Chapter 37: 28.5

The winters in the Tearmoon Empire are cold. At its coldest, it snows, and the puddles of water are covered with ice.

The prison where Mia was locked up was also a cold place. So much so, a person would freeze if they stayed still for too long.

In such a cold prison, Mia's delicate, but untidy naked body was exposed to the outside air.

[Ugh! So cold....]

[Yes, it is winter already....]

Today is the one day of the week she gets water to cleanse her body.

[Honestly, I'm not really in the mood for it....]

Wiping her body with water is not a big deal in the summer, but in winter, it is hard on the body. And there are even small ice blocks floating in the water as a form of harassment.

But missing this opportunity means waiting a week before water comes again. Living with the dirty in her body for an entire week was hard enough already, much less two.

Mia had no choice but to take off her clothes and wipe her skin, full of goosebumps.

Anne put her hand in the bucket of water, while looking at Mia's white back.

The water, with ice floating on it, was so cold that it hurts.

Anne remembered the face of the person who had handed the bucket with a nasty grin on his face, and felt anger boiling inside. She tried to protest once, but was simply ignored and the situation stayed the same.

She had no choice but to warm the wet cloth in her hands before using it, so, Mia doesn't get cold.

This was her little silent resistance that no one will ever know.

...Well, Mia knew though.

Since it was awkward to remain silent for long periods of time, Anne always tried to talk to Mia about various things.

And the topic of the day was....

[A big bath...?]

[That is right. There is a public bathhouse in town with a big bathtub full of hot water... Did you know?]

[Eh... It is my first time hearing of it.]

Anne continues her story, while wiping Mia's back with the cloth that had warmed up to a certain extent.

[I go with my younger sisters, sometimes. When I stop by after work, it is like all my fatigue is being washed away. The other day....]

Anne continues to talk about the fun times she has with her sisters. Her voice was calm and gentle. In Mia's eyes, Anne's appearance was dazzling.

(I wish I was there with you.)

Mia swallowed her small wish without saying it.

She knew it was a wish that couldn't be fulfilled. ... She knew saying it out lound would do nothing more than bother Anne.

Instead, Mia smiled and said:

[I don't know how you can enjoy something like that. It is a thing for commoners, after all.]

[Mia-sama....]

Anne was not angry at the spitefull remark.

Instead, she realized the smile on Mia's face was lonely and felt sad to see the former proud princess dropping her shoulders.

However, comforting her here wasn't an option. It would only hurt Mia's pride.

After thinking for a while, Anne decided to play a little prank.

She dipped her fingertips in the cold water and ran her fingers down Mia's neck,

[Take this!]

She got her!

[Hya!]

Mia's delicate body bounced up and down.

[Wh, wh, wh!?]

Anne smiled at Mia, who turned around in surprise.

[How is it? Isn't it fun? I though you wouldn't understand by just talking about it, so I gave a demonstration. Take this!]

[Hyaaa! St, stop it, Anne! Hey!]

After having her neck and sides touched non stop by Anne's cold hands, Mia puffed up her cheeks.

[You better remember, Anne. If I ever get to take a bath with you, I will have my revenge. I'm quite a vindictive person, just so you know.]

[Oh, that is too bad. That is totally impossible. A princess and a commoner can't take a bath together.]

Anne says with a teasing smile.

[Oh? I don't know about that. If the day comes when I can leave this place, I will not be a princess anymore, will I? If my status is revoked, I'll be a commoner, just like you. Of course, we can go to the bath together then, can't we?]

Anne smiled back at Mia, who had a determined smile.

[Hahaha! That is true. Then, let's go together. I will look forward to your revenge.]

Mia knew way too well. That day will never come.

The day when Mia can leave this prison, is the day of her execution.

Anne probably knew that as well....

However, Mia was grateful for Anne from the bottom of her heart for answering with a honest smile, without glooming over it.

 

(At that time, I didn't think the opportunity would really arive.)

 

Even after her transmigration, that promise wasn't easy to fulfill.

