“Thus, under the guidance of the goddess, a noble group of bloodkin was born. They possessed extraordinary strength and wisdom, chosen by the goddess to save humanity from calamity. They led the people in a rebellion against the tyrannical monarch—known as the Holy White River War.”
Goddess… war? Su Ling’s mind couldn’t keep up. This was entirely different from the version of history she’d found written by Sista in the notebook up in the attic.
Still, she kept reading.
“The Holy White River War was a harsh and prolonged conflict. The bloodkin warriors, empowered by the goddess’s gifts, fought fiercely against the tyrant king’s army.
“Not only did they battle on the frontlines, but they also spread the gospel of the goddess among the people, stirring courage and hope.”
“The bloodkin made great sacrifices in this war. With their blood and lives, they paved a bright future for humankind.
“In the end, under the goddess’s blessing, they overthrew the tyrant’s rule and established a new kingdom—Ansels.”
“In this new nation, people were freed from old constraints and oppression, enjoying the peace and blessings bestowed by the goddess.”
What kind of nonsense is this?
Su Ling didn’t even know where to begin criticizing. When she had read the original novel, she suspected that the bloodkin had whitewashed the history of their conquest. But she hadn’t expected it to be this outrageous—entirely the opposite of the truth.
In this version of Ansels’ history, the bloodkin were not executioners, but saviors of the nation.
She couldn’t keep reading. With a sigh, Su Ling put the book down and went to find another.
As her eyes scanned the shelves, a brightly colored book caught her attention.
She reached for it. The cover featured vibrant illustrations—it turned out to be a sample of a children’s reader, a standard textbook used in the kingdom’s primary schools.
“A textbook?”
Su Ling couldn’t help but flip it open. Just as she was absorbed in the pages, Bohm quietly approached from behind.
Startled, Su Ling snapped out of it, realizing she was still on duty. She tensed up, thinking Bohm was going to scold her for slacking off.
But instead, Bohm looked at the book with genuine excitement and said, “Miss Su Ling, are you interested in this too? I’ve long outgrown primary school, but I still love reading children’s books.”
Su Ling was surprised. Her tension eased. Curious, she asked, “Why?”
“Because a child’s world is always so simple and beautiful!” Bohm smiled gently, adjusting her glasses. She flipped to a page and pointed out a passage.
“Look at this part—the friendship between bloodkin and humans. It’s my favorite story. You know, the first time I read it, I was moved to tears.”
Su Ling followed her finger. Below the text was a “heartwarming” illustration of bloodkin and human children playing hand-in-hand on a grassy field.
“For instance, in this story, a bloodkin noble named Leon happened upon a little boy, Tom, being attacked by wild wolves. He drew his sword and rescued the boy, then gave him food when he saw he was starving.
“Despite their vastly different statuses, Lord Leon showed no disdain for the child’s humble background and offered him the utmost kindness.”
“Mmhmm.”
“At the end of the story, the boy, in gratitude, offered his blood to Lord Leon and was praised by his parents,” Bohm continued, eyes glowing. “It’s just so touching.”
“…”
“What’s wrong? Your expression looks kind of… off. You don’t like the story?” Bohm peered at her from behind her glasses, a bit nervous.
“No, no—you’re right. These stories are really meaningful. Thanks for recommending this book.”
Even though Su Ling found the story a bit creepy, she decided to play dumb and go along with it.
Bohm waved her hand. “No need to thank me.”
“Haha, Bohm has always loved these kinds of stories,” said Tii, who walked up with a smile. “I heard she did really well back in her days at Anxing Academy.”
“Anxing Academy?”
Su Ling picked up on the unfamiliar term and turned to look at her curiously.
“That’s right. Normally, for a human to serve in the palace or work for the bloodkin, they have to go through strict education and training. Little Su Ling, you’re quite the exception,” Tii explained. “The bloodkin are a noble race. Only those who pass the selection process are worthy of serving them.”
“And even among humans, only the elite get into Anxing Academy!” Bohm chimed in, eyes sparkling. “Becoming a maid in the palace has been my dream since I was little!”
Su Ling looked at Bohm, then at Tii. She wanted to say something—but nothing came out.
At last, the confusion from that day had an explanation. No wonder the palace servants were all so devoted to the bloodkin. They had been indoctrinated since childhood.
But that raised another question: why had Sista chosen someone like her, completely inexperienced, to stay by her side?
That day’s conversation had never really ended. Sista had said, “I don’t know.” It didn’t sound like a lie—but it only made Su Ling more puzzled about her true intentions.
“Ah! We can’t keep chatting. If we don’t finish our tasks today, Seban and Karssanna will definitely scold us!” Bohm glanced at the time and quickly bent back to her work. The other two returned to sorting the books as well.
Su Ling stood on her toes, holding a book as she tried to reach the top shelf. Just then, she felt a gaze fall on her.
“Little Su Ling,” Tii said playfully as she tilted her head while organizing books, “your expression when you heard that story just now—it was quite the look. Very interesting.”