Master of Lust

Evelina, her gaze following Rick\'s finger, responded, "All the rooms, with the exception of this particular one," she noted, indicating the last room in the corridor beyond the one where her grandmother was receiving care, "Are presently assigned to the attending staff overseeing my grandmother\'s well-being.

These quarters accommodate doctors, nurses, and various other professionals essential to her care."

"Then perhaps I could stay in this room," Rick proposed.

"Absolutely not," Simultaneously, as Rick uttered those words, a stern voice interjected from behind.

"And the dog came sniffing for trouble again," Rick smiled with a hint of helplessness. "Shall I inquire about the reason, or are you planning to disclose it voluntarily?"

"Hmph..." Geoffrey snorted, hearing Rick\'s comment, "You cannot stay in that room. It is out of bounds. More so for the likes of you."

"Why? Your mother is buried there, or does your father prostitutes himself in that room?" Somehow, it was not about the quest anymore. Now Rick just enjoyed shitting on him.

A fiery mix of anger and hurt flushed across Geoffrey\'s face, turning it a deep shade of crimson. He fixed a piercing glare on Rick, his narrowed eyes radiating a blend of frustration and anger. The clenching of his fists and the tautness of his jaw revealed the inner struggle to maintain composure despite the emotional turmoil brewing within him.

In an effort to rein in his temper, Geoffrey took a deep breath before responding, adopting a measured yet forceful tone. "Rick, you may derive amusement from attempting to provoke me, but there are boundaries that should never be crossed. My personal matters are none of your concern, and your crude remarks, beyond being disrespectful, are utterly tasteless.

Age should command respect, but it appears you lack the basic decency to understand that."

"If there\'s any decency left in you, young man, it would be wise to focus on your own affairs and contemplate the significance of treating others with the respect they deserve," Geoffrey advised with a touch of sternness.

"Did I strike a nerve?" Rick smirked. "Your master stayed silent, yet you dare to intervene? You\'re practically begging for humiliation and inviting a well-deserved thrashing."

"Actually, what he said is true. I can\'t permit you to stay in that room," Evelina finally spoke up, interjecting between Rick and Geoffrey.

"You too?" Rick expressed his surprise at Evelina\'s refusal, not expecting her to deny his request.

"This room belonged to the late master. Since his passing, access has been restricted, allowing only the matriarch entry," Geoffrey added with a smug look on his face, evidently pleased to have support from Evelina

"You are aware that all I want is a room closer to your grandmother\'s, right?" Rick\'s face bore a slight furrow as he tried to convey his genuine intentions.

"Enough of your attempts to deceive us. No tricks," Geoffrey asserted, looking down on Rick now that he had Evelina\'s support. "A peasant like you might have lucked out once, but pushing your luck against us is ill-advised. You might find yourself engulfed in hellfire."

[

1. Ask for some other room. Try and be considerate. (Temptation + 5)

2. No pussy is above pride. You just casually asked for this room, but now you have to stay in this room (Temptation -5; Ero Points: 10,000)

]

"I warned you that this guy would cause you trouble," Rick remarked, casting a disappointed and pitying glance at Evelina. "All I requested was that room—nothing major. You could have simply explained the sentiments attached to it, and I would have understood. No big deal, right?"

"But he had to step in ahead of his master, seeking approval like a loyal lapdog," Rick shook his head, his disappointment in Evelina\'s reliance on her butler evident. "Now, the trouble is yours to deal with."

"A straightforward explanation from you, and I would have agreed to any arrangement you proposed," Rick sincerely conveyed to Evelina. "But now, I\'m going to make things difficult for you."

"Now I only want this room," Rick informed Evelina. "Otherwise, you can say goodbye to ever hearing your dear grandma\'s voice again."

"And keep in mind, she\'s got a mere seven days left before she kicks the bucket."

"Rick, you can\'t resort to blackmail for every request, holding my grandmother\'s treatment hostage. I\'m aware that he can..." Evelina began, clearly frustrated by the ongoing conflict between Rick and Geoffrey, with Geoffrey exacerbating the situation unnecessarily.

However, in the midst of her irritated retort, Evelina caught onto something Rick had just said, and it suddenly swept the ground from beneath her.

"What do you mean, she only has seven days?" Evelina\'s eyes widened in shock as Rick dropped the bombshell. "Tell me, damn it! What do you mean by that?" All traces of her cold, uninterested demeanor were blown away. She was visibly shaken to the core.

"I don\'t think I\'ve ever said something I didn\'t mean," Rick shrugged. "I always mean what I say."

"Don\'t play word games with me!" Evelina nearly screamed at Rick. "Tell me clearly. How can you claim that my grandmother has only seven days to live?"

"How on earth do you know that?" Evelina asked Rick, her voice a mix of disbelief and desperation.

