After eating their fill, Naoki and Tenka headed to their room.
The two walked down a long corridor. Dark wooden walls on the left and right, smooth natural stone flooring, and occasionally neat Japanese landscape paintings hanging. The sound of their footsteps echoed softly, mixing with the trickling water from the distant garden.
Upon reaching the end of the corridor, they were greeted by a double wooden door with carvings of a dragon and phoenix facing each other. When that door opened, an extremely luxurious guest room stretched before them.
The decoration and facilities were truly extraordinary. Unlike the typical tatami rooms of traditional Japanese hot spring inns usually floored with straw mats and futons, this place specifically served the upper class, so it was equipped with a series of large Western-style beds.
High ceilings with crystal chandeliers hanging gracefully. Cream-colored leather sofa in the corner of the room, teak wood table with intricate carvings, antique wardrobe, and of course, the bed.
That king-size bed dominated one side of the room. Its wooden frame was beautifully carved, clean white silk sheets with fluffy pillows.
Of course, Tenka deliberately chose a double bed when making the reservation.
Was there anything wrong with a couple sleeping in the same bed?
Not at all.
Naoki placed his suitcase in the corner of the room, his eyes exploring every nook. "This room is amazing."
As he had once said, the world didn't know the concept of justice. The only reason people felt unfair was because those privileges didn't fall into their own hands.
Naoki was no different. Faced with such a high-class room, how many people could resist enjoying it?
Especially when there was a beautiful woman accompanying him.
Tenka smiled satisfied. "Glad Naoki-kun likes it. I'll give it a five-star review later."
On one side of the room, a large sliding glass door opened to a private hot spring bath area. Naoki walked closer, pushing that door slowly.
Warm, humid air immediately greeted him. It was a natural stone pool in an irregular shape, large enough for four or five people. The water appeared clear bluish, with thin steam rising on the surface, while densely planted bamboo trees provided privacy.
"No wonder this place is a favorite recreational destination for the upper class."
Naoki stepped closer to the hot spring source, crouched down, and gently touched the water surface to feel its temperature.
"The salt content is just right. Not too bland, and it feels... satisfying."
He pulled back his hand, then began removing his clothes. A large provided towel wrapped around his waist, and he stepped into the pool.
Upon entering the bath, he found that the hot spring maintained a comfortable temperature throughout. There were no spots that were too hot or too cold—his worries about uneven temperature were completely unfounded.
The hot spring was like a pot of thick soup. Once he soaked in it, the water seemed to cover his entire body perfectly. Naoki felt warm water enveloping his skin, seeping slowly.
As time passed, that warmth seemed to expand beyond the surface, gradually penetrating deep into the skin, penetrating tense muscles, presenting an unprecedented sense of comfort.
While soaking, his body gradually relaxed. He leaned against the smooth stone wall, his head looking up at the evening sky.
His fatigue and stress began to disappear, dissolving in this warm water.
Naoki closed his eyes, enjoying the tranquility and beauty of that moment. Warm currents flowed from all directions, penetrating his body and reaching his soul. For the first time in a long while, he felt truly peaceful.
"I feel really comfortable..."
Not knowing how long he drifted, Naoki finally opened his eyes.
And at that moment, the view before him left him stunned.
Tenka walked slowly from the yard, splitting the thin mist rising from the pool. Her body was only wrapped in a white towel—one towel that wrapped from chest to thigh, revealing slender shoulders and beautiful long legs.
Her face was confident with a thin smile—not the slightest awkward embarrassment like most high school girls.
She walked gracefully, her steps steady, her eyes gazing at Naoki with an intensity that made the man's heart pound.
Upon reaching the edge of the pool, right in front of Naoki, she stopped.
"Beautiful?"
Her voice was soft, mixed with a slightly teasing tone.
Naoki swallowed. His eyes explored the figure before him—the firm shoulder line, the waist curve shadowed behind the towel, the slender legs wet with steam.
"Very beautiful!"
"Mm."
Tenka nodded satisfied. That compliment was exactly as she expected.
Slowly, with a graceful movement, she reached for the end of the towel wrapping her body. A gentle pull, and that towel came loose, sliding down to the stone at the edge of the pool.
Her naked body was exposed in front of Naoki.
Her skin was pure white, her shoulders firm yet feminine, the curve of her slender neck, beautifully protruding collarbones. Her breasts formed perfect mounds with pink nipples beginning to stiffen from the cold air. Her waist was slender, tapering to beautifully blooming hips, then strong yet soft slender thighs.
She stepped down into the pool, warm water welcoming her body. She sat beside Naoki, their bodies only separated by a few centimeters. Water vapor rose around them, creating an intimate atmosphere that was hard to describe.
"Ah..." Tenka let out a long sigh, her eyes closed. "This feels so good."
(◕ˇ∀ˇ◕)
Naoki gazed at her admiringly from the side. Even in a relaxed state, with closed eyes and head slightly tilted back, Tenka still looked enchanting.
Suddenly, a pair of white arms appeared before Naoki. Tenka hugged him from the side, her body pressing close, their skin touching under the warm water.
