第８１６堀：田舎発展物語 楽しい親睦会 (Part2)
I want to return the kingdom to her eventually, but the person in question insists she isn't a princess.
"That is precisely why it’s a problem. If she claimed the title, the Kingdom of Sea-Cypho would have to respond accordingly. But if people perceive her as a commoner, there will always be those who try to push her around. Besides, given that this involves national defense, do you really think anyone would be convinced by a girl who looks like a mere child being in charge?"
"You've got a point there."
Ruth was right; it was an impossible sell.
"But Dressa-sama can brush off that level of trouble. She’s been tempered by Yuki-san and the others, after all."
"I suppose so. Still, it’s not ideal to invite that kind of trouble. Wait, is that the point? Is she intentionally making it easier for trouble to find her?"
I realized it the moment the words left my lips. It was Yuki-san’s signature move. Ruth seemed to catch on as well, nodding in agreement.
"I see. It’s a strategy to provoke problems, much like at the Lancer Academy of Magic, and then seize the opponent by the throat. It would certainly be the most effective method against those who don't know the true nature of Weed."
"Ah, so she’s going to bully them, just like Principal Popuri?"
"No, Airi, that only *looked* like bullying. It was entirely Popuri-san’s own fault."
With that, we continued our discussion, occasionally mingling with the villagers of Jama’s territory. The meal progressed in a lively atmosphere, and from there, we moved on to the super public bath we had prepared yesterday...
"Whoa, incredible. So this is how Weed uses hot water."
"To have this much hot water... I wonder how much firewood they’re burning in the back to keep it going."
The villagers’ first reactions upon seeing the large communal bath were ones of pure astonishment. Well, given their standard of living, the idea of using hot water in such a lavish way was beyond their comprehension.
"Alright, everyone, first things first—go wash your bodies over there."
"That’s right, this way, this way."
"Yes, everyone, please take a seat on these stools."
For us, this was where the real work began. Teaching the villagers the proper way to bathe was no small feat. Since we couldn't fit hundreds of people in at once, we had to guide them in groups, and teaching a foreign culture is exhausting no matter how many times you do it. They didn't know how to use the showers, nor did they know what shampoo was.
"But isn't the difficulty level a bit high with just us?"
"We can't exactly have our wives guiding the men's bath, can we?"
"But with only Yuki-sama, His Majesty, myself, and Britt-dono, it’s hardly..."
Exactly. Our total combat strength was only four people, and we had to teach thirty people at a time how to use the bath.
"No, it’s not like we have to babysit them from start to finish. The villagers here will learn how to wash themselves. Right, old-timer?"
"Aye. It ain't exactly rocket science. You gotta wash your body first so you don't dirty the water. That’s the gist of it, right? Everyone, scrub well! If we don't keep it clean, they might not let us use it again."
" " "Aye!" " "
...My apologies. I had underestimated the villagers. And honestly, Britt, you’ve really settled in, haven't you?
And so, things went smoothly as they washed up and stepped into the baths...
"Haaah!! When I first heard about it, I thought, 'Why go to such lengths just to soak in some water?' but..."
"You’re right. This feels amazing."
"It’s so refreshing. And shaving my beard off with this razor makes me feel like a new man."
What I learned was that the villagers were surprisingly fond of cleanliness. The idea that women love baths while men hate them is just a prejudice. Even I feel restless if I don't bathe every day. People only go without it because they don't have easy access.
"But why did Yuki-sama and the others come to a village like this?"
"Are you an idiot? Didn't you hear what was said earlier? The army from that... Sea-something kingdom is coming, so they’re here for that."
"You don't really get it either, do you?"
" " "Wahahaha..." " "
The interaction with the village men was going almost too smoothly. But as for the women’s side... I couldn't help but wonder as I enjoyed my soak.
The men of the village seemed to be accepting Weed with a relaxed ease. Meanwhile, Taiki and his group sensed a battle brewing among the women, yet they were wicked enough to keep it from Yuki. Not that he would act on it even if they told him.
Now, what kind of battle was unfolding in the women’s bath? Or perhaps, had a lawless war for post-bath beverages already broken out?!