41: Bathing with a Sick Person
The Kingdom of Eustasia was a land rich in water.
It possessed volcanic regions that also served as natural borders, and was blessed with mineral resources.
These were among the reasons our nation had become a powerful one.
While much of its vast territory consisted of lean soil, making it unsuitable for food exports, its abundance of water had allowed it to avoid severe famines.
Abundant water and volcanic regions.
The combination of these two had given rise to a unique culture in Eustasia—
Hot springs.
Many major cities in the north, in particular, had flourished around hot springs.
While sanitation was a factor, the warmth was paramount. Some experts even claimed that Eustasia wouldn’t have survived its long, harsh winters without this mysterious phenomenon of warm water naturally welling up from the earth.
Now that the continent was largely at peace, hot spring resorts were also popular tourist destinations.
It wasn’t that other countries had no hot springs at all, and public bathhouses heated by firewood were becoming more common.
However, the cost of heating such a volume of water, to such a temperature, solely with firewood… was staggering.
It was understandable that public bathhouses were more prevalent in the southern countries.
High temperatures, the demand for a way to cool off, water that never froze even in winter, and a stable supply of firewood from fast-growing trees.
These three factors combined to create a luxury unavailable in the northern parts of the continent.
However, the north had its own luxuries, unavailable in the south.
Having a private hot spring, in particular, was a luxury afforded only to established noble families and wealthy merchants in Eustasia.
Due to the existence of hot springs, all hot springs were required to be registered under Eustasia’s Water Resource Management Act, also known as the “Hot Spring Act,” and were treated as public property.
However, the Vanderwaals, along with a few other families, had been granted special privileges in the early days of the kingdom’s founding.
Back then, before complicated laws existed—when might made right, the fundamental principle shared by all nations and peoples on the continent.
Incidentally, while digging new hot springs was possible, the excavators were only granted priority management rights.
They could exercise the right to operate public bathhouses or hot spring inns, or sell those rights for profit.
――I tried to clear my mind by recalling the history of hot springs in the Kingdom of Eustasia.
While the servants also used the Vanderwaals’ hot spring, since there was only one bath, it was currently divided by time slots: nobles, female servants, and male servants.
However, I had never bathed with Leticia.
I usually bathed alone, enjoying the spacious bath all to myself.
And now, I was here with my sister.
I sometimes bathed with Ciel.
If Leticia weren’t my half-sister—or if she had been acknowledged at birth—I might have bathed with her more often than alone.
So, there shouldn’t be anything strange about this. And yet…
I glanced at Leticia as I finished undressing, my long silver hair tied up and a towel wrapped around me.
She was slowly taking off her nightclothes, her movements sluggish from the fever, and placing them in a laundry basket.
…Why was my heart pounding?
I handed Leticia a towel.
“…At least cover yourself. It’s indecent.”
“Oh, okay…”
As I opened the door to the bath, the sound of rushing water, dodododo…, grew louder, and the faint smell of sulfur intensified.
The hot spring water was collected in a reservoir and then channeled to various locations through ceramic pipes.
It was also piped to the washing area, making it convenient for the kitchen maids, who could use hot water even in winter, as I had overheard them say.
There was also an open-air bath, but since Leticia had a cold today, we would only be using the indoor bath.
The existence of an open-air bath at the Vanderwaals mansion was a remnant from the first head of the family, who loved the open-air bath that had existed since before the founding of the kingdom, even after the political climate stabilized enough to build a luxurious indoor bath… or so they said.
The Vanderwaals mansion, with its vast grounds and high walls, was one of the few places in the increasingly populated capital that could still maintain an open-air bath.
Leticia and I walked across the stone floor, intentionally textured to prevent slipping even when wet.
The indoor bath was filled with steam from the constantly flowing hot spring water.
I felt a slight sense of relief at the limited visibility.
…We were both women, sisters, and my sister was sick.
I didn’t have to criticize myself for what I was thinking.
I naturally extended my hand to Leticia.
Having been raised as a noble lady, I was trained in the etiquette of being escorted… and also in the etiquette of escorting.
In situations like this, one was supposed to lightly hold onto the offered arm.
And Leticia leaned against me, pressing her chest against my arm.
This noble young lady hadn’t been trained in the etiquette of being escorted.
The soft skin pressed against my arm was hot, and her usually lifeless eyes, now burning with fever, gazed at me intently.
What was she thinking?
We were both women, sisters, and my sister was sick.
It was rude to even think… that the feel of her skin, her warmth, was alluring.
“…Leticia, you’re burning up.”
“Mm…”
She responded with a single syllable and nodded, seemingly exhausted, then continued to gaze at me with a dazed expression.
