(I-I should go drink first?)

Hearing Elucia say that, Lonis was completely dumbfounded.

Am I even allowed to eat first?

Or maybe this beef soup is poisoned? Is that why she wants me to taste-test it first…?

No, I made this food. How could it possibly be poisoned?

…

Lonis wore a dumbfounded expression. Elucia seemed to sense how she was feeling, and with a cold snort, said, “What’s wrong? Aren’t you going to eat?”

“I-I…”

“Oh? Do you think that, as a masochistic maid, all you deserve is a bowl of soup? Or maybe you don’t even deserve the soup and should just go hungry?”

“N-No!”

Lonis hurriedly denied it… Elucia was way too scary. Did she have radar or something? How had she figured out what Lonis was thinking?!

(No, Elucia really does seem to know what I’m thinking…)

Lonis remembered that Elucia had said she could sense other people’s true feelings.

(Does that mean I can’t keep any secrets from Elucia?)

The thought made Lonis too afraid to meet Elucia’s eyes… But the black-haired girl wasn’t about to pass up a chance to tease her:

“Hehe. Don’t worry, Lonis. As your master, I’ll make sure to train you properly, my masochistic maid~”

“Huh?”

“But not when it comes to eating. There’s already something wrong with your body, so you have to eat on time. I’ll bully you properly once you’ve got your strength back.”

“N-No, I don’t want to be…”

“Oh? Lonis, aren’t you grateful for my ‘reward’? (She takes out a remote control.)”

“Uuuuh!”

…

…

Of course, Lonis couldn’t drink all that beef soup by herself.

So she sat down at the table and had dinner with Elucia.

“You know how to use a spoon, right? I don’t need to teach you?”

“O-Of course I know how.”

“Good. You’re not completely hopelessly stupid, at least.”

“I’m not stupid…”

For some reason, even though she was eating dinner “as an equal” with Elucia, sitting across from the black-haired girl made Lonis feel like a little lamb.

“When you’re done eating, go read the maid rules.”

“R-Rules?!”

“Mm-hm. I’m a very kind master. Even if you question the rules and refuse to follow them, I absolutely won’t tie you up and punish you with all kinds of toys~”

Elucia narrowed her eyes and smiled brightly.

Seeing that smile, Lonis understood what the scheming beauty was thinking… Elucia would be delighted if she disobeyed. That would give her a perfectly good excuse to torment Lonis.

This sadistic, scheming beauty loved watching Lonis resist, only to end up helplessly accepting her humiliation.

So Lonis absolutely couldn’t fall for her trap.

That was what Lonis thought. After dinner, she opened the maid rules.

The rules read as follows.

…

…

As my personal slave maid, you must follow these rules:

1. Obey your master’s orders. Cook and do the laundry on time every day, and keep yourself and your living space clean.

2. Wear the proper clothes while working. Whatever your master tells you to wear, you wear—there’s no room for negotiation. You must ask your master’s permission before changing or taking off your clothes.

3. When you encounter anyone other than your master, you may not speak without your master’s permission.

4. Maintain proper posture. Keep your knees together when sitting, take small steps when standing, and kneel with reverence and poise. Address your master respectfully and keep a smile on your face.

5. Warm your master’s bed for half an hour before going to sleep each night. You are not allowed to sleep in your master’s bed; slaves must sleep in their designated sleeping spot.

6. Everything else, including anything I haven’t thought of yet.

…

…

Reading the maid rules, Lonis felt like she wanted to die!

How could these rules be so outrageous? She was basically being treated like a toy, with not a shred of dignity!

Lonis wanted to tear up the contract to show her defiance. But Elucia was right there across from her. The silver-haired girl gripped the maid rules, yet somehow couldn’t bring herself to tear them.

“Well? You must be thrilled, my masochistic maid.”

“I…”

“If you’re happy, press your thumbprint at the bottom of the rules.”

“!”

Lonis looked up and saw that Elucia had finished her beef soup too. The girl was walking toward her, one step at a time.

The black-haired girl was half a head taller than Lonis, which made her seem especially intimidating… All she had to do was reach out and push Lonis onto the bed. If she used a rope, Lonis’s arms would be bound tight, leaving her unable to move at all.

So what if Elucia called it a “set of rules”? Even without pressing her thumbprint, Lonis couldn’t disobey her anyway.

Elucia had only gone to all this trouble to bully her and enjoy watching her blush…

So Lonis absolutely couldn’t let her plan succeed!

As long as she didn’t feel embarrassed or ashamed, she’d be the one who won.

After all, even Han Xin once crawled between someone’s legs. I’m a man too, so there’s nothing to be afraid of!

…

“Hmph. Fine, I’ll do it. I’m not scared.”

So Lonis lifted her chin defiantly and pressed her thumbprint onto the page.

“Good. I knew you’d be decisive, former Hero.”

“Ugh…”

“Then I’ll frame this contract and hang it on the wall. You’ll get to see it every day when you walk past.”

“Huh…?!”

Lonis’s pretty face turned red. She’d expected Elucia to bully her, but she hadn’t realized the girl would be this wicked!

Wouldn’t she feel ashamed and mortified every time she saw the rules, knowing she was now a maid working hard to fulfill her role?

…

While Lonis was still stunned, Elucia gave a wicked grin and said:

“Next, I’ll show you your little sleeping nook.”

“Nook…?”

“Mm-hm. This is where you’ll sleep.”

“!”

Lonis had never expected Elucia to assign her the storage compartment underneath the bed as her sleeping spot!

It didn’t look very spacious. There was a blanket laid inside, but Lonis would have to curl up to fit.

And once the cabinet door was locked, Lonis wouldn’t be able to see even a sliver of light. She wouldn’t be able to get out either. She’d be like a girl locked in a cage, left to moan helplessly.

Lonis wasn’t afraid of the dark, but she still couldn’t bear the thought of sleeping in a place like this…

“Elucia, th-this is too much!”

“Oh? Too much?”

“O-Of course! Who could sleep in a place this cramped? Besides… aren’t there other places on the ship?”

“There are plenty of seats, but there’s only one bed.”

“Huh?”

“The magic ship gets jolted around when it’s flying through the sky. I can’t guarantee your safety if you sleep somewhere else.”

“Th-That’s…”

“Of course, I’m very kind. If Lonis wants to sleep in the bed, she can.”

“!”

Lonis’s eyes widened with delight, but right afterward, she realized there was one crucial problem.

There was only one bed on the ship, which meant she’d have to share it with Elucia, so…

…

“Hehe. You noticed, didn’t you? You may be a masochistic beauty now, but I haven’t forgotten that in your previous life, you were a foolish Hero.”

“Uh…?”

“So, if you want to sleep in the same bed as me, that’s not out of the question. But to keep you from making a move on me in the middle of the night, I’ll tie your hands behind your back and put a blindfold and a collar on you. How about it? Will you accept?”

“How could I possibly accept that?!”

Being bullied while she was awake was one thing. But if she was tied up even while she slept, Lonis wouldn’t get a moment’s rest.

“If you’re still not satisfied, then choose somewhere to sleep yourself.”

“Uh…”

Lonis looked around the cabin. There really wasn’t anywhere suitable for her to sleep.

The single-seat sofa and such looked nice enough, but if she slept on one for too long, she’d definitely wake up with a stiff neck.

After thinking it over, the storage space under the bed seemed like the only suitable option.

…

…