Elizabeth hadn't lied—the three of them really had come with the intention of teasing him.
It all started during dinner, when they overheard some Black Knife maids chatting nearby, saying that their master had fallen asleep—and that he looked rather adorable.
At first, Melina and Millicent didn't think much of it. After all, it wasn't the first time Lloyd had fallen asleep in front of them—he'd even shared a bed with them before. So even after hearing that, they didn't pay it any mind, intending only to finish their meal and rest in the rooms Lloyd had arranged for them.
The problem was, it wasn't just the two of them there—Elizabeth had recently joined their group as well.
Naturally drawn to excitement, and having only just confirmed her relationship with Lloyd, Elizabeth perked up the moment she heard the news.
But her eagerness wasn't just curiosity. She was aware of her newcomer status and the delicate position it placed her in; the other two probably still viewed her with a bit of distrust and caution. And so, thinking that there was safety in numbers, she quickly hatched a plan. Her eyes darted mischievously as she turned to the other two, trying to rope them into her little scheme—her "partners in crime."
"Think about how he usually treats you—everything he's done..."
"I'm not saying he's a bad guy, but don't you ever get tired of always letting him take the lead?"
"Wouldn't you like to turn the tables just once? Imagine him waking up to find you sitting on top of him—then, while he's flustered and panicking, you lean down, look him in the eye, and say, 'Hmm? Why's your face red?'..."
"Alright, fine, maybe that idiot wouldn't cooperate, but it's not like we have to go that far, right? We could just draw something on his face, mess up his hair, or do something he usually does to tease you—just as payback."
"So? What do you say? You in or not?"
After Elizabeth's tireless persuasion, Melina and Millicent sat in silence for a long time. Then, after exchanging a look, they both set down their utensils.
"...I'll be watching you. Don't go overboard."
"...I'm just going to take a look."
With those flimsy excuses, both ended up joining Elizabeth.
And then... well, there wasn't really a "then."
At first, the three of them truly had gone there just to mess with him. Even Elizabeth had only wanted to join in for fun, to tease him a little.
But after a few unexpected turns of events, Melina was the first to give in—her face burning red as she scrambled off the bed and curled up silently in a corner.
As for Little Red Flower, she'd started off feeling a bit insecure and dejected when she was ignored. But that very reaction drew his attention, and the resulting "extra attention" soon overwhelmed her too. In the end, she bolted in embarrassment.
And Elizabeth...
"I swear I was just kidding. Do you believe me?"
After some time, Elizabeth blinked innocently, adjusting her clothes as she spoke. But it was obvious—no one there, not even herself, believed that for a second.
Because their attempt to tease Lloyd had completely backfired—and ended up leaving them even more exhausted—the trio didn't get any rest at all.
So even though Lloyd had woken up, he didn't leave right away. Instead, he escorted the three back to their rooms, telling them to get some sleep before setting out again.
On the way, however, there was a small interlude.
After seeing Melina and Millicent to their rooms, only Elizabeth was left. When they reached her door, she stopped, turned around, and blinked at him.
"Now it's just the two of us. If you want... you can come in."
"Or is it you who wants that?"
Elizabeth didn't even flinch after being called out. Staring at her with a mix of amusement and exasperation, Lloyd reached out and pinched her neck lightly.
"We agreed—you'd have to behave yourself before earning any rewards."
"If you really insist, I could come in," he said quietly. "But think about it—once you break the rules of the game, it's never quite as fun again."
With that, he raised his hand and lifted her effortlessly by the neck.
A moment later, he loosened his grip. Before Elizabeth could fall, he bent down, caught her, and scooped her up in his arms.
"So, what's your decision?"
Panting softly as she caught her breath, Elizabeth raised a hand and gave his chest a light tap.
"You already know what I'll choose..."
"And besides, this question's part of the game too, isn't it? Even if I said yes, you wouldn't come in anyway..."
"You're quick to answer."
With that, Lloyd pushed open her door, carried her inside, and set her down on the bed.
"But you like it this way too, don't you?"
Elizabeth didn't reply—she just let out a quiet hum.
Then, as a reward for her obedience, Lloyd drew the Twinblade she had given him, pierced his own arm, and fed her his blood before leaving.
"Alright, now behave yourself and get some rest. Once you're healed, I'll still need you to work for me."
"Yes, my dear master"
After giving Elizabeth a sharp flick on the forehead for teasing him with that squeaky voice, Lloyd left her room. Closing the door behind him, he stood there for a moment, staring at his castle, lost in thought.
Strange... the numbers don't add up.
What puzzled Lloyd was the number of steamed buns in his dream.
By now, he had a rough idea of what those "buns" really were, but since he had just woken up, his memory of the dream was hazy. Still, he was certain of one thing—there had been more than six, and they had seemed... unnaturally large.
