Chapter 292

I had a slightly uneasy dream, but the morning itself was incredibly quiet and peaceful.

It seemed like it had snowed overnight, as a pure white band, like a cloud, softly wrapped around the edge of the spire’s roof visible through the window.

In the distance, near the castle walls, a group of soldiers busily moved about, clearing the piled-up snow.

Snow removal. It’s important work. In the north, where it’s winter all year round, it’s a never-ending task.

I pulled the cord by the bed to call a maid, and soon enough, there was a knock on the door.

“Come in.”

“Yes. Excuse me.”

It wasn’t Ellen.

The woman who cautiously opened the door and entered wasn’t the icy-pick maid I met yesterday but someone I’d never seen before.

Well, Ellen is Freide’s maid, after all.

She guided me yesterday because of Freide’s orders, and basically, she only serves Freide.

“Did you cough, Count? Your companions are still asleep.”

“What about Freide?”

“Her Highness is also still asleep. It seems to be her first proper sleep in five days.”

I guess that’s a hint not to wake her.

If Freide is sleeping soundly, I certainly have no intention of disturbing her.

“Alright. Then, could you guide me to the bath? Can I bathe now?”

“Yes. I’ll guide you right away.”

I’ll just wait by taking a bath until Leonor or Florence wakes up.

It’s still too early for a meal, and I feel bad about waking up the companions who followed me on the forced march.

Following the maid’s guidance, I headed to the hot spring bath.

—

Perhaps because it was early morning, the bath was empty, just like yesterday.

As soon as I opened the door and stepped in, the steamy heat moistened my skin. The melted snow had soaked the floor, making it slippery, and the sky visible beyond the walls was a clear, cloudless blue.

I took off the robe I was wearing, hung it on a hook, and approached the hot spring, dipping my toes in.

The warm heat gently caressed the spaces between my toes, soothing the accumulated fatigue.

“Haah…”

This is it.

The tension melted away, and a carefree smile naturally spread across my face.

[You really like bathing, huh.]

‘Do I…? I think it’s pretty normal.’

I do it daily when I have time, but when I’m busy, I just skip it, so by this world’s standards, isn’t it just average?

[You wash yourself whenever you get the chance. Hard to call that normal.]

‘Don’t you guys wash? Disgusting.’

How barbaric. Hygiene and cleanliness are the most important factors for health, you know.

What are you going to do if you get sick without a priest?

[The grasslands are short on water, so it’s unavoidable. But Ordos has a river nearby, so water isn’t scarce.]

So, you’re saying you don’t wash much. Got it.

—

I spent dozens of minutes soaking in the hot spring, half-submerged, gazing at the sky.

Beads of sweat formed on my forehead and dripped down onto my chest, floating on the water.

The heat had penetrated deep into my body, turning my skin as red as a peach, and my muscles had loosened to the point of being half-limp.

[……Aren’t you getting out?]

‘Just a little longer….’

I brushed off Hersela’s urging and closed my eyes, surrendering to the warmth.

The moist air like fog, the buoyancy supporting my relaxed body, and the gentle lapping sound tickling my ears like a lullaby.

My consciousness was melting away so softly that I felt like I might fall asleep again.

That’s why I was late to notice.

“Haaam…”

A yawn, heavy with sleep. It was a very familiar voice.

…And a voice that shouldn’t be heard here.

“…Damien?”

“………Halshal?”

Why is this guy here?

He almost got his head chopped off for entering the women’s bath. Unbelievable.

“…What is this? A bad dream?”

Damien, staring blankly at me, pinched his own eyes.

Calling it a bad dream—this guy really has no limits.

“It’s not a dream, you idiot. You almost got your head blown off, and you still haven’t come to your senses?”

“Not… a dream…?”

Finally realizing the situation, Damien’s face gradually turned pale.

“Then, this place is…!”

“Yeah. The women’s bath, you moron. Seriously, once is a mistake, but twice is intentional, isn’t it? What if someone else had been here…?”

[Why aren’t you covering up!]

Oh, right. I’m bathing right now…!

I hurriedly covered myself with the towel I had set aside.

Even as I sarcastically pointed out that this was the women’s bath, I forgot that I was bathing naked myself.

