Chapter 24
Capitalism Has Entered the Fantasy Realm
Carol returned to her chambers still floating on happiness.
The pendant. The kiss. The way Caspian had looked at her when she'd said she wanted him to come home safely.
I'm glad you're mine.
She touched her lips, smiling at the memory.
"Someone's in a good mood," Lumi observed from her perch near the window. The angel sprite's golden glow brightened with amusement.
"She gave him the present," Missy crowed from the headboard. "And they kissed! I can smell the romance from here."
Carol felt her cheeks warm. "We may have kissed."
"May have?" Missy cackled. "You're practically glowing. You're all lovey-dovey and googly-eyed."
"I am not googly-eyed," Carol protested, though she couldn't stop smiling.
"You absolutely are," Lumi said gently. "It's sweet. You're happy."
"I am happy," Carol admitted, sinking onto her bed. "Is that strange? In my old life I was so overworked and exhausted, and then I woke up here as Caroline who was miserable, and now..."
"Now you're actually living instead of just surviving," Lumi said gently.
"And you're married to a man you actually like," Missy added. "Who brings you puppies and lets you spend his money and kisses you in gardens."
"And studies," Lumi added. "Don't forget the study kiss."
Carol buried her face in her hands. "You two are terrible."
"We're observant," Missy corrected. "There's a difference."
Mochi meowed from his cushion, sensing Carol's attention had shifted. Shadow bounded over, tail wagging enthusiastically, nearly tripping over his oversized paws.
"Hello, you two," Carol said, reaching down to scratch both their heads. "Did you miss me?"
Shadow licked her hand enthusiastically. Mochi headbutted her palm, purring.
Carol stood and went to her wardrobe, pulling out the bag of toys she'd purchased at the market last week. She'd been so focused on banquet preparations that she hadn't had much time to play with her pets lately.
"Look what I have," she said, pulling out a stuffed toy shaped vaguely like a fish.
Shadow's ears perked up immediately. Mochi's twin tails swished with interest.
Carol tossed the toy across the room, and Shadow bounded after it with all the grace of a puppy who hadn't quite grown into his paws yet. He crashed into a chair, recovered, grabbed the toy, and brought it back triumphantly.
"Good boy," Carol laughed, taking the now-slightly-damp toy and throwing it again.
Mochi, more dignified, batted at a dangling ribbon toy Carol held out. His movements were precise and controlled, each paw strike perfectly calculated. He was growing so fast—already nearly twice the size he'd been when she'd first bonded with him.
"You're getting so big," Carol said, running her hand along Mochi's sleek fur. "Soon you'll be massive."
Mochi purred louder, leaning into her touch.
Shadow returned with the toy again, but this time instead of giving it to Carol, he dropped it and rolled onto his back, wiggling.
"You want belly rubs?" Carol asked, kneeling down to oblige.
Shadow's tail thumped against the floor as Carol scratched his belly. Then, unexpectedly, he twisted his head and licked her stomach.
Carol froze. "Shadow?"
The puppy licked her belly again, tail still wagging.
Mochi abandoned the ribbon toy and padded over, sniffing at Carol's midsection with clear interest. Then he too pressed his nose against her stomach and made a soft, pleased sound.
"They can sense the baby," Lumi said softly. "Magical creatures are very attuned to life energy."
"Really?" Carol asked, looking down at her stomach. She wasn't showing too much yet—only three and a half months along—but apparently her pets knew anyway.
Shadow licked her belly again, gentle and careful, as if understanding something precious was there.
"You're going to be excellent big brothers," Carol told them, scratching both their heads. "The baby will be very lucky to have you protecting them."
Mochi meowed agreement. Shadow's tail wagged harder.
Carol sat back on the floor, letting both creatures curl up against her. Shadow rested his head on her lap while Mochi settled against her side, purring contentedly.
"You've gotten very attached to them," Lumi observed.
"They're family," Carol said simply. "Just like Caspian. Just like..." She paused. "Just like this whole life I'm building here."
"You've come a long way," Lumi said. "From that first day when you woke up in this world. You've really made it yours."
"I've tried," Carol said. "I just hope—"
A translucent screen suddenly appeared in front of her face, glowing with that familiar game-system blue.
NEW QUEST AVAILABLE!
QUEST: SURVIVE THE BANQUET
Description: Tomorrow's wedding banquet will not go smoothly! A noble's daughter, secretly in love with Caspian Vanthorn, will cause a scene. Your dress will be ruined.
Objective: Survive the evening with your dignity intact.
Optional Purchase: Stain-Resistant Potion (Daily use, 24-hour cooldown. Effects last 8 hours. Prevents liquid damage to clothing.)
