I'd been tired from one thing and another, so I headed into the witch's house bathhouse for the first time in a while.
Afternoon. Nobody was around at this hour.
There were baths on basement floors one and two, and thick steam hung in the air.
Basement one had a reasonably spacious bath. Or rather, it was the original witch's house bath.
The newly built basement two had a large bath that could easily fit ten or more people, along with a wash area.
In the back sat a huge white and black pot, with water constantly boiling inside it.
That's right — a pot bath. My lifeline oasis.
"Still, I'm surprised. That Torquetam left Hydrangea."
I murmured to myself as I washed at the basin.
They had set out for the trading city of Heizen around the time I entered the dungeon.
The reason was an enhancement material for Lupinus's shield — a blue-green crystal.
Apparently the witch said she'd seen one at the Full Moon Bazaar in the trading city of Heizen.
There wasn't much time until the next Full Moon. So they packed up right away and headed out.
"The trading city, huh."
There was a river a short distance from Hydrangea.
The Little Liev River. I sometimes went fishing there.
Though I'd never actually caught any fish.
I'd been staying away lately, for various reasons.
The Little Liev River was a tributary of the Middle Liev River, which was itself a tributary of the Great Liev River.
The source of the Great Liev River is the Liev Lake.
The Liev Lake is the kingdom's largest lake, connected to the sea.
On the shore of the Liev Lake sits the trade city of Heisen.
The trade city of Heisen is one of the kingdom's key trading hubs—a neutral zone.
Meaning it's not territory of the kingdom, but an autonomous domain.
"You know someone who's a witch in Heisen, right?"
That's what I said, leaning on Torquetam, so apparently there's nothing to worry about.
"Someone who's a witch, huh..."
For someone who hates people, she sure knows a lot of them. They should be fine, though.
I wash my hair. This world doesn't have conditioner, but it does have shampoo.
I lather it up generously and scrub.
In place of conditioner, I smooth my hair with plant oil to give it some shine.
I like washing my hair. I like getting it all lathery and scrubbing away.
"Hmm-hmm-hmm~♪ Hmm-hmm-hmm~♪"
I can't help but hum a tune.
"Hmm-hmm-hmm~♪ Hmm-hmm-hmm~♪"
I rinse the soap out of my hair and wring it out lightly with my hands.
"Hmm-hmm-hmm~♪"
"Wow, looks like you're having fun."
"Ah, sorry. I just—...!? Mr. Chaib!?"
Startled by the voice, I opened my eyes—and there was Chaib.
Naked. Completely naked. Stark naked.
Which was only natural, since we were in a bath, but Chaib was a girl.
In other words, a girl was sitting next to me in the nude.
Her gray hair was damp with the gentle steam.
She was shorter than me, with pale white skin.
Her small, slightly rounded body let her rib bones show through—unhealthily thin.
Her eyes were gray too, with retinas like a reptile's.
She had dark circles under her eyes, but her features were neatly put together and rather cute.
Small chest, small rear—she looked like a girl from every angle, but I had no idea of her actual age.
First-class delver, the "Sensible Beast"—was the current situation sensible?
She sat down next to me and started washing herself.
With a lathered towel, she scrubbed her neck, then her right shoulder down to her arm. Next, her left shoulder and arm. She pressed it to her chest.
"Umm, it's kinda embarrassing when you stare, y'know~"
"Ah, s-sorry."
"Hey, do you really wanna see me naked that much?"
"Um... yes."
"R-really...? Well, it's still embarrassing, so... don't look, okay?"
"S-sorry."
What the heck am I doing.
Chaibu finishes washing and rinses off. I, who had been waiting the whole time.
I don't know why I was waiting, but I waited.
"Hey, Wof — have you washed your body?"
"No, not yet."
I instinctively lied for some reason. I thought it was the right call.
Chaibu laughs. Says in a teasing voice:
"Then, want me to wash it for you?"
"Is that okay?"
"W-wait, just your back! Your back, y'know, it's hard to reach and all—"
"Then, please."
"O-okay."
Chaibu takes the towel lathered with soap and presses it against my back.
Then she starts slowly scrubbing. Somehow it's awkward.
"Ah—"
"S-sorry! Did it hurt or something?"
"No, it's nothing. It doesn't hurt."
Setting that aside — this was the first time in this world that someone had washed my back like this.
And it was being done by a stunning beauty wearing not a single stitch.
There was nothing like that in my past life memories, either.
And then I realized. Could it be — Chaibu is nervous?
"Haaah… haaah… i-it's… surprisingly… wide…"
"What is it?"
"N-n-nothing! It's nothing!"
"O-okay."
"I guess that'll do. O-okay, time to rinse!"
"Please."
Chaibu rinsed my back with warm water.
"Phew, that's hot."
"Are you okay?"
"Whoa, don't look!"
"S-sorry."
She had reflexively turned around.
"Here, do the front yourself."
"Okay."
I took the towel and washed myself.
During that time, Chaibu stayed behind me.
What was this. This whole composition with a completely nude beauty standing behind me.
I finished washing my body for the second time while savoring a peculiar sense of tension.
"All done? Then let's go."
"Where to?"
"It's obvious, right? Our usual spot!"
Chaib grinned and grabbed my hand, pulling me along.
