Tunica was a woman who laughed a lot. With a smile, a chuckle, she led me to the bathtub, laughing all the way.
"Well, let's start with a quick wash, shall we?"
I was seated on a low wooden chair. Tunica scooped water from the bathtub with a bucket and poured it over my back.
"Is the water temperature okay?"
"Y-Yes, it's just right..."
"I'm glad. Then I'll scrub you gently."
"Y-Yes..."
With no choice but to comply once I was stripped naked, Tunica lathered a soft cloth with soap and began to scrub my back.
Wow... it feels so good. The creamy, soft bubbles seemed to draw out all the dirt. The scrubbed parts felt lighter.
The warm water poured over me from time to time was so soothing that I felt like melting.
While scrubbing with just the right amount of pressure, Tunica let out a surprised gasp.
"You have quite a bit of grime, don't you? Was there no bath attendant in the baron's household?"
"Eh, yes. We are poor... Besides, the bath is so cold that we can't stay in for long, and I might have neglected my back."
"Didn't you soak in the bath?"
"We do, but we take turns using a small bathtub, so by the time it's my turn, the water is usually gone. I can only rinse off the dirt with well water."
"Hmm...?"
The bath attendant of the earl's household seemed to have some thoughts. I felt embarrassed. I didn't think I was unclean, but I was only minimally clean. The earl must not have this much grime.
I looked down and mumbled an excuse.
"But I did wash properly before entering the capital yesterday. I thought I'd be turned away at the gate if I smelled bad when visiting the earl."
"...Before entering the capital... in the river?"
"Yes, with soap. I did the laundry at the same time."
"Laundry soap for your skin and hair?"
I nodded. Hmm? What's so funny?
"I see. That explains your hair...
I understand very well. Lady Marie, let's warm up your whole body in the bathtub first. Your skin isn't used to the stimulation, so if we scrub too hard, it might get damaged. We'll do the serious scrubbing afterward."
With that, she splashed water over my shoulder. While I was still surprised, she pulled my arm and guided me into the bathtub.
The water was deep, reaching up to my neck.
"This water smells nice. What's in it?"
"Salt, honey, and citrus fruit wine."
"It sounds delicious."
"Hehe, it's diluted, so it doesn't taste good if you drink it. This is a beauty bath."
"Beauty... So just by bathing, I can become beautiful?"
"Yes, it's a strong cleansing formula, so it's quite stimulating. We'll finish with a cream afterward. Lady Marie, please turn your back to me, lean back in the bathtub, and look up."
I complied, and Tunica started washing my hair. What is this? It's different from the soap we use at home. It's some kind of thick liquid that spreads well like oil. She poured water over it multiple times, washed it twice with bubbles, and then rubbed in some thick liquid.
"Umm... There are some tangles that have formed into clumps."
"Ah... Well, I'm sorry. Do you want me to cut them off with scissors?"
"Hehehe, you're not a sheep. Don't worry, I'll remove the oil first and untangle them slowly. I'll only snip the parts that can't be undone."
Sometimes I felt my hair being pulled, but it wasn't painful, and it was so soothing that I felt like falling asleep. I was wrapped in a warm cloth and steamed.
"I'll wash your face now. Please close your eyes."
"Y-Yes."
"Then soak a bit more, and we'll wash your whole body again afterward."
"Again? I don't think there's any dirt left."
"Just leave it to me. I'll make you feel like you're reborn, from the tips of your toes to the ends of your fingers."
"Reborn...?"
She nodded and gave me a charming wink.
"Okay, then... I'll leave it to you..."
And so, I continued to feel good, even though I didn't know what was being done to me.
...Reborn.
When this is over, will I be reborn?
—Into what? Who?
...Ah, no, I can't. I'm starting to doze off.
I could hear Tunica's voice from far away.
"Hehe. Interesting... This is what they mean by 'polish and shine'..."
Her whisper was low and rumbling.
It felt so comfortable. I was drawn into sleep, falling deeper and deeper.