"Any leads?"
Lloyd turned to a Black Knife Maid.
The maid hesitated, fidgeting for a moment before lowering her head and whispering softly.
"Well... serving you is our duty..."
He knew it.
With a sigh, Lloyd beckoned her to follow and led her away.
...
The prayer room.
"Master, this is..."
When Lloyd locked the door behind them, the Black Knife Maid swallowed nervously. Yet she didn't resist or object. Instead, she stood obediently in place, her eyes shimmering with a faint trace of anticipation.
Under her expectant gaze, Lloyd stepped closer, gave her a quick once-over, and clicked his tongue.
"Crouch, sit, or kneel—pick whichever position you prefer."
After a brief pause, the maid slowly bent her knees and knelt before him. Then, tilting her head up, she asked carefully,
"Is this acceptable?"
"When I said kneel, I meant one knee—not for you to..." He stopped himself midway and sighed. "Forget it. This works. At least the height is right."
Noticing the unease flicker across her face, Lloyd sighed again and didn't press further. He took another step forward, closing the distance between them.
Seeing him draw closer, the Black Knife Maid took a deep breath and lowered her head slightly.
"Um... this is my first time. Please be gentle..."
"Mhm, I'll be careful. After all, it's my first time too."
With that, Lloyd reached out and pulled her into his embrace.
For a moment, the maid felt the warmth of his body surrounding her. She hesitated, wondering whether she should remove her coat herself or leave it to him to add a touch of playfulness.
But then, Lloyd's arms tightened around her.
In the next instant, a torrent of souls surged into her body, ripping apart the shell of her soul and plunging deep into its very core—the most fragile and sensitive part of her being.
It should have been a gentle, golden expanse, but now it was veiled in shadow.
[Torment Status: Black Knife]
[Black Knife: Innately kind Numens took up daggers, hiding their faces in Darkness, solely to fulfill their once-held ideals.]
[Yet humans cannot defy their nature. No matter how many justifications exist, in the dead of night, they gaze upon their bloodstained hands, drowning in self-reproach and doubt.]
[And now, with the collapse of the City of Ideals, that guilt and doubt have only deepened.]
[It has even turned into a tendency toward self-destruction.]
[Clinging to the faint illusion called "mission," they struggle in pain to continue existing.]
"Don't be afraid. I'm here. I won't abandon you..."
As he spoke, Lloyd took her trembling hand in his, placing the other gently behind her head, his fingers running through her soft, golden hair.
Yet while he soothed her physically, his soul delved deeper—tearing open the fragile seal she'd placed over her painful memories. He unearthed them one by one, forcing her to face them, stirring the deepest and most excruciating wounds buried within her heart.
"Lloyd, please don't..."
The Black Knife Maid bowed her head, her face deathly pale, her body trembling uncontrollably. Her once delicate features were contorted in agony, beads of sweat rolling from the tip of her nose.
But no matter how she pleaded, Lloyd didn't stop. Instead, he delved even deeper, his soul probing further into her being. He uprooted the darkness within her completely, leaving nothing behind—tearing out every last trace.
The Black Knife Maid was on the verge of breaking.
Then, something warm pressed gently against her forehead. A soft voice whispered to her.
"Good girl. Don't be afraid. I'm here. I won't abandon you..."
The pain in her heart eased slightly, and instinctively, she clung tighter to the warmth before her.
After she grew more accustomed to the pain, Lloyd gently stroked her hair and spoke softly.
"Alright, tell me about it."
"Tell me about your past—your suffering—and all those emotions you've buried deep inside."
"Don't worry. I'll stay here with you until you're done. I won't go anywhere..."
Silence.
For a long time.
After who knew how long of being soothed and guided, the soul—once shattered by torment—finally bowed its head. And there, before her master, the Black Knife Maid began to speak of her past.
Yet in truth, there was nothing particularly dark about it.
Though they wore black gloves, they were all Numen—Marika's own sisters. And judging by that peasant woman's attitude toward her own people, it wasn't persecution at all. If anything, she'd have worshipped them if not for the circumstances that forced her hand.
As fellow Numen, no one knew better than Marika herself what her sisters were like.
To send them into battle with blades in hand would have been crueller than simply killing them outright. Even when she had no choice but to deploy them later, she never made things difficult for them. Her attitude bordered on reverence—she treated them as treasures, never daring to burden them with expectations. Otherwise, the Black Knives wouldn't still remember her with such affection even now.
The problem was that, no matter how much Marika tried to spare them, the nature of the Numen remained unchanged.
As a people capable of handing over their kin peacefully and willingly to an invading tribe, they were wholly unsuited to the ruthless nature of the Lands Between.
