Chapter 39

“Kasumi-girl? Where exactly is the electric bath? I’m not getting shocked at all. I don’t feel anything—not even in my nipples. It’s not like big sis is numb or anything, though.”

“W-what are you saying…? Look, don’t you feel a little tingly? Like a carbonated hot spring?”

“Hm, this? I was expecting something more like bzzt—! though.”

“That would be dangerous… It’s more like an electric massage.”

“I see… Well, it’s not bad. Feels like it’s easing the fatigue I’ve built up from housework.”

In the bathing area, Arnie and Kasumi soaked in the electric bath, both closing their eyes comfortably.

“Ahh… it really is relaxing. Onee-san, is housework tough? You also take care of Akira, right? That sounds hard.”

“It is tough. Akira can’t manage without his big sister.”

“Haha, he always looks so happy eating your lunches. Before, it was nothing but packaged sweet buns, so he seems really glad.”

“I’m happy he enjoys them. How is Akira doing at school? Today was an exam, wasn’t it?”

Since Akira rarely talked about school, Arney took this chance to ask Kasumi about how he was doing.

However, the timing of that question wasn’t very good.

After all, today Kasumi had been quite shaken after hearing someone speak badly about her close friend in a one-sided way.

Kasumi hesitated for a moment over whether she should tell Arnie, a member of Akira’s family, about it.

But she decided not to—she didn’t want to cause unnecessary worry.

That said, Arnie didn’t miss it.

“Something happened, didn’t it? You can’t fool big sis’s powers of observation. Come on, tell me.”

“Um… lately, there’s just been a weird student who keeps picking on Akira.”

“Oh? That sounds interesting! Big sis hasn’t heard about that! I’ll have to interrogate him after the bath! Thanks, Kasumi-girl!”

Eyes sparkling, Arnie stood up from the tub.

Since she had removed the towel she’d wrapped around herself to enter the bath, her beautiful figure was fully revealed.

“Wow… you really look like a model… your legs are so long… your silhouette is amazing.”

“Right? Right? Kasumi, you should aim to be like big sis and never neglect polishing yourself! If you want to win Akira over, I think that much effort is necessary.”

“Eh? I’m not like that with Akira, you know? I think Akira just normally likes you, big sis.”

At Kasumi’s casual reply, Arnie answered in her usual tone—but for a moment, her thoughts froze at the implication that Akira might like her, not just as family, but as the opposite sex.

“N-no way. That can’t be true. Akira is like a little brother to me, and he thinks of me as his big sister too! You’re mistaken, Kasumi-girl.”

“Maybe… Anyway, let’s go to the next bath. Let’s try the waterfall shower.”

“Alright! Big sis will pretend it’s ascetic waterfall training—banishing worldly desires!”

And so, while enjoying the super sento, the two of them quietly reflected on each other’s words.

Whether that would affect their future was unknown—but it was true that it stole just a little bit of mental space from them both.

“Saunas are pretty nice once in a while…”

After rinsing off with a lukewarm shower and washing away the sweat, I felt refreshed enough to clearly tell the fatigue was gone.

I left the bath area, got dressed, dried my hair, and returned to the common hall.

One of the great things about a super sento is the spacious relaxation area after bathing, where you can order food, and even enjoy game corners or recreation facilities.

I secured a booth-like seat with sofas and a table in one corner of the rest area and waited for Kasumi and big sis, who would probably take longer in the bath than I did.

On a whim, I decided to check the window’s message board.

This board always displayed the registered user’s name—meaning it was a place where anonymity was impossible.

Because of that, unverified rumors were rare, and the information there was generally trustworthy.

Since I’d just undergone a doping test, I wanted to see whether there were any rumors circulating among explorers about illegal drugs.

“…I see. After the Japan-wide shared dungeon appeared, stat-enhancement drugs have been sold too.”

Apparently, there are enhancement drugs—buff-type items—that require a certain level to use effectively.

Some explorers bring them back and resell them at high prices to others tackling branching dungeons.

But once you take such items outside a dungeon, it’s a different story.

As a rule, drugs brought outside lose most of their effectiveness.

Even “artificial elixirs” that can instantly heal broken bones down to mere bruises only work outside the dungeon as well as “a very effective energy drink plus supplements.”

Naturally, enhancement drugs are the same—at best, they’re said to be no more effective than a mix of caffeine and stamina boosters.

But—

“…Still, I do see cases where people are disqualified after testing positive at some combat events. Dungeon drug components were detected… but the effects should be negligible.”

Maybe someone had discovered a way to prevent dungeon drugs from losing their potency outside.

And maybe… information like that was quietly circulating.

“From here on, I’ll probably have to rely on ordinary internet message boards… once it gets into dubious, underground information.”

“What’s that, Akira? Are you looking for some naughty underground videos? Big sis doesn’t approve of poking around the dark web for stuff like that, you know? Tsk tsk, you pervert~.”

At that moment, my sister came back saying something outrageous.

This woman…! She’s throwing false accusations at me in public…!

“Eh? Akira, are you really looking up something that dangerous?”

“No, I’m not! A lot happened today, so I was just looking into past incidents.”

“A lot happened… you mean what that person said to you?”

“Ah, right. I guess I didn’t explain it properly. Actually, what happened was—”

I told them what happened today when I was called in.

About the doping inspection, and how Nanjo was probably the one who set it up.

And that I was checking whether there had been any past incidents involving drugs like that.

“I see… yeah, our school is closely tied to the government’s dungeon division, after all. Even the smallest rumor or suspicion gets acted on right away. But Akira, did you do anything that might make them suspicious?”

“Hm… I guess I was crunching glucose tablets pretty openly in front of people. That might be it?”

“Ah… yeah, they could look like pills…”

Well, once they test me, it’ll be obvious I’m innocent, so I’m not overly worried…

Still, the whole drug thing bothers me.

The reason I died in my previous life was probably drug-related too.

If drug-related problems get exposed more openly here and the overall level of vigilance in the dungeon world increases, then the chances of me being killed should drop even further.

I glanced at my sister’s face to see if she understood my hidden intention.

But—

Her expression wasn’t one of understanding or reading between the lines.

She wore an emotionless look I had never seen before.

“…Akira, big sis is going to make a phone call.”

“Huh? Ah, okay… go ahead.”

“The phones are over there. Near the smoking area.”

“Thanks, Kasumi. I’ll be right back.”

Uh-oh… this is bad. She didn’t call Kasumi “Kasumi-girl.”

…She’s probably really angry right now…!

I should think ahead to when she comes back… I’ll order some fruit milk and light snacks now.

Food restores mood—always!

“I wonder what’s wrong with your sister?”

“Uh… she probably has some strong feelings about the doping inspection.”

“Is she going to complain to the school? I hope this doesn’t turn into a big issue…”

No… I’m pretty sure she’s calling Director Suzakuyama…

I’ll order some takoyaki too—hopefully that’ll be enough to calm her down.