In her deep slumber, Ilus trembled unconsciously, as if something cold was coiling around her from the depths of her dreams.
As the final stroke was completed, the entire incantation flickered once before vanishing completely beneath her skin. It left only a faint, heart-shaped mark on the small of Ilus’s back. If one did not look closely, it merely resembled a stray sleep mark.
Iliana studied her work with satisfaction, her fingertip tracing over the mark.
Her plan was unfolding step by step. This incantation would not take effect immediately; instead, it would lie dormant and grow within Ilus like a seed, gradually eroding her will and vitality until it finally bloomed on the night of her 20th birthday.
When that moment arrived, not only would the Young Lady experience unprecedented pleasure, but Iliana would also enjoy the finest of feasts.
She lay back down beside the girl. This time, she wrapped her arm around Ilus’s waist, her palm resting directly over that heart-shaped mark.
Ilus whimpered in her sleep, yet her body instinctively huddled closer to the heat source, her forehead resting in the crook of Iliana’s shoulder.
The demon smiled silently and tenderly brushed away the sweat-dampened hair from the girl’s forehead.
“Sweet dreams, my dear Little Lamb…”
She whispered against the curve of Ilus’s ear, her voice as light as a sigh.
“You need to grow up quickly…”
***
The next day, Ilus woke as the morning light filtered through the gaps in the heavy velvet curtains.
The first thing to return was her sense of smell. It wasn’t that dangerous, mysterious fragrance Iliana carried, but rather the faint scent of fresh roses and breakfast tea.
Next was her sense of touch. Beneath her were soft, dry sheets, a far cry from the damp, cold terror of the previous night’s memories.
Finally, she heard the faint chirping of birds in the distance, the light footsteps of maids in the hallway, and a soft humming inside the room.
‘Right, last night Iliana actually slept with me!’
She snapped her eyes open.
She was currently the only one in the bed.
‘Was it a dream?’ Even now, Ilus felt as though the horrific punishment from the night before was just a nightmare, until—as she tried to prop herself up, the dull ache from her backside and legs made her gasp. She nearly fell back onto the pillows.
It wasn’t a dream. The pain was real and etched into her bones.
Noticing Ilus’s movement, Iliana walked over with a smile.
“You’re awake? Young Lady, please wash up quickly. Breakfast is already prepared.”
Hearing her voice, Ilus couldn’t help but shudder. She then struggled to make her expression look natural as she slowly shifted toward the edge of the bed.
With every movement, the areas that had been punished throbbed in protest. Iliana did not immediately step forward to help her; she simply stood a short distance away, watching her as if she were a joke.
“Is something wrong, Young Lady?”
“…It’s nothing.”
Ilus lowered her eyelashes and steadied herself by grabbing the bedpost. Her legs were still trembling slightly beneath her silk nightgown. Iliana had been too ruthless the night before. Even with the Herb Ointment applied, the pain was still excruciating.
The process of washing up was slow and difficult. The warm water and soft towels provided some relief, but the girl in the mirror had faint shadows under her eyes.
Her lips also seemed redder than usual because she had been biting them. She took a deep breath and secretly clenched her small fists.
Through her private investigations, she already had a general idea of where the Dark House was located. Today—yes, today—she would post a commission to put a bounty on this demon’s head!
She didn’t believe Iliana couldn’t be killed!
The small round table by the window was already set. Iliana was gracefully adding milk and sugar cubes to the black tea.
Everything looked beautiful, but in Ilus’s eyes, the scene was no different from a wicked witch brewing a large pot of poison.
“Please sit, Young Lady.”
She pulled out a chair like a well-trained maid.
“Come, the egg is peeled. Let me feed you.”
Ilus wanted to refuse, but Iliana’s movements suddenly paused. That look—the one that made her feel like prey—returned to the demon’s eyes.
“Al-Alright…”
The corners of Iliana’s lips curled into a barely perceptible arc. Holding the smooth, white boiled egg with her fingertips, she didn’t hand it over directly. Instead, she used her other hand to gently tilt Ilus’s chin up.
“Open your mouth, Young Lady.”
The command was soft, yet Brooke no refusal.
Ilus’s eyelashes fluttered. Since yesterday, she felt that Iliana’s attitude toward her had become more aggressive.
The desire for her was visible in those eyes; where Iliana used to hide it slightly, she wasn’t even pretending anymore.
Her current actions were telling Ilus that there was no escaping her palm.
Ilus gripped the hem of her skirt tightly, feeling immense shame and anger, but there was no way to save herself. She had no choice but to submissively part her lips.
The egg white was carefully offered to her teeth, perfectly warm. Her teeth sank into the soft protein as she took a small bite.
Iliana did not let go. Instead, using the feeding as an excuse, her thumb pressed against Ilus’s lower lip as if she were playing with a toy.
As her finger applied pressure, Ilus’s breath hitched. The food in her mouth suddenly became difficult to swallow.
‘This… bastard…’
“You must eat well, Young Lady. You need to keep your body fair and tender.”
Without noticing how strange her words sounded, Iliana broke off a small piece of cake with jam. This time, she didn’t feed it directly. Instead, she dipped her fingertip into the jam and lightly dabbed it onto Ilus’s lips.
The orange jam clung to the crimson lips like an ambiguous decoration or a silent mark.
“Young Lady, please lick it clean. You mustn’t waste it.”
Iliana held up her finger, a violet light flashing in her eyes.
Ilus’s body stiffened. Such an insulting request—she must have used Hypnosis Magic again.
‘I absolutely cannot expose the fact that I wasn’t hypnotized!’ That was the girl’s first thought.
Blood rushed to the tips of her ears. She looked at the finger inches away, still coated with a bit of jam.
Very slowly, Ilus extended the tip of her tongue.
First, she lightly touched her own lower lip to curl away the remaining jam. Then, she timidly took Iliana’s fingertip into her mouth.
The moment they touched, both of them felt a nearly imperceptible shiver.
The tip of Ilus’s tongue was warm and soft, testing cautiously like a startled animal.
“Mmh…”
A very soft whimper escaped Ilus’s throat. Whether it was out of resistance or something else, a thin blush stained her cheeks. Her eyes remained downcast and wet, not daring to meet Iliana’s gaze as she looked elsewhere.
The action forced the girl to bow her head, as if she were swallowing her dignity instead of food.
Iliana seemed very satisfied with the current situation. Ilus’s show of weakness gave her an unprecedented sense of fulfillment.
When the last of the jam was licked clean, Iliana did not withdraw her hand. Instead, her fingertip slid deeper into Ilus’s mouth…