Chapter 86: A Sudden Twist

A long, long time ago, in a certain forest, there lived a family.

Alice’s mother died when Alice was still very young, so only Alice and her father lived together.

Not long after, her father married another woman, and this woman became Alice’s stepmother.

The stepmother had a daughter of her own, Liyakade.

As the curtain rose, the characters began to appear on stage one by one.

“This looks like the plot of the fairy tale Cinderella.”

“Having Alice play the main character, huh? Well, it fits, since the image of Cinderella matches that of a commoner.”

The audience below thought this was the original storyline, with Cinderella as the protagonist.

However, in the storyline revamped by Sistem, Cinderella was no longer considered the protagonist.

“By the way, why is that person there too? Isn’t she ‘The Cursed One’?”

When the audience saw the white-haired girl appear, some people felt puzzled.

“I heard she often bullies others at the Academy. Can someone like that even perform in a play?”

“Hey, those are just rumors. Liyakade is actually a good person.”

Other audience members voiced some rebuttals.

“She’s not as sharp-tongued or mean as the rumors say. She’s actually very gentle.”

“Previously, Miss Liakade helped us a lot. She’s definitely different from the stereotypical image in the rumors.”

“I-Is that so…”

Not long after, the audience quieted down again, silently watching the performance on stage.

At first, their new family was very harmonious.

The stepmother and Liyakade cared deeply for Alice, and Alice regarded Liyakade as her own older sister.

But good times didn’t last.

Not long after the family was reformed, Alice’s father also died of illness.

From then on, the stepmother revealed her true nature.

She tore off her false mask, no longer allowed Alice to wear pretty clothes, and gave all the housework to Alice.

Because of this, Alice was always covered in dust, and so she was called Cinderella.

One night, when it was already time to sleep, Alice was still forced by her stepmother to clean the fireplace.

At that moment, Liyakade appeared in front of Alice.

“Little sister, let me help you.”

Liyakade smiled at Alice, picked up a rag, and began cleaning with her.

“Sister?”

Alice was a little surprised, but Liyakade’s sudden help brought a warmth to her heart.

“Although I can’t go against Mother, I can help you while she’s not around.”

Liyakade explained to Alice.

With Liyakade’s help, Alice felt much more at ease, and soon the fireplace was clean, so Alice could rest properly.

The stepmother was very strict.

If she saw Liyakade helping Alice, Liyakade would also get scolded harshly and sometimes even beaten.

But Liyakade persisted in secretly helping Alice.

From the beginning, Alice had regarded Liyakade as her real sister, but now, she was starting to feel something different toward Liyakade.

“Eh? Was this how the original plot went?”

“I remember the older sister was a villain in the original… Was it adapted? Now I’m curious about how it’ll develop.”

“So, what’s with this ‘different feeling’ being specially emphasized? That’s weird.”

Sharp-eyed audience members had already noticed the plot twist.

The audience also noticed the changes in the storyline and began to look forward to what would happen next.

Time passed like this.

With Liyakade’s help, Alice’s days weren’t so bad, and her feelings for Liyakade grew deeper and deeper.

One day, the Kingdom sent a letter.

It said there would be a ball held at the Royal Palace, inviting girls from all over the country, to choose a bride for the Prince.

When Liyakade learned of this, she didn’t feel anything special.

She just wanted to live quietly here.

Alice felt the same—she just wanted to live with her sister.

But the stepmother thought it was a great opportunity to rise to power.

So she told Liyakade to dress up nicely and go to the ball.

She took out the most beautiful gown in the house for Liyakade, hoping she could win the Prince’s heart at the ball.

Liyakade reluctantly agreed.

But she felt she was only going through the motions.

With so many girls in the country, how could the Prince possibly notice her?

When she heard that Liyakade was going to the ball, Alice also wanted to go.

Because she was worried that the Prince might fall for Liyakade.

But the stepmother harshly forbade Alice.

“If you want to go to the ball, you must clean the house first, and at least have a decent dress. Do you think you’re fit to attend the ball like this?”

Liyakade comforted Alice, saying she would return soon and help Alice clean up afterward.

She told Alice not to worry, then set off.

But how could Alice not worry?

If Liyakade really was chosen by the Prince, it would be hard for them to meet again.

She secretly ran to the garden and cried.

At that moment, a Fairy appeared.

She took Alice’s hand and gently told her,

“As long as there is love, anything can come true.”

The Fairy waved her magic wand.

A beautiful gown instantly appeared on Alice’s body, and a Pumpkin Carriage materialized in front of her.

The ball had already begun.

The white horse raised its hooves, the coachman tightened the reins, and Alice’s Pumpkin Carriage raced out of the forest toward the grand Royal Palace.

“Remember to return before midnight, or everything will return to its original form.”

The Fairy’s voice echoed in Alice’s ears.

Midnight, huh?

That’s enough, as long as I can see my sister.

As long as I can see Liyakade!

“Wait… Is this really Cinderella?”

“Is it just me, or does Cinderella’s attitude toward her sister seem a bit ambiguous…?”

“Bro, it’s not just you. It’s real!”

The development of the plot had already exceeded the expectations of all the audience present.

Although it hadn’t been stated directly, Alice’s behavior clearly showed forbidden feelings for Liyakade.

For the audience, this kind of plot twist was already a wild turn.

However, Sistem’s script was just getting started.

At this moment, in the Royal Palace, countless young ladies had gathered before the Prince.

Each was dressed beautifully, hoping to gain the Prince’s favor.

They vied for his attention, but the Prince showed no interest.

“Why is the Prince being played by Princess Field? I thought it would be a handsome guy.”

“Does it matter? Princess Field is pretty cool too. Isn’t it nice to give Her Highness a chance to appear? There aren’t any important roles left anyway.”

The Prince couldn’t muster any interest in these beautiful maidens.

Because—the Prince was actually a woman in disguise!

“Pfft—”

“Ah ???”

Upon hearing the narration, the audience was thrown into an uproar.

No wonder the Prince was played by Princess Field—so it really was a girl dressed as a man!

Because the King had never produced a male heir, to maintain the peace, Princess Field was made to disguise herself as the Prince.

Even this ball, said to be for her marriage, was just to prevent others from becoming suspicious.

Princess Field shook her head in disappointment.

She had no interest in the young ladies present.

To be honest, why would she be attracted to girls?

This ball would probably end just like that.

The audience breathed a sigh of relief at this point.

Although Princess Field was a woman dressed as a man, at least her thinking was normal, and there weren’t any explosive developments.

Just when the audience thought things would end like this, the narration spoke again.

At that moment, Princess Field suddenly noticed a white figure at the back.

She hadn’t come forward to seek favor, nor did she seem interested in the ball.

She simply stood there quietly.

But just standing there, she was already so beautiful.

Princess Field was momentarily stunned, a glimmer flashing in her eyes.

She fell in love with that girl at first sight.

So, it wasn’t that she had no interest in girls—she just hadn’t met one she liked.

“Eh!!!”

Another plot twist the audience hadn’t expected.