Saint's Prison - Chapter 91

tln : i’m so sorry guys for late release. i was sick with typhoid sympton, almost got typhoid. its just i was having a lot or schedule and releasing all novel. i’m lil bit better now and can release daily.

The Scent of Roses

――What’s the hardest thing about living here?

When asked that question, the first thing that comes to mind is the bath. Here in Stonehearst, there are steam baths and baths for washing, but not in the way there is in Japan, where it’s customary to fill a bathtub daily and soak up to your shoulders. Just imagining it makes me yearn for it even more.

“Ah, I miss Japanese baths…”

“Um, Andy-sama…?”

Amal, who was cleaning up after the meal, blinked in surprise at my muttering.

I’d carelessly kicked off my boots and was sitting cross-legged on the bed, but Amal didn’t scold me, just looked at me with concern.

“No, I just want to take a proper bath.”

“…A bath, you say?”

“Yeah. Where I come from, we take a bath every day, soaking up to our shoulders to wash away the day’s fatigue.”

Amal’s brows drooped sadly.

“Unlike your homeland, here, soaking in water for a long time can damage the hair and skin. Please take care of yourself.”

“…Is that so?”

Indeed, my hair always feels coarse after washing it. There’s no shampoo or conditioner here, so I hadn’t thought much about it.

But now that I think about it, the water in Europe is hard, unlike the soft water in Japan. I remember hearing that the minerals in hard water can dry out the skin. Perhaps that’s why Westerners often take showers instead of baths, because of the water quality.

(…Well, I know that’s not the only reason.)

I remember Francesco telling me about life outside when I asked about the baths.

According to Francesco, there were proper public baths in the cities before. Public baths were places for social interaction, serving as a social venue.

However, because the public baths were mixed-gender, they gradually became a place for soliciting prostitutes as well.

Of course, as a Christian institution, that was unacceptable, but it didn’t lead to the abolition of public baths.

The decline of public baths came when diseases like the Black Death and syphilis spread, and they started to be considered breeding grounds for pathogens.

From there, they quickly fell into decline.

“…It’s a shame, but it can’t be helped.”

“Andy-sama, I’m truly sorry.”

Amal drooped her shoulders as if she had committed a fatal mistake. I couldn’t help but smile wryly.

“Why are you apologizing? Amal, you didn’t do anything wrong, did you?”

As I reassured her, I stroked her head. Amal let out a whimper of affection and rubbed her head against my arm like a puppy seeking attention. Yeah, cute.

“Nn, ehehe, Andy-sama…”

Amal narrowed her eyes happily. Her usually cool beauty melted into something soft and warm like the spring sunshine.

She hugged me tightly, face-on, seeking affection. I gently patted her back and buried my face in her hair. Her sweet scent filled my nostrils.

“…It smells like Amal here.”

“Eh? Do I, um… smell?”

Amal tried to pull away in a fluster, but I stopped her.

“No, it’s not a bad smell. It’s a very good fragrance. Sweet.”

Hearing my words, Amal’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

“You know, I’ve been curious for a while, but do you put something on your hair or body, Amal?”

“Yes, I use rose water on my hair and skin.”

“Rose water? So, that’s the scent of roses.”

“Yes. …Um, did you not like it?”

“I said it’s a good fragrance, didn’t I? I like it. It’s very… arousing.”

I regretted saying it as soon as the words left my mouth. Arousing, what does that even mean? As a pickup line, it’s the worst kind. Even Amal wouldn’t take kindly to that.

“Fufu, I’m so happy!”

She beamed with joy.

Far from being displeased, she seemed delighted.

She even pushed her head against me, asking to be smelled more.

Like a puppy overjoyed by its owner’s attention.

If she had a tail, it would be wagging to its limit. For now, I just petted her.

“Good… that’s good then.”

“Yes!”

Her reply was full of energy. I had to suppress the urge to squirm under her honest reaction. Amal was always straightforward with me. That frankness was somehow ticklish. I tried to cover it up by spinning my words.

“I’ve never seen you using rose water in my room. Do you always apply it in the bath?”

“Yes, I use it when I take a bath.”

“The bathhouse we use, you mean? Is it really okay?”

Wouldn’t she run into someone else?

Was she adjusting her timing to avoid others, or did she hang a sign saying ‘occupied’ to prevent entry? How did she always manage it?

“Eh? …Ah, yes. I use a different bathhouse, so I don’t meet anyone.”

Amal tilted her head slightly, not fully grasping the intent behind my words. I smiled wryly at her innocent expression.

“…Well, that’s good. I mean, it would be awkward to run into other priests, right? Plus, I don’t want other men seeing you naked.”

For a few seconds, Amal froze.

It was as if she was processing my words and sending them to her brain.

She took a shallow breath and adopted a determined expression, like a hero facing a challenge. What kind of situation was this?

“…Now that I think about it, I might encounter other gentlemen in the bathhouse. Amal’s body belongs to Andy-sama. Only you are allowed to speak to me, to look at me, to touch me. So, from now on, could you join me in the bathhouse and protect me?”

“But you just said that you use a different bathhouse from us.”

“I’ve forgotten about that.”

I was at a loss for words.

It was absurd.

I held my forehead, feeling a headache coming on.

――After some back-and-forth, it was ultimately decided that from the next day, I would share the same bathhouse with Amal.