“What a waste of resources.” The Handler cursed under her breath after reading the news. The Empire’s frontline was in a never ending war of expansion with all kinds of rebels and other kingdoms but the nobles of the capital were indulging in resource wasting trend. The recent trend was the surge of demand for Borzoi hounds. Borzoi, named after the long extinct species of hunting hound of the ancient era empire. They had close association with nobility back in their era. A hound with a long muzzle. Some said they were creepy, some said they were elegant. When they were calm, they were playful like a puppy, but Borzoi was known as a hound that was more brutal and dangerous than a wolf when they hunted their prey. Of course, the recent trend wasn’t about owning the long extinct hound. But turning someone into a ‘Borzoi hound’. The trend was started by Her Herrin Natascha Von Kraft, the Duchess of Rosnova, the Black Witch in the Land of White, the Lord of the North, when she attended a banquet held by the Imperial family. Having a witch as a moniker in the era of machinery and technology was something of an achievement. And an insult. It was because of Natasha's long black hair and ghastly pale skin. But her appearance alone didn’t grant her the moniker, she was an ace pilot back in her hayday, she piloted her mech Delirium in almost ‘magical’ way, it was a mech that specialize in stealth and ambush, striking as fast as lightning bolt and vanishing from sight in span of seconds. She stopped being a mech pilot after her rise to the position of the Duchess of Rosnova. But her terrible reputation still stuck on her even after she retired for a decade.

The banquet was a gathering of nobles and leaders of the empire. As one of the higher ups, the Handler was invited to the banquet, but she was too busy handling the frontline so only sent her representation there. She regrets it now, if she was there, she would probably insult the duchess for her vain behavior even if it would earn her a punishment. So, Her Herrin Natascha was attending the banquet accompanied by her Borzoi Hound. The first iteration of the mech era’s Borzoi Hound. Her hound was none other than the Queen Penelope of the recently defeated kingdom of Nordshire. The appearance of Queen Penelope as a Hound in the banquet caused gasps and shock from other nobles. The empire was often ruthless in war, but they still had some bottom line to not just go scorching earth. The emperor didn’t want to rule on rubble of ruin. One of the bottom lines was preserving the other kingdom’s noble dignity if they surrendered to the empire. As far as the Handler knew, though the war with Kingdom of Nordshire was quite a hard fight, in the end the kingdom didn’t choose to prolong the fight but swiftly surrendered to the empire after the army successfully breached their defense line. The king of Nordshire was wise, and chose to preserve the lives of his subjects instead of sending them to a losing war. With all that said, the emperor would preserve the dignity of the king’s family. Her Herrin Natascha shouldn’t be able to turn any of the king of Nordshire family members or relatives into a Hound, but it seemed the duchess finally found a loophole of that rule and opened a whole can of worms. What she did was simple but twisted. She gave the defeated king of Nordshire some consort replacement, not only one but a whole bunch of women. And got the king to agree to divorce Queen Penelope. As long as Queen Penelope wasn’t the king’s family members, the rules of protection no longer apply to her. She even had a recording that the king did it without being forced.

What bullshit, that’s the witch for you. The Handler smirked as she read the report.

Furthermore, Her Herrin Natascha even gloated that she took care of her Hound differently than a normal Hound, with all the premium maintenance like taking care of a prized pet to prove that she was not violating the empire’s bottom line. Even the emperor was speechless of what Her Herrin Natascha did, but his majesty didn’t know how to refute and could only permit her action.

Queen Penelope herself was dressed in a regal gala gown with a victorian bustle skirt. Her blonde hair was styled in immaculate royal updo. A tiara was on her head, the crown of Nordshire Kingdom. She still looked like your typical noble if you ignored the dog muzzle on her face, and the collar on her neck. Her left eye had a normal charming blue pupil but her right eye was mechanical red with silver sclera, a proof that she was undergoing some mech modification. Her eyes looked at Her Herrin Natascha with infatuation as if she was okay that the duchess had replaced one of her eyes with a mechanical one.

