Episode 78. The Beginning of a Knot (2)
She spread out her fingers and shook them in front of Bercheria's face.
"Excuse me. Do you know how many of these there are?"
"..."
"You don't look like a nobleman. The knots in your clothes look like they came from the slums. Hey. You're not sick or anything, are you? Or are you one of those crazy women they say every neighborhood has one?"
The maid nudged Bercheria's shoulder with the tip of the duster she was holding, as if it were too dirty to touch herself.
"She doesn't even know her own name. Isn't that hilarious?"
The maids chattering behind Bercheria laughed happily, avoiding her staggering body for fear of touching them.
The only one who didn't laugh was the young maid at the very back, who seemed at a loss for what to do.
"Ha."
Bercheria barely managed to keep herself from falling over, mustering all her strength.
"I-I don't understand."
A cold aura radiated from her raised face.
The atmosphere of Bercheria, who had been stammering like an idiot, suddenly changed, and the maid's face, which had been scornful, hardened.
She was just the same dirty, small woman as before, yet she suddenly felt fearful.
The small woman suddenly radiated immense pressure, as if she were a giant.
"Miss, What, why? Why are you staring at me like that! What kind of girl is this?"
"Why, why should you know my name?"
"What, what, what did you say?"
As the maid's face flushed bright red, Bercheria very slowly pointed towards the door where Murk had entered.
"I, obey your master's orders to wash me. B-before you get in trouble."
The maids all gaped, their lips pursed.
"Oh, do you understand?"
Only after Bercheria bowed her head to the floor, the maids finally let out the breaths they had been holding.
She was clearly an insignificant woman, yet why couldn't she say anything?
"Oh."
"Ah, ahem."
They glanced at each other, shaking off their clothes or glancing toward the door.
“Layla, shouldn’t we head to the bathroom now? His Majesty said he was waiting for us.”
“Right. We’ll be late.”
The maid patted her clothes, seemingly annoyed.
“We don’t have much time, so let’s leave it at that. Hey. You. Don’t mess up the floor and follow me. Understood?”
The maids haughtily walked out, their chins raised.
Bercheria puffed out her chest, took a deep breath, and followed them.
The interior of the castle, incomparably grander than her home, began to reveal itself little by little.
Bercheria clenched her cold, numb fingertips so tightly that it hurt.
The maid led Bercheria into the bathroom, which was filled with thick steam.
In the center stood a wooden bathtub, large enough for two people to sit facing each other, and beside it stood a small chair and other miscellaneous items.
To her, all of this was a new and novel sight.
The other maids had all disappeared before they even reached the bathroom, leaving only the youngest maid with her.
“Then, I’ll wash off the dirt before you get in the bathtub.”
She remembered her face, alone, with a pitiful expression, as everyone else laughed at her.
“Would you like to sit here? Yes, that’s right. Just stay still. I’ll take care of it.”
The young maid carefully brushed away the grass and leaves from Bercheria’s body as she sat there.
“But why aren’t you talking? Can’t you speak?”
As she was about to answer, her gaze suddenly fell on the bathtub.
The hollowed-out marble and the clear water filling it. Bright red rose petals floating on the surface. The white vapor rising above them.
“This is unbelievable.”
She had never seen so much water in her life.
The rose petals and the vapor were also new to her.
Everything she saw was breathtakingly new.
“Oh! My name is Leah. Feel free to call me that. You don’t have to tell me your name, so don’t worry.”
She nodded, her mind preoccupied with the bathtub.
Leah began to strip her clothes, which were practically rags.
The mud-stained fabrics disappeared, revealing her pale skin in the air.
"Wow, your skin is so pale. Oh my goodness. I've never seen a body like this before. How did you do this? It's like a snowflake."
Startled by the loud voice, Bercheria blinked rapidly and turned to Leah.
"Northerners have thick, rough skin. And dark skin too. Oh! Are you from another country?"
"Ah, another country?"
"Right? Right! That's why you stutter? Oh, I see. Now I get it. Actually, I saw quite a few foreigners when I was in the capital. So you have a good eye for detail. And you know what? For a foreigner, you're incredibly well-spoken."
Leah gave her a thumbs-up and laughed out loud.
She stared at her hand, then, as if copying Leah's gesture, raised her thumb.
