When I first heard those words, I couldn’t help but laugh at Viviana. Being imprisoned? What a ridiculous thing to say. And not just for a day or two, but for a whole month in her mansion!
‘There’s no way that’s happening. Silly Viviana.’
There had been countless young ladies who expressed their desire to keep me locked up in a room forever. But none of them managed to actually do it.
The reason was obvious.
No matter how much I pretended to be a pet, at my core, I am still a person. To confine me in her mansion like a ‘pet’ would be morally and ethically wrong in many ways. Of course, that psychopathic lesbian villainess Mardian would be an exception, but anyone with a normal sense of morality would know how absurd that was.
Even my beloved mother would immediately grit her teeth and stop Viviana.
“Then I’ll convince your mother, so just come along quietly.”
Viviana said with confidence. I couldn’t suppress my sneer at her statement.
‘There’s no way that’s happening.’
Does she really think she can convince my mother, who cherishes me so much, to let me be away for a month? It would be easier to reform Mardian into a good person than to make my mother accept that.
I gave Viviana a smirk and said, “Looks like you’ll just be digging your own grave, Viviana.”
Snicker-
“Listen well to the Princess, Tina.”
“Uh, mother…?”
I looked up at her with wide, confused eyes. I gripped her sleeve with trembling hands. But my mother, seemingly unaware of my anguished heart, merely patted my head with a gentle smile.
How could this be happening? My mother was sending me off like this? I had thought she would be fiercely gripping her teeth and stopping Viviana, yet here she was, serenely letting me go to Viviana.
“Uh, mother…? You know I won’t see you for a month, right…?”
“Don’t worry, Tina. The Princess said you can come visit whenever it’s convenient for her, so you won’t be completely out of reach.”
“But… you won’t get your kisses in the morning, will you…? I feel like it’ll be tough for you without me hugging you every day….”
“That is indeed a bit heart-wrenching… But I’ll manage somehow, so you just go well.”
My mother’s firm resolve left my head spinning. I couldn’t grasp what kind of situation this was. It was hard to believe that my mother, who loved and cherished me so much, would allow this one-month separation.
“Stop troubling your mother and come along quietly.”
“Yikes?”
Viviana’s cold voice rang in my ears. That one phrase snapped me back to reality. I was still staring at my mother’s face, but her determined expression said everything. There was no point in clinging any longer. My mother had already made up her mind to send me off to Viviana.
“Uh, mother…why…?”
“Mom always loves you, Tina.”
My mother smiled warmly at me. After that, I was dragged along by Viviana’s grip, feeling like a calf being led to the slaughter.
At the mansion’s front gate, a grand carriage awaited us. Even as I boarded the carriage, unable to let go of my lingering feelings for my mother, I kept looking back, but my mother just watched me silently. I gave her one last pitiful look, like a discarded puppy, but she simply shook her head with a faint smile.
With that, the carriage door closed, and soon the scenery outside the window began to move. In this unexpected situation, I blinked in confusion. How could my mother let me go like this? This was not part of my plan at all.
The only thing I could predict in this situation was one thing.
“You threatened her, didn’t you?”
I glared at Viviana with piercing eyes. She let out a smirk, resting her chin on her hand with a shrug.
“Well, do you think I did?”
“There’s no way my mother would just let me go like this.”
It was clear that Viviana had used some sneaky means to threaten her. My mother wouldn’t want to send me away, but seeing her succumb to Viviana’s threats was evident.
Just like a protagonist with a sociopathic setup. It’s unwritten law to never mess with anyone’s mother, but for her own goals, it seems she doesn’t care.
“Think whatever you want.”
Despite my sharp gaze boring into her, Viviana just chuckled lightly. Since she didn’t deny it, it seemed my prediction was correct.
‘Mother must be so sad. I should be understanding.’
To have to send me away due to this wicked threat, I wondered how much my mother’s heart was breaking.
While I comforted myself thinking of my mother, who might be shedding buckets of tears by now, the carriage soon arrived at Viviana’s mansion. The grand iron gate swung open, revealing a mansion that resembled a fortified castle.
