The Terrarium Pet Who Is My Temperamental Boss

When I transmigrated into this beast-kin world and faced a mandatory matchmaking system, I couldn't stomach the thought of human-animal intimacy. I bypassed all the muscular, half-beast suitors and chose a ordinary, limp-legged spider instead. I kept him as a pet for six months. Until one morning, right after waving goodbye to his fuzzy little legs before heading to work, my world turned upside down. I suddenly saw a floating wall of text glowing in the air. [Is this NPC crazy? She ignored all the fluffy, handsome beast-men and chose the ultimate villain as her husband!] [And she actually kept him locked in such a tiny terrarium. No wonder Gideon divorced her the second his wounds healed so he could go chase after the female lead.] [Poor cannon fodder. Before she could even taste the sweet life of a billionaire’s wife, the villain had her taken out.] As someone who worked a grueling nine-to-five and saved every penny just to retire early and do absolutely nothing, my vision went completely dark. I immediately called the Ministry of Marital Affairs to file for divorce, and then I promptly shipped the spider back to the wealthy family he belonged to. I thought I had cut all ties, ready to slip back into my quiet, average life as a corporate drone. But at the office, my boss, a man who was usually cold, distant, and serene with his subordinates, suddenly became a walking powder keg. He spent every day staring at me with bloodshot, furious eyes. According to the office gossip, his wife had walked out on him. "All those good looks wasted," a coworker muttered in the breakroom. "He doesn't even know how to seduce his own woman!" 1 My coworker looked completely exasperated. "What decent guy acts like that? He is constantly frozen over, never showing a hint of a smile. How is he supposed to keep his woman's attention?" In the breakroom, Toby, the golden retriever beast-kin from the tech department, let his fluffy ears droop sadly. His long tail swayed slowly as his bright eyes remained locked on me. My fingers twitched. I had to restrain myself from reaching out to pet him, lest I get arrested by a police dog for workplace harassment. Three years ago, when I first crossed over to this world, the local administration immediately dragged me in for mandatory matchmaking. Female humans were incredibly rare in this world. Most male beast-kin were so desperate to marry that they were willing to offer their entire fortunes as a dowry just to marry into a woman's household. The officer who found me, a German Shepherd with a sleek uniform and a high-ranking badge, had not even asked for my name or why I had suddenly appeared in the desolate wilderness of his patrol route. Instead, he simply flexed his muscles and kept showing me profiles of eligible bachelor candidates. He practically begged me to choose him too. To please a potential wife, the male beasts would show off their animal forms. The fluffy ones, of course, were the most popular. But as a pure-blooded human, looking at those suited cats and dogs did nothing for me. I wanted to pet them, not marry them. Committed to avoiding any beast-kin intimacy, I looked past the handsome models and pointed at a tiny, limp-legged spider that could not even take human form. Under the stunned stares of the registration officers, I took my newly minted ID card, the keys to my apartment, and a relocation fund of two hundred thousand credits. Then, I walked out, completely satisfied. 2 I kept my betrothed as a pet for six months. I had to admit, spiders in this world were surprisingly expressive. Before I left for work every morning, he would stare at me with his large, dark eyes, his fuzzy legs twitching slightly. I assumed he was waving goodbye. I would smile, look down at him, and whisper, "See you tonight." Whenever I did, he would cover his eyes with his front legs, peeking at me through the gaps like a shy teenager. That routine lasted until last week, when those glowing bullet comments suddenly manifested before my eyes. [Wow, this cannon fodder is actually pretty, but her luck is terrible. She skipped the fluffballs and chose the big bad villain instead.] [She kept him locked in that tiny glass box too. No wonder he bolted the second he recovered.] [Later, when the villain wants to clear his past to pursue the heroine, he has this girl wiped out to erase his history.] Already exhausted by my morning commute, my mind went completely blank. I skipped work entirely. Under the spider's curious gaze, I retreated to my bedroom and called the Ministry of Marital