Volume 5 Chapter 231, After Bath_1

Translator: Nonon

Proofreader: Silavin

 

“I feel like the women’s bath is strangely quiet.”

“Yes, it is strangely quiet… ah, please don’t move, Lord Clo.”

 

After chatting with Gray and the others for a while, I felt like I would get dizzy if I stayed in any longer, so I got out, got dressed in the changing room, and cooled off. Though I called it a changing room, it was rather basic. Just a few baskets to put the clothes in and some space. However, perhaps thanks to the heat from the hot spring, I didn’t feel cold at all, and with hardly any temperature difference, it was the perfect place to relax.

 

“Hey, Gray. Isn’t it enough? My hair is already dry now, you don’t have to be so meticulous…”

“No, that won’t do. Lord Clo, you’re prone to damaging your hair by leaving it half-dried. Wasn’t it just the other day that you said you suddenly wanted to sew and left it to dry on your own?”

“I’ve wiped it down, so I think it should be fine.”

“That won’t do. Please leave it to me.”

“… Okay.”

 

Thus, in that changing room I sat down where I could and Gray dry my hair, comb it and take care of it.

 

“Heh, heh heh… you can’t tell who’s the guardian here, Clo.”

“Shut up, you perverted doctor.”

“How can you be a doctor if you’re not a pervert?”

“Apologize to all the doctors in the world!”

 

Seeing my reaction, Ivory grinned as if he had found something amusing, and started teasing me. He should have just gone home and studied injuries or something, but instead he stayed behind just for the fun of it.

 

“Hmm, so Gray is good at combing hair.”

“Actually, Gray is good at making coffee, and he’s generally good at serving others like that. He loves his Dad, so makes a point of remembering things that made Clo happy.”

“Speaking of which, the tea was delicious.”

 

Gray learned to brew coffee and tea by watching and imitating me, because I liked to drink them, and when I complimented him, started to study diligently. His hair was a mess when we first met, so I used to comb it for him to clean it up, and that’s how he learned to do it. He just genuinely enjoys doing things that make others happy.

If he enrolls in the academy, I’ll miss drinking coffee that Gray makes. I’ll have to ask him to teach me a little.

 

“Heh, heh heh heh… this feeling of it becoming more beautiful the more I comb and care for it… is really good, so very good…! But combing alone isn’t enough for Lord Clo’s hair. I should wash it again and apply perfumed oils!”

“Hey, Gray, calm down a bit, will you?”

 

Well, he does go crazy like this sometimes. Though I’m happy because he’s doing it for me.

 

“… He seems used to it.”

“Even though they’ve only lived together a few years, they are still a family. Besides, he’s the Lord of Shiki. Handling something like that should be a piece of cake.”

 

You’re among those Shiki residents too. Though your skills are undeniable, so it is hard to actually complain.

 

“Why don’t you learn from Gray? It wouldn’t hurt to learn how to take care of your hair.”

“No, I don’t really…”

“If you learn it, your charm will be enhanced and the woman you love might become interested in you.”

“Gray, please teach me!”

 

This guy fell for it right away. Or rather, Ivory seems to already understand what kind of person Silva is just from the conversation at the hot spring.

 

“Yes, that’s fine…”

 

Gray, who would usually explain things so readily and cheerfully, answered with a slightly complicated tone. It was a slight hesitation, something I could only understand after spending many years together… Was it jealousy? Anyway, there was something strange about it.

… Don’t tell me Silva is somehow involved in the reason why he suddenly decided to enroll in the academy?

 

“Hey, Gray, there’s something I want to ask you…“

 

I was about to ask casually, but an unexpected interruption prevented me from uttering the question.

 

[You’re trying to provoke me, but I’ve been in the bath with him before! Unlike you ladies, I have the courage to soak in a bath with him! After all, I am not a wimp!]

[You’ve only been able to do it because you weren’t conscious of him until now, Cottie!]

[What?! Whether I was conscious of him or not, I’m still one step ahead!]

[If you’re going that far, then I’m fine with a mixed bath too! I also have the courage to go for it, regardless whether Father is in there or not!]

[Y-yes! I can do that much too!]

[I’ve been in there once with Lord Clo! I’m perfectly fine with bathing with my Family!]

[Haha, should we do it? Should we just charge in like this (naked)?]

 

Then, at the sudden sound of the voices, Silva and I exchanged glances.

Ivory’s expression became visibly annoyed, while Gray’s expression seemed to suggest that he was simply wondering if the bath would be livelier with more people, seemingly asking ‘does this mean we’re all going in together?’.

I don’t know how the conversation started or why we suddenly heard the voices. All I know is that the girls are out of control and that they’re about to storm the men’s bath.

Therefore, there’s only one course of action to take.

 

“Should we block off the entrance to the men’s bath?”

“Yeah.”

 

They might try to break in if we’re careless, but in that case, we can call out to them from the inside to calm them down. After a while, the cold air from outside should cool their heads down.

 

“What’s wrong with you guys? Do you not want to bath with your beloved Wife or woman? This is a chance for you to see them legally.”

“Seeing her like this would not make me happy.”

“I don’t want other men to see.”

“You don’t want to look?”

““I do, but I’m embarrassed.””

“You guys are weirdly… no, never mind.”

 

He was definitely about to call us “cowardly” or something similar just now.

But if I let this slide, Lady Violet will probably be so embarrassed, that she won’t be able to look at me for a while and I’d like to avoid that.

 

“I don’t really understand what’s happening, but since it looks like fun to be in there with everybody, would it be alright if I stayed in a little longer? I’d like to wash Lady Apricot’s hair, too.”

“Don’t do it. They’re probably going berserk, so if you stick around, you’ll get dragged into it.”

“?”

 

Based on the conversation, if Gray was the only one to remain, he might get some strange treatment.

Taking Gray’s hand, as he still had a questioning look on his face, we sealed the door to the hot springs.

 

“H-huh? I finally reached the hot springs, so why is it closed? H-hey, please open up! Don’t be mean!”

“… Canary, this is the men’s bath.”

“Huh, Clo?… Since when did they start separating men and women?!”

“I told you before!”

 

Then, just as we finished sealing,  I heard the voice of Canary, who seemed unrelated to the rampage of the womenfolk, and had presumably come to the hot springs intending to enter the men’s bath, from outside. She’s as absent-minded as ever. If she had arrived a little earlier, she probably would have walked right in without hesitation, stripped down without any doubts and joined us in the bath.

Wait, what did she mean by ‘finally reached?’ Did she actually fail to make it here at some point?