Chapter 229: Interval in the Changing Room
「Hey, I wonder if the bath is ready.」
「The bath, is it?」
Sitting on the edge of the bed, I asked Sharon, who handed me a cold coffee.
Behind me, I could see Neneka and Celestina sprawled out on the massive king-sized bed at the center of the harem chamber.
I was exhausted, but the effort was worth it. Both of them seemed quite satisfied. The battle against the sultry Neneka and the fascinating mage Celestina was fierce, but thanks to the endurance I’d built up fighting dragon maidens and knight princesses, I wasn’t one to tire easily.
I came, I saw, I conquered!
I had won the battle of the night.
But now, despite wanting to rest, I was strangely wide awake. A bath might help.
「Though, without Roll here, the bath might not be heated.」
The hardest worker in the palace, Roll, was likely out on Antil Island, busy mining resources from the wilds. 「Don’t worry. The bath is heated daily. However, at this hour, the maids might be using it. As per your orders, we’ve allowed the female staff in the castle to use the bath as well.」
「Sorry for the sudden request.」
「I’ll check for you. If it’s occupied, I’ll change the water…」
「No need to go that far.」
It was my idea to let the castle staff use the harem’s large bath—it seemed wasteful for just us to enjoy it. I only wanted a quick wash, so there was no need to change the water.
「Well then, I’ll go check the bath for you.」
Sharon made to stand, but for some reason, Caroline stopped her.
「Sharon, I’ll check the bath. You should prepare Takeru-sama’s clothes. It will be faster that way.」
「I can’t ask a lady of your standing to do such a task…」
「We’re equals here. I’ll handle the bath. You take care of the clothes—it’ll be quicker.」
「Very well, thank you.」
Despite being raised as a princess, Caroline never flaunted her status. She returned shortly, smiling, and beckoned me to follow her to the bath.
And then, to my surprise—
As soon as I entered the harem’s changing room, I was greeted by an unexpected sight—young women, women, and more women.
An expanse of bare skin stretched out as far as the eye could see. The changing room had been transformed into a women’s locker room, with easily close to a hundred of them.
For a moment, I thought I had returned to modern Japan. The only difference was the vibrancy of their hair, eyes, and skin tones.
Most were fair-skinned, but I noticed some with pale orange complexions like mine, and others with darker hues. Some had pointed ears like elves, and there were even a few beastfolk with animal ears—a true fantasy setting.
Still, now wasn’t the time to be leisurely observing this scene. The sight of so many girls in such a state of undress was overwhelming, like walking into a blooming garden of flowers. My feet froze in place.
「Caroline, what is this?」
「Ara, it seems the knights are using the bath.」
Not ‘ara’, Caroline. You should’ve checked properly.
But now that she mentioned the knights, I recognized a familiar face among the women.
There was Jill, the silhouette knight with her black ponytail, well-toned muscular body, and bronzed skin.
It had been a while since I last saw her, but her presence here at the royal castle wasn’t unusual. Even after Silhouette became queen, Jill continued to serve as her guard and now also commanded the royal guard.
Neneka and her group handle the secret palace security, while Jill is in charge of the public-facing guard. However, given the current situation, it wasn’t the right moment for a reunion.
Jill was standing there with just a bath towel wrapped around her body—whether she had just finished her bath or was about to enter, I couldn’t tell. I should have quickly made my exit, but I was too stunned by the suddenness of it all to move.
Just as I was in shock, the female knights who noticed me were equally taken aback. But of course, such silence couldn’t last long. The penalty for intruding into a women’s domain was about to be paid—
「Kyaaah! There’s a man here!」
It took a moment, but when a nearby knight with extravagant blonde drills screamed, I realized: Yes, peeping on girls changing was just as unacceptable in ‘Harsh Fantasy World’ as it was in real life!
This is bad.
Being so used to bathing with the women in my harem, I had completely lost my sense of propriety.
「W-what? How is there a man in here? Get out!」
That was a perfectly reasonable reaction. Soon enough, laundry baskets were being hurled at me from every direction.
「Whoa!」
Baskets, wash buckets, leather boots, and wicker chairs. The panicking female knights threw everything they could find in the changing room at me.
