Hand.
Lillian was stunned for a moment when she heard Eleonora’s words.
She stared blankly at the silver-haired girl in front of her, seeing those nervous, slightly stubborn red eyes.
Your question, my feelings, what I hope you will do…………………
Lillian had never imagined that Eleonora would express her needs in this way………………
A warm, indescribable feeling surged from the bottom of her heart, tinged with a bit of sourness, a bit of relief, and also a little……………tenderness.
The Eleonora before her was no longer that easily embarrassed and sharp-tongued tsundere lady, nor the idle, trouble-making rabble……………..
She was like a clumsy, earnest child, learning how to communicate with her, afraid of being rejected, yearning for the love of family.
“My maid……………is that it?”
Lillian’s heart completely softened.
She couldn’t hold it in anymore, a helpless yet doting smile spreading across her face.
She reached out with her other hand, gently, comfortingly, and stroked Eleonora’s little silver head.
What a fool.
She leaned in closer, responding in a soft, almost inaudible breath:
“Alright, I promise you.”
There was nothing to hesitate about.
After Eleonora entrusted her trust so sincerely, how could she possibly refuse?
After all, she was her maid.
And Ophelia was only a collaborator and friend now.
How could she possibly have any other relationship with Ophelia.
So, without even thinking, Lillian agreed to Eleonora.
“Oh………………oh.” Eleonora turned her head aside, ears burning red, looking biteably cute, “Good, as long as you know.”
“You eat first, I………………I’m full!” Eleonora’s voice trembled a little.
After speaking, she got up, and Lillian instinctively rose to give way.
As they brushed past each other, Lillian heard Eleonora let out a “hmph~”.
It was as if she’d made her angry.
But as soon as she passed behind Lillian, Eleonora sped up.
She scurried away in a fluster, walking so fast and urgent, as if something was chasing her.
Nearby, someone was having a hushed conversation.
Lillian glanced over and saw Irene talking to the Head Maid. Seeing Lillian looking over, Irene’s eyes sparkled and she gave a small wave in front of her chest.
The other maids, too, started whispering among themselves, then looked at Lillian with meaningful smiles, finally nodding their heads.
Really now, is it that serious?
“Bang.
M
The bedroom door closed behind her, and all outside matters had nothing to do with Eleonora anymore.
She leaned against the door, sliding down to sit on the floor.
Her mind was a whirl of what had just happened.
She’d actually said it.
She hadn’t kept it inside, she’d actually said it out loud.
……You’re my maid………………
M ……….
What was she even saying!
Eleonora felt her face start to burn again.
But, she agreed.
“Hehe.
‘Alright, I promise you.’ Lillian seemed to appear by her side, using that soft, gentle voice to say those words into her ear.
Eleonora couldn’t help but laugh aloud, whispering softly to herself so only she could hear:
“She agreed~”
“Lillian agreed~”
“Ehehe.”
It wasn’t because Lillian agreed to keep her distance from Ophelia that made her so happy.
It was because Lillian hadn’t refuted the words ‘my maid.’
Not only did she not refute them, she even patted her head.
It felt like Lillian’s touch still lingered on her head.
“Ehehe.” Eleonora giggled foolishly.
She liked it.
She liked it.
She really liked it.
She wanted to be patted on the head again~
Eleonora suddenly flopped onto her soft bed.
She buried her face in the white pillow, kicking her legs wildly in the air.
“Mmm~hm~” A string of muffled, yet irrepressibly joyful sounds came from the pillow.
In the end, she couldn’t suppress her happiness, rolling back and forth on the bed hugging her pillow.
After making a complete mess of the bed, Eleonora stopped.
With a silly smile on her face, she touched the place where Lillian had cupped her cheek.
Here, too, she liked it. Lillian is mine………………
She lay on the bed, her smile slowly freezing.
Her fingers were still unconsciously stroking her own cheek, as if the warmth there had yet to fade.
Lillian……………………………’s?
Is it really okay for her to keep going like this?
