Mushiyu remembered talking with Loran before drifting off to sleep. In her dreams, she felt wrapped in a warm, soft sponge. But the embrace tightened gradually, squeezing her breath away. She squirmed uncomfortably—and the pressure eased instantly.

A crisp, forest-like fragrance teased her nose, seeping into her dreams. Familiar. Through the haze, she saw Xiaoqing in her high school uniform, waiting under her uncle’s apartment building just like countless mornings before, ready to walk to school together.

*Xiaoqing…*

***Thud!***

A dull impact jolted Mushiyu awake.

*What happened?*

Her eyes flew open. She tried to sit up—and froze.

Before her lay delicate collarbones and a slender, pale neck. Her waist was pinned. Her arms felt numb, trapped.

Slowly, Mushiyu’s gaze traveled upward: past full pink lips, a straight nose, until it met calm, sea-blue eyes.

A primal scream erupted from her gut—rocketing past intestines, stomach, throat—to shatter the air. That scream held every tear of a fallen flower of youth, a raw indictment of a cruel world, a bloody accusation against the destroyer of innocence, a soul-deep cry for justice—

***“XIAOQING! WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!”***

Melissara’s pointed ears twitched. The deafening shriek made her dizzy. Seeing the girl’s mouth open again, she did the only sensible thing—to silence the noise, she sealed Mushiyu’s lips with her own.

Silence fell. Melissara’s eyes narrowed in satisfaction. Then she stilled.

This sensation… utterly new. At over two hundred years old, Melissara rarely left the Elven Forest. Her knowledge came solely from the sages’ libraries—vast, profound, far beyond any human lifetime. Yet her understanding was lopsided. Like an upside-down pyramid: majestic at the peak, hollow at the base. Basic things—like this—were mysteries.

The slide of lips against lips was intoxicating. A silky-soft sensation, like biting into honey-dripping fruit. It stole her focus, drowning out the world, pulling her deeper with every breath.

But it wasn’t enough. Melissara, usually serene and detached, now felt human—greedy. One taste demanded more.

She deepened the kiss, pressing closer—

***Sharp pain.***

Melissara jerked back. Metallic bitterness flooded her mouth. A fingertip brushed her lower lip—stained crimson.

Mushiyu panted, heart hammering against her ribs. Her face burned. *This isn’t Xiaoqing. This is Melissara. The Elven Queen.*

Melissara’s icy glare made her shiver. “I-I was just defending myself! You started it!” Mushiyu stammered.

Melissara healed the wound with elven magic, then gripped Mushiyu’s chin. Her finger tapped the girl’s neat white teeth. “Strong bite. Shall I pry them out for a specimen display?”

Terror seized Mushiyu. She thrashed, but Melissara’s grip only tightened—until tears streamed down Mushiyu’s cheeks from the pain.

Melissara’s hold softened slightly. Seeing the girl go still, she leaned down and gently licked away the tears. Strangely, even this salty trace fascinated her.

Mushiyu squeezed her eyes shut. The warm, wet flick against her skin raised goosebumps. The pain in her jaw faded as soothing energy flowed from Melissara’s hands—purple bruises vanishing under elven healing.

Then—her earlobe was drawn into a warm mouth. Mushiyu jerked. A cool palm pressed her cheek, holding her still.

Hot breath filled her ear. Melissara’s voice, low but absolute: “From now on, your body belongs to me. Any defiance will be punished.”

Mushiyu squirmed weakly, trembling. The tingling in her ear drained her strength. She couldn’t even speak.

“Your name,” Melissara murmured against her ear.

“M-Mushiyu…” she gasped.

“Mushiyu? An odd name.” Melissara knew no human naming like this.

The lips left her ear, sliding down her cheek—heading for her mouth again. Mushiyu held her breath, praying it wouldn’t happen—

***“Princess Melissara?!”***

Loran’s urgent voice cut through the carriage.

Melissara paused. She studied Mushiyu’s flushed, lovely face—and smiled faintly. *Plenty of time later.*

Relief washed over Mushiyu as the terrifying lips retreated. She peeked open her eyes at the familiar-yet-alien face above her.

*Xiaoqing’s face… doing those things…* It felt like betrayal by her closest friend. A shame she’d never forget.

Melissara stroked Mushiyu’s feverish cheek, then stood—unashamedly naked, her figure elegant and poised.

Mushiyu snapped her eyes shut. Why did seeing another woman’s bare body now flood her with strange, burning shame?

Rustling fabric. Mushiyu cracked an eye open. Only when Melissara was fully dressed did she dare look.

Melissara’s gaze pinned her. Mushiyu dropped her eyes.

Noticing Mushiyu’s bound wrists—skin faintly darkened—Melissara untied the vines. As she massaged the girl’s arms with healing magic, Mushiyu finally remembered her numb limbs. *If this were Earth, they’d be ruined.*

*She treats me like a doll. No care for how I feel!* Mushiyu seethed.

“It wasn’t me who tied you,” Melissara said suddenly.

Mushiyu blinked. *Not her? Then… Loran.* She recalled last night’s slap. *Yeah. She’d totally do bondage play. Pervert.*

Melissara felt zero guilt for framing her loyal guard. *Loran’s already the villain. One more sin won’t matter.*

***Grrroooowl—***

A loud stomach growl shattered the silence. Melissara’s eyes flicked to Mushiyu’s belly.

“It’s just hunger! Stare all you want!” Mushiyu grumbled.

Melissara released her arms and stood. “Wait here.”

“Can I have clothes?” Mushiyu called after her.

“You don’t need them now.”

“But—I need the toilet!”

“The toilet?”

“*Peeing!*” Mushiyu hissed.

Melissara pointed to a pot beside the bed. “Use that.”

“You’re joking!”

“Shall I send Loran to assist?” Melissara offered smoothly.

Mushiyu deflated. “…Fine.”

A ghost of a smile touched Melissara’s lips as she left.

Outside, Loran nearly collapsed with relief when the carriage door opened. “Princess!”

“Fetch food from the humans,” Melissara ordered.

“Human food?” Loran paused, then understood—it was for the slave. She hurried off.

The human adventurers readily handed over bread and dried meat. As Loran turned back, Melissara’s cold voice stopped her: “Mind your duties. No more overstepping.”

Loran stiffened. “Yes, Princess.”

Inside the carriage, Mushiyu huddled under a blanket, nibbling fruit. The door opened—she flinched, then sighed seeing Loran. *At least she won’t do… weird things.*

Loran noted the girl’s relief. *Good. The Princess’s authority is respected.* (She had no idea her misunderstanding spanned the width of Cursed Dragon Gorge.)

Mushiyu’s eyes locked onto the bread and meat in Loran’s arms—dull but infinitely better than fruit.

Watching the girl stare like a hungry rabbit waiting for food, Loran almost smiled. *This little slave… isn’t entirely unpleasant.*

He set the food on the table and slid it closer to the bed, within Mushiyu's reach.

Mushiyu eyed Loran with suspicion. Why did she suddenly feel this elf was treating her better?

Loran kept his cold expression. "If you won't eat it, I'll throw it away."

Well, Mushiyu knew it was just her imagination. How could this guy ever be nice to her?

As she nibbled the bread, a question struck her. "Where are you all headed?"

"First to the human Central Empire," Loran answered frankly, "then back to the Elven Forest."

"Oh," Mushiyu nodded. Since she was human, she'd find a chance to escape in the Central Empire later. Melissara's nonsense about "your body belongs to me" meant nothing to her at all.