She gave a deep bow.
“Sorry, we’ll leave now.”
She dragged her reluctant younger sister away in quick steps, even thoughtfully closing the door behind them as they left.
Dolosa stood where she was, listening to the sound of their footsteps fading away into the distance. She unclenched her tightly gripped fist—the Silver Comb had already been bent out of shape, and a few strands of golden hair were tangled in its teeth, left behind when Liang Lai had carelessly combed her hair.
Outside the window, the light of the Eternal Day Lamp gradually dimmed, signaling the coming of night.
Dolosa gently stroked the warped comb, and suddenly recalled what Liang Lai had said the first time she brushed her hair: “Xiao Duo’s hair is so beautiful, like silk under the moonlight.”
She bit her lip until she tasted blood.
She had to protect Liang Lai, even if it meant… standing against those two dangerous Shadowborn.
Although the reason she came here wasn’t to look for family. But now, it seemed… she didn’t really want to keep doing the mission anymore.
At dinner, the Crystal Chandelier illuminated the dining hall brightly, and the Silver Tableware gleamed coldly under the light. Liang Lai sat at one end of the long table, the Crystal Hair Ornament in her silver hair swaying gently as she moved to pick up food.
“Mom, try this!”
Delucia speared a piece of braised meat with her fork and eagerly held it to Liang Lai’s lips.
“I especially picked the most tender part!”
Her Star-shaped Pupils sparkled with a strange light in the lamp’s glow, and her shadow squirmed restlessly beneath her feet.
Asterys quickly ladled a bowl of soup as well.
“This mushroom soup is really delicious, Mom, have some more.”
She held the bowl timidly, looking like a puppy eager to please its master.
Dolosa’s fork scraped a harsh sound on the porcelain plate as she mechanically chewed her food, her blue eyes fixed on the gradually cooling dishes in front of her.
The fish Liang Lai had served her for the third time had already piled up like a small hill, but not a single bite had been touched.
“Xiao Duo, do you not have much appetite today?”
Liang Lai finally noticed something was wrong, her silver eyebrows knitting slightly.
“You usually love this the most.”
Asterys suddenly interrupted, “Maybe it’s because we’re here and she’s not used to it.”
She lowered her head in feigned grievance, “It’s all our fault for making big sister upset…”
“How could that be!”
Liang Lai smiled as she rubbed Asterys and Delucia’s white hair.
“Dolosa is the most generous of all, isn’t that right, Xiao Duo?”
Dolosa’s nails dug into her palm beneath the tablecloth as she watched Delucia take the opportunity to edge closer to Liang Lai, that sly smile clearly a provocation aimed at her.
Dinner continued in a strange atmosphere.
Asterys and Delucia flitted around Liang Lai like two birds vying for favor, taking turns talking.
They recounted made-up childhood stories, praised Liang Lai’s kindness and beauty, and even competed to recite chapters from the holy texts.
“Mom, I just memorized the Seventh Chapter of the Book of Holy Words!”
Delucia announced proudly, “Love is patience, love is mercy…”
Dolosa jerked her head up—these were the very words she’d recited on the day Liang Lai was punished.
Delucia winked at her, and from her shadow, several fine threads stretched out, quietly winding around the legs of Liang Lai’s chair.
“Amazing!”
Liang Lai noticed nothing amiss, still delighted by the children’s progress.
“Asterys is wonderful too, you helped tidy up the study today, didn’t you?”
Asterys nodded with a blush, nervously twisting her napkin. Her shadow, however, quietly spread out, weaving together with her sister’s darkness into a net beneath the table.
When the eighth dish was served, Dolosa finally couldn’t take it anymore and pushed her chair back.
“I’m full.”
Her voice was as dry as sandpaper scraping.
“Wait,” Liang Lai stood up, worried, “You barely touched anything…”
Her response was the heavy sound of the door closing.
The dining hall suddenly fell silent, with only the faint clink of Silver Tableware remaining.
“Don’t be sad, Mom,” Delucia immediately sidled up, “Maybe big sister just needs time to adjust…”
Liang Lai stared at the tightly closed door, confusion swirling in her violet eyes.
Dolosa had never been so rude, not even during her most rebellious days.
After nightfall, Liang Lai gently knocked on Dolosa’s door. There was no answer, but she still pushed the door open and walked in.
Moonlight filtered through the gauzy curtains, casting a silver edge around the figure curled up in the corner of the bed.
“Xiao Duo?”
Liang Lai sat down at the bedside, the mattress sinking slightly.
Dolosa didn’t turn over, but her body trembled almost imperceptibly.
Liang Lai noticed she was clutching the warped Silver Comb tightly to her chest.
“I turned Asterys and the others down, you know.” Liang Lai said softly.
“They wanted me to sleep with them, but I told them I was coming to see you tonight.”
Dolosa’s shoulders relaxed a little, and she slowly scooted further into the bed, leaving just enough space for Liang Lai.
Understanding, Liang Lai lay down and reached out to pull Dolosa into her arms.
At first, the girl’s body was stiff as stone, but surrounded by the familiar scent of cornflowers, she gradually softened.
“I know suddenly having two more sisters might make you uneasy.”
Liang Lai gently stroked Dolosa’s back.
“But love isn’t like cutting up a cake—it doesn’t get smaller just because there are more people.”
She chose her words carefully, “On the contrary, the more people there are in the family, the more love there is to share.”
Dolosa suddenly looked up, stubborn fire burning in her blue eyes.
“They’re not sincere! Delucia and Asterys, they…”
“Children new to an environment will always have some little issues.” Liang Lai cut her off, her fingers combing through the tangles at the ends of Dolosa’s hair.
“Just like you didn’t want to come near me at first, remember?”
Dolosa opened her mouth, but finally buried her face back into Liang Lai’s shoulder in silence. She breathed in the unique sunshine scent of the Saintess, secretly clenching her fist.
Liang Lai was too kind, so kind she couldn’t see the vipers lurking in the shadows. In that case, she would be the one to expose those two impostors!
Outside the door, two pairs of Star-shaped Pupils gleamed in the dark. Asterys and Delucia pressed themselves against the door like statues, listening to every word inside.
“Mom didn’t hold us like that today…”
Asterys’s voice was tinged with tears, her fingers unconsciously picking at the wallpaper.
Delucia’s Six-Pointed Star Pupils narrowed in the darkness to dangerous pinpoints.
“That’s because she still doesn’t trust us enough.”
Her shadow twisted and warped on the floor, like a pool of boiling black oil.
“We have to think of a way…”
“But…”
Delucia grabbed her sister’s wrist, “Don’t you want to be treated so gently by Mom? Don’t you want to hear her say ‘I love you the most’?”
A dazed look appeared in Asterys’s eyes as she recalled the warmth of Liang Lai’s fingertips, hotter than even the warmest days she could remember.
“What should we do?” she asked softly, her voice laced with dangerous anticipation.
Delucia’s lips curled slowly upward, revealing a sinister smile far beyond her years.
“First, we have to let Mom see who the real good child worthy of her love is…”
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.