Chapter 03
In front of the floor-to-ceiling windows on the second floor of the small villa.
The woman in front of the full-length mirror puts on a dress that the tailor has urgently altered for her size.
The champagne-colored lace satin gown cascades down to the calves like flowing moonlight, its hem swaying gently. The waist is cinched with delicate wavy pleats, outlining a captivating silhouette. It is paired with a pair of rhinestone-encrusted, low-cut silver stilettos, with a silver chain strap draped around the ankle.
Her flaxen curls fell naturally to her waist, her makeup was light, and she wore a trendy peach-pink blush on her cheeks, making her look playful yet dignified.
This is the makeup that Freya did for her herself.
Looking at herself in the mirror, Li Jia could only describe herself as perfect.
Her lips involuntarily curled upwards, and she pursed her lips, trying her best not to laugh out loud.
Of all the gorgeous gowns in Melina's closet, she chose this one out of all.
In her memory, this dress was bought by Melina at an auction last week for a huge sum of money, and she had shown it off to the original female lead for three whole days, intentionally or unintentionally.
Melina planned to wear this dress to the next ball, hoping to impress the other young ladies and steal the spotlight, so she kept it hidden deep in her wardrobe.
She pulled it out with ease.
"Auntie, is this really okay?"
Li Jia placed her hands together on her abdomen, her eyes like those of a frightened fawn, looking timid and pitiful.
Although Freya disliked this burden who had taken up residence in her life, now that she was going to the sacred mountain in place of Melina, how could she, as her nominal aunt, bear to blame her?
Freya patted her shoulder to reassure her not to be afraid: "It's okay, Rika. I didn't realize you were already seventeen. You're a young lady now."
Although Li Jia had thought that this body wouldn't be very old, she never expected that it wasn't even an adult yet, looking at her bulging chest.
No wonder people say that foreign flowers have a short blooming period, but they bloom beautifully.
Butler Anna informed them that a flying carriage had been sent from the sacred mountain to pick them up for the banquet.
Melina stood at the doorway, joining Conrad in greeting the messenger.
Four winged horses, their silver wings outstretched, neighed and soared into the sky. Their wings were like the brightest morning stars in the sky, and silver streaks of starlight splashed and flowed between their manes.
The Pegasus chariot was forged from a single piece of lapis lazuli gold, with two small silver snakes coiled on the shafts, their pupils inlaid with rubies, the same color as their owner.
As the wheels rolled, they crushed the clouds, scattering a sky full of starlight.
Li Jia slowly walked down the stairs, her radiant beauty like a goddess descending to earth.
Melina was furious the moment she saw Li Jia. She screamed, "How dare you! How dare you wear my clothes! Do you know how precious this dress is?!"
Li Jia's eyes immediately reddened. Looking at Melina, her eyes were filled with the helplessness of being misunderstood. She choked up and said uneasyly, "I'm sorry, sister, I didn't know this dress was so precious."
Li Jia slowly walked up to Conrad and looked at Melina with a sincere expression: "Auntie asked me to go to your room to pick out a dress for the banquet. I saw that this dress was placed at the very back, so it must be the one you dislike the most."
"It's all my fault."
When Melina saw the dress she liked on her, cut to fit her perfectly, she turned ashen with rage, glaring at her with eyes blazing with fury, her teeth grinding together.
"You're nothing but an orphan living under someone else's roof! What right do you have to wear my dress and attend this banquet?! You should die along with your short-lived parents!"
very good.
Li Jia suddenly sneered. She approached Melina, her eyes filled with malice, yet she still smiled gently.
She dislikes fools and doesn't like owing anyone anything.
She grabbed Melina's wrist with lightning speed, her voice icy as she pressed against Melina's neck: "In that case, sister, go to the banquet by yourself."
"The list says the Vance family's daughters, but it doesn't say which Vance family daughter. My sister is right. How can a filthy bastard like me be given the Vance surname?"
Li Jia's words were as light as a feather, yet they touched the hearts of everyone present.
Melina's face turned deathly pale instantly; compared to a dress, her life was far more precious.
"I made Li Jia choose these clothes, you bastard!"
Freya scolded Melina, saying that she had spoiled her daughter too much since she was a child, and that she had become arrogant and ignorant.
Conrad frowned, turned around, and with a backhand slap, delivered a sharp, unexpected blow to Melina's face. Caught off guard, she fell to the ground without any support.
Conrad was extremely enraged. He pointed his finger directly at Melina's nose and said, "You ignorant fool, who are you calling a bastard? Liga is the daughter of my own brother, and she is the rightful daughter of the Vance family!"
The scene was chaotic for a moment. Li Jia stood aside with a completely spectator's mentality, treating it as the last thing she did for the original female lead.
To help her reclaim the surname that belonged to her father, Vance.
“Uncle Conrad, my father is Fenrique Vance and my mother is Celce Fina. I am not a bastard. I take my father’s surname. It has nothing to do with you.”
