"Mm"
Yukino's whole body vibrated, but she agreed.
That afternoon
Shuchiin Academy Supernatural Research Club.
Knock knock!
Lynn: "Yeah, I knew the club's been a bit too lively lately."
"Come in."
As soon as the words left his mouth
Clack! The clubroom door swung open.
Lynn looked up.
A girl with a side ponytail of golden hair and ocean-blue eyes stepped into view.
She had her jacket tied around her waist, her fingers painted with vibrant blue nail polish total gyaru vibe.
But her aura was cool and composed, with a sharp, businesslike edge.
"Ai Hayasaka?"
Lynn called her out immediately.
Hayasaka froze.
Her hand on the doorknob clenched a little tighter, and her cold expression nearly cracked.
H-How did he?
Her mind started spinning.
Lynn leaned back in his chair, smiling lazily. "You're the one who's been tailing me all this time, right?"
"!!!?"
Hayasaka panicked, nearly bolting on the spot.
D-Don't tell me he noticed?! Since when?!
"Since the very beginning~"
As if reading her thoughts, Lynn answered slowly and deliberately.
W-Waitwas that mind reading?!
"No, you're just really easy to read right now"
Lynn chuckled, watching the tension on her face tighten even more.
He smiled again, this time softer.
"Not coming in?"
Thump!
Hayasaka's heart skipped a beat.
She didn't know why, but that smile of his gave her a seriously bad feeling.
Seriously now...
This is all Kaguya's fault, so why do I have to clean up her mess?!
But...She had no choice.
Servants don't get to have rights.
With a sigh, Ai Hayasaka straightened her back and stepped into the room.
A second later
BAM!
The door to the Supernatural Research Club slammed shut behind her.
Hayasaka flinched hard, her steps faltering.
What the hell?!
She didn't close the door herself, right?
That's not just me imagining it right?!
Don't tell meWas that supernatural power?!
She kept her usual cool and elegant look on the outside, but inside she was freaking out.
Seriously, being stuck with a master like Shinomiya Kaguya what kind of karmic punishment is this?!
After venting about her mistress in her head, Hayasaka finally managed to calm down a little.
Lynn looked at her and spoke calmly, "So? What kind of request are you here to make?"
Hearing that, Hayasaka bowed politely. "I apologize. My lady was extremely rude earlier."
"Oh?"
Lynn's red eyes narrowed a little. So this was about Shinomiya Kaguya, huh?
Still...
"You think a simple apology is enough to make up for offending me?"
Hayasaka looked up, her face serious. "If there's anything the Shinomiya family can do to make it right, just say the word."
She clearly had no intention of offering herself as some kind of bait.
Lynn rubbed his chin, an amused smile forming. "And you're sure you can speak for them?"
Hayasaka opened her mouth but then lowered her head.
She was just a servant. She didn't have the authority to promise anything.
Honestly...Even her mistress, Kaguya, probably didn't have that kind of say.
Seeing that, Lynn gave a bored wave. "If that's all, you can leave."
Hayasaka hesitated, then asked carefully, "Are you planning to take revenge on Miss Kaguya?"
"Kaguya?" Lynn said indifferently. "She's not even worth that."
"Though"He glanced at her again, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Maybe keep an eye on the Shinomiya family's businesses."
"By now, I'd bet they're starting to panic a little."
Hayasaka stiffened.
But soon, she managed to calm down again.
The Shinomiya family?
They were one of the richest in the entire countrypractically their own empire. It was hard to imagine them "panicking."
Still...
Against someone with supernatural powers...Hayasaka couldn't help but feel a trace of fear and maybe even curiosity.
So she bowed again, "Sorry to bother you."
She turned around, intending to head back and quietly gather some intel.
But just as her hand touched the doorknob
Lynn suddenly said, "Hey, I heard..."
"You're a servant of the Shinomiya family, right?"
Hayasaka froze.
Lynn continued, "Ever thought about switching employers?"
"...Huh?"
A look of confusion flashed across her face.
Was he trying to poach her?!
Lynn gave her a once-over, eyes briefly flicking toward the glowing Devil's Piece, and said with a grin, "My place is pretty spacious. Just missing a maid."
"And besides"
His tone suddenly dropped, low and serious. "You don't really want to keep working for the people who ruined your family... do you?"
Her eyes widened. A shock ran through her entire body. Her grip on the doorknob tightened instinctively.
How how does he know?!
Hayasaka Ai didn't have an answer.
But She bit her lip softly.
