The Delicate Female Lead Only Wants to be Loved by the Villainous Young Ladies 37

Chapter 37: You’re All I Have Left

Celeste might or might not have fallen asleep. Adele, however, slept soundly, her dreams filled with images of fluffy puppies and mountains of gold.

It wasn’t until the nurse, her cheerful voice carrying through the thin curtain, gently knocked on the door, reminding them that it was time to leave, that Adele finally stirred.

“It’s time for me to go home, girls,” she said, her voice laced with amusement. “You’re welcome to stay and rest, but… it’s almost lunchtime. Don’t you have other places to be?”

Adele, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, sat up, her gaze settling on Celeste, who was already scrambling to her feet, her cheeks flushed, her eyes bright with a mixture of panic and… something else.

“Thank you for your care, ma’am,” Celeste said, her voice a little too eager. “We’ll be leaving… shortly.”

“Alright, dears,” the nurse said, her tone indulgent. “Just remember to lock the door on your way out.”

She seemed remarkably trusting, leaving them alone with access to all sorts of potions and medications, some of them quite valuable. She wasn’t worried about them… borrowing a few?

Well, Celeste was wealthy. She didn’t need to steal.

The only potential culprit was… Adele.

But then again…

Nurse: Adele is so adorable! I’d forgive her even if she stole everything! Heehee~

In a way, Adele was a lesbian’s dream come true. Her beauty, her scent, her blood… they were irresistible.

The door clicked shut, and the nurse, humming a cheerful tune, left for the day, her thoughts already drifting to lunch.

Celeste and Adele straightened their clothes, their movements a synchronized dance of awkwardness and anticipation.

The academy bell hadn’t rung yet, which meant… classes were still in session. Was it really okay for the nurse to leave early?

Adele wondered briefly, but then… she shrugged. It wasn’t her problem.

“Come on, Celeste,” she said, her gaze settling on Celeste, who was standing beside her, her posture stiff, her hands clasped tightly in front of her, as if she were trying to contain… something.

Even though Celeste was taller, her gaze now downcast, her once-proud demeanor replaced by a submissive humility, the power dynamic had shifted. Adele, the lowly Sequence Five, was now the one in control.

She looked at Celeste, her eyes narrowed, a hint of amusement touching her lips as she surveyed her… possession.

She hadn’t expected things to go so smoothly. But she was adaptable, a quick learner. It was a necessary skill for survival in this world.

She didn’t need to consciously imitate or pretend. She simply… became the master, her demeanor shifting effortlessly, her gaze commanding, her voice imbued with an authority that belied her lowly status.

It was as if she had always been a princess, a born ruler.

“Yes… Master,” Celeste whispered, her body trembling with a mixture of excitement and… something else. Something that made Adele’s heart skip a beat.

Celeste hadn’t slept. She had spent the entire time gazing at Adele’s sleeping face, her heart aching with a longing so intense that it bordered on pain.

Adele, in sleep, was an angel, her features serene, her expression peaceful, her beauty… breathtaking.

It was a transgression, a violation of the unspoken rules that governed the relationship between a master and their familiar. But Celeste couldn’t help herself.

She was consumed by guilt, by shame, by a desperate need for… punishment?

Adele nodded, acknowledging Celeste’s obedience, her use of the term “Master.” She turned and walked towards the door, Celeste trailing behind her like a… well, like a dog.

But as they reached the door, Adele paused, turning to face Celeste, her gaze intense, searching.

Celeste froze, her body stiffening, her mind racing. What expression should she wear? What should she do?

Adele, her brow furrowing, her voice taking on a slightly sharper edge, asked, “Celeste… are you asking to be punished?”

The magic crest on Celeste’s abdomen flared to life, sending a jolt of heat through her body. She panicked, her heart pounding, her mind racing.

What… What did I do wrong?

“N-No… Master… I… I didn’t…” she stammered, her voice barely a whisper.

But before she could finish, a wave of… something washed over her, an irresistible force that compelled her to drop to her knees, her shoulders trembling, her head bowed.

Her beautiful golden hair, no longer a symbol of pride, cascaded down her back, pooling on the floor around her, her posture a testament to her… humility? Submission?

“Please… punish me, Master,” she whispered, her voice choked with emotion.

Right or wrong, intentional or unintentional… if she had displeased her Master, if she had caused Adele even the slightest bit of… discomfort… then she deserved to be punished.

Any punishment, no matter how severe, was preferable to… disappointing Adele.

She had to be obedient. Completely, unconditionally obedient…

But Adele, looking at Celeste, at her pathetic, groveling form, her once-proud demeanor replaced by a submissive humility, felt a surge of… annoyance.

“You haven’t even realized your mistake, have you?” she said, her voice laced with a delicate disapproval. “You’re just… digging yourself deeper.”

“Celeste… do you even… see me as your Master?”

Celeste’s body trembled, her mind reeling. She couldn’t understand. All she could think about was… atonement. How could she earn Adele’s forgiveness? What had she done wrong?

Adele sighed, her patience wearing thin. Celeste was clearly a lost cause, her mind so fixated on seeking forgiveness that she couldn’t even comprehend the nature of her transgression.

So, Adele, with a weary sigh, decided to spell it out for her.

“You know that performing a spiritual contract without permission is a serious offense, right?” she said, her voice taking on a sharper edge. “It’s grounds for expulsion.”

“And look at you,” she continued, her gaze sweeping over Celeste’s kneeling form, her voice dripping with disdain. “Groveling, pathetic, completely devoid of self-respect!”

“If you walk out of here like this, everyone will know what we did,” she said, her voice laced with a chilling calm. “Have you even considered… the consequences? What will happen to me… because of you?”

“…W-What… What should I do, Master?” Celeste whispered, her voice trembling with fear.

“It’s simple,” Adele said, her gaze softening slightly. She reached up, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, her movements graceful, almost… regal.

“You’re a Sequence Two, and I’m a Sequence Five,” she said, her voice regaining its warmth. “We’re… friends. But you’re the dominant one, the one in control. And I’m… well, I’m just your… little follower.”

“Let’s… stick to that script, okay?” she added, her voice taking on a playful lilt. “Whenever we’re together… you have to play your role.”

“After all… it’s who you used to be.”

And then, her expression softening, her voice losing its playful edge, she asked, “Celeste… do you regret… what happened in the infirmary today? Do you wish… you could go back, be the confident, powerful girl you used to be?”

“There are ways to break a spiritual contract, you know. If you…”

“No!” Celeste interrupted, her voice firm despite the tremor in her chest. She couldn’t let Adele finish that sentence. The thought of breaking the bond, of returning to her former life… it filled her with a terror that overshadowed even the fear of punishment.

She had felt so powerless, so utterly lost, when she had faced Hermione’s wrath, when she had endured her family’s punishment, her body bearing the marks of their… disappointment.

She had wanted to disappear, to fade away, to escape the pain, the humiliation.

But something had stopped her. Something had kept her going, had dragged her back to the academy, had forced her to endure the whispers, the mockery, the pitying looks.

It was Adele. The way she had protected her that day, the way she had shown her kindness, even offered her… friendship.

In that moment, Celeste had realized that in her seemingly perfect life, the only thing that truly mattered, the only thing that had brought her any real joy… was Adele.

“Only when I’m with you, Adele… do I feel… alive,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “Like… I’m finally… myself.”

“Please, Adele… don’t abandon me.”

“I’ll be good. I’ll do anything you ask.”

“You’re… all I have left…”