Tap tap tap... Luna gently tapped on the door three times.

"Come in," Lilith replied nonchalantly. The Demon Castle was vast, yet only three people lived there. Obviously, she knew who it was—only Luna and Allen. She could sense them: Allen had not a trace of magic or Frenzy, while the other, radiating Saint-level Frenzy and Archmage-level magic power, was naturally Luna.

In this world, everyone possessed some magic—even animals and plants. But Allen had none, all because of the collar around her neck. An enchanted collar mixed with obsidian powder, it absorbed all magic and Frenzy from its wearer, feeding it back to its owner. As a forbidden alchemy item, with obsidian hard to mine and costly to craft, no one would bother making such a thing for fun. Only a handful on the continent owned one. And only an immortal like the Dark Lord would idly decorate a few with patterns. Anyone wanting this collar likely had impure motives...

Click. The wooden door opened, revealing a少女 with fiery red hair braided into a thick plait, tied with a black bow—none other than Luna. Seeing Lilith, Luna coquettishly扑了上去, hugging the seated Lilith and nuzzling her chest with her head.

"Master, the task you entrusted me with is done!" Luna chirped, then called toward the door, "Allen, stop spacing out and come in already!" Her beast ears twitched as she spoke.

Allen hesitated outside. Honestly, she feared Lilith deeply. From their first words to yesterday’s starvation that left her fainting, Lilith’s dominance was clear. To Lilith, Allen was just a parasite in this body. One wrong move, and Lilith would erase her entirely, turning her into a mindless puppet. Allen couldn’t bear losing her memories—it terrified her. She had to learn to read Lilith’s moods, prove her worth, and wait until Lilith let her guard down. Only then could she escape quietly. It might take ages, but that was Allen’s plan.

Luna grew impatient. Pouting, she pulled away from Lilith and marched to the door. Allen was still dazed when Luna grabbed her chain and yanked her inside.

The room had rustic wallpaper and wooden floors. A brown patterned rug lay centered on the floor. Above it stood a desk piled with books, a mana crystal lamp, scrolls, and quills. Sofa chairs sat nearby for guests—ironically, four chairs for only four residents in the Demon Castle. Bookshelves held volumes from the underground library, which adjoined the study on the right. A lift stood there too, activated by magic. But Allen couldn’t use it.

"You suit those clothes well. I didn’t misjudge your size," Lilith said with a faint, enigmatic smile.

"Thank you... Lilith-sama," Allen replied hesitantly. She couldn’t bring herself to say "Master." Then she remembered—Lilith mentioned sizing. Recalling how her torn sleepwear was perfectly mended after Luna knocked her out, with Lilith watching over her... The answer was obvious. Lilith had seen her naked!

Allen’s face flushed uncontrollably.

Lilith’s expression turned cold. "I’ll ask once more: what should you call me?" Her gaze sharpened like a blade, piercing Allen. Her hand lifted slightly, crackling with electricity.

Allen trembled, remembering days ago when Lilith’s shock had knocked her out. "M-m-m... Master..." she stammered in terror, mispronouncing the first syllable.

"I didn’t hear that. Again!" Lilith commanded in a chilling tone.

"M... Master," Allen finally choked out the humiliating words. Only when Lilith’s arm lowered did she breathe again.

"If you slip up again, the consequence... hmm... I’ll erase your memories. I don’t need a useless maid. You’d be much more obedient then," Lilith said with a sly smile—teasing yet genuine, impossible to read.

Tears pricked Allen’s eyes. That was Lilith’s goal: to make her understand that as a slave, she must obey.

"Yes... Master," Allen forced back her tears. She wouldn’t shame herself here. Though enslaved, she’d rise again someday and repay Lilith double. For now, she’d endure—until that unknown day.

"Your duties are simple: wash everyone’s clothes, cook meals. Most importantly, attend to me at night. Beyond that, I won’t interfere with your daily life," Lilith said, smiling warmly—but to Allen, it was terrifying. "Attend to me at night" sounded dreadful. As a slave, she had no choice but to accept silently.

"Yes... Master," Allen obeyed reluctantly.

"Good. Your food must please my palate. Fail, and I’ll erase your memories. I don’t need an incompetent maid!" Lilith tossed two booklets to the floor. "Study these. Understand them by dinner. If the meal fails, your memories vanish immediately. Also, never enter forbidden areas—like the dungeon’s torture chamber or the warehouse. Understood?"

