kscans

Chapter 186 - A Short Break in Frontier

After finishing our negotiations with the King, Arc’s teleportation magic brought us to what they called the guest rooms.

The room we were shown to was quite spacious, with two king-sized beds, a table, and a sofa.

"A room for two?"

Am I supposed to sleep in the same room as Yoshino-san?

"If you would prefer a private room, there is an identical one next door."

Mia explained.

"Next door? Come to think of it, this room does have a door."

While this room had no windows, it did have a door.

"This area is for hosting guests. This section has four guest rooms, a lavatory, and a bath, so please feel free to use them as you wish."

Ah, right, not having a toilet would be tough. We’d have to do our business in this room.

"Understood. Yoshino-san, is next door fine?"

"They’re all the same, right? Anywhere is fine."

"Then let’s do that."

Sharing a room with Yoshino-san would probably be a bad idea.

"Very well. I will come again at dinnertime. Also, if you need anything, please press the switch near the door. I will come at once."

Mia said that, so I looked near the door and saw two things that looked like switches.

"There are two."

"Ah, my apologies. It is the one on the right. The one on the left is to turn off the light."

Ah, that Sparkling Paint stuff.

"Understood. What about dinner?"

"At dinnertime, I will escort you to the previous room."

Hm, hm. So that room really is the dining hall.

"Got it. Are we eating with the King?"

"No, His Majesty has work, so I do not believe he will be able to join you."

Well, eating with the King would mean worrying about manners, so honestly, it’s better if he’s not there.

"I’m supposed to be the host."

Apparently Arc is the host.

"Can you handle it?"

"There’s no need for you two to hold back with me."

You should.

"Well, whatever. I’ve never eaten Frontier food before, so I’m a little excited."

"Same here."

Judging by these snacks and tea, my expectations are high.

"Conversely, I’m curious about the food in Feire."

"You have aid supplies, don’t you? Eat those."

They’re probably canned goods, though.

"No, I can’t eat those. They belong to the people."

"Hmm. If you come to Feire, I’ll treat you."

"I see…………"

Arc started to think.

Seriously, is he planning to come?

"Will Mia be coming too?"

I could just book a hotel or an inn for them.

"Um, to Feire… No, it is forbidden, so I must decline."

I feel like she’s a little scared.

"Just so you know, not everyone is like us, you know?"

"I understand that, but when I hear the words ‘another world,’ I cannot help but hesitate."

Ah, well, I can kind of understand that feeling. Still, for me, the desire to go and see it wins out. That’s why I’m here, after all.

"Well, I won’t force you. Next time I come here, I’ll bring some snacks from Feire."

Chocolate should be fine.

"Please do. I am also interested."

Right?

"Save some for me too. Well then, I’ll be back at dinnertime."

"Ah, Arc-sama, please wait. I will explain how to use the lavatory and bath."

Come to think of it, I don’t know how to use them. I wonder if they have faucets and such.

"Got it. It would be bad for me to go, so I’ll wait here."

"Yes. Then, Eleanor-sama, Yoshino-sama, I will show you the way."

After that, Mia taught us how to use the toilet and bath. The toilet and bath were properly separated for men and women, and they worked by using switches to get water or hot water. It was almost the same as in Japan. The toilet was one thing, but the bath was huge, like a hot spring bathhouse.

After Mia taught us how to use the toilet and bath, we returned to our room. Then, Arc and Mia teleported away somewhere, so Yoshino-san and I sat at the table in the room to take a break.

"I think it’s luxurious and comfortable, but the lack of windows still bothers me."

"I know what you mean. It feels suffocating."

It feels like being in that underground ruin again.

"Being royalty must be tough. It’s to guard against assassination, right?"

"Probably. Maybe they’re resented for the world being destroyed."

Like, it’s the King’s fault for not handling things properly.

"Maybe. Still, to think a world war broke out and destroyed everything…………"

"Alchemy was a scary skill."

It’s a story that could happen in our world too, so I can’t laugh.

"The fact that they’re relying on such a scary skill again must mean that the current Frontier has serious problems."

"Could be. I imagined Frontier to be a more developed, prosperous paradise."

From what I’ve heard, it’s completely different.

"It was different from my expectations too."

"If Earth found out about this situation, would they attack?"

"I’m sure they’d want to invade. Well, either way, the Gate is there, so it’s impossible. Frontier’s side would probably close it immediately if they saw any such movement."

The Gate, huh…

"Was it that King who created the Gate?"

"Probably, don’t you think? A Gate is basically teleportation, after all…………Still, it looks like we’re going to get a considerable amount of gold."

Yoshino-san was all smiles.

"True. It felt like gold isn’t that valuable here."

"Yeah. Well, that’s a good thing, right? We can avoid fighting."

"You backed down surprisingly easily. What happened to negotiating?"

Isn’t that why you came here?

"Huh? Ah, right… I thought it would be better to hash out those kinds of negotiations a bit more in the future. The way things are going, this won’t be a one-time deal. It’s better to look at these kinds of transactions long-term."

"I see. This seems to be a rush job, so the details are a bit loose. But I’m glad you didn’t do anything stupid. If you’d made a wrong move, we could’ve been trapped here."

If they wanted to, they could kill us as many times as they pleased.

"Huh? Ah, yes… That’s right!"

Something’s off about her… Well, her head is always off, but still.

"I don’t think they have any intention of doing that, so we should be fine, but be careful what you say."

"You’re one to talk."

I am.

"I’m glad the King and Arc are so broad-minded…………Well, we have some time before dinner. What should we do?"

"What is there to do? I think I’ll go take a bath."

That huge bath.

"Good idea. Maybe I’ll do the same."

"Go to the men’s bath."

"I know…"

I don’t want to go to the men’s bath, but since there’s no one else here besides us, I guess I have to. There’s no way I can bathe with Yoshino-san.

"Do you have a change of clothes?"

"I do. I always carry some with me, just in case."

My item bag has plenty of space, so I have an overnight set prepared.

"Then that’s fine."

"What about you?"

"Me too. Well, shall we go to the bath?"

"Let’s."

We decided to take a bath, and since Yoshino-san went to her own room next door, I also prepared to go.

"I probably shouldn’t change back to Okita-kun…"

Honestly, I want to take a bath as Okita-kun. Washing Eleanor-san’s long hair is a pain. But suddenly changing my gender here feels like a bad idea.

"I guess it can’t be helped…………"

I finished my preparations and headed for the bathhouse. The bathhouse had separate entrances for men and women, and earlier I was shown to the women’s bath.

This time I entered the men’s bath, but the changing room and the bath itself had the same layout.

I turned on the hot water the way I was taught, washed my body and hair, then got into the tub and looked up.

"So it’s not connected over the top like in a public bathhouse."

Even though there’s a big-breasted woman bathing on the other side, I can’t see her. It’s times like these I find myself envious of Nanapon’s Clairvoyance.

Thinking it couldn’t be helped, I enjoyed the other-world bath and warmed myself up. Being alone in a huge bath really makes you feel like a king. But at the same time, it was also a little lonely.

"I wonder if the King and Arc feel like this…"

Then again, is Arc alone? He has Mia. Since Mia can’t teleport, she must be with Arc wherever he goes.

"That kid is having a really good time, isn’t he."

I decided I would be strict with Arc from now on. It’s not jealousy. It’s education.