[Hayasaka Ai's affinity has increased—G-Points +10]
[Hayasaka Ai's affinity has increased—G-Points +30]
[Hayasaka Ai's affinity has increased—G-Points +50]
[....]
[Detected that Hayasaka Ai's affinity has reached friend level. Reward: 100 G-Points]
[Hayasaka Ai's affinity has increased—G-Points +50]
The cold moonlight spilled onto the ground, covering the silent Shinomiya residence in a layer of silver.
In the years she had been Shinomiya Kaguya's personal maid, Hayasaka Ai was tormented daily by this guilt, to the point of near collapse.
The young girl had also fantasized about someone coming to save them, but as she grew older, the post-adolescent Hayasaka Ai no longer hoped for a so-called hero to appear.
Instead, her belief that she had to rely on herself became stronger! She reported Kaguya's actions to the main Shinomiya family behind her back, and she gathered information on the Shinomiya family behind everyone's back, all for the sake of Kaguya's happiness.
And tonight, a dream she had had many years ago was realized by this man....
Uchiha Ryo looked at Hayasaka Ai. This girl was finally starting to contribute G-Points.
Hayasaka Ai turned to look at Uchiha Ryo. Her thin, pale pink lips moved slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but didn't know how to begin.
"What are you looking at?"
"I'm looking at you (and your rapidly rising affinity!)."
The words came out subconsciously. Uchiha Ryo cleared his throat and closed his mouth without saying the rest. Although Hayasaka Ai had been a complete miser before, her current growth rate was already about to surpass his number two G-Point contributor!
Looking at me?!
The expression on Hayasaka Ai's face didn't change, but the frequency of her heartbeat unconsciously quickened.
"Are you... one of Shinomiya Un'yo's men?"
Uchiha Ryo shook his head. "You have it backwards."
"Hmm?"
"In short, Shinomiya Un'yo and I are partners. As for the specific details, that's not for you to know. You just need to know that as long as I'm here, the vortex of the Shinomiya family will not involve Shinomiya Kaguya."
Hayasaka Ai nodded. "In that case, I won't ask."
Seeing that Hayasaka Ai really showed no curiosity at all, Uchiha Ryo became interested.
"You're not really planning on investigating me, are you?"
Hayasaka Ai paused in her steps. "Most people in this world hide themselves. When facing different people, they wear different masks. I have no interest in uncovering other people's masks."
"Eh, but I'm very interested in your masks, Hayasaka-san. The you at school and the you at the Shinomiya residence, which one is the real you under the mask!"
[Hayasaka Nao's affinity has increased—G-Points +50]
"Well~ It is my daughter's honor that Young Master Ryo has taken an interest in her. At the same time, I must also thank you for lightening this child's burden."
Upon hearing this familiar voice, Hayasaka Ai couldn't suppress her excitement at all. She turned and ran to the person who had spoken.
"Mother~"
Uchiha Ryo looked at the two with curiosity. This woman, Hayasaka Nao, who didn't look much older than Hayasaka Ai, was actually quite a bit older than Hiratsuka-sensei. But she was remarkably well-preserved, showing no traces of age at all.
"Young Master Un'yo has already given his instructions. Young Master Ryo is his important guest. Ai, I will be returning to the main residence with Young Master Un'yo tomorrow. All of your work will be handed over to Young Master Ryo to handle."
The dejection in Hayasaka Ai's expression was plain to see. "Oh, you're leaving tomorrow..."
"That's why I finished my work quickly, so I could come and see my daughter."
Hayasaka Ai instantly became like an elementary school student being praised by her mother, her every emotion written plainly on her face.
Uchiha Ryo seemed to have seen the face beneath Hayasaka Ai's masks. It seemed that the "maid Hayasaka" for the Shinomiya family was also a mask. Only when truly facing her mother was Hayasaka the schoolgirl who could still act spoiled.
"But it's getting late now. Ai, go accompany... escort Young Master Ryo back to his room to sleep."
Hayasaka Ai pouted. "Mother, I still want to talk with you more...."
"Ai, we are at the Shinomiya residence. Here, work must come first. We can talk about other things tomorrow."
Hayasaka Ai hung her head dejectedly, just as Hayasaka Nao turned and bowed to Uchiha Ryo.
"Young Master Ryo, I'll leave my daughter in your care."
"Mhm, you can leave her to me without worry."
Hayasaka Ai: "???"
"Wait a minute, are you two really talking about work?!"
Hayasaka Nao left, and Uchiha Ryo looked at Hayasaka Ai and said.
"It really is getting late. Let's go to sleep."
"Oh...."
A minute later, Hayasaka Ai stopped impatiently and turned to look at Uchiha Ryo.
"U... Young Master Ryo, weren't you going to sleep? Why are you following me?"
Uchiha Ryo threw up his hands. "How would I know where to sleep? That guy Shinomiya Un'yo didn't tell me."
Hayasaka Ai raised her eyebrows. "Then what are you following me for?"
"There's no other choice. I'll just have to crash in your room for the night. Didn't Ms. Nao tell you to escort me back to my room?"
"Huh?! Guests should properly stay in the guest rooms!"
Hayasaka Ai led Uchiha Ryo to an empty room in the Shinomiya residence. After a simple cleaning, she pushed him inside.
"Tsk tsk, you cleaned it so well. I should just take Hayasaka Ai home with me to... take care of the housework."
Uchiha Ryo once again envied Shinomiya Kaguya for having this personal maid. Sooner or later, he would capture both the master and the servant.
Lying on the bed, Uchiha Ryo first sorted through the G-Points he had harvested just today.
"I've already saved up two thousand G-Points... Anyway, I'll save up for the Flying Thunder God Jutsu first."
Uchiha Ryo's primary goal was still the essential Flying Thunder God for travel and escape. As for the Mangekyo Sharingan, to be honest, Uchiha Ryo didn't need it for the time being. After all, using the ordinary Mangekyo's ocular powers would cause his eyesight to deteriorate.
Unless Uchiha Ryo could save up enough G-Points for the Eternal Mangekyo, he would just forget about it for now.
He took out his phone and habitually browsed the internet. Suddenly, a private message from the official e-book store website caught Uchiha Ryo's attention.
[Kasumi Utako: Thank you very much for your review, dear reader. If possible, could you share your detailed thoughts on Love Metronome?]
Uchiha Ryo remembered. He seemed to have given her a ten-thousand-yen tip last time, along with a positive review.
The private message had been sent in the afternoon. At that time, Uchiha Ryo was still at the banquet playing the NG Word Game and hadn't noticed it at all.
[Of course]
He sent the private message. Just as Uchiha Ryo was about to see if Kashiwagi Eri had released any new works, Kasumi Utako replied instantly.
"This girl isn't sleeping so late at night? Could she be writing? How admirable."
In a certain apartment not far from Toyogasaki in the Tokyo area, a girl with long black hair and a white hairband was sitting on her bed in a state of conflict.
She wasn't writing, because she had not a single drop left! It was still uncertain whether the second volume of Love Metronome would be canceled. Right now, the girl just wanted to find someone to talk to.
[This... Mr. Anonymous, regarding Love Metronome, please, I must hear a reader's thoughts!]