If you think about it, there is no way an Imperial Princess could go to a public bathhouse made for commoners. On the other hand, there is no way Anne would be able to take a bath in the castle either. Since it was a bath built for Mia.

Even then, Mia really wanted to take a bath with Anne. She wanted to experience the fun of taking a bath together with other girls, like the stories she was told.

The opportunity came to her soon after arriving at St. Noel Academy, but....

(I couldn't take my time back then, since Rafina was there.)

And then....

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[Anne, shall we go take a bath?]

A few days after meeting Rafina in the bath, Mia invited Anne to go there once again.

Similar to the other day, the large communal bath was empty. The big grin on Mia's face tells that if it is like that, she feels confortable to join Anne without hesitation.

Well. Even if there was someone else, Mia wouldn't let them complain....

[Then, Mia-sama. Allow me to wash your back.]

Anne, with her long red hair, quietly knelt beside Mia.

Looking at that, Mia makes a suggestion, without wasting any time.

[Hey, Anne. Why don't we wash each other again?]

Mia doesn't want to just bath together. She also want to have fun.

In short, she wants them to play with each other.

The other day, she washed Anne's back, but she was too nervous and stiff.

(That is not how she was told it was in the stories.)

What Mia yearns for, is a fun bath where they splash water at each other, tickle each other and so on.

So, today, Mia was fired up to get her revenge! Yes, revenge.

[No, you see, Mia sama, you know, right? That's...]

As she tried to resist as before, Mia said with a grin face.

[I'm sorry Anne... this is an order. You know how selfish I am, right? Well, sit there. I will go first!]

Today, Mia will take her revenge by force, if needed.

 

So, a few minutes after she started to wash Anne's glossy back.

(Huh, that is strange. Anne, you are still nervous after all. This is no fun.)

Mia puffed up her cheeks, frustrated.

(I don't know what to do. ... Oh, that is right!)

A previous scene crossed her mind.

[...Oh, that reminds me....]

Mia gave a mischievous smile.

[Not only I was indebted to you, but I also had a grudge....]

[...Eh? Mia-sama, what are you talking about?]

When Anne was about to turn around, Mia opened up a broad smile and pressed her cold palm against Anne's back.

[Take this!]

[Wahhh!]

With a funny scream, Anne jumps up.

[Wh, wh, what are you doing, Mia-sama?]

[He, he. It is payback. Revenge!]

[Re, revenge?]

Anne tilted her head in confusion, but when she saw Mia smiling happily, she undertood what she was looking for and smiled back.

[Mia-sama, do you remeber what Rafina-sama said? In this place, where we rid ourselves from our clothes, there are no princesses or commoners.....]

[What?]

As soon as she said that, she reaches out to Mia's side.

Of course, her hands aren't cold now.

There is no intention of using cold water against Mia.

Howerver, Anne has a technique she developed by taking baths with her younger sisters.

Yes, a fun and enjoyable technique.

When she touches Mia's smooth belly, she tickles it with her fingers!

Naturally, Mia had never been tickled before. No one would dare do something like that.

Mia, who had no immunity whatsoever jumped up and down, just as planned.

[Eh? Ehhh?]

Not only that, but Anne had mastered the art of tickling in her battles with her sisters.

[No, no, noo! Nooo!]

Mia couldn't compete with her, and was tickled down in an one-sided battle.

And thus, Mia, the avenger, was dumbly defeated, and enjoyed the bath from the bottom of her heart.

 

....By the way, the next day, Rafina smiled at her while saying: [Please be quiet in the communal bath, Mia-san.]

Mia, scared and with tears in her eyes, though,

[I knew it. I shouldn't take revenge anymore!]

And her heart was filled with a new determination.

 

And they lived happily ever after.

 

Author's notes:

Speaking of villainesses, revenge! So, this was the story of Mia's revenge.

Yes, no matter what anyone says, it is a revenge story.

It is a story about Mia taking revenge on Anne, not about anything else.

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