Tranquility reigned in a traditional wooden room. The light from a ceiling lamp barely illuminated the spacious area.
In the center, a young albino woman was enjoying a peaceful "tea time."
Her movements were measured and elegant. With her spoon, she picked up a piece of cake from among the many on the table, trying not to stain her white kimono with the red strawberries.
BOOM!
The serene expression on her face vanished in an instant as she heard a loud bang coming from outside.
BOOM!
Another bang distracted her, and the strawberry fell onto her kimono. A vein began to bulge on her forehead.
"Tch..." Her face showed her annoyance as she stared at the stain.
At that moment, the room's door slid open in a hurry.
"Mizuki-sama! We have a problem!"
A little girl with white hair and a maid outfit rushed into the room.
The woman in the kimono looked at her calmly.
"Shiro... I told you I don't like being interrupted during my tea time," she said calmly.
The little girl bowed, almost touching her forehead to the floor.
"I-I'm sorry, mistress! But it's urgent!"
"Can't you and Kuro handle it?" the goddess asked, raising an eyebrow with curiosity.
"Well... it's just... you told us that if they came back, we should let you know, mistress," the girl replied, trying to catch her breath.
The woman placed her spoon on the table and stood up elegantly.
"Oh... I see. Thank you, Shiro. I'll take care of it..." she said as she headed for the exit.
The little maid straightened up and followed closely behind the woman as they both stepped outside.
Meanwhile, outside the large building where the onsen was located, another little maid with jet-black hair was swishing her feline tail from side to side, visibly irritated.
"Please, come out! If my mistress sees that her onsen isn't in good shape, she's going to scold me-nyan!"
The mysterious figure, who had their back turned to the little girl, had a towel over their head and a bottle of sake in one hand. They waved dismissively, making it clear they weren't paying attention to her.
"How annoying-nyan!"
"On top of that, you're drinking from my mistress's private collection!"
"This can't go on!" the little girl exclaimed, extending the sharp claws on her hands.
Hearing the sound of her claws, the figure took another sip straight from the sake bottle.
"Huf..."
"Come on, relax kitty. Don't be like that. I'm just trying to relax a little."
"Who are you calling kitty-nyan? I have a name, you know! And I..."
Before the little girl could continue arguing, a pair of firm footsteps interrupted her.
"Ahem..."
A sense of danger ran through the little maid's entire body, and her skin instantly broke out in goosebumps.
"M-Mistress... I'm sorry," she murmured, with a hint of fear in her voice.
The woman in the kimono arrived with a calm air, slightly covering her face with a sensu.
"Don't apologize, Kuro. It's not your fault..."
Then she turned her gaze toward the figure inside the onsen.
"And as for you... How many times have I told you not to come in without letting me know...?"
She paused as she closed her sensu.
"Little brother..."
Uzaki turned around, still holding the bottle in his hand.
"Hey, Mizuki-onee-chan," he greeted her, his face completely red from being drunk. "It's been a long time..."
He tried to stand up, but could barely keep his balance.
Mizuki could see around ten or fifteen sake bottles scattered beside her little brother.
"Bad day?" she finally asked.
Uzaki took a long drink from the bottle in his hand and tossed it onto the pile.
"You have no idea how hard..."
He staggered for a moment and, right before Mizuki and her two maids' stunned eyes, began to snore.
"How dare you fall asleep in front of the great Mizuki-nyan?! I'll...!"
At that moment, Shiro grabbed Kuro, who was kicking and swinging her claws at the air like an out-of-control cat.
"No, sister! Stay calm!"
Mizuki looked at the two little sisters, letting out an amused smile.
"Ahem..." She cleared her throat, trying to regain her composure.
The two little maids straightened their uniforms and stood at attention in front of the goddess.
"Could you take Uzaki to the guest room?"
The two nodded in unison.
"Oh, and please prepare a nice dinner. Something tells me he has quite a long story to tell me..."
"Yes, mistress!"
The two little maids carried Uzaki inside the large building. Meanwhile, Mizuki watched them until they disappeared from sight, before letting out a deep sigh.