22. Rest in the Garden

"Alright, I've safely delivered you, so I'm off."

Mission complete, quest cleared. Now, time for a real adventure.

"Shinjo-kun, wait a moment!"

"What is it, Rindo? If you have something to say, say it quickly."

I wasted a lot of time matching the slow pace of a girl.

There was a possibility that Wooser and the others would catch up if I didn't hurry, and I was impatient to head to explore new territories as soon as possible.

"Um, even if you suddenly tell me to live here, I don't know my way around..."

"The log house over there has the bare minimum of furniture. The field is overflowing with fruits and vegetables, and the pond water is clean, you can catch quite a few fish if you cast a line. You can even make a Goemon bath with that drum can. Just put a wooden pallet at the bottom of the drum can, heat it with firewood and get in. That's all the explanation."

"I can't understand if you talk that fast~"

"It's made so you can mostly figure it out even without an explanation."

Even while we were talking like this, the other guys were probably working hard on their adventures, and if Wooser and the others realized I wasn't there, it would be a problem if they caught up.

I had to advance faster than anyone else; I didn't have time to leisurely rest in the Garden.

"This is my first time with this kind of bath, oh right, Shinjo-kun, shouldn't you take a bath too!"

"A bath, huh? Come to think of it, I haven't bathed recently..."

I used to bathe every day when I was a civilized person, but it wasn't because I liked it. It bothered me a little for the first few days, but after two days without bathing, I didn't care at all.

I'd never heard of anyone dying from not bathing. Adventurers fighting for their lives didn't have the余裕 to worry about their appearance.

"You should take one, I want you to teach me how to use this bath and other things..."

"Rindo, why are you trying to hold me back so much?"

Could it be that she was lonely being left alone here?

I couldn't deal with such a maidenly reason. I wasn't doing this for fun.

"Yeah... um, that's right. I want to write a letter."

"A letter?"

"Yeah, to Nanami-kun. I thought he might worry if I suddenly disappeared. I thought it would be better to write a letter saying I'm okay and have him deliver it."

"I see, I didn't think of that."

"Nanami-kun is a sensible and good person, but once he believes something, he goes straight for it, so if Shinjo-kun kidnapped me or something, it would be a huge misunderstanding..."

"No, I don't think that would happen."

The other person was the perfect handsome top student of the academy, Nanami Shuichi.

He would probably worry if his childhood friend disappeared from the city, but I didn't think he would become that unreasonable.

"It's just in case, but since things are like this now, I think it's better to explain it properly so Nanami-kun understands."

"Alright. I can wait a little if you're going to write a letter."

What Kazuha was saying seemed a bit exaggerated, but Nanami would probably worry if he noticed his childhood friend was gone from the city.

Nanami Shuichi was a safety valve to prevent the students from going out of control. I didn't know when I would be able to return to the surface next, but it would be better to hand over a letter and reassure him.

"Then I'll try to heat up the bath."

I wondered why she thought of heating up the bath when she was going to write a letter, but if there was time, maybe it was better to take a bath.

Physical fatigue could be healed with potions, but mental healing couldn't. Maybe it would be good to soothe the mind in a bath once in a while.

"No, I'll prepare the bath, so you go ahead and write the letter quickly."

"Ugh, then I'll make dinner!"

"Rindo, the letter... well, whatever, go ahead and make dinner. If I decide to take a bath, I'll heat it up quickly."

Since we had to eat anyway, there was no reason to refuse something she offered to make.

Even if I was trying to act wild, I didn't want to eat only raw giant insect-worm meat. If I could eat something decent here, I would be grateful.

I took off my chainmail and clothes until I was in my underwear, picked up the drum can, and jumped into the small lakeside in one go.

Then, I forcefully submerged the drum can in the water and then lifted it up again with force.

I didn't want to waste time scooping water with a bucket, so I did it all at once. *Splash!* A loud sound of water echoed, and the surface rippled greatly.

"Heave-ho!"

"Wow, that's powerful..."

