Chapter 42 : Cuddling?
Chapter 42: Cuddling?
Ding——!
That damned system alarm in her mind rang right on time.
Lilia didn’t even have time to open her eyes before her body reacted ahead of her consciousness.
She shot upright from the bed.
Then came the full-body soreness.
Yesterday, she had sorted through that mountain of documents, and on top of that, had to deal with that Camilla who looked like she wanted to devour her alive.
She gasped for breath, her silver long hair messily draped over her shoulders, her crimson eyes still filled with the confusion and daze of just waking up.
Three seconds.
She blanked out on the bed for a full three seconds.
Until her vision focused on the dim, gray sky outside the window.
Wait.
What time was it now?
If she made her master wait…
How did you write the word “death” again?
“I’m screwed, I’m screwed, I’m screwed!”
Lilia scrambled off the bed, her bare feet landing on the icy floor, the bone-chilling cold instantly driving away all traces of sleepiness.
She fumbled as she grabbed the maid outfit from the rack.
Damn it, why did this outfit have so many buttons?
And this lace garter—who on earth designed something this inhumane?
Oh right, the System. Never mind then.
While frantically complaining in her mind, Lilia moved with a heartbreaking level of familiarity, stuffing herself into that outrageously embarrassing maid outfit.
Fully dressed, washed up, and even taking a moment to adjust that bow that had to be perfect in front of the mirror.
Total time: four and a half minutes.
“Phew…”
Lilia looked at herself in the mirror.
The maid outfit outlined her body curves vividly, giving off an air that made her look easy to bully.
She slapped her cheeks hard.
Wake up.
You are the Queen’s… Chief Administrative Officer and Personal Maid.
Lilia pushed open the door and ran all the way toward Hera’s bedchamber.
The chamber doors were tightly shut.
Lilia took a deep breath, adjusted her breathing, and lightened her steps.
She absolutely couldn’t disturb Hera.
She slipped sideways through the door gap, sneaking in like a kitten afraid of waking a tiger, moving silently.
The chamber was dim, the air filled with a faint, cool fragrance.
Lilia held her breath and slowly raised her head.
The next second, her heart skipped a beat.
Hera was awake.
At that moment, Hera wore only an extremely thin black silk nightgown.
The silk flowed like water along her tall figure, barely covering the tops of her thighs.
Large patches of snow-white skin contrasted against the black, dazzlingly pale—so pale it was almost dizzying.
Her back was turned to Lilia, her waterfall-like black hair cascading down freely, droplets of water still falling from the tips—she had clearly just bathed.
Hearing movement behind her, Hera slightly turned her head.
Her golden vertical pupils flashed with a hint of laziness in the dim light.
“You’re here?”
Lilia’s scalp went numb.
“Are you changing clothes?”
Lilia carefully probed, reaching to get the garments. “I’ll prepare them right away.”
Before she could finish—
Hera extended her hand—not to have her served, nor to grab her throat.
That slender, cool hand directly hooked around Lilia’s lower back.
Then, with force, pulled her in.
The world spun.
Lilia froze.
Completely froze.
Her mind went blank in an instant; all her complaints, fear, and survival instincts crashed at that moment.
Hera… hugged her?
This Demon Queen, who had severe cleanliness issues—
Was now tightly holding her in her arms.
Lilia’s face was forced against Hera’s chest.
That cold, faint fragrance instantly filled her nose, so rich it almost suffocated her.
She could even feel, beneath the silk nightgown, that body—filled with explosive strength yet unbelievably soft.
Too close.
So close that Lilia could hear the steady, slow beating of the Demon Queen’s heart inside her chest.
Thump.
Thump.
Lilia’s hands hovered awkwardly in midair—neither able to put them down nor return the embrace.
She was like a petrified statue, stiff all over, not even daring to breathe.
“M-Master?”
