The morning light was cool, and her thoughts were difficult to hide…
Bai Li curled up alone in the center of the large bed, her arms tightly hugging a soft, fluffy pillow.
Her cheeks were buried in the fabric, and her breathing was steady, though she still carried the grogginess of someone who had just woken up.
The dreams from last night had already blurred, leaving behind only a trace of familiar warmth.
It was a temperature that belonged to another person—soft and fragrant—which always allowed her to sleep exceptionally well.
“Ugh… what time is it…?”
She murmured subconsciously, her voice thick with the huskiness of sleep.
As she did on countless other mornings, she habitually asked the person beside her for the time.
But this time, no familiar, soft response came to her ears.
There was no warm breath brushing against her, and no slender arms wrapping around her waist.
The air was excessively quiet, broken only by the occasional chirping of birds outside the window.
Bai Li’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, and a strange emptiness settled in her heart.
That hollow feeling, like something important had been snatched away, caused her to wake up instantly.
She slowly opened her eyes and looked down at the object she was clutching in her arms…
It wasn’t the fragrant, soft Ziya who would act spoiled and clingy. It was just a cold, lifeless, large pillow.
‘…Right.’
The realization hit her a moment later, and her heart twinged with a faint, sour ache.
Last night, after she had kicked Ziya out of the room, they had slept in separate beds.
Gazing at the empty, cold pillow in her arms, Bai Li sighed softly.
‘I’m really not used to this.’
Without that small figure snuggling against her, without that warm breath on her neck, it felt like something was missing even while she slept.
She thought about it silently, but then she bit her lower lip, forcing herself to suppress the softness in her heart.
‘No, I can’t be soft-hearted. This is something that must be done.’
If she didn’t give Ziya a small punishment or a clear reaction, the child would never truly realize what she had done wrong.
‘For the next few days… for now… I’ll just treat Ziya with a bit of coldness.’
Bai Li clenched her fist lightly.
The reluctance in her heart was almost overflowing. How could she possibly be willing to do this?
Ziya was the treasure she pampered the most. Forget about a cold war or separate rooms—even if the girl just frowned, Bai Li’s heart would ache terribly.
But it was precisely because she loved her that she had to educate her.
Spoiling wasn’t love; it was indulgence. She had to make Ziya understand that she couldn’t always be willful.
Some mistakes needed to be corrected. This was for Ziya’s own good and for their long-term relationship.
After convincing herself over and over, Bai Li took a deep breath, suppressed her surging emotions, and slowly sat up in bed.
Her snow-white hair slid down her shoulders. Though she had the appearance of a woman, the depths of her eyes held the steadiness and inner conflict of a father.
Just as she was preparing to get out of bed, the sound of extremely light footsteps came from the direction of the door.
Immediately after, a soft, cautious voice traveled through the door panel.
“Meow? Master Bai~”
It was the voice of Xiaomiao, the maid. It was thin and soft, like a kitten rubbing against a palm, carrying a hint of timid cuteness.
“Master Bai~? Are you not awake yet…? I’ll call out again in 10 minutes! Yes, that’s what I’ll do, meow!”
After a few quiet calls, the sound of Xiaomiao talking to herself drifted in from outside.
Her tone was serious and adorable, as if she were making a major decision.
Leaning against the bedside, Bai Li listened to the soft voice outside, and the corners of her mouth curled up involuntarily.
The gloom in her heart dissipated a little.
Thinking about it, it was quite interesting—every maid in the Succubus Empire was so unique.
To think they could cultivate a personality as silly and dazed yet adorable as Xiaomiao’s.
Usually, she seemed muddled and often made small mistakes, but when it came to taking care of people, she was meticulous and considerate.
‘Is she naturally being raised to be a stuffed ball? That’s just too cute.’
Bai Li smiled helplessly and affectionately, but her mind uncontrollably flashed back to the scenes from yesterday…
Yesterday, under the influence of magic, her mind had been clouded.
In a moment of lost control, she had directly tackled the defenseless Xiaomiao to the ground.
The girl’s panicked eyes, her soft cry of surprise, and her instantly flushed cheeks appeared vividly before her eyes.
‘Sigh… I hope I didn’t scare Xiaomiao.’
The poor little cat must have been terrified yesterday. After returning to her room, she might have even been secretly afraid.
She had clearly done nothing wrong, yet she had been caught up in Bai Li’s mess and frightened for no reason.
The more Bai Li thought about it, the more guilty she felt. She immediately made a decision.
She wouldn’t need Xiaomiao’s care today. She would dress herself and arrange her own hair.
She couldn’t let this well-behaved little maid live in fear because of her.
In truth, she had long since become accustomed to the lifestyle of a woman—dressing, grooming, behavior, and posture.
She did everything with natural skill. But only she knew that deep down, she still resisted this body and this identity.
Her current composure was merely a helpless compromise, a reality she had no choice but to accept.
10 minutes passed quickly.
A small, cute face peeked through the crack of the door.
Pointy cat ears twitched slightly, and a pair of watery, large eyes timidly peeked into the room.
Xiaomiao the maid pursed her lips, preparing to call out quietly.
“Master Ba— Ouch!”
*Thud!*
A soft sound echoed. Before she could finish her call, the door suddenly swung open, and Xiaomiao’s cat nose was struck hard.
Bai Li had only recently learned to control her Nightmare Magic, and her strength was much greater than before.
She hadn’t controlled her force well, and her movement to open the door was a bit too hurried.
With a tragic cry, Xiaomiao was sent flying backward like a flicked kitten.
“Meow-aaaaah~!”
A miserable and pitiful sound sliced through the air.
“Oh no! I didn’t notice someone was behind the door and hit Xiaomiao!”
Bai Li’s expression changed instantly, and her heart tightened.
Without time to think, she pushed off the ground, and her figure glided gracefully through the air.
A second before Xiaomiao was about to crash heavily onto the floor, Bai Li caught her firmly in her arms.
The soft body fell into her embrace, bringing with it a faint scent of milk.
Xiaomiao was trembling slightly from the fright, shrinking pitifully into Bai Li’s arms.
“Meow…” A faint whimper escaped her.
“Are you okay… Xiaomiao… I’m sorry, this is the second time I’ve had to apologize to you…”
Bai Li held the little maid tightly, her tone full of anxiety and guilt.
Her serious eyes were inches away, and her warm breath brushed against Xiaomiao’s cheek.
Xiaomiao looked up and collided with Bai Li’s clear, worried eyes.
Looking at that exquisite, impossibly beautiful face so close to her own, Xiaomiao’s heart began to race for some reason, and even the pain in her nose lessened.
“I… I’m fine, meow…” she replied in a small voice.
“Mm… Xiaomiao, if you’re hurt anywhere, you must tell me. Don’t try to be brave… I already feel so bad about yesterday…”
Bai Li gently stroked her back, the guilt in her eyes impossible to hide.
“It’s okay, meow, Master Bai. Those clothes you’re wearing… Xiaomiao can help you put them on in the future!”
Xiaomiao regained her composure and spoke obediently, trying to divert Bai Li’s guilt.
“I won’t trouble you with that, Xiaomiao. Come, let me take you to the medical room first.”
Bai Li’s gaze landed on Xiaomiao’s reddened nose.
Without another word, she bent down and carefully picked Xiaomiao up in her arms.