area51novel Chapter 46 Cinderella 5
Chapter 46 Cinderella 5
The castle, viewed up close, was far larger and more… eerie than when viewed from the town center. It wasn't the gloomy, ancient castle of conventional imagination; quite the opposite, its exterior was lavishly decorated. Towering spires were adorned with shimmering colored lights (driven by some kind of luminous crystal), and the walls were painted soft pinks and creams, draped with blooming, distorted, almost bewitching climbing roses. Huge, cast-iron gates, carved with intricate floral and smiling faces, stood open, revealing a brightly lit interior. Melodious dance music and laughter flowed out like a warm tide, mingling with the rich aromas of perfume, wine, and desserts, creating a powerful and alluring field of "beauty" that was almost drowning one.
However, beneath this dazzling and bustling scene, the castle presented a completely different picture in Wang Lin's psychic vision.
The castle was enveloped by a massive, slowly rotating pink energy vortex, the core of which was the top of the castle's tallest tower. The pink was no longer merely a mental field, but a nearly tangible, viscous energy filled with compulsive pleasure and hypnotic will. Every brick and stone of the castle faintly exuded dark red, pulsating energy patterns like veins. The flashing colored lights, in Wang Lin's perception, were tiny energy nodes constantly drawing "happy" emotions and life force from their surroundings. The fragrance permeating the air also contained even stronger components of nerve numbing and emotional manipulation.
What is most unsettling is that deep within the castle, those enormous, cold, and calculating "eyes" that were once glimpsed in a fleeting moment are now like the sun hanging in the center of a vortex. Although they are not directly "gazing" at the entrance, their invisible will has permeated the entire castle area, like the most sophisticated surveillance network, scanning the emotions, energy reactions, and even the "purity" of the soul of every person who enters.
"Mental matrix, suppress activity to the lowest level, simulate the standard 'expecting guest' fluctuations. Everyone, pay attention to facial expressions, synchronize your emotions." Wang Lin gave the order in a deep voice within the mental matrix, while simultaneously suppressing his psionic vision and mental detection, perfectly blending his own fluctuations into the surrounding false sea of joy. Zhan Lan followed closely behind, using her mental power to cover the entire team with an even thicker layer of emotional disguise befitting their "guest" status.
Following the flow of people, they stepped through the castle gates. Inside was an incredibly spacious, soaring golden hall. The floor was paved with gleaming marble, and enormous crystal chandeliers reflected dazzling light. The walls were covered with huge, brightly colored oil paintings depicting idyllic pastoral scenes and the happy lives of princes and princesses. Long tables were piled high with exquisitely crafted and tempting food and drinks. The richly dressed "guests" (almost all of them were townspeople with their standard smiles, which were now even more fervent) chatted quietly in small groups or were already swaying gently to the music on the edge of the dance floor.
Waiters (with equally standard smiles and movements as precise as robots) moved among the crowd carrying trays of wine. Everything was as perfect as the most exquisite stage play.
However, the members of the Central Continent Team, connected by the mental matrix, could share the unsettling "other side" captured by Wang Lin's psionic vision—those seemingly carefree "guests" possessed weak and hollow soul flames, like flickering candles in the wind; their "happiness" was fuel extracted and infused. The exquisite food emitted energy fluctuations similar to the fragrance of flowers, containing mentally manipulative components. Even the melodious dance music, upon close listening, contained a kind of hypnotic, rhythmic mental fluctuation.
"Disperse, blend into the crowd, and observe. Pay attention to those who look 'different,' as well as the castle's structure, the distribution of guards, and possible passages." Chu Xuan issued the instructions in the matrix, but his face showed an expression of "admiration" as he appreciated the hall's decorations. He casually picked up a glass of bubbly pink beverage from the waiter's tray (but did not drink it).
The group dispersed as instructed. Zheng Zha, Ba Wang, Li Shuaixi, O'Connor, and Jonathan mingled among the male guests, pretending to comment on the "artwork" on the walls, while secretly observing the layout of the hall, the staircase, the corridor entrance, and the waiters and the occasional motionless, cold-eyed "rule-followers" lurking in the corners. Zero, like a silent observer, stood in the shadow of a large pillar, his sniper instincts instantly locking onto several prime sniping spots and potential threats within the hall. Ming Yanwei and Zhao Yingkong, along with Zhan Lan and Evelyn, blended into the small circle of female guests, listening to their exaggerated discussions of dresses, jewelry, and their yearning for princes, while simultaneously watching for any "guests" showing any signs of abnormality or lucidity.
