Chapter 319: The Final Taming of the White-Haired Maid, The Complete Overthrow of Mary Sue (1)
Tia felt an instinctive fear.
A primal warning of impending crisis.
And she wasn't wrong.
Only Shia could see it.
The whip's interface displayed a particular attribute—
—Amplifying the target's sensitivity tenfold!
Unlike typical damage-boosting traits, this one was designed to maximize the impact of punishment.
Tia watched as Shia raised his hand slightly, her heart pounding wildly.
Fear consumed her, dragging her into an abyss with no end.
The predictable yet unseen future—that was what terrified her most.
Crack!
A sharp whip crack echoed through the air.
Pain spread like wildfire across her skin.
Tia let out a muffled whimper, her voice oddly soft.
Beads of sweat formed on her forehead, the faint breeze cooling them as they evaporated, leaving a lingering chill.
Her once-clear eyes dimmed, their focus shattered.
A hollow gaze, as if her very soul had fled her body.
She had expected the pain.
But when it truly struck, she realized she had gravely underestimated it.
It was far more torturous than she had imagined.
Being whipped by this detestable villain—she should have felt humiliated, she should have resisted.
And yet…
Tia could feel it—her body's undeniable response.
Under her master's punishment, there was no resentment. No anger.
Only… exhilaration.
Her pulse quickened, her heartbeat raced.
Why was this happening?
She was supposed to feel this way only for her lady!
Why did she have the same reaction to this wretched man?
This realization crushed her, a betrayal of her very being.
For the first time, she truly saw her own descent.
A wave of grief washed over her, drowning her soul in an endless abyss.
She no longer recognized herself.
Somewhere along the line, she had changed beyond recognition.
As a once-proud maid devoted to her lady, she knew 'exactly' what this reaction meant.
And that only made it worse.
Because understanding it didn't help her resist.
Her despair deepened.
'My lady… this time, I might really become this villain's plaything.'
"Do you admit your mistake?"
The boy's voice behind her was emotionless.
With his words, the whip cracked down again.
The unbearable sensation overwhelmed her once more.
This time, her voice was even softer.
Tears welled in her eyes, shimmering like delicate pearls.
She had been whipped into crying.
Her sorrow—was it mourning the maid she once was, or was it just the pain?
Or…
Was it because, despite the suffering, she found herself 'anticipating' the next lash?
She had no answer.
And that only brought more shame and regret.
'What have I become?'
'My lady… do you know what your fiancé—what the man you believed was loyal to you—is doing to me?'
Meanwhile—
Lilith lay atop her velvet-draped bed, her vacant eyes staring ahead.
Her delicate arms rested on the mattress, golden hair spilling over her back, cascading down.
Her black-stockinged legs idly swung behind her.
She looked utterly lost.
She hadn't even noticed that her maid had disappeared.
Since that forceful kiss, she had no recollection of how she had returned to her chambers.
She hadn't noticed the absence of her maid in her suite.
She had remained in this position for a long time—unchanging, unmoving.
The faint scent of the boy still lingered in her nose.
It was subtle, but inescapable.
Even now, she could feel the residual warmth of his lips on hers.
Every second, every lingering sensation—
The haze in her eyes deepened.
Her lips curled into the faintest of smiles.
Though she had lost her first kiss… she didn't feel cheated.
And that thought startled her.
'Why am I thinking this!?'
But when she carefully examined her own feelings…
She realized she wasn't angry.
When she had pushed Shia away earlier, it wasn't out of fury that her first kiss hadn't gone to the girl she cherished most.
It was because, in that moment, she had felt like a floating leaf, unable to find solid ground.
That unsettling sensation had made her panic, so she had shoved him away.
Feigning strength, she had tried to reclaim the upper hand.
But in the end, he hadn't run.
He had simply… apologized.
She had kept a stern face, but deep down, she had already wavered.
She just refused to admit it in front of him.
Now, alone, she allowed her thoughts to drift freely.
Only now did she realize…
Her fingers had unconsciously traced over her lips.
Pale fingers pressed against her crimson lips, causing a slight indentation, the sensation aligning perfectly with the lingering touch from earlier.
Lilith quickly withdrew her hand and rolled over on the bed.
Her dress crumpled against the velvet covers, revealing her black-stocking-clad slender thighs.
Her long, perfectly shaped legs kicked at the air several times, but the burning heat on her face refused to dissipate.
Peeking through her fingers at the ceiling, Lilith's mind was suddenly filled with Shia's past words.
His voice echoed in her ears, as vivid as if he were whispering right next to her.
"Deep inside, isn't there a part of you that likes me just a little?"
Did she like him?