Chapter 43 – Washing Away the Wilderness
Chapter 43
Washing Away the Wilderness
Date: Day 29 of Harvestmoon. 1024 Aethellgard Concord Year.
Hyoren and Elise entered the city. It truly exceeded Hyoren's expectations.
He had already removed his assumptions about Earth medieval towns—which were dirty and unsanitary. The history books. The fantasy novels. The stories of filth and disease. Of open sewers and unpaved streets. Of waste thrown from windows. Of mud and muck and misery. He had discarded those expectations.
But the actual view still struck him.
"Woah."
The word escaped him. A breath. A whisper. A sound of pure wonder.
"The city is... huge. And bustling."
His eyes wandered around. Unable to settle. Unable to focus. Too much to see. Too much to absorb.
The city was clean. Organized. The path was paved with grey stone. Similar to the wall. Smooth. Even. Maintained. Not the dirt roads he had expected. Not the mud. Not the chaos. But order of infrastructure.
There were ditches and drainage too. Running along the sides of the streets. Carrying water away. Preventing floods. Preventing disease. A sanitation system. Actual sanitation. And there was definitely no trash or dumps scattered. No waste. No filth. No piles of rotting garbage. The streets were clean. The air was fresh. The city was... civilized.
On the sidewalk, he could see lamps. Magic lamps. Placed every few meters. Consistent. They were off right now. The suns were still high. But when the night descended, the cityscape would not be dark. The lamps would glow. Magic would illuminate the streets.
Elise let Hyoren enjoy his first visit to the city for a while. She watched him. She let him absorb it. Let him experience the moment.
But eventually—she tugged at his sleeve.
"Let's go, Hyoren. We have a few destinations we need to go."
Hyoren finally stopped from his stupor.
"Ah. Right."
He blinked. Returning to himself. Returning to the present.
"Sorry, Elise. Lead the way."
They walked side by side. Moving through the streets. The Adventurer's District revealed itself around them. Inns. Shops. Hyoren's eyes kept wandering around. Unable to stay still. Unable to focus. Every building was new. Every face was unfamiliar. Every sound was novel.
Elise chuckled. The sight of him made her want to teach him again. To share her knowledge. He was like a child seeing the world for the first time. Everything was fresh. Everything was surprising. Everything was a lesson waiting to be learned.
"Okay."
She said. Her voice taking on a teaching tone.
"I will tell you briefly about this city, Hyoren."
His head turned to Elise. His eyes shining. The same expression he had worn when she explained the economy. The same hunger for knowledge. The same willingness to understand.
"Yes please, Elise!"
Elise cleared her throat. Then started explaining. Her voice rising above the noise of the street.
"This city is divided into five districts."
She began. Painting a picture with words.
"Here on the east side is called the Adventurer's District."
She gestured around them. At the buildings. At the people. At the atmosphere.
"Adventurer's Guild HQ, inns, cheap shops, entertainment shops, brothels. All are here."
She explained. The district for adventurers. For travelers. For those who sought fortune and glory. The district where they would likely live. Where they would find lodging. Where they would base their operations.
Elise continued.
"On the north is the Merchants' District."
She pointed. Indicating the direction.
"The HQ of the Merchants' Guild, better shops, and better inns."
She explained. The district for commerce. She then gestured toward the west.
"Then there's the Residential District and Administrative District on the west and south."
She spoke quickly. Covering the basics. The residential area where people lived. The administrative area where the government operated.
She then looked at the middle. At the castle that rose above the rooftops. The central structure. The seat of power.
"And at the middle—Castle District."
Her voice carried respect. Recognition.
"The place where the Baron lives."
Hyoren nodded in understanding. The city planning existed here. The city was divided by roles. By function. By purpose. Not chaos. Not haphazard growth. But design. Organization. Intent.
"I see. I see..." he murmured.
"That's going to make finding places easy."
The layout made sense. Navigation would be simple. Finding what they needed would be straightforward.