Queen Penelope still showed her regal, elegant upbringing as a noble. Her face didn’t show any shame or protest of her being turned into a hound. A smile was frozen on her face. But observant people could tell it was an empty, forced smile. It was a smile that ordered and etched into their brain through thorough brainwash.

She moved with grace following the duchess step like a waiting girl.

There was an accident.

“What the fuck did you do to her? Are you crazy, Natascha?! Free her!” Another noble woman confronted Her Herrin Natascha in anger. None other noble would dare to confront Natascha and demand her to free her slave if it wasn’t the Western Duchess of Londonum, Shera Pax Victoria, The Benevolent, The Reformer or for people that didn’t like her, The Hypocrite. Contrary to Natascha’s reputation, Shera got her moniker from how she ruled her land. She was a diplomat with no kill record in her name, but managed to keep the peace on the western front. Shera was younger than Natascha, Natascha was in her 37s, and Shera was only 29 years old this year. Being a duchess before you turn 30 is a crazy achievement and showed her capability. She was the prime example of a young leader. She inherited the title from her parents because of her achievement of stopping the war on the western front. Her feat included taking negotiation of peace on her own hand and going to the enemy kingdom when the west frontline started to break up in fight with the enemy kingdom. She managed to negotiate peace and turn the enemy kingdom into an ally of the empire. She was well-liked by people because she was unlike most other greedy, egoistical nobles of the empire. After some push and pressure, the emperor granted the position of the western duchess to Shera in advance, while her parents abdicated and now became a freeloading noble in the capital enjoying their old days with luxury. After being the Western Duchess, Shera would always campaign for peace instead of more war of expansion when she had a chance.

The west became a haven for refugees and those tired of war under just two years of her rule. It was also the haven for Rebels. It was hard to crack all the rebels in the empire because of Shera’s intervention. The Hypocrite. The Handler mocked the Western Duchess in her mind.

But The Hypocrite probably forgot that The Black Witch also became Duchess of North a decade ago in her 27s like her. The Handler knew that Natascha wouldn’t easily be pressured by Shera. It was the former young ace of old versus young leader of today.

“No, I am not crazy,” the Rosnova Duchess replied nonchalantly. “I already give you all the proof that I do it under the rule,anyway, look at her, she is happy with me, can’t you see it right in front of you?”

“Fuck you!” Shera shrieked and cursed the Northern Duchess. “Happy? You make her your puppet!”

“Well, let's ask her then; Penny, do you want to be free and no longer my puppet?”

A look of terror appeared on the MILF queen’s face. “No! Please don’t get rid of me, Mistress Natascha! I want to be yours forever! I will do anything as long as I can stay by your side!”

“See? you heard her yourself. She doesn't want to be freed.”

Shera was about to slap Natascha. Who was she kidding? Did Natascha think she was a fool? Shera wasn’t ignorant on how a Hound was made. Penelope had been imprinted like a loyal dog to Natascha. Unless Natascha was the one that freed her. Penelope would never want to leave Natascha.

But before she was able to slap her, Penelope grabbed her wrist swiftly. “Keep your hand off of Her Herrin Natascha, show her some respect.”

“You are a good bitch, Penny. You can release her wrist now.” Natascha ordered.

Shera took a step back. She glared at Natascha with a gaze full of hostility.

But Natascha just sneered. “I don’t like your hostile gaze, you know. I plan to end our farce right here, because we are in the presence of the emperor, but I change my mind after you look at me with your disgusting stare. Maybe it is a chance to show others how good my Borzoi Hound is. You want to protect her, right? Penny, leash off, hunt mode.”

Penelope’s mechanical red eye glow brightly. She lunged and tackled Shera in quick motion. She pinned the western duchess on the floor. She grinded her teeth like a wild beast. Shera struggled to break free but Penelope didn’t budge. Even with her gala gown, she showed agility and strength beyond ordinary people.

