The Rise of the Imperial Female Supporting Character (GL) - Chapter 3

Siling was genuinely curious. In this interstellar era, doors were equipped with advanced scanning tech; one usually entered with a keycard or a facial scan. This “old-school” knocking was a novelty. She wondered what kind of eccentric was standing on the other side.

She tried to call out “Come in,” but her throat was so parched she couldn’t make a sound. However, the person outside captured even that faint, raspy noise.

The door slid open, and a figure stepped inside. The newcomer paused abruptly, her eyes darkening as she took in the scene. After a long beat, she turned and briskly shut the door behind her.

Lying on the bed, Siling strained to lift her head to get a look at her visitor. From her low vantage point, she couldn’t see much, but the silhouette was enough: she was looking at a woman with a striking, statuesque figure.

Siling sank back into the pillows. Recalling the original princess’s memories, she tried to adopt a haughty, regal posture. “Come forward and speak,” she commanded.

She didn’t realize that in her current state—frail, disheveled, and trying way too hard to look imposing—she looked less like a princess and more like a pouting child.

The woman hesitated for a second, then strode forward until she was standing right beside the bed. Siling looked up and locked eyes with her. The woman’s eyes were deep, dark, and bottomless, like twin black holes. For a long moment, neither of them looked away, as if held by an invisible tether.

The air in the room suddenly felt thick and syrupy. A scent began to swirl around them—something that smelled like rich chocolate ice cream; it was cold and slightly bitter, yet utterly addictive. Beneath that lay a hint of honeysuckle, a common plant in this era, radiating a sense of vibrant, blooming life.

Although Siling knew she was in an ABO world, she hadn’t actually lived in one yet.

The original princess had been a “transparent” non-entity in the palace. No one had cared for her, and no one had bothered to educate her on the finer points of their biology. Consequently, Siling didn’t quite grasp the mechanics of the setting.

She didn’t realize that the “scent” in the air was actually pheromones.

Earlier, Siling had been drenched in sweat from her pain, and her Omega pheromones had begun to saturate the air. The previous visitor, Gu Yitong, was also an Omega, so she had been naturally indifferent (or even slightly repulsed) by the scent. The servants were all Betas—the neutral gender—and lacked the sensitivity to notice it.

Siling had no idea that her scent was a siren song to the woman standing over her: a powerful Alpha with heightened instincts and a naturally dominant streak.

The Alpha had paused at the door because she had been hit by a wall of sweet, velvety Omega pheromones. Now, as their gazes remained locked, the scents began to mingle—the lightness of the Omega and the dark bitterness of the Alpha—creating an intoxicating, heady aroma.

Siling’s nose twitched. As she breathed it in, she felt a strange heat rising in her chest. “It smells so good…” she murmured.

“Mmhmm.” The woman—decked out in a crisp, sharp military uniform—felt her own body reacting to the Omega’s presence. Hearing Siling’s comment, she let out a low, dangerously husky hum of acknowledgement.

She leaned in slightly. “What does it smell like to you?”

Siling stared at her blankly, took another sniff, and said with a look of pure bliss, “Like chocolate ice cream. Cold and a little bitter, but… enchanting.”

The woman froze. This was the first time an Omega had ever described her pheromones as “enchanting.”

She had reached maturity years ago and had encountered other Omegas before. Usually, her pheromones were considered far too aggressive. Despite her strength, most Omegas found her presence overwhelming; some had even fainted the moment they sensed her.

Looking down at the delicate, exquisite girl on the bed, the woman’s lips curled into a meaningful, lingering smile.

She didn’t know the Princess had been replaced by a soul from the past, nor did she care about her upbringing. She only knew the “unwritten rule” of their society: for an Omega to openly praise an Alpha’s pheromones was nothing less than a shy, direct confession of love.

Naturally, the woman assumed Siling was hitting on her. She was surprised, yes, but more than that, she was intrigued.

Earlier, while she was on guard duty, the Princess’s study partner had specifically called her in to “serve” the Princess. She had found it hard to believe at first. After all, it was standard protocol that an Alpha and an Omega should never be left alone in a room together.

Once an Omega hits eighteen, they enter unpredictable heat cycles, releasing pheromones that can drive Alphas to lose all reason. Likewise, Alphas can trigger Omegas. In this era, they were like opposite poles of a magnet—irresistibly drawn to one another.

