"Luna, Luna, should we make a move?"
Outside the Koufukuji Family estate, a bird and a cat were perched on a tree branch, observing the situation inside. In fact, after Boeyman arrived, the two little ones had followed along.
The little bird, having mastered the power of wind and being a bird, was excellent at reconnaissance. Since the time of Aunt Miyajima Tsubaki, Kazuma had sent her to track down this Boeyman, and then had Luna follow her to keep an eye on the blond man.
"This guy is so annoying," Anna flapped her wings. "Such a conceited look. Luna, you have to give him a few scratches on his face."
"Meow~ Don't order me around, stupid Anna," Luna squatted there, her tail flicking. "Besides, if we're going to act, it has to be a fatal blow. Otherwise, we'll be exposed."
Boeyman had no idea that if he had truly tried to do anything to Shijou Anri just now, Luna would have already made her move.
"Then hurry up and act! He found out about Miss Rurikawa…"
"Your brain is tiny. He hasn't found Rurikawa, and even if he did, Master already has preparations in place."
"…"
Was she being mocked? Anna glared angrily at Luna, who had already stood up. "They're leaving! Hurry up and follow them!"
The bird and the cat once again caught up with the car. No one noticed their presence, and even if they were seen, they were simply taken for ordinary small animals. No one would ever imagine that these two tiny creatures were being used as surveillance, or that they were intelligent enough to converse.
Before leaving, Luna glanced back at the Koufukuji Family estate. The girl's desperate and lifeless expression appeared in her mind. "She's quite lucky. Master is about to deal with that disgusting man. Hmph, nobles, Boeyman… they're all trash."
Luna's speech was not only becoming more fluent, but her tone was also starting to resemble Kazuma's more and more.
However, Shijou Anri, in her room, could not hear the little black cat's soliloquy. She was unaware of everything, and the Koufukuji Family was also oblivious, still excited and thrilled about establishing a connection with Boeyman.
They were immersed in immense joy.
In stark contrast was Shijou Anri. The silver-haired maid sat on the edge of the bed, her face blank and expressionless.
She couldn't understand why things had turned out this way, why her fate had suddenly taken such a sharp turn for the worse. But thinking about Boeyman's reputation, and the Koufukuji Family's reckless attempt to bargain with a tiger, perhaps this outcome had been inevitable.
Although she had escaped disaster tonight, it was only a delay. It merely meant she would be humiliated a day or two later. From the moment Koufukuji Takaya silently submitted, Shijou Anri already knew her fate—to become that man's plaything.
An inescapable fate.
She seemed to have lost even the will to resist, remaining completely still.
Shijou Anri knew she was now under house arrest, with bodyguards stationed outside her door.
She had become a precious gift.
"Rurikawa…" the young girl suddenly murmured. She had heard that man's words earlier—someone named Rurikawa had escaped his grasp, which stirred a trace of curiosity in her. It was also the first time she had seen that blond man look so frustrated.
However, the faint light that had flickered in her eyes quickly vanished.
It was useless.
Throughout the entire night, Koufukuji Takaya did not come to see her. She didn't know whether he had been stopped by the bodyguards outside or was avoiding her out of guilt. The silver-haired girl remained confined in her room for an entire day.
The next day, several maids entered Shijou Anri's room. They brought with them new clothes, evening gowns, as well as various accessories and cosmetics. Shijou Anri was treated like a doll as the maids dressed her up and applied her makeup.
Her cherry lips were coated with alluring lipstick, her hair carefully styled, and her lashes, face, and extended eyeliner were meticulously refined, giving her the appearance of a bewitching enchantress.
She became even more captivating than before.
This aura, this charm—it was that of a true femme fatale. It was the first time Shijou Anri had been dressed up so meticulously, but everything the Koufukuji Family did was simply to package her as a commodity.
At that thought, a wave of nausea rose within her.
"Anri? You…"
At the entrance, Koufukuji Takaya was already seated in the car. After not seeing her for a day, he had expected his childhood friend to look miserable, but he never imagined she would become so beautiful—so breathtakingly stunning, completely different from the girl he once knew.
Was this… makeup?
Koufukuji Takaya's heart raced as he stared at her, a feeling of infatuation washing over him. His childhood friend's charm left him speechless. Yet when he thought about how all this effort in dressing her up was for that blond man—that she was being offered to someone else—
The aggrieved young master felt his heart twist in pain.
"I'm sorry…"
He finally spoke.
"You didn't do anything wrong." She showed no reaction. Shijou Anri, like a cold enchantress, spoke calmly, her crimson lips parting slightly. "Master was right. We never had any relationship to begin with, so there's no need for you to care."
