Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Maiden and the Couple

The commercial capital, Cuenca.
Situated at the heart of the continent.
At the border between the Lan Ye Empire and the Aus Empire.
Among the countless commercial city-states standing as buffers, it was the largest.
It served as the capital of the Commercial Federation and was also home to the headquarters of several massive merchant guilds spread across the continent, including the illustrious Flashgold Guild.

Beneath this city, deep underground, thousands of meters below—beyond even the reach of the most burrowing rats—there stood a vast palace.

Within one of the rooms in this palace sat a young girl with short chestnut hair.

She perched on a chair slightly too large for her, swiftly dividing the powders before her with her hands.

The powders were finely ground spices and seasonings, each with its own hue and scent.

Yet, with her pale hands alone, aided only by a ruler and a spoon, she meticulously portioned each powder with precision. She disdainfully ignored scales or measuring vessels, relying solely on her hands to faithfully recreate the flavor of a drink she had only tasted in small sips.

When all the powders were carefully measured, the girl delicately transferred them into transparent glass test tubes before adding clear water.

She shook the mixture vigorously.

The once clear water instantly transformed into a familiar deep brown.

But the girl did not stop there. She reached for a small glass bottle on the table, containing a white powder.

With exactness, she poured the white powder onto a sheet of white paper, then folded the paper to pour all the powder into the test tube.

Sealing the test tube with a stopper, she shook it once again with great force.

The white powder dissolved in the water, instantly producing a frothy white foam that swelled so much it seemed it might even pop the stopper out.

Yet, the girl paid no mind to this risk. She shook the tube energetically and then waited patiently for the foam to slowly disperse and vanish.

After completing this, she reached out and gently rang a small bell on the table.

The door to the room soon opened, revealing a servant dressed in black and white who bowed respectfully to the girl. “Your Highness, what are your orders?”

The girl picked up the test tube containing the deep brown liquid, gently shaking it while holding out a slip of paper with her other hand.

“Deliver this to Mother.”

The servant nodded, took the test tube from her hand, then left, closing the door behind him.

He also turned off the room’s lights.

The room was plunged into total darkness.

Although it was well past bedtime, the girl remained seated upright at the table. Even without seeing anything, she could accurately clean up the remaining powders on the table, finally bundling them into a small paper packet and tossing it into the nearby waste bin.

In the darkness, the girl parted her lips and emitted a sound no one else could hear.

She was simulating the sensation of speaking, lightly vibrating her vocal cords, unwilling to lose the ability to vocalize forever.

Yet she produced no sound audible to others.

She whispered:
“This person is truly interesting.”
“I really want to see him.”
“So his name is Xichen.”
“The prince of that empire after all.”
“How fascinating.”
“So fascinating.”
“I truly hope that one day I can see him.”
“Or perhaps that day is not too far away.”
...
...

Elsewhere in the palace, Stella walked calmly along a long corridor, holding the small test tube in her hand.

“I request an audience with the family head,” she said quietly as she stopped outside a door.

“Come in,” an elderly voice coughed from within.

Stella pushed open the door and entered.

An old man sat on a chair inside.

His hair was nearly all gone, his teeth few and far between, his face marked with age spots that spoke of decay. He looked as if he might die at any moment.

Yet as long as he lived, no one dared truly underestimate him.

For he was the sole family head.

A truly formidable and insurmountable presence.

“Chris has succeeded, hasn’t she?” the old man rasped, gazing at Stella’s purple eyes.

“Thanks to your support, family head, Chris has succeeded,” Stella replied softly.

“You see, you once worried much about Chris. But now she grows stronger and stronger, doesn’t she? Trust me, you and Noct are the most outstanding members of the family. Your union represents our clan’s hope,” the old man murmured, his voice both comforting and subtly coaxing. “Your first child was just an accident. Look, Chris has become the family’s finest child.”

“But she still can’t speak,” Stella said in a low voice, defending her daughter. “She was very slow when she was born, only gradually improving as she grew. But even now, her silence worries me.”

“Great talents often bloom late. It’s a fate many geniuses share. I have decided—Chris shall be named the family heir after you and Noct,” the old man said with a smile.

“Thank you for your great kindness, family head,” Stella said, kneeling respectfully.

“Rise,” the old man lifted his hand, gently raising Stella as if she weighed nothing.

“The world will eventually be yours. This old body of mine is nearly worn out. I won’t have much time left. When that day comes, the family’s continuation and prosperity will depend on you.”

He smiled, full of an old man’s love and care.

...
...

Stella left the room in silence, where Noct awaited his wife nearby.

“What did the family head say?” he asked eagerly.

Stella raised her head and looked at Noct, gently shaking her head.

Noct understood instantly. The two of them became close in an instant, half-embracing, laughing and chatting as they left the spot and made their way to their bedroom.

Once inside and the door closed behind them, they instinctively separated their bodies.

“The family head intends to name Tina as heir,” Stella simply said, looking at her husband.

“Even though Tina still cannot speak?” Noct asked gravely.

“But Tina has already demonstrated the power inherent in our bloodline, even surpassing you and me,” Stella whispered.

“It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have let Tina learn those things,” Noct blamed himself. “I just didn’t want her to be abandoned by the family. But how could I have imagined Tina would be so gifted...”

“No!” Noct suddenly cut off his own words with resolute firmness.

“I must find that person!”

“Have you made up your mind?” Stella looked at her husband, surprise evident in her expression.

“We must sever the family’s tragedy, even if it costs us everything,” Noct said with calm determination. “Besides, isn’t this something we’ve long been prepared for?”

Stella looked at him and finally nodded silently.

“No matter which path you choose, I will choose to follow you.”

“Brother.”

(Today there are only these two chapters—because of Christina, I took another look at the Xia Palace.

Ah, the Xia Palace is truly well written!

I had considered rewriting it, since it’s not the first time.

But I realized the Xia Palace’s strengths and flaws are inseparable. I doubt I’ll ever want to rewrite it again.

Also, that’s why I ended up reading from 10:30 all the way to 2:30, so I can only write two chapters today.)