13: Mii-chan Receives a Cat Litter Set

I wanted to go directly to the public bath, but since Mii-chan is with me, I can’t take her there.

“Mii…”

It’s not Mii-chan’s fault. It’s the public bath’s fault for not allowing cats. I’ll give her a bath when we get back.

“Mii~”

Returning to the inn, I change the contents of my bag and head downstairs.

Although it might be a bother, I ask the innkeeper to look after Mii-chan. To my surprise, she seems delighted. The women drinking at the inn are also interested in Mii-chan and want to pet her.

I leave a can of cat food and a bottle of mineral water for Mii-chan and ask the innkeeper to feed her.

The public bath is open until ten, so there’s still time. However, I’d prefer to bathe and then have dinner. It feels better to eat after being clean.

When I arrive at the public bath and pay at the front desk, I’m asked if I want to add a massage. I didn’t know they offered that. When I ask how much it costs, I find out it’s four hundred ret, about the cost of one bath session. Since I have a bit of extra money, I decide to try it. I pay and receive four tokens: one for myself, one for my belongings, one for the massage, and one for the three assistants.

I also ask if it’s possible to bring Mii-chan to the public bath. The attendant, being an employee, says they don’t know, but it’s unlikely. That’s a shame.

After leaving my clothes and belongings in the locker, I head to the bath area. The bathhouse has a relaxed atmosphere with spacious baths and a lot of steam.

“Excuse me.”

As I soak in the hot water, I feel the stress and fatigue of the day melting away. A hot bath is truly the best.

After relaxing for a while, I’m called for my massage. In a relaxed state, I enjoy the massage. The four hundred ret is well worth it as my entire body feels lighter.

After the massage, I rinse off, get dressed, and leave the bathhouse feeling refreshed. With the bath taken care of, I’m even more excited for dinner.

Returning to the inn, I have a delicious meal, which helps lift my spirits. Good food makes even a tired body feel rejuvenated.

After dinner, I go back to the inn to check on Mii-chan. She’s been happily playing with the innkeeper and the women who were drinking.

“I’m back, Mii-chan.”

“Mii~”

“You were a good girl, weren’t you? It’s almost bedtime.”

I prepare for a relaxing night with Mii-chan. Today was truly tiring but fulfilling.

“Hey, it’s that guy from the other day. Ready for your turn?”

“Yes, please. Here you go.”

“Thanks! Alright, I’ll put some extra effort into this.”

“Also, I requested a massage. Is that handled here?”

“You asked for a massage too? That’s over there.”

With that, they pour hot water over my head. It’s quite a vigorous move. Not bad at all. It gets me pumped up for the washing, and the guy washes me thoroughly and carefully. It’s like he’s reaching all those itchy spots perfectly—truly excellent. Such moments of bliss are over all too quickly.

“Make sure to get your massage after the bath.”

“Thanks for everything, sir!”

After soaking in the bath, I head over to the massage area.

Wow. What a sight for sore eyes. Truly a feast for the eyes… Ahem. What an indecent outfit.

A lady in a snugly-fitting bathrobe that shows off her curves greets me. Just this alone makes it worth the money.

I lie face down on a stone slab, and the oil massage begins. It covers my neck, shoulders, back, and legs—basically a full-body massage. It felt so good that I almost fell asleep. Before I left the bath, they told me to come back here again. I wonder if something’s up?

I take another slow soak in the bath and head back to the massage area. I’m laid down again and covered with what seems like a citrus-scented oil. It’s not sticky at all, and it feels like my skin is being moisturized nicely.

This massage might become addictive. Even if I can’t do it every time, it’s nice for an occasional treat. It’s like a little luxury experience.

I greet the old man and leave the bath. I’m definitely starving now. I need to head home quickly.

When I return to the inn, I find that Mii-chan is charming the guests at the counter. The guests seem completely smitten with Mii-chan.

It looks like one of the guests is trying to feed Mii-chan some snacks, but Mii-chan tilts her head and doesn’t eat, which makes the guest even more enamored.

“Mii~”

“I’m back.”

Mii-chan jumps on me and, for some reason, starts sniffing me.

“Hey, Neiro, what kind of smell did you pick up? Didn’t you go to the bath?”

The innkeeper seems to have misunderstood something, so I need to clarify to preserve my honor.

“I went to the public bath and got a massage.”

“Oh, that explains it. Many cats don’t like citrus scents.”

Really? Does Mii-chan dislike it too?

“Mii?”

She’s looking at me with a smile, so it seems like it’s not a problem. I’m relieved.

I ask the innkeeper for dinner. It seems like Mii-chan has already eaten.

Dinner was hearty: a steak from Oggi, a stew made with Sleep Goat meat, and potato salad. The innkeeper’s husband had already made it to the potato salad, which was impressive. However, it was all very delicious.

“Thank you for the meal.”

“Mii~”

I return the dishes and, on my way back, get a bucket of warm water to bring to the room.

When I put Mii-chan in the bucket bath, she looks blissful, resting her face on the edge of the bucket, completely relaxed.

As I was about to summon some more cat supplies like cat food and mineral water, I noticed that new items had appeared. A cat litter set! Oh, this is really helpful. I was having trouble with not having a litter box for Mii-chan.

Whenever Mii-chan needed to use the bathroom, she would tap on the door, so I had to take her outside. But with this, there’s no need to go outside anymore.

I quickly summoned it! Gah… I’m feeling lightheaded and extremely lethargic. I collapsed onto the bed. What is this summoning draining from me? It’s making me uneasy.

After resting a bit, I felt somewhat better. I can’t do any more today. I’ll die.

I take Mii-chan out of the water, wrap her in a bath towel, and dry her off thoroughly. After that, she’s free to do as she pleases. I’ll return the bucket now.

After washing and returning the bucket, I set up the cat litter, but Mii-chan doesn’t seem to need it right now.

I decided to appraise the cat litter set, and it turns out that if Mii-chan uses it, monsters within a radius of 500 meters will be less likely to come near.

Mii-chan’s marking ability is insane. I can’t think of a use for it right now though…

Since I have an early start tomorrow, I set the alarm clock and then call out to Mii-chan, who’s grooming herself.

“Mii-chan, shall we go to sleep?”

“Mii~”