I Sealed Sukuna’s Finger#403+404: New House Problem—Bathing? Already in the Bath

They said timing was everything—better to arrive at the right moment than just to arrive early. And after dinner, a little exercise was supposed to help with digestion.

No point wasting time. Straight to cardio.

The scene shifted to the castle’s second floor, inside the grand bath.

Soft, golden light spilled down from overhead. Steam rose from the surface in drifting veils, fragrant water warming the cavernous space.

Bokue Keikain sat back against the steps along the pool’s edge, the hot water lapping just below his chest.

Straddling his lap was a long-haired beauty, her noble gown discarded, her pale arms wrapped firmly around his neck. Each shift of her hips sent layered ripples rolling outward, scattering rose petals across the surface of the water.

“Mmm... it really has been several days since we last saw each other. Ever since you returned from the Northern Territories, you immediately went back to the Human World. So why suddenly come back today? And does Rias know?”

“Rias doesn’t know I came.”

Bokue’s hands rested on her waist as he shook his head.

“You know how it is, Lady Venelana. This morning Rias and the others came to help me sort out the arrangements for the new house on Itogami. Then over dinner, Kuroka reminded me I’d left the TV and game console here back when summer vacation started. I figured I might as well stop by and pick them up.”

“Ah... those.”

Venelana let out a knowing little sound. She adjusted her rhythm, each motion sending larger waves through the bath.

“If I’m not mistaken, they should still be in your room. You can grab them after. But more importantly—how’s the new home coming along?”

“In terms of moving, we’re basically done.”

Bokue thought for a moment.

“There are still one or two households left to move in, then we’ll rearrange everything and finish the decorating.”

“Then it’s nearly ready.”

Venelana gave a pleased hum and leaned forward, pressing her lips to his.

When the kiss broke, Bokue licked his lips.

“To be honest, I’d originally planned to build everything new from scratch, not just transplant the existing houses. But Rias said it was your suggestion, Lady Venelana, so I went along with it. The only problem is—it makes giving you a separate room a little trickier.”

“Is that so?”

Venelana kept her body moving, waves lapping against the edges of the pool. Tilting her head thoughtfully, she smiled.

“Hm... when you put it that way, it is inconvenient. After all, every house has its owner. I can’t just keep squeezing in with Rias and the others. And if I did... well, it would make it difficult to enjoy our time without being noticed. What to do... maybe I should just come clean with Rias directly?”

“...”

Bokue almost choked. He had expected Venelana to plan ahead for her “happiness,” but this? Coming right out and proposing to confess?

But the woman spoke as if she half-believed it herself, voice warming as she continued.

“Well, as the saying goes—‘secrets never stay buried.’ Better to admit it openly than be caught later. That way, there’s no awkward fallout. Hehehe... oh, don’t mind me, I’m only teasing.”

She covered her smile with delicate fingers, laughing softly.

“Don’t worry. I’ve already made preparations. Once the new house is fully settled, I’ll have Grayfia move in as well. We’ll say she’s there to look after all of you. It’s only natural—she’s a maid in our household. And with the new home being in the city, she’ll enjoy all the conveniences too. Isn’t that right, Grayfia?”

Venelana turned to the silver-haired maid sitting at the pool’s edge. Wrapped in a bath towel since entering, Grayfia kept her head down, cheeks crimson.

“I... will, of course, follow your arrangements, Lady Venelana.”

When she felt Bokue’s gaze shift toward her, the flush on her face deepened even further. For once, the usually composed maid looked flustered, turning away with a stammer.

“Hehehe... Grayfia really is shy.”

Venelana chuckled, watching her maid’s reaction.

“But it’s your fault, Bokue. You disappeared for so long. Just when Grayfia was starting to open her heart, the ‘cooldown’ reset her again.”

Open her heart? You mean open the gates of the palace...

Bokue thought dryly, biting back his comment.

And then Venelana suddenly stilled. Her pale neck arched back, breath held tight for five, six seconds—until she let out a sharp gasp and slowly exhaled, lips parting like she was blowing a bubble.

“...?”

Bokue blinked. That was... odd.

It looked like she had finished, but in his experience, Venelana had never been so quiet about it. Usually it was champagne fountains.

“I... I should rest a bit. Let Grayfia take over now...”

Venelana loosened her arms from around his neck, her hands pushing against his shoulders as if to rise.

But Bokue’s grip on her waist didn’t budge. Like the safety bar of a rollercoaster, his hands held her firmly in place.

“What’s this? Done already?”

“N-no... I just thought I’d rest for a moment.”

Her blush spread as she tried to explain.

“Since Grayfia was too shy, I went first as a demonstration. Now that the example’s set, it should be her turn...”

Her excuse rang hollow—even to her own ears. After nearly a month apart, even this “light taste” was almost too much for her. If she admitted she’d already lost control while supposedly “demonstrating,” it would be far too embarrassing.

“Seems even you can’t quite let go, Lady Venelana.”

Bokue shifted his hands from her waist up to her shoulders, leaning in.

“In that case, let’s make this a real warm-up.”

“Wait—that would mean... I can’t—”

Her protest cut off as his hands pressed firmly down, power surging through the bath. A sudden current rushed deep below the waterline—

And the game began again.

<><><><><><><><>

While Bokue Keikain was in the Underworld enjoying some "aerobic bathing" with Venelana and Grayfia—

Back in the human world at Itogami Island's old school building, the aroma of dinner still lingered on the first floor.

