Extra: Let’s Go to The Hot Springs!
Extra: Let’s Go to The Hot Springs!
“Whew~, this feels great.”
《Yeah.》
《So good!》
I was taking a bath with Dora-chan and Sui. Leaning against the sides of the tub, I had my feet stretched out and my eyes closed. Dora-chan and Sui were floating in the water, looking comfortable.
By the way, the bath additive I was using was a hot spring one I had found in my Online Supermarket. It made the water milky white and the smell was just a little sulfurous. It was supposed to really rejuvenate the skin. It was a cheap and easy way to enjoy a hot spring in one’s own home.
But still......
“This isn’t bad, but an actual hot spring would feel much better...” I ended up saying, causing Dora-chan and Sui to stop floating around and swim over.
《Hot spring?》
《Master — what’s a hot spring?》
“A hot spring is a natural bath where hot water comes up from the ground.”
《Wow~, baths like that exist? Sui wants to get in one.》
“I wonder if they exist here? Have you heard of anything like it, Dora-chan?”
《Hot water that comes up from the ground? Hmmm......》 Dora-chan clamped on to my shoulder and lost himself in reverie, closing his eyes.
《......Ah! Oh yeah, I remember meeting another pixie dragon a long time ago by chance, and he told me about something like that.》
Dora-chan’s eyes snapped open as he remembered.
“Huh? There’s really hot springs in this world?! Where? Where?!” I was suddenly way more interested. In my enthusiasm, I ended up grabbing Dora-chan by the armpits and holding him up.
《Where was it~... Hmmm............》
Dora-chan once again sunk into thought, trying to remember the details. But......
《No good. I can’t remember!》 Dora-chan declared.
“Aww, maaan~.”
I had gotten my hopes up, thinking that I’d be able to enjoy a hot spring here, but those hopes crashed and burned.
《It’s not like I can do anything about that. I just can’t remember. It was a long, long time ago in the first place,》 Dora-chan said, sulking.
“Haha! Sorry, sorry. Well it’s not like I have to go right now. It just would have been nice to go. Hot springs feel good, after all.”
《Does it really feel that good?》
“Yeah. Natural baths are really different from just a house bath.”
《I see. I’m getting curious now too after hearing you talk it up that much. Urgh~, why can’t I remember...》 Dora-chan knocked on his own head, trying to jog his memories.
“Now, now, you can’t help it if you can’t remember. Also, for things like this we should hear from the oldest person here anyway.”
《《Oldest~?》》
“Yes, oldest. Don’t we have someone who’s lived for over a thousand years?”
As soon as I said that, it seemed the idea clicked for Dora-chan, as he replied with a nod. 《Right~!》
《Uncle Fel~!》
It seemed Sui got it too.
“Exactly. Once we get out of the bath, let’s go ask Fel.”
The best way to find out anything we didn’t already know was to just ask Fel, since he’d been living for a thousand years already.
《Best, huh? You’re right though. Fel really might know.》
“Yep.”
《It would be nice if Uncle Fel knows~.》
“I hope so too, Sui.”
With that decided, we got back to relaxing in the tub.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
“Ahh~, that felt good.”
《So good—.》
《It was nice~!》
Dora-chan, Sui, and I had spent our time enjoying a bath.
As had become habit for Dora-chan and Sui after a bath, they were drinking fruit milk. He hadn’t taken a bath, but Fel was enjoying some too. As for me, I’d recently taken to mineral water.
I downed the rest of the mineral water and took a deep breath.
“Right. Fel, I have something I want to ask you. Do you know of any hot springs? It’s basically a place where hot water comes up from the ground.”
“Hot water from the ground? Why would you want to know about something like that?”
“Call it a hot spring. And it has a lot of effects. It depends on what kind of water comes out, but it can ease exhaustion or even heal wounds and skin diseases. Most importantly, getting in one feels good.”
“Getting in? So it is basically a bath, then.”
“Well, yeah. Do you know of any place like that?”
“Hmmm......”
Having finished his fruit milk, Fel seemed to become pensive, idly licking the edges of his mouth.