Kazuha, who seemed to have been gathering vegetables in the nearby field, looked dumbfounded at me carrying the drum can full of water.

It was a bit tough, but I was doing it as part of my physical training. I didn't know which rank would increase by carrying a drum can, though.

"When you want to heat up the bath yourself, Rindo, there's a wooden bucket, so you can use that to scoop water several times."

"Okay."

I placed the drum can, filled to the brim with water, on top of the stone arrangement, then took the firewood stored next to the log house, put it in the gaps between the stones, and lit it with a fire ball.

Now all that was left was to wait for it to heat up. I preferred hot water, but for Kazuha, maybe thirty minutes at most would be good.

This time, I wouldn't sink the wooden pallet to the bottom. If I were alone, I would just jump right in, but considering Kazuha would be using it, that was a bit too wild, so once the water was moderately warm, I would transfer it to another drum can with a hose.

That way, it wouldn't be too hot and would be safe. Using the principle of a siphon, the hot water could be easily transferred with a hose as long as there was a difference in height.

"So, what are you making, Rindo?"

"Since there are vegetables, I thought I'd make pot-au-feu."

Pot-au-feu was a fancy, girl-like way of saying it, but it was basically a stew.

Roughly chopped carrots, onions, turnips, and celery floated in the pot.

According to Kazuha, the cupboard had seasonings like salt, spices, and consommé, so just seasoning with those would be enough.

"If it's a stew, it would be lonely without meat, right? Why don't we put this in?"

"Ugh, what's that!"

I took out the meat of the giant insect-worm from my rucksack.

It was colorful meat, with a mix of blue, red, and green.

"Look, there was a worm on the third floor, right? I kept its meat to eat later."

"If you eat something like that raw, you'll get a stomachache!"

It wouldn't, actually.

I admitted it looked grotesque, but compared to the meat of other monsters, it was more succulent, had a longer shelf life, and was safe to eat raw.

Since it was okay in the game, there shouldn't be any danger here either.

Well, even while saying that, I was cautious at first and drank detox potions and such, but it had been proven safe through human experimentation.

"It's alright, I've eaten it many times, you can eat it raw."

"Ugh, then I'll have a little... hmm, it's less peculiar than I thought and quite bland, well, I guess this is okay."

I looked at Kazuha with a bit more respect. She had cut off a small slice of the worm's ring-shaped meat with a petty knife, washed it with water, and then eaten it.

I was able to eat it because my mind was messed up from one battle after another, but to be able to eat raw giant insect-worm meat in a sober state, this girl was also a bit strange (in a good way).

"As expected of a Job: Cook."

"I don't really understand that cooking skill thing. I've never played a game, so I'm just cooking normally."

Kazuha quickly prepared and cut the giant insect-worm meat into appropriate sizes and threw it into the large pot, turning the pot-au-feu a poisonous purple color.

It looked unappetizing no matter how you looked at it, but when I took a bowlful and ate it, it was surprisingly delicious.

Or rather, what was this?

Once it settled in my stomach, it made my belly feel incredibly warm. My body felt strangely hot.

The giant insect-worm meat stew instantly transformed into the taste of home cooking.

Well, I was raised in a single-father household, so I didn't know the real taste of my mother's cooking, but it had a somewhat nostalgic flavor.

That grotesque meat became so delicious with proper seasoning.

For some reason, laughter welled up inside me. When people eat delicious food, they laugh.

"Rindo, were you good at cooking from the start?"

"Yeah, my parents both worked, and I often had to cook, so I might be good at it. I tried to guess the taste... was it good?"

I nodded silently. I had always liked soup dishes, but I had never tasted anything like this before.

Perhaps Jobs weren't random but were decided based on the person's real-world abilities.

Wooser and Kumiko, who looked demure but were actually violent, were Fighters and Ninjas, and Segi, who was intellectual and kind, was a Priest.

I, who was neither good nor bad, started as a Mid-Fighter, and Kazuha, who seemed to have no other special skills than cooking, was a Cook.

