One Month of Confinement

When I first heard those words, I couldn't help but laugh at Viviana. Confinement? The very idea was ridiculous. And not for a day or two—she was declaring she would lock me up in her mansion for an entire month.

As if that would ever happen. Stupid Viviana.

Countless young ladies had told me they wanted to lock me in a room and keep me forever. Not a single one of them had ever actually done it.

The reason was obvious enough.

No matter how much I played the pet, I was still a person at my core. Truly confining someone like me in a mansion the way one would an animal was wrong on every moral and ethical level. Of course, the psychopathic lesbian villainess Mardi-an was the exception—but any person with a shred of common sense would know how absurd the whole notion was.

My mother, who loved me more than anyone else in the world, would grit her teeth and stop Viviana at once.

"Then I'll persuade your mother. Just come along without complaining."

Viviana spoke with absolute confidence. I hid a scornful smile inside.

As if that would ever work.

Mother doted on me so fiercely—persuading her to be separated from me for a whole month? Reforming Mardi-an into a decent human being would be easier.

I gave Viviana a smiling glance and spoke.

"You'll just be digging yourself a hole, Lady Viviana."

Giggle—

"Listen carefully to what the young lady says, Tina."

"M-Mother…?"

I looked up at her with dazed, unfocused eyes. My trembling hands clutched at her collar. Yet Mother, as if she couldn't feel my heart burning away, only stroked my hair with a gentle smile.

What on earth was happening? Mother was sending me off like this? I had been certain she would grit her teeth, raise hell, and stop Viviana—yet ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠she was calmly handing me over?

"M-Mother…? If I go, we won't see each other for a whole month…?"

"Don't worry, Tina. The young lady said I may visit whenever it is convenient for her, so we won't be completely apart."

"B-But you won't get my morning kisses…? Without me hugging you every single day, Mother will have such a hard time…"

"That does ache a little… but I'll manage somehow. Go and have a good stay."

Mother's firm resolve turned my mind completely blank. I couldn't understand the situation at all. Mother loved and cherished me so much—how could she have agreed to a month-long separation?

"Stop troubling your mother and come along quietly."

"Hic?"

Viviana's cold voice rang in my ear. That single sentence dragged me back to reality. I was still staring at Mother's face, but her resolute expression said everything. Clinging further would be useless. Mother had already made up her mind. She was sending me to Viviana.

"M-Mother… why…"

"Mommy will always love you, Tina."

Mother smiled softly. After that I was led away by Viviana's hand like a cow being dragged to the slaughterhouse, with no choice but to follow.

A massive carriage waited at the mansion's front gate to receive us. Even as I climbed aboard I kept glancing back, unable to abandon my lingering attachment to Mother—yet she only watched me in silence. I cast her one last pitiful look, like an abandoned puppy, but she merely shook her head with a faint smile.

The carriage door closed, and before long the scenery beyond the window began to move. Caught completely off guard, I blinked blankly. Mother sending me away like this had never been part of my plans.

In this situation, only one conclusion made sense.

"You threatened her, didn't you."

I glared at Viviana with sharp eyes. She let out a small scoffing smile, propped her chin on her hand, and shrugged.

"Who knows. Did I?"

"There's no way Mother would let me go like this otherwise."

Viviana must have used some underhanded threat. Mother would never have wanted to send me away even if it killed her—she must have been forced by the coercion.

As expected of a protagonist with sociopath settings. In any country, mothers were off-limits by unspoken rule—yet for her own goals, such things apparently meant nothing.

"Think whatever you like."

Even under my piercing stare, Viviana brushed it off with a light laugh. The fact that she didn't deny it confirmed my guess.

Mother must be so sad. I should understand her.

To be forced by such a vicious threat to send away the daughter she loved—how torn must Mother's heart have been?

While I comforted myself by imagining Mother weeping bitterly right about now, the carriage soon arrived at Viviana's mansion. The grand iron gates opened, and a residence like a fortress spread out before my eyes.

I had been here once before, yet the sheer majesty still made me catch my breath. The scale of the estate was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠beyond words. Endless gardens decorated with countless blooming flower beds, and between them a mansion standing as massive as a castle.

In a daze I stepped down from the carriage. Countless servants—far more than the poor Bland household could ever match—came out to greet Viviana. Every ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠one of them was dressed in perfectly ordered attire and bowed deeply. Viviana acknowledged them with the lightest of nods.

…She really is like a queen.

I could feel their gazes landing on me as well. Some looked at me with open curiosity; others regarded me with open wariness. As I always did under others' eyes, I greeted them with a bright, pretty eye-smile. Even those who had been staring with suspicion ended up looking flustered by it.

"Follow me."

Viviana led me inside the mansion. The interior was every bit as splendid as the exterior. Golden chandeliers shone from the ceilings, and expensive paintings hung on the walls. It felt as though I had stepped into a glittering palace.

I followed silently behind Viviana, turning various thoughts over in my head. Why exactly had she brought me here? Simply for her own amusement? Or truly because she hated seeing me smile at other young ladies?

…Viviana's a little strange too.

Normally no owner would lock up a pet just because it was friendly to others. A normal person would praise it and give it a treat. Yet our sociopath mistress wasn't offering treats—she was locking me up here for a month.

