Su Ling slowly opened her eyes. The familiar gloom before her eyes felt unusually heavy today.
She sighed softly.
The memories from the latter part of last night seemed to have been swallowed by the darkness, distant and unreachable, leaving only a vague outline lingering in her heart.
All she could recall was that woman venting all her desires onto her, making her sink again and again into that strange, tingling numbness, completely unable to resist.
“Again… like this…” she murmured to herself, her voice tinged with helplessness and exhaustion.
With her eyes still closed, Su Ling’s fingers unconsciously brushed along the skin of her thigh, searching for a trace of warmth that did not belong to her.
Her fingertips lightly touched the inside of her thigh, and a subtle sensation arose, as if it were the lingering kiss of that woman from her memories, carrying an indescribable sense of aggression.
She sat up, her gaze sweeping across the cramped space, feeling a bit dazed.
[When is it now… It’s almost time to… serve Sista…]
Muttering weakly to herself, Su Ling steadied herself against the edge of the bed, slowly climbed down, and walked toward the door.
Ah, another endless day, here in this stifling Castle. But at least, her most important friends were here.
Su Ling still wanted to stay, even if it meant enduring such a humiliating and undignified status—it was still better than drifting outside with nowhere to turn.
Perhaps… it really is better this way? To be honest, even she wasn’t sure.
Su Ling gently tightened the maid uniform at her waist, making sure every fold was smoothed out.
Though this outfit was no stranger to her, each time she put it on, she couldn’t help but feel a ripple in her heart.
Today, the weather outside was beautiful. As she crossed the corridor, she saw bright sunlight pouring through the windows, golden rays filling the entire courtyard, casting a vibrant hue over the ancient Castle.
Stepping into the main hall, a blend of the scent of old wood and incense greeted her, making Su Ling unconsciously slow her pace.
Her gaze swept swiftly across the empty hall, only to catch, by chance, the figures of Karsanna and Seban.
The two stood in a corner, facing each other, apparently discussing something.
Seban’s face was serious, his eyes revealing an uncompromising sternness. The sound of Su Ling’s footsteps echoed in the vast hall, breaking the delicate balance in the air. Seban instinctively looked up, his gaze sharp as a hawk’s as it swept over her, then let out a dismissive snort.
Su Ling lowered her head slightly, doing her best to make her presence as small as possible.
In contrast, Karsanna’s reaction was much warmer. She waved gently, motioning for Su Ling to come over.
“Su Ling, good morning.” Karsanna’s voice was warm, as if greeting an old friend.
“I just got word from Her Highness Sista—she had urgent business this morning and went out early, so you don’t need to prepare breakfast for her today.”
At those words, Su Ling couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief welling up in her heart. She gave a slight bow.
A sense of comfort filled her completely.
****
— It was already late summer. The garden was still full of vitality, yet a faint trace of autumn quietly crept in. The sunlight was no longer as harsh as in midsummer, but became gentle and warm, laying a golden veil over the lush green world.
After picking up her tools from the storage room, she walked among the flowers and grasses swaying in the morning breeze. On both sides of the path, tall trees spread their thick branches and leaves, providing refreshing shade.
The wind rustled the leaves, their soft sounds mingling with the distant, occasional chirping of birds—a symphony for the end of summer.
Su Ling walked along the path, rarely coming to the garden since she was usually busy with work. Still, she was already quite familiar with the plants in the rear garden and didn’t pause to admire them.
Suddenly, her foot seemed to bump into something. Su Ling let out a startled cry and instinctively pitched forward.
She hurriedly grabbed the peach tree beside her to steady herself. Only then did she see that what she had stumbled over was the base of a statue of the Goddess.
Each of these Goddess statues was exquisitely carved, incomparably beautiful, yet there was always something unsettling about their expressions. If you stared too long, it felt as if they might awaken from the stone at any moment and step into this sea of flowers.
“You seem to really like these stone statues, don’t you?” Su Ling responded instinctively, only then realizing the voice was unfamiliar. She quickly looked around. Just then, a stranger emerged from the flowers—a woman with golden hair, striking features, and a gentle smile.
She looked to be in her early twenties. This woman seemed truly strange—not because of anything unusual about her appearance, but because her presence here, and her manner, felt out of place.
Her makeup was light, and her facial features were elegant, yet she exuded a maturity and composure that belied her age, making Su Ling instinctively feel she was no ordinary person.
Not a servant, nor did she look like a noble. Could she be an ordinary commoner? Or perhaps someone connected to the royal family? But no, this was a private royal residence—no matter how close, no merchant would be invited here.
“Why aren’t you saying anything?” The woman smiled at her.
Only then did Su Ling come to her senses, realizing the other was speaking to her.
“Ah… no, sorry, I still have work to do.” As she spoke, she tried to leave, but the woman reached out and stopped her.