Early spring.
At that time, the colors of spring were gradually deepening, yet the world had not completely shed its plain silver coat.
The chill outweighed the warmth of spring, and when the gentle breeze blew, the body still felt a biting cold that seemed to pierce the bone.
It was supposed to be the season of revival, a time that brought to mind “gentle winds and sunny days,” but when seeing the ice and snow just beginning to thaw, an inexplicable sadness and melancholy filled the heart…
Such coldness was so severe that even this pure white castle could not fully keep it at bay.
“Mo Zhi… Mo Zhi!”
Suddenly pulled back from a daze, Mo Zhi snapped her head around and looked at the person calling her.
It was a maid dressed in the same black-and-white uniform, her cheeks puffed out with a hint of anger on her face.
“What are you spacing out for? What’s so interesting outside the window? You spilled all the coffee on the floor.”
“Huh? Ah!”
Only then did Mo Zhi realize she had been pouring coffee just moments ago, and had zoned out looking out the window.
Glancing down, she saw the scalding coffee already spilled on the carpet.
“Oh no, this carpet isn’t cheap.”
“Eh~”
Seeing Mo Zhi’s clumsy expression, the Head Maid couldn’t help but wonder how she had passed the Test to become a maid in the castle—especially as the Princess’s Attendant.
She truly didn’t understand how the Princess had tolerated being served by her for so many years.
If she had to pick anything qualified about Mo Zhi as the Princess’s Attendant, it would only be her appearance.
Mo Zhi’s hair was as black and shiny as ink, cut into a neat, shoulder-length bob that gave her a capable maid’s look.
Under her beautifully arched ebony brows were a pair of bright, crystal-clear cerulean eyes.
Her lips were naturally pink, and a white bandage stuck on her prominent nose made it look like she had bumped it while cleaning.
In fact, the bandage was there because she had taken a perfect face-plant on flat ground while walking.
Thinking that the Princess herself had applied the bandage, the Head Maid’s anger bubbled up.
Who exactly was the maid here, and who was the one being served…
Watching Mo Zhi scrub the carpet with a rag again and again, the Head Maid sighed helplessly, hands on her hips.
“Alright, leave this to me. Go quickly and bring the coffee to Princess Yulisi. Don’t keep Her Highness waiting.”
“Ah, yes!”
Mo Zhi immediately stood up and answered with determination, then hurried off with the coffee toward the other end of the corridor.
“Don’t run with the coffee, idiot!!”
Hearing the shout, Mo Zhi quickly slowed from running to walking, awkwardly keeping her balance.
She disappeared around the corner.
“Honestly, can she even do her job…”
Tomorrow was the day Princess Yulisi’s Inheritance Ceremony.
On that day, the Princess would officially become the New King of Humanity, with many powerful nobles of the Human Race attending to bow before her.
If something went wrong because of this little maid, then the Head Maid would have no face to continue in her role…
Meanwhile, Mo Zhi arrived before a magnificent door.
She paused for a moment, looking herself over in a full-length mirror—adjusting her bangs slightly to cover her smooth forehead—and smiled with satisfaction.
Gently grasping the door handle, she opened the door and tiptoed inside.
The faint scent of flowers immediately filled her nose.
The room’s decoration was in shades of blue and white, likely chosen to complement the Princess’s hair color.
There was no need to mention the luxurious ornaments; while not extravagantly adorned with gold and gems everywhere, every piece was undoubtedly expensive.
Inside the room, Mo Zhi looked up and saw the familiar blue figure by the window.
A woman about twenty-three or twenty-four years old sat facing the window, eyes fixed outside.
She wore a simple white dress, and atop her head was a golden crown symbolizing her status.
Her hair was the color of the sky, a clear cerulean blue.
Her delicate skin, when contrasted with the snow piled on the windowsill, made even the whiteness of the snow seem dull.
But it was a pity that the color in her eyes was too intense—an extreme deep blue, so dark no light could penetrate it.
The usually bright blue carried an extra layer of sorrow.
Whenever Mo Zhi saw those eyes, she often thought that if seen at night, people wouldn’t be able to tell whether the pupils were blue or black stained with ink.
