Miss Heir wasn't very kind to me.

Chapter 230, Section 5: "Upon arriving in the hot spring town, I felt very uneasy."

Driving away from Makinohara PA, the section from the Tomei Expressway to the Kanetsu Expressway was driven by Mio Kurokawa.

On the roads leading to Gunma Prefecture, the number of small vehicles gradually decreased, replaced by large trucks loaded with agricultural products.

However, Mio wasn't panicked when faced with a large truck driving alongside her on the road.

After smoothly parking the "Red Comet" in the parking lot, Kurokawa Mio successfully completed her task as driver.

"I didn't expect Mio to drive so steadily."

Masumi wasn't sure if Rinne's words could be considered a compliment.

In response, Mio Kurokawa said, "The thought of Masumi sitting in the back seat made me drive with the absolute belief that 'nothing should happen.'"

"...Eh, what about us?" Qian Ai was stunned.

"Don't worry, Masumi would be sad if something happened to you, so I won't let that happen either," Kurokawa Mio said casually.

"Don't count us as Masumi-nii's emotional value."

Chiai's melancholy sigh swept over the signboard of "Ose Katahindo Station".

"Don't worry about it, Chiai," Rinne gently comforted her. "Mio is just not honest enough."

She thought for a moment and added, "In Mami's words, it's 'tsundere,' I guess."

"Oh my, what's that? It's like you know me so well."

Kurokawa Mio frowned, crossing her arms as if she had goosebumps.

"Also, please don't use those vulgar words that carry the shallow desires of otaku to describe me, it's disgusting."

"...Ugh, otaku, how disgusting."

Mami, who was inexplicably caught in the crossfire, froze with a smile.

……

Unlike ordinary rest areas, Daozhiyi reflects local characteristics as much as possible in terms of its physical architecture and the local specialties sold in the store, and also plays a role in promoting local tourism.

Gunma Prefecture is an important wheat-producing area in the Kanto region. The Katapin Shokudo restaurant at Michinoe Station offers Oze Meisui Udon noodles made from local wheat flour, which is said to be a representative dish of the Oze area.

The group strolled around the agricultural product direct sales store. The prices of the goods were not expensive, and they were all agricultural products directly sourced from the local market.

It's apple picking season, and tourist information boards advertise local farm picking experiences.

Rinne wanted to buy some shiitake and natto beans to take back as souvenirs to the merchants in the shopping district who supplied the coffee shops, but since food has an expiration date, it was best to buy it before leaving.

"what--!"

Mami suddenly yelled and stopped in her tracks, almost bumping into Masumi who was in front of her because she wasn't looking.

"What's Mami doing all of a sudden?"

"Hot spring discovered!"

Asami placed one hand across her eyebrows as if looking out, while pointing excitedly ahead with the other.

"spa?"

Warm white mist wafted through the air, where autumn was in full swing.

Asami was pointing to a panoramic plaza, and looking out into the distance, the Oze Iris Plain came into view.

However, the square was empty at the moment, with only the six of them. For this roadside post station, which was not a tourist attraction, this was a rare flow of visitors.

Upon closer inspection, you'll see the foot bath that Asami mentioned earlier, called "Oze no Yu." It's a hanging stream type, and according to the introduction, the water is drawn from Kamata Onsen, with clear and clean water.

"Let's soak our feet in the foot bath here for a while!" Mami suggested.

"Okay, sure." Masumi nodded. "But what's with that can of beer in your hand?"

"I just bought it at the specialty store," Mami replied.

Then, as if realizing something, she quickly added, "Don't misunderstand, I didn't mean to enjoy it all by myself; I bought enough for everyone."

"I never thought of it that way," Masumi said helplessly. "Besides, you're the driver, right? Why did you suddenly start drinking?"

"Sigh, since my journey is over, to be honest, after the stress of this morning, I've been wanting to enter a 'happiness spiral' through drinking to heal my wounded heart."

The six people sat side by side on the wooden bench, took off their shoes and socks, and rolled up their trousers or skirts.

Rippling water, soft and gentle waves, and tender white feet are immersed in the flowing foot bath.

"Ah! Speaking of which, it felt really good to go for a drive with friends for the first time! *glug glug*." Mami exclaimed sincerely.

"Although I rented a car on Miyako Island last time—glug glug—driving it myself—glug glug—is a completely different experience! So exciting! glug glug."

As if no one else was around, Mami gulped down her canned beer, her manner so ravenous it could be described as whale-like.

"Pfft! I'm fully recovered!"

Asami struck a pose with exaggerated, theatrical movements, placing the empty beer can between her thighs since there were people sitting on either side of her.

Her cheeks flushed, and she became completely carried away with pride, stirring the water with her feet like a swan.

Their plump thighs squeezed and rubbed against each other, and the fragile aluminum can was instantly crushed.

"Has she drunk far too much?" Seeing Mami's appearance, people would believe she was cosplaying the demon Shuten-dōji.

