Following the trail of Lilith’s departure, strands of crimson blood were drawn by an unseen force, stretching through corridors and door cracks like threads in the air, until they converged into Alquett’s hand behind the railing.
A small crimson orb, formed from coalesced blood, floated above her fingertip. It swelled steadily as more blood seeped in from outside.
When the final strand vanished into the orb, haggard Alquett felt her blood manipulation abruptly severed.
"Tch… beyond my range already? Fine."
"Only a tiny bit… but dragon blood should be delicious, hmm~"
Her throat trembled slightly as she stared ravenously at the orb. Unable to suppress the primal hunger surging within, she licked her vivid red lips.
"So starving… time for a taste—!"
She swallowed her own index finger—and the floating blood orb atop it—in one gulp. Savoring every sensation on her tongue and lips, she sucked meticulously.
*Glug… glug… slurp—*
Even after draining the orb, Alquett lingered, her delicate tongue meticulously cleaning each finger stained with Lilith’s blood. Not a single drop escaped her attention.
*Huff… huff~*
Before her very eyes, Alquett’s body rapidly rejuvenated. The gauntness in her cheeks vanished—within seconds, she regained her former elegance, radiating allure and poise.
"This sweet flavor… so nourishing… ah~"
"Pity there was so little… I want more~"
Her physiological thirst briefly sated, Alquett lifted her head, clarity returning to her gaze.
*Wait… what awful things did I just say?!*
After a stunned pause, she realized how mortifying her words had been during her loss of control. Shame tightened her chest.
*So embarrassing…!*
Three days without "feeding," compounded by her emotional outburst, had forced her to reveal such a humiliating side before Demonkind… If little Viola were still here, she wouldn’t need to resort to sucking the blood of detested demons to survive—just a nightly sneak-attack sip from Viola would suffice—
*Viola…*
Alquett rose and surveyed her new prison.
*Right… what did that dragonet say earlier? This is Viola’s cell?!*
Sharpening her focus, she circled the room, examining every detail—
A neat single bed… a pillow and quilt patterned with tiny flowers… a thoughtful mana-crystal bedside lamp… a quaint mini bookshelf on the nightstand… walls painted a soothing sky blue… sturdy flagstone floors… a leather-backed chair and a portable foldable desk for bed use—plus a private bathroom with a bathtub and 24-hour hot water…
*Something’s wrong.*
*Terribly, utterly wrong—*
Where were the shocking crimson-black bloodstains? The skeletal remains posed in agony in the corners? The filthy straw bedding? The rusted, gore-stained shackles and torture tools? The puddles of suspicious white liquid reeking of decay?
How could this be the Darklord Citadel’s legendary damp, leaky, evil dungeon?!
*Where did that dragonet dump me?*
*Is this even still the Darklord Citadel?*
She tested the cell door. As Lilith claimed, the rune-enchanted barrier held firm against her physical strength.
Alquett stroked her chin, frowning slightly.
*Without the Holy Sword, brute force won’t break this.*
—*But no matter.*
A sly smirk curled her lips as she recalled something.
*To escape, I just need to wait until tomorrow—until I see that dragonet again.*
*I don’t fully grasp how it works… but anyone I’ve wounded and drawn blood from undergoes… fascinating changes~*
*Then I’ll make you watch helplessly as your own body frees me from this cell. Heh heh~*
*Afterward, I’ll pry the mind-control reversal method from you, rescue Viola, and flee the Citadel. Perfect!*
*As for you, dragonet… I’ll cage you as dessert. Punishing evil Demonkind is always just.*
*…Though stripped of that title, you’d make a rather pleasing pet.*
---
Dragging weary steps, Lilith finally reached her apartment door.
"Home…"
She pushed it open—only to be greeted by an unexpectedly cheerful voice:
"Welcome back~!"
Viola stood before her, clad only in an oversized sleep robe and pink bunny slippers. Her slender calves gleamed below the robe’s hem. Fresh from the bath, steam still rose from her skin, carrying a clean, sweet fragrance. Her porcelain skin glowed under the dim light.
