Episode 123

“…Did you wash your hair with perfume?”

“Hehehe?”

Goodness.
I had no idea what this silly princess had done to herself this time.
The first priority was to wash out the streaks of perfume oil that had stained her white hair.
I poured a basin of water over her head, and, well… this was the result.

“Ugh… Is this a rose bath?”

As soon as the water was poured, the subtle pink perfume filled the bottom of the bath.
After meticulously washing several times, Neri’s hair only regained its original color.

The white wave-like color I always admired and loved.

“Whew~ It’s clean now.”

“Now, now. Princess, how on earth does such a disaster happen?”

Perfume oil was supposed to be applied sparingly, a few drops combed gently into the hair—not dumped on like this.
The lingering fragrance in the air and the subtle aura emanating from it suggested that this wasn’t just any ordinary oil either.

“Oh, is that how you’re supposed to use it? Lady Aphrodite said I could use it however I liked.”

“…I’m too tired to even be surprised anymore.”

Using a bit of qi, I cleared the perfume-stained water from the bath and drained it away.
Then I sank into the tub, which was clearly designed for two.

“Finish washing up on your own.”

“Huh? You’re not going to wash me?”

What is she talking about? This little brat.
I playfully messed up her wet hair.

“Waaaaa!”

The craftsmanship of the bath was, unsurprisingly, divine—the kind of quality that came from over a century of refinement.
The marble tub was so smooth it felt like sliding down a waterslide, and hot water continuously poured from a jar held by a nymph statue.
It certainly wasn’t like the plumbing at my insula lodging.
Actually, now that I thought about it, we were underwater—how were we even bathing like this?

My pointless musings drifted by, and I resigned myself to the thought, ‘This is just how the world works here. No point in overthinking it.’

-Swoosh!

“Haaa…”

The previous night, I had soaked in the stream before indulging myself with drinks.
No matter how sturdy my body was, even if it were made of iron, there was an irresistible charm to immersing oneself in the cool waters of a forest stream or relaxing in the soothing warmth of this bath.

Directly opposite the bathtub was a large glass window that offered a clear view of the deep sea.
The sea stars adorning the dark ocean and the distant Atlantis of the deep were indeed an unprecedented spectacle.

“Wow…. This makes me crave a drink.”

“You were drinking so excitedly just a moment ago, and now you want more alcohol?”

-Splash!

Neri gave a teasing scold and slipped into the water beside me.
When I got in, small waves formed, but when she entered, it sounded like a raindrop fell.

“Pfft!”

“…Are you laughing because I am small?”

“Well, should I call something small as big?”

“…Hmph!”

Neri puffed her white cheeks and turned her head away.
Even so, she subtly moved her white body closer to mine, indicating that this tiny princess was determined to go through with her plan today.

Neri, who was watching me grin mischievously, soon chuckled softly and leaned her weight against my arm.

“Hoo… it’s nice, though.”

“I should have realized earlier and talked to you first. Sorry.”

“Huh? There’s nothing for you to be sorry about.”

As I meticulously washed her hair, I heard the story of her life’s journey.
The day she was born, a prophet visited, and how much heartache she must have endured because of that prophecy. And why she remained by my side in the form of a child, and so on.
The young nymph, who had inadvertently inherited the opening act of an apocalyptic event originally meant for her sister, had met me before she could figure out what to do about it.
And before either of us fully realized what was happening, we found ourselves sharing a bath like this.

Not that it would lead to anything more.

“Huh? Why?!”

“…Are you even listening to yourself? Is that really something a girl should say to a guy?”

To set the premise, Neri was beautiful.
Even the Goddess of Beauty, Aphrodite, acknowledged her allure, and her small frame was truly breathtaking.
However, it was impossible to speak of her charm and beauty because her appearance was still that of a young girl.
She seemed around fifteen or sixteen, but describing Neri’s allure could genuinely incite Confucian scholars to chase after one with sacred texts in hand.

To give a rough idea, seeing her soaking without a thread on, one couldn’t help but utter words like cute or pretty.
She resembled a small animal more than a woman, floating adorably in the warm water.

