Subliminal Wayfarer

 

Alicia accepted the situation more quickly than expected. Honestly, I wondered if it was even possible to come to terms with it so swiftly.

 

“If you say so, Sister, then it must be true!”

 

The trust she had in me was touching, as it was based on her belief in me.

“So, what do we do now?”

Only after we had polished off the decent stew and salad and savored the iced tea for dessert did we seriously start discussing our situation.

Isn’t there a saying, ‘Everything goes better on a full stomach’?

“Well, then…”

“Then…?”

“Hmm. I’m actually not sure how to say this.”

As much as I consider myself an expert in transmigration, this was uncharted territory for me.

After briefly sulking, Alicia’s eyes widened, and she perked up again.

“It’s okay. We’ll manage somehow. Should we just follow the content of the book?”

My, this was unexpected.

‘If it had been the old Alicia, she would have burst into tears by now.’

When did she grow up so much?

Feeling somewhat proud, I watched as Alicia, seeming to gather courage, began to chatter again.

“Then, the unfolding story will surely be—”

 

* * *

 

It was hours later that Father called for us.

“Cinderella, Rosetta.”

The moment we saw Father’s attire, we couldn’t help but be amazed.

‘Fancy. But it suits him.’

The luxurious white formal wear was something he would never choose to wear in reality, under any circumstances.

Yet, despite that, it suited him insanely well. Indeed, the saying goes, ‘Fashion is completed by the face.’

“You know what day it is today, right?”

Caught up in admiring his face, the question snapped Alicia and me back to reality, and we exchanged a solemn look.

“Of course.”

“Today is the ball.”

“That’s right, you’re well informed. Today marks the day of the imperial ball, celebrating the appointment of a new duke. It is said the duke will be choosing his bride at the ball.”

A ball to celebrate the appointment of a new duke?

‘In the fairy tale, it was a ball to find a bride for the prince.’

Well, such minor setting changes are possible. I quickly agreed and nodded.

Being quick to accept things is one of my strengths, after all.

“Yes, Father. So, should both of us attend the ball?”

Father looked at us for a long while without answering, as if piercing through us with his gaze.

‘What’s with that look?’

Just as I was about to question him—

“No. You two stay home.”

“…What?”

“Even Sister?”

Both Alicia and I asked in surprise.

Alicia, maybe, but why me?

“I heard that Cinderella has caught a cold. Stay and take care of her.”

“Me, take care of her?”

As I questioned again, Father firmly responded.

“Yes. Damian is the heir who will lead our family in the future, so his attendance is mandatory. And it goes without saying for me. I know it’s disappointing, but please understand just this once.”

With such a perfect reason, there was nothing I could argue. I was about to nod, but…

‘Almost nodded there.’

I quickly gathered my wits and spoke up.

“But didn’t you say the Duke is looking for a bride?”

“And what about it?”

“Wouldn’t it benefit our family if I became the bride?”

At that moment, Father’s eyebrows twitched noticeably.

“Huh, if a family needs to sell off its child to rise in ranks, it’s better for it to just fall.”

…Oh. That was indeed something Father would say. It seems the only difference from reality was his fashion sense.

However, the words that followed were something I hadn’t anticipated at all.

“And you’re still too young.”

“Me?”

“Yes. What marriage for someone who’s barely twenty?”

“But twenty is the right age for marriage—”

“Ha! Barely out of babbling and you talk of proper marriageable age, ridiculous.”

What kind of logic is that? If at twenty you’re barely out of babbling, what grand event happens at twenty-one?

At that moment.

“Then, Father.”

A question suddenly occurred to me.

“What is it?”

“So, what age do you consider appropriate for marriage?”

I swallowed hard, waiting for an answer, and after some contemplation, father leisurely opened his mouth.

“Thirty…five? No, forty might be fine too.”

Thirty-five? Forty?

‘So I guess you just want to keep us forever.’

I barely held back a burst of laughter and nodded.

“That doesn’t sound too bad. I’ll think about it.”

“…Hmph. Good to know.”

Father appeared somewhat pleased.

Not long after,

“Take good care of the house. There’s medicine on the table, make sure to take it.”

“Don’t worry, Brother.”

“We’ll be back soon.”

“Safe travels!”

In a horse-drawn carriage, Father and Brother headed to the imperial palace.

Left alone in the empty house, we looked at each other.

“This is good, the situation has deviated from the original story, but actually for the better.”

“Right. I feel more secure with you, Sister!”

“Exactly. Two is better than one. Now, let’s go meet the fairy godmother.”

“Yes, Sister! Just like in the fairy tale, if we cry in the shed, she will appear.”

“Let’s take a rag, just in case.”

“Ah, then maybe you should take a broom too…”

“Thanks.”

Alicia and I, each holding a rag and a broom, headed to the shed.

The shed was empty. After all, what horse would be in a house without a single servant?

We began our task in the dusty shed.

“We want to go to the ball too.”

“Hiic. Hiic. Me too, sister. I want to wear a beautiful dress and shoes and go to the ball.”

“Don’t cry, Cinderella. Maybe we can go to the ball too.”

As we continued our act,

Boom—!

A sound like fireworks exploding, and smoke billowed up.

‘Luckily, this part goes according to the original.’

But the moment I saw who emerged from the smoke, I was chilled again.

“Oh my, how interesting— No, I mean, what pitiful young ladies do we have here?”

Emerging through the smoke wasn’t the fairy godmother but Blanca…

Dressed as a witch.

Where in the world was this fairy tale heading?

As I stared with a soulless gaze, Blanca smiled slyly.

“Oh, why are you looking at me with such eyes, dear lady? Ah, do you recognize me?”

“…That’s impossible. I don’t know you.”

“Hmm. Is that so? Well, it’s true you wouldn’t know me.”

She mumbled as she circled around Alicia and me.

“Well, what does it matter? I’ll grant your wishes! You’re very grateful, aren’t you?”

Blanca cheerfully declared with a round of applause.

‘Applause and a cheerful voice, huh?’

When Blanca shows this kind of reaction, it’s clear.

“For free?”

“…My, my. Our lady is quite perceptive!”

She exclaimed as if in admiration and nodded.

“As you said, nothing in this world comes for free. Of course, everything has its price.”

“So, what do you want from us?”

To my question, Blanca just smiled.

Then, she shrugged.

“Nothing. I don’t need anything.”

What? She doesn’t need anything?

“You seem to not believe me, but I truly don’t need anything.”

Reading my skeptical expression, she shrugged again.

“But, you just said there’s a price to everything…”

Alicia timidly interjected. Blanca looked at her as if impressed, then shook her head.

“Yes, everything has its price, and that’s why I’m paying the price.”

“…Paying the price?”

“I have a bit of a debt to you. The real bad guys are all dead, but still, I wasn’t exactly innocent.”

Blanca seemed like someone confessing their sins.

Just like she had said to me before.

 

“It’s time for a joyful settlement. The money you owe me is…”

“How much?”

“None. Ta-da!”

“What? What do you mean, none? I’ve given you quite a lot of work, didn’t I?”

“Yes, you did. A lot. How many troubles did you give me? But, everything has its price. Like how my husband died because of me.”

“That was Eiane who killed him.”

“But I sold the potion, so I can’t say I didn’t contribute. I also had a hand in tightening the noose around my husband’s neck. So, I can’t take your money.”

“What does that mean?”

“Shh. That’s a secret. I’m a very selfish coward, you see, and I don’t want to be disliked by you.”

 

She then handed me a bag.

A bag filled with all sorts of gold and valuable items, unique things I had never heard or seen before in my life.

This fairy tale book was one of them.