"It's over."
This was the first thought that surfaced in Tess's mind.
The moment she saw those shoes, the situation felt exactly like being caught red-handed by the original owner of the villa.
But when Tess saw the figure in full, she was completely stunned.
If Tess had a ranking for 'Woman I Most Want to Become' and 'Person I Most Want to Marry' in her heart...
Then the person she saw today would absolutely dominate both of those lists.
"Um... I-I-I..." For a moment, Tess didn't even know where to put her hands.
Subconsciously, Tess still felt like a thief in tattered clothes, making her feel inferior in front of this beautiful, tall woman.
Self-conscious—she felt extremely self-conscious.
"Just in time, come over and help me out." Syl merely gave a perfectly measured, charming smile, then beckoned with her hand before walking back into the room.
Leaving Tess standing there in a daze, her neck shrunk back.
Although she didn't know what was going on... the owner of this room wouldn't have mistaken me for a maid here, right?
What should I do... should I run away now? If I run now, I'll definitely be suspected, right? And if I run, it'll be impossible to come back and find that little girl.
Tess still couldn't let go of the little girl; that girl's eerie state worried her. At least before, the little girl had seemed completely normal.
That woman calling her over might just be for some small task—helping pour tea or attending to her while she changed. She'd probably be out soon.
With this thought, Tess hesitated for a moment, pinched the hem of her maid dress, and slowly walked toward the door of the room.
Reaching the doorway, Tess looked inside.
What met her eyes was a luxuriously decorated room. The wallpaper was a faint sky blue, making one feel very tranquil.
The tall woman was sitting on a small sofa by the fireplace. She smiled and waved at Tess, gesturing for her to come over.
Nervousness made Tess's gait a bit stiff. After reaching the woman's side, she asked with a trembling voice, "H-Hello, what do you need me to do?"
"Hmm? I remember you all don't usually call me that, do you?" the gray-blue-haired woman asked with a hint of confusion on her face.
"This... that..."
This sentence immediately left Tess bewildered. She hadn't expected the person in front of her to ask such a thing. The shame of being exposed turned her face bright red, and she wanted nothing more than to bolt out the door right then and there.
"Oh well, since my maid is so cute, I'll forgive you for forgetting how to address me," the woman said as she turned her back to Tess. When Tess couldn't see, the corners of her mouth curled up slightly as she continued, "Remember to call me Master properly next time."
"Yes... yes... Master!" Tess blurted out the title as if grabbing a life-saving straw. The emotional roller coaster left her no time to distinguish whether the title was appropriate.
Even for maids elsewhere, the titles for employers were usually Master, Sir, or Miss. Calling someone 'Master' in this way sounded more like a servant's term.
But Tess didn't notice that now; she was just relieved to have finally passed this hurdle.
She didn't even realize that in her heart, she already felt a sense of gratitude toward the woman before her.
Even though this crisis was created by the person across from her.
An excellent Casanova can always utilize every element around them to make a move.
For example, the Casanova now noticed an easel and drawing board by the window, which were essentially decorative.
"Come, stand over here." The Casanova stood up and took Tess's hand with a smile. This action made Tess's heart race even faster.
The Casanova lightly supported Tess's slender waist, adjusting her posture slightly, then said, "Stand here... yes, a perfect position."
After saying that, the Casanova walked over to the drawing board with great ceremony, picked up a brush, and began to make gestures toward the board.
"Um... Master," Tess maintained her current pose, not daring to move, "May I ask what this is for?"
"Painting, of course?" The Casanova arched an eyebrow and teased, "I'm having you be my model for a little while. What, are you unwilling to stand with me for a bit?"
"No... it's fine..." As Tess spoke, her eyes drifted toward the door.
The door was still open, and Tess hoped to see the little girl run past it.
That way, Tess would have an excuse to quickly leave this place.
"Your hands are shaking. Are you sick?"
While Tess was lost in thought, the Casanova behind the drawing board suddenly spoke, pulling Tess's thoughts back.
"Ah? No, no..." Tess quickly shook her head, not wanting to cause any unnecessary trouble.
Although maintaining this strange posture was indeed a bit tiring, Tess thought she would grit her teeth and persevere.
She didn't know that the Casanova had intentionally set this pose precisely so that she wouldn't be able to hold it.
"Hmm... is the pose too tiring?" The Casanova pressed the wooden end of the brush against her chin, looking up slightly as if pondering something.
Suddenly, her eyes seemed to 'accidentally' catch sight of something, and she said as if making a 'temporary' decision:
"Right, then let's not do a standing pose today." The Casanova walked to Tess's side, took her hand, led her to the bed, and said, "Let's paint a lying pose."
"Um... eh?" Tess initially agreed subconsciously, then instantly reacted as if something was wrong. She waved her hands and said, "Um, Master, letting me on your bed? That wouldn't be right..."
After all, most people felt that servants and the like couldn't go on an employer's bed. Even if an employer truly fell for a maid, they would be looked down upon by the neighbors for such a thing.
Tess was about to use this reasoning to refuse, but she was pressed down onto the bed by the Casanova.
"It's fine, I don't care," the Casanova winked her right eye at Tess and smiled, "And besides, no one is watching."
"But... but..." Tess wanted to say more, but she couldn't find a reason to refuse.
Finally, as if accepting her fate, Tess bent down, took off her shoes and socks, and sat on the bed with a flushed face.
Tess closed her eyes, her cheeks slightly red, letting the person before her manipulate her body however they pleased.
She felt her body being gently laid flat, then her hands were lifted and hooked around the neck of the person in front of her.
In her nervousness, Tess didn't even realize how wrong this movement was.
Tess's heart raced frantically. She felt as if she were surrounded by an alluring fragrance that haunted one's dreams. Then, she felt a warm breath puff against her face.
"You can open your eyes now."
Tess opened her eyes and found herself lying on the bed, her hands draped around the neck of the gray-blue-haired lady. The lady was propped up on her hands on either side of Tess's head, their distance extremely close.
"I've found that... from the first moment I saw you, I've fallen hopelessly in love with you..."
[Love Declaration] activated!