A Few Days Later
"That was so boring," Kiana groaned as she strutted down the hallway, arms folded behind her head, eyes closed in mock frustration. She led the group of four without a care in the world, her voice echoing through the quiet corridor.
Mei and Kouga walked a few steps behind her, chatting idly about the day's training report, while Bronya trailed at the rear, nose buried in her handheld gaming console. All of them were back in their usual attire — academy uniforms and relaxed expressions — finally free to return to the dorms for some well-deserved downtime.
Kouga shook his head at Kiana's dramatic complaint. "You say that about every evaluation," he replied dryly, reaching for the dorm's doorknob. "Come on, let's just rest a bit before doing anything else. We've earned it."
He pushed the door open.
"Please leave your shoes by the door. Lunch will be ready in a few minutes."
The familiar, composed voice froze Kouga mid-step.
He exhaled a weary sigh the moment he recognized it.
Before he could even remove his boots, Kiana zipped past him, shoes flying in all directions as she yelled, "Food!?"
By the time Kouga, Mei, and Bronya had carefully taken off their own shoes — Mei being kind enough to collect Kiana's tossed pair and neatly set them aside — the trio followed the scent of cooking into the dining area.
There, sitting at the table with a fork and knife already in hand like a child on Christmas morning, was Kiana.And in the kitchen, pan in hand, stood Rita Rossweisse.
The honey-blonde maid turned gracefully, offering a smile that could disarm even the most stubborn soldier.
Since the aftermath of the duel, Rita had been assigned — or punished, depending on one's perspective — to assist Kouga and his team as atonement for her… overly enthusiastic participation. Regardless of how the arrangement came to be, she had slipped seamlessly into her new role, taking charge of the dorm's cleaning, organization, and — as they were quickly learning — its meals.
Rita's attire was immaculate: a classic black maid dress with white frills and a soft apron tied neatly around her slim waist. Lace gloves adorned her hands, and her honey-gold hair framed her face elegantly beneath a frilled headband decorated with small rose motifs. Her left eye was hidden behind a sweep of hair, and her ever-present, gentle smile lent her an air of calm sophistication — though the faintly sultry curve of her lips suggested a mischief that made Kouga wary every time she looked his way.
"Good afternoon, dear students," Rita greeted warmly, eyes closed as she bowed slightly, her voice melodic as always. "Your lunches will be ready in just a few moments."
She gestured toward the counter where a variety of dishes were in mid-preparation — plates neatly lined, ingredients arranged in perfect order, sauces simmering gently on the stove.
Within minutes, true to her word, lunch was served.
Each of them received their own plate, beautifully arranged and aromatic enough to make even Bronya's attention drift from her game. Kiana, of course, was the first to dig in, devouring her meal with no restraint whatsoever.
"Hooo~" she sighed contentedly when she finally finished, slumping back in her chair with a satisfied grin, one hand rubbing her stomach. "Miss Rita might not beat Mei-senpai, but that was still really good."
"You could try eating like a normal person," Mei murmured, amused.
Kiana ignored her, hopping up with her empty plate. "Thanks for the food, Miss Rita!" she called cheerfully as she carried her dish to the sink.
Rita inclined her head politely, the corners of her lips lifting in quiet amusement. "You're very welcome, Miss Kiana."
Kouga watched the exchange from his seat, his elbow resting on the table, expression a mix of resignation and mild exasperation.
He finally sighed, muttering under his breath, "Guess this is my life now…"
Rita, overhearing, turned her head slightly — her single visible eye glimmering with playful delight."Why, Sir Kouga," she said smoothly, "I'll do my utmost to make it a pleasant one."
Kouga's sigh only deepened.
A soft knock came from the door.
Rita, ever the perfect maid, set down the plate she was holding and moved gracefully to answer it. When the door opened, standing there was none other than Durandal herself.
"Ah, Miss Durandal," Rita greeted warmly, her ever-present smile curving at the edges. "Here to ask Mister Kouga for another training session, I presume?"
Durandal nodded politely, brushing a few strands of strawberry-blonde hair from her face. "Yes, Rita. I'm here for the usual."
From the dining room, Kouga let out a quiet sigh, already knowing there was no escaping it. "Alright," he said, rising from his seat and rolling his shoulders. "Give me a few minutes to get ready."
