The night grew quiet. Sista watched Tii’s face, and her heart gradually calmed, no longer as impulsive as it had been just moments ago.
“I still don’t like you—in fact, I quite hate you—but when little Su Ling begged me to save you, I realized something.”
Tii held out a hand toward Sista, palm facing upward.
“Since she trusts you so much, I’ll trust her judgment as well. Your Highness, let us shake hands and make peace.”
Sista’s gaze fell upon that hand.
It was steady and composed, as if Tii were certain she would not be rejected.
Complex emotions welled up in her heart, as if she had been touched by some unseen force. She knew that Tii’s words were not lies.
Once, at the city gate, she had wanted to kill Tii, yet she never expected the other woman to eventually save her life.
Although she hated Tii for taking Su Ling away, she could not turn a blind eye to the debt of her own life.
“Your Highness…”
At her side, Su Ling gently tugged on her sleeve and whispered, “Are you alright? You look a bit pale…”
Seeing Su Ling’s worried expression, Sista’s heart softened slightly.
She was no longer that high-and-mighty Blood Clan Princess. Without Tii and the poet, she wouldn’t even be able to protect this silver-haired girl now.
After a long silence, she sighed softly and finally reached out to grasp Tii’s hand.
Two people who once hated each other were now walking the same path.
“I understand,” Sista’s voice remained cold and clear. “However, I will absolutely not allow the sharing of Su Ling.”
Hearing this, Tii could not help but laugh, and her grip on Sista’s hand tightened slightly.
“That might not be up to you, Your Highness.”
Upon hearing those words, the heart Su Ling had just managed to settle suddenly leaped into her throat again.
‘Damn it, I certainly don’t want to join this strange tug-of-war!’
Regardless, that night remained relatively peaceful.
But Su Ling had a faint feeling that things might not stay that way for long.
***
According to the poet’s arrangements, they set out early the next morning for the Duke’s territory—Escon City, which was adjacent to Sarinan.
When Sista’s Earth Dragon Cart slowly rolled into the courtyard of Lorian Castle, the lingering glow of the setting sun splashed across the ancient stone walls, casting a golden-red radiance.
The courtyard was vast and tidy, with neatly trimmed lawns and flowerbeds that appeared exceptionally solemn. Servants moved busily back and forth, preparing to welcome the guests.
The Earth Dragon Cart stopped before the main entrance, and the door was pulled open.
Sista was the first to step out, her posture erect and her gaze cold and alert. Su Ling followed closely behind, with the poet and Tii disembarking in turn, their expressions solemn.
The castle’s great doors slowly swung open, and a butler dressed in a black uniform stepped forward, bowing slightly.
“Welcome to Lorian Castle, Princess. The Duke is waiting in the drawing room.”
Sista nodded and stepped into the castle.
The Grand Hall was magnificently decorated. A massive chandelier cast a soft light, and oil paintings depicting the history of the Lorian Family hung upon the walls.
She walked slowly up the marble staircase, her footsteps echoing through the empty hall.
Finally, the group arrived before the door to the Study.
The butler knocked and then pushed the door open.
“Lord Duke, Princess Sista has arrived.”
Behind the desk, Duke Alexander Lorian rose from his seat behind a desk piled high with border defense maps and the Lorian Ledger. He looked up at the newcomers.
“It has been a long time, Princess Sista.”
He smiled. “Your eyes remind me of the war hawks at the Royal Capital Training Ground twenty years ago.”
He raised a hand to signal the attendants to close the iron-bound oak door, his knuckles lightly tapping on the gilded lion-patterned carving of the desk.
“Before a dive, the hawk’s pupils are sharper than the Blood Moon.”
“The Duke should know my character,” Sista said as she sat down and crossed her legs. “I have always been one to speak plainly.”
“That suits me perfectly. Please, proceed.”
The Duke signaled with a light clap of his hands.
Sista paused for a moment of reflection before briefly recounting the story of how Moria had committed regicide and plotted to murder her.
Alexander Lorian walked to the window, turning his back to the group. His voice was low.
“Princess, I have always been loyal to the King and the Blood Clan orthodoxy. Moria’s atrocities have already plunged the Kingdom into chaos; her rule will only bring destruction.”
He turned back. “I will support you with all my strength to help you reclaim the Throne.”
He used a letter opener to poke at the candle wick, the firelight casting deep shadows in his eye sockets.
“When the tax officials begin counting the granaries and silver chests, the true war has already begun in even darker places.”
The tip of the blade suddenly stabbed into Golden Finch City on the Map.
“Moria made a fatal mistake—she thought a Holy Seal could take the place of a noble’s stomach.”
“Are you saying she is cutting military pay to fill her private treasury?”
Sista leaned forward slightly, the gold chain pendant in her hair clinking softly against the parchment.
“…Is this true?”
Her fingertips tightened, leaving shallow scratches on the tabletop.
“Lord Duke, do you mean to say she is amassing wealth in the name of war, not even hesitating to destabilize the very foundations of the Kingdom?”
The Duke turned around, the candlelight reflecting off his silver-gray braided hair.
“Precisely, Your Highness. A merchant can tolerate plunder, but they will never forgive a thief who ruins the ledgers.”
“Moria’s ambition has long since exceeded her Ability.”
“She thought she could suppress the Nobles through words alone, but she ignored our true power.”
Sista’s gaze narrowed. “Then, what is your plan?”
The Duke took a secret letter from a hidden compartment and handed it to her.
“Please look at this.”
Sista took the letter and noticed the emblem on the wax seal—the Holy White River Alliance.
She scanned the contents quickly, her expression shifting.
“This is… a joint letter from the merchants?”
The Duke nodded. “Correct. The New Tax Law has not only enraged the Nobles but also left the merchants full of grievances. The Holy White River Alliance has already made its position clear; they are willing to support you in overthrowing Moria.”
A flash of light sparkled in Sista’s eyes, but she quickly regained her composure.
“The power of merchants is certainly important, but it is still not enough to face her army. We still need more assistance.”
Outside the window, a light rain began to fall, tapping against the panes as if playing a prelude to the coming storm.
Sista looked out into the distance, the light in her eyes both complex and resolute.
She knew that this struggle of power and conviction had only just begun.