My puppy, my redemption

Impulse to purchase a werewolf

On a day in the year 4000 AD, Seraphina had the whim to buy a private werewolf slave, to have as her own little puppy.'

Though still using the Gregorian calendar, humanity had entered yet another new era. The world was now dominated by towering skyscrapers and fleets of flying cars.

Seraphina resided on the third tier of the New World's surface.Thanks to advancements in technology, the ground had been divided into seventeen tiers, with human residences allocated based on genetic hierarchy.

Miss Seraphina ranked among the third tier of humanity-a fairly respectable position for a woman. Indeed, aside from technological advancements, little had changed in the past two millennia.

'Seraphina was a white-collar worker at a large corporation, her typical work hours spanning from nine in the morning to six in the evening, with one day off each weekend.

The concept of "holidays" had all but vanished, but every three weeks, she enjoyed a brief respite, the duration of which was determined by her employer, often exceeding five days. A high-ranking employee could earn a substantial salary in a month.

From schooling to employment, she had lived a conventional life for twenty-four years.

However, as the New Year's bells chimed, she was suddenly struck by a malaise-a symptom of the century.

'To secure her position, the industrious Miss Shen hadn't indulged in frivolous pursuits or romantic entanglements.

Lying in bed, she reached for the drawer where her vibrating wand lay, only to set it aside with disinterest.

'Lately, she had been contemplating the acquisition of a "slave."

Despite the highly developed civilization, the decline of the entertainment industry was inevitable, leaving most human desires to be satisfied in the gray areas of the "black market." For those who preferred refined pleasures, there were artworks and literature. For those inclined to the more base desires, there were clones, robots, and even creatures abandoned by other planets-optimal choices for "slaves."

After all, uncommitted humans were forbidden from sexual activities. If such relations occurred without commitment, the male would be imprisoned pending a lengthy litigation period to determine his guilt.

This legal measure was introduced by humans to address rape cases. Seraphina wasn't sure of its efficacy, but at least in terms of publicity, the current human crime rate had dropped to a mere 0.01%, with a special-grade case occurring only once every few decades (judged by the presence of fatalities).

'Seraphina had no interest in a partner who would lead to marriage, a concept scarcely practiced anymore. After a period of commitment, boredom inevitably set in, and dissolution was a mere formality.

For Seraphina, who abhorred complications, and hadn't encountered any males she desired to engage with long-term, the prospect of commitment was daunting.

'Sitting up in bed, she operated the console suspended in the air, accessing the dark web on the recommendation of a university friend, perusing various underground trading posts. Complete photo profiles of various non-human "beings" were available.

Seraphina found none to her liking, uncertain of what to purchase. Robots were dismissed, having grown tired of electronic devices. Clones lacked uniqueness. Handsome men were scarce in this era, with no one producing television shows, films, or music anymore.

She considered acquiring a canine. Seraphina had always been fond of dogs, and the floating screen before her displayed various canids-humanoids with furry ears and tails. Some extraterrestrial planets traded resources in exchange for individuals who couldn't fully evolve, and these "slaves" were strictly controlled by implanted chips. Serious incidents had yet to occur.

She intended to acquire one, teach it to cook or perform household chores, and potentially engage in sexual activities.

Due to reproductive isolation, contraception was unnecessary.

Seraphina felt no guilt, as this was the norm.

As dawn approached with no progress, she now possessed enough funds to purchase an entire three-tiered house, yet she hesitated. Instead of acquiring another empty room, she wished to do something more interesting with her funds.

After work the next day, Seraphina was to join a senior colleague for dinner, with the evening ending around nine. As she made her way to the garage, her attention was briefly drawn to the underground button in the elevator.

A female colleague pressed the button for the second tier, the standard trading zone, while the ground floor served as a common area for humans and other beings.

Seraphina refrained from pressing any other buttons.

The colleague teased, "Where are we going?"

The senior colleague was named Ophelia, a fellow from her department. Seraphina politely replied, "I've never been, but I'd like to explore tonight."

Ophelia, forty-three this year, was a fifth-tier individual with no prospects for promotion. Nevertheless, she was agreeable enough, leading Seraphina to her usual haunt.

'"I enjoy watching some combat shows. Do you mind?" Ophelia smiled.

Seraphina, like any other third-tier individual, felt no strong aversion, so she shook her head and followed Ophelia into the combat arena.

Next door, mutilated robots were being "tortured." Seraphina wrinkled her brows at the sight of bullet-riddled bodies, but her displeasure was fleeting.

She had no interest in harming living creatures. After all, the robots of today were implanted with a central processor called a "heart." Seraphina hesitated to call them mere machines.

'"We're here." Ophelia led her to a seat, and below, two orcish beings engaged in a vigorous boxing match.

'Ophelia suggested, "You can place bets. Interested?"Seraphina declined, resting her chin on her hand, observing the relentless pummeling below.

The humans in the audience roared with excitement, but she only furrowed her brows until she caught a glimpse of a pair of gray, pointed ears flitting across the arena-a, a sight that stirred something within her, inexplicably itchy.

'Seraphina inquired of Ophelia, "Are they available for purchase here?"

Caught up in her bet, Ophelia laughed, "What for? It's best to buy a younger one for bed play. Although orcish beings have long lifespans, these ones are already nearly a hundred years old."

'Ophelia suggested purchasing a younger one for obedience and longevity.

Seraphina hesitated at first, but the gray ears below caught her fancy. She inquired further, "What about that one? How old is it?"

Ophelia explained, "It seems new here, possibly younger. If you're interested, the only one left is a little male pup, beaten by my friend Aiden. But if it's damaged or disabled, I wouldn't recommend it."

'Seraphina considered that if the gray ears guy were marred or disabled, she wouldn't want it.