Returning to the Summer Castle, Sista ignored the maid who hurried forward to take her shawl. Instead, she walked straight through the drawing room toward the small door leading to the basement.
“Wait, Your Highness, you haven’t had dinner yet — “
“Don’t follow me.”
Sista’s command was concise, her voice as cold as frost.
The maid gave a timid response and stole a glance toward the basement door before scurrying away as if her feet were greased.
She had long heard from other servants that the former personal maid of Her Highness was locked deep within that dark basement.
It was said that the girl was strikingly beautiful and was favored as a plaything by Princess Sista. She had even caused the usually proud, cold, and aloof Princess to lose sleep and appetite, becoming completely infatuated.
‘What kind of person could enchant Her Highness Sista like this?’
The maid could not understand it.
She had seen the silver-haired maid on a few occasions. It was true that the girl’s appearance was lovely, but Ansels was full of beauties. Why did she alone deserve the Princess’s favor, causing her to cast aside her former nobility and restraint to become a puppet of desire?
Sista was unaware of the maid’s thoughts. She had no interest in anyone else right now; her only desire was to see Su Ling.
If not for the turbulent situation that constantly brought troublesome matters to her attention, Sista would likely stay in this basement all day, accompanying her little plaything and ignoring the chaos of the outside world.
‘What is Su Ling doing now?’
‘Did that maid prepare her dinner properly?’
‘It must be boring to stay in a cage all the time… Should I prepare something else for her? Would she be happy?’
Her thoughts were cluttered, yet her pace did not falter.
A damp scent permeated the basement. The oil lamps had been extinguished at some point, leaving the surroundings shrouded in deep darkness. Only a few stray beams of moonlight filtered through the narrow cracks in the door, barely outlining a few blurred shapes.
She lightly tapped her slender finger against the wick of an oil lamp. A faint flame blossomed in the darkness, dispelling the gloom.
Under the warm glow, the basement felt a bit more inviting.
Sista’s gaze fell upon the cage.
On the soft cushions inside, the silver-haired girl, Su Ling, was curled up, immersed in the world of dreams.
Her silver hair cascaded like a waterfall, shimmering with a soft luster under the dim light, looking like a veil woven from moonlight draped gently over her shoulders.
Her exquisite face looked exceptionally peaceful in sleep. Her eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings, and her chest rose and fell gently with her breath.
Seeing this familiar face, Sista’s heart finally settled.
She did not disturb Su Ling. Instead, she lightened her steps, walked to a wooden chair beside the cage, and sat down.
“Her hands are so cold… I forgot to prepare a blanket for her.”
Sista held Su Ling’s small hand for a moment before taking off her own shawl and gently draping it over her. She smoothed the four corners and then stared infatuatedly at her sleeping face.
‘Even if I do nothing and just quietly listen to her breathing, I feel happy…’
The weariness accumulated in her heart vanished. Sista rested her chin in her hand, silently admiring Su Ling’s appearance with a gaze as gentle as a spring breeze.
That face still held a hint of innocence, as endearing as a newborn cub. Yet, the collar around her neck shimmered in the lamplight, making one instinctively feel a desire to desecrate that purity.
The warm light brought a sense of tranquility that made her reminisce about the past.
Back then, although there were grievances between the King and the Queen, they had not yet completely turned against each other.
Because Sista was not Moria’s biological child, Moria always intentionally or unintentionally drove a wedge between her and her father, and her father allowed it to happen. Their attention was always centered on Moria and Nori; they never brought Sista along to hunts or banquets.
In her childhood, she was merely an insignificant shadow in Hailuosen Castle, standing quietly in a corner, rarely noticed even by the servants.
Sista knew that as a descendant of the Blood Clan, she should not long for mundane familial affection. The Blood Clan originated from the vast, boundless Abyss, with coldness etched into their very bones. To them, family ties were nothing but an illusion.
Even so, when she saw her sisters being treated tenderly by their parents, a hint of an indescribable ripple would still stir in the depths of her heart.
She said nothing, projecting those emotions onto a small dog in the garden and onto countless books.
At that time, Sista was clever and hardworking. She received the same palace education, and her grades soon surpassed those of her two sisters, gradually earning her the appreciation of the adults.
After finishing her studies, she also began to try her hand at handling Kingdom affairs. Her outstanding performance incited jealousy in Moria, who made things difficult for her at every turn.
Until that day, when the rift between the King and Queen became irreparable and undercurrents swirled within the court. Amidst the complex situation, Steyat finally turned his gaze toward Sista.
That was the first time in her life she had truly felt her father’s attention.
However, by then, she no longer cared.
“It is all hypocrisy, it doesn’t matter…”
Sista whispered softly, her fingertip gently brushing against Su Ling’s supple cheek.
She no longer craved those things. Now, the most important thing was right before her eyes.
The girl in front of her was the only existence she wanted in this world.
Suddenly, a slight breeze swept past.
Su Ling opened her eyes slowly, looking at Sista with a sleepy gaze.
“Mm… Your Highness? You’re back?”
Her consciousness was clear, and her body was not being controlled. Feeling her hands able to move freely, Su Ling could not help but sigh in relief.
“Yes. There were some matters today, so I returned late,” Sista replied.
“I-I see…”
Su Ling did not know what to say for a moment. The Blood Princess continued to stare directly at her, as if something strange was stuck to her face, which sent a chill down her spine.
‘Why is she just staring at me without moving?’ She could not fathom Sista’s thoughts at all.
The two remained silent, facing each other, and the atmosphere gradually became awkward.
*Gurgle—*
At that moment, Su Ling’s stomach suddenly growled. Only then did she remember that she had not eaten dinner.
“Hungry?” Sista asked.
“Yes… a little,” Su Ling answered honestly. “Your Highness, can I have dinner now?”
She put on a pitiful expression.
“You may.” Sista narrowed her enchanting red eyes. “However, if you want to eat, you must first complete today’s punishment.”
As expected, it was the same routine again.
Su Ling was speechless, a sinking feeling in her heart telling her that tonight’s dinner would likely not go as she hoped.
She instinctively pulled back her feet, retreating toward the back of the cage in an attempt to find a sliver of safety within that cramped space.
“What? Are you afraid of me?” Sista raised an eyebrow, seemingly displeased. “Have you forgotten your status so quickly?”
Those words made Su Ling suddenly remember the powerlessness and pain she felt when she was under mental control in the garden. She straightened her body reflexively and shook her head repeatedly.
“No, nothing like that! I’ll do whatever you ask!”
As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them.
A look of great interest had already appeared on Sista’s face.
“You’ve said those words in front of me again. You must take responsibility for what you say.”
The Blood Princess, dressed in her Gothic black dress, slowly stood up. She placed one hand on the bars of the iron cage and leaned down slightly. Her proud posture was like that of a hunter inspecting her prey.
“You don’t like being controlled by me, do you?” she said with a seductive smile. “Then today — you do it yourself.”