Wang Lin and Chu Xuan strolled casually along the edge of the hall, their gazes sweeping over the enormous oil paintings. The paintings were all identical: a prince's wedding to a beautiful bride, a fairy godmother bestowing blessings, and the family living happily ever after in a castle. But in a corner of a painting depicting "the prince and bride receiving cheers from their people on a flower-filled balcony," Wang Lin's psychic vision caught a faint, grayish-black brushstroke, jarringly out of place with the overall warm pink hue. The brushstroke didn't depict flowers, but rather a blurry, huddled figure, seemingly bound by chains, with the outlines of several rats beside it.
"Look there," Wang Lin said to Chu Xuan in a very low voice through the matrix, while maintaining a smile of admiration for the oil painting.
Chu Xuan's gaze swept over it, and a data stream flashed behind his glasses: "Hidden information. Corresponds to the pendant and the dungeon scene. The oil painting is conveying some kind of concealed truth, or... is it part of a ritual?"
Just then, a clear chime came from behind the curtain on the side of the high platform at the front of the hall. The music stopped abruptly, and the laughter and chatter quickly subsided. All the guests, whatever they had been doing, turned around in unison to face the platform, their faces displaying even more eager, more standard, and expectant smiles.
The curtain slowly rose. On the high platform stood three people.
On the left stood a tall, impeccably handsome young man in a crisp military-style dress uniform. He possessed blond hair, blue eyes, and an undeniably striking appearance. A gentle, captivating smile graced his face, and his azure eyes, like the purest gems, swept over the crowd below, eliciting a suppressed yet excited commotion wherever his gaze fell. This was none other than "His Highness." However, in Wang Lin's psionic vision, the prince was enveloped in a dense, pinkish light, the same as the castle's vortex. Deep within his eyes lay no emotion, only a cold, precise assessment and a hint of… deeply hidden greed. He was not a living person, or rather, not a complete being; he was more like a meticulously crafted, perfect shell, bearing the weight of a certain will.
To the right stood Mrs. Trent, whom they had met during the day, along with her two daughters, Dusura and Antasia. All three were dressed in the most glamorous and dazzling gowns, adorned with sparkling jewels, their faces bearing confident smiles that blended pride and obsequiousness. Their presence blended perfectly with the surrounding aura of "beauty," as if they were born to stand there.
Standing between the prince and Lady Trent, slightly forward, was a figure that made everyone—guests and members of the Middle Continent team—pause.
She was a woman whose exact age was indiscernible. She wore a long, intricately layered silver dress adorned with star and moonlight patterns, and held a magic wand topped with a large pink gemstone. Her face was shrouded in a soft halo, beautiful, benevolent, and imbued with an almost divine aura. A smile played on her lips, and her gentle gaze swept across the room, seemingly capable of soothing all pain and bringing boundless hope. Merely seeing her figure and hearing her voice before she even spoke, one couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of closeness, trust, and submission.
Fairy Godmother.
But under Wang Lin's psychic vision, this sacred and benevolent facade was instantly shattered! The aura surrounding her was an extremely condensed pink mental storm, brimming with coercive pleasure and hypnotic power! Her eyes were the embodiment of the enormous, cold, evaluative, and greedy "eyes" at the center of the castle vortex! The pink gem at the tip of her magic wand was like a miniature black hole, frantically and greedily absorbing the positive emotional energy of "happiness," "expectation," and "adoration" emanating from all the "guests" in the hall, as well as... that faint life force! She was not a benefactor, but the ultimate predator, the director and the most voracious diner of this distorted stage!
"Welcome, my dear children," the fairy godmother spoke, her voice as sweet as the honey, resonating directly in everyone's heart, carrying an intoxicating magic. "Welcome to the palace of happiness and dreams, welcome to the grand ball where His Highness the Prince chooses his eternal bride."
Her gaze slowly swept across the audience, lingering for a barely perceptible moment on the female team members, including Wang Lin, Zhan Lan, Ming Yanwei, and Evelyn. A flicker of assessment flashed deep within her cold "eyes."
