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“Oh, how horrible.”

Satsuki-san grimaced in a light tone.
Indeed, the scene before us was terrible.
The waterway, built with wooden railings as if hugging the mountain path, was completely dry; instead of water, only a gentle breeze passed through it. Just as the innkeeper had said, the hot spring had indeed dried up.

“The hot spring at Sakura Bath Garden comes from deep within the mountains. They channel it through this waterway, purify and reheat it using magic, and then serve it to the guests.”
“Oh, I see.”

Kuzuha-chan explained this to me, but since I wasn’t particularly interested, I just let her. Or rather, it was obvious enough just by looking.
We walked up the mountain along a beautifully maintained trail—different from the one we’d taken when crossing the border. Satsuki-san, holding an parasol, led the way, while Kuzuha-chan and I walked side by side a little behind her.
Since we’d just crossed a mountain not long ago, I really appreciated having a proper path.
The hard-packed dirt path, likely maintained by magic, gave me a sense of security as I walked. I took my steps at a leisurely pace, with enough time to take in the breeze and the scent of the plants.
It might be just right for a stroll. Though I’d rather take a nap than go for a walk. Every day, of course.

“It seems the cause is further upstream.”
“Well, if the problem were around here, the staff could handle it just fine, right?”
“Yes. Not many people go up there because there are monsters and such. Come on, let’s go, you two! Let’s aim for the summit! The hot springs are waiting for us!”

…Seriously, she’s fine as long as she’s not in direct sunlight.

The sun was starting to set a bit, but it was definitely still in the sky. Even so, Satsuki-san, walking ahead of us, didn’t seem to be bothered by the sunlight at all.
She seemed to be avoiding direct sunlight by holding her Japanese parasol firmly, but that was all. Far from suffering, she was actually the most energetic one here.
In the shadow cast by her parasol, Satsuki-san stepped rhythmically, her black hair swaying softly. She looked just like a child enjoying a rainy day—a stark contrast to her alluring appearance.
Then again, considering her personality, it might actually suit her. It’s not so much that she’s high-spirited as she’s just really easygoing.

“Still, you really are a full daywalker, aren’t you? Satsuki-chan’s surprised.”

Turning around with a twirl, Satsuki-san addresses me.
It seems she’d been thinking about my constitution as well. Since she spoke to me, I responded.

“Seems like it. I heard it’s rare.”
“Rare? You’re the kind of being that only exists in legends. It would make more sense if you were a demon or an elf instead.”

Only in legends, huh.
Come to think of it, Felnoute-san said something similar. I guess people with large breasts tend to say the same things…wait that doesn’t sound right.
Since everyone I’ve met so far has been surprised without exception, I suppose a being like me really is something straight out of a fairy tale. A pipe dream for the inhabitants of a fantasy world. It’s all a bit complicated.

“You can’t be exposed to direct sunlight, Satsuki-san?”
“Not that I’d turn to ash, but Satsuki-chan here will start feeling unwell within a relatively short time. If left out in the sun, Satsuki-chan’ll probably die within a day.”

Even Satsuki-san, who seems to walk in the day without a care, apparently faces a fatal risk if she’s exposed to direct sunlight for too long.
Vampires are extremely vulnerable to sunlight. It seems that’s the same in both my world and this other world.
So, while there may be some differences depending on the world, the premise that they drink blood and are creatures of the night remains unchanged.

“…Then, wouldn’t it be better if you dressed a little more modestly? I think showing so much skin is dangerous.”
“Well, Satsuki-chan’s chest just feels so constricted that I can’t help it. There’s really nothing I can do about these bulging buns.”

Satsuki-san puffed out her chest with a “Hmph.” It’s amazing how even that slight movement makes her breasts assert themselves so fiercely.
Even with her clothes slightly askew, it was as if her breasts themselves felt constricted and were squirming. It looks like they might spill out at the slightest movement—it’s precarious.
Given the height difference, I found myself looking up at her massive breasts, which felt like a roof made of flesh, and was about to blurt out my honest impression, but I held back.

“They’re huge, huh?”

The fox next to me, however, didn’t hold back.
Satsuki-san didn’t seem bothered by Kuzuha-chan’s words; rather, she laughed cheerfully and said,

“Oh, come on. Even if my own boobs are big, it doesn’t do me any good, you know. But seeing someone else’s boobs really gets me excited.”
“I think that’s a bit much…”
“Oh, it’s fine. I absolutely love small breasts too! Actually, they are great! Those gentle curves are wonderful!”

She said something I hadn’t asked for with a smug look on her face. Since I didn’t ask, I’ll just ignore her remark.
After that, Satsuki-san kept trying to strike up conversations with me, but I just brushed her off casually as we climbed the mountain. Since Kuzuha-chan took everything she said seriously, I mostly tuned them out.

I thought that if we climbed the mountain and headed upstream, there might be a little hot spring water flowing, but no matter how far we climbed, the waterway never got even slightly damp.
A waterway through which only the mountain breeze whistled. It seemed the hot spring had dried up just yesterday, and I could tell it had truly vanished out of the blue.

