God said, "There are many virtuous women, but you surpass them all.
Beauty is deceitful. Beauty is fleeting. Only a woman who fears the Lord will be praised.
A humble cave, dimly lit.
Following Debi, she walked through a narrow passageway to a place with heavy humidity. Ivina sighed and sat quietly on the edge of a rock, completely exhausted.
A rustling sound came from her ear. Ivina turned her neck and slowly looked toward the source of the sound.
A python was slowly slithering toward her. Instinctively, she curled her petite body into a ball, her face filled with fear.
"Foolish human! If you fear death so much, why did you dare to sign a contract with the great Lord Niditara? Look at your panicked, repulsive human face. This is probably the first time you've ever worn such luxurious clothing, but it will also be the last."
The serpentine body tightly coiled around a wooden box, then tightened with force, causing the dust on the lid to fall off as it creaked open.
The simple wooden box contained rare treasures and expensive silk fabrics of various designs. All of this transformed her earlier fear into utter astonishment.
These gowns must have once belonged to a beautiful mistress. Imagine a young noblewoman wearing them under the gaze of others, her every movement exuding an irresistible charm... Yet now, they all lie in this dark, damp place! Without the sun's rays, the air held no trace of warmth. They could only lie quietly in the ancient boxes, faded yet still exuding understated luxury.
What was even more tragic was that they would be worn by someone as insignificant and cowardly as herself.
Ivina wasn't sure if this dishonored the expensive gowns before her, or perhaps she was simply too insecure...
Noticing Ivina standing there in a daze, he felt compelled to mock her further.
"With your appearance—short, frail, and delicate—how could you possibly win 'his' favor? The master must be rare in his folly to waste time contracting with you."
Ivina bowed her head heavily; she had grown accustomed to others' contempt. From the past until now, no one except her father had ever deemed her existence to have any value—never.
"Put it on, the sooner the better. The master must be growing impatient." Finding a dry patch of ground, Debi carefully laid the gown upon it before slipping away with a rustling sound.
Now, all was quiet except for the distant echo of dripping water.
Ivina closed her eyes tightly and took a deep breath with difficulty.
She had to pull herself together, didn't she? As long as she completed the agreement quickly, she could escape this place and end the terrible nightmare.
She weakly picked up the dress. The light inside the cave grew dim, making it almost impossible to see the color of the dress. Only the soft silk fabric touching her palm brought a slight warmth to her cold body.
Once she was dressed, only a matching diamond necklace remained on the ground. Just as she reached out to put it on, an unusual glow flickered in the darkness.
It was the pearl necklace around her neck.
This was the only birthday gift her mother had ever given her when she was ten years old. It was just an ordinary pearl necklace, and compared to her sister's expensive jewelry, it seemed insignificant. But despite that, it had become her favorite accessory. Because it had her mother's scent.
With a self-deprecating smile, Ivina tossed aside the expensive diamond necklace in her hand—it seemed she couldn't bear to part with this inexpensive gift. No matter what, she still cherished her mother, that eternally beautiful woman, and her cold gaze.
Carefully hiding the necklace under the luxurious silk, Ivina hesitantly stepped out of the cave. She didn't know... perhaps her outfit was just that of a clown in a circus.
But she didn't notice Niditra's stunned expression.
Her jet-black hair and dark eyes remained as exquisite as ever. But this time, the tight-fitting black silk gown revealed her alluring curves without reservation. The heavy goose-down shawl perfectly covered her exposed waist and back. Her snow-white skin was so delicate it seemed it could be pierced by a finger... Everything about her was so out of place among the old furnishings... It was an irresistible crimson and temptation!
Time repeated itself, and everything was so similar to the scene from years ago...
Ivina fidgeted nervously with her fingers until Niditra's words finally freed her.
"Your attire is enough to win the heart of any man." She did not hesitate to praise her, for the beautiful woman before her was indeed enchanting.
She approached Ivina with trembling steps, "However, your humble demeanor overshadows this noble attire. Be more arrogant; your status is unique."
Ivina struggled to understand her words.
"Come on, our contract takes effect from this moment on." Niditera took a few steps forward, turned around, and gestured for Ivina to support her.
"Debi."
"Yes, master."
"Take good care of this place. When I and Gra return… your status will no longer be that of a lowly spirit."
"Yes, Master. All is by your grace." Debi answered respectfully, with none of the arrogance from before.
Niditera smiled coldly.
And Ivina struggled to suppress her unease.
By her intuition, she sensed that this was not a simple dinner party.