Lilia was pulled back to reality by a tingling sensation.
Something was licking her ear.
Wet, soft, with a slight roughness.
It swept over the inside of her auricle, again and again.
Too ticklish.
She curled up, a satisfied purr bubbling from her throat.
“Ugh… Meow…”
She opened her eyes. A face was right in front of hers.
Features so perfect they seemed excessive, blood-red eyes brimming with laughter.
“Good morning, my little kitten.”
Lucia’s voice was hoarse.
The laziness of just waking up made her tone even lower.
And the one licking her ear just now—
Was Lucia’s tongue.
“Meow aaaaah!”
Lilia fluffed up in shock.
She scrambled from the center of the Bed to the foot, hands and feet together.
Clutching her damp ear, her face burned red.
“What did you do to me! Meow!”
“Helped you clean your ear.”
Lucia sat up, black pajamas sliding down with her movement, revealing a round shoulder.
She stretched.
“Don’t cats groom each other like this?”
Lilia was about to explode.
“You pervert! Hooligan! Meow!”
The tail behind her thrashed wildly on the Bed.
“I told you, today I’m teaching you the Third Lesson.”
Lucia got out of Bed and walked to the wardrobe to pick out clothes.
“The content of the Third Lesson—learning the Cat’s Living Habits.”
She pulled a black Imperial Robe from the wardrobe.
“Including mutual grooming.”
Lilia’s pupils shrank sharply.
Mutual grooming?
“Relax, I don’t expect you to do it for now.”
Lucia looked back at her, amusement flashing in her blood-red eyes.
“We’ll start with something simple today.”
She took off her pajamas in front of Lilia.
Lilia hurriedly covered her eyes, but couldn’t resist peeking through her fingers.
“Today’s first task.”
Lucia changed clothes and walked to the Bed, looking down at Lilia curled at the foot.
“Stay on the Bed until I return. Don’t get off.”
“Why? Meow!”
“Cats spend two-thirds of the day sleeping.”
Lucia’s reasoning was flawless.
“You need to develop this good habit.”
Lilia was dumbfounded.
She had to lie in Bed all day?
“I can’t sleep, meow!”
“Then just lie down.”
Lucia reached out and rubbed her head.
“Be good and wait for me.”
The door closed.
Only Lilia and the overly large Bed remained in the room.
She froze for a few seconds, then tentatively stretched a foot toward the floor.
The moment she touched the ground, an invisible barrier bounced her back onto the Bed.
“Meow!”
Falling into the blankets, she finally realized.
This Bed was under a Prohibition!
“Damn it! Meow!”
Lilia rolled around the Bed a few times.
She still had her grand Reverse Seduction Plan to carry out!
How could she waste time lying here!
She tried climbing down from the edge—bounced back.
Tried building a bridge with the blanket—the blanket shrank back the moment it left the Bed.
Even tossed a pillow at the door—the pillow turned midair and smacked her in the face.
After half an hour of struggle, she collapsed in the center of the Bed.
The Bed was soft, and the blanket carried Lucia’s cool scent.
Her eyelids grew heavy.
“I’m not sleepy…
“I’m just gathering strength, meow.”
She curled into a ball and fell asleep.
This nap was deep and dreamless.
When she woke, the outside was dark. Moonlight spilled in, covering the carpet in a layer of silver frost.
Her stomach growled.
Lucia still hadn’t returned.
Lilia sat on the Bed, rubbing her eyes, her whole body like a puddle of mush.
The bedroom door opened.
Lucia came in, still carrying the chill of the night.
She looked at Lilia on the Bed, blood-red eyes glimmering in the darkness.
“Awake?”
“I’m hungry, meow.”
Lilia clutched her stomach, trying to look as pitiful as possible.
“What do you want to eat?”
“Grilled fish! The biggest and fattest kind, meow!”
‘Alright.’
Lucia snapped her fingers.
Lilith pushed in a dining cart.
On it lay a golden, oily grilled fish, fragrant and tempting.
There were also various side dishes and desserts.
Lilith set the meal, then quietly withdrew.
“Come eat.”
Lucia sat at the table.
Lilia noticed the Prohibition on the Bed had been lifted.
She cheered, jumped off the Bed, and ran to the table, grabbing a knife and fork.
“Wait.”
Lucia pressed her hand down.
Lilia looked up.
“Today’s lesson isn’t over yet.”
A dangerous curve appeared at the corner of Lucia’s lips.
Lilia’s heart skipped a beat.
“Didn’t you tell me to sleep? Meow! I slept all day already, meow!”
“Sleeping was just the first part.”
Lucia pointed at the grilled fish on the table.
“The second part is eating.”
She took a White Porcelain Plate from the dining cart.
With a fork, she picked out a tender piece of fish belly, removed the bones, and placed it on the plate.
Then she set the plate on her pressed-together knees.
She patted her thigh.
“Come here, eat lying down.”
Lilia’s eyes widened.
Eat lying on Lucia’s lap?
“No… This is even worse than eating on the floor, meow!”
“Is it?”
Lucia raised an eyebrow.
“I thought you’d like this position better.”
“After all, it’s closer to me.”
Lilia’s face turned scarlet.
She stared at the fragrant fish on Lucia’s thigh.
Then at those unyielding eyes.
Her stomach rumbled louder.
So humiliating.
But…
Lying on her lap…
…
At least it’s better than the cold floor, right?
And you can even—
Pah! What am I thinking!
Lilia shook her head.
“Hurry up, the fish is getting cold.”
Lilia clenched her teeth and shut her eyes.
With a sudden resolve, she stomped over and lay across Lucia’s thigh.
Her small body sprawled atop, face right in front of the plate of fish.
This position…
…
She could clearly feel the warmth and softness beneath her.
Her nose was filled with Lucia’s cool scent.
Her whole body stiffened.
“Eat.”
Lucia’s voice came from above.
Lilia lowered her head and licked the fish with her tongue.
Delicious…
She instantly forgot everything else and started eating in small bites.
Lucia watched the little thing eating contentedly on her lap, the amusement in her eyes deepening.
She reached out and stroked Lilia’s back.
From the nape to her spine, to the tail softly swaying.
Lilia’s body grew softer under her touch.
A satisfied purr rumbled in her throat again.
When she finished a plate, Lucia gave her another piece.
Just like that, Lilia lay on Lucia’s lap, and was fed the whole fish.
Full, she went limp, not wanting to move at all.
She just stayed there, drowsy.
“How was today’s lesson?”
Lucia’s voice sounded by her ear.
“It was… okay, meow…”
Lilia replied vaguely.
“Then tomorrow, we’ll continue.”
Lucia paused, her voice dropping even lower.
“Tomorrow’s lesson will be even… more interesting.”
Lilia’s body stiffened.
Tomorrow… again?
But she no longer had the strength to protest.
Sleepiness washed over her, and she found a comfortable spot on Lucia’s lap, nuzzled in, and fell asleep.
Lucia looked down at the little thing sleeping in her arms, not waking her.
She gently picked up Lilia, set her back on the Bed.
Then lay down herself, pulling the small, warm body into her embrace.