Chapter 10 : Want to Take a Bath Together?

In front of the main house.

The heavy wooden door, ornately carved, slowly opened.

Inside, two rows of witches stood in perfect formation.

“Welcome home, Young Miss~”.

“Wha…”

Su Xinran was so stunned she didn’t even know what to say.

This wasn’t just some hidden rich girl—this was ultra-rich!

The maids on both sides held warm towels, hand-washing water, and everything else ready.

Their outfits weren’t the cutesy maid cosplay you’d expect from an otaku fantasy, but elegant, long English-style maid dresses.

“Don’t like your big sister’s house?”

Wang Ya asked, seeing the dazed expression on Su Xinran’s face.

“Ah… no, no, no… It’s not that I don’t like it… I’m just… overwhelmed…”

“That’s good. I was worried about your first impression, so I even called ahead to have the butlers arrange everything.”

Wang Ya took off her police hat, unbuckled her belt, and pulled out the hair tie from her hair.

Instantly, her long black hair cascaded down like a waterfall.

“Phew… it’s getting late. Xinran, how about you take a bath and get to bed early? I’ll have the butlers move your things from the old apartment tomorrow.”

The sky was indeed getting darker—it was about time for good children to go to bed.

“Well… okay, I guess… Where’s the bathroom…”

“Please follow me.”

A maid with yellow hair in braided pigtails and drooping bunny ears stepped forward to lead the way.

“Since the Young Miss doesn’t like being assisted in the bath, I’ll ask just in case—Miss Xinran, do you wish for me to help bathe you?”

“Eh?”

Getting bathed by someone?!

Just imagining that scene was enough to make Su Xinran’s brain overheat.

“No no no! That won’t be necessary!”

Su Xinran refused, face red as a tomato.

“Then… Xinran, do you want to bathe with your big sister instead?”

“We can scrub each other’s backs, you know—strengthen our sisterly bond~”

Hearing that suggestion, Su Xinran’s face turned scarlet, and she bolted toward the bathroom like she was escaping.

“Ara…”

Watching Su Xinran flee like her life depended on it, the blonde bunny-eared maid covered her mouth and giggled.

“Such intense emotional reactions are quite rare for a zombie girl, aren’t they…”

“Yes… and that scent on her body… it’s absolutely intoxicating…”

Another maid stepped forward, inhaled deeply, savoring the lingering scent Su Xinran had left behind, and licked her lips.

“What a… delicious little thing…”

Swoosh—

Turning on the showerhead, hot water splashed down on her body.

Su Xinran closed her eyes.

What a disaster of a day.

Just yesterday, she’d been enjoying life in her room like a happy little shut-in.

And today? She was on the verge of becoming a citizen of a monster nation.

And she even had to… go to school.

“Ugh… This is so annoying…”

Su Xinran hugged her head in frustration.

“You’ve really infiltrated the enemy camp in just one day, huh.”

Raphael appeared above Su Xinran’s head.

“What do you mean enemy…”

Su Xinran said, irritated.

“Sure, I’m human and they’re monsters, but some of them are actually decent people. After spending the day with them… I’m kind of glad I didn’t leave my apartment four years ago.”

“Why?”

Raphael asked, puzzled.

“Maybe if I had gone outside back then and awakened some kind of system, I would’ve become so arrogant that I thought I was the savior of humanity, and then started indiscriminately slaughtering monsters…”

“Maybe among the ones I’d have killed would’ve been people like Sister Aya… monsters who didn’t deserve to die. Driven by some twisted sense of justice, I could’ve become a war machine, mindlessly killing everything in sight…”

The thought gave Su Xinran a shiver.

A war machine—undeniably a demon.

“Quit letting your imagination run wild. Be realistic. Humanity has already been wiped out. All the main story missions I originally programmed have become obsolete.”

“Eh~? So doesn’t that mean I can live the rest of my life as a lazy, carefree fish~?”

Su Xinran relaxed immediately, sinking into the bathtub and blowing bubbles.

“You lazy bum!”

“I came to inform you that I’ve just updated your system’s main storyline based on the current world situation!”

Raphael said angrily.

“Ehhh~? What now~”.

Su Xinran couldn’t care less.

“You must hide your identity among the demons and wait for humanity’s eventual return!”

“Huh???”

“Given how useless and lazy you are, this system has decided to impose a penalty!”

“If your identity is exposed to any demon race—all of your equipment and abilities will be revoked!”

“WHAT?!”

Su Xinran shot upright in the tub.

“If I get exposed, I’m basically dead!!”

“Exactly~! So keep your identity hidden. The Empress of Humanity may have died in battle, but her soul has not dispersed. One day, when the stars align and the conditions are right, she will return!”

After Raphael finished declaring the new mission, Su Xinran’s face had none of the relaxed expression it held moments ago.

“Tired of this… Just let the world end already…”

Sploosh—she dropped under the water.

Nightfall.

With her hair dried and dressed in a silk nightgown, Su Xinran stumbled out of the bathroom like a zombie.

“What’s up with her? Why does she look so dead inside…”

Wang Ya, drying her own hair, asked a nearby maid curiously.

“No idea… She’s been like that ever since she finished bathing…”

Click.

Without a word, Su Xinran opened the door to the bedroom that had been assigned to her and shut it behind her silently.

Seeing the soft, inviting bed, she threw herself onto it.

Her whole body sank into the plush mattress as she began to roll around.

Exposure equals death…

For the first time since arriving in this post-apocalyptic world, Su Xinran felt the real threat of death looming over her.

Even the beautiful mansion that had looked so dreamy just a moment ago now seemed more like a dark fortress fit for vampires.

Even the cute maids outside and big sister Wang Ya now felt like they could take her life at any second.

Just as Su Xinran lay on the bed, lost in these thoughts—

Knock knock knock.

A knock came from the door.

“Xinran~ Can big sister come in~?”

Wang Ya’s gentle voice floated in from outside the room.

“Come in!”

Su Xinran suddenly sat up, quickly straightening her slightly rumpled nightgown from all the rolling around.

Click—the door opened, and Wang Ya walked in wearing a black lace nightdress, hugging a pillow in her arms.

“I was worried that you might not be used to such a big room and wouldn’t be able to sleep, so I came to see if you’d like big sister to keep you company tonight~?”

“I’m not a little kid…”

Su Xinran pouted.

“Aww… you don’t need me, huh… alright then…”

Wang Ya looked visibly disappointed at Su Xinran’s reply.

At first, Su Xinran had worried that sleeping together might risk exposing her identity.

But seeing how Wang Ya had been so thoughtful and seeing the sadness in her eyes, her heart softened a little.

“Well… you are my big sister, so I guess sleeping together once in a while isn’t such a big deal…”

With that, Su Xinran quickly ducked under the covers.

“You silly girl—always saying the opposite of what you mean. Then tonight, big sister will stay with you~”.

With that, Wang Ya closed the door.