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Chapter 2: Recuperation of the Royal Sisters 

Rio picked up Flora, who had lost consciousness and fallen asleep. He carried Christina on his back and prepared to depart. 

“Now, shall we get going? I won’t move that fast, but please hold on tightly to make sure you don’t fall off. You only have to cast the healing magic to a degree you can handle too,” Rio said to Christina before they left. Since he was carrying her on his back, her face was right before him when he turned to look over his shoulder. 

“O-Okay...” Christina replied in a faint whisper. 

What should I do? I stink, don’t I? 

She was uneasy over that. She had sweat a ton walking around the forest, hadn’t had a bath, her dress was in tatters, and yet she had to cling to Rio in order to avoid being thrown off. 

“She’s filthy and she reeks. I have no interest in holding such women.” 

She recalled Duran’s words and felt even more uneasy; he had even said she looked just like a beggar. In contrast, there was a faint scent of soap on Rio, making her even more aware of her own body odor. 

“Is something the matter?” Rio felt Christina stirring on his back and turned his head slightly to look at her. 

“N-No, it’s nothing!” Christina shook her head, her voice sounding shrill. She casually slackened her hold around Rio. 

“Umm, could you hold on a little more tightly?” he warned immediately. 

“R-Right...” Christina hesitantly tightened her arms around Rio’s upper body. However, from how timid she was acting, it was clear she was still feeling reserved. 

“Is there something wrong after all...?” Rio asked carefully. 

Christina blushed and ducked her head. “I-It’s nothing, really...” she whispered. It was almost like the action of an ordinary shy girl—an unimaginable look for her usual dauntless self. 

“That’s good, then... Oh, Your Highness wouldn’t normally have to cling to a man like this, right? I apologize for saying something so tactless. The journey won’t take long, but I’m sorry for this.” Rio seemed to realize the reason for Christina’s bashfulness and apologized awkwardly. 

“Oh, no, that’s not it... I’m the one who should apologize for dirtying your clothing in such a state...” Christina explained in a faint voice. She wasn’t able to ask if she reeked, so she went about it indirectly. 

Rio was finally convinced he didn’t need to worry with that. “If you’re going to say that, then my coat is stained with blood as well. I’ll have to prepare a change of clothes and a bath for us once we’re done traveling,” he chuckled. 

“Thank you very much...” Christina quietly tightened her grip around Rio again. 

“Now, let’s get going.” With Christina and Flora secured, Rio moved to leave. He kicked off from the ground and used wind spirit arts to float gently into the air. Then, once he reached an altitude of ten meters or so, Christina tightened her hold on him even more. 

“Wha...” She glanced around, dropping her gaze down to the ground. 

“You won’t fall, so don’t worry,” Rio said, guessing Christina’s thoughts from her reaction. He had revealed his flying spirit arts during his battle with Lucius, so he didn’t have to hide that anymore. 

“Um... How are you flying right now?” Christina asked timidly. 

“I’m manipulating the wind to fly,” Rio explained broadly. He had used his spirit arts without holding back in his fight with Lucius; it’d be impossible to explain every one of the abilities he used as an effect of his enchanted sword—Christina wouldn’t believe it. It was clear he’d have to explain spirit arts, but he hadn’t decided how much detail he’d have to go into yet. 

“I-I see...” Christina hummed, looking around at the scenery in a daze. Perhaps she didn’t know how far she should pry, or perhaps her thoughts weren’t able to keep up with the series of shocking truths she’d been given. Perhaps it was both. 

They were currently off the road at a hilly area with a great view, and she found herself captivated by the scenery. 

“There’s a lot I have to explain, and I’m sure you have a lot of questions as well. It’s embarrassing to admit, but so much has happened that my head hasn’t caught up yet, so could you allow me some of your time for that once we’ve rested?” 

“R-Right... That’s right, I have to treat your wound. Shall I start casting my magic around here?” Christina snapped back to her senses and extended the right arm she had reached around Rio’s chest. She placed her hand over his left arm where the bloodstain was and confirmed if treatment was required. 

“Yes. But if you’re not in the right position to do so, it’s fine.” 

“No, I can manage.” Christina uttered the spell Cura and a magic circle appeared by her right hand, glowing faintly. All that was left was to wait for time to pass. She watched Rio’s left arm closely. 

“Thank you very much.” 

“Uh... Y-You’re welcome.” 

Because she had her arm extended out to heal, her face had moved right beside Rio’s before she realized it. When she noticed Rio’s face was close enough to kiss her if he turned his head, Christina immediately flushed bright red. 

Despite that, she didn’t stop the treatment and continued casting her magic. 

 

Several minutes later, Rio arrived at a rocky area several kilometers southwest of where he fought Lucius. 

This should do. 

If the best place to hide a tree was a forest, then the best place for the stone house to blend into the surroundings would be a rocky area. The surroundings appeared to be uninhabited as well, so it was the perfect spot to set it up. 

