#56 Cornelia
The same day when we arrived at the inn, at night...
I was sitting near the window in a cross-legged position, looking at the moon and thinking about many things. Some of them were important, however, most of them were unimportant yet still necessary for me to calm down.
"*...Akashi?*" Suddenly I heard Taeko's voice behind me, whispering something.
"*Yes?*" I replied without turning around.
"*Is there something important you are thinking about?*" She asked me with a slightly worried tone.
I guess I must look really depressed sitting alone in front of the window at night, having my entire figure illuminated by the moonlight.
"*Nothing important, I just don't feel like sleeping*" I replied with a calm voice while glancing behind me with the corner of my eye.
This is really surprising...I would have never thought that I would say something like this but I guess even I need to think over the things that happened. I definitely have no desire to sleep right now.
"*...I see...if you want, would you like to go with me to the hot springs and have a talk there?*" She asked me with a slightly lower voice than usual.
"*...Are you aware that there is no mixed-gender section? Anyway, why are you awake? Did you even sleep?*" When I heard her offer, I was a little tempted to take a hot bath and have a small talk but I still reminded her of a certain problem.
"*I have been sleeping the entire time...dawn will be in a few hours, I just woke up much earlier. As for that little problem...There shouldn't be anyone inside the women-only section at this time.*" Taeko replied with a small smile.
...I see, I kinda lost sense of time while I was thinking about everything. Anyway, her words are reasonable, there shouldn't be anyone but just walking inside that section can get me kicked out...I don't mind sleeping outside but it will be too awkward if anyone wakes up at this hour and decide to take a bath. I can't exactly offer to go to the men-only section, I am pretty sure that she wouldn't be kicked out because no one would mind that, talk about inequality.
"*Fine but we need to think of excuse in case someone comes in...I don't exactly want to be kicked out.*" I said with a slightly tired voice, I was already yearning for a hot bath.
"*What about the thing we had done before?*" She asked with her head tilted to the side.
"*You mean acting to be husband and wife? That could work but let's still hope that no one will come.*" I nodded and got up from the cold floor.
---
When Akashi and Taeko left the room, Babara who had been sleeping the entire time suddenly opened her eyes and looked towards the door.
'*sigh* I guess it doesn't matter, I shouldn't take the thing I have never experienced myself away from her.' Babara thought and then closed her eyes once again.
---
.
.
It feels extremely weird taking my clothes off in women's changing room...
I thought while taking off all of my clothes with a weird look in my face.
We took our towels and went right into the hot springs. Of course, we removed our towels before soaking in.
We started talking about regular things while watching the stars in the sky until...
"A-A man?!!" I heard a feminine voice shout but not too aloud.
Ah, I want to have a Luck stat in my System...
I thought with a tired expression, I just closed my eyes and ignored that woman.
"Death to the perverts!" She said and jumped at me, trying to kick me in the back of my head.
When I opened my eyes saw who it is, my eyes slightly widened in surprise before returning to their previous calmness.
What should I do? If her kick connects and nothing will happen to me, she will suspect me, if I will dodge too perfectly, she will suspect me...I know!
"Wait! I can explain!" I suddenly stood up and revealed my member to her which shocked her slightly and her kick slowed down a bit and I used this chance to back away, however, while I was taking a step back, tripped over and fallen into the water.
In the end, I narrowly dodged her kick while making it all look like clumsy luck, however, this kind of tactic will only work once.
"?! Die!" She was slightly surprised to see that she missed her kick but she immediately followed after me and tried to stomp on my face.
You stupid woman, don't go standing above me while raising your leg fully naked!
"Wait!" Taeko shouted and woman stopped to look at Taeko.
---
'Was she here from the beginning?' Woman thought.
---
"He is my husband, we wanted to have some time alone while relaxing in the hot springs. Unfortunately, this inn doesn't have a mixed-gender section so I dragged him here!" Taeko quickly explained with the best pleading expression she could form.
"Y-Y-Your husband?! I am truly sorry! I...saw everything" She bowed down to Taeko while confessing.
Don't worry, I saw everything too, we are even.
I jokingly thought but it would be better if I didn't say anything aloud.
"...Don't worry, it's nothing to worry about. Seeing something doesn't mean anything significant..." Taeko just blurted out something with her stoic face but she was still blushing.
"I am sorry, we didn't think anyone would try to take a bath at this hour, miss..." I got up and extended my hand with an apologetic smile while calmly looking into her blue eyes.
She threw a quick glance down once I got up from the water but she quickly looked into my eyes with ashamed expression and accepted the handshake.
---
'What the hell am I doing? He doesn't have any lust visible in his eyes while looking at me yet I am behaving like this...Anyway, what a faithful husband or maybe he is too scared to be caught by his wife, hehe' The woman thought and her mood has gotten a little better since the encounter.
---
.
