Chương 17: Chapter 16

Nina had barely regained consciousness within her new environment before she immediately began absorbing all the information the system had provided. If she truly wanted to continue living, then increasing her Will to Live was the most direct method available. According to the system, every host possessed their own personal statistics, which could be accessed at any time. Curious, Nina opened her status panel and searched through the available categories until she found the one she was looking for. Will to Live.

The number displayed beside it was: 0. Nina stared at the value for a moment. It was strange, yet at the same time, it made sense. After everything she had experienced, perhaps a value of zero was not as surprising as it should have been. However, as she examined the information further, she noticed another detail hidden within the corner of the interface. This was not a normal statistic. It was a buffed statistic. And because of that, it was also considered a debt-related statistic.

The system had included a warning stating that, at any point, depending on its own judgment, it possessed the authority to retrieve accumulated data from this statistic in order to apply it toward the repayment of her debt. Nina quietly looked at the explanation. A statistic that could fluctuate based on her own state of mind. A statistic that could increase or decrease depending on something as unstable as her desire to continue existing. It seemed extremely fragile. And therefore, unreliable.

Still, she continued reading. Her current Will to Live value was zero. Increasing it by one point would generate 3. 5 million dollars in value. Nina looked at the number. The amount itself was impressive, but the problem was obvious. How was someone supposed to reliably increase a value that she herself could barely understand? After processing the information, Nina finally looked around her surroundings and only then noticed the room she had been placed in. It was completely dark. There was no furniture.

No decorations. Nothing. Confusion appeared on her face. Before she could ask, the system spoke. [The current environment is insufficient for long-term habitation.] [Please exit the area temporarily while the system performs necessary adjustments.] Nina paused. The system explained that because of the limitations of her current state, it needed to modify the area into something minimally livable. However, in order to complete those adjustments, she needed to leave the location first. Nina nodded.

That explanation was reasonable enough. She turned toward the exit, but then stopped.

"If you are not coming with me, how will I know how to return?" The system responded by sending her a map. A location marker appeared within her interface, identifying the exact position of the temporary residence. It also provided a separate emergency function. Help Request. If Nina encountered a situation she could not handle, she could activate the function, and the system would intervene. Nina examined the information carefully.

"That is reasonable." Satisfied, she left. What she did not know was that the reason the system had chosen this arrangement was not entirely because of efficiency. It was also because it was still processing the consequences of Elias's negotiations. That individual had exploited every available loophole, forcing the system to provide benefits it normally would not have offered without further evaluation.

If the system had understood the situation beforehand, it would have never considered such an arrangement a reasonable investment. Unfortunately, it had already made the agreement. And unlike Elias, the system was required to follow its own contracts. As Nina walked through the unfamiliar streets, she failed to notice one important detail. She had never asked the system what she currently looked like. Because she remained in her soul state, her appearance had not been rebuilt into something new.

Instead, she was still wearing the form she had last remembered herself possessing before death. The suit. The short hair. The appearance she had carefully prepared. The final version of herself she had chosen to leave behind. Nina, unaware of this, continued walking. She was far more interested in seeing the world from The Fake Saintess's Revenge than worrying about her appearance. She wanted to see what kind of world she had entered, and what kind of place could produce such a story.

However, the reality in front of her did not match the grand descriptions from the novel. Instead of magnificent cities and beautiful landscapes, she found herself surrounded by worn-down buildings, narrow streets, and homes that looked barely capable of protecting their inhabitants. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Still, she remembered that even the heroes from the story had mentioned places like this. The slums. She did not know what kind of slum she had entered.

Perhaps it was only a minor area, nothing worth worrying about. For now, her priority was simple. She needed money. The last thing she wanted was to become involved with the original plot. She only needed to survive, earn enough value, and repay her debt. Simple. At least, that was the plan. Unfortunately, the world itself seemed determined to challenge that idea. After several turns, Nina realized she had somehow returned to the same area. She tried again, taking another street, another corner, another path.

And once again, she was lost. Nina stared at the unfamiliar surroundings. For someone who had spent years impersonating others, navigating a completely unknown city was proving unexpectedly difficult. She sighed quietly. Perhaps returning to the temporary residence would be the better option. Just as she was about to give up, a voice called out.

"Hey, young lad." Nina turned. An elderly gentleman stood nearby.

