Erina couldn't believe that her mother was contacting her, but she only got even more shocked when she actually read the contents.

"She...wants me to go to a ball with her. Some random nobleman is getting married," she said, scowling at the letter. "I would like my family to accompany me to an important event such as this." She snorted, shaking her head. "That's code for I have no one else to take me there."

Halian had been hugging her waist the entire time, but his embrace tightened as she read the letter. "You're not going. She cannot make you."

Erina smiled at Halian sadly. Her little, protective man. He was so wonderful. "I'm sure she's gonna come up with a reason. Let's read on."

She skimmed the letter, looking through the flowery nonsense and overcomplicated sentences for the main point. She scoffed when she finally found the catch, slapping the letter with the back of her hand. "Of course she would do this."

"What?" Halian asked, leaning even closer as he tried to read the letter.

Erina scowled at the words, reading in a mocking tone. "I could not help but notice that your business partner has been struggling to support you due to a technical issue. I would be willing to ensure his continued usefulness if you do your duty of representing our family."

Erina felt hate burn within her heart when she felt Halian wince next to her. How dare her mother talk about Hal like this? If she were here in person, Erina would be yelling at her right now.

But her mother had sent her a letter. And she needed to use that fact. It allowed her to think rationally. They needed the pearls. If just showing up to this event would be enough to make certain Halian would be okay, then there was no amount of pride Erina could have to would stop her from attending.

"You are not going back to that awful crone," Halian said, huffing. He was so cute when he huffed.

Erina kissed his nose. "I have to. I mean. She's offering pearls. Just for showing up."

Halian shook his head. "I will not sacrifice your happiness, your comfort, just for my benefit."

Erina looked into Halian's eyes, her own soft and gentle. "Hal. I would climb the highest peaks just to make you happy. This is nothing."

Halian gave her puppy eyes. Clearly, he wanted to argue, but he also saw her point. "I do not want you to be around her again. The woman is evil."

Erina hugged him tightly, kissing his temple. "It's okay, Hal. I can deal with her for an evening. We might not get a chance like this again."

Halian chewed on his lip, giving a small nod. "Okay. But...okay."

Erina smiled, pleased that he was agreeing with her. She didn't want to fight him, but she would have on this. Even if he'd told her he doesn't want her to go, she would have. They could not miss this chance to fix Halian's arm. They just couldn't.

"But if she says something hurtful, or tries to manipulate you—"

Erina kissed Halian, interrupting him mid-sentence. "I can handle her for one evening. It will be okay, Hal."

Halian pouted, but he nodded. Erina grinned.

"Good boy."

Halian flushed prettily, avoiding Erina's eyes. She would never get tired of his reactions to being praised. Halian tended to be quite reserved, but he didn't seem to have any control over his reactions when it came to kinkiness. And romance as well. She enjoyed making him blush so much.

"Now, we have that work meeting to get to. And then I will be needing a dress for the event," Erina said, sighing. "Lest I sully the family name."

Erina rolled her eyes as she picked Hal up again and carried him to the door to get their coats. Only then did she put him down onto his own feet.

"Let's go."

The meeting was a very uneventful but useful because the woman offering the job to build her a flying desk agreed to their price, and after Halian wrote down the requested measurements and specifications, they left to go find Erina a new dress.

Since they needed to save money, Erina decided to opt for second-hand stores, hoping to find something that wasn't obviously used.

Thankfully, she was actually managing to find pieces that looked quite fancy without much wear and tear, picking out a few dresses to put on the side while she looked through the entire selection.

But the longer she went on doing this, the more she noticed Halian fidgeting, and becoming more and more distracted when replying to her prompts for his opinion.

She said noting, however, waiting for him to say something himself. After another half an hour, it eventually happened.

"Do you think there is a washroom in this establishment?" Halian asked quietly as he leaned in, his throat bobbing.

Erina resisted the urge to grin. So her little man needed to relieve himself it seemed.

"Possibly. But why would you be needing one?" she asked, pretending to not know, just to make him say it.

Halian flushed, ducking his head and clutching his top hat closer to himself. "I...need to, erm, use it."

Erina smiled at him sharply, enjoying his fidgeting. It was quite subtle, but unmissable to her. The way he leaned from one leg to the other, the slight but constant adjusting of his stance, the looking over his shoulder through the rows of clothing racks in search of a bathroom....

