Chapter 5

"The human body is not made to use magic."

When I was invited by the High Priest to learn magic, these were the first words he said to me after I arrived. I thought, if that's the case, what's the point of teaching me magic? But after hearing a detailed explanation, I realized that what he said was true.

I had heard of the "power of blessing" before. In my case, it's the blessing of the goddess of light. Magic, it seems, is entirely based on this power of blessing, and the first step in learning magic is to recognize that you have another body, the "power of blessing."

One method to achieve this is to be aware that a body without the power of blessing cannot use magic.

In this world, magic can be roughly divided into two types: priest magic and other magic. It might seem crude, but there's a significant reason for this. Magic that can be used after performing a ritual in a temple is called "priest magic." Magic that cannot be used in a temple ritual is referred to as "other magic." Those who use such magic are generally called "mages." For example, the princess of this country, who joined the party led by the hero Cosmo, uses magic passed down in the royal family, which is not priest magic.

The ritual that summoned us was centered around her magic, with the High Priest and many other priests cooperating.

So, with the High Priest's help, I immediately performed a ritual to form a contract with the spirit of light. However, this didn't mean I could use magic right away. I would need to train daily to actually use magic, specifically the summoning of the spirit of light, which is the foundation of priest magic. Before starting the training, the butler approached me.

"Mr. Touya, now that the ritual is complete, I think you should look for companions during your training. Preferably within ten days."

"What do you mean?"

"Considering the preparation of their armor, we need to factor in the time it takes for the craftsmen to make it."

"Oh, right!"

We had twenty days left for preparation. The craftsman said it would take a week to adjust the armor's size.

Thinking about it, I should follow the butler's advice and order the companions' armor within ten days.

"Companions... I remember talking a bit about it while shopping."

"Yes. Unlike Seira, I cannot accompany you, but I can use my connections to introduce you to suitable candidates."

This old gentleman, who claims to be just a butler, doesn't seem like an ordinary butler. I suspect he holds a significant position. Even if not, he has served the royal family for a long time and must have a wide network of contacts.

"So, can I hear your preferences before we start the training? I'll look for candidates accordingly."

"Preferences, huh..."

I crossed my arms and started thinking. Upon reflection, this is quite a difficult problem.

The issue is my gift, the "Infinite Bathroom." With this ability, I can take a bath even while traveling, but it feels wrong to use it only for myself and not for my companions. If I let them use it, the limitation of my ability, "the water only comes out if I'm with them," becomes a problem.

"...High Priest."

"What is it? I know I can't be your companion."

No, that's not what I meant.

"I don't have a habit of bathing with men."

"...I see. Well, that makes sense."

With those words, the High Priest seemed to understand.

Choosing someone as a companion in this world means asking them, "Would you like to take a bath with me?" regardless of whether they are male or female.

"By the way, does the butler know about my gift?"

"No, I haven't told him."

"Well, I'll skip the details, but anyone who becomes my companion will have to take a bath with me due to my gift."

"That... is quite..."

The butler looked unusually perplexed after hearing my explanation. I think he wouldn't have understood just from this explanation alone. However, the condition of taking a bath together should have been clear.

"That's quite a difficult condition."

"I agree. But I don't want to treat my companions poorly just because I don't want to bathe with them."

"I understand that."

In other words, I don't want to make my companions' lives worse because of my personal preference. I don't think this is a bad thing. That's why I believe the High Priest and the butler understand my conditions.

The faces of Haruno and Seira, who would be traveling with me, came to mind, but I didn't have the courage to ask them to "take a bath with me" so soon after meeting them.

Thinking about this, the butler raised two fingers and began to speak.

"Two options come to mind."

"Two? Tell me about them."

"The first is to choose someone who doesn't take baths."

"That sounds a bit... unhygienic."

Just imagining it makes me feel bad. I made a face of disgust.

"No, no, don't misunderstand. I mean non-humans who have such customs."

"Non-humans? Another fantasy term."

Non-humans, or demi-humans, are beings that resemble humans but are not human. In the world of Earth, dwarves and elves are well-known examples. Of course, they are all mythical beings. However, they might exist somewhere in this world.

"Are there non-humans who don't take baths?"

"The first one that comes to mind is the gillman, a kind of merfolk."

"Ah, yes. Gillmen live in cold water and would probably find hot water uncomfortable."

The High Priest added to the explanation.

"Where can I find them?"

"I don't know. I've never seen one."

"Hey!"

"There are a few other races that come to mind, but they are rarely seen in this holy capital."

The butler answered calmly, unfazed by my skeptical look.

"Anyway, this is just one option. I'll look into it, but don't get your hopes up."