"Tonight, the stars shine for you, the flowers bloom for you, and the music plays for you. Cast aside all inhibitions and worries, and fully display your beauty, kindness, and talent. His Highness the Prince's gaze will fall upon the purest, happiest, and most deserving souls of this glory." The Fairy Godmother's voice was alluring. "And as a witness and a blessing, I will personally place the crystal dancing shoes, symbolizing eternal happiness and vows, on the head of the ultimate lucky one."
She slightly raised her hand, and the pink gem at the tip of her wand shone brightly. A waiter, carrying a silver platter covered in velvet, respectfully approached the center of the platform. The fairy godmother gently lifted the velvet.
A shoe lay quietly in the plate.
It was a ballet shoe carved entirely from transparent crystal, its shape exquisite, its lines fluid, refracting a dazzling array of iridescent colors under the lights. It was otherworldly, as if it contained the essence of stars and moonlight. An uncontrollable gasp of longing and astonishment filled the hall. A burning desire ignited in the eyes of every female guest (both controlled and conscious).
However, in Wang Lin's psychic vision, this crystal shoe was the most chilling object in the entire hall! Its interior wasn't pure and transparent; instead, it was filled with countless tiny, twisting, struggling, and silently wailing fragments of grayish-black souls! These fragments were imprisoned and compressed within the crystal by powerful pink energy, like eternal torment sealed in amber. The iridescent light emanating from the shoe was precisely the twisted "joy" energy forcibly extracted and transformed from these tormented souls! This was not a symbol of happiness at all, but a sophisticated and malevolent prison of souls and energy converter!
"The rules are announced," the Fairy Godmother's voice remained sweet, yet carried an undeniable air of authority. "During the ball, please enjoy yourself to the fullest. However, please be sure to abide by the following guidelines: maintain a smile, keep a kind heart, and refrain from any arguments or crying. His Highness dislikes sadness. Before the midnight bells toll, there will be a time for free dancing and socializing. When the midnight bells ring, His Highness will personally invite his chosen lady to dance and attempt to put this unique crystal shoe on her. The lady who wears the crystal shoe will be the bride of tonight, and forever."
Her gaze swept across the room again, and when she mentioned "wearing glass slippers," greed and anticipation almost overflowed from the depths of her cold eyes.
"Now, the ball—begins!"
The music roared back up, even more lively and cheerful than before. The lights shimmered, and guests poured onto the dance floor, beginning to dance. Waiters moved about more frequently with their drinks. The atmosphere instantly reached its climax.
But the hearts of the Zhongzhou team members sank to the bottom.
Midnight! Trying on the crystal shoes! This is the core step of the selection and sacrificial ritual!
"Everyone, be on high alert. Avoid close contact with the prince as much as possible, especially the female team members," Chu Xuan urgently ordered in the matrix. "Wang Lin, Zhan Lan, focus on monitoring the mental fluctuations of the prince and the fairy godmother, especially their targets. Zheng Zha, Zero, pay attention to the movements of the guardians in the hall and any possible hidden passages. The rest of you, continue gathering information, but don't stray too far from the group."
However, the "plot" of this twisted world doesn't seem to intend for them to simply stand by and watch.
Shortly after the ball began, His Highness, surrounded by Mrs. Trent and her two daughters, descended from the platform and began to "friendly" converse with the guests. His gaze, like a precise searchlight, swept over one elegantly dressed young woman after another, his face bearing an impeccably charming smile, occasionally inviting someone to dance. Every woman whose gaze fell upon him, especially those invited to dance, instantly became the focus of the entire room, their faces flushed with excitement, and their souls seemed to become "brighter" and "more compliant," as if infused with extra "happy" energy. But Wang Lin could "see" that a trace of their life force was also drawn away and merged into the pink glow surrounding the prince.
Soon, after seemingly casually circling half the hall, the prince's footsteps stopped near... the small circle where the Central Continent Team was located.
His gaze passed over Mrs. Trent, who was exchanging pleasantries with him, and landed on Zhan Lan, Ming Yanwei, and Evelyn. Zhan Lan, in particular, as a mental power user, although she tried her best to disguise it, the clarity of her soul and her relatively strong mental fluctuations made her stand out like a firefly in the dark among this brainwashed and controlled group.
"Oh? These beautiful ladies look somewhat unfamiliar." The prince's face revealed just the right amount of charming doubt and curiosity, his voice gentle and magnetic. "Are you guests from afar? Welcome to Sweet Dream Town. Would you be so kind as to know your names?"
