I was the first one to wake up and see the kind of messed up state I'd accidentally put her in.

Not only were her clothes turned to rags, but there was actually a part of it used like a leash and collar around her neck. There was stain near her mouth from my 'milk', and her arms were now untied.

It looked like a lot happened last night...

"Argh..." She moaned, opening her eyes and remembering what was the taste in her mouth.

"She might want to freshen up early."

"Good point..." Rather than being embarrassed, it was almost like she threw away all her shame.

She didn't even seem averse to letting me see all her important parts naked. It was quite the sight.

I too went and freshened myself up. The sweat we both accumulated last night wasn't a good smell...

None of us talked about last night, almost as if it didn't happen. The only difference in our relationship was that she didn't seem to hate me anymore. Was this her true personality?

Luo Fei was laidback. As if seeing my member dangling out wasn't really embarrassing anymore.

I washed her back and she washed mine. We put on a new pair of clothes before going back to business as usual. Since I got caught stalking Lu Xia yesterday, I guess it was best to deal with her.

But just as I was getting ready to do so, I overheard an interesting conversation Little Tao was having.

"Aunt Fei, you're saying you want to be my Second Mama?" My daughter asked in an innocent voice.

"Can't I be First Mama?"

"No."

"You sure...?"

"Yes."

"...Why?"

"Because First Mama is my First Mama. First come first serve." Little Tao's words made her pout.

"Tch!" She clicked her tongue loudly.

"But why are you interested in Papa now?"

"I just feel like it." She avoided a direct answer and rolled her eyes, pretending to be tranquil.

Seeing how she was being pestered for a clear answer, I took this opportunity to see Lu Xia.

"Hey, we need to talk." I cornered her as she was taking a clothes basket to be washed to the side.

It was similar to what Luo Fei did last time.

"Are we starting a relationship?"

"No, why would you even think that?" Again, it looks like I can't stop getting angered by her.

"Ummm, I thought you said you wanted to."

"Okay, I'm gonna be straight with you." Seeing my serious attitude, she straightened her back.

"You're secretly a Demonic Practitioner, aren't you?" My question made her face start to sweat.

"Err... N-no! Not at all!" Her eyes were all over the place, and her answer didn't sound convincing.

"Just give it up. I already know your secret. That day... you wanted to use Demonic Arts on me." I spoke while grabbing her shoulder. If she tried resisting, I'd beat her up. If not, then 'Life Control' will work its magic and give me full reign over her.

"T-that's not true at all~" My battle intent started to waver as she was still twiddling with her fingers.

Why didn't she think of escaping yet...?

"...Then show me your Martial Spirit." There's no way she could hide the contamination of Qi on it.

As she was thinking, my ability finally worked.

{Would you like to use 'Life Lock'?}

I gave it the command, and 'Life Control' gave me full control of her power similar to last time.

My hand let go of her shoulder as I pointed at her arm, which I'd commanded to leak her Internal Qi.

Seeing that she'd been exposed, rather than attacking me naturally, she bowed to me deeply.

"Please spare my life!"

"Alright."

"H-huh?"

"I mean, how can I not when you're asking me so nicely?" My shoulders shrugged in response.

She stood there frozen for a few seconds. 

I gave her time to take what I'd said in. Perhaps this was the first time she'd ever encountered this.

"Young Master, I love you so much!" Suddenly, she kneeled over and attached herself to my leg.

What was happening right now? Was this a new killing method? I was ready to stop her, but...

"Can you get off though?"

"I'd never met such a nice person. Never in my entire life... Wuuh!" She started crying on me.

"Errr... Okay?" I didn't know why, but my usual unconscious action to wipe her tears didn't occur.

Was it because she was kinda annoying...?

"First, try sitting up straight. Tell me what's bothering you." And also about who sent you.

I took her to an empty room and started to listen to her talk about the past. It was actually quite sad...

Rather than someone who became a Demonic Practitioner for unscrupulous reasons, she was just a maid of the Luo Clan that was forced to do this by a corrupted faction that took away her freedom.

My heart started to become angrier and angrier as I heard about her being sexually abused regularly.

I'm not sure where this fury was coming from...

Even in my past life, Demonic Practitioners were usually the evildoers in every single situation. 

For there to be an 'innocent evildoer' was a large contradiction that made me unable to keep calm.

I could choose to think that she was trying to trick me, but 'Life Control' was saying that her energy fluctuations were showing her sincerity. It was the final straw that made me finally believe her story.

If the Luo Clan really were abusing and kidnapping women off the streets to be common fodder for their schemes, there's no way I could just let this slide. There were so many potential wives there!

"It must have been hard on you." I patted her shoulder, giving the minimal comfort I could give.

"It was... It was..." She covered her face with her hands, causing me to feel sympathy for her.

"So... what's your Martial Spirit?" When I asked that, she finally revealed a ghostly yet evil sword.

