Ryan Gosting

Ryan remained motionless, his expression wavering between disbelief and frustration as his eyes darted from Ayano to old Suou, who maintained an imperturbable calm.

Finally, he crossed his arms and let out a slightly sarcastic remark:

"Ayano... Don't tell me that all this time you were like the family's super maid and just pretended to be a ditz?"

Ayano bowed in an impeccable curtsy, as if apologizing. Her voice was calm, polite, and velvety.

"I apologize, Master Ryan. By order of Patriarch Gensei, I had to withhold certain information from you."

She rose with the same serenity, her violet eyes fixed on him.

"I am willing to accept any punishment you wish to impose on me."

Ryan frowned, tilting his face slightly, suspicious.

"Okay. What's with this whole act?"

Gensei intervened with his deep, controlled voice.

"Ayano is a sorceress of the family, assigned to protect the one who, until recently, would be my successor... But, thanks to your superiority—both intellectually and in strength—"

Ryan raised a finger, interrupting him immediately.

"Watch your tongue, Gensei. I may have some special privileges, but I won't accept you belittling my Yuki."

Ayano felt a slight tremor run through her body, from her feet to her womb, upon seeing the way Ryan faced Gensei without hesitation, treating the patriarch like an outdated old man.

Gensei lowered his head slightly, acknowledging the rebuke.

"I understand... You are right to demand respect for Yuki's efforts."

It was at that moment that Ayano, always impeccable in her posture, could not hide her surprise. Her eyes widened, staring at Ryan.

He noticed her expression from the corner of his eye and gave a discreet smile before continuing.

"Right... I think I get the gist of it now. But I still have one question, Gensei..."

Ryan turned to the patriarch, his expression taking on a passive-aggressive tone.

"If Ayano knew about this Jujutsu world all along... If she was assigned to protect Yuki..."

He paused, narrowing his eyes.

"Then why the hell did you hide the truth from her?"

Gensei sighed, adjusting his tie before answering.

"Yuki is hardworking... But she still lacks something. She wasn't ready."

Ryan raised an eyebrow and let out a short, cynical laugh.

"Ahh, I see. So your loving way of protecting your granddaughter is to hide an entire world of curses and sorcerers from her?"

His smile sharpened, almost a disguised mockery. It was the kind of smile someone held when they wanted to punch another person in the face.

"You old son of a bitch... Have you ever considered that by keeping her in ignorance, you're putting her in even more danger? Or do you think the other families will simply ignore such a convenient target?"

Ryan clenched his fists as he spoke, his patience wearing thin.

Gensei, however, remained impassive. He just turned his back, pouring more wine into his glass as he replied with the same unwavering serenity.

"Ayano exists to protect her. And now, I have called her here to fulfill another role."

Ryan cut him off, his voice laced with venom.

"I don't need protection, old man."

Gensei paused for a moment, observing Ryan over his shoulder. In silence, he assessed him.

"Arrogant. Emotional. But fights for what he believes in... Just as a leader should be."

Then, he turned completely, holding the wine glass elegantly.

"Ayano will provide new identities for you. In my plan, we will have an advantage if no one knows, from the start, that you are a Suou."

Ryan approached Gensei, his steps firm, until he was close enough to make the situation uncomfortable. His eyes locked onto the old man's with a sharp intensity.

Then, he slowly raised his hand.

Gensei did not look away.

Ryan's hand continued forward... but went straight past the patriarch, grabbing the bottle of wine behind him.

He lifted it with a lazy smile and took a step back.

"So I'm going to have a new identity for your plan..." He swirled the bottle slightly in his hand, looking at the liquid. "Great. I've always liked pretending to live lives I could have lived."

"But... I think there's a problem with your plan, Gensei."

Ryan walked slowly to Ayano's side, who remained motionless, her hands delicately positioned in front of her, like a good maid awaiting orders.

Ryan let out a short laugh, shaking his head. Then, without warning, he slung an arm around Ayano, leaning in slightly to whisper in her ear:

"See that, Ayano?" A sarcastic smile crept onto his face as Ryan kept his arm intimately wrapped around Ayano's neck.

"The old man's coming up with the lamest excuses just to prove his point..."

Ayano blushed slightly but remained silent. The only thing that betrayed her was the quickened pace of her heart.

Gensei, with one hand in his pocket, replied firmly:

"Don't forget our agreement, Ryan. Or do you want me to remind you of the village of—"

"No need to remind me." Ryan cut him off, still holding Ayano from behind.

He took another sip before continuing, his tone laced with irony.

"You're a good leader, Gensei... You know how to keep your emotions in check and mold your ideas to serve your purposes."

Gensei narrowed his eyes.

"I admit you also have a talent for negotiations… You were studying me all this time, weren't you?"

Ryan released Ayano and held out the bottle to her without even looking, walking until he was face to face with Gensei. His voice was calm, but carried an almost amused tone.

"A fake identity, huh?" He took a deep breath, as if pondering. "Okay, old man… I agree to participate in your circus."