Leah then chuckled, finding it amusing.
"That's too bad. Bath time would have been so much more fun if you could speak well."
She opened her mouth to say she was still enjoying herself, but Leah spoke first.
"I've helped a lot of nobles bathe, and everyone is always shy when they first bathe. But you act so natural, it almost makes me wonder if you're a noble. But if I look at your clothes, it doesn't seem like you're a noble."
“Oh, I only have one outfit.”
“Really?”
When Bercheria nodded, Leah looked startled.
“Really? My goodness. You must have had a really hard time.”
Leah lifted the rag-like garment with two fingers and began examining it.
The clothes Bercheria was wearing looked like they would rip if she applied even the slightest pressure.
Leah, sniffing around the garment, noticed that Bercheria kept looking away during their conversation.
“Oh. Is the bathtub interesting?”
“Yes, a bathtub.”
“Yes. It’s a bathtub. Don’t we have bathtubs in your country?”
“Oh, no.”
Leah made a pitiful expression, then hurried over to the bathtub and pretended to sit down.
“This is really nice. It feels good to just sit here and soak my body. It’s warm and cozy.”
“Warm, cozy, cozy.”
Leah smirked and took Bercheria’s hand as they walked towards the bathtub.
“Please sit here.”
She sat Bercheria down beside the tub, scooped up some hot water, and carefully poured it over her.
“Ouch!”
Bercheria was so surprised by the warm water flowing over her skin that she almost jumped up.
Her body shuddered, and Leah burst out laughing again.
“You can handle it, right?”
“Ugh, yeah.”
“Taking baths is so much fun. You’re like a baby who doesn’t know anything.”
Leah hummed and began washing Bercheria’s feet.
“Actually, it’s because of the rain. If it hadn’t rained, it wouldn’t have gotten this dirty. Rain in the North? It’s really a mess.”
The dirt covering hee body was washed away with the water.
“But did you know? That rain is because of a curse.”
This time, Leah slowly began to let the water flow down her upper body.
“But honestly, I don’t think that makes sense.”
The mud was slowly washed away from hee long, thick hair.
“Murk here is a god. We even have a song about him. Ooh, that sparkling black hair, and eyes even more like the night sky. Just looking at them makes me go blind.”
Leah burst into giggles mid-singing.
“Oh, but I heard there are also golden-haired ones. They’re said to be cursed, or witches. It’s simply absurd that people have golden hair. Even in our northern region, everyone has black hair and black eyes. Oh, but when was that? I heard that there was a person with red hair in Latus, at the end of the Three Continents.”
Leah continued to speak, her hands moving diligently.
She spread out her fingers and shook them in front of Bercheria's face.
"Excuse me. Do you know how many of these there are?"
"..."
"You don't look like a nobleman. The knots in your clothes look like they came from the slums. Hey. You're not sick or anything, are you? Or are you one of those crazy women they say every neighborhood has one?"
The maid nudged Bercheria's shoulder with the tip of the duster she was holding, as if it were too dirty to touch herself.
"She doesn't even know her own name. Isn't that hilarious?"
The maids chattering behind Bercheria laughed happily, avoiding her staggering body for fear of touching them.
The only one who didn't laugh was the young maid at the very back, who seemed at a loss for what to do.
"Ha."
Bercheria barely managed to keep herself from falling over, mustering all her strength.
"I-I don't understand."
A cold aura radiated from her raised face.
The atmosphere of Bercheria, who had been stammering like an idiot, suddenly changed, and the maid's face, which had been scornful, hardened.
She was just the same dirty, small woman as before, yet she suddenly felt fearful.
The small woman suddenly radiated immense pressure, as if she were a giant.
"Miss, What, why? Why are you staring at me like that! What kind of girl is this?"
"Why, why should you know my name?"
"What, what, what did you say?"
As the maid's face flushed bright red, Bercheria very slowly pointed towards the door where Murk had entered.
"I, obey your master's orders to wash me. B-before you get in trouble."
The maids all gaped, their lips pursed.
"Oh, do you understand?"
Only after Bercheria bowed her head to the floor, the maids finally let out the breaths they had been holding.
She was clearly an insignificant woman, yet why couldn't she say anything?
"Oh."
"Ah, ahem."
