Reborn With a Money-Making System: Ruined Actress to Nation's Treasure-Chapter 106: The $399 Stylist Subscription

[Host, do you really think your husband would just stay quiet if he didn’t like it?] Penny said in my head. [Someone like him wouldn’t hesitate to push a woman away if he truly didn’t like the kiss.]

Penny then reminded me about the time Lando sent a voice note saying he wanted my kiss but deleted it afterward.

I cleared my throat and stammered, "T-then maybe... he’s not mad."

[It’s not even a maybe, but certainly!]

"Alright, alright, why are you mad at me?" I asked.

[If you had a friend who kept denying it every time people said her crush liked her, wouldn’t you be mad too?]

I pressed my lips together because, honestly, she had a point. Still, Penny was just a machine, so how could she sound that angry and frustrated?

Whoever created her must have been a genius... or a little terrifying, for making something that felt so human.

"Okay, forget about him for a second," I said. "Help me pick the right gown for the gala."

[Penny has so many options for you, Host!]

She expanded a holographic screen in front of me, revealing rows and rows of dresses from the system’s market. The gowns were labeled from Grade-F to Grade-S, and as expected, the higher the grade, the more ridiculous the price.

I even saw a Grade-S gown priced at $10,000,000 and some even higher. My eyes twitched slightly because that amount of price was even more than my total debt at the bank.

I used to be a brand ambassador for several luxury clothing lines back then as well, but even in the luxury world, there were many tiers. The brands I represented weren’t exactly top-tier, maybe somewhere in the middle, so their prices never reached that level of insanity.

"Do you take credit cards?" I asked, half-joking.

[Unfortunately, no, Host,] Penny replied sweetly. [And you can’t use your husband’s money either. Purchases from the system’s market must be made with your own earnings.]

A moment later, my balance popped up on the screen, just in case I needed a painful reminder.

[Remaining Balance: $318,875]

I hissed softly when I saw the number. Compared to the prices of those Grade-S gowns, my balance might as well have been pocket change. It wasn’t even a small amount, but after seeing those ridiculous price tags, it suddenly felt like I could only afford candy, certainly not couture.

I quickly shook my head to snap myself out of it. Forget those Grade-S gowns, I never even intended to buy something that extravagant anyway.

There were a few reasons for that. First, like I mentioned before, I didn’t want to wear a gown that would make people fall in love with the dress instead of my charm.

Second, I didn’t want anyone assuming my husband got his wealth from something shady, especially since his family—and everyone in the upper circle—had no idea what he really did for work.

It seemed the only thing his family knew about his work was that he was employed by Zentra. Yeah, he once lied to me, saying he worked for his family’s company, but he also lied to them, saying he was just a regular employee at Zentra.

How would I find out? That information came from Henry. It seemed like Lando forgot to tell Henry to tell me that he worked at his family’s company instead of Zentra.

Actually... how long did he plan on hiding the fact that he’s a billionaire? Was it really that dangerous for him to reveal it to his family?

[He’s probably still trying to stabilize his profits, Host,] Penny replied in her usual calm tone.

[Although Zentra Media has grown rapidly, the company is still quite new and can’t yet compete with Brixton Holding Group.]

Penny didn’t need to explain further because I already understood everything.

If anyone ever discovered that the man behind Zentra was Lando Brixton, his father and brothers would destroy that company in an instant.

Businessmen like them had a thousand ways to crush their rivals, and the Brixtons were no strangers to those tactics. They’d been sitting comfortably at the top of the corporate world for years.

"Once I get my reward," I swore under my breath, "I’ll make sure to invest every cent I have into Zentra until it surpasses that rotten family’s company! How dare they keep trying to bring my husband down!"

[You might not need to wait until you get unlimited money, Host,] Penny said calmly. [The more missions you complete, the bigger your rewards will become.]

[Right now, you’re earning tens of thousands of dollars, but in a few months, you could be receiving mission rewards worth hundreds of millions.]

In other words, it wasn’t impossible for me to become a billionaire soon. The thought of it sent a rush of excitement through me, just imagining their shocked faces made me want to finish my missions even faster.

