Chương 114: Chapter 35 The Bath (Part 1)

Resigning oneself (akirameru)—the character for resignation (akira) seems to mean truth or reason in Buddhist terms. To add to that, it also seems to include things like making something clear. I see... the only male part of me left is my heart (mind)? Eventually, as time passes, will I be the only one who knows the male me? Well, it can't be helped. Only my future self at that time will know about future matters, so I will think about it then. Thinking about it now is meaningless.

"Um, aren't you going to undress?"

"..., I'm embarrassed because my chest is small..." There is nothing to be embarrassed about, and in the first place, what I think when looking at people with large chests is whether it causes shoulder stiffness or gets in the way. Next, I would look away to avoid being suspected of sexual harassment, or simply not be conscious of it. If I were to state only my personal preference, the overall balance is the most important.

"Haa, let's stop acting stupid and get in." Since everyone around me is also undressing one after another, it can't be helped even if I'm strangely conscious of it. It's not a body that is embarrassing to be seen anyway, so it's fine. With a rustle, I pull off my T-shirt and tank top together, throw them into the shelf, and remove my sports bra. Then, I take off my shorts and spats... and feel an intense gaze. Is that the "what's going on under there for foreigners?" question that men also have?

Whether a blonde person's pubic hair is also blonde or not. Or...

"Um... it's a bit hard to undress..." The five people who came with me—Natsume, Shimizu, Iguchi, Oda, and Mochida—are staring at me intensely. Perhaps it's my imagination, but I feel somewhat passionate gazes. Try having this done to yourself. It is quite troubling.

"Chloe... hasn't your destructive power increased? You're incredibly beautiful..."

"Kaori, you've seen me before, right?"

"No, it was just for a split second, you know?"

"Mochida-san, you're on skin-baring terms with her?"

"Natsume-san, that's not it. I only saw her hotel yukata disheveled when she just woke up. I am devoted to my wife, single-minded." Natsume bites into a strange point. Does she not know that I'm married? I should have said so during the stream, and I'm also wearing a wedding ring. No, with my current appearance, was it thought to be fashion?

"But, you're fair-skinned, or rather, it's as if the color has drained out. May I touch you?"

"..., Well, if it's just my back or something." Shimizu strokes my back smoothly, like a touch-type touch. That sends a shiver down my spine. I feel like I'm going to get goosebumps. Just when I thought the number of hands had increased, Oda hugged me while stroking.

"Ha~, your skin is so smooth and squishy, it feels so good. Can I hold you for a bit? Like a stuffed animal." Being hugged together with both arms, I was lifted up and my feet floated off the ground. Judging by the feel of Oda's arms, she is probably a WAC. Mochida also lifted me, so for her, it would be no trouble. However, women's skin-ship is unexpectedly intense... Her chest is pressing against my back as if to say "how about this".

In high school too, girls would hug each other and take photos with their cheeks pressed together, so this is probably normal. Come to think of it, there were people who normally went to hot springs together, and my wife also said things like "So-and-so's boobs were soft," so it's probably normal. Between men? Even if we do it, it would be like "your abs are amazing," but we don't hug like that. If anything, even if we make a fuss, we don't touch each other very much.

"Wait, everyone, let's get into the bath, the bath! Why are you just letting them do whatever they want with you, Chloe!?"

"Eh? Isn't this normal?"

"Now, now, Mochida-san. I'll take off your bottom~" Iguchi slipped my panties off. She had a modest impression, but she is quite active, or rather, she was also the one who ran to grab the shinai... She is probably also a WAC. Few among the police group would know the geography or supplies here, and a shinai is not something that comes out immediately when mentioned. In the Self-Defense Forces, there are plenty of bayonet fencing rifles and wooden guns, but no shinai. You might be reading a pirated copy.

Look for the official release to support the author. Looking through the roster, I knew they were in the Self-Defense Forces. However, their original units were different. Hmm, I hope they don't have some hidden motive. The four of them seem strangely close. But then, wasn't that a normal distance for women? My wife also made female friends relatively quickly.

"Smooth..."

"It's not interesting to look at, so let's get in. Kaori, what are you doing?" Between men, they are somewhat concerned about that. The size, the length, and various other things... However, in the case of women who have nothing, how is it? I think being embarrassed is embarrassing, but it doesn't seem like there's that much of a difference... But Mochida, don't look so intently.

