This was also thanks to Dos Camberlan’s utter incompetence. Under his management, the family had fallen into ruin. Masha had patched some holes during her tenure, but now as family head, the deficits were laid bare before Xiliya.
With imperial troops handling city affairs and Annaer assisting from the side, Xiliya didn’t think the Camberlan Family would keep declining. But filling such a massive financial hole wouldn’t happen overnight, and the Imperial Capital Magic Academy’s expenses weren’t cheap. She’d actually been worried about it.
But now, things looked way better than her previous life, right?
Meanwhile, Ximo was alone in the inn room, looking at the little loli before her with a slight feverish flush.
【The so-called rope always breaks at the thinnest spot. As the Camberlan Family’s eldest lady kicked out of the house, someone’s bound to see you as an easy mark.】
【Thus, while traveling and staying at inns, you get shaken down by a crooked innkeeper who claims you broke an antique vase in the room and demands a huge payout.】
【Please complete the plot task “Getting Shaken Down (Incomplete).” Warm reminder: This task is incomplete…】
Ximo was very familiar with the System’s task issuance process by now. Though the cold, mechanical voice had turned into a cute loli’s, it didn’t douse the anger in her heart.
“System, care to explain?” Ximo gestured around the room. “A proper inn in the imperial capital. Where am I supposed to find someone to shake me down?”
Ximo was in a foul mood. She’d thought there’d be no more System tasks before school started, but Xiliya’s previous life had been so miserable that even a trip could end in a scam.
The problem was, they’d taken the Magic Crystal train straight from the border city to the capital without stopping… And now they were already in the capital. Where was she supposed to find a crooked inn?
“I’m sorry, I’m really sorry!”
System prostrated herself before Ximo in the seiza position, her tone sincere, as if she were moments from kowtowing.
“I really can’t change plot tasks right now… but but! I’ve already disabled the daily tasks for you, sweetie!”
Ximo quietly breathed a sigh of relief. At least those bullying daily tasks were gone. But thinking about having to complete this humiliating plot task still irked her.
“How about this as compensation? I’ll share my ability as a task reward.”
System knelt on the floor and conjured a panel Ximo couldn’t understand out of thin air. She fiddled with it a few times, and Ximo heard a System prompt in her mind.
【As the tragic Sickly Young Lady, everything around you seems to be against you.】
【Even resting at the inn, the cold, hard chair digs into your butt.】
【Please complete the special task “Bullied by a Chair (Incomplete)”… Congratulations, sweetie! Task complete!】
What the heck? Ximo, sitting on the solid wooden chair, blanked out when she heard the task. This counted as a task?
“Because I’m the ‘Sickly Young Lady’ plot System, I have to follow the logic of being bullied when issuing tasks…”
System explained weakly: “Congratulations, sweetie, on completing the task and receiving the special reward ‘Eye of Discernment ×1’.”
It seemed this little customer service rep had higher privileges than the previous mechanical System. Though plot tasks couldn’t be touched yet, she could make minor adjustments within limits.
“But I can’t generate rewards out of thin air. This ability is what I use to check plot task progress. I can share part of its functions with you, based on analyzing the current…”
“Stop stop stop!” Ximo hurriedly cut off System’s lecture. “No need for the theory. Just tell me how to use it!”
Then, following System’s instructions, Ximo pulled out her necklace. Activating the Eye of Discernment, lines of small text indeed appeared in her vision, displaying info on the necklace.
Ability: Disguise and Impersonation
Grade: Advanced Magitool
…
Seeing this, Ximo nodded. Fine, at least the ability was useful. She decided not to hold the tasks against System for now.
“By the way, this ability can only be used twice a day max. That’s my limit. I can’t interfere too much with the System’s normal operations yet.”
Ximo’s anger had mostly faded, but looking at System prostrated on the floor, she couldn’t resist teasing: “That’s it? An apology needs seiza and stripping naked, you know?”
“Eh eh, really gotta strip?”
Though hesitant, the little loli timidly reached for her clothes, only for Ximo to stop her in a panic.
Meow, she didn’t want to be a pedo alchemist—pedophilia was a capital crime!
Just then, the sound of the door opening came from outside. System and Ximo exchanged a glance, and the little loli instantly turned into a shadowy blur and merged into Ximo’s body.
“I’m back!” Xiliya was in high spirits. “Thanks to you, Ximo, this money’ll last us a while. And we’ve got plenty of free time today—wanna go sightseeing somewhere?”
“But I’m not familiar with the capital, Miss.”
“Commercial streets, theaters, all sorts of entertainment and leisure spots—the Imperial Capital definitely had plenty of those. Or more proper places like auction houses and museums… In short, whatever you could think of, the Imperial Capital basically had it.”
Xiliya lived up to being half a local Cantelot native, rattling off a string of places like she was naming dishes from a menu. However, Ximo only paid attention to one of them.
Auction house?
Ximo’s eyes lit up. Hadn’t she just obtained this new ability? Didn’t it suddenly have a perfect use?
Ximo immediately thought of some treasure-appraising web novels she had read in her previous life. Could her transmigration journey finally turn into a reversal story starting now?
From the despised sickly young lady… Well, even though she wasn’t a sickly young lady anymore, that didn’t stop her from relying on her golden finger ability to pick up hidden gems, collect all sorts of treasures, turn the tables, slap faces, and make a grand reversal to become rich! Heh heh heh…
“Auction house it is! I’m really interested in that place!”
Ximo’s heart stirred with excitement, and she made the decision on the spot. Xiliya hadn’t expected Ximo to want to go somewhere like that. Could her little maid actually have a habit of revenge spending? Earning money and then splurging it wildly right away?
But since it was her family’s little maid, of course Xiliya had to pamper her properly.
