"Shirou, scoot over a little. I'm getting in."
As she spoke, Irisviel slipped off her lace lingerie and lowered her exquisitely shaped legs into the hot water.
Once she was in the tub, she naturally turned sideways.
Shirou: "..."
As hot water spilled over the rim, Irisviel settled into the bathtub, right into Shirou's lap.
"Ahh~ This is heaven~♡"
The silver-haired Homunculus, her hair pinned up, let out a blissful hum as her shoulders sank into the hot water and trembled slightly.
"Shirou really has grown up. The bathtub feels so cramped now. It's already a tight fit for two people...
Back when we used to bathe together, Shirou was the one sitting in my lap. Now it's my turn to sit in yours, hehe."
"If you knew it would be this cramped, then stop suggesting we bathe together... Seriously."
"There's nothing wrong with taking a bath together once in a while. We're family, aren't we?"
Irisviel paid no attention to Shirou trying to dampen her enthusiasm. She happily leaned back against his chest, treating the young man's body like a backrest as naturally as a lover would.
"What's wrong? You've barely said anything this whole time."
Shirou stared at the pale curves floating above the surface of the water and muttered under his breath.
"No, I was just thinking... Iri, you really take good care of yourself, even after having a child."
"Of course I do."
Rather than being offended by Shirou's comment, the silver-haired Homunculus was genuinely delighted and broke into a smile.
"I've been putting in a lot of effort in private too, where Shirou never sees it..."
"Being a woman really is hard work... Just don't push yourself too much, okay?"
"It really is hard. And it's all Shirou's fault..."
"My fault?"
Shirou asked, confused.
Irisviel nodded with a serious expression. "Mm-hmm. Shirou always makes the food so delicious!
I can never stop myself from eating too much, and every time I step onto the scale, I have to brace myself first. Then comes all the dieting afterward... Sigh."
Once the Princess of Einzbern and now a woman in every sense of the word, she smiled to hide her embarrassment.
"It may be hard work, but hearing you compliment me makes all that effort worthwhile.
Hey... Shirou, do you still find me attractive? I haven't fallen too far behind the Goddess-samas, have I?"
"Of course not. Iri wouldn't lose to anyone, even if they were a Goddess."
Shirou answered honestly.
"I'm glad."
Irisviel smiled softly. "Anyone can say something nice. Could you show me a little more enthusiasm?"
Shirou nodded with a quiet "Mm," then wrapped his arms around Irisviel's waist beneath the water.
His strong arms closed around her slender, supple waist.
"Hehe~~~"
A blush spread across Irisviel's beautiful face.
...
"Shi-Shirou... The bathtub feels a little cramped. Maybe we should adjust our positions..."
"How?"
Irisviel shifted herself in the tub.
"...What's wrong?"
Shirou asked.
...
"Shirou..."
"I get it. You really leave me no choice."
After that, the young man expressed his feelings for her with far greater intensity.
...
...
The Amamiya family had always taken turns using the bathroom.
Since Shirou and Irisviel had spent so long in there tonight, it was already late at night by the time Sella and Leysritt got their turn.
Considering how long those two had occupied the bathroom, Sella had already prepared herself for what she might find.
Even so...
"...Ugh."
The Homunculus maid's expression shifted between pale and flushed.
Just cleaning the bathroom alone would probably take quite a while.
Tsk... Shirou, you clearly promised me you'd show a little restraint next time!
But Sella hadn't missed the blissful, dazed expression on her mistress's face when Irisviel staggered out of the bathroom.
That left Sella with no grounds to complain. She could only hope the two of them would learn to exercise at least a little moderation.
"...Hup."
Beside her, Leysritt began taking off her clothes.
Once her maid uniform came off, the finest figure in the entire Amamiya household was exposed to the warm air.
"Wait, Liz... what are you doing?"
Leysritt tilted her head. "Getting ready to bathe. I'll take a shower, so Sella can use the tub."
"Uh...!"
Sella stared speechlessly at the bathtub Shirou and Irisviel had just been using.
She was supposed to... get straight into that?
The Homunculus maid went pale.
That would definitely be dangerous, wouldn't it?
No, I'm different from the mistress. I'm only a mass-produced Homunculus...
So I shouldn't have the ability to conceive a human child... probably?
Sella had no experience with men, so she had no idea how things actually worked.
"Sella, aren't you getting in?"
"How could anyone possibly reuse water in this condition..."
"Sella, do you not want to use water the mistress already used?"
"Wh... O-of course that's not it! How could I possibly object to using water the mistress has bathed in?!"
At this rate, she would become a worthless maid who had betrayed her mistress.
Sella's pride would never allow such a thing.
Biting her lip, she began to undress.
Although every Einzbern Homunculus had been modeled after the "Saintess of the Winter," Justeaze, individual differences were inevitable.
Sella had slender limbs and a firm, trim figure, the complete opposite of the voluptuous Leysritt... despite the two of them being twin sisters from the same batch.
Sella passed Leysritt, who was rinsing herself beneath the shower, and lowered herself into the bathtub.
