Chapter 19
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: After the Shower, Meal
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“That’s... as you can see, it’s too cramped for the two of us to fit in.”
Truth be told, the shower room was cramped, but it might’ve been possible for two people to squeeze in.
Still, I refused, using the excuse that it was too small because sharing a shower just didn’t make sense to me.
“Then you can just tell me from outside.”
Rubyel, unlike me, said it casually, as if it were no big deal.
Anyway, I had to stay outside and refill the water tank with [Resource Replenishment] every time it ran low.
“Yes. I’ll wait outside.”
Elisicia chimed in right after.
“Now that we’re done talking, I’m going first.”
The moment she finished speaking, Elisicia shrugged off her leather armor.
Catching an unintended live strip show from the hero, I quickly turned my head away.
I thought Rubyel was the only unusual one.
Seeing Elisicia like this too made me reasonably suspect the others were the same.
Is it really because they’re from another world?
Or maybe there was another reason. Thinking it over, war came to mind first.
The Hero Party had probably fought a massive war against the monsters that rained from the sky eight years ago.
A war that killed over 90% of the population.
They might’ve gone through some psychological changes in the process, or perhaps lost something as women.
Just my speculation, though.
In any case, they now seemed unfazed by showing their bare bodies.
But since I didn’t know exactly what the Hero Party had been through eight years ago, I could be way off.
“Castaway.”
“Yes?”
In the meantime, Rubyel called out to me for some reason.
“It’s taking too long if we go one by one. Can you make one more of those?”
“One more?”
“Of course, I’m not asking for free. I’ll give you some of my points.”
[Crimson Tower Master has requested a 1:1 trade.]
Rubyel then offered her points through the 1:1 trade.
[Points: 15,000]
“...!?”
“This should be enough, right?”
It was more than enough—overflowing, even.
On the flip side, it was so much that pretending not to notice felt awkward.
“It’s too much. 1,000 points would be plenty.”
“Just take it. Think of it as a joining gift for the Hero Party.”
“...”
I thought she was just tomboyish in speech and actions, but her generosity was straight out of a manly hero too.
Should I call her ‘bro’?
Anyway, with the points in hand, I went ahead and installed two more shower rooms.
Rubyel hadn’t expected me to add two extras and looked surprised but pleased.
“You added two more?”
“Well, there are five of us.”
“Good thinking. It might go up to seven later.”
Seven?
Before I could voice my question, Rubyel flung off her robe.
Thanks to that, I caught a glimpse of her snow-white skin, slender and supple legs, and the curve of her waist before immediately turning away.
I really can’t get used to this.
Swish—
Next, what I assumed was an elf woman casually shed her leather armor and entered a shower room without a care.
Only after Rubyel and the elf woman’s pristine nude forms disappeared into the showers could I finally catch my breath.
“...”
“...”
With those two gone, naturally, only I and the woman in priestly robes remained.
This feels a bit awkward too.
I glanced at the priestly-robed woman, who was giving me a gentle smile.
Her sky-blue hair was as pretty as the heavens themselves, and she exuded a warm, kind aura just by looking at her.
She seems like the type who’d brush off any mistake with a forgiving smile.
But having dealt with Elisicia and Rubyel already, I stayed on guard and tense.
“Come to think of it, I haven’t introduced myself yet. I am Aila, the saintess who carries out the goddess’s will.”
“Ah, yes.”
“You must’ve had a hard time with Elisicia and Rubyel.”
“Huh? No, it’s fine.”
“And you even went along with Elisicia’s coercion.”
She must’ve meant the demand to join the Hero Party.
“Actually, personally, I’ve been wanting to meet you, Castaway.”
Huh?
I stared at Aila for a moment, parsing what she’d just said.
Why would the Hero Party’s saintess want to meet me?
“Me?”
“Yes. You’ve saved so many people using your abilities.”
“Saved... you mean the food? But I only sold it because it benefits me too.”
“But you didn’t charge outrageous prices.”
That was true.
I’d sold it almost at cost.
“Everyone’s struggling. I couldn’t charge high prices.”
“Exactly that. I knew I hadn’t misjudged you.”
“...”
Hearing her response, I felt a tiny prick of unease deep inside.
But since I couldn’t pinpoint what it was, I just smiled and denied it.
“No, really. I’m just an ordinary guy. And that’s the truth.”
“That’s what makes it even more impressive, isn’t it? An ordinary person mustering the courage to join the Hero Party.”
To be precise, it wasn’t courage—it was half impulse.
The decision to go along with saving the world if that’s why my friend sent me here.
Plus, the thought that saving the world might send me back home.
But right now, more than that...
Talking to Aila more made her feel dangerous in a different way from Rubyel.
“Oh, and I was really impressed when you bought pickaxes instead of food on the first floor.”
