Chapter 69: Reunion and Revelation

Lily of the Valley approached as the mist near the small cottage gradually dissipated.

The clear, bright moonlight illuminated the ground for the first time, revealing the magical array and candles, casting a soft glow over the wooden house. The sight reminded the girl of a sugary house from a fairy tale.

She hurriedly opened the cottage door. The hallway remained bright and quiet, with the figures in the posters on either side seeming to glance at the girl.

Her footsteps echoed sharply. Lily of the Valley strode down the corridor, stopping at the bare wall without any posters. There, she saw a wooden door embedded within it.

The door was meticulously painted a pristine white, with a delicate purple wind chime hanging from the handle. As the girl approached, a gentle breeze set the chime dancing, producing a crisp, melodious sound.

Lily of the Valley grasped the cold handle, suddenly feeling as if she were in a strange dream.

How could the dead come back to life?

Perhaps behind the door was just a dim, empty room with an old sofa and a cold projector, or perhaps it was a solid, impassable wall.

“Uh-uh…”

A weak, hoarse whimper drifted through the crack in the door, instantly pulling Lily of the Valley back to reality.

She frantically turned the handle.

Bright light once again dispelled the darkness inside, illuminating the smooth wooden floor and shining on the girl’s youthful, tired face.

The young girl was bound with rough vines, her mouth gagged, able to emit only muffled cries. Occasionally, she would move her slender wrists.

She opened her beautiful eyes, looking at the girl with a mix of fear and curiosity.

Lily of the Valley quickly knelt beside the girl, almost instinctively reaching to untie her bonds. But the girl regained her composure, maintaining a serious expression.

She summoned her magic, allowing a green light to flow over the girl’s body.

The child was unharmed, just weak and thirsty.

Lily of the Valley let out a sigh of relief, removing the vine from the girl’s mouth. The girl immediately raised her head, her lips as dry as sand.

Lily of the Valley rummaged through her bag, pulling out a bottle of mineral water she had bought on her way. She supported the girl’s neck, letting her rest on her arm, and then held the bottle to the girl’s lips.

“Don’t speak, just moisten your throat. Slowly, don’t choke.”

Lily of the Valley carefully tilted the bottle, and the cool, sweet water flowed out. The girl drank thirstily, and her chapped lips regained a hint of moisture.

Lily of the Valley’s eyes involuntarily twitched with a smile, but the smile quickly faded into wariness and unease.

After a few sips, the girl shook her head. Her lips moved, her voice still weak and faint.

“Save me…”

Lily of the Valley suppressed her emotions, putting the water bottle aside, and spoke calmly.

“Yes, you still have some vines on you. But don’t worry.

I will ask you a few questions. If you answer them honestly, I will untie you and give you food and water.”

“Okay…”

The girl blinked, confused, but nodded. Lily of the Valley examined her face.

“First, what is your name?”

“I-I am Gu Pan.”

Although Lily of the Valley had expected this, her pupils still contracted, and she felt a warm, bittersweet sensation rise from her heart.

She steadied her voice and continued.

“What year, month, and day is it?”

“It should be… year, month, day. I can’t remember the exact date.”

“How did you get here?”

“I don’t know. I should have been at the amusement park with my sister, but when I came to, I was in this room.”

“The door wasn’t locked. Why didn’t you leave?”

The girl shrugged her small shoulders, her eyes filled with fear, like a startled kitten.

“I tried to leave a few times, but it was cold outside, and the mist was thick…

I was afraid, so I came back to the room.”

Lily of the Valley studied her beautiful features, her soft nose, and every expression as she spoke.

Time had passed, and Lily of the Valley almost forgot her sister’s every smile and frown, her memories shrouded in a thin mist.

When she first saw the girl, she felt a slight stranger. But after each question and answer, she began to feel the child was familiar, more and more like the past, with no difference at all.

Ordinary people couldn’t imitate humans with such precision. Only the original sin of envy had the chance to do so. But that scumbag was still imprisoned, suffering interrogation behind walls and iron bars.

Lily of the Valley’s lips trembled as she asked the final question.

“Do you… recognize me?”

The girl was stunned. She looked up, her clear gaze fixed on the girl’s face. At first, she was confused, but soon her eyes widened, her lashes trembling slightly.

She shifted her shoulders, and Lily of the Valley untied the vines.

The girl pulled out her slightly swollen, thin arms, her small hands moving through the girl’s hair, touching her shoulder.

She opened her mouth in disbelief, whispering.

“Sister?”

A quiet evening breeze swept through the hallway, causing the wind chime on the door to swing anxiously. Gu Si embraced her sister tightly, weeping.

*******

Lily of the Valley carefully untied the girl’s magical vines, using “Green Grace” to soothe the burns on her wrists and ankles. She also took out some cookies and bread from her bag.

The girl was too weak to leave the small cottage. She sat on the sofa, eating, her small face showing satisfaction.

Lily of the Valley paced beside her sister, sometimes smiling at the girl’s grin, sometimes worrying and feeling guilty for her lack of preparation.

“I’m sorry, I came in a hurry and only bought these dry things.”

“After you finish these, we’ll go back to the city, back home, and eat something better.”

“Okay.”

“We need to tell Dad and Mom… but there’s no signal in the forest. Mom’s fish-flavored shredded pork is especially delicious now, and she’ll be so happy.”

“Okay.”

“Sorry, did I talk too much? Oh, by the way, I’m actually a magical girl now. The one who used to bully you, envy… never mind.”

“Okay.”

Lily of the Valley suddenly opened up, as if pouring out nine years of longing. But the girl just ate quietly, occasionally nodding, her dark eyes studying the girl’s expressions.

The girl stopped pacing.

“Gu Pan, are you still afraid? You’re not talking much.”

The girl immediately clenched her hands, her knuckles turning white, crushing the bread into a crooked shape.

She was silent for a moment, then forced a smile, stammering.

“A-Actually, there’s something I forgot to mention.”

“What is it…?”

The girl took a deep breath, her hands trembling as she dropped the bread on the floor.

Then, a light enveloped her body… a dark purple light, matching envy’s magic.

She wasn’t envy. Her silence and fear had another reason.

The girl looked at her sister, speaking slowly.

“Before coming to this room, I met a man. He said he resurrected me.”

“He also said that if I don’t get something called the Silver Moon’s Heart within three days… I’ll die.”