I've Grown Tired of It
Tina is lazy.
She doesn't stir from bed even when morning sunlight floods the room, and for Tina, even the simple act of straightening the blankets is a formidable challenge.
Her character, too, is nothing to boast about. The way she had, with a perfectly composed smile at the last banquet, cast a young lady's social life into the abyss is still vivid in memory.
In some respects she might well be the worst sort of person — yet Tina possesses a single virtue that more than compensates for every one of those flaws.
Loveliness.
An irresistible, seductive charm — and Tina herself knows better than anyone that this is her greatest strength.
That is why she carelessly sways her fox-like tail at this woman and that. She was, quite literally, a creature born to seduce.
I have thought about it before.
If she were simply after wealth, approaching men would be far more efficient than women — yet Tina has never once made the first move toward a man. On the contrary, whenever a man approached her, she would startle and flee the spot at once.
The reason was not hard to guess.
A girl so lovely one could not help but be captivated. The gazes that fall upon such a girl differ greatly between men and women.
A woman who loves beautiful things would look at her with possessive desire and affectionate eyes, wanting to take her home and keep her that very moment — but a man would inevitably look at her with carnal eyes.
And the innate instincts between man and woman would, inevitably, make them look at Tina with sexual desire.
Such gazes could easily lead to irreversible situations. That is why Tina only seduces women. She knows it is the safest path for her, free of complications.
At least another woman would not look at Tina with sexual eyes.
...Probably.
Cunning and clever.
Tina was born with a good head, but she is far too lazy to use it diligently. As I personally promised her mother, I fully intend to correct Tina's innate laziness.
But Tina is not the type who can be persuaded with words. On the surface she seems able to swallow her pride before others, yet deep inside she appears to hold an unbending conviction of her own.
To change Tina, she must come to realize it herself. She must personally learn just how harsh this world is when one tries to get what one wants without effort.
"...Have you touched enough now?"
Recalling Tina's plump buttocks — soft yet firm, delivering ecstasy from mere touch alone — Viviana clenched and unclenched her hand in the empty air.
I carefully examined the countless paintings displayed along the corridor, weighing which ones might be more valuable.
"Hmm, hmm~"
A hum of pleasure slipped out on its own. Remembering the painting Viviana had sent me, I couldn't help but overflow with joy.
Mother must have received the painting by now. I could clearly picture her blue eyes going wide with shock. It was a shame I couldn't see that startled expression of hers in person.
To be able to earn money while living as a freeloader — there couldn't be a better situation. The word "confinement" felt almost meaningless; this place was, in truth, the finest environment imaginable.
If it's like this, I wouldn't mind being locked up a hundred times.
I even felt regret that I had only ten days left here. If I could stay for a year, I felt I could take every painting hanging in this corridor.
"Iris, which painting do you think is the prettiest?"
I turned my head with a bright, blooming smile. There stood Iris, still expressionless, holding her post.
Despite the sunny smile, wariness filled my heart. Before, I'd wanted to get closer to her — but after seeing her on friendly terms with Viviana, I found her rather disagreeable.
Of course Viviana claimed she felt nothing of the sort, but the atmosphere that had flowed between the two of them in the office had definitely carried a certain tenderness.
At least one of them seemed to harbor feelings beyond those of servant and master.
And if Iris had her sights set on Viviana, she would become someone I needed to watch carefully.
Honestly, if Iris weren't pretty, I wouldn't have needed to care much. But she had the look of a cold beauty that drew the eye despite being a mere attendant.
...Should I just ask her once?
In the end, unable to suppress the curiosity rising in my mind, I approached Iris. Looking straight into her still-quiet eyes, I spoke in a near-whisper.
"Iris, do you like Lady Viviana?"
"..."
There was no immediate answer to the sudden question, but a clear reaction came instead. Iris's always-calm face twisted sharply, and she stared at me with eyes full of hostility.
Seeing that unmistakable reaction, I could be certain.
So that's how it is.
