Chapter 30: Saeko Busujima — Did You Feel My Determination? Under the moonlight, the streets lay silent and desolate. Saeko Busujima swung her sword, cleanly severing the head of the last corpse in the area. Only then did her ragged breathing gradually settle. Rubbing her thigh, her face slightly flushed, she murmured in a daze, “My body… it’s gotten all sticky…” Leaning against a nearby wall, Lynn watched the entirety of Saeko’s solo performance in silence. “A beautiful slaughter,” he said at last, softly applauding her. Saeko lowered her head slightly and whispered, “Forgive me… for showing you such an unbecoming side, Master.” “It’s fine. I quite liked the way you were just now.” She really was a natural for leveling up by slaughter. His retinue needed exactly this kind of person. And with the skill [Killing Aspiration], Saeko’s growth rate would only become faster. Not only that, but her potential ceiling would also far surpass that of any other subordinate. A rare talent, indeed. Saeko’s eyes suddenly grew moist, the knot in her heart finally dissolving completely. Master… said he liked her true self. In that moment of excitement, a shiver ran through her body, and she nearly let out a moan she couldn’t quite suppress. “Come on. Let’s go update your blessing.” Lynn was eager to see the updated stats of Saeko’s blessing. He wanted to know just how much progress she could make in a single night with [Killing Aspiration] at her disposal. “Yes…” Saeko’s voice trembled, her tone soft and distorted as she tried to keep her quivering body steady while following closely behind him. At the Nan Rika residence, Lynn and Saeko entered the living room. Rei Miyamoto and Saya Takagi were busy in the kitchen, counting ingredients and preparing dinner. They knew their place well. When it came to fighting the dead, they were in a completely different league from Lynn’s group, who now wielded supernatural power. The only thing they could do was focus on logistics, doing their best to make themselves useful to Lynn and the others. It was unbearable just thinking of freeloading off their protection without giving anything in return. Not only would that weigh on their own hearts, but sooner or later, Lynn would discard them too. As far as they were concerned, sticking with Lynn’s group was the safest option in this chaotic world, and neither of them had any intention of leaving. Seeing Rei and Saya working earnestly to prepare the meal, Saeko’s gaze flashed with satisfaction. Even though she had become a demon, she wasn’t heartless. She got along well with Rei and wasn’t comfortable with the idea of leaving her alone in this kind of world. But if they were foolish or ungrateful, Saeko wouldn’t hesitate to speak up to her master. She was Lynn’s retainer now, first and foremost. Naturally, his will came before anything else. Yes… this was good. At least in this way, they were contributing to their master’s household. And if Lynn took a liking to them and accepted them as his own retainers, perhaps they too could become demons like her, gaining extraordinary strength in the process. If that didn’t work out… then perhaps they could at least help ease their master’s loneliness. Saeko calmly mapped out possible futures for Rei and Saya in her heart. Upstairs, she found a clean, quiet room. Without hesitation, Saeko expertly undressed, revealing her undergarments beneath the uniform. “Forgive me, Master… I worked up quite a sweat earlier. I might not smell very pleasant.” Well… it wasn’t just sweat. “It’s fine. This won’t take long.” Relieved that her master didn’t mind, Saeko let out a soft breath. She lay down on the bed, unfastening her bra with practiced ease and exposing her smooth, fair back to him. Lynn pricked his finger, forcing out a single drop of blood, letting it fall onto her back. With a ripple of energy, her blessing emerged. [Master: Lynn Waliver] [Strength: i0 → E435] [Endurance: i0 → F306] Killing Aspiration (omitted) Demon of the Blade (omitted)] Her growth was remarkable. In just half a day, she had already completely surpassed Shi Yu, the first of his retainers. Judging by this rate, she might be able to advance to the next rank within a month. If things went well, her stats could even surpass the S-rank limit, reaching SS or even SSS levels. “Saeko, looks like you’ll be the first in the retinue to level up.” Lynn recorded her new blessing data, nodding in satisfaction. “Really?” Saeko was a little stunned. She hurriedly took the paper with her stats on it, momentarily forgetting even to adjust her disheveled clothing. “My stats… reached E already…” She could feel it—after the blessing updated, her physical strength definitely seemed to have increased. “With just today’s results, you’ve already surpassed the majority of people out there,” Lynn added, explaining further in case she didn’t fully grasp what the numbers meant. Saeko really didn’t have much concept of what these values represented, but if her master said it was good, that was all she needed to hear. Next, Lynn casually mentioned Kasumigaoka Utaha’s first blessing update. “I see… that senior only had a little over a hundred points increase in her first update…” Saeko’s expression gradually shifted as she realized just how monstrous her growth truly was. She quickly calculated in her head—the total of her ability stats had already reached around fifteen hundred! That was ten times what Senior Kasumigaoka had achieved. Kasumigaoka Utaha: ??? Saeko’s beautiful eyes flickered, landing softly on the words [Killing Aspiration]. It must be because of that skill. Her feelings were complicated. What she once tried so hard to hide had now become her greatest source of strength. And now… she could finally release it without restraint. It was all thanks to her master. Her gaze sharpened with resolve, and for the first time, her heart was brimming with genuine confidence. Grasping Lynn’s large, slender hands with both of her own, she lifted her eyes and met his gaze, speaking with quiet seriousness, “Master… I will become the sharpest blade at your side.” Guiding his hands past her disheveled undergarments, she gently pressed them against the area near her heart. “Can you feel my determination?” Lynn pressed his hand more firmly. Saeko’s breathing quickened slightly, her cheeks tinged with red as she stared into his eyes, her gaze soft as silk. “I think you should feel it… more deeply.” Lynn’s expression remained composed and serious. Saeko’s chest rose and fell sharply, yet she didn’t refuse him. From the moment she became part of his retinue, she had already belonged to him. “Saeko is a bit dirty now… Please allow me to serve you in the bath first, Master.”