Chapter 16.
“What? Take off my skirt? If I do that, I’ll be naked!”
“Who told you to take it off? I told you to lift it.”
“But you clearly told me to take it off, didn’t you?”
“When did I ever?”
Luen retorted curtly.
Her demeanor was so utterly confident.
For a moment, Ariel was so confused she wondered if she had misremembered.
Yet, no matter how much she pondered, Luen had undeniably told her to take it off.
As Ariel’s eyes widened in protest, Luen, in turn, murmured coldly.
“Lift it, now.”
“No, I won’t. You’re just going to use your power again, aren’t you? I’d rather suffer myself than see you get hurt.”
“I won’t use my power.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
Ariel, her expression sullen, clutched the wrapping cloth tightly as she gazed at Luen.
At that, Luen let out a deep sigh and spoke.
“I’m going to apply ointment for you.”
“I can apply it myself.”
“You won’t be able to apply it properly, will you? Lie down quickly. That’s an order.”
“…”
Having said that, Luen strode purposefully to the bed and sat down.
Then, as if beckoning Ariel, she patted the bed a couple of times.
When Ariel still didn’t move, Luen frowned and spoke.
“Are you defying my command?”
“That’s not the point, is it?”
“It isn’t? Who is your master?”
“You are, My Lady.”
“And a maid who disregards her master’s orders…”
“…”
“If I wished, I could execute you on the spot.”
There was no room for argument.
Ariel blurted out, her voice laced with frustration.
“Fine! I’ll go… but I have a condition.”
“A condition?”
Luen raised an eyebrow, silently urging Ariel to speak.
“From now on, please brush your teeth immediately after eating.”
“…”
“And, I’ll come to clean your room early in the morning, so please be awake by then. And…”
“Get out.”
“Excuse me?”
When Ariel asked again, Luen said irritably.
“Whether your thigh hurts or not, deal with it yourself. Just get out of my sight, now.”
“…”
Ariel, who had been hoping to use this opportunity to change all of Luen’s bad habits, clicked her tongue in disappointment.
‘There’s no helping it.’
“Alright then, let’s just stick to brushing your teeth right after meals. You can do that much, can’t you?”
As Ariel conceded, Luen’s expression finally softened.
‘Good grief.’
‘How could she be a villainess?’
‘She’s just a child.’
Ariel, sighing inwardly, trudged to the bed and lay face down.
Burying her face in the soft duvet, a sweet, rich scent wafted up.
‘Could it be Luen’s scent?’
“Hurry.”
At her urging, Ariel reluctantly gripped the hem of her maid uniform.
As she slowly lifted it, the cold outside air touched her bare skin.
Ariel involuntarily shivered.
A command, sharp as a thunderclap, rang out.
“Stay still.”
Having said that, Luen grabbed the hem of the maid uniform, which had only been lifted to Ariel’s knee.
“W-wait!”
Ariel reached out, but it was already too late.
Luen had already pulled Ariel’s maid uniform up to her lower back.
“You didn’t say you’d lift it this high…”
Ariel sighed, to which Luen replied.
“What else could I do? I couldn’t see.”
“If you had told me, I would have lifted it myself.”
“I’ll do that next time.”
“…”
‘Ugh.’
‘No point arguing.’
Giving up any further protest, Ariel relaxed her body.
In that position, she pulled the duvet close and hugged it tightly.
Her face felt hot, likely flushed crimson.
‘Perhaps I should have just refused.’
‘I hadn’t intended for my underwear to be visible.’
As Ariel was lost in these thoughts, something cold suddenly dropped onto her thigh.
“Gah…!”
Ariel flinched, her body trembling.
At that, Luen spoke in a worried tone.
“Does it hurt?”
“Oh, no. I was just startled by how cold it was.”
“It’s because it’s an ointment infused with my magic. Bear with it for a moment.”
‘Infused with magic?’
Before Ariel could even process the thought, Luen began to rub the ointment vigorously onto her thigh.
-Squish, squish.-
Ariel’s thighs, firm yet supple, yielded and distorted under Luen’s hands.
Initially, Luen’s intention had been purely to apply the medicine.
However, for some reason, Luen felt a subtle ulterior motive creeping into her touch.
‘Was that why?’
Unconsciously, Luen plunged her hand deep inside Ariel’s drawers.
“Kyaa!”
Startled by the cold sensation on her backside, Ariel whirled around.
Luen, too, seemed surprised, her eyes wide and round.
‘It seems like an accident.’
Ariel, who had been about to scold her, instead sighed inwardly upon seeing Luen’s expression.
After taking several deep breaths until her pounding heart subsided, she quietly asked.
“Are you finished?”
“Yes. How does it feel?”
“I think the pain might be a little less…”
Uncertain, Ariel tilted her head.
“It will probably be completely healed by tomorrow.”
“Really?”
“I told you, didn’t I? I infused it with my magic.”
“So, infusing it with your magic makes it heal?”
“Something like that.”
Watching Luen nod compliantly, Ariel was once again struck with surprise.
‘In the novel, Luen’s power was closer to destruction.’
In contrast, Luen’s current power seemed to be focused on healing.
