I Became the Evil Stepsister of Cinderella Chapter 9

On the day of the God's Favored One selection, the weather was perfect—gentle breeze, clear skies, and bright sunshine.

The Fergus Family carriage set off from Damp Street, traversed the eastern district of the city, crossed the central area, and finally arrived at Soren Academy in the western district after more than an hour.

The academy's entrance was bustling with activity, filled with countless exquisite and luxurious carriages. In an era where extravagance was celebrated, the dull and worn-out Fergus Family carriage blended into the crowd, hardly standing out.

Liu Yu sat quietly inside the carriage, waiting.

Through the window, she could see the usually lazy and half-asleep guards transformed, their eyes wide and alert like those of a hound, meticulously inspecting every vehicle entering the premises.

"Which family?"

"Fergus."

The carriage door opened, and sunlight spilled into the dim interior, illuminating the young girl seated inside.

She wore a magnificent sea-blue ball gown adorned with delicate feathers at the hem. A feathered wristband graced her arm, and her azure eyes, as clear and pure as the sky, met the young guard's gaze.

The young guard's face flushed, and he quickly averted his eyes, giving a cursory glance before preparing to let them pass. But then he suddenly stopped.

He pointed to a bulge behind the dark green curtain by the window:

"Miss Fergus, what's this?"

Liu Yu smiled, pulling back the curtain to show him:

"My pet."

Behind the curtain stood a bronze birdcage. Inside, a gray sparrow stood on one leg, scratching its back with its left wing.

"A pet?"

The guard was puzzled. He had never heard of any noble keeping such a common bird as a pet, especially on a day like this...

The smile on the girl's face vanished instantly:

"Is it not allowed?"

"Well, it's not explicitly forbidden..."

The rules didn't mention anything about it.

"That's good," Liu Yu immediately brightened. "Spotty is my lucky charm. I wouldn't feel at ease without him today."

"Pfft—"

A clear mocking laugh came from behind. "Beiliya, have you been spending too much time with your commoner sister? Your taste has become so... unique."

Liu Yu ignored the comment. Every God's Favored One test was a reshuffling of power, and petty arguments were pointless at this stage.

Once inside the academy, the coachman went to the stables to park the carriage, while Liu Yu, holding the birdcage in one hand and lifting her skirt with the other, followed the crowd.

"Beiliya! Beiliya!"

A familiar voice called from behind, and Liu Yu reluctantly stopped.

Her overly lively red-haired classmate, Julie, caught up to her, immediately launching into a tirade:

"Beiliya! Oh, heavens, did you see?"

"See what?"

"Your dear sister arrived in the Louis Family carriage! Goodness, half the girls at Soren Academy are heartbroken. If it were you, Beiliya, it would be one thing, but your plain, mousy commoner sister..."

Liu Yu responded with an indifferent "Oh," knowing the story was unfolding as expected.

She was also aware that Natasi would soon participate in the God's Favored One test under the name of the Louis Family, stunning everyone and becoming the envy of all as a God's Favored One. Meanwhile, the Louis Duke, disguised as a black-haired, black-eyed servant, would loyally protect his beloved by her side.

"A commoner, with blood tainted by filth and ambition, managing to climb aboard the Louis Duke's ship... Oh, Beiliya, it's strange how you don't seem to care at all."

"No, I care deeply."

Liu Yu narrowed her eyes, looking at the slender girl ahead and the shadow quietly following her. Suddenly, she smiled. "Julie, how about we teach her a lesson?"

She said it in her usual playful tone.

Julie's spirits immediately lifted:

"A lesson? How?"

Liu Yu gestured for her to look ahead.

Julie noticed the commoner who had ensnared the Louis Duke walking ahead, followed by several of Soren Academy's notorious enforcers:

"Oh, Daisy, Olivia, and Joey's attendants are all here..."

These were the daughters of Soren Kingdom's great noble families, and their attendants, trained from childhood, were skilled in combat, more than a match for ordinary fighters.

"They..."

"Shh, quiet."

Liu Yu pressed a finger to her lips, and Julie closed her mouth.

"Let's go see the show," Liu Yu said.

She strolled leisurely along the tree-lined path, birdcage in hand, declining the attentions of two unfamiliar men along the way. She stopped only when they reached the musical fountain.

The small figure ahead turned left and disappeared behind the fountain.