I had been here once before, yet once again, I couldn’t help but hold my breath at the mansion’s imposing grandeur. It was impossible to describe the sheer size of the mansion. An endless garden adorned with countless blooming flowers, and in the middle stood a mansion that was as grand as a citadel.
With a dazed feeling, I stepped down from the carriage. Numerous servants, far more than the impoverished Blanc family, came forth to greet Viviana. They were all perfectly dressed and bowed deeply. Viviana nodded lightly to them, accepting their greetings.
‘…Look at her like a queen.’
I could feel their gazes shifting to me. Some looked at me with curiosity, while others displayed wary stares. As always, I put on a bright and cheerful smile in response to their observations, and those who looked at me with suspicion reacted with a bewildered expression.
“Follow me.”
Viviana led me inside the mansion. The interior was just as luxurious as the exterior. A golden chandelier sparkled from the ceiling, and expensive paintings adorned the walls. It felt like stepping into a lavish palace.
I followed Viviana silently, my mind swirling with thoughts. Why had Viviana brought me here? Was it simply for her enjoyment? Or did she really find it displeasing to see me smiling at other young ladies?
‘…Viviana seems a bit strange too.’
Typically, a pet owner doesn’t confine their pet just because they see it being friendly to others. A normal person would perhaps reward it with a treat for good behavior. But our sociopath master here intends to keep me imprisoned for a whole month instead.
As we walked down the hall and deeper into the mansion, we arrived at Viviana’s office. It was a clean and stylish space, yet the atmosphere felt somber. Not much had changed since my last visit.
As soon as Viviana entered the room, she pulled out a luxurious piece of paper from a drawer and began writing something down. Shortly after, she handed me the completed paper. It was a contract.
“Read it. And sign here.”
“Umm….”
I took the contract and slowly read through it. Having had some experience with contracts, I realized that Viviana’s immediate drafting was quite detailed and formal.
==========================
This contract confirms that it has been concluded between Viviana Merdellia (hereafter referred to as “Master”) and Tina Blanc (hereafter referred to as “Pet”). This contract consists of the following clauses.
Article 1: Relationship
1.1. The Pet shall become the Master’s possession upon the conclusion of this contract and shall be obliged to obey all Master’s demands and orders.
1.2. The Master shall be the guardian and owner of the Pet, bearing the responsibility for the Pet’s actions and care.
Article 2: Obligations of the Pet
2.1. The Pet shall prioritize the Master’s satisfaction and do their utmost for the Master’s happiness and comfort.
2.2. The Pet shall be obliged to provide labor as per the Master’s demands and fulfill the Master’s emotional and physical needs.
Article 3: Obligations of the Master
3.1. The Master shall be fully responsible for the Pet’s financial issues and shall provide full support to ensure the Pet does not encounter economic hardships.
3.2. The Master shall take all necessary measures to ensure the Pet can live healthily and safely.
Article 4: Punishments and Rewards
4.1. If the Pet fails to fulfill the obligations of this contract, the Master has the authority to impose appropriate punishment on the Pet. The scope and intensity of the punishment are at the Master’s discretion.
4.2. Conversely, should the Pet exceed the Master’s expectations, the Master may provide rewards to the Pet. The type and scope of the rewards are at the Master’s discretion.
Article 5: Termination of the Contract
5.1. This contract cannot be unilaterally terminated without mutual consent.
5.2. The validity period of this contract is three years.
==========================
The more I read, the more shocking the content became. The contract clearly revealed Viviana’s blatant intentions. I had heard about it before, but seeing it written down like this sent a slight fear creeping into my heart.
“…This is.”
Viviana quietly smiled and looked into my eyes. There was not a hint of wavering in her gaze.
“That’s right. You are now my pet. In exchange for becoming my possession, your family will no longer face financial difficulties, and I will enjoy the pleasure of having you as mine.”
“…But there are things written here that weren’t mentioned.”
“Oh?”
“There wasn’t any mention about punishing me…! And what about this section here?!”
I pointed a finger at one of the clauses and glared at Viviana.
[2.2. The Pet is obliged to provide all labor as per the Master’s demands and must fulfill the Master’s emotional and physical needs.]
