I napped for about half an hour before I woke up again. Our beloved Heroine should be just about done unpacking all her sweet little decorations that remind her of her mother, her home and her friends. I suppose she would've had a conversation with Helena as well just to doub-
Ara?
Why did she ask me about Augustus when she has Helena right next to her? Helena should know that 'Augustus' is not on the academy records...
I end up getting off the bed with a little jolt. Claire didn't waste a moment on asking me... so she should have asked Helena. A part of Helena's introduction was bragging that she knew something about everyone. There would be no reason to ask me, or rather, it would be pointless.
I shake off the odd feeling, but I don't want to excuse it on Claire being desperate. Another thing that bothered me, was that with Helena's amount of information she should have known that 'Augustus' is said to be impotent. Her information network on eligible bachelors in the kingdom should be unmatched, even for Gilbert's family.
It was unexpected she hadn't picked up on whether someone like Augustus was enrolled at the academy. Still, that is all. It's but a minor odd point. Perhaps she just lined him off as impossible to deal with after hearing he was nowhere to be found.
That said, I could use my own Helena to find a good fiance for when this chaos is over.
---*---
"Lily-sama?" Magdalin peers at me from my closet where she is looking for a night gown and a cloak. Of course you couldn't do something like showing off your night gown, and there was no such thing as bath robes here... as such, a cloak was used to cover the innocent or sometimes daring night gowns...
I can only imagine how the fantasies of the young men go rampant to find out just how much or how little, and how revealing they are dressed underneath the heavy and fully covering cloaks. Furthermore, most of the cloaks do have holes in the side where you can hold a hand out just in case it is needed... it usually isn't... as the girls take off said cloaks or robes for dinner...
As you can imagine, the girls' dorm is a paradise for young men around evening time... I am not sure whether this world is made for romance of for scandals... though, I assume it will not be too much of a problem this year.
Why?
I am the daughter of lord Celeste. Remember all those blue mantled knights? It's on their honor to keep any man from seeing me in my night gown. I am not unamused at the idea of watching one of said night battles.
Of course, this 'night battle' will end late. Perhaps as a result of that the bathing times for the knight students are set after everyone else have finished.
I pull myself out of my train of thought and smile to her.
"Everything is fine. I was merely considering things that felt off..."
I move to the closet and pull out a while silk night gown. As you expect at this point, it fits my usual preferences, not academy preferences. In other words, it covers up to my neck and down past my ankles, and of course down over my wrists. I've no intention of showing any skin even on any fancy accidents.
I smile to Magdalin that stares at me holding the night gown with a soft fascination.
"Lily-sama, you really look like a fairy when you dress up in pure white." I raise an eyebrow at her comment, but smile at the same time.
"My my, let's make sure none but you know that," I respond half-sweetly. Magdalin doesn't take my little half-unhappy response seriously and looks over our two baskets satisfied.
"Nightgowns, underwear, cloaks, vinegar and camellia oil... I think we have everything."
I glance over her collection and nod slowly. Apparently the vinegar helps with the hair somehow. Usually we would use an oil for it if we needed to keep it painfully straight and clean... but I suppose I am simply too used to fermented rice water. Sadly... we have no rice here...
---*---
It doesn't take us long to get there, but with all honesty... I am not looking forward to this. I do enjoy my baths... however I am not in the mood for facing our beloved heroine once more today. I thing which is rather... unavoidable with a public bath.
Though, I am not sure how a possible meeting with Lionel would go either. I've been avoiding the subject a bit, but we do not get along that well anymore. This, surprisingly, has nothing to do with him seeing me in my underwear, but is instead something instigated from his side. It started shortly after his father's mistress 'disappeared' or 'ran off with another man'... and so did his father's second mistress a couple of years later.
Back then it was merely small weird moments of caution whenever we were at the palace. I figured that he might be worried I would try to talk about what happened... Sadly I already know what happened. I never confronted him about it though. We still got along well and I still visit house Tepet with Eric and our little sister regularly. Still, after Lionel stepped onto the battlefield for the first time, he started avoiding me. He'd give me weird glances in the beginning and it slowly intensified the more he went to war. I'm not sure why, but he's turned into the quiet guard dog he was in the novel. I was certain I was on pretty good terms with him though, and it's not like I've done anything to him. I even get along with his younger brothers too. Just not Lionel himself. Recently it's been even worse, as he barely leaves Alstair's side.
If I happen to be noticed by him I might end up ruining the scene between them, so I'll have to be careful and stay out of sight. Their scene is mostly conversation anyway.
Ah~
About the bath.
I was certain they didn't have public baths as we had back home, but they do... for some reason. In fact, because of the running water thing it is incredibly... clean and comfortable. It is not quite an onsen though, but it will pass.
Magdalin quickly pulls me through the door to the dressing room and finds a spot for the baskets we brought along.
As expected, it is quite filled with young girls already. Again, I was under the impression that the western countries did not enjoy communal baths, so I'm a bit pleasantly surprised. I strip out of the uniform swiftly and check that I have everything needed for the bath placed in a little bucket next to me and then gaze to Magdalin.
Magdalin, unlike me, doesn't appear to be entirely comfortable with this... but that is to be expected... she isn't confident in her body. Once bare she mainly covers the back of her hands, where her parents had focused their punishments. She feels quite shameful about the many white stripes on her hands and try to hide it so no one will know. After all, it is quite a big deal for a woman to have scars.
"L-Lily-sama..." I can hear the small whispers of the girls around me filled with pity. I have no need of such pity though, so I just return the best pretense of a calm smile that I can give.
"Ah, I apologize. I must have made you all quite uncomfortable." I grab a towel to cover up the scars on my body, only to find myself crowded by the young girls.
"No, Lily-sama, no such thing. We were just worried for you," one of the girls chirps up bravely. Clasping her little hands while peering up at me with her guilty puppy eyes. I gently drop the towel again.
"I... see..."
I glance to Magdalin who still skillfully wraps the towel around her body under her clothes to avoid showing her skin, even hiding her hands in her armpits to avoid them being seen. I look back to the girls, wondering if these girls would be as caring to Magdalin as they are to me right now, or if it is merely my status that dictates their reaction.
---*---
Magdalin's Point of View
Lily-sama, who is usually so shy to show skin has no hesitation once it comes to bathing. I've known this for a while, but to have it presented so bluntly still surprises me a bit. And not just me.
Her posture of complete confidence draws the attention of the room though she has nothing that a girl would desire... first of all... you can actually see vague contours of muscle on her legs and abs. They're not silky smooth like you'd expect from a lady. She doesn't fit 'cute' now where she's undressed either. In fact, Lily-sama can't hide her poise like this. For she radiates pride like a queen... no king, even despite the many scars on her body. How could one not admire admire a person like that? Fearless, bold and proud despite the pain she has been through.
So of course the gazes of the girls around her, turn to gazes of admiration. Despite her scars they don't look down on her. They admire her for her strength, poise and power. That she can be like this though many would see her as broken.
While I am thankful Lily-sama distracts the girls while I get undressed, I am a bit worried with where this new fan group of hers will be going in the future.
If they decide to get in Lily-sama's way I won't be able to stop them... and Lily-sama likely won't forgive them.
"Lily-sama," I call her softly.
"Let us go to the showers," I request softly, and receive a warm smile in return.
There is much I don't know about Lily-sama, even though she has told me that she has a former life and what she expects will happen here. Still, I will stay by her side and try my best to protect the weak spots she do not realize she has.
Especially from Lionel.