Chương 41: Chapter 40

Outside of the banquet scene, the system, unaware that its host had just been confronted and that a new personality it had yet to analyze had emerged, was happily investigating the barrier located just outside the ball. It had previously found a book entirely dedicated to barriers within the forbidden area of Mr. Roosevelt's library, which had only increased its curiosity. Now that it could see one in action, it was extremely interested.

This was not just any barrier, but one that the system could actively determine was at a much higher level and degree than anything it had encountered before. The system spent its time tracing the data points and was constantly amazed by the complexity of the barrier magic. Since this barrier was a combination of multiple types of barrier magic, something the system had not known was possible due to the excessively high failure rate, it found itself admiring the structure and enjoying the process of analyzing it.

Just as the system was reading through the different details, it noticed that something was wrong with one corner of the barrier. One of the barrier pieces was not as large or extravagant as the others. If the system had not been examining the barrier piece by piece, it likely would not have noticed, but there was something slightly different about it. The system felt that something was off. So, it activated its scanning feature to examine it. And sure enough, the system found the problem.

This particular barrier was an elemental-type barrier. It was considered insignificant because it was a type of barrier that anyone could create. However, one had to be extremely careful when constructing it, because if it was not formed correctly, it could accidentally become a summoning circle. And the barrier piece that existed here was exactly that. A summoning circle. It was a tiny failure hidden within an otherwise perfect creation.

The system, wanting to experiment and change it back into the correct form, paused slightly as it remembered the last time it interfered with an active ability. The person in question had discovered it. However, as it looked at the error before it and remembered that its host was still inside, the system decided to take the risk. It needed to switch it back.

So, without further hesitation, the system began manipulating the summoning circle, attempting to transform it back into a barrier in order to bring this beautiful masterpiece to its true potential. … Inside the meeting room, the time for the participants to arrive had long since passed, yet it seemed that the Duke's daughter, the Duchess's daughter, was nowhere to be found. This meant that the lady with the highest noble title present happened to be Lady Furen Boswe.

It also meant that the bet and agreement between Lady Boswe and Lady Rosa Roosevelt still stood. Since this was the section where the noble ladies would present their talents before the head maid, everything proceeded according to plan. Lady Furen went first. Sitting before the piano, she played a wondrous melody. As the performance began, she started singing a song with a voice slightly different from her usual fiery temperament.

It was sweet without being overly delicate, filling everyone who listened with a sense of tranquility. Her song spoke of the future and the responsibilities that came with it. It spoke of how, as time continued to flow, one should take the opportunity to look back at the past, allowing themselves to appreciate the present before turning toward the future and the changes that would come with it. Youth was fleeting.

Once Lady Furen finished her performance, all of the noble ladies and gentlemen, including the parents present, gave her applause. The head maid, however, only gave her a faint nod of acknowledgment. After she finished, it was Rosa Roosevelt's turn to step onto the stage. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Once she arrived, Lucian Harold finally stopped controlling her.

"There," he said lightly to Lily.

"Go and do your thing. I am leaving."

"Oh, thanks. You're a lifesaver." However, instead of her usual silly smile, Lily was in a rather serious mood. The song that Lady Furen Boswe had played had deeply affected Nina, their leader, and in turn, it had also affected Lily on a deeper level. Turning to look at Nina, who was still in a dazed state, Lily shook her head before sighing. Then, she stepped forward and fully became Rosa Roosevelt.

"Well, Miss Rosa," the head maid said as she looked at her lightly.

"I heard that you will be presenting an artwork. May I know the inspiration behind such artwork?"

"The inspiration..." Lily looked toward Lady Furen Boswe before falling into deep thought. She had already prepared an artwork in mind, something she had created long ago. However, after listening to the song Lady Boswe had played and feeling how deeply Nina had been affected by it, she changed her decision.

"My inspiration..." She turned back toward the head maid.

"Is a hidden gem."

"Then, please continue." Lily walked toward the blank canvas. After taking the brush, she slowly began to paint. Stroke after stroke, she created the image while lightly humming the melody that Lady Furen Boswe had performed. As her humming came to an end and she stepped aside, the people watching could not help but gasp in awe. The painting was enormous.

It was so large that even though they did not know what Lily intended to create beforehand, they felt as though the space provided was still not enough to contain the image. At the center of the painting was a woman playing the piano. Her outfit was a bright red. She wore pants and a shirt, with a cape flowing behind her. The cape displayed the scenery of the different seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter.

She played upon a stage surrounded by people who admired not only her beauty but also the light she brought forth. The people were shocked. Not only because of the skill displayed in the painting, but because the artwork seemed to call out to them. As they looked at it, they felt as though they had returned to the moment when they first heard Lady Furen Boswe's performance. The head maid looked at the painting with slight surprise before giving a small nod of acknowledgment.

Lily, or rather Rosa, prepared to step down from the stage. However, before leaving, she looked toward the head maid.

"If it is not presumptuous of me to ask..." She paused.

"May I take the artwork with me?" The head maid did not know why she wanted the painting, but remembering the Empress Dowager's instructions, she allowed her to do so. Lily carefully took the painting and carried it down the stairs. As she walked, the people around her moved aside, allowing her to pass. She brought the painting before Lady Furen Boswe and handed it to her attendant standing nearby. Lady Furen was shocked.

After quickly recovering, she could not help but reflexively ask,"What is your intention with this, Miss Rosa Roosevelt?" Rosa did not take offense at her harsh tone. Instead, she only showed a gentle smile, causing Furen to nearly bite her tongue in frustration.

"The song you performed was very beautiful, and I felt the need to draw the scenery it created."

"But why did you make me wear such an outrageous outfit?" Furen pointed toward the pants that Nina had chosen for the painting.

"Are you trying to call me immodest?"

"No, no." Lily shook her head.

"I simply thought that with your song, it would look marvelous without the need to follow the etiquette imposed upon us as ladies."

"Since I wished for both of us to feel as free as I am." She paused before continuing.

"But I know that freedom comes at a cost."

"When I heard your music, I felt that it would not hurt to dream."

"To dream of a time where freedom costs nothing, where everyone is equal, and where the future is a place filled with certainty."

"A future where you are able to play as freely as before, with a little less sorrow within your music."

"I..." Furen began to stutter.

"What?" She quickly looked away.

"I need to go." She turned and walked away quickly, her ears turning red. However, before leaving, she instructed her attendants to safely store the painting. She also told herself that it only made sense for her to accept the artwork back since Rosa had borrowed her belongings in the first place. Of course she was expected to receive them back. So, Rose had not given Furen anything special. It was simply Rosa returning what belonged to her. Even as she repeated this to herself, she still hurried away.

Leaving Lily slightly baffled, a gentle smile appeared on her face as she quietly let out a chuckle.

"Ahem!" The head maid cleared her throat.

"Since you are finished, it is time for the next person to come forward."