She abruptly tried to sit up, only to find Movira’s arm still loosely encircled around her waist, seemingly casual yet carrying an inescapable force.
“Awake?” The voice came from above her head, crystal clear. “Sleep well? My dear~ your drool flowed onto me and soaked the clothes on my chest!”
“N-Nonsense! I did not!” Seraphina reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, struggling violently as if electrocuted.
This time Movira did not make things difficult for her, allowing her to escape that shameful embrace and tumble onto the soft cushion beside them.
Seraphina frantically straightened her disheveled clothes and hair, her gaze darting everywhere yet fundamentally daring not to look at Movira.
Her heart pounded so hard it felt like it would burst through her ribs.
Lina was indeed not there, which gave her a slight breath of relief, but what followed was an even deeper embarrassment: When did Lina get off the carriage? How much did she see?
“You seem to have rested well; your complexion looks much better than this morning.” Movira slightly adjusted her sitting posture, propping her chin with one hand, watching Seraphina’s fluster with great interest, as if enjoying an amusing play.
Seraphina wanted to regain her usual calm facade, but her reddened ear tips and evasive eyes betrayed her. “W-Why… why didn’t you wake me when we arrived?”
“You were sleeping so soundly; I… was a bit reluctant!” She teased with a light laugh. “Besides, your sleeping appearance is much cuter than when you’re awake, rebelliously baring your fangs and brandishing your claws.”
Seraphina lightly bit her lower lip, not wanting to engage in more meaningless conversation with this evil woman. With a decisive mindset, she stood up but almost fled as she pushed open the carriage door.
Returning to the familiar palace halls, Seraphina almost felt as if she were in another world.
The sulfur and bloody smell of the outpost seemed to still linger at the tip of her nose, but under the omnipresent incense of the Demon King’s Castle, it was gradually being diluted.
Seraphina took a deep breath, and the chaos in her heart immediately surged up as she thought of the recent absurd events.
Almost every time, Lina had noticed; she felt she had no dignity left in Lina’s eyes!
She had to salvage it, immediately! Right now!
She must make Lina clear who the master here was!
All the things that shamed her were like tiny sharp thorns piercing her heart, making her always lack confidence when facing Lina.
“No! This can’t go on!” Seraphina sat in the large chair in the study, her fingers tapping the desk, producing a faint tap-tap sound.
Her eyes stared at the documents in front of her, but her thoughts were completely elsewhere.
“No matter what, I’m still the Regent in her eyes! How can I let her… let her think I…” In Seraphina’s mind emerged the look Lina occasionally gave her, no longer just pure hatred but mixed with a trace of curiosity, even… a hint of something like “tolerance”?!
This made her more restless than pure hatred.
Having made up her mind to rally, she took a deep breath, her face imitating the cold and oppressive expression Movira wore toward outsiders.
Unfortunately, what she replicated was only a delicate face pretending to be serious yet unable to hide its childishness; because it was too deliberate, her cheeks even puffed up slightly.
“Tch…” She of course knew she wasn’t cut out for this and gave up the clumsy imitation, deciding to use her own forte instead.
Indifference—simple, but effective.
“Lina! Have Lina come here!”
The order was quickly carried out; soon, there was a knock at the door, and the maid’s voice followed, “Your Highness, Miss Lina… has arrived.”
Ever since Seraphina decided to keep Lina by her side, the maids in the Demon King’s Castle couldn’t help but look at her a bit higher, though most of it was feigned…
The study door was gently pushed open; Lina put on a reverent expression, slightly lifting her skirt and curtsying to Seraphina above, “Your Highness.”
Her tone was very respectful, and in those emerald eyes, the initial sharpness was indeed gone.
“Have you forgotten your duties?!”
Seraphina’s command was uncompromising!
“N-No, I dare not.”
Watching Lina momentarily dejected, Seraphina felt a slight smugness in her heart. See! Once back here, even if Lina were a dragon, she’d have to coil!
She pointed to the stack of documents piled up for several days in the corner of the desk. “These—classify them by urgency! Remember, the number in the upper left corner represents priority!”
But… shouldn’t they be classified after review?
Lina偷偷 glanced at Seraphina, saw the trace of satisfaction in her eyes, and knew she was definitely deliberately making things difficult!
Connecting it to the recent events, want to regain dignity with these small matters? Then why not play along? Lina quietly listened, her face showing no ripples, just nodding like a robot.
“Yes, Your Highness.” Because the maid was still there, she had to add the title.
Then she stepped forward, her movements crisp as she began organizing the pile of documents.
Seeing this, Seraphina revealed a sly smile; these documents were indeed to be classified after review.
And she was doing it on purpose! After she finished reviewing, she’d casually toss them and make Lina lose her bearings! Reclassify them all over again!
However, things seemed to develop in a direction Seraphina had not anticipated at all.
Lina’s fingers were slender, yet her movements unexpectedly steady; flipping, checking numbers, classifying—all in one smooth flow, without the fluster Seraphina had imagined.
Seraphina even deliberately sped up her document review, occasionally glancing at Lina, only to find the other under no pressure at all.
“Hiss… Lina!” Seraphina dropped her quill and suddenly shouted at her.
The next second, her face began to look unwell.
“How did I shout my inner thoughts out loud…”
“Yes.” Lina responded without hesitation. “What is it?”
“Uh… y-your speed is so fast, but don’t classify wrong! I’m warning you!”
Seraphina stammered for a long time before saying this irrelevant remark; watching Lina’s neat actions, even Seraphina herself had no confidence in her words.
It seems… too smooth? It completely failed to achieve the “establish authority” effect!
No, she needed to find something else!
Seraphina looked at Lina’s focused profile, cleared her throat lightly, “Ahem, um… when classifying, the edges of the papers must be aligned! No skewing allowed!”
Lina raised her head, glanced at Seraphina; the calm in her eyes made Seraphina a bit guilty.
The other said nothing, only silently tapped the slightly uneven stack of documents she held lightly on the desk, making them perfectly neat.