Chapter 4 - A Lady’s Grace and a Lord’s Doubts

"Thank you very much for your help, Sir Knight."

Despite being on the verge of making an impolite reaction from the overwhelming stench, Wei Wei still forced a smile and gracefully curtsied to express her gratitude to the overly fragrant knight.

One of her close friends was obsessed with Hanfu and was particularly enthusiastic about introducing this passion to everyone around her. Because of that, Wei Wei had been roped into wearing Hanfu and styling her hair into traditional buns more times than she could count. She had even accompanied her friend to Han-Tang etiquette training sessions held by their university's Hanfu culture club, where she had learned quite a bit about ancient ceremonial etiquette.

Now, dressed in a light green qiyao ruqun—a waist-length skirt set from the game—her long skirt billowing gently, her expression soft and graceful, she performed a refined and elegant bow. Though she couldn't claim to move flawlessly like flowing water, her posture was dignified and poised, exuding the aura of a noble lady.

Wei Wei had confidence in this aspect. She was strong-willed—once she set her mind on something, she would put in the effort to master it. She had spent a long time repeatedly practicing these ancient rituals, and with her upbringing and refined manners, she often heard people say that she had a classical charm about her.

—The only problem was that her original face had been too stunning. When she wore traditional clothing, she didn't look like a virtuous noble lady; she looked like a bewitching femme fatale who could bring ruin to an empire. (Or so one of her best friends had teased.)

But now, Wei Wei's face was no longer her original one—it was pure, delicate, and pitifully beautiful. No one would mistake her for a seductive temptress.

That said, her charm certainly hadn't diminished.

At the very least, the young Count beneath the tree nearly lost his soul again.

The girl perched in the branches was not only breathtakingly beautiful, but her unique aura was utterly captivating.

Fortunately, Felix was not a shameless scoundrel. Realizing his momentary lapse, he quickly removed his helmet and returned the bow.

"You're too polite. It was merely a small effort."

Now that she could see his face clearly, Wei Wei was momentarily surprised—this knight was unexpectedly handsome.

Golden hair, blue eyes, a straight nose, thin lips, and sculpted features as sharp as a statue's—paired with his gleaming silver armor, he looked exactly like the kind of knight who would win the princess's heart in a fairy tale.

However, to Wei Wei, a 21st-century woman who had seen countless good-looking men on screens, the initial shock quickly wore off.

Rather than admire his looks, she was more concerned with how to escape this situation.

She hadn't even figured out a proper identity for herself yet, so she didn't want to get involved with people here. If they noticed anything unusual, she might get arrested on the spot.

Before she could come up with an excuse to leave, Felix had already taken the initiative to speak.

"My lady, you are truly a rare sight. I am Felix Williams, Count of Sardinson. You do not seem to be one of our country's citizens. May I ask where you are from and how you came to be in my territory?"

Though his mind was somewhat clouded by her beauty, Felix had not entirely lost his reason. As a lord, it was his duty to question any foreign visitor appearing within his domain.

A Count?! Wei Wei immediately felt a greater sense of pressure.

She frantically called upon the system in her mind, begging it to come up with a solution.

[Don't worry, just repeat after me.]

Taking a deep breath, Wei Wei steadied herself.

"Greetings, Lord Count. As you have observed, I am indeed not from your country. I hail from a distant land in the East."

With the system's guidance, she quickly regained her composure and began recounting the backstory it had prepared for her.

**"My homeland is currently engulfed in war. To escape the conflict, my family was forced to leave our ancestral home, splitting into different groups to seek refuge elsewhere.

My father led our branch of the family across the sea, hoping to find a new home.

We were fortunate to reach this continent, but after traveling through several nations, we could not find a suitable place to settle. Along the way, my parents fell ill and tragically passed away, leaving only me and a handful of attendants."**

When she reached this part, she delicately wiped away nonexistent tears, looking appropriately sorrowful.

**"But as fate would have it, those attendants, seeing that I was now alone, conspired to steal my family's wealth and abandon me. I overheard their treachery but was powerless to stop them. Left with no other choice, I fled in the dead of night with what little valuables I could carry.

While escaping, I stumbled into this forest, only to encounter a herd of wild boars. In my panic, I climbed up the tree to hide."**

[System, what valuables? I don't have any valuables!]

[Well, I had to explain where your stuff came from! Don't worry, if they ask to see it, just lead them to a random tree hollow. I'll make sure it's inside.]

Wei Wei instantly rejected this idea. [No way! What if they get greedy and take it all?!]

[Please. You scammed an entire game character—I highly doubt you lack basic survival instincts. Besides, I don't think this Count is the kind of man who would rob you.]

