The apocalypse had stripped away many things from humanity—homes, safety, dignity. But for some, it had also stripped away choice.
Inside the upper-class residential building on the air base, four young women sat in what could only be described as a luxurious prison. The room was spacious enough that even with all of them present, it felt comfortable rather than cramped. Soft lighting illuminated clean walls, a working television played in the corner, and the scent of freshly prepared food still lingered in the air.
For people who had spent weeks scavenging through ruins, drinking contaminated water, and hiding from monsters in the dark, this place was beyond comprehension. It was a dream they'd forgotten how to have.
Kely sat on the edge of one of the beds, her fingers nervously tracing patterns on the clean sheets. Beside her, two other students from their group whispered quietly to each other, their voices a mixture of anxiety and cautious hope.
Only Mia remained apart from them, curled up in the corner with her knees drawn to her chest and her distinctive blue hair falling like a curtain around her face.
The door opened, and two women entered—the maids who had been attending to them for the past three days. They moved with practiced efficiency, carrying trays of tea and setting them down on the low table.
"He'll be here soon," her smile warm but her eyes sharp. "I trust you've all made your decisions?"
Over the past seventy-two hours, these two had been relentless in their persuasion. Not through violence or overt threats, but through a carefully orchestrated campaign of comfort mixed with subtle psychological pressure. They spoke constantly about how fortunate the girls were, how many others would kill for this opportunity, how life as one of Master Elric's women meant protection, power, and privilege in a world where such things were rarer than water in a desert.
"I know what I want," Kely said quietly, though her voice wavered slightly. "I want to stay here. I want to survive."
The two other students nodded in agreement, their faces set with determination born of desperation.
Only Mia remained silent.
"I'm sure everything will work out perfectly. Master Elric is very understanding."
The words hung in the air with the weight of an unspoken threat.
When Elric finally arrived, the atmosphere in the room shifted immediately. The casual conversation died. The television's low murmur suddenly seemed too loud. All four girls straightened instinctively, responding to a presence that commanded attention without demanding it.
He looked relaxed as he entered, his posture casual, but there was something in his eyes—a calculating coldness that reminded them all exactly what kind of world they now lived in. This was a man who had not just survived the apocalypse but had thrived in it, had built power from chaos.
"Master," Wang Rong and Li Ping greeted him in unison, bowing their heads respectfully.
Elric's gaze swept across the four girls with the dispassion of someone evaluating merchandise. When he spoke, his voice was neutral, almost bored.
"Well? Have you thought it through?"
The response was immediate—almost desperate in its eagerness.
"We've thought about it!"
"We agree!"
Three voices spoke over each other, Kely and the two other students practically stumbling over their words in their rush to accept. Three days of warmth, food, and safety had eroded whatever resistance they might have initially possessed. They had tasted paradise, and the thought of returning to hell was unbearable.
But one voice remained conspicuously absent.
Elric's eyes moved to the corner where Mia sat, still curled into herself, her face hidden. He studied her for a long moment, then returned his attention to the three who had spoken.
"You two," he said, pointing at the two students flanking Kely. "Become maids. Follow them. Train first."
The words hit like a physical blow. Both girls' faces fell, their expressions crumbling from hope into disappointment it was almost painful to witness. They had agreed to become his women—to share his bed, to gain the protection and status that came with that position—and instead they were being relegated to servants.
But they were also survivors. They knew better than to protest.
"Yes... of course," one of them managed, her voice small.
"Thank you for your generosity," the other added, though the words sounded hollow.
Elric barely acknowledged them. His attention had already moved to Kely, who sat frozen, uncertain whether to feel relieved or terrified.
"Take her to the love room," he instructed Wang Rong, gesturing toward the dark-haired girl. "I'll come later."
"Understood, Master."
Wang Rong moved forward smoothly, her hand gentle on Kely's arm as she guided the girl to her feet. Kely's face flushed deep red, a mixture of embarrassment and something that might have been excitement. Whatever horrors she had imagined, whatever price she had steeled herself to pay, she had been chosen. In this new world, that meant everything.
The two newly designated maids watched her leave, envy naked on their faces.
Once the others had been dismissed, only Elric and Mia remained in the room. The silence stretched between them, heavy and expectant.
Elric walked slowly toward the corner where she sat, his footsteps deliberate on the polished floor. He stopped directly in front of her, looking down with an expression that might have been amusement.