Viviana had no interest in Iris whatsoever, but Iris clearly seemed to harbor feelings for Viviana.
Well, someone of Viviana's caliber couldn't possibly lack admirers.
The daughter of a Ducal House — one of only four in the Empire — and a sword prodigy who ascended to Evernight at the youngest age of fifteen.
As if that weren't enough, her appearance was unfairly, unrealistically beautiful. Not only was she pretty, she possessed a handsomeness that most handsome men couldn't even approach — so of course there would be women who liked Viviana, crossing the barrier of the same sex.
Iris must be one of those cases.
But dream on.
She's my meal ticket.
"Aww... but Iris, you'd still keep the line, right?"
A kind of warning — know your place as a servant. But the answer that came back from Iris was nothing like what I'd expected.
She looked at me for a while with those quiet, jet-black eyes, then snorted a laugh and shrugged her shoulders.
Until that moment, I was merely puzzled, with no idea what Iris's sneer meant.
I simply thought it was nothing more than useless pride.
The air in the bedroom was thick with a heavy yet sweet tension.
"Nngh..."
As always, Viviana lay beside me today and touched my buttocks, and by now my body reacted on its own whenever her familiar hands made contact.
It had already been three days since she started touching my butt. Viviana's technique had grown correspondingly skilled.
Her fingertips slid down along my flesh, sometimes firmly squeezing and enveloping my buttocks.
"Lady Viviana..."
"Yes, Tina."
Sometimes she pressed lightly into my flesh with her fingertips, then released gently and teased me. Each time, my body trembled slightly as if yielding to her intent.
Just as a hot, unidentifiable heat began to creep through my body under Viviana's gradually more ardent caresses—
Suddenly Viviana's hand stopped. A quiet silence lingered after that, and then Viviana softly lifted her hand from my buttocks.
Curious what was wrong, I turned my head slightly — and was startled by Viviana's unexpected expression.
Purple eyes that looked uninterested. The hot affection that usually showed in them had vanished, and boredom was reflected in her gaze.
"Tina, I'm bored of your butt now."
Thud—
"Eh...?"
My heart, which had been beating softly until just now, plummeted to the bottom at Viviana's single sentence.
"B-bored...?"
"Mm."
For a moment I thought I'd misheard. But even when I asked again, the answer that came back was the same.
It felt as if a single word had become a thorn and stabbed into my heart like a dagger. My mind went blank and all strength drained from my body.
B-bored?
She only started touching it three days ago...?
"Th-that... bored of... touching me...?"
"Mm. That first feeling is gone."
My sunken heart now began to race madly.
Bored...?
Why? Already?
Had I accepted her conditions too easily? Had I unconsciously shown a materialistic side that dampened Viviana's interest?
Ah, no, this can't be—
Bored.
Was she simply bored of my butt? Or was she gradually growing tired of my ugly true self?
Bored... of me...?
So she's bored? Viviana is bored of me? No, that can't be. Just yesterday she said she liked it— She's bored? No... if it's Viviana— She's bored? Why is she bored? Why is she bored? She's bored? She's bored? She's—
"Tina?"
Her calm voice pulled my consciousness back to the surface. Looking into Viviana's eyes as she gazed steadily at me, tears nearly welled up for a moment, but I forced my facial muscles to move and smiled.
I absolutely will not cry.
If I show an ugly crying face crushed by emotion, Viviana's affection will only cool further.
My childhood friend said so.
At times like these, you have to smile for the other person.
You must never show your ugly, filthy true self.
"Ah, aha... th-there must be a r-reason you're b-bored...? D-did I do something wrong..."
"No, it's not that... hmm..."
The words didn't come out well, but I forced them out with difficulty. Viviana's eyes, where affection was cooling, gradually stabbed painfully into my chest.
But Viviana, as if she'd been waiting for exactly that reaction from me, continued in a low voice.
"Tina, if you don't mind... could I touch your chest instead of your butt?"
"...Huh?"