He then looked at Elise.
"So where are we going to go first? Adventurer's Guild? Or are we going to find an inn first?"
Two priorities. Two destinations. The guild—where Elise needed to report. Where they would register. Where they would begin their official life as adventurers. The inn—where they would sleep. Where they would rest. Where they would store their belongings.
Elise shook her head. Then she stopped. In front of a building made of wood. A sign hung above the door. A steaming water. The universal symbol of bathing. The place was called Yorogin Bathhouse.
"No. First things first."
Her voice carried conviction.
"We need to truly clean our bodies. Weeks of not taking a proper bath is making my skin icky, Hyoren."
She wrinkled her nose. Expressing her discomfort. Her distaste for the grime. The sweat. The dirt that had accumulated over days of travel. Over weeks of survival.
Realization also dawned on Hyoren. The truth of her words. The state of his own body. His own skin.
"Bath."
He spoke the word.
"I also love baths Elise. I always enjoyed taking hot bath before I was transported… here."
He admitted. His voice carrying longing. The simple pleasure of hot water, soap, and cleanliness.
"Damn. Survival in the forest made me forget such a thing."
He looked at himself. At his clothes. At his skin. The grime. The dried blood. The accumulated filth of weeks in the wilderness.
"I agree with you, Elise. I would love to take a bath first. Removing all this grime and dry blood."
He paused. A realization. A sniff.
"I must smell so bad."
Elise smiled. The expression was warm. Understanding. She was in the same condition. The same need. The same desire for cleanliness. For refreshment. For the simple pleasure of hot water.
She led him into the bathhouse. The door opened. The interior was revealed. Wood. Warmth. Steam. The smell of clean water.
As it was still midday, the bathhouse was empty. The morning crowd had come and gone. The evening crowd had not yet arrived. They had the place to themselves.
Elise approached the counter. An old man sat behind it. Grey hair. Grey beard. Weathered skin. He looked old. In his sixties, perhaps. But as the humans in this world aged differently, Hyoren couldn't really deduce his real age.
"Hey, old man Yorogin."
Elise called out with familiar and casual tone. They knew each other.
"I'm back!"
The old man—Yorogin—looked up from his counter. His eyes found Elise.
"Oh, if it isn't Elise."
He smiled. A warm expression. Genuine pleasure.
"Welcome back."
He noticed Hyoren. Standing beside Elise. A new face. His eyes assessed him. Curious and interested.
"So who is this?"
A question. But also a tease. His eyes twinkled with mischief.
"Did you finally find a husband after all these years?"
His voice carried humor. Delight. The joy of teasing. The old man was enjoying himself.
"Good for you. This old man can finally witness the lonely girl finding her heart."
Elise's face instantly flushed. Red. Crimson. From her neck to her ears. Her pointed ears turning pink. Her eyes widened. Her mouth opened. But no words came out.
"Old man!"
She finally managed. Her voice strangled. Embarrassed. Furious.
"Don't joke around!"
She gestured at Hyoren. At herself. At the space between them.
"This is Hyoren. My partner. Party member."
She emphasized the words. Partner. Party member. Not husband. Not lover. Not romantic interest.
She then took a few copper coins from her bag. Her movements quick. Flustered. She put them on the counter, distraction from the embarrassment.
"Here. 2,000 Kres. For me and him."
She then bolted toward the women's side of the bath. Escaping the teasing. Escaping the embarrassment. Escaping the old man's knowing smile.
Hyoren chuckled. Second time this had happened. First Jigor teasing. And now this Yorogin. Same result. Same red face. Same fleeing figure. Same embarrassed elf running from the implication of romance.
"Elise is truly loved by a lot of people, huh..."
He observed. The words were quiet. Meant for himself. But Yorogin heard them.
Yorogin nodded. His smile fading slightly. Replaced by something more serious. More thoughtful.
"That's right."
He agreed. His voice carrying the weight of years of observation and knowing Elise.
