I was raised in the simulator, and I’m really not a bad woman in Ark!

[However, just after you dealt with these things, Theresa, who looked unhappy, came to your room with a begging look.]

[This is an expression that Theresa had never shown before.]

[You don't like Theresa like this, so you don't try to tease Theresa as usual, but put on the airs of a duke to face the girl in front of you who seems to be asking for something from you.]

[You probably know why she came. You can send her away with just one sentence, but you think you can use this opportunity to make Theresa realize something.]

[For example, even if she is a slave, Theresa is still a slave of you, Grand Duke of Manchester, Victoria.]

【And the same is true for Tracys. 】

……

Chapter 9: What an ugly look, Theresa

The perspective changes rapidly.

The consciousness of Ikaros in reality switched to the simulation in an instant.

The girl's clean and simple boudoir was replaced by an elegant and noble office.

Books with gold-emblazoned Victorian characters were neatly arranged on the bookshelf, and a thick pile of documents was placed on the luxurious sandalwood desk.

In this office, a crystal chandelier emitting warm light is hung from the ceiling, a red carpet inlaid with gold threads covers the entire floor, and a leather sofa and a coffee table filled with expensive black tea and exquisite snacks are located in the center of the room. Everything demonstrates the luxury of the office.

This is so luxurious...

Even though he had been mentally prepared for his own financial resources in the simulation, Ekalos was still deeply shocked by the wealth he possessed in the simulation.

It's a pity that it's just a simulation, otherwise if I could make some money here, even if I have to leave Lateran in the future, I and my childhood sweetheart would be able to live a life of luxury.

What a pity.

However, after feeling a little regretful for a moment, Ikaros' attention was attracted by the sound caused by the opening door.

What caught my eye was the girl, Theresa, who was standing there quietly, wearing a white robe made of the finest silk. Although she looked a little listless and seemed to be worried, and although she was still young and had not yet fully revealed her charm, she was still beautiful and charming, a heart-poundingly beautiful Sarkaz girl.

Her complexion was not good at the moment, and there was even a hint of begging on her face, which made people feel subconsciously ached.

If Theresa were to ask for help from others now, anyone who was not too hostile to the Sarkaz would probably be unable to refuse to help her.

It is like a pitiful flower that people who cherish beauty will instinctively protect.

I have to admit that Theresa does have an extraordinary charm.

But unfortunately, Ikaros in the simulation did not like Theresa like this.

——This would remind her of her past self, curled up in a corner of the room and sobbing alone.

At that time, she also wanted to get help from others, but she knew that if she asked for help, she would not get any help, but would only be devoured by the hypocritical demon.

"Why did you come to see me, Theresa?"

Ikaros had a cold expression on her face. She was in a bad mood and had no intention of teasing Theresa as usual. Her tone was still slightly distant, but the difference was that there was a hint of dissatisfaction in her tone at this moment.

Still the same words, she really didn't like the way Theresa looked.

"Ms. Ikaros, I...I, I'm fine. Sorry to bother you..."

Of course Theresa couldn't be okay, otherwise she wouldn't have come to find Ikaros, a woman with a changeable and unpredictable temperament.

But Theresa heard the dissatisfaction in Ikaros' tone, and also noticed that Ikaros was different today than before, so after weighing the pros and cons, Theresa chose to make a tactical shift.

In short, follow your heart.

Although Theresa did come to find Ekaros for something, and it could even be said that she had no other choice but to find Ekaros, but considering that her challenge this month had failed, Theresa decided to wait until Ekaros was in a better mood before coming to find her for her own safety.

However, before Theresa turned around and took a step outside, Ikaros's cold voice stopped her movement.

"Did I let you go, Theresa?"

A seemingly casual remark made Theresa feel uneasy, and her slender tail straightened as if it had been electrocuted.

The step she had originally taken stopped in mid-air, and then she withdrew it calmly, turned around again, and faced the sneering Ekalos.

