Chapter 39: The Beginning of Collapse
The sky was draped in heavy gray clouds, relentless cold rain weaving the world into a hazy watercolor blur.
On a sprawling hillside outside the capital, two petite figures stood side by side, gazing at the majestic city flickering through the rain.
They were like mirror-image twins.
The elder, Eleanor, wore a black gothic dress adorned with silver bells, holding a black lace parasol, her expression cold as ice. The younger, Beatrice, donned an identical dress in pure white, her face fixed in an emotionless, perfect smile.
Rain soaked their delicate boots, leaving dark marks on the green grass.
The air carried the earthy tang of mud and the damp chill of rain.
“How many ‘anomalous parameters’ have infiltrated this time?” Eleanor asked, her gaze piercing the rain, locked on the distant capital.
“Three confirmed, Sister,” Beatrice replied, her smile unchanging, her voice flat as a doll’s. “No significant actions observed yet.”
“What’s the damage to the game’s storyline?”
“Five percent,” Beatrice answered. “Even with them doing nothing, the collapse is accelerating far beyond our projections.”
Both knew that beyond these three known “transmigrators,” an unknown, far stronger force was hastening the world’s unraveling.
“No intervention?” Beatrice tilted her head slightly toward her sister.
“Without Lord God’s permission, we cannot interfere in the slightest,” Eleanor said, her voice as cold as northern winds. “That’s His rule.”
She slowly furled her parasol, letting the rain drench her silver hair.
“If these transmigrators can’t stop the collapse, inform Lord God this save file is corrupted. Let Him… initiate the eighty-fourth reset.”
Beatrice’s ever-smiling face grew eerily unsettling.
She sighed softly, the silver bells on her skirt jingling faintly. “Understood, Sister—First Administrator of this world.”
The rain poured harder.
The girls’ figures blurred in the downpour, then vanished as if they’d never been there.
“Ugh, rain out of nowhere?!” Ailiya grumbled, sprinting back to the dorm, soaked to the bone, water dripping from her hair, looking utterly disheveled.
Shaking off water, she heard a feeble voice from a corner. “That’s not rain… it’s the sad tears flowing from my heart.”
Startled, Ailiya spun to see Aurora slumped against the wall like a heap of mud, eyes lifeless, soul seemingly drained.
“When’d you get here?!” Ailiya exclaimed.
“Your place… is closer to the classroom…” Aurora managed a smile uglier than a sob.
Sighing at her pathetic state, Ailiya knew Aurora might actually sleep in the hallway if left alone.
Grunting, she dragged Aurora’s arm, hauling her upstairs. “Don’t lose hope,” she said. “It’s just a slight deviation from the original plot.”
“From a joint ball to a never-before-seen coed class trial,” Aurora shot back. “That’s ‘slight’ to you?!”
“What’s done is done. Fretting won’t help.”
Ailiya propped Aurora against the wall like a sack, fished out her key from her drenched maid uniform, and opened the door.
She tossed a dry towel from the cabinet to Aurora.
Aurora caught it, haphazardly wiping her wet hair, her voice thick with confusion. “I don’t get it… the plot’s completely off. Are we even in the right game world?”
She immediately dismissed her own thought. “No… when I arrived, I checked. The Ancient Elven Dynasty History in the Third Library has a torn corner on page 73, and the thousand-year-old tree’s hollow in the back hills hides a ‘Stardust Stone’ that boosts mana. Every detail matches the game’s setting.”
The real issue: with the plot altered, how could Sylvie meet all her love interests as planned?
“Since both academies’ second-years are merging,” Ailiya said casually, toweling off, “won’t Sylvie run into them eventually?”
“Who knows…” Aurora replied weakly.
Ailiya tugged at her soggy uniform, the clammy fabric making her cringe. “Hold on, I need to change.”
She shut the door with a bang.
Inside, Ailiya peeled off the drenched maid outfit and wet undergarments.
Just as she reached for her underwear, the door flew open with a boom.
“Ailiya! I’m so frustrated! Come eat cake with me—” Aurora’s lifeless face appeared, then froze.
She caught Ailiya mid-undressing.
The air stilled.
“AHH!” Ailiya’s scream could’ve pierced the roof, arms flying to cover herself, face flaming red.
Aurora blinked, her gloom morphing into a mischievous grin. “You… get out!” Ailiya stammered.
“Oh, we’re both girls, what’s to be shy about?” Aurora sauntered in, eyeing Ailiya up and down.
Though slim, Ailiya’s years of training gave her lean, toned muscles, a flat waist, and fair skin—more striking than most girls.
Aurora’s gaze landed on Ailiya’s plain cotton sports bra. “You wear this every day?”
“It’s… practical!” Ailiya’s face burned. “Why do you care? Get out!”
“Ever try something else?” Aurora leaned closer, curious.
Ailiya turned away, mumbling, “…I have, but I don’t wear them often.”
“No way! You’re a girl now! You can’t keep wearing this!” Aurora clapped her hands, her despair vanishing, replaced by sparkling enthusiasm. “When you’re stressed, spend money! Let’s hit the capital’s biggest lingerie shop! I’ll pick you some victory pieces!”
“Victory pieces?! For what battle?! It’s raining!” Ailiya protested.
“No excuses! Let’s go!” Aurora, bursting with energy, grabbed the half-dressed, struggling Ailiya and dragged her toward the door.