The Princess And The Lord

Lory stared at her reflection in the mirror with an anxious face. She was still not used to her 'new' face even after many years. She at times got shocked when she saw her own reflection as it always looked like there was someone else looking back at her.

[Told you, to choose a prettier face…] Girsha scoffed. The bird nestled on the side table as he watched her.

[In a world where ordinary women could get raped and killed and nowhere to report such an injustice?] Lory asked with a sarcastic smile.

[When that happens, I could kill the bas***d for you, and you aren't that defenseless…]

[Oh, and be chased around by their family, their subordinates. And what if they are noble? Their experts would hunt us down like rabbits] Lory glared at Girsha.

[Then change your face!] Girsha rebuked.

[...And back to the shapeshifter spell...] Lory waved her hand as she was tired of bickering with him. She pinched her temple as she looked back at her reflection. She wondered what part of her face she could change. Something inconspicuous.

[Just changed it back to your original face] Girsha couldn't resist throwing in another suggestion.

Lory sighs helplessly [And get chased by other people like a monster...]

Her face was so different from the local people, not to mention her purple eyes. People in this world mostly had black or deep brown eyes. They were prejudice against those who looked different from them. You just had to see what they did to wasted or crippled people.

[Why would people chase you around?] Girsha shouted with ridicule.

Lory rolled her eyes in annoyance and said sarcastically [I don't know… I'm a very attractive female!]

[...Pffft…] Girsha burst out with laughter. He clearly thought it was a joke.

'You damn old bird!'

Lory decided to ignore Girsha as she pondered. Maybe she only needed to change her eyes, eyebrows and lighten her skin tone a little. Her current skin tone was darker than her original skin which was as pale as snow. Although women in this world, especially noblewoman, had fairer skin, you could still see the difference between their skin and Lory.

However, Lory preferred the skin of the women in this world because her skin made her look like a vampire compares to the other women here.

[Is it okay to change it, with the curse still on your body…?]

[It was fine the first time I did it so it should be okay this time too. The shapeshifter spell doesn't use too much mana after all… I might feel a slight discomfort but... I should be okay, hopefully...] she whispers the last word. 

[Whatever you say, Princess...] Girsha sighed as he couldn't erase the worry on his face.

[Okay...] Lory took a deep breath. [Here we go…]

Lory rubbed her left wrist with her right thumb. A faint purple circle with strange runes gradually appeared on her wrist before the light dimmed. Lory closed her eyes as she tried to concentrate. She felt a pinch in her heart, but she didn't stop as she only needed a few seconds. Lory soon released her breath and leaned on the dressing table. She was panting like she had taken a long run.

[Damn! I never would have thought I would be so worked up from a simple spell...]

Girsha sighed once more. It was pitiful that a powerful princess has degraded to such a level because of a damn serpent. If only there was a way to break the curse. But how could they as spells and magic didn't exist in this world?

[I'm good…] Lory raised her thumb even though her forehead was covered with sweat. She glimpsed at her new reflection with happiness. She was successful. Her eyes and eyebrows were back to her original look.

Lory had big almond-shaped eyes. They made her look like a doll. She chose to keep her iris dark in order to look like everyone else. Her eyebrows were now longer and darker than her previous look. Her face had changed significantly but didn't look too conspicuous. Lory smiled when she saw her reflection. Her current look was closer to her old self. 

[I still like your old face…] Girsha complained.

[Thank you. But this would do... I can still blend in with the crowd, yes?] Lory was satisfied with her new look. Her skin was fairer than before, but it was still similar to most women in this world. 

[ I need to change my dress. Li Xin must have waited for me for long] Lory quickly rummaged through her drawer and took out a few dresses. She went behind the screen door to dress as she complained [Why don't cultivators sleep for long…?]

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 While Lory was dressing up, Zhao Li Xin sat on an armchair in the main hall. His eyes were half-opened as he sipped his wine slowly. He wore white inner robes with dark purple outer robes. He wanted to look like an ordinary man but sadly there was nothing ordinary about him. As much as he could hide his face, he could hide the dangerous aura around him. His cold and distant demeanor was ingrained into his bones.

