Mystery: The Last Shepherd

Chapter 213 The Choice of the Times
The Queen's dreamlike procession appeared in grand style and then quickly disappeared.

Like a light bubble in the sunlight, it is beautiful and colorful for a moment. Just when you are attracted by its beauty and want to admire it more closely, the bubble bursts into nothingness in the next second, leaving no trace, and even making you wonder if it ever really existed.

Only a few extraordinary individuals in the hall were fortunate enough to witness that scene.

The banquet continued peacefully, with most people completely unaware of what had just transpired. They simply enjoyed the beautiful evening in this elegant and joyful atmosphere.

Lu Ze, however, was caught in a dilemma while hiding in the shadows.

The Queen's procession is highly suspicious!

Mermaids, tin soldiers, Puss in Boots. He saw so many familiar figures in that group, like characters from a fairy tale from a past life!
Could it be that the Queen also traveled from another time?
Such thoughts naturally came to Lu Ze's mind.

Should I test her? No, I have to be careful. After all, she's far superior to me, and revealing my special abilities might not be a good thing. It's best to maintain the status quo and observe for a while longer. However, perhaps I could discuss it with Klein.
Lu Ze pondered to himself.

The banquet continued, and as time passed, the second half began. After enjoying the food and dancing with several members of the opposite sex, the guests, feeling slightly tired, started to gather in small groups around the sofas to chat.

"Excuse me, please allow me to stay a moment longer."

Sofia, seated at the head of the hall, rose gracefully and smiled at the other princes.

Please make yourself at home.

The princes, of course, wouldn't be so tactless as to ask where the other was going; instead, they would politely ask.

"Thank you so much."

Sofia maintained a polite smile, her gaze sweeping downwards, easily spotting her tall guard talking animatedly in the crowd. His face flushed from drinking, he boasted of his valiant exploits, completely oblivious to the polite but insincere pleasantries of the surrounding Rune people.

What an incompetent fool.
Sophia thought with disgust, and instead of calling him over, she turned and walked alone to the bathroom.

A golden statue stands in the pool, and the gurgling water flows from its tilted spout into the pool, making a pleasant sound that just masks some of the embarrassing noises in the bathroom.

Sofia stood in front of the gold-rimmed sink, looking at her elegantly dressed reflection in the mirror, and couldn't help but sigh.

The sigh was filled with weariness and frustration.

In the mirror, her fiery red hair was neatly styled in a bun, and her slender neck shone with a snowy white luster under the light. But her beautiful eyes revealed emptiness and weariness.

Sofia stood in front of the mirror for over ten seconds before reluctantly turning on the tap to wash her hands. It was as if doing so would allow her to delay going home a little later.

Not long after, she turned off the tap and dried her hands with a towel.

As she was wiping, Sophia suddenly sensed something was wrong.

It felt like someone was watching me.

"who!"

She suddenly turned around.

The luxuriously decorated bathroom was empty except for the sound of the fountain.

But Sofia's brow remained furrowed, and that gaze was still fixed on her; someone was watching her!
"hehe."

She heard a soft laugh behind her and quickly turned around. When she saw the source of the sound, her eyes widened in surprise.

—In the mirror, a red-haired girl dressed in finery was staring at her with a cold, malicious smile.

That gaze came from my own reflection in the mirror!
"Somebody come!"

Sofia's hair stood on end, and she shouted loudly. At the same time, a ball of crimson flame immediately rose from her palm and blasted into the mirror.

"Dang Cang——"

The mirror shattered into countless pieces, scattered across the sink and the floor. Each piece reflected her image; she could even see the metallic gleam of the gold and silver threads on her silk evening gown.

Sofia clearly saw her terrified face reflected in every fragment, but that face was quickly replaced by a mocking expression. "No need to shout, no one can hear you."

Sophia from the fragments spoke simultaneously, their voices overlapping and echoing loudly in the bathroom.

Damn!

I just happened to not have any special items with me!
Sofia cursed inwardly. Out of consideration for national etiquette, she was only wearing a formal dress today and hadn't brought any self-defense tools.

"Wow."

As if driven by an invisible force, the glass shards floated up, pieced themselves together, and miraculously restored themselves into a complete mirror, standing right in front of them.

"let me go!"

Sofia was horrified to find herself suddenly unable to move. At the same time, her reflection in the mirror showed her eyes turning a dazzling gold, staring back at her.

"what are you up to!"

she shouted.

"doing what?"

The person in the mirror was smiling, her eyes shining even brighter, dazzlingly bright, as if piercing into the depths of one's heart. She slowly reached out her hands and grabbed her throat.

"Well!"

Sofia did as she was told without thinking, her hands tightening around her slender neck. A strong feeling of suffocation followed; she couldn't breathe, collapsed to her knees, and a look of pain quickly spread across her beautiful face.

"Cough cough."

Her face turned purplish-red, her eyes rolled back, as if she was about to faint. But the force in her hand did not diminish at all; instead, it became even stronger, until a crisp "crack" sound was heard, and she lost her life, collapsing limply to the ground.

After a few seconds.

"boom!"

Crimson flames suddenly erupted from her body, blasting in all directions of the washroom. Flames and explosions instantly filled the entire washroom, and Sophia simultaneously leaped up and ran towards the washroom door.

"Help!"

She shouted loudly, trying to attract the attention of the others in the villa.
Sofia suddenly opened her eyes.

The restroom was empty, except for the statue fountain in the pool, which was quietly flowing.

What's going on? Was I dreaming?
Her heart pounded. She looked around and found herself standing in front of the sink. Everything that had just happened seemed like a nightmare.

No, no!
How could I possibly fall asleep standing up!

As if remembering something, Sophia quickly reached into the only hidden pocket inside her dress and pulled out a crudely made woolen doll. The doll's neck was broken, and its head slumped limply to one side.

Someone really wanted to kill me!
"Crash-"

Just as she was about to flee, the water flow around the statue suddenly increased, overflowing the edge and quickly soaking the entire bathroom floor. To Sophia's horror, the water's surface acted like a mirror, reflecting everything. Her reflection in the water had golden eyes and was displaying a meaningful smile.

"Who are you? Why are you trying to kill me!"

she shouted.

Then, my reflection in the water spoke softly:

"Sorry, this is the choice of the times."

　I only realized after typing it myself that it's pronounced "guanxishi" (盥洗室), while I'd always pronounced it "huanxishi" (洗室).

　　
　
(End of this chapter)