Not dead yet

Charlie felt a sudden shock to her ribcage, unable to scream in pain as the air was driven directly out of her. Bones cracked under the pressure, and Charlie fell backwards and slammed her head against what felt like a thin carpet over a stone floor. She could see stars even from behind the blindfold, and she was dizzy after just one blow. She coughed as she tried to recover, her breathing forced into short, ragged gasps as she twitched in shock. There was no hand at her throat, yet she was choking. She floundered on the floor for several seconds, unable to see the smile on Lilin's face.

"Well put, Milord," Lilin's voice spoke politely. "Shall I handle the rest?"

The Demon King's voice once again rang through the room;

"No." 

Charlie wasn't braced for the next strike. She was waiting for words, for a command to kneel, or some sort of debate. She was barely able to stand herself upright by now. She wasn't waiting for the strike to her legs. There was no warning before she felt her legs knocked out from under her. She extended her hand to catch her fall, only for her right leg to be struck again from behind. She was forced onto one knee, both of her legs completely shattered beneath her as she cried out in agony.

"She looks better kneeling, Milord," Lilin said again with a giggle. "It was one of the things she was quite good at, you know. I believe that this should be proof enough, Milord, that we needn't another-"

"Silence."

The King's voice was one of the few things that Lilin would heed. There was no pause, no disconnect. The moment she was commanded to silence, Lilin was silent. Charlie's pained cries and audible breathing were silenced as well, her body starting to lose its consciousness.

"The Deathlands will suit her."

The king's voice rang in Charlie's head for the sentence, but then was cut off. Instead, the sound of rain. She felt the raindrops peppering her skin, soaking into her uniform and weighing her down. The water made it even harder for her to breathe, the drops falling to her lips and nose and being caught with each gasp for air. With nothing holding her up, no hope for herself, and the pain only getting worse, Charlie collapsed. She laid on the ground, unprotected from the grey deathlands. All she could do was wait for her death.

"Milord, we need not another servant," Lilin said as she took a knee. "I am all you will need, Milord."

"No," The Demon King replied in a dry, much quieter voice. "You needn't understand why. I will summon another."

"B-But, Milord, you have already cast out the other maid! There is no Mana to summon another!" Lilin protested, hoping that she could somehow change his mind.

"No, I will summon another outside of the deathlands. She will be to the East. You will retrieve her, as well as proof of the other's death. Then, you will train her, just as you have the others."

Lilin quietly sighed, disgusted but not daring to offend her master. "Very well, Milord. It will be done."

"Good. Return by dusk, or be faced with punishment. As you know,

"Failure will not be tolerated."

Yeah, yeah, Lilin thought. Since when has she ever failed? She stood and exited the throne room, waving her hand to shut the doors. Maybe there wasn't enough mana around the castle to summon somebody, but those doors were a pain in the ass. A little mana to close them wouldn't hurt.

As she walked, Lilin considered her options. There was no way she was training another idiot. They were never worth the clothes they were given, let alone the time she took to figure out they were all useless. This was a massive waste of time. Why couldn't the Demon King just see that she was the only servant he needed?

"Ah, Miss Smith. Your time here is nearing its end," Aramasa said abruptly.
"Oh, dear," Annie replied, "I suppose the dance lesson will have to wait for another time then."
"Perhaps, but... Before you go, I must explain something to use. The casting of magic.

"I haven't the time to teach you everything, but heed my words. Magic..."
She hesitates, thinking on her words before continuing.
"Magic comes from one's very being. When you cast spells, allow it to flow from your core. It will draw from your essence, so use it sparingly."

She sees a sigil appearing, and starts to speak more hurriedly.
"Miss Smith, your time in that world will also be limited. Your spirit is brilliant, but you are not of the world. You will age faster due to your body's mana. Please, with the time you have, make the most of it!"

Annie nodded. "I understand. I promise, I'll fix things up for you dear. When I'm back, show me what you've learned while I was away!"

"O-of course, thank you for teaching me to... Tap Dance. It was wonderful while it lasted, Miss Smith."

Annie smiled, unable to contain the pride she felt in that. She could feel something pulling her, but not physically. It was like it was reaching to her center. Maybe it was interacting with that "Core" Aramasa mentioned? Regardless, she had one more thing to say before she was pulled away.

"Oh, please," she said, "Call me Granny Smi-"