The unexpected voice shattered the charged silence, a mundane complaint about cold food and reheating duties cutting through the thick air of arcane dealings. "Master! You are late again. By the way, the food got cold, and now I have to reheat it again. OH!!! The person you want... Who is he? Master!!"
Lee Yoo-Joon's senses were a whirlwind of confusion and disorientation. The surroundings had shifted dramatically, from the desolate street where time stood frozen to the opulent interior of a vast living room within a luxurious villa. His mind raced to piece together the sudden transition. *How did I get here? This living room... it's enormous, beautiful, and unmistakably luxurious. This is definitely a villa... but why am I here? Wasn't she supposed to take my soul by now? This is all so bewildering...*
Anny introduced the source of the unexpected interruption with a casual air that belied the gravity of their previous conversation. "This is Yoo-Joon, Yoo-Joon, this is Flex. He is my butler." Her eyes danced with mischief as she corrected herself with a sly grin, "Yoo-Joon, he is my prey... Shit!! I mean, he is my new deal partner."
Flex, the butler, whose sudden appearance had so jarred Yoo-Joon, acknowledged the clarification with a nod, his curiosity piqued by the mention of "that THING."
Anny cut through any further inquiry with a commanding tone, "Enough! Go prepare the workshop for the THING and show him a guest room next to mine. Yoo-Joon, tomorrow I will give you what you need. Now go and rest."
Led by Flex, Yoo-Joon moved through the villa as if in a trance, his mind a blank slate of shock and fear. The butler's voice seemed distant, barely registering as he opened the door to a room appointed for Yoo-Joon's use. "This is your room for now, and you may ask me if you need anything. That white door with red lining is mine; let me know if there's anything..."
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Noticing Yoo-Joon's trembling and the pallor that had overtaken his face, Flex paused, a sigh escaping him. "Yoo-Joon!!" he called out, attempting to pierce the fog of Yoo-Joon's shock.
"Ohhh yes..." Yoo-Joon's response was automatic, barely a whisper.
Flex, with a tone of seriousness that bordered on solemnity, inquired, "Have you done any really bad sin in your life like killing, raping kinds of stuff like that?"
"No, never have I ever done something like this in my life," Yoo-Joon managed to reply, his voice small.
"Then don't worry, she won't kill you. As I said, this is your room for now, and you may ask me if you need anything." Flex then reiterated the boundaries set within the villa, emphasizing the prohibition against wandering and the strict warning against ever going to the basement. His final wish of a good night carried a chilling edge, leaving Yoo-Joon alone with his thoughts.
Yoo-Joon stepped into the generously sized bedroom, its door mirroring Flex's with the distinctive white and red lining. After washing up, he lay in bed, his mind a tumult of emotions and thoughts. "Tomorrow our lives will change, my beautiful little flower!" he whispered into the darkness, a mix of hope and fear enveloping him. Despite the exhaustion that tugged at his consciousness, sleep remained elusive, chased away by the maelstrom of feelings within.
As he tossed and turned, seeking the solace of sleep, a question murmured past his lips, "Who are you?" The image of Anny, with her enigmatic smile and piercing gaze, floated before his eyes, a ghostly presence in the dimly lit room.