“I… I should sleep in the middle,” Su Ling whispered, attempting to avoid further conflict.
Sista and Tii glanced at each other. Although neither was particularly satisfied with the arrangement, there was no better alternative.
And so, the three finally lay down. Su Ling was sandwiched in the center, with Sista and Tii on either side. She felt as if she were trapped between two volcanoes, liable to be submerged by erupting magma at any moment.
Silence fell over the bedroom for a time, with only the faint candlelight casting flickering shadows against the wall.
Su Ling squeezed her eyes shut, trying her best to relax, but her heart was hammering against her ribs like a drum.
Suddenly, Tii rolled over to face Su Ling and whispered, “Little Su Ling, are you cold? Do you want me to hold you?”
Before Su Ling could even respond, Sista spoke up coldly, “There is no need. Su Ling has me.”
Tii gave a light chuckle, her tone laced with provocation. “Your Highness, why are you so tense? I am simply concerned about little Su Ling.”
Sista’s voice was as cold as ice. “Concerned? You would do best to stay away from her.”
Su Ling felt a headache coming on and rushed to interrupt. “Um… I’m not cold at all. Everyone should just go to sleep. we have to travel tomorrow.”
Neither Tii nor Sista spoke again, but Su Ling could clearly feel that the tension between them remained thick. She could only pray silently that the night would pass peacefully.
However, things were not as simple as she imagined.
Not long after, Tii suddenly reached out and gently grasped Su Ling’s left hand.
Startled, Su Ling had no time to react before Sista pulled her right hand over, as if to stake her claim.
Both of them stayed very close. Their warm breath brushed against Su Ling’s ears, making her increasingly nervous.
Suddenly, Sista sat up.
Immediately afterward, Tii also propped herself up.
“I will make this clear now — my cooperation with you comes with conditions,” Sista’s voice was frigid in the darkness, her eyes glowing with a faint, ominous red light. “Tonight is a matter of necessity, but if you dare touch what is mine — don’t blame me for being merciless.”
As the words “what is mine” were spoken, the temperature in the room seemed to drop by several degrees.
The atmosphere, which had briefly eased, froze once more. The two returned to a state of drawn swords and bent bows.
This was no joke.
Sista was serious.
She had long considered that red-haired girl a thorn in her side. From the moment she learned Tii had taken Su Ling away, that hostility had never vanished.
To her, Su Ling was the most precious thing in the world, an existence she was unwilling to share under any circumstances.
Accepting a shared room tonight was already her greatest concession.
If Tii took even one more step —
Then Sista would not hesitate. Even if it meant a total fallout, she would take Su Ling and leave this place.
The Blood Princess’s eyes flashed with a cold light, and her fingernails unconsciously dug into Su Ling’s arm.
Su Ling winced in pain but did not dare make a sound.
Tii also pulled back her smile.
“Does Your Highness intend to treat me as an enemy?” she asked calmly. “I believe you are a calm and rational person who would not make such a decision.”
Her voice was steady, yet it carried an invisible pressure.
“Furthermore — if you were to harm me, how would Su Ling look at you?”
These words caused Sista’s movements to falter slightly.
Her fingertips remained against Su Ling’s arm, but her grip loosened.
Her mind was a chaotic mess.
It was as if two forces were tearing at her heart.
On one side was her almost manic possessiveness, making it impossible to tolerate anyone else being close to Su Ling.
On the other side were Su Ling’s clear eyes, which made it impossible for her to ignore the other girl’s feelings.
‘If Su Ling loathes me because of this…’
Then everything she had finally regained would shatter once more.
Would she still be able to hear Su Ling’s gentle words? Would she still be able to see her smile?
Or —
‘Could I only rely on drugs and control to turn Su Ling into a “puppet” that belongs only to me?’
Such an existence might be obedient and cute.
But —
She would completely lose her soul.
She would always say the words Sista wanted to hear.
Yet, she would never be able to say the words Sista truly wanted to hear.
Sista did not want that kind of prophecy.
“Your Highness.”
While she remained silent, Tii sighed softly.
“Let us live in peace for the time being.”
She paused, casting her gaze toward the starless night sky outside the window.
That darkness seemed to shroud the entire world.
This decision was not made on a whim.
Inside, Tii had already changed.
She once harbored deep prejudices against the Blood Clan, believing them to be cold-blooded, heartless natural enemies of the Human Race.
She had once firmly believed that serving the Grand Priest and fighting for the glory of the Witch Tribe was her only mission — that as long as she followed the Royal Command, the Human Race would become stronger.
But after leaving Valivadan, she had seen too much of the cruel reality.
So-called “loyalty” and “faith” were nothing more than struggles for power and profit.
The Grand Priests schemed against one another; lies and betrayals were everywhere.
Even the teacher who had raised her was an enemy who had concealed the truth.
She finally understood —
Everything she had once believed in was nothing but an absurd lie.
And it was then that she saw the Su Ling from her dreams again.
“Tii… Her Highness, she… left the castle alone to protect me…”
The girl’s trembling voice and tearful eyes had shaken her heart.
If the world had already fallen into darkness —
Then Su Ling was the only light left in her heart.
She had already lost too much.
She simply did not want to lose this person as well.
‘Why?’ she had once asked in a low voice. ‘Even after little Su Ling was treated like that by her, she still wants to save her?’
Su Ling had lowered her head and answered softly, “I can’t really explain it… whether it’s love or hate. But I can’t bear to watch Princess Sista… walk toward death alone.”
Even without a clear answer, Tii already understood.
Sista’s feelings for Su Ling —
Were real.
She remembered the fire that night.
She remembered the moment Sista entrusted Su Ling to her.
Those were not false emotions.
Sista was a special member of the Blood Clan.
Not all humans possessed feelings, and not all of the Blood Clan were cold and heartless.
During her days as a maid, Tii had seen her handle administrative affairs all through the night, and she had seen her efforts to balance the relationship between humans and the Blood Clan.
She… was indeed a qualified leader.
‘Should I save her?’
This question had recurred in her heart many times.
From a rational standpoint, saving Sista aligned with the interests of the Holy White River Alliance.
But from a selfish standpoint —
She wanted to take Su Ling away directly, to keep her for herself and never let go.
However, she did not want to go against Su Ling’s wishes.
‘Little Su Ling believes in her…’
‘Then I will believe in little Su Ling.’
In the dreamscape, Tii gently pulled Su Ling into her embrace.
She wore a smile as gentle as moonlight.