Chapter 34: Unsolved Fragments

As expected, Tii’s attitude toward her was definitely strange. Su Ling believed this wasn’t just her imagination, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on what exactly was off. Tii’s mysterious gaze and the hidden meanings in her words were like unsolved fragments of a puzzle.

Maybe she would understand someday. In any case, Tii was still a good friend.

Servants weren’t allowed to borrow books or read in the library, so since that day, Su Ling had no more chances to learn about the vampires from those books.

What’s more, the duties of a personal maid were truly demanding. From the first ray of morning sunlight that entered the palace to the last lamp extinguished at night, Su Ling had to remain constantly vigilant and attentive. That left her little time to reflect on deeper questions.

Tasks kept piling up one after another. Phil’s earlier prank had caused her to make several etiquette mistakes, drawing lots of complaints. Fortunately, didn’t Sista blame her too harshly.

Now, Su Ling was certain: Sista truly had different feelings toward her—at the very least, she was much more tolerant than toward the other servants.

Whenever Su Ling made mistakes, Sista would patiently correct her, calmly explaining what she should do.

Under Sista’s guidance, Su Ling gradually grasped court etiquette and became more adept at handling unexpected situations.

Night fell. Though the palace was brightly lit, it retained its usual silence. The long hallway was covered with soft carpets, so footsteps were almost inaudible.

Fine paintings and elaborate tapestries adorned the walls on either side of the corridor. Occasionally, a gentle breeze stirred the tapestries, making them rustle softly.

The war in the South seemed to be growing increasingly difficult. In recent days, each evening, Sista would be busy with official duties late into the night before resting.

Whenever that happened, she would ask Su Ling to bring her a cup of black coffee so she could keep working through the night.

Tonight, Su Ling carried a freshly brewed cup of bitter coffee. The rich aroma filled the still air. She moved lightly, her expression a little tense, afraid she’d spill a drop.

At the end of the corridor was Princess Sista’s study. Not wanting to keep her waiting, Su Ling quickened her pace.

But just as she was about to reach the end of the hall, a hunched figure suddenly stepped out of the shadows. Su Ling jumped in surprise. The person moved slowly forward—none other than the royal steward, Seban.

He wore a long, ink-colored robe, the fabric gleaming dully under the lights. His expression was unreadable.

Su Ling dipped into a formal curtsy. “Good evening, Lord Seban.”

But Seban didn’t respond. He walked right past her, as though she were invisible. Su Ling blinked, confused, but said nothing and kept walking.

Just as they passed each other, Seban suddenly stuck out his foot, tripping her squarely at the ankle.

Su Ling had no time to react. She lost her balance, and the coffee cup flew from her hands in an arc before crashing to the floor.

“Ah!”

She cried out, falling hard and instinctively trying to break the fall with her arms—but failed. Pain radiated through her limbs, and she winced.

That was definitely on purpose! Damn old man—how’d your leg move that fast? What are you wearing, orthopedic power boots? 😡

Coffee spilled everywhere, filling the hallway with its sharp aroma. Su Ling sat up, dazed, staring at the mess and shattered cup.

“Lord Seban, what was—?”

But Seban didn’t stop. He kept walking, not even glancing back, as if nothing had happened. Her voice echoed in the corridor with no answer.

She struggled to her feet and noticed her fingers were stinging. Looking down, she saw that one had been cut by a shard of porcelain.

With a sigh, Su Ling bandaged her wound and jogged back to the kitchen.

She quickly grabbed the manual coffee grinder, dropped in selected beans one by one, and spun the handle with practiced speed, grinding them into a fine powder.

As a proper personal maid, her injury didn’t matter—what mattered was delivering the coffee to the princess on time. She understood that now.

She wasn’t surprised Seban would pull something like that. After all, at the banquet, she had exposed his scheming right in front of the princess. Of course he’d bear a grudge. She had expected as much.

“Hang in there, Su Ling…”

Gradually, a layer of fresh coffee grounds filled the drawer beneath the grinder.

Inhaling the warm aroma, she quietly encouraged herself.

She knew she had made many enemies in the palace. Tonight’s sabotage wouldn’t be the last. But no matter what happened, she would keep her calm composure—just like that night.

At last, the coffee was ready. Su Ling ran back toward the princess’s study.

“You’re slow.”

The door opened to Sista’s usual grumbling.

“I’m sorry,” Su Ling quickly apologized.

Inside, the room was brightly lit, the desk piled with documents and scrolls.

Sista sat behind the desk, focused on her reading. Occasionally she looked out the window, her eyes filled with deep concern. Su Ling knew the tension in the South was weighing heavily on her.

Steam curled upward from the coffee cup, filling the air with its rich fragrance.

Su Ling felt the heat from the cup on her fingertips as she bowed and respectfully presented it. “Your Highness, here is your coffee.”

Sista took it, sipped gently, and frowned—it was clearly too bitter. But even so, she always requested the strongest black coffee.

“The temperature’s good today. Keep it that way.”

Hearing the praise warmed Su Ling’s heart. But then her eyes drifted to her injured finger.

To her shock, she noticed the cut was still bleeding—tiny droplets had fallen directly onto one of the princess’s documents.

She froze.

Frantically, she grabbed her apron to wipe the blood, but it was too late. The red had already soaked into the paper.

Sista, still sipping coffee, noticed the wound. “What happened to your hand?”

Su Ling blinked, then quickly replied, “It’s nothing, I accidentally cut it while grinding the coffee. I’m so sorry—I stained your paperwork…”

“Forget it. This isn’t the first time you’ve made a mess,” Sista said with a slight frown. “Hand. Give it here.”

“Eh?”

Before Su Ling could react, the cold-faced, black-haired girl opened her red lips and gently took Su Ling’s fingertip into her mouth.