NOVEL WEB Chapter 51: What Are They Up To?
The kitchen fell silent, the maids exchanging uneasy glances, their hands frozen mid-task.
Branna's amber eyes widened as she gazed down at the bottle of milk in her grasp, her sturdy frame tensing under the weight of Lilith's gaze.
The priestess's intensity was suffocating, her pink eye seeming to burn into Branna's soul, leaving no room for defiance.
The air grew heavy, the lanterns flickering as if cowed by Lilith's presence.
Branna swallowed hard, her blush deepening. "Aye… indeed, I will," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
She grabbed a napkin from a nearby table, her hands trembling slightly as she wiped the milk droplets from the bottle's rim, the warm liquid smearing across the cloth.
"I'll head over to serve him right now," she added quickly, her words tumbling out as she sought to escape Lilith's piercing stare.
Lilith's smile returned, her blindfold slipping back into place as she clasped her hands playfully. "Good... now best be on your way," she purred, turning to leave, leaving a trail of uneasy silence in her wake.
Branna stood rooted for a moment, clutching the bottle, her mind racing. The maids resumed their work, their whispers low and nervous. Mara approached, her gray eyes flicking to the bottle. "You alright, Branna?"
"...That was… intense."
Branna shook her head, her orange hair bouncing. "I don't know what she's playin' at," she muttered. "But I ain't likin' it one bit." She glanced at the bottle again, its warmth unsettling in her grip, and sighed.
"Best get this to his lordship before she comes back with somethin' worse."
Back at the dining hall, the massive space was silent when Branna's hurried footsteps broke the stillness.
Branna stepped into the dining hall. In her hands, she carried a silver tray bearing the warm glass bottle of milk and a crystal cup. Her amber eyes darted nervously as she approached, her wine bottle clinking at her hip.
"Sorry for keepin' you waitin', my lord," she said with unease.
She set the tray beside Lunareio on the table with a soft clatter, her gaze lingering on the milk bottle, her freckled face flushed with discomfort.
Lunareio's hooded gaze shifted to Branna, noting her tension. "What is it, Branna?" he asked, his cosmic eyes narrowing slightly as he sensed her distress.
Branna stammered, her hands fidgeting with the napkin tucked into her apron. "N-nothin', my lord," she said as she glanced carefully behind her, her amber eyes widening as she caught sight of Lilith at the doorway, the heavy iron door slightly ajar.
Lilith stood there, her curly purple hair framing her face, her blindfold off, revealing both her vivid pink eyes blazing with an intense, almost feverish excitement.
She was panting, steamy breaths curling from her lips, one hand cupping her flushed cheek as she drooled, her dark blue and white attire still faintly damp around the bust.
Her toothy smile was both mischievous and commanding, her gaze locking onto Branna with an intensity that made the dwarf's heart pound, sending goosebumps all over her body.
Branna swallowed hard, her blush deepening.
She quickly lifted the milk bottle, her hands trembling slightly as she poured the creamy, shimmering liquid into the crystal cup, the warmth radiating through the glass.
"H-here you are, my lord," she said, her eyes flicking back to Lilith, who hadn't moved.
Lunareio picked up the cup, his fingers brushing its warm surface. He tilted his head, his cosmic eyes studying the milk's faint glow.
"It's warm," he remarked, a faint quirk in his brow as he glanced at Branna.
Branna wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead with the napkin, her hand shaking as she stole another glance at Lilith, whose excited smile widened, her pink eyes gleaming like twin flames.
"A-apparently it was freshly extracted, my lord," Branna said, her voice cracking slightly. "Only the best of the best for you."
Lunareio's gaze lingered on her, a spark of suspicion in his cosmic eyes.
"Is that so?" he said, almost amused, though his divine senses tingled with unease.
He brought the cup to his lips, hesitating for a fraction of a second before taking a tentative sip.
The milk's sweetness surprised him, its rich, creamy flavor coating his palate, far smoother and more decent than he'd expected.
His eyes widened slightly, and he tilted the cup further, finishing it in a few slow sips.
Lowering the cup, he leaned back and smiled. "Amazing... I might actually prefer this to liquor right now... You should be bringing me more of this in the future, Branna."
Branna's amber eyes widened, her blush spreading as she clutched the napkin, her gaze darting to Lilith, who was now practically glowing with delight, her hand still cupping her face, her steamy breaths quickening.
'More?! How in the forge's fire am I supposed to get more of… that?'
"M-more, my lord?" Branna stammered. "Aye, I… I'll see what I can do." Her mind raced.
Lilith, still watching from the doorway, let out a soft, almost inaudible giggle, her pink eyes glinting with satisfaction. She slipped back into the shadows, the door creaking shut behind her, leaving Branna to exhale shakily, her sturdy frame slumping slightly. "Right, then," Branna muttered under her breath, wiping her brow again.
'What in the forge's fire have I gotten into?'
Lunareio leaned forward, his cosmic eyes glinting with a loom of curiosity and something sharper—something that made Branna's spine stiffen.
He tapped a finger against the rim of the cup, the faint clink echoing in the vast hall.
"You seem rather... unsettled, Branna... Are you sure there isn't something I should know?"
Branna's blush flared anew, her freckled cheeks burning as she clutched the napkin tighter, crumpling it in her fist.
"N-no, my lord," she stammered, her voice betraying her. "It's just… well, it's been a bit of a strange evenin', hasn't it? That firewhiskey packin' a punch, and now this… milk business."
She forced a laugh, but it came out more like a choke.