Though the system was easily manipulated, it had a decent eye for people. Felix was interested in Wei Wei—but more in her than in any material wealth. If anything, he was more likely to be blinded by attraction than by greed.

Of course, the system wisely chose not to share that last thought with her.

Even though Wei Wei's story was well-structured, Felix remained skeptical.

She claimed to have been desperately fleeing from wild boars… but looking at her now, she appeared no more flustered than if she had taken a casual stroll through a garden.

Unconsciously, he glanced down at her feet—only to be stunned.

Despite standing in a field of grass and dirt, the hem of her light green dress was perfectly pristine. Not a single speck of mud or dust clung to the fabric.

When dewdrops from the grass landed on her skirt, they simply rolled off, leaving no trace.

What kind of material was this?

Such an extraordinary fabric must have been why she looked so immaculate despite her supposed ordeal.

Unbeknownst to Wei Wei, the only reason she wasn't exposed on the spot was thanks to her game-bought dustproof, wrinkle-resistant, and damage-proof outfit.

Even a system couldn't create flawless lies. And hers? Well… her system was a little too easy to fool.

[HEY! (#`o′)]

That said, the Reincarnation System wasn't completely useless. Though the fabricated backstory wasn't airtight, it had prepared a perfect replica of an official travel permit—essentially an ancient passport.

It bore the official seals of every nation she would have supposedly passed through. Even if someone took it to those countries for verification, there would be no record of her entry, but the document itself was so flawlessly forged that even government officials wouldn't be able to detect anything amiss.

Of course, the system had not forged a seal for the Pradi Empire, which ruled Sardinson County—that would have been too risky.

Fortunately, Sardinson was a border region, and Wei Wei's claim of having come from a neighboring country was completely plausible.

Felix, upon learning that Wei Wei was an orphaned noblewoman from the mysterious East, felt a surge of sympathy.

"I cannot, in good conscience, leave a lady in distress without aid. Since you have nowhere to go, why not stay as a guest at my castle? Besides, I am quite curious about your homeland. Would you be willing to share stories about it?"

Wei Wei didn't believe for a second that he cared about the East—this was a test to verify her story.

Leaving now would contradict the helpless image she had just crafted. So, despite her reluctance, she had no choice but to accept.

"Could you wait a moment? I hid my belongings in the forest. I need to retrieve them."

"Of course. Allow me to accompany you."

With Felix at her side, Wei Wei had no choice but to go find her "hidden belongings."

Wei Wei had no choice but to lead Felix to retrieve her so-called "belongings," with the knights following at a respectful distance. They were careful not to interrupt their lord's interaction with the foreign young lady, while also staying alert for any potential dangers in the forest.

Along the way, Felix learned her full name—Wei Wei. Unlike the naming conventions of the Western continent, her surname came first, followed by her given name.

However, given his limited ability to distinguish between the tones of her name, Felix ultimately pronounced it as Vivi.

Since her English name was Vivi, Wei Wei didn't mind at all. Felix, on the other hand, was secretly delighted—thinking that the nickname sounded rather intimate.

It didn't take long for them to reach the location. With the system's guidance, Wei Wei quickly found a well-hidden tree hollow.

Felix, ever the chivalrous knight, stepped forward first and helped remove the thorny branches that had been deliberately placed to conceal it. From inside, he retrieved a wrapped bundle.

The moment Wei Wei saw it, she nearly failed to maintain her composure.

Because this so-called traveler's bundle… was unmistakably tied in a Japanese-style furoshiki wrap—the kind that was neatly folded into a square, with the fabric corners knotted at the top. It looked exactly like the bento wraps often seen in school-themed anime.

The system had just slapped together whatever it could find, banking on the fact that these Westerners wouldn't be able to tell the difference between Chinese and Japanese cultural elements.

And if that wasn't bad enough, the fabric it had used was one of Wei Wei's game outfits—ripped apart and repurposed.

So that's why the material looked familiar!

Right on cue, the system defended itself righteously:

[That outfit was completely impractical—low neckline, high slits—unwearable! I was just putting it to good use!]

Fair enough.

After all, it was common for game outfits—especially female ones—to be ridiculously revealing. Even her cultivation-style healer class robe had been a miniskirt that barely covered her thighs.

The qiyao ruqun she was currently wearing, appropriately named "Maiden's Bloom", was one of the few conservative options available.

The bundle was heavier than she expected, clearly filled with various items. Wei Wei instinctively hugged it close, refusing Felix's offer to carry it for her.

The system had explicitly mentioned that it contained gold, silver, and jewels. No way was she letting anyone else hold it—she'd feel much safer carrying it herself.

-----------------

T/N: Check out my other translated novel "Rebirth of Hollywood Lady."

------------------