“Penny, muzzle off, puppy mode. Kiss the bitch in front of you.” Natascha gave another command.

The muzzle on Penelope’s face unlocked and dropped by Natascha’s command. The shift of emotion was instant, on hunt mode, her bloodlust was apparent, but when Natascha switched her to puppy mode, the bloodlust vanished in an instant, and exchanged with a look of thirst. The buxom MILF former queen then kissed the younger girl as she was ordered. It wasn’t a romantic kiss, but a forceful one while Penelope pried open Shera’s mouth and forced her tongue in.

“Oh, it seems, you are enjoying it.” Natascha mocked after she saw the wet spot on Shera’s white gown.

“Enough, Natascha, got your bitch off the Western Duchess.”

Natascha looked at the one who ordered her. A girl.

“Leash on, Penny. And stood up. Let her go.” Natascha commanded.

“Thank you for helping me, Princess Rosa. I would love to talk with you, but I think I need to go now.” Said Shera after she wiped her mouth. Staying longer in the banquet would only humiliate her furthermore. People would talk behind her back about how she was turned on by being forced by Penelope.

Princess Rosa gave Shera a nod of approval. After the Western Duchess left, she looked at Natascha.

“Can you lend me your Borzoi Hound for a moment.”

“As you wish, my princess.” Natascha handed the command of Penelope to Princess Rosa

“Penny, leash off. Tore your dress,” Princess Rosa commanded.

Penelope’s crazed look came back. She started to claw her dress trying to rip it off from her body with her bare hand.

Princess Rosa just chuckled seeing the older woman crazily ripped her dress without any hesitation. The former elegant queen was nowhere to be seen, only a crazy woman with ripped dress.

“Penny, go down on all four like a bitch and piss yourself.”

Penelope went down on all four and lifted one of her legs. Moments later, a stream of golden liquid came out of her urethra.

“This is fun to watch a previously high and noble woman fall into this state, how about you give me this Hound?” Princess Rosa asked.

“I fear I can’t give you my Borzoi, your highness. You can get yourself one.”

“Ah, you’re no fun, Natascha.” The princess handed back the control of Penelope to Natascha.

The news ended there. Ever since that banquet, many capital nobles started to look for their own Borzoi Hound. A woman of high birth to be turned into a Hound. It’s made the situation a bit messy. Thankfully, the emperor acted quickly and prohibited these nobles from turning their fellow empire nobles into Hound before the situation became messier.

But then what’s this letter for? The Handler chuckled after reading the letter. The message in the letter was simple and short, but it’s crazy that made her shiver in shock.

[I want you to make me a Borzoi Hound. The target is Shera Pax Victoria. Don’t worry, I will handle my father. I will send you some reinforcement. — Signed, your superior, Rosalyn Aias Rhomana Caldora.]

One word name for slaves. Two words name for commoners. Three words name for noble. And four words name for the Emperor and his children.

The Handler recalled Princess Rosa’s face in her mind. She was the youngest daughter of the emperor and one he most doted on. She was just 19 years old. Her moniker was Rosalyn the Playful. But that just people didn’t want to offend the emperor. Behind her back, people called her Rosalyn the Cruel. She had ruined many lives. The Handler had sent a few Hounds for her 18th birthday present, and she heard that most of them were already broken beyond recognition now. All thanks to Rosalyn.

The letter was authentic because there was an emperor family seal on it. The one Rosa had. It couldn’t be forged.

Was the princess crazy?! Turning the beloved Western Duchess into a hound could potentially plunge the empire into a civil war. But the Handler admitted that she liked the idea. She didn’t like how The Hypocrite protected many rebels in the west.

“Ma’am, you should come to the hangar, they said the princess’ people had arrived.” The Handler got a report from her subordinate.

She went to the hangar. She looked at the reinforcement that the princess sent for the mission. A mech.

Delirium? It was the legendary all black stealth mech owned by The Black Witch Natascha.

Was the Duchess of north also involved in this conspiracy?

The plot thickens.

To be continued?