Rasser Lyons’ gaze was icy cold, and the more she looked at her worthless daughter, the angrier she became.
In her mind, a daughter didn’t need to be exceptional—she just needed to be obedient and well-behaved.
Yet Ophelia, even while trying her hardest to restrain herself to meet Rasser Lyons’ demands, still had a rebellious look in her eyes that deeply wounded her mother…
Rasser Lyons, a daughter of commoners, had married into a noble family thanks to her obedience and beauty back then.
Now, even she couldn’t quite pinpoint when exactly that feeling—being stung by the presence of a daughter born noble—had arisen.
It was probably when Ophelia grew more and more graceful, increasingly resembling a noble lady.
On top of that, she was acclaimed as a Genius Mage.
But in Rasser Lyons’ thinking, in this vast world, no matter how talented you are, what use is it?
Could you really compete against the great houses, the Nobles who had private armies and resources unimaginable to ordinary people over a lifetime?
If Ophelia had been born during the peak of the Lyons family, she might have been the next heir, shining brilliantly throughout the Okam Empire and even the whole world.
But now, with the family on the brink of collapse, already too weak to support such a genius girl, sacrificing her to save the family’s disaster or even to revive its prosperity was undoubtedly the best choice.
Yet seeing Ophelia wrestling with Willis and muttering “I will kill you,” only inflamed Rasser Lyons’ anger.
Being difficult was one thing, but to be so unreasonable was infuriating.
“Ophelia!”
Rasser Lyons stood up in fury and kicked toward the blonde girl.
But Willis was quicker and blocked Rasser Lyons’ kick, then pushed Ophelia away.
Straightening her slightly disheveled clothes, Willis tucked the stray hair behind her ear.
“Enough, Madam. You saw for yourself, this person is rude and disrespectful to Her Highness the Princess.”
Willis paused, then said with a teasing tone,
“By law, normally she’d get a hundred lashes, and Ophelia three hundred, followed by imprisonment.”
As soon as Willis finished, Rasser Lyons shot a murderous glare at Ophelia, as if wanting to beat her senseless.
“Y-Your Highness…” She quickly turned to Willis with a pleading look.
“This child is wild, but truly admires Your Highness!”
Such a flimsy excuse might have fooled the old Willis.
But to the present Willis, the old version, though infamous, was probably being used by others.
And because of her fondness for women, she might have made some baffling decisions.
But now…
“Really? You saw how wild she was just now, Madam. Does that look like admiration to you?”
Willis was unapologetic, so Rasser Lyons stepped sideways and pinched Ophelia’s waist hard.
She signaled the blonde girl with a slight glance.
Ophelia struggled internally but eventually knelt before Willis.
“It’s… true!”
“Her Highness the Imperial Princess… I-I have admired Your Highness for a long time, hoping… hoping Your Highness would take pity on my humble self and accept me!”
Just moments ago, she was fighting with Willis, and now she was begging so humbly—a truly exquisite scene.
Our Imperial Princess seemed quite pleased.
“What?”
Willis pulled at her ear.
“Too quiet, I didn’t hear that.”
“You—”
Ophelia nearly jumped up to fight again, but in the end, she held back.
There was no way out for her now.
“Please accept me, Ophelia Lyons, who has admired and adored Your Highness for countless days and nights. Today I brought my mother to sincerely ask Your Highness to accept my feelings!”
Ophelia pressed her head to the floor, tears mixing with her humiliation as she cried out.
Hearing this, Willis stood up and said seriously, “In that case, I will reluctantly accept you as my personal bodyguard maid.”
“What!?”
Ophelia looked up, ignoring her tear-streaked face.
She couldn’t believe it.
After all this humiliation and hardship, how could Willis do this to her!?
Rasser Lyons grew anxious as well; if she was only a maid, it would be shameful to say the least and wouldn’t bring much benefit.
But before she could speak, Willis, already knowing her thoughts, smiled and said, “Coincidentally, I have an undeveloped mine. Is the Lyons family interested?”
Ophelia was stunned again.
Rasser Lyons paused for a few seconds, then joyfully prostrated herself, “Yes, yes! Thank you, Your Highness! Thank you!”
No more mention of the maid thing.
“You fool, thank Her Highness properly!”
Rasser Lyons pulled Ophelia into a continuous kowtow until Willis waved them off, then they stood up.
At that moment, Ophelia’s expression was complicated.
Although her family’s goal was achieved, she couldn’t feel happy…
Even if she denied it and resented Willis, there had once been a tiny pride in her heart…
Because Willis coveted her beauty and youth, wasn’t that proof of her charm?
Even though the Empire would never officially recognize Willis taking concubines, Willis’ private verbal acknowledgment was still a promise and a symbol.
But now, Willis was making her a maid!?
Did Willis intend to toy with her and then discard her, or did she never truly care about her in the first place?
That moment’s contrast was even more infuriating to Ophelia than the earlier humiliation.
“Enough. I have other matters and won’t keep you, Madam. The mine will need paperwork and preparations, so please attend in person when the time comes…”
“Haha, definitely, I will personally attend!”
Rasser Lyons smiled so wide her mouth almost wouldn’t close.
Willis turned to add, “However, you only get usage rights. How long you can mine depends on how this girl performs.”
“If she doesn’t do well, I can revoke it anytime.”
Rasser Lyons’ breath caught, “Your Highness, that… once spoken can’t be taken back…”
“What? You have an objection?”
Willis squinted and challenged her.
“No, no!” Rasser Lyons immediately backed down and glared fiercely at Ophelia.
“Ophelia, serve Her Highness well. From now on until your death, if Her Highness tells you to go east, you cannot go west! Understand!?”
“Y-Yes.”
Clenching her fists, for some reason Ophelia felt a strange sense of relief.
They took parchment, signed the contract, and stamped their seals—thus the matter was settled.
“Then I will go back and prepare.”
Having achieved her wish, Rasser Lyons tactfully excused herself.
Willis nodded and added, “The Lyons family knows what to do, right?”
“Yes. Rest assured, Your Highness, from now on, if Ophelia Lyons sneaks out of the Academy and encounters misfortune, only Ophelia Egbert will exist in this world.”
Rasser Lyons’ words stabbed Ophelia’s heart, but Willis waved her hand with satisfaction.
“That way, it’s good for both of us.”
With that, Rasser Lyons bowed joyfully once more, then left alone without mentioning bringing Ophelia back first—she would handle the handover at the mine later.
With her mother gone, Ophelia tensed all over.
Seeing Willis smirk as she approached, Ophelia met her gaze with unwavering determination.
“Interesting, Ophelia Egbert. From now on, you are my maid. Say ‘Master’ and let me hear it.”
“Never!”
Ophelia gritted her teeth.
“Hmm?”
Willis frowned.
“Disobedient? Want to bet I’ll change my mind right now?”
“You—”
Ophelia’s chest heaved violently, but in the end, she humiliatingly muttered through clenched teeth,
“M-Master…”
“Hmm, not perfect, but I’ll forgive you this first time. Come on, let’s go back to my room.”
“Back to your room?” Ophelia grew alert. “It’s daytime now, and didn’t you just say you had business?”
“Do you dare question your Master’s decision?”
“N-No…”
“Then hurry up!”