From the way it materialised, it seemed like this was genuinely a Martial Spirit rather than a sword.

"...It must have demonised after training those techniques they gave you, or am I wrong?"

"Actually, my Martial Spirit had always been closer to the Yin attribute. I've been told that my talent was high as a Demonic Practitioner, but low as an Orthodox Practitioner." And it wasn't wrong, yet...

"It looks like you think it was fate. Don't believe their lies. You haven't don't anything wrong, right?"

"I acted as a spy... and planned to kill you."

"Yeah... The world would freeze over before you succeeded, so let's say we're even." She was such an incompetent killer that... it would take me dying of old age for her to actually succeed in killing me.

Didn't make much sense, but that was the point.

"...Young Master, why... did you forgive me?"

"A whim."

"U-umm... Really?"

"I mean, you hadn't really harmed anyone and I've watched you bumbling about like an idiot."

"But I thought-"

"You are the worst Demonic Practitioner I've ever met." I poked her head, causing her to smile.

Even though I was practically calling her incompetent, she didn't seem angered at all.

Somehow, she actually seemed relieved by this.

{Report: User should be careful. The 'Masochistic Succubus Demon Physique' possessed by the target activates with every form of attack. Even abuse using words can be considered one.}

Eh? So that's why she wanted to be hit?

"Do you have a special physique?" She held her arm and turned away, responding sadly:

"Somehow, anyone who had ever hit me have had their life sucked away. Even without using the Evil Life Seduction Art, those who had their way with me always died. That... or were forever stuck on the brink of death." Her answer was kinda scary.

It made sense why she was thrown to rot here. She was just too good in the wrong aspect for them.

From what I imagine, they were trying to turn maids into pleasure object rather than killing tools.

Turning towards her, I put my hands on her shoulders and asked with a serious tone:

"Do you know how to fight?"

"We weren't taught anything other than sex..."

"Even so, there's something we need to do.

"..." She knew what I was about to proclaim...

"Help me save the others." As soon as I said these words, her experience darkened from reluctance.

"I'll... die."

"I promise to protect you." Even though I'd given her my word, she didn't seem able to accept it.

Choosing to risk her life wasn't an easy task.

I could easily threaten her, but that would only make me as bad as the people trying to harm her.

There has to be another way...

{Would you like to use 'Assistance Mode'?}

What does that do?

{By temporarily sacrificing a body part, the user can give your protection to anyone in 'Life Lock'.}

...Do it.

{Would you like to alter target's appearance?}

It took some time to come to a decision. I asked my ability to turn her hair black and change her face a bit. Once the commands were inputted, I could feel the Martial Spirit in my body starting to manifest.

However, it didn't summon out the same way as my Water Dragon and Black Horned Grass Snake.

Suddenly, the nature of my arm changed from corporeal to spiritual. It was as if I'd became a Martial Spirit myself! Even Lu Xia was shocked by my sudden transformation. It was really strange...

What was even stranger was that my arm completely 'detached' from the rest of my body.

And yet, there was not even a bit of pain...

My maid watched wide-eyed as the detached arm opened up and revealed a hollow inside. It was as if it was a costume to begin with. The spiritual arm slipped onto her own and adjusted its size.

"W-what is this ability?!" That was the only explanation she could come up with.

She wasn't exactly wrong with this statement of hers. Especially considering how anything other than summoning Martial Spirits usually meant it was either an ability or technique passed down.

Since detaching an entire arm was too ludicrous to be considered an 'Art', it HAD to be an ability.

Still... she was a little off the mark.

It seemed like a part of my body truly became a Martial Spirit, then it slipped itself onto her arm.

The moment it did, the two of them fused.

Like I'd asked earlier, her features and hair colour changed upon being imbued by my left arm.

I could feel a connection form between us. The most surprising aspect wasn't even this though.

"Try using your sword."

"...But I don't know any Sword Arts."

"It's fine. At least try swinging it for me." There was insistence in my request, which she obliged to.

The moment she got up and summoned out her now demonic 'Ghost Sword' Martial Spirit, a change occurred in her technical proficiency. The technique she used was definitely a familiar sight.

It was the Flowing River Sword Art...

"I-I'm now able to fight?" She was unable to understand where her skills were coming from.

"I've given you some protection. Lu Xia..." I once again put my arm on her shoulder and asked: "I know that place gave you a lot of trauma, and I know it's dangerous... but will you come with me?"

"Young Master, I'll go where you go. If you gave an arm to protect me, I'll use it to protect you." She may be dull at some places, but she became emboldened once she donned my left arm.

For some odd reason, I felt like my swordsmanship wasn't the only ability she was capable of using.

Moreover, what's with me losing an arm?

I don't get the relation between controlling life and turning my arm into a makeshift arm glove...

This was super weird, but it's not like my reincarnation made any sense to begin with.

I guess I might as well role with this?