"Don't you want revenge?"
It must be said that no matter how mysteriously Alex appeared, and no matter how terrifying Boyman's threat was, nothing penetrated Tsubaki Rurikawa's heart more directly than that single question.
Revenge...
If she could, of course, she would... but reason told her it was completely impossible.
Or, was this young man, who seemed about the same age as her, truly of extraordinary origin? Tsubaki Rurikawa's heart suddenly beat faster. Her once deadened spirit was gradually reviving, slowly catching fire.
Even though she felt it was highly unlikely, even if he was deceiving her... Tsubaki Rurikawa was stirred, unable to control the surging hope.
"Can you... truly help me... take revenge?"
The girl bit her beautiful lip with her shell-like teeth, lowering her voice, asking anxiously and timidly. Her eyes flickered, showing her extreme nervousness.
"I won't enact revenge for you. I will grant you the power to take revenge," Alex made no effort to avoid Boyman in the car, even intentionally glancing at him with a sly smile. "After all, no matter how much I help you, it won't be as satisfying as doing it yourself, will it?"
"..."
"..."
Boyman heard Alex's words. His expression was chilling and contorted with rage. The man's face went completely dark. He desperately wanted to mock this kid who had emerged from nowhere. Revenge?
Was this guy so overconfident and ignorant of the world's immensity, or was he simply an idiot? Helping Tsubaki Rurikawa solve her debt was one thing, but revenge? Didn't he know the terror of the Boyman family?
Or... does he also have a powerful background...?
Alex's mysterious aura and the inexplicable confidence in his words left Boyman temporarily unsure how to react.
"You," Tsubaki Rurikawa was speechless for a moment. What was wrong with this boy? Not only was he making outrageous claims, but he was also openly declaring his intentions in front of the aggrieved party. Was he truly confident or just...?
As the girl hesitated, Alex reached out and lifted her chin. The smooth, warm sensation made his fingers unconsciously rub her skin. Her exquisite and gorgeous face was perfectly displayed before him, breathtakingly beautiful.
"Why are you so afraid? Do you think I can't do it, my Lady?" His finger slid onto the girl's cheek. Her soft, delicate skin was irresistible. "Tsubaki Rurikawa, understand that in the face of true power, so-called money and authority are merely things to be taken at will."
"Once you possess sufficient power, you will discover that your debts, and this so-called Boyman family, are entirely insignificant—"
"Of course, in exchange," Alex's finger slid down to her lips, caressing them back and forth with a smile. "What you must pay is your future, your life, your body, your soul, everything you are... Do you accept?"
Compared to the blonde man, Boyman, a moment ago, Alex now seemed more like a devil, a demon who steals souls and tempts humanity. Yet, even if he was a devil, Tsubaki Rurikawa was willing to rush into the fire.
"I... I accept."
She took a deep breath, and a flame began to ignite in her sapphire pupils—the flame of hatred. "If you can truly help me... grant me the power for revenge, I am willing to give you everything, including myself—"
"Ha—"
Boyman laughed. He had heard their entire conversation from beginning to end, watching the young man steal his prey, watching him stroke the face of the woman he was fixated on, watching him finalize a deal with his woman right in front of him.
The blonde man laughed, but it was hard to tell if it was a furious, frustrated laugh or one of pure mockery. "Interesting. The power of revenge? Let me see what capabilities you actually possess that allow you to boast so shamelessly in front of me!"
Rumble—
The engine roared as Boyman, his face contorted with malice, stomped on the accelerator, launching the sports car forward, aiming to violently crush the man in front of him. Tsubaki Rurikawa gasped. She instinctively wanted to push Alex away, but it was too late!
The next moment—
WHOOSH!!!!
The eyes of the ruined noble lady narrowed sharply. She saw the environment and scenes around them suddenly become strange. The leaves blown by the strong wind slowed, bit by bit, until they finally froze in the air.
The sound of the cicadas vanished, and the roar of the car gradually grew quiet. Everything around them slowed down, eventually freezing completely into a tableau, including the luxurious sports car.
Boyman's hideous face was suspended in that very instant.
"This—"
Tsubaki Rurikawa covered her mouth with both hands, staring at Alex in disbelief, her face aghast. Her stone-cold mask from minutes before finally crumbled; her worldview was on the verge of collapse.
"This is the power that can shatter anything," Alex's finger slid along her collarbone, feeling the girl's soft skin, and quietly branded her with his Silver Mark. "Do you understand? In the face of this kind of power, so-called nobility and financial conglomerates are this fragile."
"And I will bestow this power upon you..."
Drip, drip, drip!
A countdown. The [Time] reading on his status panel was rapidly decreasing. The cost of stopping time was terrifying, even with Alex's Intelligence stat at 100.
However, he had accumulated enough time and lifespan to withstand the consumption. Besides, the world was full of scum, and they were all his resources... Tsk tsk. Why do I feel like I'm turning into Kurumi Tokisaki?
Alex took off his cap and placed it on the head of the girl, who was still speechless from the power of time. Feeling the warmth of the cap, she looked at the boy's smile. Hope was illuminated, sweeping away the gloom and darkness in her heart.
"Yes... Master."
She still didn't know his name, but it was irrelevant. At this moment, in Tsubaki Rurikawa's mind, in the heart of this fallen noble heiress, Alex was already the Master she acknowledged.
—The Master who could grant her power and help her achieve revenge.
"Hoh-hoh, not bad. Actually, I've always wanted a maid," Alex beckoned. "It feels great to cultivate a perfect maid myself. Come with me."
"Master, what about him..." Tsubaki Rurikawa looked at the motionless Boyman, hesitating.
Now was a perfect chance. Why not strike?
"To me, people like him are no different from ants on the ground. However, since he is your enemy, it's better to leave him for you to handle," Alex chuckled. "After you acquire power, you can personally send the Boyman family to hell."
"After all, as a maid, you should relieve your Master of his worries. I can't worry about everything, can I?"
"...I understand."
A maid, huh? It didn't feel so bad to become his possession, after all. Tsubaki Rurikawa touched the cap on her head and quickly followed the young man ahead.
She suddenly felt a sense of anticipation for her future.