Chapter 4

“M-Miss!” exclaimed Emily. It was already early morning by the time I arrived back at the manor with Eckles in tow. The butler and Emily, having seen our approach in the distance, ran to me, faces pale. “Miss Penelope, where in the world…?” the butler began to ask, then trailed off. “You disappeared in the middle of the night!” Emily said in a panic. It was at that point my hopes to sneak in unnoticed with Eckles were dashed. “Does…Father know?” I hedged. “Of course! The young masters have been out all night searching for you with the knights, and some slave traders came calling at the break of dawn. The whole household is freaking out!” I rubbed at my temples. Coming to collect as soon as the sun’s up? That impatient slave trader bastard must not have trusted me. And it’s just my luck that he beat me here… As for Derrick and Reynold, they’d obviously gone and made a huge fuss—the least they could’ve done was kept things a secret as I’d asked. Crap… I knew letting them tag along was a bad idea, I thought with a groan. Emily began pushing me toward the gate. “Please hurry inside, Miss. Quickly!” “Just a moment, Miss.” The butler stopped us. “Who is this man?” He’d stepped in Eckles’s way as he made to follow me. “…He’ll be my personal bodyguard from now on. Prepare a room for him so he can get some rest,” I ordered. “M-Miss! You can’t just—” The butler eyed Eckles up and down, taking in his wounds and shabby clothing. He looked outright appalled. “I’m afraid that’s unacceptable! Simply letting a person of unknown background into the manor—” “Pennel. Have you already forgotten our little chat?” I was exhausted from spending the whole night at the auction house. I wanted to go directly to my room and throw myself in bed, but I had a lot of things to take care of before I could even think of sleep. I had no time to waste on the butler. “Give Eckles a place to rest and make his stay comfortable. Please.” “Understood…Miss,” the butler said, bowing reluctantly. Phew. I would have resorted to threats if he hadn’t listened, so I was relieved it hadn’t come to that. Hastily, I advanced toward the front entrance with my entourage. “Oy! You!” Reynold, who had been pacing nervously in front of the door, was the first to spot me. The duke, who’d been sitting nearby, immediately stood. “Penelope!” “Father…,” I said, faltering under the duke’s powerful glare. He seemed to be holding back the urge to follow Reynold in his shouting. Instead, he gritted his teeth and finally settled on telling me sternly, “Come to my study. Now.” He stormed away like an icy blast of wind, and I sighed deeply. Ugh. How am I going to beg my way out of this one? Was all this trouble worth it just so I could pursue the Eckles ending? Feeling a burst of resentment, I spun to face him, but my irritation fizzled out when I saw the letters above his head. [Affection: 18%] I have to get through this. He’s my best option for survival. Reynold, noticing Eckles standing right behind me, turned his glare on him, staring the slave down menacingly. “And who’s this beggar-looking asshole?” “Go with the butler, Eckles,” I ordered hurriedly, trying to preempt any fighting. “Go with the butler where? Do you think just anyone can waltz in here?!” Reynold yelled, furious. However, probably because I was expected in the duke’s office right away, he said no more on the matter. The same was true of Eckles, who was gazing at me silently, lips opening and closing as if he wanted to speak. “Hurry up now. Good boy,” I said, plainly dismissing Eckles before he had second thoughts and said something. I didn’t have time for that. Leaving my mask with Emily, I scampered after the duke. As soon as I stepped inside his office, the duke’s cold voice cut through the quiet. “Penelope Eckhart.” “Yes, Father,” I replied, politely coming to stand before him. The duke sat behind the desk, his back to it. “Explain yourself. What is the meaning of all this?” My blood ran cold at his stern tone. I couldn’t see his face from where I stood, so I was uncertain if I would be able to manipulate this conversation as well as I had our previous ones. I didn’t care about losing the reputation points I’d gained by improving my relationship with him, but I was concerned about the implications of us falling out. It might negatively impact the Eckhart brothers’ affections. Thoughts bounced frantically around in my mind, and I eventually decided to continue with the tried-and-true strategy that had worked for me so far. “I’m sorry I left the manor without telling you, Father.” “You seem to be apologizing an awful lot lately,” he replied, unimpressed. A sorry wouldn’t cut it a third time, it seemed. His next words, though, left me at a loss. “You’re quick to apologize, but without actual reflection, they come off as empty words. Do you disagree?” “I…” I chewed my lip and switched tactics, starting with addressing what had concerned him the most thus far regarding Penelope. “I swear, I did nothing to disgrace our family name, Father.” “I did not wait all night to hear mere lip service!” I’d barely finished speaking when the duke slammed his fist loudly on his armrest. I couldn’t help but suck in a small breath, having never seen him this angry while playing the game—his relationship and interactions