Miao Miao and Rosie finished their dinner and retired to their respective rooms. Miao Miao lay sprawled across her bed, cocooned in a comfortable blanket.
Thirteen days... It has been exactly thirteen days since I arrived in this parallel world no I mean this novel.
According to the memories of her previous six transmigrations, it had always felt like simply waking up from an ordinary sleep. Back then, she would only return to the real world after her death. But this time was different. She could recall all six of her past lives with perfect clarity, whereas in her second life, she had possessed no knowledge of the first.
And now in this transmigrations, a system has been hung around my neck. There's no point in dying like before; I won't be able to return home without fulfilling these two missions.
Soon, she drifted into a deep sleep.
.....
Miao Miao looked around, finding herself in a vast expanse of green where blades of grass swayed toward one another, dancing in the interplay of sunlight and shadow.
"Hmph, what are you doing in my dream?" Miao Miao asked, staring at the girl in front of her. It was Bai Niao. She tilted her rounded, youthful face and replied, "This is no dream."
"Not a dream? What do you mean?" Miao Miao paused for a second before asking, "Is this a world created by the System?"
"Mm-hmm," Bai Niao replied as she teleported Miao Miao to the front of a palace.
Miao Miao looked around in astonishment. The massive, royal palace of white marble was a unique blend of modern and European aristocratic elegance, its sheer scale enough to captivate anyone. In front of the palace lay a green carpet of grass arranged in geometric patterns, while a tranquil blue lake at the back made the entire atmosphere incredibly serene and peaceful. Surrounded by rows of trees and a wide stone path, this secluded palace was something anyone would undoubtedly desire upon seeing it.
Miao Miao arched her slender brows at Bai Niao and demanded, "What other twists have you kept as 'gifts' for me?"
"For now, no more twists. I was feeling bored here alone, so I called you in," she said nonchalantly, glancing around. "Oh, sorry... I forgot to tell you earlier. You can enter this place either physically or in spirit..."
Before she could finish, she looked at the beautiful lady before her; at that moment, it seemed Miao Miao's cheeks were flushed with anger.
"You look extraordinary without those glasses," Bai Niao began to praise her, shifting the subject, though she truly meant the compliment for that beautiful face. "If I hadn't checked the bio for this identity beforehand, I would have mistaken this body for one of the 'Demonesses' mentioned in the novel."
Miao Miao clenched her fists and said in a cold, angry tone, "Stop buttering me up this instant. Tell me what else are you hiding from me? And how have you seen a Demoness? I haven't even encountered one of them yet!"
We are both passengers on the same boat, and I have no idea where this vessel will drift in the future. I suspect that at any moment, she might try to push me overboard just for her own convenience.
''I have simply cross-referenced the character data and seen their appearances on the screen. If you'd like... you can examine the data yourself,'' Bai Niao said with the cool, composed tone of a professional.
Humph, I want to see all the characters... but if there's anyone whose face I should see first, it's Amon's. It's not because I have any fascination with his character and to his face ; rather, it's because I must keep myself hidden from this man at all costs. Even if I ever find myself face-to-face with him, I must maintain absolute composure. I cannot afford to show any strange behavior—just as I do whenever I am in the presence of that Amon's parasite. I am well aware that Amon and his avatars are anything but not fools.
"Just wave your hand in the air and focus your thoughts on the specific character you wish to see; the images and information regarding that character will then materialize before you.'', Bai Niao said, as she settled herself onto a plush, gleaming white aristocratic sofa within the palace's grand hall.
" Don't worry, the screen projected for you is visible only to your eyes," Bai Niao added.
Was she mocking me with that "don't worry"? Miaomiao shifted her sharp gaze toward Bai Niao as they both leaned back on the sofa.
At that moment, Bai Niao picked up a remote and started playing video games on a modern TV set that appeared before them.
Miaomiao composed herself, averting her eyes, and whispered under her breath... "Childish..... "
As Miao Miao gestured in the air, a massive, translucent holographic screen shimmered to life in the center of the marble hall.
Miao Miao's gaze froze upon the reflection that emerged. It was a man, dressed in classical black robes and a pointed hat, with curly black hair and a broad forehead. He looked slender and scholarly, yet the crystal monocle perched over his right eye cast an indescribable aura of dread around him. On his lips sat a faint, mocking smile, as if he were witnessing a grand joke that only he understood.
Is he laughing at me? This image feels so life like... Hmm, he is handsome... but why does looking at his face fill me with such irritation and unease? Why is his smile so... so demeaning? It's as if he knows exactly what I'm thinking right now.