Even though she must have been hungry herself, she let me eat first, and when I said it was delicious, she smiled happily.

Looking at Kazuha, I could see that she genuinely liked feeding people, and that alone was heartwarming.

There was a high probability that initial Jobs were determined by the person's aptitude.

Thanks to Kazuha, another mystery of Genoria was solved.

"Alright, dinner's done, and the bath is ready, so Rindo, you go in first."

"Um, I... well... I'm really dirty, so Shinjo-kun, you should go in first!"

Dirty, huh? Well, Kazuha probably didn't have the余裕 to take a bath either.

If she was dirty, then I was even more so.

"If you're dirty, then I'm a lump of mud. If you're worried, I'll change the water later, so you go in first."

Since she was a girl, she probably didn't want a guy she didn't like to get into her leftover bathwater.

I also felt a bit uncomfortable getting into water that someone else had dirtied, so I understood that feeling.

"If that's the case, I'll go in first... but Shinjo-kun, you absolutely can't peek, okay?"

"I'm not a middle schooler on a school trip, I won't peek."

"...I'm going to get warm and then come out once to wash my hair slowly, so you might be able to peek quietly during that time, but you absolutely can't, okay!"

"I'll be taking a nap, so call me when you're done."

I used up the rest of my mana to create Strength Potions and other necessary items at a constant rate.

Then I lay down on the bed. It had been a while since I had slept on a soft bed, and it felt so good that I lost consciousness in five seconds.

Since coming to Genoria, I had been falling asleep really easily.

If I could sleep soundly even on a hard stone floor, then a bed would be even better.

"...Shinjo-kun, Shinjo-kuuun!"

"Ugh... what is it?"

My peaceful sleep was immediately interrupted by a voice calling from outside the log house.

What was all the commotion? Oh right, Kazuha had gotten out of the bath. I immediately got up and went outside the log house, but Kazuha was still in the drum can bath.

"What... you haven't gotten out of the bath yet, so why did you call me?"

"Sorry, could you please get my change of clothes and bath towel from my rucksack...?"

Clumsily, she seemed to have forgotten to prepare her change of clothes and bath towel.

Kazuha must have been tired from everything that had happened, so I couldn't blame her.

However, rummaging through a girl's bag felt like a resistance.

Change of clothes meant underwear too... right?

"Hey... what color panties should I bring?"

"Any color is fine, just don't look too much!"

Asking me to bring them without looking was an unreasonable request.

I would obviously see them. I tried to find the most plain-looking underwear I could, but there was red, yellow... and a see-through purple one? Hey, I couldn't bring this.

I somehow found a cute pair of blue and white striped underwear with a ribbon, and I also brought some shorts and a shirt that looked like pajamas, along with a bath towel.

"I'll leave the change of clothes on the stone over there. The bath towel... no, I'll leave the bath towel here too, so call me when you're done."

"Okay..."

For a moment, I thought about handing her the bath towel, but I couldn't do that.

Her wet black hair and her slightly flushed skin, which looked firm and glossy just by looking at it, were too much of a temptation.

"Honestly, you're way too defenseless."

I turned my back and sighed.

I liked women too. Normally, I would gladly feast my eyes on a woman's soft skin, but right now, I didn't want to see it or even be conscious of it.

What was it? For some reason, my lower half was unusually energetic.

After eating that dish, my body felt strangely hot, and I had gone to sleep to suppress it, but it was still stirring and wouldn't settle down.

Was there something energizing in that dish?

No, surely not. I had checked the seasonings on the shelf just in case, but there was nothing unusual, so it must have been my imagination.

I thought I could suppress this with willpower by tightening my lower abdomen, but why, damn it?

I had caught a glimpse of Kazuha leisurely taking a bath and hurriedly looked away, but the soft-looking breasts, thighs, and the curve of her buttocks... was that all it took to get me this aroused?

Pathetic... the defenseless and immature one was me.

You shouldn't look at a naked woman in the dungeon.

"What an idiot I am, things are already complicated enough."

