Fairy Tale: With Sin Of Pride

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Rhodes resisted the urge to facepalm.

"Why would such a twisted evil god manage to escape through the blood sacrifices of multiple races, only to become some weak incarnation?" he mused. All it'd take would be some large-scale mayhem, a few sacrifices, and—bam—the seal would shatter. It made no sense to him. If the gods had already gone to the trouble of sealing these monstrosities, why not just kill them outright?

Surely, even one evil god wouldn't be beyond the gods' power to eradicate. But, he figured, there'd probably be a price for that kind of destruction. And these gods? Not exactly altruistic heroes. They each had their own motives, enemies, and interests. No way they'd willingly weaken themselves to deal with an evil god that wasn't an immediate threat.

"Do you know where she went?" Rhodes asked, shaking off his thoughts. He wasn't here to ponder divine politics; he wanted to know where Cinderella had disappeared to.

"She left the manor at dawn, headed toward the forest." Yulia pointed him in the right direction.

Rhodes looked around, finding himself surrounded by thick woods. Trees rose densely all around him, their branches casting dappled shadows as he stepped on dry leaves, moving cautiously.

Suddenly, a voice echoed faintly, piercing the stillness.

"Your Highness Kurt, you mustn't go further—there are monsters ahead!"

Rhodes squinted through the underbrush. On the other side, he spotted a group of guards, all dressed in palace attire, surrounding an extraordinarily handsome young man.

"I am the future king of this land; there is nowhere I cannot go!" The young prince scoffed, waving off his guards' concerns with arrogance and contempt.

Rhodes watched, slightly amused. Prince Kurt had that classic mix of arrogance and entitlement. Without hesitation, the prince spurred his horse deeper into the forest.

"A prince, huh?" Rhodes murmured, his curiosity piqued. Cinderella had entered the forest not long ago, and now, here was this prince hot on her heels. Was it a coincidence? Or did she plan it this way?

Could it be that this cunning Cinderella had decided Rhodes wasn't easy prey and was now after this new target?

The son of an earl certainly had appeal. In the noble hierarchy, the earl was a notable rank. Nobles above the rank of earl could establish castles and rule feudal domains. And more importantly, this particular earl's son seemed… well, not particularly bright.

With Cinderella's top-notch skills in manipulation, it wouldn't be hard for her to wrap this fool around her finger and make him believe she was his destined bride.

"There's a deer!"

Suddenly, a swift shadow darted past, catching the prince's attention. His eyes lit up, and in a flash, he whipped out a powerful bow, drawing back the string. With practiced ease, he loosed an arrow, and it struck the deer's hind leg, causing it to stumble into the bushes.

"After it!" Prince Kurt barked, ignoring his attendants' protests as he chased down his wounded prey.

Bursting through a thick cluster of bushes, he emerged into a clearing. There, he halted, momentarily stunned by the scene before him.

Kneeling beside the injured deer was a girl in a simple dress, gently bandaging the creature. The serene picture, bathed in sunlight, left the prince momentarily breathless, his heartbeat quickening.

"Hey, that's my prey! Who gave you permission to bandage it?" Prince Kurt demanded, riding up to her. His eyes took in the mysterious girl.

She was beautiful, with a gentle and kind aura, qualities he had rarely seen. Raised in a world of harsh politics and ruthless court life, Prince Kurt had known only power and self-interest. But here, this gentle farm girl seemed almost… unreal.

"I couldn't stand to see such a lovely creature suffer," Cinderella replied coolly, not even glancing up. "Whether it's your prey or not is none of my concern."

Her dismissive tone, her utter disregard for his status—it all prickled at the prince's pride. Accustomed to being the center of attention wherever he went, the young prince found himself facing something entirely new. She didn't fawn over him. Didn't even look at him.

The contrast didn't anger him. Instead, it stirred something strange—a need to prove himself. This woman… he wanted her to yield to him.

"Stay safe, little one, and don't let anyone harm you again," Cinderella murmured to the deer, giving it a final pat before rising to leave.

The prince was so entranced he didn't stop to question how such a beautiful girl ended up in these dangerous woods with a bag of bandages.

"Wait! May this prince invite you to dinner?" he asked, his voice eager.

She hesitated, looking back briefly. "I still have chores to finish. If I'm late, my stepmother will scold me. I don't have time for your company."

With that, she turned and walked away without a second glance.

"Tell me your name!" Prince Kurt called desperately as her figure faded into the trees.

She didn't answer.

"Go after her!" he commanded his guards, driven by a sudden, almost maddening urgency.

The guards fanned out, but soon returned, empty-handed.

"Your Highness, she must be hiding. We couldn't find her."

"Can't find her? Useless fools!" The prince huffed, gazing toward where she'd vanished. Somehow, her elusive nature only intensified his interest.

"Spread the word—I'm hosting a grand ball. Every eligible woman from every nearby village, town, and manor must attend!"

Avoiding me? His eyes gleamed with determination. Fine. Even if I have to search every corner of the kingdom, I'll find her.

Watching from the shadows, Rhodes sighed. "This woman knows how to cast a line," he muttered, impressed. "Every move she makes—each little gesture—is perfectly calculated to keep him hooked. Close enough to captivate, but always just out of reach. She's practically a fishing master."

It was genius, really. She'd appear at the ball, a vision of beauty, then vanish again just as the prince reached for her, leaving him entranced. And when he finally found her after an agonizing search, he'd be too deep in her spell to ever let go.

By then, she'd likely have painted her stepmother and stepsisters as monsters in his eyes. And, of course, they'd be swiftly dealt with, leaving Cinderella free to take her place at his side, with her reputation as a paragon of kindness and grace intact.

History is written by the victors, after all. And most would see this ending as a happy one: Cinderella as a noble lady, the prince with his "perfect" bride, and the kingdom with its ideal new lady of the house. The only casualties? A few unfortunate souls who'd barely register as a footnote.

"Yep," Rhodes thought, "I've got this all figured out."

But there was something else he couldn't quite ignore. When Cinderella vanished, he'd felt a surge—a faint but familiar aura. Almost… demonic. No, it was something even more sinister.

An evil god's power? He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, feeling that things were getting stranger by the minute.

Behind him, a soft whisper broke the silence.

"What an idiot. How could such a brilliant earl have such a clueless son?" Cinderella murmured.

From the shadows, a figure in a black dress appeared silently—a witch, watching with a faint smile.

"If he wasn't that foolish, you wouldn't become a noble lady so easily," the witch said, her tone smooth as silk. "Once you've made the earl's son your puppet, you'll have the standing to mingle with the upper echelons. Soon enough, you might even replace the Blood Red Duke."

Cinderella smirked. Tempting as it sounded, she knew the fate of that "duchess" all too well. But the witch wasn't entirely wrong. Becoming a countess would be a stepping stone—a key to the upper class.

Now, she only needed to find a way to "encourage" the old earl to depart… sooner rather than later. After all, an heiress title without the inheritance itself wasn't worth much.

Their conversation ceased abruptly.

"Miss Cinderella," a gentle voice interrupted, "fancy running into trouble here."

Cinderella's face paled as a figure emerged, blocking her path. Sunlight glinted off the golden ax in Rhodes' hand as he regarded her with a mix of amusement and quiet menace. His gaze, however, lingered not on her but on the darkly elegant woman beside her.

"So, what should I call you?" he asked, his tone mocking. "The Original Witch? Or maybe… the Mother of Evil?"

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