The Young Lady Orders Kiyoharu to Roleplay

Chihaya Estate.

"So... the punishment is that I can't touch any games for three days?"

"Correct. Consoles, mobile games, arcade machines, even board games or cards... no form of 'game' whatsoever." Seeing Kiyoharu's subtle expression, Chihaya Airi said coldly, "Got a problem with that?"

"No problem."

Kiyoharu put on a look of dejection, but inwardly he breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Three days without games—that was manageable. Sure, it would make his free time noticeably duller, but he could tough it out.

Look at it another way: just treat it like overtime.

As a mature man who'd turned over a new leaf and left his old ways behind, this little thing wasn't enough to break him. Of course, he still had to show a pained face on the surface, so Airi would feel the "punishment" was worthwhile.

What else could you expect from someone called the "Red-Eyed Devil"? Devils thrived on human suffering!

Since games were off the table, Kiyoharu planned to grab a book. He was about to head to the study when Airi called him back.

"Stay here. Watch TV with me."

"Huh?"

"This is part of the punishment."

"Young Lady, you'd better tell me the full scope of the punishment upfront. Don't just hot-patch it as we go."

"That's all. Oh, of course—if you make the same mistake again within these three days, I'll add more terms."

So Kiyoharu walked over to the other end of the sofa and sat down, turning his gaze to the variety show playing on the TV.

To be honest, he wasn't a fan of variety shows.

Airi seemed really into this kind of mindless comedy program. She watched with rapt attention, occasionally bursting into carefree laughter while stuffing snacks into her mouth.

By now, the Young Lady had shed her evening gown, wiped off her formal makeup, and changed into a homey nightgown. Even without makeup, she was pretty—more like the girl next door than when she was all dolled up.

Add in her relaxed, carefree posture while watching TV, and it was hard to connect this person with the cold, ruthless Tokyo Devil.

Suddenly, Airi turned her head to glare at Kiyoharu and demanded, "Why aren't you laughing?"

Alright, the devil's nature was still the devil's nature!

"Because I don't find it funny. Everyone has different tastes and different things that make them laugh. If it's not a genuine laugh, I doubt the Young Lady would be satisfied either, right?"

"Tch..."

That was the answer she expected.

The reasons she'd chosen Kiyoharu as her nominal husband were many, but one key factor was his sincerity.

Back when they first met, Airi was still a student at Chihaya Academy. During the sports festival, someone shoved her from behind in the stands, nearly sending her tumbling off. A passing Ito Kiyoharu caught her.

Later, it turned out the incident was a scheme in the family's internal power struggles, and the culprits were dealt with harshly by Airi's father. But at the time, Airi was suspicious of Kiyoharu—his timing was just too convenient.

"Ito-kun, did you stage this whole act in advance to win me over?"

Facing her doubt, Kiyoharu replied calmly, "I do want to get on Chihaya-san's good side, but as you said, a 'hero saves the damsel' routine is too cliché and too suspicious. Out of respect for Chihaya-san, I wouldn't stoop to such a low-level tactic."

"Oh? So you're one of my secret admirers too?"

"Not a secret admirer. I just covet the Chihaya Family's wealth and hope to get a piece of it."

"...Huh?"

"My dream is to become a parasite in a zaibatsu family, living a life of idleness and comfort."

The early spring breeze was cool, bright sunlight spilled over the boy's shoulders, and petals drifted down in the wind, blending into his bright-eyed, white-toothed smile.

Chihaya Airi had never heard such a blunt statement before—spoken right in front of her without a shred of shame, even with a hint of pride.

She found this person somewhat interesting, so she allowed Kiyoharu to keep talking with her. She rarely spoke to the opposite sex unless necessary.

And so, their cooperation came together naturally.

Growing up in the Chihaya Family, she'd seen too many fakes and counterfeits. In her eyes, Kiyoharu was a very special existence.

Take the earlier question, for instance. If it were anyone else, they'd probably laugh along with her, even if they didn't find the variety show funny.

This wasn't some teenage rebellious streak of individuality. Kiyoharu was usually very smooth in dealing with people, but he stubbornly held his ground on certain things. That subtle sense of proportion made Airi want to probe deeper.

"If the Young Lady finds it annoying to have a husband who 'watches a super-fun variety show without laughing' cluttering up the living room, I'll go cut some fruit."

"Go. I want strawberries and melon."

"Got it."

Airi mimicked Kiyoharu's poker face and flat tone, muttering a quiet "Got it" and making a face toward the kitchen.

This annoyingly mature guy—same age as her, yet as steady as an old man. That was exactly why Airi wanted to see him crack.

Once, she'd deliberately ordered him around the house, but Kiyoharu always carried out her requests calmly and patiently. Eventually, she gave up on that pointless torment. Now, it seemed keeping him from playing games annoyed him more.

But "private time after dinner" was stipulated in their agreement. Airi couldn't torment him without reason. Though messing with Kiyoharu was fun, she was someone who valued her promises.

She'd have to find a way to make Kiyoharu slip up again.

About half an hour later, most of the fruit platter Kiyoharu had prepared was gone. The doorbell rang.

It was Uncle Tsuchiya.

"I've brought what the Young Lady requested."

"Sorry to trouble you, Uncle Tsuchiya, coming all this way so late."

"Ah, it's nothing, nothing. Then I won't intrude—may you and the Young Lady have a pleasant evening." Tsuchiya Takao winked at Kiyoharu.

The latter immediately understood his meaning—or rather, the meaning of Airi's parents.

As parents with traditional values, they were eager for Kiyoharu and Airi to produce an heir for the family as soon as possible.

But that just wasn't realistic.

Airi's aversion to men was an innate trait. In daily life, if Kiyoharu accidentally brushed against her, she'd frown in displeasure. Having a child was out of the question.

Carrying the cardboard box Tsuchiya had brought back to the living room, Airi saw him and immediately ordered, "Open it. Put it on."

Kiyoharu opened the box.

Inside was a men's uniform, clearly belonging to the service staff category. Its overly flashy design instantly made Kiyoharu think of a male attendant at a club...

"Put it on and massage my feet."

"...Are you serious, Young Lady?"

"I wore heels today and walked too much. My feet hurt."

"But..."

"But what? Afraid I'll eat you? There's a pair of white gloves in the box. Put them on."

Kiyoharu suddenly understood. So that was it—with the gloves on, touching her probably wouldn't bother her as much.

Still, he doubted whether Airi really needed a massage. If she did, why not just call a female masseuse? The Chihaya Group's leisure clubs had plenty of skilled, professional female massage therapists. Why insist on Kiyoharu?

According to their agreement, Kiyoharu was obligated to take care of Airi's daily needs, and a foot massage certainly counted as part of that. So, though skeptical, he pulled up a stool and sat down at the foot of the sofa bed.

Airi, lounging lazily on it, stretched a pair of fair, pink-tinged feet toward him, her calves resting on Kiyoharu's knees. Instantly, the faintly visible scenery beneath her nightgown was exposed to his view.

Kiyoharu caught on in a second.

Fishing again, huh?!