Su Ling stood in a corner of the kitchen, the morning light streaming through the window lattice and falling upon her slightly confused face.
Why did Tii suddenly say something like that to me?
Tii’s words kept echoing in Su Ling’s mind, as she chewed them over again and again, trying to catch a clue from them.
Actually, from very early on, I’ve vaguely felt that Tii is different from the other maids, but I’ve never been able to say exactly where that difference lies.
But now, this doubt had been answered, if only a little.
Even though she, like the others, was trained at Anxing Academy, Tii rarely expressed her own opinions, but she never showed the same fanaticism for the Blood Clan as the other servants.
Just as Su Ling’s thoughts were immersed in these complicated musings, a burst of hurried footsteps interrupted her reverie.
Chef Amane, holding a damp cloth in her hand, hurried over from the direction of the stove.
“Su Ling, what are you dawdling here for? Her Highness Sista’s breakfast is already ready, you can’t keep her waiting.”
Amane’s words were like a warning bell, instantly pulling Su Ling back to reality.
She realized she really didn’t have any extra time to dwell on Tii’s words.
Ever since Moria returned, Sista had stopped eating breakfast in the main hall for some reason, and instead had Su Ling deliver it to her bedroom.
So, every morning, Su Ling had gained a new task—delivering breakfast.
She nodded to Amane, indicating she was ready, then picked up a Bone China Coffee Cup, carefully pouring the coffee into the cup.
The dark liquid swirled inside, raising layers of delicate foam.
Next, she turned to the warm stove, where a pot of oatmeal porridge was simmering.
She picked up a large silver spoon and gently stirred the porridge, making sure every oat had thoroughly absorbed the essence of the broth.
Then she poured the oatmeal into a bowl, filling it to the brim but not overflowing.
“Coffee, oatmeal, and fruit compote…”
She checked off each item as she placed the breakfast onto the tray, but did not hurry to leave.
Instead, she reached out and gently touched the rim of the bowl.
The temperature at her fingertips was just right—not too hot, not too cool—the exact temperature Sista preferred.
She nodded in satisfaction.
“Very good, I’m already a qualified maid now!”
At this moment, the summer heat had quietly faded away.
In the garden outside the window, the leaves on the trees swayed gently in the wind, and now and then came the crisp sound of birdsong, bringing with it a hint of coolness.
Su Ling held the tray loaded with the exquisite breakfast steadily in both hands, her steps light as she made her way through the castle’s narrow corridors.
Portraits of generations of the family hung on both sides, and a faint light filtered in through the tall, narrow windows.
She brushed past various servants in the Castle, heading towards Sista’s room.
As she slowly ascended the stairs, her light footsteps echoed in the stairwell.
The handrails on either side had been polished by the years until they shone like jade.
Just as she was about to reach the landing, ready to turn the corner and continue forward, a sudden figure blocked her way.
The figure was small, a boy Su Ling had never seen before.
He wore clothes similar to those of the castle servants, but his face bore an expression that did not seem to belong here.
The boy stood there, seemingly completely unaware of Su Ling’s approach.
“Um, could you please let me through?” Su Ling tried to remain polite and gentle, speaking softly to the boy.
But the boy seemed lost in his own world and gave no response at all.
That’s strange… is he new and unfamiliar with the castle rules?
She patiently repeated herself: “Could you let me by, please? I need to deliver breakfast.”
This time, she deliberately put more emphasis in her tone, hoping to draw his attention.
However, to Su Ling’s surprise, the boy still did not move, only staring at her with those empty eyes, as if he had neither heard her request nor seen the tray in her hands.
This little boy is really odd. Why isn’t he moving at all?
“I am a court maid, and I need to deliver breakfast to Her Highness the Princess. This is a very important and urgent matter. Please understand and make way, all right?” With no other choice, Su Ling had to try again.
The little boy still just stood there quietly, those eyes seeming to lose their focus, staring straight at Su Ling.
After a long while, he spoke in a voice that sounded both mechanical and hollow: “Her Highness the Princess is looking for you.”
“I know! So could you please let me through?” Su Ling was getting impatient.
Summer was already over, and if the breakfast in her hands went cold, she’d surely be scolded by Sista again.
“I am going to Her Highness the Princess right now!”
“Her Highness the Princess is here,” the boy spoke again.
“Eh?”
Su Ling froze.
What does he mean? Sista is here?
Just as Su Ling stood there, struggling to make sense of the boy’s words, a sudden, cloying sweetness wafted through the air, breaking her train of thought.
The scent was so strong it was almost dizzying.
Su Ling looked up and saw another figure slowly emerge from behind a pillar on the side of the stairs.
As she drew closer, the sweet scent grew even stronger.
“Princess Moria…” Su Ling blurted out the name instinctively.
“Ah, it’s you. What a coincidence, I was just looking for you too.”
Moria’s golden curls were done up in a bun, and she wore a gorgeous gown, the hem glittering with pearls and jewels.
Her face was wreathed in a smile as she stepped out of the shadows and approached Su Ling.
“What are you off to do?” Princess Moria’s voice was gentle and pleasant.
Su Ling quickly bowed and answered respectfully, “Your Highness, I am going to deliver breakfast to Her Highness Sista.”
There was a hint of barely perceptible nervousness in her tone.
Moria actually came looking for me?
I can’t help but feel a little uneasy…
However, Princess Moria seemed in no hurry to let her go.
She smiled slightly.
“Oh? Delivering breakfast to Sista? That really is an important task. But Su Ling, would you be willing to come with me for a moment? There are some things I want to discuss with you.”
“But…”
Su Ling felt troubled upon hearing this.
She lowered her head to look at the tray in her hands.
She knew she shouldn’t leave, but faced with the Princess’s invitation, she didn’t dare refuse lightly.
“Are you worried about your duties?” Moria seemed to see right through her.
She gave a soft laugh and pointed with her chin at the little boy standing by, “It’s fine, just let him deliver the breakfast for you. He’s a new blood thrall I found, and although he’s just something to be used and thrown away, it shouldn’t be a problem to have him deliver some breakfast. You can come with me without worry.”
“Your Highness, I—I…”
At this, Su Ling couldn’t help but feel a surge of caution.
She looked up at Princess Moria, then back at the little boy, her heart full of suspicion.
“Ah, so you don’t want to?” Moria put away her smile and showed a disappointed expression.
“I’m sorry, I must have made things difficult for you. If you don’t want to, that’s fine. But as a servant, if you go against the orders of a Blood Clan Princess, I’m afraid everyone will be very upset.”