Chapter 89
Chapter 89
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Bath Time with Mother
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...It's gotten better than before.
But still, entering the bathroom together with Rozalin like this was difficult.
I had no idea why she suddenly suggested we bathe together.
"Camellia."
Rozalin and I... were in the bathroom.
It had improved compared to the past, but this situation still felt far from easy.
What on earth should I do in a situation like this...
"How's the water temperature? Not too hot, right?"
"It's fine..."
"That's a relief. It would be terrible if I made it too hot and you got a burn."
"Haha..."
"You know... I've always wondered since you were little. Camellia, your skin is just so good."
"Is it...?"
I was sitting on a stool, while Rozalin slowly washed my back from behind me.
My head really... hurt.
It had definitely improved since before, but I just couldn't get used to situations like this with Rozalin.
Lately, I'd gotten so comfortable with Lize during baths that I even teased her, yet with Rozalin, I couldn't even joke around, let alone speak properly.
I truly had no idea how to make this current situation any better...
"Your skin is so white and smooth."
"Haha..."
"Mine's pretty fair too, but yours has this especially bright tone, you know?"
"That's just because I don't go outside much..."
"Hehe, is that so? Well... our Camellia does love staying home. You hardly ever go out unless it's for business, right?"
Rozalin whispered those words as she slowly washed my body with water.
Her hand touched my back.
My face was probably a little flushed by now.
"You should try meeting a few more friends. You're always cooped up at home."
"My friends all live far away..."
"That's no excuse. You could make new ones. There are plenty of nobles in the south. I'm sure you'd find more if you looked."
"Well..."
That's true.
But I didn't feel the need to meet or seek out other friends...
Besides, meeting kids my age was honestly tough.
Even back when I met Ella and the kids from various noble houses, it had been so hard, so naturally, building friendships with other noble children was out of the question.
Truth be told, my friendship with Ella started mostly because of business, and that's how it really happened.
"You really should make more friends. How can it be the same as when you were eight?"
"Haha..."
...Yeah, that's kind of weird.
Even I thought so. It was ridiculous that in the four years since I was eight, the people I could call friends hadn't changed much.
No, even at eight, aside from Lize, it was just Ella and Karen...
"...You're right."
It really is strange.
"But you'll probably make lots of friends once you enter the academy, right? Your mom made tons of friends there too."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Back when I was living at my family home, I didn't have any friends or close people, so it felt really awkward... but somehow, things worked out."
It felt like I might have touched on some bad memory of Rozalin's.
But we'd already talked it through properly once before.
A story like this now... should be fine.
"I just can't stop worrying about you going to the academy, Camellia."
"Why do you always say that...? Even so, you don't need to worry that much..."
"You don't get it because you're Camellia. The kids at the academy are so young. There aren't many as mature and grown-up as you."
"Is that so...?"
Honestly... she'd been worrying so excessively from the start that it was making me more anxious instead.
No matter how bad Camellia Leonhardt's reputation was... was the academy really something to worry about that much?
What kind of place was the academy, anyway...
"Ah, how's this? Does it hurt?"
"No, it's gentle. Feels good."
...Anyway, as we talked like that, Rozalin was washing my wet hair.
Slowly.
With careful, gentle touches as she stroked my hair.
Honestly, I didn't hate those touches, but feeling something maternal in them...
Made it feel so awkward.
"Our Camellia's blonde hair is always so pretty, it's almost magical no matter how many times I see it."
"Is it...?"
"Sometimes I think other people's blonde hair is pretty too. But yours has this especially beautiful color that's just stunning."
Rozalin's compliments always made me happy yet embarrassed.
I understood myself sometimes, and other times I didn't.
"Looks like we're done. How's it feel?"
"This should... be good."
And so, Rozalin had washed my entire body... except for a few certain areas.
Even though I'd already cleaned up thoroughly that morning, we still needed to do this before getting into the tub.
...So we washed.
I was pretty shocked by Rozalin's sudden invitation and words... but anyway.
After washing my body completely, Rozalin started washing her own.
"........"
"What? Something to say?"
"Mother."
It felt... a bit uncomfortable, I guess.
Or maybe I didn't like it.
I didn't like just being the one embarrassed because of Rozalin, having my body washed by her touch... It bothered me.
Of course, I knew she meant well, but regardless of her intentions, I was too embarrassed.
Yet Rozalin acted so nonchalantly, which irritated me a little.
"Shall I wash you?"
"Huh?"
"It feels bad receiving only. I've never done it for you before. I want to return the favor this time."
That's why I ended up saying something weird like that to Rozalin.
Even though it wasn't weird at all.
"Uh... sure?"
Rozalin looked a bit surprised by my odd question but accepted casually.
Well... it wasn't odd to begin with.
It was just... washing her body, that's all...?
"...Then have a seat. Just a moment..."
After her agreement, I moved behind Rozalin, who was sitting on the bath stool.
Because washing her while facing her would be... weird in its own way...?
"You doing this for me... is a first, Camellia."
"...Yeah."
"It's kind of exciting. You used to hate even bathing together before."
"That's...!"
"Hehe, I know. We weren't as close back then. It couldn't be helped."
"......."
...She brought up the past so suddenly, and it embarrassed me.
Now it was Rozalin being washed and touched, unlike earlier.
So why was I the one getting more embarrassed? I really... couldn't understand it.
Anyway.
"...Then I'll start?"
"Yeah, do whatever."
"......."
No.
Why say it like that...
"...Okay."
I'd done it out of a sense of injustice, thinking only I was embarrassed and wanting to make Rozalin feel it a little too.
But now it felt like I was the one suffering more, which was absurd.
Of course... it wasn't like I could stop now.
-Splash...
"Hmm..."
...For now, I started sprinkling water on Rozalin's body appropriately.
Just like she'd done to me.
Before soaping or shampooing, first wetting her skin with water...
"Is it warm enough?"
"Yeah. Perfect for me."
"Then I'll add a bit more."
Since she liked it... I poured more water on Rozalin.
Each time the water hit, it grew shinier, I suppose...?
Her already sparkling skin started to gleam even more.
Honestly, it felt a little...
"........"
Strange.
It felt like I was doing something I shouldn't.
Of course, it wasn't wrong at all. It was just... a normal mother-daughter bath.
Yet the fact that such thoughts weren't coming properly made me realize nothing had really changed from before.
"Um... time for soap..."
I shouldn't have offered.
As always, I regretted it after acting on impulse.
Even as a kid, whenever an idea popped into my head, I'd just go for it without thinking. I don't know why.
Of course, thanks to that, I got much closer to Karen... and gained benefits in other areas too.
But right now, it was definitely a stupid decision.
"You can scrub a little harder."
"...Okay."
Just a normal comment.
Just saying it was fine to rub a bit harder with the soapy shower towel on her body.
But maybe because we were in the bathroom, my head felt weird.
I kept interpreting it strangely.
"Eut..."
"......."
Even her normal sound made me mistake it for something weird.
Really... even I thought it was odd.
"Camellia, pressing there like that feels good."
"H-here...?"
"Yeah.... Feels nice..."
Then, instead of just washing, I gave a bit of a massage too.
And so...
"Hngh..."
"...Mother."
"Hehe... Feels good getting a massage. But this isn't quite right during a shower. Still, thanks for doing it."
"...Okay."
...We just stayed like that.
It wasn't anything strange, just normal.
A daughter returning the favor by washing her mother, who had washed her... nothing more.
"...Gulp."
Just... that much.
"Hah..."
Of course, separately from that.
The biggest problem was that no matter how I tried to think of something else, Rozalin's back kept drawing my eyes and messing with my head.