A Reward for Seria, Please Give Me the Real Reward

"I'm sorry. It was a failure."

The emperor glared down at Luis, who knelt before her, grinding her teeth. "A failure?"

"Yes."

"How did that happen?"

"Of the ten new noble faction nobles who were assassination targets, only three died."

"You only succeeded with a measly three?"

"Yes. I apologize, Your Majesty."

"What about Ronald? Ronald Count, the leader of the new noble faction."

"……."

Luis couldn't answer.

"A failure, then. The most important one."

"I apologize."

"Has the Hongryeon Group ever failed so pathetically?"

Once again, Luis had no response.

"What was the cause of the failure?"

"It was blocked by knights and experts hired by the Gold Merchant Group that Emily runs."

"Gold Merchant Group? That Emily, you mean?"

"Yes."

"Damn it!"

Bam!Bam!

The emperor slammed her fist on the desk. Everything on the desk shook. She pounded it again and again, but her rage showed no sign of subsiding.

"That dog of an Emily! Still getting in my way to the bitter end?"

Panting with fury, the emperor glared at Luis.

"Information leaked from the inside. That's the only explanation that makes sense."

"That couldn't have happened."

"Do you really believe the Hongryeon Group is loyal to you?"

"As I said, the members of the Hongryeon Group never waver in their loyalty."

"We'll see about that……."

The emperor sneered mockingly.

"I'll investigate personally to find out which one of you is the traitor."

Seeing the emperor's expression, Luis felt a chill run down her spine. It was the killing intent and madness in her eyes.

"Seria."

"Yes, Master."

Seria's voice was brighter than usual today. And why not? It was the day I'd promised her two days ago.

The day we'd spend the night together.

"You seem in a good mood today."

"D-Do I?"

I nodded. "That happy about it?"

"O-Of course. Because you said we'd spend the night together today."

I glanced out the window. The sun was still high in the sky. If I wanted to give her the night she craved, we'd need more time.

It had been a day since we'd thwarted the attack on Ronald. By now, the imperial palace was probably in a frenzy hunting for internal spies.

But in this situation, there was nothing I could do by going to the palace. All I could do was hope Ellis and Luis kept up the deception.

I looked at Seria. She'd been through hell lately.

Enduring all the training I'd put her through, defeating the transcendent Lilith, even putting on an act in front of the emperor.

I thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to give her a reward for all that hardship. Not like the one back at the Siegfried mansion.

A real reward.

"Seria."

"Yes, Master."

"Shall we go out together after so long?"

"Pardon?"

Seria blinked, as if she hadn't understood.

"You've worked hard all this time, so I'm giving you a reward."

"A r-reward?"

At the word "reward," her cheeks flushed pink.

"F-For the reward, we're going out……."

Seria fidgeted with her nails, then nodded as if she'd made up her mind.

"Yes, sounds good!"

"Then let's go right now."

I took Seria to the lobby.

"M-Master……."

"What is it?"

"Are we going like this?"

"What's missing?"

Seria's behavior was odd, like she was looking for something else.

"N-No, sorry. You must have a plan, Master."

Maybe she was excited about going out after so long. I brushed it off.

"Let's hurry."

Our first stop was shopping. Seria had only worn maid outfits until now.

I planned to gift her new clothes as a reward. She'd loved buying clothes and accessories in the original novel too.

Not a bad idea.

It'd make a fine reward for her.

But there was a problem. The emperor wanted Seria completely broken—her status, her pride, everything.

If word spread that I'd taken Seria to a high-end dress shop and bought her new clothes, it'd reach the emperor's ears for sure.

I couldn't allow that.

I cast illusion magic around Seria. Suddenly, a plain-looking maid stood there in her place.

An illusion that made the target look like a completely different person. One of the spells I'd learned from Lilith the succubus's book.

A knight who could handle mana might see right through it. Which was why it wasn't quite ready to use on the emperor yet.

This outing was both a gift for Seria and a test of my illusion magic's progress.

Just avoid paths where knights might patrol.

I looked at Seria's real face within the illusion.

"Wh-What's this?"

She looked a bit startled by her sudden change.

"What do you think? It's the magic we'll use for going out today."

"Th-This is me?"

"Shall we go?"

"Yes."

Seria adapted to the change despite her initial surprise.

Confirming the magic worked, I stepped out of the mansion with her to walk the streets of the empire.

The capital was bustling. Crowds of people hurried about, their faces full of energy.

"Stick close to me."

I warned her, just in case she got separated.

"Yes."

Seria grabbed my sleeve tightly.

The people on the street naturally didn't recognize the woman beside me as Seria.

Seeing it worked on civilians, I leisurely strolled the capital with her.

"But Master, where are we going?"

"To give you a gift."

"A gift……."

A faint smile crossed Seria's face.

I led her to a dress shop in the capital.

"Here?"

"The most famous dress shop in the empire, with the top tailor."

It was a place the old Seria, as Siegfried's daughter, had frequented.

"Why here?"

"To buy a gift for my hardworking maid."

"N-No way, the reward is……."

"A dress. If you want custom-made, just say so. I'll make sure they tailor it to your exact size."

"Ah……."

Seria let out a small gasp.

"D-Does that mean no tonight?"

"What?"

"Th-That…… um……."

