“… damn.”
As soon as I woke up in the morning, cursing was the only option.
I had managed to cut down on swearing while working in the castle, but this was unavoidable.
“How do I change my clothes?”
Thinking about it, I realized I was still in yesterday’s outfit.
It was a dress, so it wasn’t too uncomfortable, but it felt really gross.
“I wish Kyle would come quickly…”
I remembered a comic I had read once.
The protagonist, after getting paralyzed from the waist down while horseback riding, pathetically called for a nurse.
That was exactly my situation.
I couldn’t do anything because my legs were injured.
I had crutches beside me, but…
The problem was that it wasn’t just a cast on my leg.
Probably because Kyle was so worried, he had wrapped bandages around my arms too.
There was even a bandage on my head.
“My arm isn’t that badly hurt…”
Anyway, thanks to all that, I was in a state where I couldn’t do anything.
My head was a really important part, so I understood why they wrapped it up.
I would have done the same if it were me.
Usually, I woke Kyle up.
Being a direct servant, it was only natural.
But now that I couldn’t wake him up myself, would he get up and come help me?
“….”
Umm.
*
“Sophia, are you alright?”
“.. No.”
Before Kyle arrived, all I managed to do was hop on my crutches to the bathroom.
“Young Master, how do I take a shower…?”
“….”
Kyle and I fell into silence, deep in thought.
Well, thinking about it, I couldn’t wash myself alone!
My legs were useless, and my arms were bandaged.
“I’ll help you.”
“Excuse me?”
“You helped me with my bath, so I think it’s only right that I help you since this happened because of me.”
“Um…”
Well, it would definitely be convenient for me.
But it felt… weird.
Showing myself naked to Kyle…
“Um…”
“Shall we move to the bathroom for now?”
“Yes.”
I felt something strange, but I had no other choice.
I couldn’t wash myself in this state.
I moved with Kyle’s support, not using my crutches.
I didn’t link arms with him.
His height was too tall for that.
“Young Master, I’d appreciate it if you could grab my underwear and clothes from my room.”
“.. Okay.”
We decided to quickly stop by my room to grab some clothes before going to the bath.
The clothes I was wearing were comfortable, but they were super dirty.
I leaned against the wall in front of my room and waited for Kyle.
I wondered if this was too much stimulation for a boy, but surely a guy like me would be no stimulation at all.
“I’ve got it. Let’s head to the bath.”
“Yes.”
Once again, I moved with Kyle’s support.
Kyle’s strong, sturdy hands were holding onto my shoulder and hand.
It was fascinating to see how well he had grown up.
It was also surprising to see him help a girl like this, just like a knight.
“heh…”
Even though my body still didn’t feel good, I couldn’t help but smile.
*
“…..”
“Young Master, what’s wrong?”
After I took off my clothes, I said that.
There was no choice but to undress to wash.
After hastily removing my clothing, I wrapped my body in a towel Kyle handed me and turned towards him.
“You need to come in with me. I can’t wash myself anymore.”
“.. Yes, I’ll enter…”
We stepped into the bathroom, filled with the signature humidity of a bath.
I might not be able to enjoy a bath as usual, but the unique atmosphere of the bathroom was still nice.
“Ugh… it’s so exhausting just getting to the bathroom…”
“Haha…”
Kyle chuckled awkwardly at my words.
Although distance-wise it should have taken only 3 minutes, we had taken over 10 minutes, so it made sense.
“Young Master, do you know how to assist with washing? If you don’t…”
“I’ll manage.”
“O-Okay…”
He was about to give instructions, but…
I had wanted to play tutor after a long time…
It really felt like I was completely useless.
“Just sit still.”
“Yes.”
I stayed still as Kyle instructed.
I stretched my right leg out in front while leaving my other leg in a normal position.
I still couldn’t understand why there was a cast in this fantasy world.
Honestly, I wasn’t even sure if it was a cast.
It felt hard and similar, but… something was just slightly off.
“Then… I’ll wash you.”
“Yes.”
Kyle began to wash me just like I had washed him before.
“Ugh…”
I was a bit startled when his hand suddenly touched my shoulder.
I thought he’d just be drying me off with the towel, but his hand suddenly went up.
“Hmm…”
Kyle washed me diligently.
His strength made it feel a bit painful, but strangely enough, it also felt kinda nice.
Was it like getting a massage while being washed?
It was a different feeling from when I washed myself.
“Huh… mmm…”
“….”
“Young Master, you need to wash my hair too…”
“Yes.”
I nearly laid back on the chair as I changed my position.
