CH 28

The two saints and one maid landed in front of the bathhouse.

Hirune, who thought walking was troublesome, had used levitation magic to get them there from the soldiers’ dorms.

Hirune looked up at the red brick building with deep emotion.

(Public bath. This is a public bath …… with a bit of a western style …… before I died, I came to take a bath once as a reward for my hard work ……)

The “Healing Hot Spring” located on the outskirts of the royal capital,  was a public bathhouse for the common people. It cost three copper coins – that’s about three hundred Japanese yen. It was a place where locals could relax and enjoy themselves for a reasonable price.

The noren (curtain) hanging from the ceiling was, oddly enough, the same as in Japanese culture.

The blond-haired saint, Hirune, and the light blue-haired saint, Holly, stood out in a row.

People were coming and going on the street in the afternoon, and there were voices such as “the Saints’ are there” or “She’s the dozing princess !” and so on. No one approached them, perhaps feeling intimidated, but they looked at them from a distance, made the holy seal, and passed on. It was a scene that showed how much the saints were cherished.

“Hirune, let’s go back quickly. If anyone finds out that we went to the bathhouse during our break from work, it won’t be enough to clean the thousand-hall corridors. Wanda will be very upset.”

Holly tugged at Hirune’s hem.

“Don’t worry. We’ll just go in quickly and it won’t be a problem.”

“Let’s go back~”

She knows that once Hirune says something, she never listens. It was mainly demonstrated by her desire to sleep, but this time she was motivated by the desire to take a bath. Holly looked at Jeanne half-heartedly.

“Jeanne. Stop Hirune.”

“Hirune-sama can’t see anything else when she’s like this, so I wonder if it’s possible.”

Jeanne said, and dropped her head, thinking Holly was right.

Jeanne tapped Hirune on the shoulder to say something.

“Hirune-sama, I’ve never heard of a saint going to a bathhouse before.

“Jeanne, I’m really looking forward to it! Let’s go in together!”

Hirune’s eyes were dazzling as she looked back at her.

They looked like sunflowers blooming in the south.

Jeanne was so happy to hear Hirune say “together” that she unknowingly agreed saying, “Yes! Let’s go in together! I’ll go in with you!”

After she said it, her steeple-colored eyes widened in surprise and she made a face of shame.

“Haah, …… you’re no deterrent…….”

“I failed…….”

Holly shrugged, and Jeanne made a pathetic sound.

“ what’s wrong with you two. Let’s go in quickly. We’re running out of break time.”

Hirune nodded her head.

Holly clapped her hands as if she had thought of something and opened her mouth with a confident look on her face.

“Yes. That’s right. I’m sorry, Hirune, but we don’t have any money. We need three copper coins to enter the bathhouse. So we can’t enter the bathhouse.”

Holly said proudly, and Hirune’s face which had been glowing darkened instantly. 

The sunflower plants shriveled up and became like dried radish. 

“Oh, yes. …… Saints aren’t supposed to carry around money. …… That’s right. …… I thought I could take a bath. But ……”

Hirune was seriously depressed.

In the two and a half years since she was reincarnated, she hadn’t taken a bath once.

Jeanne cleans her body every morning and evening, and she takes a bath in the summer, but as a former Japanese, she has a special attachment to taking a bath. It was understandable that she felt depressed.

Holly choked up when she saw Hirune’s sad face.

“……!”

She regretted what she had said.

Holly was a good girl who was kind and caring. She hurriedly opened her hands.

‘No, it’s okay! I’ll ask the bathhouse to let us in!　So cheer up. Okay?”

“Yes! I’ll ask them too!　Nothing is impossible for the maid of a saint!”

In addition to Holly, Jeanne also encouraged Hirune.

” You will? But I don’t think it’s a good idea to not pay for it. The bathhouse also has a life……”

Hirune, who was originally poor, couldn’t help but be worried.

“I’ll take care of it. Both of you, stay here.”

Holly walked through the store’s curtain, determined not to make Hirune any sadder.

She had completely changed her mind.

A few moments later, Holly came out with an expression of pride on her face and said, “They said we can come in for free.”

“Really? As expected of you! Thank you! I love you!”

Hirune smiled and jumped on Holly, shaking her body from side to side in happiness.

(Bath! Thank you Holly!)

“Well, it’s okay …… Hey……”

Holly’s cheeks turned red in embarrassment, and she was at her mercy.

When Jeanne saw this, she smiled and nodded several times, as if she was watching the ending credits of a movie with a happy ending. Where did the maid who was trying to stop her earlier go?

The people around them saw the two holy women embracing each other and made their holy seals happily as if something good had happened. It was a smiling scene.

“We’re going to the bathhouse. Let’s go, Hirune.”

In the end, Holly pulled Hirune’s hand.

“Let’s go. Come on, Jeanne.”

She took Jeanne’s hand and the three of them went into the bathhouse together.

()

The bathhouse was clean and tidy, and was divided into a men’s bath and a women’s bath.

（It’s spacious. It looked like a public bathhouse, but the walls are made of stone.  People are sitting on chairs to cool off after taking a bath. Oh, there are clothes hanging out to dry.)

Hirune moved her head around to observe the bathhouse.

“……!”

The old woman tending the store was skeptical that the saints would take a bath in her place, but when she saw the happy Hirune, Holly and Jeanne pass through the curtain, her eyes widened and she began to sweat because of the preciousness and her remorse.

Despite her bent back, she stepped down from the welcome stand with quick movements, bowed several times and made the holy seal.

“Saint Hirune, Saint Holly, my name is Carla, and I am the owner of this bathhouse. I’m so glad that you came to this rundown, long-running bathhouse. …I’m sure my dead husband would be really happy to see you.”

After hearing Carla’s story, Holly took her hand.

“I apologize for the unexpected visit. I would like to thank you so much for allowing the three of us. I’m sure the Goddess Sophia has seen your kindness.”

Holly’s sincere words struck a chord with Carla.

She let tears spill from her eyes at the straightforward gratitude.

“I’ve been running the bathhouse alone since my husband died and my soldier son hasn’t come home after he went to defeat the demons a year ago. I thought about quitting many times, but …… I wanted to leave a place for my son to come back to, so I was still running the bathhouse with a lot of regret. I’m so glad that the saint came to visit me. …… I’m so glad that the saint came to visit me….”

Hirune stepped forward.

“Thank you, Carla. I selfishly asked to go into the bathhouse. It’s a really nice bathhouse. I’m looking forward to going in here!”

Hirune looked into Carla’s eyes and laughed, her blue eyes crinkling at the sides.

Carla’s throat quivered when she saw Hirune and she began to cry out loudly.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you so much.”

Seeing the bent-waisted Carla crying, Holly and Hirune slowly patted her back.

After their bath, some of the regular customers said, “Good for you, Grandma!” and “Carla, this is a lucky thing for you,” and “Thanks for everything! and so on. Jeanne took a handkerchief out of her pocket and wiped away her tears.

(Carla, …… this store is handing out little happiness to everyone, isn’t it? ……)

Hirune’s eyes watered as she looked at her bent back.

After waiting for Carla to calm down, Hirune, Holly and Jeanne took the towels and walked through the curtain of the women’s bath.