Seria stammered, her cheeks burning red.

"Y-You said it was a reward, right?"

"Isn't this what you wanted?"

Seria looked disappointed.

"Is it not enough? Or not what you expected?"

"I-It is…… yes, it's very different from what I expected."

"Cheeky."

"Sorry."

Seria bowed her head, avoiding my gaze.

"But since we're here, pick something. I came to buy you a gift anyway. Today, we'll do whatever you want."

"Whatever I want…… Got it."

Biting her lip, Seria entered the shop.

Though she'd said she wasn't satisfied, once inside, she started eagerly inspecting the clothes.

"This one's got a nice design, but the fabric's meh…… The color feels a bit outdated……."

Her eyes lit up, the gloom from moments ago gone. When it came to clothes, Seria was dead serious.

After a long debate with the designer, the dress she chose was a light purple matching her eye color.

A deep neckline that accentuated her ample breasts was striking. But the real standout…… was the skirt length.

Scandalously short by this era's standards, barely covering her knees. Just like the maid outfit she wore at home.

"You like that one?"

"Yes, I love it."

Seria spun around in the dress.

"How do I look?"

I scanned her up and down and gave my honest opinion.

"Pretty."

"R-Really? Hehe, I knew it."

"Clothes really are wings, huh."

"You don't think it's because the hanger's pretty?"

"So you think you're pretty?"

"W-Well……."

Seria's eyes darted around, her face even redder than before.

"Y-You need confidence! A woman's beauty comes from confidence."

"Is that so?"

Her flustered deflection made my lips twitch involuntarily. What an entertaining woman. Just watching her was fun.

"All dressed? Let's go."

I paid for the dress and stood.

"Where to now?"

"To do what you like most."

"What I like most?"

"Yeah."

-Tell me, what wrong have I done to deserve such cruelty?

Seria gazed down at the stage from the rearmost seat in the audience.

Morris had brought her to a famous theater for a play. The actor she used to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠adore was performing on stage.

This was even the same play she'd watched obsessively back when she was Siegfried's daughter.

Back then, she'd have been moved to tears. But now?

Boring.

The play felt utterly dull. The actors had improved vastly since she'd last seen it.

Yet their performances didn't reach her.

She knew something far more entertaining now.

Seria glanced at Morris beside her.

He'd called it a reward. A ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠real one.

Outside, he'd avoided being direct to spare her embarrassment. But here was different.

Dim lighting. The rearmost, most secluded seats in the corner.

No one paying close attention would notice what she and Morris were doing.

Thump thump.

Seria waited eagerly for Morris's reward, half-excited, half-anxious.

When will he give it?

How will he do it?

But no matter how much time passed, Morris showed no reaction.

The play was already halfway done. Seria glanced nervously at him.

He watched calmly, silently.

"Interesting," he even murmured.

Is this it? Really just watching the play?

It was a play she loved, one she'd never missed.

Why……

Does my heart feel so empty?

Seria didn't know. Plays weren't the most important thing to her anymore.

Her eyes turned to Morris more and more.

"What's wrong?"

Morris noticed her odd behavior and whispered softly.

His breathy voice made her heart race.

Thump thump.

"I-It's just……."

"You look unwell. Are you okay?"

His voice drowned out everything else.

"Hah, hah."

She looked at him. Tall frame, handsome features, prominent Adam's apple, thick fingers unlike hers.

He gazed at her with genuine concern.

He's never looked at me like this.

It was unfair. In this situation.

While she anticipated his reward.

While she was desperate for the real one she craved.

Making that face……

I can't escape it.

With a shaky breath, she grabbed his hand.

"Master."

No illusion, no hypnosis, no enchanting scent this time.

She reached out herself and took his hand.

Then guided it downward.

"Please give me ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the real reward."

She whispered. Morris looked at her in surprise.

"The real reward?"

"Yes. Stop teasing me."

The new dress he'd bought was already soaked with her sweat and fluids.

"Hah, hah."

She watched him—truly flustered for the first time, looking down at her.

A strange sense of victory washed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠over her.

I was surprised. I hadn't expected her to be this forward.

Squelch squelch.

The wet sounds echoed between us. I blocked the noise before the man next to us noticed, on the verge of passing out.

At the same time, I adjusted the illusion so no one around could see.

"You really want this?"

"Yes."

Then the actor's loud cry pierced my ears.

The play had reached its climax. But Seria seemed uninterested.

"Hah, hah."

She focused on the thrusting below. Covering her mouth.

Cautious of the sound leaking, yet writhing for stronger pleasure.

She treated my fingers like her own, shoving them inside.

Squelch squelch.

And she kept looking up at me. Relentlessly. As if she wouldn't miss a thing.

"Not enjoying the musical?"

She shook her head at my question.

"I am. But……."

"But?"

"Right now, I like this more."

She whispered as quietly as possible.

The musical was already out of her mind.

Seria closed her eyes, holding her breath.

"Hngh, hngh!"

But she didn't know. Without my sound block, everyone here would've heard.

The squelching and muffled whimpers were that loud.

Her pussy clenched my fingers tight. She trembled, sobbing softly.

"Master."

She whispered as low as she could.

"Give me the real reward. The one that's really for me."

The brand-new dress I'd bought for her was now stained with her fluids.