Bzzzz!
Woooo — bzzzz!
"Oh, we can finally get supplies."
"Yeah. Eating the same little bit every day — I've gotten skinny from hunger."
Ryuji and Ayame also came to the outer corridor of the Kōtetsujō, watching the horn-signal exchange in speechless disbelief.
That kind of noise — are they trying to make sure the Kabane don't know there's a station here?
Honestly, ever since arriving in the world of the Kōtetsujō, Ryuji had been wondering if the tech tree here was… chosen wrong. They clearly invented the McRucky Engine — an incredibly powerful steam core — yet they only used it in the Kōtetsujō itself and in steam-powered weapons.
Every station has signal flares and fireworks, so why don't they learn from Biba and make some gunpowder bombs?
And seriously — once you have the design concept of the McRucky Engine, if you combine steam power with explosives, a Kabane horde would be wiped out in minutes.
Ryuji didn't even want to complain anymore.
"I'm going to pay a visit to this station's lord, so I'll leave the affairs of the Kōtetsujō to you for now." Kenshō spoke with a gentle smile to the nobles.
"Please leave it to us, Lord Yomogawa."
Ryuji had just stepped out of the Kōtetsujō when he saw Kenshō and the nobles below, all smiles and cordiality.
Ikoma was assigned to buy steam-engine fuel. A blond guy named Sukari, who had previously gone on missions with Ikoma, along with Takumi, went to purchase repair parts for the Kōtetsujō.
Kajika was originally supposed to go with a group of women to buy daily necessities, but because of Ryuji, she was reassigned as his personal logistics support — which made him feel a bit regretful.
Patting the camera in his arms, Ryuji had wanted to photograph Kajika bargaining with people. It felt like he'd lost a piece of leverage to threaten her with.
He found a quiet, secluded spot, then called Ayame and the others over.
"Eh? Why is this little house so weird?"
Mumei looked the strange, boxy structure up and down. From the front door and a few vents, it was clearly some kind of room.
"This is a mobile bathhouse."
Hearing it was a bath, the women's faces immediately lit up.
Ryuji added, "There's hot water."
"Woo! That's amazing." ×5
Inside the steamy, mist-filled bathhouse, seven beauties of all shapes and sizes played around.
"This thing called shampoo smells so good. After washing, my hair feels so silky."
Ayame stroked her chestnut-brown long hair in amazement. The wet strands still held droplets that slid down from the tips onto her proud, snowy-white curves.
Across her shapely, pale body, the droplets climbed over tender "mountains", passed the pink "peaks", crossed the flat "plain", and slipped into the valley where a small pink "butterfly" fluttered — until gravity finally pulled the reluctant drops down.
"Yeah… using this makes me want to grow my hair out." Yukina shook their naturally curly, short red hair.
"Ah, right — Yukina, why don't you grow your hair long? It would look really nice." Ayame sounded curious.
"Back when I was an apprentice, I often had to check the pressure and temperature in the core area. I'd sweat a lot, and long hair would get damp and stick to my face, blocking my vision."
There was something else Yukina didn't say: people with naturally curly hair wake up with messy hair in the morning — especially if it's long. It's hard to manage.
Shino listened to their conversation while squeezing a handful of foamy body wash (for mothers and babies) into her palm, spreading it over her pale skin.
Looking at her ever-heavier, fuller "dough", and recalling what it felt like when Ryuji stared at them, a tremor of excitement echoed inside her body. She couldn't help clenching her thighs, unconsciously wanting to put a hand where the fluttering sensation gathered.
"Hey, this body wash smells great too — like cherry blossoms."
"Mine smells like roses."
Thankfully, Ayame and Yukina's chat snapped Shino back to their senses. Otherwise, she might have ended up proving, in front of everyone, whether women were made of water.
Shino didn't know why, but ever since Ryuji saw her body, she kept remembering his scorching gaze sweeping over them. Whenever it passed sensitive places, it felt like being set on fire — so hot she would unconsciously squeeze her legs together.
"Hah…" She let out a breath and poured hot water over her head.
Only then did the sensations calm down.
"Shino, I'll scrub your back."
After Kajika finished washing the two little girls and sent them to soak with Mumei in the bathtub (since Mumei had gone in first), she came up behind Shino with a cotton bath pouf.
