Liisa Virtanen 

Inside a long-abandoned building, its pillars and ceiling exposed in places. Two figures stand illuminated by moonlight streaming through what were once window frames.

“Give up, Froski! You can’t escape!”
“Don’t yell, Inspector Liisa. It spoils your lovely face.”
“Quit it!!”

The woman called Liisa holds her gun with exemplary demeanor, pointing it straight at the man before her.
The man, Kyanen, wears a conical hat pulled down over his eyes, his expression barely visible save for the faint smile playing on his lips.

“You have countless crimes against you! Just surrender!”
“Me, a criminal? All I have are memories of bringing happiness to many people.”
“Nonsense! Your actions are outright crimes, nothing but the imposition of your ego!”
“How rigid you are. Well, that’s one of your good points, though.”

Ignoring such flippant remarks, Liisa kept her pistol drawn as she inched closer. Froski backed away, without turning around, maintaining a steady distance.
Then, as his heel reached the edge of the floor (the cliff created by the collapsed wall), he halted his retreat.
Confirming this, Liisa gripped her gun in one hand and drew handcuffs with the other.
This was the “jiu-jitsu” she learned at the police academy. Liisa had earned her rank with the highest honors.
Even if he resisted, she could subdue him effortlessly.

“Hmm, looks like a dead-end situation, huh?”
“”Froski. You have the right to remain silent and to have an attorney present-“”
“Heh heh heh, think you’ve got me arrested already? I’ve got wings on my back. I can fly anywhere. Right… Next, I suppose I’ll journey off to some distant island nation in the Far East. Should be quite the fulfilling trip.”
“I won’t let you go on such a ridiculous trip!”

Liisa declared, lunging forward to subdue him in one swift move.
In that moment, Froski did a small jump and flung his body into the air.

“What!?”

Before she could even cry out in shock, Froski was already falling from the floor, at least thirty meters above the ground.
Liisa rushed over in panic, leaning over the edge to peer down at the ground below.
But Froski was nowhere to be found.
Realizing the situation, Liisa slammed her fist hard onto the concrete floor and groaned, suppressing her frustration.

“I can’t believe he got away again…!!”

Still, she instantly regained her composure and stood up, fixing her stern gaze far beyond the moon in the night sky.

“An island nation in the Far East… No matter how far you flee, I will arrest you. Just wait, Froski…!!”

A few months later…

“I’m Inspector Liisa Virtanen from the Finnish Police, via Interpol! Nice to meet you!!”

Liisa was talking to the chief’s office at Manseibashi Police Station in Akihabara, far from Finland.
She stood motionless, hands clasped behind her back, chest puffed out, when the chief urged her to sit down.

“Well, well, thank you for coming all this way. Please, have a seat.”
“No, I’m merely a guest here by your kind invitation! I’ll be just fine standing!”
“I, I see. Just as we were told, you are a very disciplined woman…”

Taken aback, the chief wiped his bald head with a handkerchief, put his hat back on, and instantly shed his previous laid-back uncle vibe. With piercing eyes, he stood as straight as Liisa and saluted.

“As of today, you are authorized to conduct investigations in the Akihabara district to apprehend an internationally wanted criminal! Arrangements for your accommodations have been made; please confirm them shortly!”
“Yes, sir!!”

True to Froski’s parting words about “an island nation in the Far East,” subsequent investigations revealed that he was hiding out in Akihabara, Japan. Liisa immediately flew there to track him down.

(Akihabara, Japan… I’ve heard it’s a free land where both men and women can indulge their passion for idols and anime. What on earth is he planning to do in a place like this now…)

Standing at an intersection crowded with otaku and tourists, Liisa clenched her fists as she gazed upon the unfamiliar cityscape.

(It’s my fault that he managed to escape that day. And so it’s my mission to arrest him before he starts causing trouble in this city…)

The investigation in this city is about to begin.
It may even lead to a major arrest.
Still, she doesn’t mind any exhaustion or hardship if it’s in the name of catching bad guys.
Liisa, who has disciplined herself more than anyone and lived her life sticking to her own sense of justice, has a sparkle in her eyes that seems almost fiery.

(Froski…! Where are you hiding…?!)

Liisa makes up her mind.
Even if it burns her out completely, she will do everything in her power to arrest Froski… or so she thought.

A few days later, Liisa is at the Akihabara police station. And then…

“My mom’s gone! I’m alone and scared… waaaaaah!!”
“EXCUSE ME, WHERE IS THIS OTAKU FIGURE SHOP?!”

To her right, a crying child clings to her.
To her left, a loud-mouthed tourist asks for directions.

“W-why did this happen…”

Liisa mutters, grimacing as the hellish surround sound assaulting her eardrums, staring blankly into space with lifeless eyes.

“What the fuck?! Why do I have to work at the local police box?!”

In the break room at the back of the police box, Liisa shouted angrily, holding her smartphone to her ear.
The chief’s voice came over the speaker, nonchalantly replying as if admonishing her.

