Scouting For Romance

Entry 42

Day 8, Month 19, Year 572

Everyday, we wake up, work our bodies to exhaustion, then study for hours. It's become a monotonous routine. Jovaisa has tried to vary it up a little, having us do different activities and learn different subjects, but I'm starting to feel my enthusiasm wear down.

So, yesterday, right when classes were about to finish, I raised my hand.

"Yes, Opolka?"

"Sir. Can we have free time to go into the city tomorrow?"

"For what purpose?"

I bent my head down and split my hair, showing off my blonde roots. "It has been over four months since I last dyed my hair and it is getting embarrassing." I raised my head up and pulled my eyelids open a little. "My eye dye has also faded and my eyes are back to their original blue."

Jovaisa nodded, understanding my predicament. "Anyone else have the same problem?"

A few people raised their hands. I saw Marian's hand go up, with his roots a dirty blonde. Ludwik had a bit of a red tint to his hair and beard. Linda's eyes were brownish. Some others had greyish hair, or pure black, and there was a wide variety of eye colors. Some of our peers, like Tytus, Anatol, Anita, and Tobiasz, were lucky enough to be born with the natural look. Brown hair, gray eyes. That's a peldak.

"When you're on Basugio, the legion will have their own stockpile of dye, but for now, fine. I'll give you time off tomorrow to fix yourselves up. I'll even give you all a bit of a reward for keeping up with the training until now!"

Which leads us to today.

Our schedule started like normal. A long jog, pumping iron at the gym, sweating, breaking new grounds with our muscles. Lubomir came over and asked me to help her out with the heart massage again. I wasn't sure when I should tell her it didn't do anything, but I figured after basic training would be good.

After our muscles ached and we were drenched in sweat, it was time to leave. But Jovaisa didn't lead us back to the barracks, he brought us to a building in Piekachowice. A large bathing complex, a staple of peldak society with links to pre-Pelda history.

"The bathing complex, sir?" Linda asked.

"That's right. It's been a while since you had a taste of civilization, so here's you're reward!"

We all smiled (I smiled internally). After so long in the forest, and so many long hours of training and studying, we finally got to experience one of the joys of being a peldak. Jovaisa led us inside, had everyone sign in, then the men and women dispersed into our own segregated changing halls. The halls were curved, with small changing rooms on the sides, and curtains covering the entrance. You go inside the gender segregated changing hall, enter a changing room fully clothed, come out in a towel, leave the hall, put your items in a locker, head into the gender segregated showers, clean all the dirt and grime off, then head into the gender segregated public baths to enjoy the warm, relaxing, steamy mineral water.

As I walked through the woman's hall, I felt something mess with my hair.

"Moa?" I asked.

The little fairy poked out and whispered in my ear. "Hiya, Malina!"

"What are you doing?"

"Hehheh! Well, I wanna see what these 'bathing complexes' are like, but going with Tobi into the men's area seems kinda... you know. Mind if I stick with you?"

"No. I do not mind."

"Sweet!"

I found an empty room and drew the curtains closed, prompting Moa to come out and fly around. "So, why the curtains?"