Mia was left there in the room to her own devices, nothing but the open cage to keep her company. ‘Been in there for long…’ she pondered to herself, but even with the cage door open she knew what would happen if she tried to walk out ‘testing to see if I run…?’ it was the only conclusion she could come to.

Deciding that there was nothing better to do other than wait, she decided to pull up her faked status page.

===

Name: Mia

Status: Slave [Master: Trinity]

Age: 8

Race: Fox Beastman

LVL: 2

HP: 60/60 MP: 20/20

Str: 4

Con: 6

Dex: 10

Int: 8

Mnd: 2

Lck: 1

Skills: [Ice Magic: 1] [Early Riser: MAX] [Willful: 3] [Packer: 2] [Dagger Arts: 1] [Cooking: 1] [Cleaning: 2] [Sneak: 1]

Titles: [Trophy Maid]

===

“…?”

Her status had changed, she was now formally the slave of Trinity but more importantly after a quick check to her actual status she noticed the brainwashing was gone. ‘When did that wear off?’ she didn’t feel any different, besides the constant dull pain of the protesting collar, and she hadn’t been checking her status enough to notice… “eh…” she brushed it off, she’d have to confront her aunt about it…there was also the matter with the elders.

She shook her head, reminding herself to focus on the now. Trinity was now her master, the gaudy women with the weird power that also suspects the collar might have no influence on her… which might have been her mistake by leaving [Willful] on her fake page but thinking back to the ride here these collars are garbage. not only can the elders just take them off but with enough will you can just ignore them, even someone like Riley was able to resist it and lash out. She had her doubts something like this could subdue someone like her aunt.

‘Ah…’ but on the other hand, the collar Trinity mentioned before the load… she wasn’t very lucid, but she vaguely remembered them saying something about being able to control monsters with them, also that they were not from the church? Thinking back to it was starting to make her nauseous… getting back on track, what was she to do? She had three years to burn but was being her slave really what she wanted to do?

Obviously no, but what else could she do? Start over? “urgh.” She was being too indecisive, she decided to commit and see where this goes, who knows, maybe it won’t be too bad and three years will go by without a hitch, she will meet John again, and gather information on the explosion…the nuke? What ever that was. Oh and information on the church, but she felt like she needed to be stronger do anything, maybe she could just-

“See, still in her cage. I do not know what you were so worried about.”

Snapping out of her train of thought and realizing she had failed to notice but Conroy and Trinity enter the room, the latter looking very pleased with himself.

“Conroy.” Trinity started, causing the slave merchant to snap to attention, his grin from seconds ago vanishing “Do not push your luck, it is bad enough you refused me with that upgrade but to rub it in my face…”

“Miss Trinity, I do no such thing!” Conroy croaked “Those collars are all reserved for higher nobles, very expensive! To waste it on a beast when she did not even-“

“Nobles!” Trinity whipped her ribbon around, smacking Conroy in the face “I am Trinity! The one and one! Nobles come to me, serve me!” she then snapped her fingers at Mia “Kneel!”

Mia, who was frankly caught off guard at the sudden order, did not react until she felt the tug of the collar, she then dropped to her knees.

“There is your proof, Conroy. Do not take me for a fool.” She said, seething with anger.

“B-but she is just undisciplined… with your training she wouldn’t even need the collar, and the nobles would question-“

“Screw what the nobles think about some collar! I will not have my business stained over some ridiculous reason!” She then stomped over to Mia, stopping just in front of her “You are only thinking about your own, thick, hide. What would the nobles say about me if a trainee…Gaia forbid… lashes out at one of my customers? I’d be ruined.”

Mia could tell they were arguing about that collar, but was it really that big of a deal? She didn’t want one on her, obviously, by the sounds of it the thing would rob her of her will completely, should she back out?

“B-but… regardless!” Conroy suddenly got firm in his voice “We have made a wager, you have lost…” he then cast his eyes downward “P-please accept it.”

“Tch.”

For what ever reason, it seemed like Mia had avoided the upgraded collar, why was he so against it? She didn’t care, it worked out for her.

“Fine Conroy you win, but I am rescinding the discount for your next visit.” Trinity huffed “Load the rest in my carriage, I will join you shortly after I make things clear with this fox.”

“That’s!” Conroy started to protest, but halted, instead giving a large sigh “I will leave you to it.” He then bowed and left.

