Chương 38: Chapter 37

After leaving Rosa's parents behind and entering the banquet, Lily finally relaxed. There was no longer any need to maintain constant attention toward her surroundings. Her body could move naturally, guided by the instincts and habits she had copied from Rosa, while her consciousness shifted elsewhere. Almost immediately, Nina heard her voice.

"Can you believe it?" The complaint came before Nina could even say anything.

"The System took all the money." A pause.

"It just took it." Lily's frustration was obvious.

"All of that money, gone." Nina remained silent for a moment. Then Lily continued.

"It isn't fair."

"How did it even know that I received the money?" She sounded genuinely offended.

"The moment I finally got enough money to enjoy it, it disappeared." Nina opened her mouth.

"Lily..." But Lily continued.

"It is not fair, Nina."

"The System is a money-grabbing system." Before Nina could respond, another voice entered the conversation.

"I am a debt collector." The System's voice was calm.

"I collect debt." Lily froze. The System continued.

"Your current reaction is unnecessary."

"The money was used to reduce your debt."

"It was not taken without purpose." Lily became quiet for a moment. Then—"But still."

"I wanted to keep some." The System paused.

"Did you forget the previous incident?" Lily hesitated.

"Previous incident?"

"The time I allowed you to keep one thousand silver tails." A silence followed. The System continued.

"You immediately decided to use half of that amount to help another person." Lily looked away.

"That was different. You know I can't control the main's instincts" The System's response was immediate.

"You still used resources that were intended for your own survival to assist someone else."

"Therefore, you are fortunate that I only removed the necessary amount this time."

"Furthermore..." The System paused.

"I allowed you to keep the remaining money within my storage space."

"For emergency situations."

"You were provided with a method of saving resources."

"Yet you are currently complaining that I removed money that was directly related to your debt." Lily became silent. Nina could almost imagine her expression, but remembering she was the cause of the problem she stopped. The System continued.

"You should be grateful that I have not taken the remaining amount as well." A brief silence. Then Lily whispered. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

"Uh-oh." Nina almost laughed. Instead of arguing further, Lily immediately changed her focus.

"I have to go."

"What?"

"I have to control the body."

"Lily..." But she had already disappeared from the conversation. The System remained silent for a moment. Then Nina heard a quiet notification. Lily had returned to controlling the body. Nina shook her head slightly.

"Don't mind her."

"I do not." The System responded immediately.

"I understand Lily's personality."

"As long as you as the head remain rational and understand that your debt must eventually be repaid, there is little she can do." Nina nodded. Lily continued walking through the banquet hall while pretending not to hear the System's explanation. However, before it could continue, the System suddenly stopped. A strange silence appeared.

"Interesting." Nina noticed the change.

"What happened?" The System did not immediately answer. Instead, it appeared to be analyzing something.

"Did we just pass through a barrier?" Nina looked around.

"A barrier?"

"Yes." The System's voice carried a rare hint of curiosity, Nina had noticed that every time the system saw something new it would have the same reaction.

"A structure covering this location."

"It was not visible from outside."

"It appears to have hidden properties." Nina waited. Then the System spoke again.

"Host."

"I will be investigating."

"I do not know how long the analysis will take."

"If you require assistance, you already know how to contact me." It paused slightly.

"Please send my regards to Lily." Nina blinked.

"You are leaving?"

"Yes."

"The barrier is more interesting than the banquet." The System's response was completely serious.

"I must analyze it." Another pause.

"I will return eventually." And with that, the System's presence began fading. Nina watched the notification disappear. She sighed quietly. Of all the things happening tonight... The System had somehow found something more interesting than a noble banquet. Which, considering its personality, was not surprising. Left alone once again, Nina continued keeping watch. The banquet awaited. …

Lily handed her shawl to one of the waiters before heading toward the banquet hall, quietly making her way through the entrance area. There were two paths available for entering the banquet. The first was the main entrance, which led toward the first floor and the grand staircase where guests would be introduced before descending into the banquet hall. The second path led directly toward the doors connecting to the underground floor.

It would eventually lead to the same location as those who entered through the staircase, but without the public introduction. Seeing the two options, Lily immediately chose the second one. Although entering through the main entrance was the proper choice for most guests, the second path existed for those who did not wish to place themselves in the center of attention. It led directly toward the back area of the banquet hall, allowing people to enter without drawing unnecessary attention.

The entrance itself was not even a proper door. Instead, it was covered by a curtain, as a door opening and closing could create unnecessary noise and attract the attention of those nearby. After stepping inside, Lily noticed that most of the guests were facing toward the staircase, waiting for the young ladies to be introduced. The young men had already entered first, while the young ladies, along with their chosen companions if they wished to have one, would later descend and be introduced.

Unlike ordinary banquets where having an accompanier was expected, this gathering was different. A man personally escorting a lady down meant something more. It either indicated a clear interest in her or that there was already an engagement between them. Either way, the young men without partners were left open for others to approach, while the young ladies without companions were introduced one by one. Lily, however, had little interest in the social arrangements.

Her attention was focused on the trays of food placed along the side of the hall. She picked up a plate, placed a small amount of food onto it, and prepared to find a quiet corner. She chose a location where she could observe the entire banquet at a glance. Additionally, being beside a window meant she could watch the sunset if she wished. Remembering her current appearance, Lily made sure that everything she selected was light and minimal. A small bowl of soup. A few light biscuits. Some bread. A glass of water.

Since the introductions were still taking place, most of the servants were occupied elsewhere, allowing Lily to serve herself without assistance. To her, this was a relief. There was no need to worry about someone secretly poisoning her food. Even with twenty lives available, being cautious was still better than being careless. Lily carefully cut a small piece of bread with her knife, dipped it into the soup, and placed it into her mouth. Then she chewed slowly.

She counted to one thousand in her mind before taking a small sip of water and repeating the process. The makeup was something she had copied onto her face, in other words it was apart of her skin, meaning it would not leave residue on the cup or reveal anything unusual. She could maintain her ethereal appearance while still eating normally. However, after learning that the System had left to investigate the barrier, Lily's mind had returned to complaining. This was boring. This was troublesome.

And she could not believe she had to continue this task. What Lily did not realize was that her current appearance was working far better than she expected. Despite the young ladies continuing to descend the staircase, many people occasionally glanced in her direction. However, after realizing that they had never seen her introduced, they became uncertain. According to etiquette, someone sitting alone in the corner was usually not someone they should casually approach.

But at the same time, leaving such a beautiful and unfamiliar woman alone also felt strange. They did not know whether they should respect her privacy or attempt to begin a conversation. Even the young ladies felt a strange sense of familiarity toward her. Because of Lily's uncontrollable protectiveness value reaching one hundred, those who held no ill will toward her naturally felt a subtle sense of comfort and kinship.

As long as nobody approached her with harmful intentions, Lily would likely be able to pass through the banquet without causing trouble. At least... That was what she believed.