"What do you mean you don't know?"
Ai Hayasaka looked puzzled at Kaguya Shinomiya, who was curled up on the sofa with her head lowered:
"Do you have someone you like?"
"...How could there possibly be such a thing?" Kaguya Shinomiya couldn't help retorting.
Hearing this, Ai Hayasaka frowned: "Then do you feel that sacrificing for the Shinomiya family isn't the future you want?"
"That's not it either. Father's kindness is something I can never repay in my lifetime."
Kaguya Shinomiya's expression was particularly complex as she said this.
With both answers denied, Ai Hayasaka had to make an assumption that fit Kaguya Shinomiya's character:
"Then, you simply look down on Lord Luo Shu?"
Luo Shu's eyebrow twitched upon hearing this - how did it come back to him?
Although he'd been dragged into this, Luo Shu was quite curious about what Kaguya Shinomiya thought of him.
A false noble raised with elite education probably looked down on someone like him, a commoner, from the bottom of her heart, right?
Yet at that moment, Kaguya Shinomiya couldn't help but lift her head, saying with an exasperated expression:
"What kind of joke is this? Hasn't it always been you who looked down on me?"
Ai Hayasaka froze at these words, instinctively turning her head to look at Luo Shu.
Hearing Kaguya Shinomiya's response, Luo Shu was momentarily taken aback before letting out a light chuckle:
"So that's how it is!!"
"It seems I haven't hidden my thoughts very well, to be seen through so easily."
Hearing this, Ai Hayasaka glanced over with slight surprise, saying somewhat astonished:
"Lord Luo Shu, you actually looked down on Lady Kaguya from the beginning?"
"It's not exactly looking down on her. More like I understood her somewhat from the start, knew she was an incredibly troublesome woman, so I felt somewhat resistant."
Luo Shu tilted his head in thought before explaining with a smile:
"After all, considering Kaguya Shinomiya's personality under normal circumstances, her first thought upon learning of my existence would be how to use me, wouldn't it?"
As these words fell, both Ai Hayasaka and Kaguya Shinomiya herself immediately fell silent.
After all, what Luo Shu said was completely true - it was exactly what Kaguya Shinomiya had intended to do when originally approaching Luo Shu.
At this moment, both of them keenly realised what Luo Shu found objectionable.
With her intentions known from the very beginning, Kaguya Shinomiya being disliked was almost inevitable.
"So that's why you felt indifferent toward Lady Kaguya?"
In an instant, Ai Hayasaka understood Luo Shu's subtle feelings toward Kaguya Shinomiya - that sense of looking down on her yet not wanting to let go completely, like staring at chicken ribs.
Admitting Kaguya Shinomiya into the Familia could indeed provide points as resources for growth, but no one would find it pleasant to deal with a woman who instinctively wanted to use them.
With so many beautiful, good-natured girls in the Familia, Luo Shu really had no need to seek out troublesome chicken ribs.
Under these circumstances, Luo Shu's attitude toward Kaguya Shinomiya was naturally one of indifference.
And Kaguya Shinomiya, having realised this, became particularly wary of Luo Shu.
These two... were just like two hedgehogs, from the very beginning pointing all their spines toward each other.
Having sorted this out, Ai Hayasaka sighed and said:
"I understand. So for you, Lord Luo Shu, Lady Kaguya's value lies in her submission?"
"More or less." Luo Shu didn't intend to elaborate on this matter, merely giving a perfunctory response.
By now, Ai Hayasaka had already understood something. She turned to look at Kaguya Shinomiya and said:
"Lady, I believe you should know what choice to make now."
Hearing this, Kaguya Shinomiya immediately fell silent.
She curled up her body, squatting on the sofa, sitting there for quite a while before finally raising her head again. She looked at Ai Hayasaka, glanced at Luo Shu beside her, then said in a trembling voice:
"I understand. It's just becoming a trained toy, right? I'll do it."
Hearing this, Ai Hayasaka didn't say anything, instead turning to Luo Shu and saying:
"Then, Lord Luo Shu, could you send Lady back?"
Then, Ai Hayasaka softly explained: "After all, if Lady really stays here, I'm afraid I won't be able to let loose."
"Hmm?" Luo Shu raised an eyebrow at these words, his expression somewhat peculiar as he said: "Personally, I don't really mind either way."
"Ai..." Kaguya Shinomiya froze momentarily, then immediately darkened her expression as she said: "Just what are you trying to do?!"
First pushing her to make a decision, then preventing her from falling into Luo Shu's clutches - what exactly was this person trying to accomplish?
"I'm not trying to do anything."
Ai Hayasaka looked at Kaguya Shinomiya with an expressionless face and a condescending gaze as she said:
"It's just that if the young mistress continues staying here, she'll only be in the way..."
"Moreover, given the young mistress's jealous nature, if she were to become Lord Luo Shu's woman, she would only make things very complicated."
"After all, you're the type who can barely tolerate even your personal maid, aren't you?"
Seeing Kaguya Shinomiya about to open her mouth to refute, Ai Hayasaka immediately reminded her:
"Don't deny it. After all, this isn't the first time you've told even Miss Fujiwara that you wish she would just die quickly."
Hearing this, Kaguya Shinomiya immediately shut her mouth, staring at Ai Hayasaka with a deeply frustrated expression.
In response, Ai Hayasaka merely stated impassively:
"So from a personal perspective, maintaining your single status might be more advantageous for the Shinomiya family."
"After all, even the Shinomiya family wouldn't want to be dragged into conflicts with numerous important figures within the Hidden Management Department due to your jealousy, would they?"
"Hayasaka..."
Kaguya Shinomiya's face flushed red with anger upon hearing this.
"You planned to tease me with this man from the very beginning, didn't you?"
"This must be it, absolutely!"
"It's excellent that you've realised this."
Ai Hayasaka breathed a sigh of relief, then a pleased smile spread across her face:
"As a toy, your naivety is truly outstanding."
As she spoke, Ai Hayasaka untied the ropes from Kaguya Shinomiya's wrists and said with a smile:
"Then, could I ask you to leave promptly?"
Furious, Kaguya Shinomiya plopped down on the chair, crossing her arms:
"You're delusional if you think I'm going anywhere."
"If that's the case, then there's no helping it."
While speaking, Ai Hayasaka removed her hairband, letting her hair down as she smiled at Luo Shu:
"Although there might be an annoying presence here, I imagine you wouldn't mind, Lord Luo Shu?"
Hearing this, Luo Shu couldn't help but widen his eyes, watching as Ai Hayasaka approached him, and couldn't resist commenting:
"You master and servant pair certainly have unusual ways of playing around."
As his words fell, Ai Hayasaka didn't give Luo Shu another chance to speak.
Meanwhile, Kaguya Shinomiya, who had been observing everything, felt for the first time that she had made a grave error in judgment.
She should have followed Ai Hayasaka's suggestion and left directly, rather than pretending to be stubborn and staying.
That Hayasaka had been provoking her to stay from the very beginning.
When she realised this, Kaguya Shinomiya couldn't help but shed tears of regret...