Meanwhile, Kenshin was doing the same thing, and he briefly explained the bathroom setup to Noriko and Meyumi. Meyumi was in complete shock when she discovered such a convenient device for relieving herself, as well as the incredibly soft paper.
But what completely blew her mind was the huge array of diverse shampoos, shower gels, and lotions. Cosmetics, perfume, and beautiful clothes were among the most important things in Meyumi's life, which was why, upon seeing the wardrobe in her room, she was fully convinced of the rightness of her decision to serve such a generous master.
To her great regret, Kenshin didn't let her fully enjoy examining the most beautiful clothes she'd ever seen, and sent her and Noriko to the bathroom, telling them they'd have plenty of time to try on whatever they liked.
Once the bath was ready, Kenshin helped Meyumi undress Noriko, and let out a deep sigh, pityingly shaking his head.
"After dinner, our best iryonin will examine you. We'll see what can be done about it," he said, looking at Noriko's body, which was practically covered in scars. The only untouched areas were around her genitals, since even Takahiro wouldn't dare defile any woman from the house of flowers, and it wasn't about the price of a specific woman, but the status and reputation of the house itself.
If word got out that women from the house of flowers had suffered sexual violence after capture, the establishment's reputation would be utterly destroyed, and many of its extremely wealthy and proud clients might not only forget the way there, but also make life difficult for the Kimura family.
"I don't need your pity, old man. You still haven't said why you needed such a useless cripple?" Noriko said challengingly, staring at him with one eye.
"We'll discuss that a bit later, but for now, Meyumi, help her wash up," Kenshin said, and with telekinesis, carefully placed Noriko into the hot water.
When Kenshin left, Meyumi decided to take the long, snake-like thing with lots of little holes at the end, and do as her master had taught her. But Noriko had other plans.
"Get out of here, blonde. I can take care of myself," Noriko said calmly, blissfully stretching out across the entire tub.
"If it weren't for the master's order, I wouldn't dream of washing an ungrateful bitch like you. So shut your mouth, and let's get this over with," Meyumi replied resolutely. Though she was a bit afraid of Noriko at full strength, they were in the same position now, and she wasn't above paying back this "useless cripple" for that painful elbow strike.
"What, have your teeth grown in? Want me to knock them out?" Noriko said with a laugh, without even stirring. She was utterly calm and relaxed, and the prospect of a fight with the cheeky girl didn't shake her state in the least.
"Yours, I see, have been knocked out more than once for that long, nasty tongue," Meyumi shot back sharply. She had no intention of yielding to any girl, including those she'd seen near the master. After getting acquainted with all the amenities of her new room, she resolved to do everything to make her master pleased with her.
"Ha-ha-ha, you're right. That's exactly how it was," Noriko replied with a laugh, recalling the blows to her face after which she hadn't shut up. The only way to silence her was unconsciousness. However, Takahiro tried not to go that far and damage the merchandise even more.
"Fine, blonde, leave me alone for ten minutes, let me rest a bit," Noriko added, taking a deep breath. She needed to gather her thoughts, and relaxing in the hot water was perfect for that.
Meyumi just snorted and left the bathroom, deciding to go along with it. She didn't understand why Noriko wanted to be alone, but suddenly a truly horrifying thought struck her: because of what she'd been through, Noriko had decided to end it all.
For about a minute, Meyumi paced restlessly, unable to settle. She felt she should be glad at the prospect of Noriko's death, but at the same time, she felt obligated to stop it. Completely unexpectedly to herself, she jumped up from the armchair and burst into the bathroom, startling Noriko, who was lying in the tub.
"What, are you a complete idiot, bursting in like that?! I asked for ten minutes—don't your chicken brains have enough to handle even such a simple task?!" Noriko said angrily.
"You're the idiot! I thought you'd decided to die and give me more problems!" Meyumi shouted discontentedly, then added, "The master left you under my watch, and I'm not letting you ruin my life at the end!"
"Don't tell me you're just like that scrawny Makoto. One pat and a tease of a beautiful life, and you come running like a dog to serve?" Noriko asked sarcastically.
"Do I have a choice?! You're a brainless cripple—look around! Has your filthy body ever been washed with such expensive perfume even once in your life? Only with it will you stop stinking! Look at all this luxury the master has given us servants, asking nothing in return but respect and obedience!" Meyumi shouted angrily.
She didn't understand herself why she was suddenly defending the master who had wanted to throw her out on the street, but despite the threats, in the end she'd been rescued from the horrible house of flowers and given a luxurious room in his castle. In her short but eventful life, Meyumi had learned very well the value of luxury, and total submission in exchange for comfort at this level was the best deal she could dream of.
"People of that level don't do anything just like that. Their hearts are dead, and in place of kindness and mercy come cold calculation and ruthlessness. Haven't you figured that out yet? I thought you were much smarter than that little fool Makoto," Noriko said with a laugh, scooping water into her palms and washing her face.
"I know the temperament of the most influential people perfectly, and the master is nothing like them. Didn't you see how kind he is to that idiot? What benefit could he get from pitying that underdeveloped one?" Meyumi asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Don't forget, it's thanks to that 'underdeveloped one' that you're here," Noriko said with a sigh, then continued, "You're even dumber than Makoto. Like biting the hand that feeds you? Still can't get used to the idea that this moron climbed higher than you? Try picking a fight with one of those porcelain dolls that met the old man, and we'll see what comes of it."