Chapter 323: Willingly Wearing Your Collar, Madam, It's You I Love (1)
That day outside the greenhouse, she was ordered to clean.
But it was already close to mealtime. She had missed lunch because she was busy cleaning the courtyard, and if she had to clean the greenhouse next, she feared she wouldn't get to eat all day.
At that moment, the young lady happened to pass by.
Beside her was the little boy who had recently been taken in.
"What are you doing?"
The noble and elegant little girl stopped in front of them.
The maid overseeing her stepped forward to respond, saying that she hadn't completed her tasks and needed to clean the greenhouse.
The young lady looked at the sky, her lips moved slightly, but she said nothing.
Despite her noble status, she was still just a little girl, not yet mature enough to handle everything.
She couldn't help but turn her head to look at the young boy beside her.
"Eat."
She heard the boy's soft voice.
But it was so faint.
She had her head lowered at the time, unsure if she had misheard.
Then she heard the young lady's tender voice.
"It's mealtime now."
Then, a long pause.
She couldn't resist secretly lifting her head.
She saw the little girl stealing glances at the boy.
Then she continued speaking.
"Eat first, then work."
"But..."
The maid in front of her was about to explain.
The young boy suddenly coughed, interrupting her.
At that time, the young lady was adorably fierce.
She put her hands on her hips and spoke in a commanding tone.
"I said she eats first, so she eats first!"
The memories were vivid, and she remembered the warmth of the afternoon sun that day.
Though the young lady was small, her presence was towering in her heart, greater than a mountain.
But that young boy did not leave with the young lady.
He stayed behind.
And he took the initiative to check on her.
"Are you okay?"
"You will have a good life in the future. Believe in yourself."
His voice was still childish.
Yet when he comforted her so seriously, he seemed reliable, making her want to believe him.
But she hadn't appreciated it at the time.
She even felt that he was pitying her, looking down on her.
Later, because of the young lady's intervention and her inability to fit in, she was bullied by the other maids her age.
The young lady took her away.
And he encouraged her again.
Yet she still held no fondness for that young boy.
She disliked being pitied—especially by a weakling.
As she followed the young lady and grew stronger herself, she despised such words of encouragement even more. They made her hate him deeply.
I'm already this strong—I don't need anyone's pity!
But now you're telling me that you were actually my benefactor all along?
Memories flashed like a carousel as Tia recalled all the things she had done to Shia over the years.
Looking down on him, insulting him with words, treating him with disrespect...
Tia covered her face, but a tear slid down her cheek, landing in her palm before trickling down to her elbow, leaving a glistening trail.
I'm such a fool!
Only now, as she looked back at her past actions, did Tia begin to feel deep regret.
All these years, she had treated her benefactor so poorly!
It had already happened, and so much time had passed—there was no way to make up for it...
More and more tears streamed down her face.
She sank into an ocean of regret, drowning bit by bit.
Just before she was completely submerged, she suddenly woke up.
Yes, I was wrong before.
But perhaps... there is still a way to make amends?
That night.
Tia looked at herself in the mirror and let out a long breath.
With the motion, her collarbone subtly shifted.
The cool maid outfit felt a little chilly in the autumn night.
The semi-transparent white stockings faintly revealed the soft curves of her thighs.
The cutout at her waist perfectly displayed her slender A4 figure.
The silver-haired beauty gave a faint smile, then turned and walked toward Shia's room.
In the past, she had made mistakes, but now she would atone for them with genuine service, making up for her past neglect and ungratefulness.
When the white-silk-clad maid knelt in seiza before Shia, he only raised an eyebrow, unsurprised.
He knew well why Tia was so loyal to Lilith.
He was also aware of the misunderstanding behind it.
He just hadn't expected that after learning the truth, she would react like this.
He had thought she would stubbornly refuse to accept reality.
But this worked too. At least he wasn't bullying a corpse—that would be boring.
Tia pressed her forehead to the floor, devoutly offering the only thing she could give.
"Please, Master, put it on me yourself. From now on, I am yours alone."
Shia looked at the collar she held in her hands.
Reaching out, he took it.
Tia lifted her head, her eyes filled with anticipation.
She stretched her delicate neck forward, offering it to Shia as she gently lifted her silver hair.
Her pale, swan-like neck was graceful, and through the curve of her shoulder, the swell of her chest was visible.
"Snap."
The crisp sound of the collar clasping shut.
Tia knelt reverently on the ground, her eyes shimmering in devotion.
"Master~."
Her soft and obedient voice declared her complete submission.