Reincarnated as Itsuka Shido: Collecting Spirits as Lovers-Chapter 171: Warm Night

Capital Re-Estize City

Shido and Rumia strolled down the bustling streets, taking in the sights of the various shops lining the road. They had already checked into an inn with a good reputation in the capital, and now they were on their way to the Adventurers' Guild to register Rumia as an adventurer.

During their travel to the capital, Shido had shared with Rumia some basic knowledge about this world and the nature of his quests. Upon learning that Shido needed assistance to complete his missions, Rumia had agreed without hesitation to become an adventurer alongside him.

Clenching her fist with quiet determination, she silently vowed to grow stronger in this world, strong enough to protect the people she cared about and one day, Rumia will have the power to protect those important to her... like Sistine.

It took them the entire day to reach the capital city from the Great Forest of Tob, encountering various monsters along the way. During the journey, Shido asked Rumia to demonstrate her abilities, and she agreed with a gentle nod. Chanting her spells, she unleashed bursts of wind magic that blew away the monsters with impressive control.

Her mana reserves were considerable, but Shido already knew that offensive magic wasn't her specialty. While she could cast spells like Shock Bolt and a few other attack-type magic spells, they lacked the power to fatally harm higher-level enemies in this world and were more likely to only paralyze or incapacitate them.

Rumia was more proficient in support magic, especially in healing and defensive magic. Because of that, Shido didn't expect much about her offensive capabilities as a mage.

But if there was something truly special about Rumia, it was her innate magical talent.

Amplification.

People who possessed the rare ability to exponentially enhance the power of those they touched were known as Amplifiers. They were exceptionally rare and often sought after by those wishing to exploit their unique gift.

Rumia was one of the very few beings in her world to possess this miraculous ability. Even during her time as a princess, she was relentlessly targeted by evil mages and dark forces who sought to use her powers for their own gain. Her very existence became a source of constant danger, leaving the queen, her mother, feeling helpless to protect her.

Fortunately, the protagonist of that world saved her before she could be kidnapped or killed by the evil mages. That incident marked a turning point in her life, as it led to her meeting Sistine, the person who would become her reason to live.

Although Shido didn't mind Rumia staying as a support mage, offering aid from the rear lines, he still hoped that one day, a powerful mage would appear to mentor her. Rumia needed to grow stronger, to protect herself when he was not beside him.

As night fell, Shido and Rumia decided to camp out in the forest. Shido retrieved the portable house from his inventory and tossed it onto the ground. With a flash of light, it quickly expanded to full size, taking the shape of a cozy house nestled beneath the trees.

Shido began preparing dinner for the two of them. Rumia watched from the side, surprised to see how comfortably he moved around the kitchen. She hadn't expected someone like Shido to know how to cook so well.

"You can cook, Shido-san?" Rumia asked, genuinely surprised.

"Is that really so surprising?" Shido replied casually, continuing to chop vegetables with practiced ease.

"Mmnn, no, not really. I was just... caught off guard," Rumia said with a small shake of her head.

"Is that so?"

Feeling a little uneasy just standing there doing nothing, she quickly stepped forward to offer her help.

"I'll help too," she added quickly.

Shido gave her a nod and let her assist with preparing the ingredients while he handled the stove. As the meal came together, Rumia watched in awe, her lips slightly parted. The aroma filled the kitchen, warm and inviting. She couldn't help but admire the way Shido moved with confidence and skills, like he had done this countless times before.

Soon, plates of beautifully arranged dishes filled the table, adding a vibrant splash of color to the modest dining area. Though the spread wasn't extravagant, the amount of food was more than enough for the two of them.

"This is a lot." Rumia said, blinking at the number of dishes.

"We can just store the leftovers in the fridge and heat them up when we're hungry again." Shido replied with a shrug.

It was the first time Rumia had ever heard of an item that could preserve food, like the "fridge" Shido mentioned. The concept intrigued her, but her thoughts came to a sudden halt the moment she took her first bite of the food Shido had prepared.

Her eyes widened in surprise at the taste. Without thinking, she began eating eagerly, shoveling mouthfuls in without any concern for her appearance. To Shido, the sight was oddly endearing, Rumia looked like a little hamster with puffed cheeks, happily savoring every bite of her meal.

After dinner, Shido decided to take a bath. Although the house also had a bath. The hot spring he obtained before was much more relaxing and even had a good effect on the skin.

He activated the Skin Care Spa, a magical bath facility, and it materialized outside the portable house. Thankfully, the area around the house was protected by a strong barrier that included concealment and warding spells. With these in place, monsters and people alike would be unable to sense or approach them.

