A Sweet Payback
"It has been a while, Queen Carmel." Luna rose from her seat and bowed.
Just like the tea party she had been invited to by Tina, a lavish spread of refreshments was prepared in the room.
"...Yes, Duchess Lorencia. It has indeed been a while," Carmel replied, her voice laced with her usual superficial grace.
Carmel's face was flushed, and her gait was slightly awkward—though it was subtle enough that anyone who didn't know her well would have missed it.
"It is an honor to host two such noble guests alongside the Princess. Please, make yourselves comfortable." Luna politely gestured for us to sit.
I sat down with a bright smile. Carmel, on the other hand, wore a deep frown. The moment her bottom touched the chair, her grimace deepened.
And for good reason—her backside was currently a complete wreck. Though we had applied ointment and covered it with gauze just like on the first day, it was still raw and crimson. It was a badge of honor testifying to how wild last night had been.
To make matters worse, she was currently wearing an anal plug. Between the stinging pain in her flesh and the foreign sensation of the plug, Carmel couldn't hide her discomfort, her face twisting in distress.
Luna personally lifted the teapot and filled our cups. The bitter aroma of Snow Flower Tea tickled my nose.
After filling her own cup, Luna looked at Carmel.
"I hope your week in Lorencia was to your liking, Queen Carmel. Tell me, did you enjoy your stay?"
I saw Carmel's hands clench tightly over her knees. Luna's words, which sounded like a mundane pleasantry, were a direct trigger, evoking memories of the degradation she had suffered here in Senain Castle.
Of course, Luna knew. She was the one who had provided the depths of Senain Castle as the stage for Carmel's subjugation.
She hadn't witnessed the exact acts herself, but she was sharp enough to deduce that Carmel was undergoing some form of torture or sexual degradation—something deeply humiliating.
Thus, her words were a deliberate jab to needle Carmel. It was payback for Carmel deceiving her and using her as a shield for her underhanded plot with Elrond. After all, there was a very high chance that Elrond's reckless rebellion had been instigated by Carmel in the first place.
Knowing this all too well, Carmel hid her venom behind a forced smile and replied.
"It was... enjoyable in its own way. So much so that I simply must return the favor. To you, and of course, to Sera. If the opportunity arises, someday... H-ah...!"
Carmel cut herself off, staring at me in sheer shock. I had just reached out and squeezed her bottom.
Every single inch of her backside was currently raw and inflamed. Even the slightest touch must have sent a stinging jolt through her. Yet, she couldn't show any sign of it in front of Luna, forcing herself to endure the pain.
Luna spoke with perfect composure.
"I am glad to hear that. I do hope you visit often. Your Majesty's profound knowledge of fashion and accessories is something I would love to hear about again and again."
"...T-the pleasure is mine..."
As I continued to knead her flesh, Carmel rapidly lost her composure. It wasn't just the physical pain; the sheer humiliation of being fondled right in front of someone else dyed her face a deep crimson.
"You speak so boldly, Mother. Especially when you were weeping and whimpering so pathetically last night."
Carmel stared at me, her eyes wide with shock. Yet, despite my scandalous remark, Luna merely took a calm sip of her tea.
Carmel scrambled to salvage the situation.
"S-Sera... such... such rude jokes are inappropriate. No matter how indulgent I am..."
"Fufu, my apologies, Mother. I suppose I went a bit too far."
"You two seem exceptionally close. It is a heartwarming sight."
Carmel seemed utterly bewildered, her mind racing over how much Luna actually knew. Was she an active accomplice in this degradation, or was she merely an uninvolved, neutral spectator who had invited us here?
Watching her writhe in silent agony was incredibly entertaining—almost as delightful as the soft, yielding texture of her flesh in my hand.
Perhaps to mask her agitation, Carmel picked up her teacup with a trembling hand and brought it to her lips, taking a sip.
"Ngh...!"
She clearly hadn't realized how incredibly bitter the first sip of Snow Flower Tea could be. Seeing Carmel grimace, Luna spoke in a polite, helpful tone.
"Ah, I forgot to mention that one must add plenty of sugar or jam. My apologies, Your Majesty. Once you neutralize the bitterness with sweetness, you will be able to fully appreciate the deep, rich flavor of Lorencia's specialty tea."
"T-thank you for the advice..."
Under normal circumstances, Carmel would have snapped in irritation, but she currently lacked the luxury to do so. My hand was no longer satisfied with caressing her through her clothes; it had slipped beneath the low-cut back of her dress, stroking her bare skin.
Luna, watching Carmel closely, spoke up.
"By the way, Queen Carmel, what is that red mark on your chest? Did an insect bite you last night?"
Carmel's attire today was exceptionally revealing. Not only did it showcase her deep cleavage, but the plunging necklines in both the front and back nearly reached her navel. It wasn't a dress I had specially prepared for her; it was simply one of her own garments.
Luna's gaze was fixed on Carmel's exposed chest. It was a whip mark. The artificial, swollen red welt carved by pain was too large for her dress to fully conceal, its edge peeking out shamelessly.
