The Absolute Will: The Lifespan Collector's Harem-Chapter 393: I Am a Kind Person

Ryuya Kofukuji had been overjoyed that his grandfather could be saved. But that joy was instantly extinguished by a bucket of ice water when he heard the price. He felt cold from head to toe, his lips trembling. He thought he had misheard, but then he saw the youth’s finger pointing directly at his childhood friend and maid, Anri Shiroki.

His world spun. He nearly collapsed from the weight of his grief and fury. His first reaction was to scream, "NO!!! I DON’T AGREE!!"

Trading Anri was out of the question! She wasn’t just a servant; she was his closest companion, the girl he had grown up with, the girl he secretly loved. How could he agree to such a thing?

But the elders ignored his outburst. To them, the survival of the patriarch was everything. Alex’s offer was more than fair; it was a bargain. Anri wasn’t even a blood member of the Kofukuji family. Using her to buy five years for the Patriarch was the most logical choice they could make.

Even Anri knew this. In the hierarchy of the Kofukuji family, her life was nowhere near the value of Taro’s. But knowing it didn’t make it any easier to accept being traded like a piece of livestock. She was just a maid; she had no voice here.

"Please, relax, classmate," Alex said, his eyes moving from the cold faces of the elders to Ryuya’s pale, trembling ones. "I won’t ’hurt’ the little maid. I just find her quite to my taste. I’m very interested in her." Alex deliberately licked his lips in front of Ryuya, a wicked smirk on his face. "I want to get... deeply acquainted with her."

The suggestive tone was lost on no one. Ryuya’s face turned from pale to a deep, humiliated red. "Anri is my maid! I will not agree to this!!"

"Oh, so you two are close," Alex blinked, seemingly unbothered. "It seems she’s more important to you than your grandfather. Poor old man... dying because of an insignificant maid. How tragic."

"You—!" Ryuya’s teeth ground together. He found Alex absolutely repulsive. It wasn’t that Anri was more important than his grandfather, but why did it have to be like this? This bastard had clearly targeted her from the start!

Anri remained silent, the center of everyone’s gaze. She watched her childhood friend try to defend her, while the others looked on with cold indifference.

"Ryuya, that’s enough," Ichiro snapped at his son. "Mr. Alex is not an ordinary man. Be respectful! His trade is more than fair. In fact, we are the ones benefiting." He turned a slightly softer gaze to Anri. "Though it’s a bit unfair to Anri, Mr. Alex said he won’t hurt her. What are you worried about?" 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"But Father, Anri and I..."

"RYUYA! Are you going to risk your grandfather’s life and the entire family’s future for your own selfish desires?" Ichiro’s voice boomed. "This isn’t about you! This is about the clan! Everything gives way to your grandfather’s survival!"

The other elders chimed in. "Ichiro is right. A maid for the Patriarch’s recovery? It’s a steal." "She’s just a servant, Ryuya. Think of the big picture."

Ryuya’s head was ringing. He felt a fire of resentment burning in his chest, but he was powerless. Family duty, his grandfather’s life, or the girl he loved? The choice was agonizing.

"I’m actually a very kind person," Alex said, watching the "good cop, bad cop" routine with amusement. "Miracles are called miracles because they are impossible. Only I can make this old man recover. You understand that, right?"

Alex strolled over to Ryuya, meeting his burning gaze with a cocky tilt of his head. "Trading a little maid is quite generous of me. Otherwise... if I asked for Mrs. Kofukuji instead, wouldn’t that be worse?"

Mrs. Kofukuji? You mean my mother?! Everyone, including Ryuya and Anri, twitched. The "mysterious master" filter shattered instantly. This kid was a total deviant!

Ichiro flushed, looking panicked. "Mr. Alex, please... if you need women, there are other girls in our extended family I could introduce—" He was terrified. If Alex asked for his wife, he’d be the one in the hot seat.

"Haha, I’m just joking," Alex said, though he didn’t look like he was. "I’m not interested in the other girls. Only this maid. So, what is your decision?"

"It’s settled!" the elders shouted, terrified that Alex would change his mind or increase his price. "Anri, from this moment on, you belong to Mr. Alex. You will follow him. The Kofukuji family will not forget your sacrifice."

They won’t forget my sacrifice? No, they just want to use me to keep a bridge to this man, Anri thought bitterly. Her fate had been decided in a few sentences. She didn’t even dare to look at Ryuya; she could feel his heart breaking.

"Anri Shiroki, I look forward to working with you," Alex said, reaching out. When she didn’t move, he didn’t feel awkward. Instead, he reached out and grabbed her chin, tilting her face up. He ran his thumb over her lips and nose.

He was fondling her openly, and Ryuya could only watch, his heart being put through a meat grinder.