Cursed Blind Woman (2)
As I stepped into the bathhouse, there wasn't a single staff member at the counter—only Ukun, scratching his chin. The noise I'd heard was leaking out from the women's side.
"Hey, dwarf. What's going on?"
"A fight broke out. But it's the women's bath, so I can't go in. I'm just standing out here."
"A fight?"
I tuned my ears to the sounds from the women's bath. That's when clearer voices rang out.
"Whether I pour milk on myself or chug blended veggies, what business is it of yours?!"
"Why wouldn't it be? You're making the bathwater filthy! Did you rent the whole place out just for yourself?!"
"A little might mix in from my body! And you're the one hogging all the good spots so no one else can sit— who are you to tell me what to do?!"
Some middle-aged women were at each other's throats. Their shrill, vicious bickering made my head throb just listening to it.
"Please don't fight... There are other guests here too..."
Della's timid voice slipped in amid the chaos.
"Goddamn bitches. Last time, they tried stealing towels and got caught red-handed right in front of me, then started groping around and throwing a fit."
Ukun clicked his tongue and spat out curses.
"Yesterday, fucking hell. The bath drain was clogged, and when I checked—egg shells, boiled potatoes, half-melted cheese. Total shitshow. Did they come to bathe or to pig out?"
The dwarf's face flushed redder as his profanity ramped up.
"I'd hang 'em upside down in a furnace and call it justice. They swarm in packs, take over the lounge for booze-ups, claim 'our spot in the neighborhood' so no one else can use it, piss in the tubs. I'd shove their fingers between a hammer and anvil mid-forging by 'accident,' fuck. And why the hell are they trying to rip out the faucets? Huh? Their cunts so wrecked they're leaking nonstop, so they wanna plug 'em in and turn on the tap whenever?"
"Calm down, Ukun."
"Calm down? You think I can just watch my sacred bathhouse get defiled by you primitive humans?!"
"What can we do? Della and I have to handle it. Is the men's side that bad too?"
"What? Men's side?"
Ukun, mid-rant, now looked utterly baffled as he scratched his chin beard.
"That's weird, huh..."
"What's weird?"
"That blonde girl put four hundred towels in the men's bath... but when I counted yesterday, it was four hundred and fourteen."
"Fourteen extra? Not mixed up with the women's?"
Ukun shook his head vigorously.
"Nah. Different from the ones we bought. Those fourteen are all different shapes, sizes, colors—total mismatch."
"What the...?"
"Beats me."
Ukun and I exchanged glances and shrugged in unison.
"By the way, dwarf, how do you even know the towel count down to the last one?"
"You bastard! It's my bathhouse— of course I keep track of every little detail!"
"What? Since when is it yours? Hilarious."
"I clean, restock supplies, order what's short, man the counter, maintain the facilities—I'm basically the owner!"
His absurd logic cracked me up. This guy said he'd head back to the mines after a month of maintenance, but here he was, working like a full employee. Fine by me, though.
Just then, the women's bath door swung open, and a haggard Della stumbled out.
"Ah... Master... you're here...?"
"Della. You okay? I heard fighting."
"All sorted... I gave 'em free lemonade to cool off, and they calmed down..."
Leaning on the wall, Della rubbed her forehead with a sigh.
"Hey! Blonde bitch! Next time they fight, you gonna hand out drinks again? Then they'll expect it and bitch if you don't! Should've shut 'em down hard from the start!"
"Enough, Ukun. If she could've, she would have. That's Della doing her best."
"Ugh, damn humans..."
Della slumped into the counter chair, leaning back with a deep sigh.
"Neighborhood gangs... fighting every day over prime spots... Can't exactly reserve seats in a public bath..."
"Yeah. Cave to the loudmouths, and you're done for."
"My head's pounding... Never imagined this... Why fight in a shared bath? Sitting from morning to night... gossiping... stuffing bags with food, dirtying the floors... bugging me to set 'em up with their sons..."
Ukun burst out laughing.
"Hey, Balder. The sons they wanna hook you up with? This year's fifty. Hahaha! Same age as me! Twice the blonde's age!"
Ukun clutched his gut roaring with laughter; Della looked even more drained. Seeing her utterly spent, I made up my mind. Send everyone to the festival. Inn can close a day—no big deal. Grace Bay trip proved it.
But first, fix this. Can't let Della keep getting pushed around.
"Ukun. Go fetch Pelle."
A moment later, the women who'd started the fight filed out, bowing to Della.
"Miss... sorry... we were rude..."
"Just a little spat that got out of hand..."
"The towels we 'accidentally' took home? Bringing 'em right back today..."
Behind the profusely apologizing women stood Pelle, arms crossed indifferently, leaning on the door.
Della, flustered, bowed back awkwardly.
"Oh... no... it's fine... Just no more fighting, bathe nicely from now on..."
"Of course... we will..."
They slunk away, glancing nervously at Pelle, then scattered.
Business done, Pelle vanished straight into the inn passage.
"Hey, yellow-hair! How'd that horn-head make those bitches heel?!"
"No idea... She just said a few words, and they folded..."
"What'd she say?!"
"Something like boiling the tub water right now and turning 'em into boiled chickens... I was so scared I plugged my ears—missed the rest..."
Figures. A horned demon saying that in a cold tone? Normal to freak out. Might never see those women again, but who cares. Catering to them just screws over the quiet majority. Better prioritize the silent masses over loud minorities.
Next day, we closed the inn and bathhouse after lunch so staff could hit the festival. They were thrilled—Marim especially, bouncing like she'd faint from joy. I handed out pocket money for snacks and trinkets.
But Pelle refused hers.
"Why? Not going?"
"Staying in my room."
Makes sense. She hates rowdy crowds, and as a demon, the stares must suck. Still, I wanted to drag her along, show her fun stuff.
"Nope. You're coming."
Pelle stared blankly, then nodded with a bored expression.
"Why no money for me, you bastard!"
Ukun thrust out his meaty palm, fuming. I dropped a silver coin; he bellowed for more.
"Why should I? You're not even inn staff!"
"I work the bathhouse!"
"Who held a knife to your throat?"
Still, I tossed another silver. Ukun pocketed it quietly.
We headed downtown. The circus tents, still going up yesterday, now loomed grandly, swarmed by massive crowds in full festival frenzy. Every Rosens citizen seemed out.
Gonna get swept up and floated along if not careful. Idwild gripped Marim's hand tight, scared to lose her.
"Ow, let go! I can walk alone!"
"No... too many people... lose you and gone forever..."
Francois chuckled behind them; Della clung to my arm. Pelle scowled, bumping folks and getting pissed.
"Hey! Bertrand! C'mere! Let's try that!"
Ukun yanked my pant leg, pointing. Toy crossbow range. Pay up, load rubber-tipped quarrels into a toy crossbow, knock down wooden blocks stacked floor-to-ceiling twenty meters off. Blocks painted different colors for points; total score from five shots wins prizes.
Blocks in a 7x7 grid, forty-nine total, on open-backed shelves—hit 'em, they flip back and drop.
"Kids' stuff? Really?"
"Oh! Look, Master! Cute plushies!"
Della giggled, pointing at prize dolls: round, stuffed monster shapes.
...Could snag one for her.
Ukun and I paid, got five rubber quarrels and toy crossbows each. Waiting my turn, I tallied scores—suspicious. Even perfect high scores wouldn't nab a doll. Needed multiple rounds to accumulate.
"Mister. They just gotta fall over, right?"
"Yep, sir. Knock 'em down, that's it."
Hmm. So that's how it is...