Chapter 90

“Your body has collapsed, and you need to rest. Today, you earned four shillings more than yesterday. You bought some wine and went back home, slept through the night, and forgot everything that happened today…”

“Yes… I’ve been driving all day… “

On Gem Street, across from a jewelry store, Xia’er stepped down from the carriage. The coachman quickly turned around and headed home. Before she got off, Xia’er’s saved game transformation had just ended. Standing in the morning sunlight, she looked through the bustling streets at the jewelry store opposite her.

In the “Crystal” jewelry store, a woman wearing an elaborate bejeweled mask and a formal dress was meticulously cleaning every speck of dust in the store with a cloth, focused and diligent in her work.

A woman dressed simply walked into the store. The woman with the mask approached her, seemingly not minding her attire, and began introducing the jewelry inside.

Xia’er stood there, smiling at the figure in the opposite jewelry store until her body swayed slightly. She then lowered the brim of her round straw hat and walked to the right side of the street, blending into the crowd.

About twenty minutes later, Xia’er appeared at the entrance of Rossu Manor.

She skillfully pushed open the iron gate and entered the manor.

The reflection on the window of the study caught Xia’er’s attention, causing her to look up towards the second-floor study. There, a suit of armor was watching her.

Xia’er waved lightly at the armor and then walked directly into the manor house.

She could have chosen to return to the Clock Tower Lane District to rest, but her current mental state was too weak.

In the simulation, Xia’er had experienced sleeping through an entire simulation without waking up. This time, she decided to come to Aivana and Adelle’s side so that if she overslept due to weakness, someone would wake her up.

She couldn’t drag her sister into this, nor could she involve Amy, a common noble. Now, Xia’er could only seek help from Aivana and Adelle for even minor tasks.

It seemed Nia had already informed Aivana and Adelle about Xia’er’s return. They ran out of the study and saw Xia’er climbing the stairs in the main hall.

“Xia’er!”

Adelle rushed forward, her face showing distress. “When I woke up, you were gone. If you don’t come back soon, I’ll go looking for you with Aivana…”

Adelle intended to take Xia’er’s hand, but the strong smell of blood on Xia’er made her hesitate and stand still. After a moment, she slowly took a step back.

Xia’er’s condition seemed strange…

Aivana also arrived beside Xia’er. After smelling the blood, her expression did not change. She simply asked, “There’s still hot water in my bathroom. Do you want to take a bath?”

“Thanks.”

Xia’er nodded.

Aivana didn’t ask any further questions. She merely said, “Was it successful?”

“Quite successful.”

After answering, Xiaer staggered upstairs and disappeared from their sight.

“Aivana…”

Once Xia’er’s footsteps faded away, Adelle cautiously asked, “What exactly did Xia’er do?”

Adelle was a “physician,” often involved in rituals for replication purposes. She was very sensitive to the smell of blood.

This intense scent of blood clearly couldn’t be explained by a few drops.

It was as if she had been swimming in a sea of blood.

Combined with Xia’er’s calm demeanor, as if nothing had happened, Adelle, who previously had a positive impression of Xia’er, felt a bit afraid.

“I don’t know.”

Aivana shook her head.

Although she didn’t know what had happened to Xia’er, the exhaustion in her eyes was undeniable.

She must have been through a fierce battle…

But where could such a battle occur?

Could it be that she went to Derton Manor and killed everyone there?

No, that was impossible. There was a second-tier Extraordinary Person guarding Derton Manor.

This situation made Aivana feel uneasy.

Despite all three of them being at risk of being discovered by the cultists, Xia’er had taken everything on alone, which made Aivana feel a sense of defeat.

She felt like a burden. If she didn’t try harder, she might not even be able to catch up to Xia’er.

At that moment, Xia’er was in Aivana’s bathroom, soaking in the bathtub. Her canvas bag hung on the door.

The copper bathtub gently rocked on its gilded iron frame. Xia’er was somewhat uncomfortable with the rocking feature of this bathtub for the first time.

Almost submerged in the tub, she slowly raised her head after a while and emerged from the water.

Xia’er looked down and saw that the originally clean water in the tub had turned slightly pink, centered around herself.

This water was no longer usable.

Knock knock knock —

A series of knocks came from the bathroom door. After a moment, Aivana’s voice came from behind the door.

“Xia’er, can I come in?”

“Please come in.”

