“And besides.”

she added,

“you know my taste, don’t you? If I were to get involved with the duke’s heir, how would you expect me to clean up afterwards?”

The partners who shared her pleasures always called her “Mistress”.

Mistress – a title that clearly established a relationship of dominance and submission.

She was their mistress, so she used their bodies as she pleased, indulged in acts of sadism and behaved like a tyrant.

Even as they trembled like frightened dogs, they tried desperately to obey her every command.

But that didn’t mean she was really their mistress.

It was all role-play, confined to the bedroom.

In reality, she was nothing more than a simple viscountess who owned a modest estate at the foot of the mountains.

Martian was well aware of the limits of her real power.

She was far above the commoners and untitled nobles, but even so, the power she possessed wasn’t particularly great.

The Ducal House of Sebloard, on the other hand, was one of the families that controlled the course of the Empire itself.

It was hard enough to get mixed up with them while dreaming of a Cinderella story, let alone considering their own tastes – they took pleasure in trampling and beating others.

That would be nothing short of catastrophic.

Tapping her fingers on the desk, she said to the butler.

“You’re not seriously trying to blow the Doan family away like dust, are you?”

“You know how much I love and cherish this family that I have served since the previous generation.”

“I know. That’s why I’m telling you this. Don’t ever bring up anything so crazy again. I’ll wear the old suit to the banquet.”

“But that suit -! That suit is almost ten years old! You must get a new outfit this time -“

“A suit is a suit as long as it looks decent, right?”

“Exactly. That’s why you have to commission a new one to meet the standard.”

“Why are you being so stingy today? I’m not being stingy for my own sake. If you keep this up, I might actually start living the way I want to. Should I have Ron’s baby while I’m at it?”

“Viscount!”

The butler let out a cry, his face turning pale.

Just then Ron entered, carrying a tray of neatly arranged refreshments.

“Ah, finally, a break.”

Martian said, welcoming the food and breaking off the conversation.

The butler glared at Ron with clear disapproval.

Most members of the household disliked Ron, but no one disliked him more than the butler.

If looks could kill, Ron’s skin would have been torn to shreds by now.

After staring at Ron for a long moment, the butler turned to Martian and said.

“How much longer are you going to use Ron like this? For now he lives under your generosity, but one day he’ll have to leave this house. A man with a healthy body should at least earn his own keep.”

Although it sounded like he was reprimanding Martian, his words were actually directed at Ron.

The scolding in each word was clear and merciless, but Ron showed no particular reaction.

After ten years of this kind of treatment, he was used to it.

No matter how harsh the criticism, it all became familiar over time.

The butler disliked Ron, and Ron had long since gotten used to being disliked.

Even hearing things like how he was going to be abandoned didn’t bother him any more.

Finally, Martian spoke up against the butler’s sharp tone.

“Why does Ron have to earn a living? As long as he spreads his legs for me, that’s enough.”

“Spreads his legs?! Viscount, I’ve told you over and over not to use that kind of language -!”

“And what’s wrong with saying it? It’s the simple truth.”

Martian let out a short laugh and grabbed Ron’s arm.

Startled, Ron was pulled down onto the sofa.

As he sat awkwardly, unsure of what to do, Martian began to unbutton his clothes.

The butler called to her, his face pained, as if he were going to faint.

“Please, Viscount…”

But Martian continued to undo Ron’s buttons.

As his shirt fell open, the rings pierced his n*pples, revealing the delicate chain connecting them.

Unable to bear the sight any longer, the butler stood up and, after hastily closing the door, left the room.

Martian laughed softly and pushed Ron back onto the sofa.

Ron sat back obediently and looked up at Martian.

She had impulsively saved him when they were children, but that didn’t mean she had made him happy.

Though this place was certainly better than a life as a homeless orphan, he still had no real place in this household.

Gently stroking the corner of Ron’s eye, she said,

“The butler hates you because he can’t bring himself to hate or scold me. It’s not because you’ve done anything wrong.”

“I’m fine, Viscount.”

His expression was as stoic as ever.

With no emotion on his face, it was impossible to tell if he was hurt or comforted.

