Kays Translations

Chapter 429: No Comment

Dinner somehow ended without further incident, and we returned to the salon to wait for our turn in the bath. While I sat there feeling exhausted, Nero quietly whispered to me.

“Julius-sama, you used wind magic as well? When did that happen?”

“Well, I thought wet clothes might slow the soldiers down, and it would have been troublesome if anyone caught a cold.”

Nero nodded once in understanding. He seemed satisfied with my explanation. Fabienne appeared to have guessed the truth as well, so perhaps I would not need to say anything more. For one brief moment, I allowed myself to hope.

“Why don’t we all bathe together tonight? Julius made swimsuits for us, so there shouldn’t be a problem.”

“That’s a good idea.”

Axel agreed with Caro so quickly that I wondered whether they had rehearsed the conversation. I had intended to bathe alone and relax, partly because I did not want to discuss the earlier incident, but…

“Yes. Since we have the swimsuits, let’s all go together.”

Ijidol agreed as well. Apparently, he also wanted an explanation. Ijidol, I had not forgotten that this entire situation began because he said something unnecessary. Perhaps I would hold him under the bathwater for a moment later.

“What do you think, Fabienne?”

“I think we should all bathe together. It will certainly be memorable.”

I was not sure that was reassuring. It would probably be memorable for several different reasons. Still, I had already planned to ensure that nobody spoke about what happened. I might as well explain everything properly and make them all accomplices.

“All right. We’ll go together, then. Everyone should fetch their swimsuits.”

Once we had collected the swimsuits from our rooms, it was our turn to bathe. In House Mulan’s magnificent bathroom, we immediately placed a partition down the middle of the changing room. Fabienne and Caro chatted on the far side.

On our side, however, the atmosphere was distinctly awkward.

“Even with the partition, this feels as though we’re doing something improper.”

“What exactly are you imagining, Axel? Pervert.”

“I-I’m not a pervert! This reaction is perfectly normal!”

“Kyuu…”

See? Mira agreed that Axel was suspicious. His face bright red, he hurriedly pulled on his swimming trunks. We quickly changed as well. Ijidol’s face had also reddened, as though his imagination was wandering. I wanted to pinch that suspicious expression.

We finished changing before the women and used the newly installed shower magic tool to wash ourselves.

“Shower magic tools really are convenient. Having one makes an enormous difference.”

“Yeah. We’re fortunate to have one at home.”

Axel spoke with heartfelt appreciation as he washed his hair. Beside him, Ijidol repeatedly nodded while washing himself. Shower magic tools did not yet seem common among ordinary residents of the royal capital, whereas they had already begun spreading through the Heine Margraviate.

“I thought they would be more widespread by now, but apparently they’re still uncommon outside the Heine Margraviate.”

“Well, that is Julius’s home. Convenient magic tools are bound to spread quickly there.”

“They may already be more common there than in the royal capital.”

That was probably true. Could it eventually become a problem? The thought was beginning to trouble me when the women entered. Their bikini-style swimsuits revealed even more skin than the school-style suits they had worn during the outdoor bath.

Axel’s mouth fell open. Ijidol’s eyes widened, and he covered his mouth with both hands. I was accustomed to the sight now and did not react as strongly, but the first time I bathed with Fabienne, I had looked exactly the same.

“Both of you, it’s rude to stare.”

“Y-Yes, you’re right.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

They immediately faced forwards. Nero rinsed the soap from their backs, and once they were clean, the pair hurried into the bath, freeing the seats beside me. Fabienne took one, while Caro sat beside her. Fabienne was certainly impressive. As for Caro… no comment.

“Is Mira the only one left to wash?”

“Yes. Use the shower magic tool whenever you like. This will probably take a while.”

I washed Mira with a slightly coarse cloth. They remained calm, perhaps because the scrubbing felt pleasant, but cleaning so much fur was hard work. I was glad I had trimmed their coat beforehand. Meanwhile, maids helped Fabienne and Caro wash.

I would have liked to help them myself, but that would probably have been inappropriate.

Once everyone was clean, we entered the bath together. As expected of House Mulan, the tub remained spacious even with all of us inside.

“It feels rather strange to bathe together like this.”

“Hehe. At House Heine, this is already a familiar sight.”

“Really? I’m envious.”

Caro and Fabienne chatted happily, while the men remained slightly huddled together. Axel kept stealing curious glances towards the women. Ijidol, by contrast, looked deeply uncomfortable, as though he believed he must not look at all. He eventually fixed me with an intense stare.

“You never mentioned that kind of swimsuit.”

“The suits you wore in the garden covered too much to wash properly, didn’t they? These are designed to make bathing easier.”

“They’re practically underwear.”

“They’re made from swimsuit material, so they won’t become transparent.”

They were not white either, but a cool blue that looked refreshing by itself. Axel and Ijidol clearly had no idea where to direct their eyes. How innocent. I, meanwhile, decided not to avert mine.

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