Affairs to demand a divorce. The officer on the line was Marcus, the German Shepherd who had first processed my arrival. He had apparently been promoted. When he heard my request, he did not ask any questions. He simply gave a soft, understanding, "Of course." The divorce went through instantly, bypassing the usual bureaucratic nightmare. I packaged the little spider and sent him back to the prestigious family estate. He belonged to one of the wealthiest, most powerful clans in the country. Rumor had it their CEO had been missing for six months, yet no one had bothered to search for him, assuming he was just off searching for true love. While I felt a lingering twinge of guilt, I knew my dream of a quiet retirement could not be ruined by a hidden villain. I severed the bond cleanly. But the moment I returned to work, my icy, polite boss, Gideon, transformed. When I first applied to Aether Corp, I took a position as his secretary. Gideon, a brilliant and young general manager, had never minded that I relied on a translator. He had mentored me patiently, correcting my mistakes with clear instructions instead of anger. He had guided me through the rough transition of my new career. But when he returned from his recent leave, everything changed. It started with a meeting with our partner, David. David was thirty, unmarried, and a textbook billionaire bachelor. He was so eager to find a wife that he practically preened like a peacock whenever a woman walked by. In fact, his hair even had a few bright red feathers tucked into it. David and I were fairly friendly. Whenever I stood behind Gideon with a professional, expressionless face, David would secretly wink at me. But this time, Gideon stepped directly between us, his expression incredibly dark as he glared at his business partner. "If you have this much free time, David, it seems you aren't serious about this merger. We will reschedule." He turned on his heel and walked out. I followed him, utterly bewildered. Was this the same professional, unflappable boss I knew? Even worse, every time I went into his office to deliver documents, Gideon would look at me with profound sorrow. His beautiful eyes were swollen, as if he had spent hours weeping, and his gaze was that of a abandoned lover. The office gossip claimed his wife had left him. The younger bachelors in the company always joked that his cold demeanor would drive any woman away, but I had never taken those jokes seriously. Now, hearing Toby talk about Gideon’s red eyes, I shivered. Had his wife really run away? 3 Curiosity is a universal human trait. Even if it was unprofessional to gossip about my boss, I leaned closer to Toby, clutching my coffee mug. "Gideon is so handsome. Did his wife really leave him?" Toby's fair skin flushed a soft pink. His tail wagged like a frantic fan. "Yeah. Allison, when you look for a husband, don't pick someone like Gideon. A proper wife needs to be accommodating, but he looks like the possessive type who would hunt down a homewrecker and bury him in the backyard." I nodded absently. "Good point." I had no intention of marrying Gideon, or anyone in this beast world. The biological differences alone seemed daunting. Toby smiled warmly, stepping closer. To make office life easier, beast-kin usually remained in human form, though they kept a few animal traits. Toby’s long, fluffy tail was currently brushing against my legs, tickling the bare skin beneath my skirt. I smiled and gently nudged his soft ears, pushing him back slightly. "That tickles, Toby. You're too close." Toby's eyes widened, turning glassy and soft like a typical puppy's. He bit his lip, trying to hold back a happy whimper. "Right. Sorry." The fluffy warmth receded as Toby suddenly excused himself, covering his face as he bolted from the room. Before I could wonder what had happened, the glowing text flashed again. [The dog looks calm, but his mind is completely blown right now.] [Classic golden retriever trait. The young master is barely holding it together. Look at his tight trousers, I won't even spell it out for you.] [I'm so jealous. This cannon fodder really knows how to handle him. Let the dog out, let me in!] I rubbed my eyes, wondering if these comments were written in some bizarre online slang I couldn't comprehend. Suddenly, a rustle came from the sofa behind the indoor plants. It sounded like a kettle coming to a boil. Realizing I had just been gossiping about my boss, I cautiously stepped around the greenery. To my horror, Gideon was sitting there. He slowly raised his head, a single tear slipping from his red-rimmed