The truth is…
Irene lowered her gaze halfway. Dew formed at the tip of her long eyelashes and dripped down, causing a stir to the silent water surface.
I thought it would be fine even if Noel were to come in with me.
It was incredibly embarrassing, but she thought it would be okay if it was Noel.
I almost asked him to share a bath with me.
//Oh Irene ( ͡◉ ͜ʖ ͡◉)
She thought how fortunate it was that Noel answered before she managed to utter those humiliating words. Otherwise, it would have been an irreversibly embarrassing situation.
Still...
“I should have told him.”
Irene mumbled as she relaxed her body, letting it sink down until it touched the bottom of the tub. Water began to splash around when she floundered with her arms recklessly out of bashfulness.
Irene let herself submerge to suffocate her own shame until the heat on her face was gone and she regained her composure.
♔♔♔
After the hot spring bath, Irene’s skin from head to toe was all red.
She did not even remember how long she had been soaking herself in there.
At first, her mind was occupied, and she was ‘drowned’ in embarrassment and shame, but then she lost track of time and did not even realise that her body was heating up due to the warm water and lingering steam of the hot spring.
After drying her hair with Louiselle’s help, Irene came out wearing the dress prepared beforehand by the servants, and looked around for no specific reason, as if she was finding something.
“Did you enjoy the hot spring?”
Startled by the voice from behind her back, she turned her head.
“Noel?”
“I was afraid you were going to get sick, so I brought some cold water. Here.”
“Oh, thank you.”
After drinking the water he handed her, the temperature within her seemed to subside a little. Louiselle naturally took the cup since she had formed a routine of dedicating herself to serving Irene nonstop 24/7.
“Dinner is in another couple of hours, I think we should go back to our room to rest a little in the meantime, and then go to the dining hall when it’s time. Anyway, are you no longer feeling tired?”
When Noel asked anxiously, Irene nodded.
“Yes, I’m fine. Thanks to the hot spring, all my fatigue is gone now, and I’m looking forward to dinner.”
“That is fortunate, then let’s go back to our room.”
“Yes.”
Irene walking alongside Noel suddenly realised something, “Ah-” she turned her head to look back at her maid.
“Louiselle.”
“Yes.”
“Louiselle, you should stay.”
“Pardon? What do you mean by…?”
“I have Noel with me, and I will go back to my room right away, everything is fine. Louiselle must also be exhausted, so don’t worry anymore and get some rest. You can continue guarding me after a good rest.”
“But…”
“That’s right, Louiselle. Do as my wife says.”
When Noel echoed Irene, Louiselle had no choice but to bow her head reluctantly.
“...then I shall do as you say. Thank you for your consideration.”
“Yes, I will see you later.”
Irene, not forgetting to give Louiselle a reassuring smile, went back to her room with Noel.
After a while standing still looking at those two as their figures grew further and smaller, Louiselle turned around with the intention of indulging herself in the hot spring bath. Standing in front of the cabinet, Louiselle began to undress herself. She took off the maid uniform, which was made exclusively for her, revealing the cold, heavy metal armour.
Subsequently, Louiselle started to take off the protection on each part of her body one by one. One could feel its weight by the sound made from above the cabinet every time she put down a piece of her metallic suit.
After taking off all her armour, she put on a robe and got into the hot spring bath. Her pink eyes dimmed. She felt her back sting when the hot water touched it.
As the wet robe clung to her skin and increased the weight of the water, she got up from her position to take it off. Standing under the glorious scarlet sunset, her back could be seen fully covered in scars in the form of bitten marks or scratches left by wild animals. The scar on her face was nothing compared to those horrific ones.
♔♔♔