The place we arrived at was a bathhouse located closest to the academy within the city. It's large, and being the closest one to the academy, it's often used by academy students. Since the dormitories only have showers and no bathhouse, if we want to bathe, we have no choice but to leave the academy.
"Yup, it's a bathhouse. Why?" Annie asked, as if there was nothing wrong.
Sure, it's not strange to go to a bathhouse with friends after exercising. I used to bathe with my guildmates in the guild's bathhouse after training back in my assassin days. But ever since I came to the academy, I've only used the private shower in my single room instead of the communal showers the students in four-person rooms use.
It's much more comfortable, and I don't have to be mindful of others. Even though my body has become female, and I've gotten used to it since I see it every day, seeing other women's bodies is still a different story. Sure, even if I accidentally peek at others, or outright look at them, no one would suspect me. But I'm not shameless enough to act so brazenly.
More importantly, the biggest reason I avoid using communal showers or bathhouses isn't about guilt or morality.
"Um, there's a nice café we went to last time. How about we go there instead?" I suggested.
"Oh? Then let's just take a quick bath and head there afterward!" Annie said, her mind already set on the bathhouse.
"That's not a good idea. We don't have any change of clothes, so we'll still feel sticky after the bath. Instead, how about—"
"Oh, don't worry about that. This bathhouse caters to academy students, so they clean your clothes with a cleaning spell," Yuri said, immediately sinking my suggestion.
Of course, cleaning magic isn't very difficult, but using it as a service for customers? I guess that's what it takes to run a business near the academy.
I turned to Cilly, clinging to my last hope. "Cilly, didn't you say you'd be fine with wherever I want to go? So, how about we go to the café—"
Before I could finish speaking, Cilly shook her head furiously. The intensity with which she shook her head was almost scary. Her face turned red, and in an oddly excited voice, she said, "No! I'm sweaty too, so let's go into the bathhouse!"
There was no escape. As I hesitated, not knowing what to do, Annie grabbed my hand and dragged me into the bathhouse.
After paying the entrance fee at the counter, we entered the locker room. I stood as close to the cabinet as possible, trying to limit my field of view. Even though the thought of other women seeing my body felt embarrassing, I reminded myself that to others, my body was just another woman's body. There was nothing strange about it.
I couldn't just stand there forever, so I took off my jacket and hung it up. Then, I slowly unbuttoned my blouse, one button at a time, and removed it.
Next, I unzipped my skirt and slid it off slowly. Only my underwear remained.
I reached behind my back to unhook the bra I had grown accustomed to wearing. As I unclasped it, my two modest breasts were revealed. Even though it's my own body, I couldn't help but feel embarrassed. I wasn't sure if I was blushing because I was seeing a woman's body or because others might see it.
Since we were going to the bathhouse, it was only natural that I would need to be fully naked. So, I had no choice but to take off my panties as well. However, despite easily shedding the other clothes, I hesitated when it came to my underwear. It wasn't just because I was embarrassed.
"I'll head in first!" Annie exclaimed.
"Eep!"
Annie, already fully undressed, slapped me lightly on the back as she dashed towards the baths. The sensation of bare skin touching mine sent a small yelp out of my mouth. When I glanced over my shoulder, I saw Cilly staring at me, blushing. She must have heard me yelp.
…Isn't this more embarrassing for me than for her?
Anyway, now the only thing left to take off was my panties. The problem was the mark on my lower abdomen. As a result of the TS magic that transformed me, the seal that had once been a simple circle on my chest had shifted and changed into a heart-shaped crest with wings on my lower abdomen. It was now barely covered by my underwear.
The mark was a master-servant contract seal, usually associated with slaves or, in my case, assassins. If Cilly saw this, she might start to suspect that I had once been an assassin sent to kill her.
I grabbed the towel I had brought and held it in front of me as I swiftly pulled off my panties. I checked to see if anyone had noticed. Yuri was just finishing undressing, and Cilly, still fully clothed, was watching me with a slightly displeased look. It seemed strange to her that I was covering myself with a towel, but I wasn't the only one doing that. So, there shouldn't be an issue. Fortunately, it seemed like no one noticed the seal.
"I'll head in too, then," I said, hoping to make a quick exit.
I could feel Cilly's eyes on my back as I walked toward the bath. Ignoring the nervous feeling, I hurried into the bathhouse.
As I entered, the heat and humidity immediately enveloped my skin. Sensitive as my body was, I reacted even to these slight changes.
The bathhouse was crowded with what seemed like mostly academy students. I intentionally let my eyes go out of focus to avoid looking at anyone. I wasn't yet shameless enough to stare at other people's naked bodies.
Through my blurred vision, I noticed a small red-headed girl darting between the hot and cold baths. No matter how childish Annie could act, there was no way that was her. So, that little girl absolutely couldn't be Annie.
…I'd like to believe that.
I headed toward the farthest shower stall, where there were partitions, and began washing my body. I placed the towel nearby, careful to keep my back turned to prevent the seal on my lower abdomen from being seen. Just in case, I covered my stomach with bubbles.
"Elys?" Annie's voice came from behind me as I washed. Anticipating her usual pranks, I tensed up, expecting her to tickle me under the arms. I caught her hand as she tried to slip it into my armpit, but then her hand went further than I expected.
"Hya!"
