[This is a bonus chapter, which means that it can be skipped, but I really am begging whoever is reading this noice to read the bonus chapters because they'll really add more context to the overall story. Thank you]
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"Tsai?" Judith had called out, but she received no response apart from a sniffle. "Tsai?" Judith had called out once more. This time, Tsai took one more sniffle before wiping her eyes and turning to Judith with a weak smile.
"I'm okay." Tsai responded, an obvious lie.
"What's the matter?" Judith asked, hoping that Tsai wouldn't hide the truth from her.
Wiping her eyes, Tsai forced herself up, so she could lean on the wall.
"I…I uh…" She struggled to speak, as she found herself lacking the appropriate words to say. "I uh…" She said before turning to Judith. "I killed Yelong Xen."
Judith froze in place when Tsai's words had sunk in. What followed was confusion, which had taken up residence in her mind. It had taken a few moments, but then Judith finally spoke.
"How?" Was the only thing Judith could say.
Tsai fell her gaze and pulled in her knees, so she could wrap her arms around it. A failed attempt at trying to find some form of comfort.
"This…afternoon," Tsai spoke with a voice that could be compared to a whisper. "Captain Qiao…had called for me," Judith felt an unease settle in the more Tsai spoke. "And…" Tsai paused.
"And?" Judith had asked.
"And…he asked me, of Yelong's whereabouts during the morning." Tsai's voice began to break. "He asked me if Yelong was present in this manor when the prince had died, and…and I told him that he was, I told him how close he was to the prince when he was killed and because of that, captain Qiao pegged Xen as guilty." Tsai began to sob once more after she had finally spoken her mind.
Judith on the other hand was lost for a moment.
"You…don't believe he was guilty?" Judith wondered why Tsai had said otherwise, there was no evidence he wasn't after all.
"I saw him…asleep. In his room, when I went to tidy it up." Tsai said with a broken voice.
With this, it all made sense as to why Tsai was distraught.
"Did you inform the captain of that as well?" Judith wondered.
"I did." Tsai said with a sniffle.
"So, you know the captain was aware of his innocence?" Judith had asked, but got no response for several heartbeats.
"I do."
"Are you also aware, that even if you didn't tell Qiao what you knew, he would have chosen someone at random to take the fall?" Judith had asked, seeking Tsai's eyes but failing to find it, as she had sunken her gaze.
"I am." Tsai had said with a voice so low it had barely registered in Judith's ears. "But, that doesn't change the fact that I am the reason he is dead."
Judith had been stuck on what more to say.
What more could be said? Unless.
"Tsai…you did kill Yelong Xen." Judith said this with a stern coldness which made Tsai turn toward her. "And you have no idea how much of a great thing you did."
"I don't understand." Tsai responded, genuinely confused at the moment.
"Xen, was the one, responsible for…the missing maids." Judith's words had caused a gasp to escape Tsai.
"How…how did you know about that?" Tsai had asked, feeling an array of emotions flooding her being.
"I just know." Judith couldn't find an answer for this question, but hoped Tsai would let it go.
A plethora of questions had become Tsai in this moment, she wanted to ask so many things, but found she didn't have the energy to do so. Neither did she feel the need to pry, since Judith didn't want to tell.
Not knowing how to appropriately react to this information, she thought on the maids that had gone missing, some of which were very close to her. And she thought that if what Judith had just said was true, then this would be the best news she had heard in years.
Not wanting to think on this anymore, she smiled and began to giggle.
This reaction had left Judith confused, but she said nothing and just watched Tsai.
As Tsai continued to giggle, a speck that glistened the dim light of the evening sun shining into their room slid down her nose till it fell on her knee.
She turned to Judith, with eyes full of tears but yet a genuine smile was present on her face. "You…have no idea how good it is to hear that." She smiled, a genuine but pain-filled smile.
With a deep breath, she leaned into the wall, and turned her sights to the roof.
"You know, ever since I was a child, I was always mesmerized by Westerners." Tsai had said, feeling to change the topic.
Judith, now feeling her back burn, joined Tsai on the wall so she could rest her back.
"Why is that?" Judith responded.
"I don't know, there was just something about you people that…felt otherworldly, majestic even. I always thought you people were ghosts to be honest." Tsai said with a chuckle, which Judith couldn't help but join in on.
It didn't occur to Judith immediately, but within the second, she realized this was the first time she was laughing since she got into this world.
Keeping this thought aside, she turned to Tsai, still laughing.
"Sorry? Ghosts?" Judith had asked while trying to hold back her laughter.
"Yes, and after getting to know you, no matter how little, I can see I was right." Tsai said with a laugh.
"I can guarantee you, I'm not a ghost." Judith said, their laugh finally quelling.
"It doesn't really matter either ways. You're a really good person, and I'm very honored to have met you." Tsai had said these words from the bottom of her still pained heart.
Hearing this, Judith stared at Tsai whose gaze was on the roof.
After a few seconds, Judith looked away and turned her sights to the roof as well.
"Trust me, the honor is all mine." Judith responded and then remained silent.
As they sat without saying anything, Judith found her thoughts becoming occupied by Tsai.
Originally, Sarah and Tsai were quite close. But after defeating the captain, they had parted ways. Sarah onto the capital city of Qugan and Tsai remaining in the outpost as a slave.
Judith had frowned when she thought further and remembered that in the novel, when Sarah had gone back for Tsai, she was discovered to be dead. Killed by a Parabeast attack.
As the image became vivid in her mind, Judith found herself feeling faint and sad.
'If she stays, she'll die.' Judith thought, then her thoughts went quiet.
"Tsai." Judith called out, pulling Tsai's attention. Judith attempted to speak, but found the words were refusing to form in her mouth.
She took a deep breath, then turned to Tsai.
"Would you like to go to the capital city?" Judith had asked.