"It is nothing to worry about. Just a minor itch... Ah...!"
My hand slipped lower, reaching the cleft of her buttocks to playfully flick the base of the anal plug nestled inside her.
Looking at Carmel, who was now drowning in embarrassment and panic, I spoke.
"We can't have that, Mother. If our host, Luna, let a guest sleep in a bed infested with bugs, it would ruin her reputation as the castle's lord. We must show her clearly how that red mark actually got there."
"W-wait..."
Ignoring her weak attempt to stop me, I pulled down the collar of her dress, which was already hanging precariously off her shoulders. Given the revealing design of the gown, she couldn't wear any undergarments. The only things covering her breasts were the pieces of gauze taped over her swollen nipples.
Suddenly exposed, Carmel looked at Luna in sheer panic. Yet, Luna's expression didn't even flicker as she remarked casually:
"They are indeed as magnificent as the rumors say, Your Majesty."
"Ugh... Luna Lorencia...! You were in on this from the start...!"
"Please do not misunderstand, Your Majesty. I have no personal grudge against you. I simply calculated that, in our current circumstances, aligning myself with the Princess would yield far greater benefits than staying loyal to you."
Honestly, Carmel's outrage was highly hypocritical. She was the one who had first deceived and exploited Luna. Though Luna kept her face perfectly blank, she must have been feeling an immense sense of satisfaction.
"I was aware that something extraordinary was taking place in the dungeons, but it seems to have been far more intense than I imagined. What a vivid, beautiful shade of red."
Luna sipped her tea while feasting her eyes on Carmel's exposed breasts and whip marks. She was likely experiencing a sensation far sweeter than any of Lorencia's famously sugary confections.
Her face a mix of resentment and shame, Carmel hissed.
"J-just you wait... ah... after Sera, you are next... I will make sure that smug face of yours... hngh...! W-wait, Sera...!"
"Yes, that is quite enough, Mother."
Before Carmel could utter another insolent word, I gave the plug blocking her rear a firm, rhythmic tug.
Carmel lost her voice entirely, glaring at Luna and me with a face twisted in helpless rage. Watching her, a genuine, soft smile finally graced Luna's lips for the first time.
Even inside the carriage leaving Lorencia, Carmel had to endure quite an ordeal. Not only was her sensitive backside constantly stimulated by the jolting of the carriage seat, but Rika and I, sitting on either side of her, kept our hands busy all over her body.
Today was the final day of her week of subjugation. Since opportunities like this were rare, I had to make sure we enjoyed it to the absolute fullest until the very last moment.
It was the dead of night when our carriage finally arrived in Lurie. As the door swung open, the crisp night air rushed into the sweltering interior. Rika and I helped Carmel down from the carriage.
"Haah, haah..."
Having been shamelessly fondled throughout the long journey, Carmel's breathing was incredibly ragged. We had kept things relatively tame due to the escorting knights riding nearby, but she must have climaxed at least a few times.
"Then I shall return to the monastery, Princess."
"Yes. Please tell Rielia that I will be visiting her soon."
"Understood."
Rika bowed deeply and vanished into the darkness.
Now, the only thing left was to dispel the Mistylia curse. I would have to go see Rielia first thing tomorrow.
Come to think of it, the Curse of Mystillia had yet to trigger again. Considering its last flare-up was on the evening of the second day, could its cycle be roughly a week? Well, it was useless information anyway, since it would soon be broken.
Upon entering the royal palace, several maids were waiting to greet us. As Shinia rushed forward to support the stumbling Carmel, I spoke to her.
"Mother seems quite exhausted. Take her straight to her bed today. There is no need to change her clothes or wipe her down."
"A-Ah, yes. Understood, Princess."
"Is His Majesty asleep?"
"Y-Yes, he waited for you since early evening but eventually fell asleep."
"Mmm, I suppose I should greet Father tomorrow morning then. I leave Mother in your hands."
The other maids seemed to wonder why Carmel's body was so unusually hot, but none of them were brave enough to question the Princess's orders.
I left Carmel in their care and returned to my room.
Whew, that was a long trip.
I knew it wouldn't end as a simple social visit, but I hadn't expected it to escalate into such a massive incident. Still, the outcome was highly satisfactory.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the Lorencia territory was now practically in my hands. While it technically belonged to the royal family on paper, considering my contributions, it was essentially my personal domain. Furthermore, the one ruling the remaining lands was Luna, whom I had successfully brought over to my side. The vast Lorencia territory had become my steadfast ally.
And, of course, the past week of tasting and enjoying every single inch of Carmel's body. Every single moment had been an unparalleled, exquisite experience. I wanted to repeat it over and over again if I could.
Regardless, my body was indeed exhausted. I was walking toward my bed, fully intending to collapse onto it, when I noticed a stack of letters resting on my desk. They were the mail that had arrived during my absence.
Most of them were trivial, but one in particular caught my eye. It was none other than a letter from the Gerard family.