Since I had wiped off dirt from my body with the towel and water, I knew I needed my hair washed too.
“O… oh… clothes…”
Kyle… washed my hair better than I expected…
His gentle touch was nice, but because of Kyle’s strong grip, it felt like a massage too…
“Ahh…”
He did well.
“….”
It was time to wash my body with the shower towel and soap.
But suddenly, Kyle’s hand stopped.
Was there a problem?
“Young Master?”
“…”
“Is there something wrong?”
“Umm…”
Kyle was hesitating to answer.
I wondered what could be going on.
Since Kyle was behind me, I couldn’t tell.
“Just… wash the chest and the front part yourself…”
“Oh.”
Our naive young master seemed still uncomfortable touching a woman’s body.
If I were an average guy, this situation would have immediately involved him touching my chest while washing me.
“Hmm… Well, let’s do it that way this time. I’m sure you’d prefer touching another woman’s body over mine.”
Given that I had those… well, squishy things, and my butt was a bit more pronounced, it probably looked less appealing.
Because if the breasts and butt are too big, they look more… bulky.
It was a bit of a complex.
When I was in boarding school, I had to change sizes every month because my secondary growth was slow, and those brats teased me like crazy about it.
Even if I was someone with memories from my past life, it was still a wound.
Back then, I had no friends, so I was super sad…
“Ah, Young Master, could you pass me that gray item?”
“Yes.”
Kyle handed me a product with a gray background and a drawing on it.
Normally, I might have not used it at all.
It was one of those things you would only use periodically.
But today was day I needed to use it.
“Um, what’s that?”
“It’s a feminine wash.”
“….”
“Considering you couldn’t wash properly yesterday…”
Anyways, after I finished washing my chest, butt, and abdomen, my bath was done.
I wanted to relax in the bathtub, but that would have to be saved for later.
“Ah…”
As I stepped out of the bathroom, the refreshing air greeted me.
Being supported by Kyle while naked felt a bit weird.
Was it because I was naked?
“Um… being naked like this is a bit embarrassing.”
I felt my heart beating a bit faster from the embarrassment.
Most people I had shown my naked body to were women.
Since I had been in boarding school, living in a dormitory, I had done a lot of communal washing with the other girls when I was an adventurer.
There were times when a magician cast a barrier for us to wash.
“Young Master, thank you…”
“Don’t mention it… I’m grateful too.”
“Excuse me?”
I couldn’t hear him properly since I was in the middle of drying my hair.
The sound of me patting my hair with my towel swallowed up Kyle’s voice.
“No, it’s nothing.”
“Yes…”
I wasn’t sure what it was about, but it didn’t seem important.
If it were important, he would have said it again, right?
“Um… Young Master, could you help with my underwear?”
“….. Yes.”
“Thank you. My body isn’t that great right now… Sorry.”
If my body had been fine, I could have just hooked it myself.
There were so many inconveniences.
Really.
*
“Young Master, isn’t it fine to remove the bandage from your arm?”
“No, keep it on.”
“But you took it off while washing…”
You took it off to wash, and now you want to keep it on all the time?
It was really depressing news.
Having this bandage on my arm was so uncomfortable.
Kyle had no idea what that was like.
“Sigh… it feels like my whole body is bound. I’m not someone who enjoys being tied up…”
I had seen those types while adventuring, but I definitely wasn’t one of them.
Being tied up and unable to move was the worst.
I’m fine with hugging, but being tied down is nothing but unpleasant.
“Sophia, would you like some books to read?”
“Really?”
When Elin returned to my room earlier, I had just been munching on the apple she brought, so I was really bored.
Books in that situation?
That was like finding the perfect item.
Right now, I would even read a boring math book.
Of course, that was a lie.
“Please wait a moment.”
Kyle said that and rushed out of the room.
He didn’t have to try so hard; I mean, why was he so diligent?
“Sigh…”
It was probably all because I was hurt.
If a family member got hurt out of nowhere, you’d worry a lot.
If Kyle had gotten hurt because of me, I would probably be crying.
“Um…”
The room where Kyle had gone was eerily quiet.
Even when Kyle was around, it wasn’t noisy, but…
It wasn’t this silent.
All that could be heard was my own breathing and the sound of the blanket rustling.
I was never in such an atmosphere.
I was always surrounded by Kyle or my friends, after all.
Except during those rare breaks.
Maybe that’s why, with Kyle momentarily gone, I felt a bit lonely.
Was I always this weak?
“…”
I hope he returns soon.
Kyle.
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