with Penelope had been marked by total disinterest. Terror ran through me at the switch-up. What do I do? My head was beginning to spin. Was I mistaken in thinking that feigning remorse would get me off the hook easily, as it had last time with the crown prince incident? “No more digression, Penelope Eckhart. I want details. Why did the daughter of the duke leave home at night without any guards to protect her?” Overcome with fear, I was unable to speak. Noticing this, the duke finally let out a ragged sigh. When he continued, it was in a softened tone. “And who were those vulgar men who came knocking at our door this morning? Just what were you doing all night?” I let out a quiet breath. If the duke was so insistent on getting an explanation, apologizing would do me no good. “I…wanted to see the festival at night, so I sneaked out.” “Why at night when you could have gone during the day? And if you were truly so intent on going, you could have asked for my permission, no?” the duke said in rebuke. “I didn’t think you would say yes.” My words gave him pause. “What do you mean?” “You never allow me to leave unless it’s for an official event.” I wasn’t making this part up. It was the reason I’d searched high and low for that gap in the wall. Even in the game, Penelope’s scenes had always been set in either the ducal manor or a ballroom. Though nothing was said about it directly, I’d realized practically as soon as I set foot in this world that Penelope’s life itself was virtually one of confinement. They kept her in the manor to prevent her from causing any trouble, and she was only allowed to participate in events she was explicitly invited to. That was why she didn’t have a personal guard like all the other daughters of nobility. Employing a guard for that would be nothing but a waste of resources. “…” The duke was silent for a moment, then said in a low tone, “And?” “I ran into my brothers on the way out. They tried to stop me at first, but I begged them to let me go, and they decided to come along as my guards instead. I couldn’t wake the knights so late at night just to escort me, after all.” “…” “We were walking around the festival together, but I got separated by the parade. While wandering around lost, I found myself in a dark alleyway. I nearly met trouble when I was accosted by a nasty nobleman there.” “Wh-what?!” The duke shot out of his seat, turning to look at me. “Who would dare?! Name the bastard!” “I—I was too confused at the time to recognize him,” I said, startled by his outburst. His eyes were burning with rage, and I got the sense he might do something rash if I didn’t offer up some information. “He did call himself Kluy or something…” “Kluy. Kluy, you say?” I’d only mentioned that pig of a man as part of my cover story, but the duke muttered the name to himself over and over as if committing it to memory. I felt a chill as he sat back down, continuing to mumble darkly. Frightened of things escalating, I hurriedly moved on. “Eckles, who happened to be passing by, helped me.” “…Eckles? You mean the man you brought back with you?” the duke clarified. “Yes. He was escaping from the slave auction house at the time.” The duke frowned heavily at the word slave. I rushed to add, “He was formerly a noble in his country before our empire defeated it in the war.” The duke’s concerned expression smoothed at my words, the change in his demeanor leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. “Because he stopped to save me, the slave traders who were pursuing him recaptured him. I happened to have the blank check you gave me and a button from Derrick’s sleeve, so I bought him.” “For one million gold?” the duke said in disbelief. “I couldn’t turn my back on the man I owed my life to.” My story was quite far from the truth, but I did owe my life to Eckles—or at least, I would down the road. “I did not give you that check so you could buy a slave,” the duke said, anger seeping into his voice. —“Look at you. How many dresses do you plan to buy with a blank check?” I remembered the way he’d chuckled as he handed me the slip. Still, there wasn’t much more he could say if my story was to be believed. “But it’s my fault he failed to escape. He would’ve been dragged back to the auction house if I didn’t step in.” “…” “Even a beast knows to be grateful to its savior. As an Eckhart, how could I not repay what he did for me—?” Bang! I was prevented from furthering my case by a loud slamming noise. The duke’s office door flew open, heralding the arrival of someone. “You!” It was Derrick, pale and covered in sweat. He strode into the room, glaring at me with a frightful scowl. “Where in the world have you been?!” “B-Brother,” I said, taken aback and glancing cautiously at the duke. Derrick looked beside himself with worry. “I spent the entire night scouring every corner of the capital for you. Even the red-light district! I was terrified you’d been taken by human traffickers. You—” He cut himself off, overwhelmed with emotion. “…” “What if you…?!” Derrick grabbed my shoulders as he trailed off, his voice filled with a panicked urgency. I’d never seen this expression on him before, and my shock only grew when I glanced above his head. [Affection: 13%] What the hell? I abruptly remembered his distraught face