"Alright, I understand."

You can't get something from nothing.

"By the way, how well-known are non-humans in this world?"

"Most people know they exist, but few have actually seen one."

"They don't visit human settlements as travelers, do they?"

They do exist, but to the average person, they are almost as mythical as legendary beings.

"What's the second option?"

"To choose a woman who is okay with mixed bathing. Since you are a hero, you might find more candidates than you expect. Some girls might even want your seed."

"Stop talking about seeds!"

The butler said this without any shame, as if it were a matter of course. This man might be a perverted gentleman.

"Don't forget they are supposed to be your travel companions."

"If there were no such conditions, noble daughters would have flocked to you. Quite seriously."

"Really?"

"Haruno only joined at the last minute because she awakened her gift late. Seira was assigned as a guide, but I had several offers from noble families before that."

"Seriously?"

"If you wish, I can arrange for you to meet them now."

"Wait, they didn't know about the bathing condition, did they?"

"Before you awakened. The age range is from twenty-one to twelve, a wide selection indeed."

"Twelve? Are you planning to send children on a dangerous journey?"

"Excuse me, they are adults."

"Really?"

I looked at the High Priest for confirmation, and he nodded in agreement. According to him, in this world, people are considered adults and capable of handling responsibilities at around twelve to fifteen years old. Twelve is on the younger side, but if they are recognized as adults, they are treated as such. Incidentally, marriage is also allowed for adults. Quite a different world.

"By the way, are heroes from other worlds that important?"

The High Priest answered my question.

"Would it help if I said they are in the same position as the first Holy King?"

"You mean they are seen as close to the royal family?"

"At least in this country. If you wish, you can have a very comfortable life. There are two other male heroes, so it's a matter of who acts first. If you want to, now is the time!"

The butler pointed at me emphatically.

While I can't deny that it's tempting, I don't want to be so aggressive. I believe I'm not that kind of person. If I leave the butler alone, he might go too far, so I decided to change the subject.

"Does this apply to other countries? Are there countries that don't get along with this one?"

When I asked, the butler and the High Priest exchanged glances, clearly indicating that there are countries that don't get along.

"I'll spare you the details for now, but there is a 'Olympus Union' consisting of twelve nations on this continent."

"The Holy Capital Jupiter Polis is at the center of the union. Some countries aim to take that position."

"Even if they are part of the union, it's not that simple, is it?"

"Relations between countries are never that simple."

The butler, who has served the royal family for a long time, seemed to know a lot about international relations, even if he wasn't directly involved.

"Please don't worry; we are not at war with anyone. At least not for the past three years."

"I can't relax. What about the threat of the Demon King?"

"Behind the skirmishes between villages that sparked the war, there were monsters under the Demon King's command."

The Demon King's army seems to engage in conspiracies and covert operations.

"Wasn't the Demon King supposed to be sealed away?"

"While sealed, he is still said to reign as the king of monsters."

The Demon King himself seems to be a more formidable opponent than I imagined.

"Anyway, we can't openly recruit because the conditions are too straightforward, but we'll try our best."

"Can you even find someone?"

"The other side is eager, but it might be difficult with such straightforward conditions."

The High Priest asked with concern, and the butler frowned slightly.

"I understand what you mean. Even if we don't openly recruit, we can't say, 'The condition is to take a bath together.'"

"No, that's not the issue. If they see you as the one making the demands, they might fear losing control."

"How aggressive are they?"

"They have pride as nobles."

The butler answered calmly. From what I've gathered, the people who applied early are very proud and aggressive. The idea of a high-handed, aggressive twelve-year-old girl is a bit thrilling.

In any case, they want my "seed" because I'm in the same position as the first Holy King, but they want to maintain control as nobles.

"Isn't that like being treated as a stud?"

"Yes, so I can't recommend it to someone who would realize that."

"Rejected, rejected!"

"By the way, are you willing to consider men as well?"

"Please, no. The bath isn't that big."

If it were a large bath like an onsen, I might consider it, but the "Infinite Bathroom" is a small bathroom like those in ordinary homes. I've bathed with the High Priest and the instructor priest to confirm my ability, but since they were elderly and middle-aged, I could compromise and treat it like a family bath.

Honestly, I don't want to bathe with men, and I'm not willing to compromise on this point.

The butler seemed to sense my resolve and didn't push further. After some thought, he snapped his fingers as if he had an idea.

"In that case, there's one more option... This might also help us find non-humans."

"What is it?"

"It's called a 'laborer.'"

The butler said this confidently, but it was a term I had never heard before.

The next day, I was in a carriage heading to a certain place, with the butler as the driver. Our destination was the "laborer market."