We walked down corridors deep into the mansion and arrived at Viviana's study. The interior was clean and refined, yet still carried that same bitter, quiet atmosphere. Nothing had changed much since my last visit.

The moment she entered, Viviana pulled a sheet of luxurious paper from a drawer and began writing something down. Before long she handed the finished sheet to me. It was a contract.

"Read it. Then sign."

"Mmm…"

I took the contract and slowly read through it. Whether from experience drafting many such documents or not, the contract Viviana had produced on the spot was quite detailed and formally structured.

The more I read, the more shocked I became. The contract laid bare Viviana's clear intentions. I had already heard the gist before, yet seeing it written out like this sent a faint fear seeping into my chest.

"…This is…"

Viviana quietly smiled and met my eyes. There was not the slightest waver in that gaze.

"Exactly as written. From now on you become my pet. In exchange for becoming my property, your family will never again suffer financial hardship, and I get to enjoy the pleasure of seeing you become mine alone."

"…But there are things written here that we never discussed."

"Is that so?"

"You never said anything about being able to punish me…! And what is this clause supposed to mean?!"

I jabbed a finger at one section of the contract and glared at Viviana.

"Emotional needs I can understand… but what does 'satisfy physical needs' mean? Don't tell me you're like Mardi-an ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠too…"

"Of course not."

Viviana's finger flicked lightly against my forehead. A sharp sting registered, but it wasn't truly painful.

"I go out to the front lines once a month, so my body is often exhausted. Isn't it a pet's proper role to soothe that fatigue?"

"…You mean… something like a massage?"

"Yes, that sort of thing would be fine."

A massage didn't sound strange. A pet's role existed solely for the master's satisfaction—kneading a tired body a few times wouldn't be difficult.

"And don't worry about punishment. As long as you act only for me, it will never happen."

"…"

"The moment you sign this contract I will settle every debt of the Bland family. I'll also send a modest consolation gift."

At Viviana's words my eyes lit up. I could once again recall the purpose that had made me walk into Viviana's mansion of my own free will.

The family debt.

She had promised to wipe out in an instant the debt Mother would otherwise have spent at least five years grinding down her health to repay. Moreover the contract stated she would fully support me in any economic difficulties I faced.

If I use this well… I might be able to squeeze out quite a lot…

The contract held advantages for Viviana, yet it also contained several points that could benefit me. And one more thing at the end: the clause promising a reward whenever I satisfied her. I pointed to that section and looked at Viviana.

"You'll naturally give me expensive things, right?"

"…You're not even bothering to hide the mercenary side anymore."

"A contract has to be thorough."

Viviana let out a short sigh but nodded in agreement. Imagining countless gold coins bursting forth, I carefully reread the contract one last time.

"All right."

I took the fountain pen she offered and wrote my signature. There didn't seem to be any tricks, and the term of validity was clearly stated as three years.

It wasn't difficult. Even if I was a useless human being, I was confident I could satisfy someone as a pet. For three years I would collect Viviana's "rewards" handsomely and make the Bland family even wealthier. And only then would my lifelong happy life as a freeloader finally begin.

When I held the contract out to Viviana, she likewise signed her own name on the other side and finally stamped the large seal bearing the emblem of the Merdelia Ducal House.

"Alphonse."

At Viviana's sudden call, a dignified old man appeared from outside the study. He glanced at me once, gave a short bow, then offered Viviana a respectful greeting.

"You called for me."

"This is a contract. Make two separate copies and submit them to the temple. Seal them thoroughly so they cannot be opened when submitted."

Contracts were ordinarily submitted either to a temple or to the imperial palace. Those institutions then guaranteed the contract's legitimacy. Should one party later act in violation, the sealed contract could be opened and a proper judgment rendered.

"Yes. Understood."

The old man withdrew with a short bow, carrying the papers. Once I confirmed he had gone, I steadied my breath and turned my gaze back to Viviana.

"Lady Viviana, then now— hyaak?!"

Before I knew it she had risen from her seat and approached me, scooping me up once more in an unannounced princess carry. Still holding me, she left the study and walked toward another part of the mansion.

"W-Wait…"

The place we arrived at was a large bedroom. From the atmosphere and layout alone I could tell at a glance that it was Viviana's room.

"What you have to do is simple. Stay pretty in the room, fawn over me, and just satisfy me."

She tossed me onto the bed. Startled by the sudden action I tumbled onto the mattress, but the surprisingly soft bed wrapped me up snugly.

That lasted only a moment. Viviana pulled out a thick cord and tied one of my arms to the bedpost.

"Ugh."

A groan slipped out at the tighter-than-expected pressure of the cord.

"I don't have handcuffs right this second. Wait a little."

"H-Handcuffs?"

"As I said—you're confined here for a month."

Confinement.

Even hearing it again, the word never became familiar.

"From now on you are my pet, Tina. You exist only for me. Yet you left me and wagged that fine tail of yours at other young ladies—this is the punishment I mentioned earlier."

"…"

"Don't even think of leaving this room for a month. Of course, if you behave well, I can let you visit other parts of the mansion."

Viviana looked down at me bound to the bed and smiled a smile whose emotion I could not read.

"Tina, you should answer me, shouldn't you?"