“Hey, calm down.”
“Calm down? I…”
“Inspector Liisa, you are currently the top officer at this station. In this country, even the most elite officers are required to serve at a police box during their first year.”
“No way!”
“Even if it’s just for appearances, you must abide by the rules.”
“R-rules…”

The word struck a nerve with Liisa, who strictly followed discipline and detested breaking rules.

“There are benefits to going undercover. Were you planning to investigate blindly, with no knowledge of the area or culture? “
“Well… I suppose that’s unavoidable…”
“Patrol duty protecting the city is the perfect way to get to know the city itself. You’ll see how the roads and buildings are laid out, and what kind of people live and visit. If you get to know that, you’ll naturally discover the evil lurking there.”
“I, I see…! I had no idea the chief had thought that far…!”
“I see you understand. Well, I’ll leave it to you.”

Truthfully, the Chief’s real motive was to assign menial tasks to the Interpol agent from abroad, restricting her movements to prevent trouble. But the earnest Liisa, unaware of such scheming, believed him completely.
Hanging up the phone, she stepped out to the front reception area and first addressed the still-sobbing lost girl.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. I’ll get the details soon, but could you wait a little longer by my side?”

As she spoke, she patted the girl’s head. The girl regained some of her composure, nodded, and clung to Liisa’s clothes.
Next, Liisa approached the tourist staring intently at the map posted on the police box wall.

“Did you find the store you were looking for?”
“THAT’S STRANGE! THE ADDRESS SHOULD BE RIGHT, BUT I CAN’T FIND IT!”
“Hmm…”

As she crossed her arms, wondering what to do, she suddenly noticed a small piece of paper at her feet.
Picking it up, she saw it was a sticky note with weak adhesive, cut into an uneven trapezoid.
And on the front was the name of the figurine shop the tourist was looking for.

“Perhaps…”

Liisa placed the piece of paper on the map, moving it closer and farther away, sometimes rotating it, searching for where the sticky note should be.
Soon, it fit perfectly into place like a jigsaw puzzle over a plot of land where a building stood.

“It looks like the store you are looking for is here. It must have just recently moved or something. But what a sloppy temporary fix.”
“YEEEEEES!”
“You’re amazing, big sis!”

Before she knew it, the lost girl had joined the tourist in applauding Liisa.

“SO THAT’S WHY NOBODY KNEW WHEN I ASKED THE OTAKU ON THE STREET, HUH?! YOU SAVED ME!!”

Liisa and the girl shared a wry smile as the tourist excitedly rambled out of the police box.

“Now, it’s your turn. First…where do you live?”
“It’s very close to Akihabara. But I’m always with my mum, so I don’t know the way…”
“Oh, you’re local, then. If you think about what your mother would do next, there’s no need to worry.”
“Why?”
“Mothers of all countries take the same action when their child goes missing. If it’s a place she knows well, it shouldn’t take long. Your mom will be here soon.”

The moment she finished speaking, a woman with a panicked look on her face dashed into the police box.

“Excuse me! Has a lost girl been brought in?!”
“Mom!”
“Ah! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!!”

The mother hugged the girl tightly.
Seeing their reunion, even Liisa, who usually maintained a composed demeanor, couldn’t help but relax her expression.

“I’m terribly sorry for the trouble…!”
“Big sis was right! Thank you, pretty officer!”

Liisa watched the girl waving as she was led away by her mother.
In the suddenly quiet police box, she exhaled alone.

“Working at a police box in Japan… I wonder if I’ll really be able to find him while doing this kind of thing.”

As she frowned at the uncertain future, two female officers on police bicycles arrived at the box.
Before they could even notice Liisa inside, shouts erupted.

“You’re so late!!”
“”Argh!!””

Standing upright like a soldier with her hands clasped behind her back, Liisa pressed on.

“A lost girl came in! What were you doing, leaving the city police box empty?!”
“W-well… sometimes patrol duties require us to leave temporarily…”

The officer with her hair tied back answered, shrinking back, but Liisa ignored her, her voice booming from her gut, shaking the air.

“What kind of nonsense is updating the map with a sticky note that easily comes off! Someone was confused!”
“Oh, it did come off after all… I had a feeling it was not good.”
“If you knew it, why did you leave it like that?!”
“I’m so sorry!!”

Caught off guard and lectured, the two were completely crushed by her mysterious intensity.
But, finding weird to be scolded by someone they didn’t even know, they began whispering to each other.

“…Hey. Who is this girl?”
“You know, the one the chief mentioned, the one here from overseas for training-“

Before she could finish, Liisa’s voice drowned out their conversation once more.

“Over there!!”
“Y-Yes!!”

Liisa flashed a defiant smile, yet radiated an undeniably predatory aura as she addressed them.