Showing them the stone house would end up revealing information he wanted to keep hidden, but with Flora in the state she was in, the situation was an emergency. Since bringing Christina and Flora to the city in their tattered dresses would just attract unwanted attention, he decided to set up a place where they could rest quickly. 

“We’re landing here.” With that warning, Rio descended the dozen-odd meters to the ground. 

“What are we doing in this rocky area...?” Christina looked around the area curiously. Rio landed soon after, allowing her to confirm that there really wasn’t anything of interest around. 

“You can get down here.” 

“Okay.” At Rio’s prompting, Christina obediently stepped down onto the ground. Meanwhile, Rio sent his magic essence through his feet and into the ground, using his spirit arts to flatten the foundation. His sword played a supplementary role to the activation of his spirit arts, so stabbing it into the ground would be faster, but his hands were full with Flora right now. 

“The ground...is moving?” Christina muttered, looking down. 

“I’m going to use an artifact with space sorcery to take out a house. This is just in preparation for that.” 

“Huh...?” 

“It may be faster to see for yourself. Dissolvo.” The foundation was flattened just at that moment, so Rio chanted the spell to use the Time-Space Cache he wore on his arm. Immediately after, the space before Rio and Christina distorted, and a huge boulder appeared with a heavy thud. 

“Huh?” Christina blinked. 

Rio ignored her and walked towards the entrance, opening the door nimbly while still carrying Flora. “Come in. This is the entrance. After you.” He knew there’d be no end if he started explaining everything, so he decided to put it off until he could explain everything at once later. 

Christina was speechless for a long moment, but she eventually determined there’d be no end if she stopped to be surprised by everything. 

“Okay...” she said, following Rio to the entrance. But the living space she entered was so comfortable, she lost her words once again. The stone house wasn’t decorated with the extravagant ornaments preferred by the noble class, but it was constructed far better than the average noble estate. 

Rio entered the house after Christina and closed the door behind him. “I’d like to set Princess Flora down to sleep, but a change of clothes comes first, right? There are spare clothes that belong to Miharu and the other girls in the wardrobe room at the back. Can you go check to see if any are a suitable size?” 

Rio had two stone houses: the one he first received, and the one he was gifted when leaving the spirit folk village with Sara and the others. Since it was a burden to carry clothes between the two houses, there was a spare set of clothes stored in each house for everyone. 

They couldn’t go to the market to buy more clothes in their current state, so he decided to lend them those clothes and apologize to the girls later. Rio himself couldn’t pick out the clothes—especially the underwear—so he asked Christina to select them herself. 

“...” 

“Princess Christina?” 

“Oh, r-right.” Still unable to shake off her state of shock, Christina looked around the room curiously. She only snapped back to her senses when Rio called her name. 

“I’ll show you to the room where the spare clothes are stored, so could you please pick out a change of clothes for yourself and Princess Flora?” The change from the usually moody Christina to this person was new to Rio, who chuckled as he repeated his explanation. 

“Right...” Christina nodded, embarrassed at how absorbed she had been in taking in the house. 

“Once you find a suitable change of clothes, I’ll show you to the bathroom. If Princess Flora wakes up, you can give her a quick wash as well...” 

“She looks a lot better now, so I’ll borrow some clothes and try to wake her.” 

“Okay. For now, I’ll leave Princess Flora on the sofa and show you the way. Follow me.” Rio laid Flora down on the sofa and showed Christina to the wardrobe room. They arrived at the destination room a moment later. 

“This is the wardrobe room. The closet has clothes that are hard to fold, and the drawers have the rest. The closet is shared, but the drawers are separated by person, so once you find something that fits you, you can stick to using that drawer. I’ll explain the situation to the girls who own the clothes later. Please come back to the living room where Princess Flora is once you’re done. I’ll excuse myself for now,” Rio explained, looking around the room. He normally never entered the room, so even he didn’t know whose clothes were located where. 

“Thank you for doing all of this.” 

“It’s not a problem at all.” 

Christina bowed her head at Rio, who then left the room. 

Now, to quickly borrow some clothes and return to Flora... She couldn’t keep Rio waiting for too long. Christina first opened a nearby drawer. 

“This compartment is for underwear... It’s all made by the Ricca Guild too. This one has skirts, and this one has shirts. If we’re not traveling anymore today, something comfortable should be good, right?” 

With that thought, Christina looked inside the closet. It was lined with tailored clothes like dresses and coats. 

Wow... Just how many people lived in this house? she wondered, but it probably meant that she could find something her size. After that, Christina checked what kind of clothes were in the other drawers. 

I’ll just pick a dress since it’s easy to put on. 

She decided to borrow two dresses from the closet. The gowns she normally wore were too complicated to put on herself, but the dresses in the closet looked simple enough to wear easily. She held them up against her body to check their sizes, then picked one belonging to Sara and one belonging to Miharu. There was also a slip, so she borrowed that too. 

This size should be all right... Probably. 