eyes. Beside him sat a crumpled, empty tissue box, his shirt looking just as disheveled. I offered a stiff, awkward smile. "Good afternoon, Gideon." Who would have thought the untouchable general manager of Aether Corp would hide in the employee breakroom to cry? He was famous for his strict professionalism. His office was always spotless, his shirts buttoned to his throat, and his elegant hands were the only bare skin he ever exposed. He wore no jewelry, save for a simple silver band on his left ring finger. The female staff had discussed that ring before. "Gideon is so loyal, but that ring is so cheap. It looks like the standard issue from the Ministry. People with money usually upgrade theirs immediately. His wife must be a minimalist." I had listened to those chats with amusement, vaguely recalling that the Ministry had given me a similar pair when I registered. I had left the spider’s ring in his terrarium, and I had no idea where I had tossed mine. Staring at Gideon’s bare ring finger, a cold sweat broke out down my spine. Oh, no. Did I just offend my boss? Is he going to cut my bonus? Gideon simply stood up, his wet eyelashes casting long shadows. He reached out and gently plucked a stray yellow dog hair from my shoulder. "You should change your shirt tomorrow," he murmured softly. "This one is dirty." "Right away," I muttered, nodding quickly. No wonder everyone said he was a neat freak. His reputation was entirely justified. 4 I made it back to my apartment by ten past six, marveling at the incredible work-life balance of this world. Then, my phone buzzed with a message from the Ministry of Marital Affairs. [Dear Allison, since your previous marriage has dissolved, and in accordance with Article 3, Section 15 of the Marital Code, we have matched you with ten eligible bachelors. Please select your preferred method of contact.] I closed my eyes, my fingers hovering over the screen as I prepared a polite but firm rejection. Another text immediately followed. [Please note that if you decline to participate, the Ministry will initiate repatriation protocols, which include reclaiming your two hundred thousand credit relocation fund and the keys to your apartment.] I stared at the screen for two seconds. [Understood. I look forward to it. Let us start with online chatting.] I rolled my eyes and began scrolling through the sleek profiles. The candidates were exceptionally handsome, well-dressed, and wealthy. Any suitor presented to a human female was bound to be elite. But because they all retained animal traits, I felt less like I was choosing a partner and more like I was browsing a zoo directory. I lost interest quickly until I spotted the only profile without a photograph. The system labeled him as the "most difficult match." All his personal records were classified, and there was no indication of his marital history. I smiled. I loved difficult cases. I could chat with him a few times, claim we were incompatible, and the Ministry wouldn't be able to penalize me. But the moment our chat connection was established, the floating text reappeared. [Oh my god, what kind of cursed fate is this? The villain just got divorced and was supposed to match with the heroine, so why is he chatting with the cannon fodder again?] [Does this girl have a death wish? Someone give her a different man. The golden retriever boy would be perfect, he'd look so cute crying for her.] According to the comments, the villain's online persona was cold and sharp, deterring most women. Only the original heroine would see past his icy exterior to the warm heart beneath, eventually healing him with her persistent, encouraging messages. As for my character, she would find him incredibly pretentious, mock his anonymity, and accuse him of hiding his face because of physical inadequacies. That insolence would seal her fate. I felt like I was holding a live grenade. Since I couldn't throw it away, I decided to make myself completely unappealing. [I should warn you, I only practice Platonic love. If you can accept that, we can keep talking.] The comments erupted in laughter. [This is hilarious. Gideon becomes a total possessive maniac later. He literally breaks headboards, and she's talking about Plato? Don't make him laugh.] I bit my lip, hoping this would end it. A second later, a reply popped up. [That works for me.] What? 5 I was forced to keep chatting with the mysterious villain. He was incredibly clingy, almost suffocatingly so. He behaved as if he were constantly starved of attention, always finding ways to prolong our conversations. If I got distracted and stopped