Chapter 027: A Fairy-Tale World

Bang!

The moment the curse was broken, a muffled explosion echoed from the void.

Then, the dark clouds above the castle began to disperse, the snowflakes gradually vanished, the snow started to melt, and the long-lost sunlight poured down from the sky, bringing spring back to the land.

Rays of sunlight streamed through the windows into the dungeon, adding a trace of vitality to the originally dark and damp cell.

A beam of light fell upon the beast; his thick fur began to shed, his ferocious claws turned into human hands, and his hideous face transformed into handsome features.

In just a few seconds, the beast became a graceful but sharp-featured prince.

At the same time, the clocks, teacups, candlesticks, coat racks, dressing tables, and every other enchanted object in the castle regained their human forms.

In an instant, overwhelming cheers erupted from every corner of the castle.

The once silent castle suddenly buzzed with life and vitality.

The prince looked at his hands, touched his face, and hot tears streamed from his eyes. It took him a while to stop crying, and then he bowed deeply to Wang Bo.

"Thank you for your help, great sorcerer. Thank you for breaking the curse for me."

Wang Bo said calmly, "This was merely a transaction, Prince. You need not thank me."

At the same time, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly—royal bloodlines really did produce good looks.

Whether it was the prince before him or Prince Kitt from his own country, both were exceptionally handsome men.

However, this prince's expression was somewhat harsh, and the pride in his brow, though diminished during his time as a beast, still lingered faintly.

Then, Wang Bo took his leave.

Though the prince repeatedly urged him to stay, hoping to repay Wang Bo with all his might, Wang Bo still led Belle and her elderly father slowly out of the castle.

The group retraced their steps and soon arrived at the spot where the carriage had overturned.

Belle's father looked at the shattered goods scattered on the ground, his heart full of sighs.

Belle stepped forward to comfort him, "Everything will be all right."

Wang Bo raised his hand and cast a spell to restore everything to its original state. Under the father and daughter's stunned gaze, he completely repaired the broken carriage and damaged goods.

Belle quickly came to her senses. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. It was just a small effort," Wang Bo said indifferently. To him, these things were nothing, just as he said—a small effort.

Then, Wang Bo escorted Belle and her father back to the town. Belle's father grasped Wang Bo's hand and said gratefully, "I don't know how to thank you, kind and merciful sorcerer."

Wang Bo said, "Belle once helped us too."

Belle quickly said, "That was nothing. I just showed you the way."

"Even so, help is still help. The nature of the matter hasn't changed," Wang Bo said admiringly. "You are a kind girl, and you deserve such an ending."

"Thank you," Belle said.

Wang Bo smiled slightly and accepted the thanks.

Belle asked, "Are you leaving this town?"

"Yes," Wang Bo nodded. "I will continue traveling and enjoy the scenery of this world."

Belle gathered her courage and said, "Can I... can I travel with you?"

Her father was startled and looked at Belle with concern. He wanted to stop her but didn't know how to say it, because he knew his daughter had always dreamed of the outside world since she was little.

He worried for her but didn't want to hinder her dreams.

If she could travel with a kind sorcerer, surely he could protect her.

Wang Bo shook his head. "I cannot separate a daughter from her father. More importantly, you are still young. This is just a whim."

"When you are calm enough, mature enough, and strong enough, even without me, you can leave this town and see the outside world."

Hearing this, Belle's father breathed a sigh of relief. He hugged his disappointed daughter and said softly, "Perhaps I should take my daughter traveling with me. What do you think, Belle?"

Belle was stunned, staring blankly at her father.

Her old father looked at his daughter, his eyes full of affection.

Then, Wang Bo bid them farewell, boarded the carriage, left the town, and set off on his journey to the next stop, Paris.

On the road, Wang Bo summoned his cheat.

"I have something to ask you."

[Host, what is your doubt?]

"Why does Cinderella's world have Beauty and the Beast?"

Yes, if at first seeing Belle, Wang Bo hadn't realized it, then seeing the prince turned into a beast, he understood completely.

He seemed to have intervened in another fairy tale—the story of Beauty and the Beast.

According to the plot, without his intervention, Belle would have taken her father's place as the beast's prisoner, and then, little by little, they would have developed feelings.

In the end, Belle would fall in love with the beast, the curse would be broken, and they would live happily ever after.

But because of Wang Bo's intervention, Belle did not fall in love with the beast.

Thinking of this, Wang Bo's heart twitched. That was why he had refused Belle.

She was the second country girl to lose the chance to become a princess because of his interference.

If Cinderella's outcome could be blamed on the dragon, then Belle's outcome was entirely changed by him.

Poor Belle, she didn't know that because of him, she had lost the chance to become a princess and enjoy wealth and luxury.

That was why Wang Bo refused Belle—because every time he thought of it, his heart ached.

But to compensate Belle, after leaving the town, he found a female demon and had her sneak into Belle's dreams every night to teach her magic.

At least it would make Belle's future life easier.

Once she learned enough, she could leave this town and see a wider world.

But the urgent matter now was to ask the artifact why Cinderella's world had Beauty and the Beast.

[Host, let me ask you: why does Iron Man's world have Xandar, the Ancient One, and the Collector?]

"Because they're all part of the Marvel universe."

[There you go. Cinderella's world has Beauty and the Beast because they're all fairy-tale worlds.]

Wang Bo: ...You make a good point.