Chapter 178 - The Villain's Pet
Pudduk!
"Hm."
Frey, who had been slumped over his desk clutching his head, lifted it at the raucous sound.
"Gugu! Gu!"
Perloché's pigeon, perched on the windowsill in his room with a dumb expression, pecked at the frame before turning to look at him.
"So... the letter?"
"Gu!"
Frey quickly opened the window and checked the note tied to the pigeon's outstretched leg.
"Hoo..."
He let out a sigh so deep it seemed the earth might cave in, then rose from his seat.
Thud, thud.
His face twisted, he left his room and headed straight for...
"F-Frey-nim?"
"......"
Lulu's room, no less.
"Uh, um... excuse me..."
Lulu, who had been unpacking the belongings she'd clutched to her chest back into the room, began peeking nervously at Frey's expression.
"So..."
Frey stared at her.
"...why'd you come back?"
He tilted his head quizzically.
"You had no reason to."
"F-Frey-nim told me."
After hesitating at his words, Lulu...
"...that I'm your pet."
...stared straight at him and answered.
"........"
And silence fell.
.
.
.
.
.
"Is that the only reason?"
Frey-nim frowned and asked.
"Y-Yes."
I answered him in a trembling voice, and he began tilting his head.
"...Gulp."
As I watched him swallow dryly, I quietly sank into thought.
Why... am I doing this?
It was strange. Right after that light shone from my shoulder moments ago, the brand deactivated.
The curse that I thought would torment me for life—the utterly loathsome one.
So I could leave now, couldn't I? Then why was I still here, acting like this?
When I first approached him, it was purely to use him.
Being the empire's top scoundrel, even if my brand brought him misfortune, I wouldn't feel guilty.
In exchange, I figured I could be his plaything.
And even when he proposed that twisted relationship of 'pet,' I only planned to remove the brand as soon as possible and leave for freedom.
But why?
Even after being offered a historic spot in the hero's party, even with promises of wealth and fame, even after meeting someone who gave me normal affection.
Why was I still here?
"Weren't you just planning to leave this mansion?"
Lost in such thoughts, I zoned out—only for Frey-nim, gazing down at me coldly, to ask in an icy voice.
".....!"
My once-steady heart lurched again.
...Why?
Clutching my racing heart, I heard Frey-nim continue coldly.
"Why should I take back a pet who's already changed her mind once?"
He was right. Until moments ago, I had planned to accept the hero's party spot and leave the mansion.
Honestly, any normal person would join the hero's party.
Even as a duke's house, the Starlight family had lost all honor, was under constant attack, and its acting head, Frey-nim, was on the verge of collapse, his life hanging by a thread.
There was no merit whatsoever in staying.
But...
"I... I want to be loved."
"What?"
"I want... Frey-nim to love me."
For some reason, I was saying this to the man before me.
"......."
As he fell silent again, I gently caressed the lingering trace of the brand on my shoulder.
I don't know either... but that's one thing I'm sure of.
A few weeks ago, when that girl 'Ruby' came to me and we interacted in various ways, my head knew it was a happy situation.
But why? My heart wasn't happy at all.
I ate food and desserts as delicious as what Frey-nim bought me, saw plays and festivals he never showed me, received the freedom he never gave.
And even got normal affection from an equal relationship—yet felt nothing.
Even after the brand vanished and I lived the life I'd craved, it wasn't enjoyable at all.
No, not just unenjoyable— I felt no emotions whatsoever.
To the point where I sank into an inexplicable depression.
"Hm..."
But looking at Frey-nim before me now stirred all sorts of emotions.
Pity at the sight of him on the brink of collapse.
Anxiety and fear at his cold expression.
And...
"Frey-nim. M-May I... ask something?"
"What."
"Are you... lonely?"
A sense of kinship from him blankly staring at his family photo.
"Hm."
Frey-nim frowned at my bold question.
"Wh-When you're lonely... pets are the best medicine."
Blushing, I said it in a trembling voice.
"...Ha."
It was incredulous, but Frey-nim laughed for the first time.
"S-So..."
Hope blooming as I watched him, I...
"...don't throw me away."
...was pleading desperately before I knew it.
Please.
I didn't know what this emotion was.
Was it the paranoia and obsession I'd suffered manifesting twistedly? No, I'd have noticed that sooner.
Loyalty? But it felt too alien for that.
Awe? No, awe was just shock and fear.
Then what was this feeling? A mix of all emotions, yet utterly different from any I'd known...
"...Ah."
Deep in thought, I suddenly reached a conclusion.
"Get out of my house, Lulu."
And at that exact moment, those words burst from Frey-nim's mouth.
"Ah.....!"
It plunged me, already at my conclusion, into panic.
"Nooo!!!"
So I desperately grabbed his leg.
