Garden of Eden || Apocalypse Paradise #2 [Complete]

133: Neapolitan Cake

"I live in a settlement near here. If you want to go to the market, you can follow me. I can show you the way," the golden-haired maiden offered, smiling. She did not seem to notice Lin Sanjiu's tense stare. She turned and pointed at a road while locks of golden hair flowed down her shoulders following her gesture. "Look over there; you can follow that road. You can go over that hill, and you will find my settlement."

Lin Sanjiu saw a road she hadn't noticed when she looked in the given direction and sensed that the girl might be harmless after all. Lin Sanjiu relaxed and replied, "Thank you, I'll be counting on you."

"You're welcome." The golden-haired maiden looked at her shyly, "I rarely see people like you around here. You look kind."

The souls of the countless lives she had taken might not agree with that view, but Lin Sanjiu nodded and thanked the maiden again, "What is your name?"

"Oh! Pardon my manners. I should have introduced myself! But—"

She looked visibly disheartened as she continued, "Nobody calls me by my real name now, not even my father. My sisters call me Cinderella. You can call me by that name, too."

Lin Sanjiu's face quickly contorted into a grimace as she pinched her wrist. 'I just had a dream about Little Red Riding Hood, and now here comes Cinderella... Is this a fairytale world? But if I'm right, then where did Little Red Riding Hood go?'

"I don't like to think about my stepmother and stepsisters when I'm alone." Cinderella squished her face and quickly forced a smile. "Well, since you seem like a traveler, maybe you could tell me some stories about the lands far away."

Rather than whatever stories from far, far away, Lin Sanjiu was far more interested in getting more information about this place. She furrowed her brows as she tried to sort out the messy thoughts in her head. She did not say a word, and Cinderella did not push her to reply. Instead, she just walked a little slower out of consideration.

They continued walking for some time under the same circumstances. When Lin Sanjiu heard the 'clippity clop' of a horse carriage on a cobbled street, she realized that the settlement was just right ahead. It was a typical medieval European settlement with short houses built from stone. There were a few peasant women on the street, with large bouquets and chickens following them. In the middle of the small provincial town, there was a tiny plaza with a well. A cat lay lazily at the edge of the well, licking its tail.

Lin Sanjiu was 100% percent sure that she wouldn't be able to find this town if she was alone.

"You seemed troubled, traveler," Cinderella spoke using a stereotypical tone that fairytale characters use.

"Um, well... That's right!" Lin Sanjiu suddenly had an idea, "As you know, I'm from a very faraway place. It's getting dark, and I don't have a place to stay. I was wondering if I could stay at your place for a night."

Cinderella's jaw dropped. She looked at Lin Sanjiu and the bright, mid-afternoon sun.

"Actually, I'm fine with it," as proven, the famous Cinderella was a very kind person, but she continued hesitatingly, "but I am not sure if my stepmother and stepsisters will agree..."

"I can pay for the night!" Lin Sanjiu quickly added, "I brought many treasures from afar. I just need to stay one night, and I will let them choose what they like!"

Lin Sanjiu had all sorts of paraphernalia that she retrieved from the supermarket. She figured that it wouldn't be difficult to shock someone from the medieval period. Cinderella seemed to know her stepmother very well. She hesitated for a few seconds and nodded before she led Lin Sanjiu to her house.

"This is my house." Cinderella looked dejected when she said this. It was a beautiful three-story mansion. After they walked through the metal gates, they had to walk past a large garden before they reached the door. "Wait here. I'll check with my stepmother if she approves."

"Sure." Lin Sanjiu quickly replied while she watched Cinderella enter the house.

"Sigh..." Lin Sanjiu sighed while many passing peasants stared at her inquisitively. She felt very weary. "What do I have to do in this pocket dimension?" She closed her eyes, massaged her face, and tried not to think about the Garden of Eden and whether anyone was hurt.

"I hope Li Tao and the others are okay..." Lin Sanjiu mumbled to herself. She was stunned when she opened her eyes.

Once again, she found herself lying in the flower field. She noticed the same welcoming sun, the gentle breeze with the grassy aroma, and that daisy squished by her feet.

The town, the passersby, and Cinderella's house disappeared like a popped bubble. Even without her noticing, they disappeared without a trace. Lin Sanjiu bit her trembling lower lips and looked at her wrist. There was a clear red mark from when she previously pinched herself. When she touched it, it still hurt slightly.

Just then, she heard a slightly peculiar sound. Dazed, Lin Sanjiu looked around and spotted a woman not far from her.

The woman had black hair and was in her twenties. Her hair was styled beautifully, and she was wearing an unusually long dress that spread over the ground. Her face was flushed, and she was waving a crystal goblet in her hand. The sun's rays pierced through the wine-filled goblet and diffused into shades of deep red.

"Why are you in my garden?" the woman asked with a groggy voice. The young woman did not seem to be really bothered by Lin Sanjiu's presence. She observed her goblet lazily with her half-opened eyes, "You! You've probably never seen such a perfect crystal goblet like this, right? I think the king doesn't even have half the amount of treasures in the house behind my back."

Lin Sanjiu stared at her blankly.

"There is even a full-length mirror in the house. You can see yourself from top to bottom. They are all treasures that nobody had seen before..." the black-haired woman tilted her head and laughed. She leaned in her chair and let the crystal goblet fall to the ground. Red wine stained the corners of her dress. "But with a husband like that, how can I be happy even with all the treasures in the world..."

"Fuck!" Lin Sanjiu cursed softly before she cautiously prompted, "Your husband is..."

The black-haired woman patted her red cheeks and replied with unfocused eyes, "He isn't good-looking. He has a large blue beard, so everyone calls him Bluebeard. Have you heard of him before?"

'It is way beyond just hearing about him before.' Lin Sanjiu pounded her fist on the ground. 'What the hell is wrong with this pocket dimension?'