Chapter 97 -----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 97
Chapter Title: The Heavenly Demon Goes to the Bathhouse (1)
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Pharaoh Bathhouse.
When he touched the statue wearing a golden mask, the entrance opened with a mechanical whir.
Passing through a passageway painted with Egyptian-style murals revealed a counter gleaming like it was plated in gold leaf.
"Two adults."
As Kim Chanwon handed over his card, the Heavenly Demon furrowed his brows.
"You pay money to wash here?"
"Sure do. This place is worth every penny."
Leading the Heavenly Demon by the hand, Kim Chanwon quickly headed inside the bathhouse.
"Here, take this."
"What's this?"
"Stuff you use in the bathhouse."
The bath basket Kim Chanwon handed over contained body wash, a razor, scrub cloth, and the like.
"Come on, let's go."
Kim Chanwon opened the bathhouse door like it was a treasure vault, revealing the steamy interior. It was nothing like the Heavenly Demon had imagined.
"Fascinating."
A strange light flickered in the Heavenly Demon's eyes as he looked around the bathhouse interior.
Washing the body.
This simple act was treated with such complexity and delicacy in this world.
Just like the car wash he'd seen earlier.
"Is washing the body considered a hobby here too?"
"What're you talking about?"
"It's just cleaning one body. Do people really need to crowd together and make it so complicated?"
Kim Chanwon let out a hollow laugh.
"Not complicated at all. Once you try it, The Heavenly Demon, you'll change your mind. Come here."
Setting down his bath basket, Kim Chanwon took a spot in front of a mirror and basin, beckoning him over.
As the Heavenly Demon crossed the center of the bathhouse, the eyes of the men around focused on him.
Were they shocked by his massive muscles?
-Gasp.
-Cough, cough!
The men gasped loudly or cleared their throats awkwardly.
Those who met the Heavenly Demon's gaze all bowed their heads like guilty men, avoiding his eyes.
"The Heavenly Demon."
Kim Chanwon, arms crossed, awkwardly turned his head away from the Heavenly Demon looking down at him.
"You're one fierce, valiant guy, that's for sure."
"What are you saying?"
"Oh, nothing."
Trailing off, Kim Chanwon cleared his throat and pointed to the showerhead.
"Come on, let's wash up quick and hop in the tub."
"The tub?"
"That big pool of water over there."
"Hmm."
The Heavenly Demon glanced at the distant hot tub, then strode over and leaped straight in.
"Ahh, this is good."
"Ch-The Heavenly Demon! What're you doing jumping in like that?"
When Kim Chanwon rushed over and asked, the Heavenly Demon replied with a relaxed expression.
"Didn't you say to get in the tub?"
"You gotta wash first!"
"Can't I wash here?"
"B-But… it's not just you going in. Think of the other people."
Kim Chanwon glanced around and tugged the Heavenly Demon's hand.
"Let's shower first, quick."
Whoosh. Reluctantly following Kim Chanwon, the Heavenly Demon showered, then returned to the hot tub.
"Ahh."
Soaking in the hot water felt great.
"How is it? Nice, right?"
"Indeed."
"You soak here a bit, then we scrub off the dead skin."
The Heavenly Demon asked Kim Chanwon, who had his eyes closed, seemingly entranced by the tub's heat, as he muttered.
"What's that?"
The Heavenly Demon pointed to the jade-colored tub steaming away—the so-called "herbal bath."
"Oh, that's the mugwort tub. You can alternate between the hot tub and that one."
Splash!
The Heavenly Demon shot out of the hot tub and plunged into the mugwort tub on the other side.
"Ch-The Heavenly Demon!"
Startled, Kim Chanwon rushed over to warn him.
"You can't just jump in like that! There are people here."
"What does it matter."
"It might make others uncomfortable…"
Looking around, not just the patrons but even the bathhouse owner had come out, glaring at the Heavenly Demon.
Though his intimidating appearance kept them from saying anything outright.
"When you enter a tub, slip in quietly and carefully. Got it?"
Even as Kim Chanwon whispered, checking the stares around them, the Heavenly Demon wore an indifferent expression.
"I paid good money just to wash this body of mine."
Kim Chanwon had footed the bill, but the Heavenly Demon seemed plenty annoyed himself.