“R-Really?”
“Now everyone will work hard to earn points and buy the food you put up.”
I wondered if I should keep listening, but I had to stay for the water tank’s [Resource Replenishment].
“So, if I may ask, how do you plan to help people next? I’d like to assist if I can.”
With that, Aila stepped boldly toward me.
Her face suddenly so close, I flinched and averted my gaze without thinking.
“W-Well...”
“...Don’t tell me you haven’t thought about it?”
For a split second—or maybe it was my imagination—her voice dipped a tone, laced with sadness.
Looking back, her half-closed eyes parted slightly, revealing moist, deep blue irises.
“N-No, of course I have plans. But right now, priority is releasing more food so everyone can eat their fill.”
Aila brightened with a smile, returning to her gentle demeanor.
“Of course. I must’ve misunderstood for a moment. Sorry.”
“No, it’s fine.”
I answered while inwardly praying the three in the showers would hurry up.
“Ah. After releasing more food, what’s next? I can’t contain my curiosity.”
“...”
To that question, I desperately racked my brain for an answer.
“Uh... next, we improve food quality. And add essentials for living. Raise the bar little by little to build a better life.”
I had no idea if it was feasible, but I said it anyway.
Luckily, Aila looked moved, clasping her hands and trembling slightly.
“Ahh. Just imagining it makes me happy. Living like that in this labyrinth...”
“...”
Honestly, now I was openly scared.
Why’s her body shaking?
I still didn’t get it, but her affinity for me seemed sky-high.
The problem was it could plummet in an instant—and oddly, even if it rose more, I didn’t think that’d be good.
Clank—
“Castaway! The foam comes out but then stops—what’s going on?”
Then the shower room door opened, and a drenched Rubyel asked, puzzled.
“...”
Of course, Rubyel was buck naked.
Flustered once more, I averted my eyes—how many times now?—and replied.
“The foam stops coming out?”
“Yeah. And you can look.”
Truly a bro.
Made me want to call her that for real.
“I-It’s probably rinsed off by the water. Turn off the water and try.”
“Water? Got it.”
Rubyel nodded and went back in.
I watched, then pulled up Modern Item Purchase and bought large towels and nightgowns.
Hand them out when they come out.
Afterward, as the Hero Party members finished one by one, I handed them the towels and nightgowns.
“Thank you. You should shower too, Castaway.”
“Yeah.”
It’d been days since my last shower.
I couldn’t when hiding on the first floor.
Just wiped down with wet wipes.
Determined to wash properly this time, I entered the shower room.
After showering, feeling refreshed for the first time in a while, I tidied up and entered the tent.
Inside, the three who’d showered were chatting with Aila, who’d just arrived.
Do they need a hair dryer?
Thinking that, I bought one.
Then I pulled out a large-capacity battery from my inventory and connected it.
“Castaway, what’re you doing?”
Elisicia asked, curious at the sight.
“Drying wet hair.”
“You could leave it to Rubyel... but yeah, better get used to it from now on.”
“Rubyel can dry hair too?”
Elisicia nodded as if it were obvious when I asked.
“Her magic can dry it in an instant.”
“...”
Did I buy the hair dryer for nothing?
“Show me?”
Rubyel said it like it was no trouble.
Honestly curious about the magic, I paused and asked.
“Sure, please.”
Snap—
Rubyel snapped her fingers, and warm wind enveloped my hair.
The breeze lingered briefly before vanishing, leaving my scalp cool and dry.
“Done.”
Touching my hair, it was perfectly fluffy.
Way better than a hair dryer.
I glanced at the one I’d just bought.
Noticing, Elisicia reassured me.
“It’s fine. The deeper we go, the more we have to conserve magic.”
“Reason for that?”
“The Evil God’s energy grows stronger the deeper we go. Magic recovery slows down too.”
Ah.
“So, save magic.”
“Yes. Not just magic—Aila’s holy spells weaken too. We might rely more on your items later.”
Hearing the reason, I pondered again if descending the labyrinth was okay.
It screamed danger, but I’d already decided—no backing out now.
“Anyway, could you handle dinner? I’m hungry, and everyone seems to be.”
Come to think of it, we hadn’t eaten since reaching the fourth floor.
“One sec.”
Determined to show the essence of modern civilization—not a hair dryer—I bought food.
Two pizzas, five pastas, five sandwiches, five sodas.
This should be plenty.
Everyone else was female, excluding me.
They might not even finish it.
But enough to introduce modern flavors.
Proof: the Hero Party couldn’t take their eyes off the food I pulled out.
“Whoa, it smells amazing.”
“Castaway, how do you eat this?”
“That’s pizza—just pick up a slice by hand. Next to it is spaghetti; here’s a fork, so...”
Like with the showers, I taught them one by one and helped with the meal.