“What do you mean by fulfilling physical needs? Are you saying you want something like Mardian…?”
“That’s ridiculous.”
Viviana lightly tapped my forehead with her finger. The sting was sharp, but it wasn’t painful.
“I often feel exhausted after working hard every month, so it’s only natural for a pet to relieve the fatigue, right?”
“…You’re talking about something like a massage?”
“Yeah, that would be nice.”
A massage didn’t sound too peculiar. The role of a pet is solely for the Master’s satisfaction, so helping to ease her tired body shouldn’t be too difficult.
“And don’t worry about punishment. As long as you act solely for my sake, that will never happen.”
“….”
“Immediately upon signing this contract, I’ll take care of all the debts of the Blanc family. You’ll even receive a small compensatory payment.”
My eyes widened at Viviana’s words. I could finally recall my purpose for voluntarily stepping into her mansion.
The family’s debt.
Viviana promised to clear the debt that my mother would struggle to repay for at least five years, all in one go. Furthermore, the contract states that she will support me entirely with my economic troubles.
‘If I play my cards right… I might be able to get quite a lot out of this…’
This contract had advantages not only for Viviana but also several benefits for me. And one more thing. The clause about rewarding me when I satisfy Viviana. I pointed at that clause and looked at Viviana.
“Naturally, you’ll be giving me something expensive, right?”
“…You’re not hiding your superficiality at all now.”
“The contract has to be thorough, after all.”
Viviana sighed briefly but nodded in agreement. I imagined a sweet vision of countless gold coins bursting forth as I read through the contract one last time.
“Alright.”
I picked up the fountain pen Viviana handed me and signed my name. There didn’t seem to be any tricks, and the validity was clearly stated as three years.
It was simple. Even if I was a useless human, I was confident in satisfying someone as a pet. I’d just have to gather Viviana’s ‘rewards’ over the three years and make the Blanc family significantly wealthier. And then, my lifelong happy life as a freeloader would finally begin.
When I handed the contract back to Viviana, she signed it on her side and then stamped it prominently with the emblem of the Duke of Merdellia.
“Alphonse.”
As Viviana suddenly called out a name, an elegant elderly man appeared from outside the office. He glanced at me before briefly bowing his head and addressing Viviana politely.
“Did you call for me?”
“This is the contract, so make two copies separately and submit them to the temple. Ensure they are sealed securely upon submission.”
Typically, contracts are submitted to the temple or the palace. Thus, that facility verifies the legitimacy of the contract. If one party breaches the contract in the future, the sealed contract can be opened to conduct a fair trial.
“Yes. Understood.”
The elderly man bowed his head briefly, took the letters, and withdrew. After confirming he was gone, I took a breath and turned my gaze back to Viviana.
“Viviana, then now—Hyaah!?!”
Before I knew it, Viviana had stood up and approached me again, lifting me into her arms without warning like a princess. She carried me out of the office and headed somewhere else in the mansion.
“Wait, hold on….”
The place we soon arrived at was a large bedroom. Judging by the ambiance and layout, it was evidently Viviana’s room at first glance.
“Your job is simple. Just look cute in the room and make me happy.”
She threw me onto the bed. While I was surprised by the sudden action and fell onto the bed, the surprisingly soft mattress wrapped around me snugly.
But that was only for a moment. Viviana pulled out a thick rope and tied one of my arms to the bedpost.
“Ugh.”
The tightening pressure of the ropes made a groan escape my lips.
“I don’t have handcuffs at the moment, so just wait a bit longer.”
“H-handcuffs?”
“As I said, it’s a month-long confinement here.”
Confinement.
Hearing that word again, it was still anything but familiar to me.
“You are now my pet, Tina. You must exist solely for me. But you’ve been flaunting your tail at other young ladies while I’m here, so this is the punishment I mentioned earlier.”
“….”
“For a month, don’t even think about leaving this room. Of course, if you behave well, you can explore elsewhere in the mansion.”
Viviana looked down at me, who was bound to the bed, with an unreadable smile on her face.
“Tina, you should respond?”
