“Iliana… Iliana…”
In the vast darkness, Ilus’s face was turned toward the sky, her expression twisted in pain. A hand was tightly strangling her neck, and though she tried to struggle, she could not break free.
‘Don’t kill me! Please don’t—!’
“Don’t kil—*glug, glug, glug…*”
The Choking Constraint transformed into the suffocating discomfort of water entering her nose, causing the girl to snap awake from the nightmare.
As her consciousness returned, Ilus first choked on a large mouthful of water. When she finally struggled to the surface, she realized she was soaking in a spacious bathtub.
The warm water gently enveloped her body, carrying a subtle fragrance that soothed her nerves. A few fresh flower petals floated on the surface, and the air was moist and quiet.
Everything was so peaceful and beautiful, a stark contrast to the nightmare she just had. It felt as if Iliana herself was merely a dream.
Letting out a heavy sigh, the girl blinked blankly. She raised her hand; her skin was smooth, without any red marks or pain.
Looking down at her neck and chest, everything seemed normal. She moved her legs slightly. Although they were weak and limp, she didn’t feel that specific kind of pain, only the exhaustion that follows heavy exercise.
A wave of dizziness hit her head. She raised a hand to her forehead. In the last fragment of her memory, she seemed to be looking for someone…? She had forgotten important memories again!
Ilus knitted her brows. Her memory had cut off once more at a critical point. It was the same feeling as last time; she felt like she could remember, but whenever she tried to think back carefully, it was as if a wall stood in front of her.
‘What exactly happened to me?’ Ilus tapped her small head, her face clouded with distress. It was clearly something very important, so how could she not remember it?
‘Damn it, did Iliana use some kind of High-tier Magic on me?’
Twirling the ends of her hair in frustration, Ilus looked lost. What should she do next?
Suddenly, she sat bolt upright. ‘That’s right, shouldn’t I find someone to get rid of Iliana!’ Perhaps she hadn’t killed Iliana last time because she hadn’t stabbed deep enough. This time, as long as she found a professional, she could definitely—
“Ugh…” Ilus suddenly let out a muffled groan. The moment that thought entered her mind, it was accompanied by an intense, heavy Choking Constraint.
Ilus’s fingers gripped the edge of the bathtub, her knuckles turning white. The suffocation didn’t come from the water; after all, the water only reached her chest.
This Choking Constraint came from within herself, as if an invisible hand had seized her neck, just like she had felt in the nightmare!
She couldn’t… breathe… The suffocation grew heavier, and Ilus’s vision darkened. Every sound seemed to vanish, replaced by a prolonged ringing in her ears.
She wanted to struggle desperately, but she was completely unable to break free. At that critical moment, the girl’s foot slipped, and she fell back into the bathtub.
Warm water rushed into her nose, causing her to cough violently again, but luckily, the Choking Constraint vanished.
“Huff—huff—”
As if she had just escaped death, Ilus clung to the edge of the tub, her eyes filled with deep terror.
‘What is going on? Why does that fatal Choking Constraint rush in like a tide the moment I have the thought of killing Iliana?’
It was as if the thought of killing Iliana was some kind of forbidden switch, or perhaps her body itself was issuing a warning.
‘This thought is dangerous!’
The near-death experience just now had been too realistic. Ilus didn’t dare let her mind wander anymore, let alone think about killing Iliana.
Ilus leaned weakly against the side of the bath. At this moment, a sense of helplessness and despair washed over her.
It was as if the girl saw her own fate, destined to be killed by Iliana.
The mist in the bathroom blurred the carved ceiling and her vision.
Despair, like an underwater current, slowly and firmly coiled around her, strangling her until she couldn’t breathe. The girl’s eyes grew dim, making her look like a deflated balloon.
The desire for life was like dark ink dropped into clear water, quickly spreading and soaking through every inch of her thoughts.
She was just a weak girl. If even professional mercenaries couldn’t kill Iliana, she had no chance.
Iliana was invincible. Ilus had no talent for Magic or Sword Arts; she was just an ordinary person. She should have realized this sooner. She should stop resisting and beg for mercy like a dog wagging its tail. Maybe then… she would spare her.
‘As long as I’m better to her, more gentle, and try my best to satisfy her needs, can I avoid my certain death?’
By fighting fate, she had already suffered a terrible punishment. If she chose Obedience, perhaps it wouldn’t be so painful?
The thought sounded absurd, even like a fantasy, but right now, it was the girl’s only lifeline.
Although taking the initiative to lower her head and soften her stance was difficult for her stubborn personality to accept, she was willing to do it if it meant avoiding death.
Just as this unreliable-sounding idea began to take up more space in her heart, a familiar and terrifying voice sounded from outside the door.
“Young Lady, have you finished bathing?”
It was Iliana! She was right at the door. How should Ilus face her? Should she beg for mercy as she imagined, or act as she had before?
The sound of approaching footsteps made her flinch, and she nearly slipped into the water again. She frantically grabbed the edge of the tub, panting as she spoke.
“I-I’ll be out soon!”
She heard her own voice; it was trembling unnaturally. She no longer had the heart to hide it.
The footsteps outside paused.
A moment later, Iliana’s voice came again.
“Young Lady, do you need me to come in and help?”
“No! No need!”
Ilus almost screamed it. She took a deep breath, trying to steady her voice.
“I’m just… a little tired. I can do it myself.”
Silence stretched outside the door for a few seconds, each one feeling like a needle pricking Ilus’s tense nerves.
“Very well, Young Lady.”
Iliana’s voice returned to its usual gentleness.
“Dinner is ready.”
After she finished speaking, the footsteps faded away.
Ilus slumped in the bathtub, her whole body limp. In that moment, she had almost thought Iliana would push the door open and walk right in.
She looked down at her body soaked in the warm water. It appeared perfectly fine for now, but when Iliana’s voice sounded, she felt as if she could still feel the touch of that cold hand from her dream clutching her neck.
‘To please a Demon…’ The thought resurfaced.
But how should she do it? Should she give the Demon a promotion or a raise? She clearly didn’t care about those things.
Should she… ask later? Perhaps she would give an answer that wasn’t too excessive. Although she already had a faint understanding of what Iliana wanted, Ilus was unwilling to admit it, still clinging to one last bit of fantasy.
She slowly stood up from the water, creating a splash.
Water droplets slid down the curves of her body, dripping back into the tub. The girl picked up a soft, large bath towel and wrapped herself carefully.
Then, she dried herself off, put on the clothes that had been prepared, took a deep breath, and pushed open the bathroom door.
Iliana was standing there. When she saw Ilus, a small smile played on her lips, as if urging her to take her seat.
Although Ilus pretended to be calm, after Iliana’s repeated torments, her body trembled subconsciously even as her mind tried to remain steady.
After sitting down, Ilus spoke in a voice as soft as a mosquito’s hum.
“Iliana, what… what kind of gift do you want?”