Bookshelves loomed, their shadows dancing in the hearth's fading glow, while burgundy curtains trapped the room's heat like a lover's sigh.
Takuya stood with a book propped open.
Seraphina moaned.
Maelia's curious.
This house is a MILF minefield, and I'm the detonator.
The door creaked, admitting Dera, a housemaid as starkly different from Maelia as steel from silk.
Angular and precise, her crisp uniform buttoned to the wrists, her dark hair bound in a tight bun without a single stray strand.
Her movements were military-sharp, each step a testament to discipline as she carried a tray of folded linens to the side cabinet.
Her pale skin and rigid posture screamed rule-bound repression, a challenge that made Takuya's pervert brain grin.
She arranged the cloths by size, her expression neutral, her efficiency a fortress.
The system pulsed softly, crimson text flickering in his vision:
Arousal Aura Detection – Target: Dera – Housemaid
Repression Level: 91%
Current Arousal: 4%
Curiosity: 3% (Rising)
Resistance Type: Duty-bound + Self-control Discipline
Perfect, Takuya thought, his grin forming, eyes tracing her crisp silhouette.
A walking challenge.
He strolled across the room, not directly toward her but close enough to brush the edge of his 2.5-meter aura radius, his boots soft on the rug.
"You know," he said casually, voice light and teasing, "you fold with remarkable precision."
Dera paused, her dark eyes flicking to him, sharp and assessing.
"It is my job, sir," she said flatly, resuming her task with mechanical precision.
"Still," Takuya continued, stepping closer, his aura's musk wafting subtly, "I've never seen linen pleats that straight."
He let his gaze drift—almost too low, lingering on the crisp line of her skirt—before meeting her eyes again, his smile wicked.
"I imagine you're very… steady with your hands."
A tiny muscle twitched in her jaw, her fingers faltering for a heartbeat.
The system pinged.
Arousal: +2% (Total: 6%)
Resistance Strained: Subtext Recognition threshold breached
Curiosity: 5%
Takuya leaned slightly closer, the citrus air warming between them, his voice dropping to a playful murmur. "I wonder how well you keep that discipline under… pressure."
Dera's head snapped toward him, her dark eyes narrowing.
"Excuse me?" Her tone was sharp, but a faint flush crept up her neck, betraying her fortress.
Takuya smiled, stepping back, hands raised in mock surrender, his coat parting to reveal a sliver of chest.
"Just admiring craftsmanship," he said, his grin teasing, eyes locked on hers.
Dera blinked, her composure cracking as she reached for the tray, her cheeks now visibly flushed.
Her grip slipped, the tray tilting, and three linens slid off—one fluttering to the floor like a defeated flag. She knelt instantly, face crimson, stammering, "I—my apologies—"
Takuya crouched beside her, retrieving a fallen cloth, his fingers brushing hers—brief, electric, the contact sparking through his aura.
"Even professionals have their moments," he said quietly, voice soft but suggestive, his gaze holding hers.
Her fingers trembled, her breath catching faintly.
The system chimed.
SYSTEM UPDATE
Arousal Aura Verified Effective: High-restraint targets
System Favor: +1 for teasing without sustained contact
Passive Growth: Arousal Aura range extended to 3 meters
Arousal: 8%
Curiosity: 9%
Progress toward MILF Affinity I: 57%
Dera stood quickly, clutching the linens, her voice tight.
"Thank you," she muttered, her dignity a blushing armful as she hurried out, her crisp steps faltering slightly.
Takuya grinned at her retreating back, his pervert brain savoring the victory.
Two down. Countless to go.