A carriage pulled up in front of Lambhart Manor, coming to a stop. Two individuals emerged from within. One was a young man who appeared to be around thirteen years old, while the other was a young woman with vibrant purple hair of the same age.
"Erica... you little troublemaker..." Alea Bluerose, the girl with purple hair, muttered with seething anger as she glanced at the manor's entrance. There stood her sister, Erica, wearing a bright smile that seemed to revel in the fact that she had outsmarted Alea. "You really know how to push my buttons. I swear, once we get back home, I'll yank out all your hair until you're bald," she fumed.
Beside her, the young man named Damian spoke up. "This is my first time visiting Lambhart, and I have to say, I'm quite impressed. The manor looks extraordinary, even for an earl's residence."
"T-That's true," Alea reluctantly responded, not particularly interested in engaging with Damian. "But considering that this house was established by the great general, it's not surprising for it to be so grand. This manor holds a significant amount of historical records. Not only that, it was designed by Sirius Deign."
"Sirius Deign? Heh, I guess it makes sense for this manor to be... beautiful," Damian remarked, acknowledging the renowned architect's involvement.
As they entered the estate, a maid with brown hair approached them, bowing respectfully. "Welcome to the Lambhart estate, Miss Bluerose, and..." She paused, unable to recognize Damian. "And... sir?"
"Damian. Damian Horselle. Make sure you remember that, pretty maid," Damian responded, flashing a confident smile.
The maid replied with a slightly disinterested tone, "Of course, Sir Horselle. Now, if you would please follow me. The young master is waiting for you in the entrance."
The maid led the way, and Damian couldn't help but watch her with his gaze. Unlike the typical maids in his own household, this one possessed a remarkable grace. Not only that, but she was undeniably beautiful, with ample curves and a slender waist. She perfectly matched his preferences. As Damian observed her hips sway while she walked, he couldn't resist licking his lips. In an impulsive moment, he reached out his hand, intending to grab her rear. However, his actions were abruptly halted by someone else.
"Please refrain from touching the maids. They are not your personal property," another maid interjected, firmly holding Damian's wrist. This maid was older and exuded an air of nobility.
"...Hey, maid. Don't you dare touch me. Hasn't this household taught you how to respect nobles? And what do you mean by refraining from touching them? They are nothing more than commoners, so it should be perfectly acceptable for me to lay my hands on them," Damian retorted, his gaze lingering on the maid's ample bosom, which surpassed even that of the brown-haired maid. "Besides, you're just a commoner yourself, aren't you? So, I don't see any issue with me giving them a little squeeze, right?" he added, attempting to brush off the maid's grip. However, much to his surprise, her hold remained unyielding. Damian looked into her eyes, growing increasingly confused. But then, he noticed the fury burning within them.
"How dare you try to lay your filthy hands on me, you pig. The only person permitted to touch me is my brother," the maid seethed with anger.
'Huh? What's with this maid? Her strength is ridiculous... Are you kidding me? I can't even budge her,' Damian thought to himself, realizing that this maid possessed extraordinary power. As someone well-versed in martial arts and the arts of assassination, he was no stranger to physical prowess, but this maid was on a completely different level.
"Hey..." Alea, sensing the tense and peculiar atmosphere, interjected. "Lord Damian, it's wrong to touch any woman, regardless of their status. That's considered sexual harassment."
"Heh..." Damian smirked. "You're right. Women, regardless of their background, deserve respect."
With that, he reluctantly relented, and the maid loosened her grip. Surrendering was undoubtedly the wisest choice. Engaging in a fight with this maid would result in instant defeat. His instincts told him as much.
However, Damian refused to admit his fear. His pride would not allow it. Instead, he redirected his focus to reprimanding the maid. "But that doesn't give her the right to insult a noble. Hasn't your master taught you how to behave in the presence of nobility? Do you not understand the consequences of disrespecting nobles?" Damian's tone turned threatening. "It is customary for nobles to have the power to execute commoners if deemed necessary. So, it may be necessary for me to sever your head to teach you a lesson, won't it?" Damian proclaimed, as a guard at his side handed him a sword. "However, if you let me have my way with you, I might consider sparing your life. After all, it would be a waste to kill you before I've even had a taste..." Damian licked the cold blade with his tongue, attempting to intimidate the maid.
The maid remained unfazed by Damian's lewd remarks. Her voice was as cold as ice as she defiantly declared, "I would rather die than submit to your desires..."
"Hehe... Such a fierce gaze. I wonder how it will change when I have my way with you. Will it remain as fierce, or crumble under shame and pleasure? I'm quite curious to find out," Damian jeered.
"You will never get the chance. You'll meet your end before you even try," the maid responded, her determination unwavering.
Damian's expression twisted with frustration, realizing that his attempts to intimidate her were futile. "You're truly impudent. Do you not grasp how much embarrassment you are causing your master right now? Is this how a Lambhart maid behaves?"
A fleeting flicker of emotion crossed the maid's otherwise stoic face, but Damian didn't miss it. "Heh. It seems you, at least, do not wish to bring shame upon your master. Well, in that case, I suppose slapping you across the face will have to suffice as recompense for your insolence, don't you think? After all, you did have the audacity to call me a pig."