Her voice trembled, tinged with a sob. “If this is punishment… could you… could you make it quick? At this rate… I’ll die from my heart rate going too fast…”
This was too abnormal.
Something abnormal always meant something suspicious.
This had to be some kind of advanced punishment!
Or… “killing with kindness”?
Lift her up high, only to smash her down afterward?
A faint chuckle came from above.
It was the vibration of Hera’s chest.
“Don’t move.”
Hera’s hand pressed against the back of Lilia’s head, firmly pushing her restless head back into her chest, her chin lightly resting atop Lilia’s head.
The motion was like soothing a startled, puffed-up kitten.
Or like confirming the existence of a possession.
“Did you have a nightmare just now?”
Hera’s voice was low—so low it sounded like a murmur.
Lilia froze.
A nightmare?
When she had been woken by the System just now, she had indeed been scared half to death.
“N-No…”
Lilia instinctively denied it, yet her body began to relax instinctively under the warmth of the embrace.
Damn it.
This body was beyond saving.
Her mind was panicking like crazy, yet her body was honestly reacting in the most outrageous way.
Hera’s fingers slid through Lilia’s silver hair, her fingertips cold, yet gently combing through the strands that had become messy from running.
A tingling sensation like electricity shot up her spine all the way to her scalp.
【Ding! System Notification: The Queen’s “possession” soothing effect, Feminization Index +3.】
【Warning: Host’s dependency on the Queen is rapidly increasing to dangerous levels.】
Shut up, you stupid system!
Right now, all she wanted to know was whether she could still see tomorrow’s sun!
“Did Camilla cause you trouble last night?”
Hera suddenly spoke.
She had encountered Camilla in the corridor outside the study last night, and she hadn’t even dared to mention it.
“Yes.”
Lilia stammered, trying to organize her words. “She gave me some guidance on my work. Although… her tone was slightly intense.”
Hera lowered her head, her lips nearly brushing against Lilia’s ear.
Warm breath spilled onto Lilia’s sensitive earlobe, sending a shiver through her.
“No need to worry.”
“As long as I haven’t given the nod, nothing will happen to you.”
“No need to be nervous.”
Hera seemed to sense the softening of the body in her arms.
Her tone slowed slightly, even carrying a trace of awkwardness.
Like she was trying to comfort something for the first time.
“As long as you do what you’re supposed to do.”
“For everything else, I’m here.”
Lilia’s nose stung.
Crap.
Was this late-stage Stockholm syndrome?
Or… was this also some kind of high-level manipulation?
“I… I understand.”
Lilia buried her face deeper, her voice muffled, carrying a trace of dependency she didn’t even notice herself.
“Thank you… Master.”
Hera said nothing more.
The faint morning light filtered through the black curtains, falling upon the two of them.
The scene was strange—yet so harmonious it was hard to look away.
Until—
Grrr—
An extremely untimely, even excessively loud sound abruptly shattered the warmth.
It was Lilia’s stomach, protesting after being hungry all night.
The air froze.
Lilia even felt Hera’s arms stiffen slightly.
She closed her eyes in despair.
It was over.
This time she was really going to die here.
Ruining the atmosphere like this—this was basically dancing on a Demon Queen’s landmine!
Hera released her.
Before Lilia could kneel and beg for forgiveness, she saw a faint trace of… amusement flash through Hera’s golden eyes?
Though it vanished in an instant, Lilia swore she saw it.
“Hungry?”
Hera raised an eyebrow, a hint of playfulness in her tone.
“Good timing, then.”
She turned and walked toward the bed, that figure both lazy and dangerous.
“What do you want to eat today?”
“Or… would you rather ‘feed’ me first?”
Hera turned sideways, her slender fingers lightly hooking the ribbon of her nightgown, her gaze deep as if it could swallow Lilia whole.
Lilia stared at that motion, her mind buzzing.
F-Feed…?
Was that a noun or a verb?
Did she mean food or—
“Why are you standing there?”
“Prepare the meal.”