Chapter 3: Hot Spring Therapy

Feeling the vibrations from the car through the backrest, I asked my father.

“Why are we going on a hot spring trip?”

“I suppose she wants to undergo hot spring therapy. Hot springs have long been said to have the power to heal the body and mind.”

My father’s response seemed as if he knew the question beforehand.

We were heading to a secluded hot spring in Gifu, according to Irena-san. While I had always associated Kanto with Atami for hot springs, it seemed there were other options available.

However, despite being for therapy, I couldn’t help but feel somewhat skeptical about going to a hot spring. While hot springs might indeed be beneficial, they didn’t seem like the right place to go when one’s mental state was fragile.

But seeing both Irena-san and my father heading there, I suppose there must be some rationale behind going to the hot springs. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have gone.

Perhaps they sensed my mixed feelings because my father continued as we drove through the mountain road.

“Nevertheless, there’s reason behind its healing power. Hot springs exist on top of earth veins.”

“Earth veins?”

It was a term I hadn’t heard before, although I might have seen it in games. However, I didn’t know its exact meaning.

“It refers to the energy flowing underground. Hot springs are where this energy spouts out. Itsuki must know, but magic is a form of life force. So, when one’s life force is depleted, it’s natural to seek places with abundant energy for magic recovery.”

“So, hot springs are… places for magic recovery?”

“In simple terms, yes.”

It sounded like something out of a game.

“I’m sure Itsuki is aware that injuries heal faster when one has more magic power. That’s because the body consumes magic to enhance its healing power.”

While I supposed he might think I was aware, I had no consciousness of it. Lately, whenever I got injured, I just healed myself with healing magic. Like when I fought the members of the Acting Troupe.

However, I could understand that replenishing life force, which is magic, would lead to faster healing. So, the emergence of the culture of hot spring therapy seemed to be connected in a way.

But there was one thing I didn’t understand, and that’s whether it wasn’t about the physical body.

Because I didn’t understand that, I asked my father.

“In that case, would Nina-chan also recover faster by bathing in the hot springs?”

“I don’t know. But Irena must want something to cling to. I can understand that feeling as well.”

“… “

Given that, I had no words to respond.

Thinking about what Irena-san did for Nina-chan, I could understand the desire to cling to something. She came not only to seal Nina-chan’s memories but also to protect her using me, even coming to Japan for that purpose. That person.

“I see it now. There it is.”

I raised my gaze at my father’s words.

In view was a large inn standing along the riverbank.

This time, Irena-san seemed to have arranged all the reservations for the hot springs. She invited our family and the Shimotsuki family—Aya-chan’s family as well.

Initially, it was just our family, but I suggested introducing acquaintances of the same gender if possible.

So, it became a trip with three families together.

It’s doubtful if it can be called a trip for hot spring therapy, though.

Thinking about such things, the car arrived at the inn.

Before my father headed to the parking lot, my mother, Hina, and I took out our luggage and entered the building ahead of time.

As soon as we entered, a woman guided us.

“We’ve been expecting you. You’re the Kisaragi family, correct? Please come this way.”

As she said that, a pleasant smell wafted through the air.

It was a softer scent than room fragrances.

“Big brother, it smells nice.”

“I wonder what it is.”

As I thought about the source of the scent, I saw a small piece of wood about the size of a finger burning on a golden plate.

“I think it’s agarwood.”

“Agarwood…”

My mother told me, and I looked at the burning wood. It looked more like a fossil than wood. As Hina ran toward it, intending to touch it, I tried to stop her, but she hugged me from behind before I could.

“Uwah!”

Before I could ask who it was, I could tell by the golden hair overflowing from behind. That person.

Nina-chan, who had come from behind, didn’t show her face at all, so I couldn’t see her expression.

But she was hugging me so tightly that it hurt.

“Nina, if you hold on so tight, Itsuki will also feel uncomfortable.”

“…No.”

“I’m sorry. Nina hasn’t been able to see Itsuki for the past two days, and she’s been restless…”

As Irena-san, who came from behind Nina-chan, told me, I shook my head.

“No, it’s okay.”

“Mom probably doesn’t know, but Itsuki is always okay!”

When I said that, Nina-chan also overlapped.

Well, I mean, I haven’t said no to anything, right?

“You know, if you keep relying on Itsuki-san’s kindness too much… eventually, he’ll dislike you.”

“…He won’t dislike me. Itsuki won’t dislike me.”

As Nina-chan said that, she hugged me even tighter. It hurts.

It hurts, but being trusted like this… makes me a little happy.

Irena-san wore a troubled expression and simply said, “Let’s move on.”

Certainly, we couldn’t just stand still at the inn’s entrance forever, so we decided to move. Nina-chan let go of me when we moved, but instead, she grabbed the hem of my clothes and followed behind me.

As we moved to the lobby of the inn, there were familiar faces there.

“Long time no see, Itsuki-kun.”

“…Ah, long time no see! Renji-san.”

It was the three members of the Shimotsuki family who had already arrived.

As soon as Aya-chan saw me, her face lit up, and she ran towards me, looking worriedly at Nina-chan behind me.

Aya-chan must have heard most of what happened and approached me without touching Nina-chan.

“Itsuki-kun, are you okay? I heard you were attacked by the ‘Sixth Rank’ again.”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Look.”

Saying so, I grabbed the chain around my neck and took out an accessory with three beads linked together.

It was an accessory containing the relics of the ‘Sixth Rank’ that I had purified.

Among them was a bead where white, red, and green were mixed together.

“I purified them properly.”

Seeing that, Aya-chan let out a sigh of relief.

After exhaling, she continued.

“…You’re really strong, Itsuki-kun.”

I was about to respond with “I was just lucky,” but I thought about Nina-chan behind me.

If I were really strong, wouldn’t Nina-chan have ended up like this?

So, I lowered my tone slightly and simply replied, “I still have a long way to go.”

Before Aya-chan could say anything else, Renji-san interjected.

“Yeah, you brought them properly, Itsuki-kun.”

“I always carry them.”

As I replied, Renji-san continued with a calm expression.

“So, have you decided which one to choose?”

“Which one…?”

“Huh? Haven’t you heard from Souichiro?”

When I was struggling to understand his response, Renji-san continued.

“You came all the way here to forge your magic sword, right, Itsuki-kun?”

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