Herald of Steel

Alexander had just remembered something important amidst all the talking, something he had somehow overlooked.

He forgot to check for any identifiable marks on Ophenia's body, like a birthmark or a scar, that the temple could use to identify her.

It was a tiny, tiny possibility, but Alexander did not want to take any chance.

"Yes," Ophenia, hearing Alexander's command, without a single thought immediately threw off her one-piece chilton and bore her bare skin for all to see, hiding nothing from the world.

She was sculpted flawlessly, with a perfect hourglass figure, adorned with two huge jugs, a thin, smooth waist, and a huge, meaty rump.

Her flawless ivory skin reflected a golden sheen off the candlelight and her garden was hidden by a dense patch of golden forest.

Her beauty was almost devilish and even made Cambyses look pale in comparison.

And it made Alexander's loins wake up just from looking at the sinful body.

"Sheesh, have some self-control and at least wait till we leave." Mean jeered in an exasperated tone.

"Hehe, it looks like master like his present," Gelene let out a sultry chuckle.

Alexander ignored the misunderstanding and asked Ophenia, "Talayin, do you have any special birthmarks or other distinctive patterns on your body the temple might be able to use to identify you."

"Ah," Ophenia's eyes lit up in realization and confirmed, "Yes, I have one on her left arm. Here," she then pointed to a small patch of dark skin just above her elbow.

"Hmm, good, is that all?" Alexander asked for confirmation.

"Umm, I think that should be all," Ophenia answered uncertainly.

This confused reply did not satisfy Alexander and he ordered, "Cam, Mean, Gelene, grab a candle and search her body for any distinct marks. And Talayin, spread your legs, I can't see your inner thighs."

And so the trio scanned her body for any such signs and fortunately found none.

Alexander on the other hand searched every inch of her body for any signs of rash or skin infection, which was common to develop during campaigns, where access to clean water or baths was very limited.

Alexander shamelessly feasted his eyes on her bare skin, from her milky white breasts, her slightly chubby tummy, to around her groin area where such infections were especially prominent.

"*Sniff*, when did you last bathe?" Alexander whiffed a strong, pungent odor of sweat and ammonia from her privates when he went to examine her inner things.

The very personal question and its implied meaning made Ophenia shiver in embarrassment and with a flushed face she meekly whispered, "I don't remember."

"Huh?" Alexander seemed confused by the answer.

Nearby Gelene helped explain, "Aristocats don't like to bath master. They think taking baths will widen the skin pores after bath, allowing the infections in the air to easily enter their body. They rarely bathe in their lifetimes."

"widen the skin pores after bath, allowing infections in the air to easily enter their body? What nonsense was that?" Alexander asked in disbelief.

"Yes, master." Gelene delineated while nodding, "Instead of bathing, nobles frequently change clothes because they think the clean clothes, which are always in contact with the skin, will absorb all the filth. If they ever take bath it's usually as a therapeutic procedure, likely recommended by a doctor."

The reason why Gelene was so knowledgeable about this topic was because she was once the daughter of a noble.

Twelve years ago, while on one of her travels, she came under a bandit attack, and her entourage was all killed, while she was captured.

After being brutally raped, the bandits sold her to slavery, where she was eventually bought as s low-class prostitute by a brothel.

Six years later, by the machinations of fate, Gelene had the fortune of popping Octavius's cheery when Nestoras took his son to her brothel to make him a man, as was the custom among mercenaries.

After sleeping with, by that time, the high-class courtesan, the kid immediately fell in love with Gelene, and to indulge him, Nestoras using both coin and strong-arming the owner, bought her as a gift to Octavius.

And now she fell into Cambyses's hands and by extension Alexander's.

The revelation of the unclean hygiene practices somewhat disgusted Alexander.

In his previous life, Alexander always tried to take showers twice, once in the morning after waking up and once before going to bed.

He loved the feeling of cascading water on his skin and was generally very hygiene conscious, a habit he carried over his transmigration.

Even here, where his wandering mercenary life and constant lack of easy access to fresh water made it very difficult to take baths, he would at least try to wipe himself with a wet towel every day.

This was also because of medical reasons, as without modern antibiotics, Alexander feared even a mild rash or skin inflection could be the end of him, like how it almost ended Nestoras.

So the revelation that Ophenia might not have even taken a bath birthed a strange sense of revulsion inside Alexander and he quickly stood up and moved his hands away from her.

Ophenia certainly felt Alexander's repelling gaze and in a panic blurted out, "Master I have taken special baths while studying the various religious rituals. The last one was about six months ago."

Then in a frightful, almost sobbing voice cried, "Master, please don't abandon me. I will change. I will take as many baths as you want. So, please don't throw me out, *sniff*, *sniff*."

By the end, the girl had large teardrops wetting her cheeks.

Seeing this made Alexander suddenly feel a bit guilty as he felt he might have overreacted.

"Alex, look at what you have done," Cambyses slightly scolded Alexander and then went forward to console the girl, hugging her and saying, "There, there. No one's throwing you out. Your master was just a bit surprised. You see, Alex is a genius doctor and he makes us take baths every day. He says it is very healthy."

"That's right. According to him, bathing helps ward off diseases," Mean supported Cambyses.

