Tunica was a laughing woman. She was always smiling.

“Now, let’s wash and scrub your back first.”

I sit in a low wooden chair. Tunica scoops hot water from a bathtub and pours it on my back.

“Is the water temperature okay?”

“Oh, okay. Just fine …”

“I’m glad. I’ll rub your back but let me know if it hurts.”

“Yes, yes …”

I was quiet. Tunica lathered the soap with a soft cloth and began rubbing my back.

Wow … feels good. The foam seems to make me rest from the tiring trip and forget the unnecessary things. My back seems to become lighter.

The hot water makes me sleepy.

While rubbing with just the right force, Tunica screamed.

“A lot of dirt comes out!!! Mary, you never bathed before, did you? “

“Yeah, yeah. We’re poor …. and the baths are cold so we can’t live long if we bath frequently, only in the warm days we can bath. Cleaning my back may be awkward.”

“Do you not use hot water to bath?”

“Sadly not… my family uses a small bathtub in turns, and I’m the last one. So I usually am left with cold water when it’s my turn. I usually clean myself in the well, as the water is cold anyways and there I have clean water.”

“Well …?”

Tunica was lost in thoughts. I’m ashamed. I didn’t mean to be filthy, but it’s reality. Surely the Count doesn’t like people this dirty in his mansion.

I turn down my red face and utter excuses.

“Yesterday I washed before entering the royal capital, so I would not smell when visiting the Count.”

“before entering… the royal capital … on the river?”

“Yeah, with soap. I scrubbed and washed myself truly.”

“Wash your skin and hair with laundry soap?”

I nodded. Yup? What’s wrong?

“… I see. So that’s the reason… for such wonderful hair to be so mistreated…”

“I understood now. Marie, I’ll give you a full bath every day for now. Your skin is not used to irritation, so if we do the beauty treatment today, and it requires a full scrubbing, your skin will get damaged. So let’s start with your bathing every day until your skin becomes accustomed to it and then let’s rub it seriously. ”

I was sprayed with hot water from my shoulder. My arm is pulled and I am led to the bathtub.

It was a deep bath with water reaching until the base of my neck.

“Somehow this hot water smells good. What’s in it?”

“Salt, honey, and citrus fruit wine.”

“Delicious”

“Ufufu, it’s very diluted. This is beauty hot water.”

“Beauty … Does it make you beautiful just to take a bath?”

“Yeah, it’s a detergent formula and it’s irritating, so I’ll finish giving you a cream massage after this. Marie, turn your back, lean on the bathtub and look up. “

As I did as she said, Tunica began to wash my hair. What is that? It looks different from the soap we use. It’s like oil. She poured hot water on my hair many times, washed it twice with foam, and rub in some liquid medicine.

“… Mmm. Your hair has places where it’s tangled.”

“Ah … um, sorry. It’s okay if you don’t want to touch it. You can cut it with scissors.”

“Ah, you’re not a sheep. I have a solution for that. “

Sometimes I feel my hair pulled, but it doesn’t hurt, rather it feels good enough to make me sleepy. It is rolled up with a warm cloth and steamed.

“I’ll wash your face as it is. Please close your eyes.”

“Yes, yes.”

“Soak a little more and then we’ll wash your whole body again.”

“Wash again?”

“Leave it to me. I’ll make you a new person.”

“A new person …?”

Tunica winks while smiling.

“Thank you …”

I don’t know what I’m doing anymore, but it’s been a good time.

…… Reborn.

When this is over, will I be reborn?

–Me? Isn’t that impossible?

… Oh, no. I’m more and more sleepy. I can’t maintain myself awake…

In the distance, I can hear the voice of Tunica.

“… Ufufu. It’s interesting … I’m gonna make it shine as if polished …”

I fell asleep as she continued treating my hair.

Translated by Djurasico (dot) home (dot) blog