Chapter 76: Forgetting the Pain Once the Wound Heals
Diana sat on the bed, her face flushed, her lolita dress bunched around her hips, her ponytail undone by Lena.
Her delicate toes were a healthy pink, though slightly dirty from the mud.
“Wash your feet first, then I’ll apply some medicine.” Lena brought a basin of warm water, placing it by Diana’s feet. “What’s wrong? Homesick or dissatisfied with my service? Hehe, this is my first time washing someone’s feet, so don’t expect too much.”
Diana looked down, holding the discarded stockings in her hand, their soft texture like the finest silk. She asked, her voice puzzled, “Why are you being so nice to me? You could have just left me there and gone back. Why did you come back?”
“Because you’re the Imperial Princess, is that a good enough reason?”
Lena smiled, giving the expected answer.
Yes…
She was the Imperial Princess.
Noble, beautiful, sacred, and inviolable…
So, it was normal for others to go to great lengths to please her, their motives so pure…
“Hmph… you just want my body. You want to use me to solidify the Falmouth family’s position in the empire, that’s why you’re pretending to be nice to me, isn’t it?” Diana said, annoyed. For some reason, hearing Lena’s supposed intentions made her angry, as if it shouldn’t be this way, as if she had misjudged Lena.
“You’re just like those lowly, third-rate people, despicable, disgusting, Pah!”
Diana angrily threw the stockings at Lena’s head, the white fabric draping over Lena’s ample bosom like a bridal veil.
Lena ignored her outburst, gently placing Diana’s delicate ankle in the warm water, her expression still gentle, like a wife patiently enduring her husband’s unreasonable anger, the carefully prepared dinner and spotless floor a testament to his mistake.
But the insults continued, like a leaky bucket, Diana venting her frustrations.
“Idiot! Weakling! All you can do is play dead! You’re just a clueless idiot! Your concern for me is fake, the pinwheel was fake, you’re just a schemer, hiss…ow!”
She cried out, biting her lip.
A sharp pain shot through the sole of her foot, cutting off her tirade.
The little princess, tears welling up in her eyes, looked utterly pitiful.
She just wanted someone to care about her, why was it so difficult?
Everyone who approached her had ulterior motives, even Lena, they were all villains!!
Waaah… villains.
“If it hurts, just cry out. Cleaning the wound might hurt even more.”
Lena’s voice was soft, her beautiful face making it hard to hate her.
“Hypocrite!” Diana pouted, but she still allowed Lena to massage her foot, the fatigue catching up to her.
Looking at the drowsy little princess, Lena was reminded of her own past life.
In her fading memories, there were many people who enjoyed foot massages, willing to spend a fortune on them, regardless of whether they were legitimate or not, simply for relaxation.
“It’s not bedtime yet.”
“Why not?!”
“The wound needs to be disinfected.” Lena took out a bottle of Healing Slime, bought from the Hat-Wearing Merchants, instantly effective and leaving no scars. “Stick out your foot, it’ll be over soon, good girl~”
“Idiot, weakling… still pretending, aren’t you? I won’t… fall for your tricks…”
Diana’s voice was much softer now.
After all, she was still a young girl, unaccustomed to such gentle treatment.
And she was currently helpless. If she angered Lena, she might not even have a whole body left…
Right.
Pretend to comply, then deal with Senior Weakling after returning to the empire. Yes, that’s the plan!
Diana stared at her toes, lost in thought, as Lena poured the Healing Slime onto her foot, its natural color shimmering under the atmospheric lighting.
The slime, a living creature, gradually enveloped her foot, slowly squirming.
It felt like immersing her foot in a pool of alcohol, and Diana winced. “Just say you want me dead!”
“…”
Lena watched the slime intently, ready to enter Mana Surge.
There was a very small chance of an adverse reaction to the Healing Slime, like an allergic reaction to medicine. If that happened, Diana might lose her foot.
Although the probability was negligible, Lena, wanting to keep the princess’s foot as a plaything, remained vigilant.
Time passed, and the slime finished cleaning and began repairing the wound.
This process was quite pleasant.
Diana relaxed, lying back on the heart-shaped water slime bed, sinking into its softness.
“Don’t fall asleep.”
“Why do you keep stopping me from sleeping? I’m tired!” The restless princess sat up, her cheeks puffed out. “Don’t think you can earn the empire’s favor by being nice to me. The things you’ve done are enough to get you executed!”
“Oh, what have I done?”
Lena emptied the basin of water, returning to the bed and sitting beside Diana, her hand resting on Diana’s hip, leaning in close. “If Your Highness doesn’t give me a specific example, I’ll just assume you’re bluffing, or perhaps, you simply lack a basic understanding of the current situation…”
She blew gently on Diana’s face, watching her bangs flutter, a soft smile on her lips.
“W-what… what do you mean?” Diana asked, dumbfounded.
“Nothing much. Honestly, I’ve been holding back for a long time, from the very beginning, my dear princess.”
The gray-haired beauty began undressing, her smooth back, pert breasts, and shapely legs incredibly alluring.
She unclasped her lace bra, dangling it from her fingertip, her other hand covering her chest, a sweet fragrance filling the air.
“I believe you would sacrifice your own interests for the empire’s sake, just like my father, who sacrificed his right leg for the empire’s stability. Your Highness should understand some things. Is the empire’s existence truly necessary? And who created the gap between those living in luxury and those struggling in hardship? And who is maintaining this gap…?”
Lena’s expression was still gentle, but with a hint of darkness.
Diana couldn’t understand. She was just a naive young girl, only partially comprehending Lena’s words, but she could sense the helplessness in Lena’s tone.
…