「An intruder!」
The wooden desk that flew at me next—well, that was a shock. These women were strong, after all.
「Look out!」
This was getting serious. But I am a hero. With some effort, I managed to catch the full-force swing of the wooden desk.
Around then, Jill finally realized that the so-called ‘intruder’ was actually me, and she stepped in to stop the chaos.
「Everyone, stop! He’s not an intruder! This is Sawatari Takeru-sama!」
Jill’s desperate intervention worked, and at last, the barrage of items stopped. The knights, still unsure, began to murmur among themselves.
「Wait, who?」 「Is that the king?」
「Wow, so that’s the king?」 「I’ve never seen the hero of salvation of the kingdom before!」
I’m often called ‘king’, but technically speaking, I’m not. The true ruler of Silesie is Queen Silhouette.
「Jill, thank you for stepping in. But, uh… maybe you should pick up your towel?」
Despite her heroic intervention, Jill’s towel had fallen to the floor, leaving her completely naked. Her six-pack abs and perfectly toned, bronze body were more impressive than anything, but still—being naked wasn’t ideal.
「Please, forgive the knight order’s rudeness, my lord!」
「Seriously though, the towel…」
Ignoring my suggestion to wrap the towel back around herself, Jill knelt deeply before me.
「What are you all doing? This is His Majesty! Show respect. And for those who threw things at him, you’ll be punished later!」
「Ugh, the commander’s so strict…」
「Silence, fools! Do you not understand? He’s royalty and our supreme commander. To mistake him for an intruder and throw objects at him—it’s an offense punishable by death!」
「Nooo, I don’t want to die! I’m so sorry!」
「Please forgive us!」 「We apologize!」
Once the female knights fully grasped the gravity of the situation, they all began to frantically apologize, prostrating themselves before me. The room, which had been buzzing with chaos like a disturbed beehive, suddenly became tense with a heavy silence.
Of course, throwing a desk at me wasn’t something that would result in a death sentence. Jill was just being a bit too dramatic.
I gently set the large desk I had caught down beside me and sighed, glancing around. While these female knights were part of the palace’s guard, this wasn’t an old-timey fantasy with knights clanking around in full armor.
The royal guard had been reorganized to keep up with modern weaponry. Although not as heavily equipped as the volunteer cavalry, the guard, now led by Marina Horse—the former vice-commander of Louise’s knight brigade—had transitioned into a lighter cavalry force that worked in tandem with the musketeer squad.
They might not wear full plate armor, but they still carried hard leather armor and protective sabers or rapiers. I was grateful they didn’t start throwing swords at me—otherwise, things would have gotten far more dangerous.
As I lowered the laundry basket that had struck me on the head, a pile of clothes fell out, and something soft and sweetly scented brushed against my face.
I pulled it off and held it up—turns out, it was a pair of lacy black panties. Honestly, given how sheer they seemed, I was surprised they weren’t completely see-through. Though, I suppose being black helped with that. I didn’t expect undergarments to be this bold these days.
「Th-Those are mine! I apologize, this is such an embarrassment…」
「Jill, these are yours? Sorry about that!」
「It’s shameful that someone like me would wear such things… You must have found it distasteful.」
「Uh, well… no, not exactly…」
As serious as Jill usually was, it was a bit surprising she’d wear something like this. Though everyone has their own tastes, I thought it suited her well enough—Jill was a strikingly cool woman, after all. Still, saying that out loud felt awkward, so I kept quiet.
Always composed, Jill’s face was now bright red as she bowed deeply in apology. Strangely, she seemed more flustered by me seeing her underwear than by being stark naked earlier. For some reason, this was the thing that really embarrassed her.
I couldn’t quite understand that particular quirk of a woman’s heart. Seeing how flustered she was, I hurriedly handed the panties back to Caroline, who was busy gathering up clothes to place in the laundry basket.
「Cough. In any case, the fault lies with me for not properly educating my subordinates. I will take the punishment on their behalf, so please forgive their improper behavior.」
「Jill, it’s fine. There’s no need for punishment. It was my fault for barging into the changing room unexpectedly. Besides, not everyone here knows who I am. And… really, you should put the towel back on.」
Since Silhouette handles the knight ceremonies, it’s no surprise some of the newer members don’t recognize me, especially since I’m merely the prince consort. If an unfamiliar man suddenly appeared in the bathhouse, of course, they’d be shocked.
