Chapter 46: Grace’s birthday (4)
I found this truly outrageous — so much so that I couldn’t contain my inner irritation.
Even though it had been three years since I first entered this game, the system interface was still working.
However, it’s not like it was always a bad thing — after all, it was thanks to the linear tasks that I got from time to time that I was able to accumulate the precious game currency needed for paid choices and progressing through the story.
Well, I don’t want to brag, but during that time I managed to collect over a thousand crystals. Sounds impressive, doesn’t it? And all this is solely thanks to my endless, persistent work!
This way, I no longer had to worry that at the decisive moment, when the main story quest came into my life, I would not have enough currency to make the right choice.
No, now I had accumulated enough game currency to allow myself to skip linear quests with complete peace of mind until the main characters came of age. This gave me a sense of peace that I so desperately lacked in this world.
And yet, there was one factor in all this that really annoyed me and made me question the fairness of the whole system.
The thing was, sometimes when I wanted to make a certain choice, I simply couldn’t do it.
This did not apply to ordinary story or linear tasks, where everything went as usual, and I could choose any course of action I wanted. But when it came to the main characters of this game, the interface, for some reason, began to behave in a completely strange way.
Sometimes I wanted to make the opposite choice, but the game literally forced me to do otherwise.
I tried to resist, pressing other buttons to select alternative options, but the system simply did not accept these decisions and returned me to the very beginning.
I couldn’t understand what exactly was causing this, but in any case, this turn of events was completely unacceptable to me.
After all, I was ultimately deprived of my free will — the most important, legitimate right of any person, which they should have even in the virtual world.
No, what kind of fraud is this, after all?
Why did a game that promised freedom of choice turn into something like a puppet theater at the most crucial moment, where I was just a puppet?
For some reason, this deceptive principle applied exclusively to decisions that directly affected the main characters of the game.
Well, it was really very strange and, frankly, outrageous.
If you never intended to give me the right to choose in the first place, then why even offer me a choice in such a situation? Why create the illusion of freedom when everything has already been decided for me?
To be honest, it felt more like the game was simply mocking me, testing my patience. But in any case, I was curious to see if everything would happen the same way this time.
With some vague anticipation, I watched the screen as the answer options appeared.
(Yes, with pleasure.)
(I’m sorry, Sir Roger, but I must decline.)
When these answer boxes flashed before me, I gave in to my curiosity and inner challenge and chose the last option — refusal. I wanted to see how far this game would go in controlling me.
And yet... as expected, as soon as I made my choice, the game crashed again. The image in front of me began to flicker, the colors mixed in a chaotic whirl, and the sound became intermittent and strange.
The next second, when I blinked, everything was back to normal, and Roger Dickens was still in front of me, looking at me with the same expectation in his eyes.
"Lady Weinstein, what do you say to my proposal?" His voice sounded exactly the same as last time, as if time and events had frozen in an endless loop.
Ha, in the end, it was the same line as last time.
Yes, I was really forced to go back to the very beginning, and the same ridiculous choice windows popped up again, which now seemed even more absurd.
Well, since I already knew this situation too well and understood that resistance was futile, I didn’t even try to refuse again and reluctantly chose the first option.
Yes, damn it, once again I had to become a puppet in this game against my will.
"Yes, with pleasure."
When I uttered this phrase with an unnatural smile on my face, I noticed both relief and joy reflected on Roger’s face.
He looked as if he had finally gotten what he wanted, and that made me feel even more bitter.
Well, Roger, you should know that this was not my true desire at all — I was simply forced into it.
Still, all I could do was take a deep breath, because there was nothing I could do about the situation anyway.
"Lady Weinstein, I’m glad you agreed. I hope I can return as soon as possible."
"Yes... Ha, I’ll be waiting for that too."
In the end, after this conversation, silence reigned between us for the rest of the journey, as all the main topics of conversation had already been exhausted.
Well, it wasn’t that I particularly insisted on continuing the conversation with this guy — because, to tell the truth, I had much more serious reasons for concern.
To hell with Roger Dickens... My eyes involuntarily misted over with tears at the thought that my Ruby was now waiting for me alone at the estate.
But no, I’m already on my way, and I’ll be home very soon!
Finally, after an agonizing hour and a half, we arrived back at my estate, and I immediately got out of the carriage.
Although my first impulse was to rush straight to Ruby, I stopped myself in time and remembered Roger’s presence.
Hmm, well, I suppose it wouldn’t be very polite to just send him back right now, would it?
At the very least, after such a long journey, I had to offer him a cup of tea.
"Ahem... Sir Roger, perhaps you would like to rest a little before the return journey? I can have a cup of tea or coffee prepared for you."
"Thank you, I would be delighted to accept your offer," replied Roger, smiling slightly as usual.
"Well, wonderful. Then let’s go inside."
As I said, we were about to enter the house, and I wasn’t expecting anything special. However...
As soon as we passed through the main gate and headed for the mansion, something completely unexpected happened.
"Surprise!!!"
Suddenly, several firecrackers exploded right in front of my nose.
As colorful confetti flew everywhere, I looked around in complete bewilderment and unexpectedly saw something I hadn’t expected at all.
Butler Edison, Rubiella, as well as Enoch and Angela were now unexpectedly in the front yard.
Not only were they here, but I also noticed that the garden was festively decorated.
There were several tables with refreshments, and the whole setting resembled a typical garden tea party.
"What... What is this?" I was completely confused by what I saw.
"Happy birthday, Auntie!"
When a familiar voice sounded right in front of me, I turned around and saw Ruby rush into my arms.
Well, of course, I hugged her back, even though I didn’t quite understand what it all meant.
"Forgive us, ma’am," the butler coughed awkwardly. "I know you don’t really like lavish celebrations, but this year we wanted to mark your birthday in a special way. So we decided to throw this little party in the garden. You don’t mind, do you?"
Um... so that’s what this is — the famous surprise party?
To be honest, I couldn’t even imagine that anyone would do something like this for me. Especially since I had no idea until the very last moment... How did they manage to pull this off?
"And... when did you have time to prepare all this?" I asked uncertainly.
To be honest, I really couldn’t understand how the butler and the others had managed to time everything so precisely to arrange all this.
Or rather, how did they know in advance that I would have to leave today because of Roger’s unexpected visit?
"Well..." Edison cleared his throat. "Madam, I hope you won’t be angry with me. But I had to resort to a little help from Lord Dickens Jr."
The moment the old man said that, it finally dawned on me.
Ah, so that’s how it was.
Don’t tell me that the important conversation with the duke never actually happened, and that the two of them simply conspired behind my back to fool me?
When I looked at Roger with a slight reproach, he smiled guiltily.
"I’m sorry, Lady Weinstein, I really didn’t mean to deceive you. We just wanted to throw this party for you."
Well, hmm, I certainly didn’t expect that. What unscrupulous people I am surrounded by!
And yet, despite all this, I couldn’t help but smile.
Yes, perhaps celebrating my birthday wasn’t so bad after all.
"Happy birthday, Lady Weinstein!" a loud chorus of voices rang out from all sides.