With a sarcastic smile, Rick casually replied, "Oh, I have this system, you know? It tells me stuff."

Evelina\'s patience reached its limit, and she practically pleaded, "Enough of the nonsense, Rick! Tell me, how do you know? Don\'t feed me useless excuses."

Playing the coy card, Rick shrugged nonchalantly. "Ah, it\'s a secret system. Can\'t reveal all my tricks, can I?"

Frustration painted Evelina\'s face as she snapped, "I don\'t care about your tricks! Just tell me how you know about my grandmother!"

Rick, now feigning thoughtfulness, scratched his head and said with a twinkle in his eye, "Okay, fine. You caught me. It\'s this ancient fortune-telling rabbit I have. You have seen it, haven\'t you? It hopped seven times, and each hop signified a day."

Evelina, torn between annoyance and concern, threw her hands up in disbelief. "That rabbit? Are you kidding me right now?"

Rick, unable to contain his laughter, chuckled, "Hey, it\'s a special rabbit. Don\'t underestimate it."

Growing serious, Evelina looked straight into Rick\'s eyes. "I don\'t care what your means are and how you know it. Tell me the truth. Can I believe what you just said? Is there really seven days that\'s left for my grandmother?"

Rick\'s demeanor shifted into solemnity, and he nodded gravely. "Evelina, I want to make it clear that I\'m not playing games here. I gain nothing from deceiving you. The whole system, the enigmatic rabbit—use whatever term suits you best. I\'m just relaying what I\'ve come to understand. Whether you choose to accept it or not is entirely within your discretion."

Although a lingering doubt still tinged her expression, Evelina conceded with a nod of her own. "Alright, Rick. I\'ll trust you on this. I can\'t afford to dismiss it casually. Just remember, if this turns out to be some elaborate ruse, there will be repercussions."

Evelina shifted her attention toward Geoffrey, her tone carrying an air of authority. "Get the room ready for him," she instructed with a firm gaze.

"What? You surely can\'t be thinking that he can..." Geoffrey was left bewildered.

"Do what you are told to do. When I speak, you obey without thinking," Evelina asserted, her patience wearing thin. This time, she didn\'t bother concealing her exasperation. "Understand your role, Geoffrey. You\'re just a servant, easily replaceable."

"You are not actually saying that... Because of him..." Geoffrey found himself in disbelief at Evelina\'s words. He uttered, struggling to comprehend that Evelina could harbor such sentiments, "I\'ve been a part of this family for ages — long before you were even born, long before your father even existed, long before...

His words hung in the air, but before he could continue, Evelina ruthlessly cut him off. "But you are, and always have been a servant, Geoffrey. Perhaps your years are catching up with you, clouding your memory," she asserted, her tone laced with a frigid reminder of the harsh reality that surrounded their positions in the household.

Evelina delivered a blunt message to Geoffrey, her words cutting through the air with an undeniable weight. "Retirement might be on the horizon for you," she declared matter-of-factly. "There are plenty of eager individuals waiting to step into your shoes."

With a dismissive gesture, she practically ushered Geoffrey away. "Now, go and prepare the room for him," she ordered, her tone leaving no room for argument. "And I don\'t want you anywhere near him," she added, pointing decisively at Rick, the implication hanging heavily in the air.

"Find someone else to attend to him," Evelina instructed, her voice carrying an air of authority. "His stay with us is more than a brief visit. Now, leave." Her tone leaving no room for negotiation.

"Yes... Yes... Young miss," Geoffrey complied with a deferential bow, his body betraying a visible tremor. As he walked away, his once-proud posture seemed to have aged a few days, his head bowed and shoulders slouched. Evelina showed no mercy. In front of her grandmother, the significance of Geoffrey\'s countless days of service seemed to diminish to mere insignificance.

"Are you satisfied?" she asked Rick, her gaze piercing. Yet, despite her words, there was an underlying discontent in Evelina. Her wariness was palpable. Any inkling of deceit from Rick regarding her grandmother\'s well-being could unleash consequences beyond his imagination.

Rick, however, couldn\'t help but acknowledge the remarkable prowess displayed by Evelina. "You have surpassed my expectations," he admitted genuinely, a note of impressed surprise in his voice.

"Now I can think better and try my best to save your grandmother," Rick announced.

Evelina, however, approached him with an intensity that conveyed the gravity of the situation.

"Trying is no longer an option," she asserted, closing the distance between them. Her eyes bore into Rick\'s with unwavering seriousness. "You make a mess of this, and you\'ll be spending the rest of your life six feet under. Remember that," she warned, the weight of her words hanging in the air, emphasizing the high stakes involved.

* * * * *

Q. Should Evelina had been so hard on the butler? After all he did those things to keep Rick in check, and make sure Evelina can have the upper-hand. His intentions were not to harm her.

1. Yes, he deserved it.

2. No, Evelina is a stupid bitch.