She led me to the jar baths. A large white jar and a large black jar.
Hot water flowed steadily from above, keeping them full to the brim.
Chaib stepped into the white jar bath, and I climbed into the black one.
"Ahhhh..."
"Ohhh, that feels goood..."
"Yeah..."
In response, I snuck a glance at Chaib.
When she took my hand and led me here, I had been walking behind her.
I had been staring at Chaib's rear, visible through the gaps in the steam.
Her gently swaying rear was slightly flushed, like a ripe peach.
"Um... Wofie. What? Is there something on my face?"
"Ah, well, um... I was just thinking you look cute."
"Huh... O-Oh, come on—you say that to every girl, don't you~"
"No, no, that's not it at all."
I paused to think. Had I said that to other girls too?
Hmm. I looked up slightly and tried to recall... but, hmmm...
"Um... Wofie?"
"I haven't. You're the only one I've ever called cute, Chaib."
"Huh, r-right... I see..."
"Yes. That's right."
"I see... Oh! I-I'm getting out now!"
She scrambled out of the pot bath in a fluster.
I'd already seen quite a lot of her at this point, so it felt a bit late for that.
"Ah, um, Chaib. Once you've changed, could you wait for me in your room?"
"W-why?"
"There's something I want to give you."
"O-okay. Sure. I'll wait in the room."
Chaib left the bathing area. I stayed in the pot bath a little longer.
Before I could pass out from the heat, I got out, changed in the changing room, and left.
I headed upstairs. The guest room next to Munieka's room. That was where Chaib was staying.
Several black boxes were lined up inside.
Chaib was sitting on the bed, and she stood up when she saw me.
"Chaib."
"I was waiting..."
She wore a yellow robe with the hood pulled low over her face.
"...Could you hold out your hand?"
"Huh, ah... s-sure."
She awkwardly extended her arm. I couldn't see her face well under the hood, but her cheeks looked like they might be red.
Maybe she got lightheaded from the bath.
I took the bracelet from my pouch and slid it onto Chive's arm.
It was a black band set with a white gemstone.
"...What's this?"
"A token of thanks for everything you've done for me."
"Ooh… a black band with a white gemstone… It's just like that jar bath from earlier, huh?"
"Ah, yeah, you're right."
Now that she mentioned it, it really was.
Chive studied the bracelet with keen interest.
"Mm. Mm. Nice. This is nice. This is really nice — where'd you get it?"
"From a street vendor."
"Ooh, a real find. This is seriously great. I'm happy. Really, really happy!"
"I'm glad you like it."
"Thanks, Wof."
She smiled warmly, then lunged at me in a hug.
"Wha—"
"Fufu… Wof. You smell nice from the soap… This is me saying thank you for the bracelet."
She pressed her lips to the side of my neck and kissed me.
Then she licked, slowly, and sucked.
"C-Chive?!"
Hmm-hmm... Ah, I just feel like turning into a plain old beast.
“Turning into a—!?”
Chive-san’s hood, still clinging to me, shook violently and fell away.
A pair of large, black beast ears had sprouted from her head.
At the same time, I caught a glimpse of a black tail emerging at her lower back. Her skirt dropped with a soft thud.
“Grrrrr...”
“C-Chive-san...”
Chive-san, growling low like a beast, stared straight at me.
Her gray eyes glowed with an eerie light, and the reptilian retinas were fully dilated.
Inside her pink lips, jagged teeth were visible.
Ah, this is the first stage. Like when I groomed her tail before... if that’s the case.
“I’m so, so sorry!”
I reached out and ruffled both of her beast ears with my hands.
“Hyaahn!?”
Chive-san moaned and went limp. This was my chance.
“Sorry, excuse me!”
I apologized, wrapped an arm around her waist, and touched her tail.
Then I kneaded and stroked it.
“Nnhyaahhhhhhh...—!?”
I’m sorry. But that black beast is very dangerous.
I haven't forgotten that night of grooming. I can't forget it.
It was truly awful. Enough to make you think "sensible beast" is a complete lie.
In every sense of the word! In every sense!
Right now, her reason was completely gone and she'd become nothing more than a beast.
What's more, I could feel an even more tremendous power welling up from deep within her.
The power of this black beast was on a level that made Juicy's Fenrir transformation look like nothing.
At this rate, Generous alone might not be enough.
I still can't use Relic Form.
So I have to stop her here. I absolutely have to.
"So please forgive me. Chaibu."
I groomed her black beast's tail with everything I had.
"Everything I had" meant going all out with the Relic Move.
It was insane. Especially the sound.
Her usual husky voice had been launched to the far reaches of the stars.
It was far worse than last time I groomed her.
A proper beast's cry.
A few minutes later... she had passed out. The black beast ears and tail were gone too.
I did it. I actually did it. But three Relic Moves was definitely overdoing it.
"Ah... uh... eh... oh... ah... oh... ah..."
"........."
I overdid it.
Chaibe was... in a state where she'd need to take another bath.
I overdid it.
But there was nothing I could do about it. I left the room.
Munieka wasn't there. The witch was asleep. No waking her.
The only option left was... to knock on the first-floor storage room that Shiro was using.
"Come in. It's open."
Shiro was there.