The van was speeding on the road, with more people than usual inside. Only a few days after the concert, the new contract and Cyrielle’s funding were showing their effects. The number of employees had doubled, and Julie had gained back some weight, now looking like a slim girl instead of a walking skeleton.

  They were heading to another thing that was newly paid for : A beautician.

  Cyrielle was looking out the window, as usual, but inside she was having a mental battle.

  ‘I said I would not talk to you !’

  [You are doing it right now.]

  ‘I know, but I can’t help it, you are so useful !’

  [I am.]

  ‘Shut it, can you just open ‘Path Knowledge’, please ?’

  She felt amusement coming from the system. Was it mocking her again ? Either way, the game-like screen appeared before her.

  [{Cyrielle Laporte}

  Age : 24 (Birthday on 5th of march)

  Status : Timid stroll

  {Abilities}

  [Music : Singing, Guitar, Composing, Piano, Lyrics creation], [Aesthetic : Home and Garden design, Character and Attire design, Architecture, Makeup art], Handicraft, Refinement, Stage presence, Studying, Sewing, Modeling, Horseback riding, English

  {Gifts}

  Fwless skin, Mind and body linked, Better hair, Fortitude, Better nails, Moderately better flexibility

  {Characteristics}

  Aura : 80

  Visuals : 57

  Movements : 31

  Impact : 79

  Overall rate : B+]

  She looked attentively. She was starting to have so many gifts and abilities that she would be considered an alien wherever she went.

  ‘I might be the most skilled person on earth… By the way, will my visuals shoot up after I go to the beautician and the hair stylist ?’

  [There is a high probability for it to be the case. But more than a one-time improvement, it would be better to find a long term solution.]

  ‘I know. The cosmetic brand I did the ad for sent me three boxes of their products. I should research how to use them.’

  They soon arrived in front of the salon. It was a huge three story building, the kind only rich people and stars go to. Being able to come here was a statement in itself, and it obviously was an idea coming from Julie. The CEO got out from the van first, and whispered to the crew :

  “Remember : Be professional. I don’t want anyone looking like they came to such a pce for the first time. Take a look at Mademoiselle Cyrielle, how calm she is. I know it isn’t her first time coming to a beauty salon, but still. Try to learn how to stay composed.”

  ‘But it really is my first time, though ?’

  Cyrielle couldn’t protest, she had to maintain her dignified persona. She simply got out and started walking to the entrance, with three people behind her. It was really funny, it looked like those period dramas where the rich dy has a group of attendants following her around.

  [It is not that far off. After all, you act like a rich dy, and these people are your assistant.]

  ‘Stop, please ! I can’t ugh now !’

  Julie entered first and talked to the receptionist, who guided Cyrielle to the first floor, while the rest of the staff sat in the waiting room. Here, three people were already waiting for her.

  “Welcome ! Oh my, I saw you in pictures, but it’s my first time meeting the famous Mademoiselle Cyrielle in person ! Your skin is so clear, what product do you use ?”

  ‘Oh course, I’ve got ‘fwless skin’, you can’t find two people like me !’

  [You’re welcome.]

  ‘Will you combust into fmes if you let me be proud ?’

  She felt Path of Destiny’s amusement, and inwardly stuck her tongue out.

  A few minutes ter, Cyrielle was lying naked, covered with a towel, on the salon’s table. She could vaguely sense people massaging her and applying products, but they tried to be as silent as possible. Soft music was pying in the room, and Cyrielle had her eyes closed to allow the beauticians to do their job. She appeared to be sleeping, but inwardly she was really bored.

  ‘I’m not tired, thanks to ‘fortitude’… Why is it taking so long ?’

  Strangely, blue characters appeared before her, even with her eyes closed.

  [They will be working on your whole body, it’s obvious it will take some time.]

  Dismissing the phenomenon as another quirk of the system, Cyrielle responded in her thoughts.

  ‘I would much rather be working right now. I am not a modest person, but having people touch my body is not exactly fun.’

  [Do you want to work ?]

  ‘I can’t do anything while ying down like this.’

  [I can help.]

  ‘What are you, my personal secretary or something ? Besides, what can you do ?’

  [I can help you if I use more positive karma.]

  ‘It has been less than two months since you became able to talk, I don’t think I earned that much positive karma.’

  [I told you, helping Julie was a big deal.]

  Cyrielle thought for a bit, but it was an easy decision. After all, the system was the only one who used positive karma, it was not as if amassing it would result in anything.

