Lilia floated spread-eagled on the surface of the pool.
A small dried fish, personally roasted by Lilith, dangled from her mouth.
Her calves bobbed up and down.
“Meow~”
She let out a contented hum.
‘This is living!’
With a thought, she activated Mana Vision.
The entire structure of the bathhouse became transparent in her mind.
Downstairs, in the various large and small pools, the nobles who had dared to stand up to her just a few days ago were now huddled in the water, heads down, not daring to speak.
On each face was nothing but pain and humiliation.
Thinking about how each of them had paid ten thousand Magic Crystal Coins for admission, Lilia was so happy she rolled over in the water.
Using these old bastards’ money to build a place where they could only spend money, while she could soak in the holy relic bath for free! She had won completely!
Lilia laughed as she chewed on the dried fish, but suddenly a jolt went through her mind.
‘No! My thinking is too small! How much is the admission fee? It’s a one-time deal! If I fleece these fat sheep too hard today, what if they don’t come back tomorrow? I need to make them bleed continuously! Endlessly bleed!’
She sat up abruptly in the pool, splashing water everywhere.
She didn’t even care when the dried fish fell from her lips.
“Lilith! Quick! Follow me! Meow!”
She shouted toward the door, grabbed a bathrobe haphazardly, wrapped it around herself, and rushed out.
—
Bathhouse Great Hall.
In the warm mist, a heavy silence hung.
The nobles soaked in pools with various effects, none of them speaking.
Suddenly, the door to the exclusive top-level passage was pushed open.
Lilia stormed out, followed by the expressionless Lilith.
All the nobles in the pools stiffened.
‘What does this little tyrant want now?’
Lilia “tap-tap-tapped” up to a raised platform in the center of the hall.
She looked around and put on a sickly sweet smile.
“Everyone! Is the bath comfortable? Meow?”
The nobles in the pools exchanged glances.
A few sparse voices answered.
“Com… comfortable…”
“Lady Lilia is truly a genius…”
Those voices sounded worse than crying.
“Good to hear! Meow!”
Lilia was satisfied with their response.
She clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention.
“But! Just soaking in a bath is so boring! Meow! To give everyone a better experience, this bathhouse is now launching a brand new value-added service! Meow!”
As soon as she finished speaking, a line of succubus maids carrying trays entered from the passages on both sides, walking with a catlike grace.
On the trays were blue drinks emitting cold air and strangely shaped snacks, a fragrance filling the hall.
The nobles felt their eyelids twitch and their hearts sink.
Lilia picked up a blue drink from one maid’s tray.
She tapped the side of the cup with her fingernail, producing a crisp “ding.”
“See this! Meow!”
She raised the cup high.
“This is called ‘Glacial Breath’! It’s specially brewed using ten-thousand-year ice marrow mixed with deep-sea magic spring water! One sip will instantly restore your Spirit Force! Meow!”
She paused and announced the price.
“One cup costs only nine hundred and ninety-eight Magic Crystal Coins! Meow!”
“Pfft—”
A young viscount couldn’t help it and sprayed out a mouthful of water.
‘Nine hundred and ninety-eight? Even robbery is more subtle than this!’
Lilia ignored him.
She picked up a flame-red pastry from another tray.
“And this! ‘Heart of Lava’ mousse! Made with lava fruit from the Ironblack Mountains and hundred-year mead from the Dwarf King’s private stock! One piece costs only one thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight Magic Crystal Coins! Meow!”
She smiled even wider, pointing to the last tray piled high with glowing fruits.
“And the finale! ‘Star Tears’ fruit platter! Every single fruit was picked from the tallest Moonlight Ancient Tree in the Low Whisper Forest! One serving costs only three thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight!”
She theatrically covered her chest, putting on a pained expression.
“Isn’t that super affordable! Meow! I’m practically doing charity!”
The entire hall fell dead silent.
All the nobles stared at her with strange looks.
‘Affordable? This is draining our blood to make soup!’
Lilia scanned the room.
Finally, her gaze landed on Duke Varian, who was in a pool in the corner.
She jumped off the platform and walked over to the edge of Duke Varian’s pool with bouncy steps.
“Duke! You are the most honored and generous guest of our bathhouse! How about it? What would you like to order first? Meow?”
Varian’s lips trembled.
Everyone’s attention fell on him.
‘Him again! Why is it always him!’
If he didn’t bleed some gold today, he wouldn’t be leaving this building.
Varian opened his eyes, his voice squeezing through clenched teeth.
“…Give me one of each.”
“Coming right up! Meow!”
Lilia was so happy her tail stuck straight up.
She immediately straightened up and announced loudly to the whole hall.
“Everyone see that? Our Duke Varian has ordered one of each! What does this show? This shows he is the model noble of our Demon City! Meow! This is the best demonstration of his infinite loyalty to Her Majesty! He is supporting Her Majesty’s city construction plan with concrete action! Meow!”
She piled high hats on him.
The nobles in the pools turned green.
‘If Varian ordered, how can we not? Not ordering means not supporting Her Majesty? Being disloyal to Her Majesty? Who can bear that accusation?’
“Give me one ‘Glacial Breath’ too…”
“I want a ‘Heart of Lava’…”
“That fruit platter, give me one!”
Orders rang out one after another.
The hall became lively again.
The nobles soaked in the baths, eating and drinking the exorbitantly priced food, their hearts bleeding even as they forced smiles.
Lilia returned to the temporary cashier counter, satisfied.
She leaned over the table, watching the numbers on the Magic Crystal Card in Lilith’s hand jump wildly, her eyes narrowing into slits.
Her little mind raced.
‘Scrubbing service… eight thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight per session! Massage… eighteen thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight per session! If I get Gromm to do the massage… I’ll charge extra! Meow!’
The more she thought, the more excited she became.
She felt she was about to become the richest person in the Empire of Erya!
Just as Lilia was completely immersed in the joy of getting rich, a chill shot up from her tailbone.
The clinking of Magic Crystal Coins in her mind suddenly stopped.
The excitement of counting money cooled rapidly.
Even the surrounding mist turned icy cold.
An icy voice sounded directly deep in her mind.
“Enjoying my money?”
Lilia’s smile froze.
All the blood in her body ran cold.
That voice…
She lifted her head, her gaze crossing the noisy hall.
She looked toward the empty top-level VIP pool.
At some point, a figure had appeared there.
Black imperial robe, black long hair, and those blood-red eyes.
It was Lucia.
She sat there quietly, watching.
No one knew how long she had been watching.