Chapter 57: The More Nervous I Get, the Louder the Bell Rings! How Am I Supposed to Hide, Meow?!

Lilia froze in place, her mind exploding with a loud “buzz.”

Shoes that meow.

Bells that ring.

A tail that glows.

She stared down at the outfit on her body, her cheeks burning.

This was no longer just embarrassment — this was public execution!

“You… you pervert! Demon! Meow!”

She lifted her head, flames burning in her heterochromatic eyes.

She wanted to rush forward and scratch that detestable face with these fluffy “paws.”

But the moment she got agitated—

“Jingle jingle jingle—clang!”

The bells went off.

A string of sharp sounds echoed in the Study, making her brain ache.

At the same time, at the tip of the cat tail behind her, the pink glow flared several degrees brighter.

In the dim room, it was especially glaring.

“See?”

Lucia reached out and tapped the glowing tail.

“It’s telling me you’re very ‘excited’ right now.”

“I am not! Meow!”

Lilia bristled, instinctively flicking her tail to swat her hand away.

The tail moved, and the glow flashed even fiercer.

“Jingle jingle jingle—”

The bells joined in, making a ruckus.

Lilia’s movements froze.

She finally understood.

This wretched outfit was a fully automated shame-play device!

Any emotional fluctuation, any thought of resistance.

Would be exposed entirely by sound and light!

The more she struggled, the worse the social death!

“No… don’t… meow…”

Her voice took on a crying tone.

She tried to control her heartbeat, to calm herself down.

But the more she tried, the faster her heart pounded.

“Jingle clang! Jingle clang!”

The bells drove her crazy.

“Isn’t it interesting?”

Lucia watched her on the verge of collapse, smiling even brighter.

“From today onward, day or night, you must wear this ‘equipment.'”

“Meals, sleep, magic study… at all times, it’s forbidden to remove it.”

Lilia’s pupils contracted.

At all times?!

She had to walk around the Evernight Palace in this glowing, noisy getup?

How was she supposed to survive like this?!

“Now, the game officially begins.”

Lucia gave her no chance to argue.

She took Lilia’s hand, the one wearing the Cat Paw Gloves.

And pulled her toward the Study door.

“Wh-where are we going? Meow?”

Lilia followed passively behind her, each step making the shoes emit a humiliating “meow~.”

“Jingle clang… meow~… jingle clang… meow~…”

The two sounds mingled together.

She wished she could find a crack in the floor and disappear.

“To a more spacious place.”

Lucia didn’t even look back.

“The Study is too small to play.”

They walked through a long corridor.

Occasionally, a patrolling Magic Golem Guard passed by, its hollow eyes flashing red at Lilia, as if analyzing the strange accessories on her.

Lilia wished she could curl into a ball and roll away.

Soon, they arrived at the central hall of the Evernight Palace.

The place was absurdly large.

The domed ceiling was so high she couldn’t see the top, embedded with countless softly glowing Magestones, almost like a starry sky.

The smooth obsidian floor reflected their figures clearly.

The entire hall was so vast that every tiny sound was magnified infinitely.

Lilia stood at the center, staring at her reflection on the floor.

A ridiculous figure with a collar, Cat Paw Gloves and Boots, and a glowing tail trailing behind.

“Jingle clang… meow~…”

The bell and cat sounds echoed in the hall, harsh to the ears.

“Lilith.”

Lucia spoke.

Lilith’s figure materialized on one side of the hall, bowing.

“Your Majesty.”

Her gaze landed on Lilia’s outfit, and the corner of her eye twitched.

Your Majesty… actually made it… and even added sound and light arrays…

Lilith’s mind was shaken again.

She had thought last night’s “Crying Inspection” was the limit.

She hadn’t expected—

Your Majesty’s “affection” for this little one had reached a level she couldn’t comprehend.

This was no longer “discipline”—this was—

Lilith didn’t dare think further.

“The game’s name is ‘Hide and Seek.'”

Lucia released Lilia’s hand, stepping back a few paces.

“The rules are simple.”

“From now on, you can run anywhere in this hall.”

“And I will come to catch you.”

Lilia’s heart sank.

Hide and Seek?

In this vast, pillarless hall?

And with all this auto-alarm gear on her?

How was she supposed to hide, damn it?!

“If, before dawn, I haven’t caught you…”

Lucia paused, a playful glint in her blood-red eyes.

“I’ll grant you… one not-too-excessive request.”

Lilia’s eyes lit up instantly.

A request?

Like… letting her take off this cursed equipment?

Or never being subjected to “Crying Inspection” again?

It was an overwhelming temptation!

Her mind raced.

No, wait.

This pervert Demon King wouldn’t be so generous.

There must be a trap.

But—

Lucia shifted her tone.

“But if I catch you…”

Her eyes swept over the accessories on Lilia.

“These cute little things will… upgrade.”

“For example, making the bells even louder, or the tail even brighter…”

“Or maybe giving the gloves fun new sound effects?”

