Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Bath Time Embrace
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"Ugh..."
"Is something uncomfortable?"
"No, not that..."
Uncomfortable... it wasn't.
Even though I was currently nestled in Rozalin's arms in the bath.
I couldn't call it uncomfortable.
...Honestly, it was soft and felt good.
A woman's body was like that. Unlike a man's, the skin was soft and smooth... and various parts were plush, giving a strange sensation.
"That's a relief, then?"
"Yes..."
"Compared to the bathroom at Leonhardt Mansion, it's a bit lacking... but still nice, right?"
"Y-Yes..."
Somehow, I'd ended up in the bath while held in Rozalin's arms.
Originally, I'd planned to just sit beside her, but when Rozalin asked if she could hold me... I agreed...
...It was more embarrassing than I'd imagined. Since Rozalin was holding me from behind, she couldn't see my face, but it was probably beet red by now.
I could feel the heat in my cheeks myself.
"Oh, right. I had steak prepared for dinner tonight. I was thinking pasta or stew, but you must be a little tired from going out, right?"
"Yes..."
"But everything worked out so well. Isn't that great?"
"Yes......"
I was responding while held in Rozalin's arms, but it didn't feel like I was doing it properly.
My head felt all fuzzy.
The sensation of Rozalin's chest pressing from behind, her arms around me—everything was so strange in so many ways. Especially her voice whispering right into my ear from behind.
Honestly, every single one of those things was stimulating.
Rozalin probably had no such thoughts or intentions. It was just me, constantly like this.
At first, I'd thought I'd get used to sharing a bath with Rozalin like this, but the current situation was bewildering and confusing in every way.
"Hehe... This feels nice..."
"Does it...?"
"Yeah, I told you before, didn't I? I want to get closer to you, Camellia."
"That... I do too..."
I knew that to some extent. Rozalin's personality was like that from the start.
She treated me so kindly. Naturally, I'd thought the same, and I wanted to get closer to Rozalin too.
Because she wanted a stepmother... no, a family?
It was some vague intention like that, but I didn't want to see Rozalin run away like the previous stepmother.
"How about getting closer to me, Camellia? Oh, was that too direct...?"
"No. I... want to get closer to you too, Mother."
The situation was embarrassing in many ways, but it wasn't a question I couldn't answer.
I really did want to get closer to Rozalin.
"Really? Hearing that from you makes me so happy."
"It's not that much..."
"But you're the only one at Leonhardt Mansion who's close to me, right? Of course I'm happy. Aren't you, Camellia?"
"...I'm happy too."
I didn't dislike it.
That was my answer to Rozalin's question whispered from behind.
In truth, more urgent than conversing with Rozalin was the current situation of being held in her arms without a stitch of clothing.
Rozalin's feminine form was felt so clearly across most of my back, and the Rozalin holding me was so... bright.
Yet here I was, held in her arms, neither bright nor pure—only indecent and other strange thoughts kept surfacing in my mind.
In contrast, the Rozalin holding me truly saw me as... her daughter. Thinking of me only as a little child made me feel guilty.
Of course, separate from the guilt, those strange thoughts still arose.
"Hehe... You seem like such a good girl, Camellia."
"...Do I?"
"Yeah, honestly, I don't feel much like a mother. I'm a stepmother, right? Yet you say such kind things."
"........"
That wasn't true.
Rozalin said I was a good girl for saying that. But I didn't see myself that way.
If anything, wasn't I bad, or... a little strange?
Since I'd been an adult before, I honestly didn't feel much like a child.
I sometimes liked sweet foods or cute, pretty things. But even so, I often thought I didn't feel like a child this age.
"I'm really... glad to have met a child like you, Camellia."
"...I think so too."
Rozalin spoke so positively that I gave that answer.
She was genuinely kind, but she also expressed her kind heart and thoughts so openly.
"Um... Mother."
"Yes?"
"Mother is..."
...A thought had come to mind.