Seeing a hot spring suddenly appear in front of the house, Rumia wasn't all that surprised anymore, after all, the house itself had originally been the size of her hand. What truly caught her attention, however, were the hot spring's special effects. Her eyes sparkled brightly when she heard from Shido that it could make skin healthier and more radiant.

Shido noticed her reaction, and a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. 'Well, which girl wouldn't be interested in maintaining healthy skin?' he thought. Rumia was no exception, and she looked like she wanted to jump in right away.

He chuckled at her visible excitement, which made Rumia blush and avert her gaze shyly.

Then, a mischievous thought crept into his mind. With a teasing grin, Shido said, "Want to go in together?"

Hearing his suggestion, Rumia froze for a moment, her eyes wide. Then, her face turned a deep shade of red, causing Shido to burst out laughing.

"You're too cute to tease, Rumia." he said between chuckles.

Rumia puffed her cheeks in a pout, glaring at him in that cute, harmless way of hers. But just as Shido was enjoying her reaction, her next words brought his laughter to an abrupt halt.

"...Alright. Let's go in together." Rumia said softly, taking a deep breath and meeting his gaze with a serious expression.

Shido blinked. "Huh?"

He had only been teasing, he hadn't actually expected her to agree. His mind raced, trying to catch up with what had just happened. But as the realization sank in, he glanced at Rumia again.

Even though her expression was composed, the light blush on her cheeks betrayed her nervousness. She was clearly embarrassed, but she wasn't backing down.

Shido swallowed. 'Well... I wasn't expecting this, he thought. But I'm definitely not going to complain.'

...

Shido was soaking quietly in the hot spring, letting the warmth ease the fatigue from their long day of travel. Steam rose gently around him, wrapping the outdoor bath in a calming mist.

"S-Shido-san..."

The soft, hesitant voice behind him broke the silence. Shido turned, startled, and found Rumia standing near the edge of the spring, her figure modestly wrapped in a white towel. Her cheeks were flushed, she fidgeted slightly, as if unsure of what to do next.

Seeing her standing there, Shido couldn't help but marvel at her beauty. Her skin was pale and smooth, glowing softly in the steam, with a faint pink flush spreading across her cheeks from her shyness.

Her body was slender that any man would fall for her charms immediately, adding to the allure of her bare arms and long legs. Her slender figure was graceful, every curve framed gently by the white towel that clung just enough to reveal her growing maturity.

He had to say, although Rumia was only 15 years old, she was already a stunning beauty that made her truly captivating. He wondered to himself, if she was already this charming at her age, what if she grew older. Shido's thoughts drifted to her mother who was the queen of Alzano Empire.

"S-Shido-san, please don't stare at me too much."

But Shido remained silent, still captivated by her, lost in a daze. Seeing this, Rumia's embarrassment deepened, and a warm blush spread across her cheeks.

It was the first time she had appeared before someone of the opposite sex wearing nothing but a bath towel, and the shyness overwhelmed her.

Yet, despite her bashfulness, Shido's gaze didn't make her uncomfortable, in fact, she found herself quietly pleased by the way he looked at her. Still, the blush on her face gave away how self-conscious she truly was, prompting her to call out again, her voice trembling slightly.

"Sorry, Rumia. I was just... captivated by your beauty, so I didn't quite know how to react," Shido said sincerely, his eyes calm and gentle, as if trying to make the moment feel as natural as possible.

"..."

Rumia was momentarily speechless, both stunned and amused by how casually Shido could say such things without missing a beat. Yet, despite herself, his words stirred something warm deep inside her heart.

"Why don't you come in? It's getting a bit chilly standing out there." Shido offered kindly, his voice soft and inviting.

Hearing Shido's words, Rumia suddenly became aware of the cold breeze and quickly stepped into the hot spring. The spring was about ten meters wide, spacious enough for both of them, yet she chose to sit a good two meters away from Shido.

Her face still flushed from embarrassment, she settled into the warm water until only the top half of her head remained above the surface.

Shido was momentarily at a loss, unsure how to react to her shy distance, but he couldn't deny that she looked absolutely angelic in the soft steam and glowing light.

During the bath, Shido didn't do anything strange, he simply stared up at the night sky filled with countless stars. Meanwhile, Rumia was completely immersed in the soothing effects of the hot spring. She felt so relaxed that she momentarily forgot she was wearing nothing but a bath towel, especially with Shido sitting right beside her.

Noticing her peaceful and blissful expression, Shido let out a small smile before returning his gaze to the vast sky above.

As Shido looked upward, Rumia opened her eyes slightly and stole a glance at him from the corner of her eye, careful not to be caught staring. Her lips moved softly, as if whispering a gentle scolding:

"Shido-san, baka..."