Chapter 24: Has the Young Lady Noticed?

When Eliana tripped and lunged forward, time seemed to stretch infinitely.

The maid’s soft body, carrying a faint and familiar fragrance, pressed firmly against her.

Caught off guard, Elrose felt her back hit the soft carpet. She let out a muffled groan, and before she could say anything, the words she intended to speak were immediately overwhelmed by more vivid sensations.

Through the thin fabric of their dresses, she could clearly feel the curves of Eliana’s body, her warmth, and even that steady, powerful heartbeat. It throbbed against her own panicked chest, beat after beat.

For a moment, she couldn’t even tell if the person in front of her was a human or a demon.

Eliana’s breath brushed against the side of her neck, warm and moist. Because of this, Elrose completely lost her composure.

It was too close.

So close that Elrose could count her slightly trembling eyelashes. Those eyes, which usually shimmered with a harmless smile, were now right before her, reflecting her own pale and frantic face.

‘She… she wouldn’t be trying to eat me, would she?’ Eliana’s face was pressed right against her neck. All the maid had to do was open her mouth, and she could easily bite through her carotid artery.

The warm air dampened her skin, feeling like the application of iodine before an injection, announcing the onset of impending pain.

Elrose’s heart hammered in her chest, nearly forceful enough to shatter her ribs. This wasn’t the flutter of romance, but extreme terror and a harrowing sense of violation.

Beneath this warm, soft shell of a human girl lay a terrifying existence that she could neither understand nor oppose.

The intimacy of this moment wasn’t affection; it was a predator marking its prey with its claws.

Her mind was a chaotic mess. Her cheeks flushed uncontrollably, yet her body remained as stiff and cold as iron.

The fragrance of a young woman emanating from Eliana mixed with that deep, unsettlingly dark scent, creating a strange allure. Intertwined with the premonition of death, it made her feel a wave of dizziness and nausea. She wanted to push her away, but her trembling fingers lacked the strength.

If Eliana truly decided to kill her right now, she would never be able to escape!

‘No, this won’t do. I can’t be this passive. At the very least…’

Elrose had just raised her hand when Eliana pressed it back down onto the bed with a bit of force.

The girl froze and looked up at the maid on top of her. The other woman’s face was devoid of expression, making it impossible to read her. However, the coldness in those eyes made her entire body start to tremble.

‘She’s really going to kill me!!!’

Just as Elrose was about to fight for her life, an expression finally appeared on Eliana’s face.

“I-I’m sorry, Miss! I was so careless!”

The other woman’s frantic voice rang out, filled with a familiar sense of apology.

She scrambled to push herself up, her arm brushing past Elrose’s waist. Her warm palm accidentally grazed a small patch of exposed skin.

That touch made Elrose shudder violently, as if struck by an electric current or licked by the cold tongue of a snake.

A sense of shame flooded her a moment later. She had actually felt a shameful physical reaction while being so close to a monster that might devour her at any time!

That fleeting, instinctive craving for warmth and softness made her feel utterly pathetic.

Seemingly noticing her inappropriate behavior, Eliana apologized repeatedly.

Elrose didn’t speak. The small patch of skin on her neck dampened by Eliana’s breath was still smoldering, and her heart continued to drum wildly in her chest.

In that instant just now, she had truly felt the breath of death.

It was cold and slimy, like deep-sea seaweed wrapping around her ankles to drag her into the abyss.

“Miss, please get some rest early.”

With that, Eliana fled the room as if escaping.

“Phew…”

Seeing the other woman leave, Elrose finally breathed a sigh of relief. She felt as though she had been only one step away from death. If Eliana had opened her mouth, there would have been no possibility of escape.

Wiping her sweat-drenched forehead with a handkerchief, Elrose sat on the bed in a daze and whispered to herself.

“She’s becoming more and more insolent. Even if she’s a demon, I’m still her master in name…”

On the other side, Eliana was also covered in a cold sweat.

She had almost lost control again. That soft, delicate skin that looked so delicious and supple had been right there by her lips. She had nearly bitten down.

Fortunately, she held back at the last second. However…

Eliana pinched her own chin. Looking at the young lady’s expression earlier, she seemed to be terrified of her.

‘Could it be…’ A mysterious look flashed in Eliana’s eyes.

‘What does the young lady know? Or is her intuition just incredible, allowing her to sense something instinctively?’

Regardless of which it was, it wouldn’t affect her Gourmet Plan…

***

“Miss, watch your eyes. One, two, three, one, two, three… follow the beat of the music.”

The next day, inside the Duke’s mansion, Elrose spun her body elegantly like a proud swan. However, her face was filled with impatience.

Beside her, a thin, serious-looking middle-aged woman watched her with arms crossed.

This was the dance teacher Duchess Vanessa had specifically hired for her.

‘Dammit, this part wasn’t in the game!’ Elrose complained inwardly. She felt like her head was about to spin right off her shoulders, and the arches of her feet were aching. In this state, how was she supposed to deal with a demon like Eliana?

Her wandering thoughts caused her footsteps to fall out of rhythm. The girl stepped on her own skirt, stumbled, and nearly fell.

“Miss Elrose, please focus, or I will report this truthfully to Duchess Vanessa.”

‘So annoying… this old hag.’ Several veins throbbed on Elrose’s smooth forehead. Why did this feel so much like being threatened by a college professor who claimed they would fail her if she didn’t pay attention?

‘Maybe I should just let Eliana eat this woman,’ Elrose thought distractedly, despite the warning.

Speaking of Eliana, perhaps because she had been reassigned to the spice warehouse, the feeling of being watched had increased, but she had actually seen very little of the maid over the past few days.

This gave Elrose some peace of mind. At least she didn’t have to face that creature while constantly on edge.

Just as Elrose’s mind wandered again, she stepped on her hem once more. She wasn’t as lucky this time; the girl landed hard on her backside.

“I’m sorry, Madam Margaret. I didn’t mean to — “

“Miss, perhaps you need a new dress. This one clearly doesn’t fit properly. I will suggest to Duchess Vanessa that you be given the afternoon to have a new one tailored.”

“Eh?”

Elrose almost thought she had misheard. What was going on? Was she actually benefiting from this disaster? However, that thought didn’t last long, because…

“Miss, I will accompany you to have your clothes tailored this afternoon.”

Eliana stood to the side and gave Elrose a bow before revealing a thin smile.