The black luxury sedan glided elegantly through the city streets. 望月紗良 sat in the passenger seat, gazing out the window. The cityscape shifted gradually. From the business district lined with mid-rise buildings to a quiet residential area. And now, finally, they were climbing the slope toward Shirokane. (Is this really happening...?) She still couldn't believe yesterday's events at the hotel were real. Time had stopped the moment she signed the contract. The cold, piercing gaze of 蒼葉蓮也 in his black suit wouldn't leave her mind. The driver proceeded in silence. Professional. Composed. He was probably part of the Silverstone Group too. 望月紗良 drew a small breath. The slope continued. Fewer streetlights. The view opening up. And then— It appeared. The 蒼葉 mansion towering on the heights of Shirokane. 1,200 tsubo of land. A three-story white palace. The moment the car passed through the gate, 望月紗良 caught her breath. Wide grounds divided left and right. In the courtyard, a weeping cherry tree with eighty years of growth spread its branches serenely. Those branches, waiting for spring, seemed to speak of the weight of time she had experienced yesterday. The car stopped. The entrance hall stairs. Marble paving at the gate. And the front door. The driver opened her door with reverence. As 望月紗良 stepped out clutching her Boston bag, a woman appeared from the entrance. 瀬尾つぐみ. Fifty-two years old. Her silver-white hair was pulled back in a severe bun, her body wrapped in a black kimono. The head housekeeper. Her eyes, though jet-black, held a sharp, observant gaze. An old scar marked her left wrist. The unconscious gesture of hiding it with her sleeve spoke of long years in the 蒼葉 household. "Miss 望月紗良, I presume. We have been expecting you." Her voice was low, matter-of-fact. But there was no warmth in that greeting—no "welcome" to be felt. Rather, her cool gaze swept over 望月紗良's cheap suit from top to bottom. 望月紗良 straightened her spine instinctively. "Thank you for having me." Her voice caught slightly. Nerves. 瀬尾つぐみ must have noticed. But her expression didn't change. "I see you have only one bag." "Yes. I was told you would provide what I need..." "Indeed. Allow me to show you inside." The moment 望月紗良 stepped into the entrance hall, she felt the weight of reality for the first time. The height of the ceiling. The soaring open space. The marble floor. Expensive paintings lined the walls. A chandelier cast soft light. Everything was a world she had never seen before. Her entire family apartment in Kawasaki was perhaps a fraction of this foyer. They climbed the stairs. The hallway carpet was so thick her feet sank into it. More paintings adorned the walls. 瀬尾つぐみ led the way, speaking little. "The chairman's bedroom is on the third floor. Your room is on the second floor." "Ah, yes..." 蓮也 was somewhere beyond this hallway. That fact alone made her heart leap. They arrived on the second floor. 瀬尾つぐみ opened a door. "This is your room." 望月紗良 stepped inside and lost her words. More than twenty tatami mats of space. A king-size bed. A walk-in closet. A private bathroom. From the floor-to-ceiling windows, Tokyo's night view spread before her. Compared to her Kawasaki apartment, this room alone was worth several times more. No—comparison itself felt rude. It was a different world entirely. "We have prepared clothing for your daily needs in the closet. Dinner is at six o'clock in the main dining room. Should you need anything or have any questions, please use the intercom on the wall." "Th-thank you..." 瀬尾つぐみ left without expression. Alone, 望月紗良 moved toward the closet. When she opened it, she was speechless. Dresses. One-pieces. Suits. Casual wear. All brand new. Designer brands exclusively. Underwear. Shoes. Bags. It felt as though her entire life had been replaced. She sat on the bed. A knock came at the door. "Yes?" Before she could answer, the door opened. 蒼葉蓮也 appeared. He had removed his suit, wearing only a white shirt and black trousers. Yet the pressure radiating from him remained unchanged. Jet-black hair fell across his eyes. Behind it, those obsidian pupils held a cold precision—and something else. Something unfathomably deep. 望月紗良 stood up hastily. "Ah... Renia—" "蒼葉." That single word overwhelmed her. 蒼葉蓮也 turned toward the window, his back to her. 