Bohm’s eyes were slightly red, but she forced a smile. “S-sorry… I just got a little emotional. I can’t let them down. I’ll work even harder from now on…”
“Tii patted Bohm gently on the back and said, “You’re already working so hard. They’d all be proud of you.”
Bohm blushed faintly and gave a cautious nod.
“By the way, Su Ling—what about you?” Tii suddenly turned her head. “Did your family… write anything to you?”
Family?
Su Ling froze for a moment before realizing that Tii was talking to her.
Home… family—where was her home? In this unfamiliar world, did she even have one?
Earlier, when Phil and the others had been chatting about their families, Su Ling had already felt a faint loneliness. Watching their happy expressions made her feel oddly distant from them.
She was an outsider—a visitor from another world. Even if there was technically a place in this land she could call “home,” she had no memory of it.
What’s more, the so-called “family” she did know—the old village chief in a northern mountain village of Ansels—had once sold his adopted daughter as a blood slave just to reduce the village’s taxes.
She couldn’t imagine what kind of “bond” could exist between them.
Ever since she had been rescued by Sista and became a palace maid, a few months had passed.
Perhaps because her status had improved, someone must have notified the old chief about her current situation. As a result, among the letters brought by the merchant caravan this time, one had unexpectedly come from her “father.”
“Ah… my family…” Su Ling’s expression turned slightly awkward.
“What’s wrong?” Bohm asked, concerned.
Everyone turned their attention toward Su Ling, who was sitting in a corner. Feeling their gazes, her face shifted slightly. She clutched the envelope tightly in her hand—but couldn’t summon the courage to open it.
Phil couldn’t hold it in any longer. She puffed up her cheeks and complained, “Su Ling, we all shared ours with you. Why won’t you say anything?”
As she spoke, she reached out to grab the letter from Su Ling’s hand.
But just as she was about to touch the envelope, Tii suddenly intervened. She gently held Phil’s hand and spoke in a calm voice:
“Phil, don’t do that.”
“Why not?”
Tii’s brows furrowed slightly as she looked at Phil with a helpless expression.
She shook her head gently. “I mean… if Su Ling doesn’t want to share, we shouldn’t force her.”
Phil looked even more annoyed. She raised her voice. “Respect? Are you saying I’m not respecting Su Ling? I just wanted to know her better—what business is it of yours?”
Tii’s expression stiffened. She lowered her eyes to avoid Phil’s sharp gaze.
“Phil, that’s not what I meant…”
“If she didn’t want to share, she should’ve said so earlier. She’s been silent this whole time—everyone’s been waiting!”
“But that doesn’t mean—”
“Enough already! Tii, this is exactly what I can’t stand about you. Always acting so gentle, pretending to understand everyone—so fake.”
“I’m not being fake.”
Phil stared at Tii as if trying to pierce through to her true thoughts. But Tii simply kept her head down, saying nothing.
The mood turned tense.
Su Ling felt uncomfortable. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.
No… this couldn’t go on. Another fight was going to break out. She didn’t want to see that happen.
She had to change the subject.
“I…” Su Ling finally spoke, her voice trembling slightly. “Actually… I don’t really want to open this letter.”
Though her voice was quiet, it echoed clearly in the silent kitchen.
“This letter… is from my father. We’ve never had a good relationship. He rarely wrote to me, and I rarely replied.”
As she spoke, she slowly opened the envelope.
RandomContentGeneratorForWordPress“Best wishes. Su Ling, I heard you were chosen by the princess to serve as a maid. I’m truly happy for you. Who would’ve thought that a poor village chief’s daughter like you would serve the noble bloodkin—what an honor that is.”
RandomContentGeneratorForWordPress“But the more I thought about it, the more uneasy I became. Sure enough, just days later, a knight from Carrot came to me. He said the only reason they reduced the village’s tax was because you were to be sent as a blood slave. Now that you’re not fulfilling that deal, they’re demanding I provide a replacement.”
Her voice lowered. The air around them felt like it had frozen.
Phil and the others leaned closer, whispering to one another, trying to read Su Ling’s expression.
“What else does it say?” Phil asked curiously.
Su Ling glanced at her, a complex look in her eyes.
“He said he had no other choice. So he found Yas—my older brother. Originally, he was supposed to stay and take over as village chief when our father passed, but now… he’s been sent off as a blood slave instead.”
“No way…” Tii gasped.
Bohm, however, shook her head and said gently, “It’s alright, Su Ling. B-becoming a blood slave is… it’s considered a noble duty among humans. Your brother will be respected for it.”
“Well… I’m scared of dying too, but isn’t it kind of nice to be able to sacrifice yourself for the bloodkin?” Karsanna muttered as she finished off her last pancake with a yawn.
Su Ling said nothing. She only lowered her head, gripping the letter tightly. At that moment, Tii stepped forward and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
“Su Ling… don’t be too sad. This isn’t your fault.”
Su Ling nodded, taking a deep breath, trying to calm herself.
She had no memories of this so-called father, and the “brother” mentioned in the letter was a complete stranger. They were nothing more than two unrelated people—yet somehow, this letter weighed heavily on her heart.
“So boring! Who hasn’t read theirs yet? Tii—is it you?” Karsanna shouted after licking the last crumbs from her fingers. Everyone turned to look at Tii.
“Well, since everyone’s shared, I guess I’ll read mine too,” she said softly.
Tii reached into her pocket and took out a neatly folded letter. She slowly unfolded it.
Just as she was about to speak, her gaze drifted sideways—landing on Su Ling beside her—and she subtly shifted a little farther away.