Chapter 7
Immediately after, Liu Yu carefully looked at herself in the mirror.
As expected of the top beauty of Solro City-State, Beiliya’s appearance was undeniably flawless.
Pale, beautiful.
Her paleness was elegant, her beauty rich, as if she had stepped out of an oil painting, every stroke bold and vivid, brimming with the artist’s intense and profound emotions.
Her golden hair, azure eyes, and overly pale, cold skin combined to create an aristocratic air of aloofness and pride.
Yet, when she smiled slightly, that coldness instantly melted away, like a sudden burst of sunlight dispelling all the chill; she became a radiant rose, dazzling and magnificent, passionate and unrestrained.
These two starkly different qualities coexisted perfectly within one person, creating a strange, mesmerizing beauty that made it impossible to look away.
Liu Yu’s lips curved slightly, and the beauty in the mirror mirrored her smile.
She gently touched her azure eyes and whispered:
“Hello, Beiliya.”
Beiliya smiled back at her.
“Hello, Beiliya.”
It was as if someone in the air was speaking to her.
From now on, I am Beiliya.
Liu Yu told herself.
She wiped her fingers one by one, put down the handkerchief, and opened the door to step out.
As she passed through the corridor, she couldn’t help but glance up at the attic above. In the darkness, it felt as if a pair of eyes were constantly watching her. Liu Yu paused for a moment, then continued on her way.
Open the door, close the door.
Lying in bed, this time, she did not dream.
When she woke up the next day, the sky was already bright.
The gray sparrow chirped “chirp chirp” by her ear, and Natasi knocked on the door: “Beiliya sister, it’s time to go to Soren Academy.”
Liu Yu opened her eyes, her gaze landing on the ceiling above, where the Rococo-style patterns reminded her: Oh, I am Beiliya now.
She got up, and with Natasi’s help, put on a petticoat. When choosing a dress, she stared blankly at the wardrobe filled with every color of the rainbow:
It seemed the original owner’s dream was to become a Christmas tree.
“The white one,” she said. “That one.”
Natasi hurried over and took out the white dress. The Greek-style hem nearly touched the ground, and the dress had no embellishments except for a slightly low neckline.
“Beiliya sister, is this the one?”
Her gaze was somewhat puzzled: Beiliya sister always loved intricate dresses, the more bows and ruffles, the better. This plain white dress, with no bows at all, had always been something Beiliya sister disliked.
“This one.”
In her previous life, Liu Yu’s features alone would have only made her a seventy percent beauty, but she was exceptionally skilled at dressing up, and when combined, she could be considered a hundred percent beauty.
In her opinion, a person’s image and demeanor were also a calling card—and this card was more direct and straightforward, an extremely convenient and useful stepping stone.
Therefore, she had spent a great deal of effort studying fashion and style.
Now, she had been given a hundred percent beauty, and what she needed to do was to elevate that perfection to its utmost.
“But…” Natasi mustered her courage. “Beiliya sister, this doesn’t suit you.”
Liu Yu glanced at her.
Natasi was wearing a light blue polka-dot cotton dress with a V-neck, a blue satin ribbon in her hair, and two white daisies by her ears. Paired with her delicate face, she looked fresh and adorable.
Her taste wasn’t bad.
Liu Yu picked out a red lace puffball dress from the wardrobe and, seeing Natasi’s bewildered expression, smiled gently. She tucked a stray strand of Natasi’s hair behind her ear:
“Natasi, didn’t you always want a red dress? Go on, put it on now.”
Natasi’s eyes widened:
“But this is sister’s favorite…”
“Go change now,” Liu Yu handed it to her firmly, in a tone that brooked no argument. “Right away.”
Natasi had no choice but to go change.
Once the blue figure disappeared behind the door, Liu Yu leisurely changed her clothes, while the gray sparrow flapped its wings in its cage.
“Chirp, you also think Natasi looks good in red, don’t you?”
“Chirp.”
“Chirp, I gave Natasi a dress. How about you give me your prettiest feather?”
“Chirp!”
Liu Yu took it as agreement and, while the sparrow glared at her with its black beady eyes, reached out and “plucked” a feather from its tail—
“Chirp—!!!”
A shrill cry later, Liu Yu held a beautiful feather in her hand, its pure white sheen making her fingers look as white as snow.
The sparrow jumped around in its cage, cursing:
“Chirp chirp! Chirp chirp! Chirp chirp chirp chirp chirp!”
Natasi pushed the door open and looked in surprise at the agitated sparrow covering its tail with one wing:
“What’s wrong with Chirp?”
“Chirp.”
Liu Yu calmly tied the feather into a knot and put it on her hand to admire. “Its name, don’t get it wrong.”