Kazuha was Nanami Shuichi's childhood friend, and if anything went wrong, it would be bad. Even without that, I didn't want to think about such things right now.

I needed to cool my head. It was probably because I was tired, yeah, I must be tired.

Going on another adventure now, things that reminded me of everyday life would weaken me.

Maybe if I became truly strong, I wouldn't be swayed by anything. I might even become a man who could exchange friendly greetings with someone and then kill them the next moment.

But I was far from that. I wasn't a drawn blade yet.

To cut, I needed the mental preparation to draw the blade from its sheath. I had to suppress my emotions as much as possible to fight.

"Shinjo-kun, the bath is done..."

"Ah, is that so? Rindo, you should rest now."

Trying not to look too much at Kazuha, who was flushed from the bath, I first jumped into the lake and went under the violently cascading waterfall to cool my head.

Then I changed the bathwater and enjoyed a bath for the first time in a while. Alternating between cold and hot water, I finally felt my mind calm down.

I threw away my old underwear and clothes and put on the brand-new pants and jersey top and bottom I had gotten from a shop in the city before entering the log house.

"Shinjo-kun..."

"Rindo, did you write the letter?"

Kazuha shook her head vigorously. She hadn't written it yet? Good grief.

I felt that I shouldn't get caught up any more in Kazuha's slow pace, which reminded me of everyday life.

Somehow, I was probably tired today too. I should rest a bit.

After cooling down, I would pull myself together.

"...Um, you know..."

"Just write it quickly, I'm going to sleep a little in the meantime."

Saying only what I wanted to say, I plopped down on the bed and closed my eyes.

Once I was like this, I would shut down my circuits and wouldn't react to anything.

"Shinjo-kun, you're a little like Nanami-kun."

"Hah... where am I like him? We're polar opposites!"

I didn't need to care about what Kazuha was saying, but I had to deny that.

The merciless samurai, this Shinjo Wataru, resembling the volunteer-spirited do-gooder Nanami Shuichi? That would be a matter of my honor.

"You are the same, because you are strong and kind."

"You know, I've been thinking this for a while... you occasionally land a critical hit on someone's mental state."

Unable to get angry, I could only force a wry smile.

Even if the whole world cursed me, I wouldn't care at all, but being called kind by a woman dealt deep damage to my pride.

"Sorry if that bothered you, I wanted to say that you're similar but different. Nanami-kun is a very good person, and he's strong and kind, but he didn't think about what I wanted."

"What is it with you girls and your complaints? Nanami cared about you a lot."

Nanami cherished and protected Kazuha so much that it couldn't even be compared to a terrible person like me.

And yet, she said that... It was true that Nanami created the reason for Kazuha to be bullied, but even so, it was pitiful.

"Is locking someone up in a glass case what it means to cherish them?"

"I don't really understand that sentimental metaphor. I don't know your circumstances, but from an outsider's perspective, Nanami was doing his best. Do you even realize how lucky you are to be childhood friends with that Nanami Shuichi and to be cherished by him?"

"But Nanami-kun never said things like you do, Shinjo-kun!"

"It was you who relied on Nanami's kindness and didn't try hard enough to be able to fight on your own, wasn't it? Nanami was wrong for coddling you, but that kind of relationship is called codependency. Regardless of the result, if Nanami, who worked so hard and wore himself out, was wrong... Rindo Kazuha, you should realize that you are a hundred times more wrong!"

"Shinjo-kun always properly tells me when I'm wrong, doesn't he? That's why I..."

"It's enough if you can realize that you're wrong. Other people don't matter; you, me, and Nanami are all individuals. Humans should just do their best to do what they want to do on their own responsibility. Isn't that what it means to be alive?"

"Yeah."

"If you understand, write that letter to Nanami and then go to sleep. And you should also try your best to become stronger starting tomorrow. Living people have a tomorrow."

I didn't feel like indulging in the endless complaints of a girl. I needed to rest now for tomorrow.

It seemed like Kazuha was still saying something, but it didn't reach the ears of my consciousness that had shut down.

