“Boom!!”
Lia’s scythe swept out, the blood-red blade aura as fast as lightning, slashing straight ahead.
Sefina reacted quickly, pulling Lin Shu aside in a flash. The dressing table where they had just been sitting was split into pieces in the blink of an eye.
“?!” Lia snapped out of it, looking at her own hand in astonishment.
She had lashed out by instinct, not considering that Lin Shu was also within her attack range.
Lin Shu glanced at the wreckage of the dressing table, her gaze toward Lia even more resolute.
“I…” Lia opened her mouth, wanting to apologize, but her pride wouldn’t let her make a sound.
No… it wasn’t her fault!
Right, even if Lin Shu was hurt, she could heal her once she regained her healing arts. Yes, that’s it.
“What’s going on here?”
A woman’s voice came from the doorway.
A middle-aged woman with a stern face appeared at the door. She had the same purple hair as Sefina, and her eyes were a dark red.
Lin Shu recognized her—she was the head of the Drago family, and Sefina’s aunt—Sian.
Clearly, the loud noise just now had startled the family head.
Behind her was a group of maids. Seeing the three locked in confrontation, their faces filled with surprise.
“Miss Lia, what are you doing here?”
Noble etiquette reminded Lia she couldn’t lose control here.
Lia suppressed her anger. “Head Sian, your Drago family has produced a bandit.”
“From this day forward, I will never accept any cooperation with your family again!”
With that declaration, Lia leaped backward, jumping out of the castle, her figure vanishing into the night.
Sian composed herself, turning to Sefina and Lin Shu, her face dark:
“Sefina, I think you owe me an explanation as to why Miss Lia’s familiar is here.”
“Before that, let’s go change our clothes first.” Sefina naturally pulled Lin Shu along.
Lin Shu gave Sian a polite bow, then followed Sefina away.
*****
A short while later, the three sat around the sofa in the bedroom.
Sian sat with a stern face, her posture upright, exuding the dignity of a family head.
Sefina, on the other hand, lounged casually on the sofa, unconcerned about the interrogation to come.
Lin Shu had changed into a simple dress, quietly standing behind Sefina.
“Ah~ I’ve explained so many times already. She’s not Lia’s familiar anymore, she’s mine now, you know?”
Sefina twirled a lock of hair by her cheek as she spoke.
Sian saw the mark on Lin Shu’s forehead and frowned, reprimanding sharply:
“You know full well that the Teppes are our most important protector and partner. Why would you do something like this?”
“Lia is clearly the next heir to her family. But you—you just had to provoke her!”
Her knuckles rapped heavily on the table, emphasizing the gravity of the situation:
“With her personality, she’ll definitely cut off all cooperation. The future hopes of our family might be ruined by you!”
Sefina suddenly put away her nonchalant look and sat up straight. “It’s exactly because we’ve pinned our hopes on them for so long that our family can’t lift its head.”
“It’s been so many years. Can’t we ever become truly independent? Must we always grovel and bow?”
Lin Shu stood silently behind, listening, and suddenly remembered something important.
Sefina’s Wish Value!
She recalled seeing on the system that Sefina’s wish was—“To revive the Drago family.”
She had thought that, given Sefina’s carefree nature, she wouldn’t really care about the family’s business.
But now it seemed she hadn’t understood deeply enough.
As she pondered, Sefina had already come to her side. “Right, I just remembered today—my personal maid’s position has been vacant all this time.”
She reached out and naturally wrapped her arms around Lin Shu’s neck. “How about letting my little cutie be my personal maid~?”
Eh?
She’d just blurted that out just now…
“A familiar is for battle, how could you make one your personal maid!” Sian objected sternly.
“It’s fine—she’s lived in a vampire family, so she knows all the rules of daily life.”
Personal maid…
Being suddenly pushed into such an intimate position, Lin Shu felt a little awkward.
But maybe this was also a chance to get to know Sefina better, and quickly rack up wish value?
With that thought, Lin Shu bowed respectfully and said:
“Head of the house, when I was with the Teppes family, I did assist with some maid work.”
“If I could serve as Miss Sefina’s personal maid, I would be deeply honored, and I will not let you down.”
“I’m so happy, little cutie!” Sefina leaned her face in, almost touching Lin Shu’s cheek.
Ugh, too close!
Sian stared at Lin Shu for a long time.
“I’ll give you only three days. If you can truly do the job, you may stay. If not, you’ll go serve as a slave.”
“But if you do anything against our interests, I will execute you on the spot!”
A severe light flashed in her dark red eyes.
Lin Shu knew that being allowed to serve as the family miss’s personal maid as an outsider was already a sign of leniency.
She bowed. “Yes, I understand.”\
*****
Lia returned to the manor, dismounted, and strode straight through the castle hall.
“Welcome back, Miss.” The butler in a black tailcoat placed his hand on his chest and greeted her.
He sensed the young lady’s terrible mood.
She had clearly achieved her goal and gotten the Demon Flower, so why was her expression so grim?
And, the human familiar who was always by her side—Lin Shu—was nowhere to be seen.
“Send word! From this moment, cut off all funding to the Drago family!”
Lia’s voice was sharp. “Also, spread the word—no other partners are to offer the Drago family any help. Anyone who does will be treated the same!”
“Has something happened, Miss?” The butler was puzzled.
Was she really going to sever ties with the Drago family? Even ostracize them from the entire social circle?
“Enough talk! Do as I say!” Lia didn’t want to explain. Her eyes were even starting to redden.
“As you wish.” The butler said no more, quietly withdrawing.
She wanted to make Lin Shu regret it, to make her see that she and her family were Lin Shu’s true home.
Lia strode through the corridor. The maids standing at the sides hurriedly bowed and stepped back—no one dared cross the path of the furious young miss.
She returned to her room and slammed the door shut with a loud “bang”.
The room was eerily quiet. Lia suddenly felt as if something was missing…
Whenever she returned before, there was always someone to take her battle attire at just the right moment, staying with her until she rested.
Those familiar routines now felt especially awkward and jarring in Lin Shu’s absence.
“Why! Why?!”
Lia shouted in rage, smashing the wine glass on the table. The piercing sound of shattering glass echoed through the room.
So what if she ignored her? So what if she didn’t value her? Why did she have to leave!
Lia braced herself against the table, lowering her head. Her golden hair fell down, hiding her face in shadow.
She clenched her fists tightly, tears welling up in her eyes, her heart crowded with sadness and anger.
“You’ll come back. I’ll make you kneel and admit your mistake. And then…”
Moonlight spilled over Lia, casting a lonely shadow on the floor.