How the Useless Me Became the Beloved of the Devilish Duke Knight - Chapter 16
Chapter 16 : Bath and Maid
“Now, let me take your clothes first.”
“Am I supposed to take off my clothes!?”
The woman, who had brought Elma to what seemed like a changing room, promptly attempted to start her work.
However, as Elma widened her eyes in surprise, the woman blinked her round eyes rapidly.
“Is the young lady the kind of person who bathes with her clothes on?”
“No…well, if you’re going to take a bath, you’ll need to take your clothes off. But…”
“Yes.”
“Um… I can do it alone, or rather… that…”
“This is an old house, so if it’s your first time here, there may be a lot of things you’re not used to. Please don’t hesitate to ask for anything.”
“Is…that so…?”
Taking a bath. That was already a decision Elma had accepted a while ago. However, suddenly getting undressed in front of others is something she’s not used to.
‘What should I do? I’m an outsider, so I think it’s better to follow their rules, but…’
“Does it bother you that I’m watching you?”
She couldn’t bring herself to undress, but she also wasn’t sure if she should ask to be left alone. As Elma hesitated, the woman seemed to sense something, and extended a helping hand.
“I-I’m sorry! Um…!”
“No, no. Come to think of it, having your clothes taken off by a stranger all of a sudden must be unpleasant, especially for a young lady. The intention is for you to relax, so if I make you uncomfortable and tired, it would be to put the cart before the horse[1].”
The round, plump woman didn’t seem offended by Elma’s blunt attitude, and continued to explain while smiling and gesturing with her hands.
“After you put your clothes in there, please go through the front door. I’ll be waiting nearby, so if you have any troubles, please feel free to ask.”
“I’m sorry…thank you.”
“No, no. Please take your time.”
The woman bowed and disappeared. Elma, who is finally alone, slowly begins to make her move, even though she is uncomfortable.
‘Still… It’s so… spacious…’
The old mansion Elma moved to has a bath facility, but it is old and small, with only one room serving as both the changing area and the bathtub. Or rather, she just discovered another mystery of the world, that there is a house with separate bathtubs.
In addition to a mirror, there’s something resembling a washbasin in this room. Just getting water from there would be enough to clean her body. However, what the woman showed to her was a door to the unknown.
Fighting back the feeling of dizziness, Elma took off her clothes, folded them easily, and walked towards the direction she was told.
When Elma manages to open the door with some anticipation, a sudden burst of steam fills the room. Elma hurriedly takes a step back, then stands there in shock.
The bathtub was so large that there was still enough room for her to lie down, and it was filled with plenty of hot water.
It looked more like a pond than a bathtub. The floor and walls seem to be made of marble. A soft orange light gently illuminates the room.
‘Wha… what should I do? What am I supposed to do here…!?’
No, she has to wash her body. She was told to wash her body. There was plenty of hot water in front of her.
However, she felt that it was unforgivable that a dirty little thing like herself should enter this shiny room and make it dirty.
After a moment of hesitation, Elma retreats to the changing room. She borrowed the towel provided and wrapped it around her body before she rang the doorbell.
Soon, the slightly chubby woman in her work attire comes over.
“Sorry …… for calling you so quickly.”
“No, no. How can I help you?”
“Um… I don’t know how to use it. Or rather, is it really okay to wash my body here…?”
“Of course.”
Putting aside her embarrassment and feeling a bit awkward, Elma cautiously asked.
Yet, the woman just keeps smiling. However, when she catches sight of the clothes Elma is carrying, a look of confusion comes into her calm eyes.
“Young lady, by the way, what exactly are you…?”
“Um… I was planning to wash my clothes.”
“In the bathtub?”
“Yes. I always do it that way… ah.”
After all, Elma was sent here because she was dirty. Not just her body, but naturally, even these slightly dirty clothes need to be somewhat presentable if she wants permission to stay in the mansion.
Out of habit, she naturally tried to take her clothes to the bathroom, but on second thought, this is not her home, and she didn’t have any spare clothes.
“What should I do? If I wash this, I’ll have to wear wet clothes… but I can’t just leave it unwashed… Ugh…”
In front of Elma, who was at a loss, the woman opened her mouth wide and let out a laugh.
“Hahaha! It’s Elma-sama, right? Since the Young Master who’s brought you here, you’re such an interesting kid ! Don’t worry about it. We’ll take care of that for you. And I’ll make sure you have a change of clothes, too.”
“Is…Is that so ? You’re willing to lend me clothes? But, I’ll wash them myself…”
“It’s okay, it’s okay.”
The woman, who laughed to the point of tears welling up in her eyes, spoke in a much more casual tone. Elma was surprised by her sudden burst of laughter and handed over the clothes.
However, she felt somewhat relieved to hear a tone closer to the one she had grown accustomed to in the commoner’s quarter than to be treated with such a formal attitude.
The woman took Elma’s clothes and disappeared, and when she returned, she led her to her bathroom.
“That’s the bathtub— you can probably tell just by looking. First, please sit here and wash your body. Do you know the difference between shampoo and soap? This one’s for hair, and that one is used after finishing your hair. Then, this is for the body, and this small one is for the face.”
“H-huuhh… !?”
They’ve got different soaps for hair, body, and face. And what’s this ‘finishing hair’ soap? It’s the first time she’s heard of it.
Elma really doesn’t feel like she can handle it on her own. As Elma looked around in confusion, the woman laughed happily.
“I guess you do need some help after all. Our young lady is already married, and as for the young master, you know, he takes care of everything around him by himself, right? It’s been a while since I took care of someone younger! Come on, sit down, sit down!”
Elma hesitated. Not only is his body in shabby condition, but there are probably still some scars from her punishment.
Is it okay to expose such an unsightly thing to the public?
However, the woman seemed to be paying more attention to the ring she was wearing around her neck than to Elma’s naked body.
“Did you receive that from the young master?”
“Oh… right, I need to return it. I wouldn’t say I received it, more like… um, I was keeping it for him ?”
“…Hee, I see. What about that string?”
“It’s something important, so I used something I had at home to make sure I don’t lose it… Sorry, I’ll take it off.”
“Aah, no, no– ah, but…well, let’s keep it here for now.”
After receiving the ring from Elma, the woman began to polish her body. Occasionally, she’d be asked about areas that hurt or areas she shouldn’t touch, but there were no questions asked about her injuries.
It’s probably the first time in her life that she’s had her hair washed, but it feels better than her expected. Her embarrassment soon turns to comfort.
As her back is being rinsed in a flowery fragrance, gradually, Elma’s tension starts to ease. By the time she lays down in the bathtub, there’s even a moment of dozing off.
“Um…”
“I’m glad the young lady’s clothes are still in this mansion. Now, please choose whatever you like. We’ll adjust the size for you.”
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Translated by : Cutae30