She wouldn’t know how tight the clothes were until she actually wore them, but she’d dirty them with her dirt-stained body if she put them on like this. She was especially unsure about Flora’s size since she wasn’t here, but at worst she could borrow something else later. 

I should head back. 

Christina closed the closet door and drawers, leaving things the way they originally were before exiting the room. 

Once she returned to the living room, she spotted Flora sleeping on the sofa. Where’s Sir Amakawa...? 

“It looks like you found some clothes.” 

Christina looked around the room to see Rio leaving the kitchen with a tray of drinks. 

“Yes, I picked these dresses.” 

“I’ve prepared some cold drinks, so please help yourself.” Rio placed the tray on the table. The ice clattered around inside the metal mugs, melting in the drinks. 

“...” Christina gulped. She hadn’t been able to hydrate properly while walking around the forest, so her throat was parched. 

“Go ahead—help yourself.” Rio immediately reached for his own cup. 

“Thank you. I’ll drink it now.” 

It must’ve been a hot tea cooled with ice. It hadn’t been cooled to an icy degree yet, so it was the perfect temperature to swallow down in one gulp. 

Gulp, gulp. Christina drank the tea with vigor. Once her parched body was hydrated enough, she let out a dreamy sigh. “Phew...” 

“There’s more if you’d like.” Rio immediately walked up to Christina and poured her a refill. 

“I-I apologize. Drinking it all in one gulp must have been unsightly,” Christina realized with a start, cheeks flushing. 

“It’s fine. Make sure you hydrate yourself properly.” Rio shook his head and smiled. 

That made Christina’s face redden further. “Okay... Oh, umm. I have to wake Flora up as well. Flora, wake up.” She placed her cup on the table in a fluster and walked over to where Flora lay on the sofa. Then she gently shook her by the shoulder to wake her up. 

“...” Flora must have been exhausted as she didn’t wake up. But Flora had been sweating a lot since being poisoned, so if she continued to sleep like this, she was in danger of becoming dehydrated. 

“Flora. Flora?” Christina continued to call her name and shake her, forcing her to wake up. 

“Mm...” Flora eventually opened her eyes, slowly. 

“Thank goodness. Can you understand what I’m saying?” 

“Christina...?” 

“That’s right. You remember what happened, right?” 

“Y-Yes... Sir Haruto came...then he gave me medicine...” 

“After that, Sir Amakawa brought us to a safe location. You might still be feeling bad, but we can’t have you getting dehydrated, so you need to drink something. Can you sit up?” 

“Yes...” Flora sat up with some support from Christina. Her gaze was still unfocused and bleary. 

“Here you are.” Rio handed Flora’s cup to Christina. 

“Go on, drink up.” 

“Thank you very much...” Flora wet her parched throat with Christina supporting the cup for her. Her body must have been craving hydration, as she mindlessly continued drinking. After some time passed, she moved her mouth away from the cup with a cute gasp of air. 

“I’ll pour you some more.” Rio approached Flora with the glass bottle of tea. 

“Huh...? Sir Haruto?” Flora looked up blankly. 

“Yes?” Rio cocked his head curiously. 

“Ah... R-Right. You’re the one who saved me. My mind is still fuzzy...” 

Apparently she hadn’t noticed Rio in her field of view until now. Now that she had rehydrated, her mind was clear enough for her to blush through the fatigue on her face. 

“Your body must be exhausted. The poison’s been removed by the medicine, but you should still take it easy for a while.” 

“How long will it take for her to fully recover?” Christina asked, worried for Flora. 

“She’ll have a slight fever for a few days and she might feel sluggish, but once that’s gone, she’ll be fully healed. Is it okay if I send you two to Rodania after that?” 

The spirit folks’ secret remedy was a powerful panacea that could heal everything other than bone fractures and external wounds, but it didn’t have an instant effect. Christina had also exhausted herself quite a bit, so the two of them would need to recover before they traveled. 

“Will you take us there...?” Christina asked, watching Rio’s face. 

“Of course.” 

“But we’re...” 

“Is there a reason why you shouldn’t return...?” Rio asked curiously. 

“Sir Amakawa... You’re...the boy...” Christina faltered, looking guilty. Flora was watching Rio’s face with a similar expression. 

“Are you referring to my past...?” Rio assumed. 

Christina nodded heavily. “Y-Yes. We’re now aware of your identity.” 

“And that’s the reason why I can’t take the two of you to Rodania, you’re saying?” 

“The Beltrum Kingdom wasn’t good to you, and I don’t believe you have a favorable impression of me either. I’ve also treated you terribly.” Christina had a serious expression, brooding over the things they had once done to him. 

“Speaking of terrible treatment... Come to think of it, the first time we met in the slums, you slapped me in the face,” Rio said, looking back on the past with a jesting laugh as though to clear the heavy atmosphere. 

“Th-That’s... No, that too. I apologize sincerely for that. It was an extremely thoughtless action to take...” Christina recalled that moment as well and bowed her head with a blush. 

