In any case, she was now bound to Hugo's side. Whether this was a multiplayer or solo instance, using Hugo to understand the core information of this world and then find the key areas of the instance was something she had to do.
Bai Ci turned and walked to the table, pulling out a chair to sit down. Her gaze fell upon the out-of-place leather suitcase that presumably belonged to “Lora.”
According to her character background, this was the luggage she had brought from home, which should contain items that could corroborate her background.
Bai Ci crouched down and gently popped open the suitcase clasps.
There weren't many things inside: a few changes of clothes, a small silver mirror, a slightly formal Western-style dress, a compact folding umbrella, and a velvet pouch containing a thick stack of banknotes. The denominations weren't small, though she had no idea what their actual purchasing power was.
Resting right on top was a neatly folded letter. The envelope was addressed in elegant calligraphy to “My daughter, Lora.”
Bai Ci opened the letter and quickly skimmed through it.
The content aligned perfectly with the information provided by “Rain's Message.” Her parents urged her to get along well with Hugo. Although the Durom family had fallen from grace, the Chaos family would never break a promise once made. The engagement was set, and she must not be headstrong; she had to learn to understand the difficulties of his family's decline, settle down peacefully in this town to cultivate their feelings, and wait for the official wedding.
There was even a specific note at the end of the letter—
“Hugo is an honest, dutiful boy who works at the post office. He is steady and reliable, so you have nothing to worry about.”
Bai Ci's fingers refolded the letter and placed it back. She then picked up the silver mirror to inspect her current appearance.
The girl in the mirror had soft, long golden hair, fair skin, and delicate features. She bore a seventy percent resemblance to her original appearance, but with an added touch of Western flair.
This was Lora Chaos.
Lora Chaos had just arrived in this town and moved in with him due to a family engagement. The two had never met before, and even the engagement had been decided entirely by their parents.
In other words, she could act relatively freely now without worrying about accidentally doing something that violated her character's established behavior.
She gently touched her cheek, quickly slipping into character.
However, establishing a temporary persona was still necessary; otherwise, inconsistencies might easily crop up.
To fit “Lora Chaos,” she needed to be gentle, quiet, polite, and well-mannered—someone from a decent background who wasn't spoiled. She should be curious about her new environment, neither resistant nor overly enthusiastic about the engagement, willing to cooperate in cultivating their feelings, yet maintaining a proper sense of distance.
Simply put: gentle, sensible, trouble-free, but not a pushover.
This kind of persona was the easiest way to lower an NPC's guard, making it highly convenient for her to observe and gather information in secret.
With her persona decided, Bai Ci smoothed out her skirt, opened the door, and slowly walked down the stairs.
The first floor was slightly more spacious than the second, though the layout was just as simple. The living room, dining area, and kitchen were connected. It was still dominated by depressing shades of gray, but the faint aroma of food drifted through the air—not overpowering, yet inexplicably comforting.
Hugo was standing in the kitchen with his back to her, his head slightly lowered as he focused on tending to whatever was in the pot.
Hearing footsteps, his body stiffened. He didn't turn around, only murmuring,
“It will be ready... soon.”
“Let me help you,” Bai Ci offered.
Hugo immediately spun around, shaking his head repeatedly. “No need, just sit down. It will be quick.”
His attitude wasn't exactly cold, but he was clearly unaccustomed to having people close to him, let alone accepting help.
Bai Ci didn't press the issue. She obediently sat down at the dining table and quietly watched him work.
Before long, Hugo walked over carrying two plates of simple dinner.
There was slightly toasted bread, a bowl of thick vegetable soup, and a small portion of seared meat. The portions were modest and the presentation ordinary, but everything was clean and tidy.
He gently pushed one of the plates in front of Bai Ci, then sat down across from her. Still keeping his head lowered, he whispered, “Please, eat.”
“Thank you.” Bai Ci picked up her spoon and took a gentle sip of the soup. The temperature was just right, and while the taste was ordinary, it was already a luxury for Bai Ci, who had been living on nutrient solution for days.
Instead of burying her face in her food immediately, she deliberately slowed her movements, speaking in a casual, conversational tone, “This town is so busy... yet it also seems a bit quiet.”
Hugo's hand holding the spoon paused. His light brown eyes remained cast down, and after a brief silence, he replied softly, “Things haven't been good lately.”
“Not good?” Bai Ci let a perfect touch of confusion show on her face. “Did something happen?”
She didn't press too hard, keeping her voice gentle, as if driven by pure curiosity.
Hugo fell silent for a few more seconds, as if debating whether he should speak. Ultimately, he quietly uttered two words: “The plague.”
“Some people in town have fallen ill with coughing, fevers, and total exhaustion... The doctors are helpless; they can only watch them waste away day by day.” His voice was very low, carrying a trace of imperceptible heaviness. “Everyone is saying it might be the plague.”
Bai Ci understood immediately. “Might be the plague” meant “it definitely is the plague.”
She didn't show excessive panic, only knitting her brows slightly with concern in her voice. “Is it very serious? Then when you go out... isn't it very dangerous for you?”
This bit of concern was perfectly measured—neither forced nor overbearing, yet enough to close the distance between them.
Hugo looked up, stole a quick glance at her, and then rapidly looked back down. His voice grew slightly softer, “I'm fine. And it might not actually be the plague. I work at the post office, so I have to go out.”
Bai Ci naturally followed up on the topic. “The post office? Ah, yes, I saw that in the letter—you work at the post office. Where is it? Is it far from here?”
Hugo gave an address. It wasn't close, but it wasn't too far either; it would take some time on foot.
Bai Ci quietly committed it to memory. Her fingertips lightly stroked the rim of her spoon, and her next words were spoken softly but earnestly, “Tomorrow... let me bring you lunch.”
Hugo abruptly lifted his head. For the first time, those eyes that had constantly looked down, not daring to meet anyone's gaze, locked onto hers. They were filled with astonishment, surprise, and a faint hint of panic.
“No need,” he refused almost instantly, speaking very quickly. “The post office has simple food. I can handle it myself. No need to trouble yourself.”
He was clearly uncomfortable with such intimacy and disliked being specifically fussed over.
Any ordinary young girl might have dropped the subject right there, perhaps even feeling rejected.
But Bai Ci was not.
She believed the system wouldn't bind her to an NPC who had absolutely nothing to do with the main storyline. Therefore, visiting the post office where Hugo worked was a necessity.
Bai Ci gently lowered her gaze, her tone quiet yet carrying a gentle authority that brooked no easy refusal. “It's no trouble. We are engaged and living together now; we are supposed to cultivate our feelings.”
She paused, then looked up at him, her gaze calm and steady. “I've just arrived here and am unfamiliar with everything. I'd like to go out, take a walk, and see the town. Delivering lunch to you is the perfect opportunity.”
With that single sentence, she transformed “delivering lunch” from a one-sided gesture of concern into a perfectly reasonable “fulfillment of engagement duties.”
It gave him a way out while completely blocking his path to a direct refusal.
Rate on N.U.
