Lao Zhan almost thought she’d misheard.
She looked up at the sharply pointed summit of the fortress, where there was barely enough space for one person to stand. The slanted rooftop was steep and high, absolutely not the sort of place one could stand on.
“I can’t get up there.”
“There’s a rope.”
Sista raised her chin, and only then did Liu Ji see a thick rope fastened to the base of the slope, hanging straight down.
“So you climbed up just now using the rope?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. How could I possibly use such a clumsy method? Don’t underestimate the abilities of the Blood Clan,” Sista said, gesturing with her hand, then pointed at the rope again.
“Climb up. Come to my side.”
This is way too dangerous! You Blood Clan can do things like this, but I’m just a human! Have you ever considered the feelings of someone without such abilities?
Lao Ji screamed inwardly, her hands trembling as she desperately wanted to protest.
But she was a maid and could not refuse any orders.
She could only set down the tray with trembling hands, gripping the rough, prickly rope tightly with her small fingers.
She had learned how to climb a rope back during military training in her past life, but that was nothing like climbing in such a perilous place!
As soon as her foot left the ground, Su Jiao’s body began to shake uncontrollably. Looking down, she could see nothing but dizzying depth below.
Calm down, calm down. Just look up.
In the whistling wind, Su Ji used every ounce of her strength to climb upward. Thankfully, she wasn’t heavy, so it wasn’t extremely difficult.
But just as she was about to reach the top, her hand suddenly slipped. The rope snapped, and she lost control, falling down.
“Ah!”
Her heart skipped a beat. In the next instant, Sista leaped down from the summit, catching Su Jiao’s trembling body in her arms.
The whole process happened as fast as lightning. Lao Jiu didn’t even have time to see Sista’s movement clearly—her body was already swept into Sista’s embrace, and they returned to the top of Moonlit Fortress.
Lao Ji was still shaken, her hands reluctant to leave the warmth of Sista’s cloak, the fear of death warning her nerves.
She couldn’t help but clutch at Sista’s sleeve, her teeth still chattering.
“So fragile. I didn’t know humans were so afraid of heights,” Sista said lightly, looking at Su Jiao’s miserable state.
“I… I don’t want to die…”
Lao Lu nearly burst into tears, her entire body clinging to Sista, burrowing desperately into her arms, almost merging into one with the other’s body.
She pressed close to Sista’s chest, her cheek resting against Sista’s skin, feeling the rhythm of the other’s heartbeat.
“Hang onto me,”
In Sista’s arms, the silver-haired girl muttered helplessly.
At the same time, that trembling, fragile look, and her utter dependence on Sista’s protection, stirred a strange feeling deep inside Sista’s heart.
So… this is what keeps you from leaving me. Earlier, you tried to keep your distance, but now you won’t even let go.
The corners of Sista’s lips curled up in a faint, teasing smile.
“Hug me tighter.”
“…I still don’t feel safe.”
Tears welled up in Lao Su’s eyes. Her pale face looked up at Sista with a pitiful, pleading gaze, clutching tightly at the cloth above Sista’s waist as if she were a wounded little animal seeking shelter.
“Alright, don’t be scared. I won’t let go,”
Sista could feel the weight and tension of the silver-haired girl in her arms, and her tone finally softened, holding the girl even tighter.
The wild wind blew at their cloaks with a flapping sound, but now that it was spring, the wind carried the warmth of sunlight and the scent of the lake. Sweeping over them, it didn’t feel all that unpleasant.
After a while, Su Ling’s heartbeat finally calmed down. Nestled safely in Sista’s arms, she gradually regained her sense of security.
“Your Highness, why did you come here?” Su Ling asked.
Sista didn’t reply. She just silently gazed at a certain spot.
What is she thinking?
Su Ling grew uneasy and, gathering her courage, followed Sista’s line of sight downward.
From this height, the entire inner city of Hailuosen Castle was laid bare before her eyes.
The small towers at the top were staggered, descending in tiers. Above, the black slate roofs shone with a faint purple hue in the setting sun, and the family flags flapped in the wind like spread wings.