“Hm, now that I think about it, there was a place like that at the foot of a mountain.”
《Oh~. You were right, the oldest one really did know.》
《Oldessst~!》
“H-Hey!”
Dora-chan, Sui, don’t say that in front of Fel.
“Hey, what did they mean by oldest?” Fel looked at me suspiciously.
“Uh, well... Like, you’re over a thousand years old, Fel. So it’s not wrong......”
“Are you implying that I am elderly?”
“N-No! I didn’t really mean it like that...”
“Not like that? Then like what? Hmm?”
Fel closed in on me threateningly.
“Hey now, come on... Just leave it at that, will you? We need to get back to hot springs.”
《Hot springs~. Sui wants to go to one~!》
“Hmph! You have treated me like an elderly person. I will tell you I am still young and in the prime of my life!”
“Hah... Haha! I know that! Come on, Dora-chan’s asking too. Keep talking about hot springs?”
“The place where hot water comes from the ground, yes? As I just said, I have seen places like that several times at the foot of mountains.”
As expected, Fel, the longest lived among us, was very knowledgeable.
“Right, right, that’s what I’m talking about. Hot springs come up near mountains a lot.”
“Hmm... However, if you are planning to use one like a bath, then we should either go to the one at the foot of the western or eastern mountain.”
According to Fel, other places had very little water, or were clearly dangerous since the surrounding vegetation had all died.
“East or west, huh?”
I thought of the now familiar map that I had been overcharged for by some adventurers. It was a bitter experience. I took the map out from my Item Box and opened it.
“West is...... Grk! It’s not in the Holy Kingdom of Rubanov or the Geisler Empire, is it?” I made a disgusted expression while I stared at the map, which caused Fel to lean in to see.
“I do not know which countries you mean, but it is not that far from the ocean.”
“Not that far? That kind of sounds like the Geisler Empire since it has a coast. It could also be Marveil, but......”
“That would be impossible. From this map we are looking at, Marveil shares a border with the demonfolk’s territory, see?”
“Oh.”
“It should be quite a ways from there.”
“Then there should be no doubt that the western mountain is in the Geisler Empire. That rules out the west.”
I really don’t want to wander into a country ruled by a straight-up military dictatorship.
“Then it’ll have to be the east. Fel, about where is the hot spring at the foot of the eastern mountain?”
“That one should not be far from the ocean as well. After all, I remember reaching the ocean the next day and eating a sea serpent. It was pretty good.” Fel had shut his eyes, recalling the taste of the sea serpent.
Hey, I can see that you’re about to drool, Fel.
“If it’s east and near the ocean, then it would have to be here in Leonhardt or in the Kingdom of Erman. Yep, yep, looks good to go.”
This country was safe and stable, and Erman was allied with Leonhardt and much the same.
“Right. Let’s go to the hot spring at the eastern mountain.”
《All right! Hot springs! I’m looking forward to it~!》
《Sui is also looking forward to hot springs~!》
“Hm? We are going? I would rather go and eat seafood, though.”
“Ahh, sure, sure. We’re close to the ocean anyway. We can go after the hot springs then.”
“Mrr... the hot springs are first? Fine. But in exchange, you will feed me good meals when we get to the ocean.”
“I know, I know. I’ll prepare a feast.”
The trip seemed like it would be a bit long, seeing as we were starting from Karelina, which was closer to the border than the center of the country. But we weren’t really in a hurry. I figured it might be nice to travel slowly and enjoy the scenery, so to speak.
Hot springs and the bounty of the sea, huh? Seems like a fun trip.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
Fel finally stopped.
“We are here.”
I slowly crawled off of Fel’s back and sat down on the spot.
“F-Finally......”
“You need to get used to this already.”
《Yeah. Just how many times has Fel given you a ride already?》
《Master — you okay~?》
Grr, Sui’s the only one who ever worries for me. Also, I’m pretty used to it already, you know? But... but, like...... “It’s because you ALWAYS run too fast, Fel......!”
