RYC 77

He didn’t ask questions like “where.” Did Chrissy even have a choice in the first place? More importantly, what would happen “from now on” was what mattered.

With every step, the heavy iron chains struck the floor, making an eerie sound. Chrissy tried to keep his back straight and walk with dignity, but it wasn’t easy due to the innate sense of shame everyone possesses. Moreover, seeing the man dressed in a pristine suit as always—the complete opposite of his own naked state—made him feel even more diminished.

Get it together.

He scolded himself and held his head high. From now on, he would have to do whatever this man wanted. If Chrissy couldn’t escape this place, then perhaps, literally, until the day he died.

If that were the case, he would at least refuse to be intimidated by the emotions the man intended to evoke.

Staring at the back of the man walking ahead, Chrissy walked without wavering. Mixed with the clanking of the chains hitting his ears, he could faintly hear the sound of the man’s cane tapping the floor. He felt as if he were walking toward an execution ground.

The place Nathaniel opened the door to was the breakfast room. A simple breakfast was prepared on a table for four, bathed in the sunlight streaming through the full-length windows. When he noticed that it was only a single serving, Nathaniel pointed to the floor.

“Sit, Chrissy.”

His tone was as if he were commanding a dog. And where he pointed, there was literally dog food. Along with water prepared at the same height.

“……Ha.”

Chrissy let out a short breath. But there was no time to stand there in disbelief. Nathaniel immediately reached out and grabbed the back of his neck, pulling him down.

“Ugh…….”

He almost let out a loud cry without realizing it. He barely managed to swallow the scream and weather the crisis, but he couldn’t stop himself from collapsing pathetically. Nathaniel knelt on one knee beside him, leaned in, and whispered.

“Eat. Now.”

Then, without warning, he violently pressed down on the back of Chrissy’s neck. Overpowered by the immense strength, Chrissy’s face was forced into the food bowl, and he had no choice but to open his mouth as wide as possible to take the kibble in.

“Cough, cough.”

The grains of food breaking in his mouth slid down his throat haphazardly, triggering a fit of coughing. Even so, the grip on his neck did not loosen. Only after he had painfully forced himself to eat about half of the food did Nathaniel slowly release his grip and speak in a satisfied voice.

“Good boy. You’re a good boy.”

As he spoke, Nathaniel lightly patted Chrissy’s buttocks twice. Just as if he were treating a dog, rewarding a loyal four-legged animal for following orders, he slapped his backside and then stood up. Listening to the sound of Nathaniel pulling out a chair to sit, Chrissy continued to eat the food. It smelled unpleasant and tasted nauseating, but he felt that if he stopped for even a moment, something more terrible would happen. Delaying it would only increase the pain. He accepted this fact quickly.

“You should drink water, too.”

Nathaniel nudged the container of water with the tip of his shoe. Looking reluctantly at the water bowl that had been slid toward him, Chrissy drank the water as ordered. It was harder than eating the food because he had to dip his nose in, but as he struggled to manage it, Nathaniel Miller elegantly picked up a knife and fork and began a human meal. For a while, only the small sound of cutlery clinking and the sound of Chrissy struggling to drink water continued.

“Since today is the first day of training, shall we try the easiest thing?”

Nathaniel spoke as he was about halfway through his meal. At the nonchalant voice, as if he were talking about the weather, Chrissy instinctively looked up and then froze. However, as if this were within the permissible range, Nathaniel continued speaking while pouring coffee into an empty cup.

“You’ll guard the house alone, waiting for me. You can do that, right?”

Is this ‘stay’ training? It was absurd, but the words that followed were even more ridiculous.

“Stay quiet. If you make a mess of the house, you’ll be punished. I detest things being soiled.”

With this, he could no longer deny it. It was far too clear what Nathaniel Miller was trying to do with Chrissy.

“……Is that why you decided to raise a human instead of a dog?”

Chrissy asked in a heavily cracked voice. Unable to hold back, he spoke sarcastically, and Nathaniel’s lips curled up into a silent smile.

“Training is easier and they understand words, so this way is much more convenient.”

Then, he brought the cup to his lips and added before taking a sip.