“Y-You did something like that, Christina...?” Flora was taken aback and blinked blankly. 

“Y-Yes. I saw you unconscious on Sir Amakawa’s back in the slums and flew into a rage...” Christina explained with a fading voice. 

“If it’s about the slap, then I’m no longer bothered by it,” Rio said jokingly. 

“That’s not all. When you were being harassed by the students at the Academy, I turned a blind eye to it all. And the biggest problem was during the outdoor drill...” Christina referred to that incident with a bitter look. 

“Something did happen.” 

The outdoor drill was the trigger that caused Rio to leave the Beltrum Kingdom. That had been the last time he had seen Christina and Flora under the name of Rio as well. 

“At the time, I didn’t witness it myself, but I doubted the accusation that you were the one who pushed Flora off the cliff. Yet, despite that, I didn’t try to stand up for you,” Christina said shamefully. 

“If you didn’t witness it, then you shouldn’t fabricate testimony.” Rio didn’t seem particularly bothered. 

“But the truth was different, wasn’t it?” Christina asked, half-confident. 

“There’s no way for me to prove it now, but...I wasn’t the one who pushed Princess Flora off the cliff,” Rio replied with a shrug. 

“I believe you,” Christina stated immediately. 

Flora also joined the conversation without missing a beat. “I-I believe you too! No, I’ve always believed you!” 

“Thank you very much,” Rio said awkwardly. 

“I should be the one thanking you. I’ve always wanted to thank you for saving me from the minotaur back then. You’re always saving me... Yet all I do is cause trouble for you...” Flora said with a trembling voice. 

“I wish to offer my gratitude as well. For saving us this time and all the times in the past,” Christina said, bowing her head. 

“No, all those incidents just happened by chance... And I’m the one who ended up involving the two of you in my conflict with Lucius this time. I’m very sorry for that.” Rio bowed his head in return. 

“No, as long as that Lucius man had a connection to the Proxia Empire, there was always the possibility he would come after us. That was proven after he went after Flora in Amande, or when Reiss came after me on the way to Rodania. If anything, I believe we wouldn’t have been saved without your grudge against that man. If it weren’t for you, Flora and I would never have been able to reunite...” Christina shook her head as she calmly gave her view on the series of events. In reality, after Rio’s victory over Lucius, the two sisters should have been offered to the Proxia Empire to be used as hostages. 

“It’s still unclear whether the Proxia Empire is the one behind all this, but... Let’s discuss this more later. What I wanted you to know right now is that I don’t mind taking the two of you to Rodania,” Rio said, returning to the topic at hand. 

“Of course, we would love nothing more than that, but...” 

Is it really okay? Christina looked at Rio as though to ask that. 

“If you’re still bothered by my past, then allow me to ask this: now that Your Highness is aware of my background, do you plan on acting upon it once you return to Rodania?” 

If there was one thing Rio was worried about, it was this. 

“I won’t tell anyone about your past. But if you have any separate requests, I plan on fulfilling them as best I can. If you tell me to clear the false accusation on your name, I shall do just that,” Christina answered. 

“It wouldn’t be wise to dig up such an old incident just to clear the false accusation. I don’t plan on bringing up my past, so I would appreciate your silence on the subject. I have no intention of being Rio in the Strahl region at this stage.” 

Rio himself didn’t feel much anger about the outdoor drill incident. The only thing he couldn’t forgive was what happened to Latifa. He suspected Duke Huguenot was the mastermind behind that, but the only way of obtaining concrete evidence was to let Latifa see Duke Huguenot’s face directly to confirm that fact. And he didn’t intend on acting if Latifa herself didn’t desire it. 

“I understand.” Christina nodded quietly. “Then I shall do just that—you understand, right, Flora?” 

“Yes...” Flora nodded, looking as though she wanted to ask Rio something. 

“If there’s anything else to discuss about this, we can talk about it later. The bathroom is ready, so allow me to show you the way.” 

Rio was still wearing his bloodstained coat, and Christina and Flora were still in their tattered dresses. They couldn’t keep chatting leisurely in their current state, so Rio wrapped up the conversation for now to lead the two of them to the bathroom. 

 

Rio and the princesses headed to the bathroom of the stone house. They entered the spacious changing room, and Rio opened the door leading to the bathing area. 

“This is the bathtub.” 

The bathing facility before them was luxurious even from the perspective of the castle-raised princesses—in fact, it was so well made, the ones they had used until now almost paled in comparison. 

The room was large, the ceiling was high, and the walls were made of bare rock. Behind the stone tiled washing area was a stone bathtub large enough to fit several people. There were spouts that kept the tub filled through magic artifacts, and white steam rose from the surface of the water to fill the inside of the bathroom. 

“...” Both Christina and Flora gazed at the bathroom in shock. 

“I’ll explain the different types of soap to you. Please, come this way,” Rio said, entering the bathing area. Christina and Flora exchanged looks with each other before following him. 

