I don't know if this should be something that should be bragged or not... but I think I've had my fair share of bathroom troubles since I came to this world.
There have been times when I felt like I'm about to lose my head, times when I fainted because blood rushed up to my brain, and even times when I got caught up when someone's self-destructing. That's enough to make me think that I really am cursed by the bath...
But even I, with my disgraceful experience in bathrooms, don't know what to do about the current situation.
I brought the unconscious Anima to the changing room and covered her body with a large towel, but after that, I didn't know what to do.
No, of course, I theoretically know that it would be better to wipe her wet body. However, rather than saying it's just too high of a hurdle... I feel like doing such a thing would bring lots of troubles, in all sorts of ways.
However, I couldn't just leave her like that. It would have been nice if I could use some kind of reviving magic but... Ahh, no, wait.
[...Alice, help me out here.]
[I don't mind helping out, and I think me helping out here is a good decision... but would you mind wiping yourself down and getting dressed first? This pure, chaste Alice-chan can't look straight at such things.]
[Ahh, unnn. Alright.]
Seriously, I'm glad Alice was here. Even though she is my lover, no matter what reason one might say, wiping the body of Anima, who has passed out in all her glory, makes me feel really guilty.
Grateful for the presence of the same-gendered Alice, I quickly wiped myself down, changed my clothes, and saying one more thing to Alice, I walked out of the changing room.
Just a few minutes later, the door to the changing room vigorously opened and out came Anima, dressed in a casual outfit.
While I was relieved to see that she's well, with a flustered expression on her face, Anima bent down while running towards me, and sliding a little on the floor, she knelt down in a dogeza.
[My apologies!]
...Did she just pull off a sliding dogeza? When did she learn such an advanced technique... Ah, no, that's not important now.
Errr, it's that, isn't it? This definitely is some kind of apology for bothering me or giving me trouble.
[No, I was just being careless, or rather, I should have been more careful.]
[N- No, it is I who————]
[Okay, stop.]
[————–Eh?]
I know Anima's personality well. No matter how much I follow her up here, she won't stop insisting that this was her fault.
When that happens, we'll just end up arguing over who's to blame. If that's the case, the best way to round out the situation is...
[I understand what Anima is trying to say. However, I feel responsible for this situation too. That's why, let's just say that we were both careless this time.]
[...Master.]
Yes, the best thing to do here would be to say that it was both our faults. When dealing with the overly serious Anima, it's easier to convince her with this than to say that she's not at fault.
And when dealing with Anima, it's best to be a little more forceful.
[And with that, I'm sorry too. There, end of story... That should be good, right?]
[Y- Yes. If that's what Master says, I have no objections.]
[Unnn, then stand up there and... Errr, let's see. How about we go for a walk to cool ourselves off?]
[Ah, yes! I'll go with you!]
It seemed that my intentions had been properly conveyed, as Anima cheerfully nodded with a bright expression on her face.
As for me, it might sound like I'm composed, I can't really say that I'm completely calm... and was in the mood to cool my slightly flushed face, so basking in the night breeze should be just right.
Bringing my portable Lighting Magic tool, I went outside with Anima. The riverside, far from human habitation, is quiet and the only sound that could be heard was the soft murmurs of the stream, but the place was wide enough that it didn't feel creepy.
[...Fufufu.]
[What's the matter, Master?]
[No, I just remembered something. It was that this Lighting Magic Tool was the one I bought from Alice during that incident with Eta and Theta...]
[That certainly brings back memories.]
Yes, as Anima said, it really brings back memories. Eta and Theta, who were enemies at that time, have now become like family.
Looking back on it like this, I realized that many things have changed. At that time, I didn't know that Alice's true identity was the Phantasmal King, and I also didn't have any lovers.
[...Speaking of which, aside from Sieg-san, who had been guarding me from the shadows, Anima was the first one to come running to me at that moment.]
[That was just a coincidence though...]
[But your presence at that time made me happy and reassured me. Thanks.]
[...It is an honor.]
When Anima said that with a wry smile, I don't feel the impatience that I used to feel. How should I say this... It's nice feeling her growth like this.
At that time, I honestly never imagined that Anima would become my lover. But now, it's like our current relationship is just right, or rather, it feels very natural to have Anima by my side.
With that thought in mind, I gently wrapped the nearby Anima's hand within my grasp.
[M- Master!?]
[Did you not like it?]
[N- No, it's not like that... Rather, errr... I'm happy.]
When Anima squeezed back my hand while saying this, she was so cute that I couldn't help but smile. She really has become attractive... No, I'm sure she's always been an attractive and cute girl. It's just that I've finally come to realize such a thing.
Thinking about it that way, I guess I could say that I've also grown up.
[...What a nice night.]
[Yes. The moon is also clearly visible.]
Moon huh... Come to think of it, although it was just something I randomly thought, I remembered that there was a rather special phrase used in situations like this. I never really really thought I'd ever have a chance to use it, but sometimes, I guess it's alright for me to be a little fancy.
[Ahh, "the moon is beautiful, isn't it?" ...I really felt like saying that line.]
There is an episode where the great writer Natsume Soseki once translated the phrase "{em}I LOVE YOU{/em}" as "The moon is beautiful, isn't it?", and from then on, these words... hides the meaning of love and affection.
Does Anima know the meaning of this phrase? Well, they're words from the world I was in, so I guess she really wouldn't know its hidden meaning...
[...If I were to answer those words correctly, I should respond with "I can die happy" but... Even if it doesn't mean the same thing, I've already finished dying and have become reborn, so I'll respond with these words instead... "I'm looking at the moon with you after all"...]
[!? Anima... You knew the meaning of that phrase huh.]
[Yes, when Epsilon-dono told me about the other world... and hearing Master tell me that... makes me really happy.]
Anima's response to my words "The moon is beautiful, isn't it?" was another standard response to those words, which comes from the great writer Shimei Futabatei, who translated the words "{em}Yours{/em}" as "I can die happy". They're words that hide the meaning "I am yours".
And after that, she changed it with the words "I'm looking at the moon with you after all", which is also one of the standard responses, although the origin of this phrase isn't clear... It has the meaning "Now and forever, I want to keep looking at the moon with you".
How should I say this... It has become some kind of fancy exchange, but we both knew exactly what each other meant... and all the emotions within it were conveyed. But above all that... Anima's heartfelt smile was much more beautiful and attractive than the moon in the night sky.