In a grand mansion that boasts a scale rivaling even the most illustrious palace in the Empire, a thin voice echoes from one of its countless offices.
“…A banquet?”
“Yes.”
Despite the passing years, the noble elder bowing respectfully to the woman before him still exudes a dignified elegance.
“Is there a reason I must attend such an event?”
“It is a banquet to celebrate the upcoming marriage of Her Highness the Third Princess. His Majesty has explicitly expressed his hope for the young lady’s attendance.”
The woman’s forehead furrowed slightly, yet her beautiful face remained composed. Her long black hair was calm like the night sky, and her amethyst-like eyes sparkled brilliantly.
“Well, if it’s the Third Princess, I suppose I should go. She’s our closest ally.”
As the black-haired woman removed her coat, the elder instinctively received it and hung it on a coat rack. With elegant footsteps, she approached the desk in the office and took a seat.
“What are the trends in high society these days?”
“Well, Your Highness, you need not concern yourself with such matters.”
“I need to stay informed. I don’t want to be labeled as an outdated relic.”
“Haha… Who would dare say such a thing to you, Your Highness?”
If it were not for the extraordinary value of her life, such words would not be uttered.
The elder wanted to say this but kept a gentle smile on his face, knowing all too well that the woman before him was aware of it.
“I may not know the tastes of young ladies these days, but I do have a grasp on the current trends in high society.”
As the woman nodded briefly, the elder began to outline various recent events. From the information about a family that spectacularly failed while trying to expand its salt business to the buzz around a newly developed white chocolate, he covered everything from trivial gossip to significant incidents without missing a beat.
The black-haired woman rested her chin on her hand as she perused the documents. At a glance, it seemed she was not paying much attention to the elder’s words; however, he continued on.
“There’s still no confirmation, but there’s information that the Third Prince has made contact with the shaman sect.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. This information was directly obtained from ‘Shadow.’”
Her amethyst-like eyes glimmered ominously, and a crescent-shaped smirk appeared at the corners of her mouth.
“If she just quietly scavenged for crumbs, she could live a perfectly fine life. But in the end, she’s just shortening her lifespan.”
It wasn’t a remark typically fitting for royal family members, yet the elder did not retort.
“I dislike people who are unaware of their place. They just end up creating unnecessary trouble.”
After quickly processing all the documents, the woman stretched and looked out the window. She strapped the sword, which was draped over the desk, to her waist and stood up.
“So, is that all the information?”
“Oh, and while it may not be of concern to you, there’s recently been talk of a peculiar individual in high society.”
“Really?”
As curiosity lit up in her eyes, the elder continued.
“It’s the daughter of the Baron Blanc family… there have been various discussions about her lately.”
“Baron Blanc? That name rings a bell…”
“Indeed. The former head of the family squandered its fortune on gambling and passed away. The title has been inherited by his wife.”
“Oh, that reprobate head of the family. But what about his daughter?”
“People are calling her a ‘pet lady’ in public.”
“A pet lady?”
“Yes. She’s so adorably beautiful and has a docile personality. People say she follows others like a well-trained pet dog, which is how she got the nickname.”
The excessively serious tones of the elder drew a chuckle from the woman. Compared to the earlier topics, this felt ridiculous yet oddly intriguing.
How could someone acquire a title so absurd as ‘pet’ in front of their name? The bizarre combination of words brought her unexpected amusement.
“Pfft, at least that lady seems to know her place very well.”
The woman’s name was Viviana Merdellia. She was the only princess of the Merdellia Duchy, which had reached the mastery of swordsmanship among the Empire’s four major duchies.
*
“Tina, say ‘ah~’.”
“Ah~”
As I gently opened my mouth, a tiny cookie was popped inside. Slowly chewing and savoring the soft sweetness and nuttiness of the treat satisfied my taste buds.
“Wow, this is delicious.”
“Hehe… It’s a new cookie released by the Mardellin confectionery this month. I even queued to get it for you, Tina.”
“Really? I love it so much, Lady Versha.”
Her light blue eyes beamed with a bright smile. The woman known as Versha patted my head, smiling gently.
“Just looking at you, Tina, makes me smile effortlessly. How about you move in with us at our mansion? I’ll take great care of you.”
“I think I’d be really happy spending every day with you, Lady Versha.”
“Really? Then let’s plan for you to come over to our mansion this week.”
At my words, Versha’s blue eyes widened in surprise. A light blush crept on her cheeks as she excitedly spoke, but another woman with purple hair grabbed her shoulder.
“Lady Versha. Don’t hog Tina all to yourself.”
“…Lady Sharione.”
“Tina, come here!”
The woman named Sharione opened her arms to me. Without hesitation, I rushed into her embrace, and she warmly wrapped me up like a mother bird tending to her chick.
“I’ve been feeling a bit off lately due to my fiancé, but thanks to you, Tina, I feel much more at ease.”
The woman sighed deeply while holding me tight. Looking up at her with a sheepish smile on my face, I chimed in.
“I really missed you, Lady Sharione!”
“I missed you too, Tina.”
“But fiancé? Does that mean you’re getting married, Lady Sharione?”
That didn’t seem like a welcome topic, as her brow furrowed slightly. She took a short breath before answering my question.
“Yes, it seems that way.”
“…Do you have to get married?”
“It’s an engagement that was arranged by the family, so there’s nothing I can do about it.”
I gently intertwined my fingers with Sharione’s hand, reminding myself of the melancholy swirling within. Looking up at her with the most sorrowful face I could muster, I said in a graceful voice.
“I don’t want that… If you do, we won’t be able to be together anymore. I really like you, Lady Sharione…”
“T-Tina…”
Sharione’s refined voice trembled. Her dark eyes glistened with emotion, and her previously annoyed expression transformed into a faint smile.
“There’s no way I could leave Tina! No matter what happens, you will always be our precious pet!”
Sharione held me tightly, embracing me with all her might.
‘…I can’t breathe.’
While the sudden pressure caused distress, I didn’t resist and melted into her embrace.
“Instead, it would be nice if I could marry Tina. I bet we’d be happy every day. Walking, shopping, just a continuous bliss!”
“Really…? I think I’d be happy to marry you, Lady Sharione.”
“Hehe, Tina really…”
Feeling even more cheerful, Sharione, still wearing a gentle smile, pulled something from her dress and presented it to me.
“I participated in an auction recently, and when I saw this, I thought of you. It’s a gift.”
What she handed me was a small, elegantly wrapped box. Upon opening it, a necklace embedded with a magnificent blue gemstone lay inside.
“L-Lady Sharione… this is…?”
“It’s a blue sapphire. I want you to have it.”
“You gifted me an expensive dress last time… And this is too precious for me to use… It’s like putting a pearl necklace on a pig.”
Sharione pulled me away from her embrace and poked my forehead with a mock sulky expression.
“Don’t say such things! What pig could compare to how beautiful you are, don’t dare compare yourself to a mundane animal!”
“R-Really?”
“Of course. And since you’re our pet, at the very least, we need to give you this level of adornment. Otherwise, it puts us in an awkward position.”
Versha, sitting opposite, nodded in agreement with Sharione’s words. Unable to resist their sincere gazes, I reluctantly held the box close to my chest with both hands.
“Well then, I’ll gratefully accept it. Thank you so much, Lady Sharione…”
“Hehe… All you need to do is stay forever beautiful and obedient, Tina.”
Versha and Sharione were both impressive women with power equivalent to that of Mardian. With the satisfied smiles of the women gazing at me, I thought to myself.
‘How much could I get if I sold this?’
In about two years, I should just sell the gemstone outright.
