Splash—
The sound of hot water filling the tub came from the bathroom. Hailing took care of her fluffy, snow-white hair, mentally preparing herself to bathe in an unfamiliar place.
She undid her outermost layer of clothing, revealing milky-white skin that contrasted little with her hair color. Her already well-developed chest was wrapped in layer upon layer of bandages that were stretched to their limit. Hailing couldn't help but sigh. "Phew… I'll have to buy a few more rolls from Yoimiya when I go back."
Undoing the bandages, Hailing began to wash.
"I always thought I had good self-control…"
The sound of rushing water against skin was suggestive. The small rustles of a towel were hard to ignore. The sound of getting out of the water, getting into the water…
"Honestly, is this some kind of penance?"
A Servant's body granted him superhuman senses, which naturally included an acute awareness of his current situation. Not to mention, he was acting as her guard. Going outside would only look more suspicious.
"In that case," Muramasa sat on the bed, closed his eyes, and began to construct projectable swords in his mind. Weapons he had forged, weapons he hadn't… Fragments of memories he had chanced upon, the era he had "experienced" in his life…
Thinking about it did make him feel a bit unmotivated. His personality wasn't originally real. His personality and body belonged to someone from the modern era, but his experiences and skills belonged to the "Muramasa" of old. The idea of constructing weapons was cast aside as he began to contemplate the meaning of this second life.
His so-called "past life memories" were as false as a dream. His stubborn insistence on calling himself "this old man" might be a way of fighting against his own empty existence.
"Honestly, I'm not the type to get hung up on this stuff, am I?"
Sensing that the sound of water had stopped, Muramasa didn't dwell on it further. At least he had achieved his goal of passing the time.
"Mr. Muramasa, you can go in and wash now…"
Hailing, wearing a simple white yukata, gracefully stepped out of the bathroom. Her youthful, delicate face was misty from the bath, making her eyes look hazy. Her hair hadn't been washed, but it was inevitably dampened by droplets of water. A few drops trickled down her neck and disappeared into the folds of her yukata.
The garment covered nearly her entire body from the neck down. Without the usual layers of bandages to restrain it, her figure was prominently displayed. Her mature curves were perfectly emphasized, cinched at the waist by a sash that also highlighted the flatness of her stomach in contrast. Even in a fleeting glance, his eyes had branded the image of peaks and plains into his mind.
"Got it."
Muramasa went into the bathroom and began to wash. Even though this body didn't need it, eating, drinking, and washing were all part of being alive. Not doing them felt like something was missing.
"Come to think of it, Teacher (Hephaestus) used to tease me about this," he mused. "Even though you're a Servant, you're always coming up with new things to cook."
Muttering to himself, he finished his bath. When he came out, he found Hailing curled up on the bed, looking as if she were asleep.
She's pretending…
He could guess the reason. The cheap inn with poor soundproofing was mainly for traveling merchants like them, but of course, some people from within Inazuma City would choose to stay here as well.
Faint but clear sounds came from behind the wall. The sounds had no specific meaning, just the pure venting of desire. This is probably a bit much for a girl her age. But if he just left her alone, she would probably fall asleep eventually.
Lying down on his own bed, Muramasa turned off the lamp and decisively closed his eyes.
Beside him, the feigning Hailing turned over, trying to peer at him in the darkness, but to no avail. "Phew…" She felt both relieved and a little strange. She had been worried he would panic, but was also annoyed that he didn't show any such reaction. Still, the fact that he had looked away was some comfort.
"You won't be able to sleep if you keep staring at me, you know. Are you some kind of yokai?"
"Ah, sorry!" Hailing quickly closed her eyes, not sure how he knew she was watching him.
"Forget it," Muramasa sighed. "By the way, do you usually bind your chest because of work?" Seeing that she couldn't sleep, he asked a question that had been on his mind.
"Ah…" The sudden question made Hailing shrink back a little, but she nodded anyway. "Yes. It was quite troublesome at first, whether I was gathering herbs or sorting fish. Later, I asked Yoimiya, and she was the one who told me about this method."
Yoimiya, the firework girl. So they both use layers of bandages to hide certain features. But their personalities are completely different…
"I see." After getting his answer, Muramasa's thoughts drifted for a moment, but he didn't press further. "Anyway, get some sleep. Don't let your mind wander. You have a lot to do tomorrow."
Muramasa didn't say any more. The day's fatigue made it impossible for Hailing to let her thoughts run wild any longer, and she quickly sank into a deep sleep. Time flowed freely in her dreams until the daylight broke the night.
Muramasa opened his eyes. He didn't need to look at the time to know it was six o'clock. He didn't need to help Hailing today, so he was free. Hailing, however, was already awake and had changed back into her usual clothes.
"You're up early," he remarked.
The girl, who was arranging her long hair, paused and looked back at him. "Ah, did I wake you…?"
"No, I usually get up around this time," Muramasa explained, shaking his head. "Even on days without work, sleeping in affects your efficiency later on."
"That's true…" Hailing looked as if she deeply agreed. "Well then, I'm heading out first. Yoimiya should be here soon. You can just wait here for a bit, Muramasa."
With that, she left the room and disappeared behind the door.
So it's just 'Muramasa' now… She's dropped the 'Mr.' without me even noticing, huh?
Oh well. It doesn't feel bad.
Muramasa got up from the bed, raised his hand, and used magic to form his usual attire, then headed outside. Inazuma at this hour was just beginning to wake up. Small stalls were already being set up on the streets. He had no idea if they were related to the merchants Hailing was looking for.
He lingered in front of the inn for a moment before a cheerful voice called out from the distance. Her golden hair, tied up in a "Goldfish Honda" style, combined with a passion as bright as the morning sun, formed the basis of Yoimiya's image in his eyes that morning.
"Hey, Grandpa Muramasa! Out for an early morning stroll~?" The teasing words from her mouth made the corners of his own lips twitch up in a grin as he complained, "Who are you calling grandpa, you little brat…"
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