Mia was now alone in the room, on her knees with her new master, Trinity, in front of her and silently gazing down on her. After that argument and with her suspicious about herself, Mia had no clue what to expect nor how to handle her. The air felt tense…

“….Haaa…”

Mia twitched, not expecting that.

“I do not know what you are playing at, maybe looking for a chance to escape? Doesn’t matter, I suggest you put those notions aside.” She started pacing around Mia while talking down to her “You are my property now, and as my property I expect absolute obedience, is that clear? Answer me slave!”

“Yes mistress…” Mia answered immediately.

“Hrmph, you will work for me tirelessly, every day and night. You will be molded by my tutelage into the perfect golden goose, people will travel far and wide to see you.” Trinity chuckled “My, they will come to my store just to have a glancing glimpse of you! Royalty might even descend from their palace to request you!”

Mia could tell she was getting more grandeurs with her pacing, she felt her ribbons whiff by her ears a few times as she moved her arms around, she couldn’t take a peek, or… she could… but she really didn’t want to see that gaudy figure flailing about, she kept her gaze firmly pointed towards the floor. What was she even talking about? Golden goose? People coming to see her? Even royalty? She was just a slave right?

“Heh, I can tell you are confused slave, well, I don’t expect a beast from a shabby nest to know of my business. It is the “Feathered Mistress”, the greatest and grandest cabaret in the world.” She paused, Mia imagined she was doing some kind of pose right now in front of her right now “Now stand.”

Mia obeyed, standing up and sure enough Trinity had her arms spread out to her side, her back bent a bit backwards like she was attempting to lift something heavy, reminded her a bit of someone… what was a cabaret?

“Tch, again with this ignorant…” She straightened herself up “All you need to know is you will be entertaining men in the future, first we have to fix your figure and behavior, the basics of handling men, then twisting them around your little finger and draining them for all they are worth… but I am getting ahead of myself, this is still way off into the future, we will start with refining what is already here.” She then suddenly turned “Follow.” And then started to walk.

Mia followed behind, not understanding a single word that came out of her mouth ‘what did she mean by the basics of handling men…?’ She thought, way too young to even begin to understand any of that.

She was lead outside while Trinity mumbled to herself, the exited into a side street with two carriages waiting for them. One of the carriages was larger and was currently being loaded with a few slaves of varying age and race. ‘I wasn’t the only one she paid for?’ Mia thought upon not noticing anyone she knew.

“Ah, Trinity we are just about done.” Conroy said, greeting her “It’s almost nightfall, we are doing our best to hurry.”

“Good to see you handling something competently for once.” Trinity said, waving her hand towards a man near the first carriage “Load this one in the back as well.” She nudged Mia forward towards him “Go with this man and obediently get into the carriage slave, do not cause any trouble.”

Mia stumbled forward, catching herself before she replied with a simple “yes mistress.” As the two began to talk. She then followed the man while looking around, there were a few onlookers but no one treated this like anything out of the ordinary, if anything she saw that their gazes were focused on Trinity, was she really as famous as she said?

She was thrown in the back of the line as the few slaves in front of her got ushered on, now noticing the carriage had metal bars much like the carriage she had ridden to this city had on. She sighed ‘so this is it…’ She still had no clue what Trinity’s business was or what she would be doing but she guessed it didn’t matter, she just had to endure it for 3 years then John would be summoned and hopefully she’d be back with the merchants or some of his story nonsense would lead him to her…

“…”

Three years…

Was she really spending her time wisely or was this just her indecisiveness again?

As it got closer to being her turn to get in the carriage her uneasiness grew, was she really ok with this? To just accept it because she was here? She remembered her time in the dungeon, her level and skills rising, she saw what was possible with [Assist Mode] and using limited time to get results fast…she didn’t agree with the exact methods, but maybe fighting a bunch of monsters over and over?

Another slave was loaded on, it was almost her turn, but what could she do? If she tried to run now she would be caught by the same trick, and she still had to be here in three years…could she make it back on time? Could she? Did it even matter if she just reloaded?

One more slave before her turn, she was getting a headache, why couldn’t she decide… why did she always have trouble deciding for herself…

It was her turn, and with a sigh she saved, committing herself to this path, the uneasiness not going away but she was just talking herself in circles, she couldn’t be indecisive, she should just stick to what she was doing.

As she placed her hand on the steps to begin climbing, she heard shouting.

“What is going on over here?”