Lotte sent a letter to the Zekrosia residence, informing them of Alisha’s situation.
Though Lotte should have returned to deliver the news herself, this was also Alisha’s wish.
She wanted Lotte to attend to her personal needs while she was injured.
With Alisha’s own letter enclosed, permission should be granted without issue.
　Having fallen out once, Lotte hadn’t been summoned by Alisha for some time —it felt like ages since she’d attended to her personal needs.
The expedition lodgings differed from the mansion, being ordinary, commonplace lodgings.
With no other maids present, Lotte had to support Alisha herself.
Lotte secured separate rooms for herself and Alisha, positioning herself to remain constantly at her side.
　Alisha had mentioned sharing a bed —but as she was injured, they decided separate rooms were best.

“Oh, right. Do you have the choker?”

Suddenly, Alisha asked this.

“Ah, yes, it’s in my luggage…”

—When she’d considered resigning as a maid, she’d packed it, thinking it might be useful for the expedition.
　Truthfully, she should have discarded it the moment she resolved to sever ties with Alisha, but keeping it meant Lotte still harboured lingering feelings.
Perhaps it was for the best she hadn’t thrown it away after all.

“Then, would you put it on me?”
“Huh! Now…? Well, you’re injured…”

Lotte faltered.
　――When putting on the choker was the time to hear Alisha’s request.
But now she was injured, and there was no way Lotte could do anything to her.

“When you came here, you pinned me down, didn’t you?”
“Th-that was just how things turned out…! Right now, I should be concentrating on healing your injuries…”
“Fufu, I was joking.”

Hearing the word ‘joke’, Lotte breathed a sigh of relief.

“But put the choker on me.”
“What was all that earlier about!?”

Lotte couldn’t help but interject.

“So, I’m going to ask you for a favour that won’t burden my body. It’s a proper request, alright?”

When Alisha mentioned a request, Lotte felt a twinge of suspicion —but she was injured, after all.
Helping her heal quickly should be part of her job too; surely she wouldn’t push herself too hard.

“If that’s the case… I understand.”

Lotte nodded in agreement and fastened the choker around Alisha’s neck.
　Alisha touched the choker and wore an expression tinged with nostalgia.

“Wearing this somehow makes me feel at ease.”
“Is that so?”
“Because it means Lotte will grant my request.”

Being told that was the reason for her peace of mind, he wasn’t sure if he should simply be glad.

“Well then, I’d like you to wipe me down straight away.”

It seemed she hadn’t bathed in quite some time, so having her body wiped was indeed a normal request.

“Understood. I’ll go prepare.”

Lotte nodded and promptly set about making preparations.
Returning to the room with a bucket of water and cloths for wiping her body, she found Alisha already seated on the bed in her undergarments.

“You… you’ve already undressed?”
“Since I’d have to take it off anyway, it saves time, doesn’t it?”
“I suppose so…”

Alisha’s body was wrapped in bandages here and there —Lotte had heard there was a possibility scars might remain.
Seeing her injured like this, Lotte couldn’t bring herself to look directly at her.

“This injury isn’t Lotte’s fault.”

Alisha suddenly said this.
She must have sensed Lotte’s feelings.

“But…”
“My injuries are entirely my own doing. It’s simply because I was careless. Getting into a fight with Lotte wouldn’t have caused such serious injuries, would it?”
“…Well, the monster Alisha fought—”
“Just call me Alice now.”
“…Was the monster Alice fought that powerful?”
“This might sound a bit overconfident, but they summoned me specifically because I was needed.”

Indeed —Alisha was renowned as one of the kingdom’s strongest knights.
A monster that even Alisha couldn’t defeat would undoubtedly pose a threat to the kingdom.
　Given the extent of her injuries, Alisha couldn’t immediately return to the front lines.
The one who volunteered to slay the monster in Alisha’s stead was, surprisingly, Ellenphia.
Perhaps this had been her plan all along.
Faced with an opponent Alisha couldn’t defeat, many knights would hesitate.
Volunteering to lead the hunt under such circumstances would naturally grant her an opportunity to prove herself.

“Still, if the monster can be slain without me, that’s what matters most.”