“What? You complain every time, so I have been slowing down just for you, you realize? It would normally only take me three days, but we have taken six,” Fel said, sounding like he had already heaped on concession upon concession for me.
“And I’m saying you’ve been wrong from the start! I’ve said this already! We aren’t in a hurry, so let’s go slowly and enjoy the scenery.’”
“Hmph! What will enjoying the scenery accomplish?”
“Accomplish? It’s fun, and pretty, and makes you feel things.”
“It does not. How about you, Dora?”
《Oh man~, I don’t get that either.》
Sigh. Geez, these emotionless monsters~... Anyway......
I stood up with a grunt of effort. A field of rocks stretched out before me, and in the distance, a mountain towered into the sky. And a little ahead, I could see a white wisp wafting upwards.
“Is that...?” I walked towards the steam. “Oh, this is a nice atmosphere.”
Surrounded by rocks, there was a hollow formed in the ground where hot, clear water pooled.
I bet the water actually carved this natural basin itself.
From here, the hot water flowed down, creating a small stream.
《Hey, hey, master — is this a hot spring?》
“It is.”
《Yaaay! Sui’s gonna get in~!》 Sui, who had heard from me that hot springs felt good, suddenly took a dive into the water.
“Wait! Sui! We need to check the temperature first!”
I didn’t make it in time. Sui was already in the water.
*Plop*
《Aaahh~ This is so nice...》
Sui seemed to be comfortably floating in the water.
“Huh? It’s not hot?”
《It’s perfect~.》
《What? I’m getting in too! Go!》
“W-W-Wait! Dora-chan, you too?!”
*Sploosh*
Having heard Sui’s impressions, Dora-chan also dove into the water.
《Aaahhh~, this is the best~.》
Just like Sui, Dora-chan floated around comfortably in the water.
“Huh? It’s fine?”
Dora-chan and Sui both seemed perfectly fine, so I slowly and fearfully put my hand in the water.
“......It’s a little on the hot side, but this is completely fine. What the hell was all my caution even for?”
As soon as I realized that, I had no choice but to get in. I disrobed at lightspeed and of course......
*Sploosh*
“Aaahhh~ This is so nice~.”
As I soaked in the natural spring water, I could feel my stiff and knotted muscles loosen up.
“Hot springs are nice even in another world~...”
《It feels so good doesn’t it, master~?》
《You were right. This hot spring feels really good~.》
“Aaahh~...”
Dora-chan, Sui, and I enjoyed the hot spring.
Suddenly, a thought occurred to me: Do hot springs in this world have healing effects? So, I used Appraisal. When I did......
【Zavadil Springs】
A hot spring located at the foot of Mt. Zavadil. Magic water hot springs; colorless, transparent, and potable.
Effects: Heals exhaustion, muscle pains, stiff shoulders, gastroenteritis, cuts and gashes, burns, and skin disease. Recovers magic power (slight).
“Hmm? Magic water hot springs?”
I should have expected this from a hot spring in a world with magic.
So, there’s magic in this spring. The healing of exhaustion, muscle pains, stiff shoulders, gastroenteritis, cuts, burns, and skin diseases is normal, but magic power recover (slight) is...... It’s still a mystery how much “slight” is, though. Well, whatever. It feels nice, and that’s all that matters.
“Oh right. Why don’t you get in too, Fel? You won’t get many chances to get in a hot spring.”
《It feels good~!》
《It feels nice, Uncle Fel!》
Dora-chan and Sui piped up in agreement with me, but Fel just made a disgusted face.
“No. You all can just soak by yourselves.”
“Aww, but this hot spring is apparently magical. It says it recovers magic power, you know? Only ‘slightly,’ though.”
“Hmph! Sleeping would have a much greater effect than soaking myself like that! Also, I have not used enough magic to need to recover anything anyway,” Fel said, before getting away from the water, as if he was evacuating a disaster area. Once he was far enough away, he laid down.
“But hot springs feel so good~...”
《Right~?》
《Yeah~.》
“Aaahhh~!”
