Chapter 188 : Job-Hopping

“Awake?”

A ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍woman.

And ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍that voice… why did it sound a bit familiar?

As ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the person approached, that face—the one that had lingered in Lucy’s thoughts all night, the one she had even clung to and crazily bitten while delirious—gradually became clear.

She ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍wore a loose black bathrobe, the belt tied casually, revealing large patches of snow-white skin and a faintly visible collarbone.

Those ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍narrow violet eyes carried a hint of teasing and scrutiny, watching Lucy curled up in the corner of the bed with a half-smile.

Lucy’s eyes nearly popped out.

Her gaze uncontrollably swept over Camilla.

Then she saw it.

On Camilla’s long, fair neck was a very obvious, slightly swollen… bite mark.

Not just on her neck.

On her collarbone, and even on the shoulder faintly visible beneath the robe’s neckline, there were marks of varying sizes.

“Boom—”

Fragments of last night’s memories flashed wildly through her mind like a slideshow.

——“Cool… so cool…”

——“I want to eat chilled watermelon…”

——“Let me hug you, just once…”

——“Awoo!”

The scene froze on the final moment.

She had clung to Camilla like an octopus, shouting “chilled watermelon,” and then bit down…

“Gulp.”

Lucy swallowed with difficulty, her throat feeling as if it had been sealed with cement.

It was over.

This time, it was really over.

This was no longer a matter of whether XX could fix things.

This was a matter of being chopped into minced meat and made into dumplings.

“Remember now?”

Camilla walked to the bedside, casually picking up a glass of red wine from the nightstand and swirling it gently.

Her captivating eyes narrowed slightly as her fingertip tapped that conspicuous bite mark.

“Little thing, quite the bite you’ve got.”

Lucy trembled all over, instinctively trying to retreat, only to realize the headboard was right behind her—there was nowhere to go.

She stammered, her voice shaking like cotton being plucked.

“Um… I can explain…”

“That was a misunderstanding… I had an upset stomach yesterday… no, I was poisoned yesterday…”

“Poisoned?”

Camilla chuckled softly and sat down at the edge of the bed.

The mattress dipped slightly under her weight, bringing with it that suffocating fragrance.

She reached out, her cool fingertips lifting a strand of Lucy’s hair, idly twirling it.

“Should I say your constitution is special, or that… you’re naturally suited for this line of work?”

“W-what… line of work?”

Lucy shivered, clutching the blanket tightly, only her frightened eyes exposed.

“Of course, XXX.”

Camilla leaned closer, her red lips parting slightly, her breath warm and fragrant.

“!!!”

Lucy’s pupils shook violently.

“I… I can’t do that!”

She shook her head desperately, tears almost bursting out.

“My skills are bad! And I eat a lot! I snore! I even have athlete’s foot! Really!”

To protect her innocence, she didn’t hesitate to slander herself completely.

“Pfft.”

Camilla couldn’t hold it in and laughed.

That laugh was soft and alluring, enough to make one’s bones go weak.

“What are you thinking, you little pervert.”

She flicked Lucy’s smooth forehead with her finger.

“I’m not interested in an underdeveloped little sprout like you.”

Lucy covered her forehead, stunned.

Not interested?

Then who took off her clothes? And what about those bite marks?

“Yesterday, your magic power went berserk.”

Camilla’s smile faded slightly as she took a sip of wine, a meaningful look flashing in her eyes.

“If I hadn’t stripped you and thrown you onto my bed for physical cooling, you’d already be a pile of charcoal.”

“As for these…”

She pointed at the marks on her neck, her lips twitching slightly.

“A certain delirious little brat insisted on using me as a chew toy. I couldn’t even pull you off. I kindly served as your pillow and air conditioner all night, and when you wake up, not only do you not thank me, you look like I’m about to abduct an innocent girl?”

Lucy blinked.

Then blinked again.

So… that’s what happened?

She had been saved by this person?

Although the process sounded socially fatal, the result seemed good?

Her body was intact.

Her innocence was intact too.

“Th-then…”

Lucy cautiously poked her head out, her face red as a tomato.

“Thank you for saving my life…”

“Um… since everything’s fine now, can I… leave?”

She pointed toward the door, her gaze drifting.

There were still a pile of accounts waiting for her in the Document Audit Department.

If she went back late, Lady Lilia would really dock her pay!

“Leave?”

Camilla raised an eyebrow and set down her glass.

She suddenly leaned forward, placing her hands on either side of Lucy, enclosing her completely.

Those violet eyes stared straight at Lucy, like a hunter examining prey caught in a trap.

“You entered my Succubus Tower, climbed onto my bed, bit my neck…”

“Do you really think you can walk out in one piece?”

Lucy’s heart shot straight into her throat.

“Th-then… what do you want?”

she asked weakly, already mentally prepared to sign a lifelong contract.

Camilla curled her lips into a dazzling yet calculating smile.

“How much does Lilia pay you every month?”

“Huh?”

Lucy froze, answering instinctively.

“N-no salary…”

“Food and lodging provided… sometimes there’s a midnight snack…”

A trace of disbelief flashed through Camilla’s eyes, followed by full-blown disdain.

“That’s even worse than I imagined.”

She reached out and patted Lucy’s cheek.

“In that case, switch jobs.”

“S-switch jobs?”

“Yeah.”

Camilla snapped her fingers.

“Work for me.”

“Salary paid in gold coins—ten per month. Food and lodging included, with meals matching my private chef’s standard. No more sleeping in a woodshed; you’ll get your own private room.”

“Most importantly…”

Camilla leaned to Lucy’s ear, her voice full of temptation.

“No one here will force you to calculate those incomprehensible garbage accounts.”

“What you need to do is develop your special constitution and use that excess energy where it should be used.”

Lucy was stunned.

Ten gold coins?

A private room?

And no accounting?

This… this was really the Abyss Demon Realm?

This was practically a charity organization!

Just as Lucy wavered, about to nod and shout “Boss is generous,”

Lilia’s cold face suddenly flashed through her mind—the same face that would cook fried rice for her.

And that small but warm stone house.

“Um…”

Lucy swallowed, struggling against the temptation of money.

“Can I… think about it?”

“Sure.”

Camilla straightened up and casually tossed the blanket back over Lucy.

“I’ll give you time to consider.”

“But…”

Her tone shifted as her gaze swept toward a pile of clothing scraps in the corner of the room.

Those had been Lucy’s original maid outfit, now torn into strips during last night’s frenzy.

“Before that, you might need to solve one problem.”

Camilla pointed at Lucy’s bare shoulder, smiling playfully.

“Your clothes are already ruined.”

She snapped her fingers.

The wardrobe doors swung open automatically.

Inside hung all kinds of outfits—minimal fabric, highly revealing, filled with unmistakable succubus style.

Lace, leather, ones with bells, even ones made of just a few strands of rope…

“Pick one.”