I Was Sent to an All-Female Frontline Unit to Get Rid of Some of the Trouble, but the Most Beautiful Girls Who Are Rumored to Hate Men Love Me So Much That I Have a Hard Time at Night

Chapter 16: Bath (1)

“Eh!? T-The bath!? Me too!?”

Just yesterday, I said that taking a bath with everyone was embarrassing.

That must be why Elena-san looks so surprised.

But after a brief pause, she opens her mouth.

“W-Well, I don’t mind, of course… but Finn-kun, are you okay with me being there too?”

“Yes…! If Elena-san is close by, I think I’ll feel much more at ease than if I were alone with everyone. It would actually make me feel calmer, so I’d rather… have you with me…!”

“Wha—!? J-Just give me a second, okay!?”

With a sudden slam, the door shuts.

From beyond the door—

“What does he mean, he feels at ease and actually wants me there!? That’s way too cute, Finn-kun…! And the bath!? He was embarrassed yesterday, but now he wants to try harder to get closer to everyone!? But since it’s tough on his own, he came to me for help, right!? Isn’t that just too cute…!? But wait, if I take a bath with Finn-kun, even though I just decided to take things slow yesterday… I-I mean, no. Finn-kun trusts and relies on me, so I can’t let my mind wander in weird directions…!”

Her voice is high-pitched and fast, muffled by the door, making it hard to make out the words. But at the very least, I can tell that Elena-san is saying something.

Soon, the door opens again.

“S-Sorry for making you wait! Um… if Finn-kun wants me there, I guess I’ll come along.”

“Really!?”

“Y-Yeah.”

“Thank you so much!”

“That smile…!”

Then, with Elena-san holding her change of clothes, we head to the bath.

More precisely, we stop in front of the door leading to the changing room.

“Wasn’t Terraward-kun just adorable while eating today!?”

“Yeah. And when he praised our magic too.”

“Right!? I mean, Terra-kun is always adorable!”

As I hear everyone’s conversation, my mind flashes back to the scene I saw beyond this door yesterday.

—The clasp of underwear on a slender, pale back.

—Legs partially undressed from a skirt.

—The slight reveal of cleavage from an angle behind.

Recalling those images, my feet stop involuntarily.

“Everyone… they must be undressing right now, right?”

“Well, it is the changing room.”

“……”

I’ve already decided to bathe with everyone, so I can’t back out now…!

Even though I know that in my head…

This isn’t something I can just get used to immediately…!

But I want to be with everyone…

“Are you still embarrassed about seeing everyone’s bodies?”

“…! Yes… I’m sorry.”

Pathetic.

But the thought of directly seeing everyone’s bodies…

I still can’t handle that yet.

“There’s nothing to apologize for! If that’s the case, how about we have everyone—myself included—wrap themselves in towels before entering the bath? I’ll go tell them now—”

“W-Wait!”

“Hm? What is it?”

“I really appreciate your suggestion, Elena-san, and I’d be grateful if everyone else could do that… but I’d like you to stay close to me… the whole time.”

“…!?

It’s embarrassing.

It feels selfish.

Am I bothering her?

Despite my worries, I say it, and Elena-san, flustered, speaks up.

“O-Oh…! W-Well, you did say you feel calmer when I’m with you… T-Then, how about this? Everyone else will go in first, and we’ll stay in the changing room together, but undress separately so we don’t see each other. Sound good?”

“…! Thank you so much…! Let’s do that…!”

“O-Okay…! I’ll go tell everyone then…!”

With a cheerful tone, Elena-san enters the changing room.

Then, her voice echoes from inside.

“Everyone~! Finn-kun wants to bathe with us today, but he’s still embarrassed about seeing everyone’s bodies, so could you wrap yourselves in towels before going in? The last one in, let him know when you’re all done!”

“…!”

“Got it~!”

“Being embarrassed about seeing us… that’s so cute.”

“Wait, Terra-kun in the bath!?”

“This is going to be amazing…!”

Hearing their responses, the door quickly opens again.

Elena-san smiles and says,

“I told everyone, so let’s wait here!”

“Understood!”

Elena-san, and everyone else.

They’re all so kind.

Sometimes, I wonder if I even deserve to be in such a happy place.

That’s how much it means to me.

After a short wait—

“Elena-senpai! Everyone’s in!”

A voice calls out from inside the changing room.

“Thanks for the update! Let’s go in, Finn-kun!”

“Yes!”

Entering with Elena-san, I notice the changing room has a pleasant fragrance, likely from everyone who just undressed.

But if I focus on it, I’ll get even more nervous, so I shake my head to clear my mind.

“I’ll undress over here, so Finn-kun, you take that side.”

“Okay…!”

Moving to a spot where we can’t see each other, I start taking off my clothes.

From Elena-san’s side, I hear the rustling of fabric—

“Wait…! Finn-kun is undressing right now, right over there…!? He’s so close, but I can’t look… this is torture…! This is harder to endure than any attack I’ve ever faced…! If I accidentally see his body, will I lose his trust in that instant…? Wait, wait, what do I do…!? He already asked me to stay close, and my heart is racing…! But I have to endure, I have to endure…!”

Elena-san seems to be muttering something under her breath.

But I’m too focused on calming myself down, trying to suppress my nervousness about bathing with everyone.

Back when I was younger and less aware of these things, I used to bathe with my not-biological older sister.

But now, everything is different—my body, my thoughts, everything. And the girls I’m with now aren’t like my sister back then. They are adults—

“Finn-kun! I’m done undressing and wrapped in my towel, so I’ll wait for you by the bath entrance!”

“…! O-Okay! I’ll be right there!”

Realizing I was taking too long, I hurry to remove the rest of my clothes, wrap a towel around my waist, and head towards Elena-san.

“S-Sorry for the wait—”

But when I see Elena-san’s appearance—

More exposed skin than usual, the curves that a mere towel couldn’t conceal, her naturally elegant face, and her long, slender, fair legs—

I find myself captivated.

“……”