Chapter 42: You must be tired from all the work today, Master.

“I’ll be back after finishing my work, so wait quietly.”

With just those words, Viviana left coldly. As a result, I was left alone in a large bed. I tried to untie the rope tightly bound to my hands, but it didn’t budge, as if something special had been done to it.

“…I guess there’s nothing to worry about too much.”

Even though I was tied to the bed in this situation, honestly, I wasn’t that worried. I didn’t think she would do anything terrible to me like Mardian did.

Viviana is a good person.

This is a fact I can guarantee after playing this game multiple times as Viviana. Unless she follows the corruption route that appears in the later part of the game, she is a person with a warm heart, even if she seems cold on the outside.

“Sigh.”

I slowly leaned back and lay down on the bed. Since my arms were tied and there wasn’t much else to do, it would be more efficient to think about what to do next now that I was alone.

Viviana said she would keep me locked in this room for a month. If I cooperated well with her, she might allow me to explore other parts of the mansion, but for now, I would probably have to stay on this bed for quite a while.

Since the contract stated that she would take care of my food, clothing, and shelter, there wasn’t much to worry about. All I had to do was eat the meals Viviana provided and sleep on this bed.

“…It’s not too bad, though?”

Isn’t this the unemployed life I always dreamed of? I don’t have to exhaust myself by facing people or wearing a mask. I can sleep whenever I want.

Moreover, where am I? This is one of the four grand estates of the Empire’s dukes. Naturally, the food served here would be delicious.

‘The bed is also incredibly soft.’

I couldn’t suppress the smile that crept up to my lips. Since no one else was in the room, I didn’t hold back and chuckled quietly, mocking Viviana to myself.

“You’re too naive, Viviana.”

How could she underestimate the true laziness of an unemployed person? I’ll make the most of this laziness here.

“…I’m bored.”

I muttered to myself as I stared blankly at the ornate patterns carved into the ceiling.

I hadn’t expected it to turn out like this. I had been daydreaming about the joy of being unemployed, but an unexpected obstacle emerged.

Boredom.

In Korea, there were many ways to fill this boredom with dopamine. Games, web novels, movies, variety shows—just having a smartphone in hand could keep me in bed for a week.

But here, it was different. Of course, there were no smartphones, nor any similar devices.

After Viviana left, time passed agonizingly slowly. At first, I laughed at the leisure of it all, but as time went by, the increasing boredom overwhelmed me. And since my arms were tied, all I could do was stare at the ceiling or observe the wallpaper next to me.

For someone like me, soaked in the dopamine of modern society, this was far too monotonous.

“Isn’t there anything…?”

I don’t know how many times I opened and closed my eyes. Being confined in such a luxurious space should have felt like a dream come true, yet the routine inside it was dull.

And the more time passed, the more boredom grew. Dopamine was desperately needed. If only there had been someone else here, I could have amused myself by teasing them, but I was alone in this vast bedroom, with nothing to do.

It had only been seven hours, and yet I was already feeling this way. The thought of enduring this for a month suddenly seemed more challenging than I had expected.

As time passed, the frustration within me gradually built up and turned into stress, and that stress began to manifest as irritation toward Viviana.

No.

“…If she said I was a pet, shouldn’t she at least have given me something to play with?”

Upon reflection, it really was quite unreasonable.

What’s the point of locking me up in this bed with nothing? If she was going to confine me to a room, couldn’t she at least have given me a few books, or maybe a newspaper?

Filled with resentment, I buried my face in the pillow and closed my eyes. Time wasn’t passing by quickly as it was, so I tried forcing myself to sleep, but even that wasn’t easy.

However, after some effort, relief came at last, and sleep began to gradually take over my consciousness.

But just as I was about to drift into slumber, I heard footsteps coming from down the hall. Soon, the door opened, and the person who entered was none other than Viviana.

“Did you wait long?”

Her calm and dignified voice made me lift my head.

“…Not really.”

“Still, you waited quietly. How admirable.”

Viviana approached and untied the ropes binding my hands. My arms were freed in an instant, and I felt a slight unfamiliarity in the sensation.

“Tina, there are people I want to introduce you to.”

“People to introduce me to?”

It was unexpected. I thought Viviana would leave me locked in here, unable to meet anyone.

“Come in.”

When Viviana’s voice rang out, the door opened, and three pretty girls in maid uniforms entered. They looked to be around my age.

The girls bowed their heads in greeting toward Viviana.

“These are the girls who will assist you from now on.”

“Assist… me?”

“Yes, if you’re hungry or uncomfortable, speak to these girls. I can’t look after you personally.”

Oh.

So, in short, they’re here to wait on me?

If that’s the case, it’s great for me.

I was worried I’d get bored, but this is perfect.

“I’m counting on you.”

At my smile, the three girls greeted me in turn.

The first girl, with long blonde hair, bowed gracefully with a calm smile in front of me.

