Chapter 87

In the bath, Luna and Hildegarde were sitting seiza in the bathtub, being scolded by the youngest, Mina.

"Big sisters, I understand that you like Dad, but if you're too pushy, he might get turned off, you know?"

"Ugh... I never thought I'd be told this by Mina. But, I'm not being pushy. That's just how I show my affection."

"O-of course, I'm not being pushy either."

"Don't make excuses!"

"Okay."

"I'm sorry."

Sitting seiza in the bathtub, the two girls felt dejected by the words of the girl facing them. They hadn't realized it, but from a third person's perspective, they were indeed being pushy, and they reflected on this.

"Still, it's surprising how much Mina, who used to be so shy, has grown up, huh. People grow so quickly."

"What are you looking at me like that for?"

The Mina that Hildegarde knew was a girl who would hide behind Reta.

While it was possible to interact with her normally once she opened up, she never used to scold anyone like this.

The fact that she started calling Reta "Dad" and other changes must have happened during the short time they were apart.

"By the way, why did you come to Dad's place?"

"Because I'm his wife?"

"Y-you... calm down, calm down... sss, haa... Anyway, you're an elf, right? There were other places you could have gone, like Klaus who's already in town, or the Adventurer's Guild."

"Ah, that's right! I completely forgot!"

Hildegarde, as if remembering something, suddenly stood up from the bathtub.

"Hey, what's going on!? Don't just stand up like that!? The water splashed, and you're completely exposed! Cover yourself a bit!"

"Oops, sorry."

"Hildegarde, what's wrong?"

"...I was trying to tell you something important, but I completely forgot in the excitement of seeing Reta."

"Hey, don't blame Dad. So, what did you forget? It's probably not that big a deal, right?"

Hildegarde shook her head at Luna, who assumed it wasn't important if she forgot it.

"On the way from the village to this town, the carriage overturned. I checked to see if anyone was injured, but it was empty. However, there were bloodstains nearby."

"...Um, that, I have a bad feeling about this."

"Most likely, it was attacked by bandits."

"Wh-what! That's not something you can forget! Are you stupid!?"

"I can't argue with that. Anyway, we need to tell Reta first."

Hildegarde looked towards the men's bath next door.

Actually, the baths in this inn are connected, even though the entrances are separated by gender. Of course, there are partitions, so the two sides don't meet.

"Ah, wait, what? You're going to tell Dad right now!?"

Finding the door on the partition, Hildegarde entered the men's bath without hesitation.

"Ah! What are you doing, Hilde! A girl without a towel!"

"Oops, my apologies. But, my body belongs to you, my husband. Feel free to enjoy it."

"That's not the issue! And why? Before that, what if there were other guests!?"

It seems Reta was the only one in the men's bath.

Knowing this, Luna couldn't just sit back.

Not wanting to lose to Hildegarde, Luna also rushed into the men's bath.

"Hey, Dad, why are you getting excited over that flat-chested old lady! If you want to see, look at me!"

"Luna, don't come here! What if other guests come!?"

"...Oh, Dad, do you want to monopolize me? You're so greedy!"

"No one said that!"

Finally, Mina, who had been left alone in the women's bath, cautiously entered the men's bath.

She had bathed with Reta before, but only in the family bath.

Mina didn't have as much courage as her sisters and Hildegarde, but she was worried about Reta and wrapped herself tightly in a towel before entering.

"Dad!"

"Mina, you came too!? What, what's going on!?"

"Calm down, Reta. I understand that you get excited by me, but now is not the time."

"Huh?"

"Dad, Hildegarde found a carriage that was attacked by bandits."

"---What!?"

Reacting to the word "bandits," Reta stood up from the bathtub with a splash.

Incidentally, he wasn't wearing a towel.

The girls reacted with wide eyes.

"Wow, wow, wow."

Mina tried to cover her eyes with her hands, but her fingers were spread, and her face was red.

"A... Dad, you're so handsome."

Luna, with a seductive expression, licked her lips.

"Mm, well, you know, as a man, it's a natural reaction."

Hildegarde, who kept her eyes on a certain part of Reta, observed it closely.

The next moment,

"Aaaaaaaah, don't look! Don't look!"

Letting out a scream like a young girl, the man hid his body in the bathtub.

"Dad's scream is so cute... but that part was rough."

"Mm, it was quite impressive."

"Dad... you don't have to be so embarrassed, you know?"

Despite their gentle words, the sensitive Reta was so shocked that he didn't come back up from the water for a while.

A few minutes later, Reta finally calmed down and, together with his daughters, headed to the Adventurer's Guild to report the incident.