Guji!
The black fur ball that had been kicked away tumbled through the air.
Its four short legs hit the ground with a thud, and it remained motionless.
It shook its body, its pure black eyes staring straight at Lilia.
It wasn’t anger or resentment.
It was a pure, raw appetite, as if it wanted to eat her alive.
Lilia’s fur stood on end all at once.
A chill ran from the base of her tail straight to the top of her head.
She wanted to hide, but her legs wouldn’t listen; she couldn’t move an inch.
She subconsciously shrank behind Lilith, her voice dry.
“A Void Beast… meow?”
She remembered the term; Lucia had mentioned it before.
They were creatures that lived in the cracks between worlds.
“An otherworldly creature that feeds on space,” Lucia’s voice was flat.
“They devour Laws and travel between planes. All casters fear them.”
A hint of amusement entered her tone.
“Especially… a little thing like you who has just pried open the gates of space and radiates a ‘fresh’ scent. In its eyes, you are currently a walking panacea.”
Lilia’s head buzzed.
‘Am I Tang Sanzang’s Flesh?!’
“Gu!”
Before she could react, the Void Beast cub cried out again.
The air around its body began to twist and bubble.
Its figure flickered on the spot, becoming blurred, appearing ready to vanish at any moment.
“Lilith.”
Lucia finally spoke.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Lilith’s figure vanished instantly as she took the initiative to meet the black shadow.
She used no incantations and no wasted movements, simply reaching out toward the Void Beast.
“[Heart’s Desire Domain: Prison Kill]”
As her fingers spread, a purple magic cage covered in runes appeared out of thin air, trapping the Void Beast inside.
The solidified Space Laws within were enough to grind a mountain into powder.
The trapped Void Beast tilted its head.
Then, it opened its small mouth and took a bite out of the cage’s magical barrier.
Crack.
A crisp shattering sound echoed.
The Law cage, constructed from the power of a [Fifth-Tier Monarch Domain]… had actually been bitten through!
For the first time, a tiny crack appeared in Lilith’s expression.
She immediately increased her mana output.
Just as the damaged part of the cage began to repair itself—
Crack! Crack!
The little thing ate even faster!
In just a few seconds, it had gnawed the entire Law cage until it was riddled with holes.
With a bang, the structure shattered into countless points of light.
“Gu!”
The Void Beast gave a cheerful cry.
It leapt out from the rain of shattered magical light, its target clear: it pounced straight for Lilia!
“Dammit!”
For the first time, Lilith showed signs of panic.
She tried to teleport in front of Lilia again, but she found her body heavy and her movements hindered.
The surrounding Space Laws were a mess, thick and stagnant.
It was that cub! It was devouring the surrounding spatial structure, creating a temporary [No-Magic Zone]!
Seeing the black shadow closing in, Lilith abandoned all defense and technique.
She prepared to detonate her own mana in the crudest way possible to force herself free from the restraint, even if it resulted in [Law Backlash] and severe injuries.
She couldn’t allow anything to happen to the young lady in front of her!
This was her duty as the Head Maid of the Eternal Night Palace, and even more —
Just as she was about to risk everything —
“Sister Lilith! Duck! Meow!”
A sharp, urgent cry, tinged with a sob, exploded from behind her.
Lilith’s body reacted before her brain could, instinctively crouching low.
At the moment she ducked, a distorted ripple whistled past her scalp!
— Spatial Blade!
Lilia closed her eyes, her entire body trembling.
Under the threat of death, she had pushed the “Mana Vision” she had just realized to its absolute limit.
In her mental world, the Void Beast’s movement trajectory was slowed down infinitely, every action disassembled.
She saw it!
Now!
Using every last ounce of her strength and spirit, she screamed that warning and simultaneously unleashed her strongest strike.
“Gu?!”
The Void Beast in mid-air hadn’t expected it.
This most “delicious” prey actually dared to resist.
It twisted its body to its limit in the air, trying to dodge, but it was still too slow.
Slash —
The invisible blade grazed its body as it passed.
While it failed to slice the beast in two, it left a wound deep enough to see bone on its black fur.
Non-reflective black blood surged from the wound.
“Guya — !”
The Void Beast let out a shrill scream and tumbled from the air.
It hit the ground and gave Lilia a venomous look before its body flickered.
It merged into the shadows on the ground without hesitation and vanished.
It had fled.
The entire storage room fell into instant silence.
Lilith remained in a half-squatting position, frozen in place.
Slowly, inch by inch, she turned her head.
She looked at the silver-haired girl behind her, who was leaning against the wall, trembling and on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion.
Her mind was a complete blank.
‘I… was saved?’
By this little thing she had been watching over, who required her service, and whom Her Majesty treated as a “pet”… she had been saved.
If she hadn’t ducked when that Spatial Blade passed just now…
Lilith’s heart throbbed painfully.
An emotion she had never experienced before crushed the composure she had maintained for hundreds of years.
“Are you… are you okay? Sister Lilith? Meow?”
Lilia leaned against the cold wall.
She panted heavily, her small face as pale as porcelain.
That strike just now had drained everything from her.
“I’m… fine.”
Lilith stood up, her steps a bit unsteady as she walked to Lilia’s side.
Her hand rose, hesitated for a moment, and finally landed, gently supporting the girl’s slender arm.
Under her palm, she felt the texture of the fabric and the warmth of the girl’s body.
She opened her mouth, her throat dry.
“…Thank you.”
Her voice was so quiet those two words were almost inaudible.
Lilia was stunned for a moment, then she grinned, revealing a pale but proud smile.
“Hehe, no need for thanks, meow.”
She patted the back of Lilith’s hand and tilted her little chin up, looking like a grand victor.
“After all, you’re my Head Maid, meow. I’ve got your back!”
Lucia took everything in.
She looked at Lilia’s weak yet arrogant appearance, then she glanced at her subordinate, who was usually flawless but now wore a complicated expression.
Her pet wasn’t just growing.
Now, she was even starting to win people over.
Lucia wordlessly shifted into a more comfortable standing position.
This game was getting… more and more interesting.