W-What did she mean by showing her charm? Because of Eliana’s previous actions, Eluce was currently unable to calm down at all, and she didn’t even process Eliana’s words.
For a moment, a look of genuine confusion flashed across the young girl’s already pitiful face.
“Now then, Master…”
Eliana took half a step back, her gaze slowly scanning Eluce from top to bottom.
Her eyes moved from the flushed cheeks to the heaving chest, then to the waist wrapped tightly in the red dress that outlined her youthful curves, and finally, they stopped at the pile of pure white, thin fabric still tangled around her slender ankles.
The corner of her mouth curled into a wicked smirk.
“Please pick ‘it’ up yourself and put it on.”
She paused and added, her voice filled with a peculiar temptation, yet every word was crystal clear.
“Of course, you must do it as slowly as possible. I want to appreciate the process.”
Eluce stood rooted to the spot, nearly dazed. The previous stimulation had been so intense that she had forgotten she was still completely exposed underneath.
The tremors stirred by the lipstick had yet to subside when a new, more shameful command was issued. Following Eliana’s gaze, the girl looked down and saw her own long legs and the glaring circle of white around her ankles.
‘Damn it all!’
No matter how much Eluce cursed Eliana in her heart, she still had to do what was required.
The air seemed to grow thick, and every breath tugged at her frayed nerves. Under the demon’s unabashed, burning gaze, she slowly — extremely slowly — bent her waist.
This posture caused the hem of her skirt to slide upward, exposing more of the skin on the back of her thighs to the cool air and Eliana’s sight. Her trembling fingers finally touched the edge of the soft fabric.
The process of pulling up her panties became a slow, public execution. As the fabric rubbed against her calves, the back of her knees, and her thighs… every inch of covered skin felt as though it were reliving the shiver from when they had first fallen.
She could feel Eliana’s gaze following her like a shadow, moving in sync with her fingers. It felt as if those eyes could penetrate the thin fabric to look directly at the area beneath — the place that had just been “marked” by this bastard and still throbbed with a dull ache.
When she finally pulled the panties back into place and the fabric clung to her skin, Eluce felt as if she were on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion.
She stood up straight, her legs still trembling slightly. Her cheeks were burning, her red lips were parted, and she panted in small, shallow breaths.
Eliana finally revealed a look of complete satisfaction. She stepped forward and reached out to tuck a sweat-dampened lock of hair behind Eluce’s ear, her movements incredibly tender.
“All right, Miss. It is time for you to wake up. What do you think of this dress? Does it not suit you perfectly?”
Hearing this, Eluce, who had been feeling listless, suddenly perked up. ‘Does she mean the hypnosis is over?’
Looking at the pitiful girl in the mirror and the smiling maid standing behind her, Eluce thought for a moment and nodded in compliance.
“Yes, it does. Thank you, Eliana. However, I do not know what is wrong with me today; I feel a bit tired. Could you go and pour a cup of hot tea for me?”
“Of course, Miss.”
Eliana’s tone grew even more gentle. It was hard to imagine that she was the same person who had just done those things to her.
Once Eliana left, Eluce lifted her skirt and looked at the red mark on her inner thigh that had not yet faded. Her face flushed hot once again.
‘Damn it. At this rate, Eliana will devour me before my twentieth birthday.’
The girl could not help but shudder, as if imagining the process of Eliana cooking her into a gourmet meal.
Just then, a commotion broke out downstairs. Eluce walked to the window and saw a crowd gathered below. It seemed a guest had arrived, but she didn’t remember having any appointments today.
At that moment, a hurried knocking sounded at the door. She thought it was that fellow Eliana again, but to her surprise, it was the voices of Lina and several other maids.
“Miss, hurry and get ready! Madam has returned!”
“Mother?”
Eluce was stunned. In the Game Setting, there were very few descriptions of her mother. The only thing she currently knew was that on the night Eliana went on a killing spree, she apparently hadn’t managed to escape either.
As for her father, according to the Game Setting, he had already passed away.
Eluce did not dare to be negligent toward her current mother. she tidied her dress in front of the mirror and then opened the door to head downstairs.
As soon as she reached the bottom floor, she recognized at a glance that the elegantly dressed woman in the center was her mother.
Recalling the Noble Etiquette she had learned, Eluce lifted her skirt and prepared to walk over. However, in the next moment, the woman strode forward and raised her hand.
*Slap!*
Accompanied by the loud sound of the slap, Eluce’s mind went blank.
A burning pain instantly erupted on her left cheek, like a branding iron dropped into cold water, making Eluce’s vision blur and her ears ring.
She staggered back half a step, nearly tripping on her hem.
‘Is she really my mother?’ Only then did Eluce notice the abnormality in her body. Perhaps she had been too agitated before, but she hadn’t noticed that her body was trembling uncontrollably.
This was different from her fear of Eliana; this was Eluce’s instinctive reaction! She seemed to be truly terrified of her mother!
“Look at you now. Have the dogs eaten all the Noble Etiquette and movements you learned?”
The woman’s voice was exceptionally cold, sounding nothing like someone speaking to her own daughter.
“Madam Vanessa, please calm your anger. You have returned from a long journey; I have prepared the hot tea you like most.”
At some point, Eliana had appeared between Madam Vanessa and Eluce, holding a tray with a steaming cup of black tea and wearing an impeccably submissive smile.
She bowed slightly, presenting the tray with a posture as elegant as if she were offering a tribute.
“Hmph. At least there is one person here who knows the rules. Tell Eluce to find me in the Study later. Being away from home for so long has made her completely lose her sense of discipline.”
With a cold snort, Madam Vanessa took the hot tea and walked to the side, not giving Eluce a second glance.
‘Eliana? Is she helping me out?’ Eluce looked up at Eliana, only to find the other woman looking back at her.
Their gazes met, and Eliana quietly poked out the tip of her tongue, licking her own lips.
‘No, this demon definitely has an ulterior motive!’
‘I… I have to find a way to get Mother to kick Eliana out, even if it sounds unrealistic.’
‘That’s the only way… Right, only then can I survive!’
Having made up her mind, Eluce swore to herself that even if the Noble Etiquette lessons made her head spin, she would make her mother agree!
Just then, the head maid nearby took a small vial of ointment from her pocket and handed it to Eliana.
“Eliana, go and apply some medicine for Lady Eluce. I will go and serve the Madam first.”
“I understand, Head Maid.”
After taking the ointment, Eliana gave Eluce a smile that made her skin crawl.
“Come, Miss. Let’s return to your room… I must apply this carefully for you, or else the swelling might not go down.”