There was no longer any way to escape the mixed bathing. No, there was no way to escape from the bath in the first place. In the first place, the four people near the top of this world, including Kataya Kuro, and me, who is called less than a slime... it's physically impossible to escape, and since we're outnumbered, there's no chance of winning from a democratic standpoint either.

　Well, that's enough of that. I've resolved to........what, I've gone through a lot of hardships in a spiritual sense up to this point.
　I'll admit that this is the best lineup ever. It's the arms ringing.......maybe this shiver in my body and the chill in my spine is a warrior-like nanika.

　But it's Alice that I'm concerned about. As far as I know, she's usually a hardcore shy person, even if she's like that. And she even said she was traumatized by a previous incident.
　But even so, Alice was convinced by Kuro's words...what did he say?

　With these thoughts of escaping reality in mind, I wrapped the towel tightly around my waist and took three deep breaths before opening the door.
　Considering the awesomeness of the accommodations, I had come to expect this hot spring to be amazing. But it's not just a swimming pool, it's an area that looks like it's about the size of a pond, with a spectacular view of various plants... or is it a mountain?　Are we really indoors?

　Overwhelmed by the huge hot spring, I walked across the neatly stone-lined floor and approached the bathtub... I could see 'three' shadows beyond the hot water, and they became clearer as I got closer.

'Ah, Kite-kun. Over here, over here!
'Oh, ah...'

　Black finds me and waves at me, he's in hot water.......safe.

'.........Kite.......'
I'm sorry I'm late.

　Isis-san is sitting on the edge of the hot spring with a large towel wrapped around her, smiling as if she were smiling and giving a small wave, and I can't see any danger here either.......thank goodness. She's got her towel wrapped up properly.

'I've gotten tired of waiting~'
....

　The 'tall blonde beauty with a glamorous figure and tall blonde hair' who calls out to me saying that.......I see.
　A strategy to soften the shame by transforming into a different person.......and she's clearly different in shape and height from the original Alice. It's like a magical get-up, if you will.　I thought he would agree to it so easily, but........

''Fufufu, I can't even speak as I gaze at the s*xy Alice-chan in her hot spring specs.......

　I'll admit I'm pretty hot right now. But Alice you're not!　You're a different guy altogether!
　No, no, well, if you're okay with that Alice it's not like anyone else is going to get in trouble, okay?　The smug look is annoying, though.

'You can look at it more closely, can't you?　d*mn it.

　Alice seems to have the mental capacity to come up to me in a teasing tone and poke me with her elbow....

''No, no!　Chartier!　That magic is 'used with the intent to deceive' Kite-kun, so it's 'perceived as hostility'...
Huh?

　By the time Black yells out in a panic, Alice's elbow touches my body........Immediately afterwards, with a sound like shattering glass, Alice's magic is released.
　Then what happens?　Alice had transformed into a being with a body shape bigger than her own and wrapped a towel around it. When it reverted back to her natural Alice's body shape, of course the towel would fall off.......



　Clean skin without a single blemish, and a sensationally beautiful peach-colored protrusion... Maybe it's because the unexpected has prevented me from turning my thoughts around, or maybe it's just my instincts as a man, but I can't help but stare at it reflexively.
　After a short silence of less than a second, as if the air was frozen, Alice's entire body turns bright red as if she were boiling.

''Hiyaaaaah!
Huh?

　And it was like he entered the hot spring at a speed that he couldn't even perceive, and then dived into the murky water, and buzzed and bubbled from a little distance away.
　........It was a tragic incident in many ways. It was so hot that his face was burning. It was a surprise for Alice, but it was also a complete surprise for me........Alice's naked body, which was burned into my brain, unavoidably spurred my man on.
　I think it was a fine play to cover my lower body as quickly as possible.

　No, you see, I'm a healthy guy too.......and if I see a girl I like naked or something, it would be strange not to react.......yeah, I don't think I'll be able to take a bath for a while.
　Most importantly, I don't think I'll be able to look at Alice's face directly. Let's cover ourselves with a little cold water to cool our heads.

