A Room of One’s Own and a Peculiar Friendship

Unfortunately, Elena ultimately declined Ziyao’s invitation.

“I’m afraid I won’t be able to control myself once I go in,” she had stated.

Ziyao’s eyebrows subtly arched. The statement struck her as remarkably peculiar.

Since Elena was unwilling, Ziyao found herself without recourse. She couldn’t, after all, forcibly drag Elena into Aiya’s room.

“If it’s permissible, I could take Elena’s place, you know.”

“No, thank you. I always feel a dangerous glint in your eyes.” Raphael perpetually exuded an aura of peril that made Ziyao’s hair stand on end.

If she had any choice, she truly wished to avoid being in the same room as that white-haired individual.

Regrettably, as one of Aiya’s attending physicians, Ziyao was bound to have frequent contact with Raphael.

“Yes, that about covers it…”

For the next few hours, Ziyao continued to discuss Aiya’s condition with Raphael. After all, she currently had an abundance of free time.

The potion workshop was still under construction, estimated to take another five days to complete. During this period, Ziyao was unable to undertake any tasks.

Without the necessary protective measures of a dedicated workshop, she feared she might inadvertently blow the small wooden cabin to smithereens.

“Miss Ziyao, would you like to see the room prepared for you? If there are any issues, we can address them promptly.” Just as Ziyao was on the verge of drifting off to sleep from boredom, Ailin, who had disappeared for a while, reappeared in the dining room.

“Ah, what a relief.” Finally, something to do.

Following the maid to the second floor, a meticulously crafted door immediately captivated Ziyao’s attention.

The door was wooden, which was not unusual, but the carvings upon it piqued Ziyao’s interest.

“I recall… these figures, they are all deities, aren’t they?”

“Precisely. The central figure is the God of Light, flanked by the four Elemental Archgods,” Ailin explained.

In this world, deities were indeed real, though they had not appeared before the various races of the continent for a considerable time.

Yet, without a doubt, they continued to watch over their people from some distant realm.

“This must be Aiya’s room, then?” Only the princess herself would be worthy of such an exquisite door.

“Indeed. This door is fitted with a one-way soundproofing spell. Sounds from outside cannot be heard within the room, but sounds from inside can be heard out here.” Ailin gestured with an inviting sweep of her hand. “Your room is right next door.”

Upon reaching the room adjacent to Aiya’s, the maid opened the unassuming wooden door. “Please come in, Miss Ziyao.”

‘Oh, this is rather nice.’

Stepping into the room, Ziyao was greeted by a fragrant aroma, which instantly improved her impression of the space.

A spacious double bed, soft blankets, an elegant wardrobe, and a private bathroom—Ziyao couldn’t imagine a more perfect room.

“How is it? Are you satisfied?”

“More than satisfied; I feel like I could live here indefinitely.” Ziyao’s lips curved into a smile. “Oh, Miss Ailin, could you help me organize my clothes?”

Ziyao hadn’t brought many clothes to the Imperial Capital this time. Now, she simply tossed all her brought garments onto the bed.

“With pleasure.”

Most of the clothes were black robes, with the remaining few garments also in dark shades. What astonished the maid most, however, was that Ziyao possessed not a single skirt.

In the Imperial Capital, no one would believe that a young lady’s wardrobe contained no skirts, especially when this particular lady could be considered one of the most esteemed women in the capital.

Even her pajamas consisted of gray trousers. Ailin could barely believe that the person before her was a young girl.

“Miss Ziyao, your taste, it seems rather unique.”

“Not at all. I’m simply not accustomed to wearing skirts. Besides, trousers are so much more convenient,” Ziyao replied, completely oblivious. In her subconscious, there was nothing wrong with wearing trousers.

However, in the maid’s eyes, this was nothing short of sacrilege. “Miss Ziyao, if you have the time, I shall teach you some methods of dressing. Your beauty should not be obscured by your attire.”

Purely based on her appearance, Ziyao was undoubtedly an exceptionally adorable little girl. Her features were as delicate as a doll’s, her silver hair beautiful and long, and her slender legs fair. She was a flawless loli.

Alas, her taste in clothing was utterly dreadful.

The black robes concealed her petite frame, her silver hair was disheveled, appearing unkempt for a long time, and dark circles prominently ringed her red eyes, clearly indicating a habit of staying up late.

The maid was confident that with just a few days, Ziyao would regain her inherent beauty. By then, Ziyao might even be able to contend with Aiya head-on.

It was worth noting that Aiya’s beauty was in no way inferior to Elena’s; in fact, due to her age, Aiya was even slightly more popular than Elena in the Imperial Capital.

“Ah, is that really necessary? Don’t I look perfectly fine like this?”

“No, you are simply wasting your natural gifts.”

“Fine, fine, have it your way,” Ziyao conceded, waving a hand. She uttered a phrase that she would later regret immensely.

Organizing the room did not take long, partly due to Ziyao’s minimal luggage.

As the two finished tidying the room, the voice of a young girl echoed from the adjacent chamber.

“Ailin, where are you?”

Exchanging glances, the two stepped out of the room and approached Aiya’s door.

The maid reached out and tapped on the wooden door. “Your Highness, have you woken up?”

“Yes, Sister Ailin, I’m awake,” came a soft, sweet voice from within.

“Didn’t you say sounds from inside couldn’t be heard from outside?” Ziyao’s attention was drawn to this peculiar detail.

“By tapping the wooden door at a specific frequency, the magic temporarily deactivates.”

Ah, I see. What a convenient spell.

“By the way, Miss Ailin, could you please call Elena up? There are some matters I need to clarify in front of both sisters.”

“With pleasure.” The maid pulled open the door. “Please, have a seat in the room for a while.”

Stepping into Aiya’s room, Ziyao deliberately muffled her footsteps, though it proved unnecessary.

A thick carpet covered Aiya’s floor, likely to prevent her from being injured if she fell. Similarly, all the furniture corners in the room were wrapped in soft animal fur.

The room’s occupant was currently seated on the bed.

“Ah, good afternoon, Your Highness Aiya.” Ziyao greeted Aiya.

“Good afternoon, Miss Ziyao.” Aiya responded, her head bowed. “Um, there’s a chair here.”

“Thank you.” Moving the chair from the desk to the bedside, Ziyao sat upon it, her idle gaze fixed directly on Aiya.

Aiya lowered her head, unaccustomed to such direct eye contact.

Seeing the little girl blush, Ziyao reluctantly averted her gaze. Yet, truthfully, was it truly appropriate to casually intrude upon a princess’s private chambers?

Come to think of it, this chair seemed specifically tailored for Aiya, yet Ziyao found it fit her perfectly as well.

Well, purely from outward appearance, Ziyao and Aiya were actually quite similar in age, and regrettably, both were rather short.