How to Live as a Genius Scholar in another World

Chapter 33 – The White Mage (2)

—–CROW—– 

“A couples-only bath?”

Intrigued by the suggestive phrasing, I couldn’t help but repeat the receptionist’s words.

The term “couples-only” carried a certain connotation, no matter where it was used.  And now it was being applied to a bathhouse?

“Yes! It’s a new bathing style recently introduced at our Sargardis Public Bathhouse!”

The receptionist’s eyes lit up, like a fishing enthusiast reeling in a catch.

“After the unfortunate incident a while back, the renovations are finally complete!  It’s a separate, private bath where couples can bathe together!”

What unfortunate incident? I hadn’t heard anything about it.

Well, whatever the incident, the fact that renovations were necessary meant it must have been a significant event.  It probably happened before I arrived in Sargardis.

Even assuming they used magic for the renovations, it would have taken several days just to find a mage.  They wouldn’t have used teleportation.

“The fee for two is 3 coppers! Oh, and don’t think it’s expensive. You can use it for up to three hours, and we provide light fruits and drinks inside, so it’s actually quite a bargain!  The price might even go up later!”

“3, 3 coppers?”

Francesca asked, surprised.  1 copper was enough for three visits to the public bathhouse, so the couples-only bath was nine times more expensive.

“But three hours? Would anyone really bathe for that long?”

“It’s not just for bathing, is it?”

“…Oh.”

I explained to the confused Francesca, and like at the inn, she realized the truth a moment later.

—*Shuffle.*

This time, she hid directly behind me.  Perhaps my broad back was inviting.

“Hee hee. So, what do you think? I had a sneak peek inside before it was finished, and it looked just like a noble’s bath! Oh, the tub isn’t huge, but it can fit four adults! More than enough for a couple to relax comfortably!”

The explanation came at me like a rapid-fire sales pitch.  The merchants in this town were all upgraded versions of subway peddlers.

“…Did you say 3 coppers?”

“Yes, sir!”

“N-Nord?!”

The two women reacted differently to my interest. Francesca was startled and stammered in a small voice,

“N-Nord, if you want to, I’m always okay with it, but… I have work today. Even if I’m strong, after… with you, my back gets weak…”

“It’s not like that.  I just have something to talk about.”

“Talk…?”

“Yeah. We both passed out last night, so we couldn’t have a proper conversation.”

Pillow talk was just as important as the main event.  Last night, I couldn’t control my desires, and Francesca passed out before we could talk.  So I wanted to do it today.

And besides that—

“…You need to clean up too, Francesca. It’s better to do that where no one can see, right?”

—Wasn’t this the perfect place to wash away the evidence of last night’s passionate encounter?

“…Yes, you’re right. Thank you for your concern, Nord.”

Francesca nodded, understanding my meaning.  Though she was blushing.

“Hee hee. It’s nothing.”

We reached an agreement and decided to use the couples-only bath.

“Here’s 3 coppers.”

“Oh! Nord! I promised to pay for your bath, so I’ll give you 2 coppers!”

“I’ll take it later.”

A true macho man had to show off his financial prowess in front of a woman.

I was a man who dreamed of a harem, the ultimate embodiment of male dominance. Even if I didn’t treat women roughly as a macho man, I had to provide for those who loved me.

I didn’t know if Francesca would become my wife, but she became my lover knowing that I intended to have multiple wives. I didn’t want to save a few coins at her expense.

Honestly, if I couldn’t even do this much, I was just a kept man.  If I relied on my wives for financial support, I would be nothing more than a living dildo. A Fleshlight golem.

“Here’s the key to the bath.”

The receptionist handed me a key attached to a wooden tag. The tag had the bath number on it.

“Thank you.  Oh, I didn’t bring any towels today.  Can I buy some with a bath ticket?”

“Certainly.”

“I’ll pay for the towels too!”

I let Francesca pay for the towels.  It was too much trouble to buy another 1-copper ticket just for towels.

I could just not take the 2 coppers back later. We took the key and headed to the bath.

—*Splash, splash, splash.*

“It’s spacious!”

Francesca exclaimed, looking around the bath.