Li Jia trailed off with a lazy tone, a bloodthirsty smile curling at the corner of her lips, like a sharp dagger slowly slicing open his neck.
"Uncle, we will meet again."
"But at that time, I will walk towards you with the silver coin that my father clutched tightly before his death, and let those altered will clauses curl up into ashes in the brazier."
"Just like the one you took from your father's fingers when he was dying."
The last sentence was almost whispered into Conrad's ear, spoken in a low voice only the two of them could hear, about things that seemed to have nothing to do with her.
Conrad stood frozen in place, Li Jia's words leaving his mind blank, and a fine layer of sweat appeared on his forehead.
"How...how did you know..."
Before he could finish speaking, the divine messenger smoothly landed his flying chariot on the flat ground of the Vance family's estate.
A young man stood on the chariot, with a handsome face and a tall, straight figure. He was surrounded by a dazzling radiance, and most striking of all was the winged crown he wore. The crown, made of gold, was edged with light, white wings, symbolizing his identity as a divine messenger.
As the messenger of the gods, Hermes had a close relationship with them, was responsible for relaying messages between them, and also served as the link between the gods and the outside world. He was a clever and warm-hearted person.
"Hi, beautiful lady, it's time for us to set off."
"I wonder which young lady from the Vance family she is."
He had long heard that the Vance family had two gems, one treasured in a jewel box and the other buried in the mud.
Li Jia slightly bent her knees, lifted her skirt, and nodded to Hermes. Only after receiving the same response did she walk towards him.
"My lord, it is I."
“Li Jia Wan Si”.
Hermes gazed at her light blue eyes, as pure as the sky, sighed, and asked her, "Are you really sure? Miss Li Jia, as a daughter of the Vance family attending the banquet, you have the right to refuse everything before it even begins."
“Yes, Your Excellency, I am willing to participate in the banquet. It would be my blessing if I could be chosen to serve the gods.”
“I will pave the thorny path with my own blood and resilience to make it a flower carpet.”
Hermes had never seen such an interesting girl before, the first girl who was neither crying nor forced to leave home.
He reached out his palm and guided her into the carriage. Li Jia took his arm and boarded the Pegasus carriage.
The girl sat silently inside the carriage, gazing at the passing scenery outside the window, as still as a stone sculpture.
Hermes was driving the Pegasus chariot. Li Jia was the calmest girl he had ever met, which made him feel a little soft-hearted.
He started to strike up a conversation with her to help her relax, as he thought she was just too nervous.
In fact, Li Jia is somewhat afraid of heights. The feeling of weightlessness at high altitudes made her feel nauseous and vomit, so she could only look away to distract herself.
While chatting with Hermes, Li Jia learned that twelve divine masters lived on the sacred mountain, namely:
Zeus, the god of thunder and the sky; Hera, the goddess of marriage and family; Poseidon, the god of the sea; Demeter, the goddess of agriculture; Athena, the goddess of war and wisdom; Apollo, the god of light; Artemis, the goddess of the moon and hunting; Ares, the god of war; Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty; Hephaestus, the god of fire; Hestia, the goddess of the hearth; and Hermes, the messenger of the gods.
"So you are a deity? Why would you be willing to be a divine messenger who tirelessly runs around?"
Li Jia was already very familiar with the twelve gods, but she never expected that Hermes would come to greet her personally. He seemed to be a god who was not pretentious at all.
"Because I like being a messenger of God. What's the point of just being a rigid, aloof person? I'd rather be an ordinary shepherd and see the world."
As he spoke, he shook the reins of the horse, a gentle smile playing on his lips.
God's lifespan is incredibly long; unlike the others, He is not boring, living the same days day after day, year after year, fulfilling His duties.
"So, which five gods will we be selecting attendants for this time?" Li Jia asked casually.
“Athena, Apollo, Demeter, Artemis, and Hera.”
When it came to the last name, Hermes hesitated, as if he were speaking ill of her behind her back. If the wicked woman, who couldn't tolerate any dissent, found out, he feared he would meet a bad end.
"Which deity do you think is the easiest to get along with?" Li Jia looked at Hermes with curiosity and added, "It would be great if I could be chosen by her."
"Of course it's Aphrodite. She is the embodiment of love and beauty, and the very word for kindness."
"It's a pity she already has an apprentice."
Hermes naturally thought, how could anyone hate Aphrodite?
She was so lovely, so pure and white, without a trace of filth.
Correspondingly, another vicious and jealous figure appeared in his mind, like a venomous snake tightly coiled around him, a thought that sent chills down his spine.
Li Jia shook her head slightly, a faint smile playing on her lips as she suppressed a laugh and muttered, "Interesting."
Men, indeed, only see the surface of beautiful things.
Foolish and superficial.
Love and anger are two sides of the same coin; you never know which side will come up today.
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