“If she truly is Yun Paopao, then the mysterious disappearance of my sword was likely the doing of that Divine One!””Yet, despite possessing such immense power, she didn’t rescue Yun Paopao when the Spirit Controller took hold of her. Instead, she only acted when I delivered that fatal blow… What could possibly be the reason for this?””Argh! This is so frustrating! Why can’t I figure it out?”
Bai Zhiqiu collapsed onto the grand bed in the center of the room. Clutching her head in her hands, she rolled restlessly back and forth across the mattress.
“It was so close! So incredibly close!”
Just moments ago, Bai Zhiqiu had felt countless times that her thoughts were incredibly close to the answer. She was on the verge of a breakthrough, yet always missed that crucial final step.
That sensation was as irritating as stifling a sneeze halfway through.
Resigning herself to fate, Bai Zhiqiu gave up on further speculation. She simply lay on the bed, preparing for the upcoming celebration tomorrow.
‘I’ll take things one step at a time.’ ‘Perhaps I can gather some useful information during the celebration.’
As night deepened, the glow emanating from the luminous pearl softened further.
With that, Bai Zhiqiu drifted into a deep sleep.
****
“No! Stop! Yin! I was wrong! Yan Qingzhu, I was wrong! I was wrong! I’ll never dare again! Please, no! Sister Gu Nian! Wuwuwu! Don’t!”
Bai Zhiqiu jolted awake, gasping for breath.
“Hmph! It was just a dream… It scared me to death…”
Just then, she had dreamed of being tied to a bed, Yin and Yan Qingzhu taking turns to torment her, until she could no longer hold back.
After the two finally released her, Gu Nian suddenly appeared before her eyes. She had thought Gu Nian was there to rescue her, but to her dismay, Gu Nian harbored the same intentions.
Gu Nian questioned why she, a witch, would help a magical girl. All the while, she used a slender middle finger to punish the disobedient little traitor.
[A detailed account of the process is omitted here; such details are confined to a certain secret realm, guarded by a unique Antarctic creature.]
Ultimately, it was this ordeal that jolted her awake…
“Little Princess! Little Princess! Are you awake? The celebration is about to begin!”
As Bai Zhiqiu still lay dazed in bed, a soft knock suddenly sounded at the door. From the voice, it seemed to be a young girl.
“I… I’m awake! I’ll get ready and be right there! You don’t have to wait for me!”
With that, Bai Zhiqiu frantically threw off the covers and leaped out of bed. She quickly hid the damp sheet beneath the mattress.
‘No one can ever find this! Otherwise, I’ll be utterly humiliated!’
“No, Little Princess! The Clan Leader said I must oversee your change of clothes. Since the Clan Leader has spoken, please don’t be willful anymore, Little Princess!”
Hearing that it was the Clan Leader’s directive, Bai Zhiqiu hesitated for a moment before opening the door.
‘Anyway, I’ve already hidden all the incriminating evidence,’ she thought. ‘There shouldn’t be any major problems.’
As the maid entered the room, what first captured Bai Zhiqiu’s attention were those two prominent mounds.
‘Is the Cloud Whale clan’s nutrition really that good…’
Bai Zhiqiu murmured softly, her eyes constantly darting secretively in that direction.
The Clan Leader’s wife yesterday also had quite the ample bosom, and this maid’s was equally stunning.
At this moment, only one phrase came to Bai Zhiqiu’s mind: ‘Truly, a magnificent bosom!’
“Little Princess? Little Princess? What are you looking at?”
The maid waved a hand before Bai Zhiqiu’s eyes, utterly puzzled. Why was the Little Princess staring at her so intently? It wasn’t as if she didn’t have one herself!
“N-no… nothing… I was just spacing out! Spacing out!”
With that, Bai Zhiqiu awkwardly scratched her head.
‘Wuwuwu! I was caught red-handed staring at someone!’
‘But can you blame me? They jiggle with every step you take! Whose fault is it that you’re all so well-nourished?’
“Alright, Little Princess! Hurry and change your clothes!”
With that, the maid gently pressed Bai Zhiqiu onto a chair. She then produced a white ceremonial gown, intricately embroidered with five patterns in dark red silk thread: peonies, bats, Cloud Whales, poppies, and Higanbana.
Two purple silk borders cascaded down the hem, giving her an ethereal appearance. She seemed like an elf, capable of commanding both lightning and clouds.
The maid thoughtfully styled her hair into twin ponytails. It was said this was the Divine One’s favorite hairstyle.
“Huh? Little Princess, why are you asking such a question? Shouldn’t you be the most familiar with the Divine One’s preferred hairstyle? You were the one who told us to wear this style for the celebration.”
As the maid brushed Bai Zhiqiu’s hair, she cast a peculiar glance at her.
She felt the Little Princess was acting somewhat strangely today, though she couldn’t quite pinpoint why.
‘Never mind!’ she thought. ‘Perhaps the Little Princess simply misses the Divine One too much!’
‘I wonder if the Divine One will appear this year.’ ‘If the Divine One were to show themselves, those so-called Shadow Apostles wouldn’t dare be so arrogant.’
At this thought, the maid’s movements unconsciously quickened.
Finally, the maid slipped white silk stockings onto Bai Zhiqiu’s fair calves. Then, delicate light blue high heels gently encased Bai Zhiqiu’s small feet.
And just like that, a magnificently adorned Bai Zhiqiu was freshly presented.
Standing before the enormous full-length mirror, Bai Zhiqiu gazed at her reflection.
‘So, who is this peerlessly beautiful maiden in the mirror,’ she mused, ‘one so stunning that even the clouds and lightning in the sky would willingly submit to her command?’
“That’s right! It’s me, the Higanbana Witch—Bai Zhiqiu!”
“Little Princess! Please prepare yourself quickly now! After breakfast, we’ll need to depart. Don’t waste too much time!”
With that, the maid left the room, kindly closing the door behind her.
After admiring her reflection a couple more times, Bai Zhiqiu decided it was best to head down quickly.
However, Bai Zhiqiu soon realized a very serious problem.
It seemed she… didn’t know how to wear high heels. More precisely, she didn’t know how to walk in them.
‘It shouldn’t be that hard, right? It’s just walking in different shoes!’ she encouraged herself. ‘I can do it! I definitely can!’
After a moment of self-encouragement, Bai Zhiqiu extended her foot and tentatively took a step. She swayed twice but managed not to fall.
‘Not bad!’
Realizing she could, albeit shakily, manage a few steps, Bai Zhiqiu slowly began to walk, using the wall for support.
‘No big deal!’
Soon, Bai Zhiqiu reached the door. Just as she was about to open it, a girl of similar height, wearing a hat, suddenly swung it open from the outside.
This abrupt action caused Bai Zhiqiu to lose her balance, and her body uncontrollably toppled towards the doorway.
Startled, Bai Zhiqiu couldn’t help but cry out.
“Look out!”
However, the girl, who was about her height, caught her. She swiftly pulled Bai Zhiqiu back into the room and closed the door.
“Shhh! You weren’t this loud in bed! It’s me, you silly Bai Zhiqiu!”
With that, the girl removed her hat.