Alisha didn’t see it as her chance being stolen —while Ellenphia clearly harboured ill will towards her, Alisha likely thought it fine as long as the monster was vanquished.
Lotte understood that minimising the monster’s damage was paramount —yet she couldn’t forgive Ellenphia.
　—That said, the other party was a noble lady; it was impossible for Lotte to take any action.
Alisha might have some means of countering, but surely she wouldn’t wish to use them against Ellenphia.
Therefore, Lotte had nothing more to say on the matter.

“—Never mind that. Could you wipe me down?”
“Huh!? I-I’m terribly sorry!”

　She realised she’d left Alisha speaking while still in her undergarments.
Lotte hurriedly soaked a cloth in water and wrung it out thoroughly.
Kneeling on the bed, she positioned herself behind Alisha.

“I’m… I’m sorry.”

She had to wipe her body carefully, avoiding the injured areas.
　Starting with her back, she gently pressed the damp cloth against her skin.

“Ah!”
“Oh! Are you… alright!?”

Hearing Alisha’s gasp, Lotte panicked.
As for Alisha, she wore a slightly embarrassed expression as she murmured in a barely audible voice:

“…Well, it’s been a while since someone wiped me down like this.”
　Whether it was cold or ticklish —either way, touching her seemed to pose no problem.

“Sh-shall I continue…?”

When Lotte asked, Alisha gave a small nod.
It was only supposed to be drying her off —yet what lingered in her mind was Alisha’s adorable voice.
She began applying the cloth to her back once more.

“Hmph—”

This time, she seemed to be trying hard not to let a sound escape —Lotte heard only a faint sigh.
She began wiping her body gently, careful not to burden Alisha in any way, but the girl was trembling slightly.

“I-Is it really alright?”

Lotte asked, as if to confirm.
　Alisha merely nodded again —apparently trying hard not to make a sound.
Lotte hesitated, unsure if she should continue like this.
But drying her body was necessary.

“I’ll try to finish as quickly as possible.”

Lotte said this and began drying Alisha’s body, starting from her back.
　Her reactions varied depending on where she touched.
The areas where she reacted most strongly were likely her weak points —but she wouldn’t press those now.
She was merely drying her body, after all.

“Can you lift your arm?”

Having dried her back, Lotte moved to wipe her arms and armpits.
When Lotte asked, there was no reply, but Alisha obediently raised one arm.
　Considering her injuries, it would be best to wipe this area as quickly as possible.
Sliding the damp cloth from her upper arm towards her armpit—

“Hyaaah!”

Such—such an adorable sound reached my ears.

“…A-Alice?”
“Th-that… I’m not very good with ticklish things.”

　An unexpected weakness, one might say —though they’d touched each other before, it seemed Lotte’s gentle strokes were precisely why it affected Alisha so.
It appeared to be something she wished to conceal, for Alisha looked thoroughly embarrassed.
—Or perhaps, had Alisha been in better spirits, Lotte herself might have felt inclined to do something.

“I’ll finish as quickly as possible, so please bear with it.”

　Lotte remained composed as she addressed Alisha.
Then she began wiping the area around her armpit with the cloth once more.
A small shudder ran through her body.
She couldn’t bear it, could she? Her arm had dropped lower than before, and Lotte instinctively grabbed Alisha’s arm.
She wanted to keep it from dropping further, but unable to hold back, she let it fall.

“…Perhaps it would be better if you wiped everywhere except your back yourself.”

If Alisha couldn’t bear it, there was nothing to be done.
Forcing her might only cause more distress.

“I want Lotte to wipe my body.”

But Alisha made that request to Lotte.

“But it’s difficult to endure, isn’t it?”
“I don’t think I can. So, you can tie me up if you like.”

　Saying this, Alisha held out both arms towards Lotte.

“T-Tie me up…? Honestly, in my current state…”
“I’ll tell you if it’s too much, alright?”
“U-Understood.”

Lotte knew she was weak to pressure —and considering Alisha’s injuries, tying her up was utterly out of the question.
In the end, she conceded to the request and proceeded to bind Alisha’s arms.