Chapter 13: Does This Count as Cuckolding?

Dounia leaned against the wall, curled up in the corner like a wounded little animal, motionless.

Her knees were pressed tightly against her chest, her forehead resting on them, trying to find a sliver of comfort.

The pain from her abdomen made her small body tremble with every breath.
Dounia gripped her gray-and-white uniform tightly, her fingers turning pale from the force,

her fingers turning pale from the force, as if her nails were digging into the fabric.

She struggled to even her breathing, slowly lifting her head to meet the gaze of Adelle, who was looking down at her.

“It seems you still know what pain is,” Adelle said, admiring the exquisitely broken picture before her, a trace of cruel pleasure in her eyes.

In her eyes, Dounia’s lips were pressed tightly together, her gaze empty and helpless, the depths of her pupils revealing profound pain and fear.

Sweat trickled down Dounia’s cheek, and she finally couldn’t help but let out a soft groan.

“I hope you remember this lesson,” Adelle leaned down, pinching Dounia’s chin and forcing her to look into her eyes.

Dounia could only return a glare that held little threat, and even a hint of cuteness.

[Adelle Favorability: -19.3%, Corruption: 5%.]

‘Do Fia and her maid both get their kicks from torturing people… Do they enjoy seeing me in pain this much?’

‘And this Corruption value…’

In the game’s original setting, the Corruption value reflected a special emotion toward the original protagonist.
This included the mistakes they made for her sake, as well as a manifestation of their psychological changes.

In other words, even though Adelle was utterly disgusted with her because of the Fia incident, she couldn’t help but develop feelings for her… just the rather twisted kind.

Rustle.

“Stay still,” Adelle moved closer.
Seeing Dounia’s attempt to flee, a small smile appeared on her lips.

‘Let’s see if you dare be disrespectful to the Chief again.’

She pressed down on Dounia’s arms and changed her into new clothes.

“I will check the tidiness of your clothes every day. This will be the standard for judging whether you have fallen,” Adelle said in a cold tone.

“As I said, if you eventually fall and become a monster in human skin, I will kill you with my own hands.”

“Now, stand up.”

Adelle looked directly at Dounia.

“I need you to tell me that we’re okay.”

“Guess if I’m going to say that…?” Dounia clutched her stomach and staggered to her feet, staring at her with resentment.

“It doesn’t matter. At least this counts as a form of honesty,” Adelle said, not minding. “I’ll give you three minutes to prepare. After three minutes, even if you need to relieve yourself, you’ll have to hold it in until the mission is over.”

Dounia gave Adelle a fearful and hostile look before rushing into the bathroom.

Flush.

With the sound of the flushing toilet, Dounia straightened her clothes and somewhat messy hair, then walked out of the room.

“Executor.”

Dounia opened her mouth, then just glared at her.

“Learn to use ‘yes’ as your answer,” Adelle said, giving her a deep look.

“Mm.”

Dounia lowered her head and grunted in acknowledgement.

“Walk beside me. Don’t run, and don’t try any tricks,” Adelle instructed. “Once you leave your room, your freedom of movement is entirely decided by your surveillance officer, which is me.”

They walked side by side down the long corridor.

Curious gazes swept over them, landing on this “newcomer” in the gray and white uniform.

“…Am I your s*ave?” Dounia asked, frowning.

“No,” Adelle replied. “But for someone like you to be able to move freely, the surveillance officer must also pay a corresponding price.”

“Is the price having to endure someone like me being with you?” Dounia asked.

“You could say that,” Adelle replied dismissively.

“Hmph, someone like me,” Dounia sneered sarcastically. “How do you know I’m qualified to be an ‘Executor’?”

She was trying to fish for information from Adelle, to see how much Adelle, and by extension Fia, knew about her.

Adelle suddenly smiled.

“I am your surveillance officer. I know a lot about you.”

“I know that to treat the young miss’s illness, you didn’t use any ‘Soul-Loss blood’, but rather your own extraordinary ability.”

“I know Julie compensated you with a month’s salary.”

“I know Miss Violet snuck out of her ward just to thank you.”

“I know what’s hidden under the bandages on your neck and face, and I know how many bottles of mineral water are in that large white first-aid kit.”

Dounia felt her blood gradually run cold.
She remembered there were no such things as security cameras in this game.

If not for the fact that her favorability was truly negative, and that she was a so-called ‘Surveillance Officer,’ Dounia would suspect the other woman was some kind of yandere control freak.

Seemingly satisfied with Dounia’s surprise, Adelle continued, “I also know that this morning, you generously gave your share of food and water to Julie, who is saving money and dieting for her two children at home.”

“…It seems the ‘Executor’ I’m in charge of still has a shred of humanity. I am relieved.”

She turned her head to look at Dounia, her stern, icy expression softening slightly.

Dounia blinked.

She hadn’t expected her unintentional act of kindness to be noticed by this surveillance officer, and even with a hint of approval.

‘…Does this mean her favorability towards me was even lower before she knew about this?’

The corner of Dounia’s mouth twitched.

‘Does she care about Fia that much? So the meaning of the option Lilith gave me was… to make her fall, to become my exclusive maid?’

‘That would be a pretty good method of revenge!’

‘But, does this count as cuckolding?’

‘Hmm… probably not. I remember in the original setting, Adelle and Fia hadn’t reached that kind of relationship.’

“To get back on topic…”

The two of them had reached the end of the long corridor.

The light at the bunker’s exit was dazzling, becoming clearer and revealing fine, rich layers as Dounia approached.

Tiny dust particles and motes danced in the beam of light.
They flew, rose, and intertwined, creating a splendid sea of light.

Dounia had never found natural light so beautiful.

Fresh, cold air entered Dounia’s nostrils, but this time, she was no longer being thrown into the snow.

Though still wearing invisible shackles, she had taken a step forward.

“The Chief once told me that a surveillance officer is like an Executor’s eyes, and an Executor is like a surveillance officer’s hands. They are two parts of a whole.”

Adelle stood in the light, her back to Dounia.

She turned her head, scrutinizing Dounia meticulously, just as she had when they first met.
“But I don’t think our relationship is like that.”

“I will watch you, doubt you, and monitor your every move.”

“You are my weapon, and when I find this weapon has become too difficult to handle… I will not hesitate to kill you.”

She made her cold declaration.

Dounia also stepped into that curtain of light, the corners of her lips turning up in a cunning and captivating smile.

“Is that so? Can you really do it? Without a shred of hesitation?”

Adelle glanced at her.

“Of course.”

“I bet you’ve already lost,” Dounia said, walking forward and disappearing beneath the white curtain of light.