“If you try to assassinate me again, or make any other treacherous moves…”
Seraphina leaned forward slightly, almost pinning Lina down onto the floor, her voice cold and threatening.
“I won’t kill you. Instead, I will hand you over to those demons downstairs who have taken an interest in you. Think about how they might treat a human female slave. Compared to that, death might actually be mercy.”
“And when they grow tired of you, where do you think they’ll throw you? Maybe into the ugly Goblin Nest, or perhaps the disastrous Desert, to be eaten alive by the lizards and scorpions there…”
“No… stop!” Lina’s eyes could no longer hide the fear beneath her fragile resolve. Her face turned pale in an instant, clearly understanding the terrifying future implied by Seraphina’s words. Her body trembled slightly.
Seraphina straightened up, feeling little satisfaction. Instead, a deep exhaustion and self-loathing welled up inside her.
To threaten a fellow human this way—even if that person intended to kill her, even if it was for self-preservation and… some deeper plan she herself hadn’t fully grasped—made her feel utterly filthy.
When did she become the person she despised the most…?
But she had no choice. Until Movira returned, she had to maintain control and prevent chaos within the Demon Race. That was her greatest contribution as a human to other humans.
“Take her away and have her learn how to serve as a maid,” Seraphina instructed the maids waiting outside. “Starting tomorrow, I want her to appear here again, responsible for cleaning the Book Room and organizing and delivering documents.”
What seemed like humiliating servitude was, in fact, a relatively better job. It was the best arrangement Seraphina could think of for Lina.
At least it was better than being thrown back into a dark, hopeless prison or taken away by other demons.
The maid nodded and forcibly led the now resigned Lina out, whose face was ashen.
The Book Room door slowly closed behind them. Seraphina stood alone in the empty room, contemplating the current situation.
Movira was gone, leaving behind an even more chaotic and dangerous game.
A human girl who swore to kill her at any moment, a bloodborn physician watching like a tiger waiting to pounce, a group of demon officials with their own agendas, and… the increasingly noticeable, unsettling change growing within her.
Her fingers brushed lightly over her lower abdomen, where a subtle, indescribable strangeness seemed to be taking root…
Escape was definitely out of the question for now, but she couldn’t just wait to die.
“I have to do something…”
Casting one last glance at the barely formed official documents on the desk, Seraphina sighed. “That’s enough for today…”
There was still some time before dinner, but Seraphina was already a bit hungry. Fortunately, she had sneaked two sausages during lunch.
They were originally meant for Lina, but… she seemed to have forgotten.
No matter. She would fill her own stomach first. Though Lina hadn’t eaten yet, Seraphina wasn’t sure if she was hungry.
“Arrange some food for Lina.”
There was no one else in the Book Room, but Seraphina’s orders were always heard by someone—mainly the maids standing outside.
Footsteps came and went, signaling someone had taken the command.
Thanks to those two sausages, Seraphina managed to get through the gap between meals. The double fatigue of body and mind drained much of her energy, and she had no desire to work overtime.
***
The morning light in the Demon Realm was not much different from that in the Human World. Sunlight streamed through the glazed windows, dispelling the chill that had settled in the bedroom overnight.
Seraphina was still not used to Movira’s absence. During the time she was supposed to “pay respects” to Movira, she had no choice but to sit on the bed and pass the time.
“Delay the Morning Assembly by a few hours… send the order.”
She said it as if talking to herself in the empty room.
Yesterday’s work had not been done, which meant it piled up today. Even without Movira’s urging, Seraphina had to start handling those seemingly trivial official documents.
Without her direction, who knew what stupid things the demons under her command might do?
She sat in the Book Room, not because she was energetic, but because the faint yet persistent strange feeling within her had kept her from sleeping soundly all night.
Seraphina tried to focus on a dispute report regarding the rights to mine an Underground Lode. At least it was somewhat thought-provoking, but her brows remained tightly furrowed.
Not only was the content tedious, but a weak, spreading ache from deep within her lower abdomen made her restless. She forced herself to endure it.
The Book Room door was gently pushed open.
The demon maid who served her daily entered first, bowing respectfully. “Your Highness, breakfast has arrived.”
She stepped aside, and Lina walked in.
She wore an ill-fitting dark purple maid dress, her silver hair barely tamed, but fatigue and undeniable wariness still lingered in her eyes.
In her hands was a small tray holding a cup of faintly steaming milk, a piece of dry, hard, dark bread that looked barely edible, and a small dish of red jam.
This was the result of Seraphina’s constant requests. At first, Lina’s meals had been barely palatable.
Seraphina merely glanced at the tray, then quickly lowered her head again, holding her quill as she worked nonstop on her annotations. She had no mood to watch Lina’s current plight.
Lina’s movements were relatively steady but still stiff. She carefully placed the tray on the corner of the desk Seraphina had designated, trying not to make a sound and staying as far away from the documents as possible.
“Leave.” Seraphina said to the demon maid.
The maid left, leaving the two alone in silence.
The morning air felt colder than the night, accentuating the invisible barrier between them.
Seraphina didn’t immediately touch the breakfast. After finishing her notes, her gaze landed on Lina.
The latter kept her eyes lowered, staring at the floor, her hands nervously clasped in front of her, like a tense, resistant statue. Seraphina could imagine how fear, hatred, and unease must have tormented her through the night.
That dry, hard bread did nothing to whet Seraphina’s appetite. Instead, it reminded her of how unpalatable the Demon Realm’s food had been when she first arrived.
Suddenly, she picked up the black bread and casually handed it toward Lina, never once taking her eyes off her face.
“Eat.” Her voice was flat, hoarse from waking, but still carried an order that could not be refused.
“Hurry! I’m hungry and can get the other maids to prepare something else. You… a maid’s food—you shouldn’t want to touch it anyway.”