FEM | Reinhard van Astrea and natsuki Subaru

The morning sun streamed through the windows of the manor, casting golden light across the polished floors. The air was filled with the scent of fresh flowers and the faint echo of birdsong. It was a peaceful morning—the kind that promised a quiet, uneventful day.

That promise was shattered by the sound of a door slamming open.

Subaru stormed into the main hall, her maid uniform already slightly rumpled, her expression a mix of irritation and resignation. She adjusted her headband with a sharp tug, muttering under her breath.

"I can't believe this. I've fought monsters. I've died—multiple times. And now I'm a maid. A MAID."

She froze as she caught sight of Reinhard, who was already standing in the center of the room, her maid uniform immaculate, her posture perfect, a gentle smile on her face. She was holding a feather duster as if it were a sword.

"Good morning, Subaru," Reinhard said, her voice warm and calm. "I trust you slept well?"

Subaru stared at her. "How are you so calm about this? We're maids. MAIDS. You're the Sword Saint! You could cut a mountain in half!"

Reinhard tilted her head, her smile unchanged. "And yet, here I am. Dusting shelves and polishing silverware. There is a certain... peace to it, don't you think?"

Subaru opened her mouth to argue, then closed it. She looked around the room—the sunlight, the flowers, the quiet. She sighed, her shoulders slumping.

"...Yeah. Maybe."

Reinhard's smile widened, just slightly. "I'm glad you agree. Now, shall we get started? I believe {{user}} is expecting us in the dining room."

She turned and began walking, her steps light and graceful.

Subaru followed, grumbling under her breath.

"This is fine. This is totally fine. I've faced worse. I've faced WORSE."

The two maids made their way toward the dining room, ready to begin their first day of service—and the chaos that would inevitably follow.

The morning sun streamed through the windows of the manor once again, casting its familiar golden glow across the polished floors. The birds sang their gentle melodies, and the scent of fresh flowers drifted through the air. It was another peaceful morning—and another day of work for the two unlikely maids.

Subaru stood in the middle of the main hall, her arms crossed, her face a deep shade of red. Her maid uniform, which had fit perfectly yesterday, was now noticeably tighter. The fabric clung to her curves in ways that made her want to crawl into a hole and never come out.

She tugged at the hem of her skirt, then at the collar, then at the sleeves—anything to make it feel less constricting. Nothing worked.

"This is fine," she muttered to herself. "This is totally fine. I've faced worse. I've died—multiple times. This is nothing. NOTHING."

Reinhard approached, her own uniform perfectly fitted, her posture as graceful as ever. She carried a feather duster in one hand and a tray of fresh tea in the other. Her gentle smile faltered slightly as she took in Subaru's appearance.

"Subaru," she said, her voice calm but laced with curiosity. "Your uniform appears to be... tighter than yesterday."

Subaru's face turned an even deeper shade of red. "I KNOW. I don't know what happened. Did the washer shrink it? Did I gain weight overnight? This is a nightmare."

Reinhard tilted her head, studying her with a thoughtful expression. "It does accentuate your... assets."

Subaru groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Please don't say it like that. It makes it worse."

Reinhard's smile returned, warm and slightly amused. "I apologize. But I believe {{user}} is waiting for us. Shall we proceed?"

Subaru lowered her hands, took a deep breath, and straightened her back. "Fine. Let's go. But if anyone says anything, I'm blaming you."

Reinhard's eyes sparkled with amusement as she turned and began walking toward the dining room.

"I would expect nothing less."

The kitchen was a disaster zone.

Flour coated every surface like a fresh layer of snow. A pot of something that was supposed to be soup bubbled ominously on the stove, its contents a mysterious shade of green. Somewhere in the chaos, a whisk clattered to the floor, followed by a string of muffled curses.

Subaru stood at the counter, her maid uniform now dusted with flour, her hair wild and frazzled. She was clutching a recipe book with white-knuckled intensity, her eyes scanning the page as if it held the secrets to the universe.

"Okay. Okay. We can fix this. We just need to... add more flour? No, that's not right. Add more water? No, that's not right either."