“This bottle has liquid soap that’s for your hair. The liquid inside comes out when you press the top. Depending on the length of your hair, you may need to press it several times to get the appropriate amount of liquid—make sure you use enough to lather your hair,” Rio said, first explaining the use of shampoo. He then proceeded to explain the use of conditioner, body soap, and face wash. 

“Once you’re ready to wash off the soap, please touch one of the round stones. They absorb magic essence proportionate to the duration of contact and release water from this spout here. The right stones are connected to the lower spout and the left stones are connected to the higher spout. The hot water may splash, so please step back,” Rio warned the two of them before touching the round stone on the right. His magic essence was absorbed for a short moment before hot water started pouring out of the lower spout. 

“W-Wow!” Flora exclaimed in shock. Christina was also gazing wide-eyed at the water. Strahl’s standard of sorcery required an immense amount of magic essence to create water and adjust its temperature, so it was only natural she’d be surprised to see an artifact create hot water so easily. 

“Be careful—if you touch the round stones for too long, your essence will just be sapped in vain. Several seconds of contact is enough for 30 seconds of water, so please use that as a rough estimate,” Rio added to the surprised girls. To prove his point, he removed his hand from the round stone and demonstrated how the water was still flowing out. 

“Is that huge stone tub over there a bathtub? If the washing area already has a source of water, I don’t see any meaning in having a bathtub filled with water as well...” Christina pointed to the stone bathtub and cocked her head in question. 

In Japan, it was commonplace to fill a bathtub with water and soak in it, but that wasn’t necessarily the case in Strahl. In the Strahl region, bathtubs weren’t for soaking in, but for storing water to wash the body with. 

Only wealthy homes had separate bathrooms, and they were generally one of two types: the type where the bathtub also acted as a washing area and the water had to be changed after every wash, and the type where the washing area was outside the bathtub to save water consumption (the bathtubs were generally too shallow to fully soak in too). 

“Umm... Could this be a bathtub to soak in?” Flora asked Rio. 

“That’s right. I’m sure it’s a rare sight in the Beltrum Kingdom, but the bathtub in this house is for soaking in. The correct way to use it is to soak yourself in the bathtub over there once you’ve washed yourself in the washing area,” Rio said, explaining the proper way to use the stone bath. 

“Come to think of it, I’ve read that the hot spring area has a similar culture... I’m surprised you knew of it, Flora.” Christina looked at Flora in wonder. Flora grinned happily at that. 


“Sir Hiroaki often said he wanted to soak in a bath,” she said. 

“It seems like the soaking style of bathing is the norm where the heroes came from,” Rio said. 

“Yes. There’s a soaking type of bath in Sir Hiroaki’s quarters in Rodania. A craftsman was called in to build it, and he uses it every now and then,” Flora added. 

“Have you tried it before, Flora?” 

Flora shook her head shyly. “I haven’t. Using the bath in a man’s room is a bit...” 

This bathroom is technically in my home, and I’m a man, though... 

In other words, she was about to use the bath in a man’s room, but there was no reason to point that out. Rio chose to hold his tongue. 

“Soaking in hot water causes your body temperature to rise and depletes your stamina, so while Princess Christina will be fine, Princess Flora should probably avoid the bathtub until she’s fully recovered. Just wash your body for today.” 

It was preferable to keep the skin clean even while sick, and accomplishing that could be done by just washing oneself. Bathing with a slight fever should be fine, but Rio wasn’t a medical expert, so it was better to recommend the safer option. 

Flora nodded with a disappointed look. “That’s a shame, but I understand.” 

“Then I’ll pass for today as well,” Christina added, reluctant to try the bath ahead of her little sister. 

“Understood. If there’s nothing else you need, I’ll be excusing myself... Oh, you still need towels. Please wait in the changing room and I’ll go and bring some.” 

Rio suddenly remembered the lack of towels and left the bathroom through the changing room. Christina and Flora also retreated to the changing room as instructed. 

“By the way, Christina...” Flora began. 

“What is it?” 

“Umm... Where are we right now?” Flora asked, cocking her head. She had been unconscious when she was carried into the stone house, so she lacked that piece of information. 

“We’re in Sir Amakawa’s house...” That was the only thing she was certain of. Christina also had her own questions, but that was one answer she could provide. 

“Sir Haruto’s? Isn’t this the Paladia Kingdom?” 

“Yes, it is... But we’ll get an explanation about that later, so let’s wait until then.” 

“Okay.” Flora didn’t look completely convinced, but her reply was lively. 

“You look happy,” Christina pointed out. 

“Yes... I am. I’m happy. Of course, there’s a lot I have to apologize for, but knowing that Sir Haruto is Sir Rio and being able to talk to him like this is good...” 

Rio’s name had come up when he saved her from Lucius in Amande, but he had denied it when she asked him whether he was actually Rio. But this time was different. She wasn’t able to explain it well, but Flora was so happy she couldn’t contain herself. 

