Laxana lowered her head, her violet-colored eyes filled with fear and trepidation.
Her lips trembled slightly, as if she wanted to defend herself, but under Astreia’s scorching gaze, she couldn’t utter a single word. The air in the entire room seemed to freeze solid.
Just as the situation hung by a thread, Wendy suddenly spoke up.
“It’s my fault.”
“Astreia, this matter… in the end, it all comes down to me…” Wendy lowered his gaze, his tone heavy with self-reproach, “If it weren’t for me, Laxana would never have thought about seeking immortality and eternal youth, and she never would have been taken advantage of by those remnants of the Demon Race.”
“At the end of the day, I’m the one who ruined her.”
Laxana’s eyes went wide, and she wanted to argue back, but Astreia’s hand clamped over her mouth.
“Keep going.” Astreia looked at Wendy, her gaze complicated.
Wendy took a deep breath, then suddenly flopped backward onto the bed, spreading his arms wide in a gesture of complete surrender.
“So, if you need to punish someone, punish me.”
“Tonight… any kind of play is on the table.”
“Let… let me atone for Laxana’s sins.”
The Prince closed his eyes, his long lashes trembling slightly. That pitiful, charming look of his was enough to melt anyone’s heart.
Astreia was stunned.
She looked down at the Prince who had willingly offered himself up on the bed, and her throat bobbed.
Honestly… she was tempted.
Very tempted.
She’d been thoroughly worked over by Laxana just now, and her muscles were all tight and sore—she was in desperate need of some proper “relaxation.” And with Wendy offering himself up so eagerly, she could even try out some novel games…
But!
Astreia pressed her red lips together, forcibly suppressing the restless urge surging up from deep inside her.
“Hmph.” She let out a cold snort, releasing her grip on the back of Laxana’s head.
“You’re spared the death sentence, but you won’t escape the punishment.”
Laxana felt like she’d been granted a pardon, and was just about to voice her thanks.
“Wait, I’m not finished yet.”
Astreia turned around, her eyes blazing with purple flame, staring straight at Laxana.
“Little Shanna, you must receive your punishment.”
“Now, right this instant, go to the wardrobe and find…” Astreia paused, a wicked smile curling at the corner of her mouth, “a fisherman’s net suit and put it on.”
“Wh-what?!” Laxana’s eyes went wide.
“Can’t understand plain speech?” Astreia raised an eyebrow.
“This King told you to put on the fisherman’s net suit.”
“Also, once it’s on, write the character ‘棒 all over your face and legs for this King.”
“…How many?”
“Until this King is satisfied.”
Laxana’s face flushed crimson in an instant.
“Astreia! You… you’re going too far!”
“Too far?” Astreia sneered.
“Who was it that just pulled this King’s soul out and turned it into a toy? Now I’m just making you wear a fisherman’s net suit and write a few characters, and you’re crying foul?”
“This King hasn’t even made you wear that outfit for a public execution at the Academy yet.”
Laxana opened her mouth to speak, but in the end, she lowered her head.
“You should be thanking Wendy. If he hadn’t pleaded for you just now, this King wouldn’t have shown any mercy.”
“I… I understand…”
She shuffled slowly toward the wardrobe, opened the doors, and from the very corner of a pile of gorgeous dresses, dug out a black fishnet bodysuit that made her face burn red.
This thing… was something Astreia had bought before, calling it a “seductive battle suit” that she planned to wear when the time was right.
Laxana bit her lip and stole a glance at Wendy.
The Prince was lying on his side on the bed, propping his head up with one hand, his peach-blossom eyes full of “concern.”
“Keep it up, Laxana.” Wendy gave her a thumbs-up.
“Once you put it on, you’re sure to look beautiful.”
Laxana’s face grew even redder.
She took a deep breath, hugged the fishnet suit to her chest, and ducked behind the folding screen to change.
The rustling sound of fabric came from behind it.
Astreia sat at the edge of the bed, crossing her legs, enjoying the tantalizing silhouette cast against the screen.
Wendy, meanwhile, lay on the bed staring at the ceiling, though all his attention was really focused on his ears.
About five minutes passed.
Laxana finally emerged from behind the screen.
She kept her head down, both hands clutching at the hem of the outfit. The black fishnet bodysuit perfectly traced every curve of her figure, her fair skin peeking through the mesh, adding a forbidden kind of allure to the whole scene.
Laxana bit her lip and slowly raised her head.
“Raise your head.”
Astreia commanded.
Astreia nodded in satisfaction.
“Mm, not bad. Next, go get a pen and an ink bottle.”
Laxana obediently walked to the desk, picked up a feather pen and an ink bottle.
“Five characters on your face, ten on your legs.” Astreia lounged lazily against the headboard.
“This whole day of fighting has left my shoulders aching like crazy. After you’re done writing, come give this King a massage.”
Laxana took a deep breath, dipped the pen in the ink, and trembling, wrote the first “棔 character on her face. The cold touch of the ink made her whole body shiver.
She gritted her teeth and continued writing the second, the third…
With each stroke, her face grew redder by a degree.
By the time she reached the fifth, her face was so flushed it looked like it might drip blood.
Next came her legs…
Laxana crouched down, lifted her long right leg, and began writing stroke by stroke across her pale, fair skin.
Wendy lay on the bed, catching the scene from the corner of his eye, and his throat bobbed.
Honestly… this view was a little too much to handle.
Finally, Laxana finished writing all the “棔 characters.
She stood up, kept her head down, and shuffled slowly to the bedside like a maidservant who’d done something wrong.
“Astreia… I… I’m done writing…”
“Mm.” Astreia turned onto her side, presenting her back to Laxana.
“Then get started. Use some force, don’t just tickle me.”
Laxana took a deep breath, reached out both hands, and gently pressed them onto Astreia’s smooth shoulders.
The bathrobe fabric was thin, thin enough to almost feel the delicate skin beneath.
“Yes, right there…” Astreia let out a soft moan.
“A little higher.”
Laxana’s fingers roamed across Astreia’s shoulders and neck, pressing down stroke after stroke, carefully controlling the pressure.
The room was filled with nothing but the soft sounds of the massage and the occasional comfortable sigh escaping Astreia’s lips.
Wendy lay on his side nearby, watching the scene unfold, and suddenly found it all a little amusing.
After all that commotion… this was how it got resolved?
Then again… maybe it was for the best.
At least everyone was still alive, and their relationship hadn’t been shattered.
“Oh, right, Wendy.” Astreia suddenly spoke up, cutting through his thoughts.
“Hm?”
“Didn’t you just say any kind of play was on the table tonight?”
Wendy’s smile froze.
“Since Little Shanna is already massaging me, shouldn’t you be doing something too?”
Astreia turned her head, a dangerous glint flickering in her eyes.
“Like… massaging my legs?”
Wendy: “…”
He suddenly realized.
Had he just… dug a hole and buried himself in it?