What kind of medicine is being sold in the reed?
“Meow—ah—ah—ah—!”
Lilia screamed with her eyes shut.
Her mind had already started to picture herself being fried into charcoal by electricity.
But the excruciating pain she expected didn’t come.
Instead, she crashed into a warm embrace.
Her nose was less than a centimeter from that crackling Thunder Wall.
Wild arcs of electricity danced before her eyes, even making her silver hair curl.
Lilia froze.
She trembled and opened her eyes, finding herself held tightly in Lucia’s arms.
That cold, faint fragrance filled her nostrils.
The same embrace that had tormented her not long ago—
Now became her only lifeline.
“I thought you really weren’t afraid of dying.”
Lucia looked down at her, amusement flickering in those blood-red eyes.
Lilia opened her mouth, but no sound came out.
She clung tightly to Lucia’s collar, her body shaking uncontrollably.
” Ding… Ding… “
The bell on her neck still rang, but now it was so faint it was almost inaudible.
“So you really are scared.”
Lucia turned, carrying her away from the Thunder Wall.
With her thought,
The entire Maze of Lightning, along with the Thunder Pool below, dissolved into points of light and vanished.
The empty Great Hall returned to normal.
Only the starlight of the Star Dome remained.
And the still-glowing tail on Lilia’s body.
Proving that everything just now wasn’t an illusion.
“Game over.”
Lucia’s voice was soft.
Lilia stared blankly.
Over?
Just like that?
She raised her head and met those blood-red eyes.
There was no anger there, nor disappointment.
Only a deep, unfathomable interest she couldn’t understand.
“Take these off.”
Lucia spoke into the shadows.
Lilith immediately appeared and bowed.
She carefully unclasped the collar from Lilia’s neck, then helped remove her gloves and boots.
The moment all restraints were gone, Lilia felt like she was alive again.
She collapsed in Lucia’s arms, gasping for air.
The exhaustion of both mind and body left her without even the strength to lift a finger.
“Take her back to her room.”
Lucia handed the limp Lilia over to Lilith.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Lilith took Lilia and cradled her in her arms.
The little one’s body was light, still carrying a faint scent of burnt lightning and the salty dampness of sweat.
“Wait.”
Just as Lilith was about to leave, Lucia stopped her.
“Your Majesty?”
Lucia didn’t look at her, but gazed at Lilia lying in her embrace.
A light flashed in those blood-red eyes, a kind Lilith had never seen before.
“Starting tomorrow, I will personally teach her magic course.”
Lilith’s pupils widened sharply.
Your Majesty… is going to teach her personally?
What an honor!
You know, the last one to be personally guided by Your Majesty was that Flame Demon Lord from hundreds of years ago who later rose to become a Monarch of her own!
This little one’s status in Your Majesty’s heart has already reached such a level?
“Understood, Your Majesty.”
Lilith suppressed her shock and bowed again.
Holding the now-unconscious Lilia, she quickly left the Central Great Hall.
In the empty hall, only Lucia remained.
She slowly walked to the center, reaching out her hand.
A wisp of faint, lingering Magic Energy gathered in her palm.
It was the remnant of the power Lilia used to attack her earlier.
“An interesting energy structure…”
Lucia sensed the traces of “Laws” from another world contained within that Magic Energy.
She softly chanted a few unfamiliar words, and for a moment, a genuine smile appeared on her usually icy face.
“I’m starting to look forward to it—”
“…..”
“My little pet, what new ‘game’ will you bring me next time?”
***
When Lilia woke up, her whole body hurt.
Not the bone-breaking kind of pain, but a deep exhaustion in her very bones, the emptiness that comes from having her spirit drained.
She lay on her soft, large bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Her mind was a mess.
Last night… what exactly happened?
She only remembered being tormented by that pervert in all sorts of humiliating ways, then finally mustering the courage to resist…
And then… being thrown at the electric wall?
After that, she remembered nothing.
“Am… am I still alive? Meow?”
She pinched her own cheek. It hurt.
She looked at her hands and feet—still there.
The damned bell collar on her neck was gone.
She was wearing a clean cotton nightdress, and the blanket was neatly covering her.
Sunlight streamed in through the window.
Wait.
Sunlight?
Lilia sat up abruptly and rushed to the window.