  ‘Okay, do it.’

  [Calcuting positive karma… Using a moderate amount of positive karma to expand Path of Destiny.]

  She waited patiently, and soon a chat bubble appeared again.

  [The helper module has been properly installed. I can now help you more actively on your path.]

  ‘What can you do ?’

  [For example, I can show you this.]

  In the darkness of her closed eyelids, a paper appeared, glowing with a soft blue hue. Cyrielle recognized it instantly.

  [-Make an album

  -Concert in front of a thousand people

  -Make a collection

  -Fashion book

  -Home decor book

  -Makeup lookbook

  -Model for a runway

  -Win a rosette in horse jumping

  -Having 5 diplomas]

  ‘It’s my list of goals ! How can you have it ?’

  [You wrote it, of course I should know about it. Now, do you want some help with those goals ?]

  If time hadn’t slowed down, Cyrielle might have fallen off the table.

  ‘You… How can you help me ?’

  [First, select a goal.]

  ‘Like… ‘Make a collection’ ?’

  [Yes. I will now provide you with a list of quests reted to that goal.]

  ‘You are really going all out with the game concept…’

  A new blue square appeared in front of her eyes. This time, it was peculiar.

  [{Make a collection}

  Quest 1 : Target is key

  A collection needs to be made with clear objectives in mind ! What is the season ? The gender ? The market ? The type ?]

  ‘Oh, come on, if you give me a quest, at least give me a reward !’

  [You know it’s not a real quest. I am only helping you by providing the different steps. If you prefer, I can leave you alone.]

  ‘No, no, I didn’t say anything !’

  Cyrielle looked at the blue square. Choosing a target was undeniably part of the process, it was what her ‘Character and Attire design’ ability was telling her. And Path of Destiny was never wrong. It wasn’t a real quest per se, but this helper module definitely had some uses.

  ‘If I chose all of that now, can you keep my ideas somewhere, like with my list of goals, or do I need to write it down ?’

  [I can keep note of everything you want, and even show you all the papers you have looked at. For example, I could show you your contract.]

  ‘What, you became a mental notebook ?! Forget what I said, you’re the best, Path !’

  She felt the annoyance of the system, but didn’t pay any attention. Time flew normally again while she was gathering her ideas.

  ‘For the season… It’s already quite te in the year, I will never be ready for Fall/Winter. Let’s aim for Spring/Summer. The gender will obviously be female clothing, I never designed for males. The type of market is a bit tricky. I suppose choosing ‘my fans’ isn’t an option ? Then, I’ll go with ‘middle csses’ and focus on good looking clothes that aren’t too expensive. The type will be ‘formal wear’, it’s become my trademark.’

  Immediately, a little bubble appeared.

  [Congratutions, you have finished ‘Quest 1 : Target is key’ ! Proceeding with the next quest.]

  [{Make a collection}

  Quest 2 : Conceptualizing

  You want to start designing the clothes right now ? Not so fast ! A collection is an ensemble of garments with the same theme, so it’s important to choose the general concept. Which style will you draw inspiration from ? Which designer ? What is the feel you want your collection to have ?]

  ‘What the hell… It’s way more complicated than I thought !’

  Cyrielle whined internally, while thinking about the quest. Before she could find a clear answer, a voice pulled her out of her contemption.

  “It’s done, Mademoiselle Cyrielle ! I don’t brag often, but I assure you, we did our very best and you are positively glowing ! Please come again, we would love to work with a beauty such as you.”

  ‘That’s one hell of a lip service. What difference does it make anyway, since I already have ‘fwless skin’ ?’

  Cyrielle didn’t let her annoyance show, simply nodding in return.

  “Thank you, I’ll make sure to come back.”

  Ignoring the squealing beauticians, she got up while holding the towel. She walked quickly to the changing room, praying for nobody to look at her, and locked the door. Turning around, her eye caught a glimpse of the mirror and she gasped.

  ‘Crazy… How is that possible ?’

  Her skin might have been perfect, but when it was properly moisturized and worked on, it became unbelievably glowy, as if Cyrielle was emitting divine light. It wasn’t just her skin either, the beauticians had taken care of her eyeshes, her brows, her body hair, even her nails. She didn’t just look beautiful, it was as if someone was using an editing software on her in real time. It was not realistic how good she looked.

  ‘How high are my visuals right now ?’

  [It went up to 70.]

  ‘Ok.’

  Cyrielle broke into a big smile.

  ‘Let’s go to the hair salon next !’