Julia stared at the girl, dumbfoundedly. She was doing her best to comprehend why the girl was crying. but couldn’t understand it. Being freed from slavery was definitely a good thing. Yet the girl’s reaction seemed as if the world was ending.

"I am not your master. You are your own master. You can do anything you want. You are free, understand?"

Julia grabbed the girl’s hand as she repeated herself once again, thinking that the girl had just misunderstood what Julia said. The girl didn’t stop crying, though.

"Please master..."

The girl looked at Julia pleadingly, visibly desperate. Julia scratched her head, unsure of what to do. She was a slave her entire life, giving her freedom just like that. Maybe it was too sudden?  Julia thought and let out an exhausted sigh.

"Fine, I will keep you."

"Really?"

The girl asked, teary-eyed. Julia nodded, and the girl stopped crying and was wiping her tears. Now, to look for that book.

"Master."

Before Julia could leave the room, she felt the girl tagging on her dress. She turned around to see the girl holding the collar in her hand and looking at Julia hopefully. Julia stared at the girl and the collar in her hand, unsure of what she wanted from her.

"It’s coming off."

The girl placed the collar on her neck for emphasis, but it felt immediately. Julia blinked in surprise. She wants me to put a collar on her? Julia stared at the girl, wondering whether or not she was just having a strange dream again.

"Master?"

The girl tilted her head, as she called on Julia. Julia, snapping back to her senses, reluctantly took the collar and put it on the girl. While Julia struggled with the magic-infused collar fastener, the girl started to smile subtly as she felt the collar on her neck.

I swear this girl has to be a masochist. Julia lamented while checking if the collar wasn’t too tight. Once that was done, Julia reembarked on her book hunt. And since the girl, for some reason incomprehensible to Julia, didn’t want to be left alone in Julia’s room and so Julia begrudgingly took her along.

It wasn’t as if Julia didn’t appreciate the extra help that the girl would provide. After all, Julia was planning to look for the book in Loriam’s study room. And over the past month, Julia witnessed firsthand just how disorganized can Loriam be. How could such a person be a queen of a powerful nation was beyond Julia.

"I almost forgot, but what is your name?"

Sparing herself the thoughts of the mess that awaited her in Loriam’s study room, Julia switched her attention to the girl attentively following behind her.

"My name? I don’t have any."

The girl tilted her head as she looked at Julia’s face. Her expression suggested that it was only natural for her to not have a name, regardless Julia pressed for more.

"How can you not have a name? Even slaves have a name. I don’t see how you are different to not have it."

Julia was baffled. The possibility that slavers beat her name out of her memory was boiling Julia’s blood, causing the air around her to be consumed by an oppressive aura that she herself wasn’t aware of.

"I am a slave. Merely a property of yours. There is no reason for me to have a name."

The girl flinched as she felt the pressure of Julia’s aura. but quickly composed herself and answered Julia matter-of-factly.

"But if the master insists, then you just have to give me one."

Give you one? Julia tried to process what the girl just said. Julia began to feel like this girl had a few loose screws. To cry when given freedom, to refer to herself as a mere object, she certainly wasn’t right in the head. And if she insisted that Julia give her name, then Julia would give her one. After all, she can’t call her "hey you" forever.

"So, a name for you, huh?"

Julia paused as she fell into thought. She couldn’t afford to be sloppy here. She was choosing a name for someone who considers herself property. Julia was sure that she would accept being called trash or a slut and never utter a single word of protest. So, she had to choose carefully.

"What about Lily?"

Julia gave her suggestion to the girl, though she didn’t seem to want to give any feedback.

"As you wish, master."

was the answer that Julia received from her. Even though she seemed indifferent about the name she received, Julia caught a glimpse of the girl’s tail waving happily behind her.

"I actually wanted to give it to my daughter one-day bu-"

"Wait, you are pregnant?!"

When Julia shared the reason why she picked Lily as the name, an unexpected shout interrupted her. A nearby door is flung open, and Loriam, with a panicked expression, emerges from them.

"Wha-"

"When did it happen!? With whom!?"

Before Julia managed to fully react, Loriam was right in front of her and shaking with Julia. Lily remained standing behind Julia, watching the spectacle in front of her, just like Julia, she too was unsure of what was happening.

"Wait I shouldn’t be doing this in your state. It would be dangerous."

As if stuck by a sudden realization, Loriam stopped shaking with Julia and, with a slight smile, looked over Julia’s body.

"You have grown up so much… you even going to have your own child. I am proud of you."

Loriam wiped tears off her eyes, not paying attention to Julia’s confusion.

"Is Master expecting a baby?"

Lily asked with her head tilted to the side. She looked at Julia’s flat stomach. As far as she could tell, her master wasn’t pregnant. Without a second thought, she walked up to Julia and placed her small hand on her stomach.

"Wait a second, you two!"

Feeling Lily’s hand on her stomach, Julia came back to her senses and was visibly not happy.

"Just what in the world made you think that I am pregnant?!"

Julia yelled at the two girls, but most of her anger was aimed at Loriam. Noticing this, Loriam began to feel guilty for assuming Julia was pregnant. She began to scratch her head awkwardly.

"Well… you were talking about naming your daughter so…"

Julia’s cold gaze was drilling a hole into Loriam, and she couldn’t bring herself to look Julia in the eyes.

"Oh, weren’t you saying that you were going to free her?"

As Loriam avoided Julia’s gaze, she noticed that Lily still had the collar on. Seeing this as an opportunity, Loriam quickly used it to switch topics.

"About that…."

Julia glanced at Lily, who looked back at Julia with her innocent yellow eyes. Julia sighed and turned back to Loriam.

"For some reason, she doesn’t want to be free."

"Really?"

For a short while, Loriam looked surprised as she glanced at Lily. After that, Loriam smiled and walked up to Lily.

"What a well-trained one."

Julia wanted to protest what Loriam said. Before she could, Loriam attempted to head pat Lily, who quickly slipped past her and hid behind Julia.

"Only the master can touch my ears."

The way Lily said it made it sound threatening. Loriam was shocked by how quickly Lily avoided her, or maybe it was from how threatening she sounded.

"When I tried to take her collar off, she began crying. So, for the time being, I am keeping her."

Julia chose to be obvious about what had just happened and, with a provocative smile, continued their conversation as she caressed Lily’s ears. Lily’s face was filled with Extasy while her tail waggled from side to side happily.

"I did brought her for you to keep, so I will not stop you."

Loriam gave Julia an understanding smile. There is no reason to pretend, I will always support you.

"It’s not like that!"

Julia protested, but no matter what, Loriam still showed that smile of hers. Julia found herself unable to convince Loriam that she misunderstood and let out a sigh.

"By the way, since you are here, Could you let me borrow some books on magic?"

"Huh? Books?"

Loriam was confused briefly but recovered quickly as she remembered what she talked with Julia about during breakfast.

"Ah, you want to prepare for that lection, right?"

Julia nodded.

"I am not sure if I even have one, but let’s take a look."

Loriam re-entered the room she previously left to ambush Julia. So, this is the study room. Julia thought as she looked at the dozens of book filing shelves within the room. Though the collection of books and other materials was certainly impressive, Loriam’s lack of organization in her things would make searching for magic-related books a nightmare.

"…so messy."

Unlike Julia, Lily didn’t have any reservation about saying what she thought. Earning her a head pat from Julia. Just how long will it take to find it? Julia sighed and began looking through the messy pile of books.