“I’m Liisa Virtanen. Back home, I’m somewhat known as the ‘Silver Wolf of the Ice Fields’. I may be an outsider, but judging by your rank insignia, I’m your superior. I’m looking forward to retraining you… Hehehe…”

Faced with this terrifying visitor, the two police officers trembled and clung to each other. They could only despair, imagining what kind of hell would begin today.

“Hey, have you finished the paperwork for the property acquisition report?”
“Oh… sorry! I’ll do it right away!”
“What about you? You were supposed to be compiling the crime statistics data.”
“I’m a little busy with something else… sorry.”
“Ugh… really…”

About a week had passed since Liisa started working at the Akihabara police box.
She quickly got used to her job, swiftly working through her paperwork while agonizing over her incompetent colleagues.

“I told you so many times not to put everything off!”

Her colleagues flinched, shoulders tensing as if expecting a thunderous scolding.
But Liisa didn’t continue her nagging.
Peering up cautiously to gauge her reaction, they saw only a resigned, wry smile.

“…I handled both of those. I know last night’s incident was troublesome, but you really need to pick up your pace.”
“Liisa-san…! Okay, we’ll do our best!”

Breathing with relief, the two exchanged glances as Liisa stood up.

“I was wondering what kind of harsh training I’d be in for… I was a bit disappointed.”
“She’s strict, but she doesn’t just scold you. She gives proper evaluations.”
“Plus she’s gorgeous, an elite, and fluent in six languages. Is she a goddess or something?”
“She has a stiff expression, so I thought she might be hard to approach…”

The moment Liisa returned, the two abruptly stopped chatting and resumed their paperwork with exaggerated gestures.
Then, the lost girl from some time ago came to the police box.

“Big sis! I came to play!”
“Hehe. This isn’t a place to come and play. Where is your mom?”
“I came here by myself! I already know the way!”
“Wow, impressive. I wish those two would learn from you.”

The two whispered to each other with a wry smile.

“She’s fitting in pretty well, huh…”

Though reluctant, Liisa had diligently continued her police box duties in Japan.
Before she knew it, a new “daily routine” had begun to take hold for her…

“Ah…”

After finishing her day’s duties, she walked back to the apartment arranged for her stay in Japan.
Dealing with a drunk who couldn’t even remember his own name had pushed her past her usual quitting time. The streets of Akihabara, normally overflowing with people, were now enveloped in the quiet of night.

“Annoying people are everywhere, no matter the country…”

It’s not just drunks. Akihabara, in particular, seems to attract a “unique” crowd. Maid cafe staff who refer to customers as “ignorant masses” and command them around, girls who film those staff members using methods bordering on voyeurism, and girls who were clearly minors provoking adult men in revealing cosplay outfits, chanting “Noob, noob!” – the list goes on and on.
Liisa was shocked by the cultural differences between her own country and Japan.

Even Liisa, who had diligently carried out her police duties head-on in this city, seemed visibly worn out. Her steps were slow and listless.
And above all, she felt like she was forgetting something important, swept up in the grueling work. When she was alone and let her guard down, she couldn’t maintain her usual dignified demeanor.

“What on earth am I… doing…?”

Her colleagues were a bit clumsy at times but worked hard. The city was chaotic and full of excitement. She was getting used to the new environment, and her work was fulfilling.
Yet something was missing.
What has she forgotten? What is it that she’s missing? Unable to recall the answer, Liisa walked with her head bowed.
All she can see is the endless sidewalk, dimly lit by the white light of streetlights.
She should have arrived home long ago, but lost in thought, Liisa had strayed from her route, wandering onto a side street off Chuo-dori.
Then, she suddenly noticed the asphalt beneath her feet being illuminated by a light that wasn’t white.
Red, blue, yellow. There were quite a few sources of light shining from above.

“What the…?”

She looked up and saw a huge, colorful neon sign staring down at her.
It was a newly constructed building that blended retro and modern design, clearly built recently.
Liisa’s eyes caught the dazzling neon letters.
The word written there instantly lifted her sinking spirit.

“SAUNA… That’s it! THIS IS WHAT I’VE BEEN MISSING AAAAAAAHHHH!”

She was probably mistaken about something, but right now, no one’s voice could reach her ears.
Without hesitation, Liisa flung open the door before her and plunged into the large sauna facility. As if possessed by something.

The sauna Liisa entered was a massive facility that had just opened last year.
It offered 20 different baths and saunas using natural hot springs, plus a stone sauna. Alongside a spacious open-air bathing area, it even had a food court, massage services, and unlimited access to comics – basically, everything a bath lover could want, all crammed together like a buffet piled high with Japanese, Western, and Chinese delights.
It even caters to inbound tourists, making it a popular spot for locals and visitors alike.