　　　　　※※※

Sleeping as much as I wanted cleared my head.

Before I knew it, Kazuha, wearing a white shirt and shorts that looked like pajamas, was lying next to me, breathing peacefully as if she were happy.

A nice scent tickled my nose. I thought it was the scent of the soap Kazuha used, but when I looked, I almost shouted.

It was okay that the chest of her shirt was wide open, but what wasn't okay was that she wasn't wearing a bra under just the white shirt.

The parts that shouldn't be seen at the tips of her large breasts were completely visible through the fabric.

This was more arousing than being completely naked. Was Kazuha this kind of natural airhead?

"You... how defenseless are you when a strange man is sleeping next to you?"

No wonder Nanami couldn't leave her alone.

It was a life-or-death dungeon, so I thought it was impossible, but there was a slight chance he might get worried and come looking for her.

Anyway, maybe because she had eaten properly and rested well, Kazuha's black hair had completely regained its original luster, and her complexion had improved. She seemed to have regained her energy, so that was good.

When I sat halfway up, she stirred a little, moved her mouth as if chewing, and muttered something like she was eating. Was she still half-asleep?

"Umm, Shinjo-kun... it's bitter and I can't eat it."

Well, I probably couldn't eat it either. What kind of sleep talk was that?

"However, I slept well."

I had eaten delicious food, refreshed myself in the bath, and gotten enough sleep to feel completely refreshed. I was in a very good mood.

Since there was sunlight here, I could roughly tell the time. I probably hadn't slept this long from evening to dawn since coming to Genoria.

You could say I had wasted precious time, but I could make up for the delay.

Feeling reborn, I could work even harder now.

Getting out of bed, I saw a letter clearly marked "To Nanami-kun" on the desk.

It was in a cute, girl-like envelope, sealed with a heart-shaped sticker.

As expected of a girl, she had a proper stationery set.

If she gave Nanami such a cute letter, he would probably be happy.

"All's well that ends well."

As I put away the letter and warmed up the leftover purple pot-au-feu in the pot for breakfast, Kazuha woke up.

The pot-au-feu from the second day had even better flavor, with the vegetables and meat well-seasoned, giving it a deeper taste. Energy surged through my body.

"Faaah~, Shinjo-kun, you're awake too."

"Yeah. This letter to Nanami Shuichi is okay, right?"

"Yeah, I wrote it."

"I see. Well, I'm going back to my adventure. It'll probably be a while, but I'll definitely deliver it to your childhood friend Nanami, so don't worry. You take care too."

Kazuha saw me off to the exit as I put the letter in my rucksack, got my equipment ready, and left the Garden.

Kazuha handed me back the 'Diminish Mantle' I had lent her. Oops, I almost forgot.

"Here, I'm returning this. It was a little dirty, so I lightly washed and dried it."

"I see, thanks for going to the trouble."

She had even washed my mantle while I was sleeping.

I didn't mind if it was a little dirty, but clean was better.

"I'll wash Shinjo-kun's laundry properly too... you'll come back, right?"

"Eh, ah, yeah... well, I might come back after a while."

When I said that, Kazuha's face brightened up.

Laundry? I was planning to just throw away the dirty clothes I took off, but she could do as she liked.

It wasn't that I was worried about Kazuha's well-being, but I thought it would be good to show my face once in a while to see if she was alive.

The Garden was an important place for me too.

Besides, if I, who wasn't affiliated with the student council, went in and out of the city too much, it felt like trouble would occur every time.

Except for unavoidable circumstances like ranking up at the Oracle, it might be better to rest in the Garden than return to the surface.

"Shinjo-kun, I probably won't see Nanami-kun again, will I?"

Kazuha's casual words to me as I left lingered in my mind a little.

Won't see him again? I had no intention of telling anyone about this place, and as long as she stayed cooped up here, that would probably be the case.

Looking back, if I had asked her about it then and there to confirm, I might have been able to avoid trouble in advance.

My bad habit of avoiding involvement with people sometimes caused me more trouble instead.