He wasn't wrong.
She really didn't want to work for the Shinomiya family anymore.
The name "Hayasaka" used to be one of prestige. Her family once held real power.
ButThey lost everything in a "war" with the Shinomiyas.
—
(A/N: About Hayasaka Ai her family name is Hayasaka, but I didn't want to use Ai as her main name since it's easy to overlook or confuse, especially with Enma Ai already being a known character. So yeah, think of it like using Aizen as the main name even though it's technically his last name.)
—
Now, Hayasaka Ai was part of the Shinomiya family a servant forced to bow to the very people who brought her family down. Once a proper lady of a noble house, now just a maid waiting on her enemies.
How could she not feel resentment?
Even if she was close with KaguyaHer feelings toward the family hadn't changed.
And on top of that...
Because of the inheritance battles within the Shinomiya family, she was dragged into the role of a double agentand that made her feel even more disgusted.
But to just leave?
Hayasaka gave a faint, bitter smile.
There was no way she could just walk away from the Shinomiya family.
After a long pause, once she had settled her emotions, she spoke quietly.
"I'll think about it."
With those words, she opened the door and walked out of the room.
Unless the Shinomiya family collapsed, there was no escape.
The Hayasaka name would always be shackled to them.
Still... She didn't completely shut the door on the offer.
Because honestly... Lynnsomeone who held supernatural powersmight just be capable of pulling off the impossible.
And somewhere deep inside...
Hayasaka finally found hope.
.
.
.
Dealing with the Shinomiyas
Somewhere in a quiet corner of Shuchiin Academy
The moment Shinomiya Kaguya spotted Hayasaka Ai, her crimson eyes lit up.
She rushed over, grabbing Hayasaka's arm, her face full of nervous energy and anticipation.
"Well? How did it go? Tell me everything!"
Hayasaka looked at her young lady, who had clearly abandoned any trace of her old "ice queen" persona, and felt weirdly conflicted.
Then she shook her head.
And nodded.
""
Kaguya blinked. "Waitwhat does that even mean?"
Keeping her expression flat, Hayasaka replied calmly, "President Lynn has no intention of getting back at you~."
"Huh?"
Kaguya looked puzzled. "He let it go that easily?"
She squinted and gave Hayasaka a full once-over, eyes narrowing. "Hayasaka, don't tell me you used your charms on him?"
Hayasaka rolled her eyes so subtly that it was almost invisible. "I didn't."
"Phew"
Hearing that, Kaguya sighed in relief and visibly relaxed.
Sure, she'd brought it up herself earlier, but deep down, Hayasaka was the only person she truly trustedthere was no way she'd actually let her make that kind of sacrifice. It's just that she valued herself more.
Seeing Kaguya like this stirred up something in Hayasaka.
She felt a little touched. All those years of loyalty clearly hadn't been one-sided.
But also conflicted.
Because the name "Shinomiya" was the very reason her life had become what it was.
And on top of thatShe was technically spying on Kaguya for the main family.
Kaguya tilted her head. "If it wasn't your charm, then what did you offer him?"
Hayasaka blinked and snapped back to the present. "Nothing."
"Eh?"
Kaguya looked even more confused. "Nothing at all?"
"Yep." Hayasaka nodded.
"And he just let it go?"
Kaguya's expression was a mix of confusion and disbelief.
That Lynn guy didn't seem like someone who'd just forgive and forget, right?
Plus that look in his eyes
Ugh
Just thinking about it made her heart skip a beat. And made her feel kind of off.
Ever since meeting Lynn, she'd been feeling strangely out of sorts. The cold, composed Kaguya she used to be? Practically gone.
Trying to push those thoughts aside, Kaguya pressed on. "So, he didn't say anything else?"
Hayasaka's face remained blank. "Oh, he said something."
"Yeah?!" Kaguya leaned in, hopeful.
"He said" Hayasaka paused, then repeated his words exactly. "You're not even worth targeting."
"Huh?"
Kaguya froze, expression locked in place.
"Not worth it?"
"Yep. According to Lynn, you don't even qualify as someone worth his attention."
Just in case Kaguya hadn't heard it rightor maybe misunderstoodHayasaka helpfully repeated it, even breaking it down a little.
Kaguya bit her lip, her expression growing oddly hurt.
"?"
Now it was Hayasaka's turn to be confused.
She'd expected Kaguya to react with anger. Maybe some pride, some hatred, or at the very least a cold huff.
But this?
She looked genuinely upset that Lynn didn't target her?