"No, yeah, it's just unreasonable that you smoke that much, eat meat, and drink alcohol, yet you're like this... Magic seems to use your brain, so you lose weight... But please be careful, look." Being told by Mochida, I look around...., The gazes have increased...., Ah, I understand the reason. It's the golden ratio. This body's ratio is something humans instinctively think is beautiful. In other words, clothes are just in the way, and being stark naked looks the most beautiful. And, I am stark naked right now...

"Oda-san, please let go of me for now. And, don't bury your face in my hair."

"..., What perfume, shampoo, or body soap are you using? I've never smelled this scent before, but it smells so good. Your hair is also silky smooth."

"Oda-san. I was also thinking that, but Chloe doesn't have perfume, and her shampoo is just the hotel's amenities... In fact, she doesn't have cosmetics."

"Eh!? Then, body odor?"

"Wait! Don't gather around, don't sniff!" Although it's different now, I used to be quite concerned about aging body odor. Since "smell harassment" started to be talked about, a morning shower became my daily routine, and since I originally liked baths, I started taking them even more. That's why I don't really want my smell to be sniffed.

"It can't be helped. Self-defense technique, arm release!" The trick is to quickly raise one's hands in a "banzai." Since our bare skin was in close contact, I think Oda's chest was pulled downward and was quite painful, but on my end, I don't want to be a holding doll forever, and I really want to get into the bath soon. Producing a towel from my ring, I slide the door open and go inside. The inside is built like a public bathhouse, with a large bathtub in the middle, and showers and faucets on the wall.

There are gazes, but I sit down in a suitable place and take a shower from my head. Since it's early summer, the cold shower feels good. The crowd coming from behind is ignored, ignored. I wash each part with the hotel amenity shampoo and body soap, and now, to the bathtub...

"Isn't that too careless (tekitou)?"

"Please look up the meaning of 'careless/suitable' (tekitou) in a dictionary. If it is 'passing/suitable', then it is sufficient."

"Now, now, big sister will wash it for you. At my parents' house, I often took good care of my younger sister." Before I knew it, I was caught by Natsume, who was behind me. Before I could shift my center of gravity forward to stand up, a hand was placed on my head. Damn, I could stand up if I tilted my neck backward, but if I stand up poorly, I'll hit the faucet and it'll hurt.

"In the first place, I am for—""Now, now, Advisor-dono, think of it as a head spa." My head is massaged. A policewoman also did it to me, but having my head washed at a barbershop feels good. Since there is nothing to get stiff, I doubt if massage has any meaning, but I do think it feels good. Come to think of it, I was thinking of going to an esthetic salon too...

"I'm going to rinse it~""Thank you very much. Now I will go to the bathtub."

"Is your body fine? I will wash it thoroughly, you know?" Natsume, who washed my head, sends a sidelong glance, but I have no intention of responding. I should escape by revealing my age here. I think it's nice of her to take care of me so much, but it's too much. I hope it's not the case, but am I really being targeted?... No way, no way.

"Unfortunately, despite looking like this, I am 43, so I am fine. Well then." I soak in the bathtub, but I am still surrounded. Mochida is using some kind of face wash and beauty serum to wash her face carefully, so it seems like she will still take some time. Natsume is also washing her head and such, so she isn't coming over here.

"It's better not to put your hair in the bathtub. Let me wrap it up for you." Shimizu, who had entered earlier, stood up and gathered my hair with a towel. Since she also has long hair, she probably noticed. It was indeed bad manners. Since I always bathed alone, and after it grew long I only entered with my wife, I had overlooked it. Such a Shimizu sits right next to me and speaks at a distance where our shoulders touch.

"Thank you. Recently I've always been alone, so I didn't notice."

"No, no. If I recall correctly, you have a wife, right? Do you feel lonely not being able to see her?"

"Well, I am lonely, but I can't just throw away this job either." Finally, about half a month. It's long yet short, but the content was dense. To think that an ordinary middle-aged guy like me would make a world debut. Well, it's just a matter of someone's job becoming my job. Perhaps there might have been some other "clever way," but unfortunately, I don't accept that way. Because this is already my job, so I will do as I please.

"I was thinking of asking you when I met you, but aren't you scared? I mean, fighting monsters, walking around inside gates."

"Hmm? I'm scared, you know? But, is it fun? Defeating monsters is a job, but it's also entertainment. Besides, if it gets clean, it feels good."

"That feeling... I don't understand it. Because I was scared when I entered for the first time."

"Fufufu... What are you really afraid of? Monsters? Superiors? Or... yourself?"

"!"

"Well, I miss cigarettes, so I will get out. Please take your time."