"P-Please! Please! I'll do anything!!"
Pale as a ghost, I began begging.
"Don't throw me away!!"
Without him, I felt no emotions, no thrill.
No matter how delicious the food, how beautiful the jewels, how grand the love.
So I wanted...
To eat with him and feel full.
To be petted by him and feel at peace.
To hug his gifts and feel his affection.
And like always, to fall asleep in his arms after a kiss, his 'good night' whisper in my ear.
To be loved by him.
Scolded by him.
Dominated by him.
Controlled by him.
Restrained by him.
Even as a roughly handled pet—as long as I could be in his arms.
"P-Please..."
So why was I like this?
The reason was simple and clear—I'd just been slow to realize it.
"Please..."
The new emotion he, who gave me my first 'true love' in life, made me feel.
The one toward him, who fully erased the loathsome brand that had gnawed at me since childhood.
The one toward him, whose already terminal life worsened further because of my brand.
The empire's top scoundrel, steeped in horrific rumors, yet warm only to me—this emotion was none other than love.
The love I'd seen only as a means to break the brand, never known or thought I'd feel.
Love.
"...Master."
"......"
"I..."
Tears streaming as I tried to confess the truth I'd unwittingly realized...
"Don't make me say it twice."
Frey-nim...
"...Get out of my house. Now."
...bent down and whispered coldly.
"Ah......"
I stared blankly as he left the room.
Unable to utter a word...
"........"
...I just hung my head, eyes dead.
My shoulder, which shouldn't hurt anymore, began to ache again.
What should I do now? What am I supposed to...
I...
"...Lulu."
"Hic!?"
Frey-nim's voice came from somewhere.
What? Where from? He clearly left the room...
"F-Frey-nim?"
Frey-nim, who had indeed left moments ago, was standing before me for some reason.
Looking terribly flustered, swallowing dryly.
But that didn't matter. He was here before me.
"M-My words...!"
"Shh."
I tried desperately to speak my heart, but he pressed a finger to my lips.
"...It was a joke."
Then came that gentle voice he used when feeding me, whispering good night.
"I needed to test your sincerity after this, so I tried..."
"Ah."
"...You pass. Congratulations."
With that soft voice, Frey-nim slowly began stroking my head.
"Ah....."
And in my mind rose a single thought.
That I was so glad to be this man's pet again.
That emotion...
"...Cough."
".....!"
But it shattered the instant he coughed.
"Uh, ugh..."
Then came bewilderment, guilt, terror surging in.
The man I'd fallen for was terminal, his time shortened—because of me.
"Ughhh..."
As I paled again, Frey-nim watched quietly.
"Lulu."
Then asked in a low voice.
"You really want to stay?"
"Y-Yes! I'll stay here..."
"...I might not be able to feed you tasty meals anymore."
His expression looked somehow desperate.
"All the chefs left. No one to manage the stocked ingredients either."
"I-I'll cook!"
"...Might not give you gifts anymore. The imperial family could seize our finances soon—surface-level or not, we might end up beggars."
"I don't need that!"
As I answered instantly, his face stiffened slightly.
"Staying here puts you in danger..."
He started to say something, then cut off with a deep sigh.
"The dangerous, horrific, repulsive, cruel things I do—you might get deeply involved."
Followed by cold words.
"Just for being my close aide, you could face unwanted humiliation or false charges. Hell, I might even order it myself. As you know, we're short on manpower now."
I didn't reply, so Frey-nim smirked and posed his final question.
"Ready to get dirty, Lulu?"
"........"
A brief silence followed.
"...Yes."
I answered, gazing at him.
"Defile me."
At this point, I didn't care what happened.
As long as I could be this man's pet—nothing else mattered.
"Haa..."
As I swallowed and stared, he sighed.
"For now, sleep."
"Huh? But..."
Suddenly, he led me to the bed.
"Ah, it's still evening..."
"Sleep deeply first, think again tomorrow."
"...Eek."
He forced me down onto the bed.
"Then, I'm off."
With a stiff expression, he began leaving.
"F-Frey-nim."
"...Yeah?"
I stared at him.
"Th-The thing you always do... not doing it?"
I asked in a trembling voice.
"......"
He gazed at me for a moment.
"Right..."
Looking utterly exhausted, but as always, he slipped into my arms.
"Good night, Lulu."
Hugging me, he kissed me.
His embrace was as warm as ever.
Chup...
"......!?"
And I'd just realized—his tongue was too.
...Warm.
As the insomnia that had plagued me for days vanished like mist, I closed my eyes and murmured inwardly.
I want to feel this warmth... for much longer.
Though the world branded him a villain, and he was undeniably one.
From now on, I'd find a way to save him—or at least extend his life.
Because I am...
The villain's pet.