The Tale of A Man Who Believed That His Reincarnation Had Granted Him A Japanese Sword And The Greatest Battle Sense, Only To Have The God Finally Inform Him "Huh, I Didn't Give You Any Combat Sense… That's Scary…" - Episode 31

After slaying the strange white creature I had never seen before that appeared in the witch’s mouth, and parting ways with Lito-san who had confessed various things to me, I returned to the witch’s staff storage area around midnight, when the date was about to change.

In the tavern on the first floor of the Witch’s Wand Storage, there were no customers left, and the triplets and Jin were cleaning up the half-eaten plates and half-drunk glasses and mugs.

The triplet girls, who were cleaning up the tavern, noticed I had returned and came over to the entrance, wagging their large gray tails vigorously.

“Woof woof! Big brother, welcome back! Welcome back, but you smell!”

“Jau jau! No, Alke! If you say your big brother is smelly! But really, he is!”

“Woo woo! What are you two talking about? …It stinks! It really stinks! It smells so bad! It has a weird smell too!”

“Big brother, take a bath!! Change your clothes!!”

The triplet girls with big, cute tails who welcomed me back were incredibly adorable, but being simply told I smelled by them hit me hard. Probably, fathers who are sensitive to smells in this world experience this kind of damage every day, if not more… Ugh, I smell, right? Of course, I do. After all, that person fought some weird creature in the square after going full burst about three times. Of course, some strange smell would stick.

“Oh, you’re back, Enri. …You smell a bit, did you take care of Lito?”

While I was under a mental assault from the triplets near the entrance, Jin-san in an apron came from the back.

“Uh… yeah, that’s right. I randomly threw some moonshine that the elves passed down into my stomach, then walked to the witch’s place after throwing up about twice the amount I drank.”

“Poor thing. That woman drinks as much as she wants without caring about her own body.”

With a pained expression, Jin-san looked at me, let out a small sigh, and then quickly gave instructions to the triplets.

“Hey, Alke, clean the bathtub in this guy’s room on the second floor and fill it with hot water. Telos, check the bed in the room and see if there’s any trash. Rogos, go to the second-floor storage and find pajamas that fit this guy.”

“Woo woo! Papa! Who is this lady in the dress I’ve never seen before?”

“Sister? …What are you talking about, Rogos? There’s only this big brother here. Come on, you guys have one more job before bed. I’ll take care of this over here.”

Grr! Grr! Woof! The triplets, who cheerfully barked, received the room keys from Jin-san and went up the stairs to the second floor with a thud-thud-thud! Jin-san let out a sigh, adjusted his glasses, and resumed tidying up the tavern on the first floor.

“Well, it might take a little time. You should sit over there and rest. You’ve been running around all day, haven’t you?”

“Jin-san, thank you very much… no, really. I’ve been on the go all day today.”

Taking advantage of Jin’s words, I slowly sat down on the chair where the cleaning was finished, drew the katana that had been actively used until just now from its belt, and placed it on my lap.

“So, in the end, did you end up going to the Adventurers’ Guild with that woman?”

“Yes, with Lito-san guiding me, I registered as an adventurer… I felt like a sheep thrown into a pack of wolves.”

“Haha! That’s true. If someone like you, a rough diamond, were to come here, the folks around here would be all abuzz.”

For a while after that, there was a period of silence. However, it wasn’t an uncomfortable silence; it was a gentle, peaceful silence that felt calm and serene. How should I put it… it might be close to that chill vibe.

Due to the late-night hours, almost no sounds can be heard from outside, and the only sounds that can be heard are the quiet clinking of dishes being cleaned by Jin-san and the faint voices of the triplets coming from the second floor, creating a pleasant late-night atmosphere.

It’s the feeling of just zoning out while playing background music videos in the room without doing anything in particular.

“Well, if I hadn’t gone to the Adventurers’ Guild, I might have hired you here. If those little ones warm up to you quickly, I figured you’re not a bad guy.”

“Don’t you think you’re overestimating me a bit after just meeting me today? I’m definitely not as good a person as you think, Jin.”

Sitting in a chair, feeling the fatigue of moving around all day, I absentmindedly hold the Japanese sword Hashihime in my arms and respond to Jin-san’s kindness. Words naturally spill out little by little.

