Early in the morning, Wensa hurried to get ready to leave this place.
But something was missing—her dagger had vanished.
“Click.”
The door to the room suddenly swung open, putting Wensa on high alert again.
“You look much better than yesterday. You must have rested well last night.”
The strange woman from last night appeared at the doorway with a tray of food.
Her attire remained unchanged—still tightly wrapped, revealing only a pair of snowy eyes.
Wensa didn’t reply.
The moment she remembered what she had done last night, a blush crept up her cheeks and she awkwardly turned her head away.
The woman seemed to notice something amiss and tilted her head in curiosity, asking, “What’s wrong?”
“None of your business.”
She didn’t say anything more.
Setting the meal down on the bedside table, she said, “Eat, then leave as soon as you can. I’ve hired a Dragon Carriage driver outside to take you safely out of the city.”
“…Why?”
“What do you mean, why?”
“Why are you helping me so much? We’re complete strangers.”
The woman fell silent, then answered with the same words as last night: “Because you remind me of an old friend—both of you have the same weary look toward the world. That’s all.”
As she spoke, she placed a long white robe on the bed.
“Wear this when you leave. It’ll hide your ears and horns… and your tail too.”
Wensa draped the robe over her shoulders and stuffed all the food from the tray into her pockets.
“My knife—where did you put it?”
The woman turned to her, her gaze probing as she asked, “If you want your knife, first tell me—what do you intend to do with it?”
“Kill someone.”
The brows under her veil seemed to knit together—she clearly hadn’t expected such a blunt answer.
If only Wensa had said the dagger was for self-defense, she would have returned it without hesitation. But those two simple words—kill someone—sparked a deep aversion in her.
“Kill? Who?”
“The Princess’s newlywed husband.”
The woman’s eyes widened in shock and she unconsciously took a step back.
Wensa spoke so casually, as if it were nothing more than an insignificant matter.
But such an act would undoubtedly cost her her life.
“Then forget about your knife. I can’t let you hurt more people.”
With that, she turned, preparing to leave the room at once.
But after just two steps, a sharp pain shot through the back of her neck.
Before she could turn around, a cold voice sounded right beside her ear.
“Give me the knife, or I’ll slice your throat with my claws right now!”
The woman’s voice wavered in disbelief, “I saved your life, and this is how you treat me?”
“So what if I do? I’m no saint.”
For the sake of her Clan Leader, she was willing to use any despicable means.
She didn’t fear falling into hell for it.
With such deep resentment, she knew she’d become a Grudge Spirit and cling to Mo Zhi after death.
Even if it was more painful than hell itself, she didn’t care.
“You… incorrigible!”
Wensa didn’t want to hear another word.
Her claws pressed deeper into the woman’s neck.
“This is your last chance—give me the knife.”
The woman fell silent for a moment, then let out a sigh.
“It’s under your bed.”
Wensa’s eyes flicked toward the bed, warily pulling away from the woman as she moved.
She knelt down and fumbled under the bed for a while.
Sure enough, she felt something hard.
She pulled out the dagger and tucked it into her waistband, eyes never leaving the woman as she stealthily edged toward the window.
Only when she heard the window open behind her did the woman turn around—by then, the person behind her had already vanished.
“…Seeking death.”
***
After Wensa left, the woman carefully picked up the snowy flower sitting on the windowsill and headed downstairs.
The moment she stepped outside, five or six Guards who had been waiting rushed over to surround her.
“Lord Lehti, are you alright?” the lead Guard asked in a low voice.
“…How many times have I told you not to follow me without permission?”
“This is the Saint Lord’s order. Please forgive us.”
“Brother…”
She looked up at the street.
A Dragon Carriage waited nearby.
The window curtain of its canopy was drawn back a crack, a pair of sharp eyes peering out in her direction, clearly watching her closely.
The woman’s brows creased, and she stormed over to the Dragon Carriage in a huff.
“Bang!”
She flung the curtain aside and saw a Silver-haired Middle-aged Man sitting inside the canopy.
His features were handsome and sharp as a sword, exuding a chilling air of authority.
If he were a bit younger, he’d surely be considered a strikingly cold beauty.
“Brother! How many times have I told you not to have people follow me!”
“…Get in first, we’ll talk inside.”
His deep voice rumbled out.
The woman hesitated for a moment out of spite, then stomped into the carriage and drew the curtain shut behind her.
She sat across from the man, arms crossed, looking for all the world like a sulky young lady.
Seeing her like this, the handsome man could only sigh and say with helpless resignation, “Hurry up and take that gauze off your face. People will laugh at you if they see you like that.”
“I’m not taking it off.”
Perhaps used to her stubbornness, the man simply went along with her.
“Fine, keep it on if you don’t mind the heat.”
She puffed up her cheeks and said nothing, looking determined to keep wearing the veil.
“How many times has this Prince told you—not to go out without permission, not to go out without permission—yet you never listen! Don’t forget who you are—you’re a Saint! What if you get targeted by evildoers?”
“I can handle it!”
“With those Purification Magic and Nocturne of Restoration spells that can’t even harm anyone? I bet you’re just hoping your opponents go easy on you!”
The man sighed again.
“Tell me, who did you bring into that inn?”
“I’m not telling you.”
“Even if you don’t tell this Prince, I already know. You actually picked up a Cat-demon! You’re out of control!!”
He jabbed a finger at her nose in fury.
“Do you have any idea what Cat-demons have done? And this one is wanted by the Guards! What do you think the Princess will make of us if she finds out? Do you really believe every Cat-demon is like your teacher…”
“Enough!!”
His words seemed to have struck a nerve.
The woman’s body trembled, and she hugged the snowy flower pot even tighter.
“Enough… Don’t mention her…”
She lowered her head, burying her face in the clustered blooms.
A clear, sparkling teardrop slid down a petal onto the soil.
The man fell silent for a moment, sighing once more in his heart.
“Stay home for today. Tomorrow, you’ll be able to go out openly.”
Go out openly?
She could go out openly tomorrow, but after that she’d be locked up in the Castle again.
For over a century, she’d finally managed to leave the Snow Mountain, and now she was going to be confined once more.
Sensing the thoughts in her eyes, the man immediately added, “Don’t get any funny ideas. This Prince will assign more people to keep a close watch on you these days.”
“Brother!”
The woman protested, but suddenly seemed to remember something.
She quickly wiped her eyes and blurted out, “Brother, be careful three days from now at the wedding. Someone wants to kill you!”
“Who?”
“That Cat-demon.”
“…You really are this Prince’s good little sister, Sehiro… Saving someone who wants to kill your own brother.”
“Don’t worry about it. This Prince will take care of it.”