“The women’s locker room is at the back right. Swimwear is required in the unisex area-“
“Huff, huff, huff…”

The staff member explained the system in detail to Liisa, who seemed unfamiliar with it. But whether she was listening or not, Liisa only responded with restless, bloodshot eyes and heavy snorts.
There was a reason the usually strict Liisa had turned into a dog before its walk.
It was because she came from Finland, the birthplace of the sauna.
In Finland, public saunas are commonplace, and it’s not unusual for homes to have private saunas inside.
After all, the word “sauna” itself is Finnish, making it an indispensable part of Finnish life.
Liisa was especially fond of saunas. Back home, sweating it out after police duty was her daily ritual. But her assigned 1DK apartment in Japan obviously had no sauna. She’d resolved to endure without one during her assignment.
Given that, it was only natural she’d cling to this unexpected, beloved discovery as if she’d lost her mind.

(It’s so different from the ones back home, I didn’t even realize this was a sauna facility…! Who would have thought there was an oasis so close!!)

Tossing her clothes into a locker as if discarding them, Liisa hurried to the bathing area. Suppressing her excitement, she first washed her entire body.
Towels and yukata robes were naturally provided free of charge, and high-quality amenities like shampoo were fully stocked, leaving Liisa genuinely impressed.

(Hmm… I’d heard of Japan’s “bathhouse” culture, but I never imagined it would be like this…)

However, even Liisa hadn’t known saunas were this widespread.
Shameful that she should have known sooner, Liisa quickly finished washing up and finally headed to her destination, the sauna. She soon found herself standing in front of a door.
The door was made of Japanese cypress, a wood similar to the spruce she knew well from her home country and equally resistant to moisture.
No doubt an oasis awaited on the other side.
Liisa took a deep breath and then gently slid the door open.

“Ugh…!”

A sudden wave of heat hit Liisa, making her breath hitch. But it wasn’t unpleasant. It was something she’d been familiar with since childhood, a feeling she loved more than anything.

(Yes, it’s really a sauna! To think I could experience this even in a far eastern country…!)

Perhaps because it was late at night on a weekday, the place was sparsely populated. It seemed that no one else was in the sauna except Liisa.
She sat on a wooden stool, raised her arms, and stretched as hard as she could.

(The ultimate best… this heat envelops my entire body… It’s a little hotter than the ones back home, but this is undoubtedly a fine sauna…)

Liisa enjoyed the sauna, immersed in emotion and pleasure.
Just as sweat began to slowly pour out of her body,

“Are you truly satisfied with that?”

Suddenly, a voice came from the shadows deep within the sauna room.
Completely caught off guard, Liisa startled and immediately tensed.

“Oh, I didn’t mean to scare you. My apologies.”

The voice belonged to a petite old woman, barely half Liisa’s height.
Once she could see the figure clearly, it was nothing to be alarmed about. Liisa apologized for her reflexive wariness, a habit ingrained by her profession.

“No, madam. I’m sorry I didn’t notice.”
“Hahaha. At my age, one can reach a state of near-nothingness in the sauna. To the point where one leaves no trace of their presence at all.”

“Isn’t that like having one foot in heaven?” Liisa worried, but the old woman’s eyes sparkled with vitality and she looked at Liisa with a sharp gaze as she muttered.

“You… you’re no ordinary person. Indeed… You must be one of the ‘true devotees’.”
“Wh-what…!?”
“I can tell. The way you approach the sauna, your demeanor, and above all… your aura is rejoicing. Rejoicing at having found your beloved sauna.”

Before she knew it, the old woman who had seemed so petite now felt, almost illusory, larger than Liisa herself. Of course, it was an illusion, but it conveyed an inexplicable, formidable presence.

“And that’s why I couldn’t help but ask you. ‘Are you satisfied?’”
“What… do you mean?”
“…This, my child.”

Inside the wooden fence the old woman pointed to,
large, jagged stones that appeared to be igneous rock were paved all over.

“Th-this is it!!”
“Yes… this is the treasure born in Finland! A löyly!!”

Löyly originated in Finland, along with the sauna.
By pouring water over heated sauna stones to generate steam, it raises both the room temperature and perceived heat, promoting sweating. It’s now a familiar bathing method even in this country.

“They even have something like this… This country is incredible, the absolute best!”
“Of course, I don’t need to explain how to use it, right?”

The old woman handed Liisa, who was trembling with excitement, a ladle and a bucket of water.
With tears in her eyes, Liisa silently accepted the ladle and slowly poured a scoop of water over the stones.
The water instantly evaporated, making a satisfying sizzling sound, and filling the sauna room as hot steam.
Soon, her body began to heat up, and her breathing became shallow.

(Mom… Dad…)

In a hazy dreamlike state, Liisa’s consciousness began to regress to her distant homeland, back to her childhood.
Those fleeting days before she became the stern person she was now.
The one who was currently sharing the sauna room with the old woman was simply a sweet young girl who loved saunas.

“Among this country’s sauna enthusiasts, there’s a term called ‘revitalize’.”
“Revitalize, huh…? Giving new life again?”
“Ho ho. Shall I teach you? You’d better come along.”

