A bath attendant for a fully grown adult man.
Are you telling Nataek he has to spray water and scrub those well-built bodies like seen in the movies?
Just imagining it made him dizzy.
Nataek had never bathed with anyone else after his body hair started growing. He didn’t go to public baths or jjimjilbangs. So, of course, he’s never watched nor helped others wash up. It was all due to Nataek’s complex.
Throughout his life, Nataek had never been inferior to anyone in terms of his height, the length of his limbs, and even the development of certain body parts. There was just one problem though. Strangely, he never grew any body hair after having gone through puberty. While his hair and eyebrows were thick, his skin around the ear area was smooth and bare, as if the hair roots in that specific spot were missing.
The more Nataek tried to picture what the scope of bathing service entailed, the more worried he became.
Don’t tell him he had to take off his clothes too…?
Nataek shook his head. Despite having played through Sununki several times, he didn’t remember seeing any nudity or explicit scenes. Nataek’s worries quickly faded away.
It was starting to get dark outside. Water wouldn’t come out when he turned the faucet, so he had to make several trips to fetch water to fill the bathtub from the river.
Nataek let out a weary sigh and set the bucket down next to the bathtub. He’d been completely distracted by all the things that happened this morning.
When was that guy coming? Should Nataek wait for him?
As Nataek stirred the water inside the bathtub to check the temperature, he heard a knock.
“Slave of the Inanna family. Are you in there!” a voice full of malice shouted at Nataek.
When Nataek opened the door, he was met with a servant of the Ninurta family.
“…What is it?”
“The third master uses an incense burner and scented oils during the bath. Take this.”
The servant curtly handed over a bronze tray. On it, there was a bottle filled with oil and a bronze incense burner full of holes. Nataek awkwardly opened the lid of the incense burner, feeling out of his depth.
The servant, taking notice of Nataek’s expressions, snapped sharply, “Don’t tell me you don’t even know how to burn incense!”
…Nataek didn’t know.
“Isn’t it just lighting a fire on the inside?”
“Unbelievable. Don’t they use incense in Lagash? Did they not have any materials there to burn?!”
The servant sent Nataek a pitiful look and pulled the bottom part of the incense burner, which opened like a drawer. Inside, there were several lumps of incense that resembled stones.
“When the third master arrives, light this incense. Be sure to control the flames so the leaves of the herbs don’t burn too fast!”
The servant’s tone was ferocious, but surprisingly, he explained everything quite kindly. When Nataek nodded, the servant emphasized a certain point once again.
“Be sure to light the incense right when the master starts taking the bath! That way, the scent will last longer!”
The door closed with a thud. Nataek couldn’t believe that the day has come when he has to help a man take a bath. It was still like a dream. As he stared at the bronze tray, a question crossed his mind.
Don’t tell him… He has to apply the scented oils himself?
* * *
Medeus returned only when it was dark outside. Nataek couldn’t rest for even a minute because he had to keep pouring out the cold water in order to keep the bathtub hot.
As soon as Medeus returned to his quarters, he unfastened the belt attached to the sword from his waist. Nataek tried to take it from him, but Medeus gave him a glance.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“Gbc’a abemt atf rkbgv,” tf rjlv vgsis.
…Ct, gluta.
Rjajfx ribkis ibkfgfv tlr tjcv klat fwyjggjrrwfca. Zfvfer yfujc ab ajxf boo tlr mibatfr ijsfg ys ijsfg. Rjajfx kjrc’a regf jybea ktfatfg bg cba tf rtbeiv yf agslcu ab ajxf atfw ogbw atf wjc, yea Zfvfer qjerfv ab ibbx ja Rjajfx. Llr fzqbrfv, kfii-yelia mtfra kjr olgwfg atjc Rjajfx tjv fzqfmafv. Pa’r cba j ybvs atja Rjajfx mbeiv jmtlfnf pera ys fzfgmlrlcu obg j tecvgfv vjsr.
“Are you just going to keep watching?”
Nataek, who suddenly came to his senses at Medeus’s words, quickly approached and picked up the man’s clothes. His body was as stiff as a clothes hanger as he hung Medeus’s clothes over his arm.
Eventually, there wasn’t even a single thread left on Medeus. Not knowing where to look, Nataek kept his eyes focused on the innocent window.