"She is earnest, honest, and a hard worker."
He listed her qualities. The traits he had observed.
"And she always carries a look of burden."
His voice softened, laced with sadness.
"We never knew her backstory before moving here ten years ago. She never opened up to anyone."
He shook his head slowly. The mystery of her past. The pain she carried. The walls she had built.
"And especially not to men."
He emphasized. The specific barrier. The particular wound. Something had happened. Something had hurt her.
"A lot of concerned people tried to heal her. But it seems she truly locked her heart."
Yorogin shook his head again. The frustration. The helplessness. The desire to help. The inability to reach her.
He stepped down from the counter. Moved around it. Approached Hyoren. His old legs carrying him slowly. He touched Hyoren's shoulder. His grip was firm. Strong. Despite his age.
"Lad."
He spoke. His voice serious.
"I don't know what you did to make her open up like that."
His eyes met Hyoren's.
"But thanks."
He paused. The word was heavy. Significant.
"And please. Don't let her smile disappear again."
Yorogin's grip on his shoulder strengthened a bit. Hyoren felt it. The pressure. The weight. How this old man truly cared about her. How Elise was truly loved by her acquaintances. By the people who knew her.
Hyoren nodded. Meeting the old man's eyes. Serious. Sincere. Understanding the responsibility. The trust being placed in him. The expectation being conveyed.
"Understand, Mr. Yorogin."
He spoke. His voice steady. His promise firm.
"I promise. I will protect her. And definitely… I will keep her smile."
The words came from his heart. He had already resolved to protect her. To stand beside her. To fight with her. Now he added another promise. Not just her life. Not just her safety. But her happiness. Her joy. Her smile.
Yorogin smiled. The serious expression fading. Replaced by relief. By satisfaction. By hope. He returned to the counter. His role in this small bathhouse.
"Just call me Yorogin."
He said. Casual. Friendly. The formality was unnecessary.
"And enjoy your bath."
Hyoren bowed slightly to him.
Then he turned toward the men's bath. He entered. Leaving the old man behind. Leaving the conversation behind. But carrying the promise with him.
***
Hyoren entered the changing room.
The space was simple. Wooden benches along the walls. Shelves for belongings. Baskets for clothing. The floor was clean.
He quickly removed his rabbit fur armor. Each item placed carefully in a basket.
He stood naked. He looked down at his body. The scars. The scratches. The evidence of survival. Weeks of fighting. Weeks of running. Weeks of living in the forest. His body told the story.
He took the prepared towel. He wrapped it around his waist. He then entered the bath.
The bath actually reminded him of Japanese bathhouses. The layout was familiar. The design was recognizable. A few shower heads and faucets lined one wall. For cleaning the body before entering the shared water. And in the center—a wide pool of hot water.
He was alone. The bathhouse was empty. He was thankful for that.
"This is good. When I got transported to this world, I never thought I could enjoy a bath like this."
He walked to the showers. He turned the handle. Water flowed. Perfect for washing. He stepped under the stream. The sensation was incredible. The feel of clean water. Running over his skin. Washing away the grime. The sweat. The dried blood. The accumulation of weeks.
He began to clean. Scrubbing. He used the soap. Lathered it.
He washed his hair. His fingers worked through the strands. The black hair that had grown long. He scrubbed. Multiple times. The water ran gray. Then brown. Then finally—clear. Washing multiple times. Before he was finally satisfied.
He spent even more time on his body. The grime of weeks was not easily removed. Finally—satisfied. His body was clean. Truly clean.
He then went to the hot water. He stepped in. He lowered himself. Submerged his body. Relaxed muscles he didn't know were tense.
He let out a long breath. The tension leaving.
"Ahhh."
The sound escaped him.
"This is... heaven..."
He cupped water and splashed it on his face. He closed his eyes. Let the moment wash over him.
"Thanks, God. This world actually has proper bath infrastructure."