Liisa receives a lecture on Japan’s sauna enjoyment from the old woman, now fully embodying the look of a “pro sauner.”
She was led to the cold plunge pool adjacent to the sauna room.

“Oh, this is truly…!”
“Ah, you seem to know about this?”
“Yes, of course I do!”
“Whoa, you mustn’t jump in right away. First, rinse off your sweat with the shower.”

Liisa rinsed herself as instructed, then sank into the cold bath without hesitation.

“Ugh… ah, hmmmm!!”

Wrapped in the stingingly cold water, her flushed skin was instantly cooled.
Her blood vessels were racing wildly, and her heart was pounding from the inside out.
But, perhaps thanks to thoroughly warming her body in the sauna, she gradually grew accustomed to the cold.

(It’s definitely cold… yet, there’s this strange sensation… my core is definitely still burning… This feels good…)

With her body, Liisa was trying to grasp the meaning of the word “revitalize”.

“I see. Back home, we jump into the sea or a lake after the sauna. You’re recreating that, aren’t you?”
“The scale is a bit smaller, though. I’d love to experience the real thing someday myself.”

Liisa herself had experienced “the real cold water bath” many times. The wonderful feeling she was experiencing now was every bit as good as that.

“No matter how many times I experience it, it’s wonderful… Is this what they mean by ‘revitalize’?”

In that instant, the old woman’s eyes flashed sharply.

“Oh, you sweet foreign beauty, the finishing touch is over there.”

She pointed to a signboard.

“I’m off for two more rounds myself. See you later.”

Watching the old woman wave goodbye with her back turned, Liisa looked back at the signboard. Reading the text there, she couldn’t help but grin.

“…I see. I’m impressed that Finnish culture has taken root this deeply. Well then, let’s savor it thoroughly! The very essence of Japan, whatever that is!!”

As Liisa lay sprawled in a bed-style chair, the night sky of Akihabara spread out before her.
The open-air bathing floor, hollowed out like a central atrium in the building.
As she closed her eyes and felt the pleasant breeze, she was already beginning to forget she was in Akihabara.

(I can feel the blood flowing through my entire body, from head to toe… It’s as if my body is floating, losing all sense of up and down… Is this what they mean by “revitalize”…)

Sauna, cold bath, and open-air bath. Having completed this classic, unique course and becoming fully “revitalized,” Liisa forgot all responsibilities and drifted in a dreamlike state.

(It shouldn’t be that different from back home, yet the flavor is strangely distinct… Respecting the original while catering to domestic needs… Japan… What a terrifying country…)

Liisa’s whole body and even her facial expression relaxed, revealing a slack expression that’s hard to imagine given her usually strict demeanor. A small trickle of drool was already escaping the corner of her mouth.

(I’m glad it’s empty… I can’t show this expression to anyone. That’s right… I can’t stay like this forever… I should get up soon and prepare for tomorrow…)

Just as she was urging herself to crawl out of her bedding, having thoroughly enjoyed her “revitalization” and ready to return to daily life, it happened.

“Whoa! This place is awesome!”
“Since it’s so close by, we should’ve come sooner!”

Two young women’s voices echoed across the open-air bathing floor.
They belonged to those familiar colleagues of Liisa’s.

(Wh-why are they here!? This is bad… They can’t see me like this!!)

But this was the outdoor bathing area of a sauna facility. In this open, airy space, there was nowhere to hide.
As a desperate measure, Liisa ripped the towel off her body and used it to cover her face.

(As long as they can’t see my face… As long as they don’t recognize me, it’s fine…)

Liisa’s judgment was correct. But covering only her face made her appearance was somewhat unusual, and the shadows emphasized certain parts of her body.

“Hey, look, look. That woman…”
“Whoa… t-that’s incredible…”
“Yeah… amazing…”
“It’s… incredible…”

Though they thought they were speaking in hushed tones, their colleagues’ gazes were completely fixed on Liisa’s body, lying seductively on the bed chair.
Illuminated by the moon in the night sky and the lighting, her figure was exposed – extraordinary in every sense. Though she was wearing a swimsuit, her “relatively” large amount of pale skin reflected the light.
Faced with this “incredible sight,” her colleagues were completely at a loss for words.

(You idiots…! Staring at someone else’s body like that…!!)

Liisa was about to raise her voice in frustration and anger, but quickly regained her composure.
If she just endured it and let it pass, there wouldn’t be a problem. If she just pretended to be asleep, they’d probably move on. Just as she thought that,
the door to the outdoor bathing floor opened, rattling along the rails.

“Oh crap, I’m already feeling a bit dizzy…”
“That’s what you get for trying to outlast us.”

Appearing were three male customers.
Liisa recognized them instantly by their voices.

(Wh-what…!?)

Yes, this outdoor bathing floor was a coed space.
This facility, where this area and some saunas were shared, prided itself on a style respecting the Finnish tradition (where saunas originated) of being places for deepening connections regardless of gender. But for Liisa right now, it was nothing short of an unwelcome nuisance.