“My name is Ciriel. I’m in your care.”

“Hello, Ciriel.”

The second girl, with lively short brown hair, raised her head. Her big eyes were filled with curiosity as she looked at me.

“I’m Luna! I hope to learn a lot from you.”

“I’m glad to be with you, too, Luna.”

Finally, a girl with a serene demeanor approached me. She had dark black hair and equally dark eyes. Her sharp gaze gave her a somewhat cold impression.

“My name is Iris. I look forward to serving you.”

“Yes! I’m counting on you, Iris.”

Though they all had fresh faces, Iris was especially striking. If not for the maid uniform, she could easily pass for a noblewoman from the north, exuding an air of coolness. I had a feeling I could get closer to Iris.

‘It’s always better to have people around.’

With their appearance, the room suddenly became lively, and the boredom I felt just moments ago seemed to fade away. Viviana smiled faintly as she stepped back from the girls.

“Oh, by the way, these girls won’t say a word to you from now on.”

“Huh?”

“They’ve greeted you, haven’t they? There’s nothing more to say, is there?”

I blinked in confusion, trying to make sense of her words. Didn’t she just say they were here to assist me? But now they won’t talk to me?

So how am I supposed to ask for food or make requests?

“Here, take this.”

“…What is this?”

Viviana handed me an unfamiliar object. It was a small bell that fit perfectly in my palm, the kind typically used by nobles to summon servants.

“One ring for a meal, two for the restroom, three for a bath, and four if you urgently need to meet me.”

“…?”

“These girls will only respond to the sound of this bell. Of course, even if you ring it, they won’t speak to you.”

“What…?”

I’m not some speechless chick. I have the ability to communicate with words, so why use this method?

Feeling bewildered, I looked at the girls who had just exchanged friendly greetings with me. But they only stared back without any intention of speaking.

And was it just my imagination? It seemed like one of them was looking at me with hostility.

Luna had a somewhat vacant smile, but there was no malice behind it. Iris still had her calm and steady gaze.

However, Ciriel, the blonde girl, was staring at me with what felt like contempt. It was a subtle emotion, not easily noticeable by others, but I could clearly sense the faint hostility.

“Now, all of you may leave.”

After Viviana finished speaking, the three girls left after only greeting Viviana. It was as if they had no intention of acknowledging me, and their indifference only increased my frustration.

“Viviana, why do you go this far?”

“Well, I think you know the reason.”

What do I know?

…Or could it be that she saw through me and thought I would boss those girls around? That might be it. Viviana is as sharp-eyed as the sword she wields.

Well, whatever.

I figured I had it pretty good for someone who was imprisoned. Besides, I wasn’t particularly interested in talking to anyone except for that girl named Iris.

For some reason, the girl with the name Ciriel, which sounded like a cereal perfect for breakfast, didn’t seem to like me. And the girl named Luna seemed quite foolish.

Personally, I dislike stupid people. If you spend enough time with them, their stupidity might rub off on you.

But the girl named Iris seemed decent in many ways. She gave off the vibe of a cool beauty, and I liked her calm demeanor.

Well, thanks to Viviana, I wouldn’t get a chance to become close to her or even exchange a word, though.

“Were you bored?”

I glared briefly at Viviana, but all that came back was her composed voice.

“How could I not be bored? I was tied to a bed with sunlight pouring in for seven hours.”

“If you want, I can give you a book. Whether it’s one filled with knowledge or a novel full of made-up stories.”

“…Really?”

Of course, this world also had literature like novels. They might not be as thrilling and refreshing as the ones in my previous world, but at least they would stave off the boredom for now.

“In that case… I would like to read a novel-“

“Depending on how you behave.”

Viviana’s firm voice cut my words short. As I blinked in confusion, Viviana continued with a strange smile.

“I mentioned it briefly before, but the benefits you receive will vary greatly depending on how well you fulfill your role.”

“………”

“In other words, the better you do, the more privileges you’ll enjoy in the mansion.”

In short, if I wanted something, I had to play the role of a pet properly.

Well, that wasn’t hard.

In fact, it was easy for me.

I had been living as a pet-like young lady in high society for almost two years. If nothing else, satisfying the master as a pet was a simple task.

“Alright.”

I smiled brightly. I looked up at Viviana with eyes filled with the same harmless, pure goodwill as always.

They say strike while the iron is hot, so I decided to act on the urge that had just come over me. Gently smoothing out the wrinkles on the bed covers, I spoke in a tender voice.

“You must be tired from all the work today, Master.”

I shifted slightly to the side and lightly patted the middle of the bed with my hand.

“Would you lie down comfortably on the bed? I’d like to give you a massage for all your hard work today, Master.”

Watching Viviana’s eyes tremble ever so slightly, I beamed an even brighter smile.

Satisfying someone is no big deal.

It’s a piece of cake.