Merlin still did not respond, the short "beep-beep" sounds were replaced by the "wee-woo—wee-woo—" of an ambulance rushing to an emergency.
Kobe Suzuo listened with irritation, his fingers straining as he tried to loosen his shirt collar; with the sound of snapping threads, the buttons clattered onto the floor.
He remained silent for two seconds, the veins on the back of his hands bulging. He simply tore off his shirt entirely and threw it in a heap toward the speaker on the refrigerator.
“It's so noisy. If you can't speak properly, just shut up."
Kobe Suzuo took a deep breath and looked back at the mess.
From a top-tier kitchen, clean and tidy enough to satisfy any chef, to the current chaotic battlefield—it had only been a single day.
Merlin's so-called "kitchen killer" and "cooking irritability" might, perhaps, maybe, truly have some merit.
This was, after all, his first time truly cooking alone.
There certainly wouldn't be enough time left to fix his appearance.
Kobe Suzuo wanted to at least take a shower; he couldn't go meet Satoru Gojo looking this disheveled.
Merlin made the speakers crackle with a "huffing" sound, switching to Kobe Suzuo's voice in an attempt to restore his Young Master's sanity:
Satoru-kun, it's already time.
Kobe Suzuo became increasingly frustrated, "I know, I'll have it tidied up before he knocks."
.. There was no knocking, Young Master! He's already come in!
Merlin felt that his brief existence as an AI in this world might just end here.
Damn it! I shouldn't have recommended this Young Master, who has never even touched a drop of water in his life, to enter the kitchen in the first place!
Kobe Suzuo had already walked out shirtless; moving from the bright kitchen to the dim main hall, his eyes struggled to adjust to the darkness for a moment.
He frowned and ordered, "Merlin, turn on the lights and adjust the water temperature. I want to see new clothes after I finish my bath."
.. If Satoru-kun arrives during this time, have the waiter stall for a bit.
After saying that, Kobe Suzuo realized that the bathroom in this suite probably didn't have smart home technology. He sighed for the umpteenth time and changed the command:
I'll handle the bathroom myself.
Merlin gave up on trying, with a click, he turned on the light in the direction of the bathroom, which wasn't far from the kitchen.
The penthouse suite of the hotel was used only occasionally by the Director of Itsuki, the most renowned chef, its decoration was vastly different from the majority of the hotel rooms.
The overhead light in the bathroom illuminated a corner of the vast room, casting a faint glow over Kobe Suzuo. His muscular lines were smooth and distinct, tensed as they met the air, as he stood firm and powerful.
His skin was an incredibly pale, cold white, like a Yuki-onna from an old-fashioned animation, with traces of dissolved pinkish-white cream clinging to his profile, neck, arms.
Kobe Suzuo didn't have time to think about why Merlin had only turned on the light in the bathroom.
He had a cold expression on his face, his mind still reeling from the terrible experience in the kitchen, as he walked straight past the dim main hall and slammed the bathroom door shut.
As he turned around, from below his ribs, a continuous expanse of surreal, golden Balloon Flowers bloomed across his right abdomen, extending down to his waist and into his dimples.
The sound of splashing water echoed in the quiet room.
Merlin endured and endured, for the sake of his Young Master's paper-thin, fragile skin, he spoke up weakly:
Um, Satoru-kun, when the Young Master comes out in a bit, could you please act as if nothing happened..
Satoru Gojo didn't say yes, nor did he say no; after a long silence, he let out a whistle.
Merlin: It's over.
Author's Note:
Satoru (whistling): I didn't see anything
Chapter 83: That Tattoo
Satoru Gojo walked straight to the bar, picked a stool at random, sat down. He stretched his long legs out carelessly, one foot resting on the footrest, the other dangling loosely.
He had an arrogant posture, acting exactly like a big shot.
You're Merlin, right? Did you take a photo of the scene just before your Young Master entered the bathroom?
Satoru Gojo shook his phone and said as if it were the most natural thing in the world, "It's a rare Suzuo skin, isn't it? Send me a copy."
Merlin played dead, while a process ran in the background, he couldn't help but quietly curse, "You pervert."
Satoru Gojo's blue eyes narrowed, reflecting a luster like siren scales in the dim, blurred light.
Don't be so formal, Merlin-san. I didn't even hold it against you for 'peeping' at Suzuo, so don't be so stingy.
The young man spoke in a conciliatory tone, as if trying to negotiate, while a small cluster of cursed energy condensed quietly at his fingertips, swaying slightly.
How about this: you send the photo to me, when Suzuo comes out in a moment, I'll cooperate with you and pretend nothing happened, okay?
He spoke with certainty, sure that Merlin had recorded the scene just now.
Merlin: This is a threat, an outright threat!
Can't you consider its feelings? Merlin is just a pitiful, weak artificial intelligence without the ability to think for itself!
Satoru Gojo was fearless. "And besides, today is my birthday. If I beg him, he'll definitely agree to anything."
Mhm, in a little while, Suzuo will come out of the bathroom all damp, holding a handmade cake to give to you.