when the button had ripped from his sleeve, his alarmed scream as I’d been carried away from him, his frantic struggles to grab hold of me again. —“Penelope!” Derrick didn’t just dislike Penelope—he hated her with every fiber of his being. Simply calling him “Brother” had been enough to eat away at his affection. That was why I’d never even considered Derrick as a valid option after I found myself in this world. I mean, it was a success to me if I could simply keep his percentage above zero. It hadn’t even registered that he’d acted so unlike his usual self when he’d lost me at the festival. So why? Forgetting that the duke was still there, I stared at Derrick and the meter above his head. Why do you look so desperate? “Derrick.” It was the duke who put a stop to his eldest son’s spiraling inquiries. “We were having a private conversation. Have you no qualms about this insolence?” he asked harshly. Derrick’s downcast gaze betrayed his uncertainty, and I was finally able to compose myself. Releasing the viselike grip he had on my shoulders, Derrick backed away. Bowing to the duke, he said, “Forgive me, Father.” My shoulders ached where Derrick’s hands had been, and I rubbed at them to soothe the pain. Uh, wait a second. Why isn’t he leaving? Derrick had settled himself next to the duke’s desk, his eyes peering down at me like his being allowed to remain was a given. The duke, though surprised, didn’t comment. Derrick was obviously determined to listen to my explanation. Ugh… Now I’ve got two of them to contend with… I heaved a sigh inwardly. “Ahem.” The duke cleared his throat. “In any event, I understand what you’re saying, Penelope.” Thankfully, he seemed to find the excuse I’d spun acceptable, at least. While I let out a little huff of relief, he directed a different question at me. “But if you bought him, you could have simply let him go. Why bring him here?” “Eckles is an excellent fighter, Father. That was the reason for his exorbitant price,” I replied at once. I’d been ready for this line of questioning. “I’d like for him to be accepted as a knight-in-training here. I assure you, he’d be very useful.” “A knight of House Eckhart?” “Yes. I believe it would be better to teach him formal swordsmanship than have his talent go to waste as a mere servant—” “Do you realize how preposterous you sound?” Derrick interrupted. “Most would consider it a great honor to be tasked with even menial work in our household.” “…” “This man is not even a commoner,” he continued. “He’s just a slave from a conquered nation. What point is there in him studying the sword here?” I glanced over at the duke and could tell by his face that he agreed. Dammit. If you’re not going to leave, can you at least not stand in my way? A wave of exhaustion hit me, and I did my best to keep my voice level as I plowed forward. “I want to make him my personal guard.” “…Your personal guard?” Derrick repeated incredulously. “I can’t be without one forever,” I said simply. The duke seemed surprised, though. “‘Without one’? There are over twenty-thousand knights in the service of our family.” “I know they don’t think well of me, Father.” “…” “That’s why you haven’t assigned any of them to protect me already, right?” Both the duke and Derrick were silent, evidently unable to refute this. A daughter of nobility usually had five or six guards assigned to her, and the more influential the house, the more guards. This ensured the protection of the lady at any cost. After Reynold had mentioned the knights’ dislike for Penelope, I’d asked Emily and found out that Penelope had never been given a personal knight. If she did have to leave the manor, any knights who happened to be free were assigned to her temporarily. Is this her reputation at work? Or is it that she isn’t worth protecting in their eyes? It had been a stab in the dark, claiming that no one wanted to protect Penelope, and I was disconcerted by both the duke’s and Derrick’s lack of protest. “I’d rather not leave my safety in the hands of those who don’t care if I live or die.” “…” “And there’s no guarantee that something like yesterday won’t happen again after I leave this house.” “Leave this house?!” both Eckhart men shouted almost simultaneously. “I don’t understand. What do you mean, ‘leave’?” asked the duke urgently. “I mean exactly what I said. I’m almost an adult now, am I not?” I shrugged, intentionally widening my eyes. “I’d like to ask that you let me choose my own guard, if only for my safety. Father, Brother…I beg of you.” I bowed my head. They seemed reluctant to refuse. More like they can’t. What had happened last night wasn’t entirely my fault, after all. That no one was willing to protect the duke’s daughter when she left the manor was a huge problem, especially considering House Eckhart possessed so much influence in the empire. I didn’t really need a guard, of course. I just wanted a reason to keep Eckles around, and as far as excuses went, this one worked marvelously. “Well…,” the duke said with a groan. Hook, line, and sinker! “I understand where you’re coming from. This whole ordeal must have been harrowing for you. Go and rest. I will send a physician to come see you when you wake.” “Yes, Father,” I acquiesced, though I wasn’t hurt anywhere and didn’t need to be looked over. I bowed