Washing Away the Ash
"Excuse me, would it be possible to use the bath right now?"
"The bath? Let me go check if it's available."
The inn employee, who was about to leave, suddenly stopped and asked, "Will your little sister be joining you?"
My sister? I looked down at Elsie. Her hair was a dull, dusty blonde, the rain not having fully washed away the soot. Come to think of it, her hair color was somewhat similar to mine.
I guess we could pass for siblings.
When I hesitated to answer, the employee, seemingly in a hurry, turned to leave. "Just so you know, we charge extra for two people."
Left alone, I felt Elsie's sharp gaze drilling into my side.
"Your sister?"
"Hey, she didn't give me a chance to explain."
"You definitely hesitated, though."
I let out a sigh. I had indeed hesitated. Because...
"Then how else should I explain our relationship?"
At that, Elsie's face flushed red. I was genuinely curious if she had a better idea. But after fidgeting and hesitating for a long moment, she mumbled, "I suppose... you have a point. Just go with sister."
Just then, the employee returned from checking the bath.
"We've just started heating the water, so you can head down in about ten minutes."
"Thank you."
"The fee is five copper coins per person."
It was surprisingly expensive just for heating some water. Then again, considering the inn I used to stay at didn't even have a private bath, it probably wasn't a common luxury. Still, this girl absolutely needed a wash.
With that firm resolve, I pulled out my coins.
"Are you really renting the bath?" she asked, tugging at my sleeve.
But I gave a firm nod. "Yes."
Even now, a pungent odor assaulted my nose. I handed the coins to the employee.
"B-but I..."
"Only she will be using it, so just charge me for one."
The employee looked slightly disappointed but took the coins anyway. By the way, it seemed like Elsie wanted to say something. When I turned to look, her head was bowed.
"What were you going to say?"
"It's nothing."
I thought she might have some kind of allergy. Speaking of allergies, that reminded me.
"You don't have any allergies, do you?"
"Allergies? No, I don't. Why do you ask?"
"If you don't, then it's fine. Excuse me, do you have any bath herbs or scents? I'd like to add some to the tub."
Come to think of it, a smell this bad wouldn't wash off with just plain water.
"We do, but that will be an extra three copper coins."
If it could get rid of this stench, it was a bargain. I immediately handed over three more coppers. Only then did the employee look satisfied.
"I'll wait out here, so soak yourself in there until the smell is completely gone."
"I don't smell!"
"Why don't you sniff the back of your hand and say that again?"
At my words, she sniffed the back of her hand and immediately began to gag.
"Don't just sit in the water. Make sure you scrub yourself thoroughly."
"Of... course... *cough, cough*...!"
A sudden doubt crossed my mind. "You do know how to wash yourself, right?"
"What on earth do you take me for?"
A stray cat... no, a princess might actually not know how to bathe herself. After all, in Western dramas, princesses usually had maids to bathe them. Fortunately, that didn't seem to be the case here. It wasn't like I could wash her myself.
"Then stop stalling and get in. Our time is limited."
At that, Elsie reluctantly opened the bathroom door. Then she looked back at me.
What is it now?
As I stared at her in silence, Elsie asked hesitantly, "You're... really not coming in, right?"
I felt like I had already said this ten times. "I'm not going in."
"Really?"
How could I make this girl believe me? After debating it for a moment, I simply pushed her inside and shut the door.
As expected, physical solutions were always the most effective.
What is with him...?
Princess Ersiala—self-proclaimed Elsie—stared at the door while soaking in the tub. The warm water she hadn't felt in ages, combined with the gentle, sweet fragrance rising from the tub, melted the tension right out of her body. Yet, she couldn't stop her mind from racing.
Just who is that guy?
The nameless man standing right outside the door. Come to think of it, she realized she still didn't even know his name. Not that she needed to know it, since she planned to run away the moment she saw an opportunity.
Still... maybe I should at least say thank you before I leave.
For reasons she couldn't fathom, she had received an immense amount of help from him. She had filled her stomach for the first time in forever and slept in a cozy bed. Considering she would have been starving and drenched in the rain all night without him, he felt like a literal lifesaver.
And now, she was soaking in a warm bath. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt this comfortable. Honestly, the only reason she could let her guard down enough to bathe was because he was standing right outside. ...He was still there, right?
"Um, are you still out there?"
"Yeah."
For some reason, a wave of relief washed over her. But in the next moment, his voice drifted through the door.
"If my being here makes you uncomfortable, I can pretend I'm not."
"No! Please keep pretending you're there!"
The moment the words left her mouth, she realized how bizarre they sounded. But she decided not to dwell on it. She had already realized she was acting strange since yesterday.
It's all because of the Constellation.
She stared into the empty air. As she did, glowing letters materialized before her eyes.
The Constellation watches you with a warm smile.
Warm smile, my foot...
These letters were invisible to anyone but her. She only knew they were the words of a being called a 'Constellation'; she herself knew very little about what it actually was. But one thing was certain: the Constellation's guidance was the main reason she had made it this far.
