"Fwaaahhh—!"
Walking down the hallway of the Hyperion, Kagura let out a long yawn.
It was already late at night—time to shower and get some sleep.
Although the Hyperion felt like a cozy home filled with warmth and laughter, it was still a battleship at its core.
There was always at least one Valkyrie on duty at the bridge, twenty-four hours a day, every day.
Thankfully, the Valkyries had rotating shifts, and Theresa hadn't assigned Kagura to any of them.
So Kagura got to enjoy a small, not-so-insignificant luxury: uninterrupted, comfortable sleep every night.
Even though… technically, as an android, she didn't really need to sleep…
"La la la~ hmm-hmm-hmm~ la la la~"
Humming a cheerful tune, Kagura carried her bath supplies and made her way to the bathroom next to her quarters.
But the moment she stepped through the door—
"You're finally here, Miss Kagura."
A refined voice greeted her.
Kagura froze.
Standing before her, as calm and elegant as ever, was none other than Rita Rossweisse.
"Would you prefer a bath or a shower tonight, Miss Kagura?" she asked with a gentle smile. "And will you be needing hair care or scalp treatment this evening?"
"…Huh?"
"…?"
"Wha-Wha-WHAAAT?! Miss Rita! What are you doing here?! This is my bathroom!"
Rita tilted her head slightly, keeping her graceful smile as if she were genuinely confused.
"As your maid, assisting you with your bath is only natural. Is there… something wrong with that?"
Kagura stood there, utterly speechless.
Rita calmly stepped forward and added, "Have you never experienced a bath with maid service before, Miss Kagura? No need to worry—I'll make sure you receive the highest quality care."
With that, Rita began reaching to undo Kagura's clothes.
"W-Wait—hold on! Time out!!"
Kagura's pale cheeks turned a bright red as she backed up against the wall, flustered.
"M-Miss Rita! Don't you think this is a little… strange?! Why are you suddenly giving me a bath?!"
"Strange? Not at all."
By now, Rita was practically leaning into her. Their noses were nearly touching.
"You saved my life, Miss Kagura. So it is only right—my duty and my honor—to serve you as your maid."
"Eh? That's… really how this works?"
"I mean… that's considered natural?"
"Come now, there's no need to be shy." Rita chuckled softly, seeing through Kagura's embarrassment with ease. "We're both girls. What's the big deal?"
"Ugh… Even so… Isn't this whole 'bathing together' thing a bit… yuri?"
Kagura awkwardly averted her gaze from the part of Rita's chest that was almost brushing against her face.
"This feels… way too stimulating…"
"Miss Kagura, you're still too reserved. Confidence is a very charming quality, you know."
With gentle hands, Rita slipped off Kagura's outer garments and handed her a towel.
Then, still smiling, she took Kagura by the hand and led her toward the inner bath.
"Come on now, Miss Kagura. I promise my service won't disappoint."
"Ugh… Fine, I give in."
Kagura sighed softly, wrapping herself tightly in the towel. "I guess… rather than keep resisting, it's better to just accept Miss Rita's hospitality with grace."
And so, the two of them entered the steamy inner chamber of the bathroom…
The room was filled with warm mist, golden light reflecting off the water like a dream.
Two nearly flawless figures sank into the bath, letting the heat soothe away the day's tension.
"See? Isn't this nice?" Rita said with a soft smile. "We're both girls—nothing awkward, nothing weird, right?"
"Ughhh… The problem wasn't that! You showing up out of nowhere in my bathroom nearly gave me a heart attack! You totally dodged the real issue, Miss Rita!"
Rita paid no mind to the protest as she gently washed Kagura's back, carefully massaging her smooth skin.
"I must say, Miss Kagura, your skin is simply flawless. I'm a bit envious."
"Me? You're the one being unfair, Miss Rita."
Kagura, clearly enjoying the bath despite her earlier fluster, playfully poked Rita's arm.
"You're a maid—and a combat one at that. You fight, run errands, clean, cook, everything. And yet your skin and figure are perfect.
I don't think even a pampered rich girl could maintain themselves this well."
"Fufufu~ Miss Kagura, you're too kind. I'm flattered."
Rita let out a delighted chuckle, and then, with a mischievous glint in her eye, suddenly reached over and gave Kagura a playful squeeze.
"My my~ So soft… Such lovely texture. Truly perfection."
"Wha—?! A sneak attack?! I let my guard down! But fine! I'll retaliate!"