“Even a statue would be handling this better than you,” Medeus uttered as he entered the bathtub with a smirk. Though the water overflowed, the thick woolen rug underneath the tub absorbed it all.
Now that Medeus was in the water, the next step should be… lighting the incense burner?
As the servant had instructed, Nataek lit the candle and placed it on the cluster of herbs inside the incense burner. The herbs, seemingly hardened with oil, burned and a rich herbal scent spread throughout the room.
“Teresi.”
Nataek’s shoulders jerked at his name being suddenly called.
“Yes?”
“Fetch me some oil.”
Medeus was looking at Nataek, his chin resting on both hands that were holding on to the edge of the bathtub.
This also… Nataek was going to have to apply the oil after all.
It’s not enough that Nataek had to hold all of Medeus’s clothes, but he also had to slather oil on his skin. At this rate, it seemed like Nataek would have to experience a lot of things for the first time, with this man nonetheless.
Nataek cautiously approached the bathtub. He focused on the scented oil bottle to avoid directly looking at the naked man in the bathtub.
However, the tightly sealed bottle wouldn’t open easily. Only when Nataek clenched his teeth and pulled with all his strength did the cap of the bottle open. Because of the recoil, the scented oil inside the bottle splashed all over Nataek’s hands.
Embarrassed, Nataek tried to quickly rectify the situation, but the slippery scented oil bottle fell right through his fingers, causing both the bottle and the liquid inside to fall straight down into the bathwater.
Splash—
“…”
Nataek froze. He couldn’t reach his hand into the water that an undressed Medeus was sitting in. However, Nataek couldn’t just leave the situation as it was. Nataek bit his lips, but Medeus dryly picked up the scented oil bottle.
The fingertips that casually held the bottle in a loose manner twitched. Nataek got down on his knees and politely extended out his hands to take the bottle back.
Swoosh—
Medeus tilted the bottle over Nataek’s head. The water inside trailed down Nataek’s face. Nataek tightly squeezed his eyes shut.
Ha… This rude bastard…
Medeus, who emptied the bottle with satisfaction, leaned against the bathtub lazily and continued, “I thought I told you not to hold on to your pride. If you’re not going to listen, just say so.”
“…I didn’t do that because I wanted to. My hand slipped. It was a mistake.”
“It’s a mistake. Everyone says the same thing.”
“It really was a mistake.”
Medeus glanced at Nataek’s indignant expression and smirked.
“Fine, then. We’ll call it a mistake.”
Medeus set the scented oil bottle on Nataek’s outstretched palms.
No, it really was a mistake. Anyone who has eyes would’ve seen it for themselves.
But Nataek couldn’t make any more excuses. Who knows, the man could suddenly turn crazy and draw his sword at any time.
Nataek looked up at Medeus, biting his lip. However, Medeus’s expression seemed a bit subdued. During the day, he never hid the ferocious expression like someone who wouldn’t hesitate cutting down a person into pieces.
“Do you want to go back to Lagash?” Medeus asked abruptly.
Lagash. This was the name of the city ruled by the Inanna family. In other words, Medeus was asking whether Nataek wanted to return to his hometown.
He did want to go back. Not Lagash, but his real hometown.
Nataek didn’t bother putting his feelings into words. When Nataek simply nodded, Medeus tilted his head. He had a strange look on his face.
“Judging by your appearance, you don’t seem to be from Lagash either. Do you still want to go back?”
At those words, Nataek stroked his own cheek with his hand. Come to think of it, he’s never looked in the mirror since coming here. His body seemed to be the same as his real body, but was his face still the same?
Well, it didn’t matter what his face looked like. He just… wanted to go back to the real world. Nataek nodded his head once more. Medeus slouched his body and closed his eyes.
“Yes, even if you’re treated like an outsider, it’s still better to be a noble rather than a slave.”
Medeus’s voice at the end of his claim slowed down little by little. It was like he was falling asleep. What did he do during the day that made him pass out so quickly?
Nataek was still on his knees with an empty bottle in his hand. His toes were starting to cramp. He wondered if it was time to get up, but Medeus interrupted him by speaking first.
“You have to go to the marketplace with me tomorrow.”
…The marketplace!
