Pioneering the Apocalyptic World - Chapter 108

Side chapter: Relaxing in the bath… I couldn’t take one

“… I should take a bath.”

I don’t know how it is by the standards of this world, but as a Japanese person, not taking a bath is uncomfortable. There’s nothing I can do about it during the trips, but I’ve been trying to use it every day since I prepared the bathing facilities.
However, for the past few days, the act of taking a bath is a little bit of a problem. That’d because.

“I’ll give you a hand.”

“………… Thank you very much.”

Fricka naturally offered to help me.
I can’t even wash my head with my arm in this condition, if asked it’s helpful, it is… But the trauma (?) from the first time still remains…
… I haven’t had a single incident since then, so let’s try to respond without being so reluctant…

“Phew… I feel refreshed…”

I asked Fricka to wash my head, back, and left arm, and while struggling with one hand, I insisted that I would do the front by myself, after I washed my body and relaxed into the bathtub. My right arm is hanging down outside of the bathtub being soaked in warmed holy water + LP potions in a tub.
However, it doesn’t seem to be that effective, and when I try to open and close my hand, it still doesn’t move well. It’s not like it doesn’t have an effect at all, so I guess I’ll just have to be patient.

“Excuse me”

“Okay~.”

While averting my gaze from the skin that was passing in front of me, as if to disguise my actions, I stared at my right arm and moved it around.
The water level rose, and when I thought that the water was up to her shoulders, I turned my gaze back to the front…. I saw Fricka’s face looking at me from the edge of my vision.
… Her expression was so grim that I became startled.

“W-what…?”

When I asked, internally breaking out in a cold sweat under the pressure, I couldn’t believe my ears as words that I couldn’t have expected came out.

“Rion-sama… Is my body that hard to bear to look at?”

“…… What?”

Can’t bear to look at it? …… Huh?

“Wait, wait, what made you think that?”

“… Rion-sama always looks away immediately… I wonder if it’s something you don’t want to see.”

“No, no, that’s not what-”

“Then, what exactly does that mean?”

I was about to say that’s not about that, but she interrupted me and approached me. Of course, since it’s a bath, she’s naked.
Hieeeeeeeee, wait, wait!

“Look, you run away, isn’t it?”

“No, no, no, it’s the opposite! Your body is so beautiful that I’m just embarrassed to look at it!”

That’s why, please! Don’t fill my field of vision!
When I begged with a pathetic voice.

“………………………… Is that so.”

Fricka spilled out that in a small voice, and after moving back slightly she sunk down her body to the level of her nose.
No, even if you make an embarrassed face like that, It’s me that is embarrassed after having to reveal something like this!
By the way, this is a super trivial aside, but in Uru’s case, her scales are growing up from various places on her body, so it is hard to say that it looks beautiful. But her skin is very beautiful….. Wait, what am I really blabbing about.

After a rather awkward silence passed, she spoke another statement that was made based on a huge misunderstanding, and made me almost choke.

“… I was thinking that Rion-sama likes people with big breasts.”

“Buh!? Wait! Where’s that information from!?”

“… There were times you were staring the Creator God’s chest, so…”

Hey!? Why are you paying attention to that!?

“Ah, my only impression is that ‘Oh it’s big!’ I’m not looking at it out of that kind of interest okay!?”

“So you don’t deny that you’re looking.”

“…”

What’s this, I feel like I’ve been caught up in a guiding interrogation…
… But when I think about it, I was being disrespectful to a God… Let’s be careful.
Anyway, I cleared my throat as if to change the topic of the talk. It’s not ran away okay.

“There’s no connection between breast size and my preferences! There’s no such thing as bigger being better than smaller!”

“…… I got it”

… That’s strange, why am I talking about this…?
Damn, even though the bath was supposed to relieve fatigue, I feel even more tired!

I get out of the bath, quickly dry my body, and put on my clothes. It was not easy to wipe with my arm like this, so it’s a little wet, but the temperature is rising, so I don’t think I’ll catch a cold.
Finally, I put the ouroboros ring back on my neck, which I had taken off since I was taking a bath.

“Rion-sama, I’m going to reapply the bandages and wipe your hair.”

“Ah, yes, please.”

I sat down in a chair, had a new bandage wrapped around me, and then had my hair wiped.
Hmm, her fingers are perfect and it feels good, but I still want a hair dryer. I think it’s probably easy to make one.
As I was planning the idea in my head, Fricka called out to me with a hesitant voice.

“… Rion-sama, I’ve been curious for a while, but that accessory…”

“Hmm? This?”

Although it’s from behind me, I can see that her eyes are focused on the Ouroboros ring.
I turned around while picking up the string and lifting it, so she could see it easily.

“Can I ask what kind of thing it is?”

Hmm… I wonder if it’s okay to tell the truth. Well, if it’s Fricka, it’s okay.

“A ring I made from Ouroboros’ material.”

“… Yes? A material from a what?”

“The Ouroboros Dragon.”

Fricka blinked several times, as if she couldn’t understand what I said just now.
And little by little, her eyes widened.

“… Ouroboros Dragon… Don’t tell me… From the said to be the strongest being in the world…?”

Her voice was trembling and hoarse, and her face looked pale. It was the strongest in the game, but to the people of this world, is it a so terrifying being that even just talking about it is scary?
… Normally, I would have been dismissed with a “What are you saying?” Fricka too would have thought it was a joke. Unless it’s something I said.
I shake my head with a wry smile.
It’s true that it’s made from the Ouroboros Dragon, but it’s just the game one. It’s not the real dragon…

“No, I’m sure it’s not the same Ouroboros that Fricka is thinking about. This is… That’s right, it belongs to a monster that was called that in my worl-… In the area where I lived.”

“I-I see… I can feel a strange pressure, so it’s even called the same name as that Ouroboros Dragon, it must have been a really strong monster.”

“You’re right that it was strong, but… A pressure, hmm.”

I tilted my head at the words that Fricka let out with a relieved breath.
I looked at the ring while swinging it in my hands, but it don’t feel nothing. Am I just numb to that or have I gotten used to it without realizing it?

“As I expected from Rion-sama, the answer was a little different from what I expected, but I was relieved that it wasn’t a gift from someone important.”

“What do you mean by that’s like me?… And why a gift from someone important?”

Did she mistakenly think that it was something important because I wore it all the time? Although it is important in a certain sense.
As for me… It’s the only thing I have from my original world (Well, I don’t know if I really can call it that), so I just wear it like a charm.
Furthermore, the reason why I don’t just put in my finger is simply because it gets in the way. There’s no special effect in it.
But what exactly she is relieved about?

“… I noticed that I haven’t given anything to Rion-sama, and I was feeling a little nervous.”

“Eh? I got enough, right?”

I’m asking her to grant magic in the magic stones all times…! Her cooking skills have improved and she makes delicious food.
In addition, she’s actually wiping my hair for me who can’t move my hands right now, and she’s also helping me in other things too. She is really helping me out here~.

“No, it’s not like that…”

“? What it’s about?”

I tried asking again, but Fricka just let out a big sigh and didn’t answer.
… Nuh?