Night.
In Lilith's bedroom.
Elena sat alone on the bed, while Lilith, already changed into her nightdress, sat at the desk.
Ever since she had come into the room, Lilith had had her sit on the bed while Lilith herself worked at the desk.
That state of affairs had gone on for nearly an hour, and it was very nearly the end of Elena.
Her face was no longer red and her heart no longer pounding; the embarrassment had converted entirely into the boredom and irritation of a long wait.
Lilith had told her to sit on the bed the moment she came in, would not let her do anything, said nothing herself, and simply left her sitting there.
"Hey! Much more of this and I'm going back to bed!"
Elena's complaint had barely finished before Lilith set her pen down on the desk.
Lilith then stood and walked toward Elena on the bed, one step at a time.
"What's the matter? Can't wait for your Master's affection already~"
Lilith's voice was very soft and very gentle, exactly as though she were handling a real kitten.
And this kitten, having waited that long and been teased on top of it, was plainly about to bristle.
"Who can't wait! No... anyone would be angry after being made to wait that long for nothing!"
Elena delivered her condemnation without noticing her own posture in the slightest.
Sitting on the bedding with her knees folded and her legs splayed out to either side, both hands set in the gap between them, her neck craned slightly up.
She was a hissing kitten to the life!
Perhaps this cat set really could bring a person's behavior closer to an actual cat.
Elena, of course, had not registered this at all.
"There now, don't be cross. Your Master is coming to keep you company~"
As she spoke, Lilith had already arrived in front of Elena.
Then she reached out with her right hand and gave Elena a light push, and Elena toppled sideways onto the bed.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing, pervert!"
Still angry, Elena cursed on reflex again, and regretted it almost immediately.
"Oh~? Could it be that the kitty wants something done to her~?"
Lilith climbed onto the bed, forcing a knee between Elena's legs, one hand resting lightly beside her right ear.
Their eyes met, and it was not long before Elena lost the contest, her cheeks beginning to flush.
"Wh-who wants anything! Don't say ridiculous things..."
Embarrassment made Elena's voice go small, and she turned her face away, unable to hold the gaze any longer.
"You're blushing~ So cute~"
Looking at Elena's bashful state, Lilith laughed softly and reached out with her other hand to stroke Elena's left cheek.
"If there's something you want done, you may ask~ Your Master will oblige you~"
"Sh-shut up! You pervert, one of these days I'll..."
Elena started cursing back on reflex again, then cut herself off halfway.
She had no capacity to resist right now, and if Lilith genuinely wanted to do something she would simply have to endure it — which was absolutely not allowed!
Though it was not as though strange things had never been done to her already.
"Oh~? One of these days you'll what? Stopping halfway isn't very good-maid behavior~"
Lilith was not about to pass up this chance to tease Elena.
Elena knew perfectly well that the more she resisted, the more excited Lilith got and the more she would keep at it.
"Nothing...! Whatever you're going to do, do it quickly. I can't resist anyway... stop dragging it out!"
She resigned herself to her fate, and suddenly rather regretted speaking up earlier. If she had kept quiet, perhaps Lilith really would have done nothing at all.
"Very well~ In that case..."
Lilith withdrew her hand, then lay down on her side next to Elena, the two of them face to face.
Then Lilith gathered Elena into her arms and pressed Elena's head against her chest.
"Tonight you can be your Master's hugging pillow like a good girl~ Remember not to talk. Hugging pillows don't talk~"
"Eh?"
"If you make a sound, your Master will have to give a kitty who can't keep her mouth shut some candy~"
"Ngh!!"
At that, Elena immediately clapped her hands over her mouth and nodded hard to tell Lilith she understood.
She knew perfectly well what Lilith meant by candy, and she had no wish to experience that again!
"Good girl~"
Lilith stroked Elena's head gently, now and then playing with the pair of cat ears.
"There now, it's late. Time to sleep~"
With that, Lilith pulled the quilt over them both, closed her eyes, and her breathing gradually evened out.
Lilith might sleep without a care in the world, but Elena could not!
Held in her arms, Elena went on feeling the softness in front of her, not daring to move an inch.
Escape was impossible, and all she could do was feel that softness and the faint warm air of Lilith's light breathing against her cheek.
In that moment it struck her deeply that the books were all lying. Vampires and demons being cold-blooded creatures — utter nonsense!
She was experiencing it firsthand: how soft a vampire's body was, and how warm.
Not that she had wanted to experience it.
Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night for Elena.
With sleep out of reach, Elena could only watch Lilith's sleeping face in silence.
Come to think of it, this was the first time she had observed Lilith from this close — her face especially, and that distinctive silver hair.
Setting everything else aside, Lilith really was quite beautiful; even among humans she would count as a great beauty.
Lilith slept on entirely defenseless, and Elena reached out without meaning to, laying her hand over the place where Lilith's heart was.
If she struck now, Lilith would have no way at all to resist.
Even without a weapon, at this distance she had every confidence she could drive her hand through Lilith's body and pierce her heart.
But... did she really want to do this?
Elena hesitated. It was not something that warranted hesitation at all, and yet she hesitated.
One thrust and she would be free, the job complete, and no longer suspected of betrayal by the Organization.
That was how it should be. This was what she ought to do. It was the whole reason she had come here.
And yet, in the end, Elena let her hand fall. She did not strike.
"Honestly... what on earth am I even doing..."
She raised her head again to look at Lilith's sleeping face.
There was a great deal she still had not worked out — about Eve, the one Severina said looked so much like her.
And about Lilith. Why exactly did she live alone on this remote estate?
Most importantly, this might well be another trap Lilith had set, and if she struck now Lilith would have another chance to punish her severely.
And even if it were not a trap, striking while someone slept defenseless was not her style!
Yes, that was it!
Elena talked herself around once again, however feeble the reasoning was.
She did not want to admit it. She did not want to admit that she could not bring herself to do it.
Nor did she want to admit that over this stretch of time she really had been a little bit happy — at the very least, Lilith's cooking suited her tastes perfectly.
This once... just this once as an exception, she would let her off.
Thinking that, drowsiness suddenly came over Elena.
She was sleepy too.
Little by little, Elena closed her eyes and slipped away into a dream...
And Lilith, holding her, slowly opened those crimson eyes.
"It's been so long... so long since I slept beside anyone. Good night..."