“Kanpai!”
Kousuke’s voice echoed in the familiar Japanese-style room.
Kousuke and his companions were currently in a room at the Fox Inn, having been invited by Wanri.
The six people present were Kousuke, Kouhi, Mitsuki, Shurein, Silvia, and Floria.
Colette and Peach were unable to come due to child-rearing and other personal reasons.
Even if it was just for childcare, they could have brought a wet nurse and come along, but a role that absolutely could not be delegated came up, so it couldn’t be helped.
As a result, it was decided that this group would come.
While savoring the meals served before them, Kousuke and his companions exchanged their impressions.
“This is delicious!”
“Indeed. It truly lives up to its reputation in town.”
As Kousuke expressed his admiration, Shurein nodded with a satisfied expression.
The meals served at the Fox Inn were prepared by the foxes.
The fact that the meals were satisfying to Kousuke and his companions was a result of the combined efforts of the culinary foxes and Mitsuki, who taught them how to cook.
In that sense, the culinary staff at the Fox Inn could undoubtedly be called Mitsuki’s disciples.
However, Mitsuki herself was busy (mostly with guarding Kousuke), so she wasn’t able to spend much time teaching them.
In a corner of the room where Kousuke and his companions were, Wanri, who had a relieved expression, was smiled at by Kousuke.
“You don’t need to worry so much, it’s going to be alright.”
“Mmm. It certainly lives up to the rumors circulating in town.”
The Fox Inn was so well-known in the town on the Fifth Floor that it seemed like everyone knew about it. This was not just due to its impressive building but also the attention drawn to the meals served there.
If it lacked such distinguishing features, it would have ended up being merely a novelty, and it would not have garnered such widespread rumors.
As Floria had said, it was precisely because of such high interest that the Fox Inn had maintained its popularity since its establishment.
“While we shouldn’t be complacent, as long as everyone possesses such high skills, they won’t grow tired of it. I think Wanri should be more confident?”
Everyone present, except for Wanri, nodded at Silvia’s words as she enjoyed the meal just like Kousuke and his companions.
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After fully enjoying the meal, Kousuke and his companions moved on to their private hot spring.
By the way, the room where Kousuke and his companions were staying was a separate annex located away from the main building, and the hot spring was also separate from the usual large public bath.
Of course, guests staying in the annex could also use the large public bath.
The hot spring at the Fox Inn was water from a source found and brought in by the foxes themselves, utilizing magic for the civil engineering work.
However, the civil engineering work was not a typical cheat skill that could be done quickly; it was something that was meticulously prepared.
Despite the considerable effort involved, the foxes generally enjoyed preparing these things, so few of them felt it was a hardship or difficult.
It was more akin to preparing something as an extension of play.
Kousuke and his companions relaxed in the outdoor bath, which the foxes had worked hard to create, stretching out their limbs.
“It really is good to have a hot spring.”
“Yes, it is. I didn’t have many opportunities to bathe in them in the past, but now I’m addicted.”
Silvia replied, nodding at Floria’s remark.
Beside them, Shurein also nodded deeply without speaking.
In this world where monsters appear, the concept of an outdoor bath, let alone a hot spring, was not common.
Therefore, hot springs themselves were not very familiar to the general public.
However, Shurein and the others, influenced by Kousuke’s fondness for baths, had become accustomed to them by frequently going to bathe.
Kousuke nodded with satisfaction at Silvia’s heartfelt words.
“I’m happy that you’ve come to like hot springs too, Silvia.”
“What are you saying? You were the one who had the Igirid people go to the trouble of searching for the underground spring source and having it brought to town, weren’t you?”
As Shurein said, it was Kousuke who instructed them to build a hot spring facility in the castle town of Vermilia.
However, Kousuke didn’t initially intend to build one.
At a certain point, he learned from the Igirid people that they had a custom of bathing in hot springs and that it could be brought to the town.
The Igirid people, who liked hot springs, took this opportunity to excavate the underground spring source and build a facility in the town.
Seeing Shurein, who spoke with a look of exasperation, Kousuke nodded with a deliberately serious expression.
“That’s right. I’m also happy that you’ve gotten quite into it, Shurein.”
Kousuke knew that Shurein, who had completely fallen for the hot springs, visited them almost every time she was at Vermilia Castle.
“Ugh. W-Well, everyone seems to be enjoying it, so isn’t that good?”
Seeing Shurein avert her gaze from Kousuke as she said this, the others burst into laughter.
“If possible, I’d like to build a hot spring facility on the Fifth Floor too…”
“Provisionally, you did investigate the water veins, right?”
Kousuke turned his face to Floria, who said this with a wistful tone.
“Mmm. But unfortunately, the conclusion was that there’s no spring source on the Fifth Floor.”
“That’s a shame. But there’s no need to insist on the Fifth Floor, is there? Weren’t there any around Nansen?”
Nansen was a town at the foot of a large mountain range.
It was possible to reach it from the Fifth Floor in an instant using a teleport gate, so there should be no inconvenience in travel.
However, at Kousuke’s words, Floria’s expression became bewildered.
“Why Nansen?”
“Huh? Aren’t hot springs likely to spring up at the foot of mountains, etc., without having to dig them out from underground? Didn’t you know?”
“Is that so!? …No, come to think of it, most of the existing hot spring resorts are in such locations.”
Floria, who had been surprised for a moment, quickly nodded as she recalled famous hot spring destinations.
Even in this world where the custom of going to hot springs was rare, hot springs, which didn’t require boiling water, were used by locals.
Even if not commercialized as tourist destinations, they had utility, so Floria, being of royal descent, was somewhat aware of them.
Just as Floria was about to think with a serious expression, Silvia interjected with a wry smile.
“Wouldn’t it be better to discuss such things later? We’re here to relax, aren’t we?”
In response to Silvia’s words, Kousuke and his companions gave wry smiles.
It was a bad habit of theirs for the conversation to always drift in that direction.
As Silvia said, they were here to relax this time.
Otherwise, it would be unfair to Wanri, who had gone to the trouble of arranging this opportunity.
With Silvia’s words, Kousuke and his companions shifted their focus and spent the rest of the time leisurely soaking in the hot springs.
After a fulfilling stay with delicious food and a relaxing soak in the hot springs, Kousuke and his companions completed their one-night, two-day trip and returned to the Management Layer.
It was a charming detail that when Kousuke and his companions left the inn, they were seen off by all the staff, drawing surprised looks from other guests.
After returning to the Management Layer, Kousuke pointed out some minor details to Wanri, but for Kousuke, it was a thoroughly satisfying two days.
I feel like I’ve written about hot springs somewhere before lol.
Sorry if there are any overlaps!
