After putting the spoils of war into her small vault, Winnie realized she was a little hungry. She glanced outside and noticed it was getting late—it was time for dinner.
However, the only servant in the manor had already been sent away. Winnie was quite willing to go to a fancy restaurant outside for a nice meal. After all, she had worked hard to "take care" of the rich guy, so how could she not reward herself for all the effort?
Winnie hesitated for a moment and then looked toward the street outside. Fortunately, the street where the Aeciphysis residence was located was far from the city center, remote and almost deserted. There wouldn’t likely be anyone passing by here.
With this in mind, she walked over to the mirror and adjusted her appearance.
This outfit did look nice, but going out in it might seem a bit strange, wouldn’t it?
Winnie sighed in resignation. It was the only outfit she had that was conjured through Soul Art. Given her current physique, wearing men’s clothes felt odd no matter how she wore them, and she had a strong aversion to them.
As for women’s clothes... well, even though she had indeed turned into a girl now, and was even wearing white stockings, high heels, and a small skirt, still...
But still! Even though she was very uncomfortable with men’s clothes, she wouldn’t willingly wear those overly feminine women’s clothes!
Hmm, the person in the mirror wasn’t really her. Whether others saw Winnie as a little sister or a girlfriend didn’t matter, as long as once she returned to her original form, the skirt wasn’t on her, then she never wore it in the first place.
Anyway, no one saw, who could prove it?
She adjusted her hair. Aside from her obsession with cleanliness, this body seemed to have a rather serious case of OCD. If every strand of hair and every little detail wasn’t perfectly in place, she just wouldn’t go outside, no matter how hungry she was.
If conditions allowed, she would even have been tempted to buy some cosmetics and care products for a full grooming session.
Ah, being a girl is such a hassle!
Don’t mess with me, alright? I’m broke, I really don’t have the money for all these unnecessary things!
Winnie suppressed her urges and took a deep breath. Half an hour passed, and her grooming was passable. She sighed again and walked out of the house with measured steps.
After working all afternoon, she was now famished, but this body instinctively resisted any rude actions. She couldn’t throw herself into the restaurant like a hungry wolf.
It was all that heartless goddess's fault! It must have been her!
She really felt miserable—it was an undeniable pain.
After confirming that there were no footsteps outside the courtyard and seeing no pedestrians, Winnie cautiously poked her head out and, upon seeing the coast was clear, walked out of the courtyard, closed the gate behind her, and walked around the corner with a nonchalant air, as if she hadn't just come out of the Aeciphysis residence.
If anyone saw her coming out of Aeciphysis’s place, it might raise suspicions.
Her hair color and features weren't a problem, as the Aeciphysis family was considered essentially extinct. The only remaining bloodline was a dead one, and people would naturally think of the Fanghui Goddess when they saw her, not Winnie.
The reason was simple: it was already an unfathomable thing for a man to become a woman, and given the vast difference between Winnie and Winnie’s current appearance, not even Winnie herself could believe it was her. Let alone anyone else.
Afterward, when she changed back, she would simply disappear without a trace.
As the setting sun bathed the scene in orange, the evening breeze gently tousled the girl’s pale cherry blossom-colored hair, making her brush a strand of hair behind her ear with a delicate hand.
When she reached the main street, Winnie suddenly realized something.
She had seriously underestimated the impact of her current appearance.
Leaving the remote street where her residence was located and heading toward the city center, she noticed the streets were becoming more crowded.
Normally, no one would pay much attention to a stranger walking down the street. Everyone was busy, with their own things to do. Who would waste time on other people?
Well, unless the stranger was unusually eye-catching—either too strange or too beautiful—then people’s eyes would just be glued to them.
After all, humans are visual creatures, and first impressions are crucial. For most people, the exterior is far more important than the interior. And to get others interested in your inner self, your outer appearance must first attract attention.
Once the streets became busier, Winnie could feel dozens of gazes directed at her, making her extremely uncomfortable.
Most of the glances were furtive, but a few were bold and unashamed.
This made Winnie think back to how the protagonist Aeciphysis was described when she went out in the original story.
Now, in a certain sense, she was experiencing the same thing. She wondered how Aeciphysis had adapted to it.
Hah. She lightly cleared her throat, purposefully coughing a few times. In her mind, this kind of blatant staring at someone else was incredibly rude, and she hoped that by giving a hint, these people would realize their impoliteness and look away.
It worked. After a few moments of stunned silence, several of the gazes quickly shifted away, and although some people continued to glance at her and whispered to each other, at least it wasn’t as blatantly obvious.
However, a few gazes remained, burning with desire, not willing to look away.
Winnie had no choice but to quicken her pace, trying to get away from those stares as quickly as possible.
Being the center of attention wasn’t new for Winnie, but this kind of attention felt different from before.
In the past, she was like a rat on the street, everyone wanting to shout at her. Anyone who knew Winnie would quietly sneer, their eyes full of ridicule. But this time, the attention felt different.
Hmm, both types were uncomfortable.
When she reached a famous restaurant in the capital, Winnie stopped.
The restaurant, named "Blue Stone Crown," was one she remembered visiting a few times when she was younger, back when her parents were still alive.
Today, she had a sudden impulse to come, especially after “taking care” of those two knights. She figured it was the perfect time to treat herself.
"Good evening, honored lady. Do you have a reservation?" The server at the door bowed slightly. After noticing her appearance, he seemed a little dazed for a moment, but quickly recovered his professionalism.
As expected from an employee at a well-known restaurant in Camellia.
"Sorry, I didn’t manage to make a reservation. Could you tell me if you still have any tables available tonight?" Winnie placed a hand on her chest, slightly bowing, and smiled warmly. Her voice was as soothing as a spring breeze, embedding itself in the listener’s heart.
"...Let me check." The server, a handsome young man, blushed slightly. Trying not to seem too rude, he turned away and hurried inside the restaurant.
A short while later, the server returned.
"Honored lady, there is still one table available. You arrived just in time. This way, please."
"Thank you for your help." Winnie politely responded.
"No, no. It’s nothing." The server could barely bring himself to look at Winnie’s dazzling eyes, afraid that he might get lost in them.
Tonight, this was a fleeting encounter, but he was sure he would never forget this girl.
He thought to himself, The capital truly is a place of wonders. In just a month, he had seen two such stunning beauties. Not long ago, a silver-haired lady came to dine here, and she was the only one he thought could rival this cherry blossom-haired girl in beauty.
Taking in the server’s face, Winnie seated herself and faintly sensed the gazes of the other patrons around her. She sighed inwardly.
If she had known her beauty would attract so much attention, she wouldn’t have come out to eat tonight.