Looking at the girl bundled up like a silkworm in her own sheets, Rhodes couldn't resist spouting the classic line:
"Cry, scream, shout all you want! Even if you tear your throat apart, no one's coming to save you!"
"…"
But instead of fearful sobs, what answered him was silence. Heavy, awkward silence that hung over the whole room.
"Ha! Ha! Ha—!"
Reines suddenly burst out laughing, banging her head against the bed. The tension that had filled the chamber a moment ago evaporated completely. "Hey, is your Master an idiot or what? Haven't you ever tried to talk some sense into him?"
The blonde heiress turned her gaze on RyuZU, who was pinning her down, and couldn't help but smirk. RyuZU, in turn, nodded gravely.
"Yes. He's exactly that selfish. It makes my job terribly difficult. So please, cooperate with our work, Lady Reines."
"Oh? Your 'work,' is it? If you're here to rob me, then by all means—loot everything. I won't stop you." Reines chuckled. "After all, if something this trivial is enough to tie me to the 'Clock Tower's rising star' Rhodes, every other noble in the Tower would be jealous."
"Tch. Boring. And RyuZU, do you really have to be so sarcastic while we're working?" Rhodes groaned. Only in moments like this did he look his age—just a boy of fifteen or sixteen, not some ancient monster who'd lived through centuries.
Maybe it was this young body… his frozen heart had begun to thaw, his cold indifference giving way to something more like a teenager actually living again.
"I only spoke the truth. Master is foolish, lecherous, unbearably arrogant, and likes to mess with me whenever he pleases." Seeing the frustration on Rhodes' face, RyuZU actually smiled, twisting the knife. "Really, being your maid is exhausting."
"Tch… Looks like I was too gentle with you last night. I should've just installed that milk-production system after all." Rhodes's voice dropped to a chilling murmur. RyuZU paled instantly, clearly remembering something she'd rather forget.
"Hey! Don't ignore me!" Reines yelped, cheeks burning as the scene grew more indecent by the second. "Let me go already! Didn't you say you came to discuss serious business? Then why the hell am I tied up like this? If someone saw me, I'd die of shame!"
"You lack discipline, Lady Reines." Rhodes's smile was wicked. "Care to let me train you? …I mean, temper your spirit. I promise you'll never feel shame again. How about it?"
"Like hell I would! What kind of idiot do you take me for!" Reines shrieked, sounding for all the world like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "You're obviously planning something perverted! Exhibition play, outdoor play, piss play—ahhhh! You really are a degenerate!"
"Oi… why do I feel like you're more well-versed in this than me?" Rhodes's face went slack. Staring at this black-bellied little loli spouting smut like a seasoned veteran, he could only laugh bitterly. "So this is how the Archisorte family educates their heirs? Truly the world is in decline. Morals in ruins. It's tragic."
"Don't you dare pin this on the Archisorte name! Careful, or our ancestors will claw their way out of their coffins just to drag you in!" Reines snapped. "These are just personal hobbies. Even nobles can keep up with modern things like the internet, you know!"
"My ignorance astounds me… to think that particular industry in this little island nation has come so far. I suddenly feel like drawing smut manga to make a fortune." Rhodes shook his head with a wry grin, though his eyes gleamed with amusement. "But enough jokes. I imagine this position is rather uncomfortable for you, Lady Reines El-Melloi Archisorte."
As he spoke, Rhodes sat back on the sofa. RyuZU appeared silently at his side, offering him a steaming cup of rich black tea. In that instant, the playful boy melted away—what sat there now was a calculating politician.
"Eh?" Reines blinked, stunned by the sudden shift. Rhodes's voice was calm, matter-of-fact.
"I need the support of the Archibald family. In return, I'll cut down every obstacle between you and the head seat of your house. What do you say?"
"I see…"
The cold steel beneath his words snapped her back to clarity. She eyed him warily, then thought hard about what stake she could afford to throw on the table.
But what the clever young lady failed to notice was this: after all their bickering, she'd already begun to trust Rhodes instinctively. She didn't even consider rejecting him—she went straight to weighing how best to strike this filthy, flashy deal.
"Then what do you want in return?" Reines asked gravely, her tone solemn. "I don't believe vague promises of 'support' are enough to buy your aid. Tell me the true price."
"My demands are simple. First, we'll sign a self-geis contract. On that foundation of mutual non-aggression, you'll shield me from pressure by the Clock Tower's upper echelons and safeguard my enterprises when needed. In exchange, I'll pay handsomely. The Archibalds aren't poor, but I'm sure you wouldn't mind a little extra shine."
Rhodes spoke evenly, weighing pros and cons, never mind that Reines was still wrapped up like a ridiculous silkworm on the bed.
"Second, I require Lord Kenneth's corpse and personal effects. You may keep the Magic Crest, but the body must be intact, Magic Circuits undamaged. I want all of his research notes, and approximately two billion pounds' worth of magical materials. For a house like Archibald, with nine generations of history, this shouldn't be a problem."
"A generous bargain. The family loses something, yes, but under my leadership this ensures we'll rise higher still…" Reines murmured, pride flickering across her youthful features. "Very well. I accept. Let's sign the self-geis."
She tried to reach out to seal the deal with a handshake—only to remember she was still bound tight in her silkworm cocoon. Her face flushed red with fury.
"Then untie me first, you pervert!"