Chapter 27: Haruno's Debt

After finalizing the arrangements for the evening banquet, Yukio snuggled up with Roland again, holding him close until bedtime.

When the time came, she reluctantly returned Roland to her daughter. After all, she couldn't possibly drag him into her bedroom for the night, could she?

She certainly wanted to. With Little Roland by her side, she wouldn't have to worry about nightmares.

But Haruno was now guarding him like a precious treasure, determined not to let her mother take him.

Even Yukio herself couldn't predict what their relationship would become if Roland actually ended up in her bed.

Don't be fooled by her constant talk about tightening her boundaries and maintaining a distance from Roland.

In reality, when had she ever succeeded in keeping her words?

Every time, she swore it would be the last.

Clearly, whenever she felt the need to tighten her boundaries, it meant she had already trampled them into dust...

"It's getting late, Little Roland. You don't need to stay with me any longer. Go back to your room with Haruno—it's time for you young people now." Yukio reluctantly released Roland's hand.

Though deeply unwilling, Roland was, after all, ostensibly Haruno's husband. She had to give her daughter some time with him. Otherwise her daughter might do something that may have irreversible consequences.

To secure Roland completely for the Yukino Family, ensuring Haruno conceived his child was essential.

She couldn't forget her rivalry with Mrs.

Kaur. If their family didn't want to conceive, the other wouldn't hesitate to seize the opportunity herself.

To firmly claim Roland, Yukio had to make this sacrifice, granting the young couple the evening.

Otherwise, she couldn't possibly let herself be the one to conceive, could she?

"But Aunt Yukio, won't you be lonely tonight?" Roland asked, genuinely concerned. Though she had slept soundly during the day, who knew if that nightmare would return?

"Don't worry about me, I already had a nap earlier. I can make it through tonight. Haruno is your soon to be wife, you need to make sure she's well taken care of tonight, okay?" Yukio said, gently caressing Roland's cheek.

"Alright, but if anything happens, Aunt Yukio, you have to call me immediately," Roland said, though he knew Haruno would never let him visit Yukio's room late at night.

"Don't worry, Aunt Yukio will be fine. I'll borrow your shoulder again tomorrow morning," Yukio said with a faint smile.

"Then... see you tomorrow morning."

"Yeah, see you tomorrow morning."

Roland bid farewell to Yukio and reluctantly headed to Haruno's room.

Haruno had grown impatient and dragged him inside like a doll.

It's just asking you to go to sleep, why are you acting like it's a life-or-death situation?

I'm not some kind of monster. In fact, my room has plenty of... interesting things. You're staying here tonight to see them all!

And so, in Haruno's room...

Haruno entered first, immediately taking off her coat and sitting on the bed.

Roland, however, stood obediently by the side, watching from a distance, too afraid to approach the bed. He was ready to bolt at the first sign of trouble.

Although Aunt Yukio had insisted they sleep together as a "married couple," they weren't actually married. Last night, Roland had narrowly escaped disaster thanks to Haruno's period cramps arriving.

But today, Haruno seemed to be in good spirits. If they were to share a bed, who knew what she might do to him?

Roland no longer trusted Haruno. She kept insisting their relationship was just an act, yet that morning she had ambushed him with kisses, as if she had discovered a whole new world of kissing.

You call that acting?

Looks more like you're addicted to kissing!

"Aren't you coming over? What are you doing standing there? Planning to sleep standing up?" Haruno watched Roland's hesitant figure by the door, her eyes flickering with both displeasure and amusement.

She was displeased by Roland's distant attitude toward her.

He was so clingy with her mother, practically begging to get on her mother's good side.

So why was he so timid around her?

Did he think she was inferior to her mother?

Ridiculous! How could the Yukino Family's genes possibly be lacking?

This guy was probably still worried that if he slept with me, he wouldn't be able to maintain his ambiguous relationship with his Aunt Yukio.

After all, his Aunt Yukio would become his mother-in-law. Being inappropriately close with one's mother-in-law would be utterly immoral!

Haruno was deeply displeased by Roland's single-minded devotion to her mother.

Yet she was also delighted. Once he entered this room, Roland had no escape. No matter who occupied his thoughts or how much he resisted, tonight he would be hers completely.

In fact, his resistance only made it more satisfying. She loved seeing that adorable mix of fear and helplessness on his face—the perfect expression of someone trapped in her palm!