"Eh?! Kajika, then… I'll be in your care. You've been looking after me this whole time, and I really don't know how to repay you." Worried Kajika might have seen her earlier state, Shino felt shy.
"It's fine. When the baby's born, let me hold them. That would make me very happy."
Kajika had already learned from Ryuji that Shino was carrying a girl, and she loved caring for little girls the most.
Boys just cause trouble. Little girls are adorable.
{Acording to the author himself, who wanted to put this note here: "That's Kajika's opinion, not mine. I'm not a lolicon!". That's his opinion.)
"Shino, your back is so beautiful."
Kajika squeezed body wash onto the bath pouf and was about to scrub when she noticed the lovely curves of Shino's back and waist.
Even though she was pregnant, her figure hadn't become bloated or distorted: straight shoulders, a slim waist, round hips — everything in perfect proportion.
"Not at all. I'm practically an old woman now. Kajika is the one who's young and pretty, with a great figure too. Lord Ryuji will definitely like you a lot." Shino's face heated up, and she blurted it out without thinking.
"Eh?! I-I don't know…" Kajika's face turned red too.
Swish, Swish, Swish!
The bath pouf slid down Shino's back and shivered at her round hips. Kajika couldn't help thinking how soft and springy they felt.
Still, they had basically figured it out: whether it was Mumei, Ayame, or Yukina (by kissing her, have a contract), they were all Ryuji's women. Even the two of them had been "reserved" by him — otherwise he wouldn't have called them to bathe together.
"Hahaha — take this!"
"Ah, Mumei, that's not fair!"
"I'll help too! Take this, Mumei!"
Kajika turned her head. The two little girls were playing a splashing game with Mumei, their laughter echoing through the bathhouse.
No way… impossible. Ryuji definitely isn't that kind of person.
Kajika shook her head. No matter what, he couldn't possibly lay hands on little girls, right?
If Ryuji heard what she was thinking, he would absolutely flick her on the forehead. No matter how perverted, there's no way anyone would do that to such cute little girls. Cute things should be protected — wait until they grow up…
✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦
Ryuji leaned against the outer wall of the mobile bathhouse, listening to the women's conversation inside while checking the Crystal Palace Divine Kingdom within the godhead.
At the center of the divine kingdom lay a green crystal and an amber-colored gem. Specks of golden light were slowly merging into them. He could faintly sense the two sleeping consciousnesses inside gradually awakening, but at this rate, it would take at least a few more days.
Suddenly, his shadow blurred, then deepened. A small head emerged from it. The moment crimson eyes met his, a shadow leapt out.
A member of the Shadowkhan — Kageichi (影一, "Ghost One") — knelt on one knee. The force of the movement made the loose ninja outfit tremble around the "doughy" curves of her chest.
Kageichi raised both hands toward him. In the teal palms of her fingerless gloves lay a green crystal.
"Hm? Where did you find this?" Ryuji looked surprised.
The crystal in Kageichi's hands was identical to the one Ikoma's younger sister had.
He picked it up curiously and examined it. Inside, a young girl about Mumei's size was sleeping, wearing clothing identical to Mumei's combat outfit.
Through the mental link, Ryuji learned that Kageichi had found the crystal in the ruins of a battlefield. Passing by, she sensed a trace of contractual aura, tracked it down, and delivered it immediately.
"Good job." Ryuji patted her head. Through the texture of her headscarf, he could tell she definitely had long hair.
Kageichi reacted like a pet being stroked by its master. Her crimson eyes narrowed with contentment.
Ryuji could feel how excited and happy she was. If she had a tail, it would probably be wagging like crazy.
"Ah! Sword Saint, it's the Sword Saint, right?!"
Shouts and footsteps came from afar. Before the newcomers arrived, Kageichi slipped back into the shadow.
"And you are…?" Ryuji stepped forward and looked at the few chubby, middle-aged men running over.
"Sword Saint, I am Manuke (fool)!"
"I am Nōnashi (brainless)!"
They were influential figures of Shitori Station. Hearing that the famous Sword Saint of Hinomoto had arrived, they had come to invite him to the welcome banquet that night.
Ryuji refused. After getting used to modern cuisine, he really didn't want to eat food from this era anymore.
Before leaving, however, they told him there was a cleaned-up residence he could stay in temporarily.
As the middle-aged nobles left, Ryuji understood their intentions. Seeing how strong he was, they wanted to latch onto him and use him as an accessory. Even if they couldn't, staying on good terms might let them ask for help someday.