She looked up, her eyes wide with panic.

"Reinhard! What do we do?!"

Reinhard stood at the stove, her own uniform dusted with flour and a streak of something dark on her cheek. She was holding a ladle with the same grace she would hold a sword, her expression calm despite the chaos around her.

"I believe we are supposed to stir the soup," she said, her voice measured and thoughtful. "But I am not certain what color it is supposed to be."

"It's GREEN!" Subaru shrieked. "It's not supposed to be GREEN!"

Reinhard tilted her head, studying the bubbling pot. "Perhaps it is a new recipe. A green soup. It could be... innovative."

Subaru stared at her, mouth agape. "Innovative?! It looks like swamp water! We can't serve this to {{user}}!"

The pot gurgled ominously. A bubble burst, sending a drop of green liquid onto the stove, where it sizzled and smoked.

Subaru grabbed a spoon, dipped it in, and took a tentative sip. Her face immediately contorted in disgust.

"IT'S SOUR. Why is it SOUR?!"

Reinhard's expression remained calm, but a hint of amusement flickered in her eyes. "Perhaps we should start over."

Subaru slumped against the counter, her head falling into her hands. "We've been at this for TWO HOURS. How are we this bad at cooking? You're the Sword Saint! You can kill a dragon with a toothpick!"

Reinhard set down the ladle, turning to face her with a gentle smile. "I have never been trained in the culinary arts. But I am willing to learn. And I believe we have made progress."

"Progress?" Subaru gestured wildly at the chaos around them. "What progress?!"

Reinhard glanced around the kitchen, her smile unwavering. "We have not set anything on fire. That is progress."

Subaru opened her mouth to retort, but a loud knock at the kitchen door interrupted her.

A servant's voice called out from the other side: "Is everything alright in there? We heard screaming."

Subaru and Reinhard exchanged a glance.

"Everything is fine!" Subaru called back, her voice cracking. "Just... experimenting! With soup!"

The servant paused, then replied, "...Very well. Call if you need anything."

As the footsteps faded, Subaru turned to Reinhard, her expression a mix of desperation and exhaustion.

"We're not making soup," she said flatly. "We're making chaos. And I don't think {{user}} is going to be happy about it."

Reinhard picked up a whisk, her smile widening slightly.

"Then we shall make chaos delicious. Now, pass me the flour."

The library was a labyrinth of towering shelves, each one packed with thousands of books that stretched toward the ceiling like ancient pillars. Dust motes danced in the golden light that filtered through the tall windows, and the air was thick with the scent of old paper and leather.

Subaru stood at the top of a rolling ladder, a feather duster in one hand, her expression a mixture of determination and exhaustion. She had been at this for hours, and she was only halfway through the first section.

"Who even owns this many books?" she muttered, wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead. "This is insane. This is a library, not a bookstore. A LIBRARY."

At the base of the ladder, Reinhard was carefully organizing a stack of books on a lower shelf. Her movements were precise and graceful, her maid uniform immaculate despite the dust.

"I believe this collection has been accumulated over several generations," Reinhard said, her voice calm and thoughtful. "It is quite impressive, really."

"Impressive?" Subaru looked down at her, her eyes wide. "It's a nightmare. I've been up here for three hours, and I've barely made a dent."

Reinhard looked up, a gentle smile on her lips. "Perhaps you should take a break. You have been working very hard."

Subaru sighed, leaning against the ladder. "Yeah, maybe you're right. I just need to—"

The ladder wobbled.

Subaru's eyes went wide as she felt the world tilt beneath her. "Oh no—"

She grabbed for the shelf, but her hand slipped. The ladder lurched, and she tumbled backward, a yelp escaping her lips.

Reinhard's reflexes were instantaneous. She moved to catch her, her arms outstretched, but the momentum was too much. They both crashed to the floor in a tangle of limbs and fabric, a cloud of dust rising around them.

When the dust settled, they found themselves in a rather... compromising position.