She hadn't trusted the Constellation from the very beginning. But from the moment she uncovered her ancestors' final will with its help, she had no choice but to pay attention to its words. And when a coup d'état erupted in the royal palace exactly as the Constellation had foretold, her belief became absolute.
During her flight to this place, the Constellation had shown her all sorts of survival methods. To stay alive, she had no choice but to obey. Those methods hadn't always been foolproof. Yet, even in the most hair-raising situations, she had somehow managed to scrape through with sheer luck.
After countless trials and tribulations, she had finally arrived here in Vasilium. The Constellation had set a destination for her, and she absolutely had to pass through this town to reach it.
But in the end, disaster struck. The toll of her perilous journey had finally caught up to her. She had dimly realized it herself—that she probably wouldn't survive last night.
And then, a man had appeared.
The timing was so suspiciously perfect that she had doubted him at first. But the Constellation had spoken.
The Constellation commands you to trust the man.
She had to follow it. She always had.
And so, pushing her doubts aside, she chose to trust him. After all, if she didn't trust him, she would die anyway, right?
She still vividly remembered how her older sisters had met their ends. She would rather die on the cold streets than suffer such a fate at the hands of strange men.
Yet, this man had rewarded her trust. At least, so far.
I still can't let my guard down.
She knew all too well how brazen people could be when they wanted to deceive someone. That Knight Commander bastard was proof of that. The man who had always bowed with a solemn face, repeating "Your Highness" ad nauseam, turned out to be the ringleader behind her father's dethronement. The sheer weight of the betrayal she felt upon learning that truth was something she could never forget.
So, I must not fully trust this man either.
She knew she shouldn't. And yet, for some reason, her body refused to cooperate.
She looked up at the small window near the top of the bathroom wall.
If it's only the second floor, I won't get hurt.
If she could find something to step on, she could probably escape through that window. That would be the end of her association with him.
But her body, for some inexplicable reason, recoiled at the thought.
No, it's not my body refusing.
She corrected herself. She simply didn't want to do it.
The bathwater was still warm, and the sweet scent continued to tickle her nose. She wanted to savor this comfort for just a little longer.
What is wrong with me...? Her mind grew hazy amidst the rising steam.
Why am I acting like this?
"Excuse me, guest. Your time for the bath is up."
Leaning against the door, lost in thought, I snapped out of it at the employee's voice.
"Ah, has it been that long already?"
"Yes. Could you please ask your sister to come out now?"
"Of course."
After checking to make sure I was still outside a few times, Elsie had gone completely quiet. It seemed she was thoroughly enjoying her bath. I hadn't wanted to disturb her, so I had kept quiet. Still, we couldn't overstay our welcome.
"Elsie, time's up. Get dressed and come out."
But there was no answer. I called out to her again.
"Elsie? Elsie?"
Was she asleep? I knocked on the door and raised my voice.
"Elsie!"
Forget an answer; there wasn't even a rustle of movement. A sudden dread gripped my chest.
Don't tell me... I threw the bathroom door open and rushed inside.
Fortunately, Elsie was still in the tub. But it was too early to breathe a sigh of relief.
Please, no! A flurry of worst-case scenarios flashed through my mind. Her body was already severely weakened. What if she had an allergic reaction to the bath scents?
Panicking, I activated Wind Authority to close the distance instantly and reached for her pulse.
It should be right around here...
Having learned CPR during my track and field days, I knew where to check for a pulse. Once my fingers found the steady thrum, I let out a long breath of relief.
Thank goodness.
Her pulse was faint, but it was definitely there. Which meant...
"Elsie, wake up."
She had a pulse, but she showed no signs of waking.
Did she pass out?
It seemed all her accumulated exhaustion had hit her at once the moment she finally relaxed. Regardless, I couldn't just leave her in the tub.
I guess I have no choice.
After making sure the bathroom door was firmly shut, I pulled a spare set of my own clothes from my inventory. And then, I gave myself a command. It was the first time I was trying a command like this, so I had no idea if it would actually work.
Forget everything you see for the next five minutes.
Rustle.
I turned my head to see Elsie sitting up. Her skin, clean after her first bath in ages, was pale and smooth. The foul stench from before was completely gone, replaced by the sweet scent of the bath herbs. But that wasn't what I was worried about.
"Are you feeling any better?"
At my question, Elsie, who already looked a bit dazed, stared at me with an even blanker expression.
"Huh?"
"Don't you remember? You passed out in the bath."
"U-uh?"
Her eyes darted around as if she had temporarily lost the ability to speak, before she suddenly remembered something and mumbled, "I was definitely taking a bath in the tub, and then..."
Suddenly, the tips of her ears flushed a deep crimson.
"...I passed out?"
She looked up at me, her eyes practically begging for the truth.
Since she doesn't seem to remember exactly when she lost consciousness...
I decided to tell a white lie.
"Don't worry. You were already dressed when I found you."
At those words, she placed a hand over her chest and let out a massive sigh of relief. But then, she noticed it.
"Whose clothes are these?"
I hadn't thought that far ahead.
Well, whatever.
Still, I had learned something valuable, so it was a win. I now knew that Absolute Obedience couldn't interfere with memory. It made sense, considering the trait was strictly limited to my physical body.