Since My Engagement Was Annulled, I'm Going to Start a Bath Cafe in a Remote Area! ~The Reincarnated Young Lady Wants to Enjoy Bath Life~

Lydia Hamilton is a reincarnated soul who previously lived as a thirty-something office worker in Japan, where her greatest passion was taking baths to relieve daily stress. After dying from falling asleep in a bathtub, she was reborn as the eldest daughter of the Duke of Hamilton in a world where magic is a symbol of nobility. Possessing the rare ability to use both fire and water magic, Lydia was arranged to marry Cedric, the First Prince, at a young age. However, Cedric despised her strong will and preferred quiet, blonde women. For eight years, Lydia maintained a polite facade, hiding her true feelings while preparing for the possibility that the engagement would not proceed. Her primary goal remained simple: to live a comfortable life and enjoy baths.

The central conflict arises at a royal evening party when Cedric publicly announces the annulment of their engagement, falsely accusing Lydia of bullying his new love interest, a blonde baroness. He lists fabricated crimes, including spreading rumors and attempting assassination. Recognizing that proving her innocence would only prolong the engagement and that the royal family is determined to keep her magical talents within the royal bloodline, Lydia makes a calculated decision. She accepts the blame, pleads guilty to the false charges, and agrees to the annulment. Her true motivation is to escape the royal court and pursue her dream of opening a bath cafe, a concept nonexistent in this world where bathing is merely for hygiene rather than relaxation.

Following the annulment, Lydia negotiates with the King and Queen. She presents herself as a noblewoman who sacrificed her reputation to protect the Prince’s honor, thereby securing a substantial compensation package from the royal family. The King imposes two conditions: she must never leave the country and must reside in the Eudrais territory, a remote, freezing frontier region known for its monsters. Unbeknownst to Lydia, the King’s true plan is to make her life so miserable in Eudrais that she will beg to return to the capital, where he can manipulate her magical abilities again. Lydia, however, views the cold climate as an ideal opportunity to promote the benefits of hot baths.

Lydia moves to Eudrais with her loyal servants, Lina and Luke, and opens "Bath Cafe Hot." Initially, she faces hostility from the locals who believe the exaggerated rumors of her villainy, resulting in zero customers for ten days. The turning point occurs when a gigantic slime attacks the city. Lydia discovers that natural salt dissolves slimes, a weakness she recognizes from her previous life. She leads the terrified residents in defeating the monster using salt, earning their gratitude and changing their perception of her. She invites them to her cafe as a reward, introducing them to baths, coffee milk, and dishes like stew and pizza. The positive experience generates word-of-mouth publicity, and the cafe begins to thrive.

As her business succeeds, Lydia encounters Yuri Wiggins, the Commander of the local Knights and the stepson of the Earl governing the territory. Yuri, who had observed her slime defeat with confusion, visits the cafe to return the magic stone from the slain slime and thank her. He reveals he is overworked and exhausted from monster hunting and administrative duties. Lydia recognizes his fatigue and persuades him to try a bath. The narrative shifts to Yuri’s perspective, highlighting his initial skepticism and subsequent surprise at the relaxing effects of the bath. This encounter establishes a budding relationship between Lydia and Yuri, while the King remains unaware that his schemes to isolate Lydia have instead led to her gaining popularity and influence in the frontier region.