Annie's hand had groped my chest, kneading my breast in a way that sent unfamiliar sensations throughout my body. Though I was startled, it wasn't the shock that got me. It was the ticklish and strange feeling, different from when I touched myself. I quickly swatted her hand away, covering my chest with both hands.
"What are you doing!?"
"Well, Elys, your breasts are just the right size to fit in my hands and look so soft~. Don't you agree, Yuri, Cilly?"
To my horror, Annie turned to ask Yuri and Cilly for their opinions. Both nodded in agreement.
"Can I... touch them too?"
"M-me too…"
Instead of stopping Annie, they were actually trying to join in. Their eyes were on me, and though their beautiful bodies entered my field of vision, I was too focused on their terrifying gazes to notice.
Is this normal behavior between girls? I glanced around, but none of the other groups seemed to be behaving like us.
"No way!" I exclaimed.
"Oh, then how about we just wash each other's backs? That's okay, right?" Annie suggested.
"…Just backs, right?" I agreed quickly, before my chest became public property. Yuri and Cilly looked a little disappointed, but at least I managed to avoid the worst.
And so, we sat in a row—Annie, Yuri, me, and then Cilly—and took turns washing each other's backs. I draped my towel over my lap to cover the seal on my stomach, but since we were only washing each other's backs, there was no risk of them seeing it.
As I scrubbed Yuri's smooth back, I flinched every time Cilly's hands touched my own. The situation was so absurd that I started to question how my life had taken this turn. Still, I reminded myself that this was better than the future I once faced, where I would have had nothing but blood on my hands. Even if my mentality was now pitifully fragile, at least I wasn't an assassin anymore.
After washing each other's backs, I turned around and washed Cilly's. Unlike Yuri, her back was firm and well-toned, a testament to her hard work. I could feel her strength through her muscles.
We rinsed off and headed toward one of the smaller, vacant tubs. I cautiously sank into the water, making sure my towel remained strategically placed. The water ripples should conceal the seal, but I'd still have to be careful when getting out.
However, I'd soon realize I was being too optimistic. As we relaxed in the water, chatting casually, Annie suddenly dunked her head under the water. She stayed submerged for quite a while before bursting out of the water.
"Phew! How long was that? Pretty good, right?" she said, breathing heavily.
"Annie, you shouldn't do that here. It could bother other people," Cilly gently scolded her. Thankfully, we were in a smaller tub with just the four of us, so there were no other people to disturb. But if there had been, Annie's antics would definitely have been a problem. Of course, Annie wasn't the type to lack common sense, so I'm sure she wouldn't act like that around others.
...Right?
As I was lost in those unnecessary thoughts, Annie tilted her head and spoke to me, "By the way, Elys, did you hurt your stomach?"
"Huh...? What are you talking about?" I stammered.
"Well, I thought I saw some kind of scar on your stomach," Annie said, narrowing her eyes in concern.
"Haha... No way! You must've been mistaken. If I had a wound, I'd definitely know about it."
The liquid running down my neck wasn't just bathwater—it was sweat.
"Really? Hmm... okay, if you say so," Annie said, thankfully dropping the topic. At times like this, I was grateful for her straightforward personality.
"W-well, should we head out now? If we don't leave soon, the café will close."
"Oh, I agree! Let's go!" Annie chirped.
"Oh? It's already that late? Yeah, let's head out," Yuri said, glancing at the clock hanging inside the bathhouse.
Meanwhile, Cilly still looked reluctant to leave, casting me a slightly displeased look. However, with the majority agreeing, she had no choice but to go along with us.
I quickly stood up and left the tub, covering myself with the towel again as I stepped out of the bath. Cilly, still looking a bit disappointed, eventually followed.
Back in the locker room, I opened my cabinet and saw that, as expected, the cleaning magic had worked. All my clothes were now dry and fresh. The most urgent item was my panties. As long as I put those on, I could cover the mark. The moment I grabbed them, though, Yuri—like Annie earlier—reached out from behind me and groped my chest.
"Hey!" I cried out.
"Hyaah!" I yelped, this time caught completely off guard. In my surprise, I dropped both the towel and the panties I had been holding. I swatted Yuri's hand away, turning to my left to escape her reach—but that turned out to be a mistake.
On my left was Cilly's locker. As I turned, I met Cilly's eyes just as her gaze dropped down to follow the falling towel... and landed right on the seal on my lower abdomen.
I quickly crossed my arms over my chest and covered my lower stomach with my hand. But no matter how fast I moved, there was no way I could have done it faster than her eyes. She must have seen it. Of all people, Cilly—the last person I wanted to notice—had seen the mark.
"Did... did you see?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper, hoping for the impossible. But there was no response from Cilly. The silence was answer enough. She must have seen the master-servant seal and now suspected me. I imagined her feeling disappointed, maybe even thinking I had betrayed her.
Trying not to draw attention, I quickly grabbed my panties off the floor and put them on, glancing at Cilly's face. Her gaze was still fixed on me, but we didn't make eye contact.
What should I say? How could I possibly explain this? Should I run away? Maybe I should make plans to flee by tomorrow...
Just as a flurry of thoughts spun through my mind, Cilly finally opened her mouth.
"I..."
Huh?
"I... can I touch them too?"
Thank goodness, she hadn't seen it after all. But still—that's not the point!
"No, of course not!!!"
This is not about that!