Julie tapped her nervously:

"She's gone! She ran away!"

"Julie, lend me one of your attendants."

As if the birdcage had become too heavy, Liu Yu set it down at her feet and stood still.

"What are you planning?"

"Have your attendant summon the Light God's Envoy. Tell them... there's suspicion of evil forces at work in the lecture building."

Normally, she wouldn't be able to do much against the vampire duke, but he had been injured recently and was walking around in broad daylight. If the Light God's Envoy appeared...

"Evil forces? You don't mean your... sister, do you?"

Julie looked at her strangely.

"Of course not. The honor of the Fergus Family must remain untarnished," Liu Yu said solemnly. "The evil forces are those attendants."

She glanced up at the sky, where the sun was shining brightly, warming her head.

"Oh, I see."

Julie nodded seriously. Beiliya wanted her commoner sister to suffer a little but didn't want to go too far, so she called upon the merciful Light God's Envoy. It seemed she wasn't quite the person Julie had thought she was.

She patted her chest:

"Leave it to me."

Julie whispered instructions to her attendant, who then disappeared behind the fountain. After waiting a moment, the two girls circled the fountain and headed toward the lecture building.

Most students were gathered by the riding field, waiting for the God's Favored One test, so the lecture building was eerily quiet.

Julie felt uneasy.

"What is your commoner sister doing here...?"

Of course, it was because the injured Louis Duke, weakened by the sunlight, needed a quiet place to replenish his "energy."

Liu Yu pretended not to know:

"Let's find out, shall we?"

She began climbing the stairs.

First floor, second floor, third floor... sixth floor.

The small door leading to the rooftop on the sixth floor was ajar, the key dangling precariously from the lock.

"This..."

For some reason, Julie felt a sense of foreboding.

"Let's go up and see," Liu Yu said.

She carefully stepped over the threshold, birdcage in hand, and climbed the stairs, signaling for Julie to stop.

Julie's heart pounded as the only sound at the stairwell was the whistling wind.

Liu Yu stepped onto the rooftop first.

Julie followed, and when she saw the scene before her, she couldn't help but cover her mouth:

"Oh, God of Light above..."

The rooftop looked as if it had been ravaged by a storm, a complete mess.

Signs of a fierce battle were everywhere. The attendants, trained for years in combat, lay scattered on the ground, lifeless.

What was more bizarre was that none of them bore any visible wounds.

"What... what happened here?..."

Julie scratched her head in confusion.

Liu Yu stared at the ground.

A relatively handsome male corpse met her gaze, his amber eyes fixed on the stairwell entrance, one hand reaching forward—

He seemed to still cling to a desire for life, but the light in his eyes had already faded.

She suddenly remembered seeing this attendant just yesterday. He had blushed when he saw her—a shy young man.

Perhaps he had a lover outside, planning to propose. Maybe he had an elderly mother waiting for him...

Perhaps...

Next, it would be her turn.

"Ugh—"

Liu Yu forced down the nausea rising in her throat.

"Oh, heavens, don't tell me your commoner sister did all this..."

"That's impossible!"

Liu Yu shook her head, her beautiful blue eyes welling up with tears. She cursed under her breath and rushed forward, stepping over the bodies:

"Julie, come help!"

Julie noticed the scene in the southeast corner.

Two more figures lay there—one was Beiliya's petite commoner sister, and the other, judging by his attire, appeared to be a servant.

Glancing at the servant's black hair, Julie turned away in disgust:

"Beiliya, I didn't realize you cared so much about your commoner sister."

"Julie, I'm sorry..." Liu Yu was almost incoherent, "Uncle Leonard was very kind to me before he passed away. Although I don't like her, I didn't want to see her die either..."

She looked up:

"Julie, my legs feel a bit weak. Could you please take her to the school infirmary?"

Julie's heart softened.

She realized that she was starting to like this version of Beiliya, who had a touch of humanity and yet still bossed people around so naturally.

"No problem! Wait here!"

Julie called over another attendant, and together they flanked Natasi, escorting her to the infirmary.

Once they were gone, Liu Yu casually picked up a stone from the ground and aimed it at the back of the black-haired young man's head—

She was one item short of completing the God's Favored One trial:

A medium tainted with dark power.

She couldn't think of anything more suitable than a vampire's fang.