Wasn't teasing this Little Roland one of her favorite pastimes?

"Actually... I can sleep standing up.. like a horse..yeah like a horse," Roland offered. He remembered that he had indeed mastered the art of sleeping with his eyes open during math class in his past life. Standing sleep wouldn't be a problem now, right?

"That won't do. If Mother finds out, she'll blame me for mistreating and abusing her little Roland."

"Don't worry about that. As long as neither of us says anything, how could Aunt Yukio possibly know what's going on here? I could even sleep next door without any trouble. So, I won't disturb your rest any longer, okay?" Roland chuckled nervously and turned to flee.

But before his hand could reach the doorknob, a bone-chilling voice rang out behind him.

"Stop!"

Roland froze in place.

Haruno strode up behind him, wrapping one arm around his waist from behind and using the other to tilt his chin upward while she stands on her toes Her seductive red lips brushed against his ear as she whispered coldly, "Why are you running? Do you think you can escape me by fleeing outside?"

Haruno's teasing voice, like the whisper of a demon, sent shivers down Roland's spine. He felt a danger sign flashing above his head.

He glanced back at Haruno fearfully, and sure enough, her eyes had lost all trace of composure.

All she seemed to feel was an overwhelming urge to ravage him and a perverse pleasure in punishing him severely.

Her gaze grew increasingly ravenous, her lips brushing against his cheek as her hot breath washed over him.

Is this what a sadistic woman is like? Roland wondered. No ordinary person could handle this. If I ever actually marry big sister Haruno, I suspect she'd keep me chained to her side.

"Big sister Haruno, this isn't quite what we agreed on, is it?" Roland thought desperately. Something's definitely wrong with her!

"Hmm? Did we agree on something?"

"Didn't you say we'd just pretend to be engaged? There's no need to take a fake relationship this far, right?"

"Fake engagement? What fake engagement? Did I ever say that? We're nearly a married couple now, recognized by both our families. Do you think you still have a choice?" Haruno smirked coldly.

She's fooking going back on her word!

"But... Big sister Haruno, how could you do this? We had an agreement!" Roland panicked, feeling utterly betrayed.

"Words mean nothing. Do you dare tell my mother the truth? She adores you now. What do you think would happen if she found out our relationship is a sham? Whether it's real or not, we have to see this through!"

"Well... we'll figure something out when the time comes."

Roland felt a knot of uncertainty tighten in his stomach. Aunt Yukio's kindness stemmed entirely from her belief that he was the Yukino Family's son-in-law. She had even gone so far as to share her own benefits with him.

If he were to betray her trust now, wiping his hands clean and asking to break off the engagement, he could almost see Aunt Yukio's warm smile turning to ice and finally breaking into million pieces.

And how would he explain this to his own mother?

Looking back, their initial decision to stage the matchmaking had been reckless. Once a relationship gains public acceptance, escaping its responsibilities becomes nearly impossible.

Could he really end up marrying Haruno for real?

Even if his heart still lingered with Aunt Yukio, how could he possibly explain this to Karena and her mother?

This marriage... it was going to be hell of a nightmare.

"Stop thinking about it. Unless we get married, there's no way out of this. Besides, do you really think you can just take my first kiss and run?" Haruno said coldly, as if mocking his naivety in not understanding the significance of her first kiss.

He should have known better. After taking something so precious from her, he'd never escape her grasp for the rest of his life.

You think my first kiss is something you can just enjoy?

"But you were the one who forced it on me!" Roland protested indignantly.

"So what? You didn't resist, did you? In fact, you little pervert probably wanted to touch me all along. You've been fantasizing about doing disgusting things to my body, haven't you? Don't worry, your big sister Haruno doesn't blame you. Even if you're just a bratty little boy, I'll fulfill my mother's mission tonight and satisfy you!"

"Hmph! You say it's for the mission, but big sister Haruno, you've actually fallen for me, haven't you?" Roland tried to provoke her.

"Enough with the provocation. I don't know if I like you or not, but I do know you'll make a wonderful plaything! Now get up here!"

Haruno, tired of the banter, grabbed him by the collar and threw him onto the bed. With a cold smirk, she began unbuttoning her white shirt, one button at a time, right in front of him.

The gesture was eerily reminiscent of a villain in a movie about to assault a woman.

But wait, who's the woman here?!