Chapter 98

"Rina... I'm going on a mission. A tough... very tough mission."

"Got it."

"That's why tonight... if I come back... can I go to Rina's place?"

"Got it, got it."

"Thanks, Rina... With this, I have no regrets."

Rina glared at me.

"Why does Mongrel-senpai talk like that just because you're taking a bath?"

Indeed, after today's mission, I had planned to use the second bath pass from Artemis.

I heard that Nastasha would be at the clan house all day today. If that's the case, it's a chance to have her prepare the bath.

"This is what they call a flag."

"Flag..."

"It's like a superstition."

"What's that...? Well, it's fine... I'll let Nastasha-senpai and the others know."

So, my plan for today was decided.

A bath after a hard day's work. It's the best. It really gets you motivated for work.

"Alright, let's get to work!"

"Shut up..."

"What's with this guy..."

"Guild member, huh... and a Bronze 3? Why are you here..."

I'm currently at the construction site outside the eastern gate of Regal.

Due to the expansion of Regal's outer walls, a large area on the east side is being developed.

Expanding the city means a large-scale construction project.

We won't be drilling reinforced concrete into bedrock, but we will be doing foundation work. Without heavy machinery, it might be even more labor-intensive than construction in my previous life.

Today, we're working on the sewer system.

Some cutting work has already been done, and the rough structure of the sewers is visible with stone and brick. However, there are still many unfinished parts. On the other hand, if mud keeps flowing in every time it rains, it's a problem, so we're working at a rapid pace with a large workforce.

However, heavy labor in the summer is very tiring. I don't want to spend money on labor costs.

In such cases, who do you mobilize? That's right, criminal slaves.

"The sewers are the lifeblood of the city. No one wants to live in a city that smells like shit. If you live in a constantly smelly city, you're more likely to get sick. So the work we do is very important. Understand?"

"...You're pretty motivated for someone who's not a soldier."

"Who cares if it's for the city or not."

The morale on the site is low. For them, it's part of their punishment.

I tried to motivate them, thinking that if there's even one person who's motivated, but it's difficult.

Whatever. I'll do some manual labor myself.

This is a low-level job, but it's a facility I'd appreciate if it were completed quickly. I'll speed up the completion with my manpower.

"Hey, you. Mongrel, right? That's it, right?"

"Huh? ...Oh, yeah, I remember you. But sorry, I can't recall your name."

"It's Rody. The idiot you caught and threw into criminal slavery."

I thought someone I didn't know was calling me, but it turned out to be an acquaintance.

He was an Iron-class guild member who had set illegal traps in the Baroan Forest with the Artemis team last fall.

I had handed him over to the guards, but he seemed to have lost a bit of weight since then.

"It's a bit awkward for me to say, but how's life as a criminal slave?"

"It's terrible. The bed is rough, the food is bad, and I miss meat."

As I was about to carry the soil I had dug up, Rody grabbed the wheelbarrow handle as if to take over the job.

"What, are you going to help me?"

"This is work too. Of course, I'll help. ...If you work hard, the treatment gets better. Mongrel, you were right. Thanks to your advice, I'm doing a slightly better job."

"Ah, that's good."

"Can we talk while we work? I'm starving for conversation with an acquaintance."

"Sure, no problem. Let's work together then."

"Hehe, it feels weird to have a guild member working with us. It gives me a sense of freedom."

Rody is a young man in his early twenties.

He was probably skilled and had some talent as a hunter, given that he had set illegal traps.

But that talent was squandered when he became a criminal slave. It's a waste. If he had been serious, he would have become an Iron 3 by now.

"I can't do the work I want to do here. I'm separated from my friends, and the guys in my room have bad personalities... Honestly, I've regretted setting illegal traps many times. Even now, I regret it every night before I go to sleep."

"That's tough."

"Yeah. But as I said, I've been treated better by the guards. I haven't been bullied yet."

"That's good. You're lucky."

"I'm almost out. ...Next time, I'll hunt with legal traps. I'll eat as much meat as I want."

