"Lord Hydral, your dinner has arrived."
Outside the door, a charming and beautiful maid gently knocked, her heart pounding with anticipation as she awaited a response from within.
Though she could only catch a glimpse, even a single glance would be enough.
However, the maid waited for a long time without hearing any response from inside.
Just as she hesitated whether to call out again, the door to Lord Hydral's room suddenly … cracked open.
"Give it to me."
The low female voice from the gap in the door left the maid momentarily stunned.
As she hesitated, the voice impatiently repeated, "Dinner! Give it to me!"
As she spoke, a hand emerged from the gap in the door.
A hand so beautiful that it made the maid feel somewhat inferior, with delicate skin and slender, graceful fingers.
The lace wristband tied around the wrist, identical to those worn by all the maids of Howling Wind Castle, left the maid utterly astonished.
— Which maid had the audacity to sneak directly into Lord Hydral's room?
"What are you waiting for? Give me the dinner and leave!"
The mysterious maid inside urged impatiently, leaving the maid at the door even more at a loss.
There had never been such a rude maid in the castle, who could this person be—
!
The maid finally realized, remembering that there was a beautiful but extremely impolite girl by Lord Hydral's side. Could it be...
She hesitated for a moment before softly asking, "Is it... Miss Seraphina? The dinner cart for Lord Hydral cannot fit through the gap in the door..."
Her tentative inquiry was met with an almost explosive response from within:
"Who told you I'm Seraphina! I... Anyway, I'm not! Just leave everything there and go away, I'll take care of it myself!"
Such an unreasonable demand left the maid and the servants pushing the dinner cart behind her utterly bewildered and speechless.
"But..."
"There's no 'but'! Just do as I say!"
After a strange moan, Lord Hydral's voice came from inside, "Just do as she says."
The maid at the door was extremely disappointed upon hearing this, but compared to the imposter maid inside, she clearly had impeccable professional integrity.
Even though she couldn't see Lord Hydral, she bowed respectfully, "In that case, we shall take our leave. If you require anything, please do not hesitate to ask, Lord Hydral. May you have a pleasant evening."
.
About five minutes later, a head wearing a maid's headband stealthily peeked out from the gap in the door.
She looked around carefully, and only after confirming that no one was nearby did she cautiously step out.
She was an impeccably attractive yet sultry maid.
The term "sultry" was used instead of "beautiful" or "cute" because, compared to the proper and dignified maid uniforms of the Ansel household, the Baron of Howling Wind had clearly put a lot of thought into the revealing nature of the maids' attire.
The brand-new maid outfit from Howling Wind Castle, when worn by Miss Seraphina, was truly... enticing.
The maid who emerged from the room had a flushed face. Compared to the long-skirted maid uniforms of the Ansel estate that covered the entire body, leaving only the ankles exposed, the maid outfits in Howling Wind Castle were much more revealing.
The lace-trimmed shoulder straps barely held the outfit up, exposing Seraphina's rosy, delicate shoulders and the tender flesh of her underarms that could be glimpsed when she raised her arm. The lace bands on her arms and wrists served no purpose other than to make her arms appear even more slender and delicate, adding to her allure.
The openwork design on the front of the outfit left Seraphina's perky and ample bosom completely emphasized. Fortunately, she usually wore a bandeau, otherwise, she would likely have suicided than wearing this outfit.
As for the lower half, the ultra-short skirt barely covered her buttocks, while the lace stocking tops of the white thigh-high stockings clung tightly to Seraphina's thighs, slightly digging into her plump, athletic flesh.
The white stockings, which only someone with shapely legs could pull off, looked stunning on Seraphina, their thin fabric subtly revealing her skin tone.
Despite wearing high heels for the first time, her excellent physical abilities allowed her to walk with ease. Her dainty feet, encased in white stockings and contrasted against the black heels, produced a crisp sound that resonated in one's heart as she stepped on the floor.
"…Pervert, pervert! I misjudged you…mmphhhhh — !"
Seraphina gritted her teeth, muttering such words under her breath, and hastily pushed the dinner cart filled with Ansel's meal into the room.
Inside, Ansel still sat by the fireplace on a small sofa, but he wasn't reading; instead, he was writing something.
"Do you think I shouldn't eat hot food right now, Seraphina?"
Ansel asked without turning his head.
"…Enough chatter! It's just five minut - ughhhh!"
The young girl's body softened, half-leaning on the dinner cart, her waist and hips unconsciously raised.
Ansel glanced at her, and from his angle, he could see the white cotton fabric under her short skirt, which was somewhat, ahem, uninteresting.
"Seraphina, as my guardian, I can be lenient with you at any time."
