"Huff... huff..."

I watched Lily pull Hawthorn away, rubbing my chin with a thoughtful grin.

"My Lord, you seem surprised?" Wuluwu glanced at me, her voice curious.

"How could I not be?" I planted my hands on my hips. "Honestly, I’d been scheming how to trick Hawthorn into wearing that maid outfit. But after weighing it, I thought it unlikely—never expected she’d suggest it herself..."

A delighted laugh bubbled up. "Heh, saves me the trouble of persuading her. Though... makes sense, really. Hawthorn’s still a young girl, newly given form by Lily."

Timeline-wise, Hawthorn had only just been shaped by Lily—right when Lily was at her weakest, explaining why she’d been so easily ambushed.

But Hawthorn was naive to the ways of the world. At her age, curiosity ruled. Trying on a maid outfit? Hardly surprising.

"Haaah... I’d hoped to help Lily change clothes myself someday," Ona murmured, tapping her lower lip with a fingertip. Her gaze lingered on the hallway where Lily and Hawthorn vanished, a playful smirk on her face laced with a trace of disappointment. Clearly, she’d anticipated Lily resisting my orders, forcing me to make her wear it—a scenario she’d relished imagining, seeing Lily as prime teasing material.

"Don’t worry. Your chance will come," I said, eyes narrowing as I sidled up to Ona. My hand drifted to her snow-white ear, stroking it while I studied her closely.

Compared to the outfits I’d given Lily and Hawthorn, Ona and Wuluwu’s maid uniforms carried a hint of allure—slits flanking the chest. Wuluwu’s flat frame hid little, but Ona’s curves promised glimpses of cleavage with the slightest turn. Paired with her collar and the occasional playful flick of her tongue, she was incredibly alluring.

After resting, my energy had returned. Boredom struck. Time to "interact" with my new maids. I’d demanded all three change into uniforms.

Maid? Must wear the outfit!

Ona had eagerly complied. Lily’s reaction? Well... you saw it.

"But teasing has limits," I added, fingers still tracing Ona’s ear. "I won’t have my lovely maids at each other’s throats."

"Understood, my Lord," Ona purred, pressing her chest against my arm, utterly submissive.

I knew this obedience stemmed solely from my power. Had I been weaker, she’d have torn me apart the moment I summoned her—no words exchanged.

Watching this demon girl obey, I found it strangely amusing.

Ouse. Leopard-headed humanoid. Ranked fifty-seventh among the Pillars of the Seventy Two Great Demons. Commander of thirty Demon Legions. Ona, his daughter, inherited formidable strength—necessary in the Abyss, where even a Great Demon’s offspring becomes prey without power.

Her ears weren’t quite leopard-like—too large. Her tail, though, was distinctly feline.

Recalling our pact, my mind conjured... interesting possibilities.

"Heh heh... Clever plan, my Lord?" Ona’s tail swayed gently as she chuckled under my touch.

"Oh?" I raised an eyebrow, smiling back.

"You’re peeling away Lily’s sense of shame bit by bit, aren’t you? With a tsundere like her, rushing would backfire. Starting with the maid outfit... then escalating slowly. It’ll be delicious fun, won’t it?" Her tail stilled. "Am I right, my Lord~?"

"Heh. Close enough," I admitted, fondly tapping her nose. "But truly... I adore watching her flustered, forced to obey despite herself—"

"...My Lord," Wuluwu interjected softly, "regarding human affairs—"

"I know. I’ll speak with her in a day or two." I waved her off, signaling I had it handled.

"Alright. Let’s go—they’ve had enough time to change."

I strode toward the room, anticipation thrumming in my veins.