Chapter 139: Calling Her a Sick Pervert Behind Her Back! Oh No—the Demon Queen Is Standing Right Behind Me!

Imperial Envoy’s Station.

The door was kicked open by Lilia.

She rushed straight toward the mountain of burlap sacks piled in the center of the room.

“Mine! All mine! Meow!”

With a strange cry, she tore open a sack, and a gleaming golden torrent poured out instantly.

Without a second thought, Lilia dove headfirst into it.

Clatter, clatter—

The cold gold coins struck her face and body with a dull ache.

But even more than that, it was a satisfaction that seeped into her bones.

Like a madwoman, she scooped up handfuls of coins with her little hands and flung them into the air.

“Haha! Hahahaha! I’m rich! Meow!”

Hugging two handfuls of gold, she rolled back and forth in the pile of money, completely forgetting who she was.

Pure bliss!

Thinking of Valian’s face—from red to purple, finally as gray as a drowned log.

Thinking of those arrogant nobles.

In the end, all of them knelt on the ground like dogs, not even daring to breathe.

All the grievances she’d suffered these past few days, all the risks she’d taken—it was all worth it now!

She popped her dusty little head out of the money pile.

Her heterochromatic eyes—one gold, one blue—gleamed with a sly light.

She shouted at the top of her lungs toward Lilith, who stood by the door.

“Sister Lilith! Did you see that? Meow!”

“I’m amazing, aren’t I? Meow!”

Lilith stood quietly at the door, watching her run wild in the pile of gold.

“Yes, Miss.”

She gave a slight bow.

“Your performance today was flawless.”

“Of course! You don’t know who I am! Meow!”

Hearing the praise, Lilia grew even more smug.

She crawled out of the gold pile, planted her hands on her hips, and lifted her chin high.

She brushed the dust off her dress.

“You can’t play mind games with those old fogeys! Meow!”

“You have to be tougher than them, crazier than them! Step on their faces, and only then will they know who’s boss! Meow!”

She was in the middle of spitting out her victory summary when—

Lilith silently walked to the table and poured her a glass of warm water.

Lilia grabbed the cup and gulped it down in one go.

“Burp~”

She let out a satisfied belch.

Then she sneaked up beside Lilith and lowered her voice.

“Sister Lilith, tell me… what does that creepy psycho think of me now? Meow?”

She winked, her little face full of barely concealed anticipation.

“Does she think I’m getting too capable, too hard to control, and is already planning to quietly kill me? Meow?”

She said the worst possible outcome, but inside, she was screaming:

Praise me! Say that woman was also stunned by my skill!

Prove to her that I, Lilia, am not just a toy she can toy with!

Lilith picked up the empty cup she’d drunk from and wiped it.

“Her Majesty will not.”

Her voice was still flat, without a ripple.

“In Her Majesty’s eyes, you, this toy, have simply become a little more interesting.”

“…”

“Toy.”

That cursed word again.

The smug smile on Lilia’s face

froze instantly, then shattered into pieces.

The ecstasy and sense of achievement she’d felt moments ago, like she’d turned the tables,

was riddled with holes by those two words.

A surge of anger shot from the soles of her feet straight to the top of her head.

She had worked so hard, used her wits, and nearly been run through by that Mad Marquis’s sword.

She had risked her life for this victory!

And yet?

In that woman’s eyes, it was still just an “interesting” performance?

A monkey show to entertain her?

“Damn it! Bastard! Asshole! Creepy psycho! Meow!”

She jumped up in rage, stomping her little boots on the floor with a thud, thud, thud.

“A toy? One day! I’ll make her know what it’s like to be a toy!”

“I’ll make her pour tea and fetch water! I’ll make her bark like a dog! I’ll pin her to the ground and… Meow!”

Just as she was hopping around, cursing with the most venomous words she could think of—

The air in the room suddenly turned cold.

The clinking of the gold coins she’d kicked stopped abruptly.

A chilly yet sweet fragrance invaded her nostrils.

Lilia’s curses got stuck in her throat.

All the blood in her body ran cold.

Her body stiffened like stone.

Her neck made a creaking sound.

Inch by inch, she turned her head.

Lucia had appeared in the room at some point.

She stood right next to the glittering pile of treasure.

Still dressed in that cold, sharp black imperial gown.

Her waterfall of black hair hung behind her.

Her blood-red eyes quietly watched her.

“Having fun, my little pet?”

Her voice was very light, carrying no discernible emotion.

But it made Lilia’s cat ears flatten against her head in fear.

“M-Mistress… meow…”

Lilia’s legs were shaking, her voice as tiny as a mosquito’s hum.

I’m dead, dead, dead! Getting caught badmouthing someone behind their back, and it’s the most dangerous psycho in the world! I’m done for! She’ll scatter my ashes!

Lucia paid no attention to her fear.

She bent down and picked up a single gold coin from the pile.

She held it between two pale fingers, examining it before her eyes.

“These are all your spoils from tonight?”

“Y-yes… meow…”

Lilia’s head was nearly buried in her chest.

She didn’t dare look at her.

She’s not going to take all this money away, is she?

No way!

This is the blood money I earned with my dignity and my life!

“Not bad.”

Lucia casually tossed the gold coin back into the pile.

Clink.

Lilia’s heart also skipped a beat.

N-not bad?

Is that… praise?

She had just secretly lifted her eyelids to peek at Lucia’s expression when—

Lucia’s next words came as naturally as a command.

“Since you earned this money with your own skill.”

“Then it’s all yours.”

Lilia’s mind went blank.

She was completely dazed.

All… all mine?

So much money?

This mountain of gold in this room—all mine?!

The overwhelming happiness hit her like a dizzying blow.

It instantly washed away her fear and anger from a moment ago.

But Lucia’s next sentence drenched her like a bucket of ice water.

“Starting tomorrow.”

Lucia’s words carried no emotion.

The words themselves were a command that could not be refused.

“You will use this money of yours to ‘renovate’ Yasra City properly for me.”

Her blood-red pupils clearly reflected Lilia’s dazed little face.

“I want to see if my little pet, besides wrecking houses and earning money.”

“Also knows how to… manage a household.”