HLnovel Chapter 100 : Upgrade
Chapter 100 : Upgrade
Chapter 100: Upgrade
“Tap, tap, tap.”
Hera’s footsteps did not pause.
Boss! Turn around!
Your employee is being personally threatened! Someone wants to dismantle your maid!
Mary was still smiling.
She still tugged at the corner of Lilia’s apron. The one eye of the ragged bear in her arms flickered with an eerie red glow. The little girl tilted her head up, looking at Lilia’s pale face, her smile growing sweeter and sweeter, as if she had already seen candy about to enter her mouth.
“Big sister, aren’t you leaving?” Mary tilted her head, her voice soft and syrupy. “Big sister Hera is going far away, you know.”
Lilia shuddered all over.
“See you!”
She yanked the fabric back from Mary’s little hand.
“Master! Wait for me!”
She dashed a few steps forward and stuck tightly behind Hera like a clingy tail.
Only after the two of them walked out of the corridor of the council hall did that prickling sensation of being watched finally disappear completely.
The surroundings quieted down.
Lilia steadied her breathing and secretly glanced at Hera’s profile.
Hera’s expression was as calm as ever, with no intention of asking anything.
A bitter feeling rose in Lilia’s heart.
Mary had been so close just now. Although her voice was low, with Hera’s hearing, how could she possibly not have heard?
The lack of reaction could only mean two things.
First, she had tacitly approved it. In the Demon Realm, the law of the jungle was fundamental. If she couldn’t even handle this bit of trouble, then dying would be her own fault.
Second, she didn’t consider it a big deal at all. Mary might have just wanted to find someone to “play” with.
“What?”
Hera, who was walking ahead, suddenly stopped. Without turning around, her voice was cold. “Have you forgotten how to walk?”
Lilia almost crashed straight into Hera’s back and hurriedly braked. “N-No. It’s just just now…”
She hesitated for a moment, not daring to complain directly. In the workplace, reporting across levels usually didn’t end well—especially when reporting another high-ranking figure.
“Lady Mary was really cute, hehe.”
Lilia forced out a dry, meaningless sentence.
Hera turned her head slightly and glanced at her with a half-smile.
That look was extremely penetrating, as if it could see through Lilia’s little thoughts.
“Cute?” Hera repeated the word meaningfully, the corner of her lips curling ever so slightly. “Since you like her so much, shall I send you to her tonight?”
“No, no, no! That won’t be necessary!”
Lilia shook her head like a rattle drum, her survival instinct instantly maxed out. “I live as Master’s person, and die as Master’s ghost! Tonight I still have to organize documents for you… and warm the bed… I mean, stand night duty! I’m very busy!”
Hera let out a light snort, withdrew her gaze, and continued forward.
Looking at Hera’s back, Lilia felt a mix of emotions. It sounded like a warning, but upon closer thought, it also felt like a hint.
But the premise was—you had to prove yourself.
After returning to the Bedchamber, Hera went straight to the desk to handle official business.
Lilia placed the freshly brewed tea at the corner of the table, carefully observed Hera’s expression, and seeing no further instructions, found an excuse to withdraw to the outer lounge.
As soon as the door closed, Lilia instantly collapsed, leaning against the door and letting out a long breath.
Although Hera’s thigh was thick, she couldn’t cling to it twenty-four hours a day.
If Mary really came knocking tonight, even if it was just to scare her, she still needed the ability to protect herself.
Relying on others was worse than relying on herself.
Lilia quickly found a corner and sat down.
“System, stop playing dead and bring up the panel.”
As Lilia muttered in her mind, that faint blue light screen only she could see instantly unfolded across her vision.
【Available Free Attribute Points: 3】
These were obtained by risking being smashed into minced meat by Hera on the spot, exchanged for that “Pseudo·Kiss” that had almost scared her to wet herself. Each point seemed to have the words “paid with life” written on it.
Lilia stared at the dimmed branch options.
【Perfect Housekeeper (Lifestyle)】: Improves efficiency in cooking, cleaning, flower arrangement, and similar skills.
【Enchanting Witch (Special)】: Increases charm judgment and unlocks more “special service” poses.
“Get lost.” Lilia directly ignored the latter option radiating a pink aura. If Mary broke in tonight, could flower arranging and posing save her life? Give that bear a massage?
Her gaze landed on the bottom branch glowing with a metallic sheen—【Combat Maid (Composite)】.
Previously, one attribute point had unlocked Maid’s Monstrous Strength, giving her explosive power capable of smashing a demon’s nose with a single punch. But that was all. Her current state was like a baby holding a rocket launcher—high damage, but fragile. Once someone got close, it would be a dead end.
She had seen the speed of Mary’s bear. It was definitely no slower than hers.
“Only by staying alive can you deal damage. Only by staying alive can you get paid.”
Lilia took a deep breath, no longer hesitating. Her consciousness locked firmly onto the plus sign.
“System, all three attribute points—put them all into the Combat Maid branch! All in!”
【Command confirmed.】
【Allocating attribute points… Detected that the host’s current agility is too low to adapt to high-intensity combat. Initiating forced bodily reconstruction…】
There was no warm and pleasant leveling sensation she had imagined. Instead, it felt like countless invisible threads drilling into her muscle fibers before suddenly tightening.
“Hiss—!”
Lilia sucked in a sharp breath of pain, her entire body curling up on the chair as her bones crackled like popping beans. This wasn’t the pain of growth, but of compression. She felt her originally soft muscles being forcibly reorganized, subcutaneous fat burning away, every tendon stretched to the extreme, becoming as tough as steel wires.
In just five seconds, sweat had soaked through her maid outfit.
【Reconstruction complete.】
【Congratulations, host. ‘Combat Maid’ branch has advanced to Lv.2.】
【Neural reaction speed greatly increased.】
【Based on branch characteristics, exclusive passive skill unlocked: ‘The Art of Killing Tools’.】
Lilia collapsed on the chair, panting heavily, then raised her hand. Her originally fair and slender fingers hadn’t turned into bulky, muscular ones—instead, they looked even more elongated and pale. She casually picked up a feather pen from the table and lightly spun it between her fingers.
The pen shaft turned into an afterimage between her fingers, so fast that even she could only see a blur of white light.
【The Art of Killing Tools: You are a master of household tasks and an expert in killing. When using short-handled weapons such as short blades, daggers, and dining knives, attack speed +20%, and you can perceive the weak points of an enemy’s body.】
“Now this is what a proper system should give!” Lilia shook the sweat off her hand, a newfound confidence appearing in her eyes.
She didn’t stop. Immediately, she retrieved the golden skill scroll from her inventory—《Shadow Step (Intermediate)》.
“Learn.”
The scroll turned into countless golden particles and drilled into her forehead.
Lilia suddenly opened her eyes. Her crimson pupils slightly contracted in the dim room, like a feline predator ready to pounce.
She stood up without making a single sound. The once heavy high heels now felt like part of her body. She tried stepping forward.
The world slowed down.
Without deliberate force, her body glided forward like a wisp of smoke.
“Holy—!” Lilia quickly steadied herself against the wall, both shocked and delighted. With this speed, if she competed in the Olympics, even Usain Bolt would be left eating dust behind her.
At least if Mary really came to “play” with her tonight, she wouldn’t be left without even a chance to escape. Fighting was definitely impossible, but as long as she could stall for time—long enough to cause a disturbance and draw Hera’s attention—she would win.