Book II: There's Always a Bigger Thief
After finishing her evening porridge, Soye received a medicinal elixir from Hui.
"Hmm?"
The smell was subtly different from the one she took during the day.
"What's wrong?"
Soye shook her head at the nanny's question.
"Do I have to drink dis? I hate bitter things."
When she spoke in a childishly sullen tone, Hui chuckled softly.
"If you finish it all, I'll give you some sweets."
"Sweets!"
Soye's eyes sparkled.
It was the first time Hui had ever offered her a snack.
She quickly downed the medicine.
"Oh my. Did you want sweets that badly?"
Hui brought over a small plate of sweet treats.
It seemed like she had prepared them in advance.
"Mhm. Mmm!"
Taking a bite of the candy, Soye nodded without thinking.
Now that’s the stuff!
"My lady."
The nanny spoke cautiously.
"Don't you miss your father?"
"D-daddi?"
With food in her mouth, Soye stuttered without realizing.
"Yes, Miss Soye. The second young master."
At the nanny's question, Soye cast her eyes upward.
At this point, she had more or less accepted the fact that she had been reincarnated.
But it still didn't feel real that she actually had parents now.
In her past life, Soye couldn't remember her parents.
It was one of the side effects of her demonic arts.
She did know one thing, though: they had sold their daughter to the demonic cult.
The demonic cult, always looking for a chance to conquer the central plains, bought young children and raised them as living weapons.
Before becoming the Moonshadow Thief, Soye had been one of those children.
So why would I suddenly miss a father whose face I don't even know?
Setting all that aside, her so-called father dumped his own biological daughter in the Tang clan village.
Father, my foot.
Soye scoffed inwardly.
"I only need nanny!"
"I understand."
The nanny pulled Soye into a warm embrace, a soft smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
Caught off guard, Soye could only blink.
It's warm.
A corner of her heart tickled.
Before meeting Hui, she never knew she had a soft spot for "adults."
I'm glad she is my guardian.
Considering her rough past life, she was pretty lucky in her current one.
Hui stood up and spoke.
"I'll get your bed ready."
Hui laid Soye down and tucked her in.
She blew out the candle and softly sang a lullaby.
Soye closed her eyes, pretending to sleep.
After singing for a while, Hui stopped.
She began shaking Soye softly, calling her name again and again.
"My lady. My lady."
Is she trying to wake me up?
Soye tilted her head in confusion inwardly.
Instead of getting up, she kept her breathing steady and rhythmic.
Seeing that, the nanny stood up and left, her footsteps gradually fading away.
Thinking Hui was finally gone, Soye opened her eyes.
The shadow of the paper-lined window was cast across the ceiling above.
Everything was dead silent.
Then…
A shadow with a long tail appeared on the ceiling.
Is that… a person?
Soye held her breath and darted her eyes around.
"…ma'am."
Who is it?
She slowly pulled down the blanket and perked up her ears.
If birds hear the words spoken by day and mice hear the words spoken by night, then a thief hears both.
The shadow called out to someone again.
"Miss Hui."
A second shadow appeared on the ceiling.
A jolt ran through Soye's body.
She realized who the voice calling for the nanny belonged to.
Isn't that the maid from before?
It sounded similar to when the maid would snap at her.
Why is that woman looking for my nanny?
A frown crept onto her face.
"Geum-a."
She had her suspicions, but it really was Hui's voice.
It wasn't the gentle tone Soye was used to hearing.
Instead, it carried a sharp warning.
"Are you sure it's okay for us to meet here?"
The shadow on the ceiling looked around before asking.
"As long as the young miss is asleep, who would even come here?"
The nanny's voice was shockingly cold.
"She's just a little brat abandoned by her own father anyway."
Soye swallowed a gasp that almost slipped out.
The nanny's words felt like an ice-cold dagger piercing her heart.
"I've heard children sleep through anything, but isn't this still a risk?"
The maid asked hesitantly.
"I already took care of everything."
Soye flinched at those words.
She remembered the medicine that had smelled different earlier.
Yet, even after drinking it all, she was perfectly fine.
Looks like this body has built up a tolerance to sleeping pills, huh?
