At the doorway, the black-haired girl wore an icy expression, her eyes brimming with suppressed anger.
Her brows were tightly furrowed, lips pressed into a straight line, and the delicate bangs on her forehead quivered gently with her quickened breaths.
Beneath her long dress, her fists were clenched so tightly that her knuckles had turned pale.
“This is something I should be asking you,” Sista said in a steady voice, walking step by step toward Moria. “Without my permission, you snatched away my personal maid halfway, and even had some random Blood Slave bring me breakfast—what business do you have with Su Ling?”
Moria placed a hand to her lips, arching her mouth into a feigned smile, while her other hand rested on Su Ling’s shoulder.
Su Ling instantly felt a chill down her back, shivering as if a venomous snake were crawling across her skin.
“It was merely a friendly exchange, wasn’t it? Su Ling?” She rolled her eyes toward Su Ling. “We had such a pleasant conversation in the garden last time, so I specially wanted to chat with her a bit more.”
“Garden…?”
Sista raised an eyebrow, repeating the word, her gaze sharp as a blade as she looked at Su Ling, as if questioning: When did you go to the garden with her? Why didn’t I know?
“Yes, in the garden,” Moria seemed to have achieved her desired effect, growing more spirited as she spoke. “As expected of my little sister, you have such a unique eye for people. Even your maids are so refined, and just talking to them makes one want to get closer. We chatted for a long time that day, and Su Ling seemed to enjoy it as well. Since I happened to be free this morning, I called her over.”
“I don’t recall there being any rule in the Court about stealing someone else’s maid at will. Su Ling is mine.” Sista snorted coldly.
“Ah, my apologies, I was being presumptuous. Are you angry, little sister?” Moria’s smile remained, though to Su Ling it seemed laced with mockery. “I thought she was just a lowly servant—an insignificant human without any status. Surely you wouldn’t mind such a trivial matter… Seems I was mistaken.”
“Return her to me.”
“Ahahaha,” watching Sista grow anxious, Moria leisurely released Su Ling. “To think even a disposable of the Court could be so treasured by you~ It seems you really are an outstanding member of the Blood Clan, little sister. So full of compassion for every being.”
“Moria, I don’t want to waste words with you!” Sista glared fiercely at her, striding straight up to Moria and grabbing Su Ling’s arm with such force that Su Ling nearly stumbled.
“Do as you please with the other servants—play with them, kill them, I don’t care,” she said, lifting her chin to look up at Moria, who was half a head taller. Their crimson eyes met, and it felt as if sparks might fly at any moment. “But her, she’s my only request of you. Don’t touch Su Ling.”
“You actually say ‘request’ to me,” Moria’s eyes narrowed slightly. “My dear little sister, just like Seban said, you really haven’t changed at all since you were a child. It reminds me of you playing with puppies in the garden…”
“I have no interest in chatting with you. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be leaving.”
Sista had no intention of responding further. With a cold face, she dropped that final line, then pulled Su Ling away without a backward glance, leaving the tea room behind.
“Ah…”
Before Su Ling could even look back, she was already being dragged into the corridor.
Their footsteps echoed in the hallway, Su Ling hurrying to keep up with Sista.
Her wrist ached from Sista’s grip, who clearly hadn’t considered her feelings, just forcefully tugging her along, fingers digging deep into her skin.
Why is she holding so tightly? As if she’s afraid I’ll run away…
Even if I wanted to run, I have nowhere to go… Su Ling murmured quietly in her heart.
Though the pain still radiated from her arm, somehow, she didn’t entirely dislike the strength in that grip.
Sista didn’t speak, nor did she look at Su Ling.
They crossed the corridor, descended the stairs, and finally returned to a place Su Ling knew well—Sista’s own bedroom.
Inside, the familiar lilac diamond-patterned carpet and the bedspread embroidered with roses allowed Su Ling’s anxious heart to settle just a little.
Sista finally let go of her hand, leaving a red mark on her fair skin.
There was no one else around, no other servants cleaning nearby.
The room was unusually quiet, making their breathing stand out all the more.
Sista stood in the center of the room, her figure wrapped gently in soft light.
Perhaps because she’d walked too quickly, her smooth black hair was a bit disheveled, a few loose strands clinging to her cheek, but she made no move to brush them aside.
“Your Highness.” Su Ling tried to call out to her.
Sista lifted her head slightly, looking at Su Ling.
The eyes beneath her thick lashes were much softer than before.
“Your Highness, it was my failure today—I didn’t manage to bring your breakfast,” Su Ling whispered. “Did you… have breakfast yet?”
“I’m not in the mood.”
She sighed softly, turning to sit at the gilded vanity, gazing at Su Ling through the mirror.
That round mirror was like a picture frame, enclosing Su Ling’s reflection, but Sista herself was nowhere to be seen.
The Blood Clan of Ansels, just as legend said, could not see their own reflection in a mirror.
“I’m sorry, it’s all my fault.”
“It’s not your fault. Servants can’t disobey the Blood Clan, I know that much.” Sista looked at Su Ling’s reflection, her tone calm. “Now, take off your clothes.”
“Uh… huh?”
Wait, wait, why is she asking me to do this all of a sudden? Is she going to drink my blood because she missed breakfast? No, that’s too abrupt! I’m not prepared at all!
Su Ling’s mind couldn’t keep up at all.
“Hurry. Up.” Sista enunciated each word. “I need to check whether Moria touched you.”
“She didn’t! I swear—no, I take a Blood Oath!”
So that’s what she’s worried about! Su Ling panicked, waving her hands frantically in denial.
“Why are you denying it so fast? Feeling guilty?” Sista frowned, suspicion growing in her eyes.
“No such thing!”
“Then hurry and do as I say.”
Fine, she knew she couldn’t refuse.
Even though Sista had seen her body many times before, every time she had to do this, Su Ling still felt an indescribable shyness rise up inside her—her body as a girl, exposed completely to another girl.
Clearly, as a girl herself, she shouldn’t have those kinds of feelings toward another girl, so why did she feel this way…
She untied her hair ribbon, neatly folding her long dress and belt to the side, then hesitantly walked toward Sista, silently accepting those eyes as they examined her body up and down.