Chapter 26: Claiming Angelica
Angelica knew this moment would come, but she hadn’t expected it to arrive so soon. Serving her master was a maid’s duty, of course, but wasn’t the Hero being a little too hasty?
Still, she was a maid, and a maid obeyed her master’s commands without question.
She closed the door softly, the soft click echoing in the silence. The magical lamps cast a warm glow, illuminating the spacious room, her cheeks flushing under their gentle light.
The atmosphere, though seemingly ordinary, felt charged with a strange, intoxicating energy.
She pressed a hand to her chest, her heart pounding against her ribs.
Gratitude for Qin Chu swelled within her.
He might have chosen her for her body, for her maid status, but he had saved her from Loseweisse’s clutches. That fact remained unchanged.
From the moment she had accepted his proposal, she had prepared herself, mentally and physically, to fulfill his every desire.
But now, alone with him in his chambers, a wave of anxiety washed over her.
She had never done this before. The thought was both terrifying and exhilarating.
But there was no escaping her duty. She bit her lip, her gaze darting around the room, then she walked towards the desk, placing the stack of invitations she had been carrying onto its surface.
Work could wait.
For nobles, pleasure always came first. Surely, the Hero would be no different?
Angelica, despite her current status, had been trained as a Holy Maiden candidate. Years of rigorous instruction had instilled in her a deep understanding of etiquette, her movements graceful and refined, her demeanor radiating an aura of purity and grace.
She walked towards Qin Chu, her steps measured, her figure swaying enticingly beneath her maid uniform.
Her cheeks burned, her golden eyes shimmering with a mixture of fear and anticipation.
“Master,” she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.
“I… I apologize. I’m… inexperienced. But I will… I will do my best to please you.”
Qin Chu mentally facepalmed.
Just how warped was this world’s culture?
Inexperience, it seemed, was a source of shame for women. Preposterous.
Angelica, misinterpreting his silence, panicked. She summoned all her courage, her hand reaching out to unfasten her belt.
“I… I’m ready, Master,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
But her fingers, trembling with fear and inexperience, fumbled with the buckle. Tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill over.
Her distress, her clumsiness, made Qin Chu smile.
He reached out, his rough hand covering hers, stopping her frantic efforts.
She looked up, her gaze meeting his, her eyes widening as she registered the amusement in his expression.
She burst into tears, her body shaking with shame.
Angelica, you useless fool, she thought, berating herself.
You can’t even undress your master properly, and you’re crying like a child.
Would he be disgusted by her incompetence?
If he rejected her, she would be sent back to that living hell, back to Loseweisse’s clutches. No, it would be even worse. Loseweisse, fueled by jealousy and rage, would torture her, break her.
The thought made her shudder.
“Master,” she pleaded, her voice thick with tears. “Please… give me another chance. I’ll… I’ll do better.”
Qin Chu’s smile faded, replaced by a gentle, reassuring expression. “I apologize, Angelica,” he said, his voice soft and kind. “I shouldn’t have laughed. Did I frighten you?”
“You don’t have to do this.”
He was apologizing to her?
His next words, however, sent a chill down her spine, draining the blood from her face.
She didn’t have to do this?
Serving her master was a maid’s duty. What did he mean?
Was he… rejecting her?
No, she thought, her panic intensifying. Please, don’t send me away.
He reached out, his arms encircling her, pulling her into a warm embrace.
Angelica froze, her fear melting away as she leaned against him, his warmth a comforting presence.
But this, she knew, was a privilege she didn’t deserve. She squirmed in his arms, her voice barely a whisper. “Master, this is… inappropriate. I’m just a maid…”
“Shh,” he murmured, his voice soothing. “Don’t move.”
She stilled, but then she felt his hands on her back, his fingers fumbling with the buttons of her dress.
He was undressing her?
She was the maid, wasn’t she? She was supposed to be undressing him.
She was a terrible maid, she thought, berating herself.
And he was making this far too difficult. His touch, his gentleness, was making her heart race, her body thrum with a dangerous, unfamiliar desire.
And then she remembered, her eyes widening in horror as she struggled against his grasp. “No, Master,” she pleaded, her voice frantic. “Please, don’t…”
“Stay still,” he commanded, his voice still gentle, but laced with an undeniable authority.
She wanted to resist, to shield her body from his gaze, but her body, betraying her, obeyed his command.
Her back was bare, the scars, a testament to years of abuse, starkly visible under the lamplight.
Her skin, once smooth and flawless, was a tapestry of bruises, welts, and burns.
Black eyes, split lips, the imprint of a hand…
Whip marks, bite marks…
And on her right side, a grotesque, centipede-like scar, its raised, puckered flesh a testament to a wound inflicted with a dull blade, a slow, agonizing torture.
Angelica closed her eyes, her shame overwhelming her. She had always taken pride in her appearance, her figure, believing it was her only asset, the only reason Qin Chu had chosen her.
But now he would see her, see the truth, the ugliness beneath the maid uniform.
He would be disgusted.
She trembled, her heart clenching with a mixture of fear and despair. She wanted to cover herself, to hide her shame.
“Loseweisse did this, didn’t she?” Qin Chu asked, his voice quiet, his gaze fixed on her scars.
He would claim her, protect her, make her his.
“From this day forward,” he said, his voice slow and deliberate, “you will belong to me. As long as I live, you will never return to that hell.”
“I won’t allow anyone to hurt you again. If they try…”
“I will be there.”
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