Chapter #40

Zeno soon arrived at Saya's room and knocked on the door. The last time he entered unannounced was still in his mind.

'That was some sight...' Zeno thought.

"Saya, can we talk?" Zeno said while knocking.

Soon Saya answered. "I don't want to leave me alone." Zeno couldn't sense anything from her voice, no anger, no sadness. Nothing.

'When did she become so good at hiding her emotions?' Zeno thought but he still asked her to open the door two more times.

"Nii-san, please give me some time..." Saya sighed.

"Fine, but I will probably be busy later, I'll be at Saeko's room if you want to speak. Also if you ever see two other people that look like me, don't believe a word they say about me." Zeno said before leaving, he still needs to speak with Saeko after all.

On the other side of the door, Saya sighed in relief hearing her brother's footsteps getting farther away.

"I can't let nii-san see me for now. He'll realize I am not actually sad about father..." She sighed again before throwing herself to her bed.

Indeed, Saya was not sad about what happened to her father. Their relationship was already strained due to Souichirou's work.

He was never there when she needed him, and with the last fight they had... Saya discovered that she didn't feel a single thing after hearing what happened to him.

"I can't leave this room for now... Mom will be sad if she realizes it." She turned over and went to sleep.

At least she tried to because what Zeno said stuck in her head.

"It's nearly midnight, what does my stupid nii-san is planning to do in Busujima senpai's room!?" Saya got up and decided to follow Zeno sneakily.

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Zeno made his way towards Saeko's room, she had her own room ever since she came for the dinner all those years ago.

Zeno also noticed Saya was following him thinking she was being sneaky. Well the others hadn't noticed her since she got really skilled over the years but she couldn't escape him

'It is good that she bounced back without any cringy family speeches.' Zeno was satisfied that she left her room and decided to let her follow him.

Unfortunately Zeno was not the only one that could see Saya, Yuriko too had seen her daughter following Zeno through the cameras.

Seeing she is out of her room, she wanted to speak with her.

'Saya thinks I didn't notice her lack of reaction... Sigh, I need to speak with her. It breaks my heart to see her unable to open up to her mother.' Yuriko thought before leaving her room.

She was just visited by the other two Zeno and got her duties taken from her, so she pretty much had nothing to do.

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Saya moved like a ghost, the skills she had honed for years allowing her to go through a crowd of people unnoticed.

She was even singing the Mission Impossible theme in her head. 'There is no way nii-san will notice me like this.' she thought as she reached a corner.

Turning over the corner Saya found herself buried in the deep cleavage of her mother.

"Mama!" Saya exclaimed. 'How did she find me!? My stealth was perfect!'

Yuriko immediately started patting her head, calming her down. "Saya we need to speak."

Saya who has yet to come to herself dumbly nodded before she was taken by Yuriko.

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Zeno soon reached Saeko's room, he found Master Busujima at the door, he was sitting with a katana on his lap, cleaning it with a cloth.

"Master Busujima! Why are you not entering? I thought you wanted to speak with her." Zeno asked.

"We already spoke. I was just guarding the door. I am not taking any chances after what happened to Souichirou." Master Busujima answered.

"Well, I already made sure there will be extra checks. Please don't sit in front of the door." Zeno was worried about the man's legs, after all the floor wasn't tatami like back in his home.

"I see Zeno-dono has already taken the necessary measures. Then I will be leaving Saeko to you. She needs someone to speak with, she refuses to tell me what's bothering her." Master Busujima sighed.

"She discovered she is a sadist." Zeno shrugged.

Hearing him, Master Busujima burst into laughter. "Hahahaha! She took something from me after all, I was worried the only thing she got was my eyes." He patted Zeno's shoulders before moving on. "Zeno-dono please keep her safe."

Zeno nodded, once Master Busujima left he knocked on Saeko's door before entering.

Inside Zeno could see Saeko in her bed, she had turned herself into a burrito with the blankets leaving only her head outside.

"Man, I feel hungry now." Zeno jokes, making her chuckle.

"Hmm, I'd rather you join me." Saeko unwrapped herself allowing Zeno to join in the burrito before they wrapped themselves again.

Zeno was surprised, over the years she never relaxed her manners around him. This was a welcome change, as long as Zeno could make it stick.

Saeko immediately hugged Zeno, he could feel her trembling body. Zeno sighed, her father was better suited for this talk considering he too was a sadist but it was left to him.

Deciding not to delay anymore Zeno hugged her back, making sure she won't get away once he starts speaking.

"Saeko, I know what happened back when you were killing the undead." Zeno said.

As expected she tried to pull back but Zeno didn't allow her.

"It's okay... They were just undead and it wouldn't really matter if they were living, I know you wouldn't harm innocents unlike me." Zeno continued.

Saeko stopped struggling once she heard him. "Zeno, you are one of the best people I know, please don't speak like that."

"I am only speaking the truth, you were there when I was delivering that speech. It wasn't a bluff, millions were killed under the order I gave." Zeno stopped her.

"This is an exception, you didn't have much choice..." Saeko said.

"No, I even left that man who tried to molest you with a horrible disease. He died an agonizing death. I am not a good person, Saeko. I won't feel the guilt you're currently feeling, so trust me when I say this.

There's nothing wrong with you, enjoying hurting your opponents is only a good thing for a warrior like you, as long as it doesn't cloud your mind. Ask your father, he is like you as well." Zeno turned the topic back to Saeko.

It would be a long ass night if they were to open the can of worms that is him.

"Father! Really?!" Saeko was surprised to hear that.

She never thought her father would be the same. 'If my father is the same, I guess there's no reason for me to not pursue my own happiness.'

Saeko had been suspicious of her mentality ever since the event with the molester. She enjoyed watching him suffer under Zeno, the undead was the final nail on the coffin for her to realize herself.

"Thank you Zeno. For talking with me." Saeko smiled at Zeno.

"Well, I can't have my girlfriend sulking and depressed." Zeno chuckled.

Saeko's smile widened a bit after hearing him. No matter how much she tries to treat Zeno as her lord, he finds a way to bring her closer.

'I guess I have no choice but to accept the position since that's what Zeno wants.' Saeko justified herself in her mind.

Her smile turned a little seductive without her noticing. "Will my lord bestow me the pleasure of spending the night with him?"

Zeno was taken back by her sudden transformation but he didn't feel anything was amiss. So he hugged her harder while planting a kiss on her neck. "How can I miss such an opportunity."