"Haa..."
I let out a sigh without thinking. This was definitely not the world I came from. It seemed like time had advanced in a parallel world. There were things that felt off—was it because of the time difference, or was it due to entirely different rules and culture? I couldn't tell just yet.
(Misago-san and Yata-chan are acting unusually forward in a sexual way. Is that just their individual personalities? Or are those two special?)
There were plenty of things I wanted to check, but for now, I had too little data to go on. Field research would have to wait.
"Birth Rate of Males Declining"
For a long time, the male-to-female ratio had remained around 1:100, but it was expected to drop even further. The overall supply of sperm would decrease, but since it was being carefully preserved for artificial insemination, the actual birth rate wouldn't drop as much—or so the newspaper article claimed.
A world where the gender ratio is collapsing, huh? If chastity roles were reversed too, that would be great. A convenient turn of events.
Headlines in a magazine:
"Find a Man in Mixed-Gender Hot Springs: A Nationwide Report"
"Romance Strategies in a 1:100 World"
"The Honest Thoughts of Women Who Still Prefer Direct Negotiation"
"They're Extinct, but Here's a Special on Bathhouse Attendants"
"Self-Defense Techniques for Women to Avoid Being Sued by Men"
"Mixed-Gender Hot Spring Special"
"If You Can't Choose, Whose Sperm Would You Want? Handsome Man Special"
"Sealed Section Sexy Gravure"
The "sexy gravure" section featured middle-aged men in swimsuits or plain T-shirts. Who the hell was this for? They weren't even handsome. Maybe some political correctness issue prevented them from using attractive men? These guys had beer bellies, were hairy, and weren't even the muscular "bear" type—just plain old men...
If there was actually demand for this, wouldn't it be better if I stripped instead? Some weird sense of pride started welling up. I had kept myself in decent shape, so I didn't have a belly. I wasn't very hairy, maybe due to hormonal differences. Other than being short, I shouldn't have any major issues.
…But I don't have a girlfriend!
I'm a virgin!
In the end, I crushed my swelling pride with the harsh reality of my own past failures. Despite claiming "anyone would do," I had been picky, never really fallen for anyone, and ultimately failed to woo anyone at all.
Funny how I couldn't even remember my own name, yet embarrassing memories like this surfaced so easily. My past world seemed intact in my mind, but my personal identity? Probably worthless enough to be forgotten.
Wait a second—why was I getting so many stares?
Lifting my head, I glanced around. Other guests and staff members were sneaking glances at me. Were they being cautious? Nobody was approaching, but the attention was unmistakable.
"Excuse me!"
Someone suddenly called out. It seemed like they had been waiting for me to notice. A patient hunter.
"Hm?"
I instinctively pointed at myself. The woman looked relieved and nodded vigorously.
"Can I take a picture with you?"
She held up a camera or maybe a smartphone, looking nervous but hopeful.
The camera looked pretty high-end, with a solid lens and sensor. What kind of resolution did cameras have in this era?
"Sure?"
I reached out, thinking she wanted me to take a picture for her, but instead, she stepped back and aimed the camera at me.
Oh, I'm the subject?
I recalled the etiquette from photography areas at comic conventions.
"What pose?"
At the moment, I was just wearing a plain yukata from the inn—not exactly eye-catching.
"Like this!"
A few people behind the camera struck poses. They seemed organized—maybe professionals? Their poses were all over the place, though. I picked a few that looked easy and struck them.
Before I knew it, I was surrounded, and a bunch of pictures were taken. So much for "just one photo"…
Wait—weren't these the same poses as the ones from that gravure spread? So the poses themselves were in demand? I still couldn't believe that old-man gravure had an audience, but judging by that magazine's headlines, maybe it was just that any man was considered valuable.
"Thank you very much!"
Seemingly satisfied, the group behind the cameras bowed in unison. How many of them were there? I hadn't even counted. I realized I was still weirdly uninterested in people.
"Ah, I forgot to introduce myself. I work for this publication."
One of them handed me a business card. Looked like they were a journalist or writer.
"This is part of our series."
They pointed at the open magazine on the table—the very one with all those headlines.
"I see. So this is going nationwide?"
I asked, just to confirm.
"Yes, if you permit it..."
"And if I refuse?"
"I'll delete them while crying."
Her face, which had been all smiles a moment ago, suddenly looked like her world was ending. The sheer range of expressions was impressive.
"You'd cry?"
"There's no model as perfect as you! I've traveled all over the country—I know what I'm talking about!"
She was incredibly insistent. I appreciated the compliment, but I had no idea how to handle this. I was too clueless about this world.
"Well, if it's just for personal use, I don't mind, but for commercial use… Let me check a few things first."
The journalists nodded in understanding.
Since I was clothed, there shouldn't be any issue with indecency, but just in case… I gestured to one of the inn's employees, who approached hesitantly, looking pale.
"Would this be considered trustworthy? I'm not familiar with these things."
I didn't want to cause a PR disaster if my image spread and led to backlash.
"Should I check with Yata-chan or Misago-san?"
The employee nodded quickly. It was never a good idea to let strangers take control of things. I was from a generation with decent internet literacy, but I knew better than to trust myself when it came to real-world matters.
Honestly, I personally didn't care at all. Even if my photos spread and my reputation got trashed, it wouldn't bother me. I wasn't someone who cared about my image.
Even the thought of people looking at my pictures with pervy thoughts didn't really faze me.
"I'll go call them real quick, okay?"
Looking relieved, the employee ran off.
"So yeah, we'll wait for their decision."
I gave the journalists a wry smile. In the end, I had gone straight to the bath when I arrived, so I had no clue about the layout of the inn. Best to leave these things to the professionals.
This novel has been lovingly translated by https://www.patreon.com/Jenuinez_translation