appeared from the opposite path—exactly the same person I had seen at the entrance when I first arrived.

Instinctively, I hid behind the trees.

I used Darkness Fog to blend into the shadows.

It was still before dawn. She couldn't possibly see me.

Indeed, Refrea passed right by without noticing me and walked toward the labyrinth.

(Could it be that she's actually going to wait here again today?)

When I glanced back slightly, Refleia was standing at the entrance of the maze, just as expected.

I didn't know what she wanted, but in any case, it had nothing to do with me.

Even if she were waiting for me, I had no intention of getting involved with her again.

After returning to the inn, I drew water from the back canal and washed myself clean.

The town had remarkably clean waterways, so clean that the water was drinkable—apparently due to the blessings of the great water spirit.

　

"Oh, you're back. Spending all day bathing in water must be freezing. Why don't you go take a proper bath?"

I was caught by the innkeeper, who happened to be stepping out from the back entrance.

After staying in a private room for dozens of days, it was only natural he’d recognize my face. He was a decent old man who didn’t pry, but a bath...

A bath, of course, meant a public bathhouse.

The steam rising makes the place easy to spot, but I've never been there myself.

I was curious, and as a Japanese person, I found it appealing, but being constantly filmed 24 hours a day,

I've tried to avoid unnecessary actions during the day, so I never really felt much motivation to actively use it.

"You're still doing this at this hour?"

"Oh. The bath operates nonstop. That said, I'd recommend avoiding it at night!"

I had fought monsters and earned spirit stones as payment.

That experience probably strengthened my desire to try various things.

I even felt like giving the public bath a shot.

But a public bath?

I don't have the nerve to just barge in without any knowledge of how it works.

　

Is there anything for washing the body? Soap? The bath temperature? Is it a soaking tub or a steam bath? Do towels exist? Can I buy coffee milk?

This is different from Japanese public bathhouses.

It’s safer to assume there’s no bucket at all. Towels are almost certainly nonexistent. Soap… probably not either.

I questioned my father thoroughly about such details, then left the inn.

As expected, no bucket or soap.

I had already used crystals beforehand to obtain a bucket, towels, soap, and shampoo.

…I ended up using six crystals, but since these are essential items, it’s no problem.

After picking up a small skewer of meat at the morning market, I headed toward the bathhouse.

This city is where the great spirits of "Water," "Fire," "Earth," and "Wind" gather. The area where I am currently located falls under the territory of the Great Spirit of Water. Though I don't know how the rest of the city is structured, it's said that under the influence of the Great Spirit of Water, clean water is abundantly produced, making it ideal for living and resulting in the highest population density.

Conversely, the territories of the Great Spirit of Wind and the Great Spirit of Earth are reportedly sparsely populated, with many farms.

In the territory of the Great Spirit of Fire, blacksmithing is particularly prominent.

"This must be it…"

The public bath is located adjacent to the territory of the Great Spirit of Fire and is quite large—its appearance resembling that of a massive sento bathhouse.

The large amounts of hot water used are first purified into clean water through the power of the Great Spirit of Water, then heated using the power of the Great Spirit of Fire.

Spiritual power is naturally integrated into daily life. Since it's a public bath, the price is low.

Perhaps it's still too early, as there aren't many people coming to the bath, and the surroundings are quiet. It's only six thirty in the morning, after all, so it's understandable—but still, entering an unfamiliar facility takes courage.

I slipped inside among a group of people who seemed to be an exploration party.

The baths are separated by gender. The fee is fifteen copper coins.

At that price, it would be possible to come every day.

I quickly undressed in the changing room and placed my clothes in a woven basket made of wooden branches.

I don't have any valuables.

Well, I do have some, but they're all already stored in my Shadow Bag.

Soap and shampoo are already laid out in a bucket. Everything's prepared.

(Oh…)

The bathhouse was constructed with abundant wood, giving it a distinctly Japanese aesthetic. There was no faucet at the washing area—apparently, one was supposed to scoop water from the bath using a bucket.

The bath itself was quite spacious, large enough to accommodate around thirty people at once.

Even though it was being broadcast worldwide, other transmigrated individuals surely took baths too. There was no reason why my taking one should matter, really.

Of course, those who believed I was the killer of Nanami might think it odd for a murderer to go and take a bath...

I positioned myself in the least noticeable corner and quickly washed my body and head before stepping into the bath.

(O-oh...! It stings...!)

This was the first time I’d ever taken a bath in this world.

The warm water gradually heats even the core of my body. I felt as though that warmth was warming not just my body, but my heart as well, and suddenly found myself on the verge of tears, quickly washing my face to hide it.

I had no idea how long this broadcast would continue, but worrying about it now was pointless.

In my ordinary life, even without darkness, I wouldn't hear any glances or laughter.

As I relaxed in the bath, a cheerful group of people came in, chatting and laughing.

With three large men entering at once, the bathwater overflowed with a splash.

"Ah, morning baths are wonderful!"

"You bet! There's no place around here like this huge bathhouse!"

"Ah... back home, I just took a quick shower, so I was shocked to learn about something like this. There were hot springs too, but I'd never been to one."

The explorers who'd been with me at the entrance.

I quietly moved toward the corner.

"What's this 'shower' thing? Alex?"

"Ah... how should I put it? It's basically just bathing in hot water like rain."

"Haha, was that another world? You're the one saying crazy stuff, like you came from a different realm."

"Hey, you didn't believe me? I was actually a pretty serious student before I came here!"

I sank myself up to my nose in the hot tub, listening to the conversation.

"Another world." That's what they said.

Glancing at him briefly, he was a handsome Western-looking man with light brown hair and a well-defined nose.

He gave off a refreshing vibe—no doubt he was popular back in high school.

(An isekai transfer...! Was there someone like that in this town too?)

The cheerful young man nicknamed Alex looked Western—though it wasn’t obvious just from appearance—but in any case, he wasn’t Asian. Yet he spoke the same isekai language, making it strange that we could understand each other.

(So that means I must be appearing as a background figure in his broadcast?)

Depending on the camera angle, I’d likely be visible in his stream. And vice versa—I’d be able to see him too.

If someone was watching both of us simultaneously, since we live in nearby towns, they might suddenly realize, "Ah!"

(I’ve got a bad feeling about this... Could I end up showing up in his stream?)

I really wanted to stay in the bath longer, but the situation—two transferents sharing the same space, let alone being naked together in a bath—was too amusing to watch from the outside.

It was absolutely bound to end badly.

"I wonder if that girl’s here today?"

"Oh, the one at the entrance! She was stunning. Alex, you tried talking to her, right? What happened?"

"Said she was looking for someone she knew. I invited her to eat, but she turned me down."

"No way, you’re such a player."

"Hey, if there’s a cute girl like that, anyone would try, right?"

The conversation among the outgoing group continued.

The beautiful girl at the entrance must be Refreia.

If she’s looking for someone she knows, it’s not me.

After all, I’m not someone she knows.

I casually stepped out of the bath. That was when it happened.