Lady Trent quickly introduced, "Your Highness, these are guests from afar, also here to attend the ball." Her gaze swept over Zhan Lan and the other two, carrying a hint of scrutiny and competition.
The prince smiled and extended his hand to Zhan Lan: "Would I have the honor of dancing with this... lady of unique elegance?"
The music in the hall seemed to fall silent as countless eyes focused on them, filled with envy, jealousy, and empty blessings.
Zhan Lan's body stiffened instantly. Inside the matrix, everyone's hearts leaped into their throats.
Refuse? Refusing the prince's invitation in front of everyone would undoubtedly violate the "law of happiness" and could immediately trigger unpredictable consequences. Accept? That would mean getting close to this dangerous "core of the ritual," which carries even greater risks.
Just as Zhan Lan's mind raced, and she tried her best to maintain a "flattered" smile, preparing to say something to smooth things over—
"oops!"
A slightly exaggerated, panicked gasp rang out from the side.
It was Ming Yanwei. She seemed to have "accidentally" knocked over a glass of deep red wine on a passing waiter's tray. The wine spilled out, some splashing onto her own skirt and a little onto the sleeve of the person closest to her... the prince.
"I'm so sorry, Your Highness! I was so careless!" Ming Yanwei put on a panicked and tearful expression (her acting was so convincing), and quickly took out a silk handkerchief (which she had prepared beforehand) and pretended to wipe the prince's sleeve.
This sudden "accident" instantly interrupted the prince's invitation to Zhan Lan and attracted everyone's attention. The prince's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, but then relaxed instantly, his face still displaying an impeccable, gentle smile as he avoided Ming Yanwei's hand: "It's alright, Miss. It's nothing. It seems this glass of wine is trying too hard to get my attention." He made a harmless joke, eliciting laughter from the surrounding guests.
Lady Trent immediately stepped forward, asking with concern if Mingyanwei had soiled her dress, and offered to take her to a side room to tidy herself up. The Prince also took the opportunity to suggest that it was more important for the lady to take care of her appearance, and that the matter of inviting a dance partner could wait.
The crisis was temporarily averted. Accompanied by Mrs. Trent, Ming Yanwei left the main hall and went to a side room. Zhan Lan, under the pretext of caring for her companion, followed along with Zhao Yingkong and Evelyn. The prince, however, was temporarily entangled by the other guests who had gathered around him.
"Well done, Yanwei," Zheng Zha praised in the matrix.
"It's just a temporary measure. The prince won't give up easily. He, or rather, the one controlling him, is clearly interested in our people," Chu Xuan analyzed calmly. "We need to more proactively distract him, or... create a bigger 'accident'."
Just then, Wang Lin's mental matrix detected an extremely subtle, almost imperceptible mental fluctuation emanating from a corner of the hall, near an archway half-hidden by a heavy curtain leading deeper into the castle. That fluctuation… carried a familiar, faint, grayish-black aura of pain and resentment, originating from the same source as the rat pendant and the dilapidated wooden hut! Moreover, it was also mixed with an extremely faint, peculiar…squeaking sound?
Rats? Are there rats inside the castle? Or rather, "them"?
"Chu Xuan, Zheng Zha, there's an unusual fluctuation behind that archway at three o'clock. It might be related to the 'rat'," Wang Lin immediately reported in the matrix. "It's very faint, but it's definitely there. We need to investigate."
"I'll go." Zhao Yingkong's cool voice rang out. She had just followed them to the side hall, but under the pretext of "getting some fresh air," she had quietly returned to the edge of the main hall and was now hidden in the shadows of the crowd and pillars, not far from the archway. "My shadow control seems to be less suppressed here; I can give it a try."
"Be careful, don't go too deep. Just check for any passages or anomalies, and report back immediately." Chu Xuan approved.
Zhao Yingkong's figure disappeared silently into the shadows in the corner of the hall, like an ink droplet merging into water, heading towards the archway half-hidden by a curtain.
Wang Lin focused some of his attention on the direction Zhao Yingkong had disappeared in, while continuing to monitor the entire scene, especially the Prince and the Fairy Godmother. The Prince seemed temporarily entangled with several "enthusiastic" local ladies, spinning around on the dance floor. The Fairy Godmother, meanwhile, sat regally on a makeshift throne set up to the side of the platform, a benevolent smile on her face, her gaze "appreciating" the "joyful" scene on the dance floor, the gem in her magic wand continuously and greedily absorbing emotional energy.
