Mmph...

I woke up groggily, shaking my head, but a dull ache lingered. My mind remained blank, foggy.

All I recalled was being knocked out.

Blinking around dazedly, I realized I was trapped in a cage barely a meter wide—too cramped to stand, forcing me to curl up in a corner. Cold metal bars and wooden floorboards seeped chill into my bones. A thick cloth draped over the cage blocked my view, leaving only faint light filtering through.

Faint clattering and swaying vibrated beneath me. Though I couldn’t see, the cage was clearly being wheeled somewhere.

Reincarnating into this world as a girl was hard enough to swallow.

Worse, a pair of pale pink wings now sprouted from my back. Adorable, yes—but utterly useless. No matter how frantically I flapped them, I couldn’t lift off. The friction of feathers against air only made my skin crawl.

Right now, I felt like nothing more than a caged songbird.

A chilly metal collar bit into my neck. My arms were pinned behind my back by cuffs, locking me in place.

I might as well be a slave from some drama—or a decorative pet.

After all, from what I’d seen these past days, most people here lived like ordinary humans.

Someone like me—with tiny pink wings—was rare.

And... I was a girl now.

Which meant I could be... used for *those* things.

Wait...

Could it be...?

Panic shattered my daze instantly.

Locked in a cage. Collared.

I—I—

Trembling, I didn’t notice the cage’s swaying slow. Voices murmured nearby, but their words blurred into static.

Captured. Taken as a girl. Treated like property...

No. Not that. Never...

"So, Your Highness, take a look."

The cloth ripped away. Blinding light stabbed my eyes—I couldn’t shield them with bound hands.

A tall figure in robes stood before the cage, face shadowed. Two others lingered farther off, indistinct in the glare.

"So cute... but fragile. Are you certain this is...?"

"Your Highness... please, for now..."

"Tch. Fine, I know, Miel. Always prioritizing boring formalities."

Their hushed whispers were muffled, but the moment the cloth fell, sharp gazes raked over me. I tried to cover myself, but with arms bound, I could only tuck my knees protectively, shrinking back.

"Look, she’s shy. Absolutely precious."

"Your Highness, we have more pressing matters."

"Ugh, *fine*. You’re no fun at all."

The robed figure swung the cage door open. Cold metal clicked as a chain snapped onto my collar. I thrashed wildly—uselessly. My small body strained against the restraints, wings flapping in panic as she dragged me out.

"Adorable."

The robed girl—addressed as "Your Highness"—gazed down at me. My eyes were squeezed shut, brows knotted tight. Pale blue hair spilled over porcelain skin. "She’s utterly enchanting."

"Your Highness..."

"*Fine*. No romance in you."

Their words washed over me, meaningless.

Trapped in this helpless child’s body after reincarnation—why must I also be bound? Reduced to a tool?

Why did *I* get all this?

"Hmph. I, Lilith Aelstrom, beseech the great Contract God. I vow lifelong care and protection for this life before me—in exchange for its obedience."

A clear, girlish voice echoed directly in my skull.

The air froze solid. A strange aura permeated the space around me.

Though I didn’t understand, revulsion surged through my core.

*Run... RUN...*

I tried to rise, but the robed figure pinned my back down, forcing me to kneel.

"Forced Contract: Established!"

Fire exploded in my skull. Agony. Blinding, tearing agony.

The air itself seemed to flood into my mind, into my wings—swelling, straining to burst me apart.

Pain...

Unbearable pain...

My head felt like it was about to explode...

"Aaah—!"

I never knew this tiny body could scream so loud. The pain was unimaginable—like being ripped limb from limb, layer by layer.

My body convulsed. Nails dug into palms, but the pain only deepened...

Consciousness frayed. Would I die like this?

Fists clenched, pupils unfocused. My mind flickered like a dying candle.

Then—the pain spiked violently. Darkness swallowed me whole.

"Your Highness... Forced Contracts are harsh on young creatures..."

"Pfft. If she can’t handle a little pain, she’s unworthy of my Contract. Only the strongest bind to me."

"But..."

"*But* nothing. Even a normal Contract would break her if she’s this weak. Hmph. It’s not like I’m avoiding trouble."

"Your Highness... she’s fainted."

"Tch. Good thing the Contract sealed before she passed out."

The princess grinned down at my limp form. "Now she’ll obey my every command."

"Mostly, Your Highness. Commands she deeply resists may fail."

"Hmm... Then—stand." She snapped her fingers. I didn’t move. "Can’t?"

"Only when conscious, Your Highness."

"Right. For creatures like her... wings are the most sensitive spot."

Her fingers brushed my pale pink feathers, stroking gently.

My face twisted. A soft, involuntary whimper escaped my lips.

"Nngh... stop... please..."

"Wah! She woke up just from a touch! So cute..."

The princess didn’t stop. Her fingers kept tracing my wings.

"Please... don’t touch my wings... Master..."

"She called me Master! The Contract really works!"

*Master?*

Why did I say that?

Suddenly, something foreign pressed into my mind—twisting my thoughts, my instincts.

A horrifying certainty filled me: I was this girl’s pet.

And when I’d said "Master"... I’d felt strangely happy.

I tried to recoil—but my head moved on its own, nuzzling against her robe.

I wanted to flee... yet warmth spread through me.

As if she *was* my rightful owner. As if I was meant to adore her. To obey.

"Your Highness, she’s crying."

"Eh? Her wings react *that* strongly? She cries so easily..."

"But... she shouldn’t cry."

"Huh?"

"According to the Contract, even if you scold or torment her... she should only feel bliss."

*What?*

I heard those gentle, terrifying words.

"No... stop... I don’t want this... It’s a lie..."

"Eh? She’s resisting? Even while her body trembles with joy."

"Patience, Your Highness. The Contract’s hold may need time."

"Fine. Take her to my chambers. Don’t think I’ll go easy on you just because you’re cute, little one."

A flick of her finger. The world spun. When my vision cleared, I lay alone in a silent room.

But...

*I miss Master... I need her... Master...*

No. That’s wrong. I’m not anyone’s pet.

*Master... I want to find her... I want her touch...*

No! I won’t... I won’t be a pet! This is a lie! It has to be!!

Tears soaked my face. The collar and chain still bit into my skin. One moment, longing softened my features; the next, disgust twisted them.

Naked, I shivered on the cold floor, wings fluttering uselessly. I couldn’t fly.

*I want to run...*

The thought sparked searing pain in my skull.

*How could I abandon my beloved Master?*

She’s not my Master...

A choked sob tore from my throat. Under the crushing weight of pain and compulsion, my mind went blank.

"Master... Master..."

A chilly draft slipped through the window, raising goosebumps on my sweat-slicked skin.

Unconscious. Broken. The small girl trembled mindlessly on the floor, her voice a raw, desperate whisper calling for her Master.