If I had heard about this from the butler yesterday, I might have punched him. As someone born and raised in modern Japan, that was a natural reaction.

However, the High Priest, sensing my anger, calmed me down and explained in detail. I learned that the "laborers" in this world are different from what I imagined.

Laborers are bought and owned, have no freedom, and can be transferred. In that sense, they are similar to what I imagined. However, the lack of freedom applies only to their work.

They have days off, and unless they are bought by a particularly cruel owner, they are not treated as harshly as I imagined. After hearing all the explanations, I concluded that being a laborer is a form of employment contract.

First, being a laborer is not a lifelong commitment; there is a term of service. This system exists throughout the country and the Olympus Union. The people in this country are divided into "citizens" and "others." Most laborers are from the "others" category, but they can become citizens after completing their term of service, provided they have no issues like being a criminal.

Interestingly, most people working in the temple, except for the priests, are laborers. They do menial tasks and receive citizenship after completing their term. Some even become apprentice priests during their term and can become full priests and receive citizenship early.

In this way, the laborer system also functions as an apprenticeship system. I imagined it like the young apprentices and indentured servants in historical dramas.

"Seems like I have to accept this as part of the culture."

I slumped in my seat in the carriage, speaking weakly.

In fact, in this country, employing laborers is considered a status symbol for the middle class and above. It is seen as virtuous to leave laborious tasks like housework and farming to laborers while focusing on more socially beneficial activities.

For example, a former laborer who became a priest might now employ laborers to handle household chores while working as a priest for the people.

While the idea of buying and selling people is concerning, this system can be seen as a form of employment with a fixed term and prepaid compensation.

Of course, there are those who use laborers for their own convenience or treat them harshly, but I couldn't outright reject the laborer system based on these exceptions.

This is what cultural differences are, I suppose. As I was lost in thought in the carriage, the butler, who was driving, spoke up.

"By the way, I forgot to mention yesterday, but the craftsmen and staff at the workshop we visited are all laborers."

"Really!? Ow!"

I stood up in surprise and hit my head on the ceiling of the carriage. While holding my head, I listened to the butler's explanation. The weapon and armor workshop, which served the royal family, was owned by the royal family, and all the workers were laborers hired by the royal family. According to the butler, all the buildings in the craftsmen's district were owned by the royal family or the nobility, and there were no non-laborer craftsmen in that area.

"...I see, to protect the technology."

"Exactly, Mr. Touya."

As mentioned earlier, the laborer system has an apprenticeship aspect. This means that the skills are passed down through generations of laborer craftsmen. This can be seen as a way for the royal family and nobility to protect and monopolize the skills of the craftsmen. It highlights how important protecting the skills of craftsmen is.

The craftsmen's district might have been created to centralize and protect the craftsmen and their skills in one place.

In any case, my purpose for visiting the laborer market is to find companions. Among the laborers, there are "combat laborers" who are hired temporarily during large battles.

The laborer market is not a place where all laborers are present all the time. They usually live and work in the city, and during large battles, they are hired as soldiers to earn rewards and reduce their term of service to become citizens. These are the combat laborers.

Speaking of fantasy worlds, most people think of "adventurers" first. In this world, such people do exist, but most are not wanderers. Most have a base and earn a living by hunting monsters or taking on quests from citizens. They also participate in large battles for rewards, acting as combat laborers.

In this world, adventurers are essentially combat laborers. Their jobs during times without large battles are what most people imagine adventurers doing.

If they perform well in large battles, they might catch the eye of nobles and become exclusive laborers, not just temporary hires. This could open the path to knighthood after becoming a citizen.

High risk, high reward. Many confident fighters register as combat laborers for this reason.

In this world, where the power of blessing allows women to wear heavy armor, female combat laborers are not uncommon. It's also not unusual for laborers to provide sexual services, and some are hired specifically for that purpose. Since women can fight, women's rights are somewhat recognized in this world, and this applies to both men and women.

The butler said it was difficult to find companions through his network because it was concentrated around the royal castle. The people he could find were mostly nobles or those close to them, so he couldn't say, "I'm looking for someone to take a bath with."

However, laborers are different. I can look for someone with that condition from the start. I didn't intend to ask for more than "taking a bath together," but upon reflection, it's a halfway condition. I need to set a more definitive condition. Besides, I'm not sure I could handle mixed bathing.

Despite all the excuses, I couldn't stop feeling excited as the carriage jolted along.

By the way, there are cases where non-humans captured in battle become laborers, so there's a chance I might find non-humans at the laborer market. However, I didn't have the mental capacity to think that far at the moment.

"Mr. Touya