However, the workload was far from over.
Time ticked away.
The three of them spent approximately another hour busying themselves with washing and the initial cutting of the plants. Finally, the medicinal herbs were placed in bamboo sieves and spread out on bamboo racks to dry. Only then was the processing considered complete.
Suō Tsukasa finished adjusting the lighting and glanced at the time on the clock hanging nearby. He clapped his hands.
"Good work, everyone. It's getting late, so let's call it a day."
"After we finish soaking in the hot spring, we should get ready to rest."
"Hmm? What about training?"
Hearing this, Matsumoto Rangiku asked with some confusion.
"Uh, today's labor in the fields and the upcoming rest are also part of the training."
"The things you want to see will probably have to wait until tomorrow or the day after. Don't be fooled by how bright it is here; it's actually quite late."
Tsukasa understood the underlying meaning of her words. He pointed at the clock to signal her to check the time and briefly explained the uniqueness of this space.
"This is how we usually do things."
"Labor takes priority. Once the necessary work is finished, the remaining time is dedicated to focused cultivation."
"It's just that we had a bit more to do than usual today."
Toshiro clapped the debris off his hands and added calmly from the side.
"Alright then."
Seeing the dead-serious expressions on the two in front of her, Rangiku realized she wouldn't see any action today. However, she was still quite happy; although it was a bit tiring, the trip hadn't been in vain.
Tsukasa followed up by asking, "By the way, are you heading back tonight? Or will you be staying here?"
"Is there extra space for me to stay?"
Rangiku was momentarily stunned. Originally, she had intended to head back after the soak.
Tsukasa pointed toward a slightly smaller hot spring hut and said, "There is. Toshiro can squeeze into my room temporarily."
"There isn't much in his room anyway. I'll just get you a set of clean bedding."
Thinking for a moment, he added, "Of course, if you're not comfortable with that, I can take you back."
"No need for the trouble. I'll just stay here for the night," Rangiku replied, shaking her head as she recalled the distance they had traveled to get here.
She really didn't feel like making the trip right now. After the hot spring, her whole body would be relaxed; walking that far back to the barracks would not be a wise choice.
"Fine. Go soak in the hot spring then. Relax well so you'll have energy tomorrow."
After seeing her off, Tsukasa could simply return to the Squad 13 barracks to rest, so it didn't affect him much. But he didn't have to go back. It wasn't the first time he'd shared a room with Toshiro; they could make do.
The three of them then headed toward their respective hot spring areas.
Rangiku walked to the separate spring enclosed by a bamboo wall and found that everything inside was indeed well-prepared. Clean towels were neatly folded on a bamboo rack, and there was a small bamboo stool in the corner for her clothes.
The pool wasn't large, but it was enough to accommodate three to five people.
A bamboo fence divided the underground space into inner and outer halves. Faint sounds of water came from next door as Tsukasa and Toshiro entered the pool one after another.
She shed her outer garments, rinsed her body, and slowly lowered herself into the pool. The warm spring water enveloped her body, the heat penetrating every inch of her skin. Remembering the interesting experiences of the evening, a relaxed smile surfaced on her lips.
After an unknown amount of time, she heard Tsukasa's voice from beyond the wall.
"There are late-night snacks in the kitchen later. You can rinse your clothes from today and hang them up to dry using Tenran (Tornado)."
"I only have men's clothes here."
"Got it," Rangiku replied softly, opening her eyes and realizing she had almost drifted off.
Tenran was merely a low-numbered Kido. When Tsukasa mentioned it, she understood exactly what he meant.
She stood up and wrapped a large towel around herself as water droplets slid down. She gave her discarded clothes a simple rinse in a washbasin and hung them on a bamboo rack. With a light tap of her finger, a weak Tenran enveloped the clothing, and fine wisps of steam began to rise.
A short while later.
She walked out of the separate spring wearing the Shihakusho she had arrived in, though she looked a bit different now. Her face carried an alluring flush from the steam, and her blonde hair held a hint of moisture, glowing softly under the light.
She saw Tsukasa and Toshiro sitting at a stone table with a game board set between them, covered in many black and white pieces. The two were staring intently at the board; Toshiro's brow was slightly furrowed as he held a piece, seemingly pondering his next move.
Hearing footsteps, Tsukasa looked up. His gaze involuntarily lingered on her face for a second longer than usual. Snapping back to reality, he smiled at her and said, "There are snacks in the kitchen. If you're hungry, you can have some."
"I'm not hungry. You two know how to play Go?" Rangiku walked to the table, looking at the board with curiosity.
"Oh, no, this is Gomoku," Tsukasa explained.
"Oh, Renju," Rangiku remarked. Although she didn't have many memories from before she was guided, she remembered certain terms very clearly.
"Uh, yes." Tsukasa was slightly taken-at-back, remembering that was the old name for Gomoku in ancient times, and nodded.
At that moment, Toshiro placed a white piece, blocking a line of black pieces. He looked up at Rangiku and asked, "Want to play?"
He lost more often than he won against Tsukasa, and games are only fun if you win. Seeing that she seemed to know how to play, a subtle glint of shrewdness flashed in his emerald eyes as he extended the invitation.
"You guys keep going. I'll watch for a bit." Rangiku sat down on a nearby stone stool, resting her chin on her hand as she watched the board.
"Alright."
Tsukasa and Toshiro took turns for several moves, and unsurprisingly, it ended with Tsukasa's victory once again.
"No problem, I remember how to play now. Let me try."
"Sure." Tsukasa gathered the pieces, handed the box of black stones to her, and gave up his seat.
"I'm not very good, so you have to go easy on me," Rangiku said softly, squinting her eyes at Toshiro, who seemed brimming with fighting spirit.
"Hmph." Toshiro gave a simple grunt, his emotions unreadable.
In the first round, Rangiku lacked experience and strategy and was quickly defeated.
In the second round, for the sake of fairness, Tsukasa gave her a few pointers before they started. She held out a bit longer but still lost.
After a few more rounds, Rangiku gradually found her rhythm. Following a fierce battle, she finally managed to win.
"I—won—! Hahaha!" Rangiku looked at Toshiro triumphantly, her voice full of pride.
"A—gain!" Toshiro pressed his hand against the edge of the board, unwilling to accept the loss.
"No, it's about time. We need to rest," Tsukasa said, glancing at the clock.
"Tch." Toshiro let out an extremely faint click of his tongue, but he obediently packed up the pieces.
He strictly adhered to his schedule and never procrastinated. Sleep was very important to him. Ever since he began training with Tsukasa, the two had maintained a regular and orderly routine. Plus, the fact that his height limit had successfully broken through by 1cm recently made him even more convinced that a balance between work and rest was the long-term path to success. Naturally, he couldn't get hung up on a momentary win or loss.
"Fine!" Rangiku was satisfied with winning a single round and happily packed away the pieces as well.
The game session ended.
Tsukasa escorted her to the front of Toshiro's hut. Some things could only be handled by him.
The interior of the small hut consisted only of a simple small hall. Fresh bedding was laid out on the floor; otherwise, there was only a low table and a cabinet. Toshiro didn't own much; most of his belongings were in the main house.
Under Tsukasa's control over his ability, the light inside the hut dimmed until it reached a level suitable for sleep.
"Is this brightness okay?"
"It's about right. This works."
Rangiku's eyes lit up as she stepped inside. Before her figure was submerged in the darkness, she smiled and waved in gratitude.
"Tsukasa, I had a really great time tonight. Thank you. Goodnight!"
"Goodnight!" Tsukasa replied with a smile, then gently closed the door.
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