"And now you want me to act like some cloistered nun, minding everyone else's eyes?"
"No, this is just about public decency and manners…"
As Kim Chanwon stammered, the Heavenly Demon grew serious.
"Such things are none of my concern."
It felt like he'd come to the bathhouse with a rebellious middle-school brat who wouldn't listen.
But Kim Chanwon was the one who'd suggested coming here.
He rediscovered the infinite patience buried deep within himself.
Sitting beside the Heavenly Demon, he closed his eyes again.
"Munch munch. Nom nom."
But now strange sounds came drifting over.
"Daddy, that uncle's eating something weird."
"Shh, be quiet."
Sensing something ominous, Kim Chanwon snapped his eyes open.
Turning his head, he saw the Heavenly Demon next to him, submerged, chowing down on something.
"The Heavenly Demon, what're you eating?"
"Someone discarded food here."
"What? What do you mean?"
The Heavenly Demon pointed to a bag floating in the herbal bath.
"Look, it's right here."
What he pointed to was the bag of herbs and sliced pear floating in the tub for the bath's medicinal effect.
"This world is full of madmen. Throwing perfectly good food into a bath."
Scooping up another floating bag, the Heavenly Demon dumped its contents into his mouth.
"The Heavenly Demon! That's not for eating!"
"It's edible. No spoiled or rotten parts."
"No, that's not it… It's not meant to be eaten. It's put in the tub on purpose. For the medicinal properties."
"Medicinal properties?"
"Yeah. Good ingredients come out when you bathe with it."
Feeling prickling stares, Kim Chanwon turned his head.
There stood the bathhouse owner, who looked like a hippo, glaring daggers again.
"Good ingredients?"
Mulling over Kim Chanwon's words, the Heavenly Demon popped more herbs into his mouth.
"Then eating them absorbs it faster."
My head's spinning.
For the first time, Kim Chanwon felt the urge to smack the Heavenly Demon upside the head.
Washing at a bathhouse was nothing like teaching car washing or construction skills.
The people around the tub stared in horror at the Heavenly Demon endlessly fishing out and munching the herb bags.
'We're gonna get kicked out!'
Then, one man from a group in the cold tub far away stood up. A massive musclebound guy who didn't pale next to the Heavenly Demon's build, looking like a bandit.
Kim Chanwon instantly realized they were a group of Awakeners.
"Hey, mister."
The approaching musclehead crooked a finger at the Heavenly Demon.
Kim Chanwon jumped up in alarm, leaping in front of the musclehead.
"Wh-What's the problem…?"
"No problem or whatever, did you rent out the whole bathhouse?"
From his speech and eyes, he was clearly a veteran Awakener.
"Looks like you've got muscle enhancement skills awakened, but you know Awakeners aren't supposed to inconvenience normals, right?"
At that moment, whispers reached Kim Chanwon's ears.
-That's Ha Dong-seok, guild master of Protector General Guild, isn't it?
-That Awakener's in for it. Protector General is the top tank alliance guild, all elite tanks…
'Protector General Guild?'
This ugly musclehead was Ha Dong-seok, one of the nation's top tankers and guild master of Protector General?
'This is bad!'
Kim Chanwon felt his soul leaving his body.
A ranker like Ha Dong-seok wouldn't be intimidated by the Heavenly Demon's muscles or looks.
If trouble started, with the Heavenly Demon's personality of fists before words, a fight would break out instantly.
After that, Pharaoh Bathhouse and Protector General Guild would both shut down for good.
And if the divine realm found out, it could mean double interiors redo—or severe punishment for the Heavenly Demon.
"N-No, hear this old man out, please."
He had to avoid the worst-case scenario at all costs.
Putting on his most pitiful face, Kim Chanwon poured all his effort into spinning a tale.
"H-He's not right in the head, you see. Please understand, just this once."
"What're you saying?"
"Look at him. Does he look like a sane adult?"
Ha Dong-seok turned at Kim Chanwon's whisper.
There was the Heavenly Demon, stuffing an entire herb bag into his mouth and chewing away.
"Th-The kid awakened somehow, but his muscles grew too much and messed up his brain too. Can't even register as an Awakener, so he does day labor with this old man."
Afraid the Heavenly Demon might hear, Kim Chanwon clung to Ha Dong-seok's ear, whispering.
