Art Class?
It sounded much more normal than yesterday’s “Spatial Class.”
But she didn’t believe it.
Everything this woman did had a purpose.
“Draw… draw what? Meow?”
She asked cautiously.
“Draw me.”
Lucia walked to the center of the room and sat down on a magnificent armchair.
She crossed her legs, resting her chin on one hand.
Her blood-red eyes stared at Lilia.
She exuded the aura of a queen posing with a clear “Come and draw me” attitude.
Lilia’s hand holding the brush trembled slightly.
Draw her?
She’d rather go paint the pigs in a pigsty!
“What? Are you unwilling?”
Lucia raised an eyebrow.
“No! How could that be! Meow!”
Lilia shook her head rapidly.
She picked up the brush and squeezed some paint onto the palette.
But she was scheming in her heart.
Since she was drawing her…
Could she do a little “artistic processing”?
For example, could she paint a little mustache on her?
Or maybe paint a pig’s head on her?
Hehehe… Lilia grew more excited the more she thought about it.
The brush in her hand almost slipped.
“No brushes allowed.”
Lucia’s voice suddenly rang out.
Lilia’s smile froze on her face.
“If… if I don’t use brushes, what do I use? Meow?”
Her voice even cracked.
“Use your magic.”
Lucia pointed at the canvas.
“Project your mental strength and mana directly onto the canvas.”
“Use your will to depict my appearance.”
Lilia’s face fell.
Painting with magic?
Wouldn’t that mean whatever she was thinking in her head would appear on the canvas?
How was she supposed to pull any tricks then?!
“Hurry up.”
Lucia urged.
Lilia bit her lip.
There was no way around it.
She put down the brush and closed her eyes.
Mobilizing the magic within her body, she began to construct Lucia’s image in her mind.
Long black hair, blood-red eyes, and that excessively perfect face.
Along with that majestic imperial gown.
Lilia tried desperately to depict these details.
But for some reason, strange things kept popping into her mind.
Lucia wearing that nightgown printed with cartoon cats.
Lucia’s face being smothered with chili water by her.
That stunned expression on Lucia’s face after Lilia bit her tongue.
These images flashed by.
They were interfering with her creation.
Twisted lines and chaotic patches of color began to appear on the canvas.
“Focus.”
Lucia’s voice carried dissatisfaction.
Lilia jolted in fear.
She quickly pushed those messy thoughts out of her head.
She refocused her mind, constructing Lucia’s image bit by bit.
Time passed minute by minute.
Lilia’s mental strength was being consumed rapidly.
Painting with magic was much harder than she had imagined.
It required not only precise magic control but also immense mental strength to maintain the stability of the image.
Sweat broke out on her forehead, and her face turned pale.
Finally, just as her mental strength was about to be exhausted, the portrait on the canvas was complete.
Lilia opened her eyes and looked at her “masterpiece,” letting out a long breath.
Although the details were a bit rough, at least… it looked human.
“It’s finished, meow…”
She slumped in the chair, too exhausted to move.
Lucia rose from the sofa and walked over to the canvas.
She looked at the painting and remained silent for a long time.
Lilia’s heart leaped into her throat.
What was wrong?
Was it painted poorly?
She leaned over to look as well.
On the canvas, Lucia had a cold expression and majestic eyes.
Nothing seemed wrong?
“What are you hiding in your mind?”
Lucia spoke suddenly.
Lilia was stunned for a moment.
“W-what do you mean? Meow?”
Lucia reached out and pointed at the background of the portrait.
It was a pitch-black night sky dotted with a few stars.
But at the very top of the portrait, there was a blurry, softly glowing… sun.
Lilia’s pupils shrank violently.
When did she paint a sun?
She didn’t remember it at all!
“I… I didn’t… meow…”
Her voice was trembling.
“No?”
Lucia turned around, her blood-red eyes staring at her.
“Your subconscious is much more honest than your mouth.”
Lilia’s face instantly burned.
She wanted to defend herself.
But the words reached her lips and were swallowed back down.
Because she knew Lucia was right.
She was indeed… still longing for the light.
Even if she was trapped in this Evernight Palace.
Even if she was tortured half to death by this pervert.
In the depths of her heart, she still hadn’t given up.
“Interesting.”
Lucia’s finger brushed across the sun on the canvas.
That sun instantly turned to ash and dissipated into the air.
“Since you want light so much…”
She walked up to Lilia and leaned down.
“Tonight, I’ll let you truly feel what ‘darkness’ means.”
Lilia’s heart thudded violently.
She had a very bad premonition.
“W-what are you going to do again? Meow?”
Lucia didn’t answer.
She snapped her fingers.
The lights in the entire room were instantly extinguished.
The sunlight from outside was also blocked by an invisible barrier.
The room plunged into a darkness so thick one couldn’t see their own hand.
“Ah! Meow!”
Lilia cried out in fright, instinctively trying to manifest a light ball.
But as soon as her magic moved, it was suppressed by an even stronger power.
“Don’t waste your effort.”
Lucia’s voice rang out in the darkness, right next to her.
“In this ‘Absolute Darkness Domain,’ no Light Element can exist.”
Lilia’s body froze.
She could feel that Lucia was right beside her.
That cool fragrance enveloped her.
“W-what do you actually want? Meow?”
Her voice was shaking.
“To punish you.”
There was a hint of amusement in Lucia’s voice.
“To punish you for not focusing on class and for always thinking about things you shouldn’t in your head.”
In the next second, Lilia felt herself being scooped up by her waist.
Then, she was tossed onto the large, soft bed.
It was her bed.
“Tonight, I’m sleeping here.”
Lucia’s voice came from the side.
“I will personally supervise you to see if you still have those dreams you shouldn’t have.”
Lilia’s mind went blank with a “buzz.”
Slee… sleep here?
Together with her?
“I don’t want to! Meow!”
She leaped up from the bed, wanting to run out.
But a hand grabbed her ankle and dragged her back.
She was pinned to the bed, unable to move.
A warm body pressed against her, embracing her from behind.
Lucia’s chin rested on her shoulder, her hot breath puffing against Lilia’s ear.
“Don’t move.”
Lilia was stiff all over.
She could clearly feel the contour and resilience of the body behind her.
And that steady heartbeat. “Let… let go of me… meow…”
Her voice took on a sobbing tone.
“Sleep.”
Lucia’s voice was very low, carrying a hypnotic quality.
“Tomorrow, we have to continue our classes.”
She tightened her arms, binding Lilia more firmly in her embrace.
Lilia wanted to struggle.
But that “Robe of Tranquility” she was wearing made it impossible to muster any strength.
Moreover, that embrace… was very warm.
It made her feel a shameful urge to indulge in it.
Her reason was screaming and resisting.
But her body was slowly relaxing.
Her eyelids grew heavier and heavier.
Before her consciousness completely sank into the darkness, she heard Lucia’s whisper in her ear.
“Goodnight, my little pet.”
In the darkness, Lilia grit her teeth.
Bastard…
Once I get stronger…
I’ll definitely pin you to the ground…
And let you taste… what it’s like to be trapped in the darkness…