Chapter 8.1 (With Illustration)
"You stink. You should take a bath right now."
That was the first thing gorilla princess said to me when I reported my return on my knees in front of her room after being summoned as soon as I got back.
...Seriously, isn't it too much to ask? I mean, I did wash my body in the river several times on the way back, you know? Besides, I had to keep my body clean to prevent my injuries from festering, so I was very careful about hygiene.
"Oh my? I don't mean that in a sarcastic way. After all, you smelled really bad."
There, I hear the sliding door open slightly. I gulped but kept my head down. The reason? Well, it would be natural if I could see warm air leaking through the gap of the sliding door, and her bare white feet looking well-circumscribed in her shriveled kimono.
What I'm trying to say is... this girl is in the process of changing after taking a bath. She's probably wearing only a haori or something like that. Or rather, it's a morning bath. What a luxury.
"Princess, I don't mean to offend you, but I don't think it's right for you to open the sliding door and talk to me in such an appearance."
Mainly because it makes me look worse.
"Oh my, what do you mean by such an appearance? Do you have eyes on your head?"
The girl giggles and lets out a nasty, taunting laugh. No, a gorilla.
"Don't worry. I've prepared a means to get rid of them. So, no one could see me change my clothes because I'm using my own shikigami instead of a maid to do so. But you really stink. You stink, you smell like a filthy b*tch."
The last part of her tone was truly unpleasant, as if she had smelled a garbage heap. But then... suddenly, I saw her fingers move from the shadowy movement on the floor.
The next moment, a blue-white flame bursts out right next to my face. Then, with a flick, two charred shikigami fall to the floor and float into my sight. They twitch and move like living creatures, but in the end, they are completely charred and lose their power.
"This is..."
"You can't even detect such a simple concealment technique? Although I don't ask a servant like you to be involved in a war with her, I don't want that filthy thing up in my room."
Who put this on me, most likely Kizuki Hina, but she is not the kind of person who would use such a technique. So someone from the faction who pushes her is the one who did it? No, the two sisters, Hina and Aoi, are the two strongest candidates now, although there are other candidates as well. But then, can I deny the possibility that a preliminary candidate of the second line might have put these on me? However, this Gorilla princess has identified these shikigamis belong to sis (anego-sama) (or its faction)...
"Princess, please accept my apologies. It's my fault."
"Yes, I know." This chapter was first shared on the Ñøv€lß1n platform.
I ask her, trying to keep my attitude calm. To begin with, I've seen her nude many times in the game, and I even bathed and groomed her while she ran away from me when she was a brat, so it's a little late for that now.
"Well, I thought you would cry tears of blood or something since it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you to see my soft skin like this."
"Tears of blood may be difficult, but I can make myself cry, shall I do it?"
"Are you kidding? It's not cool to watch you do that just because you're told to. Okay, fine. Get out of here and take a bath."
The gorilla princess pulls the fan away from my chin and closes it with a snap. At the same time, she spins around and turns her back toward me, wearing only a haori. Again I kneel, bow my head, and obey her command... but first I ask a question.
"May I ask you one more question, if I may be so bold?"
"Oh my, what is it?"
The gorilla turns away as if she has already guessed what I'm going to ask, and turns around with a pleasant smile on her face. Ugh, that pisses me off.
"Unfortunately, the servants' bathroom will be open around dusk. It will be difficult to take a bath until then."
"I know that much. But I will not give you impossible orders."
"Then..."
"I've got some hot water I just used. Use it. No one will complain if you use the leftover water."
Hey, wait. What does that mean? I have a bad feeling about this...
"Princess, what does that mean...?"
"I've been burning incense and brewing bath salts in the room, so the smell may be strong, but it's better than what you're smelling right now."
No, that's not it. I mean, seriously? Wouldn't it be too bad if someone found out about it?
"Don't worry about it, I've already placed wards to keep people away from the place. And I can't stand it if you're avoided by that smell. So, if you smell the same next time... what will happen to you?"
I bowed my head reverently with a cold sweat on my face at her words, and I could recall the expression of the power gorilla with a nasty smile on her face as it was...
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