"I know it's a nuisance, but I always wanted to bring him to a bathhouse once. First time, so please cut us some slack. This old man begs you."
"Hey, Kim."
Just then, the Heavenly Demon in the bathhouse called out to Kim Chanwon.
"What's going on."
"Oh, nothing. Hurry and eat those herbs."
"Kim?"
Ha Dong-seok's eyes flashed, and Kim Chanwon wiped sweat from his brow before whispering again.
"It's what his day-labor buddies call each other. He's not all there, but he's got a good heart."
Words could be so terrifying.
Just moments ago, the Heavenly Demon had seemed like a public menace with no manners, an uncouth Awakener.
But after Kim Chanwon's story, he now looked like a pitiful soul with brain damage, munching herb bags.
"Still, come on."
Then, one of Ha Dong-seok's guildmates who'd snuck up behind him grumbled.
"It's not like the bathhouse is just for him…"
"Ah, forget it."
Ha Dong-seok waved him off, patting Kim Chanwon's shoulder.
"You came all this way, so enjoy it in moderation. Just don't bother others."
"Bro, but…"
"Quiet. He said it's his nephew's first bathhouse trip. Don't mind and go, man."
True to his top ranker status, Ha Dong-seok showed a magnanimous side.
Kim Chanwon bowed repeatedly.
"Thank you. Thank you so much."
He turned, grabbed the Heavenly Demon's hand, and pulled him up.
No choice now but to enjoy the bathhouse quick.
"Alright, tubs are done. Time to scrub."
Leading the Heavenly Demon back to their spot, Kim Chanwon picked up the scrub cloth.
"Here, I'll scrub your back, The Heavenly Demon. Watch close and do mine later, okay?"
"Understood."
"Alright, sit here."
As the Heavenly Demon squatted, Kim Chanwon grabbed the scrub cloth and went at it vigorously.
Scrub. Scrub. Scrub.
With each stroke, noodle-like dead skin peeled off in strands.
"See? All this is dead skin."
"I see."
"Once you scrub it off like this, you'll feel refreshed."
Grinning, Kim Chanwon diligently scrubbed the Heavenly Demon's back.
"…"
But the dead skin from the Heavenly Demon's body showed no sign of stopping. If anything, the more he scrubbed, the thicker and more it piled up.
And somehow, even the brand-new scrub cloth wore smooth in no time.
"The Heavenly Demon. You an eraser or something?"
"What do you mean?"
"N-Nothing."
Holding onto his patience, Kim Chanwon grabbed a fresh scrub cloth and went at it again.
But even Kim Chanwon, used to heavy labor, felt his arms tiring. He'd scrubbed plenty, yet the dead skin still poured out like a fountain.
"Huff. Huff."
He scrubbed till his mouth tasted metallic, but no end in sight. Swallowing dryly, Kim Chanwon set down the cloth.
"The Heavenly Demon."
"Speak."
Wiping beads of sweat, Kim Chanwon forced an awkward smile.
"Looks like we need a pro scrubber for this."
Scrubber Kim Gil-jung wore a deeply fearful expression. He was the newest scrubber hired at Pharaoh Bathhouse just a month ago.
The rookie scrubber couldn't close his mouth at the sight of the Heavenly Demon's terrifying physique.
'What the hell is this?'
Muscles veined like earthworms felt like they'd slice his hand just touching them. They writhed alive with every breath, tangled with half-scrubbed dead skin.
Staring entranced at the dead skin, Kim Gil-jung met the Heavenly Demon's gaze and smiled awkwardly.
"A-Awakener, sir?"
"No."
"I see. Lie down here."
When Kim Gil-jung pointed to the perforated bench, the Heavenly Demon frowned.
"What's that hole for?"
"Oh, for your head."
"My head?"
Clomp clomp. The Heavenly Demon walked over and jammed his head into the hole. But his massive head wouldn't fit properly.
"N-No need to force it."
When the Heavenly Demon stood back up, the bench lifted entirely with his face stuck.
Pop.
Yanking the bench free with a grimace, the Heavenly Demon scowled.
"You should equip proper tools."
"Y-Yes…"
Dazed, Kim Gil-jung picked up the scrub cloth.
"Then, let's begin."
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