When Eluce finally regained consciousness, the first thing she felt was the soft texture of the mattress beneath her and the light silk quilt covering her body.
The air was filled with a faint scent of herbs and — a subtle, lingering fragrance that belonged to Eliana.
‘Eliana…!’
Eluce struggled to open her heavy eyelids. ‘Did she really do something to me while I was sleeping?!’
Her vision was blurred at first, then gradually became clear.
She was lying in her bedroom. Outside the window, the sky had already darkened, and a Magic Lamp with a soft glow was lit on the bedside table.
As she moved her body ever so slightly, bursts of dull pain radiated from deep within her lower abdomen. It felt as if an invisible hand was twisting and pulling inside her pelvic cavity.
This sensation was completely different from any illness or pain Eluce remembered experiencing as a male. It wasn’t the sharp sting of a wound, the burning of a stomachache, or the dull ache of muscle soreness.
‘What… exactly happened to me? Did Eliana place a curse on me because I saw through her identity? But… why am I still alive?’
Eluce struggled to sit up, but after several attempts, the pain in her lower abdomen forced her to lie back down.
“Hiss…”
The young girl couldn’t help but suck in a breath of cold air. ‘This girl wouldn’t have harvested my kidney, would she? But the pain is in the wrong place for that.’
“Miss, you’re finally awake!”
Eliana’s voice came from the other side of the bed. Upon hearing it, Eluce closed her eyes as if resigning herself to fate.
‘I can’t even stand up to this demon when I’m at my best, let alone when I’m this weak.’
However, Eliana’s next words were like a bolt from the blue, leaving Eluce’s head spinning.
“Miss, your period has arrived. Perhaps your lifestyle has been irregular lately, but the Period Pain was quite severe this time. The doctor determined that this was the reason you fainted.”
Eliana’s tone carried a hint of concern, completely different from before. If Eluce didn’t know her true identity, she would have certainly mistaken her for a loyal and devoted maid.
“P-Period Pain?!”
Eluce’s voice, which had been weak, suddenly jumped several octaves.
‘Wasn’t that just “Aunt Flo”? I… I actually got my period?’ The girl’s expression was incredibly bizarre, and the corners of her mouth twitched uncontrollably.
“Yes, Miss. Girls go through these few days every month. By my calculations, mine should be arriving soon as well.”
Eliana rested her cheek on her hand, looking at her master on the bed with a curious gaze.
“I-It’s nothing…”
No wonder her stomach had felt uncomfortable since that morning.
Feeling the pain in her lower abdomen again, Eluce suddenly felt a sense of absurdity. ‘Dammit, I only ever heard a few female friends whispering and complaining about this. I didn’t expect it to hurt more than I imagined.’
At the same time, this meant she would be stuck with this debuff for several days every single month? For a moment, a sense of powerlessness welled up in Eluce’s heart.
“You don’t need to worry, Miss. I have already taken care of everything for you. You will be fine after resting for a few days.”
The soft voice drifted from the bedside again.
‘Right, I almost forgot about this demon!’
Eluce’s heart tightened, and she whipped her head around.
Eliana was sitting on a chair by the bed, her back straight and her hands folded neatly on her knees. Her posture was as impeccable as ever.
However, the usual, mask-like smile was gone from her face, replaced by a near-solemn calmness.
She just stared at Eluce, yet this time, Eluce didn’t feel the usual chill down her spine.
“I…”
As soon as Eluce spoke, she realized her voice was raspy.
“You should drink some warm water.”
Eliana stood up, poured a glass of warm water with fluid motions, and held it to Eluce’s lips.
Eluce instinctively tried to pull away, but the warm rim of the glass was already gently touching her lips.
She hesitated for a moment before finally leaning down to take a small sip. The warm water slid down her parched throat, bringing some comfort, but the vigilance in her heart didn’t dissipate in the slightest.
Eliana withdrew the cup, hesitated for a second, and then did something that made Eluce’s jaw drop.
She lowered her body and actually knelt on the floor.
“Miss, I am sorry. During this past period of time, I realized how much I have offended you. Please, punish me.”
“Huh?”
Eluce let out a strange, questioning sound. ‘Eliana, this demon, is apologizing to me?’
‘How is that possible? A demon that admits they’re wrong? She… she must have some ulterior motive, right?’
Pinching her own chin, Eluce looked at the bowing Eliana with a deep frown.
She had never heard of a demon who understood repentance. Moreover… she was asking for punishment? One would have to be crazy to actually choose to punish her. If Eliana ended up holding a grudge and took her out before the fated day arrived, wouldn’t that be a terrible deal?
Thinking of this, she didn’t dare act rashly. She could only wave her hand, pretending to be magnanimous.
“Ahem, Eliana, I’ll forgive you this once. Get up. We’ll talk about your punishment later.”
Eluce cleared her throat and then looked directly at Eliana.
“So, Eliana, where is The Book I wanted?”
She had been so busy thinking about the maid’s behavior that she almost forgot about the important clue she had worked so hard to find.
“It is here, Miss.”
Hearing this, Eliana handed the book over from a nearby table without any hesitation.
This caused Eluce to feel a wave of doubt. ‘She hasn’t already read it, has she? Could it be that I’ve already been exposed?’
Connecting this to Eliana’s strange behavior, Eluce’s heart began to thud loudly against her ribs again.
‘Should I… just ask her directly?’
“Eliana,” she said, looking up and trying to keep her voice calm. “Did you… flip through The Book?”
The air seemed to freeze for a moment. The soft light of the bedside Magic Lamp cast faint shadows across Eliana’s face, and her long eyelashes fluttered.
“No, Miss,” Eliana answered quickly. “This is a book you specifically searched for. I would not dare to read it without your permission.”
Her answer was flawless, but the suspicion in Eluce’s heart only grew deeper. ‘A demon following rules like that? I don’t believe it.’
Just as she was about to ask more questions, Eliana stood up.
“Miss, I will go get something warm to help soothe your stomach.”
‘Is she trying to run away?’ Eluce instinctively thought. However, her pupils suddenly dilated because Eliana didn’t head for the door; she walked toward the bed.
‘She’s not running! What… what is she… doing?!’
Before Eluce could ask, Eliana spoke first.
“Miss, be a good girl now — “
A faint purple light shimmered in her pupils. It was obvious she was casting a hypnosis spell!
Eluce’s body tensed instantly. ‘What… what is she going to do to me again? I knew it! When a demon apologizes, they’re definitely up to no good!’
Despite the intense anxiety in her heart, she could only cooperate with Eliana and pretend to be hypnotized.
“Oh, Miss, why are you so merciful? Originally — I was planning to retaliate and ravish you if you chose to punish me. I didn’t expect you to choose to forgive me instead. This makes it… a bit difficult to lay a hand on you — “
Carefully lifting the quilt, Eliana leaned over Eluce’s delicate collarbone. She first blew gently against the girl’s slender neck, then licked her own red lips, a satisfied smile appearing on her face…
Author’s Note: Starting tomorrow, I’ll be posting two chapters a day. Please keep following, everyone! Meow meow meow.