But before I could start plotting my financial empire, I had to focus on something far more urgent: finding the perfect gown for the gala.

It needed to look elegant and expensive, but not too expensive, just enough to make people wonder where I got it without making them suspicious.

[Would you like to look at gowns priced between $20,000 and $50,000, Host? Those are Grade-B gowns. With your looks and charm, you’ll still shine beautifully.]

I twitched at the corner of my eye when I heard that a $50,000 gown was only Grade-B.

"How much extra charm would a Grade-B gown give me?" I asked.

[It depends on the design and price, but most Grade-B gowns can boost your charm by at least thirty percent.]

Grade-B was +30% charm; Grade-A would add +70%; while Grade-S went up to +100—no, wait, some of the really expensive Grade-S gowns could even add up to +500% charm.

"Holy hell," I muttered. "If I wore one of those Grade-S gowns, someone might actually go blind."

I scrolled through the list of gowns while Penny kept babbling about fabrics and rankings.

I scrolled through the endless list of dresses while Penny kept rambling about fabrics and ranks. Even though she said they were only Grade-B gowns, every single one of them looked stunning.

"I don’t know anymore!" I groaned, crouching down on the floor and pretending to cry. "They all look so good!"

[Host, would you like help from a stylist assistant?]

I finally stopped whining when I heard Penny’s question. "How am I supposed to show your system market to someone else? I can’t even take pictures of the hologram with my phone!"

[Penny isn’t suggesting a stylist from your world, Host,] she replied cheerfully. [Penny wants to recommend a stylist from inside the system!]

"From the system?" I blinked. "You’re telling me there’s someone in this system who can actually help me pick a dress?"

[Exactly, Host!] Penny said proudly. [Penny’s stylist assistants are specialized AI programs made to match your beauty, body shape, and aura with the perfect gown. They can even customize your outfit if you want something unique.]

[Would you like Penny to summon one now?]

I hesitated for a moment, still crouching on the floor, before finally nodding. "Yeah, sure. Let’s see what this stylist of yours can actually do."

[Host, please note that using a stylist assistant requires a monthly subscription fee of $399,] Penny reminded me out of nowhere.

"Holy capitalism," I muttered, rubbing my temples. "Even virtual fashion advice comes with a monthly fee now?"

[It’s a fair price for excellence, Host,] Penny replied cheerfully, completely ignoring my sarcasm. [Would you like to proceed with the payment?]

I groaned. "You’re literally asking me to spend four hundred dollars a month so an AI can tell me what looks good on me."

[Correction: a highly intelligent and fashion-certified AI,] Penny corrected in a proud tone. [Elara has a 99.8% satisfaction rate among system users and can design personalized looks that match your aura and event type.]

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just summon her before I change my mind."

[Payment confirmed. Subscription activated.]

[Remaining Balance: $318,476]

A moment later, holographic light emerged from the panel, and a tall, graceful woman materialized before me, dressed in an elegant silver suit.

Even though she was just a hologram, her appearance looked completely human.

"Good evening, Host," she greeted softly. "I’m Elara, your personal stylist. What can I do for you today, Host?"

Alright, it was a bit creepy because her voice sounded far more human than Penny’s. However, I immediately brushed that thought aside because it didn’t matter for now.

"Alright, Elara," I said, standing up and fixing my posture. "Can you help me pick a Grade-B gown that’ll suit me for the Brixton Charity Gala?"

"Of course, Host," Elara replied with a polite smile. "Let me scan you first."

A thin beam of light swept from the top of my head down to my feet, scanning every inch of my body with unsettling precision.

"Scanning complete," she announced gracefully. "Let’s see... you have naturally curly black hair, blue-purplish eyes, and a very fair skin tone."

She tapped her digital tablet, and several holographic color palettes appeared beside me, each shimmering with different hues.

"Based on your complexion and features, the most flattering colors for you would be jewel tones," she said thoughtfully. "Like deep sapphire blue, royal purple, crimson red, and soft champagne. These shades will emphasize your dark hair and make your eyes stand out beautifully."