“…Oh, Chirp.”
Natasi’s mood instantly dampened.
Liu Yu looked her up and down:
“Natasi, you look great.”
Natasi awkwardly tugged at the hem of her dress. She had never worn silk before and felt extremely uncomfortable.
“Chirp!”
The sparrow screeched at Liu Yu.
Liu Yu knew it was scolding her for being malicious. Natasi wasn’t suited to such bold colors.
Her skin wasn’t fair enough, and her frame was too small. This dress accentuated all her flaws, making her look thin and scrawny, like a child playing dress-up.
Liu Yu immediately lost interest.
Teasing her like this wouldn’t solve her pressing problems. She hadn’t forgotten that Natasi had Louis watching over her.
“Alright, let’s go.”
“But…”
“I’ll manage.”
Natasi carefully stepped out, and before closing the door, she couldn’t help but glance back: Beiliya was sitting at her dressing table, braiding her golden hair. A beautiful feather was wrapped around her fair wrist.
She lifted her skirt and went downstairs.
The servants, seeing her, showed obvious surprise: “Miss Natasi, you can’t wear that! Miss Beiliya will—”
“Beiliya sister insisted I wear it.”
Natasi gently informed them.
Mornings at the Fergus Family were usually quiet and orderly.
But this quiet became even more pronounced when Beiliya descended the stairs, holding her skirt—she walked into the dining room with a feathered fan, as if nothing was amiss.
Mrs. Fergus was waiting for her there:
“Beiliya, why did you give that dress to Natasi?”
Liu Yu picked up a soft, delicious duchess cake and sat down comfortably: “Mother, Natasi is my sister.”
She drawled: “Besides, I have plenty of dresses. What does it matter?”
The servants’ eyes welled up with tears, their expressions saying that Miss Fergus had finally grown up—Liu Yu took note of their reactions—
Never underestimate these seemingly insignificant cogs. Many rumors among the nobility spread through their whispers.
What she needed now was to gradually shift people’s perceptions.
“Beiliya—”
“Mother,” Liu Yu interrupted Mrs. Fergus, “give me two hundred lusso.”
“Two hundred lusso? Oh, Beiliya, you know…”
Mrs. Fergus hesitated.
“But I want to go shopping on Floss Street today—” Liu Yu put on a slightly coquettish expression. “Please?”
Mrs. Fergus could never be too firm with her beloved daughter.
Soon, Liu Yu happily took the two hundred lusso, gave Mrs. Fergus an affectionate cheek-to-cheek greeting, and left in the carriage.
She first went to Soren Academy to report, then sneaked out midway to visit an inn.
“I’m looking for Gaia.”
The long-bearded innkeeper’s wrinkles smoothed out at the sight of her: “Miss Fergus, you’re as beautiful as the Jilai flower on Andy Mountain today.”
The Jilai flower was a legendary divine bloom.
When the God of Light passed over Andy Mountain in his sun chariot, he shed a tear for the displaced people, and from that tear, the Jilai flower was born.
The Jilai flower had an icy white crown, golden stamens, and even its stem and leaves were white—it was said that anyone who encountered the Jilai flower would have good fortune for life.
“Thank you,” Liu Yu gave him a smile. “I’m looking for Gaia.”
The long-bearded innkeeper handed her the key.
Liu Yu clicked up the inn’s stairs in her white pumps: “Gaia—, did you sleep well last night?”
Gaia stood quietly by the window, as if he hadn’t heard her.
“Gaia?”
Liu Yu walked over gently.
Gaia turned around:
"To be honest, not so well."
"I've been wondering, who am I... Why does everything seem so unfamiliar... My family and friends... Did an enemy gouge out my eyes..."
The confusion on the young man's face was unmistakable, "And Beiliya... Why are you so kind to me?"
"Because I like Gaia."
Liu Yu observed Gaia's expression.
Apart from confusion, he appeared extremely indifferent to the word "like," unlike those fools who would be utterly captivated by a simple declaration of affection.
Well, the God of Light had lived for countless millennia, and his heart had long hardened like stone. If it were easy to move him, he would have had a Goddess by his side already.
"I'm sorry," Gaia said, "I don't quite understand these things."
"...Oh." The girl's voice dropped, but she quickly regained her composure, "Then... Gaia, let's go for a walk. Maybe we'll meet someone who knows you, or come across a familiar place that might help you remember something."
"Alright."
"Give me your hand."
Liu Yu looked at the hand Gaia extended and naturally took it, this time interlacing their fingers.
Gaia hesitated, seemingly unaccustomed to such close physical contact. Liu Yu held onto him firmly:
"Don't pull away, Gaia. Good friends hold hands like this. Besides... you won't get lost."
"...Oh."
