༺ Key ༻
“Hmm-hmm~♪”
Master’s fiancée was singing joyfully for some reason as she casually strolled around the mansion.
“”…….””
Following behind her were her pet and me.
“…What are you looking at, human?”
“I’m a pet, you know?”
“What?”
“Like you, I’m also a pet. I’m not a human.”
“…..?”
Seeing her behavior, I recalled Master’s words about how ‘human pets’ were like among the nobles. I found it strange, as I hadn’t seen people walking around with ‘human pets’ on the streets, but it seemed like it was a hobby among high-ranking nobles.
“So are you… also a beastkin?”
“Huh? I’m Master’s female dog, you know?”
“I see. I’m a fox beastkin. From your behavior, I guessed you might be a dog beastkin and it seems like I was right.”
After hearing my answer, the fox girl responded arrogantly.
– Twitch, twitch.
As she did, she perked her ears and wagged her tail. Upon closer examination, they weren’t fake ears and tails made by a suspicious magician filled with ill intentions but real ones.
“Did you undergo surgery? I want it too.”
“What? How dare you suggest that! Do you think I underwent that barbaric procedure of cutting into my body for treatment!”
“Huh?”
“Never mind, I don’t wish to converse with someone ignorant about medical arts. I’m… annoyed right now.”
In broken imperial language, she indignantly exclaimed before hurrying ahead to chat with her master.
‘That girl… seems to have found a good master.’
Though she appeared timid, there were no signs of abuse. It seemed she had a master who didn’t punish her severely, unlike my previous master’s friends.
Speaking of which, I wonder how those girls, whom Master gave me as maids, were doing.
I heard they’ve been studying at the academy recently. Once they reach the second year, I should go and visit them.
“Then, next… to Frey’s room! Let’s go to Frey’s room!”
“…Yes.”
As I walked, lost in thought, Master’s fiancée excitedly asked me to guide her.
“Miho… slap me. This isn’t a dream, is it? Entering Frey’s room, after so many years… Ouch! Why did you bite me?”
“Grrr…”
When I first met her, I honestly imagined her as an evil woman.
Her sharp gaze, the way she covered her lips with a fan, her cold demeanor… she seemed just like a villainess from a romance novel.
But looking at her now, she seemed to be quite a good person.
After all, she treated Master so well, and my new standards were that anyone who harmed Master was a bad person.
I guess it was true that the world was not a romance novel.
Growing up with no parents, no teachers, no friends, and no one to love me, my only refuge was romance novels.
Those novels in which a poor commoner girl, who had nothing, and a detested girl shared a forbidden love with a troubled noble.
Such novels were a good tool to lose myself in fantasy and forget reality. However, it didn’t take long for them to lose their meaning, and I threw away all those novels. They were just stories; events that would never happen. I believed that I would remain unhappy forever, unlike the protagonists in those novels who overcame adversity to find love.
I used to believe that, but…
No heroine or hero from any novel could ever be as happy as I was, nor as magnificent as my master. I was living each day as if it were the happiest story.
But then…
– Squeeze…
Suddenly, I became worried. A maddening worry. Without realizing it, I gripped my hands so tightly that they lost blood circulation.
‘Can I… save my master?’
A novel was just a novel. The heroine in romance novels could overcome illnesses, enemies, and curses with the power of love. However, this was reality.
Until just a moment ago, my master had undoubtedly looked distressed. Perhaps he didn’t want to show such a face to either me or his fiancée?
Knowing that you were dying was more terrifying than anything else. I felt this deeply just a few months ago.
Even though he said otherwise, in such fear and dread, my master…
“Excuse me… how far are you going?”
“Ah, I apologize.”
I was so lost in thought that I almost passed by my master’s room and reached the end of the hallway.
“It’s over here.”
“Hehe…”
Regaining my composure, I pointed to Master’s room, she entered with a big smile.
“…….”
As it turns out, she always had that reaction whenever she entered any part of the mansion.
“This is the kitchen of the mansion.”
“Mhm, I see. Just a moment.”
“…What are you doing?”
“I’m memorizing the layout and kitchen tools. When we get married, I will personally prepare breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day.”
She eagerly ran around the kitchen, trying to memorize everything like a puppy who had found water.
“Ah, ouch!”
“…You aren’t good at cooking, are you?”
“No, I am! I’m a good cook!”
She had borrowed the kitchen for a moment to make Master’s favorite sandwich, but then she cut her finger and threw a tantrum.
“Well, my attendant… said it was delicious…”
She stared blankly at what she made, unsure whether it was a sandwich or a pile of vegetable buns.
Even though she had such a cute and fierce reaction, when it came to matters related to Master…
She was indeed a terrifying person.