Fortunately, no one was injured, so no harm was done. I was about to suggest that they relax and enjoy their bath when Caroline cut in.
「…We cannot simply leave this matter unpunished.」
「Understood. We are ready to accept whatever you deem necessary. However, I ask that the punishment be limited to us, the commanders.」
Jill stood at attention, and beside her, Marina—the silent and composed captain of the guard—stepped forward as well. With her chestnut hair and reserved nature, Marina often worked closely with me, but she was always so quiet and unassuming that her presence could almost go unnoticed.
Marina, despite being in her mid-twenties, was so small and delicate that she could easily be mistaken for a young girl. Yet, despite her appearance, she held the nickname 「Rock’n’Roll」 and was a renowned authority in cavalry combat.
「Uh, Caroline, I really don’t think—」
「Takeru-sama is the Queen’s consort and the supreme commander of the national military. Even though it was an accident, it cannot be overlooked that the royal guard, whose duty it is to protect the crown, acted improperly.」
Sure, but it seemed harsh to punish them over something like this. Honestly, if Caroline had just informed me that the knights were using the bathhouse, none of this would have happened in the first place.
「Indeed. As punishment for their misconduct, I decree that the offending knights shall wash Takeru-sama’s back.」 Caroline declared with a smirk, adjusting her silver-framed glasses in a way that seemed far too pleased with itself. She had to be up to something.
※※※
「Why has it come to this…」
Somehow, I had ended up taking a bath with the entire knight squad.
The bathtub was packed with close to a hundred female knights. It was an overwhelming sight—everyone was trying to sink deeper into the water to hide their bodies, causing the bath to overflow everywhere. At this point, I wondered if anyone would even be able to enjoy a proper bath.
Meanwhile, I had been forcibly seated in the washing area. Standing before me were Jill, Marina, and six other knights, all lined up and completely naked.
Caroline, hands on her hips, smiled triumphantly before issuing her next command.
「Now, everyone, you will wash Takeru-sama’s back. This will ensure that none of you forget whom you serve in the future.」
The knights, compelled by Caroline’s twisted reasoning, stood in embarrassed silence. Unlike the fortunate knights who had managed to retreat into the bath, these poor girls who had thrown things at me were now the unlucky ones being forced into this awkward punishment.
「I’ve never even let my father see me like this…」
Whimpered a blonde girl with long, drills. She squirmed uncomfortably, trying to cover her private parts with her hands, but given her curvy figure and rather large chest, it seemed to be a struggle. Caroline, ever the strict disciplinarian, didn’t let her off the hook.
「Blondie over there, no covering up with your hands. In the bath, it’s normal to be naked. You should know that hiding yourself is what’s truly shameful. Here in the royal palace, everyone follows the rules Takeru-sama sets.」
「That’s just cruel!」
I definitely didn’t set any such rules. And Caroline—she was the one who used to be so embarrassed about taking baths with me. Where had the stern, principled Caroline gone—the one who, just three years ago, had protested, ‘This is all wrong!’ when she saw everyone bathing together?
It was astonishing how much people could change. Caroline, looking far too satisfied with herself, asked me smugly,
「So, Takeru-sama, how are you finding this?」
「Uh… everyone seems to be in top physical shape.」
What kind of reporter was she? I wasn’t exactly checking them out. With my wife present, I wasn’t about to ogle other women like that.
All the young knights standing in front of me were blushing furiously, their faces as red as their shoulders, embarrassed beyond belief. The only one who seemed unfazed by the whole situation was Jill, who had bathed with Silhouette and me many times before.
The Royal Guard was quite different from the Volunteer Cavalry, which was mostly made up of self-made soldiers. Many of the guards were daughters of lower nobility from Silesie, which meant that a significant number of them had never shown their bare skin to a man before. Now, trembling with nerves, they found themselves in an uncomfortable situation.
I overheard the blonde girl with the long, drill hair whispering to the short-haired brunette beside her.
