Annabel was like the sun. Just as one wakes when the sun rises and sleeps when it sets, Vivianne spent most of her daily routine with Annabel. Her warmth was comforting and familiar.

When Vivianne chose to reach for the moon’s brilliance, enchanted by its radiance, the sun set forever. And thus began an eternal night.

“Did you have a nightmare, Princess?”

During nights plagued by frightening dreams, Vivianne would call for Annabel. When trembling in her arms, Annabel would pull the blanket over her and pat her shoulders gently. Her touch was always warm.

“It’s alright. It’s only a dream.”

A kind voice reassuring her that everything would be fine.

“When morning comes, it will all be forgotten.”

But without the sun, could morning ever arrive? She couldn’t even gauge how deep the night might grow.

She wished it had all been just a dream—a nightmare too horrific and vivid to ever want to experience again. She hoped it wasn’t reality, even if it meant never waking up.

The sunlight piercing her vision felt unusually cold. Her eyelashes fluttered briefly before she squeezed them shut again.

Vivianne found herself buried in soft bedding, having either fainted from exhaustion after screaming and crying or simply fallen unconscious. Kian caught that fleeting moment and pulled her back to reality.

“Are you awake?”

When she opened her eyes, he filled her vision completely—his face and voice betraying no emotion whatsoever. The memories of the previous night made bile rise in her throat.

…I need to escape.

Her instincts warned her. As she moved her feet to get up, a metallic clink sounded, followed by a heavy pain in her right ankle.

Fear washed over her like a tidal wave, making her breath quicken. No matter how much she struggled, only the harsh sound of metal rang out—she couldn’t break free.

“Good girl. I was about to wake you, but you got up on your own.”

“Hnn… ugh…”

“You’ll hurt yourself if you move carelessly.”

He grabbed her bound ankle. Though his tone was gentle, his grip was firm and resolute. She couldn’t move an inch.

“This is all for your own good. I’ve told you before—I don’t want you getting hurt or feeling pain.”

Despicable male. Again, he makes it seem like it’s for my sake, confusing me. She didn’t want to hear his shallow excuses.

“It’s all nonsense…! You monster!”

Vivianne stubbornly raised her upper body and struck him repeatedly with her fists. Despite fighting with all her might, she was immediately subdued—he clearly anticipated her moves. Kian roughly seized both her wrists and climbed on top of her.

“I told you you’ll get hurt. Stay still.”

“Sob, hic, let go…!”

She cried and shook her head violently. Though she twisted her shoulders and struggled to break free, the overwhelming difference in strength made it impossible.

After struggling for a while, Vivianne eventually went limp from exhaustion. The brief struggle immediately after waking had drained all her energy. She couldn’t defeat this male with strength alone. A sense of helplessness overwhelmed her.

“That’s a good girl, Vivi.”

After confirming she was no longer resisting, Kian loosened his grip. He hadn’t even held her that tightly, yet pitifully, red marks had formed on her fair wrists.

“That must have hurt. I’m sorry.”

Whispering like someone soothing a child, he kissed her reddened wrists. Then he kissed her round forehead beaded with sweat, and her swollen, tear-soaked eyes in turn.

“I didn’t want to go this far, but you kept trying to run away. I had no choice.”

“Hic, sob… I can’t, hic, breathe. Take it, hic, off.”

How stubborn. Even while hiccupping, nearly suffocating, she answered defiantly.

“I can’t. You’ll just try to run away.”

Though her state somewhat provoked his sadistic tendencies, he had to restrain himself since he’d just managed to calm her tantrum. Kian bit his lower lip as he moved down to her ankle to check for injuries.

Her skin had reddened from rubbing against the shackle while struggling, but there was no bleeding. He would need to watch for bruising.

“I know it’s uncomfortable, but bear with it a little. Still, this is better than breaking your ankle, isn’t it?”

Kian gripped her other ankle, the one without the shackle. It was so slender that his large hand could wrap around it with room to spare. So delicate that it seemed it might break with just a little pressure.

“With shackles, I only need to restrain one ankle, but to break them, I’d have to break both. You’d be in pain, and I’d be sad. That’d be troublesome for both of us.”

“Hic, hic, sob…”

He had just finished wiping her tear-stained face, yet she was trembling and crying again.

It’s fine. Our Vivi looks pretty even when crying.

After admiring her to his satisfaction, he could wipe her tears whenever he wanted, so it didn’t matter.

“Don’t worry. I won’t do that. But you need to behave.”

Still, it would be better to comfort her a bit.

Kian smiled kindly and took out a lace ribbon he had prepared.

“You like ribbons, don’t you, Vivi? Just think of it as wearing a ribbon for a while. It’ll make you feel better.”

He tied a white lace ribbon prettily around her ankle bone, just above the shackle.

Every time she trembled, the ribbon fluttered like a butterfly perched on a flower.

