12
As night fell, I lay in bed with my eyes closed. The maid tucked me in thoughtfully before turning to leave.
After she left, I quietly got out of bed and stood by the window, looking out for a long time. The colorful glass reflected flickering candlelight, and the lights in the various palace buildings went out one by one until the entire royal palace was shrouded
in darkness.
The time was right. I picked up an oil lamp and walked barefoot through the long corridor.
Before opening that door, I spent a long time mentally preparing myself. Given how terrifying the prince was, I wouldn’t be surprised even if I saw a corpse.
But the scene before me was beyond my imagination, making my scalp tingle and leaving me breathless.
My hands shook violently, almost unable to hold the oil lamp.
The room was full of me, or rather, full of Cinderellas.
Me in a gorgeous palace gown, me in riding attire, me in a maid’s uniform–countless versions of me hanging densely in the room, feet dangling in the air, like neatly arranged cured meat.
These corpses seemed to have been specially treated. Hanging in the room, they appeared particularly tall, with limbs longer than mine by a size.
I walked to the nearest corpse. Her eyes were wide open, with long curled eyelashes and a high nose bridge. Her skin was still rosy and elastic, as if she were still alive.
I reached out trembling to touch her cheek.
Suddenly, a shrill cat cry came from outside the door.
“Blackwolf, don’t run around.”
The prince–the prince was coming! I panicked, blew out the oil lamp, and spun around the room in confusion.
Except for the ropes hanging from the ceiling, the room was empty on all four sides with nowhere to hide. I stuffed the oil lamp into the skirt of one of the corpses, then walked under an empty rope, put it around my neck, and stood on tiptoe, just like those
corpses.
9:08 AM
<
I had barely finished when the prince pushed open the door. My breathing was rapid, my heart pounding violently.
The prince turned on the crystal chandelier overhead. The dazzling light flooded in, and I instinctively closed my eyes for a
moment.
“Blackwolf, what’s wrong with you today?”
The prince held the black cat in his arms. The cat arched its back, its fur standing on end, hissing continuously in my direction.
The prince stroked its back.
“Want to add another piece to the collection? Be patient, my pet.”
