Chapter 233: Aisa Bathhouse
When it came to Yae Miko, Bai Luo had always followed one golden rule: avoid her if possible, and never approach her first.
As a fellow connoisseur of chaos, he knew all too well just how troublesome someone like her could be.
If teasing a dog brings you joy, and teasing a fish earns you caviar—then teasing a fox? That costs brain cells. Lots of them.
Still, since she had come knocking herself, there was no point in hiding anymore.
People like them—two sharp blades clashing tip to tip—weren't just competing in wit or schemes anymore. This was a full-on battle of intelligence and information.
Unlike Yae Miko, who thought she had all the dirt on Bai Luo, he actually knew everything about her.
Like that one time she got totally drunk, started spouting nonsense, and bawled her eyes out.
Oh yes, she might seem like an untouchable high-and-mighty shrine maiden now, but she'd had her share of slip-ups.
The only question was: could he make her mess up again?
With both harboring secret motives, they stepped out from Bai Luo's courtyard and into the streets of the town.
The cobblestone roads of Inazuma, to a modern eye, would probably fail every standard of quality control.
Because honestly, they were anything but even. Jagged, mismatched, and bumpy in all the wrong ways. Someone with OCD would probably cry at the sight.
One misstep and you'd be face-first in the dirt.
But to the people of this era, this was something to take pride in.
Walking along the uneven path under a gentle shower of drifting sakura petals... Well, in its own way, that was a kind of luxury, wasn't it?
"I wonder if Mr. Kuroda has ever tried a hot spring?"
As they passed by the Aisa Bathhouse, Bai Luo asked the question casually.
That one line nearly made Yae Miko's fox ears twitch straight up.
After all, the two had just met recently at another hot spring, the Royal Hot Spring.
Did he…?
She followed his gaze, then let out a small sigh of relief when she realized he was just looking at the bathhouse by the road.
So that's what he meant.
"I did have the pleasure of trying it once," she replied with a small smile. "Not bad, really. A bit pricey, though."
In fact, her love for hot springs started right here, at this very Aisa Bathhouse.
It all went back to that one day she helped Sayu snag a napping permit from Kano Nana. The little ninja had come all the way to thank her.
"The afternoon sun is just perfect for a nap. You sleep the best under it, really."
Something about those words had piqued her interest.
So on a sunny day not long after, she disguised herself as an ordinary Inazuman girl and snuck out for a full day on the town.
She'd wandered through Kiminami Restaurant, Ogura Textiles, even Uyuu Restaurant.
Big names or back-alley stalls—it didn't matter. She hit them all.
It was during that adventure that she discovered the joys of hot springs, right here at Aisa.
Although… she did feel kind of bad for the owner.
Foreign-style baths were great and all, but she may or may not have shed some fox fur while soaking.
Cleaning that up probably wasn't fun.
Which was one of the reasons she later insisted on having a private room at the Royal Hot Spring.
It just made cleanup easier for the bathhouse attendants.
"How about... a soak together?"
"..."
Now Yae Miko was seriously starting to suspect Bai Luo had figured out her true identity.
But the way he said it—without even glancing her way, eyes fixed on the bathhouse sign with genuine curiosity—it was like his interest wasn't in her, but the bath itself.
That made her hesitate.
"Better not. Even though Aisa's prices are meant for the common folk, it's still a little steep for us regular citizens."
And she wasn't wrong.
Hot springs were indeed relaxing, but not everyone could afford to go often.
Aisa's target customers were mostly "big shots"—well, not that big. Just the kind who weren't important enough to bathe at the Royal Hot Spring.
Bai Luo… yeah, he kinda fit that description.
A foreign envoy, sure, but not qualified for high-tier bath privileges.
"Come on, come on! This is a rare chance—I'm treating!"
Bai Luo waved it off cheerfully. Getting this pink-haired fox into that bathhouse? Totally worth the tab.
Besides, it's not like he's paying.
Wasn't this one on Scaramouche's expense account anyway?
"Let the Aisa Bathhouse warm your heart. Experience the glamor of Natlan and feel your worries melt away!"
As Bai Luo and his companion stepped inside, the bathhouse owner, Aikawa Susumu, called out his usual slogan without thinking.
But when he looked up, his eyes lit up in surprise.
"Oh! If it isn't Mr. Kuroda! Back again, are we? And with a friend this time?"
Wearing glasses and a rather ill-fitting yukata, the round-faced owner hurriedly shuffled over with a bright smile.
Executive Editor Kuroda was one of his best customers.
He came in six times a week—more punctual than a salaryman's clock-in routine—and could definitely be called a regular.
Although… the man in black beside him looked unfamiliar.
"Are you open today?" Bai Luo asked, his tone casual as he took in the scenery of Aisa Bathhouse.
Clearly trying to market itself with a Natlan theme, the establishment had gone all-in on the foreign decor.
Even the front counter had a tiny volcano model proudly on display.
"Of course! As long as we've got customers, we're open!" Aikawa replied cheerfully. "We've even got souvenirs straight from Natlan. Interested in taking a few home?"
As a natural-born salesman, the moment Aikawa Susumu saw Bai Luo show interest in the theme, he immediately led him over to the souvenir shelf and launched into a rapid-fire pitch, highlighting every item with practiced enthusiasm.
As for whether these items were actually from Natlan...
Well, Bai Luo had his doubts.
Given that Inazuma was still under strict isolationist policies, there was no way this guy was importing genuine goods from across the sea.
If he had to guess, these "foreign trinkets" were probably all made in some local workshop.
Still, Bai Luo didn't call him out. He simply picked up one of the souvenirs, played with it for a bit, then asked with a relaxed tone:
"Anyone else soaking right now?"
"Well, good sir, you see... most of our clientele are samurai from the Tenryou Commission, and since they haven't gotten off duty yet, you and Mr. Kuroda are actually our first guests today."
"I'll name a price—three million mora. I want to rent the entire place out."
"Uh..."
Three million. That was no small sum.
To Aikawa Susumu, it was basically a miracle payday.
But running a bathhouse wasn't just about the money.
The real problem was... the samurai.
To some adventurers, those Tenryou Commission enforcers might not seem like much.
But to the average citizen, they were practically demi-gods. And if they got offended?
Well, the bathhouse might not survive their next "inspection."
If General Kujou Sara were still around, she would've kept them in check.
But now she'd been sent to the frontlines, and the newly appointed general didn't care one bit about discipline.
If something happened... there'd be no one left to protect them.
"Two million."
"I-I..."
"One million."
With each drop in price, Aikawa felt more and more like he couldn't breathe.
Wait—wasn't this supposed to go up during negotiations?! Why was the number going down instead?!
"Relax," Bai Luo said at last, cutting through the tension with a cool smile. "I'm a diplomat from Snezhnaya. Those Tenryou guys won't dare touch you."
Only when the offer dropped to five hundred thousand mora did Bai Luo finally reveal his identity.
And at that moment, Aikawa nearly burst into tears.
Mister, you should've said that earlier! I would've agreed to three million right away!
. . . . .
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