Chapter 18: The Shameful Punishment! Wearing Cat Ears and a Cat Tail!

The effects of the drug came quickly—and faded just as fast.

Half an hour later, the chaos in Lilia’s mind began to clear.

The first thing she heard was the rumble in her own throat—

A satisfied purr that only feline creatures could make, sending shivers down her spine.

Then came touch.

A warm embrace.

And the hand gliding over her head and back.

It felt good.

So good that she almost wanted to keep pretending to sleep.

But her memories refused.

The sound of the Crystal Bottle shattering.

That deadly fragrance.

The moment her body lost control.

Rolling on the carpet.

Rubbing her face against Lucia’s calf.

She even said—

Lilia’s eyes snapped open.

She was staring right into Lucia’s face.

Far too close.

Those blood-red eyes were fixed on her.

Crap.

She froze, her mind racing.

What did I say?

Did I… Did I spill the whole plan?

“Awake?”

Lucia’s voice sounded above her.

Too calm.

So calm it was terrifying.

Lilia sprang from Lucia’s arms.

Scrambling to the other end of the sofa, she curled into a ball.

“I… I-I-I…”

The words stuck in her throat, impossible to finish.

“Did you have fun just now?”

Lucia sat up, adjusting the collar of her robe.

“I didn’t, meow!”

Lilia blurted out.

“That wasn’t me, meow! It was the drug! It was the drug’s fault, meow!”

Oh?”

Lucia raised her head.

“The drug made you want to watch me roll on the floor?”

Lilia’s face went pale.

She really said it.

“The drug made you want to put a Silver Collar on me?”

Blood rushed to her head; her face burned.

“The drug made you—”

Lucia paused, leaning forward, getting even closer.

“Want to pin me down on the bed?”

Lilia’s face was so red it looked like it would bleed.

She wished she could faint on the spot.

Or just evaporate.

“I… I never said that, meow! You misheard, meow!”

A dying struggle.

“Really?”

Lucia leaned back on the sofa, elbow resting on the arm, chin propped as she looked at her.

“My memory’s always been good.”

It’s over.

Completely over.

Lilia’s mind went blank.

She’d confessed to trying to pounce on the Demon King right to her face.

What would happen to her now…

Would she be turned into a specimen?

Or just tossed into the Chaos Abyss to feed a Demon Beast?

The room was deathly silent.

Lilia shrank in the corner, trembling all over.

She didn’t know how much time passed.

“Your plan is interesting.”

Lucia finally spoke.

Lilia’s head shot up.

Interesting?

She called it interesting at a time like this?

“Bold ideas and strong initiative.”

Lucia continued.

“Unfortunately, your knowledge base was lacking, leading to a fatal flaw in the plan.”

She paused.

“But the courage to try and lay hands on me…”

Lucia’s voice dropped.

“That’s worthy of encouragement.”

Lilia was completely bewildered.

This wasn’t how the script was supposed to go.

Shouldn’t she be flying into a rage and dragging her out to be executed?

Why was she encouraging her instead?

‘So…’

Lucia stood and walked toward her.

“I’ve decided to give you a ‘reward.’”

She put emphasis on the word ‘reward.’

Lilia stared at the smile on her face.

Cold.

Dangerous.

This wasn’t a reward!

It was clearly a punishment!

“I don’t want a reward, meow!”

She spoke as she shrank back.

“I was wrong, meow! I’ll never do it again, meow!”

“Too late.”

Lucia was already in front of her.

She reached out and pinched Lilia’s chin, forcing her to look up.

“Since you like cat traits so much…”

Her voice was low.

“I’ll help you become even more like a real little kitten.”

She released her and spoke to the air.

“Lilith.”

At her words, the door to the bedchamber opened.

Lilith entered, carrying a tray.

Her face was as icy as ever.

But Lilia had a feeling there was something else in her eyes.

Excitement?

A black velvet cloth covered the tray.

Lilith walked to Lucia’s side and offered the tray.

Lucia lifted the cloth.

Lilia’s eyes widened.

There were two things on the tray.

A black headband with fluffy cat ears and lace trim.

And a long black cat tail of the same material, attached to a belt at the end.

“No…”

Lilia’s voice trembled.

She knew exactly what Lucia intended.

“Put it on.”

Lucia picked up the cat-ear headband and held it out to her.

“I don’t want to, meow!”

Lilia hugged her head and shook it with all her might.

“I’d rather die, meow!”

Speaking with ‘meow’ was bad enough.

She’d even endured wearing a Silver Collar.

But this?

If she put this on, she’d truly become a plaything!

Her dignity wouldn’t allow it!

“Is that so?”

Lucia didn’t press.

She turned to Lilith.

“Activate the Desire Domain, lowest intensity.”

Lilith hesitated for a moment.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The next second, the air shifted.

An invisible force pressed down.

Lilia felt her body start to heat up.

Her heart raced.

Her breathing grew rapid.

All those messy desires stirred up by the Super Catnip Bomb began to surface again.

“What… What did you do to me, meow!”

She stared at them in terror.

“This is Lilith’s Domain.”

Lucia explained.

“It amplifies the most primitive desires in living beings.”

“Now, I’ll ask you again.”

She extended the cat-ear headband toward her once more.

“Wear it, or not?”

Lilia bit down hard.

Her body trembled with both desire and shame.

She stared at the headband.

Then at Lucia’s face.

She understood.

If she refused again, what awaited her would be even more terrifying than wearing this thing.

She would lose all reason.

And do even more shameful things in front of both of them.

She reached out.

Her hand trembled as she took the headband.

Then, under their gazes, she slowly, humiliatingly put it on her head.

Fluffy black cat ears stood upright on her silver hair.

Strikingly conspicuous.

“Very good.”

Lucia nodded in satisfaction.

She picked up the cat tail.

Lilia stared at the tail, her mind blank.

“And this one, too.”