Although Theresa wanted to run away just now, her instinct told her that if she wanted to see tomorrow's sunrise in its entirety, she should not disobey Ekalos.

Therefore, for the sake of her own life, Theresa retreated obediently, closed the office door, and looked at Ekalos sitting behind the desk.

Seeing that Theresa made the right choice, the coldness on Ikaros's face melted a little, and then he said to Theresa:

"Come here and tell me why you came to see me today."

"Don't hide anything from me. Remember our game. You have already lost this month. Don't lie to me. This is the order your master gave you."

Bright red tea was poured out from the exquisite teapot. Ikaros took a sip of the tea and stared at Theresa with his light golden eyes.

Although Theresa was unwilling in her heart, her body was very honest.

Although he frowned slightly for a moment after hearing the word "master", Theresa concealed it well and calmed down. Then he came to Ekaros' side, and at Ekaros's signal, he skillfully sat on his thighs. He held her in his arms like a big doll, and like a big cat, he gently stroked her pink and white hair.

——This is the daily posture of Ikaros and Theresa when they are together. Ikaros likes to hug the little Theresa who is only 1.3 meters tall and two heads shorter than he is now.

As for Theresa's thoughts, it didn't matter. After all, the rules of the game were there and she could only obey.

However, although Ikaros was wearing Victorian gentlemen's clothing, he actually had a very good figure and his body was very flexible, so Theresa just sat on the soft sofa as if she was sitting on it.

What's more, Ikaros's head-patting technique is really good. At least under Ikaros' head-patting attack, Theresa can easily become drowsy in Ikaros' arms, and she will fall asleep with her back against Ikaros's front breastplate if she is not careful.

And Ikaros wouldn't care about Theresa sleeping in his arms.

Often, the two people at that time would appear to be in perfect harmony, and it would be impossible to imagine that their actual relationship was that of a master and servant, and that the servant was playing a dangerous game with the master...

"Actually... it's not a big deal."

"Just, Ms. Ikaros, can I ask you to do me a favor?"

Sitting in Ikaros' arms, Theresa organized her words, gritted her teeth, and finally made a request to Ikaros.

She knew that no matter what level she was at or what her reason was, she had no right to ask Ikaros, the Grand Duke of Victoria, to do anything for her.

But thinking about Tracy's experience, thinking about the malicious words written on Tracy's books and schoolbag after she returned home.

I recalled what Tracy said when I was about to stand up for him, "Forget it, they are nobles."

The anger in Theresa's heart was like falling into an icy cave. It made Theresa calm down, think a lot, and realize a lot of things.

During the few days she spent with Ikaros, she learned the difference between nobles, commoners and slaves.

She knew that this was not the village where she lived in Kazdel, but the capital of Victoria, which was full of nobles.

During this period, she also saw clearly for the first time how weak she was, although her inner belief in protecting her family and the agreement she had made with her parents made Theresa unwilling to admit this reality.

But when faced with malice from foreign countries, other races and nobles.

Theresa had to face the cruel reality after all.

I have to admit my weakness and admit that I cannot protect anything with my current weak strength.

This powerlessness is not only in Victoria, but also in Kazdel.

Otherwise, if Theresa was strong enough, their trafficking would not have happened.

Is Theresa overestimating her own abilities?

Not necessarily... After all, she just wanted to protect her family and fulfill the final promise she made to her parents.

After all, Theresa was just a child.

And Ikaros actually also has a certain responsibility. After all, the "game" she was willing to play with Theresa gave the young girl an inappropriate confidence in her heart, making her believe that she could really fight against the "big guys" and have the power to protect her family.

But in reality, this "illusion" is essentially nothing more than the mercy of the big shots that can be withdrawn at any time.

And Theresa has realized this at this moment, and that is why.

Realizing that she could not fight against the nobles and could not protect her brother, she tried to gain Ikaros's "mercy".