"Is meat hard to come by?"

"It's rare. Mostly oatmeal. Occasionally, there's some scraps of meat in the soup. ...Phew, it's hot today..."

"Indeed."

If you work hard, even as a criminal slave, you can be treated like a model prisoner.

At the very least, you'll be released sooner than if you sulk and resist.

His crime wasn't serious, so it shouldn't take long.

"Hey, Rody, over here."

"What? What is it, Mongrel...?"

"Here, eat this without anyone seeing."

"..."

What I handed to Rody was a piece of jerky.

It's a very ordinary jerky made from crazy boar, but I seasoned it with the best spices I could, making it a delicious treat.

Rody hesitated for a moment before silently putting the jerky in his mouth.

He then returned to the work of carrying soil, as if to hide the moment of guilt.

"How is it, the taste?"

It's just preserved food. It's not juicy like grilled fresh meat.

Still, a tear ran down Rody's face as he chewed the jerky.

"...It's delicious. Really delicious... I want to hunt boars again..."

"Work hard. You'll be back to that life soon."

"Okay..."

The work progressed that day. Overall, it was still far from completion, but at least the progress in our section wasn't bad.

I gave a little backhanded compliment to the soldier who had been slacking off as a supervisor and mentioned that Rody had worked well.

Whether it will have an effect or not, I hope it goes well.

"And now, the bath."

The criminal slaves probably just rinse off with water, but I'm going to take a proper bath.

Sorry, Rody. I'm the type who wants to take a bath after getting dirty... I'll be the only one getting clean...

"I'm coming in."

"Ah, Mongrel-senpai. Good work today. You're taking a bath... You're pretty dirty, aren't you?"

"It's from work. I came here to indulge in a bath. I won't dirty the hallway, so bear with it."

"Well, it's fine. I was just surprised to see you so dirty. Nastasha is already preparing the bath, so please wait in the lobby until the water is ready."

"Can't really wait in this state."

As I was talking with Rina at the entrance, Nastasha walked over with her sleeves wet.

"The bath is ready. Take your time, Mongrel."

"Thanks, Nastasha. I'll enjoy it."

"Is there no beer like last time?"

"Ah, I wanted to bring it, but I forgot. But it's fine. The bath itself is the most important."

"Let me know if you need anything."

"Sure."

Entering the clan house, I headed to the changing room.

Man, it's a really clean building. "Sword of Harvest" should be this clean all the time...

I quickly undressed and entered the bath.

I rinsed off the dirt from my body with a bucket, rinsing... thoroughly rinsing...

I felt I had completed the minimum purification ritual of a modern person before immersing myself in the water.

*Plop*. ...Ohhh...

"It's different from a lake... really..."

The lake I swam in before was good for cleaning, but there's nothing like a hot bath.

There are invisible dirt and grime that won't come off with water, not even with ash... but they dissolve in a hot bath...

I know it's a roundabout way of saying it, but... baths are the best...

"...Mongrel-san, are you in?"

"Huh? Ulrika? What is it?"

"...I'm coming in."

Before I could stop her, Ulrika entered the bath.

"Hehe, it's my first time with someone... it feels weird..."

She was undressed.

She had a cloth wrapped around her lower body, but her upper body was bare. Seeing her like this, I finally realized that she was really a guy.

But even so, this is a private bath. Having my bath time interrupted is a bit...

"Ulrika, I was looking forward to a solitary, quiet, and luxurious bath..."

"Here, I brought this ale for you."

"...Really?"

"Even Nastasha cooled it for me. How about it? Am I great?"

I took the ale and had a sip. ...Ah, it's delicious... A cold ale while soaking in a hot bath is the best...

"Also... if you don't mind... can I wash your back? It's hard to reach, right? I'm always grateful to you, so... if you don't mind..."

"...I don't remember doing anything that deserves such a return from you."

But by entering the bath, Ulrika might have been feeling lonely in this all-female household.

She has a face that might attract troublesome guys in a public bath...