Before the stone could land, her wrist was caught. The black-haired young man opened his eyes, and as those dark pupils revealed themselves, his previously unremarkable face seemed to transform—like a faded, yellowed painting suddenly coming to life under the brilliant sunlight.

"Beiliya Fergus."

Louis's pale, almost arrogantly elegant face showed not a trace of emotion.

A mysterious force immobilized Liu Yu completely, leaving her barely able to breathe.

She coughed, then suddenly laughed:

"So, Your Excellency has finally stopped pretending to be unconscious."

"You knew?"

The pressure on her throat eased slightly.

"Yes, and I also know... if you harm me, Natasi will die."

The force restraining her body slowly dissipated like water draining away.

"Where is Natasi?"

"Don't worry, she's in a very, very safe place. As long as I'm fine, she'll be fine too. Oh, and I should remind you—the Light God's Envoy is about to arrive."

As if to confirm her words, rhythmic footsteps echoed from downstairs, accompanied by the sycophantic praise of the school supervisor:

"Envoy, Soren Academy has always been under the protection of the God of Light. How could there be any trace of dark power here? Someone must have made a mistake."

"No... my staff has sensed the presence of darkness."

The footsteps grew closer.

"Did you call them here?"

"Mhm."

"If I die, I'll make sure you go down with me. You know I mean what I say."

Watching Duke Louis's face grow even paler, Liu Yu suddenly smiled mysteriously:

"Follow me."

She grabbed his hand and, surprisingly, managed to pull him along.

Louis, unsure of her intentions, decided to follow. The two of them quickly slipped to the water tower in the southwest corner. Due to the constant dampness, the area around the water tower was covered in moss. Liu Yu reached out and lifted a patch of moss, revealing a hidden cover.

Beneath it was a hole.

Louis was no fool and immediately understood her plan. He jumped into the hole, expecting her to close the cover, but to his surprise, the peculiar Miss Fergus also lifted her skirt and jumped down, holding a birdcage in her hand.

The cover was replaced, plunging them into darkness.

Liu Yu could feel his gaze scanning her face repeatedly.

"The Light God's Envoy's staff is more sensitive than a bloodhound's nose," he said.

"I want your fang," Liu Yu replied, breaking the usual script.

"My fang?"

"Yes, the fang connected to your heart's bloodline, Your Excellency Louis. It's a fair trade," she paused, "In exchange, I'll protect you from being discovered by the Envoy."

Footsteps passed overhead.

The school supervisor's shouts nearly pierced their eardrums, while in the darkness below, a human and a vampire faced off.

"Protect me? Prove your ability."

"You have no choice," Liu Yu said slowly, "Otherwise, I could call them over right now."

"Before you make a sound, I'll snap your neck."

"No, Your Excellency, you can't," Liu Yu smiled confidently, "If you could, you wouldn't have pretended to be unconscious earlier, nor would you be bargaining with me now. You would have already jumped from the sixth floor and disappeared without a trace. I know you have that ability."

She could feel Louis's pitch-black eyes, like the darkest night, fixed on her in the darkness.

After a long pause, he finally said, "Fine."

A breeze carried fragments of the conversation above:

"...These wounds don't seem to be caused by metal, but by dark magic... Yet, strangely, there's no trace of dark power on the wounds, and my staff has gone silent..."

"...Without the blessing of holy water, even the most advanced divine magic cannot completely remove the dark power from the wounds... What on earth is going on..."

But Liu Yu knew the truth.

What divine magic in the world could compare to the power of the God of Light themselves?

A flap of the gray sparrow's wings, combined with the power of the memory bead, was enough to purify and conceal the darkness in the vicinity—especially since Duke Louis's strength had been greatly diminished by his injuries and exposure to sunlight. Otherwise, she wouldn't have seized the opportunity to blackmail him directly.

Liu Yu silently mouthed the words, knowing he could see her in the dark.

"I'll count to three..."

"Now?"

"Yes, I'm afraid you'll change your mind."

"A noble Louis never goes back on his word."

The footsteps above gradually faded away.

"One."

"Two."

"Three—"

A cold, sharp object, reeking of thick blood, landed in the girl's open palm.

She clenched her fist tightly: she had it.

The footsteps were completely gone.

They had left.

