"The gentle tune of the Most Dazzling Folk Style song carries away all the dust."
The grating music finally brought Kaguya back to her senses, and she couldn't help but feel a surge of joy, unable to suppress a smile on her face. She felt an urge to shout, "I'm back!" after being away for so many years.
She looked around her. The skyscrapers towered high, shops lined up on both sides, and a stream of vehicles and people flowed continuously. The sound of noise and chatter was incessant.
It didn't seem like much had changed; everything looked much the same. Unfortunately, she didn't know what year it was.
"What a beautiful little girl."
"Where?"
"Over there, look."
"She's so cute and really beautiful—better looking than those on the internet."
"Quick, take a picture."
"Right, I almost forgot."
"By the way, why does she have silver hair?"
"It must be cosplay. I heard there's an anime convention coming up; maybe she's preparing for it."
Suddenly, some voices reached her from not far away, both male and female. Kaguya's attention was drawn, and she turned her head toward the source of the voices.
"Look, she's looking over here. Quick, press the shutter."
"No need to remind me."
"If we post this online, it'll definitely go viral."
"Seeing her makes dying now worth it."
Kaguya frowned, feeling a bad premonition. She quickly lowered her head and brought her hands up before her eyes.
What appeared before her were a pair of crystal-clear, flawless, white hands, delicate as jade onions, almost translucent—these were the kind of hands countless women dreamt of having.
Kaguya was startled and rushed over to a large glass window outside a building, using the reflection to see her current appearance.
Reflected in the glass was a young girl in her teens with silver hair that almost reached her waist. Her skin was as flawless as mutton-fat jade, her eyebrows like distant mountain ridges, and her black and white eyes like a pool of autumn water with a touch of mist. Her eyelashes trembled lightly, and her pink face wore a confused expression, which added to her cuteness.
Her figure was slender and graceful, with perfect proportions. Her waist was delicate, and her chest was full. She was dressed in a black Gothic dress, with a wide and exquisite pleated skirt that danced in the wind, revealing her slender legs.
Kaguya's mouth twitched, and she felt a sweat drop forming. She had known that returning to the real world might not restore her original body, but she hadn't expected to be transformed into a loli form again.
What kind of joke is this?
"What a cute gesture."
"I must have a daughter like her someday."
"With your looks? Dream on."
Seeing more and more people gathering, almost causing congestion, Kaguya frowned, stepped on the ground lightly, and seemed to run slowly but quickly outward, leaving the crowd behind in a blink of an eye.
Kaguya had originally thought about confiscating and destroying all the photos people took, but she realized there were too many people, and because it was a plaza, it was too crowded. Moreover, people were watching from afar with telescopes. Doing so might cause even more commotion, so Kaguya had to abandon the idea.
After running for a while, Kaguya ducked into a small alley, which seemed more like a pedestrian street. The shops on either side were numerous, densely packed, and filled with all sorts of goods, mostly toys and small accessories, as well as items needed for cosplay.
Kaguya, who had previously been conspicuous with her hair and attire, found herself blending in much better, as most of the people there were dressed similarly.
She let out a breath. Being surrounded by people felt uncomfortable, like being a monkey in a zoo. She had considered using genjutsu to hypnotize them, but there were just too many people, and she didn't have the patience for it. She wasn't on Uchiha Itachi's level, where a simple gesture could trap people in illusions.
At that moment, Kaguya's eyes lit up, and she quickly headed toward a shop. The shop specialized in masks, displaying a variety of exquisite and lifelike masks, including those of V for Vendetta, Iron Man, Sun Wukong, the Grim Reaper, and even Huluwa.
Each was beautifully crafted, looking vivid and luxurious.
What caught Kaguya's attention was an unremarkable fox mask—white with red patterns, simply made with little decoration. But she stopped in front of it, reached out, and gently stroked the mask with her fingers.
She had once owned such a mask, but it was damaged in a battle later on.
"Excuse me, miss, are you looking to purchase something?"
Suddenly, a voice interrupted her thoughts.
Approaching her was a plain-looking young man, seemingly the shop's clerk. He was tall and wore a light blue uniform. Apparently surprised by Kaguya's beauty, his face flushed, and he stammered slightly as he spoke.
"N-no, I'm just looking," Kaguya replied awkwardly. She was new here and had no money at all—not even a single coin on her.
The clerk hesitated but then ran toward the back of the shop.
Kaguya sighed. Not having money truly hindered everything. She glanced at the price tag. The mask was only a hundred yuan, but she couldn't even afford a single yuan.
Kaguya could have stolen it, given her skills, and no one would have noticed, but she dismissed the idea despite its temptation.
It would be too embarrassing. As a dignified figure, she couldn't stoop to petty theft—it was intolerable.
Regretfully, Kaguya caressed the fox mask she adored, sighed, and prepared to leave, deciding to return for it once she had earned some money.
"Wait." Suddenly, the clerk from the back called out to her.
"What's up? Is there a problem?" Kaguya turned back, curious.
"No, no, not at all," the clerk scratched his head, a bit embarrassed. "If you let us take a photo of you, our shop will give you a mask for free."
"A photo?" Kaguya was taken aback, blinking. "What kind of photo?"
"We'd like to photograph you and use your picture for promotional posters in our shop," the clerk smiled.
Though this offer would easily get her the mask, Kaguya was unwilling to sell her looks for it, especially since it was merely a hundred-yuan mask.
"The money is just too little. Maybe for a million, I'd consider it," Kaguya shamelessly mused.