As she said, the bath was larger than expected.  It was comparable to a motel room.  Only the bathtub itself was quite small. Since guests would likely be having sex in here, a smaller tub would be more efficient for frequent water changes.

“Nord! Look! Apples, grapes, and even wine!”

Francesca’s excitement grew as she saw the table next to the tub.  A bowl of fruit, a glass of wine, and a white cloth covered the table.

“You’re right.  The receptionist wasn’t exaggerating about the luxurious feel.”

The comparison to a noble’s bath wasn’t an overstatement.  But I had a feeling the price would go up or the service would deteriorate later. It felt like a newly opened store, putting in extra effort at the beginning.

“Amazing. But why would they build a bath like this?”

Francesca asked, touching the table.  The table was clearly cheap.  A disposable model that could be easily replaced if it got moldy.

“Probably because they weren’t making enough money.”

“Really?”

“Probably. I heard that in some areas, the bathhouse maintenance costs were so high that they only opened in the evenings.”

During the day, customers were busy working, so profits were low, and at night, the cost of candles and other lighting added up. If they opened the roof to save on candle costs, like an open-air bath, they would attract peeping toms. It was a vicious cycle.

“They said something happened and they had to renovate, right? Maybe they’re trying to attract more daytime customers.”

If even this failed, they would only operate at night.  Enduring during the day and washing up at night.  Opening the roof, catching peeping toms, and throwing them in jail.

There were also cases where the losses were covered by taxes, like a form of health insurance, but I wondered how many lords actually implemented that.

Even businessmen in democratic countries frothed at the mouth at the mention of welfare.  In a class-based society like Britannia, it was pointless to even talk about it.

“Not everyone can afford a private bath like the nobles, but there are plenty of people who romanticize the idea. Like wealthy merchants or Gold-class adventurers.”

“Aha, that makes sense. You know, Nord, you’re quite eloquent—”

Her sentence trailed off because Francesca turned around and saw me standing naked.

“Hee hee.  What’s so surprising? I can’t bathe with my clothes on.”

I stood proudly in my naked glory.  We had already seen everything there was to see; there was no point being shy now.

“R-right. Yes. Just surprised me for a moment.”

Perhaps preoccupied with examining the bathhouse’s structure, a dwarven instinct, she had momentarily forgotten where we were.  Remembering that this was a place where men and women bathed together naked, Francesca moved stiffly, like a rusty tin toy.

“…Are you going to watch me undress?”

“Should I close my eyes? It’s a bit strange to be shy now that we’re going to bathe together, but if that’s what you want…”

“No, it’s okay.”

Francesca took a deep breath and began to undress with a determined expression. As she removed her top, a bra large enough to fit my face was revealed.  Then she took off her pants, leaving her in her underwear.

—*Jiggle.*

The movement of her freed breasts was impressive as she removed the bra she wore for work.  Since it was a bra designed to minimize movement, the increase in size was a feast for the eyes.

—*Glance.*

Francesca, now only in her panties, folded her clothes and glanced at me.  Then she slowly removed her panties.

“…Ugh, I’m so embarrassed.”

Her feet slipped out of her underwear one after the other.  Now completely naked, Francesca walked towards me. Her small hands, which had been covering her privates, slowly lowered.

—*Slide.*

*Spring!*

“*Gasp…*”

Francesca made a strange sound as she witnessed my dick springing to attention in real-time.

“D-do you want to… do it again?  Nord’s…”

Francesca stammered, unable to say the word “dick,” then shook her head.

“Anyway, it looks… uncomfortable.”

“Let’s do it later.  If we start now, I won’t be able to stop.”

“…After I get back from work?”

“Yeah.  We can do it all you want then.”

“…Okay.”

Her voice was slightly breathless with anticipation.

—*Splash.*

We began to wash, still completely naked. I scooped up water with a bucket and poured it over myself, saying,

“Come here. I’ll wash you.”

“Hee hee… It’s much more embarrassing in the light than last night.”

Francesca, somewhat accustomed to the embarrassment, sat in front of me.  I gently poured water over her shoulders.

‘…But what do I do next?’

I had never washed another person before, so I didn’t know.  Should I tell her when I’m about to pour water on her head?  Was it even necessary to wash each other in a couples-only bath?