Dora-chan, Sui, and I relaxed and gave ourselves over to the hot spring.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
“That felt nice~.”
《Hot springs are the best!》
《It felt really good~.》
We took our time enjoying the hot spring, and even then, the three of us were hesitant to get out.
I was warmed right down to my core and feeling good.
《Give me the usual thing we drink after a bath.》
《Sui wants that too!》
“Sure, sure. Fruit milk coming right up.”
“Hey. I want some too.”
At some point, Fel had joined us and cheekily demanded fruit milk.
“Sure, of course. Here’s some for you too, Fel.”
Like always, I opened up my Online Supermarket and bought some fruit milk.
Then......
“Hmm, I think I’ll have that today instead of mineral water. It’s still early, but it should be fine sometimes. And buy.” I went through the motions and like always, a cardboard box popped up in front of me.
“All right. It’s here.”
I quickly opened up the cardboard box and took out the contents.
“Fruit milk and beer for me~. Both of them are nice and cold.”
I retrieved my familiar’s dishes from my Item Box and poured the fruit milk out for them.
“Here.”
I served up the dish to each of them, and they started drinking and looking like they were really enjoying it.
《Ahh~, it’s so nice and cold! This is the best thing right out of a bath~!》
《It’s cold and delicious~!》
“It is delicious even without taking a bath, though.”
That’s uncalled for, Fel. It’s a step more delicious exactly because we’re fresh out of a bath. Of course, the same goes for my beer. So, I should join them.
*Psshhht* *Gluglugluglug*
“Aahhh! Delicious! I wonder why beer tastes so good right after a good soaking~?”
I had chosen a sharper, more bitter beer. Since I was drinking it after a bath, that sharpness lead to a refreshing taste. At least, that was the established opinion. So I had chosen this beer, and......
“I was right to choose this beer~. Banzai for baths!” I chugged down the can quickly.
“I kind of want another can, but it’s still the middle of the day. It’s probably better to stop now even though I feel like it’s not really enough.”
“Hey. It is about time; I am getting hungry. Hurry up and cook.”
“I figured as much. It’s long past time for lunch...”
《I was all caught up in the bath and didn’t notice, but Fel’s right. Now that I remember, I’m hungry.》
《Sui is also starving~.》
“So hurry up and make food.”
Right after Fel spoke, his stomach grumbled, as if to hurry me along.
“Haha! I’m hungry too, so I’ll get cooking. I prepared something good for today, too,” I said, bringing out my special barbecue grill that I had made in Dolan.
After hearing that the hot spring would be at the foot of a mountain, I figured it would be perfect to enjoy the “outdoors feeling” to its fullest. So I thought that having a barbecue was the only choice and planned accordingly.
The meat was already prepared, and I was basically the only one who ate vegetables, so I just got what I wanted to eat for that.
First, I stoke the charcoal and make sure the fire is stable......
“Right, everything’s ready.”
I took out the meats that I’d marinated in special sauces from my Item Box.
The first one I’d prepared was orc meat cut into just-right sized pieces (slightly thick was perfect) and marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, sake, grated garlic, grated ginger, gochujang chili sauce, white sesame, sesame oil, and some apple juice (my secret ingredient).
The second was cockatrice, once again eyeballing the cuts. The cockatrice was marinated in a sauce made out of ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, honey, grated garlic, and powdered mustard.
The third was bloody horn-bull spareribs. I had parboiled the ribs with some ginger so that the meat would fall off the bone. Fel and the others would just crunch down on the bone as well, but that was mainly for my benefit anyway. I had cut the spareribs into pieces, bones and all, and as mentioned, parboiled the ribs after scoring the meat. Then, I had marinated the ribs in a sauce made from marmalade, ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar, and grated garlic.
Each one of the meats was marinating in a huge bag. For my meat-loving gluttonous trio, I made sure to provide them with a variety of flavors.
I took the meats out of their respective bags and started grilling. As soon as it hit the hot grill, the sizzling sound and savory smell of cooking meat filled the air.
“I-Is it ready yet?”
