Shadows and silk

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Akihito POV:

The room, bathed in the gentle glow of the evening, became a stage for the unspoken exchange between Arisu and me. As I continued to serve breakfast, the aroma of French toast lingered, a subtle reminder of the simple pleasures woven into the fabric of our daily routine.

"Good morning, Lady Arisu." I spoke, my voice a calm river that cut through the quietude of the study.

"Good morning, Akihito," she replied, her gaze lifting from the book.

"Lady Arisu, I have come to serve breakfast. In today's menu, there is French toast."

"You can put it here on the table, and can you also prepare something to drink?"

"Shall I prepare tea for you, Lady Arisu?" I offered, my movements fluid as I navigated the room.

"That would be wonderful. I'll have a cup of green tea."

As I busied myself with the task, the tea pouring into the cup, Arisu, engrossed in her book, seemed to explore the words on the pages. However, I sensed something was bothering her. The subtleties in her demeanor did not go unnoticed, but as the ever-stoic butler, I decided not to pry.

"Akihito there is something I've been meaning to ask " she asked suddenly.

"of course my lady what may you want to ask me?"

"What is it that you truly desire?" Arisu asked me what is it that I desire? But I who have been thought not to have any desire, do I stile desire something.

"I don't know my lady," I answered, my expression unchanged.

"How can you not know. Yesterday I decided to ask my father about you, and he told me some things about you. He told me about the organization, what they have done to you, and how you have escaped from there. Do you still not desire something? "

I paused, the weight of her inquiry hanging in the air, and I decided to ask.

"I don't understand, what are you trying to achieve by telling me this?"

"Nothing. It's just I'm trying to learn more about you and how a person be so still be called a masterpiece by "them" when you don't even have emotions or any desire. Those things are what makes one human."

I can understand what she means but "Emotions were considered distractions, veils that clouded judgment. My craftsmanship lies in the mastery of skills, the seamless execution of duties, and the unwavering commitment to protect and serve. This is what I was trained for." This is what I am.

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Arisu POV: 

I can see that he is similar to that fake genius from the white room, but there's a subtle difference. I wonder who is superior, her or him. Still, hmph, I believe I am better than both of them. After all, I am a genius, and they are mere fakes.

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 Akihito's POV:

It has been 9 months since I have started working as a butler for lady Arisu and the month have unfolded in series of routines. Every day, I carry out my duties while dealing with Lady Arisu.

As time passes, I notice subtle changes in our dynamic. Lady Arisu's and I seam to be getting along better and I even sometimes join her in activities that she does and occasionally eat together. 

One thing that has become a part of our daily routine is playing chess. Lady Arisu and I engage in a game each day.

The click of the chess pieces and the silent exchanges during each move have become something i'm used to. 

"checkmate" I declared winning my 75 win.

"Good game Akihito. Our score now stands at 87-75. You are getting better and better every day and I have to soon step up my game against you"

"Thank you for your praises my lady" 

"Lets play one more time Akihito this time its going to be my win Fufufufu" 

"Sure lets play again my lady"

Hours had slipped by, and just as the game reached a critical moment, the door to the room swung open, revealing Mr. Sakayanagi entering. The interruption was unexpected for both Arisu and me, but we decided to look up from the chessboard, focusing on Mr. Sakayanagi.

Mr. Sakayanagi opened his mouth and began to speak, "Arisu, Akihito, tomorrow we are going on a short trip that's going to take two days. I wanted to inform you guys so you could get ready."

I decided to ask about the details of the trip. "Mr. Sakayanagi, may I ask where we are going and what we will be doing during the trip?"

There was a subtle twinkle in Mr. Sakayanagi's eyes when I asked the question, hinting at the possibility of something more than just an ordinary trip. "We will be going to visit the White Room and meeting my friend there."

White room? 

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END 

(Author's Note: Hey there, once again! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm incorporating some time skips to pave the way for the upcoming school arc. Expect at least 2 more chapters before diving into that part of the story. Thanks a bunch for reading!

This chapter is edited.