Night time.
The moon hung high in the sky, cold and indifferent.
In a hidden basement beneath one of the family's private properties, the lights were dimmed to a low, reddish glow.
Ryouta Asou sat on a metal chair, legs crossed. His sleeves were rolled up. His fingers moved slowly over the array of tools laid out on a clean cloth — some still wet with blood.
In front of him, tied to a reinforced chair, was a broken man.
Saki's father.
His face was swollen. Several fingers bent at unnatural angles. Blood dripped slowly from his mouth onto his torn shirt. He was still conscious. Barely.
Ryouta looked at him calmly. No anger. No hatred. Just the cold focus of someone doing precise work.
"I think I did enough for today," he said quietly.
He picked up a cloth and wiped a scalpel clean with deliberate care.
"I'll let you heal a little. So we can start again tomorrow."
The man whimpered. His voice was hoarse, barely human.
"Please… I have money… I'll disappear… just let me go…"
Ryouta smiled faintly. It didn't reach his eyes.
"You misunderstand. This isn't about money."
He stood up. Walked over and crouched in front of the man.
"This is because you hurt someone my son cares about."
He tilted his head slightly.
"You touched your own daughter. Sold her. Broke her. Made her believe she was worthless."
Ryouta's voice remained soft. Almost gentle.
"So now, I'm going to break you. Piece by piece. Day by day. Until you understand exactly what you did to her."
The man started crying. Broken sobs.
Ryouta stood up straight. Rolled his sleeves back down.
"Rest well tonight. Tomorrow we continue with the ribs."
He turned and walked toward the stairs. Stopped at the door.
Without looking back, he added:
"And don't worry. No one is coming to save you."
The heavy door closed behind him with a solid thud.
The basement lights dimmed even further.
Leaving Saki's father alone in the dark.
With nothing but pain and the long night ahead.
Meanwhile back at Yamada's house.
In Yamada's bedroom.
Yamada and Anri were locked in a deep kiss.
His tongue wrapped around hers, slow and possessive. He pulled her closer, arms tight around her waist. Anri's arms were wrapped around his neck, fingers gently playing with his hair.
They stayed like that for a long moment. Breathing each other in.
When they finally pulled apart, a thin string of saliva connected their lips for a second before breaking.
They looked at each other. Foreheads almost touching.
Yamada's crimson eyes stared into her purple ones.
"Seriously… why do you still work for me?"
Anri smiled softly. She already knew what he really meant.
She brushed a strand of hair away from his face with gentle fingers.
"Because I believe there is good in you," she said quietly. "And you keep proving me correct."
Yamada stayed silent.
Anri continued, voice warm.
"You could have become cruel after the hospital. You could have hurt those nurses without mercy. But you didn't. You gave them a choice. You gave Saki safety. You even spared Mochizuki from the worst of it."
She leaned in and kissed him lightly on the lips again.
"You're not a monster, Master. You're just… a man who learned how to protect what matters to him."
Yamada let out a slow breath. His arms tightened around her waist.
"You see too much."
Anri chuckled softly.
"It's my job to see everything about you."
She rested her head against his chest. Listening to his heartbeat.
"I chose to stay because I want to. Not because I have to."
Yamada stroked her silver hair gently.
"You're too good for this house."
Anri looked up at him. A teasing smile on her lips.
"Perhaps. But I like it here."
She kissed him again. Slower this time. Deeper.
Yamada kissed her back. His hands roamed down her back, pulling her even closer.
For a while, the room was filled only with the sound of their breathing and soft kisses.
No revenge.
No plans.
Just the two of them.
After a while, Yamada and Anri fell asleep.
Yamada's arm was wrapped around her waist, holding her close. Anri rested her head on his chest, a soft, content smile on her lips even with her eyes closed.
She was his personal maid.
And one more thing.