“The basement of the Starlight mansion… This is where Frey committed a crime, right?”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m erasing traces of people. While I’m at it, I’m also planting lunar mana. This should neutralize the smell of blood, so he can comfortably commit crimes here.”
“…….”
She made such a terrifying remark in a calm manner.
“There’s dust…? Frey already has weak lungs… Who’s in charge today?”
“…I apologize, we only have four servants right now.”
“Huh? Where did the old ones go?”
After learning that all the servants had left…
“I see…? Is that so…?”
She murmured with a chilling expression.
‘Indeed, she seems like a good person.’
However, I liked that about her.
I no longer cared about moral notions.
Now, my only moral standard was Master, who fully owned me.
All my decisions and definitions were based on him. His words were my justice, law, discipline, and rule.
Those who violated it were evil and those who didn’t were good.
“Hehe, hehehe…”
While I was lost in thought, suddenly a foolish noise rang out.
“Oh, I love it, Frey…”
Curious about what was happening, I found Lady Serena rolling around on Master’s bed under the covers.
“I can’t wait to get married… I want to sleep in your bed soon… I want to be happy…”
She laughed frivolously and continued to wriggle like a fish on the bed for a long while.
“…Hmm?”
Suddenly, her expression tightened, and she froze on the spot.
“This scent…”
Then, she made a face as if she had lost everything.
“………..Ugh.”
She slumped on the bed like a fish that had been left out in the sun for days.
“There’s another woman’s scent…”
I’d been curious for a while, but how could she distinguish things by smell? It was a really enviable ability, especially for a pet.
“Professor Isolet’s scent… Perfume… Flesh… Sweat… And this is… Eugh.”
While I was lost in thought…
“An old maiden… should know her place… How shameless…”
She frowned and mumbled, then bit her lip and started rolling on the bed again.
“What are you doing?”
“…I’m covering Frey’s bed with my scent.”
“……”
While quietly observing her seemingly foolish actions, I gently posed a question.
“Why… why are you doing that?”
“Huh?”
“Why do you like Master so much?”
Upon hearing my question, she fell silent for a moment.
“Hmm…”
She then tilted her head.
“…There’s a reason.”
She continued with a serious expression.
“He… taught me I wasn’t just a tool, he made me realize I could love someone, and gave me a grace I could never repay in my lifetime.”
“Grace…?”
“Yes, he made my curse…uh.”
Suddenly, she gripped her head, showing signs of a headache.
“Ugh… ugh…?”
In a confused tone, she continued.
“…Anyway, that’s why I can’t help but love him.”
She had a calm expression now.
“He is everything to me.”
After saying so, she took a deep breath.
“…Do you understand?”
Suddenly, her expression turned terrifying, as she approached me.
“Do not cross the line. This is your last warning.”
Serena, who stood next to me, shot me a glance.
“…Be content with your place.”
With those words, she exited the room.
“Owl, monitor Professor Isolet’s residence. Something seems off.”
“Hoot.”
She whispered softly to the owl on her shoulder.
“………”
I followed her silently, my mind in turmoil.
‘Be content with your place?’
A few days ago, I would have readily agreed. Just being Master’s pet made me incredibly happy.
But, why?
Ever since the recent events…Ever since I came to know Master’s feelings…Everything had changed.
When he licked me with his tongue, I desired to put mine in his mouth. When he brushed against my body, I longed for more intimate contact.
When he looked at me with affectionate eyes, I wanted to be beside or even above him, not below.
When Master caressed me, I yearned for a deeper touch.
Had I become a naughty child? Was I a greedy girl who, despite being a pet, wished for more?
“…….”
Suddenly, I recalled my childhood dream.
While sneaking into the local bookstore and reading childish stories, I yearned for one dream.
‘…I want to be the heroine.’
Being plagued by misfortune for so long, I figured it was okay to indulge in such a dream once in a while.
Casting a sidelong glance at Serena, who walked gracefully ahead, I quietly descended the stairs.
“Why, what’s wrong, Frey?”
“…Hmm.”
“Ouch, does it hurt? Are you hurt?”
At the sight of Master’s pale face, I froze.
“I, I hate this.”
I wasn’t the heroine.
I was just a fool slowly draining the life from the one I loved.
.
.
.
.
.
“Are, are you really okay, Frey?”
“…I said I’m fine.”
Serena shook Frey with a worried look.
“That’s enough, now go. I need to spend time with Lulu.”
“We haven’t even started forging the documents yet. Without me doing that, you’ll be caught within a week, you know?”
Trying to quickly send Serena away, Frey started to sweat nervously as she adamantly resisted.
“Then… prepare lunch.”
“What?”
“Lunch, make it for me. I’m hungry.”