Ryuji had no intention of accepting their favor. From the moment he arrived at Shitori Station, he had sensed traces of lingering Shadowkhan aura. Yet there were no Shadowkhan stationed here, which meant there were no suitable hosts. He had no interest in befriending those nobles.
Besides, they weren't like Kenshō, who at least had a beautiful child.
When the women got dressed and stepped out of the bathhouse, they saw a one-story house standing in front of it, made of a material similar to the bathhouse.
A must-have for outdoor camping: Mobile House — only 600 Reincarnation Points.
The women ran inside with curiosity. The modern furniture left them staring in fascination. The bedroom's huge three-meter-wide round bed was the biggest draw: Mumei and the two little girls were so excited they immediately started jumping on it.
Ryuji stood in the doorway with his arms crossed, watching the women touch and examine everything, feeling proud of his own foresight.
The mobile bathhouse and the house had cost 800 Reincarnation Points in total. Only he would buy something like that. For new reincarnators, it was impossible. They had no way to take them away.
A Level 1 Personal Storage space cost 50,000 Reincarnation Points. After that, each level required proportionally more points. Ryuji's Level 5 Personal Storage alone had cost 1,380,000 Reincarnation Points.
'Preferential policy' is the best!
✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦
Night.
The women stood in front of the house, staring at a bamboo stalk over two meters tall.
Ryuji placed the chosen green bamboo in front of the house. It was for hanging Tanabata wish strips.
But Ryuji really wanted to complain. A few days ago it was still June, and now it was Tanabata. Was Hinomoto's Tanabata in June?
"Wow, is that bamboo for hanging Tanabata wishes?" Kajika asked, smiling at the tender green stalk.
"Mm. Ryu-kun picked it in the bamboo grove during the day." Ayame said as she came up beside Ryuji.
"It's beautiful." Shino said, holding her belly and wearing a peaceful smile.
"Mm." Yukina nodded.
"Let's hang wish strips!" Mumei took the paper and pen from Ryuji and held a stack of slips high.
"Wishes! Wishes!"
The two little girls followed behind her, chanting cheerfully.
Everyone took the paper and pens Mumei handed out and began writing their wishes.
Mumei finished first. She snuck up behind Kajika and snatched her wish strip the moment Kajika finished writing.
"Let me see."
"Ah, Mumei, you can't!"
Kajika chased after her, but as an ordinary person, she couldn't catch up.
With a hop, Mumei jumped onto the roof of the house, "Hehe, let me see… 'I hope I can become a teacher in the future'. That's a great wish."
She jumped down and held the strip out to Kajika, who sighed in relief and reached for it.
"Eh — wait. There's more." Mumei suddenly pulled it back.
"Ah, that part's not allowed!"
Too late. Mumei had already read it.
"'I want to cook for Ryuji-kun for the rest of my life.' Wow — a whole lifetime."
Kajika glanced at Ryuji shyly, then covered her face and ran into the house.
Ayame, Yukina, and Shino stared at Mumei with guarded eyes, clutching their own wish strips tightly. Even if their wishes were worded differently, the meaning was probably the same, and none of them wanted theirs read aloud in front of Ryuji.
"What a mess. Looks like I'll have to 'teach you a lesson' tonight." Ryuji walked up to Mumei with a deliberately stern face and lightly bonked her with a hand-chop.
Then, where no one could see, he gave her a thumbs-up.
Mumei held their head and stuck out a little pink tongue.
Right then, colorful fireworks lit up in the distance.
Reading the original story, Ryuji had really wanted to complain: setting off fireworks like that — aren't you afraid of being attacked by Kabane? No wonder so many stations get overrun.
It was like Israel in World War Z — they built walls before disaster struck, then brought a crowd to sing and dance on top of the zombie horde, seriously thinking the zombies wouldn't stack into a human pyramid?
✦✦✦
T/N: Comment, give me Power Stones, like and favorite, it all supports me and makes me go foward with this. Appreciate my other stories as well, I guarantee the good work!
If you want 20 chapters ahead of this novel for just $1, as well as smut chapters ($2) or spicy images ($5) or enjoy a large catalog of good novels with excellent translations (free or starting at $1.5): MrBlackWing (you know where to search)
That's it and happy reading! (-‿◦)