In the Asou family, personal maids had a special role. They were not just servants. They were chosen carefully. Raised and trained from a young age to serve the heir. To support him. To marry him if he wished. Or to remain by his side forever, bound by loyalty deeper than blood.
Anri nuzzled closer to his chest. Her silver hair spilled across his skin.
She started to remember her past.
---
**Flashback**
Anri Shijou was not born human.
She was a half-yokai — a rare silver-haired spirit born from an ancient bloodline that served noble families for centuries. Her kind were once called "Shadow Brides" or "Eternal Attendants." Loyal. Immortal in lifespan compared to humans. Naturally gifted in household arts, healing, and… pleasuring their chosen master.
When she was still very young, the Asou family found her.
Akari Asou herself had chosen her.
"You will serve my son," Akari had said, kneeling so she was eye-level with the small silver-haired girl. "Not as a slave. As family. As his shadow. As his blade if needed. And as his wife, if he ever chooses you."
Anri had bowed deeply, even then.
"I understand."
She was raised in the family estate. Trained in everything. Cooking. Cleaning. Combat. Seduction. Healing arts. How to read a man's desires before he spoke them.
She met Yamada when he was still a child.
She watched him grow. Watched him choose the "normal life" path. Watched him suffer in the hospital.
And she waited.
Patiently.
Loyally.
When he built the dungeon and started claiming the nurses, she simply smiled and continued her duties.
Because she knew.
She had always known he would become this.
---
**Present**
Anri opened her eyes slightly. Moonlight filtered through the curtains and painted Yamada's face in silver.
She gently traced a finger along his jaw.
'Master… you carry so much now.'
She remembered the day he came back from the hospital. The quiet rage in his eyes. The new darkness mixed with his old kindness.
She had been the one who helped design parts of the basement.
She had been the one who tested the cuffs.
She had been the one who welcomed him home with open arms and an even more open body that very first night.
Anri smiled softly and closed her eyes again.
She pressed a gentle kiss to his chest, right above his heart.
"I will stay with you," she whispered, so quiet even she barely heard it. "No matter what kind of man you become… I chose you long ago."
Yamada stirred slightly in his sleep. His arm tightened around her waist.
Anri's smile widened.
She nuzzled closer.
Content.
Loyal.
His.
The next morning came.
Anri slipped out of Yamada's bed quietly. She leaned down and gave him a light kiss on the forehead, careful not to wake him. Her silver hair fell gently over her shoulder as she smiled.
She put on her maid uniform, fixed her hair, and left the room.
Downstairs, the other maids were already waiting.
Anri's voice was calm and clear as she gave orders.
"Clean the first floor normally. Do not touch the basement stairs or the second door on the east wing. Leave Master's study as it is. Focus on the guest rooms and the garden today."
The maids bowed.
"Yes, Head Maid."
Anri moved to the kitchen. She started preparing breakfast. Rice, miso soup, grilled fish, tamagoyaki, and fresh fruit. She made extra portions for Saki, knowing the girl needed comfort food.
While the food cooked, she took out Yamada's and Miyuri's school uniforms. She ironed them carefully, removed any small wrinkles, and folded them neatly.
Once everything was ready, she called one of the younger maids.
"Has the letter to Mochizuki been sent?"
"Yes, Head Maid. It went out this morning. Professional tone, as requested."
Anri nodded, satisfied.
"Good."
By the time the table was set, breakfast was ready. The smell of warm food filled the dining room.
Anri finally sat down in a quiet corner of the kitchen. She ate her own lunch — simple rice and pickled vegetables. She ate gracefully, but quickly. There was still much to do.
She looked out the window toward the garden, a small peaceful smile on her face.
This was her life now.
Serving the young master she had chosen long ago.
Taking care of the growing household.
And making sure everything ran smoothly behind the scenes.
Anri took another bite.
Her purple eyes softened.
'Master… I hope today treats you kindly.'
She finished her meal, stood up, and went back to work.
The house was waking up.
And Anri was already three steps ahead.
To be continue
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