「So, the rumors about the hero having a harem are true. What am I supposed to tell my father about this?」
「Honestly, at this point, you should just accept it. He’s royalty, after all. If anything happens, your father might even be pleased—you could find yourself marrying into the royal family.」
Replied a tan-skinned girl with a hint of mischief in her voice. Her pointed ears suggested she had some fairy blood in her, and given how rare it was for nobles to have mixed heritage, I assumed she was of commoner origin.
Perhaps it was that background that made her more resilient than the blonde. The Royal Guard, once composed exclusively of noble offspring, had been shaken up after Gale’s coup. Now, meritocracy had taken root, and soldiers who had proven their worth during the defense of the capital were able to rise through the ranks, eventually becoming full-fledged knights.
「Commander Jill, I’ll go first!」
「Very well, Berenice, you take the lead.」
Berenice, the tan-skinned girl, began scrubbing my back with soap. Normally, one would use a towel, but under Caroline’s strict supervision, she was instructed to use her hands. The situation felt… odd, to say the least.
「Um, Your Majesty, does this feel good?」
「Yes, that’s enough.」
She seemed disappointed but moved aside, allowing the next person to take over. Jill called out,
「Next is Clémentine.」
The blonde with the long, drill hair—Clémentine—looked every bit the elegant, high-born lady. She seemed far too refined for the rough life of a knight.
Interestingly enough, it was Clémentine who had thrown the large desk at me earlier.
「Commander Jill, I can’t touch a man’s skin.」
「Do you understand who this is? He is the Hero who saved our kingdom and our liege, our lord!」
「But… I’m too afraid…」
「Enough! What kind of knight are you? Step aside—I’ll show you how it’s done!」
Jill, exasperated with Clémentine’s hesitation, stepped forward. But instead of starting with my back, she positioned herself in front of me.
「Jill! The front is fine—really!」
Despite this being a backwashing situation, Jill was now standing directly in front of me.
「Hero-dono, I need to set an example for my subordinates. I understand that this is not ideal, but I ask that you bear with it for now.」
「But the front—」
「Don’t worry. I’ll only wash your chest.」
「That’s not really the issue…」
Though I tried to avert my eyes, having someone standing right in front of me made things rather… visible.
「I apologize for the sight, Hero. I’m merely demonstrating to Clémentine how things should be done. See, Clémentine? The Hero is a noble man—he won’t pounce on you just because you touch his skin. He is not like other men.」
With Jill leading by example, Clémentine seemed to gather her courage. Slowly, she approached and began scrubbing my back. However, given her rather well-endowed figure, I could feel her chest almost pressing against my back. Naturally, I wanted to move forward, but with Jill standing in front of me, I had nowhere to go.
This… was extremely awkward.
Honestly, it felt more like ‘I’ was the one being punished for stumbling into the bathhouse uninvited rather than the knights being reprimanded.
「Clémentine, you may switch out now. By the way, Hero-dono, while I have you here, there’s something I’d like to discuss—this is a good opportunity for an open conversation, wouldn’t you agree?」
「Uh… sure.」
Jill, really? You’re going to have a heart-to-heart ‘now’?
Despite the strange atmosphere, Jill’s subordinates—each one of them a female knight—continued taking turns washing my back, making it incredibly difficult to focus.
「…I’ve heard that Louise-sama is making remarkable strides in the New Continent. If it were up to me, I’d have gone with Suzanne and Claudia to assist her.」
「Well, Jill, given your position, that would be tough.」
「Yes, of course. My duty as a royal guard to Queen Silhouette and my responsibility as Commander of the Royal Guard in the capital come first. But the issue that weighs on me is this—why was it only the Volunteer Cavalry, with their modern warfare capabilities, who were sent to reinforce Louise-sama? Why was not a single knight from the esteemed Royal Guard chosen?」
This was getting serious fast.
Jill’s expression was grave. Clearly, this was something she had been harboring for some time. I couldn’t respond half-heartedly.
Jill had been one of Louise’s most loyal supporters for years, so I could understand why she’d want to be by her side in battle. But with her obligations in the capital, she wasn’t allowed to join the campaign. At the very least, she had hoped to send some of the knights she’d trained herself.
