The girl standing before him was tall and graceful, her long purple hair cascading down her back. With her large eyes, fair skin, and sharp, striking features, her mixed heritage was undeniable at a glance.
Adrian wasn't the type to be easily swayed by beauty—he had seen enough in his former life—but his shock stemmed from recognition, not just attraction. It was the first female protagonist of Highschool of the Dead, the lethal upperclassman, Saeko Busujima!
How could she be here?
"Saeko?"
After a moment of hesitation, he tried to say the name in a natural tone.
"Hai! Does Father have any further instructions?"
Hearing his call, Saeko, who had been about to pack up her cleaning tools, quickly turned and bowed respectfully. In a wealthy, traditional Japanese household like the Busujimas, the hierarchy was absolute. No matter the situation, Saeko had to maintain a respectful attitude when an elder spoke.
'Gulp!'
Adrian swallowed hard. It really was Saeko Busujima.
This meant the person he had replaced was her father, Masao Busujima.
He quickly processed this information and felt a wave of relief. In the lore of Highschool of the Dead, Saeko possessed the highest individual combat power of the main cast, having won the All-Japan High School Kendo Championship. Her father, however, was considered the greatest swordsman in Japan. Furthermore, Masao never actually appeared in the anime; he was essentially a background lore character. Replacing him was acceptable—safe, even.
As he relaxed, Adrian slowly looked at Saeko, who remained bowed before him. Suddenly, a surge of heat rushed through his veins.
It was late at night, and Saeko was wearing only a thin nightgown. Because she was bent forward in a deep bow, the angle offered a generous view down her neckline. Her tall, slender figure, honed by years of kendo training, combined with the youthful aura of a high school girl, created an irresistible temptation.
However, Adrian knew he absolutely couldn't show weakness now. In her eyes, he was her father. If he displayed inappropriate desire, who knew how she would react? That sword strike earlier had drained his stamina; he wasn't entirely sure he could beat Saeko in a fight right now. It would be too embarrassing for a villain to be killed by his own "daughter" for acting like a pervert in the prologue.
"It's nothing. Just clean up," he said, forcing his voice to remain calm as he averted his gaze from her chest.
"Yes!"
Saeko harbored no suspicions. Although she felt her father's gaze had been slightly intense, she didn't dwell on it. Given the prestige and discipline Masao Busujima had built over the years, she would never imagine something as bizarre as possession.
She returned to her task, kneeling on the floor to wipe the tatami mats.
Watching Saeko work, Adrian felt an uncontrollable fire burning in his gut. Was she doing this on purpose?
As a key character in Highschool of the Dead, Saeko's figure was world-class, enough to put real-life models to shame. When she knelt to clean, the motion of her body and the curve of her hips were mesmerizing. From behind, she looked tempting enough to devour.
"I'm going out for some fresh air."
Feeling that something disastrous was about to happen if he kept watching, Adrian used every ounce of his willpower to suppress his urges. He pushed open the door and walked out.
He had no choice. If he didn't leave, his body would betray him. If Saeko discovered that her "father" was having a physical reaction to her, it would complicate his plans before they even began.
Stepping out of the secret room into the cool night breeze, Adrian finally felt his head clear.
'Damn it. As expected of an ecchi world... such a big gift right from the start.'
He looked back toward the room where Saeko was still cleaning and shook his head with a self-deprecating smile. When he watched the anime, Saeko had been his favorite character. Upon realizing this was his first world, he had fantasized about various ways to pursue her.
But now... his identity was Masao Busujima. How could he pursue her?
Let alone romance, if he showed even a hint of lust, Saeko—with her strict moral code—might fight him to the death. While Japan had its eccentricities, a father-daughter relationship was still a massive taboo.
It seemed he needed a foolproof plan if he wanted to claim her.
Shaking his head to clear away the distracting thoughts, he began to focus on gathering intelligence. First, he needed to establish the timeline.
The Busujima family was prominent in Japan. Masao was not only a master swordsman but also a hereditary landowner. The estate covered thousands of square meters, staffed by two permanent servants in addition to the family.
Adrian was cautious around Saeko, fearing she might spot a change in his personality, but he had no such scruples with the servants. Even if he slipped up, they wouldn't dare question the master of the house.
Soon, Adrian learned what he needed to know.
It was currently the end of August. Saeko would be starting her second year of high school in a few days. Furthermore, the renovation of his dojo in the United States was reportedly nearing completion; it was scheduled to open and accept students around the beginning of October.
'So, I still have nearly two months?'
Dismissing the servants with a wave of his hand, Adrian leaned back in his room to strategize.
In the original plot, when the zombie apocalypse broke out, Saeko had already been in her second year for a month or two, and Masao was in the US. This meant that, conservatively speaking, he had a buffer of at least forty to fifty days.
This novice mission wasn't difficult at all; the system only required him to survive in this world for one year.
He had expected to be thrown directly into a horde of zombies, but the outbreak was still months away. It truly lived up to its reputation as a "welfare" instance for new players. Even if he weren't a martial arts master—even if he were just an ordinary office worker—with this much prep time, surviving for a year would be a walk in the park.
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