Gaia "looked" at her, "Does Beiliya hold hands with others like this too?"
"I don't have any friends, except for Gaia."
The girl's voice suddenly sounded pitiful, as she murmured softly, "They all dislike me, saying I'm bad, and that I bully Natasi... Oh, Natasi is my stepsister. She's much more likable than I am."
"...Since they don't like me, I won't bother being friends with them."
Digging holes, one after another.
"But Beiliya is a kind child. You helped me."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Gaia realized he had referred to her as a "child." Yet it felt natural, as if there was no awkwardness in his heart.
"Really?"
Liu Yu jumped up with joy, but then added, "Then promise me one thing, Gaia. In the future—I mean, in the future—if you ever meet Natasi, don't become friends with her either. All my friends end up siding with her... You're my friend, not hers."
She pouted childishly.
Gaia bent down and gently stroked her head:
"Beiliya, we should go out for a walk now."
Not receiving a promise, Liu Yu decided to let it go.
The top priority now was to figure out whether the original body was indeed a Divine Blessed One.
"Alright, let's go!"
She held his hand and hurried down the stairs.
After settling the lodging fees and retrieving the golden iris from Rovu Medical Hall, Liu Yu took Gaia for a stroll along Floss Street.
She bought some string for beads, planning to string them together with feathers—
These feathers contained the most potent divine power from the gray-spotted sparrow, making them excellent for self-defense. As for the beads, they needed to be preserved carefully. Until she could cultivate enough emotional connection, she couldn't let Gaia regain his memories.
After finishing all her errands, Liu Yu led Gaia to a small branch of the Temple of Light in Solro City-State.
"Gaia, you can't participate in the Divine Blessed One selection at Soren Academy... but here, you can."
The Temple of Light's Divine Blessed One selection was held every three rounds. The divine envoys would bring crystal balls to test students at various academies. Non-academy students, unless they were nobles, were not allowed to take the test.
However, commoners could also take the test at the temple's office during the selection season if they could afford the testing fee.
This was a significant source of income.
Many commoners worked for decades to save up for the testing fee: but if they were found to be Divine Blessed Ones, the fee would be refunded immediately.
"One thousand Luso."
The clerk at the office didn't even look up.
"Sir, can I use this... as collateral?"
Liu Yu pushed the golden iris forward.
"Get out of here—"
The clerk looked up, and when his eyes met the person before him, they widened in astonishment. Standing before him was a noble-looking girl, her hands clasped together in a pitiful yet adorable manner, "Please, please, can I?"
Oh, God, forgive me for this brief betrayal.
The clerk nodded dumbly:
"Y-Yes. The Fergus Family, of course."
"Thank you."
The girl smiled at him, "You're really too kind."
"Is it you who will be taking the test?"
"No, it's him."
Liu Yu pushed Gaia forward, and the clerk almost stood up to bow: "Yes, yes, place your hand on the crystal ball, and don't think about anything..."
Before he could finish his instructions, the dim crystal ball suddenly emitted a bright white light, growing brighter and brighter until it filled the entire hall.
The clerk's mouth hung open: Oh, by the God of Light, in all his years here, he had only seen faint glimmers of light like fireflies. This, this...
A series of hurried footsteps came from outside:
"Who? Who is using divine magic here? They must be punished! Punished!"
An irritable red-haired divine envoy, holding a staff, stormed in. When his gaze fell on Gaia, who was undergoing the test, his mouth also formed an "O" shape:
"Oh, by the God of Light, the legendary Holy Light Body..."
Divine Blessed Ones were categorized into different levels. Most people were only at the initial stage of affinity with divine power—
But the Holy Light Body was a legendary existence, something that had been recorded but never actually appeared.
"Is the crystal ball broken?"
This was the thought that crossed everyone's mind.
Only Liu Yu knew it was real.
As Gaia withdrew his hand and the crystal ball began to dim, before anyone could react, she quietly placed her hand on the crystal ball.
The crystal ball felt as if it were encased in an impenetrable, solid stone wall. No matter how much she meditated, she couldn't sense anything.
The crystal ball turned completely gray.
The divine envoy and the others crowded around Gaia, pushing Liu Yu to the periphery. She looked at her palm and smiled bitterly:
It seemed that no matter where she went, her luck wasn't very good.
She wasn't a Divine Blessed One.
Gaia pushed through the crowd, as if he could "see" her, and walked over:
"Beiliya?"
"Yes."
Liu Yu curved her lips into a smile, looking at the elf-like young man before her, like a demon eyeing a piece of Tang Monk's flesh.
There was a shortcut to becoming a Divine Blessed One.
Sleep with this precious treasure and complete the great act of life's harmony.
Nickname:
