Chapter 39

A serene silence enveloped the surroundings.

Viviana seemed momentarily speechless in the face of my logic. Her silence filled me with a sense of victory.

Yeah, of course, you can’t say anything.

How common is it to find someone as twisted as Mardian? Someone as naive as Sharrione wouldn’t assault me, so Viviana’s worries were unnecessary.

I felt proud of my victory over Viviana. But as I basked in the afterglow of triumph, Viviana stared at me with icy eyes.

“So, you plan to keep flattering the young ladies like that?”

Her voice was as cold as ice, and I instinctively shrunk back. What could have possibly upset her this time? She was truly unpredictable.

“I will. It might seem insincere to you, Viviana, but for me, it’s a means of survival.”

“…How much do you think you’ll earn by selling your smiles?”

“Do you know how many gifts I’ve received from the young ladies? If you knew, you wouldn’t say that.”

I tried to lighten the mood with a casual joke, but Viviana’s face only grew colder. I was at a loss, unable to understand her mood.

Could it be that she doesn’t understand my way of life? From her perspective, having lived her entire life dutifully in the ducal family, Viviana might not comprehend my lifestyle.

Desperate to thaw the freezing atmosphere, I forced a smile and spoke.

“Of course, living sincerely like you, Viviana, is admirable, but my way is quite comfortable too. Just by smiling, people give me expensive gifts.”

But Viviana remained cold. Was it my insincerity that bothered her, or was it that she couldn’t accept my way of life? Her face grew colder by the second.

“Viviana…?”

“Enough.”

Her voice, devoid of emotion, made me shiver. Viviana’s violet eyes no longer held any affection.

“Do as you please. It seems I no longer need to concern myself with you.”

“Huh…?”

With those words, Viviana turned her back on me without hesitation. Seeing her cold retreat brought back memories I wanted to forget.

My heart sank. My breathing grew shallow. I forced a smile and reached out with trembling hands.

“V-Viviana…? Where are you going…?”

“I’m returning to the ducal family. I have a mountain of work to do.”

“Huh…?”

“Tch. What a waste of time.”

Viviana’s cold words shattered the mask of insincerity on my face. I quickly covered my face with my hands. Thankfully, Viviana didn’t look back. If she had seen my bare face, she would have despised me.

Lifeless eyes.

A hunched body.

A mouth that wouldn’t stop trembling.

I couldn’t show Viviana the dead face that my once-mother used to beat daily, saying she couldn’t stand the sight of me.

“I-Is that so? If the princess is busy, then there’s nothing to be done…”

“…”

A hollow feeling overwhelmed me. I felt like I might collapse at any moment, but I managed to speak as usual, choking back my emotions.

“I hope we can meet again.”

“…”

I couldn’t even remember what I had said. Viviana didn’t respond. When I moved my hand away, she was already far gone.

Left alone in the garden, I stared blankly at the spot where Viviana had stood and muttered.

“…Why.”

As Viviana said…

I only showed my true self, without pretense…

Why are you leaving me?

“…I see.”

So, you too…

Are disgusted by my true self.

Well, it was bound to happen anyway.

If this was how it was going to be, I should have just kept up the act from the start. Then I wouldn’t feel this way, being abandoned again.

In the end, my mother from my past life was right.

Someone like me—

“Ha, I’m really going crazy.”

Suddenly, a youthful voice rang out, and my body was lifted into the air.

“Wha—?!”

My heart raced at the sudden turn of events. Looking down with trembling eyes, I met Viviana’s violet eyes as she held me in a princess carry.

“V-Viviana…?”

What, didn’t you just leave?

When did you come back?

“I’m not the type to go back and forth like this, really…”

Viviana furrowed one eyebrow and muttered to herself. I tried to calm my trembling heart as I looked at her.

“Why, why did you come back…? You said you had work at the mansion…”

“You keep bothering me, young lady.”

“M-Me…?”

What did I do wrong this time?

Why do you keep blaming me?

“This won’t do. Being swayed like this doesn’t suit my personality.”

Viviana lifted me even higher. When our eyes met at the same level, her breath tickled my cheek.

“Lady Tina, do you know? I’ve obtained everything I’ve ever wanted. The sharpest sword in the world, the most beautiful jewels.”