“Right.” Christina smiled gently, vaguely sensing the reason for that. 

“I never even imagined I’d be in Sir Haruto’s home and using his bath.” 

“Me neither. Especially while I was attending the Royal Academy...” 

“The Royal Academy... That sure brings back memories. Speaking of which, Christina, Sir Haruto said you slapped him in the slums...” The discussion of the past stirred Flora’s memories, making her bring up that topic. 

Christina’s head drooped. “Urk. That’s... I have no excuse for that either.” 

“You met Sir Haruto in the slums, right?” 

“Yes. I remember it well. It was my first time stepping foot in the slums, and I acted rude to him in many other ways too. Rather, I got furious at him and said rude things I shouldn’t have.” Christina pressed a hand against her forehead and sighed heavily with guilt. 

“Like what, for example?” Flora asked out of curiosity. 

“Like what... Like calling him dirty and smelly, I guess...” Honestly, why had she said such heartless things? Christina looked back on her actions nine years ago and felt a tremendous sense of regret. 

Even Flora frowned at that. “That’s...a bit mean indeed.” 

“It was. We’re so dirty ourselves right now...” 

Did they stink as well? She couldn’t tell herself, but Duran had said so. If she really reeked, then that meant Rio had carried them all the way here without a single complaint. 

It all felt too much to bear. 

“Hey, Flora... Do we smell right now?” Christina asked her little sister. 

“Huh?! I-I wonder... Maybe?” Flora was taken aback by the sudden question, but she had sweated a lot while walking in the forest. The sweat was still stuck to her dress, and her skin felt disgusting, so... 

“I... I’ll try smelling myself.” Flora brought the hem of her dress up to her nose to sniff at it with a blush. 

“M-Me too...” Christina also lifted her dress with resolution. Despite knowing that it was an unsightly action, she couldn’t stop herself from smelling it. When she imagined the possibility of Rio smelling a strange scent on her, she couldn’t stand the embarrassment. 

After a while, Flora lifted her head. “I-It’s kind of hard to smell yourself.” 

“Yes... Shall we try smelling each other?” 

Christina suggested a more objective method of checking. 

“Y-Yes,” Flora nodded timidly. 

“Come over here.” 

“Okay...” 

The two approached each other. 

“I’m going to smell you then.” 

“Please.” 

After confirming with Flora, Christina brought her face towards Flora’s neck. However, when she took a sniff and looked in the direction of the changing room door, she saw Rio standing there with towels in hand. 

“S-Sir Amakawa?!” Christina shrieked hysterically. 

“Eek... That tickles, Christina. Hehe—S-Sir Haruto?!” Flora was trembling at the ticklish feeling when Christina’s outburst made her realize that Rio had returned. She panicked, flustered. 

“Umm... Sorry for the wait,” Rio said awkwardly. 

“I-It’s not what you think!” 

“Y-Yes, it’s not what you think!” 

The royal siblings clarified with shrill voices. 

“Yes... I am aware.” 

“A-Aware... Aware of what, may I ask...?” 

“That the two of you are extremely close,” Rio replied with a smile. 

“Erm... Y-You’re not wrong, but I apologize for acting so unsightly.” Christina’s head drooped, her face flushed. Flora’s face was similarly red, but she had completely frozen up. 

Rio walked to the back of the changing room and put all the towels on the shelf. He then turned to leave, a slight smile in his voice. “I’ll leave the towels on this shelf, so please use them freely. Take your time.” 

The changing room door closed, leaving Christina and Flora alone. 

“...Shall we go inside?” 

“Okay.” 

With slightly bashful looks, the two started taking off their dresses. 

 

In the bathroom of the stone house, a splash echoed—it was the sound of Christina washing the shampoo out of her long hair. 

With her social status being what it was, she normally had her servants wash it for her, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t wash it herself. She finished cleaning in roughly the same amount of time her servants usually took and placed the wooden bucket down on the floor. 

“Just washing my hair is enough for me to feel refreshed...” Christina sighed dreamily. 

Beside her, Flora was rubbing bubbles into her own hair. “Yes. This soap smells so nice and healing too.” 

She brought her hair, which was covered in bubbles, up to her nose and sniffed it happily. This was probably why she had taken more time to wash herself than Christina. 

“Wash up quickly or your body will get cold. You still haven’t fully recovered, remember?” Christina warned Flora while adding conditioner to her hair. 

“R-Right.” Flora resumed washing her hair. Since it was so long, she had to be extra careful she hadn’t left any bubbles. 

“Err, I believe this one was the face wash soap, right?” 

Christina demonstrated her dexterity even here, applying conditioner to her hair and washing her face. She made sure to lather the soap before rubbing it on her face. 

Ah, it feels so good... 

She could tell her dry skin was rapidly absorbing the moisture. With her eyes closed, she basked in the bliss. Without using too much strength, she washed the dirt off her face, then washed off the bubbles. 

