The Great Sage Who Did not Remain in Legend - 25.2
“Doesn’t Rose’s house have a bath?”
“We have one at home, but the lodgings only have a shower. No bathtub.”
“Then, please soak in it. Iris, show her how to use it.”
“Okay.”
“Um, I wasn’t planning on taking a bath…”
“Rose, this way.”
Iris took Rose to the bathroom. It was not appropriate to ask an adult woman to wash her clothes. Well, since they had been outside in the cold all day, her clothes were probably not dirty.
While Iris took care of Rose, Mergin prepared the hamburger steaks. It seemed too much for a frying pan to handle, so he decided to sear both sides in the pan and then finish cooking them in the oven. Since it was cold, the soup would be a creamy one. A potato salad would be fine as the vegetable side.
Would Rose drink alcohol? If so, it would be light red wine after the bath.
Mergin quickly prepared the meal.
“All set.”
“Thank you.”
“Mergin.”
“What is it?”
“Do you like Rose?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Rose is a noble lady and a knight. She’s not at all suited to me.”
“Really?”
“She clearly has a different air about her compared to common people.”
“She definitely has an air of elegance. She’s very attractive.”
“Attractive? Isn’t it beautiful?”
“No, she’s tall and handsome. If she were a man, I’d fall in love with her.”
“I think she’s beautiful. Is she considered handsome from a woman’s perspective?”
“Yes. She’s very wonderful.”
As Mergin cooked, Iris set the table, discussing whether Rose was beautiful or handsome.
“I’m really sorry for making you use the bath. It seems like you might have caught a chill.”
“No, I was surprised by the talking bath, but it was very comfortable. Is that also a magic tool?”
The bath at Mergin’s house talked.
“Did you set the bath plug? I will start filling the tub. The set temperature is 42 degrees.”
Iris was surprised by that.
“Yes. While magic can clean the body, soaking in hot water seems to cleanse the mind too.”
“Indeed. Next time, I’d like to take a bath more slowly…”
Rose started to say, then coughed, realizing that it wasn’t appropriate for an adult woman to say she wanted to bathe at a man’s house.
“Feel free to come again if you want.”
“N-No…”
Seeing Rose turn red, Mergin chuckled.
“By the way, can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Do nobles have dedicated seamstresses?”
“A craftsman who makes clothes? It’s not exclusive, but there are tailors with whom we’re on good terms.”
“It’s not for anything too elaborate, but I want to make some simple clothes.”