"Oh?" His voice was light, almost playful. "I heard you're planning to hold out to the end?"
The gentle tone didn't match the steel underneath. There was a promise in those words—that resistance had a price, and he was more than willing to collect it.
But before he could continue, Mia's head suddenly jerked up.
Her eyes were red and puffy, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her entire face was a picture of genuine distress—not the calculated kind, but the raw, childish grievance of someone truly caught between impossible choices.
"No... brother," she stammered, the title awkward on her tongue. "I'm actually willing too... to be your... f-friend."
Elric's eyebrow raised slightly at the euphemism.
"But my mom said—" Mia's voice cracked, and she had to swallow before continuing. "If I ever have a boyfriend, she has to agree first. I... I don't dare disobey my mother."
The room fell into stunned silence.
For several heartbeats, Elric simply stared at her, his expression frozen somewhere between disbelief and incredulity. Then, despite himself, a short laugh escaped him.
"Your mother has to agree?" he repeated slowly, as if testing whether the words would sound any less absurd the second time. "In this era? In the apocalypse?"
It was so ridiculous it almost circled back to being impressive. The world had ended, civilization had collapsed, monsters roamed the streets eating anyone unfortunate enough to cross their path, and this girl was worried about her mother's approval for dating?
Before he could formulate a proper response, Mia spoke again in a rush, words tumbling out desperately.
"My mother is the founder of Junlane Shelter—Lane. Brother... can you talk to my mom first? Please?"
Everything suddenly made sense.
The pieces clicked into place in Elric's mind with perfect clarity. This was why that red hair girl had panicked when Mia was taken. This was why Grace had reported such unusual resistance. Mia wasn't just another survivor—she was the daughter of Junlane Shelter's founder, likely one of the few people in this ruined city who still had real leverage.
Or at least, she thought she did.
Elric's expression didn't change, but something cold flickered in his eyes. He looked at Mia calmly, his voice perfectly level.
"I know who your mother is. But Junlane Shelter means nothing to me."
He leaned forward slightly, and his next words came out with casual brutality.
"Put away your little tricks. Your background can't threaten me."
Mia's eyes widened. She had been testing him, playing her strongest card—hoping the mention of her powerful mother would make him hesitate, would buy her time or leverage or escape. Instead, he had called her bluff and raised the stakes.
The faint smile playing at the corner of his lips made her blood run cold.
Then she felt it.
Her body suddenly locked up, muscles freezing in place against her will. Her arms moved without her permission, rising slowly like a puppet on strings. Her legs straightened, lifting her to her feet even as her mind screamed at them to stop.
"This—what's happening?!" Panic flooded through her voice. "Please—brother—stop—!"
Elric leaned back casually, one leg crossed over the other, watching her struggle with clinical interest. The invisible threads of his Parasitic Line ability wrapped around her nervous system like a second skin, hijacking her motor control completely.
"Interesting," he mused aloud. "With this ability, I really do look like a villain."
Tears streamed down Mia's face as she fought against the invisible bonds, her body refusing to obey even the most basic commands.
"I... I already have a boyfriend..." she sobbed desperately. "I can't... please..."
Then, in a moment of pure survival instinct overriding every other consideration, she gasped out: "I'll introduce my mother to you! She's been single for years—my dad died a long time ago—please—!"
That actually made Elric pause.
He looked at her with genuine surprise this time, a flicker of something almost like respect crossing his features. This girl was willing to sell out her own mother just to escape this situation? The calculation was cold-blooded enough to be admirable.
Judging by Mia's appearance, her mother probably wasn't unattractive either...
But the thought died as quickly as it formed. Too old. Not his taste. Completely uninteresting.
He was about to end this standoff—to either accept Mia's surrender or discard her entirely—when his phone suddenly vibrated in his pocket.
The interruption made him frown. He glanced down at the screen, irritation flickering across his face.
Then his expression changed entirely.
The message was from Nana, someone he hadn't heard from in days. The text was short, desperate:
"Please.... We ran into a powerful creature. Please save us... we're about to be eaten."
The playful coldness vanished from Elric's eyes instantly, replaced by something sharp and focused. Lightning flickered faintly at the edges of his pupils as power began to surge through him.
"Lucky timing," he muttered, already turning toward the door.
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