Flushing bright red, Kagura didn't back down. She struck back boldly.
"Heh! I mean, if Miss Rita's body is that great, why don't you just grope yourself instead?!"
"Oh my…"
Rita blinked in surprise. "My, my… I didn't expect this side of you, Miss Kagura. All that shyness from earlier—was it just an act?"
"Well then… I suppose I won't hold back either," Rita said with a smile.
"Hmph! Bring it on! Even in the bath, I'm not going to lose to you! Show me what you've got, Rita!"
'Splash!'
'Glub glub…'
"Wah! You actually attacked there?! You sneak—ahh!"
"Hehe~ Giving up already?"
"It's not over yet! Take this!"
'Splash! Splash!'
And so, the two girls tangled together in the bath, their playful battle echoing through the steamy chamber.
Water sprayed, mist rose, and the scene could only be described as… a paradise on Earth.
"Ugh… That sneaky Rita, every one of her moves went straight for the weak spots!"
Now freshly bathed and drying off, Kagura sat alone in front of the vanity, brushing her hair.
"But… yeah, I guess it's been a while since I've had that much fun."
She smiled to herself.
"They weren't lying when they said Rita's the most professional maid in the world. Honestly, Elysia's pretty lucky to have someone like her by her side."
Her expression softened as she added, "I hope whatever's going on between them gets resolved soon…"
Once she finished drying and brushing her hair, Kagura slipped into a white silk nightgown and walked into her bedroom.
"Whew… it's pretty late, and that bath definitely took longer than expected. I should probably just go to slee—"
She froze.
"…Rita."
Kagura's expression slowly turned into one of horror as her eyes locked on the bed.
"…Please tell me why you're now lying in my bed! Popping up in the bathroom was one thing, but this?!"
"Oh my, Miss Kagura, you're finally here. You took quite some time at the vanity," Rita replied calmly from beneath the covers, still wearing that same serene, elegant smile.
"What's the matter? As your maid, it's only natural that I would warm your bed ahead of time—and leave a hint of my scent behind for your comfort. It's basic service, no?"
"…That's some pretty extreme 'basic service,' don't you think?"
Kagura pressed a hand to her forehead and let out a long sigh.
"Let's be clear—I let the bath slide, but I absolutely draw the line at sleeping in the same bed! I won't let you ambush me in my sleep!"
"Understood," Rita nodded. "Since Miss Kagura is about to rest, I shall take my leave. My bed-warming duties are now complete."
With practiced grace, Rita slipped out from under the blankets and neatly adjusted the covers.
"Please, while the bed is still warm—rest well, Miss Kagura."
"Hmm…"
Kagura eyed her suspiciously, but quickly darted over and dove under the sheets.
"Ahh… so warm. I hate to admit it, but… this is kind of amazing."
"Your satisfaction is the greatest reward for my efforts," Rita said with a gentle smile. "Then I shall take my leave. Sweet dreams, Miss Kagura. Good night."
"…Rita."
Kagura called out just as Rita turned to leave.
"Why are you treating me like I'm your master all of a sudden? I only did what anyone else would've done. You're supposed to serve Miss Durandal, aren't you?"
Rita paused.
A soft sigh escaped her lips, and for a brief moment, something vulnerable flickered behind her deep crimson eyes.
"Miss Kagura… you saved my life. And for that, I would do anything to repay you."
She pressed a hand to her chest and spoke gently, her voice carrying a quiet sincerity.
"Maybe saving me didn't mean much to you—it might have been just another battle. But for me… it meant everything."
"You see, while I was in World Serpent's captivity, the Honkai energy kept flooding into me.
I didn't know when—only that it would happen—I would completely collapse and become something monstrous. It was… endless pain. Endless darkness. Utter despair."
"Back then, I was terrified for the first time in my life. Truly, deeply afraid."
"I was afraid of turning into a Deadwalker. Afraid of losing Lady Durandal. Afraid of losing everything I had, everything I was."
"I was afraid… of dying."
"But then, in that darkest moment… you appeared."
"You, Miss Kagura—you gave me a second chance at life. You pulled me back from the edge of despair, from a place I thought I'd never return from.
You were like a divine light in the darkness…"
She paused again, wiping the corner of her eye with a quiet smile.
"And so, Miss Kagura… I am willing to do anything for you. Even if you asked me to walk through fire or leap into danger, I would not hesitate."
"Rita, will stay by your side—always."