Miao Miao began wandering through the palace to explore its vast interior when she stumbled upon a massive room. It was filled with rows upon rows of box-shaped drawers.
What kind of room is this? she wondered.
She noticed one drawer slightly ajar and pulled it open. Inside, it was filled with numerous vials in shades of black, red, blue, gold, white, green, and grayish-blue. The vials were arranged in pairs; alongside each colored vial was a companion vial that was white with a black cap.
Nearby, she found a folded manual. As she read through it, a wave of immense joy washed over her.
According to the manual, the pills inside these vials could easily change one's eye color. By consuming a pill from a specific colored vial, your eyes would instantly match that hue. To return to your natural color, you simply had to take a pill from the paired white vial with the black cap.
The best part was that the pills in these vials would never run out. No matter how many she consumed, the bottles remained perpetually full.
" 'What are you doing over there?' Bai Niao's voice rang out.
Miao Miao spun around, startled as if she had seen a ghost. It felt as though a policeman had just caught a thief red-handed before the crime was even committed. She remained silent, unable to find her words.
'Why are you holding those?' Bai Niao asked again, receiving no initial response.
Miao Miao held up a pair of vials and said, "These are incredibly convenient. I was wondering how it would be if I used them during the Tarot Club gatherings?''
''Eye color changing pills...'' , Bai Niao muttered, first glancing at the vials and then back at her.
''Look, at the Tarot gatherings, I always have to look down at the bronze table while speaking so that Klein and others doesn't recognize me.", Miao Miao said with a hint of sadness, though it was mostly an act to secure the vials.
''That's why any one of these vials is extremely important to me.''
Bai Niao, hovering in the air, said, '' Listen, let me tell you just as I cannot bring anything from that novel's world without your permission, similarly...''
Miao Miao cut her off mid-sentence, ''I understand exactly what you're trying to say. What is it that I can bring for you from the Lord of the Mysteries world?''
''Beat me at a video game,'' Bai Niao said calmly. A trace of emotion still lingered on her face, which struck Miao Miao as a display of sheer arrogance.
Miao Miao suspected inwardly... this childish girl is thinking I'll never be able to defeat her.
Miao Miao had never played a video game in her life. Lacking sufficient experience, she suffered her third consecutive defeat at the hands of this childish girl.
During their conversation, she learned that the girl was 19 years old and had just enrolled in university this year.
Suddenly, she realized her age was making her even more uncomfortable—a 28-year-old unmarried woman was now struggling against this young girl just for the sake of a single vial.
In one breath, Bai Niao asked, ''Auntie, didn't you ever have a boyfriend?''
'Auntie?' Miao Miao repeated, glaring at her.
''So, should I call you "sister" then?'' Bai Niao shot back with a question.
Miao Miao suppressed her anger, ''Just call me Miao Miao.''
My life consisted of waking up in the morning, returning home after dusk, and hunting as an assassin in the dead of night... I never had time for a boyfriend.
The palace had everything a kitchen, a library, bedrooms, a drawing room... it was truly a godsend, far exceeding my expectations. Yet, my mind remained fixed on those vials; there were still six days left.
She woke up again, and it was exactly six o'clock. Following the typical patterns of the season, the weather was cool and overcast, with the sun still peeking through the distant mist.
After a brief period of exercise and meditation, Miao Miao glanced out her window toward the house Klein had rented.
Parked in front was a beautifully decorated carriage. Two women wearing black hats adorned with ribbons were anxiously ringing the doorbell, while maids and bodyguards were scattered nearby, appearing as if they were on guard against something.
Reflecting on the novel, she remembered exactly what was happening here.
Afterward, she set to work on her clothing project.
In the afternoon, Miao Miao received the 700 pounds from the transaction with Fors.
At this moment, Miao Miao decided to keep her distance from Klein, as that cunning man could start suspecting her at any time.
.....
Cherwood Borough, In small apartment
Fors took a deep breath. Before her sat a small glass containing a vibrant, colorful liquid. She knew that consuming this potion meant advancing from an 'Apprentice' to a 'Trickmaster.' It would not only grant her new magical tricks but also enhance her ability to escape danger or confuse her enemies.
She picked up the glass, whispered a brief prayer, and drained it in a single gulp. Instantly, a piercing cold sensation rushed through her body. It felt as though the air around her was vibrating, and she herself was merging into a subtle layer of reality. After a few moments of intense discomfort, the feeling subsided, and Fors felt her senses grow sharper than ever before.