From the kitchen came the clatter of dishes being washed.

Rias paced between the living room and hallway, one arm folded under her chest while the other hand held her delicate chin, thoughtfully surveying this house she knew like the back of her hand.

"Hmm... the layout really is a bit small overall. I'll have to get Bokue to help renovate later, preferably expand it more..."

"Rias, still researching renovations?"

Before the redhead could finish muttering to herself, the sound of running water stopped in the kitchen. Akeno Himejima emerged, drying her hands after removing her apron. Seeing Rias standing at the junction between hallway and living room, she couldn't help but smile.

"Mm..."

Rias wasn't embarrassed about having her scheming discovered. She just nodded seriously.

"I noticed this morning at school—this building's layout doesn't suit our current lifestyle anymore. Not just the furniture arrangement in the first-floor living room, but those alternating single bedrooms on the second floor need redesigning too..."

"Don't tell me Rias wants to make it one big shared room? Or just one giant bed?"

True to their years of friendship, Akeno immediately understood her thoughts, eyes narrowing teasingly.

"Makes sense though. Everyone's relationships have changed now. If we kept things as before, wouldn't poor Bokue-kun have to go door to door every night? That would be rather exhausting. Plus, the first room upstairs is Koneko's, and the old building's soundproofing isn't great. If others hear noises from next door and can't hold back, everyone rushing into one room fighting over him might damage our relationships. Better to just make one big room so everyone can be together every night—"

"Alright, alright, that's enough."

Hearing Akeno getting increasingly carried away, Rias blushed and cut her off.

Almost the second this topic ended, the sliding door at the hallway's end toward the stairs suddenly slid open. A pair of white cat ears poked out, twitching twice.

"Akeno-senpai, President, the water's ready. We can bathe now."

It was naturally Koneko poking her head out.

The white-haired girl had already changed out of her usual tracksuit, wrapped only in a bath towel around her petite yet developing figure, clearly ready for bathing.

Above her, Asia also poked her head out in similar attire, her saintly golden hair cascading like silk down her side as she tilted her head.

"We've already added the firewood. The water temperature is perfect if you go in now~"

"Thanks. You and Asia go ahead, Koneko. Akeno and I will grab our clothes upstairs and be right there."

Rias turned with a smile.

But the petite white-haired cat girl didn't immediately agree as usual. Instead, she continued:

"President Rias, there's one more thing..."

"One more thing? What is it?"

Rias had been about to head upstairs for clothes but stopped, puzzled.

"It's... Bokue-senpai..."

As if finding it too embarrassing to voice this herself, Koneko's usually emotionless face showed a faint blush.

"Since we've all moved here, I thought maybe we should invite Bokue-senpai to bathe together. And my sister too, of course..."

"Mm-hmm!"

Asia behind her also blushed but nodded firmly, showing she felt the same.

"Oh, you want to bathe together..."

Actually, Koneko didn't need to explain—Rias understood the moment she heard "Bokue-senpai."

Of course, she wanted to as well. But as the Gremory heir, saying such things aloud would seem too frivolous, so she emphasized "you want."

"Fine, I understand. Since I haven't changed yet, I'll go over now."

Speaking as if doing this for her peerage's sake, Rias cleared her throat.

"Akeno, go change first. I'll get Bokue and Kuroka and be right back."

"Got it, President~"

Akeno gave an OK sign with a smile.

So Rias quickly left.

Still at the bathroom door, Asia and Koneko exchanged glances. The naturally shy holy maiden suddenly let out a soft "ah" as if remembering something.

"Come to think of it, our bath here isn't very large. Won't it be too crowded with Bokue-san and Kuroka-san?"

"It's fine."

Koneko gave a thumbs up with a calm expression.

"Even if the bath is spacious enough, we'll end up squeezed together anyway."

"I-Is that so..."

Asia unconsciously imagined being "squeezed together," and warmth rushed to her head, turning her face crimson before manifesting as white steam rising from her crown.

Hiss—

"Just don't drain the water after we're done. Once we're all upstairs, she'll sneak out from the storage room and bathe by herself." Akeno said.

"I see, understood."

Getting a clear answer, Asia nodded obediently, then looked down at the white-haired cat girl.

"Then let's go in first. Hurry up too, Akeno-senpai."

"Mm."

As the bathroom door closed again, Akeno—who'd taken one step onto the stairs—stopped, as if suddenly remembering something, muttering to herself:

"Though if Kuroka-san and Bokue-kun bathe together too, afterward the bathwater should... well, probably won't be too much of a problem."

Meanwhile, at Bokue's apartment door, Rias—having successfully knocked—received an unexpected answer.

"Eh? Bokue went back to the Underworld to get something from my house? When did he leave?"

"About... yawn twenty minutes ago."

The black-haired cat girl inside covered her mouth, glancing at the wall clock.

Twenty minutes?

Rias was stunned.

"He's been gone that long? Why isn't he back yet?"

"Probably got caught by your mom for a chat~"

Kuroka said meaningfully.

"After all, her daughter's settling in the human world. As a mother, she'd want to ask about the situation and progress."

"I see, then... alright."

Though disappointing, this unexpected yet reasonable situation left Rias nodding helplessly.

But she added:

"Then I'll head back first. If Bokue returns early, Kuroka, please tell him and come bathe together too."

"Yeah yeah, got it."

Still that bored tone.

Only after the apartment door closed did Kuroka glance at the wall clock again, clicking her tongue softly.

"Probably... hmm, at least another two and a half hours."