Chapter 242: Mary Sue Advances and Sends Her Loyal Maid into the Lion's Den (4)
Lilith knew her maid's personality well. Obedient and diligent as she was in Lilith's presence, Tia was no pushover.
Especially when it came to dealing with Shia.
Tia despised him.
If he so much as tried to step out of line, she'd chop his hand off without hesitation!
'So, Lilith was very reassured about this practice session.'
From the room, Shia's voice soon echoed out.
"It's fine. We're doing great."
But the strange, chaotic sounds within the room made Lilith furrow her brows.
While she wasn't particularly worried about Shia, he was still 'her' loyal dog.
'Bullying him too much wouldn't be right either, would it?'
"Tia, are you busy right now?"
A brief silence followed before Tia's restrained voice responded.
"Miss… not really."
'Not really?' Lilith's worry only deepened.
"You're a girl, after all. Be a little gentler with him."
Her tone was subtle, carrying an implicit message: punishment was fine, but don't go overboard. After all, her recent relationship with Shia had been improving, and it wouldn't look good if he got seriously hurt.
After a moment of reflection, Lilith reconsidered.
'Was that too vague? What if she didn't understand my point?'
"Tia, don't forget your position. Shia is still your master. Think carefully before you do anything excessive."
Inside the room, the sounds intensified—chaotic, pitiful.
'How did it come to this?'
Tia lay sprawled at the edge of the bed.
Her maid outfit was in disarray, her torn collar revealing hints of soft, pink-tinged skin.
Her delicate hands, wrapped in white lace gloves, clutched at her chest in a pitiful attempt to cover herself.
Compared to last time, this situation was worse. The young lady was fully awake—and just outside the door!
Tia's breathing was unsteady, but she gritted her teeth, forcing her voice to sound as normal as possible.
"I understand, Miss."
Her tone was muffled, squeezed through clenched teeth.
Outside, Lilith believed she still held the upper hand.
But in truth, Tia was barely holding herself together.
She shot a warning glance at Shia, her gaze filled with reproach.
'Miss is right outside—aren't you afraid she'll catch us?!'
Shia's movements remained calm and deliberate, entirely in line with the plan.
His expression didn't waver, maintaining his playful smirk.
Of course, he knew Lilith was outside.
'That's exactly what makes it interesting, isn't it?'
Raising an eyebrow, his unspoken intent was clear.
Tia felt like she would grind her teeth to dust.
She wanted to resist, wanted to follow Lilith's subtle hints and give him the beating he deserved.
But she couldn't.
Given the situation, any unusual sound would immediately draw Lilith into the room.
'Wait… isn't this entire scenario designed to make her come in anyway?'
As Shia's movements continued, Tia's glare sharpened to the point it could have killed.
'I'll never forgive you!'
But unfortunately, her glare had no effect. Shia remained utterly unfazed, his wicked smile growing as he leaned closer to her ear.
"You think she won't let me off the hook, but have you considered what will happen to you if she finds out?"
His voice was tinged with amusement, but there was a faint note of regret, as if he pitied her.
Tia's fiery glare dimmed, her gaze turning hollow and helpless.
As harsh as his words were, they hit her deepest fear.
To prevent such an outcome, she had to endure his torment, even go so far as to cover for him.
This wasn't about helping Shia; it was about protecting herself.
Shia clearly understood this, which is why he acted with such brazen confidence.
'What am I supposed to do now? What can I do?'
Despair settled over Tia as she silently endured, doing everything in her power to avoid exposing her turmoil.
"Shia, are you okay in there?"
Through the door, Lilith's concerned voice reached them.
Shia's reply was slightly labored, his tone hurried.
"I'm fine. Tia… she's a good girl. She won't hurt me."
Outside, Lilith seemed reassured.
Tia, listening in, couldn't hold back her tears any longer.
'Miss, you're worried about the wrong person!'
'He's not the one being bullied. He's the one doing the bullying!'
She had tried to warn Lilith before, but the young lady never believed her.
After everything that had happened, Tia didn't dare bring it up again for fear of raising suspicions.
But now, in this situation...
"Tia, if anything happens in there, make sure to tell me, okay?"
"You're my most trusted maid, and Shia is my beloved fiancé. No matter what, you mustn't hide anything from me."
Lilith finally remembered her role.
She was supposed to act like a jealous fiancée, expressing just the right amount of concern and envy.
But it had to be perfectly balanced.
Overreacting would only worsen the misunderstandings the other girls already had about her.
Lilith carefully considered how to strike the right tone.
Meanwhile, Tia felt like a tiny boat tossed in a violent storm, barely holding together.
Lilith's concerned voice was like a cruel echo in her ears.
The emotions swirling within Tia were so complex that she couldn't process them all at once, choosing instead to store them away for later reflection.
Her gaze grew increasingly vacant, and her trembling hands, still clutching scraps of lace, gradually relaxed.
The deep bite marks on her lips were evidence of her silent struggle to avoid being discovered.
When the door finally opened, Lilith leaned forward anxiously to peek inside.
Shia stepped out, meeting her gaze with a look of approval.
He gave her a thumbs-up.
"There are still some flaws, but overall, it was excellent!"
Lilith's heart swelled with joy.
She wanted to spin in delight but reminded herself of her noble status as the eldest daughter of the Guen family.
'Such a trivial matter. Why would I let his praise go to my head?'
Feigning composure, Lilith replied, "It wasn't too difficult—easier than I expected."
But deep down, she was a bit annoyed.
'There were still flaws?'
She felt she had perfectly balanced her concern, jealousy, and restraint.
Surely, this performance would win over the other girls!
"With a bit more practice, it'll be flawless," Shia said, ruffling her hair.
His hand tousled her golden locks with enough force to leave them in disarray, as though she were a loyal puppy.
Lilith frowned slightly.
An unsettling thought crept into her mind.
'Why does it feel like I'm losing control here?'
'I'm supposed to be the master, so why is he the one patting my head?'
As she connected this with Shia's earlier praise and her own reaction to it, the unease in her heart grew stronger.
But before she could dwell on it, Shia deftly redirected her attention, causing her to forget her concerns entirely.