Lost in a daze, Su Ling seemed to have had a very long dream.
In the shade, she found herself once again in the Scepter Room of that day. Warm, swaying light poured down from the stained glass window, and the scattered brilliance made the space feel illusory.
Sista’s expression was calm, her long black hair draping idly from her dull crown to below her waist. Like a small rabbit nestled in Su Ling’s sewing basket, she stood at the end of the room, as if waiting for Su Ling.
Just like always, the two of them had time alone together.
“Your Highness, are you… feeling better?” Su Ling asked softly.
Sista did not answer, nor did she smile.
But when she tried to get closer, wishing to touch that blood-red shadow, the Prayer Hall suddenly split apart—the collapsing walls and ceiling plummeting into darkness.
A blood-red Blood Moon silently rose above the horizon, casting an ominous crimson across the night sky. Dead Godly Relics were hung upon the branches, their faces utterly unrecognizable.
Sista stood expressionless amid this strange vision, the moonlight tracing out a profile as cold as honey.
Sista is—one of the Blood Clan.
A Blood Clan standing opposed to humanity, no different from the other bloodkind, feeding on human lives and possessing the power to control others.
“The Blood Clan is hardly some noble race, and all that talk about holy priestesses is nothing but prophecy,” Tii’s words echoed in her ears. At first, Su Ling didn’t catch the full meaning, but after that dreadful ordeal at the shrine, she gradually understood the hatred in Tii’s eyes.
Her eyelashes could not hide the cruelty and hatred in her heart; thus, humans rebelled, swearing to overthrow the Blood Clan’s rule.
“Are you, perhaps, afraid of me?” Sista’s tone was cold and deep, her lips as red as mountain berries.
Su Ling was silent for a moment.
“No, I’m not,” she replied.
Though she held deep suspicions about the other Blood Clan, Sista was different. Only Sista held a special place in Su Ling’s heart.
“Then, whose side will you stand on?”
That was the question Su Ling had mulled over in her heart for so long.
“I… I don’t know,” she hesitated, her voice growing softer. “Right now, I can’t make a choice.”
Sista let out a light sigh, her long hair swaying as she turned away.
“Wait, Sista—please…”
Su Ling couldn’t help but call out Sista’s name, wanting to reach for her.
As she was about to touch that cold silhouette, her outstretched hand only swept past the Blood Clan girl before her, grasping nothing.
The dream vanished all at once, and Su Ling opened her eyes. A shaft of morning light pierced the room, making her blink. Only then did she see clearly what was before her.
A red-haired girl, gentle yet a little wild, was right beside her, carefully examining her.
“Tii?”
She froze for a moment, consciousness slowly returning.
This was a room she’d never seen before—small, with a wooden ceiling, and a flickering flame leaping in the hearth in the corner. The fire crackled and popped, warming the wood.
She and Tii were lying together on the same bed, wrapped beneath the same soft, homey blanket.
Yesterday… She’d apparently passed out during the fire, and it was Tii who had saved her. So, where was this place now?
“Oh, you’re awake… You even called out that Sista girl’s name in your sleep…” Tii scooted a little closer, hands about to rest atop her. “But it was me who saved you.”
“No, I didn’t—”
Su Ling instinctively reached out to push her away, but her hand touched something strange.
A soft, warm, smooth sensation rippled beneath her palm, yielding under even the lightest pressure. Suddenly realizing what it was, she jerked away, flinging the blanket off.
“Tii—why, why aren’t you wearing any clothes?!”
The girl’s slender, beautiful body was on full display before her, every delicate curve and feature perfectly visible.
Su Ling’s face flushed crimson. She hurriedly looked away, only to realize that her own body felt oddly cool as well. Looking down—
“I… I’m not wearing anything either!”
She and Tii, two girls, were naked and lying together in the same bed?
What on earth was this situation?
Su Ling’s mind began to spin with wild associations, her heart thumping as all sorts of scenes flashed through her head. She quickly wrapped herself up with the sheet, stealing a cautious glance at Tii.
“Tii, you…”
“Our clothes were burned up in the fire, nothing I could do about it,” Tii laughed, half helpless, half amused, as she explained.
“So that’s it…”
Thankfully, nothing strange had happened. Besides, Su Ling trusted Tii; she was absolutely not the type to take advantage of her at a time like this.