“…Nord?”

“Huh? Oh, sorry. I’m not sure how to do this.”

Francesca looked at me quizzically.  I blurted out the truth, charmed by the way she looked up at me from my arms.

“Aha.  So you’ve never washed another person before?”

Francesca said, seemingly understanding.  She got out of my arms.

“Then come here. I’ll teach you. I’ve never done it either, but I’ll do it the way my mother used to wash me.”

“Okay.”

I readily switched positions.  Even with our height difference, it was easy enough for me to wash her while sitting down and her standing up.

—*Squish.*

And there were fringe benefits. I couldn’t help but smile as her ample breasts brushed against my head.

“Nord. I’m going to pour water. Close your eyes.”

“Okay.”

*Splash—*

Francesca’s touch was gentle. She tilted the bucket, pouring just the right amount of water over my head, thoroughly wetting my hair, and then combed through it with her fingers.

Many people enjoyed having their hair washed at salons. If Francesca ever opened a salon, people would probably come just for this massage.  Her delicate touch felt amazing.

“Don’t open your eyes until I tell you to, okay?”

Her voice was almost motherly. I closed my mouth to avoid getting water in it and nodded.

After thoroughly wetting my hair, Francesca lathered it with the soap she had brought.  The sensation of her small, delicate fingers massaging my scalp was heavenly.

*Splash—*

“You can open your eyes now, Nord.”

She rinsed my hair a few more times to remove the soap.  The water in the tub never seemed to decrease, thanks to the constant flow from the pipes.

—*Scrub, scrub, scrub.*

Francesca then scrubbed my back with something like a washcloth.  She wasn’t trying to exfoliate, which made the touch even gentler.

*Squish. Squish.*

But the main course was still the sensation of her breasts brushing against me whenever she moved.  The feeling of her nipples grazing my shoulder blades made my already hard cock even harder.

“…Should I wash your front too?”

“…I’d like that, but I don’t think I can handle it.  If you touch me there, I won’t be able to control myself.”

I scooped up some water and rinsed the soap off my back, then turned around.  Now it was my turn to wash her.

“Don’t expect too much. Compared to you or your mother, I’m just a clumsy human.”

“Hee hee.  I’m happy just being touched by you.”

“No, don’t tempt me.”

“I’m serious.”

“How is that not tempting?”

What man could resist a woman saying she enjoyed his touch?  I calmed my dick-aconda, which was begging for just one more round, and washed Francesca’s hair just like she had done for me.

—*Silky.*

…What was this hair? I thought it was a bundle of wet silk threads.  It was unbelievably soft.  Could human hair even feel this silky? My coarse hair wouldn’t even be considered hair in comparison.

“Hee hee. This brings back memories.”

Francesca said, closing her eyes and smiling.

“Memories of your mother?”

“Yes.  My mother used to wash my hair like this while I kept my eyes closed. I was always afraid of getting soap in my eyes, so I would pester her to hurry up.”

“My, my. I shall be as careful as possible, Lady Francesca.”

“Hee hee.”

After washing her hair, I moved on to her body.

—*Slide.*

“*Ah…*”

Francesca moaned as I slid my hand down her shoulder.  I lathered her arms and back with soap, then moved my hand to her armpit.

“Ahahaha! T-that tickles!”

“We need to clean here too.”

“W-wait! Kyahahahaha!”

After washing her armpit, I naturally moved to her breasts.  It was as natural as eating rice and drinking soup.

“*Oh…♥ Mm…*”

My hand, now slick with soap, caressed her ample breasts. I meticulously cleaned every inch, from the underside of her breasts, where sweat tended to accumulate, to the cleavage and her nipples.

It wasn’t easy to thoroughly clean these areas yourself. Even among men, few would meticulously scrub their dick and balls.

In that sense, entrusting this task to your lover was a great alternative.  You could touch your lover’s naked body all day long.

—*Hard.*

The only downside was that a man’s libido, along with his penis, tended to get a boost.  It was a law of nature, like the stronger the light, the darker the shadow.

Marveling at the profundity of human reproductive instincts, I gently pinched Francesca’s nipple.

“*Hnnng…*”

—–CROW—–