It was just like the "mercy" that Ikaros showed her on that evening at the beginning.

As for my own dignity and my own anger.

None of that matters anymore. Theresa has those things essentially to better protect her last family member. And if she can protect her brother by abandoning them, then what difference does it make even if she abandons them?

So finally she came to Ekaros.

This was tantamount to admitting defeat, but Theresa didn't care.

She knew deep down that she was a slave, and if compromise could buy her protection, she would not hesitate.

After all, all her strength, all her self-esteem, and all her anger were just to protect her brother.

This was the promise she made to her dead parents.

This is also the responsibility that Theresa sees as her own...

Chapter 10: Theresa's tail feels thirty-six times better than her face (sure)

“Theresa…”

"Ha, it's about Tracy's school situation... Well, before I answer your question in detail, please answer mine first."

Ikaros looked at Theresa in his arms, and felt that the girl seemed thinner and more helpless than ever.

Although she couldn't see Theresa's face, she couldn't tell the girl's expression.

But Ikaros knew he would not like her expression at that moment.

She could probably guess what Theresa was thinking at the moment, and she could understand Theresa's thoughts.

Ikaros won, but she didn't like Theresa like this, and she would not accept such a disgusting victory.

After all, if I did that, what would be the difference between me and those old guys I sent to the guillotine back then?

What's more, what Ikaros wanted through winning the game was to finally get someone who understood him, another mirror that could help him find his past self, rather than a slave who lost everything after compromise.

Then, she turned around and looked at Theresa, who was leaning against her in her arms, and saw the expected disappointed face.

"It's so ugly..." A hint of disgust appeared on Ikaros' beautiful face, but he gently wiped away the tears from the corners of the girl's eyes with his thumb.

"No, I washed my face."

Theresa retorted softly, but she didn't dare to look into Ikaros' pale golden eyes, and her voice sounded a little tearful.

Ikaros did not comment, then held Theresa's hips, barely dragged her up, and walked step by step to the rooftop of the villa.

What comes into view is the twinkling stars in the sky.

"Theresa, do you know what the Manchester family represents in Victoria?"

Ikaros held Theresa in his arms, the boundless sea of ​​stars reflected in his eyes, and asked casually, as if he was referring to an unimportant matter, but in fact it almost encompassed the entire history of Victoria.

"……do not know."

In Ikaros' arms, Theresa did not turn around to look at the girl who was holding her, but just leaned on her in her arms, looking at the same starry sky from the side of her hair on her shoulders.

It's normal that Theresa didn't know, or in fact not many people in Victoria remembered it.

But Icarus remembers that Victoria's history has not forgotten it either.

"Then let me tell you, the so-called Manchester is the place that once divided the Victorian sky with Drake."

"——The winged dragon owns the fertile land and the boundless sky, and Manchester owns the vast stars. This is the oath between us and the original owner of this country, and since then, Draco, who prefers the sky, has been inseparable from Manchester."

"It was not until the lion drove out the dragon and took the land that we gradually declined along with the dragon."

"But Manchester still holds the stars of Victoria's night, the oldest of vows, Victoria's original vow."

"Even though Manchester's industries and lands were targeted, divided, and torn apart, no one still violated this oath. This is not because the stars are meaningless, but because no one, not even the owner of this land, dared to break this ancient agreement."

As he spoke, Ikaros changed the way he held Theresa, forcing her to look at him. Even Theresa's obvious rejection did not change the final result.

Theresa had to look at Ikaros, whom she had been reluctant to face since she was held in his arms.

Looking at the pale golden eyes reflecting the stars, Theresa couldn't help being distracted for a moment, and this brief distraction gave her the opportunity to let the tears accumulated in her eyes fall, dripping into Ikaros' arms, deepening the color of his dark blue vest.

Although she didn't know why Ikaros said so much to her, Theresa felt a sense of security that made her want to immerse herself in this embrace and feel this false yet real security and warmth.