“What a mess…”
After being thoroughly toyed with by Beatrice once again, Aurora finally got to return to her room for a bit of rest.
Moonlight, calm as a still lake, poured over the old redwood desk, while the faint candlelight flickered in the darkness of the room.
Aurora sat quietly in the dim glow, slowly drying her damp silver hair.
Her black-and-white maid outfit was already hanging outside to dry. With both of her uniforms soaked and airing out, she had no choice but to sit in her small bedroom wearing only her underwear, half-naked as she toweled off her hair.
The room was far too dark, and the candle was barely hanging on.
“Looks like I’ll need to buy more candles.”
She opened the window, letting the moonlight flood into the room.
With the silvery glow came a light, refreshing fragrance, which on the passing breeze seemed to carry the faint scent of silver-gradient flowers.
Silver-gradient flowers only bloomed under moonlight. The moon tonight was full and bright—surely the ones in the courtyard were growing splendidly.
Thinking that, Aurora smiled softly. She gently patted her cheeks and whispered encouragement to herself, “Tomorrow’s a new day. I’ve got to do my best.”
Even though she wasn’t sure whether staying by Beatrice’s side, while carrying a curse, might eventually bring harm to her, Beatrice was the one who forcibly brought her here in the first place, wasn’t she?
If that’s the case, then there was no reason to blame herself.
All she could do now was avoid causing trouble and do her best to fulfill her duties as a maid.
*****
At dawn.
Aurora slipped into her still-damp maid uniform, having woken up early to prepare breakfast for Beatrice.
Afterward, she checked on the silver-gradient flowers in the courtyard—and just as she thought, after last night’s moonlight, the blooms were even more beautiful than before.
She glanced at her pocket watch. It was nearly ten o’clock.
“She still has class this morning. I need to wake her up.”
She trotted to Beatrice’s bedroom door and knocked gently, calling out cautiously, “Mistress, are you awake?”
“Come in and dress me,” came the drowsy voice from within.
Aurora paused for a moment, then replied hesitantly, “But Mistress, you said before I wasn’t allowed in your room.”
“That was before. I’m giving you an order now.”
“Y-Yes, Mistress.”
A sense of foreboding surged in Aurora’s chest—she could already guess she was about to be bullied again.
The door slowly creaked open, and the moment she looked up, she was greeted by the sight of a completely naked Beatrice.
Her undergarments had been tossed carelessly onto the floor. Her lower half was wrapped loosely in white bedsheets, while her upper body was left entirely bare.
Pale shoulders peeked out from beneath her cascading black hair. As she lifted her head slightly to look at Aurora, those silky strands slipped gently down from her shoulders.
She looked like a black rose wrapped in pure white, her fair skin glowing in the golden sunlight—inviting thoughts too dangerous to entertain.
Aurora already knew that Beatrice had a habit of sleeping in the nude, so this wasn’t exactly shocking.
Still, her eyes couldn’t help but glance briefly at that alluring body—and she inwardly sighed. So it was still the development phase back then, huh.
“Come here.”
Beatrice crooked a finger at her, her gaze thick enough to feel like it could tangle around you like sticky silk.
“Yes, Mistress.”
Aurora responded obediently and stepped up beside the bed.
From the nightstand, she retrieved a fresh set of underwear and began helping Beatrice dress, piece by piece.
Her fingertips brushed against soft, delicate skin. When they grazed across the fullness of Beatrice’s chest, the girl gave a slight shiver.
“Is this your first time dressing someone else in underwear?”
“N-No, it isn’t. Did I hurt you, Mistress?”
Beatrice pointed to her chest and said, “Right here. It rubbed a little too hard.”
At that moment, Aurora’s thoughts exploded in panic.
“I-I-I’m so sorry!!”
She took a step back and bent into a perfect ninety-degree bow in a flash. Her smooth forehead nearly bumped into the bedframe.
Back when she used to serve her former mistress, she’d helped her change clothes now and then.
But her old mistress’s chest had nowhere near this kind of volume, so Aurora had gotten into the habit of pulling the fabric a little tighter when dressing someone.
“Pfft—ahahahahahaha!”
Just as she was still apologizing profusely, Beatrice suddenly burst into laughter, her voice loud and full of playful mockery.
Aurora immediately realized—Beatrice had been teasing her on purpose.
Her cheeks puffed up in frustration. First thing in the morning and already picking on her—some people really had too much time on their hands.
“If Mistress has no further need of me, I’ll be leaving now.”
She turned away with a huff and made to leave the room.
Bang!
The door shut automatically in the next instant. Just as Aurora reached for the handle, her hand was suddenly entwined with a pale, delicate one.
“Trying to leave before you’ve finished dressing me?”
“As if I’d let that happen.”
The soft hand gripping hers suddenly tightened, holding her in place.
Then, with a sudden pull, she was yanked back through the doorway.
Afraid she was about to crash into the door, Aurora squeezed her eyes shut—but instead of impact, she felt something soft…
“What are you so scared of? It’s not like I’m going to eat you.”
“I’m not done playing yet.”
Warm breath brushed against her cheek, and Beatrice’s voice, tinged with lazy amusement, curled around her ear.
The light around her dimmed slightly, and as she opened her eyes just a little, she realized—
She was now tucked beneath Beatrice’s blanket.
Beatrice was on top of her, looking down with a teasing glint in her eyes.
“M-Mistress, perhaps you could get off me first… and then I’ll help you get dressed.”
“Right here is fine.”
“But…”
The blanket wasn’t very big, and with them lying face to face like this, it was nearly impossible to slide underwear onto Beatrice’s prosthetic legs.
“What? Can’t manage it?”
“Then let me hold you a little longer.”
She leaned down, pressing her smooth skin tightly against Aurora’s, their soft chests squishing together.
Warm breath fell on her neck as Beatrice seemed to sniff gently at her scent. A slightly cold nose tip brushed along her skin.
Suddenly, a pair of slender hands touched her waist, sliding slowly upward along the curves cinched by the maid uniform—first past her ribs, then under her arms, and finally up her arms to her hands.
Their hands entwined again, and Aurora didn’t know what to do—she could only shut her eyes tight and wait for the moment when Beatrice would tire of toying with her.
Her hand was gently pulled downward… until it brushed against something icy and unyielding—Beatrice’s prosthetic limb.
“Do you feel it? This cold, this pain.”
“Even after a hundred years, these legs still ache with phantom pain. It’s never stopped.”
“This is your fault, Aurora. You’re the one who made me like this.”
Old scars were torn open again, and the guilt Aurora had buried deep within her resurfaced.
If not for her, Beatrice’s legs wouldn’t have ended up this way.
She would still be able to walk freely, continue her journey, and not suffer the scorn of others.
The crushing weight of remorse pressed hard against Aurora’s heart, dragging her emotions back down into a dark abyss.
Tears began to slip slowly from the corners of her eyes, soaking into the bedsheet. She bit her lip to keep any sobs from escaping.
Her hands were tightly held by Beatrice, leaving her no way to hide the way she wept—every drop of sorrow laid bare before the other woman.
And seeing her like this… only reignited the madness in Beatrice’s heart. Her expression twisted with uncontainable excitement.
“Aurora…”
She leaned in once more, her lips brushing against Aurora’s ear as she whispered, “I told you, I don’t blame you.”
“Every time my phantom limbs ache, I think of you. That pain… brings me hatred—and love.”
“But you should compensate me, shouldn’t you?”
“You know how, don’t you?”
Aurora clenched her teeth, choking back her sobs, and gave a small nod. Then, leaning in close to Beatrice’s cheek, she gently pressed her lips against hers.