Hearing that, Serena, who had been staring at Frey with a blank expression, suddenly…
“…..!!!”
She reacted as if she had been electrocuted, struggling to express her feelings.
“Th, th-th-th-th then… right away…”
“Get fresh ingredients first.”
“Yes, y-yes!”
Even though she had just checked the freshness of all the ingredients in the kitchen, Serena rushed towards the mansion’s entrance.
“What should I do? I didn’t think it’d be the real deal so soon… Ah, I still haven’t mastered cooking…”
She muttered with a restless look.
– Bang…!
“Human! Wait…”
Just as Serena swiftly exited the mansion, Miho, taken aback, tried to follow her.
“Cough…”
At that moment, Frey, who had been holding back the blood that he was coughing up, hunched over with his eyes tightly shut.
“…..?”
Startled, Miho halted and widened her eyes.
“Ma, Master…!”
Lulu rushed to him with a horrified look.
“Cough… ugh…”
In that situation, Frey, covering his mouth and vomiting blood, looked at Lulu with faint eyes and murmured as she supported him.
“I’m glad I sent Serena away… That fox wouldn’t worry about me anyway… Lulu might… know a way… If that power is… a superior power of the Stone of Domination…”
“No, don’t! Don’t die!”
Lulu, thinking that Frey was leaving his last words, shook him desperately.
“You, you! You’re a doctor, right?”
“Are you talking about me, dog beastkin?”
“Yes, you! Come quickly!”
With a sense of urgency, Lulu called Miho over, desperately watching Frey.
“Examine him! Quickly!”
“Hmm…”
Following Lulu’s urgent request, Miho began her examination with her hand.
“…Oh my.”
A moment later, after removing her hand from Frey’s body, Miho muttered with a trembling voice.
“There’s no hope.”
“……!”
A brief, devastating statement shattered Lulu’s heart.
“A year at most? Maybe two. Unless a miracle happens.”
“Ah…”
“Moreover, his condition has worsened recently. His time was already limited, but something happened, I don’t know what… but it was fatal.”
“……..”
Miho’s words felt like a stake was driven through Lulu’s heart.
“How did he manage to not scream, when even breathing must have been excruciatingly painful for him?”
‘…How has he not died?’
As Miho performed the role of a doctor, delving deeper into Frey’s condition, Lulu muttered to herself with deadened eyes.
‘I might as well die together with Master. Or do I even have the right to? Wouldn’t it be better to just go somewhere remote and die alone?’
With no reason left to live without Frey, she repeated these thoughts with hollow eyes.
“Ah.”
“What, what is it?”
Suddenly, Lulu looked at Miho with a haunted expression.
“Master… said you were the key.”
“What?”
“You, you can save him. You must save him! Save Master!”
“Why, why are you acting like this? Stop it!”
But, Lulu, having lost her sanity, grabbed Miho and screamed at her.
“Even if the head of the clan came… or a divine healer, they can’t save him! The issue is fundamentally…”
“Save him.”
“Ugh, ugh…”
As Miho frowned and grimaced, Lulu, using her Magic Eyes gave her a command.
“…Ugh.”
Suddenly, Miho began to feel nauseous.
“Ughhh…”
After a while, a glowing white bead appeared in her mouth.
“Even if I use this, it won’t work. The energy in his body is fundamentally blocking the treatment…”
“Heal him.”
“Ugh…”
Miho, hesitant to use the bead in her mouth, reluctantly obeyed Lulu’s firm command.
“My life energy… I’ve been gathering morning dew for ten years to create this… Without this, my nine tails will… Ugh.”
Finally, she forcefully kissed Frey.
– Shaaaa…
It felt like an eternity for both Miho and Lulu.
“…Pwah.”
Having poured all her life energy into Frey, Miho collapsed, utterly exhausted.
“Ma, Master!”
Lulu then rushed to Frey, who appeared slightly better.
“Huh?”
Miho watched Frey and Lulu with teary eyes.
“Why did… it work?”
She mumbled with confused eyes.
“……….”
After examining Frey, Lulu turned her gaze to Miho.
“You, what did you say your name was?”
“Mi, Miho… It’s Miho, but…”
“No.”
Miho replied in a trembling voice, perplexed by the strange look in her eyes.
“From now on, your name is…”
Lulu whispered with shining eyes,
“…Servant No. 3.”
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.
.
.
.
Meanwhile, at that moment.
“…How far have we come?”
“We’re almost there.”
A carriage bearing the Imperial Family’s seal was heading towards the Starlight Mansion.
“Lady Rifael, why are you suddenly going to the Starlight Mansion…”
“…I have a good reason.”
The carriage was not carrying Clana, but her sister.