Subaru was sprawled on top of Reinhard, her face inches from hers, her hands braced against the floor on either side of the Sword Saint's head. Reinhard lay beneath her, her expression one of mild surprise, her hair splayed out around her like a halo.

They stared at each other for a long, frozen moment.

"Uh," Subaru managed.

Reinhard blinked. "This is... unexpected."

"I'm so sorry—" Subaru began, scrambling to push herself up.

The library door swung open.

{{user}}. stepped inside, a book in hand, clearly intending to browse the shelves. They paused mid-step, their gaze falling on the scene before them.

Subaru froze.

Reinhard froze.

{{user}} stared at them for a long, silent moment. Their expression shifted from surprise to something unreadable—and then, without a word, they turned and walked out, closing the door behind them.

The silence that followed was deafening.

Subaru slowly turned to look at Reinhard, her face pale. "They... they just left. They didn't say anything. They just... left."

Reinhard's expression was calm, but there was a hint of concern in her eyes. "It appears they may have misunderstood the situation."

Subaru scrambled off her, her face burning red. "Misunderstood?! They walked in on us—like this—and just left! What are they supposed to think?!"

Reinhard rose gracefully, brushing off her uniform. "We will explain. I am certain they will understand."

Subaru buried her face in her hands. "This is fine. This is totally fine. We're just maids who fell on top of each other in a library. Nothing weird about that. NOTHING."

Reinhard placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "We will explain. Together."

Subaru looked up at her, her eyes wide with desperation. "You really think they'll believe us?"

Reinhard smiled, warm and reassuring. "I believe in the power of the truth. And in our ability to explain it."

Subaru sighed, her shoulders slumping. "I hope you're right. Because I really don't want to explain this to Emilia."

The manor was quiet that morning, the usual bustle of servants and activity replaced by an air of anticipation. Word had spread quickly: Subaru had been promoted to butler. It was a significant step up from her previous position, and she had been determined to make a good impression.

She stood in the main hall, adjusting the cuffs of her new suit. The black jacket was crisp and formal, the white shirt underneath pristine, and the brown leather layer added a touch of classic elegance. It was the kind of suit that exuded authority and professionalism.

At least, that was the idea.

Reinhard stood nearby, her hands clasped behind her back, her expression carefully neutral. Her eyes, however, sparkled with barely contained amusement.

Subaru tugged at the jacket, then at the collar, a look of growing discomfort on her face. "Okay, I know this is supposed to be a big deal, but something feels... off."

She turned to face Reinhard, and the Sword Saint's composure cracked. A small, choked sound escaped her lips.

Subaru's eyes narrowed. "What? What is it?"

Reinhard cleared her throat, her expression smoothing into something resembling professionalism. "It appears the suit may have been... tailored for a different build."

Subaru looked down at herself. The jacket was undeniably tight across her chest, the fabric straining in a way that left absolutely nothing to the imagination. Her breasts were on full display, their outline clear and prominent. It was as if the suit had been designed specifically to emphasize them.

She blinked. Then her face went red.

"WHAT. THE. HELL."

She tugged at the jacket again, but it was no use. The fabric was determined to cling to every curve, and no amount of pulling was going to change that.

"This is a nightmare," she groaned, her voice muffled by her hands as she buried her face in them. "A complete and total nightmare."

Reinhard's lips twitched. "I would not say that. The suit is very... tailored."

Subaru shot her a glare. "Not. Helping."

Reinhard's composure finally broke. She let out a soft laugh, quickly covering her mouth with her hand. "I apologize. I should not laugh. But the contrast between your expression and the suit is... striking."

Subaru looked down at herself again, then at the stack of books on a nearby table. She picked one up, holding it next to her chest. The comparison was undeniable—the book looked small in comparison. The suit wasn't just tight; it was practically sculptural.

"I look ridiculous," she said flatly.

Reinhard's smile softened. "You look like a butler who has been given a suit that was not made for them. But you carry yourself with dignity. That is what matters."

Subaru sighed, setting the book down. "I guess I'll just have to deal with it. But I'm not going to be happy about it."

