chapter 29

Oh no! She hadn’t had time to clean her room yet.

The Rule clearly stated that she must maintain tidiness in front of her father-she had broken it.

A wave of fear swept through her body; she shivered unconsciously as her father’s roar sounded again, “Where are you?!”

Tu Nan immediately left the Backyard and rushed to her bedroom door.

She was sure she’d closed her bedroom door when she went downstairs, but now it stood wide open. Her father was at the doorway, his face twisted in anger.

Serenity and Bella stood off to the side. Serenity’s face was expressionless, while Bella’s was full of gloating delight.

It was Bella’s doing.

She realized it instantly.

Bella had deliberately opened her door so their father would see this scene.

“What is going on here?” Her father pointed at the mixture spewed out by the Fairy Tale Compendium in the room, shouting angrily, “You’re a girl-how can you be so untidy?”

“I…” Her breathing quickened, sweat breaking out all over her body as she frantically searched for a solution.

Her father’s eyes were bloodshot, his chest heaving violently, his appearance growing more and more bizarre.

The Instance had already lasted several days; his punishment now would certainly not be as simple as a slap like on the first day.

“Why aren’t you speaking?” her father said darkly. He spoke as he strode toward her, his towering figure looming like a mountain, oppressive. “You’ve disappointed me too much. I must punish you.”

What should she do? What should she do?

She glanced at Serenity and suddenly spoke: “Mother, didn’t you tell father?”

A momentary confusion flashed across Serenity’s face; she tilted her head. “Tell him what?”

“I’m sick.” Tu Nan followed her lead, tears welling in her eyes. “I have a very severe cold, so bad I can’t control myself-I throw up everything I eat.”

Now, she could only hope her mother would help her.

Her father stopped, looking at her suspiciously.

“I was going to clean everything up,” she said, covering her face, “but the Soldiers came so suddenly, I had to go try on the Glass Slipper and didn’t have time to tidy up.”

“Is that so, Serenity?” her father looked at Serenity, asking doubtfully.

Serenity’s face twisted into a strange smile; she spoke slowly, “How could I not know…”

Her voice cut off abruptly, the smile vanishing from her face.

Tu Nan took a green leaf from her pocket, sniffed it at her nose, and said innocently, “Mother, how could you not know? You gave me this leaf yourself, telling me it could suppress my nausea.”

Serenity’s face went blank for a moment; her expression twisted oddly, her tone suddenly strange. “Oh… I suppose that’s right. Layla really is sick, and very seriously so.” She stared at Tu Nan, speaking forcefully.

Tu Nan gave a satisfied smile.

The red faded from her father’s eyes, and he didn’t doubt Serenity’s words at all.

“Alright, if that’s the case, it’s understandable,” he said gruffly. “But even if you’re sick, you must keep things tidy. Clean your room immediately.”

“Yes, father,” Tu Nan replied obediently.

Her father left with heavy steps.

“Mother, you’re so biased!” Bella trembled with anger, limping back to her own room. Mindful that her father hadn’t gone far, she didn’t dare slam the door, only closed it gently.
“Thank you, Mother, for speaking up for me.” Tu Nan smiled and expressed her gratitude.

Serenity finally shed the facade of a loving mother she had been wearing these past few days. She looked steadily at Tu Nan, a little surprised, and asked, “When did you realize I was a Player?”

“I was only suspicious at first,” Tu Nan shrugged. “I wasn’t entirely sure.”

Serenity snorted. “Where did I slip up?”

“That book you were reading…” Tu Nan walked into her own room, gesturing for Serenity to enter.

“What’s wrong with that book?” Serenity stepped inside, looking quite puzzled.

“Serenity never lifts a finger for housework, so why would she be reading a book about planting?” Tu Nan picked up a broom and began cleaning the filth on the floor.

“Can’t I cultivate flowers to nurture my spirit?” Serenity was rather indignant.

“I grew up in the countryside. I recognized the plant you were growing-it wasn’t a flower, but an edible vegetable…” Tu Nan said expressionlessly. “Vegetable gardening… Is that your Skill?”

With the bizarre Skill of the Fairy Tale Compendium, she wasn’t surprised by any Skill anymore.

Serenity looked deflated.

“You’re a Neutral Position, aren’t you?” Tu Nan asked.

Serenity paused, a playful smile once again appearing on her face. “Asking like that, you must be either a ‘Cat’ or a ‘Mouse,’ right?”

“Seems you really are Neutral Position.”

“…” Serenity forced a smile. “So, are you a ‘Cat’ or a ‘Mouse’?”

Tu Nan stopped what she was doing. “Take a guess.”

Serenity snorted coldly. “Regardless, I helped you. Where did you put the things I planted?”

In the Instance, since she wasn’t an enemy, there was no need to make another opponent. Tu Nan didn’t hide it. “I hid them in Cinderella’s yard.”

Serenity left.

Tu Nan cleaned the room thoroughly, took a bath, and finally collapsed onto the bed, letting out a comfortable sigh.

If her guess was correct, Serenity was Neutral Position, with her own tasks, unrelated to Tu Nan, so there was no need to worry. As for Cinderella, she was very likely the ‘Mouse.’

But she only had one chance to identify the Mouse. If she guessed wrong, she would die.

She had to be cautious.

It seemed necessary to find Cinderella and figure out a way to confirm her suspicion.

But now that Cinderella had entered the Royal Palace, meeting her wouldn’t be so easy.

What Tu Nan didn’t expect was that this problem would be solved very soon.

At dinner, Soldiers from the Royal Palace visited and brought them news.

To celebrate the Prince’s upcoming Wedding, the King and Queen would host a Masquerade Ball at the Royal Palace tomorrow.

As Cinderella’s family, they were naturally invited.

Bella was so angry she couldn’t eat, her face twisted with jealousy.

“Layla, since you’re ill, you’d better stay home,” her father suddenly said. “If you drag your sick body and do something improper, you’ll embarrass me.”

… Tu Nan suddenly understood what it meant to shoot yourself in the foot.

“But I feel much better…” She tried to argue. “I think by tomorrow night, I should be fine.”

“Didn’t you say you were seriously ill?” Her father slammed his knife and fork down. “Were you lying to me?”