They glanced at each other, shaking off their clothes or glancing toward the door.
“Layla, shouldn’t we head to the bathroom now? His Majesty said he was waiting for us.”
“Right. We’ll be late.”
The maid patted her clothes, seemingly annoyed.
“We don’t have much time, so let’s leave it at that. Hey. You. Don’t mess up the floor and follow me. Understood?”
The maids haughtily walked out, their chins raised.
Bercheria puffed out her chest, took a deep breath, and followed them.
The interior of the castle, incomparably grander than her home, began to reveal itself little by little.
Bercheria clenched her cold, numb fingertips so tightly that it hurt.
The maid led Bercheria into the bathroom, which was filled with thick steam.
In the center stood a wooden bathtub, large enough for two people to sit facing each other, and beside it stood a small chair and other miscellaneous items.
To her, all of this was a new and novel sight.
The other maids had all disappeared before they even reached the bathroom, leaving only the youngest maid with her.
“Then, I’ll wash off the dirt before you get in the bathtub.”
She remembered her face, alone, with a pitiful expression, as everyone else laughed at her.
“Would you like to sit here? Yes, that’s right. Just stay still. I’ll take care of it.”
The young maid carefully brushed away the grass and leaves from Bercheria’s body as she sat there.
“But why aren’t you talking? Can’t you speak?”
As she was about to answer, her gaze suddenly fell on the bathtub.
The hollowed-out marble and the clear water filling it. Bright red rose petals floating on the surface. The white vapor rising above them.
“This is unbelievable.”
She had never seen so much water in her life.
The rose petals and the vapor were also new to her.
Everything she saw was breathtakingly new.
“Oh! My name is Leah. Feel free to call me that. You don’t have to tell me your name, so don’t worry.”
She nodded, her mind preoccupied with the bathtub.
Leah began to strip her clothes, which were practically rags.
The mud-stained fabrics disappeared, revealing her pale skin in the air.
"Wow, your skin is so pale. Oh my goodness. I've never seen a body like this before. How did you do this? It's like a snowflake."
Startled by the loud voice, Bercheria blinked rapidly and turned to Leah.
"Northerners have thick, rough skin. And dark skin too. Oh! Are you from another country?"
"Ah, another country?"
"Right? Right! That's why you stutter? Oh, I see. Now I get it. Actually, I saw quite a few foreigners when I was in the capital. So you have a good eye for detail. And you know what? For a foreigner, you're incredibly well-spoken."
Leah gave her a thumbs-up and laughed out loud.
She stared at her hand, then, as if copying Leah's gesture, raised her thumb.
Leah then chuckled, finding it amusing.
"That's too bad. Bath time would have been so much more fun if you could speak well."
She opened her mouth to say she was still enjoying herself, but Leah spoke first.
"I've helped a lot of nobles bathe, and everyone is always shy when they first bathe. But you act so natural, it almost makes me wonder if you're a noble. But if I look at your clothes, it doesn't seem like you're a noble."
“Oh, I only have one outfit.”
“Really?”
When Bercheria nodded, Leah looked startled.
“Really? My goodness. You must have had a really hard time.”
Leah lifted the rag-like garment with two fingers and began examining it.
The clothes Bercheria was wearing looked like they would rip if she applied even the slightest pressure.
Leah, sniffing around the garment, noticed that Bercheria kept looking away during their conversation.
“Oh. Is the bathtub interesting?”
“Yes, a bathtub.”
“Yes. It’s a bathtub. Don’t we have bathtubs in your country?”
“Oh, no.”
Leah made a pitiful expression, then hurried over to the bathtub and pretended to sit down.
“This is really nice. It feels good to just sit here and soak my body. It’s warm and cozy.”
“Warm, cozy, cozy.”
Leah smirked and took Bercheria’s hand as they walked towards the bathtub.
“Please sit here.”
She sat Bercheria down beside the tub, scooped up some hot water, and carefully poured it over her.
“Ouch!”
Bercheria was so surprised by the warm water flowing over her skin that she almost jumped up.
Her body shuddered, and Leah burst out laughing again.
“You can handle it, right?”
“Ugh, yeah.”
“Taking baths is so much fun. You’re like a baby who doesn’t know anything.”
Leah hummed and began washing Bercheria’s feet.