Even the Golden Goddess herself bore traces of that gentleness. Otherwise, with her strength in battle, if she'd truly joined the front lines swinging her hammer, she might not have been any weaker than the First Elden Lord or the Black Blade himself.
Yet, except when absolutely necessary, she stayed in the rear—casting support incantations from afar. It wasn't just a matter of strategic caution to avoid being targeted by enemy commanders. Part of it came from within her—her own unwillingness. She couldn't even bring herself to personally purge the Hornsent.
If even the Golden Goddess was like that, how could anyone expect the other Numen to bear their burdens better?
As for the Black Knives, their very work weighed heavily on them. Their missions were shrouded in secrecy and repression, and when it was over, they lived like hunted rats, scorned by the world—only to watch the Golden Order they once served slowly decay before their eyes...
Even with Lloyd's efforts to break down the walls between them, it had only made them willing to open up to him. It hadn't solved the true problem buried in their hearts.
But now...
"I don't want to kill anymore... I really don't..."
"Marika said it herself—that gold brings eternal beauty..."
"I've thought about dying—sometimes I even hoped for it. I wished for Lord Two Fingers and Lady Ranni to go to war... so that we could die defending him. Maybe then... the pain would finally end..."
"Mhm. You don't need to kill anymore, and you don't need to think about dying either. Just stay here with me."
Holding the weeping Black Knife Maid in his arms, Lloyd patted her back and spoke gently.
"As for the Golden Order Dynasty—your efforts weren't meaningless. Marika may not have achieved perfection, but she still led the Lands Between forward. Even now, most of its people remember her kindness and still dream of restoring the Golden Order's light..."
"And all of that... is because of what you and your sisters did."
After a long time, her sobs finally subsided.
She hesitated for a moment, then slowly lifted her head to look at her master—who still stood there, head slightly lowered, his gaze full of quiet concern.
After a long pause, recalling his words, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and made her decision—to bare her heart to him completely, without reservation.
"Also, I'd like to have sex with you."
Lloyd froze.
Seeing his reaction, the Black Knife Maid's cheeks flushed crimson. She fidgeted nervously and spoke in a small, hesitant voice.
"Um... I know that might be a bit much to ask, so I was just saying it. You don't have to take it seriously..."
"We'll talk about it later."
Contrary to her expectations, Lloyd patted her back but didn't refuse.
"I'm dealing with some issues right now. If we actually did it, I might accidentally burn you to ashes. And besides, I don't really have the time for that sort of thing at the moment."
"But later, once everything's settled and I've got time to spare—if you still want it then, I won't say no."
Silence.
"...Really?"
"Really."
Lloyd nodded firmly.
"And while I can't do that kind of thing with you right now, there are other methods. If you don't mind being bound to me for life... I can try something else."
"I'm willing!"
The Black Knife Maid agreed without a trace of hesitation.
Seeing her resolve, Lloyd didn't question her further. After confirming the state of her soul, he raised his hand, gently cupping her chin and tilting her face upward.
"Then look into my eyes."
"And prepare yourself mentally."
"Because what comes next... might be a little intense."
...
Some time later.
"Strange. Did you hear something?"
A Black Knife Maid holding a broom looked up, puzzled, at another maid who was polishing a wardrobe nearby.
The other paused, listened for a moment, then shook her head.
"No, maybe you just imagined it."
"Maybe."
The maid with the broom didn't think much of it. She listened again, heard nothing, and went back to sweeping.
Some time passed. Then, faint footsteps began to echo down the hall.
They were unmistakably the steps of a Black Knife—but they sounded wrong. Even compared to their usual silent tread or their relaxed pace, these steps were strangely light, hollow... filled with an uncanny unease.
Tap, tap, tap.
As the sound grew nearer, a familiar figure appeared before the two maids.
It was another Black Knife Maid—one they knew well, someone they often spoke with.
But perhaps because they knew her so well, they instantly sensed something deeply wrong the moment they saw her.
"You... what's the matter with you?"
"Me? Oh, I'm fine. More than fine. I've never felt better."
She smiled, stepping up to them. Lowering her gaze, she rested a hand on her lower abdomen.
There was something... new there.
Then, under her sisters' wary stares, she reached out and slowly lifted her clothes, revealing her belly.
For a moment, no one spoke.
"This is..."
"A gift from our Master—and proof of my 'status.'"
She raised her head and smiled at her two sisters.
"There's no need to be jealous. You'll have one soon too."
"Because our Master is in the prayer room right now. He sent me out to bring someone back..."
Letting her clothes fall back into place, she faced her sisters again, slowly extending both hands. Her tone grew strange—soft, alluring, carrying a hint of something almost magical.
"There's no need to be afraid or anxious. I accepted this completely of my own free will—begged the Master for it, even."
"And you... I'm sure you'll want it too."