Chapter 40

Madame took another look at Onyxia.

Onyxia silently withdrew her hand from Celia’s waist and obediently placed it back on the table, picking up her knife and fork.

“Yes, Mother.”

Celia stared blankly at this scene.

She hadn’t expected Onyxia to be so obedient.

It was true, there was always a higher mountain.

“Celia. I’m sorry,” Madame said.

“I spoiled this child since she was little.”

“Her father left early, and she’s my only daughter. I could never bear to be too strict with her. I gave her whatever she wanted, let her do whatever she wished… Before I knew it, she developed this… unrestrained personality.”

Her gaze settled on Celia’s face, and she said seriously:

“If she does anything that makes you uncomfortable, you must tell me. Don’t hold it in.”

Celia looked into Madame’s earnest eyes and suddenly didn’t know what to say.

Uncomfortable?

Actually… it wasn’t uncomfortable.

It was just… a bit nervous, and a little ashamed, doing those things in front of an elder.

“N-no, not uncomfortable…”

“That’s good, but discipline is still necessary.”

Madame withdrew her gaze and looked at Celia again.

“If she bullies you like this again, you must tell me. Don’t endure it yourself.”

Celia nodded.

Madame looked at her obedient and restrained demeanor and suddenly chuckled.

“Actually…”

Her tone was full of emotion.

“At first, I was quite worried.”

Celia looked up, meeting her eyes.

?

“Worried that you were a Dark Elf. Although the rumors about Dark Elves in the outside world are good. The information I’ve gathered myself tells me that Dark Elves are very strong-willed. Although I don’t believe in such things, as a mother, I couldn’t help but think too much.”

“I was worried you would bully her.”

Celia opened her mouth.

Bully?

Me bully Onyxia?

She instinctively glanced at the person beside her.

Onyxia was lowering her head, cutting her steak, her expression focused to the point of being deliberate.

But her slightly trembling shoulders and the tail behind her, swaying so fast it was almost a blur, betrayed her.

Bully her? How?

By drowning her with a flood?

Or by tiring her out until her fingers are still sore from that kind of bullying?

Or by being trapped so tightly by her legs and tail that she can’t even turn over?

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found she couldn’t utter a word.

She couldn’t very well say, ‘Madame, you’ve misunderstood. Actually, I’m the one being bullied to death by her. I almost don’t recover every night. Luckily, I’m naturally gifted, or I would have been worn out long ago.’

Could she say that? Clearly not.

She could only press those words deep into her heart, holding them in until her face flushed red.

“…Celia?”

Madame’s voice held a trace of confusion.

“What’s wrong? Your face is so red.”

“N-nothing.”

“Madame, rest assured,” Celia said, each word seeming to be squeezed out from between her teeth.

“I won’t bully her.”

But Onyxia’s shoulders trembled even more violently.

“Xia?”

Madame looked at her daughter.

“What are you laughing at again?”

“Nothing, nothing.”

Onyxia finally looked up, her face completely serious.

“I just think… Celia is right. She really won’t bully me.”

She paused, giving Celia a meaningful look.

“She treats me… very well.”

She said the last three words with particular clarity, deliberately emphasizing them.

Celia’s ears burned even hotter.

She lowered her head and continued cutting the steak on her plate, cutting with more force than before.

Madame looked at one, then the other, her gaze gently circling between the two.

Then she smiled and didn’t press further.

“That’s good,” she said.

“I’m relieved that you get along well.”

The candlelight flickered.

Under the table, Onyxia’s foot brushed against hers again.

This time, Celia stepped on it.

Not hard, just a reminder.

Onyxia didn’t pull away.

Instead, she rubbed the tip of her foot against Celia’s ankle, as if in a small act of triumph.

Forget it.

Can’t step hard enough.

Won’t play with someone with such thick skin.

Dinner finally ended.

The moment Celia put down her knife and fork, she let out a long, internal sigh of relief.

“Let’s rest for today,” Madame said, standing up.

“You must be tired after traveling all day. Xia, take Celia to your room.”

Celia was stunned.

Wait.

What do you mean, directly to Onyxia’s room?

Not a guest room?

I was hoping to finally have a day of rest.

She instinctively looked at Onyxia.

The latter was elegantly wiping the corner of her mouth.

Meeting Celia’s gaze, she blinked.

“Yes, Mother.”

Onyxia stood up and very naturally took Celia’s hand.

Celia tried to refuse the handholding, but Onyxia forcefully interlocked their fingers.

“Come on, I’ll show you my room.”

No, you can’t be serious.

Right after dinner, right after meeting the elder, right after being tormented half to death at the dining table, and now I have to…

“Goodnight, Mother.”

Onyxia was already pulling her toward the stairs.

“See you tomorrow.”

“Goodnight.”

Madame’s voice came from behind.

“Rest well.”

Rest well.

Celia silently repeated those four words in her heart, feeling something was off.

The hallway was long.

The stairs were gentle.

Onyxia’s hand kept holding hers, not letting go.

“Um…”

Celia finally spoke up.

“Does your home not have a guest room?”

“It does.”

Onyxia didn’t even turn her head.

“Then—”

“But you’re the one I brought back. Of course you’ll stay in my room. And aren’t you my lover?”

She said it as if it were the most natural thing.

Celia opened her mouth, wanting to retort, but found she couldn’t come up with a reason.

It seemed… indeed… there was nothing wrong with that?

Before she could figure out how to respond, Onyxia had already stopped in front of a door.

“We’re here.”

She pushed the door open.

The room was large.

Much larger than she had imagined.

A bed big enough for three or four people to roll around on was against the wall, covered with light blue sheets.

The pillows looked so soft they could swallow a person whole.

Floor-to-ceiling windows looked out onto the Rose Garden she had seen during the day.

Moonlight streamed in, spreading a layer of silver frost on the floor.

By the window was a reclining chair, next to a shelf filled with books.

“How is it?”

Onyxia walked in, turned to look at her, and spread her arms, spinning in a circle.

“Acceptable?”

Celia didn’t respond.

She stood at the doorway, not moving, and made a small request in a low voice, “Tonight… can you let me off?”

Onyxia looked at her, not saying a word.

She just raised her hand and grasped the door frame.

The door gently closed behind Celia.

Before Celia could react, her wrist was grasped.

The world spun, and her back sank into the bed.

Onyxia pressed down on her, hands on either side of her head.

“Hmm?”

Her voice was low, carrying a hint of laughter, her warm breath brushing past Celia’s lips.

“What are you thinking about?”

That familiar hand had already reached her waist, drawing light circles over the fabric of her clothes.

One circle, two circles.

The fingertip accurately found that most sensitive spot and pressed down, ever so lightly.

“We still have to go take a bath later. We should sleep early tonight.”

“…This is called sleeping early?”

“Of course.”

Onyxia’s reply was utterly shameless, her fingers continuing to wreak havoc at Celia’s waist.

“Doing some sleep-aiding exercise before bed helps improve sleep quality.”

“Can’t you… be serious for just one day?”

“No.”

She announced the answer, then leaned down and placed a kiss on the corner of Celia’s lips.

“Who told you to be so captivating, my Celia.”