The Villainous Noblewoman Is About to Be Forced into Love, Isn't This Wrong?

Chapter 26

“Liana-sama, isn’t this a bit improper...”

Although Liana had fed her once before, that had been when they were alone.

Loraviel's face was flushed—whether from the heat of the charcoal grill or something else, she wasn’t sure. It made her look rather cute.

Liana didn’t say a word. She simply held out the skewer, letting the sizzling oil drip onto the table as the aroma of roasted meat filled the air around Loraviel.

After a moment’s hesitation, Loraviel opened her mouth and bit down on the end of the skewer, feeling a little embarrassed.

“There’s nothing improper about it, Liana.”

Once she confirmed that the skewer was safe, Liana also took a bite. As expected, the flavor was simple—just the natural taste of the meat, lightly seasoned with salt. It wasn’t bad, but compared to the skewers from her previous life, it was still lacking.

The ingredients might not be perfect, but the chef’s skills made up for it.

Liana dipped the skewer into a small dish of five-spice powder before taking another bite.

The moment the meat entered her mouth, it melted instantly, bursting with rich juices and an intense meaty aroma. The addition of the five-spice powder elevated the taste to a whole new level.

It was just like the taste from her past life. Seeing this as a good sign, Liana felt a flicker of anticipation—there were still many more flavors to experiment with.

She noticed Loraviel’s curious expression. The girl had probably never seen five-spice powder before.

“Curious?” Liana asked, holding out the skewer she had just bitten into. “Wanna try?”

Loraviel hesitated, looking at the half-eaten skewer in Liana’s hand.

“What? Are you disgusted that I already ate from it?”

She was definitely doing this on purpose. Liana could have just taken another skewer, but instead, she was deliberately teasing her.

It’s nothing, just something normal.

Loraviel opened her mouth and took a small bite.

“?!”

She was shocked.

“Liana, what is this?”

The taste was completely different from before! How could there be such a vast difference between the first and second bite?

At the same time, a hint of worry crept into her expression.

“Liana... This isn’t some kind of illegal substance, is it?”

“...?” Liana hadn’t expected that to be Loraviel’s first thought.

“?” Loraviel didn’t quite follow.

“I mean,” Liana explained, “if you just borrowed a few training techniques from the Royal Knights and became stronger, I wouldn’t need to buy a slave for protection.”

“I’ll work harder!” Loraviel responded immediately.

“Oh? Just a second ago, you refused. Now you suddenly agree?” Liana chuckled, narrowing her eyes. “Did you misunderstand something just now? Was your mind running wild with strange thoughts?”

She tilted her head slightly, leaning forward.

“Could it be that, despite looking so pure, deep down you’re actually hoping I’ll do something to you?”

Liana stood up, leaning in closer.

Loraviel’s breath hitched as she found herself face-to-face with Liana’s flawless features. The soft glow of the firelight accentuated every delicate curve of her face. Her lips, still glistening slightly from the oil of the roasted meat, looked unbearably tempting.

The warmth of her breath brushed against Loraviel’s skin, sending a shiver down her spine.

Loraviel felt her cheeks heat up. She quickly shook her head and stammered out, “It’s just that these things are normal tasks for me. It’s part of my duties, so even if you hadn’t asked, I would still do them.”

“Is that so?” Liana mused, tapping her fingers against the table. “Sounds like I should’ve made my request even more unreasonable. You got off easy.”

She narrowed her eyes playfully.

“So you really were imagining something inappropriate just now?”

“Your face is red.”

Loraviel ducked her head, flustered. This wasn’t her fault! If Liana hadn’t said such strange things, she never would’ve thought in that direction!

“Pfft—hahaha!”

Liana burst into laughter, thoroughly enjoying Loraviel’s reaction.

“Come on, eat up. The skewers won’t taste as good if they get cold.”

“...Mm.”

Loraviel nodded, lowering her head as she quietly ate her skewer.

But every now and then, she would sneak a glance at Liana.

After spending so many days together, this young lady seemed... different from the rumors.

Not as terrifying as they said.

Was it just her imagination?

Or...

Was this also part of Liana’s plan to lower her guard?