‘What terrible event would have to occur for this Luen to become focused on destruction?’
‘Perhaps, a much larger incident will happen later.’
‘A major event that could lead to Luen’s downfall.’
‘Is there a way to prepare?’
‘Probably not.’
As a maid, all Ariel could do was remain by Luen’s side.
“Thank you for applying the ointment.”
Having said that, Ariel rose from the bed and tidied her disheveled maid uniform.
****
-Knock, knock, knock.-
“My Lady, it’s Adeline. I will enter.”
Adeline opened the door and stepped inside.
However, she wasn’t alone this time.
Behind her stood another maid.
‘Rachel…!’
‘Why is she here?’
Ariel’s eyes narrowed instinctively.
Ignoring Ariel completely, Adeline spoke, without even sparing her a glance.
“Are you prepared for your lesson?”
“Of course.”
Luen answered swiftly.
Unlike before, her eyes gleamed with confidence.
Adeline gazed at Luen for a moment before turning her head.
“Ariel, please wait in the adjoining room.”
“Ah, yes.”
At Adeline’s emotionless, almost mechanical words, Ariel gave a small nod.
She then stole a glance at Luen.
Luen was smiling faintly.
While it appeared to be a smile born of confidence, Ariel felt an underlying sense of unease.
‘Please, just don’t let it be zero points.’
Just then.
“Follow me.”
Rachel beckoned.
‘Was she going to the next room as well?’
‘Adeline hadn’t said anything, so it seemed they had planned something…’
‘For now, there’s no way to know.’
Ariel reluctantly swallowed her uneasy feelings and followed her.
The place Rachel headed was, naturally, the adjoining room.
The bed where Ariel had been whipped yesterday came into view.
-Sting.-
A pang of pain shot through her thigh for no reason.
As Ariel frowned, Rachel, who had walked some distance ahead, spun around.
She held a large paddle in her hand; it was unclear when she had picked it up.
-Whish!-
Rachel swung it through the air, then spoke with a chilling smile.
“Today, I’ll be in charge of your corporal punishment.”
“What…?”
Ariel’s heart suddenly plummeted.
‘Rachel… in charge of the punishment?’
‘If Luen makes many mistakes…’
Ariel’s vision seemed to darken.
“This is a special opportunity granted by the Grand Duchess Consort. I can hit you as many times as My Lady makes mistakes. And it seems there are twice as many problems today!”
-Heheheh.-
She let out a laugh and asked Ariel.
“How does it feel? Scared?”
Ariel desperately shook her head.
“Not at all. Rather, it seems you’re the one who’s afraid, aren’t you? Afraid My Lady won’t make a single mistake.”
“Do you really think so? That that half-wit could get the answers right?”
“…”
Ariel couldn’t bring herself to answer her question.
No matter how brilliant Luen might be, she was still young.
How could she possibly answer correctly if she hadn’t been taught?
‘Perhaps.’
‘It might not have been the pain that ruined the test yesterday.’
Various thoughts raced through Ariel’s mind.
They were mostly pessimistic.
Watching Ariel’s expression gradually darken, Rachel chuckled knowingly.
“You’ve been quite cheeky until now. This time, I’ll put you in your place.”
-Thwack!-
Saying that, she brought the paddle down onto her hand.
A sharp, cracking sound pierced Ariel’s ears.
Ariel’s body trembled.
Rachel seemed to find Ariel’s reaction amusing.
She swung the paddle repeatedly, then quietly said.
“Where should I hit you? Your backside? Or your stomach? Hitting your cheek would be nice too. The Grand Duchess Consort said I could hit you anywhere. Ah!”
Suddenly, a good idea seemed to strike her, and she snapped her fingers.
Then, pointing to the paddle’s handle, she said.
“It would also be nice to ram this inside your… ‘cavity’. You have to endure it for one minute for each wrong answer. How about that?”
“…”
“Why the long face? Isn’t this good for you? You’re a slut, aren’t you? How about using this chance to practice tightening what’s loose, hm?”
She whispered, circling Ariel like a hyena.
Ariel desperately feigned composure.
Her body trembled with shame and humiliation, but there was no other option but to endure.
“…”
Did Rachel notice that Ariel wasn’t paying attention?
Rachel, who had been chattering beside her, clicked her tongue in annoyance.
Then, she walked over and sat down on a chair.
After a brief moment, perhaps?
-Click.-
Much earlier than yesterday, Adeline opened the door and entered.
In her hand, naturally, was the test paper.
“How did it go?”
Rachel scurried over to Adeline and asked.
Her sparkling eyes held a strong conviction that Luen had undoubtedly received zero points.
Adeline glanced at Rachel, then shifted her gaze to Ariel.
Ariel carefully scrutinized Adeline’s eyes.
She hoped to glean some information beforehand, but reading the thoughts of someone more mechanical than a machine was no easy feat.
“Ariel.”
Just then, Adeline spoke.
“Would you care to check this?”
With those words, she unfolded the test paper.
And then….
“…!”
Rachel and Ariel.
Joy and sorrow crossed both their faces.
The test paper Adeline displayed was…
A perfect score of 100.
