Chapter 94: A Long-Awaited Bath

"! Warren, you’ve never taken a bath before!?"

"There was never any need to. We had a shower at home if I just needed to wash off dirt, and after I learned cleansing magic, I barely even needed that."

The cultural difference was simply too great!

Apparently, Warren’s family home in Coalora had a shower but no bathtub.

It was true that cleansing magic could keep someone clean, but Qiu Nuoya could hardly believe that baths were treated so casually in this world. Then again, he remembered that when he had first met Igor and the others, they had treated him like a child from a wealthy family simply because he had mentioned that his house had a bath.

"Baths are healing."

"Really?"

"Even when you come home exhausted after a long day, you can soak in warm water and relax while all that day’s fatigue seems to melt away into the water. Warming your body is good for your health too. It improves circulation and encourages metabolism. Baths really are the best!"

"Uh, yeah."

Was it just Qiu Nuoya’s imagination, or did Warren seem slightly put off?

Meanwhile, Igor just laughed heartily and said, "Nuoya sure is saying some complicated things."

Did he say anything complicated?

"I have heard that hot springs deep in the mountains can provide such benefits when one soaks in them, but water that has merely been heated does not have such effects..."

"Simply warming your body is good for your health. Of course, overheating is not good, but moderately warm water can be very relaxing. It would be a shame not to know that. Besides, if you really do not want to bathe, Viktor, you can wait in the room." Qiu Nuoya spoke a little more coldly than usual.

"Are you angry about something?" Viktor looked confused.

Qiu Nuoya was not actually angry. He had simply realized something about himself. He had recently started thinking that perhaps he could be swayed by Viktor’s affection and eventually become his lover. Now that he knew Viktor’s feelings were rooted in Qiu Nuoya’s resemblance to his first love, he felt that he needed to stand more firmly on his own. ℴ

Qiu Nuoya knew that he was extremely oblivious when it came to other people’s affection. After all, he had not spent forty years as a virgin for nothing.

So when such a handsome man openly confessed his feelings to him, Qiu Nuoya could not deny that it had felt good. But now that he knew Viktor had fallen for him because he resembled the person he had first loved, Qiu Nuoya felt embarrassed by how conceited he had been to think that Viktor genuinely liked him for who he was.

Thanks to his high Charm skill and the adorable appearance he had acquired in this world, Qiu Nuoya was now rarely disliked by anyone. But if he simply relied on that and allowed himself to be spoiled by everyone around him, he would only become dependent and incapable of standing on his own.

"I still cannot do everything by myself, but I intend to make my own decisions. When there are things I need help with, I will gladly rely on you as much as necessary. But I do not think I am so immature that I need someone else to decide something as simple as whether I should take a bath." Qiu Nuoya took a breath before continuing. "Taking a bath is a personal choice. All I am saying is that if you do not want to bathe, then you do not have to."

After Qiu Nuoya finished speaking in one breath, the other three stared at him with blank expressions.

Until now, Qiu Nuoya had rarely voiced his opinions to other people. He could certainly be called someone who preferred to avoid conflict. As long as he could live peacefully, he had always thought that was enough. But taking that attitude too far simply became irresponsibility.

If he only ever nodded along with other people’s opinions, eventually he would lose sight of himself.

Qiu Nuoya had been given a chance to start his life over.

Was this really how he wanted to live it?

The answer was no.

"Nuoya, this really isn’t such a big deal..."

"That’s right. I understand that Nuoya likes baths, but you don’t need to get this worked up over it, do you?"

For some reason, even Igor had sided with Viktor.

Qiu Nuoya was not actually angry... Well, perhaps he had gotten a little emotional.

"I’m not angry."

"Then are you in a bad mood? You’ve never spoken like this before. Did something happen?"

"Nothing happened..."

Even Qiu Nuoya did not fully understand why he was being so stubborn over something as simple as taking a bath. But if there was one thing he could think of, it was the fact that he had been more hurt than he wanted to admit after realizing that Viktor did not actually like him for himself.

In other words, he was taking out his frustration on everyone else.

"I’m sorry. I guess I got a little worked up too... But I really think things like this come down to personal preference. There’s no reason to force someone to do something they don’t want to do. If you don’t like it, I don’t think you should have to go along with it."

"I am not saying that bathing is absolutely forbidden. In fact, I do not dislike bathing itself."

"Then..."

Qiu Nuoya was about to ask why when a voice called out to them.

"Everything is ready."

The conversation ended for the moment, and they headed toward the bath.

The changing room was not particularly spacious since the private bath was intended for only a small number of people.

However, beyond it was an enormous ope air bath that looked large enough to swim in.

It was incredibly luxurious!

"A real bath..."

"Of course it is."

"Whatever. Let’s just get in! I’m so happy to finally take a bath again."

This was Qiu Nuoya’s first bath since coming to this world.