Chapter 210: Homecoming (4) – Nesha
Nesha stood still, basking in the water’s warmth as dozens of tiny rivulets splashed on her shoulders, before trickling down her back, gently caressing her. Only after a few minutes of silent appreciation did she begrudgingly step out of the stream. She didn’t want to keep Elaine waiting for too long.
Picking an expensive-looking glass bottle from a marble shelf on the wall, she opened it, dripping a viscous liquid that smelled of lavender in her hand. Next, she applied it to her hair, bubbles forming as she scrubbed away the accumulated dirt and grime.
‘Gods, I missed this so damn much…’
Naturally, she hadn’t had a proper shower since before their escape from the Guild. And not for a lack of wanting one. Sadly, for the longest time she’d had no choice but to wash herself with whatever laughable amount of cold water would fit in a barrel. Which, for the record, hadn’t always been enough to rid herself of the swamp’s stench.
Though, it wasn’t her time in the Guild flashing through her mind right now, but a series of nostalgic memories from even further back. Scenes from a tender age long past, within walls long destroyed... Not that she’d enjoyed her childhood much at the time, yet she couldn’t help but miss it – and even that asshole of a father – now that they were all gone.
‘Despite everything, I was so lucky to be born to a noble House.’ she sighed.
Most nobles took simple pleasures like warm showers or fresh food for granted. And Nesha wasn’t an exception. It took living for two years among commoners for her eyes to open to the hardships the have-nots faced on a daily basis. Of course, even nobles were deprived of such amenities when they were travelling, but that was just a temporary arrangement. Not having a proper house to return to was downright depressing…
That said, her time in Bogside town hadn’t been all bad. Her relationship with Percy aside, the sheer progress she had made with her magic was far beyond what she would have thought possible. And she wasn’t just thinking of her Refined spell. The runes she had studied alongside Percy were – quite literally – out of this world. Much like him, Nesha had actually grown rather interested in the field after all this time.
Overcome by curiosity, she leaned forward, trying to make out the runes carved on the wall. They were there for controlling the water’s flow and temperature, much like the ones she had used in the Guild. Sadly, her poor eyesight in tandem with the thick layer of steam filling the room didn’t make her job easy. Thankfully, she wasn’t in a rush…