“You… I tried my best, okay! Do you know who I stayed in this form for all this time? And yet, while I looked away for a moment, you go off and entertain another woman! Even smelling like her when you come back!”

“Uh, that’s—”

“Yeah, let’s settle this now. Who was it? It wasn’t that redhead, was it? Who is she? Tell me!”

With hands as small as maple leaves, the white rabbit—no, the white beast—launched herself at me, mercilessly attacking.
Her tiny hands flailed like flapping wings, raining down on me, while her damp hair smacked my face like crashing waves.

In short, it was unbearably ticklish.

“Ah, wait, stop! Pffft!”

“Tell me! Who is it? What other woman did you bring around this time? I might have let it slide if it was the redhead, but bringing back the scent of some other unknown woman? And why am I the one who’s not allowed?!”

Because I had lightly lifted the burden of prophecy that had bound her all this time.
Neri, who always pretended to be innocent like a child, showed the true form of Nesneria without any hesitation.
She was rough and mischievous, yet straightforward and honest.
That innocent aspect of her personality was still present, evident in her childish speech, but the feisty little beast who had lurked behind her cheerful facade was now playfully baring her fangs at me.
Caught up in the absurdity of the situation, I couldn’t help but laugh.

“You’re laughing? You’re laughing at me?!”

“Ow, ow! Neri, I’m sorry—ah, water in my nose!”

Is it because she’s a water spirit that her combat power increases underwater?
Under normal circumstances, her hands would have hurt more than mine, but now the water droplets and waves she struck me with were surprisingly painful.
It felt like receiving a slightly strong massage.

“Alright, alright, I’ll tell you!”

I figured I should surrender before she exhausted herself and passed out.
It seemed like she was already on the verge of summoning her full power, so I was about to bring out my cultivation technique.

“Uh… well, first of all, I didn’t do that thing you’re thinking of.”

“That thing?”

“Uh, you know… intercourse?”

“……”

At the mention of the blatantly embarrassing word, Neri went from a nereid nymph to a fire nymph in an instant.
What on earth made this tiny little thing think she was ready for tonight’s “event” anyway?

“S-so, you didn’t d-do it…?”

“I was just rolling around a bit with some goddess in the forest. Beyond that, it’s a secret.”

“Rolling around…?”

“I swore an oath by the River Styx. If the story leaks out, it’ll be a bother for both me and that goddess.”

No, it’d only be a bother for that goddess, a whole lot.
As for me? If I had to die, at least I would die with the memory of the arrogant Artemis squirming helplessly in my hands. That alone would make for a satisfying departure by this world’s standards.
Especially the way she, despite saying she didn’t want it, clung to me like a honey trap was an achievement that no man would trade for anything.

“…Dianes?”

“Y-Yes?!”

The sudden, cold voice of Neri made my voice crack.

“You were thinking about another woman, weren’t you?”

“Uh, well… No?”

“Liar.”

Oh dear…
Neri was slowly turning from a water spirit to a vengeful water ghost.
She suddenly approached, wrapping her legs around my waist, and, with her short arms barely reaching, grabbed my neck with her hands, looking at me with chilling eyes.

“..Sigh.”

Neri, who had been staring intently, soon bumped her forehead against my chest. Then she slid down, leaving only her eyes above the water, and mumbled something.

“…It’s okay.”

“..What?”

“It’s okay. Whatever.”

…It’s okay?

Caught off guard by Neri’s unexpected words, my eyes widened, and Neri, pouting her lips, swam away from me.

“When you left the island and said you were going to become a hero, I prepared myself for this. While I wasn’t looking, you even managed to make the redhead your lover…”

“Ah… hahaha…”

I had nothing to say, so I just laughed bitterly, and Neri shot me a sharp look before standing up in the bath.

“…Huh?”

“But always remember this. Your first woman is me. Never forget that I’m always the first.”

“Uh, uh… Neri?”

“…What? What’s wrong?”

I couldn’t find the words and stammered, so Neri frowned and looked back, asking if I was going to deny it again.

However, the real reason I was surprised was different.

“Neri, you’ve grown…”

“What…?”

Just moments ago, Neri had the appearance of a middle schooler, but now she suddenly had a rather feminine figure.