"Be careful not to spill the wine."

Masumi couldn't help but remind him.

"Oh, so Masumi-kun has this kind of hobby," the tipsy Mami said with a hint of teasing. "Using hot spring water that still smells of girls to mix drinks."

"Fool."

Masumi turned her face away in annoyance, and Chiai handed her a roasted mochi skewered on a bamboo stick.

For this classic snack that's a must-have in any rest area, Gunma Prefecture seems to have the method of coating mochi with miso sauce and then grilling it.

The slightly burnt aroma, combined with the salty-sweet taste of miso, creates a perfect blend that makes your nose tingle.

"Oh, thank you." Masumi took the roasted mochi.

"I also bought croquettes, fried chicken nuggets, and meat buns. Do you want to share?"

"You bought too much," Masumi said with a gentle sigh. "Be careful you won't be able to eat dinner."

"Hey, it's okay, since nobody really ate lunch properly."

...Yeah, that's true. For some reason, I really don't have much of an appetite when I'm on a road trip.

Given this, it's understandable that people would eat these snacks instead of lunch.

"Then, I'll have a croquette."

"Okay, I understand. Here you go."

The freshly fried croquettes were sandwiched in cute wrappers printed with the local mascot and handed to Masumi.

The oil stains showed through, leaving faint rings, but fortunately they didn't completely seep through the back of the paper.

"This is Haiyue's, and this is Rinne's—"

I want edamame!

Asami held up a can of beer and said that she had now become a beauty with the aroma of malt and hops.

"We don't sell snacks to go with drinks here anymore."

Chiai gave Mami a cup of fried chicken nuggets.

"Sister Mio, please try some too. I still have some meat buns here."

As the girl spoke, she cut the steaming hot meat bun in half, along with its wrapper.

Beneath the soft, fluffy white dough, dark brown beef and pickles were revealed, and the rising steam carried an enticing aroma.

"Alright, split it in half. This half is for Mio-neechan."

"No, thank you." Kurokawa Mio refused without hesitation. "I don't like sharing food with others."

"You're lying! Last time on Miyako Island, didn't Mio-neechan eat half a chocolate bun?"

"...It's so troublesome that you even remember such a small thing," Kurokawa Mio sighed.

"Hey, don't be so polite. You've been driving for so long, you need to replenish your energy."

While hesitating, Kurokawa Mio kept glancing at the meat buns in Masumi and Chiai's hands, and finally sighed as if in resignation, slowly extending her hand.

She took the meat bun that had been split in two and took a small bite.

"How's it going? Is it delicious?"

"It's not as good as 711-Eleven's," Kurokawa Mio replied expressionlessly.

Chiai smiled slightly: "As Rinne said, Mio-nee is not frank."

"...I don't need anyone other than Masumi to understand me."

Kurokawa Mio, seemingly sulking, kicked her feet in the hot water like a child, splashing water everywhere. Her bright red toenails were striking, shimmering with the reflection of the silvery-white water, their shape still beautiful even when distorted.

"It's so good to have come to Gunma."

Qian Ai said softly with emotion.

"This isn't the main topic yet."

This is just the beginning.

Even so, it's enough to make people look forward to it.

◇

Next, Masumi took over driving, and the "Red Comet" drove off the national highway towards Shibukawa City.

This is the filming location for the famous manga "Initial D". Geographically, it is also an important transportation hub connecting Kusatsu, Ikaho and Shimansama hot spring towns.

Masumi and her companions' destination was Ikaho Onsen, a hot spring town that has been famous for a long time and is mentioned many times in the Manyoshu.

The current hot spring town is said to have been built by the local lord Sanada Masayuki at the end of the Sengoku period as a place for soldiers to recuperate, and it has been a hot spring resort since the Edo period.

"finally reached."

Upon arriving at their destination, Masumi quietly exhaled. His tension on the national highway, gripping the steering wheel, was not much greater than Mami's.

I stepped off the train to stretch my stiff body. It was past 4 p.m., and eight hours had passed since I left Kobe.

We arrived at the scheduled time, at least.

Looking out at the mountainsides ablaze with fiery red maple leaves, the colors of dusk are beginning to descend upon this hot spring town.

"This is the hot spring inn where we'll be staying tonight. It feels... very rustic and beautiful."

Asami covered her lips with her hand and spoke as tactfully as possible.

“Isn’t this great, Mami-nee?” Chika nodded with satisfaction. “Older hotels like this are better, like fine wine, they get better with age.”

"While I don't deny the point about fine wine, Chihiro says that men generally prefer younger women."

"Eh."

“…Um.” Masumi immediately stepped forward to clarify, “I still prefer older hot spring inns.”

Because it was an older establishment and on a weekday, the price was also very attractive.

Last time I went to Miyako Island, I almost emptied Masumi's savings. Although I have income from the coffee shop and manga royalties, I believe I can make up for it soon, but it's still better to be frugal.

