NOVEL WEB Chapter 174
Chapter: 174
I ended up spending more time outside with Rosalyn and Rize than I expected.
The initial plan was to have lunch, do some shopping, and then head back to the mansion… but I ended up coming back after dinner instead.
“Ugh….”
I was a bit tired.
It wasn’t like I had walked around a ton, but… I was certainly fatigued.
Considering I usually don’t wander much, spending about 6 or 7 hours moving around was quite an ordeal.
So, obviously, it was no surprise I felt worn out.
Plus, it was summer… so…
“Ugh… huff….”
I was tired.
Of course, it was super fun, and personally satisfying, but…
“…I should probably wash up.”
Even though it was dinner time, it was summer, and naturally, I had sweated a lot while wandering outside.
My shirt was practically soaked through at the back.
I had just entered my room and hadn’t changed yet, so it would be best to wash up before changing clothes.
Yeah.
I felt hot and tired from all the walking, but still… I needed to clean up.
“…Should I call Rize?”
After all, Rize must have sweated too and needed to wash.
I slowly got up from my chair, deciding to go invite Rize to wash together.
*
“Huuh….”
“Are you very tired?”
“Maybe it’s because I walked around so much today? I’m a bit worn out.”
I was on my way to the bathroom with just enough clothes to change into for Rize and me.
When I entered Rize’s Room, she mentioned she was about to wash up too… so I decided we might as well go together.
The bath the servants used wasn’t terrible, but the large bath inside the mansion was way better.
It would be nice for Rize to wash in a nicer place since we were going together.
“Thank you for today…”
“For what?”
“Since you decided to spend time with my lady, you brought me along… and spent money on clothes for me… I wanted to say thanks.”
“Oh, that?”
Rize suddenly thanked me, and I was honestly a bit taken aback.
It was something I hadn’t really thought much about, and I was surprised she pointed it out.
“Don’t worry about it. I wanted to go out with you from the start.”
“Still…”
“Spending time with mother is nice, but I also enjoyed wandering around with you. So I just wanted to go together.”
That part was true.
Wandering around together was nice, but having all three of us was way more satisfying.
That’s why I intentionally suggested we all go together today.
“Besides, mother really likes you, Rize, right? She treats you differently than other maids.”
“That’s true, but it’s because I’m your maid. That’s probably why.”
“Ha ha, not really.”
It was true that Rosalyn had a kind personality, but she wasn’t foolishly naive about it.
In fact, she was quite… uh.
Thinking about how she talked about the Rose Family, she certainly wasn’t completely that way.
“Anyway, just relax about it. We like Rize. So just like today, we’ll go out and have fun with you and get you some things.”
“…Understood.”
Rize still felt burdened by the notion of me treating her, but since she worked so well and helped me so much, I felt no burden or reluctance about spending money on her.
If anything, I wanted to spend more.
“By the way, it was definitely hot outside. The shirt I bought today is already soaked in sweat.”
“…I’ll have it washed after we shower.”
“I didn’t mean it like that; I was just saying today’s weather was hot, you know?”
“It was definitely… hot. The mansion is very cool, but outside is, of course….”
“Phew…. Right?”
Before we entered the bathroom, we slowly started taking off our clothes in the changing room while chatting about that.
We had actually sweat a lot, so understandably, our clothes were damp.
“Haah…. Today was definitely too much. After we wash up, I think we should relax in the bath for a bit….”
“First, it’s better to wash your body before that.”
“Yup, good point.”
As we continued our conversation, Rize and I entered the bathroom.
The mansion’s bathroom was always well-prepared for washing, and as soon as we opened the door, warm steam welcomingly enveloped us.
“Huuh….”
“Young Lady.”
As we slowly entered the bathroom, Rize called out to me.
She was probably going to mention something about helping with the bath, but I wasn’t in the mood for that right now.
“Rize, you don’t need to help. Just wash beside me.”
“…Understood.”
After all, Rize must have been tired from all the walking too.
I wanted her to wash comfortably, so that’s why I said to her like that.
“…Camelia?”
“Mother?”
As we entered deeper into the bathroom, I came face to face with Rosalyn, who was already in the middle of washing.
What’s going on?
In an unexpected situation, both Rosalyn and I froze for a moment.
Her alabaster skin contrasted with her dark hair, making her body stand out even more.
For a brief moment, my eyes were inexplicably drawn to her.
“You were washing…?”
I pushed aside the strange thoughts that popped into my head and decided to speak first.
I felt I needed to say something…
“Yeah. I guess with all the walking today, I sweated a lot, right? You too, Camelia… right?”
“Yes, that’s why I intended to wash with Rize. I didn’t expect you to be here like this.”
“Ah, I see…? I was a bit surprised when I suddenly walked in.”
Considering I thought she was alone, it was understandable I was a bit flustered too.
“…Shall we wash, then?”
Even though my eyes kept drifting in odd directions? I needed to say it.
Otherwise, it was going to be difficult for many reasons.
So, I resolved to start with a shower to cool my head.
*
“Phew….”
Relaxing in the warm water, I simply stared at the ceiling.
Turning my head to the side felt like a bad idea for a number of reasons.
“Young Lady, if you need a towel, just let me know.”
“No, just being like this is enough.”
“Is that so….”
After washing ourselves nicely, we immersed our bodies in the tub.
Not just me, but Rosalyn and Rize joined me in the tub, comfortably floating there.
In truth, I’d shared a tub countless times with Rosalyn or Rize alone.
From childhood, it happened often enough, and I had gotten used to such situations… but not this one.
“…Huh.”
Having Rosalyn and Rize on either side felt strangely unfamiliar.
I found myself watching them a bit too closely.
They were both relaxing too comfortably compared to me, and yet I couldn’t help but glance over at them surreptitiously.
“Sigh…”
Turning my gaze to one side, I caught sight of Rosalyn’s chest floating on the water’s surface.
Glancing to the other side, I saw Rize’s sleek waist completely soaked.
…It was an awkward situation where I couldn’t help but let my eyes linger.
I thought I’d gotten used to these scenarios, but evidently, I hadn’t fully.
Considering I was living as a woman yet still saw them as women attracts a different sort of attention…
“…….”
That’s what felt weirder to me.
I had gotten used to them since childhood, but they were, after all, stunning beauties right next to me.
Though one was a married woman and the other a maid, honestly, they were close to my age, and thinking they were pretty and charming wasn’t strange at all.
“Camelia.”
“Yes, Mother.”
“Did you have fun today?”
“…I did. It felt like I spent a great time without realizing how fast time flew.”
I thought I graduated from feeling bashful around Rosalyn at about ten years old.
Evidently, though, it seemed that time hadn’t come yet.
Even though it was a perfectly normal interaction, for some reason, my face kept getting warm.
Moreover, because of the current situation, my heart had been racing for a while now….
“I also enjoyed spending time with you and Rize after such a long time. I’d love to do it more, but… we have things to do.”
“Some things are unavoidable.”
Rosalyn had edged closer to me as she spoke.
A moment ago, she’d been right next to me, but now it was impossible to avoid noticing her body.
“Before the break is over, how about we spend more time together? It’ll be too boring once you go to the Academy.”
“That would… be nice….”
My eyes kept wanting to wander downward.
Rosalyn was chattering away, completely oblivious to my discomfort, while I was struggling to keep my glance focused.
I knew I shouldn’t be looking, yet my eyes were unavoidably drawn to…
“……”
Ugh, seriously.
I felt my gaze drifting accidentally towards both their bodies.