Before Chief Swordswoman Julie pushed the door open and entered, Arthur and Malinda both frowned.
Nothing was amiss.
There was simply a strange smell.
The pungent stench of horse manure and urine.
When the door opened, Arthur and Malinda both took a step back. The Chief Swordswoman immediately scratched her head and looked at Malinda-
"Malinda, could I borrow your bathroom?
I think I need a bath and a change of clothes."
The Chief Swordswoman gave an awkward but polite smile.
"Of course. Come with me.
As for clothes...
Mary, please prepare something that fits Julie."
Naturally, Malinda would not refuse the Chief Swordswoman's request.
Mrs. Mary, who served as both cook and steward, demonstrated her professionalism at once. She took a roll of measuring tape from her pocket, quickly measured the Chief Swordswoman's height, shoulder width, sleeve length, leg length, and hips, then got to work.
With the Chief Swordswoman's tall, muscular build,
there was no chance of finding ready-made clothes that fit. They would have to be tailored.
Clearly, the Chief Swordswoman knew this too, and immediately gave Mrs. Mary an apologetic smile.
Then, following Malinda, the Chief Swordswoman headed toward a separate suite on one side of the manor. This was probably where the family's eldest son would live. Apart from being smaller than the master suite, its layout was almost identical.
Only after Malinda's back disappeared behind the distant door did Arthur return to his room with Pendragon in his arms.
"Pan, did you see that?
You need to learn how Malinda seizes every opening."
Arthur teased Pendragon with some dried fish as he spoke.
Of course, Arthur knew why Malinda was being so "attentive."
She wanted to find out exactly "what had happened" from the Chief Swordswoman, and given their relationship, she would probably manage