replying, my phone would buzz with massive wire transfer notifications. [You have received 50,000 credits... You have received 100,000 credits... You have received 100,000 credits.] When I opened the chat, he had sent a dozen pathetic spider emojis. Initially, he had sent some puppy emojis, but after I casually mentioned that golden retrievers were cute, he went silent for twenty minutes. When he returned, his profile was filled with custom-made spider stickers, complete with giant, watery eyes and adorable, pouty expressions. The local internet forums were losing their minds. [Did the official emoji store glitch? Why did they dump all the popular templates and replace them with spiders? Who actually likes spiders? Who approved this design?] The villain seemed quite hurt by the backlash. He sent me an emoji of a little spider rolling around on the floor, throwing a tantrum. I sent a lazy pet-on-the-head sticker. He perked up instantly, sending a brief voice note. His voice was low, raspy, and incredibly intimate. "Thank you for the pets, baby." I nearly dropped my phone on my face. When Monday arrived, the office became incredibly busy. We were wrapping up a major merger, and the contract required endless legal and technical revisions. I spent my days running between departments and my nights sleeping like the dead, leaving no energy to check my messages. Gideon was also swamped, constantly staring at his phone between meetings. I certainly couldn't slack off in front of him. Only during my lunch break did I leisurely scroll through the missed texts. I discovered the anonymous villain had sent a photo of his workout the previous night. In a dimly lit gym, he looked flushed from an intense session, beads of sweat rolling down his pale, chiseled chest, tracing the sharp lines of his lower abdomen before disappearing past the frame. His accompanying message was surprisingly shy. [I went to the gym last night. It was exhausting... (sad spider emoji)] I stared at the image, secretly pressing my fingers to my nose to check for a nosebleed. It was a delicate, perfect shade of pink. As an ordinary girl, I was entirely unprepared for this level of visual stimulation. I quickly saved the image to my hidden folder. "What are you looking at that's making you smile like that?" Gideon's cool voice suddenly sounded above me. I locked my screen in one fluid motion, stood up, and flashed my most professional smile. "Just chatting with a friend, Gideon." His expression grew even more despondent. "What kind of friend makes you smile like that?" He looked miserable because I hadn't replied to his texts, even though he had spent the entire night posing for that perfect gym photo, his heart racing the whole time. I kept my polite smile, too embarrassed to admit I was on a matchmaking app. Gideon shook his head, his voice soft and defeated. "Forgive me. That was intrusive. It is your private life." He paused, looking down at me. "You've worked hard this week. Take the afternoon off, and I will double your quarterly bonus. Enjoy your weekend." His deep-set double eyelids gave him a striking, romantic look. When he stared at you like that, it felt as though he were ready to fall in love. My heart hammered against my ribs, momentarily dazed by his generosity. What an incredibly manipulative executive. I eagerly packed my things, suddenly in the mood to reply to my mysterious spider. [Looks good. Keep them coming.] A loud thud echoed through the office. I looked up to see Gideon stumbling slightly, having bumped into the edge of his desk. When he noticed my gaze, he raised his head, his face flushed a deep crimson, his watery eyes filled with a mixture of embarrassment and desire. He looked like a ripe peach that would burst at the slightest touch. The word sensual almost escaped my lips, but I bit my tongue. My ears felt incredibly hot. What was Gideon doing? Where was his professional decorum? 