"Um, Lord Damian, isn't that taking it too far?" Alea interjected, her voice filled with concern.
"What do you mean, going too far? I am showing great mercy by merely slapping her, considering the offense she has committed against me. And you're suggesting that it's still going too far?" Damian retorted, his arrogance apparent in his words.
"No matter how you look at it, Lord Damian, you're taking this a little too far," Alea protested. "And isn't it rude of you to flirt with other girls right in front of me? I'm your fiancée, after all."
"I'm not picking up any girls, Alea. I'm just... disciplining one," Damian replied with a dismissive tone. "I want to teach her that there are boundaries that should never be crossed, and severe consequences await those who dare to cross them. Now, prepare yourself for a slap, maid. And don't even think about dodging it. You'd be humiliating your master."
As Damian raised his hand, ready to strike, the maid stood her ground. She couldn't allow herself to disrespect her master; she loved him. So, she chose not to dodge and braced herself for the impending slap. She was no stranger to this kind of treatment. Her father had subjected her to countless slaps whenever she failed to meet his expectations. But this time, she endured it out of love for her little brother. He was her one and only master, and she would never allow herself to disrespect him.
However, just as the slap was about to connect, a cold voice pierced through the tense atmosphere, freezing everyone in place. "Damian... do you want to die?" The voice belonged to a familiar scrawny kid, Cian.
"Huh?" Damian looked at Cian, surprised to see his old acquaintance. "Long time no see, Cian. I see you're as gloomy as ever."
"And I see you're still a despicable piece of shit, Damian," Cian retorted sharply.
"You really know how to push people's buttons, don't you?" Damian remarked, his voice dripping with arrogance.
Closing the distance between them, Damian approached Cian until they were just inches apart. He couldn't help but cast a quick glance at Erica, who was standing by Cian's side.
"You didn't lay a finger on my woman, did you?" he whispered, his voice laced with possessiveness.
"Woman? I thought you were engaged to Alea, not Erica," Cian replied, raising an eyebrow.
"Both of them are my women," Damian declared, a smirk playing on his lips. "I could never be satisfied with just one. Besides, it would be quite thrilling to have a go with twins. I wonder if they make the same expressions in bed. I want to find out... and see if their tastes are the same."
Cian shot Damian a sidelong glance, a mixture of disgust and disbelief in his eyes. "Don't you think that's twisted? Well, I suppose, considering it's you we're talking about, there's no limit to how messed up you can be. But," he leaned in, his lips almost brushing against Damian's ear, "what if I've already marked one of them with my...seed? Would you still indulge in the other?"
Damian stared at Cian with a mix of anger and relief. "You didn't actually..."
Cian chuckled and shook his head. "Of course not. I wouldn't do something like that. It would not only ruin our relationship with the Bluerose family, but it would also create unnecessary tension between the Lambhart and Bluerose factions. I don't want to cause any more problems for my father." He then turned his attention to Alea. "It's been a long time since we last saw each other, Alea. You're still as stunning as ever."
Alea, caught off guard by Cian's sudden compliment, blushed and stammered in her response. "Ah... Thank you. It's nice to see you again too, Lord Cian. You've grown even more handsome."
Cian smiled warmly. "Oh, I heard that both you and Damian are engaged. Congratulations."
Alea's expression faltered momentarily, but before she could reply, Damian interjected. "That's right. So, don't get too familiar with my girl."
Cian's smile widened, and he looked at the two maids and even at Erica. "I'm not, but... just a word of warning, don't lay a hand on my women either."
Damian's temples throbbed with anger. 'I've always despised this guy and his arrogant demeanor, but today he's really pushing my buttons,' he fumed silently. He glanced at the two maids, his expression filled with disdain. 'So, someone else has left their mark on their bodies, huh? I can't stand them now. They're nothing but used goods.' His gaze then shifted to Erica, and a wave of suspicion washed over him. 'Why did he look at Erica like that? Has he really laid his hands on her during her time in this manor? No way... Cian wouldn't have the audacity to do that,' he seethed with anger, unable to bear the thought of his target being defiled.
Meanwhile, Alea approached Erica, her anger towards her intensifying. Erica wore the widest smile Alea had ever seen, which only fueled her frustration. Leaning closer, Alea whispered near Erica's ear, "You seem to have thoroughly enjoyed your time here. But guess what? Once we're home, you'll receive the most painful punishment you've ever received from me."
Erica didn't flinch. Normally, she would recoil if her sister made such a threat. However, to Alea's surprise, Erica maintained her smile and spoke with an unexpected confidence. "It's alright, sister. I'll willingly bear your punishment... because today, I experienced the most delightful thing in the world. It was granted to me by Lord Cian himself." Her eyes, usually filled with insecurity and droopy, now gleamed with an intoxicating allure.
Alea's heart raced in her chest. 'Did something happen between Erica and Lord Cian?' The thought consumed her, filling her mind with unease and uncertainty.