“Ack! Are you washing your face already, Christina?” When Flora saw that, she rushed to use the bucket to wash out the shampoo in her hair. 

“Make sure you wash off the bubbles properly. The warm water should heat up your body a bit, so there’s no need to rush,” Christina chuckled, then moved to wash her body last. She rubbed body soap into a hand towel to work it into a lather and started cleaning herself with her non-dominant hand. 

It really is a lovely scent, though. I thought the best soaps out there were the ones developed by the Ricca Guild, but this soap foams wonderfully and smells good too... 

There was no way of confirming how effective it was until she got out of the bath, but that was the impression Christina got. 

Or is this soap also made by the Ricca Guild? Be it this house, or the space sorcery artifact that stored this house, Sir Amakawa’s belongings are shrouded in mystery too. 

Christina turned her head and looked around the bathroom covered in stone. She’d been shown rare items she hadn’t witnessed before even as royalty, making it tough to stifle her curiosity completely. 

That being said, Rio probably hadn’t wanted to show them this house—he hadn’t brought it out once on their journey from Cleia to Rodania. And the reason for that was clear: if word of it got out, everybody would want it. Soap aside, the space sorcery and magic artifacts in this house couldn’t be reproduced. 

I’m curious about its origins, but I shouldn’t pry too much. Even if he tells me, it isn’t something that should be shared. I’d have to tell him I don’t intend on telling anyone else... Christina thought. Her hand moving the towel stopped and the scent of the body soap tickled her nose. 

“It really smells wonderful...” she mumbled to herself, her mouth twisting in slight bitterness. It was the same scent she had smelled on Rio when he carried them to this house. 

“Did you say something, sister?” Flora asked, massaging the conditioner into her hair before beginning to wash her face. 

“No, it’s nothing. I’m almost done washing myself, but did you want me to wash your back for you?” 

“Huh? Are you sure? Oh, but...” Flora’s face brightened, but she then looked at the stone bathtub. “Why don’t you take the chance to soak in the tub too?” she suggested. 

“It’s fine. If you’re not getting in, I’d feel bad for doing so alone.” 

“There’s no need to feel bad. I’d like to hear your thoughts on how it feels too. Please, give it a try on my behalf.” Flora looked at her older sister in anticipation. 

“Really...? Then I’ll get in for a little bit... Just until you’re done washing, okay?” 

“Yes! Please do!” 

“Then, if you don’t mind.” Christina chuckled and stood up from the bath stool, touching the round stone to use the higher tap to wash the soap off of her body. She then stepped towards the bathtub. 

It really is a huge bathtub... 

It almost looked big enough to fit ten people in at once. Hot water poured out of the taps, constantly keeping the environment hygienic, according to Rio. 

“Is it really hot?” Christina muttered, looking down at the steam rising from the water. Her naked figure was faintly reflected on the surface of the moving water. 

“If I recall correctly, I’m meant to get in like this without a towel...” 

She started by slowly dipping her right foot into the water, making a splashing sound as ripples spread across the surface. 

“It’s hot...but not too hot to get in.” Christina continued by stepping into the bath with her left foot, then slowly sank into the water. The sensation of hot water wrapped around her body. 

“Wow... I see, this is indeed...” 

She closed her eyes until she got used to the temperature and relaxed her stiff body. It felt so good, she let out a blissful sigh. 

“How is it, Christina?” Flora paused as she was about to wash her face and looked up curiously. 

“It’s hot, and it feels great. I could get used to this,” Christina replied honestly. 

“That’s great! I want to try getting in too.” 

“You can once you’re fully recovered. Come on, your hands have stopped. Hurry up and finish washing. The bathroom is warm from the steam, but you’re still naked, so your body will get cold.” 

“R-Right!” Flora moved her hands and finally began washing her face. 

Good grief. But it seems like Sir Amakawa’s medicine is working well. Her complexion is clearly better than before. 

While soaking in the tub, Christina gazed at Flora and thought to herself in exasperation. However, there was a faint smile on her face. 

I’ve washed my hair already, so would it be best to leave it out of the water? Christina thought after a minute of watching Flora, and promptly scooped up her hair with her hands. Her thinking wasn’t wrong either—it was actually better to keep your hair out of the water, but Rio lacked that knowledge as a man and hadn’t explained it. Her hair had been floating on the surface of the water. 

I’ll wrap it up with a towel. 

She stood up abruptly, but she had stayed in the bath for too long and became dizzy. 

“Wha...?!” 

Christina was unable to support herself with her own legs and sank back into the water with a splash. 

Wh-What? 

Christina was confused. She had never experienced getting dizzy from a bath until now, so she felt uneasy. 

“Christina?” 

Flora had just finished washing her hair and body and noticed the abnormality. When she saw Christina stand up and sit back down right away, she called out to her. 

“I felt dizzy for a moment...” 

“Huh?! Are you okay?” Flora looked worriedly at Christina, who was pressing a hand to her forehead. 

