The audience below the stage was already stunned, their mouths agape.
“I remember, this script was written by Her Highness Sistem, right…?”
“Yeah, you’re not wrong.”
“Why did Her Highness Sistem write so many scenes like this? Could it be… Her Highness Sistem actually has that kind of preference…”
“What! Then that means I have a chance!”
Alice had also arrived at this moment, silently watching Liyakade from the back.
At the same time, Liyakade noticed Field’s gaze, lifting her head to meet Field’s eyes in a deep and emotional stare.
Originally, Liyakade thought it was impossible for a prince to like her, and she herself didn’t have anyone she liked, nor would she ever fall for a prince.
But when she looked into Field’s eyes, a strange flutter stirred in her heart, similar to when she first met her own little sister, Alice.
“So, Liyakade and Alice are a two-way arrow after all!?”
At this point, the audience was no longer so shocked by the plot; now, they just wanted to know how the romantic line would develop.
At this rate, isn’t it going to become a love triangle?
“Beautiful lady, may I have this dance?”
Field walked up to Liyakade, smiling as she reached out her hand to invite her.
“Of course, Your Highness the Prince.”
Liyakade gladly accepted Field’s invitation.
In the corner, watching this scene, Alice suddenly felt something shatter inside her, a heaviness weighing down her chest.
The thing Alice feared still happened.
The prince truly made eye contact with her sister.
The ballroom became lively in an instant, leaving only Alice alone in sorrow.
As expected, this feeling couldn’t be conveyed.
In the eyes of the world, her feelings and their relationship were both considered taboo, things that could never be made public, and surely could never be accepted by Liyakade.
Alice let out a bitter laugh.
She didn’t leave immediately.
Even though her heart was being torn apart, seeing her sister—the person she loved—find happiness, somehow didn’t seem so bad.
“My god, suddenly I feel a bit sorry for Alice.”
“In the end, what kind of conclusion will it be? Will Liyakade choose Alice or Field?”
Backstage, Sistem, who had yet to appear, looked at the audience’s reactions and couldn’t help but snort coldly.
These audience members are really single-minded.
They can’t understand my painstaking intentions or true thoughts at all.
Choice?
Only children make choices!
I want them all!
“Hiss… You stepped on me.”
Field’s face twitched in pain and she quietly reminded her.
“I’m sorry…”
Liyakade quickly apologized and became more careful with her steps.
The dance part wasn’t much of a problem for Field—being of royal blood, she’d attended countless banquets and balls.
Even the male lead’s steps were easy for her to handle.
But for Liyakade, it was a bit challenging.
For the sake of the play, Liyakade had practiced dancing hard under Field’s guidance for the past few days, and finally made significant progress.
The two danced gracefully in the ballroom, gazing at each other with deep emotion, forming a sharp contrast with the lonely Alice off to the side.
As the song ended, Field released Liyakade’s hand, her expression showing a lingering reluctance.
But Field stepped back, showing no intention of continuing the dance or proposing to Liyakade.
After that brief happiness, Field’s heart grew even heavier.
The reason was simple—she did like Liyakade, but her true gender was actually female, and Liyakade didn’t know.
If her real gender was revealed, would Liyakade still like her?
Field didn’t know.
If she just proposed to Liyakade like this, it would undoubtedly be a deception for Liyakade.
Even if she hid it, Liyakade would find out one day.
So, they were destined to have no result.
It would be better to let Liyakade go, leaving a bit of beautiful memory in each other’s hearts.
Alice also looked up at the wall clock, realizing there wasn’t much time left before midnight.
It was about time for her to leave too.
The atmosphere on stage plummeted to its lowest point in an instant.
Everyone seemed so silent.
“What will happen next? Is it really going to end just like this?”
“Hurry up and confess, anyone will do!”
“Is this year’s Cultural Festival drama really going to end in tragedy? No!”
The audience below the stage was starting to get anxious.
“Li…”
Just as Field was about to speak, the Palace window was suddenly shattered.
All the lights went out in an instant.
“What’s happening!”
“An assassin! Protect His Highness the Prince!”
The lights quickly came back on.
In the middle of the ballroom, a masked figure in black had appeared at some point, and Liyakade had somehow been seized and pulled behind her.
“Ladies and gentlemen, good evening. You may call me Phantom Thief Raven. Tonight, I have come here to steal the most beautiful thing at the ball.”
Phantom Thief Raven grabbed Liyakade’s wrist, looking a bit excited.
Partly due to the character’s setting, partly because Sistem had been itching to take the stage after watching for so long.
“This young lady is the most beautiful guest at tonight’s ball.
Therefore, I am taking her away now.”
“Stop!”
Seeing this, how could Field let Sistem succeed so easily?
She drew her sword without hesitation and lunged at Sistem.
However, Sistem easily dodged Field’s attack and, at the same time, sliced through the ribbon tying Field’s hair, causing her hair to fall loose.
“Damn it.”
Field slashed again at Sistem, but the difference in strength was too great.
She couldn’t catch Sistem at all, while Sistem, with Liyakade in tow, dodged effortlessly.
“Ah? Was there even a Phantom Thief Raven in Cinderella?”
“It’s been modified this much, isn’t it normal to add a new character?”
“By the way, how did this turn into an action play!”
As the audience below the stage grumbled, the performance above continued.
“Your Highness the Prince, actually, you’re a woman, aren’t you?”
“N-Nonsense!”