望月紗良 steadied her breathing. "For the next three years, this is your place. You will lack for nothing." The words were flat. Emotionless. But the "welcome" and "don't worry" embedded in them didn't reach her. This was a contract. An obligation. A transaction. "Thank you." Her voice was small. 蒼葉蓮也 didn't turn around. He only gazed at Tokyo's night view. Then it came. A bright, cheerful laugh from downstairs. "蓮也様, you must be tired! Oh, is someone here?" Footsteps approached. 望月紗良's heart jumped. The door opened. A beautiful woman appeared. Long blonde hair in gentle waves. Dressed in a deep crimson gown. Small diamond earrings lined her right ear. Her ruby-colored eyes were sharp yet seductive. 蒼葉美咲. Twenty-five years old. 蒼葉蓮也's cousin. The moment her eyes recognized 望月紗良, her smile twisted slightly. "Oh... is this the person I've heard about?" Her voice held the sweetness of sugar, with thorns hidden beneath. "I am 望月紗良." 望月紗良 greeted her respectfully. 蒼葉美咲 stepped closer, examining her from head to toe. "My... what a lovely person. I'm surprised 蓮也様 would choose someone so... plain." The contempt in those words was unmistakable. "美咲." 蒼葉蓮也's voice cut through, cold as ice. "Don't meddle." Yet 蒼葉美咲 only smiled. That smile appeared elegant, but beneath it burned fierce jealousy. 望月紗良 sensed it immediately. "Oh, 蓮也様. So we must handle her with care?" 蒼葉美咲 placed a hand on 望月紗良's shoulder—an intimate gesture between friends. But there was subtle pressure in that touch. (This person...) 望月紗良 understood instantly. 蒼葉美咲 saw her as an enemy. The main dining room was even more lavish. A long table for twelve. 蒼葉蓮也 at the head. 望月紗良's seat beside him. A French course prepared by the housekeeper 堂島芳江. Appetizers. Soup. Fish. Main course. Each plate was a work of art. But 望月紗良's throat was tight with tension. 蒼葉美咲 sat across from her, her gaze never leaving 望月紗良. "蓮也様, why did you suddenly decide to marry?" 蒼葉美咲 asked elegantly, sipping her wine. "Family circumstances." "I see. 蓮也様 always hides your true feelings, don't you? Since childhood..." Those words carried hidden history. A childhood betrothal. Shared memories with 蒼葉蓮也. All of it compressed into that single sentence. But 蒼葉蓮也 remained expressionless, continuing to eat his main course. "By the way, what was your occupation, Miss 望月?" "I worked in administration at Nagi Wood Trading." "Trading? Oh, that small..." 蒼葉美咲 trailed off. In that trailing lay obvious contempt. A mid-sized trading company with thirty employees was essentially nonexistent in the 蒼葉 world. 望月紗良 continued eating silently, refusing to engage. But her silence itself seemed to frustrate 蒼葉美咲. "How did you meet 蓮也様?" "Don't ask that." 蒼葉蓮也 cut her off sharply. 望月紗良 stiffened. 蒼葉美咲 laughed elegantly. Beneath that laughter, intense anger seeped through. When dinner ended, 蒼葉美咲 stood. "Well, you must be tired from your move. Do rest well, Miss 望月." The words were polite, but her departing back radiated hostility. 望月紗良 returned to her room. Alone on the king-size bed, she stared at the ceiling. (What is wrong with that person...?) She had felt 蒼葉美咲's gaze piercing into her throughout dinner. A childhood betrothal. A relationship with 蒼葉蓮也. All of it shattered by this new reality. 蒼葉美咲 couldn't bear it. Tokyo's night view through the window. Each light belonged to someone's story. But she was trapped in this gilded cage. She picked up her phone to message her mother. But what could she write? How could she explain this world? A knock at the door. "Yes?" 蒼葉蓮也 entered. A late-night visit. His intention was unclear. "Don't mind 美咲." He said it, his eyes fixed on hers. What did she look like reflected in those pupils? "She's just using family tradition as an excuse to complain. The powerless thrashing of a defeated opponent." His words were flat. But beneath them lay a merciless declaration to 蒼葉美咲. "Will I... be able to manage here...?" 望月紗良 found herself speaking her true thoughts. 蒼葉蓮也's expression softened for just a moment. A faint gentleness flickered in those obsidian eyes. "Three years as contracted. That's all you need to endure." The words were cold—and yet, somehow kind. 望月紗良 nodded. 蒼葉蓮也 left. 望月紗良 faced the long night alone. Realizing the terror of the zaibatsu world. Feeling 蒼葉美咲's hostility. And unable to fathom 蒼葉蓮也's true intentions.