(Even if it’s temporary, I’m currently a police officer protecting Akihabara… I can’t let the residents of this city realize it’s me…!!)

Far from a relaxing space, Liisa’s personal “Sauna War” had just begun here.

The male customers entered the outdoor bathing area, chattering and laughing as they playfully jostled each other.
But the moment they stepped inside, conversation stopped abruptly, and silence fell.

“…Gulp.”

The sound of someone swallowing hard echoed.
They had seen it with their own eyes. That thing.

(Wh-what is this silence…!? They are definitely in this room, so why isn’t anyone talking!?)

Occasionally, the creak of someone shifting on a bed chair or a “Huu” of exhaled breath could be heard, but both colleagues and male customers were unnaturally silent for people who had come together.
Everyone had witnessed something so incredible, and taking advantage of Liisa’s face being hidden, they’d developed an unspoken rule of “blanket” among themselves, resulting in silence.

(I just need to endure until they move… Compared to staking out to catch a suspect, this is nothing…)

Yes, she was used to this kind of thing.
Getting through it wasn’t that difficult.
Or so it should have been.

(…Huh? What is this feeling…?)

As an inspector, Liisa had honed her skills through more than average training.
Having undergone all kinds of physical and mental training, including a particularly outstanding talent in “jiu-jitsu,” her senses are so sharp that she can read the movements of her opponents even with her eyes closed.
In the silence, Liisa senses that everyone’s gaze is on her.

(Everyone is looking at me… stripped of my rank, status, and even uniform, now melting away in the sauna… Huh!?)

At that moment, something surged deep within Liisa’s chest.
It instantly grew hot, racing through her entire body.

(Hmph… Gh… What is this… My body… It’s hot… So hot…!)

Liisa let out a breath and writhed.
She swayed her hips, clenched her legs tightly as if enduring something, only making the heat rise further.

(The ideal self I’ve built up… Just shedding that could cause this much…!!)

Liisa wasn’t born being strict with herself or others. She’d tirelessly strived to become the ideal version of herself she wanted to be, wearing a layer of iron armor.
Unbeknownst to her, this suppressed her true self, accumulating like sediment within her heart.
Now, in this situation where she hides her identity yet bares everything, it all bursts forth at once.

(I don’t know anything about this…!! No… Not that… Ah…)

Now more fully “revitalized” than before, Liisa relaxed her entire body and began trembling.
Seeing this, her colleagues and the male customers felt as though they had witnessed something they shouldn’t have. They hurriedly left the open-air bathing floor.
Once she confirmed the area was completely empty, Liisa slowly removed the towel from her head and lay back, gazing up at the night sky.

“I never knew something this thrilling existed in this world…”

In a situation where she absolutely couldn’t let anyone know, she shed the armor of strictness she had worn all along. The thrill acted like the perfect spice, stimulating the secretion of chemicals in Liisa’s brain.
Thanks to this, Liisa experienced a level of “revitalization” that was incomparable to anything she’d experienced before.
Often, those who can discipline themselves most fiercely feel the greatest rebound when those shackles are released.
Here and now, a beast was beginning to awaken.

“Liisa-san, I’m sorry to bother you right after your shift ended, but could you take a look at these documents?”
“Oh, me too! I just need your stamp.”
“Sorry, I have plans. I’ll look at them tomorrow, so just leave them here.”

Having finished her shift for the day, Liisa said this and hurried out of the police box.
Her colleagues watched her leave without a word, looking at each other with puzzled expressions.

“Isn’t Liisa-san acting kinda weird lately?”
“Yeah. It’s been like this for two weeks now.”
“Well, it’s not like we did anything wrong, we were the ones making her work overtime…”
“I guess… it’s a guy, huh?”

Ever since Liisa started leaving work promptly at the regular time, she seemed somehow more energetic and refreshed at work.
Given how physically and mentally refreshed she looked, thanks to her fulfilling personal life, it was no wonder her collegues suspected she had a boyfriend.

“I thought the same thing, but it’s Liisa-san, right? There’s no way.”
“Someone who could match Liisa-san isn’t exactly easy to find.”
“It’s definitely that. She’s probably doing something useful for the city outside of work. She’s a workaholic, after all.”
“That’s the most realistic explanation. But if that’s the case, she could have told us.”
“Maybe she thinks it would be a bother? Liisa-san is incredibly kind, after all.”

Even in this short time, the trust and respect from her subordinates had firmly taken root.
It was something only Liisa, who approached everything with sincerity, could build.
Living up to those expectations, Liisa was out in the city at night…

“Ugh… ngh…!”

…in the sauna.
She’d been there every single day for the past two weeks.
Once she’d tasted it, she couldn’t bear to go without, and her stays grew longer each day. Now, she practically lived there, spending almost all her time outside of work and sleeping in the sauna.
That’s how important saunas were to Liisa.
But there was another reason why she kept coming back.