Lilia’s face turned pale.

She had no doubt this pervert Demon King would do it.

But…

She gritted her teeth.

Still better than things staying as they were now.

And if she really held out until dawn?

Then she could demand that woman throw out all this equipment!

“Well then…”

Lucia spread her arms.

All the magical lights in the hall dimmed at that moment.

Only the starlight from the dome and the ever-brightening pink glow on Lilia’s tail remained.

“My little pet, are you ready?”

“The game has begun.”

The moment her words fell, Lucia vanished from sight.

Lilia trembled all over, instinctively looking back.

No one behind her.

But the feeling of being targeted pressed in from every direction.

Only one thought remained in her mind—

Run!

She had to run!

Lilia lifted her skirt and sprinted for the other end of the hall!

“Meow~ meow~ meow~”

The shameful cat cries, mingled with frantic bells, echoed in the vast hall.

“Meow~ meow~”

Lilia clenched her teeth and ran.

Every step with the Cat Paw Boots brought a soft mewling sound.

The bell at her neck thundered in time with her heartbeat.

She wanted to rip off the shoes on the spot.

But with the Cat Paw Gloves on, she couldn’t even make a fist, let alone untie shoelaces.

The hall was empty.

The obsidian floor reflected her every move.

Lilia’s mind spun.

She couldn’t just keep running.

The hall was big, but there was no cover.

Her outfit made her a moving target.

She had to find a place to hide!

She scanned her surroundings.

Pillars?

None.

Statues?

None.

At the far end of the hall, the arched door to the Demon King’s sleeping chamber was tightly shut.

There was shadow behind the door.

She could hide!

Lilia changed direction and dashed toward it.

The distance shrank, bit by bit.

A hundred meters. Fifty meters. Thirty meters.

She could already see the carved magic patterns on the doorframe.

“Trying to go there?”

A cold voice sounded by her ear.

Lilia’s scalp tingled. She stopped abruptly, slipping and nearly falling.

She looked around—no one!

Where was the voice coming from?!

“Too slow.”

This time, the voice was on her left.

Lilia jumped right, the bells jingle-clanging louder.

“Over here.”

The voice drifted to her right.

Lilia froze, shaking all over.

She was being toyed with.

That pervert hadn’t even tried to hide—just to mess with her!

“Not playing anymore, meow!”

She shouted, voice breaking into sobs.

“I give up, meow! Come out already, meow!”

“Surrender?”

Lucia’s voice was full of laughter.

“The game just started—how can you give up already?”

“Haven’t you always wanted to resist me? The chance is right before your eyes.”

“As long as you touch that door, you win.”

The words had barely fallen when Lilia watched in disbelief—

The archway, just ten meters away, began to retreat.

Slowly, but steadily.

The distance between her and the door remained locked at ten meters.

Lilia’s mouth fell open.

This… this was Spatial Magic?!

She twisted space itself just to play Hide and Seek?!

“Come, my little pet.”

Lucia’s voice was sinister.

“Try a bit harder—maybe you really will touch it?”

Lilia stared at the eternally unreachable door, throat tight.

A wave of helplessness washed over her.

She burst into tears.

“Not playing, meow! You’re so mean, meow!”

She plopped to the floor, sulking.

Her crying made her heartbeat race, and the bells rang nonstop.

“Oh? Giving up?”

Lucia finally appeared.

She floated in midair, looking down at Lilia.

“Crying after just the first round? What a fragile little thing.”

Lilia raised her tear-streaked face.

“You’re a pervert! Bastard, meow!”

“And?”

Lucia was unfazed.

Lilia choked.

She realized no insult could faze this woman.

In the corner shadows of the hall,

Lilith stepped forward, opening her mouth as if to speak.

Lucia shot her a glance.

Lilith instantly fell silent, bowing back into the shadows.

Your Majesty… has become addicted.

At this moment, no one could interrupt Her Majesty’s “enjoyment.”

“Since you don’t want to play anymore…”

Lucia descended from the air.

She walked up to Lilia, crouched, and squeezed her fluffy paw.

“That means you’re ready to accept your punishment.”

“Tell me, should I make the bells loud enough to broadcast to the entire palace?”

“Or should I make your tail so bright it lights up the Evernight Palace?”

Her fingers tapped the shoes that meowed.

“Or… should every meow come with a shock?”

Lilia’s crying stopped instantly.

She stared wide-eyed, trembling uncontrollably.

A shock?!

This devil!

“No, meow!”

She scrambled up from the floor and ran!

She absolutely couldn’t be caught!

Watching the small figure dashing off again, pink glow trailing behind, Lucia smiled even more.

That’s right.

A prey that doesn’t struggle is no fun at all.

She followed Lilia at a leisurely pace.

Once again, the “meow” and “jingle” echoed through the hall.

But this time, Lilia’s sprint was no longer aimless.

There was only one thought in her mind—

Don’t get caught!