Baron Halver slowly turns his head toward the half-demon maid standing by the door.
"Mira, you may leave us for now."
The girl stiffens. For a second, I half-expect her to start swinging her arms. Instead, she just gives a stiff bow and turns on her heel.
As she walks past me, she pauses. Just for a heartbeat. Then she looks me straight in the eye.
Holy shit.
If looks could kill, I'd already be a pile of ash. Her crimson eyes narrow like she's mentally calculating the best way to hide my body.
What the heck did I even do? I haven't even started the job yet.
She walks out without another word, and the door clicks shut behind her. I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding.
"I'm not going to lie, Baron Halver," I say, rubbing the back of my head. "That maid of yours makes me a little nervous."
He raises an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"Yeah. If I'm supposed to train her, I'll probably have to restrain her first," I tell him honestly. "Otherwise, she might stab me before we even get through the basics."
The Baron studies me for a moment, then nods slowly.
"That is reasonable."
He reaches into a drawer in his desk and pulls out a small scroll.
"I will give you a temporary contract that grants you authority over Mira," he says, sliding it across the desk. "It is not the original slave contract, but it will function similarly to the control I have over her."
My eyes light up.
Now we're talking. That sounds extremely useful.
"With this, she will be unable to harm you or disobey direct orders related to her training," he explains.
Nice. Very nice. I grin.
"In that case, I'll take the job," I say. "I'll make it worth your while."
Then, because I have absolutely no shame, I lean forward.
"By the way… could I get some upfront payment?"
Baron Halver tilts his head slightly. "Upfront?"
"Yeah," I say casually. "I'll need to buy some… specialized training equipment."
Inwardly, my brain is already running through a checklist. Ankle cuffs. Restraints. Maybe a gag. Training a violent maid like that is going to require some serious prep work.
"How much will you require?" he asks.
Greed flashes through my brain instantly. He's a noble, so I might as well aim high. He'll probably haggle me down anyway.
I clear my throat.
"Fifty gold coins."
Baron Halver doesn't even blink.
"Very well."
Wait. What?
"You agree?"
"Of course," he replies, like he's buying a loaf of bread.
Holy shit. Did I just rob a noble?
He opens a small chest and begins counting coins before sliding them across the desk.
"Half now. Half when the training is complete."
Twenty-five gold coins.
I stare at the pile like it's some kind of divine miracle. My heart starts thumping. That's way more than I expected.
I scoop them up quickly before he realizes he's overpaying.
"Pleasure doing business with you," I say with a bright smile.
But the moment the money disappears into my pocket, the Baron's expression turns grim.
He pulls out a small pill and places it on the desk.
"You will take this."
"What is that?"
"It will render your semen impotent for one week."
I open my mouth to protest.
"Wait—"
He raises a hand.
"I am aware that those with the Pornstar Class sometimes possess skills to suppress their semen potency," he says calmly.
I slowly shut my mouth.
"However, I prefer not to take risks."
His expression grows colder.
"Some years ago, a trainer impregnated one of my maids."
Oh.
"And what happened afterwards?"
"I killed him."
My spine immediately straightens and the hair on my neck stands.
The Baron sighs.
"It was a breach of trust. I do not enjoy killing people, Jacob. I would rather not repeat the experience."
Then he smiles. It's a very polite, very terrifying noble smile.
My own face automatically copies his smile.
"Haha… totally understandable," I say nervously. Sweat starts forming on my forehead.
No pressure, right?
Just… don't accidentally get the noble's maid pregnant or I'm a dead man.
I pick up the pill.
"Safety first," I mutter before swallowing it.
Baron Halver nods.
"Excellent."
Yeah. Excellent. I would also like to stay alive.
A short while later, I'm out of there with a pocket full of gold and a very strange new job.bThe mansion gates close behind me, and I take a deep breath.
"Alright. Time to shop."
The market district is its usual chaotic mess. The noise, the smells, and the crowds.
I stop in front of a shop with a sign showing a nearly naked, blindfolded girl.
Doki Doki Sex Store.
I step inside.
The place is packed with shelves of… interesting merchandise. Chains, leather straps, masks, and stuff I don't even recognize.
I start browsing through the shelves.
First, ankle cuffs, the most essential. Then a couple of ball gags—better grab two, just in case one breaks. Next, a spreader bar. I stare at it for a second.
Yeah. That will definitely help. I throw it into the basket.
Collar and leash. A whip. Some sensory toys. A blindfold.
By the time I'm done, my basket looks like I'm preparing for a torture session.
I walk up to the counter and set the basket down.
Forty silver coins.
Not bad.
The receptionist reaches for the items… then suddenly freezes.
"Jacob?"
Wait.
That voice—
I look up.
"Lilith?"
The succubus from yesterday is standing right there behind the counter.
Her eyes widen, and her face goes from zero to a hundred on the red scale instantly.
She looks at the pile of restraints. Then at me. Then back at the basket.
"You…"
Uh oh.
"You pervert!" she shouts.
"Hey, wait—"
"You didn't reply to any of my messages!"
Ah, right.
I scratch my cheek awkwardly. "I've been busy."
"Busy buying THIS stuff?!" she snaps, gesturing angrily at the cuffs and the whip.
A few nearby customers start staring.
"Can you not shout like that in public?"
Lilith crosses her arms, glaring at me.
"You told me to text you!"
"I know."
"I sent three messages!"
"Yeah…"
"And you ignored every single one!"
I rub the back of my neck.
"To be fair, it's quite complicated."
She narrows her eyes. "Complicated how?"
I glance down at the basket.
"Work-related."
She follows my gaze, her face turning even redder.
"What kind of work requires these amount of torture items?!"
She slams her hands on the counter.
"We have the same class, Jacob. I know exactly how this works!"
I let out a quiet sigh.
"You probably don't want the real answer."
Lilith leans forward over the counter, her eyes locked onto mine.
"Oh, I definitely do."