Chapter 24: The Bear’s Embrace

Crowlina entered Lucia’s room.

A disagreeable smile played on her lips as she observed Lucia, who lay curled on the bed, facing the wall in silent retreat.

She spoke with a teasing lilt:

“It’s almost dusk. Is Your Eminence still taking a midday nap?”

Lucia offered no reply, not even bothering to turn her head for a glance.

Crowlina then turned her gaze to Gina.

“Was accompanying Her Eminence pleasant? You haven’t upset our esteemed Angelic Eminence, have you?”

Gina bowed her head in embarrassment.

“Gina is unworthy of Your Highness’s trust.”

“Heh heh, it’s nothing.” Crowlina paced to Gina’s side, joining her in observing Lucia’s back.

As Crowlina’s gaze swept over Lucia’s skin, Lucia felt a shiver run down her spine, every hair standing on end.

It was as if a cold, venomous snake slithered across her back.

Lucia gnashed her teeth in silence, refusing to utter a sound or turn over.

This was partly due to anger, but also fear, for she had no idea what schemes the wicked woman was concocting now.

Crowlina lightly covered her mouth, a soft laugh escaping her lips.

“It’s only natural for Her Eminence to be angry after such a betrayal. I’ve prepared three dolls for Her Eminence, and Gina shall choose one as a gift to atone for her shortcomings.”

Gina listened in confusion; she couldn’t fathom her mistress’s intentions.

Lucia was even more bewildered, yet her intuition screamed that this could not possibly be anything good.

“What are you trying to do?” Lucia demanded, flipping over to face Crowlina, intent on comprehending the situation.

Even if she were to die, she would die with clarity.

Crowlina chuckled, her somewhat foxy eyes narrowing into slits.

“What nonsense is Your Eminence speaking? Gina displeased you, and as Gina’s mistress, I naturally must apologize on her behalf.”

No sooner had she spoken than three more maids entered through the doorway, each cradling a different style of plush doll.

The first was a fluffy bear doll, entirely brown-gray, with a charmingly憨态可掬 (lovably naive) face.

Its enormous belly accounted for two-thirds of its volume, making it both adorable and comical.

The second was a plump, round slime doll, its entire pink body embroidered with petal patterns.

Devoid of excess limbs or facial features, it had only a pair of simple eyes, giving it the distinct style of a cartoon slime.

As for the third, it could barely be called a doll; it was a cylindrical object embroidered with a cute girl.

This seemed to be a ‘dakimakura’ (body pillow) from another world, perhaps for an otaku.

These three dolls shared one common trait: their immense size.

The bear doll and the body pillow were both adult-sized, while the slime was as large as a small cabinet.

Lucia had already sat up, leaning against the headboard, her wary gaze sweeping over the three dolls.

Beyond their exaggerated size, she discerned nothing unusual, which only heightened her unease, causing her to look at Crowlina with increased vigilance.

Crowlina addressed Gina: “Choose. Which doll shall be presented to Her Eminence?”

Gina, not understanding Crowlina’s true meaning or seeing any hidden agenda, simply picked the bear doll at random.

Crowlina nodded, a profound smile gracing her lips, as she glanced at the three maids.

The maids placed the dolls by the bed and approached Lucia.

“What are you doing?!” Lucia recoiled in panic, but her back was already against the wall, leaving no room to retreat.

Her ankles were seized by a maid, her thighs and calves folded together and bound tightly.

Her body was then bent, tying her to her legs.

Now, her hands were bound behind her back, her chest pressed against her thighs, and her thighs against her calves.

Only her neck retained mobility. It was no exaggeration to say she was tied into a ball.

“My sincerest apologies, Your Eminence, for this inconvenience,” Crowlina said with a mocking apology.

She then ordered the maids to gag Lucia, silencing her completely.

Lucia could feel the gag, a cloth ball, imbued with the scent of medicine.

She frantically tried to spit it out, but the maids tightened it further with a strip of cloth, knotting it behind Lucia’s head, making it impossible for her to expel it.

“Wuwuwu! Wuwu!” Lucia’s eyes welled with tears of distress as she glared at Crowlina.

“There’s no need to rush, Your Eminence.”

“The potion in the gag will grant Your Eminence a pleasant dream. Rest easy, for when you awaken, you will be within the borders of my Yass Duchy.”

“However, border inspections are stringent, and all incoming and outgoing goods are thoroughly checked. I cannot smuggle Your Eminence out disguised as cargo.”

“Thus, I must transport Your Eminence in a sleeping carriage (a carriage with its interior furnished as a bed) to leave the city overnight. Even then, we will be subject to inspection by the border guards. Out of necessity, I must ask Your Eminence to endure a sleep within the belly of a doll.”

Lucia looked in horror at the head of the bed, where the maids had just placed the bear doll.

The bear doll’s back had been slit open, and a maid was now pulling out its stuffing, creating a deep, hollow space.

“Gina, please invite Her Eminence to take her seat,” Crowlina instructed, her perverse delight evident as she tasked Gina with this final step.

Lucia continued to whimper, attempting to roll away, but the potion she had inhaled was beginning to take effect, rendering her body limp.

The maids methodically refilled the bear doll’s belly with cotton, burying Lucia’s body within.

Then, with needle and thread, stitch by stitch, they resealed the bear doll.

Lucia’s muffled cries grew fainter and fainter, until they vanished entirely.

The bear doll was completely mended, its exterior showing no flaws.

It sat quietly at the head of the bed, only an occasional tremor revealing the angel sealed within.

The maids arranged the other two dolls on either side of the bear doll; the three life-sized plush figures imbued the bed with a distinctly girlish charm.

Crowlina admired the scene, a satisfied smile gracing her face.

****

At the same moment, the knights tasked with retrieving the angel surrounded the mansion.

Their leader was none other than Lucia’s guardian knight, Betty Lane.