Soye bit her lip.
"Besides, what could a brat who lost her memories and can't even tell right from wrong possibly do? Anyway…"
A dull thud echoed through the room.
"You're in no position to be questioning me right now. Where's the item?"
"Y-you see…"
The maid named Geum-a mumbled, holding back a groan.
"I definitely stole it, but it vanished."
Soye thought of the porcelain bottle she had carefully hidden under her bed.
The nanny was the one who ordered her to steal it? But why?
"Didn’t I tell you? If you don't bring it to me, I'll tell the branch head that you've been stealing the young miss's jewelry."
The maid whimpered.
"B-but you gave it to me…"
"Did I?"
Hui tilted her head.
"To think I would steal something left by a runaway mother for her daughter, only to give it to a mere maid…"
Soye was appalled.
I thought my mom was dead, but she actually ran away from home?
"What a terrible joke."
The taller of the two shadows leaned forward.
"Ugh."
Seeing the smaller one stagger back drastically, Soye tensed her shoulders.
"Am I really such a bad person?"
Wow, this is a whole new side of her.
Soye blinked rapidly.
"Tsk."
The nanny's shadow slowly straightened up.
"I'll give you three days. I don't care where you dropped it. You better find it before time runs out."
"That's not enough time!"
A half-scream of despair escaped Geum-a's lips.
"Geum-a. I've already done you a favor once. Haven't I?"
"…Hic."
"I can easily prove this isn't the first time you've laid hands on your master's belongings. You know that."
Hui continued, her voice light and sing-song.
"Find the item used to poison the young miss."
Poison?
Soye's eyes shot wide open.
Didn't they tell me I suffered a backlash while practicing poison arts?
"If you don't, you'll be the one taking the fall for her poisoning."
An arm extended from the nanny's shadow and grabbed the maid's.
"Nod your head…."
The top of Geum-a's shadow bobbed up and down.
"Good girl."
Given the situation, she was clearly being forced to nod.
"Now then. You may go."
Geum-a hiccuped, swallowing her sobs for a moment.
The smaller shadow fled like a scared animal.
The nanny's shadow stood there for a while longer.
Then, as if joining the dark night, it slowly melted away beyond the window frame.
What the hell was that?
Soye stayed frozen under the covers.
She felt like she had just watched a shadow play out of a nightmare.
Teetering the edge of death from poison was never an accident.
The nanny tried to kill me.
"Hah…"
Soye swallowed a hollow laugh.
Betrayed the very second she started getting attached.
No, wait. Her betrayal came long before I even became Soye.
Lying alone on the wide bed, Soye clenched her fists tightly.
It wouldn't be too hard to handle everything on her own.
I might look like a kid, but I'm basically a veteran trapped in a child’s body. For situations like these… it’s best to pit them against each other.
Having made her decision, Soye closed her eyes and hugged her blanket tight.
She shivered, and told herself it was only the night breeze.
* * *
Dozens of candles illuminated the dark room.
No incense burned, yet the room held a deep, lingering fragrance.
In a corner shrouded by haze, a man sat alone.
He was incredibly handsome, his plain clothes doing nothing to hide his striking features.
Hunched over, the man held a small piece of jade in his hand.
With his other hand, he was carefully maneuvering an ox-hair needle.
The ox-hair needle, typically used as a hidden weapon, was functioning perfectly as an excellent carving tool.
A slightly furrowed brow from deep concentration, tightly pursed lips.
A teardrop mole under his eye completed a sorrowful and delicate impression.
Around this man were countless jade statues.
A young child, a teenage girl, a grown woman, and even extending to a middle-aged lady and an old crone.
Their ages varied, yet they all shared a striking resemblance, as if depicting the exact same person.
Wherever the man's delicate touch passed, the flat jade transformed.
The rippling hem of a skirt, the slender fingers holding it.
A radiant face and gentle phoenix eyes.
His craftsmanship rivaled that of any master artisan.
The countless jade statues filling the room were clearly carved by his own hands.
Just before etching a fairy-like smile into the jade, the man's hands abruptly halted.
"Have you arrived?"
Get the latest chapter and best reading experience at www.novatls.com
Comments