Hayasaka was shocked.
Had Kaguya been hit with some kind of emotional damage?
Or worsewas this even really Kaguya anymore?
Had she been swapped out?
Possessed?
With all the supernatural stuff she'd seen recently, Hayasaka couldn't help but let her imagination run wild.
Because seriously
This was not the Kaguya she knew.
Kaguya herself didn't know what she was feeling either.
But that one comment it stung more than she expected.
Not even qualified to be noticed by him?
Somehow, she'd completely twisted Hayasaka's words in her head, and the more she thought about it, the more flustered she became.
Suddenly, Kaguya grabbed Hayasaka's arm tightly. "Hayasaka, is there any way to make him retaliate against me?"
"Excuse me?"
Hayasaka's poker face almost cracked. "Miss Kaguya are you broken?"
Were you cursed or something?
Kaguya blinked, realizing what she just saidand then blushed hard.
Clearly, she knew she'd just let something super embarrassing slip out.
"Ahem. Never mind. Forget I said anything."
She quickly tried to revert to her old cold, stoic self.
But
There was no going back now.
Hayasaka gave her a long, complicated look.
She could see right through the fake front Kaguya was trying to put up.
Yeah Kaguya was definitely broken.
Wanting to be targeted on purpose?
Was this some new masochistic awakening?
Still
Even if Lynn had said she "wasn't worth it," he clearly had plans for the Shinomiya family.
So in the end, Kaguya was still getting caught up in it.
Maybe not in the way she expected, but close enough?
Of course, Hayasaka wasn't going to mention that to her.
And she definitely wasn't going to report it to Shinomiya Oko.
Just like how she never told him that his original planhaving Kaguya approach Lynnbackfired and ended in them offending a supernatural powerhouse.
Someone with powers like that maybe they really could change her boring, predictable life.
Maybe
Even break the chains tying her down.
That thought made Hayasaka squint thoughtfully. Then she said, "If there's nothing else, Miss Kaguya, I'll take my leave."
Kaguya absentmindedly nodded. "Mhm."
She was too busy thinkingdesperately wondering what she could do to change the way Lynn saw her. How to earn the right to even be in his eyes.
...
A little while later
Hayasaka found a quiet spot and sent a message to her mother.
["Mom, has anything strange been going on with the main family lately?"]
A moment later, she got a reply from her mother.
["Huh? "How do you know about that??"]
Hayasaka's heart skipped a beat. Instead of texting, she decided to call her mom directly.
"Mom, Something happened? What's going on?"
"Hmm uh"
"Mom?!"
"Okay, okay, jeez~"
With a bit of exasperation, Hayasaka's mom lowered her voice and whispered: "Ai-chan have you ever seen a three-headed dog covered in black fire?"
Hayasaka's eyes went wide. Her fingers clenched the phone tightly.
A three-headed dog covered in black flames?
Moments later
Hayasaka stood there dazed.
She had expected a crisissomething along the lines of financial attacks, secret leaks, media storms, legal takedowns
But instead?
Lynn went straight for a supernatural beatdown?!
—
At that exact momentAt the Shinomiya estate.
BOOM! BOOM!
The entire place began to shake violently!
"What's going on?!"
One of the Shinomiya members shouted in shock.
"Is this an earthquake again?!"
Others looked around nervously, trying to make sense of it.
But then
A wave of scorching heat blasted through the air!
"ROOOAAAR!!"
A deafening roar ripped through the silence, shaking the very walls of the estate!
"!!"
Everyone froze for a second, then turned toward the direction of that monstrous sound.
And in the next instant
A towering creatureeasily the size of a small buildingstepped into view. Its body was wreathed in black hellfire, and it had three heads.
A literal hellhound.
Someone nervously swallowed, and it was like that sound lit a fuse.
"D-Demon!!"
"A monster!! We're under attack!!"
Panic exploded throughout the compound.
People screamed in terror, scrambling to flee in every direction.
But as they tried to bolt through the side exits
BZZZZT!
A transparent barrier shimmered into existence, sealing the entire estate.
BANG!
One guy ran full speed into the barrier, hitting it, and was slammed to the ground like a ragdoll.
"Ow, what the hell?!"
"Damn it!"
"Why can't we get out?!"
He pounded against the invisible wall, like trying to punch through solid steel.
He wasn't aloneeveryone else who tried was met with the same invisible prison.
There was no escape.
As realization set in, all eyes turned toward the monstrous, flaming hellhound.