“Okay, I’ve had a good soak in the cold bath. Now, time for…”

Liisa, looking incredibly suspicious in the mask and sunglasses she’d been wearing since she entered, muttered as she stepped out of the cold bath.
She had come here with “the intention of hiding her face”. That’s because, yes, she wanted to reach a deeper state of revitalization.

(I can’t keep doing this forever… But even though I know that, I just can’t resist…)

Liisa had been telling herself “This is the last time, this is the last time” for two weeks now.
Even someone as strict as her couldn’t resist this pleasure.

(Hehehe… quite a few customers today, aren’t there?)

As she entered the outdoor bathing area, the gazes of the other patrons instantly fixated on Liisa.
Even though she wore a swimsuit, no one could look away at the boisterous beauty of her body, regardless of gender.

(Ugh… They’re watching me!! This messy sight is unbecoming of an inspector…!)

Shivering with excitement, Liisa lay down on a bed chair that seemed reserved just for her.
She’d already stepped far down the wrong path, yet oblivious to her growing addiction, she wore an ecstatic expression.

(Ahh… this feeling! I never noticed it back home! This… makes me completely “revitalized”… mmm)

Back in her homeland, saunas were so commonplace she often used her home one over public facilities.
For some reason, this kink of Liisa’s blossomed in Japan.

(It’s Akihabara… that put me in this state…!)

Liisa was enjoying this completely wrong kind of “revitalization,” but remembering her homeland made her snap back to her senses.

(What am I doing…? Letting myself get carried away by Japan’s comfort, and now doing this for my own pleasure… Remember, Liisa Virtanen! Your mission is to arrest Froski!!)

Liisa became so self-punishing it felt like she was on the verge of enlightenment.
Just as she stood up to hurry and get ready to leave, it happened.

*BOOOOOOOOOOM*

A powerful explosion echoed throughout the facility, followed by a wave of screams.
Liisa instantly prepared for battle, removed her mask and sunglasses, and ran toward the source of the explosion. There, she saw a cloud of dust mixed with steam and a collapsed wall.

“Wh-what… The wall between the women’s and men’s baths…!?”

The dividing wall had collapsed. Amidst the pandemonium of panicked patrons screaming in terror, one figure remained calm, walking steadily toward her through the smoke.
Eventually, it materialized before Liisa, spreading its arms wide with a leisurely air.

“Well, Inspector Liisa. What a coincidence.”
“You… Froski!!”

There was only one reason Liisa came to Japan: to arrest Froski. Her arch-enemy now faced her with a faint smirk.

“Well, isn’t it wonderful? A sauna should be a far more liberated space. See, one ‘wall’ has literally disappeared.”
“You… Not content with your homeland, you commit such atrocities even in Japan…!!”
“Still as rigid as ever, Inspector Liisa. Throughout history, humans began wearing clothes, built walls, and created countries to keep others out. I don’t deny any of that. But don’t you think saunas should be the place for people to strip naked and let everything go?”
“That’s just your ideology! You have no right to force it on others!!”

Froski flinched at Liisa’s words.

“My ideology? Are you really sure about that?”
“…What do you mean?”
“Don’t tell me you don’t know. You must have realized it in this sauna too. Here lies the beauty of shedding responsibility and position!”
“Wh-what…!? That’s… that’s nonsense!!”
“No need to put on a brave face. At the very least, you should understand my thoughts. You possessed that potential from the start.”
“I don’t have any such potential!!”
“What a sad thing to say, Liisa Virtanen. Daughter of Froski Virtanen, the revolutionary!”

As an inspector, Liisa was especially passionate about Froski’s arrest, even joining Interpol to conduct an international investigation.
The reason was simple: Froski was her father.
And because he was family, she was determined it was her duty to stop him, who had succumbed to madness.
But naturally, this fact sometimes worked against Liisa.

“I’ve seen that woman before… She’s a police officer at the station, right…?”
“The daughter of a terrorist…isn’t she in on it too…?”

Ironically, with the walls now demolished, the bathhouse has become the largest in Japan, and Liisa and Froski are suddenly surrounded by customers who were unable to escape in time.
Their gazes held fear not only for Froski, but also for Liisa.

“Damn…”
“Join me, Liisa. It’s fine to start small. But we’ll expand its scale, and eventually create a ‘country called Sauna’!!”
“You’re insane…”
“A brilliant person like you should already understand! By laying everything bare, we can build true peace where lies and vanity have no place! You too! You won’t have to play the role of a strict, disciplined, false image of an inspector anymore!!”
“False…”

Was her current self a falsehood?
Was that feeling of “revitalization” just relief from suffering?

(What is… Liisa Virtanen…)

Confused by Froski’s words, Liisa stood there, unable to say anything more.
Taking this as affirmation, Froski slowly began walking toward her.
And just as he reached out to take the hand of his stunned daughter…

“Big sis is really a kind woman!!”

