Elsa caught Jin’s hand and stopped him just as he was about to lean forward and grill Gloria about the person she liked.
“Elsa?”
(...Leave this to me.)
Elsa whispered her intent to him. Jin decided to step back and let her take the lead.
“Princess, would you like to go to the bath?”
The suggestion came so suddenly that it caught the others by surprise.
“The bath?”
“Yes. Having a bath while the sun is still up is truly special.”
“Back where I’m from, there’s even a custom called a morning bath,” Jin added, providing covering fire.
“Hmm. It is not our custom, but a bath while it is still light out does sound pleasant.”
“We still have some time, so why don't we go together?”
Princess Lieschen considered the invitation for a moment before deciding to accept.
“Very well. Let us bathe together.”
“Of course, Jessica-san and Gloria-san will join us as well, right?”
“Indeed.”
“We are the Princess’s guards, after all.”
And so the five of them, including Tia, moved to the bathhouse attached to the VIP suite.
While it wasn't exactly a grand public bath, it was large enough to comfortably accommodate about ten people, making it more than spacious enough for the five of them.
“...It would feel even better if the windows were larger, though,” Elsa remarked.
“Hmm, but would that not be dangerous in various ways?”
The Princess was likely referring to risks like kidnapping or assassination rather than mere peeping Toms.
“I see. Kunlun Island has no such worries... How enviable.”
Princess Lieschen let out a small sigh of realization.
“...By the way,” Lieschen whispered, leaning toward Elsa as if shifting gears. “...How is your newlywed life? Is Jin treating you kindly?”
“...Eh? Ah, yes.”
Elsa blushed at the unexpected question.
“I see....I hope Nest-sama is also kind.”
Even as a princess, Lieschen was clearly curious about such things. It seemed she had wanted to ask Elsa, who was close to her in age. This was, in a sense, exactly what Elsa had intended.
“...Gloria, what about you?” the Princess asked, turning her focus.
“Huh?...What about me?”
“The fact that you have started growing out your short hair suggests a change of heart, does it not?”
“W-Well... I suppose.”
Gloria’s cheeks turned a rosy pink in the warm water.
“Hmm. Is the person a knight of our country? Or perhaps the son of a noble?”
“W-Well, ah, that is...”
“Hmm, so it is neither. Someone from another country then?”
“W-Well, yes...”
Under Lieschen’s relentless prodding, Gloria’s answers remained vague, yet she was being steadily led toward a confession. Her face was bright red, and it certainly wasn't just because of the hot water.
“Hmm. In that case... could it be Elsa’s brother, Fritz-dono?”
“Splutter!”
Panicked, Gloria’s foot slipped in the tub.
“Gloria-san...”
It was the exact reaction Elsa had been aiming for, but it was so transparent that even she felt a bit exasperated.
“A-A-Ah-wah-wah!”
“Hey, don’t splash so much.”
Jessica rebuked Gloria, who was flailing about in the water.
“Honestly, follow Cynthia’s example.”
“...Eh? Cynthia-san?”
Hearing a familiar name, Elsa asked for clarification.
“By Cynthia-san, do you mean the one who attended the Founding Anniversary Ceremony of the Celuroa Kingdom?”
“Eh? Ah, yes. You were at that ceremony as well, were you not, Elsa-san?”
Not only had she been there, but at Fritz’s request, Elsa had been the one to craft the pendant top meant as a gift for Cynthia.
“Yes. It has been decided that Cynthia will be engaged to the second son of House Rush, Heinz-dono, and will leave the ritter order.”
“Is that so?”
It seemed Cynthia was surprisingly popular in matters of the heart; Elsa felt a bit conflicted. Nonetheless, she felt they had moved at least one step forward regarding the situation with her brother, Fritz.
“Jessica-san, I imagine marriage to someone from another country would cause a lot of problems, wouldn't it?”
“Hm? Y-Yes, that is true... though it might not be that big of a deal.”
Elsa was curious about the somewhat hesitant answer and pressed further.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Except for a few, the female knights of our country are not told any important state secrets.”
Princess Lieschen was the one who answered Elsa’s question.
“Is that so?”
“Yes. I will tell you because it is you, Elsa, but the majority of the female knights join simply to add prestige to their names.”
“...”
Lieschen explained that daughters of lower nobles or the new nobility joined because they wanted the title of ‘baronet.’ Although it was a non-hereditary title that lasted only one lifetime, having it made a significant difference in aristocratic society.
“That said, not just anyone can become one,” Jessica added. “One must be outstanding in swordsmanship and magic to make the cut.”
“...What did you mean by ‘except for a few’?” Elsa asked, zeroing in on the phrase that had caught her attention.
“Those of commander rank. Like Jessica or Gloria here.”
“Eh...”
Just when Elsa thought it might be fine since most knights didn't know important secrets, it turned out Gloria was one of those few exceptions.
“I see.”
Elsa felt a wave of disappointment.
Knowing that staying in the hot water for too long would make them lightheaded, they ended the bath after a reasonable amount of time.
(...I didn't make much progress...)
Elsa felt a bit dejected, considering how hard she had tried.
After leaving the bath, Lieschen and her guards headed back to their own quarters. Elsa returned to the drawing room of the VIP suite where Jin was waiting.
“How did it go?”
“...Not much progress.”
“I see. Well, let’s not rush it. We’ll take it one step at a time.”
“Mm.”
Since they were currently visiting in a semi-official capacity, getting too involved in personal affairs could lead to rumors of favoritism, which would be troublesome.
After finishing a quiet lunch, Jin and Elsa boarded Konron 3 and departed the Klein Kingdom.