"Yes. So Gelene and Mean, I want you to help Talayin take baths every day from now on," Cambyses instructed, "Help her scrub every part of her body. And if a full shower is not possible, then use a wet towel to vigorously rub her body.".

"Mistress, don't worry, we will keep her clean. We will also pay extra attention to her hair and remember to properly oil and wash it." Mean cleverly added.

"Yes, I will also help sister Talayin apply her hair dye. Rest assured, mistress, not a single strand of gold color will be visible on her head," Gelene joined in, not wanting to be outdone.

"Good," Cambyses nodded satisfied. And then seeming to remember something Alexander said to her last night, said, "Talayin, your master likes the pubes kept short."

She pointed at her crotch hair, "Either completely shave them or if you want to really keep them, just keep a small trimmed patch around your privates. And remember to dye them like your hair."

"As you wish mistress," Ophenia obediently replied.

"Good. Also, you are very beautiful and will easily draw attention. We will need to disguise you. Hmm," Cambyses put her hands on her hip and contemplated.

"First of all, you need to lose weight. Regular slaves are not so ..um..meaty as you, especially around here," Cambyses said pulling on the flabby meaty flaps around Ophenia's tummy. "I have some tools in my tent to help you, so please have Mean teach you." Cambyses was referring to the various exercise equipment Alexander had made for her.

"I will try my best," Ophenia nodded.

"And then, hmmm," Cambyses again began to rack her brains.

Alexander watched in silent amazement and approval as Cambyses really take on the role of the mistress of the house, making plans, issuing orders with confidence and authority, and being not afraid to take charge.

Alexander had taught her to be a leader and she was doing a fine job.

Alexander decided to weigh in, "Talayin, I see you have plucked your eyebrows. Never do that from now."

The women of this time thought a large clean forehead was very attractive and thus practiced the act of thinning out their eyebrows, which gave them a distinctive look.

"I have something that can draw fake eyebrows," Gelene quipped.

"Then use it on her," Alexander approved. Then he turned to speak with Ophenia, "You can put on your clothes now."

After she was done, Alexander announced, "Talayin, from tomorrow you will be helping out in the medical clinic. We are short-handed and need every able body we have."

"It was always my wish to help those wounded soldiers. Thank you, master," Ophenia gratefully answered.

"Don't worry, sister Tayin. Mean will teach you everything." Mean who had a habit of shortening names enthusiastically backed her up.

Alexander then further said, "Cam, also tomorrow announce that there to prevent the spread of a new disease, all medical personnel are to wear masks. Say that it's my command."

"So, all of you are to cover your mouth and nose with a cloth. This will help hide Talayin's face."

"Good idea," Cambyses praised.

Ophenia was truly touched at the length these people she had just met were going to shelter her.

At long last, she felt her cold heart stir a bit.

"And now for the last unpleasant part." Alexander suddenly ominously announced.

He then out of nowhere took out a small dagger, coated it in alcohol from a nearby jar, and put it over the fire burning in the indoor store, sterilizing it.

Once the steel started glowing red hot, he took it out, and walked over to Ophenia, "Talayin, I will burn away your birthmark. Are you ready?"

"Ahh!" Mean put her little hands on her mouth and let out a scared gasp.

Alexander's question also reminded the others that there was the birthmark issue to deal with, something they had forgotten when their conversation got derailed.

The drastic question also caught Ophenia completely off caught and she became a bit frightened of the potential pain.

She had assumed she would have to just cover the mark.

But soon, her determination and hatred for the temple took over and she clenched her teeth, "Please do it master. I am ready."

And as soon as she said it, Alexander grabbed her left arm in blinding speed, located her birthmark, and before Ophenia could understand what was going on, pressed the red hot metal again the mark, burning it away.

"Aghhhhhhh," Ophenia let out a continuous painful scream at this, but amazingly did not pull her arm away.

And after an instant, Alexander pulled off the knife, a white patch now replacing the former dark patch of skin, a painful stinging sensation permeating from it.

"Good, girl. Brave, girl." Cambyses cooed near Ophenia, attempting to lessen her pain as Alexander douched the affected area with cool, refreshing water".

"You did well." Alexander praised. Then he bandaged the burn, saying, "Don't add any oil or cream to the burn. And don't break the blisters."

These were also same the instructions Alexander got from a doctor in his previous life when he had accidentally burnt his hand during cooking.

"Thank you, master," Ophenia slowly gasped out.

Thankfully the pain was slowly fading.

"Okay, we are done here. Gelene, Mean please escort Talayin to her tent." Alexander gestured. "And be sure to help her apply her hair dye today," Cambyses again reminded.

"We will do it right away," Gelene reassured.

As the trio was exiting the tent, Alexander called out from the back, "Talayin, I want you to forget all the unpleasant things that has happened to you till now. You are no longer Ophenia, the girl that was all alone and hated by the world. You are now Talayin, and you have people who love and care for you."

Alexander felt the mentally frail girl needed some encouragement.

"That's right, we are all sisters here, Tayin," Mean joyously said, grabbing Ophenia by her right arm.

"Um, I hope you will not let the past shackle you, Talayin, And once the situation becomes a little less dangerous, we will have a proper feast to celebrate you joining our family," Cambyses spoke like the mistress of the house.

"Thank you," Ophenia let out a genuine big grin that seemed to illuminate the world around her.

For the first time in a long time, Ophenia felt truly happy.