The room was spacious and serene. Behind him, a large wooden bed with heavy curtains dominated the space. On the opposite side, a dark wood tea table was flanked by four simple chairs. A wardrobe and a dressing table completed the furnishings, all in light wood tones that reflected the soft light, making the environment feel cozy.

Upon leaving, he found himself in a wide corridor with six doors in total. The first, to his left, revealed a bathroom surprisingly luxurious for the feudal era he found himself in, adorned with gold details and white marble. The decor of the entire residence was sophisticated, conveying an almost celestial peace that seemed to mock the intellectual poverty of its newest inhabitant.

The other doors revealed an immaculate kitchen and two guest rooms, simpler than his but still elegant. The final door, near the exit, housed a study. A huge dark wood desk and a high-backed chair with a padded seat commanded the center of the room, positioned before a shelf overflowing with books that covered the entire wall. In the right corner, an inviting sofa faced a low table bearing a teapot and a set of cups. A crystal chandelier, gilded in gold, illuminated a pearly white fur rug, and in another corner, a stand held swords and martial equipment, a stark contrast to the softness of the rest of the environment.

Zhong felt a slight dizziness. "The rich really know how to live" — he thought, amazed and a little intimidated.

Determined to understand his new function, he spent the rest of the day immersed in the study's books. The reading of cultivation manuals and martial treatises absorbed him in a way nothing in his past life ever had. His concentration was so intense he lost all track of time, only returning to reality when soft, perfectly measured knocks echoed on the door.

— Excuse me, Master. This disciple has come to bring your dinner and prepare your bath! — Darius's voice was a model of deference, so impeccable it sounded almost artificial. His movements as he entered and laid out the food were precise and efficient, but his posture was too rigid for a mere servant, subtly betraying his strict cultivator upbringing.

It was in that proximity that Zhong could truly observe him. His yellow eyes with vertical pupils resembled those of a small feline. For an instant, Zhong thought he saw a calculating glint in their depths, but it was so quickly replaced by a convincing docility that he doubted his own perception. Long eyelashes framed a straight nose and a fine-boned face, still marked by a child's softness. His hair, not yet transformed by his demonic blood, was black as ebony and added to his aura of innocence, an aura completely betrayed by a tall and robust physique, disproportionate for a boy his age. He really did have the face of a villain destined to star in a dozen problematic fanfics.

— Darius, how old are you? — he asked, his curiosity overriding his caution.

— This disciple will soon be sixteen, my Master — the boy replied, lowering his eyes with a humility that seemed almost rehearsed. An "Uh" was the only response Zhong could muster.

Deciding not to prolong the subject, he remained silent until the meal was served and he could finally taste the food. The moment the first morsel touched his palate, his eyes closed in pleasure, a delighted sigh escaping his lips.

— Hm, good — he pronounced, before continuing to eat with genuine appreciation. He didn't see the look Darius shot him: a flash of pure disdain and contained triumph, rapidly masked by an expression of servile satisfaction.

— I am extremely glad my Master is pleased — Darius's voice was smooth but laden with an emphasis that sounded a little too sweet to the ear, which Zhong completely ignored as he savored the delicious food.

As soon as Zhong finished, Darius collected the utensils with an almost anxious haste to leave the room. In the sudden solitude, an uncomfortable feeling sprouted in Zhong's chest. Darius might be a tyrant in the future, but right now he was just a child, performing menial tasks for him. A twinge of guilt mixed with his bewilderment. "Maybe" — he thought with a naive thread of hope — "if I'm a good master to him now, he won't have to become that snobbish, merciless character. Poor kid, he must have had such a hard life..."

His reasoning was interrupted by the return of the very subject of his thoughts. Darius paused in the doorway, his face a perfect balance of respect and solicitousness as he looked at him. — Master, your bath is ready.

During the short walk to the bathroom, Zhong noticed that Darius's footsteps were strangely silent, like a predator's. The devotion he projected was so perfect it seemed scarily caricatured. "What a dedicated disciple" — thought Zhong, touched by his own ignorant interpretation.

Inside the bathroom, Zhong began to disrobe his upper tunic while Darius checked the water temperature with his back turned. When the youth turned around, his eyes sparkled for a fraction of a second, scanning his master's exposed torso with an intensity that felt scorching.

Zhong,oblivious, interpreted the fleeting blush on Darius's cheeks merely as shyness at being near his teacher.

— You may leave. That is all for now — Zhong said gently.

— As Master commands — Darius inclined his head, but as he turned to leave, Zhong could have sworn he saw the corner of the boy's mouth being lightly bitten back in containment. "I must be really tired" — he decided, ignoring the strange premonition in his body.

As soon as the door closed, Zhong sank into the bathtub. The warm water enveloped his body, carrying away some of the day's tension. A frustrated sigh escaped his lips. "Work sucks, no matter which life you're in!" — he thought, resigned.

Dressed in lightweight sleepwear and a majestic black robe, Zhong returned to the study. The feeling was strangely familiar, like exam periods in his past life.

It was then that the system's shrill voice echoed in his mind:

【Congratulations, Host! You have reached 90/1000 tenderness points with the villain! As a reward, the Host will receive 50% of the body successor's muscle memories! (＞∀＜)

The Host is requested to go rest immediately to assimilate them!】

Zhong almost shouted with joy. Those who work hard are truly blessed!

Without wasting a second, he changed course and headed straight for the bedroom. The moment his body touched the soft mattress, a violent impact shook his consciousness, as if a veil had been torn, and then the lights went out.