The World Covets Me in Vain

Lily was somewhat perplexed by her current situation. She had been awakened by a complex fragrance, carrying a hint of natural sweetness mixed with the freshness of soil and a slight dampness, as if nature itself was whispering, both familiar and mysterious. The scent was somewhat like that of decaying flowers, mingled with earth and moist vapor, creating a dizzying sense of discomfort that made her head throb as she came to. Logically, she should have been dead by now—finally freed from a prolonged illness. Yet she could smell... Could it be that one retains their senses even after death? With such doubts, Lily's eyelashes quivered, and she slowly opened her eyes. A flash of surprise flickered through her clear, golden pupils. She was greeted by an endless darkness and a piece of transparent glass barely reflecting an outline—so close that she could feel its icy touch with just a lift of her hand. Where was this? It was deep into the night, and the thin moonlight coldly illuminated the quiet garden, also revealing the sharp object embedded in her abdomen—a few roses with slender stems. The petals of the roses drooped, their color a dark, decaying red, nearly withered. Pain... such pain! Tears welled up in Lily's eyes and quickly streamed down her cheeks. Almost reflexively, she sat up abruptly, and the glass above her made a dull "thud" as it was knocked over, flipping open before she could react. A dim light shone through the crack onto Lily's face, and moist soil instantly slid from the outer wall of the glass, covering her. ...Soil? Lily shook her head, weakly propped up her upper body, and slowly sat up. She looked around, her eyes filled with confusion and helplessness. She was in a delicate and beautiful little garden, at the end of which stood a quaint European-style residence. The garden blended Eastern and Western horticultural art, featuring both a Zen-like Japanese path and a refined French fountain. The garden was filled with a variety of plants, and at a glance, the dazzling flowers and lush green leaves gently swayed in the night breeze. Quite a sight to behold. And there she was, buried among these plants, or more precisely, buried under the damp soil along with a glass coffin." She had actually been enclosed in a coffin. Again, it was deep into the night, and the cool moonlight shone into the tranquil garden, illuminating the sharp objects in her abdomen—those slender-stemmed roses. The petals of the roses drooped, their color a dark, decaying red, nearly withered. Blood was still dripping slowly down the stems of the roses, falling onto the girl's bare thighs, the stark red contrasting with her pale skin, creating a shockingly beautiful sight. Was this some bizarre murder scene? Lily's mind went blank as she frantically pulled out the roses, and by the time she removed the last one, she was drenched in cold sweat. Fortunately, the thorns on the roses had been removed for some reason, the bleeding from the wounds had stopped, and the pain gradually faded. This was too abnormal... both this place and her physical condition. Lily grabbed a hoodie from the ground and put it on, then pushed open the door and stumbled out. *** Lily didn't know how long she had been walking. After leaving the garden, she had been wandering aimlessly through the streets, watching as the dim sky gradually brightened and more people appeared on the roads, yet she still hadn't found a place to settle. She had nowhere to go. Going back to that garden was out of the question; after all, she was "dead," and her death had been so peculiar, she felt nothing good would come from returning. "Did you hear? Wenson has been sentenced to death!" "The painter who killed 13 girls?" "Yes, that's him! What a freak, they say he turned those girls' bodies into specimens!" "What the hell was he thinking?" What were they talking about? The conversation between two men on the street caught Lily's attention, and she couldn't help but stop and eavesdrop. "They say he killed so many girls to create his 'Muse' in his heart!" "Huh? What's that?" "I don't understand either. They also say that the 'Muse' nourished by the blood of young girls is extremely beautiful, and anyone who sees her will be attracted to her." "That's too fake, right? Killing for such an illusory thing is ridiculous!" "I think so too, who knows if he made it up... Let's not talk about such disgusting things. Did you know thePaisley family is hiring servants?" Hiring servants? Lily's ears perked up. "Of course I know! The pay is high, and you get to live in a mansion, who wouldn't want to go!" "Ah... too bad they only hire young girls." Not only was the pay high, but they also provided accommodation? Lily looked around, making sure there were plenty of people nearby, then confidently opened the car door, also noting the license plate number, just in case. It's broad daylight, there shouldn't be any problems, right? Hesitating for a moment, Lily opened the rear door and climbed in. *** ThePaisley family was located on the outskirts of the city, a bit far from where Lily had started, and it took the three of them a full hour and a half to arrive." Along the way, the two men kept chatting with Lily. Fearing exposure, she dared not say much, only responding with quiet smiles, unaware that this serene and peaceful demeanor made her even more appealing in the eyes of others. Soon, the sedan stopped in front of a magnificent mansion. Seeing the long line of women waiting at the gate, Lily understood this was thePaisley family. "Do you need us to accompany you inside?" the man asked solicitously after Lily got out of the car. Lily shook her head: "No need, I can manage on my own, I wouldn't want to trouble you further." Although the two men were eager to accompany Lily, she politely declined. After bidding farewell to the kind-hearted people, Lily joined the queue of interviewees and entered the mansion with them. Leading the group was an older woman dressed in a black and white maid's outfit, with a comely face and a stern expression, looking somewhat strict. She led the twenty or so interviewees through the corridor to the spacious atrium. "Listen up, I am the Head Maid here. I will conduct the first round of interviews to weed out the unqualified candidates, and then the lady of the house will personally select those who meet her standards. I hope you all perform well and strive to qualify for the second round." The Head Maid scanned the group, pausing when she saw Lily at the end of the line. Lily nervously adjusted her clothes. On the way here, she had already been briefed by the two men. ThePaisley family was a local tycoon, and both husband and wife were well-known businessmen in the area. Their servants not only earned far more than the average office worker, but they also lived in this mansion, making it highly coveted by the local residents. However, thePaisley family's requirements were extremely strict; they had interviewed no less than a hundred people, with very few being selected. Lily had never worked in the service industry and, by all accounts, was far from meeting the recruitment criteria. But now, without money or a place to stay, she wanted to try her luck no matter what. After the Head Maid finished speaking, everyone stood up straight, nervously awaiting her instructions. The Head Maid withdrew her gaze, cleared her throat, and was about to start the first interview task when suddenly there was a commotion behind her. "Madam! What brings you here?" "Good morning, Madam!" A tall, strikingly beautiful young woman slowly emerged from the crowd of maids, and the Head Maid hurried to greet her. "Madam, the first round of interviews has just begun, why have you come so early?" The young and beautiful mistress smiled, her gaze falling on the interviewees. "I had nothing else today, so I thought I'd come and have a look." The girls straightened their backs and stood at attention upon the mistress's arrival. She casually glanced over them, her eyes suddenly drawn to a slender girl. She stood uneasily at the end of the line, her snow-white, slender fingers intertwined, her eyelashes casting a faint shadow on her fair cheeks. The gentle morning light filtered through the atrium's glass, bathing her in a divine glow." As if compelled by some unseen force, the mistress raised her hand and pointed directly at Lily— "Let's choose her.""