The bathroom door opened, and Aivana entered, holding a green dress with her left hand and a bottle of light green liquid with her right. She walked to Xia’er and handed her the bottle.

“Adelle gave this to you. She said it can wash away the blood stains without leaving a smell.”

After saying this, Aivana placed the dress aside and turned to leave, closing the door for Xia’er.

Xia’er uncorked the bottle and sniffed the liquid. A faint minty fragrance wafted from the green liquid.

As expected, it was minty…

After washing herself with the medicine given by Adelle, the smell indeed disappeared, leaving only a faint mint scent.

If this continued, Adelle would eventually make peppermint oil… maybe she already had.

Dressed in a slightly larger black and white dress given by Aivana, Xia’er picked up her satchel and walked out of the bathroom, seeing Aivana and Adelle sitting on the sofa waiting for her.

“I need to rest a bit.”

Xia’er looked at Aivana and said, “Is it here or in the study?”

“Here will do.”

Aivana fetched a clean towel and handed it to Xia’er. “Dry your hair first.”

Xia’er put down her canvas bag and took the towel to dry her hair.

After washing off the blood and changing into clean clothes, Xia’er’s mood improved slightly, but her drowsiness intensified.

After drying her hair a little, Xia’er stumbled towards the bed, took off her shoes and socks, and lay down, pulling the covers over herself.

“Aivana…”

Xia’er’s voice came from the bed. Aivana looked at her and asked, “What is it?”

“Can you help me?”

Xia’er’s eyes were already closed, and she didn’t notice that she was asking for help without expecting anything in return.

“Sure.”

Aivana nodded, not even asking what she needed help with.

“When the invitation arrives, wake me up…”

“What invitation?”

“Derton… Manor…”

Aivana’s pupils contracted slightly.

“Manor? Invitation letter?”

I thought being a count meant a respectable status and considerable wealth, but I was clearly mistaken.

“I don’t want to eat this!”

“Adelle, there are many people outside who are starving because they have even less than this. You shouldn’t complain.”

My younger sister, Adelle, threw the bread aside and burst into tears, while our father, Count Bradley Somerset, sternly reprimanded her.

I glanced at the food before me, thinking that the dining scene in a noble household might resemble that of an ordinary family.

On the table lay a thin, unidentifiable soup and bread as hard as rocks.

Certainly, these were not appetizing dishes for even a child.

Determined to eat, I tried to dip the bread into the soup, but just as I broke it apart—

Crack!

Did I just hear the sound of wood splintering?

…

Manor? Invitation letter?

The cultists occupying Derton Manor aren’t they the ones investigating Adelle? Could the news about Adelle here have leaked out?

As the highest-ranking black gold member of Derton Manor, Aivana did receive frequent invitations from Derton Manor, usually for new gambling events or new goods arriving.

But receiving an invitation at this moment made Aivana think twice.

Moreover… how did Xia’er know about the invitation?

Before Aivana could ask, she noticed that Xia’er had already fallen deeply asleep.

Though Aivana felt a strong urge to wake Xia’er up, she didn’t want to disturb her, who looked so exhausted. So, she swallowed her questions back down.

Adelle was also filled with doubts, but seeing Aivana not asking further, she didn’t dare to speak either. She picked up the “Physician” and “Plague Doctor” spiritual notes she had taken from Aivana’s bookshelf and started reading again.

Time passed by slowly…

…

“Miss.”

“Miss, wake up.”

“Miss Aivana.”

In a daze, Aivana felt a cold sensation on her face, like armor. She slightly opened her eyes and saw Nia kneeling beside her.

Aivana pushed the blanket off and sat up on the sofa. Through the dim candlelight, she saw Adelle lying on another sofa.

Adelle’s blanket had been kicked onto the carpet, and she was curled up on the sofa, shivering as she slept.

Xia’er’s state earlier seemed particularly bad. To avoid waking Xia’er, they chose not to sleep in bed and gave it to Xia’er instead.

“What’s the matter, Nia…” Aivana whispered softly.

“Someone sent a letter.”

Nia handed Aivana a black letter with a golden seal bearing Derton Manor’s chip emblem.

Suddenly, Aivana’s mind became clear. She sat up on the sofa, took a deep breath, and stretched her right hand towards her neck.

She placed the “Substitute Sacrifice Sacred Relic” in her palm, and her index finger gently traced the cage around the sacred relic, causing blood to drip into it and ignite a purple spiritual flame.