Anxious it might fly away, he tightened the knot a little more. Her fearful trembling, worried he might harm her, was both adorable and heartbreaking.

Kian placed a soft kiss on the top of her foot, so pale it was almost transparent.

“Your legs are so beautiful. What nonsense about being a mermaid.”

“I made a contract, hic, with a witch for legs… sob.”

What was she trying to say? She couldn’t even finish her sentence through her sobs.

Regardless, Kian carefully took in the sight of her snow-white feet, delicate ankles, and clean knees visible beneath the hem of her negligee.

Not satisfied with just looking, he caressed her with his hands, then pulled up the negligee to her hips. The skin of her fair thighs was incredibly soft.

With that, her dainty panties were revealed. Kian promptly removed them and examined her pinkish womanhood.

“See? Human.”

So beautiful.

She couldn’t possibly be a mermaid.

“I think you’ve been reading too many fairy tales. Isn’t that right?”

It’s nonsense. Of course it is.

She had been like a blank slate, knowing only her name. She must have become confused after reading too many fantastical stories. That had to be it.

The reason he had commissioned Dante was because he wanted to confirm she wasn’t a mermaid.

It was unnecessary now. Conviction is ultimately something one gains for oneself.

A woman who could pity even a dead eagle must have gone for a walk, happened to meet a mermaid, and quickly befriended it. That’s why she had tied a ribbon on it.

She must have cried over something so trivial because she felt attached to it, felt sorry for it.

No. She’s not a mermaid.

When it’s so obvious, what confirmation was needed?

Blood had been rushing to his c*ck for a while now, making his lower abdomen feel tight. He wanted to lick between her thighs until she was sufficiently wet, then thrust deeply inside her, but he decided to hold back as it seemed too harsh.

There was plenty of time anyway.

She couldn’t leave anyway.

She couldn’t live without him anyway.

“Remember what I said when we first made love, as I tied the ribbon around your wrist? I remember. Every single thing we did that day.”

Kian decided to generously give her a hint.

Even if there was nothing to be done right now, the person who wanted to remove the shackle and return to normal more than anyone was none other than Kian himself.

“If you don’t remember, try to recall until you do. That’s the only hint to unlock the shackle.”

* * *

“Are there any foods that Vivi particularly likes?”

Despite receiving her master’s question, Matilda kept glancing at the bed where Vivianne lay curled up in a small ball, sleeping.

She seemed worried, having not seen Vivianne for days because the master had been staying in the bedroom, caring for her himself.

“There’s nothing like that. She doesn’t avoid anything and eats whatever she’s given well.”

“I see.”

He had asked because she wasn’t eating anything, but to hear she ate everything well…

This information was completely unhelpful in the current situation.

Come to think of it, it was just like her. She had never really expressed her own opinions or preferences except for liking ribbons.

“Then please choose something Kian likes?”

Always leaving decisions to him.

“…I like it when Kian tells me I’m pretty.”

She would smile, considering that enough.

Now this woman who had no particular likes or dislikes was refusing everything, saying she hated it all. He had no idea what to do.

Perhaps it was due to lack of sleep, but a headache was forming, making him furrow his brow involuntarily.

“Tell the chef to prepare something easily digestible that will stimulate her appetite.”

“Yes, understood, Master.”

“It would be good to inform the physician as well. Tell him to use herbs that promote appetite if there are any.”

“I’ll speak to him as soon as I see him this afternoon.”

After hesitating briefly, Matilda carefully asked:

“If it’s alright… may I look after Vivi for a while?”

She had followed Vivianne like a mother, so she would certainly provide comfort.

He was well aware of this.

“Later. I’ll call if needed.”

But for some reason, he didn’t feel comfortable entrusting her to someone else.

* * *

In her dream, Vivianne met Annabel. Overjoyed, she immediately embraced her. Annabel’s embrace was neither cold nor rigid. Even knowing it was a dream, she wished it wasn’t.

I’m sorry, Annabel.

I’m truly sorry.

No words came out except apologies. She could only repeatedly apologize while tears streamed down her face.

[I’m fine, Princess. So please don’t cry.]

Annabel’s face remained composed.

[If you pity me, then please survive. That is my last wish. Promise me, Princess.]

With these final words, Annabel, who had been embracing Vivianne, shattered like light.

When she opened her eyes, it was morning again. The sunlight that had felt so cold now seemed more bearable.

Kian sat in a single armchair, reviewing documents. He seemed to be handling work he had brought from his office.

“I’ll remove it when you make me trust you.”

Vivianne recalled what he had said when tying the ribbon around her wrist the first time they had s*x.

It wasn’t as difficult as she thought.

Lying was easy.

Because she no longer loved him.

“…I’m hungry.”

At these words, Kian looked up from his documents. It was the first thing she had said after lying in bed for days without eating. He seemed somewhat surprised.

“Give me some bread.”

She had to survive. Only then could she escape from this ruthless male.