Realization hit Nataek in the knees. The place where he had received the second quest in the past was definitely the marketplace. This could be the clue he needed to escape.
“Then what should I prepare?” Nataek asked, trying to calm his pounding heart.
“Why are you asking me what you should do?”
I don’t know, that’s why I’m asking. Nataek held back the words he wanted to say aloud.
However, even if he really didn’t know what he was doing, it was dangerous to appear ignorant all the time. Medeus could throw a knife at Nataek again, calling him useless.
Besides, he didn’t have to keep relying on his guise as an ignorant slave just to survive. Now that Medeus was in a drowsy state, there’s an opportunity to break through to the other man. Nataek tightly shut his eyes and spoke with honesty.
“No one has told me what I should be doing. You have to tell me what you want until I get adapted to being here… I think I can meet your needs. If you let me know, I will do my best to avoid any inconvenience.”
Upon hearing Nataek’s words, Medeus slowly opened his closed eyes.
“Do you really have intentions of doing your best?”
“Yes…?”
What was he talking about? Was this a trick question?
Nataek’s expression became bewildered. The mouth of Nataek, who had lived his whole life in a society without a class system, opened before he could think.
“There’s no reason not to do your best, is there? The reason I need to be good at everything is…”
Is because of you.
However, Nataek couldn’t finish his sentence. It was because Medeus was staring at Nataek with a strange look in his eyes. Only then did Nataek realize.
“…Sorry.”
However, there wasn’t a reaction from Medeus. He didn’t even seem particularly angry. Medeus closed his eyes again, leaning against the bathtub while extending his arms around the brim as if he was annoyed.
“Should I go?” Nataek asked.
“Go out and get some fresh air. And while you’re at it, go do something about that stupid look on your face.”
Nataek didn’t know what ‘stupid look’ he was referring to, but there wasn’t any reason to refuse. Nataek stood up with numb legs and left the room.
* * *
Nataek, once outside, approached the fence enclosing Medeus’s residence. Gazing up at the moon in the sky, Nataek couldn’t help but wonder what the hell he was doing right now, reality hitting him hard. He still couldn’t let go of the lingering feeling that this was all just a dream, so he slapped himself over and over again, but was only left with an ache in his cheeks.
Taking in the night air, Nataek calmly organized his thoughts.
“How can I get back…”
There were no rewards given from the first quest.
The ‘Old Letter’ contained nothing but bullshit. Medeus’s reaction suggests that there might be some important meaning to the words, but nothing to suggest how to return to reality. A dead end.
The ‘Novice Dagger’ was just a basic item that could be given to anyone. Another dead end.
As expected… No matter how much Nataek ponders, he keeps circling back to the marketplace where he can receive the second quest.
Endure for another day. If he’s able to go to the market tomorrow, he might discover any clue there. Nataek comforted himself with that thought, letting out a deep breath.
It seemed that he’d been standing outside for about half an hour. It was chilly at night in Uruk. Nataek hugged himself, rubbing his arms. His body shivered. Medeus must be done with his bath by this point…
He had to make sure Medeus was ready for bed before he could turn in for the night as well, so he mustered the motivation to go back inside. As he glanced back at the residence, Medeus’s words resurfaced in his head.
‘Go out and get some fresh air. And while you’re at it, go do something about that stupid look on your face.’
“Unbelievable. How was there a stupid look on my face?”
Nataek walked back to the residence with determination in his eyes. Nataek pulled on the handle of the door to get back inside. Or rather, he tried to pull on the handle, but the door didn’t resist.
The door of the residence was already open.
“I definitely closed it when I went out…”
It was a gut feeling. Someone had broken into Medeus’s residence.
Nataek sneaked in without making any sound. The smell of herbs from the incense burner wafted throughout the residence.
Through the opaque curtain between the doorway and the bathtub, there was someone there. Nataek approached with slow, quiet footsteps. A man was tilting a large jar over the bathtub where Medeus remained motionless, as if unconscious.
“…Who are you?”
Editor: An Zheee (Please thank them for their support 🙏)
T/N: Right now the schedule is a lil chaotic but will stabilize to one chapter a week when school starts again. I’m hoping to get to a certain point in the novel before that happens :>
Thanks for the update ❤️
thank you for the chapter!