Lilia woke up to a cold, crisp fragrance.
Her body was sunken into soft bedding.
A sense of lethargy permeated every bone and limb.
The searing pain from yesterday’s mana backlash was gone.
She felt comfortable enough to want to fall back asleep.
But a string in her mind suddenly snapped taut.
No.
Something felt wrong.
It was this white dress she was wearing.
The “Robe of Tranquility”… this damn thing was constantly soothing her body and softening her will.
Lilia snapped her eyes open.
She immediately met a pair of blood-red pupils.
Lucia was sitting by her bedside.
Holding an Ivory Comb in her hand.
“Awake?”
Lilia’s head buzzed, and all traces of sleepiness were instantly shattered.
She bolted upright, scrambling to the corner of the bed with her hands and feet, her back pressing hard against the cold wall.
“What… what do you want to do? Meow?!”
She grabbed a nearby pillow and hugged it tightly to her chest.
Lucia didn’t speak; she merely brandished the Ivory Comb in her hand.
That posture was like teasing a pet with its fur standing on end.
Lilia’s gaze fell on the comb.
Then she looked at her own silver hair, which was messy as a bird’s nest.
Her heart throbbed painfully.
No, it couldn’t be?
This pervert had tortured her half to death just yesterday.
Running over here so early in the morning, could she want to… comb her hair personally?
This made her spine feel colder than if she had been given a direct beating!
“Come here.”
Lucia spoke.
Her voice wasn’t loud, yet it carried an order that brooked no resistance.
“I can do it myself! Don’t trouble yourself, meow!”
Lilia buried her face in the pillow, her voice muffled.
What kind of joke was this!
Letting this cursed Demon King comb her hair?
She was afraid she wouldn’t be groomed by a brush, but rather torn apart by a Spatial Crack hidden within the comb!
Lucia stood up and walked slowly to the bedside.
She didn’t use much force; she simply reached out.
And snatched away the pitiful pillow Lilia was holding.
Immediately after, icy fingers clamped around Lilia’s wrist.
“Don’t force me to use a more direct method.”
Lilia’s whole body trembled.
She knew that if she struggled any further, she would be pinned to the bed in an even more humiliating posture by this pervert in the next second to “enjoy” a full hair-combing service.
“I… I’ll do it myself…”
Lilia lowered her head in resignation, her voice barely audible.
“Too late.”
Lucia picked her up directly from the bed.
Then she pressed her down into the chair in front of the vanity.
“Sit still.”
Lilia’s body froze, not daring to move an inch.
Lucia picked up the comb and began to brush that long silver hair.
The movements… were very light.
The teeth of the comb brushed against her scalp.
A faint trace of mana seeped in.
It massaged her nerves, and it was actually quite comfortable.
But Lilia’s body was shaking slightly.
It was too eerie.
Yesterday, these very hands had pinned her across her lap, administering humiliating punishments one after another.
It was also this person who, with cold words, had crushed her resistance and dignity into powder.
But now, these hands were combing her hair.
This kind of gentleness following the previous night’s tyranny nearly gave her a mental breakdown.
This was more terrifying than simple torture.
—
Just then, a soft knock came from the door.
“Your Majesty, the young lady’s breakfast is ready.”
It was Lilith’s voice.
“Come in.”
The door opened.
Lilith walked in carrying a tray.
When she saw the scene in the room, her professional stride faltered for a moment.
The supreme Demon King.
The sole ruler of the Eternal Night Era.
The existence who could turn the Divine Kingdom to dust with a flick of her fingers.
Now, she was standing behind a defeated pet, holding an ordinary Ivory Comb, patiently brushing a waterfall of silver hair.
And that little creature, wearing a plain white dress personally bestowed by Her Majesty, sat in the chair looking seemingly obedient.
The image was harmonious, yet it exuded a sense of bizarreness that made Lilith’s thoughts halt for a second.
“Your Majesty…”
Lilith’s throat felt a bit dry.
She had stayed by Lucia’s side for hundreds of years.
She had personally witnessed Her Majesty make an Abyssal Lord grovel with a single glance.
She had also witnessed her use a single word to completely erase an Ancient God who tried to resist from the level of laws.
In Lilith’s understanding, Her Majesty was order, she was law, she was eternal coldness and majesty.
But she had never seen Her Majesty do this sort of thing for anyone.
Combing hair.
This kind of mortal, trivial matter not even worth mentioning.
This was incompatible with her God.
Lilith’s heart was in disarray for the first time.
She had always thought of herself as Her Majesty’s most perfect tool, her most intimate shadow.
Taking care of everything for Her Majesty was her duty, and even more so, the only glory of her existence.
But now—Her Majesty was actually doing it herself.
Then what was the point of her existence as the Head Maid?
A thought so absurd it made her want to laugh crept in.
Could it be… could it be that this little thing who hadn’t been here long already held a status in Her Majesty’s heart that was…
No.
Impossible.
Lilith’s fingernails scraped hard against the edge of the tray, making a faint, almost inaudible sound.
She forcibly suppressed her surging emotions.
Her Majesty was just bored.
This was merely a slightly more interesting new toy.
Once Her Majesty grew tired of it, she would be discarded casually, just like how the previous toys were handled.
She wouldn’t even leave a trace in Her Majesty’s memory.
Yes, it had to be that way.
Lilith readjusted her breathing.
Her ice-cold, beautiful face returned to its usual professional and respectful expression.
She placed the breakfast on the table and bowed.
“Your Majesty, breakfast is prepared.”
Lucia ignored her, still focused on combing the hair.
Soon, the messy silver hair was combed smooth and glossy.
She set down the comb and took a black lace hair ribbon from the jewelry box nearby.
She skillfully tied Lilia’s hair into a playful side ponytail.
Once finished, she took a step back to admire her masterpiece.
“Not bad.”
Lilia looked at herself in the mirror.
A side ponytail, a white dress, paired with her face.
It was indeed much more pleasing to the eye than her previous gloomy Gothic Lolita appearance.
But her heart felt only icy cold.
Because all of this was forced upon her by that pervert; it was proof of her being tamed.
“Eat.”
Lucia pointed at the breakfast on the table.
Lilia dawdled as she walked over and sat down.
Today’s breakfast was exceptionally lavish.
But she had no appetite.
Lucia and Lilith stood behind her, one on each side.
Those two gazes were pinned on her, making the cutlery in her hands too heavy to lift.
Every mouthful of food was hard to swallow.
“Eat faster.”
Lucia finally spoke.
“Today’s lesson will be very interesting.”
The hand Lilia used to hold her fork trembled.
Interesting?
Her scalp went numb just hearing those words now.
She quickly stuffed the remaining food into her stomach and swallowed it whole.
“I’m finished, meow.”
She put down the fork and wiped her mouth.
“Very well.”
Lucia nodded.
“Lilith, bring the items up.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Lilith turned and left.
She soon returned carrying a tray covered with a black cloth.
This damn thing again!
Lilia was now terrified whenever she saw a tray.
She stared fixedly at the black cloth.
Her mind was already beginning to imagine what kind of humiliating clothes or torturous props it would be this time.
Lilith walked up to Lilia.
Under her gaze, she lifted the black cloth.
The items on the tray made Lilia freeze.
It wasn’t clothes, and it wasn’t props.
It was a pile of… brushes, pigments, and a stretched canvas?
“What… is this? Meow?”
“Today’s lesson is art.”
Lucia walked to her side, picked up the thinnest brush, and twirled it between her fingertips.