Unfortunately, despite serving the Princess for so many years, Mo Zhi had rarely seen her at night.
Mo Zhi noticed the melancholy in the Princess’s gaze.
She often stared unblinkingly out the window, expression unreadable, but the sadness in her eyes was impossible to hide.
Mo Zhi did not know what the Princess was thinking as she looked out the window. Sometimes, she wished she could become a breeze, so that when blowing across the Princess’s cheek, she might understand her thoughts—though such wishes were just fantasies.
Holding the coffee, Mo Zhi stepped lightly into the room.
She didn’t want to disturb the Princess, so after carefully placing the coffee on the table, she prepared to leave.
“Mo Zhi…”
But just as she turned around, the Princess’s melodious voice suddenly called her back.
Her voice was calm as she beckoned Mo Zhi.
When Mo Zhi looked back, their eyes met.
The Princess’s complexion seemed gloomier than usual, dark circles marked the area beneath her eyes—signs of a sleepless night.
Had the Princess not slept well last night?
Worry crept into Mo Zhi’s heart…
“Is there anything else, Your Highness?”
In contrast, Mo Zhi’s tone was lively and bright.
She blinked her expressive, adorable eyes and tilted her head slightly at the Princess.
Having served the Princess for so many years, she had long been used to showing her true self.
Though the Head Maid had repeatedly warned her to be respectful and serious when speaking with the Princess, she still found it hard to fully comply.
“Come, keep me company.”
Yulisi extended her slender jade hand and placed it on the chair beside her, motioning for Mo Zhi to sit.
“All right, Your Highness!”
Mo Zhi hurried over and plopped down into the chair without ceremony.
Not knowing what to say, she imitated the Princess and stared out the window—though instead of staring intensely, she looked more like she was daydreaming.
But this time, the Princess didn’t look out the window. Instead, she turned and gazed at Mo Zhi’s profile.
Her eyes still held melancholy, but now there was a softness to them.
No one knew how long they sat like that.
It was only when the pendulum on the wall swung that Mo Zhi realized it was almost time for lunch.
“I’ll go prepare your meal now.”
Saying this, Mo Zhi stood up, but before she could take a step, a slender, warm hand suddenly grasped her wrist.
“Princess?”
Mo Zhi looked into the Princess’s eyes; the sadness still dominated, mixed with a hint of hesitation.
The Princess parted her lips, seeming to want to say something, but then closed her mouth and swallowed the words.
Her brows lowered, then after a moment, she looked back at Mo Zhi and finally said, “Be careful not to cut your hand while cooking.”
After speaking, she released Mo Zhi’s wrist and resumed gazing out the window with that sorrowful expression.
The Princess definitely had something on her mind she wanted to say.
Mo Zhi could feel it.
The grip on her wrist had tightened and loosened repeatedly. Even if she wasn’t skilled at reading people, the hesitation in the Princess’s eyes was clear—after all, she had been with her so many years.
She didn’t want to see the Princess bear that hidden sorrow alone.
If there was pain, Mo Zhi wanted to share it with her.
She didn’t leave. Instead, she sat back down and gently held the Princess’s hand that had just held hers, placing it over her chest.
The soft, delicate touch transmitted through her fingers, and the Princess seemed startled, looking at Mo Zhi in surprise…
“Your Highness, if there’s anything, you must tell me.”
For a moment, the Princess’s eyes brightened, but then she deliberately turned her gaze away, avoiding Mo Zhi’s eyes.
She didn’t want the emotions in her eyes to be seen…
“Mo Zhi…”
“I’m listening.”
“…What do you think is the difference between the Human Race and the Demon Race?”
After a long silence, the Princess finally asked.
Mo Zhi hesitated for a second, then pretended to ponder and replied, “The only difference is probably that the Demon Race have horns on their heads, and of course, different species look different.”
“Is that so…”
The Princess tilted her eyes slightly and glanced at Mo Zhi’s forehead.
Dropping her pretense of strength, she leaned closer and rested her head on Mo Zhi’s shoulder.
Mo Zhi was not surprised by this.
The Princess often leaned on her like this, sometimes even burying her face in Mo Zhi’s chest.