Time slipped away second by second amidst false joy and turbulent undercurrents. The midnight bells drew ever closer.
Suddenly, Wang Lin felt the small metal box he kept close to his body vibrate slightly! It was the rat pendant that had exhausted its power! It seemed to have produced an extremely faint reaction to something deep within the castle, or to a certain approaching moment!
At the same time, Zhao Yingkong's hurried and brief report came through the mental matrix: "Behind the archway are downward spiraling stone steps, with a faint smell of blood and mildew. At the end of the steps is an iron door, locked. Under the door crack are... fresh bloodstains, and... this."
A blurry image shared via the matrix appeared in everyone's minds—on the damp ground beneath the iron gate, there were several messy, muddy...small paw prints. Rat paw prints. Beside the paw prints, there was a small tuft of dark red, dry...hair? And, half a torn, stained piece of coarse cloth.
Are those fragments of clothing from the woman in the dilapidated wooden hut?! Was she brought here? Or perhaps...?
"The dungeon entrance!" Chu Xuan instantly deduced. "Behind that iron door is very likely the dungeon chamber that Wang Lin 'saw'! The rat paw prints and the fragments of the woman's clothing indicate that she might have been imprisoned there, or had been there before, and the rat... was someone who knew about it, perhaps even... a 'fellow inmate' or a 'monitor'?"
Just then, the music in the hall stopped again without warning.
The Fairy Godmother slowly rose from her throne, her kind smile unchanged, but her voice resonated in every corner:
"Children, joyful times are always fleeting. Look, the midnight stars are about to reach their highest point in the sky."
She pointed her magic wand towards the huge floor-to-ceiling window on one side of the hall. Outside, in the night sky, a full moon, like a silver disc, had moved to the very top of the castle's highest tower. Moonlight, like mercury spilling onto the ground, pierced through the stained glass and cast a cool beam of light in the center of the hall.
"The midnight bells are about to toll. A moment of happiness and glory is about to arrive."
Her gaze slowly swept across the entire room, finally settling on Ming Yanwei, who had just "adjusted" her dress and was returning to the hall accompanied by Zhan Lan and Evelyn, at the edge of the dance floor.
The prince also stopped dancing, a flawless, affectionate smile on his face, and walked step by step toward Ming Yanwei. His gaze was like that of a hawk locking onto its prey, filled with a sense of certainty.
"My beautiful lady, though there were some minor setbacks along the way, fate seems to have brought you back to me once again." The prince stopped before Ming Yanwei, gracefully extending his hand, his voice so gentle it could melt water. "This final dance, this final melody before destiny's arrival, will you dance with me?"
A deathly silence fell over the room. All eyes, like spotlights, were fixed on Ming Yanwei. Mrs. Trent and her daughters wore expressions of barely concealed jealousy and gloom. A satisfied, cold glint flashed in the Fairy Godmother's eyes.
Ming Yanwei's body stiffened again. Zhan Lan and Evelyn also turned pale. Zheng Zha and the others clenched their fists, almost unable to resist rushing forward.
"Promise him, Yanwei." Chu Xuan's extremely calm voice rang out in the matrix, carrying an undeniable determination. "This is an unavoidable step. Execute Plan B. Wang Lin, prepare. Everyone, to your designated positions, ready to provide support. The bell will be the signal for our operation."
Plan B – In case someone is “chosen” by the prince, then at the moment of trying on the glass slippers, use the possible interference from the rat pendant to launch a surprise attack, create chaos, forcibly rescue the person, and attempt to break into the dungeon!
Ming Yanwei took a deep breath, and on her beautiful face, she forced a smile that matched both "surprise" and "shyness," and gently placed her gloved hand into the prince's outstretched palm.
"It is my honor, Your Highness."
The music played for the last time, a soothing, soulful waltz that seemed to foreshadow an ending. The prince and Ming Yanwei glided into the center of the dance floor, dancing gracefully in the soft moonlight. The prince's movements were elegant, and Ming Yanwei tried her best to match, but in Wang Lin's psychic vision, the prince, holding Ming Yanwei's hand, was greedily absorbing the relatively "vibrant" life force and spiritual energy emanating from her through some invisible connection. Meanwhile, Ming Yanwei's soul radiance was visibly dimming and becoming unstable.
