LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 121.1
Refined By Aromas? Indulgence At Home, Bath Salts
With a serious expression, Leopold—the beautiful and refined gentleman—was scrutinizing the finished product. His graceful presence was breathtaking as always, and today, with his resolute demeanor, his charm seemed elevated even further. His usual approachable nature and radiant smile were undeniably captivating, but now he was utterly focused.
At this moment, Leopold, with an intensely serious look, stood there.
“Umm… Leone-san?”
Yuuri waved his hand lightly, but there was no response. Completely absorbed, Leopold stared intently at the liquid inside the bottle he held, then opened the lid to check its scent. He was shockingly serious, far more so than usual. The seriousness was intimidating—it was true that a handsome face in deep thought could be unsettling. This atmosphere was so unfamiliar to Yuuri that he couldn’t help but feel a bit perplexed.
The object of Leopold’s intense scrutiny was a bath salt that Yuuri had recently created—a spur-of-the-moment experiment that unexpectedly yielded moisturizing and skin-beautifying effects. Naturally, someone as refined as Leopold couldn’t resist such an item. Although many varieties of bath salts were sold by Hallow now, Leopold’s curiosity didn’t stop at simply buying and using them.
After all, the creator was right here—Yuuri. As someone restricted by Ali from distributing alchemical creations beyond his inner circle, Leopold was an exception. Or rather, he had forcefully carved out an exception for himself. As Yuuri’s mentor in alchemical crafting, Leopold had insisted on being involved. His love for high-quality beauty products was quintessentially him.
Of course, despite Ali’s strict warnings to prevent external leaks, Leopold had no intention of sharing the bath salt with anyone else.
“It seems to be properly made.”
“Really?”
“Well then, we’ll have to try it out, won’t we? Let’s go, Yuuri-chan.”
“Wait, what?”
Before Yuuri could protest, Leopold grabbed his hand and, with practiced ease, led him through the hideout. Leopold was determined to test the custom-made bath salts Yuuri had just crafted. Somehow, Yuuri had also been roped in as a test subject, despite having chores like folding laundry waiting. Typical of Yuuri, his thoughts wandered to the mundane even in such moments.
On the way, Yuuri enlisted Urgus to handle his chores. The senior trainee, who wasn’t particularly fond of Leopold, gladly accepted—better that than being dragged to the bath as collateral. Leopold’s charming smile, hinting at needing more test subjects, had been enough to spur Urgus into a quick escape.
And so, Yuuri found himself at the bathhouse.
“…Why am I involved, Yuuri?”
“Uh, you were close by?”
“Seriously?”
“Also, I figured you’d be okay sharing a bath with Leone-san. You seem fine with him.”
“…Did someone else ditch you?”
“Urgus ran off like his life depended on it.”
“Ah, I see.”
Kurresh, whom they encountered along the way, was also recruited into the impromptu bath test. Since skin reactions vary from person to person, Leopold had decided more test subjects were ideal. Yuuri had tried to pick someone who seemed least likely to resist. Long-time associates like Ali or Brook might have worked too, but they’d likely voice too many sarcastic remarks.
The bathhouse at the hideout was designed for group use, so Yuuri and Kurresh had no reservations about entering. Their only concern was the presence of Leopold, the distinguished guest. However, Leopold, unbothered, swiftly undressed, tied his long hair back, and entered with the bath salt in hand.
“Has Leone-san used this bath before?”
“Yeah, sometimes after a drinking party, he’d join the bath.”
“I see.”
“There aren’t as many drinking parties now since the big drinkers aren’t here anymore.”
“Was it livelier back then?”
“Yeah, Barloi and Archette were heavy drinkers. Back then, we had drinking parties every three days.”
“Wow.”
Yuuri imagined how lively things must have been when Barloi, the wolf beastkin, and Archette, his halfling guardian, were still part of the Scarlet Lynx. While the group was still lively, the lack of frequent drinking parties likely made things seem quieter.
With no point in lingering in the changing area, Yuuri and Kurresh entered the bath. Deciding to make the most of the situation, Yuuri resolved to wash up thoroughly. Time management was crucial, after all—if he was going to bathe, he might as well do it properly.
The bathhouse was filled with an incredible aroma. A soothing herbal scent emanated from the milky-white water, creating an ambiance of pure luxury.
“Yuuri, this scent…”
“Yeah, it’s Leone-san’s perfume. I used it for this batch.”
“Won’t that make it super expensive?”
“It’s not for sale. Leone-san wanted it for personal use, so it’s just for us and him.”
“Huh, fancy.”
Leopold was uncompromising about the products he used. While Hallow’ bath salts weren’t bad, they apparently didn’t meet his standards as a renowned perfumer. Since he couldn’t modify store-bought salts himself, he’d enlisted Yuuri to create something bespoke.
…Incidentally, Yuuri’s alchemical touch had enhanced the moisturizing and skin-care properties of the bath salts, but he tactfully kept that to himself. Only someone with appraisal skills could confirm it, and without proof, it was just a feeling.
“The scent is wonderful, and the bath salt doesn’t seem harmful to the skin.”
“Are you satisfied, Leone-san?”
“Yes. Since this works, Yuuri-chan, could you prepare other scents later?”
“Sure thing.”