The silence of the Kurohana mansion felt thicker than usual as Tsukiko and I walked side by side down the dark corridor, her expression unreadable. My heart was racing, each beat echoing in my ears. I had so many questions, so many uncertainties—but one thought was clear. Whatever I chose tonight would alter my life forever.

  I couldn’t hold back one question that had been nagging at me since this whole thing began.

  “Tsukiko,” I said, my voice barely a whisper in the quiet hall. She gnced at me, waiting, her eyes dark and calm. “That night… the night I met you. Why were you outside, alone?”

  She paused, her gaze shifting away as though considering her answer. For a moment, I thought she might brush it off, but then she took a slow breath, her voice softer than I’d ever heard.

  “I… wasn’t supposed to be there,” she began, her eyes distant, as if recalling a memory both painful and vivid. “That night was the first time I had ever gone beyond the mansion walls alone.”

  I blinked, surprised. “Why would you go outside, then?"

  Tsukiko’s lips twitched into the faintest hint of a smile, one tinged with sadness. “You see, Kazuki… when you’re bound to a life like mine, freedom becomes something… precious. Something you begin to crave.” She hesitated, then continued, “I wanted to know what the world was like without my family’s protection, without a role to py. Even if just for a moment.”

  I nodded slowly, understanding the weight of her words. She wasn’t just a vampire heiress—she was someone who yearned for a connection to a life she could never fully have. And, in some strange way, that connected us. We both wanted more than the roles we’d been given.

  “Freedom,” I repeated, more to myself than to her.

  “Yes,” she replied softly. “That’s what I was seeking that night. And, strangely enough, I found something else… something unexpected.”

  Our eyes met, and I felt an unspoken understanding pass between us. In that moment, the divide between our worlds seemed smaller.

  Before I could respond, we reached a fancy-looking door. Tsukiko’s expression hardened again, and she gestured for me to enter.

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  Inside, Akito awaited us in an empty but bright room. Not one object can be seen this empty room, except rge, ornate desk. On the desk was a single piece of parchment, heavy and aged, with elegant script flowing across its surface. A faint, almost mystical glow seemed to emanate from the paper, as though it was no ordinary contract.

  “Kazuki, please sit.” Akito motioned to the seat in front of him.

  I obeyed, my heart thudding in my chest. The weight of the moment settled over me, thick and almost oppressive. I could feel the eyes of both Akito and Tsukiko on me, watching, waiting.

  “This is the contract that will bind you to the Kurohana family and, specifically, to my daughter, Tsukiko,” Akito began, his voice steady and authoritative. “By signing this, you accept the responsibilities and privileges that come with being her tutor… and her servant.”

  The st word hung in the air, heavier than I’d anticipated. Servant. I was agreeing to be more than a mentor or a guide—I was binding myself to Tsukiko, agreeing to serve her and her family.

  I took a deep breath, staring down at the contract. “And… if I break it?”

  Akito’s gaze hardened, his voice dropping to a quiet, almost menacing tone. “If you break this oath, Kazuki, the consequences will be… severe.”

  I swallowed, feeling a chill crawl down my spine. “Severe how?”

  “There is magic woven into this contract,” Akito expined, his eyes never leaving mine. “If you choose to abandon your duties, your very essence will suffer. You will feel an emptiness, a pain unlike anything you have ever known. This contract does not allow for betrayal.”

  The room felt colder, and I could barely breathe as his words settled over me. This wasn’t just a job or a title—it was a binding commitment, one that would not forgive disloyalty.

  “So… no going back,” I murmured.

  Akito nodded. “No going back.”

  I closed my eyes and allowed the seriousness of his words to sink in. Taking the time to study the contract, I verified that everything Akito said is present. This was the final choice, a step that would fully immerse me in a world I barely comprehended. But when I looked at Tsukiko, I realized I wanted to be a part of that world—to see what was behind the curtain of mystery and tradition. Something tells me that signing this will cause huge changes, but I've already decided what to do.

  Opening my eyes, I reached for the quill on the desk, my hand trembling slightly. I dipped it into the inkwell, watching as the dark ink spread across the nib, and then, with a deep breath, I signed my name.

  As soon as the st stroke was complete, the ink seemed to glow, sinking into the parchment as though it had been absorbed into the very paper itself. I pulled my hand back, the faint tingle of magic lingering on my fingertips.

  “It is done,” Akito said, his voice carrying a note of finality. “From this moment forward, you are bound to the Kurohana family.”

  I nodded, feeling both exhirated and terrified. There was no turning back now—I am now part of their world.

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  Akito stepped back, gncing at Tsukiko, who stood beside him, her expression unreadable. “There is one final formality,” he said. “The Blessing.”

  Tsukiko took a step forward, her gaze meeting mine with a mixture of determination and something else—something I couldn’t quite identify.

  “Are you… ready?” she asked, her voice softer than usual.

  I nodded, though my heart raced with fear. “Yeah. I’m ready.”

  She took another step closer, close enough that I could feel her cool breath against my skin. She pced a hand on my shoulder, steadying me as she leaned in, her gaze never wavering.

  I felt her lips brush across the flesh on my neck, and her hand tighten on my shoulder. Then, in an instant, her fangs pierced my flesh. A sudden, stinging pain went through me as she slowly drew the blood from my neck. The sensation of being sucked fears me, yet it doesn't hurt as much as I thought. As she drew back, a weird feeling radiated from the bite mark, traveling through my body like a soft, pulsing glow.

  “This is… to bind you to me, Kazuki,” she murmured. “It is a symbol of trust, a mark that will connect us.”

  Tsukiko stepped back, her eyes meeting mine with a sense of finality. “The bond is complete.”

  I touched the mark on my neck, feeling the warmth that lingered there. It wasn’t just a physical sensation—it was something deeper, a connection that seemed to settle into my very being.

  Akito’s voice broke the silence. “Welcome, Kazuki Tanaka, as a member of the Kurohana family.”