Hearing her indifferent words, Koufukuji Takaya felt even more unable to let go. Especially when her tone carried such cold detachment. The old Shijou Anri may have been harsh, but this current indifference was far more painful.
Luxury cars filled the entrance of the grand manor. The Koufukuji Family was not stopped—they had invitations—but compared to the truly influential nobles, they were insignificant.
Upon entering the magnificent hall, they saw that a display stage was being prepared. Before the ball began, a charity auction would take place. Though merely for appearances, it had to be presentable.
After entering, Shijou Anri was no longer restricted. They weren't worried about her escaping. The hall was filled with influential figures, and they were busy socializing, even hoping Takaya could meet some young ladies.
The beautiful silver-haired girl stood alone in a corner, like a carefully wrapped gift—beautiful, delicate, yet devoid of life. Especially her eyes—those jewel-like purple eyes were dull.
Empty.
At that moment, a voice beside her broke her daze.
"You seem troubled."
She looked up blankly and met a pair of eyes—deep, dark, unconsciously drawing people in. Shijou Anri was no exception. She was drawn in and clearly saw the person before her.
A young man about her age.
His deep black eyes stared at her. "Is there anything I can help you with?"
"No," Shijou Anri refused coldly. But after speaking, she hesitated slightly and added softly, "Thank you."
This was something she had always longed to hear, yet it came from a stranger.
"I can sense the confusion and fear in your heart," Kazuma said with a faint, mysterious smile. "And also the anger and unwillingness buried deep inside? I've met several women like you—they've all gone through similar things."
Shijou Anri paused, finding his words somewhat strange.
"And then?" the beautiful silver-haired girl couldn't help but ask. "What happened to those women afterward?"
"They ended up here, you see," Kazuma sighed. "They kept pestering me, so I couldn't just ignore them. Ah, I'm too soft-hearted. So if you need anything, you can come to me. Though I do charge a fee—money is fine. I've been a bit short on cash lately."
This was also a way to make money.
"…"
This person is a bit strange.
Shijou Anri wanted to say that he couldn't help her—and that even talking to her like this might bring him trouble. But when she unconsciously met his gaze again, all her words got stuck in her throat, unable to come out.
It was as if he was hinting at something.
Could he really help her?
Anyone who could appear here was no ordinary person. Just who was he?
"By the way, if a person isn't willing to save themselves, then no matter how much others try to help, it's useless," Kazuma suddenly dropped his smile and spoke calmly.
"There was once a girl who was even more miserable than you. She fell from being a noble lady to an ordinary person. Her family was destroyed, her home gone. She worked every day just to survive, all while being targeted by a dangerous man—"
"Even so, she never gave up hope."
Having said that, Kazuma had already spotted Mira Tsubakihara's figure. He waved his hand and turned to leave. "So don't give up on yourself anymore. The main event here will start soon. Be careful."
Shijou Anri stared blankly at his retreating back. Then she suddenly took two steps forward and called out, "That girl… what's her name?"
She didn't even know why she was asking this question.
"Her? Her name is Rurikawa Tsubaki."
Kazuma was already far away, leaving only the silver-haired girl standing in place like a statue. However, her eyes, which had been dull and lifeless, regained their luster and began to shine. "Rurikawa…"
Even now, she didn't know the boy's name or his background. Yet, for some reason, she could sense a power emanating from him—a power that seemed to seep into her very being.
The despair in the girl's heart was slowly being overturned. Especially when she thought about how Boeyman had been furious and flustered yesterday. So, it was this boy who did it?
"I'm not giving up on myself or anything… and he didn't even tell me his name," she lowered her head, biting her lip as she muttered softly. Wait… it seems I didn't tell him my name either. A trace of embarrassment appeared on her stunningly beautiful face. But because of this, she no longer seemed like an emotionless doll.
In an instant, she came back to life.
"I'm sorry, but I just can't bring myself to be a sacrificial lamb," Shijou Anri took a deep breath and looked toward the direction of Koufukuji Takaya and the others, her gaze exceptionally firm and cold. "Even if it's just for myself—even if it means parting ways with the Koufukuji Family."
She had once considered that place her home. There was even someone she liked there. But that feeling had now been completely extinguished. Without a shred of attachment, she shifted her gaze away and found Kazuma in the crowd, staring at him for a long time without looking away.
At the same time, the exclamation mark above the girl's head, which had been flickering on and off, gradually solidified. That wish list was now fully formed. Seeing the changes in his system, Kazuma smiled brightly. "Not bad. Catching three fish with one bait. Isn't this a huge win?"
...
..
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[image] Shijou Anri
*****
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