Allen picked up the booklets—both cookbooks. Her nerves snapped tight at "dinner."

"I understand, Master. I’ll read them now," she replied hastily.

Allen didn’t know how badly Lilith wanted to erase her parasite-self. But she knew Lilith kept her word. Her priority was mastering these books.

*Lilith... I can’t fight her. I must obey...* Allen thought.

"Go to your room and study. It’s noon already. Your memories..." Lilith teased.

Allen didn’t wait. She bolted out, racing to her room.

*No time! It’s afternoon—only three hours until dinner. I can’t learn everything!*

In her room, Allen sat on the floor and frantically flipped pages.

"Master, why do you keep scaring her? She looks so pitiful..." Luna finally asked, having been a silent bystander. Her face showed confusion.

"Luna... isn’t she amusing like that?" Lilith stroked Luna’s head, smiling eerily. To her, Allen was just a toy.

Luna shook her head, then nodded, then shook it again.

Two hours later, under Luna’s supervision and the Dark Lord’s threats, Allen had grasped the basics. Barely.

"Allen! Are you trying to burn this place down?!" Luna yelled.

"Cough... cough... Sorry, Luna..." Allen choked on smoke, tears streaming from the stinging haze.

"Allen! Allen! The pot—the pot’s on fire!" Luna stammered in shock.

Whoosh! Luna dumped a basin of water on the pot. Water splashed onto Allen. The fire didn’t die—it spread, burning on Allen’s wet clothes.

"Wah!!!" Allen rolled on the floor desperately.

Panicked, Luna summoned a water dragon spell, blasting Allen with a torrent.

....................................................

Allen examined the steak in the pot—charred black. She picked a small burnt piece and tasted it.

"Ptooey!" She spat it out.

Gritting her teeth, she carried the dish to the dining table.

....................................................

Lilith felt conflicted. Allen’s clothes were torn and soaked, as if hit by a fireball—yet oddly wet. Lilith was torn between laughter and annoyance. Her carefully made outfit was ruined.

*Is this... human steak? I’ve heard it’s delicious... but it looks terrifying...* Lilith thought.

Allen stood silently beside Lilith’s chair, head bowed. She knew she was doomed.

Lilith cut a small piece and ate it. It tasted like charcoal. But having never eaten human food, she noticed nothing amiss.

*This is what humans eat? Horrifying! It tastes like ash!*

"Eh?..." Allen was stunned. Lilith wasn’t angry?!

"T... tasty..." Lilith forced calm. She didn’t want Allen to know she’d never eaten steak. *Allen’s human—even a beginner should manage this after reading.*

"Eh?!" Allen was even more confused.

She watched Lilith’s stiff face as she mechanically ate the beef. *She’s never had human food! Definitely!*

.....................................................

Allen nibbled the charcoal steak, relieved her memories were intact. Luna declined to eat—she and the Dark Lord could survive without food.

Allen rushed to the bath, washing off grime. She felt better. Today had been exhausting: threatened by the Dark Lord, forced to cram two cookbooks, nearly burning alive. Pure torture.

Then she recalled the Dark Lord’s words about attending him in bed and couldn’t help but shiver again...

Allen changed into a nightgown, walked to his bed, and lay down without hesitation. He hoped Lilith would just forget about that whole bed service thing...

He slept soundly until deep into the night. Suddenly, he felt something brushing against him—like being lifted. He slightly opened his eyes. Allen froze. Lilith was actually carrying him! Since he wasn’t very tall, she held him in a princess carry, moving with careful precision to avoid waking him. Fear gripped Allen. What if Lilith held a grudge over the steak incident and secretly erased his memories? But he didn’t dare startle her, so he pretended to sleep. He’d sneak quick glances now and then. Soon, he felt Lilith stop. She set him down on the bed with feather-light gentleness. Allen recognized the room—Lilith’s bedroom. Lilith glanced at the “sleeping” Allen, tiptoed onto the bed, and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead. Then she curled around him and drifted off. Allen felt a flicker of confusion. Did Lilith truly like him? He dismissed it instantly. It’s just this body. My memories are only a parasite here—that’s why she torments me like this.

Suddenly, Allen wanted to cry again.

He stayed wide awake all night. Lilith held him close, breathing softly in deep slumber...

“When... when can I escape...” Allen thought.