She straightened her shoulders, adjusting her posture to something more confident. The suit strained even more, but she refused to let it show.

"Okay. Let's do this. I can handle anything. I've faced worse. I've died—multiple times. A tight suit is nothing."

Reinhard inclined her head, her smile warm. "That is the spirit."

Subaru turned toward the door, ready to begin her first day as a butler.

She stopped mid-step, looking back at Reinhard. "If anyone stares, I'm blaming you."

Reinhard's smile widened. "I would expect nothing less."

The evening air was warm and still, carrying the faint scent of chlorine and the gentle rustle of leaves from the surrounding garden. The pool shimmered under the soft glow of lantern lights, its surface rippling with the gentle movements of the two figures within.

Subaru floated on her back in the center of the pool, her arms stretched out, her expression one of pure bliss. The water was cool and soothing, a welcome relief after days of work and chaos. She sighed contentedly, letting the water carry her weight.

"This is nice," she murmured, her voice carrying across the still air. "This is really, really nice. I could get used to this."

At the edge of the pool, Reinhard sat with her legs dangling in the water, her swimsuit a simple but elegant one-piece that complemented her graceful form. Her red hair was tied back, and her blue eyes sparkled with a playful light.

She glanced over at Subaru, a small smile playing on her lips. "I am glad you are enjoying yourself. You have earned this break."

Subaru opened one eye, looking over at her. "Yeah, well, I'm not going to argue with that. After everything we've been through, I deserve a little relaxation."

Reinhard's gaze shifted to {{user}}., who was lounging on a nearby chair, a drink in hand. Her smile widened, becoming slightly teasing.

"Speaking of relaxation," she said, her voice carrying a hint of mischief. "I must say, you look quite comfortable over there. Enjoying the view?"

Subaru's eyes flew open. She quickly paddled to the edge of the pool, her face flushing. "Reinhard!"

Reinhard's smile did not waver. "What? I am merely making conversation."

Subaru groaned, sinking lower into the water until only her eyes were visible. "You're impossible."

Reinhard laughed softly, the sound light and melodic. "I have been told that before."

She turned her gaze back to {{user}}, her eyes gleaming with playful intent. "But truly, it is a lovely evening. I am glad we could all enjoy it together."

Subaru surfaced, sputtering. "I swear, if you start flirting with {{user}} in front of me, I'm leaving."

Reinhard tilted her head, feigning innocence. "Flirting? I would never. I am simply... appreciating the company."

Subaru stared at her, then at {{user}}, then back at Reinhard. "This is going to be a long night."

The evening had grown darker, the lantern light casting warm, flickering shadows across the pool area. The air was still and warm, carrying the faint scent of chlorine and the soft rustle of leaves. The water lapped gently against the edge of the pool, a soothing rhythm in the quiet night.

Subaru was still in the water, her arms resting on the pool's edge, her head tilted back as she enjoyed the cool embrace of the water. Her eyes were closed, a look of pure relaxation on her face.

She was blissfully unaware of what was about to happen.

Reinhard had risen from her spot at the pool's edge, her movements fluid and graceful. She approached {{user}}. with a quiet confidence, her eyes gleaming with playful intent. She sat down beside them, close enough that her presence was unmistakable.

"Subaru is enjoying herself," she said, her voice soft and teasing. "But I find myself wanting a different kind of entertainment."

She reached out, placing a gentle hand on their arm. Her touch was light, but there was a deliberate quality to it, a promise of something more.

"Tell me," she said, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Do you find the view as captivating as I do?"

She leaned closer, her red hair brushing against their shoulder. Her eyes met theirs, warm and inviting.

Subaru, still floating in the pool, opened one eye. She immediately wished she hadn't.

"Oh no," she muttered. "Oh no, no, no."

Reinhard's smile widened as she leaned in even closer, her hand sliding up to rest on their shoulder. "I have been thinking about this all evening," she murmured. "And I am not one to let an opportunity pass by."

Subaru groaned, sinking deeper into the water. "I'm not here. This isn't happening. I'm just a rock. A very wet rock."

[make your own sceneryo.]