chapter 15
When Tu Nan returned to her room after dinner, Emma was already gone.
There were messy footprints scattered across the floor, and the door bore marks of having been violently forced open.
Lily followed her into the room, frowned at the scene, and asked worriedly, “What should we do now?”
Tu Nan’s expression remained calm.
[The Wedding is the day after tomorrow. You’ll be busy these two days, so don’t let them notice anything unusual.]
Lily nodded, “Of course.”
By the time they returned to the Castle, it was already evening.
Tu Nan was exhausted and only wanted a good night’s rest-this was probably the last night she could spend peacefully in the Instance.
*
On the morning of the fourth day.
As usual, Tu Nan washed up and went to the Dining Room for breakfast.
Grace looked very happy, her voice barely able to contain her excitement. “Tomorrow is the Wedding! It will be so lively.”
From these past few days, Grace seemed to be just an ordinary person in the Instance.
Eric also looked excited, his gaze at Tu Nan filled with barely concealed desire.
He cut his food with knife and fork, staring intently at Tu Nan.
Tu Nan ignored his gaze, focusing on eating the food before her.
She had already decided: tonight, she would use the Dagger to kill the Prince.
“Ariel, would you like to be my Bridesmaid?” Grace suddenly asked with enthusiasm.
Tu Nan was slightly taken aback, gave an embarrassed smile, and lowered her head to write: [Is that really okay? I’m just an orphan.]
“There’s nothing wrong with it. With me here, no one will dare say anything,” Grace insisted. “I have many beautiful Bridesmaid Dresses. After breakfast, you can try them on. They were all made by the best Tailor-you’ll definitely love them.”
She finished speaking and turned to Eric. “Eric, what do you think?”
Eric put down his knife and fork, wiped his mouth, and smiled. “If you like it, then let’s do it.”
They gave Tu Nan no chance to refuse, and she couldn’t refuse anyway.
So after breakfast, Tu Nan was pulled by Grace to the Fitting Room to try on Bridesmaid Dresses.
Just as Grace said, each Bridesmaid Dress was exquisitely crafted by the best Tailor.
Grace handed her a white lace Bridesmaid Dress, eagerly urging her to try it on.
Tu Nan had no choice but to change into the dress.
Surprisingly, the dress fit her perfectly, wrapping her graceful figure beautifully. The hem, perhaps by coincidence, was designed as a Fish Tail, swaying elegantly as she walked. Aside from being inconvenient for running, it was nearly flawless.
As soon as she stepped out of the Fitting Room, Grace exclaimed in amazement and rushed over to hug her. “Oh my, Ariel, this dress is simply made for you! Promise me you’ll wear this dress to be my Bridesmaid, okay?”
But… Tu Nan tugged at the hem uneasily; the dress really hindered her movement.
“What’s wrong? You don’t like the dress?” Grace let go of her, sounding a bit disappointed.
She planned to kill Eric tonight. With the host of the Wedding gone, the Wedding couldn’t possibly proceed.
Tu Nan smiled and shook her head, deciding not to waste time on such trivial matters.
[I really like it.] she wrote. [I’ll wear it to be your Bridesmaid and witness your most beautiful moment.]
“That’s wonderful.” Grace hugged her again, her tone full of anticipation. “This will definitely be the most unforgettable day of my life.”
*
At midnight, Tu Nan pushed open the door.
She had made thorough preparations for everything today.
In the afternoon, she went to the seaside and fully exposed herself to the seawater. Although her Pollution Value had risen a bit, fortunately, she still had a few pearls left. After swallowing them all, her Pollution Value now stayed at twenty percent.
A relatively safe number.
Eric’s attack power would greatly increase at night. In order to kill him with her own hands, she had Lily add some sleeping medicine to the Prince’s dinner.
At this moment, Eric should be sound asleep.
According to the Rule, before the Wedding, Eric could not harm her. This was her best chance, and she could not miss it.
Tu Nan walked to Eric’s bedroom door, slid the Dagger into the crack of the door, and easily opened it.
The wooden door let out a faint creak, which sounded especially loud in the quiet night.
Tu Nan paused, and only after confirming there was no movement inside did she tiptoe into Eric’s room.
The Prince’s room was twice the size of hers. Tonight, the moonlight was bright, and the cold, pale moonlight shone through the window, illuminating the room.
Eric hadn’t closed the window tightly. The cold wind from outside blew the sheer curtains by the window, and the shadows on the floor swayed gently.
Tu Nan held her breath, quietly approaching the large bed in the center of the room, using the moonlight to observe the person lying on the bed.
Perhaps “monster” was a more fitting description.
Eric looked as if he had been completely polluted. His skin appeared an eerie bluish-white under the moonlight, his face covered with pits and boils of various sizes, and even maggots wriggled in the holes.
Tu Nan’s stomach churned. Even though she had mentally prepared herself, she was still disgusted to the extreme.
She took a deep breath and raised the Dagger in her hand. The blade caught the moonlight, flashing a silver gleam that landed right on Eric’s eyes.
The sleeping Prince’s eyelids twitched, showing signs of waking up.
From countless novels and TV dramas, Tu Nan knew that any hesitation at this moment would mean her own death.
Her gaze turned cold. She lifted the quilt and, without a second thought, swung the blade down, aiming the sharp Dagger at Eric’s heart.
Just as the Dagger was about to pierce his chest, it was suddenly grabbed by someone.
Tu Nan’s eyes widened as she saw Eric, awake without her noticing.
A sinister smile appeared on his terrifying face. One hand gripped the Dagger tightly, and where his palm met the blade, a sizzling sound like grilling could be heard.
This Dagger was indeed deadly to him.
There was no time for surprise. Tu Nan pressed both hands on the hilt and pushed down with all her strength.
The smile on Eric’s face faltered, replaced by a painful howl.
White smoke rose from his palm, and finally, unable to bear it, he let go, clutching his hand and screaming.
With nothing blocking her, Tu Nan’s Dagger, propelled by inertia, plunged straight into his chest.
“How dare you…” Eric’s eyes widened, and maggots wriggled frantically in his eyes.
Fearing he might not die, Tu Nan twisted the Dagger forcefully in his chest.
A sound that made her teeth ache echoed.
Eric was like a deflated bellows, his throat emitting a hoarse roar, the sound full of malice, like a curse ringing in her ears.
“Do you think… this will… kill me?” He stared at her, then actually smiled. “You… will never… leave here alive…”