"A-Ah, wait—"
"What?"
"That's too tight, Genevieve!"
"And here I thought you were supposed to be tough."
Genevieve tugged the ribbon of the corset even tighter, a smug glint in her silver eyes. It was absolutely unnecessary. Borderline cruel, even. But it was payback for dragging her into this ridiculous scheme. Only when she was satisfied did she finally let go, the ribbon snapping back into a perfect bow.
Cressida gasped, catching her reflection in the mirror. For a moment, she didn't even recognize herself. The gown she wore was silken, regal, and definitely one of Agrona's discarded dresses. She also wore a mask because it was required for the party. Wearing it felt like committing treason. Or fashion theft.
She had no choice. If she wanted to slip into the crowd unnoticed, she had to look the part.
The grand banquet for the return of the Crown Prince would be held here, in Agrona's own estate.
The irony wasn't lost on her. Agrona, the current Empress, had won her title through blood, politics, and her first regression. Yet even that didn't guarantee her safety. Fate, annoyingly enough, always seemed to favor the heroine.
Of course, Cressida had no plans of joining the main spectacle.
She just needed to blend in, long enough to observe, survive, and maybe, finally, rewrite herself away from Agrona.
"You look better now," Genevieve remarked, arms crossed, tone flat.
"Finally," Cressida muttered, adjusting the hem of the gown. "Something nice from you for once."
"Because your face is covered by a mask."
"Fuck off, honestly." Her eyebrow twitched in irritation.
Genevieve smirked. "Don't forget our deal."
"I won't. I'll tell you everything."
║[SYSTEM] +5 Positive EXP — Cooperative Response Achieved.║
"Good luck on your escape," Genevieve said, brushing past her toward the door. "Oh, and by the way, vampires have an exceptionally strong sense of smell. So… do be very careful."
With that teasing warning, she slipped out and disappeared down the corridor.
Cressida exhaled sharply.
Yeah, she obviously knew vampires had sharp noses that could smell blood, perfume, or even panic. Hell, maybe they could even smell atoms!
Knowing didn't make it any less nerve-wracking. Her palms were clammy, and her heartbeat felt way too loud.
'Right. Time to check the stores. I've probably earned enough points by now.'
"Open the digital store."
║Command granted║║Accessing Digital Store [Level 1]...║║Displaying available inventory:║
║1. Silken Lockpick [BOUGHT] ║
║ 2. Vial of False Blood
- When spilled, emits the scent of fresh human blood. Distracts low-tier Vampires for 30 seconds.
- 10 Negative EXP ║
║ 3. Mirror Band
- A silver ring that hides the wearer's reflection for five minutes. Useful for deceiving creatures of the Dark Tide.
- 6 Positive / 4 Negative ║
║ 4. Recall
- Returns you to the last place you consciously wished to be. May not always obey intent.
- 12 Negative EXP║
║ 5. Paper Charm of Tongues
- Allows temporary understanding of any language, spoken or written, for one hour.
- 5 Positive EXP ║
The Mirror Band caught her eye, it was perfect. Even though it was only a level-one temporary skill, five minutes of visual distortion was more than enough. Then again, with a mansion crawling with Dark Tide creatures, even that might not be enough.
"Buy Mirror Band."
║[SYSTEM] Purchase Confirmed — Mirror Band acquired.║║[SYSTEM] Remaining EXP: +4 Positive | -19 Negative║
She swiped through the remaining options. The Papercharm of Tongues would've been useful. if she actually had the positive EXP to afford it.
Her eyes trailed down to another alternative instead: the Vial of False Blood.
"Fine. Buy it."
║[SYSTEM] Purchase Confirmed — Vial of False Blood acquired.║║[SYSTEM] Remaining EXP: +4 Positive | -9 Negative║
'Back to being broke,' she sighed, watching her balance dwindle into digital crumbs.