A soft knock echoed through the dimly lit hallway as a blonde-haired woman in a crisp maid's uniform stood outside the door. Her golden locks were neatly tied into a braid, and her emerald-green eyes glowed with a cold intelligence. A sly smile curled on her lips as she adjusted her glasses.
"It seems he had passed out?" Regalina murmured, amusement lacing her tone.
Without hesitation, she pushed open the door and stepped inside.
On entering, her gaze fell on the man sprawled across the floor in a disorderly manner. His ash-gray hair was disheveled, and his clothes were wrinkled, hanging loosely over his body. He lay there without a care, completely unconscious.
Regalina crouched beside him, scanning his face with a calculating look. After a moment, she pulled out a small incense stick, lit it, and placed it on the polished wooden table beside the bed. A faint, almost imperceptible smirk played on her lips.
Standing up, she dusted off her dress and exited the room, closing the door behind her. Outside, a brown-haired maid named Henna stood waiting, shifting impatiently on her feet.
"Wait for a few moments before going in. The incense will start taking effect soon," Regalina instructed, her voice laced with quiet authority.
Henna groaned, rolling her eyes. "Do I really have to do this? Can't I just enter and scream"
Regalina adjusted her glasses and shook her head. "No, we can't do that . Last time, things were messy. This time, we need to make sure everything looks real, not like some cheap act."
Henna crossed her arms, scoffing. "He isn't even F-rank at nineteen. Can he even last a second? Hell, is he even man enou—"
A piercing glare from Regalina cut her off mid-sentence. A faint but suffocating pressure radiated from the blonde woman, making Henna's breath hitch.
"Mind your tongue," Regalina warned, her tone icy. "You are here to do your job, not to enjoy yourself. And if anything goes wrong, you will pay for it."
Henna shuddered, swallowing hard. "I... I'll make sure everything goes smoothly," she stammered, lowering her head.
Regalina gave her one last look before stepping aside, standing guard to ensure no interruptions. Henna, now sweating slightly, waited for a few minutes before cautiously opening the door and slipping inside.
The moment she entered, a strong, pungent scent assaulted her nose. Grimacing, she covered her mouth and took shallow breaths.
"I need to turn off the incense first, or I might get affected too," she muttered, hurrying toward the bedside.
But before she could reach it, she froze.
Kael, the supposed unconscious drunkard, was sitting on the bed, his silver-gray eyes glazed over, his face flushed. He groaned, shifting uncomfortably.
"I... I feel hot..." he mumbled, his voice thick and slurred.
Henna's lips curled into a sly smirk. 'His instincts are already kicking in. Hmm, let's just move things along. I will wipe the incense later as I can hold my breath for a minute or two.'
She stepped closer, grabbing the collar of his shirt, and letting her fingers linger against his skin. The strong scent of alcohol mixed with the incense filled the air that assaulted even though she stopped her breath.
"Young Master, let me loosen your clothes a bit. You'll feel more comfortable," she purred.
Kael flinched, suddenly pushing her away. "No! I want to take a bath first!" he yelled with a tipsy drunk voice.
Henna stumbled back, nearly falling over. She barely managed to stay upright, her face twitching in frustration. 'Damn it! Shouldn't he be pouncing on me by now?!'
Kael sat stubbornly, arms crossed, looking ridiculously pitiful.
Henna's mind raced, and then an idea struck her. 'Hmm, maybe doing this in the bath wouldn't be a bad idea. I can even make it look like he forced me while I was just trying to help.'
A devious smirk played on her lips as she leaned forward, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Let me take you to the bath, Young Master," she coaxed, her voice dripping with false concern.
Supporting his weight, she guided him into the washroom and lowered him into the large bathtub.
Then she opened the facet at one end. The water gushed from the faucet, filling the space with steam.
She reached forward, unbuttoning his shirt, but Kael suddenly whined like a child, squirming.
"N-No! I'm embarrassed! Uuuuwaaaahhh!" he cried, covering his chest with his arms like a maiden in distress.
Henna's eye twitched. 'What the hell is wrong with this drunk idiot?!'
Suppressing the urge to scream, she forced a smile. 'Calm down, calm down. The incense is still working. Just loosen your clothes, take your time, and soon enough, he'll be all over you.'
She turned her back slightly, to give him space.
'While he is changing, I should clear the evidence as ordered my Miss Regalina.'
Then walked away and decided to go into the room to diffuse the incense.
But just as she turned, a hand extended and grabbed her head with force that made her scream and before she could react, a powerful hand clamped onto her head like an iron vice. In a swift, brutal motion, her skull was slammed against the cold edge of the tub.