"it's me, Ace. What are you saying Xue?" I was confused as to why she didn't recognise me.
"Let me present myself to you, I'm-" before she could say her name, there was a knock, a servant came to deliver my clothing.
"Can I?" I asked, she made a gesture with her hand to say 'go ahead'.
I picked up the clothing, it was made from silk, the material looked really expensive and durable, it was all black just like I asked, with a compressed-like black shirt, a outer shirt that looked similar to a jacket, and black pants, in a male traditional hanfu style.
It took me some time to get into the outfit, as I was done, I heard her clearing her throat behind me. I turned around.
"As I was saying, let me present myself to you, I'm Xia Zhi, princess of the Tiansheng empire, soon to be the empress." She said, with confidence in her voice.
"Ah!" I bowed as soon as I heard her position.
She was Xue's sister...
"Forgive me for my rude behaviour earlier, princess Xia Zhi..." I said keeping my head down.
As we were in Xue's room, Xue had finished clearing up the misunderstanding that happened, and was returning back to the room, as she got closer and closer, she heard our voices in her room. She freezes at the doorstep, she didn't want to enter because she was scared of the consequences that would happen for her actions.
Xia Zhi, stepped closer to me.
"You can stop bowing now, listen, Ace, right?"
She said, making me stand straight while she looked me in the eyes.
"I heard a lot of good things about you, you helped my sister with a lot of stuff huh? But I heard that you took advantage of her, and was going to be kept a prisoner for life, but how did you get out?" She asked, curiously, it seemed she didn't care if it was actually true or not, just wanting to know how did I got out.
"Well, that was all a misunderstanding. Xue said she will clear it all up and told me to rest in her room. That's why I'm here. She should be back any time now, she said my innocence will be proven right after she tell everything to the emperor." I tried my best to explain professionally, I didn't know what else to do other than replying to her questions.
"Alright, alright, if you're innocent then, that's good for you... I have an offer, Ace." She said as she placed her hand on my chest.
"You look pretty good, so, do you want to serve me? You look pretty good, I'd admit that" she smirked. "I can give you anything my sister is giving you, and more. After all I'm the one who'll be the empress sooner or later..."
As Xue heard these words from the other side, her heart dropped, her mind was filled with emotions, her mind telling her to do something to stop me from leaving her.
Please Ace... Don't leave me... Not you too... You're the last person I have... She thought to herself, as she stood there frozen behind the door.
"I'll consider it..." I took a step back from her touch.
"Very well..." She nodded, taking back a few steps, and putting back the sword in the sword holder.
"See you again, Ace" she opened the door, about to leave.
"Xue?" I saw her standing there, she was still in her gown.
Xia Zhi smirked at her.
Xue quickly perked up to react normally in this situation.
"Zhi? What are you doing here? Did you need something?" She asked.
She shook her head lightly, "it's nothing, I was just wandering around..." Before slowly starting to leave, Xue entered inside, closing the door behind her, her expression shifted back to what it was before.
"Xue?" I asked.
"What is it?" She responded as if nothing happened.
"Did you hear anything?".
She shurgged her shoulders, "why? Did you talk about something that I shouldn't have heard?" Her tone was off, like she was angry, sad and scared.
"No... I don't think? Why do you lo-" before I finished my sentence, she intervened.
"You're considering it huh? ... Well, it's true... She can give you anything you want... While I'm giving you nothing... So it's perfectly natural for you to leave me... What can I even offer you to stay by my side." She clenched her fist as her eyes started tearing up.
I walked towards her, standing right in front of her.
"What are you even saying? Did I help before with expecting something in return?"
She couldn't get anything out of her mouth.
"I- well... But."
As she was unable to think straight, I hugged her tightly.
"I won't leave you, I'll be by your side. Even if it ends up costing my own life. I promise."
Her tears stopped, but her face started warming up, she couldn't stop herself from blushing.
'why would he say something like that??, isn't that a confession?! Or is he just being nice... I don't know what to say...'