She thought it was a rare blessing to be so close to such a smart, beautiful Princess.
“Tomorrow… I’ll be the New King of Humanity.”
She said this in a flat tone, as if it wasn’t such an important thing to her.
“Yes, then Mo Zhi will have to call you Her Highness, the Heir Apparent. Hehe.”
“No…”
“Huh?”
The Princess didn’t explain, only pressing her body closer and her eyes darkening further.
“After inheriting the throne, I will have to carry out Father’s will to wage a War of Extermination against the Demon Race. Then… it will be an endless war again.”
“I believe the war will end quickly, Princess!”
Mo Zhi said boldly, trying to encourage her.
“I will definitely be by your side then, Princess!”
The Princess was silent for a moment.
She bit her lip, then suddenly stood and looked Mo Zhi straight in the eye, her expression grave.
She opened her mouth, seeming nervous, wanting to say something, but again swallowed the words.
“Princess?”
“Tonight! Come to my room at midnight… okay?”
“Of course!” Despite some lingering doubts, Mo Zhi would never hesitate to agree to the Princess’s request.
“It’s a promise.”
“Mm!”
***
After dinner, the Princess finally had some time to rest.
Mo Zhi tiptoed to the storage room.
After making sure no one was around, she entered and locked the door behind her.
She took off her maid’s hat, smoothed her sweat-dampened bangs, revealing her smooth, full forehead—and there, two thumb-sized black horns appeared.
Removing her thick, loose black-and-white maid dress, she held her breath and suddenly, four limbs and a tail sprouted from behind her. Two furry black ears, not human, popped out atop her head.
“Waaah~~”
She stretched lazily, baring four sharp teeth with a yawn.
When she opened her eyes again, her beautiful pupils had become vertical slits.
“Definitely more comfortable like this, meow~”
She flopped like a soft slime onto a box in the storage room.
Her fluffy ears twitched, the cottony white fur inside looked so soft it made one want to bury their face in it and take a deep breath.
Being of the Cat Demon Clan, this was the only time during the day she could hide in this empty spot and truly relax.
She had been exhausted from helping prepare for the Princess’s Inheritance Ceremony tomorrow. Her slender white legs were bruised and battered. If she didn’t have to hide her tail and other features, she wouldn’t be so clumsy and prone to accidents.
As she lay there relaxing, she suddenly remembered what the Princess said this morning…
“Come see me tonight, meow…”
Suddenly afraid, she sat up straight and her pupils contracted sharply.
“Could the Princess have found out I’m from the Demon Race, meow!”
She nervously looked around, then quickly put her clothes and hat back on, fixing her bangs to fully conceal the small black horns on her forehead.
Taking a deep breath, she calmed her racing heart.
She reassured herself that the Princess hadn’t noticed anything unusual, then opened the door and walked out with a dignified air.
Night came.
Mo Zhi didn’t dare to close her eyes, afraid she’d oversleep past midnight. Her heart was too anxious to rest.
What if the Princess really knew her true identity? Would she be captured and executed?!
Thinking of the prisoners in the Crime Interrogation Chamber, she shuddered; her once sleek private parts even bristled a little.
No, no, no.
With the bond she and the Princess shared all these years, maybe she would be spared!
Lost in wild thoughts, she dressed carefully and prepared to find the Princess.
Peeking through the door crack to check if the hall was empty, she tiptoed out.
She cautiously made her way to the Princess’s room.
Taking a deep breath to steady her pounding heart, she slowly opened the door.
The room was pitch dark, illuminated only by the soft moonlight streaming through the window.
She saw the Princess—still looking out the window. When the Princess sensed her presence, she turned to face her.
At that moment, Mo Zhi noticed that the Princess’s eyes were neither blue nor black in the darkness, but a mysterious violet, like haunting violets…
“Princess, I…”
“Mo Zhi…”
Before Mo Zhi could finish, the Princess interrupted her.
Her eyes were filled with endless sorrow and pain, even… weakness.
Mo Zhi had never seen the Princess like this before.
The once strong and determined Princess now appeared fragile, like a broken flower—one gentle breeze and the stem might snap completely…
Her thin lips parted, voice low and pleading: “We should run away, Mo Zhi.”