Even outside of a heat cycle, the pheromones were present, creating a constant, low-level pull. It was a recipe for disaster.

She had initially refused the request for that very reason. But the study partner—blushing as she glanced toward the First Prince—had insisted that the Princess had developed a “special interest” in her and had specifically requested her presence.

The woman had been stunned, but under pressure from the Prince’s entourage, she had reported to her superior and come to the room anyway.

Now, hearing the Princess’s “confession,” she was convinced. The girl was head-over-heels for her. Her deep blue eyes shifted into a dark, ink-like black. “And?” she asked, her voice raspy with suppressed tension. “What else?”

Siling, however, didn’t follow the script. She rubbed her stomach and looked up piteously. “I’m hungry. Do you have anything to eat?”

The woman: “…”

To her credit, the woman remained composed. Without changing her expression, she reached into her pocket, pulled out a concentrated nutrient bar, tore it open, and held it out. “It’s chocolate flavored,” she said.

Siling reached for it gratefully, but her arms were like lead. She didn’t have the strength to take it, so she simply leaned forward, opened her mouth, and took a bite while the woman held it for her.

She remembered from the novel that these bars were basically interstellar “hardtrack”—efficient for hunger, but usually tasting like cardboard. But Siling had been starving for a day; she wasn’t about to be picky. She ate happily, focusing entirely on the food.

In the woman’s eyes, Siling looked like a tame, adorable puppy—docile, dependent, and full of joy.

She really likes me that much? the woman wondered. To pick me out specifically from all the Alpha guards… it must be exhausting to harbor such a secret crush.

She looked at Siling with a newfound sense of “understanding.”

If Siling knew what she was thinking, she would have told her flat-out: Lady, you are projecting!

Unfortunately, Siling had no clue she had just attracted the attention of a high-IQ, possessive, and dangerously obsessive individual. It was her first day in this world, and she had already been “marked” by a predator.

Perhaps it was a transmigrator’s intuition, but Siling suddenly felt a cold shiver run down her spine. The woman’s eyes narrowed slightly, noticing the reaction, but she quickly hid her emotions behind a calm facade.

Siling didn’t notice. She just kept chewing, her cheeks puffed out like a squirrel. After a sip of water (again, with the woman’s help), she realized she hadn’t even asked the woman’s name. She felt a flush of embarrassment—her first impression was basically “starving glutton.”

“Er… you are?” she started.

She wanted to ask who she was, as the person wasn’t in the original memories she’d recovered. But she couldn’t risk revealing her “amnesia,” so she quickly pivoted. “I mean… what are you doing here?”

The woman assumed the Princess was just being shy. She didn’t press the issue, instead offering a crisp, professional military salute. “Reporting to Her Highness,” she said, her voice a mix of gravel and silk. “I am a member of the Third Guard Division on this vessel. Private Third Class Helian—”

Siling cut her off, her eyes lighting up with sudden, burning intensity. “Wait! You’re a Mecha Pilot from the guard division? The kind that’s supposed to protect me?”

The newcomer—Helian Yunxi—nodded sharply. Her posture and bearing were clearly those of a highly trained soldier.

Siling had been spiraling about how to survive the Zerg siege, and now a female guard had literally dropped from the heavens. How could she not be thrilled?

Still, she managed to contain her excitement long enough to ask the billion-dollar question: “How… how strong are you, exactly?”

Helian Yunxi was slightly confused. If the Princess had a crush on her, surely she already knew her service record? But then she figured the Princess was just trying to start a conversation. “Passable,” she replied calmly.

Siling felt a momentary pang of disappointment, but then she reconsidered. Maybe she’s just being modest? Modesty is a virtue, after all.

She decided to be more direct. “Could you break through a Zerg encirclement? I mean… while carrying someone with you?”

Helian Yunxi’s gaze deepened. She gave Siling a subtle, scrutinizing look, but answered honestly. “That wouldn’t be a problem.”

Siling broke into a massive, relieved grin. “That’s perfect! I’m making it official: as of right now, you are my personal bodyguard.”

Helian Yunxi took this as a clever ploy to keep her close. Touched by the Princess’s “devotion,” she didn’t refuse. She simply nodded. “As you wish.”

Support The Rise of the Imperial Female Supporting Character (GL)