Vol. 6 Chapter 2: The Hazelnut Tree

Chapter 2: The Hazelnut Tree

Lu Li recalled the mission hint: Cinderella has a good mother, try to give her a happy life. This phrase clearly put Cinderella in a protagonist position, making things more apparent.

"And considering the current information, what's a happier life than becoming a princess? So, the mission is to help Cinderella become the princess?" Lu Li thought. Moving stealthily, he circled around the side of the house, ensuring no one noticed him. His shadow, like a grappling hook, grabbed hold of the window above, pulling Lu Li inside.

Cinderella's father was an ordinary baron of this country. Although a noble, his family had long been in decline and had no fiefdom. He could only rely on his noble title to earn some money. Most of his income came from the merchant guild founded by his current wife's brother.

This situation led to a lower status in his own home. He had no choice, as he had married that woman for her wealth, despite her having two daughters who constantly bullied his biological daughter.

Lu Li climbed to the window, peering through the gap. He saw Cinderella standing there, bewildered. "Cinderella" wasn't the girl's real name. Because she often did dirty and hard work, she always looked filthy. Her two stepsisters gave her the nickname from the French words "cendre" (ash) and "souillon" (slut), which transliterated into "Cinderella" but actually meant "dirty slut."

This nickname became so common that even her father accepted it. To save face, it was translated into "Cinderella." She also had another nickname, "Cucendron," where "cu" means "cul" (butt) in French, translating to "dirty butt."

"Give it up, Father. She's just a dirty butt!" Charlotte, the eldest daughter, smacked Cinderella's butt hard, wearing a strange smile. She was the daughter of the house's mistress, now also nominally the baron's daughter, though not very filial.

"Enough! I am the master of this house!" The baron shouted angrily, suppressing his rage. Charlotte wanted to retort but was held back by her younger sister, Katy, who said, "Father, let's go make the final preparations."

Seeing his nominal daughters walk away, the baron angrily slapped Cinderella's face, pushing her onto the filthy bed. Without a word, he lifted Cinderella's skirt and pounced on her.

Watching this, Lu Li understood why the two stepsisters called Cinderella a dirty butt. This baron was truly disgusting. From outside the window, Lu Li could hear the baron's heavy breathing as he began dressing.

Soon, only Cinderella, now dirtier, was left on the bed, silently cleaning herself. In medieval Europe, private lives were very messy. Such incidents, though unsightly, were common. Charlotte's mockery of the baron was more about his taste and...performance.

There was an unspoken rule in medieval Europe: as long as a girl returned home by midnight, she was considered pure, regardless of how many men she had been with before. Her fiancé couldn't accuse her of impurity. Of course, this depended on her fiancé's power.

This leniency applied even more at home. Family **, as long as unspoken, didn't tarnish a girl's purity or her marriage prospects. Purity was more about reputation than actual virginity.

Cinderella silently cried as she cleaned the room, limping downstairs. As soon as she reached the bottom, her evil stepmother's scolding greeted her: "Dirty butt! Go heat some water in the backyard and sort out the beans from the ashes. If you're so slow again, I'll sell you!"

Silent, Cinderella headed to the backyard. In the corner by the stove, a pile of ashes mixed with beans awaited. Her sister Charlotte stood nearby, pretending to help but spilling more beans into the ashes. "Oops, dirty butt! I was trying to help but spilled more beans. Since you're here, you can handle it."

Charlotte dropped the bowl and quickly retreated, leaving Cinderella by the stove. She added wood and started a fire, becoming even dirtier.

Lu Li circled the yard, understanding the household's dynamics. The baron's income couldn't sustain his lifestyle. After his first wife died, he married a merchant guild president's sister, Cinderella's stepmother, bringing her two daughters into the home.

There were rumors about how these daughters came to be, with suspicion pointing at the guild president himself, as hinted by the baron's words.

The elder daughter, Charlotte, had a terrible temper, was lazy and ignorant, greedy and jealous. Apart from her decent looks, she was useless. The younger daughter, Katy, though slightly better, still loathed commoners and her filthy sister, Cinderella. She considered herself noble and was arrogant and greedy.

The baron appeared prestigious outside but was lowly at home. His two nominal daughters disrespected him. Due to impotence, his wife denied him their bed, so he vented his frustrations on Cinderella.

Understanding the situation, Lu Li watched Cinderella crying by the stove, picking beans from ashes. She had to attend the prince's ball. If she couldn't even get to the ball, she wouldn't meet the prince, and becoming a princess would be out of the question.

Soon, her stepsisters took the hot water, finished their preparations, and left, mocking Cinderella before leaving. Then, hoofbeats sounded as the baron's family departed, leaving Cinderella alone.

Cinderella knelt by the hazelnut tree in the backyard, crying and pleading, "Mother, please help me. These beans are too mixed up. If I don't finish before they return, they'll beat me to death."

Her voice was filled with despair. This horrible living environment had driven her to the brink, even making her consider death.