Old Men Taking a Bath

  Danton sat up straight again.

  “Locke. This may sound like a most insolent request……”


  “Please don’t hesitate to ask me.”


  “Could you you allow Shia and Nia to lodge in this mansion?”


  “I don’t mind.”


  Danton looked happy at this reply.

  “Thank you. Of course, I shall pay for their rooms.”


  “You mustn’t worry about that.”


  We continued to talk until Milka announced that dinner was ready.

  And so it was decided that Danton would join us.

  While we were eating, Goran also dropped by.

  “Ah, Goran. Good evening.”


  “Aye, good evening. Something smells good!”


  Goran visited as if it were the most obvious thing.

  And it felt completely natural to me as well.

  Milka turned to Goran.

  “Will you eat here, Mister Goran?”


  “Oh, can I?”


  “Of course! I will bring some right away!”


  Milka then ran off to make him a plate.

  Then Goran approached Danton.

  “Ah, Lord Woolcott. What a pleasant surprise.”


  Danton and Shia had found it necessary to have a family name when being knighted.

  And so Eric had given them one.

  And that was Woolcott.

  “Lord Morton. It is an honor to meet you.”


  “What business did you have today?”


  “I came to make a request towards Locke concerning my daughters.”


  “I see! My own Serulis is often helped by Locke. So we are in similar positions.”


  And so Goran and Danton began to talk about their daughters.

  “I heard that Serulis is always helping them”


  “No! I am sure it is the other way around!”


  As they talked excitedly, Serulis, Shia and Nia looked incredibly uncomfortable.

  Once dinner was over and the girls had finished taking their bath, I, Goran and Danton decided to take one as well.

  “What about you, Luchila?”


  “NO! I do not need a bath!”


  “You really don’t like bathing, do you? Well, you should take a bath, anyway.”


  “I-I have a cold!”


  “I see. Then maybe it’s better that you don’t.”


  “Yes!”


  “Cluck-cluck.”


  Lucila picked up Lord Gerberga and retreated to his room.

  “Groof.”


  “I’m with guests today, so you’ll have to wait outside.”


  “Grr……”


  Grulf looked at me with sad eyes.

  “I’ll wash you next time, okay?”


  I said and then petted him.

  And then I went to take a bath.

  As all three of us entered, Danton said,

  “This is a grand bathing room.”


  “This mansion was formerly owned by a noble.”


  “It seems extravagant even for a noble.”


  Well, it was really a mansion for the lover of the former, former king.

  So it must have been built with the king in mind. Even I thought that it was incredibly fancy.

  Goran stretched comfortably in the pool.

  “It’s nice to be able to stretch to your heart’s content.”


  “I’m glad that you approve.”


  Then Goran lazily said,

  “Lord Danton, are you not going to have Nia apprentice for Locke?”


  “Of course, I would be most relieved if such an arrangement could be made. But I’m sure it would be too much trouble for Locke.”


  If she was my apprentice, I would be like a substitute parent. You were both guardian and guarantor.

  It was understandable that Danton would hesitate.

  “No, it would not be too much trouble for me. I already have Luchila and Milka here, anyway.”


  “If it really wouldn’t bother you, then I would like it if Nia could apprentice for you.”


  “I do not mind at all. In fact, I welcome the idea.”


  “Thank you.”


  Danton said with a bow.

  “However, is that what she wants?”


  “I will ask her. But I don’t think you need to worry about it.”


  “What makes you say that?”


  “We beastkin wolves have a tremendous respect for those who are strong. And you Mister Locke, are clearly strong.”


  “I see. So that’s how it is.”


  “I respect the strong as well.”


  Goran said with a nod.

  We finished our bath after that.

  Grulf was waiting right outside.

  “Groof-groof.”


  He started to sniff at me.

  “What is it? Can you smell something?”


  “Groof.”


  Then he started to lick my hand.

  After that, we went to the drawing room with Grulf.

  And the three of us drank wine.

  As we drank, I asked Danton a question.

  “Lord Danton, is there anyone in your family who has started to work for the king?”


  Employment at the palace had been one of the many rewards that Eric had bestowed on them.

  Besides, having many beastkin at the palace would help them ward off the vampires.

  “Three of the sharpest in our tribe have been sent to work under the king.”


  “That’s wonderful.”


  “Locke. I heard that you killed another High Lord.”


  “Where did you hear that?”


  “There are meetings between the beastkin chiefs and His Majesty. It is there that we share information about the vampires. His Majesty told me about it there.”


  “I see.”


  The beastkin wolves were professional vampire hunters.

  They gathered information about them every day, and they hunted them every day.

  And so it was a great advantage to the king to be able to share information with them.

  “It is incredible that you were able to do it by yourself.”


  Danton said with a nod.