Julia turns her head to glare at me with silent fury. If she thinks I will take her side instead of trying to save my own hide she is awfully misguided.

"Well, Julia, are you also a Slave Merchant who has the [Slave Contract] spell?" He inquires.

She refuses to answer and instead darts her gaze between him and me, clearly scheming something.

The man refuses to entertain her though, as he parts his fingers, placing his index finger on one side of Julia's chin and his thumb on the other with his hand resting firmly beneath her jaw. With a slight lift of his hand he forces her to meet his gaze. The action is smooth and confident, a masculine display of power that leaves no room for defiance.

His eyes lock onto hers with a commanding intensity, exuding a sense of control that makes it clear beyond a doubt that he is the one in charge here.

"Listen to your beloved husband; there's really no point in lying," he says, his voice low and threatening. "We can find out the truth easily enough."

Finally, Julia admits, "my class is just level 12. I haven't unlocked it yet..." Her voice is barely more than a whisper, but it carries the weight of her humiliation and fear.

I can't help but snicker, a bitter sound that escapes before I can stop it. If she had spent less time indulging herself with her boytoys and more time actually trying to advance, she might have had the spell by now.

The man's attention shifts to me, a calculating look in his eyes. "Well, it seems we only need the husband who has the spell," he says, then turns his head back to my bitch of a wife. "So you are entirely useless." Julia wails and starts to beg him, desperation seeping into her voice.

"I'll do anything, please!" she ends her torrent of begging with a cry, her hands clasped in supplication.

This makes the man pause for a moment, his gaze returning to me. "I still don't know if you're telling the truth," he says. "I want you to prove it. Use the [Slave Contract] spell to turn your wife into my slave. I want her to have zero rights or clauses of her own, a living physical object in my possession."

Julia's face crumples, and she begins to wail and plead once again, the sound starting to grate on my nerves. I feel a twisted mix of emotions: my pride stings at the thought of handing over my wife, yet there is also a sense of grim satisfaction at the idea of her downfall.

She has already whored herself out to others numerous times, sharing herself with anyone but me, yet seeing her fall into complete subjugation stirs a dark thrill within me.

The man watches her impassively. "Stop making a scene. It's simple: you can either become my obedient asset or meet your maker right now."

Julia's sobs quieten as she realizes the gravity of her situation. Her eyes meet mine, filled with a pleading that I can't find it in myself to answer. Instead, I feel a strange calm settling over me. This is the way it has to be, the price we pay for the lives we've led.

I sigh, thinking; 'It is what it is.'

I then stand from my couch, straightening my clothes and forcing a polite smile. Despite the fear that churns in my gut, I approach the man as if he were a gentleman, a distinguished guest who has come to visit.

"I must admit, I'm not quite skilled enough to cast the slave spell without a medium, a proxy," I tell him, "therefore, I'll need to retrieve a slave collar from the inventory room."

The man turns his head slightly, glancing at his shorter companion. "Keep the gentleman company for me, will you?" he says.

His companion opens her mouth, speaking for the first time. Her voice is distinctly feminine, carrying a strong note of reluctance. "Is this really necessary? Let's just get this over with. I'm not comfortable with this... woman being in our party."

"I have a few things I want to test out myself. You have absolutely nothing to worry about," he replies.

Oh, I thought they were on the same page, but it seems this isn't part of their plan. I feel a flicker of hope, a possibility to exploit. However, she eventually agrees and follows me as I lead the way.

As we walk, I feel the weight of her gaze on my back, like a predator ready to pounce at the first sign of treachery. It sends a horrified chill down my spine. I don't dare make a wrong move. I thought the man was the scariest presence I will ever meet, but this girl might just be even worse.

Retrieving the collar takes only moments, but it feels like an eternity. With the collar in hand, we make our way back.

When we return, I find Julia groveling at the man's feet, her pleas an incessant background noise. She just doesn't know when to give up, does she?

I walk up to them, and the man lifts Julia by the throat, silencing her with a swift backhand. The sound echoes through the room, slicing through the silence and leaving only her muted weeping behind.

Finally, Julia stops talking, and I move to place the collar around her neck. The [Slave Contract] spell is a simple incantation, one I've performed countless times. I focus my will through the collar, the medium that channels the magic. But as the energy builds, I feel resistance, and the spell fizzles.

The man looks at me, his gaze sharp and questioning. All I can do is smile wryly. "The contract works properly, but the recipient needs to be either willing or unconscious," I explain. "She's awake and rejected the 'terms'... or lack thereof."

The man slaps her across the face again, this time forcing her to spit a few loose tooth out as a result, his patience visibly thinning. Then he draws his dagger, the threat clear in his eyes. "This is your final warning."

Julia's defiance crumbles, and this time, when I cast the spell, the magic takes hold. The collar glows briefly as the contract binds her to him, her destiny is no longer in her grasp but in the palm of the tall man.