Looking down, the gardens, fountains, and pavilions seemed like little clusters, the verdant grass extending far into the distance, until finally swallowed up by the thick woods.
But judging from Sista’s grim expression, she wasn’t here to admire the view.
Su Ling watched for a while longer, then noticed something out of the corner of her eye, and her mind instantly returned to a state of tension.
From the highest vantage point of the fortress, one could see the windows of the upper rooms. The one facing the center of the courtyard was Nori’s room.
The window wasn’t open very wide, so nothing inside the room could be seen, but from this angle, she could just make out the area outside the door.
After waiting for a while, the door quietly opened, and she vaguely saw a shadow move.
Nori herself did not appear, but Su Ling instantly recognized that familiar flash of Red Hair—even if it only showed for a split second, that person left Nori’s room and quickly disappeared down the corridor.
“Did you see?” Sista asked coldly.
“See… see what?” Su Ling stammered.
“That red-haired maid, Tii, and Nori’s relationship isn’t normal,” Sista continued calmly. “I’ve already sent someone to investigate. It won’t be long before we act.”
Liu Lu’s chest suddenly went cold.
“Hold onto me, we’re going down. Once lunch is over, there’ll be people out in the garden. I won’t stay here much longer.”
As she finished speaking, a gust of wind whistled by, and Sista leapt down from the summit with Su Ling in her arms, cutting a graceful arc through the air.
Before Lao Su could react, the two of them had already landed steadily on the flat rooftop below. She was still in shock, clutching Sista’s clothes, at a loss for what to do.
“Can’t get down on your own? Do you want me to carry you all the way?” Sista lowered her head and glanced at her.
“N-no, I’m fine. I’ll get down right away.”
She spoke as bravely as she could, but her legs refused to obey. Her body remained stuck to Sista, even unconsciously trying to burrow closer.
The dizzying height still made her heart pound in fear. After hearing what Sista said earlier, the unease inside her surged even stronger.
All in all, right now Su Ling’s mind was on the verge of blanking out.
“Still can’t get down?” Sista asked again.
…
She forced herself to snap out of it, and finally, slowly let go of Sista’s shoulder. But just as she was about to get down, Sista deliberately nudged her closer, holding her tightly once more.
…
“Don’t repeat what you just saw or heard,” Sista said coolly. “These things aren’t something a servant should be involved in. I just don’t want to lose my own plaything, that’s all.”
“I… understand.”
“The Blood Clan will never let traitors go. If you value your life, keep your distance from Tii.”
So…
Has Tii already been exposed? Will the Blood Clan kill her?
Lao Lu didn’t know. There was nothing she could do but worry helplessly.
That was the first girl who ever smiled at her after she arrived in this world. If she simply disappeared now… Just thinking about it made Lao Lu’s heart ache with anxiety.
In that brief moment of distraction, Sista’s cold voice continued:
“One more thing. Tell me honestly, when you went shopping two days ago, did Tii act strangely at all?”
A bead of cold sweat slid down her forehead. Facing Sista’s crimson eyes, Su Jiao felt as if a sharp blade was pressed against her throat.
Should she tell the truth?
She could practically hear her own nervous heartbeat.
She would never betray her friend, but she also couldn’t deceive her mistress, Sista.
“Speak.”
I—
Lao Ji knew she couldn’t hesitate too long. If she did, her face would give away her inner turmoil before she even opened her mouth.
Since Sista was already suspicious of Tii, if she denied everything now, it would only sound like covering up. She had to choose a middle ground.
“Your Highness, I don’t know what kind of ‘strange’ you mean. Tii and I are just colleagues; I don’t pay attention to her every move,” Su Ling lowered her head and said.
Sista watched her for a moment longer, as if trying to read something from her face. But seeing no sign of evasion in Su Ling’s expression, she said nothing more and gently set Su Ling down.
“Go back,” she finally said, glancing one last time at the sunset fading into the mountains.
“Night is falling. The Tranquility before the Storm will soon be over.”