“Mr. Door Lock, this is already your second strike,” Su Ling grumbled to herself. “I haven’t treated you badly, have I? Why do you insist on making me sleep outside again tonight!”
She narrowed her eyes, trying to peer through the narrow view of the keyhole, but the corridor was so dim that she could barely see the floor beneath her feet. The keyhole itself was pitch black—nothing could be seen.
If only I had a candle… Su Ling muttered in her heart, her hands not stopping as she once again inserted the key into the lock, twisting left and right, trying to struggle a bit more.
Creak——
At last, a harsh, grating sound rang out—the door moved! Su Ling lifted her head in delight.
A chunk of paint fell from above, landing squarely on her face.
“Ah!”
She winced, rubbing her eyes in pain.
Under Su Ling’s “torment,” the long-neglected doorframe trembled, its paint peeling off and exposing mottled wood grain, as if it might collapse at any moment.
Yet, the lock remained utterly unmoved.
Su Ling took a deep breath.
I can’t keep messing around like this! If this door breaks, there goes several months of my salary!
Utterly at a loss, she set down the key in her hand, her gaze weary and her head drooping in dejection.
The last time the door lock broke, not wanting to trouble anyone, she had gone to the tool room herself, fetched a new lock, and replaced it. Who could have expected that the newly-installed lock would mysteriously break again after such a short time?
Could it be that my skills are lacking?
But the Castle used a simple mechanical lock similar to a pin tumbler lock, and installing it wasn’t difficult at all. Logically, it shouldn’t be a technical issue.
Could someone be deliberately sabotaging my door lock… Su Ling rested her chin in her hand, growing more suspicious. A thief? Trying to steal my money? But… I barely have any money to steal!
She shook her head sharply. In a Castle as tightly guarded as this, outsiders couldn’t just wander in. If someone really wanted to steal something, then the culprit could only be someone inside the Castle.
In other words, it was likely another attendant.
But with no evidence and no one caught in the act, Su Ling was unwilling to suspect others without reason.
Looks like I’ll have to sleep outside again tonight… She shook her head helplessly. Right now, there was no one else she could ask for help. Does that mean I have to go to Tii again?
In the corridor, the weak light stretched her shadow long, casting an eerie silhouette on the ground. The walls around her seemed to be silently watching her every move.
Su Ling turned and walked toward Tii’s room.
Tii would surely accept her again, just as last time, gently letting her into her room and offering her a place to stay.
That girl had always treated others with kindness, so she definitely wouldn’t refuse this time either.
Su Ling knew all this. But the more Tii acted this way, the more embarrassed she felt.
Tii’s workload was heavy, yet she always made time to help and care for others, never once complaining about her own hardships. In Su Ling’s memory, she had never seen Tii show even the slightest hint of annoyance.
Is it really okay to ask her for help again…? she wondered as she walked forward.
Suddenly, not far ahead, a dark shadow flitted by like a specter. Su Ling froze, her heart leaping into her throat, and she stopped in her tracks without thinking.
Could it be a thief!
Her eyes went wide as she peered into the darkness. But the night was as black as ink, and the corridor corner was even dimmer. The shadow seemed to melt into the night, vanishing without a trace.
Su Ling’s heart pounded like a drum, and sweat beaded in her palms. She took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves.
No, I can’t let them get away.
She mustered her courage, slowly moving forward in the direction the shadow had disappeared, taking each step carefully for fear of startling her quarry.
Turning the corner, she saw the furtive shadow again. This time, it didn’t flee but stood still.
Su Ling edged closer. As the distance shrank, she realized the shadow was actually quite small—shorter than she was—not the looming figure she’d first imagined.
She let out a quiet sigh, her nerves easing a little. When she finally reached the shadow and looked carefully in the dim light, she was stunned.
It was the figure of someone in a maid’s long dress, standing with her back to Su Ling, the hem trailing on the floor. She was peering intently at something ahead.
The fluffy short hair and slightly hunched figure instantly brought a name to Su Ling’s mind. She called out tentatively.
“Bohm?”
The figure seemed startled by her voice, whirling around suddenly.
In the dim yellow light, Su Ling could finally see her face—Bohm’s features were filled with surprise and unease, her small eyes behind her glasses glistening with tears, as if she had just experienced something terrifying.
She hugged herself tightly, clutching the slightly worn sleeves of her maid’s dress, her face full of wariness.
“Uh, don’t be scared… mmph!”
Seeing Bohm so frightened, Su Ling was about to offer comfort when suddenly, Bohm stood on tiptoe, reached out, and clamped her hand tightly over Su Ling’s mouth.
Su Ling jumped in surprise.
“Shh, not so loud.”
Bohm whispered nervously. Su Ling could feel Bohm’s small hand trembling. For Bohm, such a forceful move was out of character—she must have summoned all her courage to do it.
“Mmm… mmm mmm mmm?” Su Ling was full of questions.
“Can you speak quietly, please?”
Su Ling nodded solemnly, and only then did Bohm let go, though her small eyes still watched Su Ling warily.
“Miss Su Ling, what are you doing here?” Bohm asked.
“That’s what I should be asking you… I came to see Tii. What about you, Bohm?” Su Ling scratched her head.
“Tii?” Bohm frowned. “What do you want with her?”
“My door lock broke, and I have nowhere else to go tonight, so…” As Su Ling spoke, she noticed Bohm’s expression growing stranger, making her feel a bit guilty, unsure what she had said wrong.
“Y-y-y-you want to sleep with Miss Tii! How can you!” Bohm grabbed Su Ling’s sleeve and demanded, “How can two girls sleep together? Are you two already… that kind of relationship?”
“We’re just ordinary friends,” Su Ling said, baffled. “Besides, we’re both girls—what’s so strange about sharing a bed?”
Come to think of it, we’ve already slept together once before. If Bohm knew, would she explode on the spot?
“It’s extremely, extremely strange! Especially with someone as gentle and beautiful as Miss Tii—you’re definitely going to bully her in bed, aren’t you?”
“Please don’t say such weird things…” Su Ling rubbed her forehead. “Let’s not talk about that. Bohm, you still haven’t told me what you’re doing here.”
Bohm finally fell silent, her expression looking somewhat troubled.
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