Louis leaned against the wall, beads of sweat rolling down his pale cheeks. The fang connected to his heart's bloodline was the essence of a vampire's dark power. Removing it had left him severely weakened.

He closed his eyes:

"The deal is done."

"Yes, the deal is done."

In the darkness, their gazes locked.

The cover was lifted, and Louis jumped out first. He extended a hand downward, offering it politely:

"Miss Fergus, let me help you up."

Liu Yu stared at the overly pale hand reaching down to her, then grasped it and used the leverage to jump out.

Louis stepped closer, leaning in to embrace her in an intimate manner, his fangs grazing her delicate neck:

"Miss Fergus, you—"

His smile froze mid-sentence, stiff and eerie, like a mask.

"—Your Excellency Louis, you and I are actually quite alike. We both value the spirit of contracts."

That was why, after confirming the deal was done, they both betrayed each other.

Liu Yu expressionlessly pulled the cross from the duke's chest, her smile cold as she watched his face turn as pale as paper: "Too bad, I was faster."

Louis's body trembled violently.

His dark eyes fixed on her, and suddenly, he laughed:

"Dear Miss Fergus, the next time we meet, I'll be the one to bite your neck."

With that, his body dissolved into a cloud of black mist, scattering in the wind.

Liu Yu looked down at her palm, where a white, sharp fang lay. She slowly strung it together with a feather and the memory bead, attaching it to her wrist.

On her slender neck, a faint blood spot had already formed a scab.

The gray sparrow in the birdcage flapped its wings fiercely:

"Chirp!"

But the seemingly sharp cry carried a hint of trembling.

Liu Yu affectionately tapped its head with her finger:

"Naughty."

Then she picked up the birdcage and quietly made her way downstairs.

For now, Duke Louis was severely weakened and wouldn't be able to appear before her anytime soon. The threat of being drained dry had been postponed once again.

Thanks to Julie, she had successfully distanced herself from the "evil forces" and crafted an image of being "somewhat kind." Most importantly, she had obtained a vampire's fang.

With the fang in hand, Liu Yu made her way to the God's Favored One trial square.

On the square, Natasi had already woken up and was just about to take her turn in the trial.

"Name."

"Natasi Leonard."

"Place your hand on the crystal ball."

Natasi's slender hand gently touched the crystal ball, which had remained dim all morning. Suddenly, a soft white light burst forth—not intense, but gentle and warm.

"Natasi Leonard, God's Favored One!"

The Light God's Envoy presiding over the trial immediately looked at her with kindness.

Natasi bit her lip, her cheeks flushed like a little apple: "Really? I'm a God's Favored One?!"

The worry between her brows seemed to have been gently blown away by the wind.

Liu Yu's ears seemed to ring once more with that spoiled, indifferent voice:

"But I have a mother."

You don't have a mother.

You're not a God's Favored One.

You crash into the southern wall until your head bleeds, while I effortlessly stand at the destination you so desperately desire.

Liu Yu blinked, forcing back the sudden surge of pointless, fragile, and melodramatic jealousy.

"Name."

"Beiliya Fergus."

"Place your hand on the crystal ball."

Liu Yu gently placed her hand on it. A loose, delicate chain hung around her fair wrist, adorned with translucent glass beads, soft feathers, and a sharp canine tooth dangling from it.

She seemed nervous, clutching the canine tooth tightly in her palm.

With a slight pressure, the beautiful fang easily pierced the tender skin of her palm, and a cold, bone-chilling force seeped from her palm into her meridians.

At that moment, the memory bead and the feathers jingling all over her body emitted a white light. The gentle, warm light surged with unstoppable force, pressing against the dark energy in her palm and directly infiltrating the crystal ball—

This process, though described slowly, actually happened in an instant. To onlookers, it appeared as though the crystal ball suddenly radiated a white light.

The white light enveloped Liu Yu entirely, pure and unstoppable.

"God's Favored One, Beiliya Fergus!"

The square erupted in excitement.

"That light! Is that the Holy Spirit Body?"

Even the Light God's Envoy's eyes burned with fervor.

Liu Yu could only think:

This is bad. Things have gotten out of hand.

A counterfeit should have kept a low profile.

But the people of Soren Academy were already cheering.

"Beiliya Fergus!"

Natasi's pupils constricted sharply, and her hands, clutching her skirt, trembled violently.

She instinctively glanced around: