Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Awkward Bath Talk
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"........"
"........"
I entered the bathroom with Lize.
Originally, I had planned to just have a normal conversation with Lize in the room.
That made the most sense, of course... talking in the room would be the cleanest way...?
So, I thought we'd just spend some time in the room like that, but somehow we ended up in the bathroom together.
And... naked, no less.
Unlike usual, this wasn't Lize coming in to attend to my bath.
'Try having a conversation while naked together.'
...Mother, no matter how I think about it, this seems a bit much.
She had forced me into it with that kind of insistence, but still, it felt... way too awkward.
"H-ha ha..."
"........"
"Um... Lize? For now, let's just wash up..."
"...Yes."
Lize didn't show any other reaction and simply replied like that, trying to attend to my bath as usual.
This went against Rozalin's instructions to just wash up casually and have a normal conversation without any attending.
"...Lize."
"........."
Was it that embarrassing for her?
Of course, it was plenty embarrassing, and since I'd already heard what Lize had to say, I understood completely.
But still, I didn't want to keep things awkward between us.
I had no idea what Rozalin's words would lead to, but somehow, I wanted to get close with Lize again.
"We should do as Mother said. Just come over here."
There was no need to fill the tub or have her attend to me—we could just wash up.
Like a normal bath in the bathing area.
I started walking slowly toward the inner part of the bathroom, blocking Lize from avoiding conversation and trying to attend to me.
Lize naturally followed behind me.
"Lize, just wash up normally. Don't worry about me."
Of course, given Lize's situation... well... it was like that.
It wasn't even skinship—just washing up side by side shouldn't be a big deal.
Lize being attracted to me...?
Even if she felt burdened by that, she'd seen my body plenty of times before.
She'd attended my baths since way back, and helped me change clothes.
I believed this wouldn't be a problem...
-Shwaaa...
We washed separately under the water flowing from the magic tool.
Usually, Lize would wash me after I got in the tub, but today was different—we were just doing it separately...
I figured I had to give Lize time to adjust, and honestly, even I was struggling to speak casually.
"...Ahem."
I roughly finished washing and turned toward Lize to talk... but she was still washing.
It felt awkward to start talking like that.
If she had finished, I would've suggested getting in the tub.
"........"
So, I decided to just stand under the water a bit longer.
Truth be told, there was no need to rush into the tub right away for that... naked conversation Rozalin mentioned.
It was better to take it slow, when Lize was comfortable.
"Lize."
"...Yes."
Only after Lize finished washing did our eyes meet.
...It felt like the first time facing each other naked.
I'd been naked plenty of times, but Lize had never been completely without clothes or even a towel.
It was really... super awkward.
"...Shall we get in?"
"...Yes."
...Just like that.
We entered the tub in this incredibly awkward atmosphere.
It was the first time entering the tub together with Lize.
The first time being together completely naked with Lize.
We'd spent a lot of time together in many ways, but all these firsts made it feel strange instead.
"Ahem..."
"........."
We didn't say a word to each other, just letting our bodies soak in the warm tub.
"Lize."
"Yes..."
"Um... uh... I have no idea how to start this."
This situation was a first for me too.
Talking to Karen or waking Ashley would've been easier.
The current vibe was just too awkward and uncomfortable.
"Um... so, Lize, does that mean you like me... sexually...?"
...Even saying it was embarrassing.
How could anyone say something like this casually?
I knew it was an unavoidable reaction, but it was still mortifying.
I felt like an even bigger idiot for saying this to Lize.
"So, like... wanting to hold me or something... ugh... sorry..."
I couldn't even finish the sentence.
How had Lize responded so normally that day?
It was hard enough for me just to ask her, so I could only imagine how tough it was for her to speak casually to me.
"...Anyway, is that it?"
"...A little. It's different."
"Oh...?"
If it was a little different, then how exactly?
Lize's words only confused me more.
"...I don't have feelings for you, Young Lady, or any suspicious emotions toward you. I just feel like I might do something awful to you..."
"Awful?"
"...Yes."
"Hmm...?"
Hearing Lize say that... actually piqued my interest.
It sounded a bit perverted, but honestly, I was curious.
It was believable coming from Lize herself.
The most I could imagine was... something like not putting sugar in my usual tea.
"Pfft..."
"...?"
"Puh... puh ha...!"
Lize hadn't even said anything, but I started imagining it anyway.
Lize with an extremely angry face, mixing super bitter herbs into my tea.
Seriously...
"Lize... really... pfft..."
Just imagining it was hilarious, and it seemed so cute.
Lize was always so obedient, listening well and objectively kind—she didn't seem like the type to do bad things.
Even her worst offense would probably be something that minor.
"What kind of bad thing do you think you'd do? Tell me."
"Uh..."
Was that why?
I could ask Lize so casually now.
Just moments ago, I thought I couldn't even speak, but now it came out naturally.
"Hmm? What bad thoughts could our Lize have?"
I drew even closer to Lize in the tub.
"Y-Young Lady..."
"Yeah? Lize, what bad thoughts? Hmm?"
I started bombarding her with questions while smiling.
As I approached, Lize looked even more embarrassed, but honestly, that was fun too.
I kept getting closer until our skin was almost touching.
Just a tiny movement more, and I'd touch her.
"Hehe... answer quickly."
"...Just... wanting to lean on you more, or hold your hand..."
"Is that a bad thought?"
"As a maid, thinking like that..."
"Why not?"
Lize's face was already so red it couldn't get redder.
Part of it was the warm tub, but mostly from embarrassment.
Lize had always been the shy type.
"Like this..."
I placed my hand on Lize's hand under the water.
The sensation was disappointingly muted compared to touching above water, but it didn't matter.
"Even holding hands isn't allowed?"
"Young Lady... if you do this..."
"You said you don't have those kinds of feelings for me, and your worst thoughts are just wanting to stay like this more."
"Still..."
Lize was such a worrier.
She'd always worried about me a lot, but right now it was especially bad.
Anyone would think we were forbidden lovers kissing and doing weird stuff.
When in reality, it was just same-sex hand-holding and hugs at most.
Looking at it this way, maybe I'd been treating Lize too maturely.
She was taller than me, but still not quite an adult.
Our age difference wasn't that big either...
"Pfft... Lize? No need to worry so much. We're friends, right?"
"Friends...?"
"I don't hold hands or spend time like this with people I'm not close to, do I?"
"...Yes."
"Sure, you're my exclusive maid, but I don't think I've ever treated you just like a maid or servant."
Of course, since she was my exclusive maid, there were times I treated her as a subordinate.
But I'd never truly thought of her that way in our daily interactions.
Since we were kids, Lize had always been my friend, like an older sister, and a great helper.
"So... holding hands like this is no problem, right?"
As I said that, I intertwined our fingers properly.
Until now, I'd just placed my hand on hers.
"Right?"
"...If that's what you want, Young Lady."
"Good."
Lize's expression relaxed completely compared to before.
Had my rambling helped? Honestly, I hadn't expected it to resolve so easily.
I never imagined that just talking like Rozalin said would fix it.
"Um, Young Lady...?"
"Yeah."
"When do we let go of hands..."
"Didn't you say you wanted to hold on more?"
"That's...!"
"So, let's hold a bit longer. Until we get out?"
If the shy Lize kept holding hands like this in front of others, her face wouldn't just turn red—it'd explode.
"Let's stay like this a little more."
"...Yes."
So I said that, and Lize agreed.
We hadn't said anything huge, either of us.
But the awkward, stifling atmosphere of the past few days was gone.
That alone was enough.
"But Lize, does that mean you like girls?"
"Yes...?"
"I'm curious. Feeling attracted to women is different from liking women, right?"
Honestly, I was pretty curious.
Of course, I knew this question was a bit rude and weird.
"I don't... like them. It's just... you're so pretty, Young Lady... sparkling and shining..."
"...Oh?"
The shy Lize seemed even cuter today.
She definitely felt cuter than usual.