What Kind of Twisted Hobby Is This

"I don't know. I just heard it from someone. They won't tell me who it is, no matter what," Grace said.

"I don't know who it is either, you'd better ask someone else!"

"Oh..." Grace leaned in and whispered, "Aunt Maya, do you want to go check it out? We're already pretty familiar with the place."

"Why are you so interested in this?" Maya looked at her suspiciously.

"Everyone loves a little gossip!"

"You think everyone is as idle as you?" Maya said, clearly annoyed. "Go hang out somewhere else, I'm busy!"

"Aunt Maya, take me with you! If you don't, how am I supposed to get in?" Grace pleaded, her voice sweet and coy.

"I. Am. Busy!"

"Are you making your own wedding dress?" Grace glanced at the room full of embroidery frames, fabric, and all sorts of tools.

"Yeah! So what? Can't I make my own wedding dress?"

"If I remember right, you've never been good at embroidery, have you? Are you sure this... is wearable?"

Maya shot her a look. "What do you know? I heard that in the countryside, girls always make their own wedding dresses. That way, they can sew all their hopes for their husband, their children, and their future into it."

Grace took Maya's hand and examined it, finding it covered in tiny pinpricks.

This silly aunt!

"What are you looking at!" Maya snatched her hand back. "Shoo! Don't make trouble for me! I'm really busy!"

"Aunt Maya, if you take me to West City to find out who that man is, I'll give you a Celestial Essence Pill. Deal?"

Maya froze. "Celestial Essence Pill? How did you know I was looking for that?"

"Dad told me," Grace replied.

Actually, last time she was in the palace, Grace overheard Maya asking Cindy Zhu if she could get that kind of pill.

She figured, since Maya had already asked in the palace, she must've asked Minister Zhuo too.

Sure enough, Maya didn't suspect anything and asked, "So how do you have a Celestial Essence Pill?"

"A friend gave it to me."

"A friend? What kind of friends could you possibly have!"

"Why can't I have friends?" Grace felt a little hurt. "I've got plenty of friends!"

Someday, she'd definitely have lots of friends.

"Pfft!"

"Here, take a look—is this it?" Grace took out the Celestial Essence Pill and held it up for Maya to see.

Maya's eyes lit up. "Prince Cheng showed me one before—it's just like this. You actually have one?"

"Of course!"

The Celestial Essence Pill is a kind of spiritual medicine for spirit beasts, used to control their mating season.

Since it's a fourth-tier spiritual medicine, it's pretty rare in the Blue Moon Kingdom.

Also, this stuff should never be used on humans by mistake, or there'll be serious consequences.

For example, if you mix it with Rouge Red, it can cause permanent infertility in women.

"I need more. Do you have any left?" Maya asked.

"Of course! However much you want, I can give you. But you have to promise to take me to West City!"

"What kind of twisted hobby is this?" Maya looked utterly contemptuous. "Fine, fine! We'll go tonight!"

...

That night, Maya took Grace to that house in West City again.

Then she dragged Grace over the wall and headed straight for the big water jar.

"Let's not hide in the water jar this time," Grace whispered.

"Why not? That's a great spot!"

"Last time, I couldn't get a good look at Diana Su. This time, let's find a spot where we can actually see her!"