Mong Yi and Mong Ki watched their lord with perplexed looks. They pitied their Lord's wasted effort. 'Milord, although you wore a mask and rags, we could still recognize you anywhere…'

However, Zhao Li Xin felt his disguise was quite good. He didn't know he could only pretend to either be a lazy person who was considered sick or a domineering devilish demon-like 'Long Ming'. He couldn't do anything in between yet no one dared tell him otherwise.

He waited patiently for his little savior to finish dressing up. In this world, only Lory dared to make him wait for this long. If other people tried it... well… let us just say they won't be there anymore.

Zhao Li Xin didn't mind waiting for her as he was quite curious. He wondered how Lory would change her appearance. He was also excited to stroll with her. It would be their first time walking around together in daylight.

It was sad that you couldn't see the excitement on his face. He looked like a lazy person to others but Mong Yi and Mong Ki, who had served him for decades. They could tell he was in a good mood as he hasn't killed anyone despite waiting for long. Their thoughts were interrupted when they heard running footsteps approach the door

"Sorry, I'm late!" Lory immediately apologized when she arrived. She hated the fact that her room was too far from the main hall. She didn't also understand why Zhao Li Xin chose to wait for her in the hall and not in his own room, yet their rooms were practically next to each other.

Zhao Li Xin smiled faintly when he heard her anxious voice. He lifted his head and was stunned by her new face. Lory saw him freeze and becomes worried. She unconsciously touched her face.

"What… What's wrong? Is my face weird...is it ugly?" She became nervous as she shifted her gaze to Mong Ki and Mong Yi. Although they didn't have the same reaction as Zhao Li Xin, they still look surprised.

"Should... Should I change it back...? Is it really weird?" Lory was worried. She thought she looked okay but she could be wrong as her taste could be different from common people.

"Ri Yi…" Zhao Li Xin sighed and said calmly, "Let's put a veil on you…"

"..." Lory pouted sadly. She didn't know she looks that bad.

"..." Mong Ki and Mong Yi sighed helplessly.

'Milord, you really gonna end up alone…'

"It is because you look so beautiful, Miss Luo. You are like a dainty flower in the snowy mountain, pure and frail. What if someone is attracted to your immense beauty?" Mong Yi used many flowery words in one single breath. He didn't want his great but stupid Lord to die as a virgin in this lifetime.

Mong Ki's eyes bulged, 'Brother, I didn't know you had it in you!'

"Huh…dainty…frail?" Lory froze. No one ever described her as dainty or frail. Not even her own father and brother. She could somehow hear Fargo scream at her with an excited voice while laughing like a lunatic, 'KILL all the beasts, Lory, kill them all! Are you tired? come on, you only killed five of them! KILL MORE… KILL all those Sons of BITC*!!!' Lory shook her head as she tried to forget Fargo's images in her head.

"Well....thank you, brother Mong," Lory said with an unsure voice. Did she really look dainty? She would need to look at herself again later.

Zhao Li Xin glared at Mong Yi who stole his thunder. Mong Yi looked down immediately and didn't dare make another comment. Zhao Li Xin coughed awkward "Ehm… He is rights. You look nice."

Lory raised her brows, "You don't look so sure..."

"I'm sure. You look...beautiful," Zhao Li Xin said bitterly. He really felt Lory was beautiful, too beautiful even and it made him feel irritated as he got another reason to worry about her. He didn't want her to show her face in public. He knew how shameless men could be. Look at the Emperor and the Crown Prince. How many women did they have? They didn't even care if a woman was willing or not. They snatched the women without a shred of guilt if they liked them.

"So… When will we leave?" Lory was excited once again. It would be her first time watching a festive occasion without having to sneak around.

"Let's leave now…" Zhao Li Xin said reluctantly. He wanted to refuse her but her beautiful eyes glinted with excitement and he couldn't dare refuse her.

"Yeah!"