Chapter 53

Tina is lazy.

Even when the morning sunlight fills the room, she doesn’t budge from her bed. Even simple tasks like tidying up her blanket are a huge challenge for her.

Her personality isn’t exactly great either. The incident where she calmly smiled and ruined a young lady’s social life at a previous banquet is still vividly remembered.

She might be the worst kind of person, but Tina has a charm that more than makes up for all her flaws.

Adorableness.

An irresistible, alluring charm, and Tina herself knows better than anyone that this is her strength.

So, she shamelessly flirts with one girl after another, wagging her tail like a fox. She was literally born to seduce people.

Once, she thought about it.

If it were just about pursuing wealth, men would be more efficient than women, but Tina has never approached a man first. In fact, she panics and avoids any man who approaches her.

It wasn’t hard to guess why.

A girl so lovable that you can’t help but adore her. The way people look at her would differ greatly between men and women.

Women, who appreciate beauty, would look at her with a desire to take her home and care for her, but men would inevitably look at her with a more rational gaze.

And the innate instincts between men and women would inevitably make them see Tina in a sexual light.

Such gazes could lead to irreversible situations. That’s why Tina only seduces women. She knows it’s the safest and most trouble-free path for her.

At least, other women wouldn’t look at her with sexual intent.

…Probably.

Cunning and clever.

Tina was born with a good mind, but she’s too lazy to use it diligently. As she promised her mother, she plans to overcome her innate laziness.

But Tina wasn’t the type to be persuaded by words. While she might seem like she could bend her pride in front of others, deep down, she had her own unyielding beliefs.

To change Tina, she had to realize it herself. She needed to understand just how harsh the world is when trying to get what she wants without effort.

“…Have you had enough?”

Recalling Tina’s plump, firm buttocks that felt heavenly just to touch.

Viviana clenched and unclenched her hand in the air.

*

In the hallway, she carefully examined the numerous paintings on display, pondering which one might be more valuable.

“Hmm, hmm.”

A cheerful hum escaped her lips. Thinking of the painting Viviana had sent, she couldn’t help but feel overjoyed.

Her mother must have received the painting by now. She could vividly imagine her mother’s wide blue eyes filled with surprise. It was a shame she couldn’t see that shocked expression in person.

Even while living as a freeloader, being able to earn money was the best situation imaginable. Despite being called a captive, this place was actually the best environment.

‘If this is what captivity is like, I wouldn’t mind being captured a hundred times.’

In fact, it was a pity that only ten days remained before she had to leave. If she could stay here for a year, she might be able to take all the paintings hanging in the hallway.

“Iris, which painting do you think is the prettiest?”

She turned her head with a bright smile. There stood Iris, still expressionless, guarding her spot.

Despite her cheerful smile, my heart was filled with wariness. I had once wanted to befriend her, but after seeing her getting along well with Viviana, I couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

Of course, Viviana didn’t seem to have such feelings, but the atmosphere between the two in the office definitely felt affectionate.

At least one of them seemed to harbor feelings beyond that of a servant and master.

And if Iris was targeting Viviana, she would be someone I needed to keep an eye on.

Honestly, if Iris weren’t so pretty, I wouldn’t have cared. But she had the cold beauty that inevitably drew attention, despite being just a maid.

‘…Should I just ask her?’

Unable to contain my curiosity, I approached Iris. Looking straight into her calm eyes, I whispered.

“Iris, do you like Viviana?”

“…”

There was no immediate answer to my sudden question, but a clear reaction followed. Iris, who was always calm, frowned deeply and glared at me with eyes full of hostility.

Seeing this clear reaction, I could be sure.

‘So that’s it.’

Viviana had no interest in Iris, but Iris clearly harbored feelings for Viviana.

Well, someone like Viviana couldn’t possibly lack admirers.

The princess of one of the only four ducal families in the empire, a swordsmanship prodigy who ascended to Evernight at the youngest age of 15.

On top of that, her beauty was unrealistically unfair. Not just pretty, but with a handsomeness that even most handsome men couldn’t match. It was clear that some women, regardless of gender barriers, would fall for Viviana.

Iris must be one of those cases.

But wake up.

She’s my sponsor.

“Ah… But Iris, you’ll keep your boundaries, right?”

A kind of warning to maintain her role as a servant. But the answer I got from Iris was completely different from what I expected.

She looked at me with her calm, dark eyes for a while, then smirked and shrugged her shoulders.

At that moment, I was just puzzled, completely unaware of the meaning behind Iris’s smirk.

I thought it was just pointless pride.

*

The air in the bedroom was heavy with a sweet tension.

“Ugh…”

As usual, Viviana lay beside me and touched my buttocks. Now accustomed to her touch, my body reacted on its own.

It had been three days since she started touching my buttocks. Viviana’s hands had become quite skilled.

Her fingertips slid down my skin, sometimes gripping my buttocks tightly.

“Viviana…”

“Yes, Tina.”

Occasionally, she would press her fingers lightly into my flesh, then release them gently, tickling me. Each time, my body trembled slightly, as if yielding to her intentions.

Just as a strange heat began to envelop my body from Viviana’s teasing touch, her hand suddenly stopped. A quiet silence followed, and Viviana slowly removed her hand from my buttocks.

Curious, I turned my head slightly and was startled by Viviana’s unexpected expression.

Her purple eyes, usually filled with affection, now showed boredom.

“Tina, I’m bored of your butt now.”

Thud—

“Huh…?”

My heart, which had been faintly beating, plummeted to the bottom with Viviana’s words.

“B-Bored…?”

“Yes.”

For a moment, I thought I had misheard. But even when I asked again, the answer was the same.

It felt like a thorn had pierced my heart. My mind went blank, and all strength left my body.

Bored?

After only three days…?

“Y-You’re bored… of touching me…?”

“Yeah, the initial excitement is gone.”

My sinking heart now raced wildly.

Bored…?

Why? Already?

Did I accept her conditions too easily? Did I unknowingly show a materialistic side that turned Viviana off?

Oh no…

Bored.

Was it just my buttocks? Or was she gradually getting tired of my ugly true self?

Bored…?

So she’s bored of me? Viviana is bored of me? No, that can’t be. Just yesterday, she said she liked it— Bored? No… Viviana wouldn’t— Bored? Why bored? Why bored? Bored? Bored? Bored—

“Tina?”

Her calm voice pulled my consciousness back to the surface. Tears almost welled up in my eyes as I looked at Viviana, but I forced a smile.

I absolutely won’t cry.

Showing a pitiful, ugly crying face would only make Viviana’s affection grow colder.

My childhood friend told me.

In times like these, you have to smile at the other person.

Never show your ugly, dirty true self.

“A-Ah… S-So, is there a reason… you’re bored…? D-Did I do something wrong…?”

“No, it’s not that… Hmm…”

The words didn’t come out easily, but I managed to force them out. Viviana’s eyes, losing their affection, painfully stabbed at my heart.

But Viviana, as if waiting for my reaction, continued in a low voice.

“Tina, if it’s okay with you, can I touch your chest instead of your butt?”

“…Huh?”