“Yes. If you’re done washing your body, let’s go out together.” Christina tried to stand up after saying that, but the dizziness made it impossible. Her vision blurred until it was nearly pure white, and her heart was racing in her chest. 

“I-I’ll go call Sir Haruto!” 

Flora was unable to contain herself and ran out of the changing room. She dried her body in a hurry and wrapped a towel around herself before opening the changing room door. 

“U-Umm! Sir Haruto, are you there?” She called Rio’s name in a slightly louder voice. 

Rio soon approached the changing room. “Princess Flora? Is something the matter...?” He froze when he spotted Flora in only a single bath towel and quickly averted his gaze. 

“Ah. U-Umm, my sister isn’t feeling too well.” Flora noticed the state of her dress and blushed, but prioritized her report on her sister’s condition. 

Rio’s expression immediately turned serious. “Princess Christina...? Is she still conscious?” 

“Yes.” 

“Then I’ll speak to her through the door of the changing room. Princess Flora, you should return to her side.” 

“Understood.” 

Flora promptly turned back to the bathroom. Rio waited until he heard the door of the bathroom open, then stepped into the changing room. 

“Princess Christina, it’s Haruto,” Rio said through the door. 

“S-Sir Amakawa. I apologize for creating a fuss,” Christina’s voice replied. Her tone helped Rio determine that it wasn’t an emergency. 

“Not at all. May I ask what happened?” 

“Umm, I was soaking in the bath when I suddenly felt extremely dizzy and my vision blurred, and I couldn’t stand up...” 

Rio formed a hypothesis from Christina’s explanation. He believed the cause of her symptoms had yet to be resolved, but confirmed the situation with her. “You became dizzy after soaking in the bath... Are you still in the water now?” 

“Y-Yes.” The reply came back through the echo of the bathroom. 

Rio sighed in relief. “I’m sorry, my explanation was insufficient. In my opinion, I believe you’re experiencing bath dizziness. It’s only temporary, so there’s no need to worry about it.” 

“Bath dizziness...?” Flora’s curious voice said. She seemed to be right on the other side of the door connecting the changing room to the bathroom. 

“When you soak yourself in a hot bath, blood circulates in your body faster and rises to your head. The dizziness you feel is because of that. Did you perhaps try to stand up suddenly after soaking in the water?” Rio asked. 

“I did...” 

“I see. Your body was just surprised by the sudden change in blood pressure. It’s hard to notice when you’re in the bath since it feels so nice, but you can experience dizziness after just a minute or two. As long as you’re not unconscious, you can take your time getting out of the bath or sit on the edge until you cool down. It’s one of the tricks to taking a long bath, actually.” Rio explained the ways of dealing with dizziness and even gave advice for taking long baths on top of that. 

“Is that so...? I’m so sorry for causing any trouble,” Christina apologized, her voice trembling in embarrassment. However, since soaking-style baths weren’t commonplace in the Strahl region, it was no wonder she hadn’t experienced such a condition before. 

“No, it’s understandable since you’re not used to these types of baths. My explanation was lacking. Please take your time getting out.” 

“I-I understand.” 

“I’ll excuse myself now, then. I’ll prepare cold drinks and wait outside.” 

With those words, Rio left the changing room behind him. 

 

Christina and Flora got out of the bath and changed into the dresses they were borrowing from the wardrobe room, then made their way to the living room. 

The moment Christina saw Rio, she blushed and apologized for her earlier mistake. “I apologize for the trouble I caused you just now, Sir Amakawa.” 

“Not at all—don’t let it bother you. It was my fault for not explaining things more. I should be the one apologizing.” 

“No, I was the careless one.” 

“Then let’s just say we should both move on.” They’d never be able to reach an agreement at this rate. 

“I understand...” Christina bowed her head awkwardly. 

“I’ve prepared cold drinks and some easy-to-digest food for your fatigue. It may not suit your tastes, but would you like to eat it? I’m going to go wash up myself now,” Rio said, looking around the dining table. 

“We can wait until you’re done with your bath.” 

“You probably won’t be able to relax with me around, so don’t worry about me. You can enjoy your time with your sister instead,” Rio said considerately. 

“That isn’t the case, but...” 

“I agree.” 

Christina immediately denied it and Flora nodded firmly in agreement. 

“I’m honored, but the food will go cold. Please eat it while it’s still warm.” 

“I understand...” 

“Thank you very much, Sir Haruto.” 

Christina bowed, Flora following suit. 

“If you’re tired, you can call it a day afterwards and sleep. The two rooms over there are guest rooms, so once you’re sleepy, you can use them as you wish.” 

“We appreciate everything you’ve done for us.” 

“Now, if you’d excuse me.” Rio left with those words. 

He returned less than thirty minutes later, done with his bath. Christina and Flora had just finished eating. Flora was falling asleep on the spot, exhausted from the long day. Since the fatigue was clear on Christina’s face too, they decided to set aside the serious talk for the day and rest properly instead. 



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