"Fine. Can I trust you with my back?"

"Really? For real?"

"Men can be naked together. Of course, you should wash your body well with hot water too. Anyone who doesn't rinse before the bath is as bad as a goblin. Got it?"

"Y-Yes. I'll do it... I don't want to be treated like a goblin..."

After warming up in the bath for a while, Ulrika washed my back.

I could wash it myself with a long cloth, but with a regular towel and weak detergent, my back might be quite dirty after years of this lifestyle.

"How's it, Ulrika? Is my back dirty? How about the center of my back, just below my neck? Is there any discoloration or anything?"

"It's... normal...? Mongrel-san, you worry about weird things... like a girl..."

"I can't see it myself, so what can I do? ...Ah, it feels like the dirt is coming off..."

In the past, I had a high-class prostitute wash me, but she glared at me as if she was really unwilling, which made me uncomfortable...

I wonder what she's doing now...

"...There, all done. Next is the front?"

"I'll do the front myself."

"Ahaha, of course..."

"Can I wash your back too?"

"Eh, e? N-No... but if Mongrel-san wants to, I can ask...?"

"Don't worry. Turn around."

"...Okay."

While washing Ulrika's back, I recalled memories from my previous life.

I used to wash my grandfather's back like this before he entered a care facility...

"Ah, ah..."

"Sorry. Did it hurt?"

"It's okay, it's fine... It's okay, you can stop. Rinse it off."

"Is that so? Alright then."

We enjoyed the ale while soaking in the bath again. It was a luxurious moment.

Stretching my legs and soaking in the tub alone is nice, but now I'm sitting next to Ulrika in the bath.

The water level had decreased because we used so much for washing, so having two people in the tub might have been a good thing.

This cramped feeling is somehow nostalgic.

"Mongrel-san... have you ever been in a bath like this?"

"Ah, yeah, something similar. Not as grand as this, though."

Actually, it was a seamless bathtub with a button to control everything, but I didn't want to confuse her, so I kept quiet.

"When I had some free time... I would boil water and soak in it. It was a luxury in the frontier village where I had some freedom."

"Really..."

"How about you, Ulrika? Have you ever been in a bath like this?"

"Eh, my family didn't have anything like that... we just bathed in a nearby spring. But it felt good. I always liked it... so I'm really glad to be in Artemis."

A spring, huh? She mentioned it before.

A spring sounds nice. If we had something like that, the development of Strohbe would have been easier.

"Hey, I might sound persistent, but... will you join Artemis? We have a bath too, you know?"

"My heart is really swayed, but no."

"...Rina is getting promoted to Silver. You could join us and become Silver too."

"I'll say no every time. I can't breathe in a place with only women..."

"But I'm different. I'm fine with you, Mongrel-san."

Somehow... that sounds a bit suggestive...

No, it's just my imagination. Calm down, calm down.

"I'm not saying I hate Artemis. I just want to do what I can as a solo Bronze. ...And avoiding conscription is a big part of it."

Even as a Bronze, conscription can happen on a party basis.

I want to avoid that. Most importantly, the freedom of action.

"Mmm... No matter how many times I invite you, you never waver, Mongrel-san..."

"I get invited by 'Sword of Harvest' and 'Shield of the Earth' too, but I turn them all down. Artemis is the same."

"Eh, really...? Even other parties..."

Well, the other invitations aren't that enthusiastic. I politely declined them.

"...Then, maybe I should use my charms on Mongrel-san, huh? Hehe..."

"..."

"...Say something..."

No, you, with that boiled lobster face, what am I supposed to say?

"Don't say things you're embarrassed about..."

"...I'm getting out!"

"Ah, you're angry."

"I'm not angry! Hmph!"

She splashed out of the tub and fled to the changing room.

...With one person gone, the water level drops...

I stretched out in the tub again and poured the remaining ale.

...Yeah. A full-body bath with ale. It's bad for your health but the best combination.

I wonder if I can enjoy a bath and alcohol together like this again someday.