Chapter 3 : Then Let’s Start by Enjoying Yourself

A windowless room.

Su Ling slowly opened her eyes, her vision still a bit hazy.

She tried to sit up but felt her body was strangely heavy.

I’m still alive.

That was Su Ling’s first thought upon waking.

That blood princess hadn’t taken her life last night, at least there was that.

Instinctively, she touched her neck.

It didn’t feel painful at all.

According to the novel’s setup, to prevent blood slaves from dying of blood loss and wasting blood, the vampires healed them as they fed.

“Awake already?”

A gentle voice came from the door.

It was the red-haired, green-eyed maid Su Ling had seen yesterday.

She was carrying a glass of milk and two dried-out pieces of bread.

“Mm…” Su Ling lifted her head slowly, her voice still a bit hoarse.

“You don’t look well. Are you feeling sick?”

“I’m fine, just a bit weak.” Su Ling shook her head.

The maid sighed, setting the milk and bread on the table and saying softly, “I was worried seeing you unconscious this morning. Servants usually don’t get much to eat, so you can have my breakfast too.”

“Ah…”

Su Ling was about to refuse, but the maid pushed the two pieces of bread toward her insistently.

“Go on and eat. You’re still growing, and you ‘served’ Her Highness last night. If you don’t get enough nutrition, you’ll collapse.”

Su Ling could only accept the bread.

It was bland and dry, but at least it kept the hunger at bay.

“My name is Tii. I’m Her Highness’ personal maid,” Tii tilted her head and looked at Su Ling, clearly curious.

“And you? What’s your name?”

“Su Ling…”

“That’s a rare name. Where are you from?”

“Uh… a very small village in the far north.”

Su Ling herself wasn’t sure where exactly; she only knew it was up north.

“Oh, right…” Tii’s face grew concerned.

“Did Her Highness treat you too harshly last night?”

Su Ling thought back to last night and felt a tangle of emotions.

Gently, she shook her head. “No.”

“That’s a relief,” Tii smiled brightly.

“Her Highness is pleased with you. She’s decided to make you a palace maid.”

“Eh? A maid?”

“Mm-hmm! Being a palace maid is much safer than working outside,” Tii replied happily.

“Sir Roka brought Her Highness lots of blood slaves before, but none ever suited her. You’re the first one she’s picked!”

So that means… I’ll be staying here?

Seeing Su Ling’s solemn expression, Tii hesitated before patting her shoulder comfortingly.

“Don’t worry. Her Highness isn’t the sort of vampire who kills humans at whim. Do your job properly and you’ll do just fine.”

“Mm.”

At least her life wasn’t in immediate danger.

Su Ling slowly exhaled.

Surviving in this vampire castle wouldn’t be easy, but it was better than dying.

She could wait and see.

If that blood princess really did intend to kill her eventually, she’d look for a chance to escape.

“Alright, Su Ling. From now on you’ll serve Her Highness alongside me,” Tii continued.

“But there are a lot of palace rules you need to learn.”

Su Ling nodded seriously.

“I’ll do my best, Miss Tii.”

“Just call me Tii.”

(Note: In the Ansels Kingdom, commoners don’t have surnames, so they only have one name. Among servants, people simply use each other’s names.)

Su Ling nodded again.

“Oh! The steward told me to give you a new maid outfit,” Tii said, picking up a set of black-and-white maid clothes.

“There wasn’t time to take your measurements, so you’ll have to see if it fits.”

Su Ling accepted the outfit curiously.

It was a typical European-style maid uniform, and it looked like it would fit perfectly.

“I need to help Her Highness wake up, so I’ll leave you to change,” Tii waved as she left.

Once Tii was gone, Su Ling stood alone in the small room. The place was so quiet that all she could hear was her own breathing.

She finally had a chance to take a good look around.

The maids’ quarters were underground and extremely simple.

The walls were built from coarse stone, cold to the touch and mottled with water stains.

The ceiling hung low overhead as though it might collapse at any moment.

There was only a mirror, a rickety wooden bed, and a chair. The bedding on the cot had long since lost its color and looked rather filthy.

The oil lamp on the table flickered dimly.

Clearly, this world hadn’t yet invented electricity.

Well, at least I have a place to stay.

She was just about to change into her new clothes when her gaze involuntarily shifted to her own body.

This girl’s body… is really tiny and delicate.

Su Ling felt a surge of wonder.

Whether it was height or weight, it was so different from her body as a boy.

Come to think of it, maybe being a cute girl isn’t so bad?

Since her sense of gender had always been neutral in her past life, Su Ling wasn’t all that resistant to being a girl.

What mattered most now was adjusting to her new body.

Anyway, I should take a good look at myself first.

She couldn’t help but gently touch her skin, its smooth softness so lovely that she kept stroking it without realizing.

Her hands traveled up to her soft cheeks, her slender neck and collarbones, and then to the subtle curves of her chest and her slim waist…

“Mm…”

Her gaze lowered to her legs—white as jade, slender and graceful, with just the right softness.

Almost unconsciously, she bent them and brushed her hands along her inner thighs.

Her face flushed a deep red, and she quickly bit her lip and looked away.

W-Wouldn’t this look weird if someone saw me?

Calm down! You’re just familiarizing yourself with your body. This isn’t strange at all!

Her fingers pressed slightly.

When she glanced down again, a faint red mark had appeared where she’d touched too hard, making her even more flustered.

I’m not some kind of pervert…

She closed her eyes.

After a long while of thoroughly examining herself, Su Ling finally felt satisfied.

Picking up the maid outfit, she slowly began to put it on.

The black dress fit perfectly, as if it had been tailor-made for her.

She spun gently in place, the skirt fluttering with her every movement.

Su Ling gave a small, shy smile as she checked her appearance in the mirror.

In her maid uniform, with her smooth silver hair draped softly over her shoulders, she looked even more petite and adorable.

And so, starting today… she would be a little maid in the vampire princess’s castle.