What did she find so amusing about looking at my face?
This was going nowhere.
I gently guided her to a chair in the washing area.
Then, I dipped a wooden bucket into the flowing hot spring water and poured it over her shoulders.
Leticia flinched.
“Now that you’ve rinsed off, soak in the bath slowly.”
“Okay…”
After quickly rinsing myself, I led Leticia to the bath.
And then… worried about letting her enter alone, I supported her as we both slid into the spacious tub.
A tingling warmth spread from my perpetually cold toes.
“…Ahh.”
“Haa…”
We both sighed.
Our shoulders relaxed… I realized they had been tense.
As I sank up to my shoulders, the gentle warmth seemed to melt away the stiffness.
I was almost always tense; I didn’t think I could handle being the head of the family without the hot springs.
Looking at Leticia beside me, she remained in the same position as when she first entered, her shoulders relaxed. I gently placed my hand on her shoulder and prompted,
“Soak up to your shoulders.”
“Okaay…”
Leticia’s childish demeanor was a refreshing change.
She was probably too tired to think clearly.
…From another perspective, this was likely close to her true self, without the energy to maintain a facade.
And yet.
For some reason…
“Hehe…”
“…What are you smiling about?”
Leticia lifted herself slightly and moved closer to me.
This sister of mine.
Why, in this spacious bath…
…was she trying to get closer to me?
Our shoulders touched, and I couldn’t help but stare at her.
Water droplets trickled between our skin, returning to the bath.
“…Such a big bath… I’ve… never used one alone before…”
Leticia murmured softly.
“…Leticia, have you ever used a public bath?”
“…Hardly ever.”
Leticia shook her head.
“Because… it’s expensive.”
…The standard fee for a public bath was about three copper coins.
Public baths were an important part of the public infrastructure for sanitation. Most used hot spring water and received government subsidies, so the price was quite low compared to other countries.
And yet, she called it expensive.
“But… they had jobs… cleaning the baths… everyone took turns… and you could bathe before cleaning… so they weren’t… dirty…”
She struggled to speak, her body heavy with fever. Her words were already slurring.
“I understand… you’ve had a hard life.”
“I just… lived my life.”
My sister leaned against me, our shoulders still touching.
I could feel her body tense up.
Then, tears welled up in the corners of Leticia’s eyes, and I panicked.
Who made my sister cry?
“So… don’t… call me a ‘rat’…”
――Me?
I gritted my teeth.
The derogatory term ‘rat,’ a metaphor used to denigrate those born and raised in the “back alley.”
The stage script written by the unseen playwright.
The words meant to pierce my sister’s heart.
Words I had chosen, of my own volition, to use.
Leticia had been putting on a brave face.
Smiling it off, showing her strong side.
――Just like I always acted as the head of the “Coldhearted Vanderwaals,” despite the weight on my shoulders.
But were there truly people who weren’t hurt by such words?
Being insulted.
Being looked down upon.
And not being hurt by it.
Were there such people?
“…I won’t say it again.”
I gently placed my hand on her shoulder.
“—Leticia von Vanderwaals. You are a daughter of a ducal family.”
And the [Protagonist] of this story.
“I know you are striving to be a lady worthy of that position.”
This world was the stage of [Moonlight Liberium].
“—No matter what anyone says.”
I knew of her efforts—past and future.
“If anyone says anything to you, tell me.”
I smiled faintly.
“…I will show them the power of the Vanderwaals.”
Only I was allowed to bully Leticia.
There were no such scenes in the script.
Only I, the ‘villainous sister,’ was allowed to bully her.
Everything else was just noise, disrupting the play.
I wouldn’t let these amateurs change the future.
Objective one: The [Final Ball].
Objective two: The [Guillotine].
――I wouldn’t forgive anyone who hurt my sister.
Not even myself.
The mean older sister was going to the guillotine anyway, so it was fine.
In the story, all sins were meant to be judged.
“…Okay… Big Sister.”
The tension in my sister’s shoulder, pressed against mine, eased.
…This scene wasn’t in the script.
But this play was long.
It had to be performed for almost an entire year.
So, just this once.
A scene where we could relax a little.
Wasn’t that within the performer’s discretion?
“Leticia… I’ll wash your hair.”
“Really…? Is that okay…?”
Of course.
“I won’t if you don’t want me to.”
“No, I want you to. I definitely want you to.”
A spark returned to my sister’s eyes.
I felt a little intimidated.
“Then… um… please.”
“Alright.”
――As I washed her hair, my sister murmured.
“I feel like… I’m missing something really important right now… but I can’t quite think…”
“It’s just your imagination.”
What was she thinking?
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