6 On Sunday afternoon, the Ministry arranged a date for me at a private lounge. I took my time getting ready, applying light makeup and grabbing my bag. I expected to exchange a few polite words and leave. But the moment I walked into the private room, I froze, my professional mask slipping back into place. "Good afternoon, David." The mature, thirty-year-old billionaire offered a low chuckle, gesturing to the sofa beside him. "You're here. Come sit." He wore a low-cut shirt that exposed his muscular chest, his long legs crossed casually, and his dark hair was styled with vibrant, elegant feathers. He possessed an aura so commanding it made people want to bow. David and Gideon had been classmates at Evergreen University, known as the legendary duo of their generation. But while Gideon was a freezing winter, David was a brilliant, blazing summer. His sharp features and charismatic personality allowed him to control every room he entered. Including this date. "Here, try this," he said smoothly, offering a spoonful of delicate custard. "The chef here is decent. If you like it, I'll take you to a better place next time." I leaned in and took a bite. The simple dish tasted absolutely heavenly. David certainly knew how to live. Seeing my reaction, he curled his lips into a satisfied smile, resting his chin on his hand as he watched me. "Gideon kept you on such a tight leash. If you hadn't gotten divorced, I would have stolen you away and hidden you from him." David spoke of kidnapping as if it were a casual hobby. I stopped eating the food he offered, feeling a bit put off by his overbearing, possessive attitude. "Let's just talk, David." I wanted to finish the date and go home. David chuckled indulgently. "Of course. What would you like to know about me, Allison? My family fortune, my career, my height, or perhaps... other measurements? I am happy to share." He kept leaning closer, invading my space. As a bird beast-kin, his body heat was incredibly intense. His pinky finger brushed against my wrist, and his red-soled shoes lightly tapped my ankle. He looked completely confident, as if I were already his prize. But my initial panic about dating a business partner had faded, replaced by cool calculation. The elite bachelors presented by the Ministry rarely had any relationship history, and despite David's wealth, his aggressive personality had kept him single for years. His casual style today was actually meticulously planned, right down to his expensive cologne. He wanted to seem dominant, but his gestures were incredibly gentle, as if he were terrified of displeasing me. He had even fed me the exact dish my eyes had lingered on when I first sat down. Realizing this, I relaxed completely. Instead of pulling away from his close presence, I leaned forward, catching him off guard. Our breaths mingled. If David had not instinctively flinched, our lips would have touched. Even so, my lips brushed against his soft, flushed cheek. "What are you doing?" he gasped, recoiling slightly. His cool, confident mask shattered instantly, a dark blush spreading across his pale skin. He looked like a sheltered young man who had just been scandalized. "I heard bird beast-kin run very hot, sometimes even causing minor burns with prolonged contact," I whispered, tilting my head. "I read that the base of your wings is the warmest spot. Can I feel it?" David's eyes widened in utter shock, his face practically smoking. "Are you insane? You can't just ask to touch a man there!" I shrugged, turning away. "Fine, if you won't let me, this is boring. I'm leaving." I knew I was teasing him, but his arrogance had annoyed me. As I stood up, a hand gently caught the hem of my jacket. David let out a soft, strained sound, his shoulders tensing. With a sharp rip of fabric, a pair of magnificent, flame-colored wings unfurled inside the private lounge. I leaned down, pressing my hands against his firm chest, my fingers sinking into the incredibly soft, downy feathers of his wing joints. "Good boy," I murmured. David let out a small, helpless whimper as I thoroughly enjoyed petting his beautiful, warm feathers. On my way home, my phone buzzed continuously. I had muted it during the date to avoid distractions. [Baby, how is your weekend? Are you resting well?] [I went swimming today. Here is a photo from my workout.] [Allison, why aren't you replying to me?] [Are you busy today? You didn't... go see another man, did you? That's impossible, right?] [...Fine. It's okay if you play around a bit, I will always be here waiting for you. Please reply when you can, I love you.] [...Allison, did you really go?] [I'm going to die. (crying spider emoji)] He was incredibly intense, almost draining. But to keep the villain calm, I sent a quick reply. [The office had an emergency, so I had to work. I'm heading home now.] He replied within seconds. [I understand! Thank you for working so hard, baby. Here's a little gift! (happy face)] [You have received 50,000 credits.] I sighed, realizing I was getting far too comfortable playing this role. But the men in this world were simply too skilled at temptation. At the exact same time, Gideon sat in his dark, empty office at Aether Corp, clutching his phone, his jaw clenched so tightly his teeth nearly ground to dust.