ITD

CHAPTER XXX

She wondered what she should do when he came back. She didn’t have the nerve to hit him, so maybe she should just insult him. And surely, using formal speech wouldn’t suit the situation. Her sense of duty outweighed any curiosity she might have had about this unfamiliar scenario—she simply felt obligated to meet Richard’s expectations.

She occasionally glanced at the door. Even if he appeared in the terrible outfit described in the book, she resolved not to be surprised. It would be best if she just played along, and hopefully, the Crown Prince would find it less amusing than expected and lose interest in this game.

About five minutes passed. Instead of the door opening, there was a knock—tap, tap. Startled, Courtney twitched, raising herself slightly before regaining her posture.

“C-Come in.”

The plan had already failed from the start. Courtney bit her lower lip, feeling pathetic.

When the door opened, Richard’s appearance was far more ordinary than she’d imagined. He was simply dressed in a shirt and pants, having only removed his outerwear.

The only unusual thing was the long, thick string hanging from his mouth.

Courtney felt a sense of relief. She had feared he might show up in a see-through top or pants with holes in all the wrong places.

But there was something else she hadn’t expected. Courtney had thought he would immediately start doing something crazy, but instead, Richard closed the door and stood still in place.

She belatedly recalled what he had said earlier. He wouldn’t do anything unless given permission. So this is what he meant. She swallowed the sigh that threatened to escape.

She wasn’t happy at all about having the upper hand. Reluctantly, Courtney spoke.

“Come here… please.”

It already felt like a disaster. She nervously bit her lip again. But this time, Richard didn’t defy her expectations.

“Eek…!”

He lowered himself, placing his hands on the floor, and slowly began to crawl toward her. His clean, spotless hands pressed against the dirty floor as he moved forward on his knees.

Even though she had anticipated it, Courtney was still deeply shocked. His half-lidded eyes were flushed and slightly teary, his mouth dripping saliva from the leather strap he was biting. The golden hair, once praised as radiant, was now disheveled as he crawled.

The room wasn’t particularly large, so Richard quickly reached her. Without realizing it, Courtney recoiled, leaning back. The Crown Prince, who had once seemed somewhat familiar, now felt like a completely different person.

Despite her stiff posture, which might have been offensive, he knelt quietly at her feet, wearing an almost idiotic expression. His face, now stripped of the Crown Prince’s mask, was filled with nothing but blatant excitement.

“Richard…?”

Instead of answering, he merely lifted his eyes, meeting hers. His blue eyes shone with a desire he could no longer hide. Peering into someone’s deepest desires was anything but pleasant, and Courtney’s face remained tense.

She straightened up, trying to regain her composure. No matter how unbothered he seemed, this wasn’t proper. Her eyes caught sight of the strap hanging from his mouth. Was that why he wasn’t speaking?

When she extended her hand, Richard obediently offered what he had been holding. She hadn’t recognized it at first, but it wasn’t just any leather strap. At the end of the line was a thicker, heavier ring.

“Ugh…”

Another sigh slipped from Courtney’s lips. It was undeniably a dog collar. And Richard was waiting, like a dog, for her to put it on him.

Courtney tried to maintain a neutral expression as she looked at him. He gazed up at her with utterly submissive eyes. Suddenly, she felt guilty for doubting him. No one, no matter what treasure they were promised, could be forced into doing something like this.

With a hint of apology in her voice, she asked him,

“Do you want me to… put this on you?”

She had expected him to be thrilled, but instead, he lowered his gaze, a troubled look crossing his face. Courtney began to feel embarrassed, but then he answered in a low, husky voice.

“If you’d be so kind…”

Ah. Courtney had another realization. He had brought the collar, hoping she’d put it on him, but she wasn’t supposed to ask for his opinion. It was her right to make the decision.

She was starting to understand the rules. The fear within her gradually subsided. Fear comes from the unknown. Once you understand, there’s no need to be afraid. After all, the control was hers—he had willingly given it to her.

Swallowing hard, Courtney grabbed the ring and tossed the leash far away. Richard’s eyes followed the strap as it flew to the corner, then returned to her. She spoke as if testing him.

“Go fetch.”

Without a word of protest, he crawled toward the discarded leash. He shoved his face into the dusty corner and bit down on the leash again. When he returned to her and knelt at her feet, the bulge in his lower half was alarmingly pronounced.

Even now, Courtney didn’t put the dog collar on him. Richard simply stared at her, his face desperate, watching as she toyed with the leash in her hands.

It felt strange to say it, but he truly did resemble a dog. A well-bred, obedient dog. Courtney lightly stroked his golden hair.

“Haa, uh…”

He let out a rough breath. Though she was inwardly appalled once again, this time, she merely narrowed her eyes slightly, betraying nothing outwardly.

If she had decided to stay with this man, she would have to get used to it.