Hearing Gilbert’s reply, a single memory resurfaced in Mira’s mind. She had been there one time in the past because of an event, which required her to gather some Purified Water, cleaned by the light filling the Crystal Temple. It was not a major event, so she did not think of it instantly, but when the fountain was mentioned, she remembered it. Thinking of that, she turned her eyes down to her body.
Her black coat was almost gray from all the dust that had gotten on it, and the places closest to her feet were covered with mud. It was obvious she would be in that state after spending a night in a dungeon, and then taking a walk inside a forest right after.
(Thinking of that, I haven’t bathed yet.)
Seeing herself reminded her of that, and while she was not a clean maniac, she still felt uncomfortable in her current state, so she decided to go wash herself.
“Hmm, I’ll go there for a moment then.”
Saying that, she turned towards the direction Gilbert had pointed to earlier.
“Hey hey hey, where are you going this late?”
Heinrich had been so focused on his blade that he had completely missed the earlier conversation and only reacted when Mira mentioned she was going somewhere.
“There’s apparently a running water fountain around there, so I’ll pay it a visit.”
“A water fountain, huh. Hmm, I wonder if it’s drinkable?”
“Yes, it is. I already checked the water quality.”
Gilbert replied to Heinrich’s question. Mira also recalled that the Purified Water was edible, so Gilbert’s reply was true.
“Should we use some of it in our food then? I can bring some if you want.”
“Ohh, I’ll take you up on that.”
When Heinrich suggested that, Gilbert threw him an empty pot. It flew in a straight line instead of a parabola, and Heinrich catched its handle with a single hand. Watching that interaction that looked like rehearsed acrobatics, she could tell for how long they had been together.
The light from the statue did not reach inside the passage, so Mira relied on the light orb she created with Concept Magic to illuminate the corridor, which shone like the shedded skin of a giant snake as she advanced to the direction she heard the water coming from.
Reaching the end of the corridor, and crossing the remnants of a door that had already lost its purpose, she arrived at the room containing the fountain. The fountain had a circular shape, its diameter around three times as large as Mira was tall. In the center of it there was a pyramid with four sides with a sphere on top, water pouring out from its tip. The water flew around its edges, sticking to the sphere and dripping down through small holes on it and making a bubbly noise as it fell down.
That fountain appeared to have a glow of its own as well, the glow changing and moving with the waves like the light from a slide projector. It was full of charm, though of a different type compared to the crystal statue.
“What a mysterious place.”
“Yes, I know.”
The view made the two feel like they were looking at the sun from the bottom of the sea as they exchanged words.
“I’ll take some of the water for now.”
Still taken aback by that surreal sight, Heinrich sunk the pot inside the water of the fountain.
“This should be about enough.”
The pot was filled up to around two thirds when he took it out of the water. An instant later, he could not muster a single word more, or any noise for that matter, only letting the pot fall from his hands while he tried to look away completely flustered from the half naked girl at his side.
“Wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-why are you undressing?!”
When he was finally able to squeeze out some words again, his voice was high in pitch. Given that he had zero experience when dealing with women, he ducked down to pick up the pot and covered his face with it.
“Why, you ask? I’ve come here to take a bath, it’s obvious I would have to undress for that.”
She had still not developed the self-consciousness of a girl when dealing with other people, so she replied with a completely indifferent voice as her hands carelessly reached her underwear.
“Couldn’t you just have said that earlier?!”
After catching a glimpse of Mira’s alluring figure from the edge of the pot, Heinrich was unable to endure staying there any longer so he ran away from the fountain as he shouted like that.
“Hmm, maybe I teased him a bit too much.”
Mira murmured that while feeling a bit guilty, but then a somewhat childish but also bewitching smile overtook her lips.
The water was not freezing cold, but slightly lukewarm when she stepped into it, then using the inn amenities she borrowed to wash herself.
Afterwards she took the sorcerer robe set she had been wearing and put it into the water and began washing it.
When Mira was feeling refreshed enough, she wore her underwear and dress again, but held her coat in her arms as she returned to the camp. She had used Concept Arts to dry her clothes and hair, and some of the heat from that still remained on them.
“This has quite the delightful smell already.”
After taking some whiffs from the air, she happily mentioned that.
Gilbert was already cooking the monster’s meat and other ingredients, the smell of which was so good Mira’s stomach was already starting to rumble.
“The herbs I collected have a particular smell to them already, but combine them with a good method to cook them and it takes it to a whole new level. When these Pecot leaves are combined with meat, it gets rid of any foul odors and helps to digest it.”
Gilbert was also knowledgeable about the culinary properties of plants, so he explained that with an eloquent tone.
Mira only knew basic stuff like grilling, boiling and frying different things, or basically, any male’s general cooking knowledge, so Gilbert’s skills were deeply appreciated by her.
Heinrich had been silent until then, but when he looked at Mira, he remembered something and while his face turned beet red, he took the pot and just said “I’ll be going to get some water then!” and left for the fountain.
(Humm, seems the impression was too strong.)
Thinking that, she nonchalantly took out her sleeping bag from her Item Box and placed it on the floor. Then she lied on top of it, without entering inside.
Considering its resilience, it would work as a good carpet thought Mira. It was as large as the bed she had at home, and it felt as comfortable.
(This truly is a good item. I shall express my gratitude to Thedrick if I meet him again.)
With those thoughts circling her mind, she had completely switched to her homestaying mode. Still lying down, she took out the manga book she had bought in Silverside Station, passing a relaxed and laid back time while turning from side to side until the food was ready.
When Heinrich returned from gathering water, he got agitated again seeing that Mira had gotten too comfortable and had exposed her skirt again. Gilbert only laughed.
“The food is ready!”
The water had been the last ingredient to complete the soup and dinner was ready, so Gilbert spoke to the other two.
“We’re having a feast tonight.”
“I commend your cooking skills.”
Heinrich put away all the swords he had taken out, Mira turned her book over, with the pages still open, then the two walked over to Gilbert serving the food, and sat close to him.
With that, the night ended with a display of closeness like that of a family for the three of them.
