Editing CubexCursedxCurious:Volume10 Chapter2 (section)

===Part 3===

After a long discussion, considering that it would be more convenient to take care of Amanda as a group, as well as the possibility of enemy attacks, they decided to move her to the Yachi residence. Kirika also packed her things for staying over.

Having explained the story to Kuroe when she returned from the beauty parlor, they managed to feed dinner to Amanda with great difficulty. Then when the after-dinner snack time ended, several dozen minutes later...

Fear and Kuroe were in the changing area next to the bathroom.

"So... Although we've brought her here, now what?"

Looking at Amanda sitting on the wheelchair, Fear crossed her arms and tilted her head. Their next task was to help her take a bath, of course. Doing it alone seemed quite difficult, so Fear enlisted Kuroe's aid.

"Hmm~ Anyway, since it's a bath, let's take off our clothes as well. Cast off!<!--reference to kamen rider kabuto-->"

"I don't really get what you're yelling at the end there, but I agree."

Fear and Kuroe swiftly stripped down. After all, they were all girls and she was very familiar with Kuroe, so there was nothing to be embarrassed about. Once naked&mdash;

"So of course, we need to help her undress as well. Kuroe, help her sit up a bit."

"Watch me~"

Since Amanda's attire consisted of a simple one-piece dress, it was quite easy to take off. While Kuroe lifted Amanda's bottom, Fear pulled Amanda's dress up all at once to remove her clothing. This revealed her white underwear of a plain design (no bra) and the bandages wrapped around her body. Naturally, no one takes baths with bandages, right? Fear untied the bandages one by one. Unlike their initial encounter, these bandages wrapped around Amanda's body were only ordinary bandages. According to Himura, that «Chupacabra Bandage» was apparently behind held by the Lab Chief's Nation.

"Is this... okay...?"

"Oh my. This... She's clearly a girl, but what a poor dear..."

Seeing what lay beneath the bandages, Fear gasped. Skin, as white as silk, contrasted sharply with skin of the opposite. These seemed to be old scars and probably not painful, but conversely, the sight was heartbreaking for viewers.

Fear narrowed her eyes while pulling Amanda's underwear off from her waist. Then holding the equally nude Amanda in her arms, Fear pushed the glass door open with her foot and entered the bathroom.

"...Let's wash her first. Have her sit here... Uwah."

"Since there's nothing to lean on, I'll use my hair to support her."

Hence, Kuroe's hair gently wrapped itself around Amanda's arms and torso. With this, they were finally able to seat her on the bathroom stool.

Dividing the labor, Fear washed the front while Kuroe was responsible for Amanda's back. Despite her slender body being  covered by layers of soap suds, Amanda remained expressionless and unresponsive.

"...Something must have happened to her in the past."

"Drawing on my experience, I can tell... As much as I hate the fact that I can tell, these are scars from burns."

"Was she caught up in a fire once?"

"Probably."

Perhaps it was an allusion, but somehow, Fear kept getting the feeling that the burn scars on Amanda's body were identical to the ones Fear had created in the past as a tool of torture and execution, such as the «Voices of the Brazen Bull». The scars exuded a sense of someone's malice and intent to harm. Even if these scars were caused by a fire, it was most likely no accident&mdash;Deliberate arson committed due to some sort of horrifying reason.

Perhaps these scars had changed Amanda's life. Maybe it served as some sort of opportunity leading to Amanda joining the organization of the Knights Dominion. However, one could not sense from her any desire for vengeance against cursed tools. Then the fire itself was probably not a direct reason.

One could imagine all sorts of possibilities. For example, after Amanda was sent to the hospital and deemed a lost cause, she could have been sold to an unlicensed doctor for human experiments, then after she was wrapped up in cursed bandages, the Knights happened to show up by chance to kill that unlicensed doctor and ended up taking her away while they were at it&mdash;Something like that. Fear did not know any details. Only by asking Amanda herself could anyone hope to figure out her past.

Only now did Fear realize that she knew virtually nothing about this girl named Amanda Carlot.

"Although I treat every enemy with hostility... Perhaps this girl does have quite a complicated past."

"Yeah. If only we could converse with her. Hmm&mdash;the back is basically done. Okay, then it's about time for me to use my professional hair washing skills."

Leaving the hair washing to Kuroe, Fear washed the body of the girl who used to be an enemy, washing the body of the girl whose reasons for becoming an enemy were unknown, washing the body of the girl who could not answer this question. When the lathered sponge touched a sensitive spot, although it was very faint, Fear did feel Amanda's body tremble as though ticklish. Even simply just a physiological reaction&mdash;Indeed, she was not dead, she was still alive.

Fear washed Amanda's arm and took this opportunity to hold her hand lightly as they had done at Kirika's home.

Indeed, she held Fear's hand in return.

This feeling was like being bitten lightly by a small animal. Was she trying to convey some kind of message? Was she seeking something desperately? That faint force was accompanied by an unbelievable sense of self-awareness, causing Fear to grin.

(Yes. Being able to talk to this girl one more time at least... That would be nice too.)

After Amanda's mind recovered, who knew what the situation might be like? Still the companion of enemies? Or some role apart from enemies? But at least, Fear was certain, this could not be confirmed unless her mind recovered. They must first deal with the knight who wants to execute her in order to get an answer.

To be honest, Fear got into taking care of Amanda simply as part of going with the flow. Things started with Kirika taking on the responsibility to care for her and Fear was simply helping Kirika. However, Fear now felt she had found a reason for slightly wanting to do so.

While feeling the force transmitted to her hand, Fear looked into Amanda's unfocused eyes and whispered:

"I don't know what you're trying to say... But anyway, you don't need to worry, Amanda. Since we promised, we will take good care of you. Not only will we prevent the Knights Dominion from harming you, but we'll also help your mind recover. Leave it to us."

Of course, Amanda did not reply. Washing her hair behind her, Kuroe smiled and said:

"Since Ficchi has decided this already, I will do my best to help~ Although the situation might be very complex, simply in terms of feelings, I have discovered a source of favorability points that compels me to stand on this child's side."

"I agree." Fear nodded with eyes full of tender affection while looking at that source of favorability on Amanda's body.

As the leader of the Ladylike Bosoms Alliance, she definitely had no choice but to recognize this flat chest as thoroughly flat.