Reincarnated into Madness: Yandere Family's Unwanted Slave-Chapter 13 - : The Eventful First Bath.

(AN: This Chapter goes out to @illusionGhost and @Mystical Eevee, for their constant heartfelt support.)

(I appreciate your constant daily stone donations on this work @illusion Ghost and I'm even more thrilled with your Constant daily support of my new work: Noir Born of Beast. Thank you @Mystical Eevee.)

(Also a warning before hand, this Chapter might be weird for some readers so please do delve into it with an open mind.)

Chapter 13: The Eventful First Bath.

Eri Onee-san led Hitoshi deeper into the manor, the stone corridors looked darker and cooler the more they descended.

Judging by the downward path, it seemed that the manor didn't just end at the level of the servants quarters but went further down than Hitoshi had expected.

The flickering sconces along the walls casted lengthy shadows that danced with each step they took.

How far is this bath anyway?.... Hitoshi wondered unconsciously, he felt as if they'd been walking for awhile yet in truth, not more than 3 minutes had gone by since they had set off.

The air grew heavier, filled with a faint mist that smelled of lavender, aged wood and dampness.

Hitoshi unconsciously clung to his towel as he followed closely behind, his bare feet pressing against the cold, polished stone.

He had never been this far inside the manor before, and the eerie quiet made him shiver slightly.

But surprisingly, after walking for a bit more, the atmosphere suddenly seemed to change. It felt completely different from earlier, though still scary in a way, the air seemed to be filled with a strange sense of vitality. as if they were stepping into a sacred place he never expected to come across.

As they walked, the long hallway soon opened into a corridor lined with doors, each one decorated with a strange marking.

Huh?...

Just what are those things?..

They kinda look like Flowers?...that's strange, why would their be flowers scribbled onto the doors. Hitoshi's eyes immediately locked onto them, his curiosity piqued.

As he and Eri Onee-san continued to walk forward, he saw that the first set of doors had a single black rose etched into the dark wood, while the next few doors had two roses.

When they arrived at the very end of the hallway, he saw two grand doors which stood opposite each other, their presence demanding attention.

These doors were different from the others at a glance, not only were they larger and more ornate, but each bore three roses carved in a way that made them seem almost alive, as if they bloomed from the wood itself.

"So cool...." Hitoshi muttered beneath his breath. His small fingers traced the carvings absentmindedly as he turned to Eri.

"Onee-san, what do these flowers mean?" he asked, tilting his head up at her.

«[+50 Affinity Points]»

Eri gave a small smirk, as if she had been waiting for him to ask.

"These Black Rose's indicate the rank of the servant allowed to use the bathrooms behind them." she explained. "The doors with one rose belong to the lowest-ranked servants, those who handle simple tasks like cleaning and gardening."

Hitoshi glanced back at the long row of single-rose doors.

"Then, the ones with two?" he asked.

"Those are for the mid-rank servants," Eri said, pointing to the few doors with two roses. "They belong to those with more authority, such as the head chef, the stable master, and a few others."

" So that's it." Hitoshi's eyes sparkled with fascination as he nodded. His gaze then returned to the grand doors before him, his fingers still resting against the carvings.

"And these?" he asked, his voice hushed, as if speaking too loudly would disturb the air around them.

«[+250 Affinity Points]»

Eri straightened her posture slightly, a proud glint in her crimson eyes.

"These," she said, "are the only two servant bathrooms marked with three roses." Her voice held a certain satisfaction as she continued, "They are the best of the best, reserved and custom maid for the most distinguished servants. Also," she added with a smirk, "I happen to be one of the only two servants in the entire estate with the privilege of using them."

Hitoshi gasped, his expression quickly shifting into one of admiration.

"Wow! Onee-san is amazing!" He grinned up at her, his eyes practically shining. "I knew you were super important, but I didn't know you were this important!"

«[+500 Affinity Points]»

Eri couldn't help but chuckle, a sense of contentment filling her chest at his childlike enthusiasm.

" I'm glad you think so."

" Ok, we best not dally around a moment longer, the sooner we finish our baths, the quicker we'll be able to start working on our tasks for the day. " She ruffled his hair before pushing open the door to one of the three-rose bathhouses, stepping inside with ease.