“It rained a little after midnight, so the fire in the Castle has already been put out,” Tii pulled the blanket from Su Ling’s hands and settled back into the bedding. “But because much of the interior and furniture was destroyed, the royal family and everyone else have all moved to the Summer Meng Fortress outside the Capital. I thought you weren’t in good shape, so I found an inn in the city for us to stay in.”
As she spoke, Tii pointed to Su Ling’s forehead.
“Good thing your fever’s gone. There’s just a bit of scabbing on your brow.”
“Tii, are you hurt anywhere?” Su Ling asked anxiously. “Last night… I barely woke up for a moment. You risked so much for me…”
She recalled what had happened the night before.
Her room had been in the lower levels of the Castle—the area most ravaged by the fire. Tii had rushed in, heedless of her own safety, and carried her out.
“Why don’t you check for yourself?” Tii teased, leaning her body right up against Su Ling. Their bare skin touched, making Su Ling feel as if she’d been shocked by electricity.
“I noticed something: Little Su Ling seems to really like looking at my body,” she whispered, bringing her lips close to Su Ling’s ear.
“If it’s you, you can look as much as you want.”
“Don’t come so close…”
“Are you shy?”
“Tii is teasing me again,” Su Ling said, blushing furiously.
It was good that there was no awkwardness between them.
But as she calmed down, Su Ling found many things odd.
The main entrance was a long way from her room, and the burnt furniture and beams were scattered everywhere. To pass through the flames, especially while carrying an injured person, would have been extremely difficult.
And yet, throughout the whole ordeal, Tii was completely unscathed, not a single scratch on her.
How exactly did Tii manage it?
She couldn’t take her eyes off Tii’s smiling face, her suspicions growing stronger by the second.
“All right, Little Su Ling, lie down a bit. I’ll change your medicine.”
Tii got up, gently removing the Old Ribbon from Su Ling’s forehead, then took out medicine from the Medicine Box beside the bed and applied it to Su Ling’s wound with a herbal swab.
The cool medicine stung her brow, a little sharp and sour, but Tii’s hands were so gentle that the pain seemed to melt away.
“Still hurting?” Tii asked.
“A little.”
“Then let’s go eat something later? I asked the innkeeper to prepare two sets of spare clothes for us.”
“Sure, that sounds good.”
Whenever she was with Tii, Su Ling always felt well cared for.
Once they’d changed into their new clothes, Tii opened the door and quite naturally took Su Ling’s hand.
The two of them went downstairs together, where a damp, chilly wind greeted them. Looking outside, they saw it had started to snow.
“Winter is here,” Tii remarked with feeling.
Holding hands with Tii like this, Su Ling felt that their relationship had taken on a new closeness.
Even though they’d always been close, now it seemed they were even more intimate than before.
“Let’s not return to the Palace tonight. For now, let’s just enjoy this rare moment of rest. Is there anything you feel like eating?” Tii asked softly, her face full of gentle warmth.
“Hmm… something sweet,” Su Ling thought for a moment before answering, a hint of anticipation in her eyes.
“Then let’s go buy some honey, bread, and milk. If we pair them, it should taste good. What do you think?” Tii suggested, her tone brimming with delight.
“Okay!”
Su Ling agreed happily, her face lighting up with a smile.
Soon, they bought the treats they wanted.
The bread’s crust was crispy and golden, the inside soft and fragrant, packed neatly in a paper bag for easy eating.
The snow that dusted the street made everything feel strangely peaceful.
The sparkling snow fell quietly, a thin layer of white spreading across the rooftops.
There were few pedestrians; most of the small windows along the avenue were shuttered, the shop doors draped with thick curtains. Now and then, a breeze would lift one corner.
In the distance, the Bell Tower of the church stood tall, its chimes echoing solemnly.
They walked and ate, savoring this rare bit of leisure together.
“This is my first time going for a stroll like this with you,” Tii said, taking a bite of bread.
“I wish we could leave the Castle someday, and travel the world like this, Little Su Ling… How wonderful that would be.”
She gazed into the sky, her words still full of joy.
“I’m afraid that’s not possible,” Su Ling replied quietly.
“Why?”
“We’re just servants. We can only rely on the Castle to survive.”
“How do you know? Maybe that day will come.”
Somehow, as she said this, Su Ling felt that Tii was looking right into her eyes. In those green pupils, there was a rare seriousness.