I wanted to know the maid’s name, but I hadn’t seen her since that day. She must have adjusted her schedule to come in earlier, likely late at night or very early in the morning. I hadn’t made any real effort to seek her out either—it still felt too soon.

Over the past four days on the first floor, I explored every corner of the mansion, familiarizing myself with the layout and trying to understand where everything was.

For the most part, the routines of the three men remained unchanged. Cane visited my room in the mornings, while Noel assisted with my daily needs. Theo, on the other hand, was usually occupied with his work but spent time talking with me during the day. It seemed that official matters from Arkel were alternately handled by Noel and Theo.

After having s*x with me, Cane spends most of his time sleeping beside me before lazily leaving the room—that seems to be the extent of his responsibilities. His room is located to the right of the small living room, with Noel’s room right next to his. I was surprised to find that their rooms were so close to mine.

Although the living room between us is quite large, the rooms are essentially neighbors, separated only by this shared space. Despite the proximity, there hasn’t been any awkwardness or discomfort.

On my first morning waking up in my room on the first floor, I realized that not opening all the doors connected to the small living room had been a smart choice. Since I spent most nights in Theo’s room, curled up beside him, it seemed like the others weren’t in their rooms much anyway.

For some reason, looking into their rooms felt like looking into their hearts, which made me feel cautious and uncomfortable.

Theo’s room was at the far end, beyond the large living room and kitchen, through the entrance of a glass corridor. The heavy, old-fashioned door to his room was always firmly shut, as were the doors of the other three men.

I only knew the locations of their rooms, but I hadn’t yet explored the interiors. So far I have discovered three new places, and this mansion really had everything one could need. I could easily live here for a lifetime without feeling any discomfort.

The Places I Discovered:

The first was the indoor swimming pool.

Climbing the stairs connected to the small living room, I found a spacious indoor pool, designed in a two-story layout, slightly elevated above the first floor. It had a stylish terrace, and the pool was filled with clean water. Half of the pool extended outdoors, providing an unobstructed view of the garden and the clear blue sky. Floating on your back in the water, you could fully enjoy the slow movement of the clouds drifting across the blue sky.

As soon as I saw the pool, I realized that Theo had created it just for me. I was never one to enjoy exercise, but swimming had been an exception—something I’d stuck with for years. What started as a way to maintain my fitness a year ago has now turned into four years of regular practice.

The pool, lined with blue tiles, had a refreshing, inviting vibe. I found myself gazing at it dreamily.

“If you need swimwear, it’s over here.”

One side of the terrace featured a small bathroom with a shower. Inside, a cabinet neatly displayed a variety of swimsuit designs, ready for use.

“Hah!”

At that moment, I couldn’t help but let out a soft, helpless laugh. The scene Theo had created felt like something out of a fairy tale, the kind of experience most people dream of having at least once in their lives. To avoid being completely swept away by the enchantment of it all, I mentally labeled everything as playing with dolls.

That evening I swam gracefully in the spacious pool, dressed in a red swimsuit. The pool was really wonderful. The cool breeze and the refreshing feel of the cold water on my skin was invigorating. It was a clear sign that I was beginning to enjoy the pool here.

The second new place I discovered was a simple game room. It was in a different part of the basement from where I had been locked up before.

The game room was equipped with a pool table, a ping pong table, and all the necessary equipment for each game. The more I explored, the more amazed I became. Although I knew how to play both billiards and ping pong, I rarely ventured into this underground space.

As I stepped through the wooden door onto the dark red carpeted hallway and realized I was trapped in the basement, the weight of my miserable situation hit me hard. That vivid memory stayed with me, lingering as a faint trauma, recalling the fear and trembling I felt while climbing the stairs to finally reach the large living room on the first floor.

I figured that with time, these feelings would gradually heal through the course of normal daily life. Still, even if I did recover, I had no real reason to go down to the basement to play billiards or ping pong.

The third place I discovered wasn’t particularly surprising—it was Theo’s workout space. The area was luxurious and sophisticated, filled with high-end exercise equipment, and even had a shower room.

Although I hadn’t seen him working out in person, since we didn’t spend every moment together, it was clear that he exercised regularly. His well-defined physique was the result of much more than just a few days of effort.

When I was trapped in the basement, after my mornings with Cane, Noel would stop by two or three times a day to take care of me, and in the evenings, Theo would visit to chat. The rest of the time, I spent alone, either reading books or lost in my thoughts.

Now, I was filling that solitary time with a variety of activities—swimming, exploring the mansion, reading, and listening to music. I hoped Theo noticed that I was having fun and, in some small way, experiencing happiness. I wasn’t sure if I could call it happiness, but I was genuinely enjoying myself.

If there was one thing I felt regretful about, it was that I hadn’t used the telephone in the large living room yet. Whether I was overly conscious of it or not, I found that while I could easily use other items, I intentionally avoided the phone and didn’t even glance at it.

I tried to spend as much time as possible in the spacious living room, but the phone had never rung, not even once. I wasn’t sure if it even had a dial tone. The phone line appeared to be properly connected, but it was frustrating not being able to confirm if it worked.

Aside from the phone, something else that caught my attention was Theo’s computer. Imported from the Ham, it was a thin, lightweight, state-of-the-art model, perfect for carrying around.

The computer was usually kept in Theo’s room, but occasionally, I’d see him bring it out to the large living room to do some work.

While Arkel and Ham had made similar strides in medicine, science was an area where Ham was far ahead. The use of electricity and advanced machinery made Ham the most technologically advanced civilization among the three countries.

Arkel’s rise as a powerful nation was largely due to its sole authority over the continent’s monotheistic faith, with the Pope residing in Arkel’s temple. In addition, the long-standing dignity and culture of its aristocracy, along with a royal family that had maintained power for generations, played a significant role.

The Blaine Duke family, responsible for national defense for many years, also contributed with its strong military force. Although the Duke of Blaine might currently be a questionable figure, possibly colluding with Seyon…

Returning to the main point, Theo’s computer wasn’t something you’d typically find in Arkel. It was clearly an imported item from Ham. Theo’s mansion was like a treasure chest, combining the most advanced elements from Seyon and Ham, creating an extraordinary environment.

The telephone and the computer—if I could use those two freely, I could effectively inform someone about where I was being held. Yet, inside this mansion, I hadn’t even touched either of them, nor the exit door leading to the garden. Despite them being the most vital tools for my escape, they remained untouched.

Theo was so relentless that he had never once allowed me to go outside. Or perhaps there was another exit I wasn’t aware of, one he used to come and go without my knowledge.

On the 30th day of my confinement, I decided I would ask Noel, “Shall we take a walk in the garden together?” I’d put on an excited expression, create a cheerful atmosphere, and suggest packing a lunch for a picnic.

Once I got permission to go outside, my ultimate goal during the walk would be to discreetly check the exit door, pushing it to see if it would open. The main objective of the outing was to confirm whether I could open the door or not.

All the books that had been in the basement were now moved to my room on the first floor. I continued counting the days by occasionally flipping through the thickest book.

And finally… it was now the 30th day.