"...Phew."
Sella let out a long, quiet breath.
She just couldn't seem to settle down.
The thought that Shirou had been sitting in this very bathtub only ten minutes ago...made her feel strangely restless.
"Mm."
She shook her head, trying to clear away the distracting thoughts filling her mind.
...Hm?
Just then, something caught the Homunculus maid's eye.
On the bathroom window, still covered in steam, two distinct pairs of handprints had been left behind.
Along with traces where a woman's body had clearly been pressed hard against the glass...
"!!"
Sella immediately turned away, her fair cheeks flushing bright red.
Better to close my eyes before I see anything else I shouldn't...
With that thought, the Homunculus maid shut her eyes and quietly enjoyed the hot water and the silence.
"Sella... Sella..."
She seemed to hear Leysritt calling her.
"Are you staying in a little longer? Then I'll head out first..."
"Mm, sorry. Let me soak a little longer... Tonight has been far too mentally exhausting."
"Don't catch a cold, Sella."
She vaguely heard the bathroom door close.
Finally able to relax, Sella leaned back against the tub and gradually drifted into a deep sleep.
...
That had been several years ago, not long after Irisviel first moved into the Amamiya household.
Although Sella was an experienced and highly capable maid, working in a Japanese-style residence for the first time still took some getting used to.
The kitchen, the tatami rooms, folding futons, cleaning the veranda and garden... all of it presented new challenges for Sella.
"Leave everything to me, Madam. I absolutely will not disgrace the name of Einzbern."
Sella had proudly patted her chest and made that promise to her mistress.
In practice, however, things were far more difficult than she had expected.
And it was during one such moment of frustration that the young man she regarded as her sworn rival approached her.
"Is there anything I can help you with?"
Shirou Amamiya appeared in the kitchen.
"...No."
Sella answered without the slightest hesitation.
Her mistress, Irisviel, relied heavily on Shirou. It would hardly have been an exaggeration to say she doted on him.
Her sister Leysritt had also long since lowered her guard and now trusted the young man completely.
But Sella was different.
She had no intention of trusting a human so easily.
"You don't exactly look like someone who isn't having trouble."
Shirou glanced at the pot in front of Sella, then at the seasoning she was holding.
"I see. You're not sure how much soy sauce to use?"
Ignoring Sella's visibly irritated expression, Shirou casually tied on an apron and began explaining.
"Like this... and then like this…"
"Why don't you try it yourself, Sella-san?"
"Mm."
The Homunculus maid nodded and began following his instructions beneath Shirou's smiling gaze.
"Like this?"
"Right."
"Let me taste it."
"How is it?"
"Mm... delicious! I think this will work!"
Sella tasted the successfully prepared sukiyaki sauce and broke into a delighted smile.
Then she noticed Shirou staring blankly at her.
"What is it, Amamiya-san?"
"Nothing. I was just a little surprised... So Sella-san actually knows how to smile."
Sella immediately furrowed her brows, returning to her usual displeased expression.
"Of course I know how to smile. Do you think I'm some kind of demon?"
"Whoa, there's that terrifying demon-like expression again... even though you look so cute when you smile."
"...Ugh!"
Sella's cheeks suddenly grew hot.
It was the first time a man, a human man at that, had ever called her cute. She flushed before she could stop herself.
"Are you making fun of me, Amamiya-san?"
"I didn't mean it like that." Shirou scratched the back of his head.
Sella looked at him and spoke in an icy tone.
"Amamiya-san, I don't know why you're trying to win me over, but I have absolutely no intention of becoming friendly with you."
Shirou: "..."
"Excuse me."
Sella quickly began gathering the cookware and jars of seasoning, preparing to leave the kitchen.
Just then, Shirou suddenly spoke.
"Actually, I'm very grateful to you, Sella-san."
"What?"
Grateful to me?
The Homunculus maid looked at the young man in confusion, completely at a loss.
Shirou continued, "Sella-san, you've been taking care of the garden, haven't you?
"There are some flowers growing near the storage shed. You planted them, right?"
The Amamiya residence's garden had originally been nothing more than an empty plot.
Since it was easier to maintain that way, Shirou had never planted anything there.
But after Sella arrived, she began tending to the grounds even without Irisviel asking her to.
She not only swept away fallen leaves, but also planted flowers and other greenery near the storage shed.
"That's... merely a personal preference."
"Mm. I asked Liz-san about it, and she told me."
Shirou smiled.
"Sella really likes nature, doesn't she?
"Apparently, back in Germany, you used to secretly try growing flowers and plants in the garden too."
"That girl... she even told you something like that..."
"So if there's ever anything you need help with, just tell me."
"Aren't you the one who doesn't want anything planted in the yard?"
"Because it's a hassle. But if hardworking Sella is willing to take care of it, I'd be happy to help out."
"So in the end, you just want to use me as free labor."
"Let's make a vegetable garden together!"
"...Hmph. Absolutely not."
The Homunculus maid gave him a disdainful smile.