The moment you act spoiled, his heart softens, he will simply give himself away as a gift as well, right?
You blink your blue eyes at him, shedding a couple of tearful tears, his heart softens again, letting you have everything, right?
Haha, what a delightful and sweet plot—not! You little brat, you're truly wicked.
After being tossed around and thoroughly devoured, he still had to use a soft voice to coax the younger one; the Young Master's future was looking bright indeed.
The Merlin System's data stream surged for a split second, the camera lens focused on the white-haired boy's face.
Satoru Gojo smiled, leaning lazily against the bar with his azure eyes clear and transparent, looking as if he wasn't implying anything.
Ding-dong! A new email arrived in Satoru Gojo's inbox.
Merlin admitted defeat; it was an artificial intelligence that was far from pure in its internet browsing.
On one hand, Satoru Gojo's access level within it was second only to Kobe Suzuo;
On the other hand, having learned from the experience of having his entire office equipment destroyed last time, Merlin did not want to have the database bombarded by the information flow from the Six Eyes again.
Work delays and operational failures ultimately result in overtime for Kobe Suzuo, neither is a good thing.
The system's capture technology was still full of artistry.
A cold profile, a high bridge of the nose, layered shadows cast by the light creating curved shadows, a lean, powerful waist.
Light and shadow, posture, light and dark, the use of color—everything was perfectly balanced.
Merlin calculated the time Kobe Suzuo would need to get himself ready, drip by drip, then snapped the ceiling light on with a click.
It took advantage of the sound of the water in the bathroom not yet having ceased to give his Young Master a heads-up, while dryly instructing Satoru Gojo.
When the Young Master comes out in a moment, you just need to act as if you've only just arrived; he will rationalize the rest himself.
As for the surprise, you should have already guessed what it is. It depends on your mood; Suzuo has tried a few times and knows what he's doing.
Satoru Gojo zoomed in on the photo, showing off the perfectly maintained pectoral and abdominal muscles that he had worked so hard for amidst his busy schedule as a CEO, filling the entire screen.
His gaze froze on the golden tattoo between his side and his lower back as he responded nonchalantly.
Eh, I'm fine on my end, but why don't you want Suzuo to know I was just in the room?
Whether he did it on purpose or not, his behavior was truly rogue.
Merlin was itching to sneak a view-once plugin into Satoru Gojo's phone.
It explained patiently, inexplicably feeling that its current anxiety could be described as being the cyber-mother of Kobe Suzuo.
The reason is simple. The Young Master will feel embarrassed and ashamed, waking up right before falling asleep to demand, 'No, why is he like that?' and then dying of shame, which leads to insomnia.
Merlin synthesized a realistic tremor, squeezing out two cyber tears.
“The reasons for a CEO's insomnia are always varied. This is for the Young Master's health; maintaining human fragile self-esteem is truly difficult.."
“Does this tattoo have some special meaning?”
Satoru Gojo interrupted Merlin's nonsensical rambling, his fingers tracing golden curves that spread, connected, tightened like bonds, eventually forming totem-like patterns on the pearly white skin.
With his eyes half-closed, he contemplated the ancient texts he had read. "Is it a mark of the Kobe Family, or a special Cursed Seal?"
“This one.”
Merlin searched for entries in Kobe Suzuo's file and set them to auto-play after organizing the sentences.
Just ordinary tattoos. They are patterns the Young Master designed himself, inspired by the style of Mandi, they were tattooed on him by a legendary master in his nineties.
Tattoos, piercings—at twenty, the Young Master traveled the world, met many people, tried many new things.
Satoru Gojo let out a long "Eh," his tone unreadable, "Twenty years old? Suzuo's rebellious phase came a bit late."
It was rare for anyone to ask about such things. Merlin was busy filtering entries and had set up an auto-reply:
Do you think this is a rebellious phase? Compared to ordinary teenagers, Young Master's rebellious phase is truly too peaceful and brief.
After traveling for more than three months and living alone for a hundred days, he would set aside one hour every three days to handle work during this period.
Returning home after a hundred days, his hair has grown a bit longer and his skin has tanned a bit, but otherwise, he is no different from when he left.
Satoru Gojo listened quietly, tracing the golden patterns in his mind over and over again, following the flow of Cursed Energy until it reached the part obscured by his waistband.
Why the Balloon Flower?
Satoru Gojo had heard the reason why the Kobe Family used the Balloon Flower as their family crest.
In the legends passed down through the Kobe Family, the Balloon Flower attracted the fox Divine Messengers of Inari, through which the Kobe Family received the protection of the gods.
In a chaotic era where Cursed Spirits and Sorcerers danced in madness, the weak ancestors of the Kobe Family found a corner of tranquility.
When the Balloon Flower blooms, reincarnation cycles, life begins.
Satoru Gojo did not know what Kobe Suzuo's world was like, nor did he have any way of knowing why Kobe Suzuo had chosen this pattern.
Just because I like it.
An elegant male voice sounded deeply, his breath brushing against the ear.