A reward from the Blood Princess? What did that mean?
Su Ling felt like a puppet pulled by strings, completely stripped of control.
Whenever Sista tugged the rope, the Leather Collar around her neck tightened into her skin. The cold friction of leather against flesh brought an indescribable sense of pressure that made it hard for her to breathe.
“Follow me.”
Sista led her up the stairs and gently pulled open the bolt. With a click, the underground door slowly opened. Bright light flooded in instantly, forcing Su Ling to squint.
She tried hard to adjust to the sudden brightness, but the Leather Collar tightened sharply at that moment, like a chain snapping her wish for freedom in half.
Su Ling had no choice but to abandon the thought of resisting. She followed Sista step by step, hands weakly held in front of her.
After passing through a long corridor, they finally reached the first floor.
This was Su Ling’s first time leaving the Underground Room in several days.
As she stepped onto the ground, fresh air rushed into her lungs, clearing away the suffocating heaviness that had built up over time.
She took a deep breath, her dizzy head clearing slightly, her vision becoming sharper.
Then she began to look around.
It was an ancient gray room. The walls, which should have been covered with tapestries, were bare and undecorated. In the center of the carpet stood a long dining table, its polished surface gleaming. Various delicate foods were arranged neatly across it.
There were buttery pastries releasing a rich aroma, fruit tarts topped with fresh berries and cream, golden roasted chicken legs, and fragrant milk. Every dessert was carefully placed on exquisite tableware, shining with an inviting glow.
“Wu Huan told me your Maid said you have barely eaten these past few days. Perhaps you were overly frightened.”
Sista pulled Su Ling to a seat, signaling for her to sit, while she herself took the main seat to Su Ling’s left, her hand still firmly gripping the leash.
“You useless Maid. Eat these yourself. I have no interest in guessing what you like.”
The sweet fragrance drifted into Su Ling’s nose, tempting her empty stomach. Yet she did not reach out immediately. Instead, she hesitated, quietly staring at the food.
The ingredients were expensive. Clearly, this was not servant food—it was what Sista usually ate.
Everything had been prepared in advance. It seemed Sista had deliberately arranged a table of dishes for her today. Not knowing Su Ling’s preferences, she had prepared a variety of foods.
The contrast caught Su Ling off guard. She stared blankly at the table.
What was going on with Sista?
Just moments ago, she had been humiliating her underfoot.
The memories of that first night were still vivid. The interrogation with candle wax had not happened long ago. Even now, the Blood Princess had no intention of removing the Leather Collar.
Locking her up and tormenting her… then worrying about her health and preparing food?
This… could not be considered care, could it? Su Ling thought.
The Blood Clan was still the Blood Clan. That heavy obsession came only from selfish desire.
Sista simply treated her like a possession. Whether it was occasional indulgence or protection at Xiagenban, the final purpose was always to satisfy herself.
…But was Sista truly that kind of person?
Su Ling could not understand. She could no longer comprehend what kind of heart this unpredictable woman possessed.
“Why are you staring? Don’t you know how to eat?” Sista urged.
Forget it. Food comes first.
“All right… Your Highness.”
Su Ling reached out with a small hand, using an ivory fork to lift a piece of cream bread into her mouth.
She had to admit—the desserts prepared for the Blood Clan tasted far better than what she usually ate.
Sweetness spread across her tongue, lifting her mood slightly. She began eating the rest of the food with growing appetite. Color gradually returned to her pale face.
Sista sat quietly beside her, resting her chin on one hand, her gaze fixed on the silver-haired girl’s every movement.
The slender girl’s cheeks puffed slightly as she chewed. A bit of cream accidentally smeared at the corner of her lips, completely ignoring any supposed elegance.
At that unguarded moment, a faint smile curved at Sista’s lips—so subtle it vanished almost instantly.
She liked watching Su Ling eat.
No… more precisely, she liked seeing Su Ling beside her in any state.
To the point of obsession.
“Your Highness… aren’t you eating?”
Halfway through, Su Ling finally noticed the constant gaze. She paused and put down her Knife and Fork.
Sista did not answer. She simply continued staring, her crimson eyes deep and unreadable.
“Please… eat a little,” Su Ling said awkwardly, gesturing. “Look… I cannot finish all this. Those dishes over there are untouched…”
“I am Royal Family. Dining at the same table as a Servant would be disgraceful,” the Blood Princess said calmly, without any change in expression. “Or… do you really want to eat together with me?”
“I-I am sorry, Your Highness. I was rude.”
Su Ling apologized quickly, silently complaining inside, ‘Then why keep staring at me while I eat? That is strange too.’
“Why so nervous? You are just greedy,” Sista said casually. She tugged the leash slightly, pulling Su Ling closer. “I never said I would refuse you.”
“…However, compared to this Human Race food… you should know what I prefer more.”
She reached out and lifted a strand of the girl’s Silver Hair, gently pinching Su Ling’s earlobe before tracing a graceful line down her jaw.
“Eat quickly. When you are done… I will eat you.”
Her breath brushed against Su Ling’s ear. Su Ling’s body trembled instantly.
A chill spread from her scalp through her entire body.
Wait…
Her eyes widened. Instinctively, she leaned back, lightly dodging Sista’s approaching hand.
That single motion made Sista’s expression darken at once.
“You are rejecting me again?”
As the question fell, the Blood Princess suddenly stood. The movement was so abrupt that the long chair beside her was knocked over, crashing loudly to the floor.
The quiet atmosphere shattered.
In the next moment, Sista stepped forward and planted a knee beside Su Ling’s chair, leaning in as if losing balance. Her body nearly pressed against Su Ling.
“You hate me? You still miss that so-called former companion?”
“That is not what I meant…”
Perhaps it was Su Ling’s imagination—but the crimson glow in those eyes seemed to intensify.
“Everything is your fault. If from the beginning you had obediently become my personal Maid… treated me like the Evil Princess others see… and not done unnecessary things…”
The red in her vision grew brighter and brighter, as if it would swallow her whole.
“I would not have… never mind. You would not understand anyway. Since that is the case, I will not expect you to change.”
Sista’s low voice drifted through the air. But in Su Ling’s mind, she heard words Tii had once told her long ago.
‘The Blood Clan never tells humans about their abilities. So humans never know when they are being controlled… Heart Resonance—the Blood Clan’s most common way to manipulate humans. Through mental suggestion, they guide human emotions.’
It felt as if an invisible hand was stirring the depths of Su Ling’s heart. An indescribable force spread quietly through her body, binding her tightly, making resistance almost impossible.
Under this pressure, even maintaining clear thought became difficult. Her mind grew chaotic.
She was forced to keep staring into Sista’s crimson eyes. Where their gazes met, sparks seemed to flash.
“N-no, Your Highness…”
Her lips parted unconsciously. Her breathing grew hurried.
“I… like you.”
She heard her own soft voice say the words.