“Ugh…”
Illus let out a muffled groan, but she was immediately pinned firmly into the intruder’s embrace. The hand covering her mouth was not large, yet it was incredibly strong, and it felt as though the person was wearing some kind of silk fabric.
Before Illus could think further, a more intense wave of pain washed over her.
The sharp agony on her shoulder did not come from a blade, but from a more primal, bone-chilling sting!
The sensation of teeth sinking deep into her flesh, mingled with warm, wet moisture, made her delicate body tremble uncontrollably from the pain.
The blood in Illus’s body seemed to freeze for an instant before surging wildly in the next second.
She could not scream. She could only let out a whimpering sound like a trapped animal from deep within her throat. Her limbs struggled in vain, kicking at the air while the silk fabric of her nightgown made a faint tearing sound during the scuffle.
‘Who… who exactly is it?! Is it Eliana?’
Illus sucked in a cold breath, because beyond the pain, a stranger sensation was spreading along the side of her neck where she was being bitten.
The intruder’s breath fanned against her sensitive skin — heavy, hot, and carrying the metallic scent of blood and a certain… unspeakable aggression.
The thumb of the hand covering her mouth was consciously rubbing her jaw, and the force, which was near the point of mauling her, caused a surge of sharp pain.
“Shh…”
A raspy, low voice sounded right against her ear. It was impossible to tell if it belonged to a man or a woman, and the flow of air tickled her earlobe.
“Don’t move.”
“Mmph… mmph…”
Illus seemed to want to say something, but because her mouth was covered, she could not utter any clear words.
“You aren’t going to ask who I am, are you?”
When those words were spoken, the girl heard the intruder behind her let out two low, soft chuckles, as if the question itself was particularly foolish.
The intruder’s head lowered again, their tongue licking the wound, and their tone turned slightly chilling.
“It doesn’t matter who I am. However, if you do something wrong, you must be punished~”
After saying that, she bit into Illus’s shoulder once more.
The intruder’s body was pressed tightly against her back. Illus could clearly feel the other person’s taut muscle lines and a racing heartbeat that mirrored her own, transmitted through their clothing.
This tight, coercive closeness made every inch of her skin break out in goosebumps.
The intruder’s other hand grabbed her hair, forcing her head back. Her neck was pulled into a fragile and beautiful arch, completely exposed under the shadow of the other person’s presence.
The sharp pain gradually transformed into a numb heat. The intruder seemed to slow the force of their suction, and their tongue even grazed the bleeding wound with a touch that felt both there and not there.
That wet, warm sensation made Illus shudder violently. A tremor, mixed with fear and a physiological sense of revulsion, surged up her spine.
Just as she thought the other person would continue this gruesome feeding, the intruder released her teeth, though the hand over her mouth did not loosen in the slightest.
Blood-stained lips brushed against the artery on the side of her neck, bringing a wave of icy shivers.
“So sweet…”
That voice carried a sigh of satisfaction, yet it was filled with an unquenched hunger.
“The blood of a Noble Lady really does taste different.”
Illus’s eyes filled with tears from fear and pain. Through her blurred vision, she caught the glint of something cold in the other person’s hand.
Although she could not see clearly what it was, there was no doubt that it was a sharp weapon that could kill her at any moment.
“Don’t turn around. If you even dare to look back, I will kill you instantly.”
After the threat, the intruder pressed the sharp blade against Illus’s neck, speaking in a flirtatious tone.
“The Duke’s Daughter is indeed a beauty.”
The tip of the blade moved, hooking one of the thin straps of Illus’s nightgown and slowly pressing down. The movement was slow but carried the leisure of someone playing with their prey.
Fingertips brushed against the skin below her collarbone, stirring up a field of tiny bumps. Illus’s heart felt as if it were about to jump out of her throat; strictly speaking, this was likely the closest she had ever been to death.
She could even feel the other person’s desire-filled gaze, like a cold and sticky hand stroking her body.
Danger was close at hand, carrying a nauseating tension of blood and lust. This was not simple killing; it felt more like… a form of desecration.
She could not just surrender like this. If this person was Eliana, she would absolutely be toyed with until she died by this bastard demon!
“Let… go…”
She managed to push out a few raspy breaths.
“Let go?”
The intruder chuckled low, her breath hitting Illus’s face, smelling of blood.
“But I haven’t enjoyed myself enough yet, Young Lady~”
“You—”
‘Damn it, is she Eliana? Did she come for revenge because I ruined her plans during the day?! Will she…’
In her desperation, Illus suddenly shouted.
“ELIANA!”
When she let out that cry, she could clearly feel the intruder behind her pause for a moment. Immediately afterward, a terrifying aura was released, making her heart tremble.
‘It… it really is Eliana! This is bad. If she knows I recognized her, she will definitely kill me to silence me. At this rate, I’ll be killed before I even reach my twentieth birthday.’
‘No, no, no, I don’t want this! What should I do? Think! Think!’ Illus had a sudden flash of inspiration and shouted loudly.
“Eliana, come save me! ELIANA!!!”
That was it. This way, it sounded as if she were calling out to Eliana for help.
Sure enough, upon hearing her words, the Eliana behind her withdrew the killing intent. However, her strength only increased.
“But no one is coming to save you~”
Illus winced in pain and tried to dodge, but she was pinned down even more forcefully.
‘Damn it, even if this is a punishment, isn’t this hit too hard? Has Eliana completely lost her mind?’ Since that was the case, she refused to sit and wait for death.
In the chaos, her knee suddenly surged upward…
“Ugh!”
Eliana let out a muffled groan, and her grip loosened slightly.
Now was the time!
Illus used all her strength to slam backward, while simultaneously biting down hard on the fingers near her mouth!
“Hiss—!”
Eliana yanked her hand back in pain. Illus took the opportunity to break free, staggering as she lunged toward the room door.
Just as her hand touched the cold doorknob, a sinister wind swept toward the back of her head!
She threw herself forward clumsily, narrowly avoiding the blade that grazed her scalp. The weapon embedded itself deeply into the door panel, sending wood chips flying.
Illus rolled on the ground. Her nightgown had rolled up all the way to the base of her thighs, and the cold wooden floor scraped against her skin. She couldn’t care less about her exposed dignity at this moment; she only wanted to escape.
She scrambled to her feet, but in the next second, a hand clamped around her slender neck and hoisted her up.
That hand was cold and powerful, choking Illus’s throat like a pair of iron pliers. Her feet left the ground as she kicked futilely. The air was rapidly squeezed from her lungs, and black spots began to dance before her eyes along with flickering golden stars.
Illus’s mouth hung open, but she could not make a sound. Only a “he-he” wheezing sound, like someone on the brink of death, came from her throat.
The extreme sensation of suffocation flooded over her like a tide. Her vision blurred, her consciousness began to drift, and her body’s instincts gradually overrode her reason.
At the same time, Eliana’s other hand was not idle. Cold fingers, carrying an irresistible force, pressed against her violently heaving lower abdomen. The pressure increased slowly…
Under the agony of suffocation and the sudden, overwhelming stimulation, Illus’s body went into violent spasms. A sense of total loss of control and utter shame suddenly enveloped her.
Deep within her lower abdomen, an uncontrollable ache and a sense of losing control began to release.
‘No, I’m going to…’