NOVPUBThe following morning, chaos reigned at the Governor’s Mansion as the Demon Race Governor decreed a widespread search across the entire province for the human girl who had attended the ball yesterday.
"Governor, you’ve been so distracted since last night, could it be because of that mysterious lady? But she didn’t even leave her name, where would we even start looking?"
As the stage lights brightened, the Demon Race’s elderly butler hurriedly spoke.
"No matter what, I must find her! Please help me to make a proclamation throughout the province, asking all suitable girls aged between 20 and 25 to come and try on this shoe. Whoever can walk in it normally will be her," the Governor said, standing by the window of the Governor’s Mansion, his voice firm despite the throbbing headache.
The butler accepted the order and quickly left.
"Pain... such agony..."
The Governor gazed into the distance, lost in thought,
"My Grey Princess, why, why do you hide from me..."
The stage dimmed, the camera switched.
Waiting for the transition.
"He looks truly in pain, what has he been through to convey such heartfelt anguish?" a girl in the audience said sympathetically.
"Is there a chance that he’s actually in real pain?" the man beside her silently gave her a glance.
The lighting remained dim.
The scene shifted to Cinderella’s home.
Hearing that the Governor was looking for the mysterious girl, the stepmother locked Cinderella in the attic, preventing her from showing herself.
"This is a golden opportunity for my family to soar and transform into a phoenix, I must help the Governor choose my daughter! Let’s eliminate one distraction first."
The stepmother laughed greedily, looking up,
"That little fool who only thinks about food, how could the Governor ever fall for her? Don’t disgrace our family."
"Right, mother! If the Governor saw her, he might even mistake her for a beggar. My foot size may be slightly off from the Magic Shoe, but I’m strong, the Governor will surely choose me as his bride!" the elder sister said proudly.
"Dream on! The Governor would choose you? My size is much closer, hmph, I stand a better chance!" the younger sister retorted.
"What use is it if you can’t walk?"
"That’s still better than not being able to fit in it!"
"..."
Listening to her sisters quarreling incessantly, Cinderella sighed sadly at the attic window.
"I’m so hungry," she murmured to herself, hugging her knees.
The more she thought about the pastries from last night’s banquet, the more she swallowed hard.
"Governor, oh Governor, I am here, I am the one you desperately seek. But here I am, trapped, how can you find me?"
Cinderella whispered to herself, surrounded by her loyal little animal friends.
Talia had studied her lines well this time.
She felt strangely that she could easily perform this scene.
Because at that moment, Cinderella was just like she had been before she met Lanci.
Sleeping under the city walls, alternating between hunger and satiation, wearing a dirty cloak.
If she could travel back in time with her memories now, she’d eagerly await that annoying rich young master showing up with his lunch box — teasing cats in front of her, then smiling and striking up a conversation.
What once seemed an unremarkable meeting, now in hindsight, felt somewhat beautiful to her.
But Talia didn’t realize,
Her eyes filled with bittersweet emotions and a slight smile began to captivate the audience.
"So this is the expression of Cinderella as she pines for the Governor from last night..."
"Maybe she has come to realize that she has already fallen deeply into the wonderful memories she shared with the Governor, yet it seems more like a dream."
"Still, she refuses to awaken, naively willing to believe in destiny."
"Silently waiting for him, perhaps for a more complete collapse."
While Talia was daydreaming,
Pigeons brought her the key hidden by the stepmother.
"Pigeons...?"
Talia stared blankly at the adorable messenger pigeons,
Reminded of her old friend who had been missing for years.
She too had hoped for the pigeons to return,
But one year had passed since that separation.
Hopefully, none of the creatures had put her pigeons in the pot and eaten them.
The more she thought about this, the more Talia felt she had to return to Nanwantina Province someday to look into the pigeon’s whereabouts, to see things through.
"Thank you, my friends! With you at my side, I have the courage and strength!"
Talia, touched by the moment, hugged the pigeons, moved to tears.
Cinderella unlocked the attic door, ran down the stairs, and headed towards the Governor’s Mansion under the escort of the pigeons.
...
Although the opera had been going on for over an hour, the audience still maintained a high level of concentration, all their attention transfixed on the stage.
At the Governor’s Mansion, the shoe-fitting event was in full swing, with countless girls trying their luck, but none could master the shoe.
"Perhaps yesterday was just a dream after all..."
The Demon Race Governor was gradually losing hope, his mood low as he stared at the shoe.
The stepmother, accompanied by her two daughters, arrogantly approached with the butler.
"This is the last family for today... hopefully, this shoe will find its destined owner."
The weary Demon Race butler remarked.
"Your Excellency, please look, my two daughters, they are Heavenly Immortals incarnate, worthy of the world’s one-of-a-kind Magic Shoe!" the stepmother said obsequiously.
The elder sister and the younger sister squabbled over the shoe, forcing their feet into it.
But the elder sister couldn’t fit, and the younger couldn’t walk.
As the Governor watched his beloved shoe being treated like a plaything by the two, and with the morning’s deep disappointments, his anger flared uncontrollably.
"Damn it, you’ve destroyed my sincerity! Guards, arrest all these provocateurs!" the Governor ordered.
