Chapter 3: The Pet’s Punishment and a Harsh Reality

The girl’s large, glistening eyes widened, as if she were utterly stunned by my cleverness.

Our eyes met, and from her vantage point, she looked down at me, exuding a certain air of proprietorship.

“As the pet my brother gave me, how can you use such vulgar language?”

“Even though you’re a pet, you’re still a girl, and girls must be well-behaved and refined to be liked!

“As my pet, you absolutely cannot use foul language!

“Punishment!”

I had no time to fret over matters of height.

No sooner had her words fallen than I felt a terrifying jolt as the collar around my neck suddenly tightened, constricting me until I struggled to breathe!

A flicker of pity crossed her eyes for a fleeting moment, only to be instantly replaced by an inexplicable resolve.

My quick wit sensed the impending doom, but it was already too late!

It seemed I had gravely misjudged this mistress’s generosity of spirit; her magnanimity was at least two cup sizes smaller than it appeared!

So narrow-minded was she that she wouldn’t even permit a pet to politely and gracefully offer its own opinion!

“Zzzzt, zzzzt, zzzzt~”

I distinctly felt the current surge and climb through my body, emanating from the collar around my neck, violently assaulting my every limb and bone!

Even the fur on my tail bristled from the electricity, flashing with crackling blue light!

I involuntarily trembled and spasmed, as waves of unbearable stinging pain and numbness radiated from the depths of my bones.

Instantly, all my strength drained away, and my entire being—no, my entire fox form—collapsed limply at the girl’s feet.

I had almost lost the ability to think rationally.

This pain, which wasn’t quite physical agony, left only one thought echoing in my mind: plea.

At the same time, a barrage of strange emotions assaulted my mind: fear, intimacy, regret, a desire to obey, a craving to be dominated.

These feelings, utterly alien to me, had materialized out of thin air, threatening to overpower my consciousness and personality!

The girl’s expression was one of utter astonishment, as if she hadn’t anticipated the severity of the punishment she’d unleashed by pressing that button.

The pain inflicted upon me clearly far exceeded her wildest imagination!

The girl clumsily scooped me up, holding me in a princess carry.

In that moment, even my nine tails hung limply towards the ground, my entire body devoid of any strength to resist.

Thus, I could only allow her to hold me, as she displayed a hint of affection with what I personally perceived as a “condescending yet pitying mistress’s demeanor.”

At this point, I should have been furious, yet, in my muddled state, I was filled with an overwhelming dependence on her, yearning desperately for her embrace!

Though I fiercely resisted, my tears, disobedient to my will, streamed down, cascading onto the back of the girl’s hand, causing her right hand to tremble slightly.

Alas, her hand didn’t tremble from heartbreak over my tears, but because a system notification had appeared before us.

[System Notification: Loyalty +1, Affection +1]

‘…What the hell, is this an adult game?’

‘…And what kind of indecent setting am I even in?! Why is affection increasing?!’

I despaired and fainted, yet, due to the uncontrollable sense of intimacy radiating from her, I subconsciously burrowed deeper into her embrace, just like a pet desperate for affection.

****

Having been unconscious, I awoke to find an unknown amount of time had passed.

I felt both surprised and dejected.

I was surprised that one could actually faint in a game.

My dejection stemmed from the realization that everything that had transpired wasn’t a dream!

A heavy wave of negative energy instantly filled my chest, leaving me utterly sapped of strength.

I listlessly gazed at the swarms of players scattered across the mountains, all fiercely vying for monster kills.

I knew the core principle my younger sister had preached to me before we entered the game’s new server—”One step ahead, always ahead”—and I realized I was utterly incapable of upholding it.

I lowered my gaze, spotting two prominent, pale mounds on my chest.

Heaven help me, I could only uphold “One Center, Two Basic Points” (TL Note: A humorous play on a political slogan, here referring to the protagonist’s two breasts).