Spring Bath – Haruno’s Feelings

My name is Haruno Shinonome. I’m a 16-year old high school student at an all girls’ school. Right now, I’m in another world, where I’m doing my best as a Heroine of the Goddess.

On our way to Athena, we stopped at a small village. There was no large inn or temple there, so we borrowed a chapel and set up a tent around it. Since I was a heroine, Sera, Rium, and the three temple knights who’d befriended us were allowed to use the chapel as shelter.

“Rin!” Sandra scolded Rin, who’d wasted no time in lying down on a long bench within the chapel.

Rin was a year older than me, and had her wavy hair styled in two miniature ponytails. She was slim and stylish, so I often asked her for fashion tips. She really knew a lot.

Sandra, on the other hand, was tall, and kept her blue hair in a ponytail. She was 18 years old. Rin wasn’t exactly a goof-off, but she was clever and always tried to take the easy route, which often irked the more stern and serious Sandra.

“I’m going to go help outside. Sandra, can I leave this area to you?”

“Of course, Sera.”

Sera and Sandra were on a first name basis with each other. They were the same age, and had grown up in Jupiteropolis together. Once Sera finished praying, she brought Rium in and prepared to make dinner.

“Haruno, let me help you take your armor off.”

“Thank you, Lumis.”

Lumis, the girl who was helping me take my armor off, was so skinny and petite that people often thought she was younger than me, but we were actually the same age – 16. She was the one I got along with best, and the only one of the pilgrims who didn’t refer to me as ‘Lady Haruno.’

Once I finished taking my armor off, it was my turn to help Lumis. She currently had her brown hair in a side ponytail, but used to have a short haircut that often made people mistake her for a boy. I couldn’t understand why – she was way too cute for that!

We ate dinner, but it was still too early to sleep, so I sat inside the chapel and did some thinking. “Hey, Lady Haruno.” Rin called out to me, probably because she’d figured out that I was bored. “Can I ask you a question? What do you like about Sir Touya?”

“...Um?”

Well, that’s pretty abrupt. I guess she wants to talk about love with me, all of a sudden? What are we, elementary school girls on a field trip? I do like him, but... How does she know? Oh, she must have seen us kissing... That was so embarrassing.

“Hey, Rin...” Sandra tried to stop Rin with an exasperated look on her face.

But Rin’s eyes were glimmering, and she wouldn’t be stopped. “What’s the big deal? I need to know how Lady Haruno feels, otherwise I won’t know if it’s okay to cheer him on or not.”

Lumis, you look way too interested for your own good. And Sera, you’re turning red and all, but it’s so obvious how you want to hear the answer... I’m not going to say anything, though. I mean, it’s just too embarrassing. And my face is already burning up. My cheeks must be as red as cherries.

I picked up Rium and sent my thoughts out to Touya, wherever he was under the starry sky. At first, he’d seemed a bit scary, but I soon realized that he wasn’t at all. He was a pervert, but he was also a kind person who cared about us. I know, I know, that still makes him a pervert.

They had introduced several male party member candidates to me, but they all seemed like they just wanted to use me, mostly for impure purposes. It felt more like I was being set up for marriage rather than looking for allies to journey with, and I doubted it was only in my mind. Political marriage, you know, that sort of thing. Perhaps that’s why I started to like him. Compared to them, Touya acted much more considerate to me, so I liked him better. He never did anything I didn’t like, either.

I understood that the reason I liked him was probably also due to the fact that he was one of the few people I could really trust and feel close to in this alien world. But Touya saved me from having to look at lusterless hair and remember that I was in a completely different world. When he took me shopping to help me get used to going out into this world, it had sort of felt like a date, so I’d been a little excited. Honestly, I decided to kiss him that night because I wanted to burn his memory into my heart before we went our separate ways. It was the first time either of us had ever kissed someone, so I figured it’d become an important memory. At least, that’s what I hoped.

There’s no use crying over the fact that he’s going to bathe with other girls for the first time instead of me. This is a choice I made. And I haven’t given up on Touya. I like him, remember? Besides, he said he wanted to bathe with Sera, Rium, and I. I’ve been coming up with my own plan, and I think it includes getting to know his new friends. I’m sure Touya will only party up with good people, after all. That’s why I need to hurry up and get strong enough to survive in this world, so that I can–”

“...Haruno.”

“Hm? What’s wrong, Rium?”

“You’re talking.”

“...What?” As I looked around, I saw everyone staring at me with gentle eyes.

I was so embarrassed that I hid my face. I was sure I must have been red up to my ears.

My name is Haruno Shinonome. I’m a 16-year old high school student at an all girls’ school. Right now, I’m a girl who’s in love with Touya Houjou.