He tilted his head slightly.

"But the name I'm going to use… That's for me to choose."

Gensei remained impassive, his hand still in his pocket.

"That won't be a problem… As long as it's discreet."

Ayano approached silently, holding a clipboard to take down the information. Her voice was soft but firm.

"What name do you wish to use, Master?"

Ryan smiled faintly, tilting his head slightly.

"Ryan Gosting."

The silence that followed was almost palpable.

Gensei's eyes narrowed immediately, his previously unwavering expression now showing a trace of disbelief.

Ryan noticed the reaction instantly. Something in the way Gensei looked at him made an alarm go off in his mind.

And then, he remembered.

That same expression.

The same reaction Yuki had when she heard his name for the first time.

Ryan frowned, his tone weary as he asked:

"What's wrong? Is there something wrong with the name?"

Gensei sighed, closing his eyes for a moment before calmly replying:

"No… I was just taken aback by your choice."

When he looked back at him, his voice carried an unusual weight.

"It seems this really has something to do with fate..."

Ryan observed Gensei with a thoughtful expression, alternating his gaze between him and Ayano, trying to understand what was so significant about that name.

Gensei walked to the nearby armchair, sitting down with a sigh as he took another sip of his wine. Then, in a more sober tone, he revealed:

"Ryan… That should have been your name from the beginning. But it ended up being changed at the last minute."

Ryan's fist clenched subtly. Inside, a growing irritation was taking over him.

"So that's it! Damn Yuno was lucky enough to keep the same name in both lives… And me? I was robbed! Ah, but I'm going to find that bastard who changed my name and make sure he regrets messing with my legacy!"

While Ryan was seething inside, Gensei finished his glass and added, almost casually:

"And 'Gosting'... Well, that's even more impressive."

Ryan raised an eyebrow, tilting his head slightly.

"Really? And here I thought you were going to laugh." He gave a sarcastic smile, shrugging.

Gensei looked away for a moment, before murmuring:

"If you fulfill the mission I am assigning you... I will tell you the true meaning of 'Gosting'. And why I found it curious that fate led you to choose it." He paused, looking at Ryan seriously. "They were... perfect choices."

Ryan narrowed his eyes. The way Gensei was reacting was strange, but he decided not to press it—there were more urgent things on his mind.

"Damn… Yuki is waiting for me at home!"

Before he could move, Gensei stood up, interrupting his thoughts.

"I see there's a hurry in your eyes."

Ryan just shrugged, his voice laden with sarcasm.

"You know how it is, I hate keeping a woman waiting..."

Gensei chuckled, walking towards the exit. Before leaving, he stopped for a moment and looked over his shoulder.

"It will take two days until everything is ready. I want you to be prepared when I call you."

Ryan sighed and thought playfully:

"If I keep going back in time, these two days will never pass..."

But instead of saying that, he opened his eyes and replied in a tone of false obedience—his sarcasm more evident than ever:

"Okay, old man… I'll be ready when you need me." He finished with a wink.

Gensei rolled his eyes before leaving, but a thought crossed his mind as he walked away.

"Very arrogant… But he has style."

As soon as Gensei left, Ayano's voice sounded behind Ryan, calling his attention:

"Leaving a girl waiting?"

Ryan turned slowly, a sly smile playing on his lips.

"Yes… It's rude, don't you think?"

Ayano stared at him for a few seconds, her expression neutral as porcelain. When she finally spoke, her voice was as expressionless as her face:

"Yuki-sama will be sad to know that you are with other girls without having mentioned it to her…"

Ryan opened a smile almost from ear to ear, his eyes shining with mischief.

"Oh, yes… She would be veeeery sad, wouldn't she, Ayano?"

Ayano nodded gently.

Ryan gestured theatrically, bringing a hand to his chest as if enacting a tragedy:

"I can even imagine her little face… If she found out I was ripped from her arms..."

Ayano continued nodding, impassive.

"She would probably cry…" Ryan paused, narrowing his eyes before completing in a lascivious tone:

"But rest assured, because she will only cry with pleasure… Since she is the one waiting for me."

He finished with a wink and stuck out his tongue.

Ayano continued nodding in agreement… Until, suddenly, she stopped. Her eyes blinked slowly, as if something had gone wrong with the system. Her voice remained calm, but carried a hint of doubt:

"I beg your pardon, master… Could you repeat that?"

Ryan, still full of mischief and sarcasm, puffed out his chest and proudly proclaimed:

"I'm going home because Yuki and I are going to do things that are not allowed during prime time."

Silence.

Ayano remained motionless, her expression unchanged, like a perfectly sculpted statue.

"Ryan blinked, expecting some funny reaction. Nothing."

He tilted his head, now slightly worried.

"Ayano…?"

It was then that he realized. A blush crept across the girl's face, dyeing her pale skin an increasingly intense red. Her heart was beating so hard that Ryan could hear it.

And that's when it hit him.

"HOLY SHIT, I BROKE MY MAID!" Ryan shouted, running his hands through his hair, completely desperate.

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