.
.
"I see so you met each other thanks to Taeko's grandmother? And she even saved your life, Katsura? It sounds kinda romantic, hehe" Cornelia laughed.
"Yes, thanks to her grandmother being herbalist, my life was saved and I decided to stick around. And before I knew it...I fell in love with Taeko." I nodded and looked at Taeko with a "loving" expression but maybe it looked a bit awkward. Taeko on the other side just blushed and smiled back at me.
We were already out of the hot springs but Taeko suddenly wanted to talk with Cornelia and when I wanted to leave them alone, both of them stopped me from leaving. How much I want to tell Taeko that this woman here is our enemy but I really can't.
"Oh?! *Taeko...Could you please describe what exactly is 'love' to you?*" Cornelia exclaimed when she heard my words and then she suddenly started whispering to Taeko, unfortunately she didn't know that I am not a normal civilian so my hearing is extremely sharp.
When I heard her question, my eyes widened and horrified expression appeared on my face before I quickly calmed down.
Please, Taeko...Say something that makes sense.
"Uh? Um...I- For me, it is for example when you are holding hands together with that person and you suddenly forget that you are even holding them. I can...feel um, a connection between us that is much stronger than physical connection can ever be." Taeko blurted out something with a bright smile while looking at me. But it was apparent that she was caught off guard by such a question.
Well...that worked out somehow, although it sounded a bit weird, hopefully she will believe it.
I thought and looked at Cornelia just to see a very thoughtful expression on her face as if she was just told something grand...How?
Anyway...I can use this chance to verify something that has been bothering me for a while.
"Cornelia...Do you know a man named Akashi?" I asked her and then also described my previous appearance.
"Hm...I don't know anyone who looks like that or has that name...I am sorry to disappoint you." At first, she was confused when I asked her that question but she quickly replied with a forced smile.
Not at all...You didn't disappoint me at all. With that matter off of my mind, I feel much better.
"No problem at all" I told her not to apologize with a bright smile.
---
'Why does he look more relieved by this fact?' Cornelia thought when she saw Katsura's smile but she quickly threw it aside.
---
We talked for a while before another guest came in but fortunately this time, I had clothes on and we were sitting inside the changing room so she didn't attack me at first sight, however, her gaze landed on me and also stayed there for a while.
The only person I didn't want to meet here...It's really bad that I can't see my Luck stat in System.
"Akame! Don't be surprised. These two are husband and wife and I kinda interrupted them while they were taking a bath, ha-ha." Cornelia explained the situation and introduced us with an awkward laugh while she was scratching the back of her head.
However, even after hearing explanation from Cornelia, Akame didn't stop staring at me.
"?" Even Taeko noticed this and grew slightly more vigilant since she knew that not just anyone would be able to see through my disguise and Akame was strangely staring at me.
"*Akame? It's rude to stare like that...!*" Cornelia got up from her seat and whispered to Akame who just approached me.
"Mister Katsura, it's nice to meet you. Have we ever met before?" Akame bowed a little and bluntly asked.
?!
"Yes, I believe that we saw each other in front of the inn! There is also a chance that you could have seen me a few years ago when I used to be an adventurer before marrying my Taeko." I answered completely naturally and with a friendly smile. In front of Akame, I couldn't risk acting awkward so when I said "my Taeko" I said that with an absolute affection while wrapping my arm around her body and pulling her closer to me with a silly smile of the man in love.
Taeko who was suddenly pulled close to me looked slightly confused but she still blushed and looked embarrassed.
"? I see...I am sorry for being so rude, you just remind me of someone." Akame seemed a little confused but she immediately apologized.
I said that's fine and I with Taeko took our leave since the situation was getting a little bit weird and even Taeko felt it so she didn't protest this time.
---After Akashi and Taeko left---
"That was kinda weird coming from you, Akame." Cornelia said with a small smile.
"...Didn't they appear to you a slightly awkward to be wife and husband? Taeko was unusually bashful to be close to her husband..." Akame muttered with a thoughtful expression.
"Well, they told me that they did marry not a long ago so maybe they are still easily embarrassed around new people. ?!" Cornelia said and then shocked expression appeared on her face out of nowhere.
"?! What is it?" Akame immediately asked with a hopeful expression that Cornelia thought of something.
"Maybe they had yet to do it and I interrupted them during their bath...!!! That could be the reason why they were so embarrassed and awkward." Cornelia said with a completely horrified and guilty expression.
"They had yet to do what?" Akame tilted her head to the side in confusion.
"? No...it's nothing!" Cornelia started waving her hand from side to side to deny everything she has said.
'That man...I get a bad feeling from that husband and wife pair...I have a feeling that I have seen somewhere his red eyes with vertical pupils but no one in my mind fits his personality or appearance.' Akame thought while looking at the door leading out of the changing room with a thoughtful expression.