Su Yao woke from her dream to find herself still sitting on the corridor floor, the soft, thick carpet beneath her. Warm sunlight filled the corridor, creating a pleasant warmth.  She suddenly felt a strong urge to roll around on the ground.

She didn’t want to suppress this feeling, so she fell to her side, curling up on the warm carpet, rolling back and forth several times, rubbing her back against the soft fabric. Then she lay flat, comfortably basking in the sun.

“…”

The corridor was empty; no one saw this strange scene.  Su Yao vaguely remembered having a nightmare, something about a monster. 

Not surprising.  She was sure her mental state was terrible. One moment she was at home enjoying her winter break, the next she was in another world, a doomed supporting character whose only purpose was to highlight the female lead.  

And she didn’t know exactly how she would die, only that the news would report it as an accidental death!

What kind of accident?  Without more details, she couldn’t specifically avoid anything.  Estimating the time, death was probably only six months to a year away.

Su Yao slowly sat up, turning to look at her reflection in the corridor’s crystal wall.  A familiar face stared back.  This body’s appearance was extremely similar to hers before the time-travel, except the dark circles from lack of sleep were gone, her complexion was better, and her hair was curlier and thicker.

“His Highness was just…”  Footsteps and voices approached from a distance.

“Su Yao stormed off…”

“…Didn’t she go talk to her family?”

“Pfft, you didn’t see it. She was initially standing with Jiaojiao, then His Highness pulled her aside, seemed to even use spiritual power.  It was probably her causing trouble for Jiaojiao, and His Highness protecting her.

Tsk, but honestly, that Duchess only has the bloodline; her awakening is nothing to speak of, she doesn’t even have a spirit body, and she has such an arrogant attitude. She’s not worthy of His Highness at all!”

“Alright, alright, let’s say less. You’ve had too much to drink! I told you to drink less! That alcohol isn’t suitable for us…”

“Those rare plant wines, I don’t usually even get to see them. It’s a rare opportunity, I had to drink more! Besides, we’re His Highness’s classmates, drinking her wine is giving her face! She only became a Duchess by luck…”

Su Yao stood up, adjusting her hair. Three young men appeared from around the corner. Their conversation stopped abruptly.  The three stood frozen.

“…Your Grace.” One of them hastily bowed.

Compared to others, their bloodline ranks weren’t very high, but they weren’t C or D-class either. They were all undergoing initial awakening training, their five senses far more acute than ordinary people.  Yet, until they saw her, they hadn’t noticed a living person so close!  Such a short distance!

The three men looked at her with shock and horror.  This Duchess, who had only come of age a few months ago, was Olai’s youngest high-ranking noble. 

She had a well-proportioned, slightly slender figure, wearing a silver, mid-thigh-length dress, with thick, dark curly hair, partially styled with intricate gold ornaments. Similar chains adorned her long neck, a ruby pendant hanging at her collarbone, blood-red and striking. 

The girl’s expression was cold, her face beautiful, her skin flawless and white.  Her nose was high-bridged, her eye sockets deep.  Beneath thick, curled lashes, her eyes were like crystals soaked in honey wine—bright and clear.  Her irises were a translucent light gold, appearing even lighter in the sunlight.

The moment their eyes met, they instinctively felt extremely uncomfortable, as if they were prey being watched by a predator.

Her gaze swept across their faces, then flicked towards their heads.  To their confused looks, Su Yao saw flickering subtitles again. 

But they were just fragmented, distorted letters, not forming words, like the text on a water-damaged page, appearing and disappearing intermittently.  And there were three people.  Only the middle one had blurry letters above his head.  The other two had none.

“Hello.” Su Yao addressed the redhead.  “You’re D-class, right?”  Ryan had his fiancée invite five classmates to the banquet: Ruan Jiao (E-class), one D-class, two C-class, and one B-class.  Her former self hadn’t remembered every face, but she knew the general details of these five.

“…Yes.” The redhead nodded, his expression subtle, seeming slightly displeased.

Su Yao fell into thought.  —If the mind-reading subtitles were her superpower, why did it only work on Ruan Jiao?  One of Ruan Jiao’s distinguishing features was her low bloodline rank.  If others had some kind of resistance, reducing or nullifying the ability, then perhaps Ruan Jiao, because of her low bloodline rank, lacked this resistance?

