Chapter 30 : What I Dreamed
Chapter 30: What I Dreamed
Hera turned around, her golden eyes quietly gazing at Lilia, who was kneeling on the ground.
An unprecedented pressure pressed in from all directions.
【Ding!】
【Warning! Queen Hera is evaluating your intrinsic value and loyalty.】
Cold sweat instantly drenched Lilia’s back.
Suppressing her fear, she slowly raised her head.
Her gaze lifted slightly, settling on the shadow where Hera’s jaw met her neck.
Time seemed to freeze.
Just as Lilia felt her kneecaps were about to fuse with the floor, Hera finally spoke.
“You are quite good at pleasing me.”
“That is what I should do.”
Hera watched Lilia with interest as she panicked like a startled cat, her golden eyes even showing a faint trace of amusement.
“Is that so?”
Hera dragged out her tone.
“I…” Lilia was at a loss for words.
Seeing Lilia’s beautiful face shifting between pale and flushed, her red eyes filled with panic and helplessness, the curve of Hera’s lips deepened.
She seemed to enjoy Lilia’s embarrassment.
Hera turned and walked back behind the massive black crystal desk.
Picking up a document, she said, “Do something you should be doing.”
“Clean this place.”
Lilia froze.
That’s it?
The joy of surviving the ordeal made her momentarily unable to react.
【Ding!】
【Main Mission Issuance: Order of the Study】
【Mission Description: The Queen’s study is an extension of her will and authority. Not a single trace of disorder or dust is permitted. Restore this place to absolute perfection.】
【Mission Requirements:】
【1. Remove all visible and invisible dust, including the tops of bookshelves, deep within carpet fibers, and every facet of the magic crystal lamps.】
【2. Arrange all books, scrolls, and objects according to the Queen’s subconscious preferences, placing them in the most “correct” positions.】
【Mission Rewards: Maid EXP +200, Hera Loyalty +5, unlock system function [Maid Workshop] (Basic).】
【Failure Penalty: Engage in an intimate three-day tango with the dust creature “Ashy.”】
Lilia: “……”
What kind of thing was a dust creature?!
She glanced at the study, comparable to a small library, and felt her vision go dark.
This workload…!
But thinking of dancing with some unknown monster—
she shuddered.
Do it! She had to do it!
“Yes, my Master.”
She responded respectfully, stood up, and began searching for cleaning tools.
The Demon Realm’s cleaning tools were vastly different from those of the mortal world—enchanted objects with strange properties. Soon, she found a feather duster that automatically absorbed dust and a sponge that produced cleaning foam.
Taking a deep breath, she began.
With [Master Artisan Heart], Lilia discovered she had developed an instinctive sense of aesthetics.
She didn’t need to think—her hands moved on their own.
Time passed.
When she placed the final crystal ornament perfectly on the fireplace—
【Ding!】
【Mission “Order of the Study” completed!】
【Completion: S++! Exceeded expectations!】
【You are born to be the ultimate maid for organizing the Queen’s domain!】
【Bonus Rewards:】
【1. Maid EXP +500! Rank Up! Apprentice Maid → Official Maid!】
【2. Hera Loyalty +10! Hera Intimacy +5! Current Intimacy: 40 (Beloved Possession)】
【3. System function [Maid Workshop] (Basic) unlocked!】
【4. Title obtained: Executor of Order (Efficiency and effectiveness in organization increased by 50%)】
A cascade of notifications overwhelmed her.
She leveled up!
From Apprentice Maid to Official Maid!
She almost jumped in joy but restrained herself, standing properly and awaiting orders.
Hera set down the document.
She didn’t look at Lilia, instead scanning the now pristine study.
Her gaze passed over shelves and scrolls, finally settling on Lilia.
“Come here.”
Lilia’s heart tightened again.
She stepped forward silently.
“Sort these.” Hera pointed to another pile of documents.
“Yes, my Master.”
Lilia began organizing.
Most were battle reports and territorial documents from the Abyss.
She sorted them quickly.
Soon, everything was neatly arranged.
As she finished—
a scroll fell at her feet.
She bent down to pick it up.
Glancing at it—
that moment was noticed.
“Tell me your thoughts.”
Hera suddenly said.
Lilia: “……”
Her thoughts?
I’m dead.
Her mind screamed.
【Ding!】
【Mission: The Queen’s Advisor】
【Requirement: Provide constructive analysis beyond current Demon Realm frameworks】
【Reward: Official Maid → Head Maid, unlock [Maid Talent Tree], Hera Loyalty +15】
【Failure Penalty: Truth Potion + 12-hour Truth-or-Dare with Hera】
Lilia nearly blacked out.
Truth-or-Dare with Hera?!
That meant exposing everything!
No!
She forced herself to read.
The symbols slowly gained meaning.
But—
it was still chaotic.
This report itself was a mess.
At the end—
a red Minotaur emblem.
She looked up.
“My Master… this report… is merely an attempt to fulfill your order superficially.”
Hera’s brow twitched slightly.
“Oh?”
Lilia pressed on.
“It mentions shortages, laziness, harsh terrain—but never explains why, or how severe.”
“No root cause, no data, no solutions.”
She exhaled.
Silence filled the room.
Hera approached.
Footsteps echoed.
She’s going to kill me.
Lilia closed her eyes.
But—
no pain came.
“Interesting.”
Hera smiled faintly.
“Then tell me—how should it be managed?”
Lilia: “……”
Still going?!
Her mind went blank.
“Accountability!”
“Quantification!”
“Positive incentives!”
Each word increased Hera’s interest.
“What is ‘quantification’?”
“Break goals into measurable tasks!”
“Daily quotas, performance scoring, rewards and penalties!”
She kept going.
Like her past training days.
“Clear rules. Clear rewards.”
“Maximize motivation.”
Silence.
Hera released her chin.
Turned to the window.
Lilia’s heart pounded.
Did it work?
No system notification.
Time passed.
Then—
Hera spoke.
“Those ideas…”
“Who taught you?”
Lilia’s mind went blank.
She was exposed.
The pressure increased tenfold.
Her body collapsed.
“Thud.”
She fell forward.
Pain shot through her knees.
Tears welled up.
Not from pain—
but fear.
She didn’t want to die.
“Ugh…”
A choked sob escaped her.
She trembled like a wounded animal.
Then—
the pressure eased slightly.
Hera didn’t press further.
Silence.
Then—
Lilia forced herself up.
This was her only chance.
“My Master… I… am not an ordinary human.”
“I once had a grave illness…”
“And I dreamed…”
“A fallen ancient kingdom.”
“A queen… who looked like me.”
She gambled.
“I became her.”
“She built a perfect system…”
“Absolute order. Absolute efficiency.”
“It worked… at first.”
“But no one understood her.”
“They betrayed her.”
“She was executed.”
“Since then… those memories remained.”
“What I said… came from her.”
Silence.
Hera turned.
Walked back.
Tapped the Minotaur mark.
Lilia’s heart sank.
She didn’t believe it.
She was going to die.
But—
Hera spoke.
“Then so be it.”
She tossed the scroll.
It landed before Lilia.
“This document.”
“You will handle it.”
Lilia froze.
What?
“Write a solution.”
“I want to see it tomorrow.”