Chương 37: Chapter 36

Nina stepped out of the carriage with Mr. Roosevelt's assistance before slowly lifting her gaze toward the magnificent building standing before her. It had been constructed specifically for noble gatherings such as this, its grand architecture radiating elegance and prestige beneath the evening sky. She could not help but stare at it in quiet awe.

A short while earlier, before Lily had even managed to properly appreciate the four hundred silver tails she had just received, the System, which had been busy recording books within Mr. Roosevelt's library, had somehow sensed that its host had acquired money. Without warning, it immediately returned. Lily had been quietly enjoying the sight of the neatly stacked banknotes resting in her hands when they suddenly began dissolving into tiny particles of light.

The paper slowly broke apart into countless shimmering magical sparks before disappearing entirely. A familiar notification appeared. Congratulations, Host. You have decreased your debt by 0. 057% of your 700 million dollar debt. Keep working hard, Host. Lily simply stared. The banknotes... Were gone. Meanwhile, everyone else in the room stared just as blankly. Unlike Lily, however, they were not focused on the missing money itself. They were focused on how it had disappeared. No spell had been chanted.

No magical circle had appeared. No storage pouch had been used. No artifact had been activated. The banknotes had simply vanished from Lily's hands as though they had never existed. Mr. and Mrs. Roosevelt exchanged silent glances. The implications were far greater than Lily realized. Within society, commoners generally possessed only a single ability, assuming they possessed one at all. Most of those abilities were fairly weak and rarely developed beyond ordinary usefulness.

Lily's copying ability alone had already been considered exceptionally rare. Until now, they had simply assumed it was her sole talent. There were always exceptions in the world. However... If this mysterious method of making objects disappear was another ability... Then the situation changed entirely. People capable of wielding multiple abilities were generally born into families of higher status.

The higher one's standing within society, the greater the likelihood that their children would inherit additional abilities. Not only did the number of abilities gradually increase, but the degree of mastery each child could naturally attain also rose alongside it. For example, an individual born into a respectable noble family who possessed six abilities might naturally excel in three of them to a masterful degree, while the remaining three functioned as supportive talents that complemented the stronger abilities.

By comparison, someone of lower standing would rarely possess so many gifts. From everything they had observed so far, Lily's copying ability clearly belonged to the category of a mastered ability. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it If this strange disappearance of objects truly was another ability... Then it likely served as her supporting talent. Which meant... She was probably not a commoner at all. Perhaps she was the illegitimate child of a lesser noble.

Perhaps she had been switched at birth. Or perhaps she belonged to a once-prominent merchant family that had gradually declined into obscurity over the generations. Whatever the answer was... The explanation that she was simply an ordinary commoner became increasingly difficult to believe. Naturally, Lily herself remained completely unaware of the conclusions they had reached. She was still mourning her money.

Before anyone could bring up what had just happened, one of the maids hurried into the room and bowed respectfully.

"Madam, the carriage has arrived."

"The carriage heading toward the banquet is ready." Mrs. Roosevelt nodded before everyone instinctively looked toward Lily. Or rather... Toward the bloodstained white dress she was still wearing. Lily lowered her head as well before immediately understanding the problem. She thought for only a moment before speaking.

"What if we split up?" Everyone turned toward her.

"I'll go and change into another outfit while everyone else prepares Lady Rosa." She continued calmly.

"Someone can help with her hair, accessories, and everything else while I'm changing."

"Once everything is finished, I only need to copy the completed appearance."

"It should reduce the preparation time considerably." After a brief discussion, everyone quickly agreed. Lily immediately left alongside several maids to prepare a suitable outfit. With everyone's efforts combined, the preparations progressed surprisingly smoothly. Following Lily's guidance, the maids carefully recreated an ethereal appearance around Rosa, emphasizing a delicate, sickly elegance rather than attempting to completely hide the lingering traces of her illness. As for the remaining imperfections...

Lily assured them she would handle those herself.... Now, standing before the grand venue, Lily stepped down from the carriage once again. She looked upward. The building towered above her beneath the evening sky, its countless lights illuminating the surrounding gardens where nobles had already begun gathering. What Lily failed to notice, however... Was that many of the people standing within those gardens had already noticed her. She wore a flowing gown that resembled the night sky itself.

The upper portion of the dress was a deep black that gradually blended into an equally rich midnight blue toward the hem, where countless tiny sparkling decorations shimmered like distant stars. Rather than the heavily layered skirts worn by many noble ladies, the dress flowed naturally around her figure with soft silk that moved gently with every step. She wore no gloves. Her slender fingers lightly held a decorative folding fan while her neatly trimmed nails remained uncovered.

A light shawl rested across her shoulders, its soft, fluffy edges framing her figure without concealing it, offering just enough warmth against the evening air. Standing beneath the lights... She resembled a flower waiting to bloom. A lily that had yet to fully open. Before anyone had the opportunity to approach or question who the unfamiliar young lady might be, the attendants announced that it was time for the guests to enter. Lily quietly watched the flow of people moving toward the entrance.

Now wearing Rosa's appearance, she waited respectfully beside Mr. and Mrs. Roosevelt until they stepped out of the carriage as well. Only after they began walking did she tilt her head slightly in confusion.

"... Aren't you coming?" Mrs. Roosevelt smiled gently.

"My dear Rosa..."

"Your father and I must use a different entrance." She looked toward the grand building ahead.

"The same is true for the other parents."

"This gathering was arranged for the younger generation."

"It gives young ladies and young lords an opportunity to meet one another without their elders constantly watching over them." She smiled warmly.

"Not only did the Head Maid explain that the Empress Dowager arranged this gathering in hopes of finding a suitable future daughter-in-law..."

"But It is also a chance for friendships and relationships to form naturally."

"We would only interfere if we remained beside you." She pointed upward toward one of the higher balconies overlooking the ballroom.

"We'll be watching from above."

"If you ever need us, simply look toward the third floor."

"We'll be there." She gently patted Lily's hand.

"Alright, my dear?" Lily quietly looked at Rosa's parents before giving a small nod.

"I understand." With that, she turned and walked alone toward the entrance reserved for the young nobles.