“I am the kind of person who can decapitate someone without any hesitation or restraint. Living in the same place as those who are far removed from the world of killing… I don’t think I’m suited for it anymore.”

“Oh really? I’ve seen all kinds of people since I opened this tavern and inn six years ago, but you don’t seem like the type to be drunk on killing.”

“Walking, seeing, lifting, avoiding. You don’t get obsessed or intoxicated by actions that are just part of living for humans, do you? For me, beheading has become a normal part of life.”

When Jin-san heard my words, he muttered a short “I see.” Then, from the second floor, the triplets came down energetically, sticking to each other.

“Grrr! The bathtub is sparkling clean and the water is super warm!”

“Wow! The bed in the room is clean and there’s not a single piece of trash!”

“Woohoo! I found the pajamas on the bed that Teros cleaned!”

“Good kids, little ones. The first floor will be tidied up soon, so go home, get ready for bed, and get into bed first. Good job.”

Mr. Jin vigorously ruffled the heads of the triplets who had successfully completed their mission, and the triplets let out a deeply satisfied and happy “Wafuu~!” before saying, “See you tomorrow, big brother!” and then exited through the front door on the first floor.

From the perspective of my past life, I think it’s dangerous to let those three little kids out even for a moment at this midnight, but having seen their incredible speed during the day, I also think that if anything happens, those three would easily be able to escape.

“It’s almost time to finish cleaning up over here. Once that’s done, I’ll lock the door from the outside. You should hurry up and take a bath and go to bed too, alright?”

Jin-san threw the room key he received from the triplets over here. He caught the key while standing up from his chair, staggered a bit, and then slung the katana over his shoulder.

“There’s a basket in the room, so put the clothes you’re wearing in there and leave it in the hallway. I’ll wash the guest’s clothes all together tomorrow morning. …Also, hurry up and buy some change of clothes.”

“I understand… yawn… good night, Jin-san.”

“Yeah, good night.”

While yawning and finishing my greeting to Jin, I staggered up to the second floor. The second floor had wooden walls and floors, with a somewhat narrow hallway lined with several doors, and from there, short hallways branching off to other places could be seen.

You can see that the doors lined up in a row along the narrow corridor are numbered from one to four. Looking at the key I received from Jin-san, I see a nameplate attached that says Room 4. It seems that the room I will be staying in from now on is Room 4. I’ve been running around all day today, so I’m really tired. I’ll take a bath and then go straight to bed.

I insert the key into the door of Room 4, turn it around, and step inside. The room has a long vertical structure, and inside, there is a semi-double bed, a simple round table and chairs, a small closet, and storage space. The ceiling is equipped with a light source that emits light using a stone with magical power, similar to a light bulb… but a version that uses magic. I have seen these many times while living in this world, and it seems to be the

Also, there were several bath towels on the bed, and a laundry basket on the floor. Then, looking at the corner of the room, there was a door, and when I opened it to check inside, it looked like a unit bath bathroom from my previous life. I could see a toilet, a showerhead, and a bathtub, and the bathtub was filled to the brim with water.

Earlier, the triplets hurriedly prepared this for me. I’m grateful… so grateful… After all, as someone with the soul of a Japanese person, I want to soak in a hot bath. I looked around the room and it seems like I won’t have any trouble living here for now.

“Phew, a bath, a bath!”

I stripped off all my clothes and underwear, tossed them into the laundry basket, and rushed into the bathroom. After rinsing my body lightly with the shower, I slowly lowered myself into the bathtub filled with hot water.

The water flows over the edge of the bathtub with a splashing sound. Ahh, it feels so good~. As a Japanese person, you really have to immerse yourself in hot water like this~. The feeling of the water overflowing from the bathtub and gradually stopping is so familiar and calming.

The bathtub installed in the bathroom is quite large and sturdy, and even if I sit in it and stretch my legs over the edge, there’s still plenty of space. Looking back, I always used the shower when I was at Lady Lyra’s mansion or the Roiji Hotel, so this might be the first time I’m soaking in a bathtub in this world. Well, when I was in the forest, I used to bathe in the river.

