NOVPUBUnder the watchful eyes of the Traveling Poet, the girl turned and left as usual, her expression still enigmatic, shrouded in an unfathomable melancholy.
However, thanks to the girl’s friendly tip from before, he felt that this character might be some kind of important intelligence NPC.
"Hey!"
As the Traveling Poet looked up at the upstairs, a voice full of arrogance suddenly came from in front of him.
The girl held her chin high with a look of disdain in her eyes, lightly lifted her skirt, and addressed him, "I’m speaking to you. What are you looking at? Lowly commoners just have no sense of propriety!"
Veronica’s voice was sharp and aggressive, pressing hard!
Others looked over, giving the Traveling Poet pitiful glances while murmuring quietly that she herself seemed to be the very person lacking in noble etiquette.
The archaeologist sitting in the corner glanced at the situation and, perplexed, bowed her head with her fingers twitching slightly, really wanting to pull out her "Journal" to see what exactly was happening.
She felt that something was off with the current plot!
The Traveling Poet was also puzzled as to why he always seemed to attract the attention of strange things in the castle.
He bowed respectfully, "My apologies."
However, Veronica did not appreciate his gesture and sneered coldly, "Disgraceful. People like you have no right to enter my castle. Armand, you should not have invited them in!"
The Traveling Poet’s gaze drifted away, tired of the conversation and just wanting to end the banquet quickly to continue exploring the castle.
If he hadn’t been forcibly invited in, he might have turned around and left already, rather than now trying to find ways to complete his mission and leave Prague Castle.
Steward Armand Ray hurried forward from behind, whispering, "Miss Veronica, all these guests are the master’s honored visitors. Please do not be disrespectful to them."
"What does that have to do with me, they’re not my guests!" Veronica huffed haughtily.
"Veronica."
Suddenly, a cool voice echoed from the staircase.
Everyone turned to look as they saw a flash of striking deep red enter their field of vision. The elaborate lace design and black pearls embellished the vast skirt, which sparkled faintly under the hall’s lights.
The girl in the dress appeared aloof, her face expressionless as she descended the stairs; she stopped on the landing to curtsey to the crowd before continuing down.
She carried herself with the nobility and elegance of a prestigious family, like a proud rose in full bloom, overshadowing all other colors of the banquet with her stunning crimson.
"Veronica, if Sister knew you were neglecting her guests, she would be very angry," the girl said with a gentle smile, her voice light and distant like a nightingale under the moonlight.
"I’m sorry, Sister..." Veronica seemed frightened, her previous brash demeanor instantly reined in.
"A lady should know what to do," the girl continued.
"..." Veronica, feeling wronged, adjusted her skirt and performed a gentle curtsy to the banquet’s guests.
If she hadn’t spoken or if her expression hadn’t been so arrogant, a quiet Veronica would have indeed looked like an elegant and beautiful young noblewoman.
To be honest, Xu Shuo was also seeing "Pei Sheng" act so arrogantly for the first time.
Well, if he thought about it, that fellow was indeed always so brazen.
When he was creating a character, he had crafted her face based on the most memorable features, casually threw together a personality, and then had her follow the script to trouble the target a bit. Unexpectedly, the effect turned out to be quite remarkable.
Xu Shuo nodded to the guests around him, signaling them to continue. Then, he turned to Steward Armand Ray, "Keep a close eye on Miss Veronica, and don’t let her go too far. The etiquette of the Green Family should not be lost on her."
Steward Armand Ray bowed respectfully, "Understood, Miss Cerys."
Miss Cerys—
In the bustling banquet hall, this name was accurately captured by a few dispersed players who continued to closely watch the situation unfold.
As the main character caught in the maelstrom of trouble, the Traveling Poet maintained his expressionless face, watching the interaction between Cerys and Veronica without a sound.
This was the second time he had closely observed the girl, yet he still did not see the artificial doll-like quality in her.
Compared to those pretentious and deceitful nobles at the event, Veronica’s rich emotions and Cerys’s vivacity became even more prominent; they seemed entirely like real individuals.
At that moment, the girl turned her head toward him and said softly, "I apologize for my sister causing you trouble; she has always been a bit spoiled at Prague Manor."
The Traveling Poet shook his head, "It’s nothing."
Xu Shuo said no more. His appearance was merely for show, and besides, at formal occasions, a true lady should not talk too long with an unfamiliar man. He then lightly lifted his skirt and walked toward the castle’s main entrance.
The Traveling Poet’s gaze flickered slightly, and then he blended into the crowd and left.
The banquet continued, with melodious singing slowly spreading out, and the guests acted as if nothing had happened, continuing their merriment.
After being lectured by her sister, Veronica sat sulkily off to the side under the watchful eye of Steward Armand Ray, no longer causing a commotion but unhappily eating pastries—the very same small cake that the Traveling Poet had been munching on just before.
Just then, a climber dressed in a gentleman’s formal wear approached her from the side.
...
...
The manor outside the castle was immersed in darkness.
The silver moon overhead seemed as false as a paste-up, emitting a cold, faint light. Red lampposts illuminated the rosebushes coiled in the corner like crying blood tears, creating an ambiance that was beautiful but also eerily strange.
When the Traveling Poet arrived, he saw a young girl surrounded by a deep red glow, the roses and her almost merging into one.
Seeing this, he immediately stopped in his tracks and became secretly alert.
The girl plucked a rose, gently sniffed it at her nose, her tilted eyebrows and eyes hidden in the darkness where the dim light could not reach, making it impossible to discern her expression.
"What is your name?"
Suddenly, the girl asked, her voice clear and cold.
The Traveling Poet hesitated—his character had no name, but he could make one up!
So he almost blurted out, "Alex."
Xu Shuo abruptly turned to look at him, but upon realizing her lapse, she switched the emotion in her eyes in a second, making her seem somewhat surprised.
If it weren’t for the fact that this man was suspicious, Xu Shuo would have almost thought he was an uninformed NPC; otherwise, he would never have mentioned that name—did he truly not know what that name meant?
Of course, perhaps NPCs also knew quite a bit.
Perhaps players also had things they didn’t know.
The Traveling Poet looked puzzled, "What’s the matter? You seem surprised."
Xu Shuo chuckled softly, "A little, because I seem to have heard that name before, but I have never seen you."
"How long have you lived in the castle?" the Traveling Poet asked.
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"I’ve been here ever since I have memory; I’m not too clear on how long it has been," Xu Shuo said quietly, lowering her gaze.
"Haven’t you ever gone out?"
"My sister says it’s dangerous outside, so she never allows Veronica and me to leave Prague Castle. The outsiders we see are all guests that my sister invites into the castle."
As the girl spoke to this point, she suddenly broke into a smile, her expression seemingly even brighter than the red roses.
She smiled and said, "The guests are our playmates." n𝚘𝚟𝚙u𝚋.co𝚖
...
