“I really can’t figure this out.”
Watching Tatatsimi walk away, Lin Ke rubbed her forehead with a slight headache.
She had no idea what was being said inside the room.
But she saw the conflict at the door between the two.
Obviously, that scholar had done something to deeply upset Flora.
Even as the young lady she served, Flora had never shown such a cold expression before.
What exactly had that scholar done?
Could it be related to the merchant guild’s affairs?
Tatatsimi was responsible for issues concerning the Jade Heart’s group interests, so Lin Ke had some understanding of the matter.
[It seems the young lady has indeed taken action; Miss Flora can’t count on the merchant guild anymore…]
Lin Ke shook her head, dismissing the thought.
She didn’t want to jump to conclusions; it was better to observe more, especially since she wasn’t sure how close Flora’s relationship was with that girl named Meifei.
Not wanting to disturb Flora, Lin Ke turned her gaze toward Elka’s room instead.
She was a little worried about the elf’s condition.
According to the other maids, Elka hadn’t had an appetite for any of the three meals today and hadn’t left her room all day.
No one knew what she was up to.
“In any case, first focus on the duties a maid should do.”
She sighed, grabbed her broom, and turned to leave.
Inside the room, after driving Tatatsimi away, Flora lay back down on her bed, relaxing her entire body.
Her weak spot had been exploited.
The best way to torment someone was always to attack their soft spot.
How could she not understand this truth?
But she had no choice—she couldn’t abandon this weakness.
Her anchor to maintaining her true self in this world was this very “weak spot.”
Moreover, Moliya and the others weren’t entirely trying to torment her—they mostly wanted her to trample on her principles and complete her transformation.
In that case, the only option for her, who refused to submit, was to endure the torment and find a way to break free during the suffering.
If she lost her true self, even if she gained freedom, she would have lost and essentially died.
[If I give up, they’ll just find something else to torment me with—no doubt about that. Moliya said they would take advantage once they had the chance. So why not focus the torment on my unwillingness to drag others down?Maybe… my struggle should be to die completely?]
She thought this as sleep claimed her mind.
A night without dreams.
But the next morning, Flora was woken on time by Lin Ke along with the other maids, missing the etiquette training Moliya had prepared for her.
After breakfast, under the command of the head maid, she was changed into a simple pale purple floral dress.
Then she saw Lin Ke standing at the door, motioning politely for her to follow.
“What does this mean?”
Flora was puzzled.
“The young lady said that Tatatsimi’s actions yesterday were improper and made you very unhappy. She intends to apologize on her behalf. So, she permits you to go out for some leisure time under my supervision. You can choose to leave the villa for half an hour after breakfast, lunch, or dinner.”
Lin Ke relayed Moliya’s instructions very clearly, but Flora rubbed her forehead.
“I never said I wanted to go out. She thinks I didn’t use the chaos to escape and now can’t find a proper reason to punish me, so she’s purposely making an opportunity. This trick once or twice is one thing, but using it every day is something else entirely.”
At the mention of Tatatsimi’s face from the day before, Flora’s anger flared, convinced this was all Moliya’s doing.
She shouted, “And if she really wants to apologize for Tatatsimi, she should do it in person…”
“In person?”
Before she finished, Moliya pushed open the door, curiously eyeing Flora’s frozen expression.
“See, I really showed up, and you’re unhappy again.”
“Lin Ke, let’s go, right now!”
Flora gritted her teeth, irritated, and immediately grabbed Lin Ke’s hand, ready to dash past Moliya.
But before she could get past the always oddly-timed noblewoman, Moliya caught her free hand in a snap.
“Eh, why are you in such a hurry to leave? I haven’t even apologized yet. So hurt… You don’t dislike me that much, do you, Flora? I’ve been genuinely caring for you and even broke the rules to let you go out~”.
That woman was definitely doing this on purpose!
To say such shameless things, Flora couldn’t hold back anymore.
She turned her head with a smile, looking straight at Moliya, who had deliberately acted this way.
“Then please tell me—what do you want me to do?”
Moliya responded with the same friendly smile.
“I think you calling me ‘Sister’ sounds nice. Say it a couple more times.”
Upon hearing this, Flora immediately dropped the fake smile, rolling her eyes with no respect but didn’t refuse.
She grumbled a reluctant “Sister.”
“Good girl~”
Even if it was perfunctory, Moliya looked utterly pleased.
Only then did Flora notice the sun hat in her hand, adorned with an exquisite white rose embroidery.
Moliya knelt down and gently placed the hat on her head.
“This is a little gift from me. You’ve given us so many things before, now… hehe.”
Moliya’s eyes shifted briefly, the deliberate pause clearly a test directed at Lin Ke nearby.
Fortunately, the maid was very professional, expressionless as if she hadn’t heard a word.
“You probably don’t like hearing all this. Anyway, wear this, remember to come back on time, don’t talk to strangers, and also…”
Before she could finish tying the hat’s string, Flora, who had been released, pulled her headmaid along without looking back and disappeared down the hallway.
She had no patience to listen to any more nagging.
Moliya sighed helplessly at their retreating backs, like a weary mother faced with a rebellious daughter going through her teenage years.
“Sigh~ Really, that expression—she must think I’m about to give her another surprise, right? She needs to trust me more. I honestly just want her to go out and relax a bit.”
She said this as she closed the door, took off her outerwear, and slowly walked to Flora’s bed, collapsing into the unmade covers with a dazed look.
“It still feels like your warmth is here.”
She greedily breathed in, unwilling to lose the lingering scent.
Suppressing the urge to act on Flora was incredibly difficult.
Her love for Flora, transferred without reservation from Fros, only grew along with her desire to prove that man wrong.
On top of that, Flora was a creation blending the tastes of the three teammates.
She had to admit her feelings for Flora—at least the love part—were constantly fermenting and mutating.
[What an ugly behavior.]
That thought flashed through her mind, but her lips couldn’t help curling into a smile.
Just by smelling the remaining scent, Moliya could imagine Flora’s intoxicated and addicted expressions when they were intimate.
She could even hear the richly emotional “Sister Moliya” whispered in her ear.
She was certain this was an exquisite experience Fros could never give her.
What she was doing right now was no joyous event, but it was just as thrilling and interesting as an affair.
As if, right before Flora, who didn’t understand her, she was embracing and kissing the blue-haired girl Flora hoped for.
[I can’t wait for the day you become what I long for.]
If the slightly tipsy Moliya opened her eyes a bit, there was no trace of attachment in them.
[But I probably won’t get to enjoy you.]
She had some self-awareness, knowing that even if she transformed Flora for Fros’s sake, it didn’t mean Fros would accept it.
That man, proud and craving a free adventurous life, had his limits trampled by confinement and the humiliation of losing his identity.
But Moliya wouldn’t regret it, because she knew Fros was too immature.
At least such a man had no ability to survive in this world nor the chance to shine.
Only her, driven by madness and love for Flora, could make Flora become what she hoped and earn the right to be with her.
[Even if we can’t be together, as long as my shadow remains in your life from now on, that’s enough to satisfy me.]
Thinking this, Moliya wrapped herself tighter in the blankets and then heard the door opening.
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