Levian’s Secret Gaze and Seraphina’s Peril

Levian had a peculiar habit.

Whenever her mistress went out on patrol, Levian would meticulously time her movements, carefully concealing herself in a corner of the Blood Manor’s corridor, secretly watching the grand entrance leading outside.

Then, as Iqiyah pushed open the wooden door and her weary form appeared in the hallway, Levian would claim the very first glimpse of her mistress’s return.

Afterward, she would stealthily slip away, unnoticed, rejoining the line of waiting maids to collectively welcome her mistress, acting merely as a coat rack among them.

This ritual unfolded daily, known to none, as reliable as clockwork.

To Levian, this was her own unique pleasure, one that no one, not even her mistress, was permitted to infringe upon.

Indeed, her entire day revolved around this single glance. Each time she caught sight of her mistress returning, her heart would swell with excitement, every ounce of the day’s accumulated fatigue vanishing in that instant.

Naturally, if the weather happened to be particularly warm, and Iqiyah returned imbued with a hint of humid air mingled with her fragrant sweat, it would be even more exquisite.

‘Hmph! No one can ever know about this, not even my mistress!’

‘If they did, my dignity as head maid would be utterly…’

At this thought, Levian’s head swam, and she couldn’t help but cover her blushing cheeks in embarrassment.

She was greedy, desiring both the sweet illicit pleasure of catching a glimpse of her mistress’s return and the intense shame that would surely follow if she were ever discovered.

Just then…

“Creak—”

The sound of the grand door interrupted Levian’s reverie. She quickly concealed herself, her gaze fixed covertly on the slightly ajar wooden door.

A fair, delicate hand emerged from the gap, gently tracing the surface of the ancient wooden door.

‘It’s coming, it’s coming!’

With an excited heart and trembling hands, Levian bit down hard on her crimson lower lip, her heart pounding like a diesel engine.

However—

“Is anyone there? Can someone lend a hand?”

Like a thunderclap tearing through the silent night, Levian froze.

The voice was not that of her beloved mistress, but rather one she utterly detested, so much so that she wished the speaker would simply drop dead.

‘What’s happening? Why is it her!?’

****

“Hey! The mistress has fainted! Can someone come help me?”

Staggering with her delicate frame, Seraphina carried the unconscious Iqiyah, crossing the manor’s grand entrance one heavy step at a time.

Though the Blood Princess’s tender body was soft and warm, Seraphina harbored no thoughts of enjoyment. At that moment, only one idea occupied her mind.

‘Couldn’t you wake up, my lady? Having a weakling with Strength 1 like me carry you back is truly a torment…’

Suddenly, a peculiar sensation arose within her.

‘This corridor… isn’t there something strange about it?’

Although she had only arrived at the manor yesterday, she had walked this corridor at least three times. Her instincts as an adventurer had caused her to instinctively memorize its layout.

Perhaps it was an ancient survival instinct; humans are incredibly sensitive to changes in familiar environments. Even a fleeting glimpse of something amiss can trigger their alarm.

As an adventurer, Seraphina knew well that such a feeling should never be dismissed as mere imagination.

It suggested the high probability of an unknown enemy lurking within the environment.

‘But… this is the Blood Manor. How could there be enemies here?’

‘Then… if not an enemy, it could only be a maid, right?’

“Hey! You there! I saw you!”

A bead of sweat trickled down Seraphina’s forehead. In truth, she hadn’t seen anyone.

Yet, she trusted her instincts.

“I see you! For the mistress’s sake, please come out and help me, alright?”

Just as Seraphina stood at the doorway, shouting—

‘H-how is that possible…’

Hidden behind a pillar, Levian was drenched in sweat.

‘How could a mere piece of trash who just underwent the [Initial Embrace] possibly detect my flawless concealment!?’

Levian gnashed her teeth, glaring at Seraphina, completely oblivious to the hem of her skirt that had subtly peeked out.

Perhaps it was the shock of her mistress’s unconsciousness, but the impeccable actions of this flawless maid had finally faltered today.

However, contrary to her expectations, it wasn’t her supreme mistress who discovered her flaw.

Consequently, the thrilling, blush-inducing revelation she had anticipated would not come to pass.

What a pity.

Yet, Levian had no mind for such thoughts. Her paramount concern was her mistress’s safety.

‘What happened to her? How could she be slumped over that piece of trash?’

‘That trash must have harmed Lady Iqiyah!’

Though her heart still held reservations, her concern for her mistress compelled her to act immediately.

In a single instant, Levian traversed the entire corridor, teleporting directly before Seraphina.

“What happened to the mistress?”

Seeing the fierce-looking head maid suddenly appear before her, Seraphina’s heart skipped a beat.

“I… I…”

“It has something to do with you, doesn’t it?”

Staring intently at the trembling Seraphina, Levian’s face was ashen, so dark that Seraphina could barely discern her features.

“Give me the mistress. I’ll deal with you later.”

Without giving Seraphina a chance to react, Levian forcefully snatched Iqiyah from her arms. Then, with a flash of white light, she vanished from the corridor.

****

Iqiyah remained unconscious even by dinnertime.

The Scarlett family’s physicians immediately convened a consultation for Iqiyah, yet not a single one could determine the cause of her unconsciousness.

In their urgency, the maids promptly informed the Scarlett Estate, located far away in Gold City, only to receive a chilling reply.

“Understood.”

Of course, Seraphina was oblivious to all of this.

Deep within the Blood Manor, in a basement room that no one could ever find, was where Seraphina was now held.

Seraphina’s eyes were now blindfolded with a black cloth, her mouth gagged with a towel, and she was bound tightly like a crab sold in a supermarket, suspended in the center of the dim room.

She had been in this room for an entire afternoon, ever since she was caught by the maids while attempting to sneak away.

Although Iqiyah had once ordered the maids to treat Seraphina as they would treat herself, it was clear that none of the maids took her command seriously.

More precisely, it was Levian who didn’t take it seriously.

“Creak—”

The decaying iron door let out a sharp, grating screech as a beam of light pierced into the dim basement.

Accompanying the light was a figure standing rigidly upright.

“Seraphina…”

As if she had just been weeping, Levian’s voice sounded somewhat hoarse.

“I ask you, what exactly did you do to the mistress?”

Without warning, a heavy slap suddenly landed across Seraphina’s face.

“And yet, the mistress cherished you so deeply…”

Seraphina trembled as she gazed at the head maid, who stood silhouetted against the light, her expression and features indiscernible. Perhaps due to extreme fear, a wave of nausea suddenly surged into her throat.

“I… I didn’t… I just… just…”

Confronted by Levian’s overwhelming aura, Seraphina couldn’t even feel the burning pain on her face, let alone speak coherently.

“You just what?”

In the dim backlighting, Levian’s right hand flicked, sending a slender whip slicing through the air.

“Never mind. That’s not important.”

“What matters is that you harmed Lady Iqiyah… you have earned your death.”

Levian gripped the tip of the whip, pulling it taut with force, causing a sharp, cutting sound to echo in her hand.

“I will not spare anyone who dares to harm Lady Iqiyah.”

“Especially not a traitorous piece of trash like you!”