The sun gradually began to set, and the sky shifted from blue to the colors of dusk. We didn’t encounter any monsters, and the journey was peaceful.
And just as the mountain’s greenery was beginning to change color in the crimson light, we discovered the cause of the dried-up waterway.
Looking at the cause, Kuzuha-chan was the first to speak.

“What happened here?”
“Hmm. As I thought, it didn’t just dry up naturally, did it?”

The waterway had been blocked by earth.
It wasn’t simply filled with dirt. The earthen wall damming the hot spring was fitted perfectly, and thickly, into the waterway, as if it had been molded to its shape.
Just like a concrete wall, the earthen barrier completely sealed off the waterway.

“This is earth magic, isn’t it? If the flow of water is stopped like this, it’s only natural that the hot water wouldn’t reach the foot of the mountain.”
“That’s certainly true… but even so, isn’t the amount of hot water a bit low?”

Since there’s a partition here, it’s normal for water to pool on the upstream side. It might even overflow.
But when I look beyond the earthen barrier, the pooled hot water doesn’t even reach my ankles. The water’s surface, shimmering and glistening in the twilight, is beautiful—and rather charming.
At this rate, there’s no need to block it, the hot water probably won’t even reach the inn.

“It doesn’t seem like a simple case of hot water theft. Shall we climb a little higher?”
“Yes, let’s.”
“…………”
“Arje-san? Is something wrong?”
“I’m sorry. Please wait a moment.”

I called out to the two who were about to head ahead and closed my eyes.
I blocked my vision to focus my awareness on what I wanted to sense. Since so much information comes in through the eyes, cutting that off allows me to concentrate on what I need.

My sense of smell. While it’s naturally superior due to my race and has been enhanced by my Skill, it isn’t as outrageously powerful as my other Skills. If I don’t concentrate, I’ll overlook it—or rather, miss the scent.
From upstream, I could smell water—probably from the hot springs. But that wasn’t all.
It was a scent I wouldn’t have recognized in my past life, but one I’ve grown accustomed to since my reincarnation. This was…

“The smell of blood… and a lot of it?”

The moment the thought crossed my mind, an unpleasant chill ran down my spine.

“… Get back!”
“Eek…!?”
“Whoa!?”

I acted on my instinct. Grabbing the hands of the two people beside me, I bolted from the spot.
Both of them were surprised by my actions, but they didn’t resist. Kuzuha-chan, though startled, pushed off the ground herself, and Satsuki-san followed without dropping her parasol.
A shadow fell over the spot where we’d been just a few seconds ago, and after a brief pause, the source of the shadow landed.

The impact was as if a shooting star had fallen from the sky. The well-maintained ground was gouged out and torn up. Startled by the deafening roar, birds took flight all at once from all over the forest.
The fallen star parted the cloud of dust it had kicked up upon landing, as if finding it bothersome, and revealed its form.
A giant ape with pure white fur. It stood about two meters tall, and its face was red. It looked exactly like a Japanese macaque, but with white fur and a much larger build.
The white giant ape stared at us with an expression as if it had just swallowed something bitter.
It didn’t speak. But from its demeanor, it was clear that if we approached, it wouldn’t let us off easily.
The giant ape was wary of us. Its entire body was visibly tense, and it looked as if it would pounce the moment we made a move.
Looking at this creature, Satsuki-san opened her mouth, looking surprised.

“A White Ape attacking a person, how rare.”
“A Worn Drape?”
“A White Ape. Isn’t it a bit too painful to turn its pelt into a drape?”

That’s true, but she sure replied calmly.
White Ape. If written in kanji, would it be “白猿 (Hakuen)”? The fact that it’s rare for one to attack people suggests it’s basically a gentle, timid, or intelligent creature, I suppose.
White Ape’s demeanor was one of highly wary and unapproachable, but it didn’t seem to be excessively threatening us or actively attacking us. It might attack if we do something strange, but if we just turn back now, it seems likely to let us go.

That said, we can’t just do that. We came here to investigate why the hot spring dried up.
Honestly, I don’t really care either way, but Kuzuha-chan definitely won’t be satisfied unless we achieve some kind of result.
In fact, Kuzuha-chan, standing next to me, had a tense aura. She seemed to be gathering her mana, ready to fight at any moment.

As for Satsuki-san… I’m not sure. She seems relaxed, but I don’t know if she’s actually willing to fight. It’s also unclear whether she’d be any help in battle. Still, at least she hasn’t suggested turning back.

“…For now, let’s try talking to him. You two, please step back a little.”

If he has any intelligence at all, we should be able to communicate using my Language Translation skill. If he has no intention of fighting, a discussion is possible.
He wasn’t attacking us right now. In that case, we might at least be able to have a conversation.
Fighting is stressful and carries the risk of injury. If that’s the case, it would be easier to resolve things through discussion.

Among us, I’m probably the one with the best ability to understand language.
Although I felt it was a hassle, I took a step forward.