Vol. 6 Chapter 4: The Ticket

"Young sorcerer, I would like to ask for your help," said the woman draped in feathers. It seemed that the shadow magic within Lu Li had made her believe he was a sorcerer. In her hand appeared a ball of light, and through an unknown connection, Lu Li confirmed that this was indeed the ticket to Fairy Tale Town he sought.

"You came for this qualification, didn't you? I've placed a sealing curse on it. If you can make my daughter a princess, I can lift the curse," she said, her words dripping with temptation.

But Lu Li was unmoved. He smiled and said, "Didn't your daughter receive a dress and crystal shoes? Even though she isn't particularly beautiful, with those two things, her chances of becoming a princess are quite high."

"The problem is, the magic of those items only lasts until midnight. After that, the dress will turn back into leaves, the crystal shoes will revert to twigs, the carriage will become a pumpkin again, and the coachman will return to being a mouse," the woman explained. "And this country is backed by the Church. I believe you understand that they reject any sorcerers."

"So if your daughter is exposed, she'll be burned as a witch?" Lu Li looked at the woman before him, a witch, and continued, "Why don't you explain this to her yourself?"

"I can only come out at night, and my sanity is constantly deteriorating. I need to sleep to avoid becoming a raving lunatic filled with resentment," the witch said, a flash of grievance and even hatred in her eyes. "And my daughter, Cinderella, she's too quick."

"So? She discarded the shoes you gave her as soon as she got the crystal ones. All her prayers were for herself, never concerned about your situation, instead blaming you for your poor judgment."

"Once she got what she wanted, she immediately abandoned the one who gave her these things," Lu Li said. "You really don't need to worry so much about this daughter, do you?"

"Unless you still need her for something." Lu Li looked at the witch, his gaze firm.

"Indeed!" After a moment of silence, the witch nodded. "I was nourished by her tears of resentment and pain. My soul mutated into the form of a dove spirit, and I can only turn back into a human at night."

"And my sanity will continue to wane as I transform more into this spirit. Only joy can dispel the resentment, only Cinderella's tears of joy can cleanse the hatred, allowing me to break the curse and become a fairy."

"So, you want me to help her become a princess, make her shed tears of joy to lift your curse, and then you'll have the power to lift the curse on the ticket," Lu Li confirmed, taking the ball of light from the witch's hand. He could feel a curse on it, one that he couldn't break with his current abilities.

The witch must have seen this, which is why she handed him the light ball, placing an unattainable reward in front of him, so he'd be truly motivated to help her.

"Yes, only after I break the curse and become a fairy can I lift the curse on the ticket," the witch said earnestly. "And this is my unique curse method. If I sense anything wrong, I can destroy the qualification."

"You are a good mother to her," Lu Li said with a smile, walking out of the yard. The witch transformed back into doves, following the guidance of hatred, flying into the sky. They would follow Cinderella, exacting her revenge, venting all her resentment.

Lu Li moved swiftly. Living in a big city of this era felt like residing in a giant gas chamber. The stench was nauseating enough to make one dizzy. Such poor sanitation conditions also explained the outbreak of the Black Death.

Cinderella sat in the pumpkin carriage, staring at the darkening streets outside, lost in thought. She was not stupid, in fact, she was quite smart, and she had long realized her mother's identity.

A witch. The Church's propaganda painted them as the devil's envoys, bringing chaos and despair to the world. Every witch had to be burned, and even those who came into contact with them were scrutinized by the Church.

Cinderella didn't believe the Church's claims that all witches were evil, but she knew that associating with a witch in this country led to no good end. As the daughter of a witch, her fate wouldn't be any better, most likely ending on the stake. So Cinderella kept her mother's identity a secret, never revealing it to anyone.

When the doves helped her pick beans, two thoughts flashed through Cinderella's mind. Her mother wasn't dead, and this was her chance. She had always planned to escape this hellhole, and now the best opportunity had arrived. With her mother's help, she could become a princess, but she needed to sever all ties with the witch.

That's why, after receiving the items, Cinderella couldn't wait to leave. The drastically changed appearance ensured no one would associate her with the dirty and bullied girl from the baron's house. Once she became a princess, she could dispose of all related items and, with the prince's power, successfully start anew.

As Cinderella fantasized about a better future, she suddenly felt the carriage sink. A figure broke through the carriage window and jumped in. A black blade pierced Cinderella's open mouth, silencing her next scream.

Slowly retracting the dagger, Lu Li looked at the now silent Cinderella and nodded in satisfaction. Then, he examined Cinderella's current appearance. With the blue dress and crystal shoes, Cinderella's originally merely attractive face now looked stunningly beautiful.

"Sir, what do you want? I'm in a hurry to attend the prince's ball. My family is ahead. If I go missing, they will surely notice, and the prince might also find out. This could trouble you, sir," Cinderella said softly, trying to calm herself and appearing considerate of Lu Li. "How about this, sir? Leave immediately, and I'll pretend I never saw you."

"Miss Cinderella, there's no need for such deceit. I'm here to tell you something," Lu Li smiled. Cinderella indeed had some wit; if he were an ordinary thief, he might have been fooled by her.

Hearing Lu Li address her, Cinderella's face turned pale, but she still said, "What do you want to tell me, or need Cinderella to do? I promise to help you."

"Your dress and shoes, as well as the carriage, will lose their magic after midnight. And I'm here to help you become a princess," Lu Li said, smiling as if he had thought of something amusing.