"No...there's no need for the trouble, I can manage on my own."

Watching the disheveled girl running away, the maid shook her head and gracefully gathered her black dress, slowly following behind with a lantern in hand, her figure gradually fading away.

The chilly evening breeze brushed past, and the dark corridor was empty.

...

Huff...huff...gasping heavily, Serena felt like she was stepping on cotton, unable to exert any strength.

Drip, drip, drip.

Behind her, step by step, stepping on her heartbeat, the footsteps followed closely, neither fast nor slow, impossible to shake off.

And the surroundings grew darker and gloomier, the classical oil paintings hanging on the dark sapphire-blue walls seemed to come to life, the figures in the paintings staring at her lifelessly, their once elegant and noble faces gradually distorting.

Anxious, fearful,

Serena took a deep breath, trying hard not to let her mind wander, simultaneously urging her stiffened and sluggish footsteps, running faster and faster, her dress billowing,

Yet, the rhythmic footsteps behind her remained clear,

Drip, drip, drip.

Time passed by, second by second, but the situation showed no signs of change. The darkness engulfed her, drowning her in despair. Serena gritted her teeth, the overwhelming darkness gradually overwhelming her emotions.

Trembling, despair.

And at that moment,

A gentle ray of light pierced through the boundless darkness of the world, gently falling into her eyes, dispelling the fear.

Serena paused, her footsteps gradually slowing down, staring blankly at the only light in the darkness.

Then, she began to quicken her pace, unconsciously running towards the light -

A slightly ajar door.

Through the narrow crack of the door, a soft light flowed quietly onto the floor, a faint orange-gold color.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Her heart pounding, Serena, who had stopped abruptly after the frantic sprint, couldn't help but swallow a mouthful of saliva to moisten her dry and burning throat, her breathing heavy and rapid.

She hesitated as she reached out her hand,

But in the end, she cautiously pushed open the unknown door in front of her -

"Get out."

Just as she stepped into the room, a scolding voice sounded,

Startled, Serena turned to look, then stood still in a daze, her cheeks turning red.

Chille Lorraineberg,

Small, beautiful, like a doll,

She was currently leaning against a walnut desk in front of her, holding a swan feather pen, carefully writing on a thick notebook in front of her. On the adjacent desktop, piles of reference books were stacked.

The light from the golden candlestick on the table seeped through the loose white linen shirt, faintly outlining the slender and graceful curves, lazily and delicately stretching out in front of her.

Serena momentarily forgot to breathe, her heart, which had just calmed down, began to stir once again, the boiling blood pressing against her limbs, concentrating in her lower body, slightly dampening.

But when the girl slightly raised her head,

The cold gaze reflected in those crimson pupils immediately brought her mind back to calm, making her spine chill,

"I...I...I'm sorry..."

Without even glancing at her, the fair fingers lightly placed a cornflower bookmark on the parchment page, then forcefully closed the notebook.

Smack! A muffled sound.

Serena shivered all over, turned around, twisted the brass door handle, and decisively stepped out -

Even if there was only a strange maid behind her, even if it was a man-eating demon, she felt fearless at this moment.

Thud, the door closed.

She let out a long breath, her trembling body sinking back into the darkness. Serena reached out to touch her burning cheeks, her body uncontrollably trembling,

Although there was a bright light behind her, radiating warmth and tenderness, the girl looked at the dark and sinister corridor in front of her and strangely felt that this place was still more familiar and lovely.Time flies by,

but Serena remains stiff and motionless in front of the door of Chille's bedroom, afraid to leave, feeling tortured as if imprisoned, every second feeling like an eternity.

Her toes awkwardly scrape the ground,

and in her mind, strange and random thoughts start to emerge. Maybe she should ask that inhuman maid to come and kill her quickly, to end the torture on her mind, she pleads.

"Come in."

Her chest tightens abruptly, and at that moment, Serena truly wants to shout "I don't want to" and desperately run away. But in the end, she lowers her head, and slowly pushes open the door behind her, her body stiff and unmoving.

In front of her, on that delicate and luxurious little face, there is no longer the gentle and sweet smile from the evening banquet.

At this moment, her esteemed cousin, Count Chille Lorraine, gazes at her expressionless with his stunning crimson eyes, tainted with frost.

"I never expected my cousin Serena Hammerwi to have a hobby of nocturnal visits."

With just a simple sentence,

the young girl's face instantly turns pale.

"No... I... I'm not..."

Frantically shaking her hands and head, but faced with the facts and the questioning gaze of the young count, Serena feels like even if her whole body was filled with mouths, she wouldn't be able to explain clearly.

"Then why did you barge in just now?"

Raising an eyebrow, Chille examines Serena who seems to want to cry but can't -

the noble young girl leans weakly against the doorway, gasping for air in small, rapid breaths. Her rose-red dress is somewhat disheveled, revealing patches of smooth, white skin.

The once exquisite makeup is now slightly damp with sweat, and her beautiful face has paled due to fear.

At this moment, she attempts to put on an expression of wanting to explain herself, but can only stutter and not say anything; she tightly bites her red lips and her wide emerald eyes flicker pitifully.

She looks -

very easy to bully.

"In this world, as a noble lady, it is so rude and disrespectful to barge into a gentleman's bedroom, especially someone whose status far exceeds your own family's."

The corner of his mouth can't help but curl up,

Chille stifles a smile and speaks in a gentle tone, deliberately using venomous words to taunt,

"In order to uphold the reputation of the Lorraine family, Serena cousin, you should know what fate awaits you, right?"

Gurgle - her throat rolls, Serena can't help but widen her eyes, forcefully swallowing a mouthful of saliva, the sound crisp.

Nervous, frightened, desperate, powerless, the young girl feels the world turn dark before her eyes.

Chuckle -

a light laughter, like a gentle breeze and tender rain.

Serena stays still, staring blankly as the cold and alluring beauty in front of her slowly curves her ruby-red lips, her delicate body trembling ever so slightly, until she can't control herself and laughs out loud.

Radiant and charming, sweetly melting the frost in the room, and her frozen heart.

"Okay, I'm just kidding."

Giving her an annoyed glance, Chille leans against the fluffy cushion and extends his hand to pat the empty space beside him.

"Don't just stand there with that foolish face. Come closer."

Those beautiful and bright crimson eyes playfully blink, and he lets out a light hum,

"Are you afraid I'll eat you? Silly."