Yet, when she turned around, she noticed that Hitoshi hadn't followed her in.

He stood calmly outside the doorway, his small hands gripping the edges of his towel as he cast his gaze downward. His usual excitement was absent, replaced by a quieter, more hesitant demeanor.

Eri raised an eyebrow. "Why are you just standing there?"

Hitoshi shuffled his feet. "I... I don't think I should go in," he admitted softly.

Eri blinked. " And why is that?"

He bit his lip, his tiny hands tightening around the towel. "This place is special. It's made just for you Onee-san..... I feel like I might just dirty it with my presence."

" This brat..." Eri was stunned into silence.

«[+500 Affinity Points]»

«[Congratulations, your now Level 12]»

«[You have 70 unallocated stat points and 70 skill points.]»

For a moment, she simply stared at him, processing his words. Normally, if it had been any other servants who had said that, she wouldn't deny their thoughts but since it was him, for some reason she felt annoyed seeing him act so insignificant and undeserving.

Then, with a sigh, she stepped out of the doorway and grabbed his arm. Her eyes staring at him with a an annoyed look in them.

"You idiot," she muttered, pulling him forward. "It doesn't matter. I'm the one who told you to come with me remember. Are you trying to disobey my orders?"

Hitoshi's eyes widened in panic. "N-No! I'd never!" he quickly denied.

«[+250 Affinity Points]»

Eri smirked at his reaction, but just as she was about to tease him further, he muttered something under his breath that made her freeze.

" i-id never try to disobey Onee-san's wishes.....if Onee-san were to ask, I wouldn't mind doing whatever Onee-san says...."

Silence pervaded the entire corridor.

The next moment, A deep blush crept up Eri's face.

«[+500 Affinity Points]»

«[Congratulations, your now Level 13]»

«[You have 80 unallocated stat points and 80 skill points.]»

Did he—Did he even realize what he just said?!

«[+250 Affinity Points]»

Her mind blanked for a second, and before she could control herself, a small, high-pitched squeal escaped her lips.

«[+250 Affinity Points]»

" Idiot!." Feeling more flustered than ever before, she dragged him inside, slamming the door shut behind them with a thud.

«[+250 Affinity Points]»

This content is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

"J-Just get in already!" she huffed, her back facing him as she headed deeper into the room, trying to ignore the way her face was burning right this moment.

" O-ok..." Hitoshi, oblivious to what had flustered her, simply nodded and followed.

When his eyes had the time to take in the new scene before them, he instantly felt like the room was unlike anything he had ever expected.

" So cool..." Hitoshi unconsciously mouthed.

Placed before his eyes was a vast bath stretched before them, filled with crystal-clear water that shimmered with an unnatural glow. A soft mist rose from the surface, carrying a scent of herbs and something he couldn't quite figure out yet that same thing might just be the reason why he felt a huge surge of vitality from the pool.

Just what is this place?.... He wondered to himself.

Even without stepping in, he felt his body being nourished and strengthened, with each step he took towards the pool, the stronger the effects would grow.

The walls were carved with intricate designs, and the warm air wrapped around them like a comforting embrace.

Hitoshi let out a breath of amazement. "It's so incredible....."

Eri, still recovering from her flustered state, scoffed. "Hurry up and get in."

Hmph!, I'm sure you didn't expect to see something as amazing as this!. Eri Onee-san grumbled inwardly, feeling satisfied by his visible disbelief and surprise.

«[+250 Affinity Points]»

«[Congratulations, your now Level 14]»

«[You have 90 unallocated stat points and 90 skill points.]»

" Ok Onee-san!" Hitoshi who heard her words, nodded excitedly like the young boy he was, letting his towel drop before stepping into the warm water.

At first, the heat made him flinch, but soon, his body adjusted, and he let out a content sigh. Moreover, the strange vitality emanating from the pool surged into him like a tide, further comforting him.

