After Surviving the Apocalypse, I Built a City in Another World

While there were differences, there were also similarities. For example, like the Bathhouse, there were different entrances for male and female patrons.

The difference was that there was a middle door, where people of both sexes could join. The aborigines were startled (more like aghast) by this, but many Terrans had experienced this before and didn’t mind.

Anyway, through any of the doors, they were led to a locker area and a shower area where they were expected to shed their things and cleanse themselves before entering the public baths.

After this, they’d go past a door covered by breathable linen curtains that loosely separated the inside from the outside. They only had to go through it to get to the next area, and they’d be greeted by the dreamy sight of pools, rocks, and vegetation layered by a gentle mist.

The hot spring design was meshed with nature and some parts didn’t even feel like it was man-made. The one in the entrance was the biggest pool, with another shower area with seating at the side, where people could cleanse, wash off, scrub, and the like.

It was pretty big with a seamless design as if it had been carved out naturally. It was surrounded by vegetation that added to the unique scent and feel of the place.

At night, there were also some bioluminescent stones—ones found near the salt mines—under the pools, creating an ethereal effect at night.

There were seating areas of stones and varying depth of the pool. Some just dipped their toes while some headed inside with their whole bodies.

As they sank deeper, they felt the warmth seep deep into their bones, melting the tension away. They moaned gently as their backs touched the warm stones, allowing the mineral-rich stones to caress their skins.

There were quite a few people there already, some were in groups, but they were talking in a slower pace, but otherwise they just quietly spent time together.

Other than the largest one, there were also plenty of smaller pools. They were of various sizes, with the smallest ones just big enough for three people.

They had plenty of pools they could choose according to their needs and it was wonderful. Interestingly, some of the springs were partially hidden and people had to walk along paths of nature to get to them. It was as if they were discovering the bits of heaven themselves.

Some of the more adventurous ones were the aborigine women who went to explore before dipping in. They found one after going deeper into the curated forest. The paths were paved, and one of the paths ended up on a seemingly vine-covered wall.

However, they knew it was not a dead end; otherwise, there would be no path, and sure enough, when Olga touched the wall of vines out of curiosity, they realized people could really head inside.

They entered and found a beautiful pool good for about five to six people there. It was obviously designed for a bit of privacy.

”Ah... how nice...” Olga mumbled as she laid down. Cassandra, Hilda, and the other ladies joined in, creating a wonderful feminine sight worthy of nosebleeds.

”Alterra just never seemed to stop impressing me,” Hilda said, her eyes closed as she felt the steam rising from the waters.

Beneath the surface, water bubbled gently from underground vents, and the inflow of warm water kept the temperature consistently warm.

”Ah, it makes me feel like I can just forget everything for a while.”

And when they opened their eyes again, it would feel like their very souls were refreshed!

...

The Bathhouse also had warm and infused baths, but it felt different when in open air like this, as if their companion was nature itself instead of the people they were with.

There were also saunas and cool-water plunge pools, as well as spas, though they’d be done with nature surrounded by plants.

Other than the pools, there were also amenities like meditation gardens.

It was a garden courtyard with manicured plants designed to ease a person’s mind. Whether it was in aesthetics, scent, or the tactile, it was there to help the person reach inner peace.

There were even rocky waterfalls on one side. It was nothing too major, just a small stream flowing down an inclined wall of rocks. However, the sound of trickling water added to the meditative atmosphere of the place.

There were chosen rocks, greenery, and cushioned seats all around this area that could be used to comfortably sit on. It created one of the best place for a quiet reflection.

And, in Xeno, meditation was more than just relaxation.

A lot of stronger people had started to meditate in order to consolidate their powers. There were also people like Althea and the others who were taught the meditative techniques long before they even awakened elements, and this had proved useful in control.

After this, Rowan and many loyal aborigines taught the technique to the barracks guards, ensuring everyone’s foundations were great. In fact, Orion, Obi, and the others also knew some superior techniques and they weren’t stingy with them (in exchange for contribution points, of course).

In fact, this was the reason why so many Alterrans had good control over their elements compared to similarly-leveled people, and this would only be more pronounced in time. Not only were they smarter and more creative,but their strengths also ended up being superior despite only learning their elements for a couple of months.

That said, this technique was taught early in the School, as early as the kids were in elementary school. The PE teachers there (who were barracks guards) taught them the techniques to form a habit early on in hopes of helping create a generation of powerhouses.

In turn, because they didn’t keep it a secret, it naturally spread out to the rest of the population, especially those with children enrolled.

Eventually, people found that certain environments encouraged efficiency more. That was to say, meditating in certain places as an elementalist gave better effect—that one could gather more aether in certain spaces, which actually made sense depending on one’s elements.

Before the hotsprings, there were already several spots in public parks dedicated to this. But the public was public, and once in a while, a child playing hide and seek or playing tag would pass by, disrupting the process.

Usually, they would find a place to meditate in their gardens or in parks. It was also why, even in the middle of the night, people could be found in random areas of the territory, especially in green spaces. They were taking advantage of the relative quiet in the parks in the null hours of the day.

However, it seemed like there was a special atmosphere in hot springs.

Interestingly, the effects would also be pronounced depending on one’s affinity. For instance, in parks, it was wood-types who were most efficient. In hot springs, most elements—whether it was water, fire, soil, and even wood—could maximize it, so it was bound to be a popular spot.

Eventually, more people would discover this, and this would ensure the hot springs would always be extremely popular, even after the novelty had faded.

Anyway, the entrance was valid for 12 hours, so they could really do a lot of things every time they entered.

It was such an interesting development.

Clearly, they made the hotprings completely for relaxation purposes. Who’d have thought it could actually help them build strength!?