Since Hisui-san had fallen asleep, it was clear that nothing more would happen tonight. Feeling a little down, I decided to have a drink.
Despite everything, Hisui-san was always considerate of us, displaying impeccable manners. As long as he was resting peacefully, there shouldn't be any problems.
So, I ended up drinking with Misago and Suzume. I had shared drinks with Suzume before, but this was my first time with Misago.
They kept talking about how kind Hisui-san had been, how wonderful he was, and how he had already signed the marriage papers and put on the ring before I even joined them. They were basically gushing non-stop, but at least they seemed happy.
Still, they weren't exactly seasoned drinkers—after a round of lovestruck rambling, they both passed out.
I had lost the race in terms of, well, graduating from innocence, but basing adulthood on whether a certain barrier is present or not just seems a bit forced.
Suzume and I shared a laugh over it.
"That was fast"
Yata-obaasama, who had just found herself a new plaything, looked a bit disappointed to see them already knocked out.
She held a sake flask and a small cup in one hand—her hands were tiny and childlike, yet incredibly practiced.
"You'll drink with me instead, right?"
A chill ran down my spine.
Every hair on my body stood on end.
Yata-obaasama was physically smaller than us, but in terms of raw presence—as a martial artist, as a living being—she was in an entirely different league.
Calling her a youkai wasn't exactly an insult.
Of course, she was technically a human. Any supernatural aspects were just metaphorical, just the result of some strange biological adaptations like Wolbachia.
Not that anyone actually believed that.
I mean, sure, she's small and flat, but her skin, the way she moves… There's something undeniably inhuman about her.
And so, Suzume and I were both promptly destroyed.
At some point, Toki-obaasama joined in as well. Since Suzume and I were from a branch family, we were naturally a bit weaker in these situations.
We couldn't refuse when they offered.
Besides, the quality of the sake was so overwhelmingly good that it was impossible to resist.
Even as I was about to pass out, I still thought, Damn, this is some good stuff…
This region, after all, was a northern prefecture famous for its rice production—Fukugata Prefecture.
Naturally, they had an absurd stock of premium sake from Niigata and Fukushima.
There was no winning against that.
To make matters worse, when these two got involved, the quality of the drinking snacks shot up dramatically.
It was hopeless.
I was completely wasted.
If I had one regret, it was that I wanted to drink with Hisui-san too.
Get him tipsy and hear his real thoughts—did he really think I was beautiful? What did he truly feel about Misago? About Yata-obaasama?
So many things I wanted to ask.
And Toki-obaasama—she should be quite old by now, yet she still looked otherworldly.
Her skin, her youthful glow…
Sure, this hot spring was famous for rejuvenation and fertility, but there had to be a limit, right?
Back to My Room
After finishing dinner and our drinks, I returned to my room.
I checked the security cameras—Hisui-san was still asleep.
The system was set up so I could monitor him from my room.
When I asked for permission to do this, I was told, Hotels usually have security cameras, don't they? with a casual laugh.
…Truly fearless.
"If you want, you can sleep beside me, you know?"
His response was so unexpected I almost got a nosebleed.
I barely managed to hold myself back, muttering something like, That would be dangerous. I'd definitely end up attacking you…
"I wouldn't mind, though."
…So this is what they mean by a natural temptress.
Forget nosebleeds, something else almost came out.
Thank god I had already ovulated.
If I hadn't, that line alone would've triggered it.
Something weird did come out, though. My stomach was twisting in knots.
But since the doctor had put me on a temporary ban, I had to endure.
Pure iron willpower kept me in check.
Still, I noticed Hisui-san's face looked a bit flushed.
When I took his temperature—38°C.
That was fairly high for him.
So yeah, no way tonight.
I gently tucked him into the futon and told him to rest.
He barely lasted a moment before dozing off.
It seemed like he had been pushing himself too hard.
That was close…
His sleeping face was so peaceful, so defenseless, that my self-control was wearing dangerously thin.
But for now, I was still holding on.
Midnight Panic
After ensuring he was asleep, I returned to my room and passed out from all the drinking.
But when I woke up in the middle of the night and checked the cameras—Hisui-san was gone.
Panic shot through me.
I turned pale as I checked the entire building's security logs, then bolted out of the room at full speed.
My yukata got completely disheveled in the process, but I didn't have time to care.
And then—
I found him.
Happily drinking with the grandmothers.
"Well, it's mixed bathing hours right now. And since Hisui seems to be feeling better, I'll allow it, as long as it's within reason."
Yata-obaasama, fresh from the bath, gave me her permission.
Wait… seriously?
Toki-obaasama, standing beside her, didn't object either.
So… does that mean it's okay?
…
...…
HELL YES!
Without hesitation, I spun on my heel, sprinted to the changing room, and tore my clothes off at record speed.
Grabbing a towel, I returned to the bath.
"Alright then—if you'll excuse me!"