In a way, it was a shame; if he had been better at expressing his feelings, the mood might have been more convincing.

Even when Ron cried out in pain or excitement, he usually stifled his sobs and held his breath.

Of course, that in itself was something of an arousing element.

“How boring.”

Even when she tried to comfort him tenderly, his reaction was always like this – it killed the mood.

He didn’t know how to be kind.

Stiff, dry people were usually so oblivious.

Sometimes Martian felt sorry for Ron, who was always being pushed around, but whenever he behaved like this, that sympathy quickly vanished.

Martian tapped him lightly on the cheek.

The slight force behind her hand made a sharp slapping sound.

Ron, not knowing why he was being hit, gritted his teeth after a few blows.

It was his way of taking it in silence, even when she struck harder.

To make Ron cry and beg, his cheeks would have to be swollen beyond recognition, his mouth torn open.

In fact, it was probably impossible to make him cry and beg just by slapping his face.

“This is getting a bit tiresome.”

She rose to her feet.

While she despised people who forced their desires on her without a care in the world, someone who was unresponsive and clueless was just as unappealing.

As the atmosphere cooled, Ron raised his eyes hesitantly.

Martian glanced down at his discarded clothes on the floor, then spoke.

“Ron, get up. We’re going to the Moonlight House.”

***

As Martian stepped out of her carriage, the manager of the Moonlight House came to greet her personally.

A man with a polished face, dressed in a fine suit.

As the floors of the brothel building rose, the manager’s appearance became smoother and shinier.

“It’s been a while, Lady Martian.”

“Thanks to someone.”

“Aigo, you can’t imagine how chaotic things have been for us because of that man…If we’d known he was the type, we wouldn’t have dared introduce him to you. We were so careful, trying to find someone suitable for you…”

He whined without missing a beat.

The man made his living reading people’s s*xual preferences and spinning smooth words.

But to Martian, his excuses were nothing but annoying.

She waved her hand dismissively.

“Enough with the excuses. Just do your job.”

“Of course, please wait in one of the rooms. I’ll bring you a suitable candidate in a moment. But… who’s that?”

The manager’s eyes darted behind her.

Only Ron was standing there.

Without looking back, Martian waved her hand.

“Come here.”

Ron closed the gap between them, keeping an uncomfortable distance.

Until now, she had always left him in the carriage.

There had never been a reason to take him to the Moonlight House.

The manager rolled his eyes at Ron, inspecting him before speaking again.

“Oh, is this the young lover we’ve been hearing about?”

It was fairly well known among the regulars here that Martian had a foreign lover.

The manager tilted his head slightly.

“That’s surprising. He seems quite different from your usual tastes…”

Martian’s preferences were well known: light-skinned men who bruised beautifully, emotionally expressive ones who were fun to torment.

Even better if they could act a bit cute.

The manager had always taken this into account when choosing partners for introductions.

But this foreign lover who had followed her was the complete opposite.

His skin was darker, his face expressionless.

Ignoring the manager’s questioning look, Martian got to the point.

“Today he’s coming into the room with me. Not to participate – just to watch.”

“Oh dear, really? You’ve always insisted on one-on-one sessions, but now you’re even bringing your lover along…Well, they say that having an audience makes things even more stimulating.”

Here, Martian was a star “mistress”.

Many customers visited the Moonlight House just to meet her, and many even tried to bribe the manager for a chance to be introduced.

If she started using several partners at once, it would only mean more money for the manager.

He grinned broadly; it was his habit to smile whenever there was profit to be made.

“Whoever gets to serve Lady Martian today is truly lucky. This is your first time, isn’t it? If you like it, please let me know afterwards.I can arrange more. Three, four partners – whatever you like.”

The manager even rubbed his hands together eagerly.

Martian frowned at his slimy behaviour.

The manager was useful in many ways, but shallow, greedy and shamelessly money-driven.

“I said it’s just two people. No group games. Don’t spread rumours and attract a bunch of idiots looking for an orgy. If that happens, I’ll rip your balls off first.”

“Please, no need for such terrifying threats – Agh! M-Martian, aagh! Agh!”