I Became the Younger Brother of the Villainess

A week had passed since my sister’s affection level inexplicably dropped. One morning, still groggy and half-asleep, I stirred in bed. Too tired to even open my eyes, I sluggishly sat up and, as was my habit, loosened my robe.

The sound of fabric hitting the floor.

And then, as always, I reached out toward the ghoul maid who would be waiting nearby.

Soft.

Soft?

I gave it a squeeze. Squishy. Very squishy.

What?

“H-Hiiik!”

Hiiik?

Finally forcing my drowsy eyes open, I was met with the sight of a trembling maid with a beet-red face instead of the usual ghoul. My hand… Ah, I see. No less than a D-cup, at least.

No, no, that’s not the point.

Am I still dreaming?

Why is something that shouldn’t be here standing in front of me?

Her flushed face, trembling pupils, and teary eyes brimming with shame—all of it screamed human. Definitely human. Yet her attire was identical to that of the ghoul maids.

By now, a logical conclusion had formed.

We hired a human maid.

As soon as I arrived at that thought, the trembling human maid opened her mouth.

“D-Did you sleep well, Master?”

Her voice was shaky, as if she might burst into tears at any moment, yet she remained steadfast in her duties. She didn’t even try to pull away, even though my hand was still very much on her chest.

Ah. Now that I looked properly, yes, I was groping her chest.

Keeping my expression neutral, I withdrew my hand. Only then did the maid’s face show a faint hint of relief.

“I think I understand what’s going on, but no one told me about this. My sister arranged this, right?”

“Y-Yes.”

As the current acting head of the Cepeshu household, Leticia could make such decisions without consulting me. My position as head was effectively inactive, which was why the 「Head of House」 trait didn’t appear in my status. It wasn’t as though she needed my permission to hire new staff, so if she remembered my earlier comment about hiring a human maid and actually went through with it, I should probably feel grateful.

But didn’t I make that suggestion while we were both dazed under each other’s charms?

How did she even remember?

I don’t know.

Turning my attention back to the maid, I blatantly scanned her from head to toe. Boldly, even. After all, I was the master here. My gaze was deliberate, bordering on inappropriate—lingering especially long on her ample chest. Despite my brazen appraisal, the maid stood her ground. She seemed embarrassed, but she didn’t falter.

At a glance, she appeared healthy. Wherever she was recruited from, she was clearly better maintained than the average commoner. Her hair was well-kept, her skin smooth and cared for. She was likely the daughter of a wealthy merchant family or perhaps the third daughter of a minor noble house. That was my best guess, based on her appearance alone.

She didn’t seem like someone suited to the role of a maid, much less one of such low status. There must be some backstory here, I thought.

Anyway.

She was quite tall, and though her legs were hidden beneath the maid uniform that fell to just above her ankles, the subtle glimpse of her exposed ankles was enough to stir something in me.

Sometimes, modest attire, with everything covered, can appear far more alluring than complete nudity.

The tightly cinched waistline of her uniform emphasized her chest and waist, a pleasing sight to the eyes.

In terms of looks alone, the ghoul maids—who appeared nearly human aside from their lifeless pallor—were not lacking. However, the liveliness that the human maid in front of me radiated was something they could never replicate.

This was it. This was what a maid should be.

Satisfied, I nodded approvingly.

“What’s your name?” I asked.

“D-Daisy…,” she replied, stumbling over her words. She bit her tongue in her nervousness and glanced at me sheepishly, clearly embarrassed. It was endearing, but there was no point in keeping her standing there indefinitely. Leading the way, I brought her along to the dining hall.

Daisy, flustered, hurried to follow me. She kept a respectful distance—neither too close nor too far—and there was an undeniable grace in her movements that caught my attention. Observing her poised footsteps, I entered the dining room, where my sister was already waiting.

Seeing Daisy trailing behind me, my sister greeted us with a mischievous smile.

“Well? Just as you wanted, a human maid. Do you like her?” she teased.

“She’s acceptable,” I replied, playing it cool.

I had plenty of questions swirling in my mind, but it felt inappropriate to ask them in Daisy’s presence. Instead, I decided to focus on the meal and took my seat.

It seemed Daisy had been assigned to me exclusively. Even as the other ghoul maids left the room, Daisy stood quietly beside me, her posture unwavering. Normally, one of the ghouls would handle minor errands during meals, but it appeared that responsibility now belonged to Daisy.

The meal passed quickly. Since human food was merely a luxury item for us, there was no need to eat to fullness. Instead, I sipped the blood Daisy handed me, poured neatly into a wine glass. Unlike the steak I had sliced earlier, the blood brought a noticeable vitality to my body as I drank it.

“You’re free to drink her blood whenever you need it,” my sister said abruptly as I continued sipping.

I turned to look at Daisy, startled by the suggestion, but she simply stood there with her eyes gently closed, offering no response.

That’s when I began to understand.

“She’s from a family that has served the Cepeshu lineage for generations. They pledge their loyalty to us and, in return, receive our protection. Her pink hair is proof of that.”

A contract that allows a high vampire to have non-vampires as subordinates—without turning them into thralls, lower vampires, or ghouls.

To create a thrall or ghoul, a high vampire must directly drain their blood and inject their own in return.

Most who undergo this process become monstrous creatures, losing their sanity or enduring endless torment from an insatiable thirst for blood—except for a rare few with the talent to ascend.

As an alternative, the Blood Pact was created.

This bond establishes a master-servant relationship without changing the servant’s species, thus eliminating the risk of madness. As long as the servant willingly offers their blood, the contract is easily formed.

Daisy was a descendant of a human family that, centuries ago, chose to serve the Cepeshu household and entered into this blood pact.

“…I am ready to devote everything I have to you, Master,” she said, her voice trembling slightly.

There was fear in her eyes, but it was overshadowed by a resolute determination. That determination wasn’t directed at the Cepeshu family as a whole—it was aimed solely at me, Scarlett Cepeshu. Her loyalty burned intensely, almost unnervingly.

I couldn’t recall any past connection with her. Did something happen between us in the past? If it did, it likely wasn’t anything significant from Scarlett’s perspective. Daisy didn’t seem upset that I didn’t recognize her, so maybe my sister, Leticia, had explained to her that I’d lost my memories.

Whatever the case, it didn’t really matter. Daisy was committed, the arrangement was legal, and she was undeniably beautiful. There was no reason to act overly virtuous and release her. Doing so would only send her back to her family, where she might face scolding along the lines of: “How could you fail to serve the Cepeshu properly!”

I nodded, signaling my acceptance.