They Like to Bathe in the Other World
Preparations for our journey to the dwarf lands finished quickly.
It was all finished the day before we would set out, and since Jeanne was already a drifting traveler, she was able to join our party at short notice.
However, she asked that she be allowed to take a bath before leaving.
She wished to ease her fatigue from the road and rid herself of filth.
It certainly was one womanly aspect to her, and so I allowed it.
This was a castle for demons, but there were humans too.
Such as Hijikata Tos.h.i.+zou.
Since he was from j.a.pan, a bath had been made to fit his taste. Well, that was only half the reason, as I enjoyed them myself.
There was an outside bath that was a carved out boulder and also a wooden tub inside of the castle.
Those who wished to be under the blue sky would use the outside one, and those who enjoyed the smell of cypress wood would use the later.
Humanoid monsters would occasionally use them, but they said that the cypress bath reeked, and they preferred the rock one.
In addition, as I bathed every day, I was seen as being fixated on cleanliness to a disturbing degree.
I once heard of a Queen Elizabeth in the other world, who only bathed once a month and yet was considered to be obsessed with cleanliness.
Really, it was not easy being a bath lover in either world.
As I thought this, Jeanne returned from her bath.
"…"
The reason that I had fallen silent was because she had only a single towel wrapped around her.
And she was beautiful.
When I had first seen her, she was wearing a filthy robe and had her hair tied up. And so I had not even realized that she was beautiful.
Her golden hair framed her symmetrical face.
She looked like an angel had come down from heaven.
I could not help but stare for a moment, but my view was promptly blocked.
This was because Eve had come around me and covered my eyes.
Her hands felt cold.
"You must not look at this, master."
She did not sound pleased.
Jeanne said boldly,
"I do not care. My body is purity itself. And I feel no shame in the looks of others."
"You should feel ashamed. There are many gentlemen here as well."
"I am aware. And I will only appear in this way in front of the king."
"That only makes matters worse."
They were starting to argue now, but I stopped them.
Nothing would be resolved like this.
I wasn"t interested in watching them squabble. I was interested in visiting the dwarf lands.
I said as much to both of them, and they agreed.
Jeanne began to change into her clothes.
Well, my vision was obstructed, so I had only my ears to relay that information.
When she was done, Eve pulled her hands away.
I looked at the cleaned up Jeanne and then at Eve.
They were an attractive pair, but thinking about how we would be traveling together made me a little concerned.
I could only hope they would not fight on our journey.
It was while I thought such things, that we left the castle in the afternoon.
No one saw us off.
It was not wise to advertise the fact that I would be absent from the castle. And so I wore a disguise and avoided drawing attention.
Ultimately, I was a Demon King who was very close to humans. It did not take too much to blend in.
With travelers clothing and gla.s.ses alone, I could pa.s.s as a civilian.
Well, gla.s.ses were actually expensive in this world, so perhaps I would appear as a shrewd merchant.