Su Yao looked at the redhead’s head again.  She concentrated, trying hard to see the letters clearly.  After a few seconds, they finally formed words.

【Trash… only relying on bloodline… social… parasite…】

【If… I… were better…】

At the same time, Su Yao smelled various meat scents again.  This time, she wasn’t even in the banquet hall; she was over a hundred meters away from the food storage units, separated by multiple walls! 

Yet, those scents were still faintly present, invisible particles drifting in the air, steadily entering her vomeronasal organ, passing through the mucous membrane to the back of her mouth.

Alcohol, fruits, various meats.  Wall paneling materials, detergent residue on clothes, human sweat, and a faint smell of energy oil.  From far to near, and near to far.

Her gaze returned to the three men in front of her.  Perfume, lipstick, skincare and makeup, essential oils and the esters, ketones, and plant extracts in sunscreen, and the pungent, distinctive aroma of ethanol.  These scents layered over them, like sheets of paper stuck together. 

As she carefully sensed them, each scent separated.  Then she began to smell other information.  Things she couldn’t describe with words, but that evoked related associations—

Like fried chicken.  Like roasted venison.

Su Yao: “?”

Su Yao felt something was wrong.  She checked the time on the wall screen; she’d slept about ten minutes, her energy was restored, and she wasn’t as hungry as before.  However, this strange appetite, though not intense, still persisted.

“Your Grace?”  Perhaps because of the long silence, they seemed to have misunderstood.

The redhead couldn’t help but speak.  “What? Do you think my rank is too low to be here?”

【Idiot… humiliation…】

He muttered to himself, his face showing a hint of humiliation, as if he’d just been scolded.

【Superficial…】

As he spoke, the scent of alcohol intensified; he’d obviously drunk quite a bit.

Su Yao: “?”

Su Yao: “Oh, just assume that’s what I think. After all, you said I wasn’t good enough for the Crown Prince, so we’re even.”

She was too lazy to make up a reason for asking about his rank.

The redhead’s expression changed.  “I never said that!”

Su Yao tilted her head.  “This is my vacation castle. The hallways are monitored; I can access the footage anytime.”

The redhead couldn’t argue, glaring at her resentfully.  “Where did I go wrong! Do you think you’re worthy? You’re just a—”

Bang!

Su Yao grabbed his hair and slammed his head against the corridor railing.  With a horrifying thud, the redhead’s face hit the railing.  Before he could scream, he collapsed.

His two classmates rushed over; one helped him up, revealing a broken nose and blood gushing from his mouth; he’d fainted.

“You came to my party, drank my wine, and then insulted me?” Su Yao crossed her arms, looking at them.  “Do you two have anything to say?”

The other two, less drunk and still sober, said nothing, carrying the unconscious redhead away.

A few steps later, at the corridor’s corner, the redhead regained consciousness, cursing and trying to break free.  A classmate quickly restrained him.  “…Stop it! You don’t want to die!”

The three stumbled, colliding with someone in their panicked retreat.  “Ah!”  With a dull thud and a scream, all three fell.  The two classmates landed on the ground; the redhead was thrown, his head hitting the wall, his forehead bleeding again, his face practically covered in blood.

“Oh my—” A tall, silver-haired man stood there, watching the three fallen figures.

“So sorry. I didn’t expect such weaklings at the Duchess’s party.” He smiled faintly, his tongue licking his wine-stained lips, revealing sharp, knife-like canines.

“You motherf—” The redhead angrily raised his head.

He only managed one curse word before his classmates pounced, one covering his mouth, the other grabbing his arm, dragging him away again.

The silver-haired man ignored them, smiling as he approached Su Yao.

“Your Grace, did I just avenge you?” He stood before her, speaking in a familiar, playful tone.  The young man had silver-white curly hair, partially tied, the ends falling to his knees, like a flowing river of moonlight.  Strands brushed his pale cheek; his handsome face held a smile.  He leaned in, his shimmering blue eyes, beneath white lashes, like polished jade—clear and bright.

“You’re much cuter than I imagined, and you seem to already…” The silver-haired man leaned closer, whispering in her ear.

Su Yao heard him inhale, as if carefully sniffing.  Two seconds later, the silver-haired man straightened, one hand on the railing, the other reaching for his collar, seemingly unconsciously tugging.

