第１３４１堀：裸の付き合い (Part2)
It would mean having unknown organizations scurrying about beneath our very feet. More importantly, there is the risk that these unknown entities might bare their fangs—not just at us, but at Yuki-sama himself.
"There are various reasons for that. Everyone has their own 'dark side' they maintain for their own convenience. That said, those shadows don't extend as far as my own intelligence division. Isn't that right, Kirika?"
"Indeed. At most, they are merely information-gathering units. Perhaps you could call them internal auditors. Therefore, there is no need to make their existence public."
"I see. If they are internal auditors, then it makes even more sense that they must remain hidden. That is why you stagger the schedules."
"Exactly. It’s not as if being known provides any advantage. We each maintain these shadows—or rather, these audit squads—to ensure our organizations function properly."
Ah, so that’s what it is. It’s not as if there isn't corruption within Weed itself. I’ve heard whispers of people misappropriating budgets for personal use. Eris-sama was absolutely furious about it. So, such organizations are a necessity.
"...But, setting aside the explanation, when did Kirika-sama arrive?"
"..."
Indeed. Before I knew it, Kirika-sama was in the bath. And she was pressed right up against Yuki-sama!
"You ask when, but I simply came because I was summoned. My very existence is defined by being at the beck and call of my master."
As she said this, she continued to brush against Yuki-sama while casting a gaze in our direction. Wait a minute—was Kirika-sama always this clingy? Just as I felt a sense of unease, Kirika-sama looked at Prol, then shifted her eyes to me...
"However, it seems both Prol and Yayoi have shed more of their tension than I expected. It appears that sharing a bath has helped loosen those nerves."
"I wonder? I still feel like I'm in 'work mode'."
"Is that so?"
"What kind of 'work mode' involves being in the bath together? Especially when you were looking at Master’s body as if you were trying to taste him with your eyes."
"Th-that’s a misunderstanding, or rather..."
"I-I didn't have any impure thoughts..."
Was it really that obvious? I truly didn't have any impure thoughts, I swear.
"W-we are guards, after all. We are in the bath together, just as the wives are."
"Y-yes, that’s right."
"Well, that may be true, but I was naturally curious about Yuki-sama's physique. How about you, Hovis?"
"Yeah. I was curious too. I was thinking, 'Wow, he’s really toned.'"
Wait, Orelia and Hovis betrayed me!?
"Orelia, Hovis—honesty is a virtue. You do understand why you are sharing this bath, don't you?"
"?"
As Kirika-sama looked at me and Prol, both of us tilting our heads in confusion, she shook her head slowly.
"To dissolve tension, one must not be overly conscious of the other party. If you observe the minimum level of courtesy befitting the person you are with, you will not be reprimanded, and the other party will not feel uncomfortable. You understand that, yes?"
"Yes. That is..."
"...I understand."
Hearing our reply, Kirika-sama continued.
"The two of you are unable to act naturally precisely because you are too conscious of Master and his wives, causing you to tense up. You do this out of a desire not to cause offense or be rude. The reasons—respect, importance, or the disparity in your positions—are many, but..."
Kirika-sama looked around the room before fixing her gaze on us once more.
"This is a bathhouse. There are no 'naked kings' here. That doesn't just mean we aren't wearing clothes; the fact that Master shows his naked form to you is proof of his trust. He washed his head, leaving his vision obscured; he showed you his back. And through our conversation, you should have realized that Master, too, is working hard."
"We’ve known that for a long time..."
"You haven't truly understood. He wasn't just performing his duties as a matter of course. He was working hard. Just like you. Well, perhaps it is because you are finally realizing that, that your tension is beginning to fade. You see now that Master is no different from you."
Ah, when she put it that way, something clicked. That’s right, it’s true. Yuki-sama is incredible, but it’s not because he’s some unreachable being; I’ve seen with my own eyes that his greatness is the result of his own hard work.
"Well, I suppose there are things you only see through this kind of 'naked' association. Kirika, that’s enough of the difficult talk. You should relax and enjoy yourself, too."
"Yes. Thank you."
As Yuki-sama said this, Kirika-sama turned her gaze away from us, rested her head gently on Yuki-sama's shoulder, and began to soak in the bath. I couldn't possibly imitate that, I thought to myself.
For Yuki, this was just another day. It occurs to me that perhaps the one most stuck in "work mode" is actually Yuki himself.