An hour later, they stood inside their room.
It was small.
Very small.
One bed—barely wide enough for two adults. A single wooden chair pushed into the corner. A narrow table holding a chipped washbasin. One thin window overlooking the dim street below.
Vael surveyed the space in silence.
Then he looked at the three maids.
"The room is small," he stated. "I'll sleep here. You three take other rooms."
"No," all three replied at once.
He turned slowly.
Ignira was already shrugging off her cloak, hanging it neatly on a hook by the door. Noelle followed suit, folding hers with habitual precision.
Brakka had crossed the room to test the window latch, tugging it once to ensure it locked properly.
"This is your first time living among humans, my lord," Ignira said calmly. "You need our protection."
Vael gave her a long look. "I am still the same demon lord I was yesterday. My power has not diminished. I don't need require protection."
"Nevertheless," Noelle said softly, stepping closer, "we should remain near you."
"The bed is small," Vael pointed out, gesturing toward it. "There is not enough space for four."
Ignira's lips curved. "We'll manage~"
Brakka plopped onto the mattress and bounced once. The frame creaked alarmingly. "It's not great, but it's better than sleeping away from you!"
Vael closed his eyes briefly.
Opened them again.
They were still there.
Clearly not leaving.
"Fine. Do whatever you want." He pointed at the bed. "That is mine. I am sleeping there. Do not disturb me."
"Of course, my lord~"
He moved to the bed and sat down to remove his boots. The mattress sagged under his weight. The sheets were rough. The pillow thin and depressingly lifeless.
Compared to his enchanted palace bed—crafted for perfect support and temperature, likely worth more than the entire inn—this was an insult to the concept of rest.
"Worthless human furniture…" he muttered.
Behind him came the soft rustle of fabric.
Vael removed his coat, setting it aside without turning around.
Cloth whispered against skin.
Ignira was first.
He didn't need to look to know.
But he did.
She stood near the door, slowly peeling off her maid uniform.
The black-and-red fabric slid from her shoulders inch by inch, revealing warm skin that seemed to glow beneath the lamplight. Her figure was unapologetically decadent—curves shaped with almost artistic cruelty.
A narrow waist that flared into generous hips. A full, heavy chest that rose and fell with unhurried confidence.
The discarded uniform pooled at her feet.
What remained was black lace.
Delicate. Decorative. Entirely to his liking.
The bra lifted and framed her cleavage in a way that felt intentionally provocative.
The thin straps traced over her shoulders, disappearing into scarlet hair that cascaded down her bare back like molten silk. The matching panties hugged her hips, cut high along her thighs to emphasize long, toned legs.
She stretched languidly.
Arms rising overhead.
Back arching.
Every curve deepening.
The lamplight traced the slope of her waist, the swell of her chest, the smooth line of her stomach.
"Much better~" she purred, fingers combing through her hair as it spilled over her shoulders.
Noelle moved next.
Where Ignira was fire and indulgence, Noelle was quiet moonlight.
She removed her uniform carefully, folding each piece with meticulous care before setting it aside. Every movement was measured. Controlled. Elegant.
Her pale skin seemed almost luminous in the dim room, smooth and unblemished. She was more petite—slender shoulders, softer curves—but no less feminine. A gentle swell of her chest. A subtle curve at her hips. Long, delicate legs that seemed sculpted rather than born.
Her undergarments were simpler.
Black cotton. A faint trim of lace at the edges.
Modest in design.
And somehow more dangerous for it.
The fabric clung lightly to her small breasts, outlining rather than concealing. When she bent to place her uniform aside, the curve of her lower back revealed itself—the gentle dip above her hips, the soft shape of her rear defined beneath thin material.
She glanced toward him with those large dark eyes, completely unselfconscious, as if standing nearly naked in front of her former lord was the most natural thing in the world.
Brakka was already out of her uniform, stretching with absolutely zero shame.
She was built differently from the other two—less delicate, more devastating. Athletic. Powerful. Her body was strength refined into femininity. Toned abs tightened and relaxed as she moved, catching the faint lamplight.
Her thighs were thick with muscle. Her arms flexed as she rolled her shoulders, defined lines shifting smoothly beneath warm skin.
And yet—
She was still undeniably a woman.
Her bra top struggled slightly against the fullness of her chest, compressing but not concealing.
The short underwear hugged her hips, outlining a firm, tight rear that flexed subtly when she shifted her stance.
She stretched again, spine arching, arms raised high.
"Ahh, freedom! Those uniforms are so restrictive!"
Three women.
Three near-perfect bodies.
Three sets of eyes that occasionally—very deliberately—glanced his way.
Vael finished removing his boots and set them neatly aside.
He began unbuttoning his shirt.
His expression did not change.
His breathing remained slow. Even.
His crimson gaze held no heat. No hunger. No flicker of temptation.
Only mild irritation at the mattress.
To him, they were maids.
Beautiful maids, yes. He was not blind. Objectively speaking, they were likely among the most attractive beings across multiple realms.
But still—
Maids.
He had seen succubi whose mere presence unraveled minds. Goddesses shaped from divine symmetry. Celestial beings crafted from light and perfection.
Beauty had stopped meaning anything centuries ago.
It was simply information.
Aesthetic data.
Like noticing the color of a curtain.
"Turn off the lights," he said flatly as he lay back, pulling the thin blanket over himself. "I'm going to sleep. Don't disturb me."
Silence followed.
Then Ignira's voice—light, teasing… but carrying something deeper beneath it.
"My lord… are you certain you wouldn't like some… company? It's been a long day."
"I'm sleeping."