Steam rose in lazy spirals from the surface of the steaming pool, creating an ethereal veil in the cool evening air. Hitoshi had already surrendered himself to the pool's embrace, his eyes closed in pure contentment as the mineral-rich waters worked their magic on his little muscles. The gentle sound of water gently lapping against the stone shore, provided a hypnotic backdrop to the leisure moment.

Eri paused at the pool's edge, watching him through the rising mist. Her heart quickened at the sight of his peaceful expression, the way the water droplets glistened on his shoulders in the soft yet ghoulish lantern light. Instead of it's normal eerie glow, these ghoulish lanterns instead casted a warm, jade green glow that made everything feel dreamlike and somehow more natural as if they were placed within an actual hot spring.

With practiced grace, Eri Onee-san descended the natural stone steps into the pool, holding her towel in place until the warm water reached her waist. Only then did she let the towel slip away, revealing her elegant form with a subtlety that spoke of both confidence and modesty. The water caressed her pale skin as she moved deeper into the pool, her milky soft skin seeming to glow in the gentle light. Her long dark hair, pinned up in a loose knot, exposed the graceful curve of her neck.

The contrast between the cool air and the hot spring's warmth sent a delicious shiver through her body. Droplets of water traced paths down her collarbone and across her chest, which rose just above the water's surface with each breath. The milky opacity of her skin rivaled the misty water itself, creating an almost supernatural beauty in the dim light.

Her dark eyes indirectly met his and in that moment, a blush creeped atop her face, which made the already warm water seem to rise in temperature.

«[+250 Affinity Points]»

' This is so embarrassing....I can't believe I'm actually doing this.'

«[+250 Affinity Points]»

' No...it shouldn't be a problem since he's just a kid.'

«[+250 Affinity Points]»

' Yes...i'm just helping him take a bath because I'm worried he won't do a good job on his own....theres no other reason behind it. ' She thought to herself, shaking her head to rid herself of all the strange thoughts in her mind.

She then reached for a bathing cloth on the edge of the pool before swimming toward him. As she drew closer, the water swirled between them, creating invisible currents that seemed to pull them together. The heat of the spring had brought a becoming flush to her cheeks, making her look both innocent and alluring.

Hitoshi stirred from his reverie, shifted his eyes to find Eri moving through the water toward him with the fluid grace of a water spirit. The sight of her emerging from the steam, with rivulets of water trailing down her soft skin, made his breath catch in his throat. The intimate setting of the pool, surrounded by carefully decorated wooden walls and the natural silence of the pool, seemed to exist in a world apart from everything else.

"Alright, let's get you cleaned up."

Hitoshi blinked, a rare blush creeping onto his cute, pretty face. "Eh?, You're gonna wash me?"

"Obviously," Eri gritted her teeth wondering what he meant by that, of course she was going to wash him. "You'll probably just splash around and miss half of your body if I don't."

" That....fine." Hitoshi pouted but didn't argue.

However, the moment Eri started scrubbing his back, he immediately flinched.

"O-Onee-san!, You're being too rough!" he cried out.

"Shut up," Eri huffed, though her face was still slightly pink from earlier.

«[+250 Affinity Points]»

«[Congratulations, your now Level 15]»

«[You have 100 unallocated stat points and 100 skill points.]»

She continued, moving to clean behind his ears when Hitoshi yelped again.

"Onee-san, that place is too sensitive!"

«[+500 Affinity Points]»

"Stop talking! I'm just cleaning behind your ear!" Eri shot back, her voice rising in frustration, she couldn't help but wonder whether Hitoshi was really spouting these words on purpose.

The bathhouse echoed with their playful bickering, while the systems constant notifications kept on going off in Hitoshi's mind yet he payed them no heed, instead he seemed far more engrossed in getting bathed by Eri Onee-san, the mist curling around them like silent witnesses to their childish quarrel.

And yet, despite the teasing and complaints, there was a warmth in the air, not just from the water, but from something much deeper.

Though non of them could see it yet, The more they bickered, the closer they seemed to become.

________________________________________

(AN:

Dally is another word for wasting time.)

(A sconce is a type of lighting fixture that is typically mounted on a wall and has a decorative or functional design. Sconces can provide both ambient and task lighting, and are often used to add warmth and character to a room.)