《I can’t wait any more.》
《Master — when’s it done?》
The gluttonous trio was being driven past their breaking point by the sound and smell of the cooking meat.
“I just started cooking. It’ll be a while.”
They were staring transfixed at the grill, as if they couldn’t wait a moment more.
It’ll be a little longer, I tell you.
I checked how far along the meat was, using my tongs to flip the ones that needed it. Then, after a little while......
“Okay. The orc meat and bloody horn-bull spareribs are ready,” I said, piling the meat up in front of them.
The gluttonous trio, who had been waiting on standby, jumped on the meat and started scarfing it down as if they’d been waiting their whole lives.
I put down a second batch of orc meat and bloody horn-bull spareribs on the grill. Once that was done, I bit into my own bloody horn-bull spare rib.
“So good~! I just love this sweet sauce and the little burned bits. I was totally right to parboil this thing. It just falls off the bone, and since it was already partly cooked, it doesn’t take too long to grill, either.”
I finished off a rib quickly.
“I wonder how the orc meat is?”
I took a bite of the orc meat, which I’d marinated in a Japanese-style barbecue sauce.
“This one’s great too~.”
Japanese-style sauce with a soy sauce base is always going to be good though.
“Ahh~, I want some beer!”
I couldn’t stop myself from voicing that desire due to the barrage of flavors I was being met with that provoked the desire to drink.
“Hey, if you want to drink that much, why not just drink? More importantly, more meat.”
Fel, who seemed to have heard my mutterings, retorted to my self-restraint while also demanding more meat.
Even though I’m holding myself back since I just drank one. Grrrr...
“Hey. Meat.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know already.”
I piled up a veritable mountain of the finished cockatrice meat as well as some of the second round of orc meat and bloody horn-bull spareribs onto his plate. Seeing the food, Fel seemed satisfied and quickly started eating again.
《Hey, give me more meat too!》
《Sui too—!》
Following in Fel’s footsteps, Dora-chan and Sui also demanded more. Even while wearing a long-suffering smile, I heaped up mountains of meat for Dora-chan and Sui, about the same as Fel’s portion.
“You all eat so much whenever we have a barbecue...”
I get it though, since charcoal-grilled meat smells so good, and the taste doesn’t disappoint either.
With that in mind, I bit into my own grilled cockatrice.
“This is amazing too~!”
It made me want beer as well, but I fought through the desire. Or at least, that was the plan......
“Drinking alcohol in the middle of the day really does make me feel some guilt... So I just have to drink something non-alcoholic!”
Thus, I decided to just enjoy this barbecue with some non-alcoholic beer.
“Hey. More meat.”
《Me too!》
《Sui wants more meat too—!》
“Sure, sure.”
The gluttonous trio and I continued to enjoy the barbecue to our fullest until the huge amount of meat I’d prepared disappeared.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
Dora-chan, Sui, and I really took a liking to the hot springs, so we decided to stay an extra night.
After that, we arrived at the ocean that Fel was so looking forward to, but......
“That’s a huge storm......”
There was a huge storm raging over the sea, so we couldn’t even get close to the shore. Thanks to Fel’s barrier, we didn’t get soaked, but I really didn’t want to get closer.
“I will be fine.”
“Nonono, even if you’re fine, I won’t be, Fel.”
《I don’t think we should be going in during this weather, either,》 Dora-chan chimed in, also wary of the terrible weather.
“See, Dora-chan agrees with me.”
“Mrr, but what about the sea serpent?”
“We can just come again. Let’s just go home. Come on.”
“Grrrrr... But that means only you three were able to enjoy this trip.”
“Maybe in terms of objectives. But didn’t you enjoy the barbecue at the hot springs too?”
“W-Well, that was not bad, certainly.”
“See? We want to come back anyway to get in the hot springs again. So we can just come back then.”
《Sui wants to get in the hot springs again! Then we can eat lots of meat~!》
“Haha, right Sui.”
“Hmph! Then it is a promise. We will be back.”
“Yeah, yeah. I know, I know.”