Tia was on the verge of tears, pressing her stocking-clad legs together tightly. The soft flesh of her thighs pressed against each other, giving off a subtle warmth.

She looked at Shia with pleading, misty eyes, filled with desperation.

Please, just don’t go too far!

Don’t wake the Miss. Don’t let her see me like this.

The once cold and aloof maid was now completely broken, more like a wounded little animal begging for mercy.

Shia understood her perfectly. Being the benevolent person he was, how could he bear to put this pitiful maid in an even tougher spot?

He chuckled softly and leaned close to whisper in her ear.

“There’s another way, you know.”

His deep, magnetic voice, laced with warmth and youthful charm, sent shivers down her spine as it invaded her ears.

Tia’s ears tickled, but she didn’t dare move an inch.

His quiet, unhurried words carried a teasing undertone. As they sank in, her expression shifted from surprise to disbelief, then to sheer outrage.

Her wide eyes burned with fury as she glared at him, nearly losing all reason.

Scum! How dare you suggest something so outrageous!?

Shia, however, only covered his lips, his eyes glinting with even deeper amusement.

“Time is running out, you know~.”

It was like a bucket of ice water poured over her head. Tia’s heart sank instantly.

She turned her head to look at Lilith. Her mistress’s eyelashes were trembling, her eyes rolling under her lids—she was clearly on the verge of waking.

The panic in Tia’s heart grew. She glanced at her own pitiful state, her flushed cheeks and trembling body. Tears welled in her eyes as she ultimately chose to yield.

When she bit her lip and nodded, it felt like something inside her had shattered.

(Ultimate-Harem-Fan: There aren't any R-18 scenes in this chapter, but I've already written one. If any Patreon subscribers request it, I'll publish it)

It was the greatest shame of her life.

But what choice did she have? There was no other solution.

Shia observed her begrudging agreement with satisfaction, his mood significantly brightened.

The path they were walking down had now well and truly veered off course.

Tia’s long, white hair cascaded down her back, concealing the graceful line of her spine. Her gaze, however, never left her beloved Miss.

She watched Lilith as she slept, her cheeks rosy, gradually slipping back into a deeper slumber.

Tia’s face was a cocktail of sorrow, pain, despair, grief, and... numbness.

The person she loved most was peacefully asleep beside her, while she used her hands to serve the person she hated most.

The overwhelming sense of betrayal consumed her, but alongside it came a strange heat spreading through her body.

Realizing this only deepened Tia’s shame, but she couldn’t stop.

For Lilith’s sake, she endured.

---

When it was over, Tia’s face burned with embarrassment. Her ears were so red they looked ready to drip blood.

Though the blush on her face had subsided somewhat, it had taken considerable effort—deep breaths and self-control—to reach even this point.

The sound of running water filled the room.

The white-haired maid bent slightly over the sink, her long hair falling forward to cover part of her face. Her pale, slender fingers scrubbed under the hot water, the skin turning red from the heat.

Yet Tia seemed oblivious to the scalding temperature. She kept scrubbing her hands over and over, harder and harder.

Her hands were already sore and raw, but she didn’t stop.

She felt filthy.

The self-loathing reached its peak. She wanted to cut off her own hands.

How could these hands touch her beloved Miss again?

Just thinking about it brought back the sensation from earlier, and Tia’s face turned ashen. She scrubbed even harder.

She even stripped off her clothes, discarding them entirely.

Dirty. Too dirty!

They were unwearable now.

But the more she hated herself, the more her thoughts involuntarily drifted back to the scene from before.

Tia’s face grew red again, her expression anxious and uneasy.

It was shocking how she looked now—like she had spilled milk all over herself!

“Ugh~.”

A soft groan came from the bed, pulling Tia out of her thoughts.

Lilith stirred, holding her head with a pained expression.

Her eyes fluttered open, and the first thing she saw was Tia sitting by her bedside.

The sight didn’t surprise Lilith, but what puzzled her was the way Tia kept giving her a pitiful, guilty look.

Her head throbbed. The hangover was unbearable.

The pain was so intense she didn’t have time to dwell on why Tia was acting so strangely.

She reached out a hand. Years of shared habits had Tia stepping forward immediately, taking Lilith’s hand and helping her sit up.

As their hands touched, Tia’s gaze dropped. The memory of the night before flooded back, and her face grew even paler.

The guilt weighed on her heart.

How could someone as angelic as her Miss be touched by these hands that had...?

It was unforgivable.

Lilith drank the water Tia offered, feeling a bit better as she started to recall the events of the previous night.

She remembered drinking one glass after another, and then... nothing.

Curiosity crept into her voice. “What happened after I fell asleep?”

Tia avoided her gaze, keeping her head lowered.

There was no way she could say it.

“I think... we all just fell asleep?” Tia stammered, her voice uneven. “The wine... was pretty strong. I can’t really remember.”

Each word was forced out with great effort. Her guilt and unease were overwhelming.

Lilith didn’t question it further. After all, she had been so drunk, it made sense for everyone to have passed out.

What a missed opportunity.

She sighed and shifted uncomfortably, her sticky skin making her frown.

“I need a bath.”

Lilith extended her hand toward Tia, silently asking for help.

Though guilt plagued her, Tia could never refuse Lilith’s requests. She helped her to the bathroom, supporting her unsteady form.

Due to her hangover, Lilith’s movements were sluggish. She let Tia undress her, sitting on the edge of the bath as she peeled off her netted stockings.

Tia’s eyes widened, glued to the stockings.

They carried her Miss’s scent.

Lilith stepped into the bath, completely unaware of the turmoil behind her.

Tia’s heart raced as she alternated between staring at Lilith’s perfect silhouette disappearing into the water and the stockings in her hands.

In the end, she couldn’t resist. Her hand trembled as she brought the stockings closer, inhaling deeply.

Shame washed over her.

I really am a hopeless pervert.

She knew it was wrong—completely unacceptable—but she couldn’t stop herself.

Fine. Consider the punishment from that scum earlier as atonement for my sins.

For this perverted act, I deserve it.

Tia convinced herself, as if letting go of some heavy burden.

In a strange way, she felt... relieved.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com