Chapter 55 - #54 Planning (2/2)

”I see...sending just 1 drawing won't solve anything since both of them were together. If even just that 1 drawing gets discovered then they will play it safe and make even the guy who stood next to the person who was discovered stay hidden somewhere in the wildness.” I muttered while holding my chin and when Babara heard my conclusion she just grinned.

”I guess we have no choice but to rely on our spies not to get discovered.” Chelsea said and took both of the drawings.

”Wait!” I once again stopped her when she was about to leave.

”What again?!” She turned at me with a slightly annoyed expression.

”Are forgetting about something make-up girl? I can't walk around the Empire with this appearance...” I said with a slightly amused expression while pointing at my face.

”I can't completely change your appearance like myself but I guess I can make you look the same as before but I will need to re-apply it regularly.” Chelsea said and went behind me to do her magic.

...

After less than 5 minutes...

”Thanks” I said with the identical appearance I had before leaving my home, except for the bandages but when I wanted to apply them...

”Don't use them, you will attract even more attention than without them. At least you won't attract men's attention plus it really makes you look creepy. If our enemy saw you like that, they would definitely grow suspicious of you. If you will be without them, they will only think of you as a playboy, haha!” Babara used this chance to also insult me and get a good hearty laugh.

My expression darkened when I heard her words.

”Hehe”

”Pfft” Even both girls started to laugh, Taeko at least tried her best not to do it aloud.

”Aren't you supposed to be somewhere else?!” I snapped my head at Chelsea with narrowed eyes.

”Huh?! Why me of all 3 of us?! Taeko is also laughing!” Chelsea said while pointing at Taeko who was still giggling a bit.

”She at least looks cute while doing it, unlike you, make-up girl.” I looked at Taeko who was slightly blushing while holding her laugher inside and then I returned to look at Chelsea and said with a provoking grin.

”Ha?! What do-” Chelsea wanted to argue with me but she was interrupted.

”Go already!” Babara shouted at her.

---

'Taeko is completely dumbfounded from his words...I hope it won't worsen her performance...' Babara thought while looking at Taeko who already stopped giggling because she was too shocked and confused at the same time that she didn't know what to do.

---

”Eek-! Fine, I am going...” She approached the window.

”What a nerve he has, hmph!” Chelsea muttered while glancing at me, she snapped her head to the side, throwing her hair to the side and then...

*Puff* She turned to bird and flew away...

”Do you have to make fun of her like that? She is even more annoying than usual.” Babara asked me with a slightly annoyed expression.

”Sorry, it's too easy to provoke her, I can't resist it. Anyway, what will we do now?” I asked with a calm expression.

”We will just keep quiet for a few days here and let Chelsea handle the gathering of intel. After spending a few days here, we will go to the nearest town to meet up with her in that town's biggest inn, right, Taeko?” Babara explained their rough plan of the next few days while also calling out Taeko who was unusually quiet.

”Hm? I- yes! Understood!” She replied with a firm nod and serious expression.

...Were you even listening?

I thought while glancing at her with a slightly weird look.

.

.

The next few days were relatively quiet, we were eating roasted meat of edible Danger Beasts which was absolutely tasteless. We were also using this free time to think of other plans and in case we need to escape, also escape plans. Of course, we couldn't spend the entire days by planning our moves so we were also talking about regular things and we also used this chance to spar a little. Not like how we are used to, until the complete exhaustion but only light spar because we need to be ready to strike anytime.

I didn't want to bath in the cold river so I created a smaller crater inside the forest and filled it with water, however, at that time I still didn't know how bad idea it would be...

”Aaaah...*sigh* hot bath is always best, not to mention open-air bath at that. The sky looks beautiful filled with all those stars.” Taeko muttered while dipping her nȧkėd body inside the water, more specifically, inside the crater I created and filled with water.

”...What's with that look?” Babara asked with a provoking tone.

Yes...She was also taking the bath with Taeko which wouldn't be a problem, that is if I wasn't here...

”Eh...What do you expect? You are using me to make you homemade hot springs. What kind of look do you expect to see from me?” I asked while looking at the sky with dead eyes, not wanting to look in front of me.

I actually wouldn't mind taking a silent bath with Taeko but...I don't have anything particular against grandmas but...you know the rest.

”We are just using your Teigu to make our lives out here more comfortable. Don't complain, you get to bath with 2 women” Babara said with a slightly annoyed tone and Taeko blushed a bit.

Ugh, more like 1 woman and 1 granny...Maybe if you were at least 30 years younger, I wouldn't complain about it.

Anyway, this should be the last night here before we move to the nearest town and meet up with Chelsea to see what she has discovered in the meantime while we were here.