"Perfume, powder case, and the jewelry set—have they all arrived?" a clear, crisp female voice rang out.
The seemingly empty counter responded, "Everything is ready. Would you like to take them now, or shall I have them delivered to your residence before tonight?"
"Tonight... no, I need them urgently. Hand them over now."
The mature female voice from the counter chuckled, "...Very well, please wait a moment, and I'll have someone fetch them."
The magenta figure, upon hearing this, stepped aside to wait.
As the group approached the counter, Lucian discreetly observed her.
She had long, silvery-white hair, parted in the middle, with elegant side strands cascading down to her chest.
She wore a white blouse underneath, draped with a magenta blazer over her fair shoulders.
Her lower half was clad in black knee-high boots, perfectly contouring the graceful lines of her legs down to her toes.
Though the girl wasn't tall, her presence was commanding, impossible to ignore.
Lucian was now certain—she was the same person he had glimpsed on the island where the Resonance Beacon stood.
In other words, she had been quietly watching them ever since they arrived in Ragunna City.
Seeing Lucian staring intently at the girl, Rover tapped his head. "Had enough?"
The girl glanced over, her pink lips curving slightly. She reached out a delicate hand to brush her silvery-white hair, and a faint whiff of perfume reached Lucian's nose.
Only then did Lucian notice her eyes—a mesmerizing blend of aqua blue and magenta, sparkling like a gem.
Zani: "…"
This was none other than Carlotta Montelli, the second daughter of the Montelli Family, who had commissioned Zani.
However, Carlotta had previously instructed Zani not to reveal her identity.
Since Carlotta hadn't spoken up, it meant the time wasn't right, so Zani pretended not to know her.
At that moment, the mature female voice they had just heard came from behind the counter of the Masked Reverie mask shop.
"Welcome to the Masked Reverie costume and mask shop. Whether it's masks, elegant attire, a or the most exquisite and dazzling stage props, we can handle any custom order—what do the guests need?"
Rover peered toward the depths of the counter. "Who's speaking?"
Lucian glanced at a mask floating inexplicably in the air and mused, "Invisibility?"
"Is that a Resonance ability too?"
At the counter, the person with the mature female voice had concealed her true appearance.
All that could be seen was her ornate attire and the exquisite, unique mask on her face.
"Oh my—this gentleman has a keen eye. Few people notice my presence at first glance, hehe…"
Zani introduced, "This is Lady Nyarla, the owner of Masked Reverie."
"Lucian's guess is correct… invisibility is Miss Nyarla's Resonance ability."
"These are Rover and Lucian, honored guests invited by the Montelli Family, who are very interested in Ragunna's Carnevale."
Nyarla laughed, "If the Carnevale is a collective dream for the people of Ragunna, then a perfectly chosen mask is the passport to that dream."
"When people's true identities are hidden, they can freely express their innermost selves—everyone yearns to break free from the dullness of reality."
"That's why we adore masquerade balls and theater, eagerly anticipating the arrival of the Carnevale."
"You may have heard the saying: in Ragunna, wearing a 'false face' actually means the freedom of the soul."
"We take great pleasure in helping our clients express and showcase their unique traits—within a mask often lies the 'ideal self' one aspires to be."
"So, what kind of mask would the two of you like to have custom-made?"
Lucian then described in detail the mask he had seen in the image Fulmine had shown.
After a moment of silence, Nyarla chuckled lightly, "Oh? That's a very specific description… specific enough to be surprising."
"Because not long ago, our shop crafted a mask almost identical to what you described."
It seemed the mask worn by the suspicious figure was indeed custom-made here.
However, Nyarla, keenly aware that Lucian was fishing for information, adhered to her principle of protecting client privacy and didn't reveal the person's identity.
"So, are you certain you want to commission a mask like that?"
Lucian pondered for a moment. Nyarla was clearly avoiding the topic, and he was considering another approach to extract information when the elegantly dressed girl beside him spoke up:
"That's a nice mask."
"But I recall that last week, Lord Gilberto came to pick up a mask that was indeed very similar to it."
"For your first mask, wouldn't it be better to choose something unique?"
Unseen by the others, the girl subtly winked at Nyarla.
Rover raised an eyebrow. "Gilberto?"
However, Lucian gazed at the girl's back, lost in thought.
She had been following them since they arrived in Ragunna and now was hinting at the true identity of the mask's owner.
No, this was practically an outright revelation.
Whose side was she on?
First, her attire was far from ordinary—not something a commoner could afford.
Second, she had a female attendant behind her, clearly indicating her high status.
At that moment, Nyarla changed her tune, no longer withholding information. "You have an excellent memory."
Zani, standing nearby, added, "Ahem, we did see a gentleman on the street with a striking mask and thought we'd like one like it."
"…Who would've thought it was Mr. Gilberto from the Fisalia Family?"
The suspicious man was indeed from the Fisalia Family.
Since the girl had pointed this out, it meant she wanted Lucian to know his true identity.
Gilberto, dressed in Montelli Family attire, was trying to pin the Echo's rampage on the Montelli Family—something they certainly wouldn't want.
After all, they were promoting their private Pangu Terminals and personal Echoes.
By revealing Gilberto's identity, the girl was acting in her own interest.
She had been following them from the start, likely aware of everything that had happened and their next steps.
The Masked Reverie shop was located in the Montelli Quarter, and after the girl's hint, the shop owner immediately stopped withholding information.
Coupled with the crisp voice Lucian had heard earlier through Zani's Pangu Terminal, the girl's identity was becoming clear…
The girl's attendant held up a suitcase, and the girl nodded slightly. "Alright, I've received the items. I'll be going now."
As she turned and her gaze met Lucian's, he suddenly reached out and placed a hand on her fair shoulder.
"Miss, please wait…"