At the same time, inside the hotel's presidential suite.
Ruzuki Rin had silently withdrawn, like the most perfect shadow, leaving the entire space to her master, and the 'trophy' her master had brought back.
Yukino Shita Chizuru sat quietly on the carpet, having changed into a silk nightgown Lu Cheng had prepared. The thin fabric outlined the girl's youthful and beautiful curves.
She lowered her head, her long hair falling, obscuring all her expressions at that moment.
From the moment she stepped into this room, she had maintained this posture.
She was waiting.
Waiting for Lu Cheng to proceed with the next step of dealing with her, this 'item'.
Would he treat her like Ruzuki Rin, using absolute authority and power to reduce her to the most humble and obedient maid?
Or would he use an even more cruel method to conquer her, this Demon Blade Muramasa?
In Yukino Shita Chizuru's heart, there was no fear, only a morbid anticipation.
However, Lu Cheng's next actions exceeded her expectations.
There were no commands, no conquest, no humiliation.
The man simply walked leisurely to the wine cabinet, poured himself a glass of whiskey, and then walked over to her.
He didn't look down from above, but slowly squatted down, meeting her gaze.
He extended his hand, a gentle smile on his face.
"Drink with me."
His voice was low, like a lover's whisper, dispelling all the coldness in the room.
Yukino Shita Chizuru looked up, a hint of... bewilderment in her eyes.
Why?
In his eyes, she saw no dominance, no playfulness, only a deep tranquility.
What... was this?
A supremely absurd illusion began to grow in her heart.
This was not the conquest she had imagined.
This was more like... a man inviting a girl he admired to spend a romantic night together.
'Date'?
The moment this word popped into her mind, Yukino Shita Chizuru's body trembled slightly, uncontrollably.
She looked at his long, well-defined hand, her mind a blank.
Even if she was a human form manifested from a blade spirit... she was still just a girl who had just come of age.
Finally, as if not controlled by her own will, she slowly extended her cold little hand.
When her fingertips touched that warmth, a faint current shot up from the point of contact, instantly spreading throughout her body.
Lu Cheng's smile deepened.
He didn't use force, but gently pulled her up from the carpet.
Then, holding her hand, he led her to the window.
"Sit."
He gestured to the sofa by the window, his tone still soft.
Yukino Shita Chizuru sat down obediently like a puppet, her body stiff from being somewhat at a loss.
Lu Cheng didn't mind. He walked to a nearby coffee table, personally took out an exquisite tea set, and elegantly brewed her a cup of fragrant black tea.
He hadn't prepared to pour Chizuru wine; he preferred... her to be sober.
"Taste it."
Lu Cheng handed the warm black tea to her.
Yukino Shita Chizuru instinctively reached out to take it, but her heart, at this moment, began to pound uncontrollably.
She looked at the man's impeccably handsome profile, so gentle in the lamplight.
He talked to her about seemingly ordinary topics.
"The night view of Tokyo is nice."
He looked out the window, his tone casual.
"It's just that with too much city pollution and lights, you can't see the stars anymore."
Yukino Shita Chizuru held the teacup, not speaking, only secretly glancing at him from the corner of her eye.
She realized that she didn't even dare to breathe loudly, afraid of disturbing this... gentleness.
Even when she had previously agreed to be Kamiya Makoto's girlfriend, she hadn't felt this way at all; that had been more like complete utilization... Just then, Lu Cheng turned his head, his gaze falling on her.
He reached out and, with an extremely natural movement, gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
"This outfit suits you quite well, it looks very good."
The moment his warm fingertips touched her earlobe!
Yukino Shita Chizuru's cheeks instantly flushed crimson.
A never-before-felt surge of shyness overwhelmed all her rationality.
As the human manifestation of the Demon Blade Muramasa, she possessed countless memories of past slaughters; she thought her heart had long been as hard as iron.
But at this moment, before a man's casual compliment and an unintentional gentle gesture, her heart, like that of a girl in love, beat violently, almost leaping out of her throat.
So... this is how normal men and women interact?
Being looked at by a man with such gentle eyes was such a... dizzying feeling.
Her 'Demon Blade' heart was gradually disintegrating at this moment.
In its place was the purest, most instinctive flutter of an eighteen-year-old girl.
Perhaps... he was different from others.
In his eyes, I am not just a blade, a demon, a tool... A thought that even she found frightening began to emerge.
She even began to hope, to hope that this gentleness could last a little longer... Just as Yukino Shita Chizuru was completely immersed in this 'warmth,' her mind stirred, almost losing herself.
Lu Cheng suddenly changed the subject.
His gaze shifted from her flushed, pretty face, slowly descending, finally resting on her slender hand.
His tone also changed.
The gentleness gradually faded, replaced by an indifference, as if evaluating a work of art.
"These hands are very beautiful."
Yukino Shita Chizuru's heart gave another violent leap.
"They're just right for holding a blade."
The blush on her face instantly faded, completely devoid of color.
Lu Cheng seemed not to notice the change in her expression, still continuing in that appreciative tone, speaking casually:
"However, a good blade, before being used by a new master, always needs careful maintenance and sharpening."
"Otherwise, it will always feel a bit awkward to use."
Sharpening... maintenance... These cold words were like a bucket of cold water, poured mercilessly over her head!
Instantly, they extinguished the fantasy that had just ignited in her heart!
So, all the previous gentleness was just a prelude to 'maintenance'?
He was just 'maintaining' a 'tool' that he was about to use?
And she, for this, had been moved, had blushed, and had developed that humble expectation.
The huge psychological gap brought an unparalleled sense of shame!
But beneath this extreme shame, an even more twisted, more morbid emotion quietly emerged from the depths of her soul.
It was... excitement.
She found that she actually felt a hint of morbid excitement for this feeling of falling from heaven to hell!
This was him!
This was the man worthy of becoming her master!
He wouldn't be fooled by appearances, and he could master various methods.
His gentleness was intoxicating... but every one of his actions, every word, carried a clear purpose, full of dominance!
He wasn't conquering her body; he was, step by step... taming her soul!
Looking at the girl's face, which had turned from red to white, finally settling into a complex expression mixed with shame, anger, and bewilderment.
Lu Cheng contentedly put down his wine glass.
He stood up, looking down at her.
Then, once again, he extended his hand to her.
But this time, his smile had lost some of its gentleness, leaving only dominance... "The tea is finished."
"Now, we proceed to the next stage."
Yukino Shita Chizuru's body trembled violently.
Lu Cheng's hand paused in front of her, his deep eyes seemingly able to see through her soul.
"Let me see, this famous blade of yours..."
"Just how sharp it is."
Finally, Yukino Shita Chizuru, trembling, obediently placed her hand into his warm yet domineering palm.