Vol 9 Chapter 19: The Royal Palace Grand Bathhouse

“Wowww… Th-This is amazing! Liene! Look, look at that! Hot water is coming out of the lion’s mouth!! And look at all this steam!!! I can’t see the back at all!!!!”

“W-Wait, Tina. That’s not important right now… Please hurry. We need to be quick! I’m casting recognition inhibition.”

I protest to the pale blue-haired princess who rushed into that place—the famous Royal Palace Grand Bathhouse that escaped destruction even in the recent incident—while activating recognition inhibition magic.

It’s certainly very spacious, and I understand the urge to get excited, but… we have urgent reasons right now.

I push the back of the first seat who’s stopped at the entrance looking around everywhere, urging her toward the washing area.

…As planned, there are no other guests.

It’s only natural since we finished the royal palace dinner a bit early and snuck here. Everyone else, including my sister, should still be drinking their after-dinner tea.

Ellie is probably flustered right about now, but… in this situation, that girl is our ‘enemy.’ No mercy.

Thinking such things, I sit next to Tina and wash my hair and body as quickly as possible.

“Ahhh! My eyes, soap got in my eyes!!”

…Can the first seat not even wash her body quietly? How lamentable.

I sigh and deliberately splash cold water on her face without warming it.

“Hyan! …Liene.”

“Come on, hurry up and wash. We don’t have much time, you know? Or can the first seat not even wash her own hair?”

“I-I can wash it!”

Tina says this and begins washing her beautiful pale blue platinum hair after pouring hot water over it.

…Frustrating as it is, I think it’s very beautiful hair.

I’m not particularly dissatisfied with my own hair, and somehow it’s frustrating to say it out loud, so I won’t! Yes, I won’t say it!!

As I clench my fists and stop moving—cold water gets poured on my hair.

“Kyan! …Tina?”

“Hehehe. That’s what you get for not washing quickly! Ah, but it’s fine for Liene to wash reeeeally slowly, you know? In the meantime, I’ll monopolize Sensei and have him fix my hair ♪”

“…I’ll tell him you were trying to get ahead of everyone, you know?”

“Liene is getting ahead too. We’re accomplices now ★”

“…This is why the overly clever first seat is so annoying!”

“I’m more honest than the second seat who tries to act like a good girl!”

“!!”

In the grand bathhouse with just the two of us, I glare at Tina—a faint trace of magical power.

The first seat and I look at each other. Th-This is bad.

We hurriedly jump into the hot spring and hide behind the rocks.

Fortunately, the steam is thick inside the grand bathhouse, and there are many rocks.

Our clothes are also hidden in an inconspicuous location, so we shouldn’t be discovered so easily.

If we’re discovered… I shudder.

If-If the one who came in is my sister…

“Fuhiii…”

“W-Wait, Tina! Don’t relax!!”

“But… it feels so good…”

With a completely relaxed expression, Tina soaks herself in the water up to her mouth.

Th-This first seat!

I-If it comes down to it, I’ll sacrifice this girl and—someone came in.

…I can’t see well through the steam, but they’re considerably taller than us.

“…Mm.”

“…”

Tina and I make eye contact and nod to each other.

Judging from the body’s curves, it’s an ‘enemy’—and without a doubt, an overwhelmingly powerful ‘enemy.’

Somehow, I look at the first seat’s chest in front of me.

…God is cruel, isn’t he?

Tina looks at my chest and mutters quietly.

“…Liene, poor thing…”

“(! Wh-What, what are you saying! M-Mine are b-bigger!! D-Did you already forget the measurements we took the other day!?)”

“(Y-You were h-heavier by that much! A-And th-that amount is j-just, just a margin of error!! Margin of error!!!)”

“!!”

I glare at the first seat at close range.

…I-I was foolish to think I could form a united front with this girl.

In the end, there’s only one person who can get their hair done by my brother first.

I should go around—plop, the presence of someone entering the water.

Th-This is bad.

I signal to Tina with my eyes. We quietly begin to move and attempt to escape.

…But I’m curious.

It seems only one person came in.

Who could it be?

I try to sense their magical power, but I can’t detect it at all.

Tina mutters.

“(The only ones staying at the royal palace tonight and using this place should be us. …Judging by the height, it’s not Ellie or Felicia-san. Judging by the chest size, it’s not comrade Karen-san either. In other words)”

“(…Stella-sama, Cheryl-sama, or my sister. Or perhaps—some other royal who suddenly came)”

“(Your older sister isn’t that large. Sh-She’s verrry beautiful though)”

“(Which means…Tina, if it’s my sister, we’ll definitely get punished. A one-in-two chance of ‘death’ is unacceptable. Here, for my sa—…please take the lead)”

“(…Liene. Is Linstar yielding the vanguard?)”

“(‘Only through victory can one discuss matters’ is our family motto)”

“!!”

I don’t know how many times tonight we’ve glared at each other.

—A very beautiful singing voice could be heard.

It seems to be an old love song, but I don’t know the language so I can’t tell.

I find myself entranced. Who could be singing such a song?

Thinking this, I slowly, slowly advance through the grand bathhouse with Tina.

There isn’t just one entrance—there are several.

Just a little more… almost there…

The love song changes to a strange song, and the sound of water being splashed around.

Th-This voice is!?

“Fu-fu~n~♪ Being indulged by~ that cute person who’s younger than me~ for once~ isn’t so bad either~♪”

…

I didn’t hear anything. Yes, I heard nothing at all.

Tina gives me a look like ‘Wow… Linstar’s maid is…’ but I don’t know anything about it. After all, that girl is a self-proclaimed maid.

At the same time—my heart burns with determination not to let that girl do such a thing.

She already got to pamper my brother so much in the southern capital, yet I won’t let her say it’s not enough!

I reach the edge of the bath and try to get out—killing intent!

I intercept the incoming water sphere while tying a towel around my body.

A voice can be heard.

“—…Lady Liene and Lady Tina, is it? It seems we’re thinking the same thing? But unless you defeat me—”

“Yes! Disqualification by foul!!”

“!?!! Wh-What!!”

Toward the self-proclaimed maid’s shadow standing up in the bath, Tina and I shout.

…Are you going to make us say the reason?

Parting the water, parting the water, Lily approaches.

“Liene, it’s dangerous!” “Tina, don’t look, you mustn’t look!”

We cover each other’s eyes.

I-If we see something so dangerous, we won’t be able to recover tonight without my brother comforting us.

…Well, I’ve seen it before, but still.

“??? You two? Is something wrong?”

“Don’t come closer, Lily! Or pluck off your chest before you come!!”

“Th-That’s right! E-Even if you’re eighteen, th-there’s no way they’d get that big—…Ah! L-Liene and L-Lily-san are c-cousins… A-And L-Lidia-san is also well-endowed. M-My m-mother is definitely not that… ! Wh-Which means, Liene, y-you too, in the future!!”

Tina realizes the difference in future potential and staggers… glub glub, sinking into the bath.

…It seems she’s realized it.

The harsh reality that she might be the only true loser!

This first seat is probably useless now.

—No, considering Stella-sama, I don’t think it’s that pessimistic, but I won’t tell her.

I cross my arms and face my greatest enemy.

“…Lily, give up here.”

“Eh~ I don’t want to~ ★ I’ve never had Allen-sama brush my hair before~ Even though I look like this, I think I’m prettier than Lady Lidia~”

“…Oh really? So?”

“!?”

I felt the temperature inside the grand bathhouse drop.

The self-proclaimed maid cousin turns her gaze toward the grand bathhouse entrance like a wind-up toy.