"Why are you wandering around here? Are you lost?" Nina opened her mouth to respond, then stopped. Young lad? Only then did she remember. She currently had no chosen identity. No disguise. No personality layered over herself. Curious, she looked down. And froze. She was wearing the suit. The same outfit she had worn before dying. Her hair was still cut short. Even the makeup she had applied before her final moments remained. Nina stared at herself, completely forgetting the elderly man standing in front of her.

The man lightly tapped his cane against the ground. A small gust of wind passed through her body. Because of the system's reinforcement, her soul did not scatter like smoke, but the sensation was still deeply unfamiliar. Something had passed through her. Literally. Nina turned back toward the man and gave him a polite smile.

"I'm sorry, sir. I did not mean to ignore you. I simply did not realize you were speaking to me." Because of her many years of impersonating others, Nina's natural voice had always been neutral. Neutral enough that if someone believed she was a girl, her voice would not contradict that assumption. If someone believed she was a boy, it would not contradict that either. It simply adapted. The old man, already convinced he was speaking to a young lad, found nothing unusual. In fact, Nina's apology only made him smile.

"Then I assume you are lost?" Nina nodded.

"Yes. Do you know where I could find a marketplace?"

"Is there something specific you require?"

"Nothing too complicated. I need a newspaper. Or information. Anything useful." The old man looked at her carefully.

"Oh?" A strange smile appeared on his face.

"Could it be that you are..." He glanced over her expensive-looking clothing.

"What news could possibly require a wealthy young master such as yourself to travel all the way here?" The old man began walking, gesturing for Nina to follow. Nina hesitated. Should she be honest? She watched his movements carefully. He was trained. Although, considering the world she had entered, perhaps that was not unusual. This was not Earth. In this world, strength and abnormal abilities seemed to be common. The old man suddenly turned. His smile remained but it didn't reach his eyes.

"May I ask what you are analyzing?" Nina immediately became flustered.

"I..." She paused.

"I was simply surprised by your wind spell earlier." A small smile appeared.

"It felt quite refreshing." The old man's mouth twitched.

"Refreshing?" He repeated the word.

"That is certainly a first." The conversation became awkward after that. However, fortunately for Nina, the winding alleyways eventually opened into a large port. The atmosphere changed instantly. Merchants moved through the streets. Fishermen carried their goods. Carriages passed by. Even some lower-ranking nobles walked among the crowd. The entire area was filled with celebration.

"Is something happening today?" Nina asked. The old man looked surprised.

"You do not know?" He smiled.

"Today is the birthday celebration of the High Priestess."

"The holy maiden."

"The saintess."

"Her eighteenth birthday, marking her official entrance into adulthood."

"I see." Nina nodded.

"Quite a significant occasion." The old man smiled.

"Indeed." He began to leave.

"I hope you find what you are searching for."

"Wait." Nina quickly stopped him.

"Thank you. And I apologize for asking one more thing..." She hesitated.

"Could you tell me where I can find a newsstand?"

"What kind?" The old man asked.

"One meant for high-class nobles? Or perhaps one where nobles gather for tea and gossip? Or maybe one where commoners share rumors during festivals?" Nina thought for a moment.

"The closest one." The old man pointed across the street.

"The commoner area is directly ahead. Turn left, and you will find Mr. Hemmensway's place." He lowered his voice slightly.

"The Master of Whispers."

"A man who controls shadows to gather information."

"His abilities may not impress nobles, but he hears things others do not."

"If you do not mind receiving information from a commoner, he is the person you want." Nina smiled.

"Thank you very much." She bowed deeply.

"If we meet again, I will repay your kindness." The old man looked surprised. Then smiled.

"I see."

"Welcome." Following the directions exactly, Nina walked toward Mr. Hemmensway's newsstand. Along the way, she watched the festival. Families walked together. Children laughed. Carriages passed through the streets. People from different cultures gathered beneath the bright sky. The salty sea air filled her lungs. For a brief moment, Nina simply observed. Then suddenly... Everything disappeared. The laughter. The voices. The celebration. Gone. Only darkness remained.

"This must be it." Nina stopped. She turned left. Then looked ahead. Sure enough, she found it. A man surrounded by shadows sat sharpening a knife beside a collection of newspapers. Several tables and chairs were arranged nearby. The customers reading the newspapers were also partially hidden by darkness, as though protecting their identities. Nina stepped forward. One step. Then another. And for the first time since entering this world, she felt excitement. Because information meant possibilities.

And once she reached the counter... She was no longer Nina. Elias emerged. A confident smile appeared on his face. He tapped lightly against the table.

"Are you the person they call Mr. Hemmensway?"