After all, there will definitely be many more trips with them in the future.

Moreover, if you really want to go to Egypt, the airfare will be a real heart-stopper.

That being said, Masumi wasn't specifically looking for budget hotels. The hotel he chose was located near the Ikaho Onsen town and was said to have been developed for tourism during the bubble era, giving it a vintage feel.

"It's getting late, let's hurry up and check in."

Rinne offered a quiet reminder from the side.

"Good~"

Everyone took their luggage from the trunk of the car.

Masumi subtly observed the girls. Hmm, everyone was taking good care of their luggage, even Mami, who was still half-drunk, was carefully clutching her backpack.

The unease that had been temporarily set aside on the highway resurfaced in my mind.

Is there no problem?
"...Masumi?"

Looking at Masumi, who was standing there in a daze, Kaigetsu tilted her head with a curious expression.

"Ah, I'm fine, let's go."

Free foot baths are available near the entrance for travelers to rest.

The hotel was no smaller than Kuonya or the hotel I had stayed at in Kyoto before, and the interior had a mix of Japanese and Western styles, giving it a Taisho Romantic feel.

The reception desk is made of marble and has a soft, thick carpet.

The freezer contains small round boxes of Häagen-Dazs ice cream. Häagen-Dazs has three factories around the world, one of which is in Gunma Prefecture, Japan.

Looking inside, there's a spacious rest area with free self-service beverage machines, comic book shelves, and ping-pong tables.

It is more than enough to serve as a destination for school trips.

"Huh, is this what they mean by 'don't judge a book by its cover'?" Asami looked around the hotel. "It feels much nicer than it looks from the outside."

"After all, this place is only relatively cheap; the accommodation fee is still 00,000 yen per night."

"Hearing Masumi-kun say it like that makes it sound so sophisticated!"

"Do you want to visit this place as a tourist attraction?" Masumi asked.

Asami nodded. "I did have that idea, but right now I'd rather have hot spring cuisine and then soak in an open-air hot spring."

The front desk staff were also wearing kimonos.

Two girls who were traveling with them were checking in in front of them, and Masumi and her group lined up behind them.

"Speaking of which, how many rooms did Masumi book?" Kurokawa Mio asked.

"Three rooms."

Upon hearing this, both Mio and Mami felt deflated to varying degrees.

"Ugh, this is so boring." Mami muttered, "Why can't it be like last time in Kyoto, when everyone lived together and it was so much fun?"

Masumi shook her head, still shaken, and said, "I don't want to wake up one day completely unable to move, and besides..."

Moreover, even if it has been soaked in an open-air bath and is as soft, bouncy, and smooth as a hot spring egg, it still does not have a food safety permit.

"...And even if you're crammed into one room, you still have to pay according to the number of people."

The room allocation plan is as follows.

Masumi has her own room, Mami, Chiai, and Kaizuki have one room, and Rinne and Mio have one room.

Since it was almost dusk and they had exhausted their energy on the journey during the day, the group decided after discussion that they would stay at the inn tonight and enjoy the hot springs.

After putting away their luggage, the six of them gathered in the largest room for dinner.

Dinner was sukiyaki, a delicious dish that is especially popular in Gunma Prefecture.

It features carefully selected ingredients such as Kōshū Wagyu beef from Gunma Prefecture, Shimoninda green onions, fragrant shiitake mushrooms, and local konjac, vegetables, and more.

The method is a traditional Kanto style.

It reminded Masumi of the first time she ate sukiyaki with Rinne and the others at the coffee shop.

In addition to that, Mio and Asami also ordered some other side dishes—

Avocado salad, fried oysters, almond fried chicken, sweet potato spring rolls, and some seafood dishes.

Yes, these are all foods that help travelers relieve fatigue and boost their energy.

I don't know why, but it feels very strange.

Was it unintentional?
Then Mami took out this—

"Qiang Qiang!"

She took a strange bottle of liquor out of her backpack and made a peace sign.

"This, this is...?"

Chiai stared intently at the contents of the bottle without blinking.

Haiyue murmured softly, "It's... a snake..."

A slender snake was coiled inside the wine bottle, its interior hollowed out, its empty snake eyes staring at the people in the room.

"That's right, this is snake wine that my mother sent me!"

Asami proudly introduced, "The raw materials are taken from the unpolluted, clear water source in the northern part of Biwa Lake, and additional materials from the Seno family have been added, making it a truly high-end product."

"what material?"

Rinne asked worriedly, as she seemed a little afraid of snakes.

"Let me think... nutmeg, maca, garlic, ginseng, etc., they are all very nourishing ingredients."

"Because it was brewed by my dad, I don't really know much about it. It's the first time I've ever had it," Mami said irresponsibly.

"..."

After a long silence, Masumi exhaled, her expression shrouded in shadow.

Well, I'm uneasy.

(End of this chapter)