Perhaps the embarrassment was overshadowed by the shock. I tried to act calm, but I was just as flustered.

“Uh, s-sorry…! I’m still half-asleep, so I didn’t realize…!”

Seeing me covering half my body with a towel, Damien also turned his head and started making excuses.

What are you even saying? If you get it, just get out, man…!

[Pluck out that brat’s eyeballs! No, I’ll do it myself!]

Hersela was going wild.

Her threat to pluck out his eyes didn’t seem empty, as the tangible energy of Life Force began to rise.

It stretched out behind and rippled.

“Hey, calm down first…”

[Can you calm down! I’ve never been humiliated like this in my life!]

…Persuasion seems impossible.

The original protagonist is on the verge of becoming a blind swordsman. Hersela was suppressing the life force she emitted, but it wasn’t easy because the energy had grown stronger than before.

“Uh, hey. It wasn’t on purpose, so just calm down a bit…”

“Enough with the excuses, just get out!”

This clueless jerk, seriously!

“Ah, sorry! I’ll leave right now!”

Finally turning around, Damien hurriedly stepped out of the bathtub.

[Why are you stopping me! Is it because you saw his body!]

“…It’s not like you need to gouge his eyes out. It’s not like we’re strangers, and if you do that, what will I become? We might already be short on strength. I’ll punish him later, so just calm down for now.”

Even if you pour out a miracle of healing, it’s not something that can be fixed in a day or two, especially with complex organs like eyes.

Most importantly, if Damien goes blind, how am I supposed to face Milia?

—

It took a full thirty minutes to calm down Hersela, who couldn’t contain her anger.

And even then, I had to promise to break every bone in Damien’s body later. I was fine with that level of punishment.

After this fight, I can just break them one by one while training him.

By the time I finally left the bath, all sleep had already fled.

Having soaked in the hot spring for over an hour, everyone was already awake, and the inner corridors were bustling with maids.

“Ah… you just came out? I’m really sorry, Ha-shal-leur. How can I apologize…”

Damien, standing by the door, bowed deeply and offered his apology.

Had he been standing there waiting for me all this time? A full thirty minutes?

His sincere effort to apologize was commendable, but…

Has this guy forgotten where he’s standing right now?

A man standing in front of the women’s bath for thirty minutes? And to top it off, the same guy who broke into the bath just a few days ago, now holding a bathrobe.

What do you think people are going to say…?

Just looking around made it obvious.

Women who seemed to want to use the bath and the maids passing by were glancing at Damien with uncomfortable and strange looks.

And then I appeared from inside the bath…

This totally looks like we were having a private bath and stationed a guy outside to monopolize the hot spring.

Sure enough, the women’s gazes toward me took on a peculiar light.

Those who had been looking at Damien with discomfort and suspicion now looked at me, red-faced and emerging from the bath, with understanding and acceptance.

Some of the older women even looked at me with a satisfied “Good for you~” kind of gaze.

…I don’t know what they understood, but I can definitely say it’s a complete misunderstanding.

The heat swirling inside me rushed to my head, making my face burn.

Those gazes, as if I’d spent a good time with a sixteen-year-old boy, were more embarrassing than being seen naked earlier.

“…Hey, lift your head and follow me right now. What are you trying to do, embarrassing me like this here?”

I grabbed Damien’s shoulder, still bowed, and pushed him.

Even for me, staying here under the increasing stares was mentally exhausting.

I need to get out of here, anywhere will do…!

“Ah… right. I was causing trouble for others too. I should apologize to them later.”

If you’re talking about trouble, you’re dumping a truckload of it on me right now, so just shut up and move…

“…Anyway, I’m sorry, Ha-shal-leur. It must have been your first time, and I was inconsiderate…”

What the hell is this guy saying now…!!

I was so dumbfounded that the strength in my pushing arm gave out.

If you spout nonsense like that here now…!

“First time? Inconsiderate?! So those two…”

Sure enough, the young maids started giggling and whispering.

…Even though we could all hear it.

Having good hearing was more of a curse now.

[…Wouldn’t it be better to just gouge his eyes out?]

……Maybe.

Hersela’s tempting whisper, not missing a beat.

Unlike before, this time I almost agreed.