The name "lai yi" has been changed to "Ley". The author hopes readers will forgive this, as I am really too lazy to revise the previous chapters.
The candlelight flickered in the side hall of the Greyst Manor, stretching shadows long and short by turns. Shinobu sat at the desk—her shoulder-length hair had lavender tips, and the kimono adorned with fluttering butterfly and blooming floral patterns only made her look more like a delicate cherry blossom.
The moment the door creaked open, her fingers paused. She didn't look up, but she recognized the footsteps instantly—it was Ley.
"You're still awake, my dear sister," Ley said, his tone flat, wearing a forced smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Good. I have some questions for you."
"Brother, you pervert—sneaking into my room at midnight… are you here to do the same thing as before?" As she spoke, a flicker of excitement sparked deep in her lavender eyes, and her breathing grew rapid, like a young beast waiting to be fed.
But Ley stared at her coldly, his aura icy—like a heartless lover who'd discarded someone after using them.
"I just saw Father. He told me something… about you. Do you want to hear it?"
"Brother, so you've figured out I lied to you?" Shinobu's smile bloomed brighter, the long-hidden longing on her face finally spilling out.
"You want to kill me, don't you? Angry because you found out I tricked you? Or were you already planning to bury everyone in this family anyway?
"You can do it, you know—kill me," she continued, leaning closer. "Unlike everyone else in this family, I, Shinobu, have always loved you deeply. You must be so hurt… and to make up for that hurt, I'll do anything for you."
"Before you kill me, can you pull out my nails first? Or stab the gaps between my fingers with silver needles? Force me to eat things I hate, deafen me, blind me, gut me, whip me—even slice scars into my pretty face. Treat your little sister as a small appetizer before your revenge feast."
"What I really want… is to be your slave forever, serving you."
She leaned in further, her voice dropping to a breathy whisper.
"As long as it brings you even a little comfort—even if your joy comes from my pain—I'll be perfectly satisfied. Even if you cut off all my limbs, and I can only serve you with my mouth… I'd still be happier than ever."
With that, she threw her arms around Ley, and the sweet scent of her body wafted into his nose.
"?" A question mark practically materialized above Ley's head. He was stunned by her full-on masochistic outburst.
Ray's an idiot, Zoe's a monster, Shinobu's a masochist… and I'm just a shamless. He finally understood: every member of the Greyst family was utterly extraordinary—in the worst way.
Shinobu pressed her lips, still warm from her rapid breathing, to Ley's ear and gave it a light lick.
Her 37°C mouth spoke words as cold as a demon's: "After all, I've already used all those methods on Ophelia. I'd heal her over and over with the finest potions… just to torture her again and again with those same things. Why? Because these days, your eyes have only been on her."
"I'm so jealous of her."
"But that elf—she's absurdly beautiful, and so stubborn. No matter how I tortured her, she'd never tell me who's been helping her escape. Or… is she just like me? Can she turn pain into pleasure too?"
She giggled softly, a sound that sent chills down the spine.
Ley shoved her away violently, his voice sharp as frozen shards: "Is she in the family dungeon?"
"? Why is your eyes only ever on her?!" Shinobu grabbed his hand, her eyes glowing with eager anticipation, her cherry lips pressed tight with resentment.
"Brother, it's just you and me. Let me help you take revenge—anything she can do, I can do better. Let's survive together! I can be your slave too; I'll do whatever you say."
"Whether it's killing that old man who turned into a monster, that thick-headed older brother, or that arrogant princess Satila—we'll make her suffer every torture in the world."
In the next second, Ley drew his cursed blade and, without hesitation, nailed Shinobu's hand to the desk. The blade pierced her palm and sank into the hard wood with a wet squelch.
Blood dripped down the blade, soaking the butterfly patterns on her kimono, turning the pale pink wings dark red.
His voice, cold as if it had crawled up from hell, cut through the air: "Satila is my prey. If anyone's going to torture her, it'll be me. You don't get to touch her."
Shinobu panted, but her face held not just unspeakable pain—there was also a strange, twisted excitement. At Level 30, she could've dodged easily… but she wanted Ley to stab her.
Ley pulled up her status panel, its faint blue light only visible to him:
Name: Shinobu
Class: Alchemist
Level: LV30
Sanity: 44/100 (Sanity < 50: Enter Madness; < 30: See Abnormalities; < 10: Degenerate into Monster)
Health: 90/100
Status: Needs to drink more warm water
Talent: Cute Aura (Who could ever refuse such a cute Shinobu?)
"Little sister, the Greyst family is about to change." Looking at her excited face, Ley felt helpless. He pulled the cursed blade out of her hand—could he really blame her masochism on her dropping sanity? Or had she always been like this?
Somehow, Shinobu had a strange hold on him, making it impossible for him to harm her seriously. Besides, he wasn't a killer of the innocent. Shinobu had treated him well over the years; they'd had a modest but steady friendship—nothing grand, but enough to make him hesitate.
Most importantly, he was just an ordinary man—he couldn't kill a Level 30 Alchemist even if he tried.
"Little sister, the Greyst family is about to fall apart," Ley's voice softened slightly, but there was still a distance in it. "Father's turned into a monster, and the kingdom's nobles are going to move against the family. Are you… going to stand with him?"
"Why would I stand with him?" Shinobu laughed, blood dripping from her palm onto the desk, forming small red circles. "All I want is to watch you succeed in your revenge—to watch rivers of blood flow. As for that older brother… he's just a muscle-for-brains fool."
Ley picked up his cursed blade and walked out the door.
Shinobu watched his retreating back, waving her uninjured hand enthusiastically. This masochistic little devil—her excitement seemed genuine. "Brother, even stabbing people, you're so handsome!"
"Thank you for telling me, brother. I'll survive."
She called out, her voice light.
"Brother, I'm going to the Northern Wastes—the one where a man's balls can freeze off! My mother's distant cousin has a caravan there, and he's hiding some old soldiers who fought with Father back in the day."
"Hello? If you ever hit rock bottom, brother, you can come find me in the Northern Wastes anytime!"
Ley's footsteps paused for a moment, but he didn't look back.
He could picture Shinobu's face right now—smiling, that satisfied, deranged smile of hers. The candlelight in the side hall still flickered, casting her shadow on the wall: it looked like a butterfly with outstretched wings, stained all over with the crimson of madness.