That night, Sista clearly looked furious, saying so many cold words, but in the end, she didn’t drain her blood.
To be honest, Su Ling cared a lot about her. In the deep of night, she tossed and turned, then got up and opened that notebook of Sista’s she’d found in the attic before, reading line after line of its contents.
Clearly a villainous Princess of the Castle, yet she always unintentionally showed concern for her; clearly an aristocrat of the Blood Clan, yet she studied so much human history with earnestness.
What kind of person is she, really?
That night, what did she mean by, “Maybe… I’m the same”? Just as Sista had said, Su Ling still couldn’t figure out why Sista had chosen her to be a blood servant, nor why she made her a personal maid.
From her previous conversation with Bohm and the others in the library, Su Ling already had a rough understanding of the Castle Attendant Training System. Normally, every servant entering the court must undergo a multi-dimensional screening: family background investigation, personality assessment, intelligence evaluation, and so on, to ensure the trainee has basic qualities and no potential rebellious tendencies.
Only then can they cultivate a servant loyal to the Blood Clan. But she, Su Ling, a village girl from a remote area, in the original setting, she had neither received systematic education nor passed any loyalty test. If not for Sista’s obstinance, she really shouldn’t have qualified to become a maid. So why did Sista do this?
If only I could talk to her a bit more… that would be nice…* With that thought, drowsiness crept in, and the night quickly passed.
—
The next morning, in the dark and damp underground room, Su Ling curled up in bed. It was almost time to get up. She hadn’t slept well last night, her body exhausted, but her mind unusually alert, as if supported by some invisible force, making her feel even more tormented.
The air in the room was heavy and damp, as if it could be wrung into water. Faint light from the old oil lamp on the table barely illuminated the surroundings, but also cast deeper shadows.
Su Ling turned over, trying to find a more comfortable position to doze a little longer, but no matter how she tried, she couldn’t shake that uncomfortable feeling all over.
Her mind was filled with all kinds of thoughts and worries, like a herd of uncontrollable wild horses rampaging through her consciousness. She tried to drive these thoughts away, to focus on her breathing and relax, but every attempt ended in failure. Outside, the sound of rain seeped through the thick stone walls, pitter-pattering against her eardrums.
“But I hope I don’t get sleepy while working later…” Time ticked by, and Su Ling realized she really couldn’t sleep anymore, so she gave up struggling and simply sat up. She dragged her heavy steps, slowly walking toward the tightly closed wooden door.
The creak of the door hinges turning was especially shrill in the silent underground space, as if even it was complaining about the dull life here. Opening the door, a faint beam of light shone in from the end of the corridor—that long-lost brightness, and her direction forward.
On both sides of the corridor were equally dark and damp rooms, some with doors half open, revealing messy interiors; others tightly shut. Su Ling paid them no mind, her gaze locked straight ahead. As she walked, the corridor gradually grew lively. Servants bustled back and forth between rooms, some carrying trays, others shouldering heavy loads.
A new day at Hailuosen Castle had begun; everyone was getting ready for work. So, she quickened her pace, wobbling toward the kitchen.
The kitchen was one of the busiest places in this underground palace, and just where she wanted to be right now. There was not only food and warmth, but also the scent of daily life, enough to quickly invigorate her.
The moment she stepped into the kitchen, a wave of heat mixed with the aroma of food rushed over her, making her spirits lift. In the kitchen, the stove blazed, food in the iron pot bubbling enticingly, producing tempting sounds.
Amane stood at the center, directing things, while the servants worked busily and in order—some chopping vegetables, others stir-frying or cooking.
“Hey!” Just as Su Ling was immersed in the kitchen’s atmosphere, letting her thoughts drift, a sudden pat on her shoulder snapped her out of it. She spun around and saw Duli standing right beside her, a trace of reproach in her eyes.
“Su Ling, how can you be like this? Laura’s been looking for you for ages—didn’t you hear?” Duli’s voice wasn’t loud, but it carried a note of reproach. She shook her head lightly, clearly puzzled by Su Ling’s state.
“Ah… Who?” At these words, Su Ling’s heart tensed. She hurriedly stood up, anxiously searching the kitchen with her eyes. Only now did she realize she’d been too absorbed in her own world, ignoring everything around her. Just as she was about to apologize to Duli and ask about Laura, a figure suddenly appeared in her view.
“What are you looking for? I’m right here.” A stranger’s face appeared before her—a slightly plump maid, with healthy dark skin and a head of somewhat messy brown curls. Her gaze was sharp, a bit fierce, and at the moment tinged with displeasure.
“I said, I’m Laura!” Laura crossed her arms at her waist, standing in a corner of the kitchen, chin slightly raised, lips tightly pressed.
“Miss Su Ling, you don’t seem to take this job very seriously.” Laura’s voice wasn’t loud, but it had a sense of pressure that made Su Ling shiver. She knew she’d really been negligent this time.
“I’m sorry, Laura, I was distracted just now.” Su Ling quickly apologized, her voice tinged with guilt.
“I really didn’t mean to, I’ll adjust myself as soon as possible, and won’t let this happen again.” Laura stared at Su Ling for a moment, as if weighing her sincerity and resolve. In the end, she nodded slowly, her tone softening a bit:
“Let’s hope this is just a one-time thing. After all, you’re Princess Sista’s maid. If you zone out like that again, that’s truly unqualified.”
“Again, I apologize,” Su Ling gave a slight bow.
“May I ask, Miss Laura, you are…?”
“You don’t even know who I am!” Laura puffed out her chubby cheeks, speaking in an exaggerated tone, “Everyone, come listen, this little girl doesn’t even know who I am? Hmph, and I heard you have some standing among the maids, so I wanted to get to know you. But you haven’t even heard of Laura’s great name, so I suppose you’re just someone without much experience.” Su Ling froze, then took a closer look at this Laura in her maid uniform.
Is she really someone important? But if she’s so important, why is she wearing a maid uniform?*
“Oh, Su Ling only joined later, don’t bully her,” Amane put down her work, frowning, and spoke up. “Su Ling, let me introduce you—this is Princess Moria’s personal maid, one of the most experienced maids in the Castle.”