However, the decision had been made to send the Volunteer Cavalry due to their experience with modern weaponry and unconventional warfare tactics. I could understand why this would upset her.
「Do they see us as unreliable? I acknowledge the skill of the Volunteer Cavalry that Louise-sama trained personally, but the Royal Guard that I and Marina have nurtured is filled with exceptional warriors. We’ve rebuilt our forces, and our knights now number a thousand. The strength of our knights should not be underestimated.」
Before I knew it, it wasn’t just Jill. The entire Royal Guard had gathered around me.
Standing at the front was Marina Horse, the commander of the Royal Cavalry. Petite and stoic as ever, she didn’t say much, but her presence was imposing.
Without warning, she suddenly clung to my waist.
「Whoa—wait! Marina, that’s not a good spot!」
「Please, use the Royal Guards!」
It was as if her words were a signal. A great splash echoed from the bath, and soon, the hundred or so knights who had been huddled in the water were now surging toward me, their embarrassment completely forgotten.
「Yes, Hero-sama, give us a chance to prove ourselves!」 「Please, allow us to serve you!」 「Use us in battle!」
Just moments ago, they had been shy and hesitant, but now that the conversation had shifted to the subject of war, they had become deadly serious, their demeanor entirely changed.
「Whoa, whoa, I appreciate the petitions, but think about where you’re doing this!」
「Hero, I apologize for the forwardness of our request. But we cannot hold back our frustration. Why were none of our elite knights chosen to fight alongside Louise-sama?」
There was no point in evading the question any longer. Besides, if I continued letting them plead like this, things could spiral out of control fast. Desperate to diffuse the situation, I quickly stepped out of the circle of knights and raised my voice.
「Commander Jill! Commander Marina! All of you, listen! Every soldier has a role—there is a time and place for each. The mission to aid Louise in the New Continent was expected to involve irregular warfare, which is why the Volunteer Cavalry, with their expertise, were chosen. This was not a slight against your abilities. Your strength lies in honorable, traditional combat, and I promise that your time will come. In this war, I guarantee there will be a place where the Royal Guard’s prowess will be needed. Until then, I ask that you continue your duty defending the capital!」
I had to think fast to say all of that, but it seemed to work.
「Did you hear that, everyone? The Hero has promised us a chance to shine! Until then, we must train harder and continue our duties with renewed vigor!」
A triumphant cheer echoed through the bathhouse as the female knights let out a fierce battle cry. Though they had an elegant air about them, each of these women had been forged into powerful warriors, true daughters of the battlefield.
Phew, it looked like they were satisfied for now. I knew there was some rivalry between the Royal Guard and the Volunteer Cavalry, but I hadn’t realized just how deeply it affected them. I’d have to make sure they had their moment to shine at some point.
As I stood, now covered in soap suds thanks to the overzealous knights, Caroline came over with a fresh bucket of water and rinsed me off. She smiled at me with that knowing look she often had.
「Well, that seems to settle things.」
「Ah, so that’s what this was about, Caroline.」
Caroline had probably overheard the grievances of the Royal Guard while checking on the bathhouse earlier. Their frustrations had been simmering, and to clear the air, she had deliberately set me up to deal with them head-on.
「Thanks to your support, I was able to get through that. If there’s ever anything else that escapes my attention, don’t hesitate to help me out.」
「Hmm? Whatever could you mean?」
「…Wait, that wasn’t your plan all along?」
「Nope! I just thought some excitement would liven things up a bit.」
She replied nonchalantly, a sly smile creeping onto her lips.
「Wait, what?」
「Well, you see, I thought you could use a little challenge with all these lovely knights. You know, make things more interesting for both you and them!」
「…Really?」
「Consider it a warm-up! They are knights, after all. Sometimes you need a good racehorse to keep you on your toes.」
Caroline had definitely grown bolder since we first met. She stuck her tongue out playfully, a sign of her mischievous side.
「Caroline… looks like you’re in for some discipline.」
「Bring it on!」
With that cheeky exchange hanging in the air, we didn’t linger in the bath much longer. We quickly dried off and, with a shared glance, made our way toward the bed once again. Despite the playful banter, things felt anything but leisurely as we prepared for the next challenge ahead.