His shirt was unbuttoned, revealing a firm, lean chest, and even the outline of his abdominal muscles.  With this tug, the gap widened, fully exposing a black neck ring; shiny leather with inlaid diamonds forming two intertwined snakes.  Pale blue veins snaked across his pale skin, emphasized by the ring; his Adam’s apple moved slightly with his breath.

Su Yao thoughtfully watched him.  Judging by his suggestive behavior, he was likely there to self-promote.  Of course, this man wasn’t in her former self’s memories, so he definitely wasn’t a proper invited guest; he must have been brought in by another guest.  There was also a small chance he was an undercover assassin. Or a prostitute.

Su Yao amused herself with the thought.  “Do you know those three’s bloodlines?”

“Well, I’m not sure of the exact full bloodline names, but at least down to the family.” The silver-haired man looked at her with interest.  “Left, deer family; right, elephant family; the redhead in the middle—”

Su Yao: “Chicken?”

“Yes, pheasant family.”

Su Yao nodded slowly.  She didn’t know what elephant meat tasted like, so she couldn’t make the connection.  The other two were different.  However, she’d seen live chickens at the market and knew that it’s difficult for normal people to directly associate that smell with chicken meat.  This strangeness was likely because she was no longer “human.”

“By the way, you’re very pretty.”

Su Yao turned.  “But not my style. Leave your contact info? I’ll call you if I need you.”

The silver-haired man was stunned, then smiled again, looking at her meaningfully.  “I can become anyone you want. What type do you like?”

Su Yao: “?”  A professional?

Su Yao pondered.  “I like black hair, taller, and more muscular.”  People in this world were generally good-looking; the top-tier ones were extraordinary.  Her former self had many beautiful faces in her memories.  Su Yao chose one that matched her aesthetic. It was a model, possibly an actor, or some socialite from the Sereya Empire; the former self didn’t remember the details.  Perhaps because it wasn’t her former self’s style, or because her inherited memories were too chaotic.

“Like this?” The man unbuttoned the remaining buttons, his form shifting, his hair becoming dark and thick, his shoulders broadening, his arm and chest muscles bulging, his features becoming sharper and more defined.

“…Hmm, lighter eyes.” Su Yao studied him, describing the face from her memory.  “Sharper nose…”

“Wait.” The man glanced at the wall screen. The black screen reflected his current appearance.

“Your Grace, you actually like…?” He seemed surprised.  “You don’t need to say it. I know who you want me to become.  I didn’t expect you to be a fan of his.”

“Hmm? I just think he’s handsome.” Su Yao watched him continue to adjust his facial details, perfectly recreating the impossibly handsome face from her memory.

“Five-star review.” Su Yao gave a thumbs-up, stepping closer, reaching out to touch his thick, warm pectoral muscles.  She admired his statuesque body, the strong muscles tightening and relaxing under her fingertips, revealing powerful lines.  The feel was amazing!  In her previous eighteen years, she had never touched a man’s body like this!

“You did great. How long will this last? How much does it cost?  Wait, I don’t actually care; I’m broke except for money.” She said, squeezing his chest.  Then she looked up at his exquisitely handsome face.  “This is truly beautiful, in every sense. Name your price.”

“Wait.” The man held her wrist.  “I’m adjusting my temperature. That guy is probably cold, right? I guess you like that too? You should be glad I saw him from afar on the battlefield—”

Su Yao was enjoying the feel.  “What’s cold?”

The next second, a scream echoed from the end of the corridor.  Su Yao turned, seeing a group of people, led by the Crown Prince.  Ryan’s face was grim; he looked like he’d seen a ghost, staring at them.  He looked at the tall, mostly naked, black-haired man, then at his fiancée, who was all over the black-haired man.

Su Yao met his gaze, quickly feeling him up a few more times, then gave him a defiant look.

Ryan: “…”

pā – the sound of something breaking

A wine glass fell to the ground, shattering, accompanied by the sound of splashing liquid.

“Kail III?!”

Several nobles behind Ryan screamed, looking at the black-haired man beside Duchess Su with disbelief and terror.  Some fell to the ground, shaking uncontrollably, their faces pale, their lips bloodless.

“Why is the Sereya Emperor here?!”

“He’ll kill us all!”

Someone fainted, their head hitting the carpet.  The scene was utter chaos.