Kiana immediately leaned forward in her chair, grinning ear to ear. "Go kick some butt, Kouga!"
"Good luck," Mei added, offering a kind smile.
Bronya didn't look up from her game but raised a thumb in silent support.
Kouga shook his head, chuckling softly at his friends' reactions before heading toward the door. Durandal gave a respectful nod to the others and turned, walking beside Kouga as they left the dorm.
The walk to the training grounds was… familiar by now.
Every few steps, whispers filled the hall.
"Look, it's Durandal!""She's so cool!""Wait— that's him! The one who fought her!"
Kouga kept his eyes forward, but the corner of his mouth twitched slightly. Great… so now I've got fans too.
Durandal, meanwhile, seemed unfazed by the attention, her expression calm yet focused. Over the past few weeks, their sparring had become routine. In truth, there was hardly anyone at St. Freya — or even within Schicksal — strong enough to keep up with her.
When Kouga first met her in combat, he had not only matched her power but surpassed it. That alone had been enough to ignite Durandal's fighting spirit. Now, she often visited St. Freya specifically to train with him.
Soon, the two stood once more within the familiar arena — an expanse of reinforced flooring surrounded by containment barriers, designed to withstand anything short of a Honkai impact.
Durandal stood on one side, calm and composed, her silver armor glinting under the overhead lights. Kouga faced her from across the arena, the crimson energy of his GekiRed form shimmering faintly across his suit.
"Rules are still the same, right?" Kouga asked, stretching his neck with a crack.
Durandal smiled faintly, a glint of excitement in her eyes. "Yes. Same as always."
Kouga exhaled through his nose, clapped his hands together once, and lowered into his fighting stance. His aura flared, rippling through the air like heat waves. Durandal mirrored him, her body settling into a balanced stance, spear lowered and ready.
"Ready… get set…" Kouga began.
Durandal finished for him, her voice firm and clear: "Go!"
In the blink of an eye, both of them vanished from their positions — colliding mid-arena with an impact that sent a thunderous boom echoing through the training hall.
In the meantime, while Kouga was away training with Durandal, Rita excused herself to buy more groceries.
Or at least, that's what she told the others.
"The situation is… a bit complicated, Overseer," she murmured softly, holding a small communicator in front of her face as she stood in the shadowed corner of the grocery store.
The soft glow of the holographic display illuminated her composed expression — calm, professional, but with the faintest edge of frustration beneath her polite tone. In truth, Rita hadn't managed to report in for weeks. Between maintaining her role as a maid and covering the traces of this barely controlled assignment, there had been little time for direct communication.
"I've attempted multiple approaches," Rita continued, her voice kept low. "None of the poisons or compounds I placed in his food have shown any effect. And I haven't been able to obtain a blood sample without risking exposure."
On the other end, the holographic projection of Otto Apocalypse appeared, his gloved hand resting under his chin in thoughtful consideration.
"What about the Herrscher of Thunder?" he asked evenly.
Rita shook her head, strands of honey-blonde hair brushing her cheeks. "The same, I'm afraid. Nothing I've used has had any significant impact on her. I can't even access their rooms for inspection — some sort of security precaution prevents me."
Otto hummed thoughtfully. "It seems my dear granddaughter has finally realized how valuable those two are to me." His golden eyes narrowed slightly, gleaming with amusement. "…And what of K-423?"
Rita lifted her free hand, revealing several strands of white hair resting between her gloved fingers. "I've managed to collect the DNA samples you requested. However, obtaining stronger samples without raising suspicion would be… unwise."
"Acceptable," Otto replied, his tone satisfied. "Continue your mission as planned. I expect further results soon."
The hologram flickered, then vanished, leaving Rita alone once more in the dim corner of the store. For a brief moment, her expression hardened — the usual polite warmth giving way to silent determination.
Then, with a graceful motion, she closed her palm. The small communicator dissolved into digital particles, erasing all evidence of its existence.
Within seconds, Rita Rossweisse straightened her apron, adjusted her hair, and stepped back into the light of the store as if nothing had happened — her serene smile once again perfectly in place.
After all, that was what a good maid did.