As soon as I walked through the door, Lin Hai, the guard in the black suit, performed a flawless bow. However, my attention was not focused on his behaviour, but on his head, just above him: a cloudy mass of cyan hung elegantly.

  "A cloud?" I wondered, watching that small auspicious mist that seemed to perch there proudly.

  "Come closer," I ordered in a dry voice.

  The guard, without hesitation, took a step towards me.

  With a mixture of curiosity and distrust, I reached out and touched the air above him, shaking the area slightly. The cloud dispersed for a few seconds, as if it were just smoke, but quickly returned to its original form, floating with the same insistence.

  "What the hell is this?" I muttered, bewildered.

  I shook my hand again, trying to get it out of my sight, but the result was always the same. The cloud was persistent, linked to him in some way.

  "Young master?" asked Lin Hai, completely confused by my strange behaviour.

  I stopped and looked at him. From his reaction, it was clear that he couldn't see it.

  "There was a fly buzzing around," I said with complete indifference, regaining my composure.

  "Ah... thank you, sir," he replied, dazed, instinctively adjusting his hair.

  "Let's go," I urged, still glancing sideways at that little auspicious cloud.

  We walked down the carpeted hallway towards the lift. We were on the top floor of my family's main hotel: the Q Hotel, an imposing skyscraper with over 130 floors that dominated the financial heart of the city.

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  As the doors opened, I couldn't help but think how stupid the original owner had been. With his good looks and untold fortune, he could have had any woman in the world, but no, the bastard decided to obsess over the protagonist's wife.

  "What a waste," I muttered, a little annoyed.

  As the lift descended and opened on the main floor, a group of servants lined up in perfect formation bowed in unison.

  "Greetings, Young Master!" they exclaimed in unison.

  I looked at that row of young and old bowing equally, but felt nothing at their servility. Perhaps Qin Moshen's emotions had already taken root deep within me.

  "Haah..." A sigh of boredom caught in my throat. However, in the midst of my obvious disinterest, something caught my attention and forced me to focus my gaze: above their heads, the same chromatic clouds swayed with a vibrant glow.

  The variety was bewildering. Some carried dull, greyish tones that barely emitted light; others, on the other hand, displayed a deep, solid blue. I even managed to distinguish a few whose clouds bordered on purple.

  I still didn't understand the exact meaning of each colour, but a vague idea was beginning to form in my mind.

  As we left, Lin Hai stepped forward to open the door for me, but before he did, my silhouette was clearly reflected in the glass. Pale skin, jet-black hair and dark eyes that gave off a dangerous vibe; all accentuated by a tailor-made suit. I had to admit it: even the best actors would cry with envy at this appearance.

  I was petrified for a few moments. However, my paralysis was not due to the arrogant beauty of my face, but to what I saw just above it.

  A small cloud hovered above me.

  It was so dark and dense purple that, if you didn't look closely, you would swear it was completely black. I stood motionless, staring at the image. Compared to Lin Hai's pale green and the maids' grey clouds, this one seemed more like a sign of misfortune.

  "Could these clouds be visual representations of luck?" I wondered, slightly doubtful.

  「 Ding-ding-ding! Correct answer! 」

  As if it had been waiting for this question, the system's voice echoed in my head with enthusiasm.

  「 Congratulations, Master! You've hit the nail on the head! That colour is your current 'Luck Value'! Although, between us... it's been ages since I've seen such an unlucky person! Extra points for your perseverance...! T??T 」

  "No," I replied mentally, in a firm tone. "Wait a moment… If you could answer me so clearly, why didn't you do it earlier, when I asked you?"

  …A brief silence followed, almost suspicious.

  「 Ding! Sorry, Master. This system was in 'Automatic Mode.' Zzz… 」

  I felt a vein throb at my temple. That answer was far too convenient.

  "You're messing with me," I muttered under my breath, ignoring Lin Hai's curious look.

  "You're taking a nap, aren't you!?" I asked mentally, suspecting its behavior.

  「 P-Pardon! False! That is a completely unfounded accusation!

  This system is an honest and hardworking entity…」

  I narrowed my eyes slightly. It was obvious it was hiding something from me.

  "Honest, huh?" I murmured sarcastically as I climbed into the back of the luxury limousine waiting for me at the hotel entrance.