“Why won’t that so-called duke go do the subjugation himself? Isn’t he supposed to be strong?” I chewed roast, smoke curling like lazy dragons, and griped.

“Why are we eating roast for lunch?” The noon light sat like a coin, and the grease shone like glass.

“None of your business, I like it! Hey, hey… Teacher, you still haven’t answered me!” My tone popped like sparrows; my heel itched to stomp.

Xuewei mimicked Qingsheng Tangxue’s proud little tone. “None of your business. I like it.” Her voice flicked like jade tapping wood.

“I’m serious, dead serious!” Frustration bubbled like a kettle.

My own sister’s tone made my heel itch to stomp, storm clouds gathering in my chest.

“Not sure. Maybe he thinks he can’t handle that Vampire.” Her confidence crumbled like damp clay.

“He can’t handle it?!” My eyes flared like lanterns in wind.

“Doesn’t he claim to control a third of the Empire’s army? His strength’s peak ninth tier; and he dares admit it?” Titles stacked like spears, and his words clattered like cold peas in a bowl.

“You… sound awfully informed,” Xuewei said, eyes narrowing like crescent moons.

“Of course I am. Snow Orchid told me.” I tossed a smile like a coin to a fountain. “Sorry, Snow Orchid. You’ll understand.”

Xuewei stared a beat, then let it go. Her gaze pricked like a pin; her patience thinned like silk. She figured this little—little rascal wouldn’t spill so easily.

“Most troops can’t move on a whim. The ones best suited to solo high-tier threats are me and my sister…” Her words drew like two blades kept for storms.

“Your sister?!” My voice jumped like a sparrow startled from grass.

“Why so shocked? Got a problem with my sister?” Her look was sharp as ice on stone.

“No…” Relief slid down like warm rain. So you didn’t mean me… my heart fluttered like a trapped moth.

“Those small nations are still the Radiant Empire’s vassals. If this Vampire goes unpunished, the Empire loses face.” Banners would stain, and the sun of prestige would dim like dusk.

My stomach dipped like a stone in a pond. “So… Teacher, how long will you be gone?”

“Seven days, rough estimate.” Her tone held steady like chalk on slate.

That was Ling Xuewei weighing the foe as roughly her equal. She runs a burst-damage creed; against a high-regen Vampire, she’s a waking nightmare, lightning against a healing river.

“That long…” Time stretched like taffy between fingers.

“No help for it. The travel alone takes two days.” The road unwound like a gray ribbon across hills.

A small panic fluttered like a sparrow. “Then, Xuewei… Teacher, will you stop teaching after?”

“No. Once I’m back, classes continue.” The promise tied like a neat knot.

“You’ve barely taught these two weeks…” My grumble prowled like a cat under the table.

Silence pooled like tea in a cup. After that brief hush, I looked up. “Are you leaving this afternoon?”

“Probably. Leave early, return early.” Her steps were planned like chess lines.

“Mm… Teacher, I’ll miss you.” My voice was soft as drifting petals.

“Shoo, shoo.” Xuewei feigned disdain and pushed my leaning face away, palm fanning me like a paper fan. “You’re thrilled you won’t have to cook, yet you act all reluctant.”

“Ehehe~ I can slack off and hit the cafeteria, but the missing you is real!” My smile was sweet as syrup in sunlight.

Xuewei watched me already at the door, briefly dazed. Sun gilded my honeyed smile like a perfect painting pinned in gold.

“Ahahaha, Teacher, you can wash the dishes yourself today! I’m out!” My voice chimed like wind-bells; my feet darted like a deer into brush.

“…” The word she swallowed dropped like a pebble. This little bastard…

———

“Huff, huff. Might as well hurry back to the lakeside cottage; it’s been a while since I checked my room.” Nostalgia rose like warm fog off water.

I followed the route in my memory toward the dorms, the path stitching ahead like thread. On the way, I ran into the noble miss and her maid from the city gate, chance flipping up like a coin.

“Eh? It’s you, Little Tangxue~” Ying Xuan’er’s smile bloomed like peonies at spring.

Ying Xuan’er greeted the blue-haired girl, her wave light as willow leaves. After all those missed chances, they finally could introduce themselves—though nothing happened, since Qingsheng Tangxue had been whisked home by Ling Xuewei, boats passing in fog.

“Um… who are you?” My memory was a sieve letting names slip like water.

“Ying Xuan’er! My name’s Ying Xuan’er!” Her words shot like arrows from a taut bow.

“Milady, mind your image. Your image.” The maid’s voice rang crisp as porcelain tapped.

“Right, deep breaths—huff… Anyway, remember it this time. My name is Ying Xuan’er!” Her breath pumped like bellows to a forge.

“Mm-hmm, I won’t forget this time. Miss Ying Xuan’er is a good person~” My smile was soft as silk unspooling.

“Pfft!” Getting friendzoned after so few meetings was a crit that landed like a hammer on a gold fan.