Yet for some reason, her chest felt warm.
She had secretly planted those flowers without telling anyone, but he had noticed.
Just now, too, Shirou had realized that she was struggling in the kitchen and had come over to help without being asked.
He might have been somewhat carefree, but he possessed a surprisingly delicate and perceptive eye.
Perhaps that was the moment Sella's opinion of Shirou began to change.
She started to understand why her mistress had fallen for him.
She began to understand why her sister trusted him so deeply.
From then on, Sella abandoned her former cold attitude toward Shirou.
She worked hard as a member of the Amamiya household, not only for Irisviel, but also for Shirou.
That was how Sella saw it.
As they grew closer, "Amamiya-san" and "Sella-san" gradually disappeared, replaced by simply calling each other by name.
At the same time, Sella became increasingly conscious of Shirou.
Back then, she still didn't understand what those feelings meant.
Not until Irisviel told her that she wanted to become one with Shirou and bear his child.
Sella's mind went completely blank, and her body swayed.
"...What's wrong, Sella?"
"N-nothing."
Sella shook her head, pretending nothing was wrong.
It hurt.
It hurt.
It hurt.
The Homunculus maid pressed a hand against her chest, which felt as though it might split apart.
She couldn't fully understand it, but she had realized where that pain came from...
It seemed she had fallen in love with Shirou.
But those feelings could never be allowed.
Shirou was the most important person in the world to her mistress, Irisviel.
There was no place for a servant like Sella to intrude between them.
Besides, from the very beginning, she had simply misunderstood.
Shirou wasn't kind to Sella for any special reason.
He was simply kind to everyone.
And yet she had mistaken that kindness for salvation.
Sella decided to bury those feelings deep within her heart.
Several years passed after that.
Illyasviel, the child of Shirou and Irisviel, was born and slowly grew older.
Sella treated the daughter of the two people she loved most as though she were her own child, devotedly taking care of every aspect of Illya's daily life.
Unlike Leysritt, Sella was normally very strict with Illya, but she was also astonishingly easy to sway.
The moment Illya acted spoiled, Sella would agree to almost any request she made.
Although Sella had shifted most of her attention toward Illya's upbringing, they still all lived beneath the same roof.
Whenever she came across Shirou and Irisviel being intimate, she couldn't help feeling restless.
At times, improper thoughts would surface despite herself.
If only I were the woman in Shirou's arms.
If only I were the woman Shirou pressed down onto the bed.
Sigh...
Is my life going to continue like this forever...?
"Sella? Why did you fall asleep in the bathtub?"
Through her haze, the Homunculus maid heard a voice beside her.
"You can't do that. You'll catch a cold... Whoa, isn't this the same water Iri and I used earlier?"
Shirou stared dumbfounded at Sella, who had fallen asleep against the side of the bathtub.
They had talked about conserving water, sure, but this was the kind of bathwater they could have just drained, right?
"Bathing in water like this would make even a clean body dirty..."
Shirou sounded utterly speechless.
"Mm... Hm?"
Sella awakened from her dream of distant memories.
"Shirou?"
Why was Shirou's face the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes?
I understand. This must still be a dream! I haven't completely woken up yet!
The Homunculus maid thought hazily.
"Sella, are you awake? Can you get out by yourself?"
"Shirou... carry me out~"
"Huh?"
Sella spoke in a spoiled, coquettish tone and stretched both slender arms toward him.
"Sella? Did you stay in the bath so long you got dizzy?"
To Shirou, she looked almost drunk. Even her cheeks were flushed red.
"I think so. So, Shirou... carry me out."
Sella urged him again.
Going back to call Leysritt for help was certainly an option, but for safety's sake, Shirou ultimately decided to get Sella out first.
The moment he reached into the bathtub...
Sella suddenly threw herself into his arms, catching him completely off guard and knocking him to the floor.
"..."
Unlike Irisviel, Sella's body possessed a slender, delicate beauty as it pressed against him.
Her chest might not have been nearly as voluptuous, but Sella's figure was still undeniably enticing, graceful and perfectly proportioned.
Shirou hurriedly looked away.
"Sella? Don't fall asleep here again. Just stand up for now."
"Mm~"
Shirou helped Sella to her feet, only for her to rest her head against his shoulder.
"Do you want to rinse off? Considering the water in the tub... yeah, you should definitely rinse yourself off."
"Mm."
Sella answered without hesitation.
"Shirou, wash me~"
"Stop messing around. This isn't the time for jokes... I'll go get Liz to wash you."
Sella tightly grabbed the front of Shirou's shirt and looked up at him with watery eyes.
"Didn't you tell me, Shirou, that I could ask you whenever I needed help with something?"
"Uh... yeah, I did say that."
Sella nodded in satisfaction and sat down on the bathing stool.
"All right."
Shirou stared at her completely exposed back, gritted his teeth, and picked up the showerhead.
Bracing himself, he carefully washed every inch of her skin.
...
Justeaze stood outside the bathroom door.
Hearing the sounds coming from within, she wore a complicated expression.
***
...
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