Ansel leisurely put down his notebook and crossed his legs: "But remember, you are now a maid, and I don't need you to address me with honorifics or be excessively humble, but… don't think I'll indulge your arrogance and overbearing attitude as usual."
For Ansel, it was essential to constantly ponder Seraphina's anger threshold.
During the training, it was crucial to maximize the effectiveness of the training by making Seraphina endure as much as possible without completely losing her sanity and going berserk on the spot.
After catching her breath, the resentful Seraphina reluctantly pushed the dinner cart to Ansel, gripping the hem of her skirt with one hand.
"Do you plan to have me eat while lying on the dinner cart?" Ansel asked with a hint of amusement, looking at the angry and annoyed maid.
Seraphina knew that if she spoke, she might say something wrong, so she remained silent and set up a small table for Ansel with a stern face.
"Put the food on the table and pour the wine."
"…" Seraphina's forehead bulged with two blue veins, and she kept telling herself that once she passed Hydral's test, she could go home to see her parents and show off how powerful she had become. This little humiliation was nothing; it was just serving dishes, right?
Thinking this way, Miss Seraphina endured once again—she had no idea that she had changed from being easily provoked by Ansel's teasing to not reacting even when given simple orders.
—In just under a week.
"Drinking all the time, why can't you just drink yourself to death!" The girl pouring wine for Ansel grumbled in her heart, imagining a thousand ways for Ansel to die violently.
"Come behind me."
Seraphina thought Ansel would finally quiet down as he began to eat, but he suddenly gave an inexplicable command.
Seraphina cautiously moved behind Ansel and heard another order: "Come closer, lean against the chair back."
The confused little maid could only comply, and as soon as she leaned against the chair back, Ansel's head leaned back, resting directly… on her abdomen!
Before Seraphina could instinctively react and retreat, Ansel had already said, "Stand there and don't move."
"Damn it, you're crazy—mmphahhh!"
Since Miss Seraphina said something a good maid shouldn't say, the electric shock this time was unexpectedly strong. Her legs gave out, and she barely managed to cling to the sofa's backrest, preventing her from collapsing on the floor. Her toes, wrapped in white silk, curled tightly.
Unfortunately, as she slumped down, her head buried itself in Ansel's neck, breathing heavily in an incredibly intimate posture, as if greedily inhaling his scent.
Feeling the agitated breaths on his face and neck, Ansel's expression remained unchanged. He leisurely cut the tender, juicy meat, skewered it with a fork, and playfully waved it in front of Seraphina's nose.
"Do you now long for the dinners prepared by the maids, Seraphina? Are you grateful for my benevolence in providing you with quality food and lodging without any conditions before?"
Seraphina had not eaten until now, and as Ansel had mentioned, she missed the exquisite meals provided unconditionally at Ansel's mansion. However, she held no gratitude towards Ansel.
The Baron of Howling Wind treated Ansel with the highest regard, likely providing him with better meals than his own. As a result, Ansel's dinner tonight was far more delectable than Seraphina's usual fare.
Driven by humiliation, anger, embarrassment, and hunger, Seraphina made a move that even Ansel did not anticipate.
"Awooo!"
She opened her mouth wide, biting down on the beast meat on the fork, chewing it fiercely as if it were Ansel's flesh.
She lifted her chin, struggled to raise her hand, and showed Ansel her middle finger, shouting indistinctly, "Want more? Eat air, you!"
She then seemed prepared to swallow it whole!
"Gulp—ugh!"
Ansel, who had been stunned for about two seconds, immediately reacted, grabbing Seraphina's neck without any mercy, applying considerable force, and stopping her impudent and barbaric plundering on the spot.
"My dear maid…"
An extremely, extremely, extremely dangerous smile appeared on Hydral's face, one that had been absent for a long time.
"Your courage and audacity always exceed my expectations—for me, this is a lesson."
With his hand still gripping Seraphina's neck, Ansel did not wait for her to struggle. He grabbed the scepter, aimed the snakehead at Seraphina's neck, and the peculiar creation called Gleipnir seemed to come to life. The snakehead, which usually served as a grip, suddenly opened its mouth and bit down on Seraphina's shoulder!
"!!!"
The young girl's pupils dilated, and her limbs began to struggle wildly. However, her eyes soon lost their luster, and her body's struggles gradually weakened.
"You must always believe in one thing."
Ansel maintained his grip on Seraphina's neck, pulling her delicate and graceful body to his feet and resting her head on his thigh.
The young nobleman spoke softly, "I know you very well, and I understand your untamed nature. That's why I'm always prepared in the most unexpected places."
"The alchemical potion I just administered will paralyze your bodily functions. You won't be able to control your body, not even a single finger, but you'll still feel everything."
"I have another potion that can increase your sensory sensitivity tenfold and direct all sensations, including pain, towards PLEASURE."