Even with Ophelia’s reasons, is it really okay to let herself indulge like this?
Thinking of this, Eleonora curled up suddenly.
She hugged her pillow tightly, as if it was the only thing she could hold on to.
The thought of Lillian one day in the future, becoming a stranger to her, made Eleonora feel as if her heart was being wrung.
Her nose tingled, and a tear slid down her cheek, disappearing into her silver hair.
She wanted to be with Lillian.
She didn’t want Lillian to hate her.
She wanted Lillian to like her.
“Then, isn’t it fine to just keep going like this?” That voice appeared again.
Yeah, it’d be fine to just keep going like this.
As Lillian’s master, the two of them living happily together……………..
Don’t care about anything else.
As long as the two of them are together, it’s enough.
18…….
The moment that thought surfaced, images from her previous life ruthlessly shattered all her fantasies.
The Heroes, schemed against by Humans, were dragged to execution…………………
The green-haired girl whimpered, clinging to her tightly…………………
“I’m sorry………………………………I’m sorry…………….I can’t save everyone.”
“I’m sorry……”
No matter how many times she tried again…………………
Things would always end up this way.
So, she couldn’t go on like this.
“Why? Don’t you like this feeling?”
She liked it, but she couldn’t.
M
“Isn’t it warm? Isn’t it wonderful?”
No, she just couldn’t!
Precisely because……………it was so warm, so wonderful……………
That’s why……………she absolutely couldn’t lose it a second time.
She never wanted to hear that “I’m sorry” again.
Elenora wiped her tears away harshly with the back of her hand, her eyes shifting from conflicted and painful to a mix of sadness and resolve.
She knew very well, she had to push Lillian away.
But as things developed, she realized that just pushing away wasn’t enough.
Ophelia, due to a chance encounter, had gotten involved with Lillian.
With Lillian’s personality, once she was pushed away, she’d turn to Ophelia for help, and end up following Ophelia to join the Heroes. Everything would turn out exactly as it had in her previous life.
……………
A crazy idea took shape in her mind.
What if, from the very beginning, this choice never existed?
What if Lillian was just a passerby?
She, the Heroes, Humans, Demons—none of it had anything to do with Lillian?
………………..Yes, that was the only way.
She would eventually become the Demon King, it was inevitable………………
So she had to make Lillian hate everyone—herself, and the Heroes.
As for herself, it was easy, but as for the Heroes, weren’t they all “good people”?
Making Lillian hate them would be really hard.
But, it wasn’t impossible.
The members of the Heroes’ party, more or less, all had some flaws in their personalities.
Like Ophelia, Eleonora had heard of her infamous title—“Witch Who Plays With Hearts”.
If she started from there……………….
She couldn’t think of a way.
Eleonora was a bit lost.
As the Demon King, she was more used to solving things with force.
But, she had to do it!
Even if she wasn’t used to it, she still had to try!
Lillian had done so much to protect her.
To protect Lillian, this was nothing at all!
Having worked through it, Eleonora breathed a sigh of relief.
Make Lillian hate the Heroes, and then hate herself………………
She could do it.
She definitely could!
Eleonora got up, walked to her vanity, and opened that small drawer.
She carefully picked up the little spoon inside.
On the cold, curved surface of the spoon, her red eyes were reflected.
On the little playground, Lillian had vowed to protect her.
With this little spoon, Lillian had fed her pudding.
When she’d done something wrong, Lillian had responded with a hug.
When Ophelia offered to pay off her debts, Lillian had still chosen her.
Because of a single word from her, Lillian would have dinner with her every day.
The Lillian who gave her lap pillows.
The Lillian who patted her head.
One memory after another surfaced in her heart.
Eleonora clutched the little spoon to her chest.
A warm sensation spread from there.
“Mm.” A soft nasal hum, as if affirming something.
She liked her.
So.
Before she finished her plan, it was alright to indulge a little.
Yes, it was alright.
“Hehe.”
That voice came again, laughing mockingly.