Cost: 250 Gold Crowns
Warning: This is a critical social event. Failure could result in permanent reputation damage.
Accept Quest? [YES] [NO]
Carol stared at the notification. "You've got to be kidding me."
"A stain-resistant potion?" Lumi said, reading the notification. "That does sound suspicious."
"It's obviously a scam," Carol said. "The system is trying to sell me protection from a problem it just told me about. That's literally extortion."
"But what if it's real?" Missy asked, her eyes gleaming as she read the quest details. "What if someone really does ruin your dress? That would be hilarious!"
"It would not be hilarious," Lumi said firmly. "This is Carol's important social debut as Duchess."
"Exactly," Carol said. "And now the system is extorting me."
Carol looked at the potion option. Two hundred and fifty gold crowns wasn't much—not compared to the thousands she'd spent on decorations and the pendant. But the principle of the thing...
"It's your choice," Lumi said. "But the system has been accurate so far, hasn't it? The death flags, the skill trees, the relationship meters..."
Carol thought about it. The system had been real. Annoyingly game-like and occasionally useless, but real.
And tomorrow was important. Tomorrow was her chance to prove to the northern nobility that she'd changed. If someone really was going to ruin her dress...
"This is ridiculous," Carol muttered. "I'm being extorted by a game system."
"So that's a yes?" Missy asked hopefully.
Carol sighed and mentally selected the purchase option.
PURCHASE CONFIRMED
Stain-Resistant Potion acquired!
Cost: 250 Gold Crowns
Item added to inventory. Apply to clothing for 8-hour protection against liquid damage. Can be used daily (24-hour cooldown between uses).
Note: Better safe than sorry! ;)
"Did it just wink at me?" Carol asked incredulously.
"The system winked at you?" Lumi asked.
"There was a winky face in the notification," Carol said. "This thing has a personality. A terrible, extortionist personality."
"I love it," Missy said gleefully. "Chaos AND capitalism!"
"You would," Carol sighed.
"But at least now you're protected," Lumi pointed out. "If someone really does try to ruin your dress, you'll be prepared."
"If this turns out to be a scam, I'm going to be very annoyed," Carol said.
"On the bright side, you can afford it," Missy said. "You're a duchess with unlimited access to your husband's fortune. Two hundred fifty gold crowns is pocket change."
"That's not the point," Carol said. "The point is that I'm being manipulated by a game system that's supposed to be helping me."
"Is it manipulation if it's warning you about a real threat?" Lumi asked.
Carol didn't have a good answer for that.
She dismissed the notification screen and looked down at her pets. Shadow had fallen asleep on her lap, snoring softly. Mochi was purring, his eyes half-closed in contentment.
"Well," Carol said. "At least if my dress gets ruined, it won't show. Small victories."
"You're being very calm about this," Lumi observed.
"What else can I do?" Carol asked. "Panic? The quest said someone's going to cause a scene. I can't stop that. I can only control how I respond."
"Very mature of you," Lumi said approvingly.
"I'm terrified," Carol admitted. "Tomorrow, eighty nobles are going to watch me. Judge me. Look for any sign that I'm still the terrible person I was before. And apparently, someone's going to try to ruin my dress in the middle of it all."
"But you'll handle it," Lumi said confidently. "You've handled everything else."
"And if you don't, it'll be entertaining," Missy added. "Either way, I win."
"You're the worst," Carol told her.
"I'm the best," Missy corrected. "I keep things interesting."
Carol carefully extracted herself from the sleeping Shadow and stood, placing him gently on his cushion. Mochi followed her to the bed, curling up on her pillow.
Her blue gown hung ready in the wardrobe, the silver embroidery catching the lamplight. Tomorrow she'd wear it. Tomorrow she'd stand beside Caspian and face the northern nobility.
Tomorrow, someone would apparently try to ruin everything.
But Carol had survived death flags. She'd survived transmigrating into a villainess's body. She'd survived being pregnant and trapped and desperate.
She could survive a wedding banquet.
Even if her dress got ruined.
Even if someone caused a scene.
She'd survived worse.
"Get some rest," Lumi said gently. "Tomorrow's going to be a long day."
"Tomorrow's going to be terrible," Carol said.
"Tomorrow's going to be interesting," Missy corrected gleefully.
Carol climbed into bed, and Shadow immediately abandoned his cushion to curl up at her feet. Mochi settled against her side, purring softly.
"Goodnight, you two," Carol whispered, scratching both their heads.
She closed her eyes, surrounded by warmth and soft purring, and let sleep take her.