Seraphina's lifeless eyes twitched at these words.
Ansel smiled contentedly, "Don't worry, I'll only use that when our relationship is on the verge of breaking, or when you truly, deeply anger me."
"After all, excessively cruel methods don't benefit me either, and they only serve to satisfy a momentary impulse."
He continued to stroke Seraphina's neck, keeping the piece of meat lodged in her throat. Due to her lack of control over her body, crystal-clear saliva slowly overflowed from the corner of her mouth and trickled down.
Seraphina could feel her own disgrace, but what could she do?
Ansel, however, showed no disgust. Instead, he gently wiped Seraphina's saliva with a napkin. He then swung Gleipnir, now in the form of a blade whip, hooked a small round mirror from the dressing table, and placed it on the dining table beside him, aiming it at Seraphina's face and eyes.
"Seraphina, you may be puzzled, lost, and afraid right now. You're afraid I'll do something terrible to you, aren't you?"
Ansel caressed her cheek with a smile, "Rest assured, I never force myself on anyone when it comes to such matters. Sometimes, I only act when I'm begged to."
"What I'm going to do next is simple… well, first, I need to remove that piece of meat that doesn't belong to you."
Gleipnir retracted its blade and transformed into a slender metal whip. Like a snake, it slowly slithered into Seraphina's mouth, which Ansel had pried open, and delved into her tender, slender throat. In no time, it emerged with a chunk of meat and a long string of saliva.
Ansel tossed the meat to the floor, wiped Seraphina's cheeks and mouth again, and calmly said, "I believe I've mentioned that there are some things you can only take when I give them to you. Compared to your rude gestures and words, this is what truly irritates me, Seraphina."
"So, next… shall we switch roles? How about that?"
Hydral smiled gently yet maliciously, "I'll take care of you, attend to you, and serve you, my poor paralyzed young lady."
He supported Seraphina's body, allowing her to lean on his shoulder. Her recent actions had evidently stimulated her throat, causing her to drool incessantly like a girl with dementia.
Ansel tenderly wiped it away. "I believe that once you regain control of your body, Seraphina, you will know how to be a good maid."
Thus, Ansel began to genuinely "serve" Seraphina, feeding his dinner to the delicate, fragile, and paralyzed girl as if she were a puppet. He attentively opened and closed her jaw, helping her chew and swallow the food, occasionally wiping away the comical drool that trickled down. Seraphina, with her lifeless eyes, stared at her pitiful reflection in the mirror.
Feeding, wiping... Ansel did not overstep any boundaries, even though the lovely girl, dressed in a revealing maid outfit, lay powerless in his arms, completely at his mercy. At most, he would only embrace her waist.
Gradually, a hint of emotion seemed to emerge in Seraphina's dull eyes.
From furious embarrassment to extreme rage, from extreme rage to hysteria, from hysteria to utter weakness... And after Ansel wiped away her drool countless times, that weakness finally turned into a desperate plea.
Her dark red eyes, brimming with tears, conveyed their master's entreaty.
Seraphina knew that Ansel had preserved her last shred of dignity—he had not made her drink copious amounts of water. But if this continued, who knew if he would do so?
Ansel smiled at Seraphina's reflection in the mirror and asked, "Do you realize your mistake?" "..."
The girl remained silent, but her pleading eyes intensified.
The young Hydral then cut his fingertip with his teeth, letting a drop of blood fall into Seraphina's mouth.
"Now," he gently instructed the young lady, "apologize to me."
"I... I'm sorry, Lord... Hydral," Seraphina uttered hoarsely.
"Hmm? Lord Hydral?" He raised an eyebrow. "It seems our roles haven't been switched back yet. Let's continue—"
"M-Master!"
Seeing her drooling reflection in the mirror once more, Seraphina cried out in extreme embarrassment and fear, "I... cough... I'm sorry... Master!"
Ansel patted her head and let a few more drops of blood fall into her mouth, chuckling, "Very well, I forgive you, Miss Maid."
He stood up, walked to the coat rack, and donned his wolf fur cloak.
"You can have the rest of the dinner. I'll go see if there are any good restaurants in the city of Howling Winds."
"Don't worry," Ansel adjusted his collar, "you're not a bodyguard now, so anything that happens won't count towards the test."
"In that case..." The cheerful blond youth placed his palm diagonally on his opposite shoulder and bowed slightly to the girl who was gradually regaining control of her body: "Bon appétit, my dear Miss Seraphina."
He hummed a playful, teasing tune and left the room.
Although there had been some twists and turns along the way, the training results far exceeded expectations.
I truly adore your wild nature, Seraphina.
The wicked Hydral thought to himself, thoroughly delighted.