The dance music was nearing its end.
Outside the castle, a heavy, slow chime seemed to resonate in everyone's heart.
Clang—clang—clang—
It's midnight.
The bell tolled twelfth time, its echo reverberating through the magnificent hall for a long time.
The music stopped completely. The prince and Ming Yanwei's dance froze in their final pose. The prince released Ming Yanwei's hand, but his gaze remained fixed on her with deep affection.
The fairy godmother slowly descended from the high platform, and the waiter once again presented the silver platter containing the crystal shoe.
"The time has come." The fairy godmother's voice, ethereal yet majestic, echoed in the lingering chimes. "Your Highness, please have this fortunate lady try on the crystal dancing shoes that symbolize an eternal vow. If the shoes fit, she will be your destined bride and will receive... eternal blessings."
The prince's face showed an expression of extreme "excitement" and "devoutness" as he carefully picked up the crystal shoe that emitted an eerie, seven-colored radiance from the silver tray.
He knelt on one knee, and under everyone's gaze, and in Ming Yanwei's slightly trembling yet composed gaze, he slowly reached out and grasped her ankle, which was clad in an exquisite dance shoe.
The opening of the crystal shoe was aligned with Ming Yanwei's toes.
Just before the crystal shoe touched Ming Yanwei's toes—
"Attack!" Chu Xuan roared within the mental matrix!
Having prepared for some time, Wang Lin suddenly pulled out the small metal box from his pocket, opened it, and poured all his mental energy into the dormant rat pendant! At the same time, the nascent form of the Light of the Mind and the Mental Matrix operated at full power, instantly amplifying and directing the faint but extremely "disharmonious" gray-black waves of pain and resentment emanating from the pendant toward the prince and the fairy godmother, especially the crystal shoe!
"squeak--!!!"
A sharp, piercing screech, filled with endless resentment and madness, like that of a rat, didn't travel through the air, but exploded directly into the souls of everyone present! It even overpowered the lingering echo of the bells!
The two red crystals on the rat pendant suddenly burst forth with a dazzling, ominous blood-red light! The pendant itself seemed to come alive, and a cold, violent, and destructive torrent of gray-black energy, guided by Wang Lin's spirit, slammed into the prince's hand, the crystal shoe, and the invisible connection between him and Ming Yanwei!
"What?!" For the first time, the Fairy Godmother's kind and perfect mask cracked, revealing shock and rage! The gem on her magic wand shone brightly, and an even larger pink energy surged out, attempting to suppress and counteract the gray-black impact.
The prince's hand, gripping Ming Yanwei's ankle, trembled violently, nearly slipping from her grasp! The perfect pink light surrounding him fluctuated wildly, revealing a colder, inhuman essence beneath. The energy connection between him and Ming Yanwei was forcibly severed for a moment!
"Now! Zheng Zha!" Wang Lin roared.
"Let her go, you son of a bitch!!!"
Zheng Zha, who had been poised to strike, was like a cannonball launched the moment the pendant shrieked. His red and white energy was compressed to its limit, and then—exploded! He transformed into a blur that tore through space, instantly covering a distance of more than ten meters with speed and power far exceeding any of his previous attacks, appearing beside the prince! His fist, enveloped in violent energy and accompanied by a sonic boom that ripped through the air, slammed into the prince's arm joint that was gripping Ming Yanwei's ankle!
At the same time, Zero pulled the trigger! The sniper bullet wasn't aimed at the prince (to avoid accidentally injuring Ming Yanwei), but precisely at the pink gem at the tip of the fairy godmother's magic wand on the platform! The instant the energy connection was severed, Ming Yanwei swiftly retreated, simultaneously pulling a short energy dagger from under her skirt and stabbing it towards the prince's face! Zhan Lan's mental shockwave blasted towards the fairy godmother with all its might! Li Shuaixi and Ba Wang, like tigers unleashed, pounced on the surrounding servants and guardians who were trying to rush forward! Zhao Yingkong emerged from the shadows, her short knife thrusting straight into the back of the nearest guardian!
The planned raid erupted suddenly at the very last moment, as the midnight bells rang and the ceremony was about to be completed, in the most violent, chaotic, and unexpected way!
The glamorous mask of "eternal happiness" in Sweet Dream Town was utterly shattered in this moment! The castle hall instantly transformed into a battlefield swept by a storm of blood and energy!