Did I… just kiss Sista?
After the night had passed, Su Ling was still lost in shock, unable to accept it. Her dreams were filled with the faint fragrance whenever Sista drew close, and the alluring red lips.
In her past life, she had never been in love, nor did she know what a kiss truly tasted like.
So, that kiss with the Blood Princess was Su Ling’s first.
That said, can it really be called a kiss?
It was merely a simple brush of lips. Sista’s real purpose was to snatch the birch stick from her mouth, or perhaps it was just an accidental touch.
A kiss like that probably lacked the feelings that a real kiss should carry.
Su Ling firmly slapped her cheek to wake herself up.
Right now, her workload was piled up like a mountain; there was no time to dwell on anything else.
Today was the second day of the Moon Eclipse Rite food preparations. The general process for the ritual preparation was as follows: the entire preparation lasted ten days. During the first five days, fresh food was prepared daily; the following five days were dedicated to cleansing the offerings, receiving nobles, arranging attire, and decorating the altar.
Because the Moon Eclipse Rite was the Blood Clan’s most important annual ritual, nearly all the nobles near the Capital would arrive at Hailuosen Castle to participate with the king.
Other Blood Clan members who lived farther away and found it inconvenient to travel would hold smaller ceremonies at their residences.
No matter what, as a maid, Su Ling knew very well she couldn’t afford to mess up during such a crucial time.
“Su Ling, there’s too much sugar in the buttercream.”
Tii’s voice suddenly came from nearby. Su Ling looked up and saw the red-haired girl smiling warmly at her.
“Ah…” She quickly lowered her head and saw that she had unknowingly scooped two large spoonfuls of sugar into the mixture. She sighed helplessly.
“I messed up again. I really can’t handle these delicate tasks.”
Back when she was a boy, Su Ling’s life had been quite rough she relied on robots for cleaning, and meals were either takeout or instant noodles, barely getting by.
Because of that, ever since coming to the Castle, she had made so many mistakes.
Su Ling couldn’t help but wonder if being reincarnated as a maid was some kind of punishment for not knowing how to do chores in her past life.
“It’s okay, take your time. You’ve already improved a lot compared to before.”
Tii comforted her while helping pour out the excess sugar. “If you really can’t get the measurements right, there’s a scale in the cabinet above the stove. You can borrow it from the Chef Madam.”
“I know, thank you, Tii…”
“Su Ling, speaking of which,” Tii suddenly seemed to remember something, “aren’t you supposed to serve Sista today?”
“I’m helping out here in the kitchen since there’s plenty to do, so I got priority.”
“Oh, I see…” Tii nodded slightly, seeming lost in thought. “Sista has been calling you over a lot lately, so we haven’t spent much time together… Ah, what I mean is, thank you for your hard work, Su Ling.”
Her words were vague and evasive, making Su Ling feel that Tii wanted to say more but held back. Still, Su Ling went along with it.
“Don’t worry about me. The work Sista gives me isn’t that heavy.”
It was just that Sista inexplicably summoned Su Ling over and had her stay by her side, leaving Su Ling feeling dazed.
“Good, good… That’s a relief.” Tii still seemed concerned, her emerald eyes hiding worry. “Um, Su Ling, I want to ask you something.”
“What is it?”
Amid the noisy kitchen, servants bustling and the clatter of bowls and dishes everywhere, Tii seriously grabbed Su Ling’s arm, pressing her lips close to Su Ling’s ear and lowering her voice.
“Has Sista done anything to you?”
This was a completely different tone from before—no “Sista,” no filler words.
Su Ling felt like her brain had been jolted.
Why suddenly ask this question? This wasn’t the usual Tii.
“Um… Tii, what do you mean?”
“She’s been acting strange lately,” Tii continued. “Not only is she ignoring outside matters, but she’s been summoning you frequently. I can’t figure out what she’s up to.”
Her voice dropped even lower.
“And also, the other day when I cleaned her room, I saw bloodstains on the floor. That’s yours, right?”
“Y-yes, it is, but that was…”
Su Ling’s face flushed deeply.
“I’m worried about you,” Tii held Su Ling’s hand, looking at her with a very serious gaze. “Do you remember what I told you last time? No matter what the Blood Clan says to you, never lose yourself.”
“I remember.” Su Ling lowered her head, staring at her own toes.
“The Blood Clan will never change their true nature. We’re their servants now, but don’t trust their words lightly. If Sista is doing anything to bully you, Su Ling, you must tell me. I’ll help you.”
“Tii…”
Again with the serious words and expression.
Unlike all the other servants in the kitchen, Tii had never submitted inwardly to the Blood Clan. More than that, she maintained extreme vigilance and caution toward them.
This made Su Ling wonder if Tii had never actually attended the Anxing Academy, which was known for brainwashing humans. She might not even have qualified to stay in this Castle in the first place.
Who exactly was she?
Su Ling had no clue about Tii’s true identity.
But one thing was certain: Tii trusted her deeply. The perfect, flawless facade Tii showed others was only discarded with Su Ling, sharing these sincere words alone. Even at the risk of betrayal, she urged Su Ling to keep her distance from the Blood Clan.
So, Su Ling always regarded Tii as a genuine friend.
“Su Ling, why are you spacing out?” Tii gently urged.
“Sorry, just a little distracted.”
“Well, then, can you make a promise with me?”
Tii leaned closer, her gaze unwavering, and stretched out her pinky.
“If you ever run into trouble, I want to be the first person you think of.”
The small finger hovered gently before Su Ling’s eyes, as if waiting for a response.
Su Ling knew Tii was serious.
So, she hooked her own pinky around hers.
In the dimly lit kitchen, the fingers of the two girls intertwined.
The promise was made just like that.
“Thank you, Tii.”
“No need to thank me so many times.” Tii smiled playfully. “I’ll always stand by your side, really. If you insist on repaying me someday, you can let me wash you again, or spend a night in my room. Either one’s fine~”
“Th-that’s… no, better not!”
Images of embarrassing moments immediately flashed in Su Ling’s mind, and she rejected it repeatedly.
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