Curves accentuated by the loose robe, golden wavy hair cascading over her shoulders—it all painted a dangerously alluring picture. Lilith’s mind involuntarily conjured images of the robe slipping lower, revealing a glimpse of cleavage… and further, the sensation of holding such a delicate body close.
*(This robe fits my flat-chested self perfectly… but on Viola? Definitely too small.)*
A lifetime of singledom—past and present—left Lilith momentarily dazed. The throbbing pain in her wrist faded as Viola’s newfound magnetism pulled at her.
Viola padded closer, damp footprints trailing behind her. Her chest swayed enticingly with each step, making Lilith’s eyes widen.
*No wonder the Hero was captivated… Who wouldn’t be mesmerized by this?!*
*Compared to her, I’m just… Wait. Maybe it’s not her being big—it’s me being small?*
Panic flared. Lilith’s hands flew to her own chest.
*Phew… normal modest size! Perfectly fine for my age… Right? I mean, there’s definitely a gap if you squeeze hard enough…*
*…Probably.*
*What a tragedy.*
"Finished your errand?" Viola tilted her head, then noticed Lilith’s fixed gaze. Blushing, she clutched her robe tighter.
"Ah… y-yes!"
At the sound of Viola’s voice, Lilith’s heart hammered unexpectedly. Viola’s eyes darted away before meeting hers again.
"Oh… done so quickly? Then… shall we rest early?"
"Mm."
Viola hesitated, then stepped forward. She gently supported the shorter Lilith, guiding her toward the bedroom.
"…"
"…"
"Wait—this is *my* bedroom!"
"Mm-hmm." Viola blinked innocently. "There’s no other bed."
"The couch then—"
"*Sniffle*… You’d make your cute new coworker sleep on a hard, narrow couch on her first night?"
"I… uh…"
Defeated by Viola’s teary, wide-eyed stare, Lilith turned away.
*Damn big eyes. So unfair—*
"Fine! You take the bed. I’ll sleep on the couch."
As Lilith moved to leave, a small hand gripped her sleeve, anchoring her firmly.
"Huh?"
She turned to find Viola crimson-faced, clutching her robe hem. Her grip was ironclad, though her whisper was barely audible.
"Don’t go…"
Viola’s gaze dropped to her slippers. "This bed… it’s big enough… I want… to sleep together—"
"*Eh?!*"
The words tumbled out before Viola could stop them. Panic surged.
*No! I meant to hint gently first… What if she rejects me? Will she hate me for being rude?*
*But close friends sleep together all the time… at school too…*
*It’ll be fine! It has to be…*
Heart pounding, Viola stole glances at Lilith’s reaction.
*Why am I so nervous around her? We’re both girls… It’s nothing!*
Gathering courage, she yanked harder. Lilith stumbled backward, landing squarely on Viola’s lap—her back pressed against soft warmth.
Lilith froze, swallowing hard.
"T-this isn’t right… We’ve only known each other three days… If anyone finds out, Viola, you’ll—"
*(Alquett will murder me if she hears about this!)*
Seeing Lilith hesitate instead of refusing outright, Viola’s lips curved into a triumphant smirk.
"Shh~ Only us here. Your secret’s safe with me~"
Slender arms encircled Lilith’s waist, locking her in a tight embrace. Her feet dangled helplessly.
"Besides… we’ve already bathed together as sisters. Sleeping together is natural, right~?"
Viola’s breath tickled Lilith’s ear—warm, fragrant, and sweet as a lover’s whisper. Lilith’s bones turned to jelly. Never having held even a girl’s hand before, she was utterly defenseless.
"Viola… you feel… different…"
"Hmm? Different how~?"
"Just… uh…" Lilith stammered, breathless. *The Viola I knew wasn’t this… forward…*
"I don’t know… You just seem… incredibly cute after your errand, Lilith-chan~"
Viola cuddled her like a prized doll, ruffling her hair and pinching her cheeks.
"Oh! You love staring here, don’t you? Come under the covers—I’ll let you look all you want~"
"*Eh?!*"
Before Lilith could react, she was pinned to the bed.
Her robe, gothic crimson dress, tiny undergarments—all tumbled to the floor.