Aivana’s body instantly weakened, leaning against the back of the sofa. After several seconds, she slowly regained her strength and looked at the letter in her hand.

She took the small knife from Nia and cut open the wax seal, unfolding the letter inside.

This… was just a regular invitation letter.

Aside from a few new games at Derton Manor, there was another event…

From noon on the 22nd until 10 PM on the 24th, the fee for exchanging chips at Derton Manor would be reduced to 5%, and the commission for recycling items would drop to 10%.

In other words, now you could exchange 100 Su Pound for 95 chips, and something originally worth 100, which would normally be recycled for 80, would now be recycled for 90 pounds.

This event was quite significant, though such activities happen every quarter, making it somewhat normal.

In the past, when such events occurred, Aivana would often go to see if there was anything interesting to buy, as Derton Manor always managed to get some intriguing items during these times.

But why was this activity starting at this particular time?

Wasn’t the 23rd the day the Bishop of the Arrival Sect was supposed to arrive?

And Xia’er… seemed to know everything in advance. Before the activity began, Xia’er mentioned there would be an invitation letter.

It was almost as if she had seen someone write the invitation letter herself.

Aivana looked in Xia’er’s direction, her gaze complex.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a delicate leather case, opening the golden clasp to reveal a golden pocket watch.

Aivana checked the time on the pocket watch, furrowing her brow slightly.

This… was already noon on the 22nd.

Why has Xia’er been sleeping for so long?

“Nia, turn on the light.”

Aivana got up, and the book on her chest slid down her silk nightgown and fell to the floor.

She put on velvet slippers and walked towards the bed.

As Aivana approached the bed, the kerosene lamp lit up, and she saw Xia’er lying in bed. Her heart tightened slightly.

Xia’er’s face was pale, and her forehead was covered in sweat, as if she had experienced a terrifying nightmare, curling up into a ball, even her lips were devoid of color.

Aivana felt a bit regretful for not sleeping next to Xia’er.

If she had held herself while sleeping, maybe Xia’er wouldn’t have had such a terrible nightmare…

“Xia’er…”

Aivana took out a handkerchief and reached out to wipe Xia’er’s forehead, but just as her handkerchief touched Xia’er’s forehead, Xia’er suddenly opened her eyes wide, grabbing Aivana’s wrist forcefully.

Xia’er’s grip was strong, and the handkerchief slipped away. Aivana pursed her lips without a sound, watching as Xia’er’s eyes, full of bloodshot veins, breathed heavily and then slowly calmed down.

“Sorry… Is it nighttime now? How long have I slept…?”

Regaining her composure, Xia’er released Aivana’s wrist and involuntarily licked her dry lips.

Xia’er’s recent stress was indeed too great.

The continuous simulations and endless events had left her mentally and physically drained.

The bloodletting last night almost became the final straw that broke her spirit.

She had a nightmare.

In the dream, she was lying in the morgue of a hospital, watching the red-haired figure wearing a hat, mask, and glasses, who she couldn’t recognize, dissect her body over and over again.

After each dissection, she would sew the wounds, only to have them reopened again, seemingly without end. The slight excitement from the adrenaline rush and the pain from being cut were so vivid.

“It’s noon, twelve o’clock.”

Aivana replied, looking at Xia’er, “You’ve slept for a whole day, Xia’er… Nia, bring me a glass of water. Are you hungry, Xia’er?”

“Did the invitation letter arrive?” Xia’er asked, ignoring Aivana’s previous question.

“Yes.”

Aivana nodded with some concern.

“Thank you.”

The events hosted by Derton Manor would definitely attract a large crowd. It wouldn’t be strange for Aivana to blend in. Even if all the cultists were called over, no one would notice anything amiss.

Even if Aivana were to appear there, there would be nothing suspicious about it.

She must check the arrangement of the blood ritual… prepare for the ceremony…

Xia’er lifted the blanket and slowly got out of bed, but as soon as her feet touched the carpet, she felt a wave of weakness and collapsed.

Aivana reacted quickly, reaching out to support Xia’er’s armpit and helping her sit back on the bed.

Why… hasn’t her spirit recovered much? And why does her body feel weaker?

She felt that her body and mind had reached some threshold, collapsing instantly after that terrifying, endless nightmare.

“Stay seated for a moment, Xia’er. I’ll wake Adelle up.”

Xia’er looked up and saw Aivana quickly walk to Adelle, who was curled up and sleeping, shaking her vigorously.

…

91