“Now, don’t speak without a command. You’re a dog.”

Nathaniel lifted Chrissy’s chin with the tip of his shoe. Looking down arrogantly at Chrissy, who was forced to sit on the floor and look up at him, he asked.

“Your answer?”

As expected, Chrissy had no choice this time either. He quietly gave the answer Nathaniel wanted.

“Woof.”

“Good boy.”

Nathaniel stroked Chrissy’s head as if he were in a good mood. Again, it was a gesture one would only do to a dog. Then, he lowered his hand and held it out in front of Chrissy’s face. Feeling as if his identity as a human had vanished at some point, Chrissy silently placed one hand on top of his. Then, surprisingly, Nathaniel unlocked the bracelets on his wrists. He did the same for the other hand. After unlocking his ankles as well, he left only the collar on Chrissy and warned him once more.

“Wait quietly. If you behave rudely, you’ll be punished.”

Chrissy didn’t answer this time. He simply stared intently at Nathaniel’s face. It was a very small act of rebellion, but Nathaniel did not let it slide.

“Answer.”

Uttering only a single word, he grabbed Chrissy’s throat. As the powerful grip suddenly choked his windpipe, pressure built up in his face and a painful groan escaped. Looking down at the gasping, flushed Chrissy, Nathaniel whispered,

“You have to answer, good boy.”

Chrissy opened his mouth wide, but the air only swirled inside. Eventually, he shook his head slightly and let out a groan. Nathaniel looked at him with narrowed eyes and commanded again.

“Answer again.”

He already knew the answer he wanted. Chrissy barely managed to mouth the word ‘woof.’ Then, just as when he had grabbed his throat, Nathaniel suddenly released the pressure.

“Hack, cough, cough…….”

He was completely disoriented by the sudden rush of air. Nathaniel quietly watched Chrissy as he shook his entire body, coughing incessantly.

“The coffee has gone cold.”

Touching the surface of the teacup, he murmured casually. Despite the fact that Chrissy was still gasping and suffering at his feet, he continued speaking in an indifferent voice, as if it had nothing to do with him.

“Don’t test me twice. I don’t want to raise a stupid dog.”

Then what happens? Is he going to euthanize me?

The reason he thought of such absurd things was likely because the current situation still felt surreal. Nevertheless, Chrissy whispered softly in a heavily hoarse voice.

“Woof.”

Only then did Nathaniel curl the corners of his mouth slightly, as if satisfied. Picking up the chains that had bound Chrissy’s limbs haphazardly, he turned and left the breakfast room. Chrissy hesitated for a moment before following hesitantly. Nathaniel, who picked up the briefcase lying on the sofa in the connected living room, looked back. After confirming that Chrissy was sitting some distance away, he maintained a faint smile and then walked outside, leaning on his cane. The faint sound of the elevator moving could be heard. Chrissy remained sitting in that spot, motionless. After a few more minutes passed, a mechanical voice sounded from somewhere.

‘The vehicle has departed. Security is now active.’

He started at the sudden voice but soon calmed down. While admiring the building’s state-of-the-art facilities, a sigh of relief escaped him. Since it was a private parking lot, it meant Nathaniel’s car had left. Still, just in case, Chrissy waited longer. Only when it reached the time he expected Nathaniel to have arrived at the office and started working did he finally slowly stand up.

“Augh…….”

His stiffened body screamed all at once. Covering his mouth with one hand to make sure he didn’t make a loud noise, he took a few deep breaths. Once his body calmed down to some extent, he immediately began to act.

The reason Chrissy had remained sitting on the floor was to appear helpless to Nathaniel. Now that he was finally alone, he had to carry out the purpose of coming here.

I have to find clues about those guys Detective Simmons mentioned.

Nathaniel had said he expected Chrissy to use tricks or pull out a weapon, but Chrissy had also been prepared for all his plans to go up in smoke.

Though he hadn’t expected to end up in this state.

But since he was prepared to give up his life, what was there to be afraid of? In any case, the result was as planned. He had infiltrated Nathaniel’s house and was left alone. That was enough. Chrissy staggered toward the second floor. There was, of course, only one target location.

The study.

Everything Chrissy wanted would surely be there.