“Oh, dear sir. You seem to be feeling quite well, and it makes me very happy as well. Therefore, I hope you don’t mind, but I would like to join you too♡”

The door leading from the bedroom to the bathroom creaked open, and a familiar voice and figure approached through the steam. It was Hashihime, with hair the color of cherry blossoms, reaching down to her knees, walking over the water that overflowed from the bathtub.

“H-Hashihime!? Huh, why are you here!? I thought I could only meet you in my dreams.”

“Yes, yes. I also thought that I could only connect with you in dreams, but it seems that while you are staying at this inn, I can manifest my body in this world. I don’t know the exact reason for this… but, my lady, I am deeply moved.”

With the steam making it hard to see the more private areas, Hashihime, her cheeks flushed red, began to awkwardly touch the shower. Realizing it was inappropriate to stare at the girl’s naked body, she turned away from the shower, her view completely filled by the bathroom wall, and continued the conversation.

“During my stay at this inn, I’ve been able to show my face in this world… so my understanding is correct, right?”

“Yes, indeed. As expected of your wisdom. This inn, somehow, is just like the place where you and I once resided… How should I put it? The air? The energy? The flow? …Such things are abundant in this inn, allowing me to manifest my presence.”

Hmm, this iron mouth, seeing it and touching it are indeed two different things… and Hashihime is probably struggling with the shower for the first time. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a glimpse of Hashihime’s figure, and beyond the steam, various soft-looking parts sway modestly yet elegantly.

“Oh, you? … Even if I don’t see you out of the corner of my eye like a lovely child, if it’s you, this bridge princess will show you this soft skin as much as you want.”

I want to see. To be honest. My face naturally tries to look at her. But this soul’s reason desperately suppresses that instinct. It’s clear that if I look over there to welcome her, I won’t be able to hold back.

Moreover, from the depths of my heart, it bubbles up without me even thinking about it: “I can’t welcome her as I am now.”

“Indeed, you are a principled, pure, and beautiful person… I feel an overwhelming sense of nostalgia.”

She showed me a beautiful smile, like cherry blossoms in full bloom. I felt as if I had been somehow forgiven, and the sense of guilt that lingered in the corner of my heart began to fade away. Surely, I wouldn’t be able to understand this feeling of guilt that I had somehow come to feel.

After finishing washing her body, Hashihime smoothly entered the bathtub as if it were the most natural thing in the world, leaning her back against it perfectly. However, the burning passion felt earlier did not rise up. For now, just the fact that she is within reach feels endearing.

Taking a bath with a cute girl was something I could never have imagined in my past life. Being reincarnated, killing people, being taken care of by maids, dealing with a beautiful woman’s vomit—life is truly unpredictable.

“By the way, Hashihime. Today, there were a few times when the magic didn’t work well. Did you do something?”

“An incantation, is it… I remember. Something vile was creeping in, probing into your heart, so I, the princess, did my best to drive it away.”

The defenseless and delicate princess, leaning her back against me, brushed aside the cherry blossom-colored bangs that had stuck to her face and turned towards me, giving a triumphant peace sign while saying, “Yay, peace!”

“When similar despicable techniques that pry into your inner thoughts come your way in the future, I will unconsciously brush them off… Please forgive me, dear sir/madam.”

I see, so it was indeed Hashihime who was warding them off. …In other words, all magic that interferes with the mind or soul is nullified by Hashihime. I appreciate it, but I bet she just sends everything harmful and beneficial alike flying away together, doesn’t she?

“As for me, I think you are too defenseless now compared to when we lived together… Princess, I am worried.”

“When we were living together, huh… hey, what was I like back then, the me you knew?”

She took a thoughtful posture, rested her head on my chest, and after a moment of contemplation, replied in a somewhat disappointed tone.

“I don’t think it’s appropriate to tell you too much… It would be easy for me to explain the details, but if I do that, there might be some ‘oversights’.”

“『Missed opportunities』…?”

“You have crossed over to this world and have naturally begun to regain your true self. I believe it would be best to wait and recall the true self that naturally spent time with me.”

Have you regained your true self? …W-wait a minute, Hashihime-san. What do you mean by “regained”?

“Ha, Hashihime-san? What do you mean by having regained your true form…?”