“Milady, pull yourself together! Deep breaths, deep breaths—huff…” The little maid’s hands fluttered like sparrows in a startled hedge.

“…” What a strange pair, mismatched like chess pieces from different sets.

Forget it. I’ll head out, my feet drifting like leaves on a lazy stream.

Back at the dorm, I found them eating set meals hauled from the cafeteria; steam lifted like pale ghosts. Why not eat there?

“Tangxue!” The two at the table lit up like lanterns. Snow Orchid even ran over and hugged me, warmth wrapping like ivy. “Why are you back?”

“What, not welcoming me? Then I’ll go~” My words danced like swallows over eaves.

“Don’t you dare leave!” Snow Orchid tightened her grip, a hold winding like vine around a post. “Now that you’re here, I’m not letting you go!”

“Hehe~ So you can’t bear to part with me, Snow Orchid? I’m happy. But I’m here to tell you: I’ll be living in the dorm a few days. Xuewei… Teacher’s going to deal with that Vampire ravaging the neighboring states…” The news dropped like a stone into still water.

“A Vampire?!” Qianya blurted, her voice slicing the air like a bright blade.

“Qianya… what’s wrong?” Worry prickled like cold rain under my collar.

“It’s nothing…” Qianya shook her head, the motion like reeds in wind. “Just remembered something ugly. Tangxue, go on.” Memory thorns pressed like briars.

“Basically, that Vampire’s been slaughtering the Radiant Empire’s tributaries. Xuewei… Teacher’s going under imperial orders to subjugate him…” Blood spread like spilled ink on parchment; the decree felt like iron set to anvil.

Qianya stirred at the news and cooled fast, emotion flashing like a storm then freezing like frost.

“When will Teacher Xuewei return, Tangxue? Do you know?” Her voice tread softly like a cat across tatami.

“She said within a few days. That Vampire shouldn’t be too strong.” Confidence hung like a lantern against dusk.

Not strong—at least for Ling Xuewei, Qianya thought, her doubt coiling like smoke. But… is that idiot Vampire courting death, or hiding a scheme like a knife in silk?

“I’ll be staying back in the dorm these next few days. You didn’t toss my bed, did you?” My laugh chimed like little bells.

“No way!” Snow Orchid burst out, cheeks blooming like roses. “Even if there’s no bed, Tangxue, you can… you can sleep in mine…”

“Snow Orchid, are you serious???” My heartbeat thumped like a drum in a temple hall.

“I… I’m serious!” This time, Snow Orchid’s resolve was steel, her eyes bright as stars at night.

“Don’t fuss… Tangxue’s bed is fine. I’ve been tidying it every day.” Qianya’s care lapped like a gentle tide at shore.

“Qianya treats me best…” My voice turned honey-thick, sweet as ripe fruit.

“Hey, what? Obviously I’m better~” Snow Orchid grabbed my shoulders and shook, like a puppy with a favorite toy.

“Quit shaking, quit shaking. I’m getting dizzy…” The room spun like a festival top.

After that, I checked my room again. Qianya had kept it spotless; the bed was even warm, a nest waiting under quilts. Next, I just need to tell Xuewei and bring my stuff over.

That afternoon, when I returned to the villa, Qianya and Snow Orchid insisted on coming along, loyalty sticking like rice. Xuewei looked at us oddly, her eyes like little needles; but for teacher-student decorum, she held her tongue.

As expected… Xuewei reins herself in before students! I can use that to tame her temper later, a plan coiling like a spring in my chest. How dare she bully her own big brother!

At this meeting, Snow Orchid seemed to have something bottled up, words pressing like bubbles under ice, yet couldn’t say it. Qianya was warm, chatting with Xuewei about—xp… ahem—preferences; fireflies of topics flickered. She clearly has an eye on my sister… I need to watch that, guard up like a raised fan!

If you don’t fuss, time flows fast; the river ran, and in a blink Xuewei was set to depart. For this, she planned a swift strike—kill that Vampire on sight, a bowstring already drawn. Whatever the Blood Clan says, they started it, so she’ll show no mercy. For a Vampire that disturbed her quiet life, she’ll make him taste hell, black iron and flame.

Escorting Xuewei out of the city, Qianya talked with her about everything—childhood tales to recent years—questions threading like beads on a string. You’d think she was Teacher Xuewei’s fangirl.

But… one of my best friends plans to make a move on my sister! Jealousy flared like a match; that’s too much. No, I need a way to halt their “development,” schemes rippling like water under moon.

As the sunset curtain fell, Xuewei vanished down the road, the highway swallowing her shadow. We headed back to the dorms, skipping class under Teacher Xuewei’s cover; fear scattered like starlings.

This time… let’s finally eat cafeteria food again, nostalgia rising like steam from rice.

“Tangxue, Tangxue, let’s hurry back and cook dinner~ I bought good ingredients!” The bags rustled like leaves; her excitement bounced like a spring.