Magdalin's Point of View

Lily-sama is the type to scrub her skin rather aggressively, enough to make it flame red as well. Despite all of that she only uses her one bucket of water, and doesn't want anyone to wash her back.

Lily-sama does prefer doing most things on her own, after all. To the point I am sure she could survive in the wild if she needed. Indeed... I have watched Lily-sama cook once. It was hardly impressive, but it was filling.

I think Lily-sama took some extra time washing off today while we waited for Claire Talwen, the so called Heroine... I admit, she is as pretty as a heroine should be... and I suppose she is really cute as well, but I still prefer Lily-sama. Even though she really fits the role of a hero instead... or a villain... She is an odd mix of both. A villain to the nobles, and a hero to her people. Though, perhaps that is really the nature of most villains? After all, why else would their people follow them against the hero?

Still, Lionel-sama is the true villain.

You may wonder why I wanted the view of his bare chest, when I consider him a danger to Lily-sama... but this is this and that is that.

The voice of Helena Fox reaches through the door to the dressing room, and with that Lily-sama finally moves from her spot to the bath. As I remember, then the so called Heroine Claire might get suspicious if she sees Lily-sama's scars, so Lily-sama likely won't get out of the bath until Claire leaves. Until then we enjoy and endure.

I get up as well and cross my arms under my double-A chest to cover my hands under my arms and go to the bath. As expected Lily-sama draws all the attention as well as she steps into the hot water without even flinching. In fact... she looks incredibly pleased and let out a soft happy breath. She may try to hide her expressions, but if you look closely then they're quite clear.

The door from the bath room opens after a few moments, and from it Helena Fox's horrible voice speaks out words I will not forgive her for.

Lily's Point of View

It didn't take long for our beloved Heroine and her companion to finish scrubbing clean, and for that I was thankful. I would probably be fine, but little Magdalin probably wouldn't be able to stay in the bath long enough for them to leave. All in all the plan was simple. Just don't attract their attention until they leave, then follow them out, always one step behind. That was the plan.

"Claire-chan, I heard Lady Lily made you cry today."

...

"E-eh... ah... uhm... a bit... but she was just telling me the truth..." Our beloved heroine responded vaguely.

"That's not true, is it, I heard you cried for a long time!" Helena protested with the door half open and looking back at the Heroine. Helena stepped away from the door and back into the shower room.

"H-How dare you word it like that!" Magdalin popped out of the water, ignorant to the scars she usually hid and burst towards the shower room and slammed the door open while facing Helena in a cat fight.

"Haaah?! That's the truth though, isn't it?! Besides, Lady Lily didn't even answer her question and probably said that instead just to make her cry!" Helena accused me further. Doubtlessly triggering Magdalin's anger further. Still, this was the first time I'd seen Magdalin fly into a fit of anger. It was fascinating on its own.

"Lady Lily would never do such a thing! If anyone here is cruel it is Claire for making it look like Lily-sama did something mean!"

I knew Helena's position in the other room just by following Magdalin's point of view. Magdalin was puffed up like an angry kitten... if the subject had been less serious for me I would've praised her for being cute.

"Of course she would!" Helena barks back and now steps up to Magdalin, staring down at Magdalin. Helena has a bit of height on the sweet Magdalin.

"She's just jealous that Claire made his highness smile when she never could!" With that Helena swings a towel over her shoulder and walks past Magdalin with a haughty look...

Well...

At least for a few seconds...

I admit to staring her down. I was kind, however, I left no killing intent. Merely intent to harm.

"Ehhh~ Jealous you say. What an interesting theory, although wrong." I cup my cheek and cross my legs under the water as Helena goes pallid.

Ara, she wasn't prepared for a duel with the final enemy?

Magdalin walks past Helena this time and glares at Helena on her way back to me. Meanwhile everyone else have gone completely quiet.

"After all, my relationship with his Highness is mutual dislike," I continue with a polite smile.

Helena's face subconsciously scrunches into disgust.

"Haah? Don't lie. There is no way you wouldn't like someone as kind as his Highness."

I merely raise an eyebrow and end up giving her a cruel grin.

"Hooo~ so as long as they are kind you would give yourself to him. What an easy woman."

I have no reason to go easy on Helena. Why? Even though she had so much information? Because she was confident that she knew me, and everything she had said till now was wrong.

Of course Helena didn't take my reply well and pressed her lips together in a thin bitter line.

"So in the end you retort to bullying," she snaps back at me, as if trying to confirm that I really was cruel.

"I am merely remaking upon the stupidity of demanding a woman to like any man that is merely kind."

She stares at me bitterly.

"His highness is far from only kind! He is handsome, intelligent, does well in athletics, he's charming and undeniably a good catch!"

Oh~ Someone got their resume down.

"So? As long as you can use him as a trophy that spoils you, and gives you money, you're fine?"

Her face fell in disbelief. Our beloved heroine was watching nervously from the side lines as well. No, I mean, Helena had no idea what in the world I was getting at.

"What are you dissatisfied with?" Helena gave in to my insults and finally seemed to consider the possibility that I really didn't like him.

"Something that someone uninformed and unperceptive as you will not know," I finish my string of insults with a smile.

"L-Lily-sama! I-If you do not like his highness, then can you not break the engagement? It... would be sad for his highness if you do not love him..." And here comes out beloved Heroine Claire and complicates the matter-

"If Lily-sama could do that, then she would have. It is not the place of a Marquess to ask for the annulment of an engagement to the royal family. If you want to bring up such matters, you do it to the wrong person."

Magdalin answered brilliantly in my place.

With this our beloved Heroine goes silent... and Helena stares at me with a... perplexed, but nigh hostile gaze. Things have gone quiet now and not a breath is taken as every attention is now on our heroine.

Helena hesitated for a moment before pulling our sweet Heroine with her out of the room. I got up as well. Somehow I feel like a small burden has lifted from my shoulder.

"Beautifully said, Magdalin," I praised her with a smile.

Magdalin, of course, perked up proudly.

"Of course, Lily-sama."

Needless to say we didn't get dressed until both the Heroine and Helena were both gone.

I happily clad myself in the white embroidered night gown and fastened the cloak. I was in no rush. We were a bit early after all.

Claire would meet Lionel in a little seating room connected to the bath house. Lionel would go there for quiet, and... our current Heroine would likely feel the same need for quiet.

---*---

"Kyah!"

Our beloved Heroine's voice ring out as if to call for the scene to start. We are of course in the nearby hallway, watching over them. Now, let's just hope Lionel isn't perceptive tonight or he might flee at the sight of me. He usually does.

Though, as I can tell even from here... Lionel certainly hasn't been slacking off on his training... but he has been slacking off in... drying off... and getting dressed. No wonder our little Heroine went 'kyah' at the sight. It would indeed be a shock for such an innocent young lady to be graced with such a view with no warning.