“Oh? I thought you would have noticed by now. The way you fiercely shake me, truly making us one. The image that has been burned into my eyes lately is indeed the true form of you that I am so familiar with♡”

I couldn’t help but hold my head in my hands. Huh, what? So, this thing where I’m swinging this katana around and cutting people down—this isn’t some reincarnation bonus cheat ability? Is it like a technique or memory that’s engraved in my soul even after going through reincarnation over and over again…?

What the hell is this soul-imbued swordsmanship? What was I doing in my past life, and the life before that?

“This combat ability, isn’t it a reincarnation bonus from the gods?”

“Tensei Tokuten? …It seems like a rather youthful and modern expression, but your fighting power comes from your own, to be precise, the power that resides within your soul.”

“Wait, so what, did God just give me the bridge princess and the translation function and then reincarnate me into this world?”

“Yes, exactly as you say ♡ If anyone were to add anything unnecessary besides me, the curse of sorrow would overflow and once again plunge the world into the depths of the earth… I have instructed the divine spirit of Izanami accordingly.”

I see, I see, I see. Well, it’s true that when I was using the katana, my tone naturally changed, my body moved smoothly, and it felt like I switched to “decapitation mode,” so I thought the reincarnation bonus would have a more external, added-on feel to it in the back of my mind. But so that’s how it was…

Hashihime looked at me with a puzzled expression, and for some reason, she got out of the bathtub and approached the door leading to the bedroom.

“Sir/Madam, if you find it perplexing, shall I inquire about it now?”

“Huh? You can ask so casually? Hashihime.”

“Of course. Connecting the ends is my specialty. I will inquire about it now, so please wait a moment.”

When Hashihime opened the door in her steaming, natural state, she thrust her upper body into the opening. Just by opening the door, she connects one world to another, Hashihime. When she mentioned connecting the ends, was she talking about on a global scale?

“Hehehe~ So, today’s super chat is… huh, what the heck!!? Hashihime-senpai, wh-what happened to you!? …Ahh! By the way, you’re all wet! My room is going to be soaked too!!”

I heard the same voice that I heard when I overworked myself to death and was reincarnated from the other side of the door. It seems that opening the door directly connected me to the deity’s location.

“Hello, Nami. It’s been a while. I have something I’d like to ask you. Has that person’s soul ever plotted anything?”

“I haven’t! I haven’t! Even if that world were to be destroyed three times and go through the cycle of reincarnation, I wouldn’t lay a hand on Senpai’s fiancée, who kept waiting for the person she loved!”

“My husband has been questioning the power of wielding a sword… It’s not as if you’ve added anything, right?”

“Power to wield a sword, huh? … Ah, that combat sense that’s been ranking high in the reincarnation perks lately, right? I haven’t raised my combat sense or anything… If I got any stronger than that, it would seriously be terrifying…”

Hashihime, speaking with the casualness of a senior talking to a junior from the same hometown, asked a question to the deity on the other side of the door. After a few exchanges of words, a gal-like woman’s voice was heard saying, “You’re always welcome, Senpai! But next time, please dry off first!” Then, Hashihime closed the door and returned to the bathtub with a smile.

“Your bridge princess has just returned. Nami… I asked the child who reincarnated you, and it seems that there is indeed nothing extra added.”

“I see… So, it’s a gift from a past life, or even a past life before that. Sorry for bothering you, and thank you for listening, Hashihime.”

“No, no, that’s too kind of you to say. This bridge princess would go through fire and water for you, my dear ♡”

After warming our bodies by touching each other’s skin, Shihime and I dried ourselves with a bath towel and returned to the bedroom. I put on the shirt and underwear that the triplet had prepared for me, which had a bit of gray hair on them. When I looked over at Shihime, she had finished putting on a thin kimono and had already slipped into bed.

After turning off the lights and following her into bed, Hashihime, with tears in her eyes, quietly nestled up to me, trembling hands embracing my body as if savoring her happiness.

Surely, there was a suffering that only she could understand. Surely, there was a sadness that only she could feel. Surely, it was because the part of me that wasn’t really me had disappeared.

As if to confirm the undeniable truth of being there together in the same room, Hashihime held me tightly with her small, cute, and affectionate hands, until she let out a quiet and somewhat nostalgic sigh.

“Good night. ■■Sakurako, see you tomorrow.”

Holding her shoulder, feeling a sweet, sweet happiness as if completely fulfilled, I fell into a deep sleep.