“Actually, it’s because of the rain. If it hadn’t rained, it wouldn’t have gotten this dirty. Rain in the North? It’s really a mess.”
The dirt covering hee body was washed away with the water.
“But did you know? That rain is because of a curse.”
This time, Leah slowly began to let the water flow down her upper body.
“But honestly, I don’t think that makes sense.”
The mud was slowly washed away from hee long, thick hair.
“Murk here is a god. We even have a song about him. Ooh, that sparkling black hair, and eyes even more like the night sky. Just looking at them makes me go blind.”
Leah burst into giggles mid-singing.
“Oh, but I heard there are also golden-haired ones. They’re said to be cursed, or witches. It’s simply absurd that people have golden hair. Even in our northern region, everyone has black hair and black eyes. Oh, but when was that? I heard that there was a person with red hair in Latus, at the end of the Three Continents.”
Leah continued to speak, her hands moving diligently.
“Blonde hair isn’t a curse. I think it’s something like, ‘precious as a god,’ isn’t it?”
Leah’s hands suddenly stopped as she raised her head, and her body froze at the sight before her.
The clean water she had scooped up for Bercheria gushed down onto Leah’s apron.
“Ah, ah.”
Leah's legs gave out, and she collapsed.
The mud had all washed away, and the woman, restored to her original form, shone as if covered in gold dust.
"Uh, uh, can I get in the bathtub now?"
Leah nodded slightly, her face blank.
"Thank you, whoa."
Bercheria slowly stepped into the tub, just as Leah had imitated her earlier.
And in that moment, she found heaven.
The feeling of the warm, soft water slowly wrapping around the tops of her feet and rising up her calves was unbelievably good.
The water lapped against her skin, and she felt the warmth in the water.
"I'm happy."
The corners of Bercheria's mouth lifted slightly. Just a slight smile seemed to fill the surroundings with light.
A white snowflake flew from somewhere and landed firmly on the tip of Leah's freckled nose.
Leah blinked and looked out the window.
The rain that had been pouring down for days had stopped, as if it were a lie.
Instead, snow was falling.
The peaceful, frigid northern landscape, just like everyday life.
It was a sight that was hard to believe even as she watched.
"Huh, how..."
Leah covered her mouth.
A blonde woman sat in the bathtub.
"N-No way."
Just then, the sound of someone running into the bathroom was heard.
"Leah! Is that woman finished washing? Now, to Lord Murk... Ouch!"
The maid opened the door and fell to the floor like Leah.
"T-the blonde?"
The maid pushed her feet and crawled backward, then, out of breath, started running down the hallway.
“Oh, Your Grace, Lord Murk!”
Leah’s hands suddenly stopped as she raised her head, and her body froze at the sight before her.
The clean water she had scooped up for Bercheria gushed down onto Leah’s apron.
“Ah, ah.”
Leah's legs gave out, and she collapsed.
The mud had all washed away, and the woman, restored to her original form, shone as if covered in gold dust.
"Uh, uh, can I get in the bathtub now?"
Leah nodded slightly, her face blank.
"Thank you, whoa."
Bercheria slowly stepped into the tub, just as Leah had imitated her earlier.
And in that moment, she found heaven.
The feeling of the warm, soft water slowly wrapping around the tops of her feet and rising up her calves was unbelievably good.
The water lapped against her skin, and she felt the warmth in the water.
"I'm happy."
The corners of Bercheria's mouth lifted slightly. Just a slight smile seemed to fill the surroundings with light.
A white snowflake flew from somewhere and landed firmly on the tip of Leah's freckled nose.
Leah blinked and looked out the window.
The rain that had been pouring down for days had stopped, as if it were a lie.
Instead, snow was falling.
The peaceful, frigid northern landscape, just like everyday life.
It was a sight that was hard to believe even as she watched.
"Huh, how..."
Leah covered her mouth.
A blonde woman sat in the bathtub.
"N-No way."
Just then, the sound of someone running into the bathroom was heard.
"Leah! Is that woman finished washing? Now, to Lord Murk... Ouch!"
The maid opened the door and fell to the floor like Leah.
"T-the blonde?"
The maid pushed her feet and crawled backward, then, out of breath, started running down the hallway.
“Oh, Your Grace, Lord Murk!”
Comments
Post a Comment