It was problematic to say it had just come up. Rather, I'd thought this about Rozalin since the first time we met—from way back.
I hoped Rozalin wouldn't leave like the previous mother, wouldn't run away... that kind of thought.
"What else do you want to do in Melnik?"
There were many thoughts and feelings in my heart.
But I deliberately didn't voice them.
It would be a burden. Though Rozalin had become my mother and was older than me now, she was still just shy of adulthood.
I didn't want to burden her too much. I had no power or authority, nor any particular means to sway her heart.
Just... getting closer to Rozalin right now was the best.
Unlike the previous stepmother, Rozalin wanted to get along with me too, so... I just wanted to get along well.
No matter what the future with Rozalin held.
"I... want to spend more fun times with you before going, Camellia."
"...Then after meeting Older Sister Karen... before heading back to the mansion. Let's have lots of fun."
"Shall we?"
"Yes. There aren't many fun things around our mansion anyway. Not much in the way of entertainment. And once we return, there'll be things to do again."
"Hehe, then we really should have fun before leaving. Should I ask Lize to look into some places to visit around Melnik?"
"Yes, do that. We should... have a really good time before going back."
I planned to spend as much good time with Rozalin as possible before leaving.
Regardless of other things. Just spend good time with Rozalin and return to Leonhardt Mansion that way.
I reduced thoughts of her running away or disappearing.
I simply focused on the time with Rozalin right now.
"By the way, Camellia... your hair feels so fine. Is it because you're young?"
"...Mother's young too."
Suddenly, Rozalin started touching my hair.
Of course, I didn't dislike the touch, but it felt a bit awkward.
The only times someone other than me touched my hair were when Lize styled or washed it.
"Is that so? Still, my hair doesn't feel as incredibly fine as yours. It's so thin and soft... like the finest silk. Is it because Lize takes such good care of you?"
"Maybe...? I don't do any special hair care..."
"That's amazing..."
Rozalin kept fiddling with my hair, continuously praising how pretty and soft it was.
By the end, it was just hair compliments, but I was the one getting embarrassed.
"...Mother's pretty anyway."
"Hm?"
"...From the first time we met, I thought... you were really pretty."
Rozalin kept complimenting me so much.
Embarrassed and wanting her to stop, I said that.
Honestly... it was quite embarrassing. Not just any compliments, but hearing about my appearance from Rozalin gave that feeling.
I hadn't felt this embarrassed when William's business partners occasionally said such things upon seeing my face.
I'd just accepted it, without even caring.
"Really?"
"...Yes?"
Rozalin's response to my words felt... somehow off.
My words were just said out of embarrassment from her constant compliments, yet she reacted so brightly.
So happily surprised that I couldn't help but question it. She was someone who was obviously pretty enough to warrant such thoughts.
Her black hair and green eyes might seem ordinary, but she was too pretty for that.
So why was she reacting like she was pleased and surprised by my words?
"You think... I'm that pretty, Camellia?"
"Uh... yes...?"
"I'm glad. Hearing that from such a pretty girl like you."
"You must hear compliments like that all the time..."
"Well, yes... but I like hearing it anyway."
"I see...?"
"Yeah. Thanks for saying that."
"...?"
I didn't get it.
Why was Rozalin so happy over mere compliments? Her looks were something she'd surely heard about plenty before, so why?
It was more baffling than being held in her arms.
"But Mother...? When are you going to stop with the hair...?"
"Why? Was it uncomfortable?"
"Not that... but you're keeping at my hair..."
It wasn't interfering with my thoughts, but Rozalin kept touching my hair.
It felt ticklish somehow...
"I just love stroking your hair so much. I got carried away without realizing. Sorry if it bothered you."
"It's not uncomfortable..."
"Still. It probably wasn't entirely pleasant, right?"
"...Really, no."
Honestly, I didn't dislike Rozalin touching and stroking my hair.
It actually felt pretty good in its own way... I was just curious why she kept doing it.
Of course, if Rozalin enjoyed it... I had no intention of telling her to stop.