A girl’s voice echoed.
Liisa came to her senses and turned around, seeing the girl who had gotten lost that day.

“I’m not lying! You taught me my studies and helped me so much!”

As if echoing the girl, that one tourist also appeared from the crowd.

“LIISA-SAN IS A WONDERFUL PERSON, JUST LIKE A MOM! THANKS TO HER, I LOVE JAPAN SO MUCH I KEEP COMING BACK!!”
“After all this time as a pro sauner, I know that there’s no deceit in your eyes!”

The elderly pro sauner, and the two colleagues she spent the most time with, were also there.

“There’s no way Liisa-san would listen to a terrorist!”
“Even if the current Liisa-san is a lie, it doesn’t matter at all! She’s still the ideal police officer for us!!”

Those who had experienced Liisa’s stern yet warm personality raised their voices.
Before long, it spread like wildfire, swelling into something akin to cheers.

“She saved me too!”
“Me as well!”
“More than once!”

The voices of gratitude to “Inspector Liisa” never stopped. That’s how much her work had contributed to Akihabara.

“Everyone… you feel that way about me…”

Ignoring Liisa, whose heart trembled, Froski flashed an awkward smile and snapped his fingers. In that instant, the outer wall behind him exploded.

“Guh…!?”

Froski grabbed hold of the hole blasted open by the explosion, just wide enough for one person to squeeze through.

“I won’t let you get away…!!”
“You poor girl, trapped in your ideal image of an inspector. Look at yourself. You’re nothing but a naked young girl who merely claims to be an inspector. What can you do in that state?”
“Just calling myself? There’s not a single minute or second when I’m not an inspector!!”

With that, Liisa reached into her cleavage and, for some reason, pulled out a handgun and her police ID card.

“What the…!?”

Froski stared in shock as Liisa thrust the badge at her and declared.

“This is the Interpol! Froski! You’re under arrest on suspicion of terrorism!!”

Froski, showing no attempt to hide his panic, tried to escape through a hole in the outer wall.
Liisa pointed the gun at his back and pulled the trigger.
The bullet fired with the gunshot struck Froski’s back precisely.

“Guh…!?”

He let out a single, pained sigh and collapsed to the ground.
Liisa rushed to her father’s side as he gasped for air and whispered in a voice only he could hear.

“It’s a rubber bullet, so you won’t die. Now pay for your crimes… Father.”

Then, pinning Froski’s arms behind his back to subdue him…

“The criminal has been arrested!!!”

She shouted it loudly.
The sequence of actions was so beautiful that if Liisa hadn’t been in a swimsuit, it could easily have been used as footage for police training.

*clap clap clap clap*

Applause naturally erupted throughout the bathhouse.
Everyone clapped, tears welling in their eyes. Yet, for some reason, their gazes all converged on a single point.
They murmured in unison.
Words praising this wise, beautiful woman.

“”Amazing…””

Half a year passed…
At the Akihabara police box, there was no sign of Liisa, only those two female officers.

“I wonder how Liisa-san is doing…”
“She went right back to Finland after that, you know.”
“I never imagined that Froski was just brainwashed and that there was a real mastermind behind it all.”
“I thought crazy villains straight out from manga only existed in Akihabara.”

Upon learning her father had been manipulated, Liisa immediately returned home to pursue the real culprit.
She wanted to hold them accountable for disrupting their familial bond, and to make them pay as an inspector.
And she didn’t even take a single day off.
As expected, Liisa was an ideal, disciplined inspector worthy of the title “Silver Wolf of the Ice Fields.”

“I wish I could see her again. I wonder if she’ll ever come back to Akihabara again?”
“Once she arrests the culprit, she’ll definitely come back. She’s such a woman of honor. Maybe she’ll just show up unexpectedly…”

At that moment, their police radio picked up a signal.
Naturally, there’s no such thing as a meaningless police radio transmission.
Their chatter abruptly ceased. The female officers, now looking somewhat serious, listened carefully to the content.

“Um, report received of a suspicious woman bathing at an Akihabara sauna wearing a mask and sunglasses. Local officers requested to respond immediately.”

The officers exchanged glances, immediately dashed out of the police box, and pedaled away on their bicycles.
When they finally arrived at the sauna, which had just finished renovations, they spotted a woman on the open-air bathing floor, looking so suspicious that no wonder someone would call the police.

“Liisa-san! Welcome back!!”

But the woman couldn’t even respond. She was completely “revitalized”, her body trembling slightly…

• Aufguss: a practice common among sauna users, especially in German-speaking countries. It involves pouring water (or ice) mixed with aromatic or balsamic essences onto the stones of the stove, producing a powerful jet of very hot steam, impregnated with any essences used.

• “Revitalize”: the original Japanese is ととのう, and in sauna-lingo is indeed used for the state of ecstasy one gets after going through a sauna, a cold bath, and an outdoor air bath.