I'm going to have to wash up - yes?

　When I moved my gaze away from the place for now, I saw something strange.
　It was such a shocking sight for me that I couldn't help but stop in my tracks.

"........Hey, hey, Black?
Yeah?

Yeah, well I forgot all about it. I'm sorry.

　What I saw was the figure of Ayn-san, who looks like a minnow with too many towels wrapped around her, sitting with her knees in her arms, facing the wall.
　How can I say, there is a negative aura around Ayn-san that could make me believe that his surroundings are dimly lit.................What on earth is going on?

　I approached Ayn-san, who has become like a shady character, far from her usual cool image, with trepidation, and called out to her.

It's a good thing that you're not the only one.　Are you okay?　I mean, you're not feeling well or....
So........................
"Huh?
''Please don't look at me ... please don't look at my wretched appearance of 'not wearing a maid's uniform' ...''
....

　There?　Huh?　What?　So that's what you're saying?　The reason why Ayn-san was so reluctant to go in with you is because she didn't want you to see her in a maid's uniform?　

"Well, uh...
'I'm not a maid I'm not a maid now I'm not a maid I want to disappear I want no one to see me. I want to be invisible ... to disappear.

　A thin, weak voice. ........what a negative aura.......eh?　Is this what Ayn-san looks like when she takes off her maid uniform?　I, no, I certainly hadn't seen her in anything other than a maid's outfit........
　The dense atmosphere is horrendous.

　What should I do? To be honest, I regret that I called out to you. But I can't just ignore it and go back to it now, so....geez, I need to cheer up.

Mr. Ayn, please listen to me.
...Lord Kite?
'Ms. Ayn takes pride in being a maid. She puts her whole heart and soul into it.......right?
'Yes ... being a maid is the very value of my existence ... without it ... I ... ...
Is that the extent of your commitment to your maid, Mr. Ayn?
...What?

　I don't know if I've been hit by a strange atmosphere or something, but I continue to speak while feeling a strange heat in my tone.

''You're a maid because you're wearing a maid's uniform?　You're not!　Ayn's passion for maids shouldn't be so yawaii that it disappears to the extent that she looks different!　It's never what you wear that determines if you're a maid or not!　No matter how you're dressed, if you're proud to be a maid you're supposed to be a maid!
.........

　Honestly, I'm starting to 'don't even know what I'm saying'!　Ah, but for some reason Ayn-san looks shocked. Enough!　Let's keep the momentum going!

'Stand up, Mr Ayn!　If it's not a maid's outfit, you should still have to make your presence known as a maid with that heart!
Oh ... oh ... wow ... I'm a maid ... aren't I!
'Yes, sir!　If you think Ayn is a maid, she's a maid!　Don't give up being a maid!　Believe in yourself as a maid!

　.........Maid, maid, I've said so much that I don't know what a maid is anymore.
　While I take the rather pathetic consolation of being confused by my own words, I still finish with a flutter and vigor.
　Then, before I knew it, the towel that had been wrapped around me in large quantities like a minnow had become a single piece, and Ain-san had returned to her usual interesting expression.

''........Thank you, Kaito-sama. I apparently forgot the most important thing. ''You don't have me because I'm a maid, but because of me, you have a maid!
'What?　Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!　That's right!
'I mean 'I'm a maid and a maid is me' I've shown you the unseemly part. It's all right now.
...Oh, I see........

　Apparently, Ein-san is all better now, which is really good.
　But I just want to say one thing.............................what the hell is he talking about?

　Dear Mom and Dad - Two happenings occurred at the beginning of the mixed bathing process. Alice, who had a new self-destruct, and Ain-san, who fell on the negative side. No, I really have a lot of work ahead of me, and I'm worried about what's to come... but first, a word of advice - what is a maid after all!