Chapter 45 : Precious Gift
Chapter 45: Precious Gift
Cold.
Slimy.
The ring that looked like living tissue suddenly contracted the moment it touched Lilia’s left middle finger.
She could even feel tiny flesh buds wriggling, viciously burrowing into her skin.
The goosebumps all over Lilia’s body practically stood at attention.
This was clearly like being bitten by a parasite!
Before she could blurt out the “what the hell” that had already reached her lips, a scorching heat suddenly surged from the base of her finger.
It rushed along her finger, forcefully charging into Lilia’s meridians, flowing against the current all the way up, straight into her brain.
It felt like a grenade about to explode had been stuffed into her head.
Buzz——!
The world turned into bleak black and white.
Only at the very center of her vision, that dark red system panel flickered frantically with blinding warning lights.
【Warning! Warning!】
【High-level soul interference detected!】
【Item Name: Queen’s Blood (Disguised Form: Ring)】
【Item Rank: ??? (Unable to analyze)】
【Status: Bound (Cannot be dropped, cannot be destroyed, cannot be removed)】
【Effect: Absolute Obedience. When the holder issues a “forced command,” the wearer’s body will detach from brain control and automatically execute the command.】
Lilia froze.
She stared blankly at the ring on her left middle finger, which had stopped wriggling and turned into a dark red pattern encircling her finger.
An electronic ankle monitor?
No.
This was far more advanced than that.
As long as Hera wished, even if Lilia wanted to go to the bathroom right now, a single thought from Hera would force her to hold it in place—and she’d even have to smile and say, “Holding it in feels great.”
Was this something a human would do?
Wrapping such a deadly thing as a gift and making her accept it with tearful gratitude?
Even capitalists would cry seeing this; slave owners would kneel in admiration.
Lilia felt her future was pitch black—darker than the sewers beneath the Palace of Eternal Night.
Well, that settled it.
There was no way back now.
Before, she could at least secretly complain in her heart. Now even complaining had to be done carefully, lest that lunatic Hera somehow sensed it.
If Hera found out she had just compared the ring to a parasite…
Lilia shuddered.
The consequences were unimaginable.
By this time next year, the menu of the Palace of Eternal Night would probably feature dishes like “Stir-Fried Lilia” or “Braised Former Head Maid.”
【Ding!】
【Additional Note: Although this item carries extremely strong control effects, it contains an independent subspace.】
【Evaluating value…】
Lilia’s dead fish eyes twitched.
Subspace?
What was that?
A storage ring?
【System attempting to analyze subspace contents…】
【Analysis progress: 1%… 5%…】
【Analysis obstructed. This space is sealed with high-level magic and requires authorization from the Queen to open.】
【However, within the gaps of magical energy, the system has detected the following fluctuations:】
【1. Extremely massive high-purity magical aura.】
【2. Residual magical traces of at least three legendary divine artifacts.】
【3. The rich, bloody-sweet scent of large quantities of high-tier magical beast materials.】
【4. An object suspected to be a “Substitute Death Puppet.”】
Her dead fish eyes instantly widened.
The previously gray world suddenly regained its color.
Legendary artifacts?
Substitute Death Puppet?
Lilia’s throat bobbed as she swallowed audibly.
What electronic ankle monitor?
This was the Queen’s heavy, overflowing love!
From this moment on, she was Hera’s most loyal dog, the warmest little cotton jacket, the most obedient accessory!
Whoever dared say this ring wasn’t beautiful—she, Lilia, would be the first to rush forward and bite their throat out!
“Heh.”
A faint, cold chuckle snapped Lilia out of her near-manic fantasy.
She had forgotten.
The owner of the ring was still right in front of her.
She stiffly raised her head.
Hera stood less than half a meter away from her.
Too close.
Close enough to see the intricate dark patterns on Hera’s long dress, close enough to be completely locked onto by those golden vertical pupils.
Hera had no expression.
That breathtakingly beautiful face showed neither joy nor anger.
She merely lowered her gaze slightly, her eyes falling on the ring before slowly moving upward, stopping on Lilia’s pale face.
Hera finally spoke.
“How is it?”
“Hot.”
She trembled as she forced out a single word.
Hera’s brow lifted slightly.
She did not interrupt, merely looking down at her, waiting for more.
Lilia took a deep breath and pressed the scalp-numbing ring harder against her face, as if trying to rub it into her very bones and blood.
“Not just my finger.”
“Lilia feels…”
“Here.” She placed her other hand over her heart. “It’s burning too.”
“It’s beating, Master.”
Lilia’s voice carried a trace of choking emotion—the peak of acting born from being pushed into a corner.
“Wearing it, Lilia feels that her humble, empty heart… has been filled.”
“It’s like…”
“Even when you are not by my side, your gaze, your authority, still envelop Lilia at all times.”
“This feeling…”
Lilia closed her eyes and gently rubbed against the ring, like a cat currying favor and affection from its master.
“It makes me feel so at ease.”
“Lilia… likes it so much she’s about to go mad.”
After saying this, Lilia felt all the strength drain from her body.
Too shameful.
Too disgusting.
A deathly silence descended once more.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
Maintaining that humiliating posture, Lilia felt like a fool being roasted over a fire.
It was over.
Did she overact?
Or was that “like it so much I’m going mad” too perverse, scaring the Demon Queen instead?
Just as Lilia braced herself in despair to face punishment—
A hand.
Landed on her head.
It was Hera’s hand.
Covered in black lace gloves, cold—yet the motion was unexpectedly… gentle.
It stroked down along her hair.
Once.
Twice.
Like soothing a startled pet.
“Very good.”
Hera’s voice drifted down from above.
The oppressive scrutiny from before was gone, replaced by an extremely complex emotion—a mixture of pleasure and twisted satisfaction.
“Since you like it…”
“Then forever…”
Hera’s fingers slid past Lilia’s ear, finally stopping at her carotid artery, gently rubbing the pulsing vessel.
“Don’t take it off.”
【Ding!】
【System Notification: Hera is extremely satisfied with the host’s response.】
【Intimacy +10.】
【Loyalty Evaluation: MAX (Pseudo).】
【Feminization Index +5.】
【Ring “Eye of the Abyss” permission unlock progress: 0.1% (First storage layer accessible).】
Before Lilia could recover from the ecstasy of “surviving”—
Hera suddenly withdrew her hand.
Turned around.
The black hem of her dress sliced through the air in a sharp arc.
“Get up.”
“Since you’ve taken the reward, it’s time to work.”