"Haha, just think about it carefully, don't rush. No matter how anxious you are, the result won't change!"
Roy laughed heartily as he patted Hayasaka's shoulder and happily walked into the house.
Hayasaka looked at Roy's departing back and couldn't help but feel a headache.
That's right.
Even if Roy was willing to let her go, as a servant of Rin, it was destined that she could not leave Rin.
It was inherently impossible for a servant to change masters. Their status meant that they had little autonomy. You're already lucky to have food and shelter—now you're being picky? Who do you think you are?
You have to understand, only magi have servants now. Only magi are qualified to choose refugees as servants. If a servant dares to ask to change masters, aren't they afraid of being burned to ashes?
Of course, given Rin's personality, if Hayasaka asked to leave, she would probably allow it. But even though Hayasaka had only been Rin's servant for less than a month, she already bore Rin's mark. At that point, wouldn't magi hostile to Rin target her? That's a really unsettling problem. Word is the magi of the Mage's Association don't get along with Rin—would she get caught up in that?
Let's say, for argument's sake, that she successfully left Rin and wasn't targeted by hostile magi. Who's to say her next master would be as easygoing as Rin? What if she ended up with a magus who saw life as worthless? Even if she barely survived, would she end up like Aki Tomoya and become just a reproductive tool?
Looking at all these pros and cons, Hayasaka would absolutely never bring up leaving Rin.
"In that case, there's only one choice…"
Hayasaka muttered in her heart.
***
Main House.
"Utaha, morning."
"Good morning, Lord Roy."
Utaha yawned as she entered the living room and bumped into Roy, who was pouring hot water.
They greeted each other and then fell silent.
The atmosphere was a little awkward for a moment.
"By the way, what happened to your tights?"
Roy's gaze circled around Utaha and noticed in surprise that she wasn't wearing black stockings today, but instead had bare, full, shapely legs.
"Lord Roy, do you really like tights?"
Utaha's eyes drooped slightly, speaking somewhat speechlessly.
"Bare legs also look great. Your legs are already beautiful."
Roy's emotional intelligence kicked in instantly, and he gave a gentle smile as he complimented her.
"But I do think black stockings are a bit more pleasing to the eye."
In the kitchen just a wall away, Rin, who was preparing breakfast, suddenly pricked up her ears.
Roy likes black-stockinged thighs?
She glanced down at her own long, shapely legs wrapped in thigh-high stockings. Suddenly, a realization dawned on her, and her face filled with contemplation.
Her legs were the part she was most proud of, which is why she often wore miniskirts and black stockings to show them off.
If Roy liked black-stockinged thighs, then using these legs—
"W-W-What am I thinking?! It's all Hayasaka's fault! Yes, that's it!"
Rin suddenly snapped out of it, furiously shaking her head with a bright red face.
Last night, she had carelessly fallen into Hayasaka's verbal trap, and now her head was full of indecent thoughts!
At that moment, Hayasaka also arrived in the kitchen to help. Seeing Rin's blushing face and her head shaking, her eyes glimmered slightly.
Lady Rin, this child can be taught!
Back in the living room, the conversation continued.
"Really? Thank you for the compliment, Lord Roy!"
Utaha smiled with some pride after hearing Roy's direct praise.
"I originally had two pairs of stockings. The one I wore yesterday was washed."
"And the other one?"
"Broken."
"Broken? How?"
"Got torn."
"Torn…"
Roy was still confused.
Then he saw Utaha giving him an ambiguous look, her eyes sultry like silk.
Then he suddenly remembered.
Torn, torn…
Hiss!
That night, he did tear something. Could it have been Utaha's tights?
"Ahem! After breakfast, I'll take you out to buy some clothes."
"Mm, okay."
Utaha's face was full of uncontrollable joy.
Not long after—
Breakfast was ready. Under the invitation of Rin and Hayasaka, everyone gathered in the kitchen and sat at the table, enjoying a traditional Chinese breakfast.
Aoko and Touko weren't present. No one knew where they'd gone off to again. But they were always like this, so Roy didn't worry about them.
At the table, Rin suddenly remembered something and paused while eating a soup dumpling.
She looked at Roy, opened her mouth to speak but hesitated.
Hesitated again.
Hesitated again…
"Rin, if you have something to say, just say it."
Roy couldn't help but speak. With her glancing at him like that again and again, he couldn't even eat.
Everyone at the table turned their eyes to Rin.
Rin shrank her shoulders and gave an awkward smile.
"Uh, no, it's nothing…"
"Are you sure you don't have something to say?"
"Really, really nothing."
Rin waved her hands repeatedly.
Roy was full of suspicion, but seeing that she really didn't want to talk, he didn't press further and quietly went back to eating.
The girls all withdrew their gazes, not taking it seriously.
Rin thought for a bit, but couldn't help looking up at Roy again, a hint of reservation on her face, as if she were hesitating.
Roy noticed her gaze and twitched his lips.
He stopped eating and put down his chopsticks altogether.
"Rin, you'd better really have something to say!"
The girls all looked up again, each wearing a strange expression.
What kind of drama is this today?
"Ah…"
Rin hesitated and averted her eyes.
"Actually, I do have something to say… but it's about that person…"
"Which person?"
"You know, that… the one wrapped in bandages…"
As soon as Rin finished speaking, the air at the table seemed to freeze.
Utaha and Hayasaka looked at her in disbelief.
Can't this topic wait until we're alone?!
Even Ichika was dumbfounded. The person wrapped in bandages… wasn't that the magus who created Roy?
Is this really something you can talk about in front of Roy?
But they also understood.
No wonder Rin was being so hesitant and conflicted.
Bringing up that bandaged freak in front of Roy really was a terrible idea.
Especially after just experiencing that dream last night—they all knew how much Roy had suffered under that bandaged old man. Having a strong reaction was completely understandable.
Only Miku looked left and right, with a pure and clueless expression, like she had no idea what everyone was talking about.
"…Uemon?"
Roy paused for a moment, then calmed down.
Or rather, he was too calm—his face looked like it was frosting over.
Fortunately, his glasses were still on, so the girls let out a sigh of relief.
***
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