Chapter 243: The Ultimate battleground for Su Ling

Late at night, the castle corridors were shrouded in darkness, with only a few scattered candles flickering on the walls, casting mottled shadows.

Tii carried a small copper lamp. The wick pulsed slightly, emitting a dim yellow glow that illuminated the stone path beneath her feet. Her footsteps were light, making almost no sound against the ground, as if she did not want to disturb the sleeping castle.

Ancient tapestries hung on the walls on both sides of the corridor. Their patterns appeared blurred in the dim light, seemingly hiding countless unsolved secrets. Tii’s gaze swept over them, but she had no time to admire their beauty or mystery.

Her thoughts had already flown to the other end of the castle, toward the room she was constantly thinking about.

“Little Su Ling… shouldn’t be asleep yet, right?”

Tii whispered to herself, her voice almost swallowed by the night wind. Her fingers unconsciously tightened around the handle of the lamp, her fingertips turning slightly cold.

During the day, Su Ling was always with Sista, and Tii hardly had any chance to be alone with her. Whenever she tried to get close, Sista’s cold gaze would always make her shrink back.

She did not want to cause unnecessary trouble, especially during such a sensitive time.

But tonight was different.

In the dead of night, only the occasional sound of the wind and the footsteps of distant guards remained in the castle.

Tii knew this was her only chance.

She had to see Su Ling and hear her answer—that question had been circling in her heart for a long time, like a thorn, leaving her unable to find peace.

Ever since she had gathered the courage to confess to Su Ling, she had been waiting for an answer.

‘Will little Su Ling… like me?’

‘Even if it is just a little bit, will she have those kinds of feelings for me?’

Lost in her thoughts, she slowly climbed the spiral staircase. Every step felt like she was stepping on her own heartbeat.

The cold touch of the handrail cleared her mind slightly, but her heart beat faster with every step.

The image of Su Ling surfaced in her mind—that clean, delicate face, and those eyes that always carried a hint of fragility.

She remembered her shyness in the dreamscape, the way she looked flustered, and the faint blush on her earlobes.

These scenes flashed repeatedly in her mind like a lingering vision.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm her emotions.

She could not wait any longer.

Tii reached the door to Su Ling’s room and knocked softly.

After waiting for a moment, there was no response.

“Little Su Ling… are you asleep?”

She leaned close to the crack of the door to look inside.

However, the room seemed empty.

As soon as that thought surfaced, her heart skipped a beat.

The suspicion that followed made it almost impossible for her to breathe.

‘No… it couldn’t be, right?’

‘Could it be… she’s in Sista’s room?’

At the thought, Tii’s hand instinctively gripped the front of her clothes, a sharp pain blooming in her chest.

She did not want to think about it, yet she could not stop herself.

If Su Ling was really there… she knew all too well what that meant.

Reason and emotion pulled at her heart.

‘I want to see little Su Ling…’

‘I shouldn’t go right now…’

‘I want to hear her say it herself…’

‘What if it’s true…’

Contradictory thoughts, like invisible ropes, tightly wound around her heart.

Ultimately, she still walked upstairs, step by step.

Soon, she stood before Sista’s door.

A faint sliver of light escaped through the crack.

It felt like a silent invitation.

Tii’s hand rested gently on the doorknob, but she hesitated to push it open.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

However, as she slowly leaned toward the crack—

Time seemed to freeze at that moment.

She saw a scene she should not have seen.

Candlelight flickered in the room, creating an ambiguous and chaotic atmosphere.

On the wide bed, the silver-haired girl had teary eyes and was curled up among the bedding.

Her expression was broken, and her voice carried a tremble and a plea.

The other person stood over her, controlling everything.

Intermittent sounds drifted out, sounding exceptionally harsh in the silent corridor.

Tii stood outside the door, motionless.

It was as if she had been nailed to the spot by some force.

Her world collapsed at that instant.

Her heart felt a searing pain, as if it were being torn apart.

She watched the scene—

The person she always kept in her heart was currently beside someone else.

“Why…”

Her mind went blank.

She could not tell if it was forced or voluntary.

Nor could she distinguish if her current emotion was anger or despair.

A memory suddenly flashed back.

In front of the prayer room, she had seen Su Ling proactively approach that person.

That was a response she had never received.

No matter how hard she tried, she always remained in the position of a “friend.”

That distance was like a river that could not be crossed.

She stood outside the door, her fingers deathly white as she gripped the doorframe.

She did not know what she should do.

Nor did she know if she should continue watching.

‘Why… no matter how hard I try, you still only look at her…’

She whispered softly.

Tears welled in her eyes but never fell.

She took a step back.

Then another.

Her feet felt as heavy as lead.

She wanted to leave.

To escape this place.

If possible, she would have preferred never coming here tonight.

She would have preferred to continue living in that unbroken fantasy.

She slowly turned around and walked back the way she came.

One step… two steps…

She deliberately lightened her footsteps so the people inside would not notice.

She had not heard the answer.

Perhaps that promise… had long been forgotten.

Maybe everything was just her own wishful thinking.

Could she still smile like before tomorrow?

Could she pretend that nothing had happened?

But those images were already deeply engraved in her mind.

Over and over.

Unable to be erased.

“I don’t want to give you up…”

She covered her face, her voice trembling slightly.

‘In this world… I only have you left.’

‘Even if you don’t belong to me.’

‘Even if you don’t put me first.’

She still could not let go.

‘Even if you only give me a little… it’s fine…’

She murmured in a low voice.

But just then—

A voice came again.

Her footsteps stopped abruptly.

Tii slowly turned around and looked at that door.

The hesitation in her eyes gradually vanished.

In its place was determination.

Her hair tie loosened, and her red hair fell around her.

She would no longer shrink back.

This wasn’t Hailuosen Castle.

She was no longer that maid who was at everyone’s mercy.

Now, she was a Senior Spy of the Holy White River Alliance.

And that high-and-mighty princess was no longer untouchable.

They were equals.

No longer master and servant.

‘I won’t let you possess her alone anymore.’

Tii took a deep breath.

‘I’m going to take her back.’

She reached out and pushed the door open without hesitation.