“Uh… yes, that’s amazing…”

Viviana frowned slightly. It seemed my answer didn’t please her. But soon, she smiled and looked down at me.

“That’s the Merdelia way. I’m the type who must have what I want to be satisfied.”

“…What are you saying?”

“Congratulations. As you wished, you’ve successfully seduced me.”

My eyes widened at Viviana’s sudden confession. I seduced her? No way. Unlike the other young ladies, I didn’t flatter Viviana, only showing her my awkward, true self… What could have possibly captivated her?

“It’s unfortunate for you. Once I’ve decided to have you, there’s no escaping now.”

“W-What are you talking about, Viviana…?”

“Tina Blanchard.”

Viviana called my name solemnly. Her serious demeanor left me speechless.

“From today, you’ll no longer be a plaything of the social circle, but my pet.”

“…Huh?”

“If I hadn’t saved you, you would have been drugged and become Mardian’s slave, right? Rather than that, it’s better to be my pet.”

The proposal was utterly bewildering. Honestly, becoming someone’s pet didn’t bother me. Many young ladies in the social circle already treated me like a toy. If Viviana wanted it, I was willing to become her exclusive pet.

But I didn’t plan to accept it purely.

“Then what will you do for me, Viviana?”

“What?”

“If you’re claiming me exclusively, does that mean you’ll give me all the gifts and affection the other young ladies give me?”

If you’re asking me to give up being the pet of other young ladies, you’ll have to offer me something in return. The gifts I receive from flattering the other young ladies are worth a lot; I can’t just give that up easily.

“Ha. You’re quite honest, young lady. Greedy, aren’t you?”

“I promised to be sincere with you, Viviana.”

“Pfft… I like that.”

Viviana gave a faint smile. Seeing her smile at me after so long lifted my spirits a little.

“I’ll pay off all of Blanchard’s debts.”

“…Huh?”

I blinked in surprise at her unexpected words. Does she know how much the Blanchard family owes? Even with my mother’s tireless efforts, half of the debt remains, and it’s no small amount.

“Do you know how much the debt is?”

“Lady Tina, have you forgotten who I am?”

I had no retort to her confident words. Viviana smiled even more brightly and continued.

“And if Blanchard’s business shows potential, I’ll support it generously. Your mother seems quite capable from what I saw last time.”

My mouth hung open.

Viviana’s support? Whether it’s a baron or a count’s family, countless families would jump at the chance to receive the Merdelia Ducal Family’s support.

I’m not stupid enough to not realize how big of a privilege this is. But the bigger the privilege, the more I had to ask what the cost would be.

“Then what do I have to give in return?”

“As I said, just become my pet lady. I don’t like empty relationships, so it’s best to write up a contract.”

“A contract?”

“Yes. A contract where Tina Blanchard pledges to please her master as my pet.”

A contract… It made me a bit uneasy.

“Your answer?”

“…”

“Think carefully. I’ll only ask once.”

But… the temptation was too great to pass up. The chance to save my mother from her debts was right in front of me; how could I let this go?

My mother wouldn’t have to suffer anymore. No matter how many jewels the other young ladies give me, it wouldn’t compare to this privilege. This was an opportunity I couldn’t afford to miss.

After a long moment of contemplation in Viviana’s arms, I finally nodded.

“…Alright. You have to keep your promise.”

“Hehe… I promise.”

“I’ll read the contract carefully, and if there’s anything strange, it’s void.”

“Sure, whatever makes you comfortable.”

Viviana smiled beautifully and stroked my head. In an instant, I went from being the pet of the social circle to Viviana’s personal possession, but it didn’t bother me much. The fact that my mother’s debts would be paid off made me incredibly happy.

“Then let’s head back to my mansion right away.”

But my joy was short-lived. Her unexpected words left me blinking in confusion.

“Huh? Your mansion?”

“You’re my pet now, aren’t you?”

Viviana wore a mischievous yet enchanting smile. It was a familiar smile. Having played the game countless times, I knew exactly what that smile meant.

“I can’t stand seeing my pet flirting with others.”

Viviana’s smile meant she was very pleased with the current situation.

“You’ll be confined to a room for a month, pet lady.”

“…Huh?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of your needs.”

Contrary to her noble smile, I had no idea what expression was on my face.

…Confinement?

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