Chapter 17 - Hot Spring Service

"Welcome, Massster!!"

 As we entered the inn's entrance, the fox girls lined up to greet us with sweet smiles on their faces. A shower of flowers and the sound of bells filled our arrival.

 "E-Eh? W-What is this?" Mio's mother was very surprised by this welcome.

 "Congratulations Master, as the 100th visitor. Master gets a special gift of enjoying the inn's facilities and hot springs for free. Yeeey!!" said one of the fox girls.

 I've heard about this before, at the previous noble meeting there was talk about a promotion like this to attract customers and this business strategy has proven to be able to attract the general public.

 But, isn't this 100th customer made up of three people?

 How do we determine the 100th customer, if we come together?

 Mio patted my shoulder and pulled my body back.

 "Lily-sama, is it okay if my mother gets this special gift?" Mio whispered.

 Oh, so that's what it means. Mio wanted to give this gift to her mother because today was her birthday.

 "Um, that's fine," I accepted Mio's request.

 "Thank you, Lily-sama-" Mio was about to hug me but Mio's Mother carried my body from behind.

 "Then, can I enjoy this gift with my child?" Mio mother suddenly said something that surprised me.

 "Eh?"

 "Ehh?"

 Mio and I were equally surprised by Mio's Mother words.

 "S-Sorry, Master. This promotion is only valid for one person in every 100 people. Regardless of age and physical appearance."

 "Is that so? Can I move the gift?" Mio mother asked.

 The fox girl shook her head, "Our rules don't allow that."

 "Too bad... Does Lily-sama have any objections to this?" Mio mother asked.

 "I think... it's better to accept this kind of good fortune than to reject it," I replied.

 "Fufu.. Lily-sama is very wise," praised Mio's mother.

 Rather than calling myself wise, I just felt bad if Mio's request wasn't granted. Besides, with the remaining money I brought with me right now. Mio and I could still enjoy the same facilities as the gift.

 Ah! That's right. Why not spend the remaining money?

 "Then, we also want to use the same facilities," I said while taking out a few gold coins.

 "L-Lily-sama??" Mio seemed surprised by my actions.

 "W-We will prepare the facilities. W-Wait a moment, Master!" Several fox girls ran after receiving my gold coins.

 "Um, I-Is it okay to spend that much money, Lily-sama?" Mio asked in a sad tone.

 "Compared to Mio's devotion all this time, a small gold coin like that is nothing," I stroked Mio's head which was drooping weakly.

 "Lily-sama…" Mio accepted my caress on her head. She even started to kneel like a little fox enjoying the stroking of her head. For some reason, I could see Mio's pseudo little tail waving in the direction of my hand.

 "Mio.. good girl.." I continued to stroke my hand from Mio's head down to her face. Occasionally I pinched her little cheeks and stroked her chin.

 "Ahem! I don't want to ruin your precious time but some fox girls are starting to fall watching this sight."

 I was surprised by Mio's mother words and looked at the fox girls around me. Following Mio's mother words, some fox girls who worked at this inn started to fall. They knelt on the floor while covering the blush on their faces. Their fox tails and ears were also lowered as if holding back their shame.

 I also tried to hold back the shame that suddenly overflowed, it seemed I had to pay attention to the place before doing embarrassing actions like this.

 "Ahaha.. haha.." Mio chuckled while holding back her shame.

 "Ehehe.. hehe.." I followed Mio's little laugh.

 "I don't know why, you two are a perfect match for each other," replied Mio mother.

 Hearing this little fact from Mio mother, I and Mio accidentally held back our blushes at the same time.

 "M-Mooo!! Let's enjoy the facilities of this place!" Mio became a little embarrassed and pushed her mother's body to enter the hot spring.

 Two small rooms inside the inn were divided based on the colors pink and blue on each door. We entered the pink door and hurriedly took some wooden baskets that had been prepared.

 This room was a special changing room for women, behind the door of this room there was a door that was connected to the closed hot spring. From a distance, I could see some thin mist coming out from between the doors. I couldn't wait to enjoy this hot spring.

 Mio, Mio mother, and I took off our clothes and used the hot spring facilities that had been prepared. After the wooden basket was filled with our clothes, we immediately rushed into the room that had been waiting for us.

 Inside the room containing the closed hot spring, a fox girl was waiting for us.

 "Please be careful here, Master.. we will help pamper your body before enjoying the hot spring," said the fox girl.

 This kind of service seems to be common in this place, I could see Mio and Mio mother smiling while enjoying this facility. I seemed doubtful about their service facilities because this was my first experience in a place like this.

 "It's okay, Lily-sama. They have been trained for this task" said Mio to reassure me.

 "Don't worry, Lily-sama! Leave this matter to them" Mio's mother also reassured me about their performance.

 "Uuuuuhh.." I slowly sat on one of the wooden benches provided and took off my body towel.

 "AHAAAK!!"

 "M-Mioooo?"

 Behind me, I could hear Mio's mother panicked voice. I turned around and found Mio holding her nose that was covered in blood and a terrifying aura coming out behind her.

 "Ahem! Excuse me, little girl!" Mio suddenly stood behind me and dragged the fox girl who was going to wipe my back with hot water.

 "Eh? Kyaaa!!" The fox girl that Mio pulled was surprised.

 "M-Mooo! Lily-sama why are you so quiet about this?" Mio said in a pouting voice.

 Eh? What's going on? Why did Mio's attitude suddenly change?

 Didn't she say to entrust my body to them?

 Why is Mio being like this?

 "M-Mioo?"

 "F-Forget what I said earlier. I'd rather do this!" Mio said while taking the warm water beside her and slowly washing my back with it.

 "Kuuuuu!!"

 What is this? Why does this warm water feel so good?

 "Fufu.. what's wrong Lily-sama? Does this warm water feel good?" Mio teased me with her words.

 Until a wooden basket hit Mio's head.

 Boonnkk!!

 "Miiiooo..." a soft and scary word from Mio's mother was heard.

 "M-Mom?" Mio slowly turned her body and Mio's mother was holding a sword in her hand.

 "You know this right? Common etiquette when in a hot spring?" Mio's mother asked with a flat, threatening expression.

 "Hiiieekk!!" Mio walked back a little after seeing her mother.

 This was my first experience seeing Mio scared. Could it be that Mio's mother power was so extraordinary that Mio was scared like this?

 "I-I'll go back to my place.." Mio replied.

 "Fufu.. Then, let's continue with this little gift" replied Mio's mother who was full of smiles.

 "Muuuu.. !!" Mio pouted a little when she returned to her original position.

 Without wasting much more time, we enjoyed the hot spring facilities.

 Relaxing in the hot spring wasn't too bad.

 I enjoyed this comfort.