Ilus’s suspicion was like a cold vine wrapping around her heart, each beat bringing a suffocating tightness and a stabbing pain.
Iliana’s lips still lingered on her shoulder and neck. That warm, dangerous sensation intertwined with the lingering sting on her skin, reminding Ilus that she was still meat on the chopping block.
Iliana had just said she smelled good. She must have been talking about her natural scent, nothing more.
Ilus comforted herself inwardly, even ignoring the alternating pain and itch on her shoulder.
Seeing her lack of reaction, Iliana was naturally a bit dissatisfied.
“Young Lady, what are you thinking about?”
Iliana’s voice was lazy, but the arm wrapped around her waist held an undeniable force of control.
“N-nothing…”
Ilus’s eyes dimmed slightly. She hoped she was just overthinking it. She was still useful to Iliana, yes, she was still useful. Iliana couldn’t possibly kill her.
She closed her eyes and silently endured everything…
From that day on, Iliana would use the excuse of warming the bed every night to slowly savor her, from her shoulders to her neck, down to her delicate collarbone, almost never repeating the same spot twice.
She always started with gentle bites, but gradually the force increased, leaving red tooth marks on her skin that from a distance looked like many strawberries.
And Ilus, watching the old red marks on her body fade only for new ones to cover them, gradually grew numb.
At first, Ilus was just passively enduring, keeping her eyes tightly shut, emptying her mind, letting that warmth mingled with pain and shivers meander across her body.
She repeated to herself constantly that this was to survive. As long as she was obedient and satisfied Iliana’s daily appetite, the other woman wouldn’t kill her.
This fantasy persisted until the night before the eve of Ilus’s birthday.
Ilus lay on the bed, her gaze slightly vacant. The day after tomorrow would be her twentieth birthday. Would Iliana really spare her?
She asked herself this question again in her heart. These past days, Iliana had not responded to her efforts in any way. Everything was exactly the same as the first day.
She hadn’t done anything more excessive to her, nor had she explicitly stated she would spare her.
When Iliana’s breath once again sprayed against the back of her ear, and her fingertips faintly traced the most delicate skin on the inside of her arm, Ilus couldn’t hold back and flinched ever so slightly.
This was completely different from her usual sensitive avoidance. It was more like a reaction… born of fear.
Iliana’s movements stopped.
In the darkness, Ilus could feel that sharp gaze fixed on the side of her face, even with her eyes closed.
The air seemed to freeze, leaving only her own suddenly out-of-control heartbeat, pounding against her chest like a drum.
“Young Lady today… what’s the matter? You seem particularly tense?”
Iliana’s voice was lower than usual, carrying a hint of playful inquiry, her lips almost touching Ilus’s ear.
Ilus’s throat tightened, unable to speak. She feared any response would reveal more.
However, Iliana did not deepen the invasion as she had anticipated.
On the contrary, the arm that had been imprisoning her waist loosened its grip slightly, shifting into a posture closer to… an embrace. A moment later, Iliana’s chin lightly rested on top of her head, and she playfully blew a puff of air.
“Is the Young Lady nervous because of tomorrow’s birthday banquet?”
Before Ilus could even formulate a response, Iliana continued.
“Don’t worry, Young Lady, I will help you. You will definitely make your debut in the most beautiful state.”
“Iliana…”
Ilus suddenly spoke up.
“I asked before what gift you wanted, but you never gave me a clear answer. Have you thought about it now?”
“Mhm, I’ve thought about it. The gift I want is actually very simple~”
“What?” Ilus’s heart pounded wildly, because Iliana’s answer would decide her life or death.
“I want you, Young Lady. Is that okay?~ Young Lady, you smell so good, I really want to eat you up~”
She said this in a joking tone. If it were anyone else, they might blush at the words “eat you up,” but Ilus knew Iliana truly did want to eat her!
“I…”
For a moment, Ilus felt as if struck by lightning, her entire body stiffening. Iliana… she still didn’t plan to let her go?
She had worked so hard, even abandoned her dignity, but in the end, could she still not escape fate?
After the initial shock and despair receded, a cold, sharp clarity broke through the ice, piercing the obedience and fantasy she had long used to numb herself.
The young lady’s face turned ashen. Resentment boiled like magma, scorching her internal organs, and her eyes gradually reddened.
Iliana didn’t notice any of this. She lowered her head and gently bit Ilus’s nape, slightly extending her tongue to press against the fair, tender skin, her expression one of great satisfaction.
But this time, Ilus could sense the other’s attitude seemed to have changed, as if she was selecting where would be best to take a bite.
She… she had to escape. The young lady clenched her small fists. Both paths—resisting the demon and obeying the demon—were dead ends. If that was the case, then she might as well leave the Duke’s Mansion herself.
Escape was more like a piece of driftwood floating on the water of despair. Ilus instinctively grabbed onto it.
She didn’t want this identity as the Duke’s Daughter anymore. She wouldn’t attend the banquet. On the day of the banquet, she would flee this place! Only then, when the Duke’s Mansion was crowded and chaotic, would her chances of successfully escaping greatly increase.
Ilus turned her head away, no longer paying attention to Iliana’s gentle bites, slowly sketching out a perfect escape plan in her mind.
That night, Ilus stayed awake the entire time…
The next day, the fated day finally arrived.
Carriages of nobles, large and small, had clogged the courtyard of the Duke’s Mansion to the point of being impassable. Similarly blocked was Ilus’s room; the many gifts brought by the nobles were piled outside her door, none of which the young lady had opened.
Ilus sat before the dressing table, looking at her pale self in the mirror.
The faint shadows under her eyes were concealed by makeup. The maids dressed her in a complex and magnificent luxurious dress. Layers of silk and lace tightened around her waist. Pearls and tiny diamonds adorned the neckline. This outfit was breathtakingly beautiful.
But Ilus had no time to care about that now.
Ilus lowered her eyelids, her small hand resting inside her dress.
There, in a pocket pressed against her skin, was hidden a small cloth pouch. Inside were the gold coins she had secretly saved these past days, an inconspicuous old cloak, and a small kitchen knife she had taken from the kitchen. The handle was slightly damp from the cold sweat in her palm.
As soon as she made her appearance later and it was over, she would take advantage of the upcoming dance time to leave immediately.
The door opened, and Lady Vanessa walked in. She looked Ilus over and, unusually, nodded.
“This time, you look passable. You haven’t forgotten the etiquette I taught you, have you? Don’t disgrace the family on such an important occasion.”
‘Sorry, Mother. This time, I’m definitely going to disgrace the family.’
She thought to herself. Ilus stood at Lady Vanessa’s side and followed her slowly towards the final ball…