Erina quite enjoyed making him desperate even in this sense. Curious.

Intriguing.

Delicious.

"Oh pet," Erina purred, stroking Hal's shoulder. "You're a toy for me to play with. You have no needs. You'll get to relieve yourself when it pleases me."

Halian whimpered quietly, keeping his gaze trained to the floor as he shrunk into himself a little and nodded, his face bright red, his mouth open as he breathed hard. It was so much fun riling him up.

Erina felt herself get wet just watching this. At this point she should find something to plug herself up too, she thought to herself in amusement.

"Now be a good boy and wait. I'm nearly done."

Halian swallowed thickly and nodded silently, still not looking at her. The poor thing was so flustered.

Erina looked around once more, already mostly decided on a black-and-red dress she'd found earlier, getting another idea for what to purchase.

Using the fact that Hal was very distracted, she surveyed the options for corsets, selecting one that was relatively thin but firm. She couldn't help but smirk when she grabbed it, picking up the dress she'd chosen to pay for it at the counter.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Halian impatiently twitching. She wondered just how badly he needed to pee. She was about to make it worse.

After thanking the shopkeeper and folding the corset into the dress, putting it over her forearm, Halian was the first to set off toward the door. But Erina grabbed his arm and pulled him along to the changing rooms.

"We're not done yet, my love."

Halian whined but didn't protest, letting her push him into the changing room. Erina pulled closed the curtain behind them, hanging the new dress on the hook by it, revealing the corset.

"I got you something as well," Erina said, showing off the corset. Halian shuddered and moaned quietly.

"Y-you want me to wear that?" he said, blushing hard, his head ducked. But she could see his wide pupils and his tongue licking his lip even as he nervously looks at the curtain.

"Yes." She kissed him before unbuttoning his waistcoat and shirt enough to lift both up, revealing his stomach. "Hold your clothes like this."

Halian put his top hat aside and did as he was told, his hips jerking just a little.

Her little pet clearly yearned to use his trapped cock. Maybe Erina would let him when they got home. But she had no intentions of letting him finish. He wouldn't want her to, anyway.

Putting the corset around his waist, Erina took her time positioning it so it would squeeze Halian's bladder ever so nicely, before starting to tug the strings, tightening.

Halian gasped and made a strangled little noise, grabbing at the corset and whimpering. "O-oh, p-please, I need to pee!"

Erina finished tying off the corset, holding Halian's clothes up herself because he was too busy tugging on his new accessory. She pulled his hands away so she could button him up again, covering up everything, feeling herself throbbing from doing this. She could see needy tears in Halian's eyes as she stroked his hair before putting his top hat on top of his head.

He was so beautiful like this. So desperate, so aroused, so submissive.

"I'll consider it when we get home, my little slave," Erina told him, kissing his cheek and wiping his tears away.

"P-please, I can't h-hold it," Halian pleaded, his hand over his crotch. Erina was certain that his cock was just as red as his face right now, no doubt twitching constantly.

"You aren't holding it, pet, the plug in your lovely cock is," Erina said, kissing his forehead. "Besides, you love me telling you no. Isn't that right?"

Halian squeezed his eyes shut, sobbing quietly. "Y-yes. I love being denied by you, mistress. L-love being treated like a plaything."

Erina smiled, so very pleased with all of this. "You will get to relieve yourself when we get home. And then we will play some more."

Halian nodded hard, whimpering as he shuddered. "P-please, yes, please, the pressure is maddening."

Erina kissed his nose, her hand traveling down to press over Halian's bladder, drawing a cry out of him. "I'm sure the corset could be tightened down even more. Drive you even more mad. Do you like it?"

Halian whined and sniffled as he nodded. "Y-yes. Yes. I do."

Erina kissed him deeply, groaning to herself, so wet from playing with Hal like this. "Such a good boy for me. I love adding wearables to you. We will have you decorated head to toe by the end of the month."

Erina was already fantasizing about keeping him at home in nothing but that corset and some harnesses to make it easy to tie him up and tug him around.

And Erina herself should make herself an outfit as well, to drive Halian wild.

"Now come along, pet. It's time to walk home," she told him, smirking as she grabbed her new dress. "All the way to the other side of the city."

Halian groaned, hanging his head as he rubbed a hand over his bladder. They were both going to enjoy this very much.