"Naoki-kun."
"Hm?"
"Do you remember the day you entered Mato for the first time?"
Naoki fell silent for a moment. Of course he remembered. That day was a turning point in his life—when he fell into a hole, found a Peach, and met Tenka.
"I remember."
Tenka wrapped her arms around Naoki's neck, lifting her body slightly, and whispered right in his ear. Her warm breath tickled his skin.
"You probably already guessed it. Actually... I came earlier when you fought the Shuuki." She paused. "But instead of immediately stepping in to help you, I watched you from afar."
"..."
Naoki didn't react.
"Does Naoki-kun know why?"
Naoki shook his head slowly. In fact, he had long speculated about that. Tenka's appearance at that time was too timely, too coincidental. That girl must have been watching him from the beginning.
Tenka took a breath, then began to tell.
"That was the first time in my life I saw a man fighting head-to-head against Shuuki, risking his life." Her voice was soft. "Before meeting you, I had often rescued male survivors who were unlucky enough to enter Mato. They could all only flee or hide from Shuuki, waiting for rescue to come. Some cried, some were hysterical, some could only scream for help. Not a single one fought back."
She tightened her embrace.
"So, seeing a man fight back, that was a truly new experience for me." Tenka laughed softly. "In an era of female supremacy like now, men are treated as second-class citizens. They lost their masculine attitude. They grew up with the belief that they were weak, that they needed to be protected, that they couldn't do anything. And most are indeed like that."
She gazed into Naoki's eyes up close.
"But you're different. You're the first man who made my heart race." Her cheeks flushed faintly, though trying to appear calm. "You eliminated my boredom, Naoki-kun. All this time I've lived in monotonous routine. Nothing interesting. Nothing that made me feel alive."
She sighed.
"But when I saw you fighting that Shuuki... my heart was like being struck by lightning. Right then I realized: I fell in love with you. Not because you were strong, not because you were special. But because of your courage, because of your attitude willing to risk your life rather than just resign or lament in despair. That was very attractive to me."
Tenka fell silent briefly, giving time for her words to sink in.
"Now, after Naoki-kun knows all that, what do you think?" She looked at him with slightly anxious eyes, though trying to smile. "I'm ready if you're angry at me, you know~. I watched you secretly, left you in danger..."
She rose slightly, then sat on Naoki's lap, facing him directly. Now they faced each other, eyes meeting eyes, bodies touching each other under the warm water. This position was very intimate—Naoki could feel Tenka's heartbeat, could see the glimmer in her eyes.
In response, Naoki wrapped his arms around Tenka's waist and hugged her tightly. Their bodies pressed together perfectly.
"Silly." His voice was soft. "Why should I be angry at you for that? I should be thanking Tenka instead."
Tenka's eyes widened in confusion. "Huh?"
"Think about it carefully." Naoki placed his chin on the girl's shoulder. His face pressed against Tenka's neck, his warm breath tickling her skin. "If you had immediately acted to save me at that time, I guarantee I wouldn't have fallen into the hole and found the Peach. Right?"
"..."
Tenka fell silent.
"Me without awakening a Peach Blessing would just be an ordinary man. Maybe you'd still be interested in me for a while, but in the end... what would be my appeal? An ordinary man who needs to be saved all the time? A man who can only depend on you?"
He pulled back slightly, gazing into Tenka's eyes.
"I wouldn't be able to stand beside you as an equal partner. I'd just be a burden. And in the end, that relationship would fall apart."
"That's not true!" Tenka shook her head hard, denying his words.
She grabbed Naoki's face with both hands, forcing the man to look directly at her.
"Naoki-kun, listen to me." Her voice was firm. "Even if you were an ordinary person without a Peach Blessing, I was already captivated by your courage at that time. That wouldn't change. I was already interested in you—in you, not in your power."
She stroked her thumb on Naoki's cheek.
"I'm sure, even if the scenario was different, I would still take the initiative to get to know you. I would approach you, build a relationship, and deepen it. Maybe the path would be different, maybe slower, but the end goal would remain the same." Her smile was thin but genuine. "Because I fell in love with Naoki-kun, not the Peach Blessing you possess."
"..."
Naoki stared at her closely. His eyes searched for signs of lies, doubts, but found nothing but sincerity.
"Tenka..."
"I'm serious." Tenka nodded. "So never think that you're only valuable because of your power. You're valuable because of yourself—because of your courage, because of how you treat others. That all has nothing to do with Peach Blessings."
Naoki fell silent. His chest felt warm—not because of the hot water, but because of something else.
Throughout two lifetimes, he had never felt fully accepted like this. In his previous life, he worked alone, suffered alone, was betrayed alone.
But Tenka... this girl accepted him as he was. With all his secrets, with all his shortcomings, with everything he hadn't even told.
"Thank you. Thank you for saying that."
Tenka smiled, then leaned close and kissed his forehead. A gentle kiss full of affection.
"No need to thank me. I'm just saying the truth."
They hugged in silence. Nothing more needed to be said, everything had been conveyed.
After a while, Tenka shifted slightly, placing her head on Naoki's chest.
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