Outside, the sky was no longer an eternal night.
But a bright expanse, tinged with pale gold.
Though it wasn’t a real sun, it was much better than the oppressive darkness before.
“This is—”
“It was specially adjusted by Your Majesty for you.”
Lilith entered, carrying breakfast.
“Your Majesty said you need more light to restore your mental strength.”
Lilia turned and stared at Lilith.
That pervert… actually cared about her mental recovery?
No.
Something’s definitely wrong.
That woman never does anything meaningless.
She must be plotting something big.
“Miss, please have breakfast.”
Lilith set the breakfast on the bedside table.
Lilia walked back to the bed and glanced at the food on the tray.
It wasn’t the simple bread and milk from before, but a refined breakfast—golden fried bacon, a soft-boiled sunny-side-up egg, crispy toasted bread, and a steaming cup of hot cocoa.
“This…”
“It was specially ordered by Your Majesty from the kitchen.”
Lilith’s tone remained flat.
“Your Majesty said you expended too much last night and need to replenish your strength.”
Lilia’s hand trembled.
She stared at the elaborate breakfast, her mind racing.
First torment her to death, then adjust the lighting and prepare a fancy breakfast?
What kind of new game was this?
Sugar-coated bullets?
Or the slow-boil method?
“Also, there’s an order from Your Majesty.”
Lilith continued.
“From today, all your magic courses will be personally taught by Your Majesty.”
” Cough! Cough, cough! “
Lilia choked on her own saliva and coughed violently.
What the hell?!
That pervert wants to teach her magic personally?!
“I won’t learn! Meow!”
She refused without even thinking.
“Tell her I’m too stupid and not suited for magic! Meow!”
Attend class alone with that pervert?
Isn’t that sending a sheep into a tiger’s den!
“This is an order, Miss.”
Lilith’s expression didn’t change at all.
“You have no right to refuse.”
“Please arrive at the Central Study by nine in the morning.”
“If you are late…”
Lilith paused, her tone emotionless.
“Your Majesty said she wouldn’t mind playing another game of ‘hide and seek’ with you.”
“And this time, she’ll add some new ‘surprises’ to the Maze of Lightning.”
“For example, Thunder Balls that chase after you.”
“Or traps that explode when stepped on.”
“And…”
Lilith paused again.
“‘Heartbeat Sensing Electric Grid’ that automatically adjusts voltage according to your heartbeat.”
Lilia’s face went pale.
She opened her mouth, wanting to say something.
But no sound came from her throat.
That perverted Demon King was serious.
If she dared not go, what awaited her would be a hundred times more terrifying than last night.
“I… I’ll go… meow…”
Her voice was so small it was almost inaudible.
Lilith nodded, turned, and left the room.
Only Lilia remained.
She slumped on the bed, staring at the refined breakfast on the bedside table.
What the hell was that perverted Demon King planning?
She clearly tortured her so badly last night, so why teach her magic now?
And even adjusted the lighting and prepared breakfast…
This completely didn’t fit that cold-blooded pervert’s style!
Lilia gritted her teeth and grabbed a piece of toast, biting down fiercely.
Fine.
Either way, she’s dead.
If that pervert wants to teach her magic, then she’ll learn!
And she’ll learn with everything she’s got!
Once she masters powerful magic, she’ll turn the tables and rub that pervert’s face into the ground!
Then, she’ll make that perverted Demon King kneel and call her “Master”!
Lilia finished breakfast and jumped out of bed.
She walked to the wardrobe and opened the door.
Inside hung a row of gothic lolita dresses, all black, adorned with lace and ribbons.
Lilia’s eye twitched.
Forget it.
She had no choice anyway.
She picked an unobtrusive dress and put it on.
Then she stood in front of the mirror and fixed her hair.
The reflection was still that silver-haired loli face.
“Just wait.”
Lilia grinned ferociously at her own reflection.
“One day, I’ll make you kneel and call me Master, meow!”
She turned, pushed open the door, and headed for the Central Study.
The corridor was quiet.
Occasionally, a patrolling Magic Golem Guard would pass by, red lights flickering in their hollow eye sockets.
Lilia took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm.
Don’t panic.
The gentler that perverted Demon King acted, the more it meant she was plotting something big.
She had to stay on full alert.