Field’s heart jumped in shock.
She hadn’t expected Sistem to reveal her secret so easily.
“Heh, you have no Adam’s apple, your facial features are soft, and your voice is gentle—it’s easy to guess.”
Sistem analyzed, citing evidence.
“Tsk… Give her back to me!”
Although everything Sistem said was correct, now wasn’t the time to hide.
The urgent thing was to take Liyakade back.
Hearing Sistem’s words, Liyakade was also surprised, not expecting Field to actually be female.
“Give her back? Say yes and I’ll consider it!”
Then, the two began to fight.
Field was at a disadvantage the entire time, and just as she was about to lose, Alice couldn’t sit still any longer.
At this rate, her sister would be stolen away by Phantom Thief Raven.
The Evening Dress given by the Fairy was not only beautiful, but also contained certain Magic.
Alice could rely on this Magic to fight.
“Ha!”
Alice shouted and rushed forward, her body glowing with dazzling light.
Caught off guard, she forced Phantom Thief Raven to release Liyakade.
“Wh-Who are you?”
“Sister? How did you get here?”
“Big sister, I was worried about you.”
After pulling Liyakade over, Alice shielded her behind her.
“Heh, what’s one more?”
With those words, Phantom Thief Raven rushed at Liyakade again, intent on reclaiming her.
At that moment, the clock struck midnight.
Alice remembered what the Fairy had said—when the bell tolls, everything returns to normal.
She would lose her Evening Dress and become the dusty, ordinary girl she once was, the power just now disappearing completely.
But Alice didn’t move aside.
Even without power, so what?
The desire to protect Liyakade in her heart had never changed!
As the chimes echoed, Sistem was almost within reach.
But then—a miracle happened.
The Evening Dress on Alice radiated with light once more, forming a Light Shield that blocked Phantom Thief Raven.
“What?”
“Eh? How is this possible?”
Alice’s Evening Dress hadn’t disappeared.
Instead, it actively shielded the two from the attack.
At that moment, the Fairy’s words to Alice echoed in everyone’s ears once again.
“As long as there is love, anything can be achieved.”
“So…is this a miracle born from love?”
Alice murmured.
“Damn it…”
Bounced back by the Light Shield, Phantom Thief Raven looked rather battered.
She gazed at the three standing together before her, and, deciding not to hold back, unleashed her full strength.
In an instant, fierce winds howled inside the Palace, making it impossible for anyone else to stand.
“Phantom Thief Raven, I won’t go with you.”
Liyakade shook her head firmly.
Field and Alice stood beside Liyakade, facing Phantom Thief Raven together.
“Heh, then let’s settle this with our fists!”
Phantom Thief Raven roared, clashing swords with Field.
Liyakade and Alice assisted from behind with Wind Element and Light Element Magic.
At last, with the help of Liyakade and Alice, Field began to gain the upper hand.
Seeing the situation turn against her, Phantom Thief Raven quickly knocked Field aside with a sword swing, spat out a harsh line, and escaped out the window.
“Just you wait!”
The Palace was left in chaos, with the three standing there, out of breath.
They were silent for a long time before Liyakade finally spoke.
“Your Highness the Prince, are you truly a woman?”
Field paused at Liyakade’s question, then finally admitted it.
“Yes…”
Field nodded.
Then silence fell again.
“Sister… Liyakade.”
This time, it was Alice’s turn.
“There’s something I’ve never told you, something very important.
If I don’t say it now, I might never get the chance.”
After everything that happened today, Alice finally understood.
No matter what the answer was, she had to try.
She didn’t want to regret or leave anything unsaid.
“Liyakade sister! I like you! Not as a friend or family, but as a lover!!!”
Summoning all her courage, Alice confessed to Liyakade, her voice trembling with emotion.
Liyakade was momentarily stunned.
That familiar flutter surged up once more, and she realized why she’d always wanted to help Alice—because she actually liked Alice too.
But this love was forbidden, so Liyakade had always locked it deep inside.
Now, Alice’s confession was the key that unlocked that lock.
“Miss Liyakade!”
Field, seeing Alice confess so bravely, was also deeply moved.
She didn’t want to have regrets either.
No matter the outcome, she had to express her feelings.
“Although this is our first meeting, I’ve already fallen for Miss Liyakade at first sight.
Even though I’m a woman, I still fell in love with Miss Liyakade!!!”
With that, both of them leaned in, blushing, and each gave Liyakade a gentle peck on either cheek.
“You two…”
Liyakade’s lips trembled.
Everyone present awaited her response.
“Wow, now isn’t this a dilemma?”
“Which will she choose, her sister or the prince?
This is so conflicted!”
“Childhood friend or love at first sight?
Interesting!”
“Wait, they’re even kissing?
Is this something we’re allowed to watch!?”
As for the kiss scene, Sistem had originally written for them to actually kiss, but doing so in front of so many people on stage was just too embarrassing.
Besides, with three people, how could they even kiss all at once?
So after discussing it, they decided on just a peck on the cheek.
“They really are…”
Sistem, now offstage, looked at the three on stage, feeling overwhelmed with secondhand embarrassment.
Even though it was acting, Sistem didn’t believe for a second that the three up there didn’t feel anything real.
Just from her little sister’s expression, Sistem could tell—her face was as red as a ripe apple.
That wasn’t acting. She was truly embarrassed.
“You guys…”
“Are all my wings!”
“Eh!!!???”