He thought about the fantasy stories he had always read. The isekai novels. The transported-to-another-world tales. The protagonists who struggled. Who built. Who created.
"The protagonists of fantasy stories always struggle. Creating a bath is often their goal."
He mused. Remembering the tropes. The desire for bath. For hot water.
"And now I can enjoy it. The infrastructure is already there."
He chuckled. A small laugh. At himself. At the situation. He didn't need to build a bathhouse. He didn't need to recreate civilization from scratch. He just needed to pay for it.
He put his back against the wall. The stone was warm. The water was hot. His body was relaxed. His mind began to wander.
He thought about Elise and Yorogin's conversation. The old man's words.
"Elise, huh..."
He spoke her name. Quietly. To himself.
"We just met around a week ago. And somehow she already took over part of my heart..."
He looked up at the ceiling. The steam obscured the stone.
"Vowing like that... promising to keep her smile."
He laughed softly. At himself. At his own earnestness.
"Pfft. Old me would laugh at that."
The old Hyoren. The one who had been betrayed. The one who had closed his own heart. That Hyoren would have scoffed. Would have dismissed such promises as foolish. Naive. The words of someone who didn't know better. Who hadn't learned better.
He imagined Elise's face. Her emerald eyes. Her silver hair. Her pointed ears. The way she smiled. The way she teased. The way she cared. The way she had fought beside him.
"But those words actually came out without thinking."
He admitted. The vow to Yorogin. The promise to protect her smile. It had emerged from somewhere deep. Without conscious thought.
"And I definitely don't want her to lose her smile..."
He splashed water on his face again. Trying to clear his thoughts.
"After Kana's betrayal..."
The name emerged from his memory.
"I thought I would not be capable of loving another woman again."
He confessed.
"But... what is this feeling..."
He didn't have an answer.
Hyoren soaked his body for a while. The water held him. The warmth surrounded him. His thoughts drifted. Between Elise. Between Kana. Between the past and the present. Between Earth and this world. Between who he was and who he was becoming.
After a while—long enough. The heat had done its work. His muscles were relaxed. His body was clean. His mind was... if not clear—at least processed.
He decided he was done. He got up from the bath. He quickly dried his body.
He wore his rabbit fur armor again. But beneath—clean skin and hair.
He faced the mirror. The reflection stared back.
"Good."
He spoke to his reflection.
"Now I look at least... clean. My hair is not unkempt anymore. Only long."
He touched his face. The stubble. The roughness.
"If I change these clothes to more proper ones..."
He looked down at his rabbit fur armor. The wild appearance.
"And shave my stubble..."
He imagined it.
"I would not look like a wild man anymore..."
He then quickly went outside. Elise was already waiting. She stood near the entrance. Chatting with Yorogin. The old man had come out from behind his counter.
She also looked clean. The bath had done its work on her as well. Her silver hair was silky. Like moonlight. It caught the light. Shimmered. Gleamed.
She always looked beautiful. Even with grime. Even with disheveled hair. Even with the weariness of the road. There had always been something. That drew the eye. That captured attention.
But this look of hers after taking a bath. It elevated her beauty to an ethereal level. Hyoren was smitten with her beauty again.
Elise finally noticed him. Her eyes found his. Her smile emerged.
"Good."
She said. Her voice carrying satisfaction. Relief.
"Now that we're both clean—time to go to our next destination."
She turned to Yorogin. Waving.
"Bye, old man. I'll visit again as usual."
The words were casual.
Hyoren bowed a bit to him.
"I loved the bath. I'll come back with Elise often."
He meant it. The bath had been incredible. He would return. With Elise. Without Elise. Whenever he could.
He then lowered his voice. Speaking quietly. Trying to hide it from Elise. A promise between men. Between the old man who cared and the young man who vowed.
"And I'll keep my promise."
He straightened his posture. He walked to the exit. Following Elise. Who had already gone out.
Yorogin smiled at them. Waving. The old man's weathered face creased with warmth.