This Life, I Will Be the Protagonist

Chapter 255 Returning to the Past, Escaping the Present

Rita had originally planned to use [Phantom Shift] to escape, but Maple Cang's persistence thwarted her.

Maple Cang questioned, "Was it over that Mahjong tile that you fought him?"

Rita glanced at the powdered remains of the fake tile on the floor, her voice low. "Yes. We both thought it was real. I didn't have time to grab it."@@@@

Maple Cang nodded as if she believed her, but then she abruptly locked eyes with Rita and asked, "Why is your outfit made of Seasonal Satin, a fabric commonly used by Oak Owls, instead of the Moon Silk typical of Moonfoxes?"

Rita averted her gaze, hesitating for a few seconds before sighing in defeat. She confessed, "Because I can disguise myself as an Oak Owl with a skill... I was caught earlier because of this disguise, which left me no choice but to silence him."

Maple Cang didn't ask her to contact Mistblade, nor did she press further. Instead, she asked another question. "How many tiles have you collected for Mistblade?"

Rita boldly replied, "Seven."

That number stunned Maple Cang into silence. She eventually asked, "Why not work for me instead?"

Rita glanced at her tails and looked back at Maple Cang with an expression that screamed, What do you think?

Not wanting the moment to grow awkward, Rita tilted her chin and delivered her line with conviction: "I would rather die than betray the Mistblade Moon Emperor!"

Maple Cang cleared her throat, seemingly embarrassed, and nodded. "Good."

But before Rita could even exhale, Maple Cang flared her radiant wings, sending a sharp seed hurtling toward Rita's ear. Rita immediately healed herself with [Emerald Feast] while teleporting to dodge the projectile.

She quickly used [Feeling Blessed] to adjust Maple Cang's luck and then activated [I Want This, This, and That] repeatedly. However, she was struck mid-action by one of Maple Cang's devastatingly fast skills before she could even attempt to evade.

In her final moments in this timeline, Rita raised her right hand, forming a gesture with her index and middle fingers lightly tapping her right earlobe. This was a sign of reverence that Moonfox royals received during worship.

She was certain Maple Cang would recognize it—or, at the very least, investigate its meaning.

Maple Cang: !!!

The light faded, and the chaotic shop was gone. The body, Maple Cang, and the barriers had disappeared, replaced by a quiet, orderly store. Standing behind the counter was the Oak Owl shopkeeper, staring at her in startled suspicion.

Rita wasted no time. She used [Phantom Shift] to teleport away, leaving Everbright City behind. She didn't return to Yaslan City either—her "Mistveil" identity was undoubtedly now a wanted figure. Moreover, her red-glowing "criminal" status barred her from entering any Oak Owls city or using their teleportation arrays.

She couldn't resume her small Oak Owl disguise, either. The Bear Cookies charm had betrayed her once, and she still didn't understand why. For now, she needed to distance herself from Maple Cang, eventually reaching the unexplored edges of the map before shifting into her bird form and flying toward a small, isolated floating island.

Mid-flight, the timeline returned to the present. Rita glanced back at the floating island where Vanilla's shop had been. A massive acorn-shaped projection now enveloped the entire island, undoubtedly Maple Cang's handiwork.

As she pondered her next move, a voice echoed in her mind.

Nivalis: "When are you coming home? I'm on my third midnight snack, and the cats have been fed way too much."

Rita: "Something came up. I can't return yet. By the way, do you know anyone in the Oak Owls named Maple Cang?"

Nivalis: "Maple Cang? Cang as in 'all living things'?"

Rita: "You know her?"

Nivalis: "Of course! She's the most gifted descendant of the Maple line, one of the three royal branches of the Oak Owls. When I was born, she even sent a gift to commemorate the occasion. Now that the current Maple Emperor has passed, she's the undisputed heir. Unlike Peach or Pine, there's no competition in her line—it's guaranteed she'll take the throne."

Rita froze. This is bad.