a quick farewell and turned to leave. “Derrick, you stay,” the duke ordered firmly as I exited the office. It would seem he had intended to follow me. As the door swung closed, I caught a glimpse of him through the crack. Sheesh, what’s his problem?! In my shock, I had quickly shut the door in his face. What more could he possibly have to harass me about? The conversation is over and done with. Thankfully, the door remained closed. I gave a sigh of relief at this whole ordeal finally being over. Just then, the system window popped up in front of me. <SYSTEM> [Check Out the Festival] with [Derrick] Event quest failed! Try again? (Rewards: Derrick’s Affection +3%, other benefits) [YES / NO] What am I, insane? No way in hell! The festival was far from over. I slammed the [NO] button multiple times, shuddering in disgust. The window vanished, leaving me feeling deeply wronged by the game. Also, why did I fail? I went with him, didn’t I? I couldn’t figure out this ass-backward game’s rules. Wasn’t it an accomplishment in and of itself that I’d gone anywhere with them at all? If I’d failed with Derrick, then the same was probably true for Reynold. Whatever. I got a three percent increase in affection anyway. As I fumed to myself, overcome with annoyance, I recalled the letters that had floated above Derrick’s black hair. [Affection: 13%] Though I’d failed the quest, at least I’d still somehow gained the same amount as I would have if I’d succeeded. Further confirmation that the key to winning the brothers over is staying out of their sight. Deciding that I’d avoid them as much as I possibly could, I made my way to the central staircase…only to have my new resolution instantly derailed. “Oy,” came the telltale gruff bark of Reynold. “Are you a mute? I asked you a question. Where are you from?” Reynold was prodding at Eckles, who stood at the foot of the stairs, while Emily hovered anxiously nearby. I frowned and hurried closer. “What are you doing?” Reynold turned at my accusation, the word above his head turning with him. [Affection: 10%] His meter had gone up, just like Derrick’s. Instead of complying, he nudged Eckles again, answering my question with another of his own. “Who the hell is this dude?” he demanded. I glanced up. [Affection: 10%] above pink hair and [Affection: 18%] above ash brown. The choice was a no-brainer. “Come along, Eckles,” I said. Eckles, who hadn’t given any response to Reynold’s repeated pestering, moved like lightning to obey my command. He came to stand right beside me, at precisely the spot I’d gestured to. “The hell?” Reynold scowled, then promptly broke out into a peal of laughter, as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. “Didn’t Emily tell you? He’s to be my personal guard from now on.” “A personal guard? You’re gonna let this slave bastard protect you?” Reynold sneered. “Yes.” I didn’t deign to say more than that. “What’s gotten into you? Did you eat something weird during your little escape attempt? Were you that set on running away, reputation be damned?” “I told you—I wasn’t running away,” I snapped back, turning to leave. I felt close to passing out from exhaustion. “I’m tired. We’ll talk more later.” Reynold moved in front of me before I could take another step. “Where do you think you’re going? I’m not done talking to you.” Eckles twitched. I could sense a rising wave of hostility emanating off my new guard, perhaps in response to Reynold’s threatening tone. Before he could do anything, I raised a cautioning arm out to Eckles—I couldn’t let him be kicked out less than an hour after bringing him to the manor. “Reynold,” I said with a sigh, biting back my irritation. “Why do you need a bodyguard anyway?” he shouted, still not willing to let it go. “All you ever do is stay holed up in your room.” “It’s about time I have one. I don’t want a repeat of yesterday’s events.” “Then choose any one of the knights we already have! As it stands, there’s more of them than we know what to do with!” “Any one of the knights who were ‘cursing me to hell and back,’ as you so eloquently put it? I have no need for a guard who looks down on his mistress.” “…” Reynold’s reaction was the same. Just like the duke and Derrick, he stiffened and immediately fell silent, unable to say anything at my damning words. “How can men who think so poorly of me be expected to have my safety as their top priority? Do you think they’d even try to protect me?” I asked. In saying this, I was giving him his share of the blame as well. He’d done nothing to stop the knights when they’d disrespected Penelope, allowing their behavior to fester undisciplined. Who knew—maybe he’d even encouraged it. Either way, he was struggling to find an excuse. His blue eyes wavered uncertainly. “Penelope. I just meant that as a—” “If you’re going to say it was a joke, save your breath. I was lucky enough to return in one piece this time, but if something like last night were to happen again, I…” “…” “If Eckles hadn’t been there, I would’ve been violated, Reynold.” The color drained completely from his face, as if someone were choking him. Nothing of the sort had happened, but I’d chosen the grimmest scenario that came to mind to shock Reynold. Though this time I’d ventured out with a clear purpose and destination in mind, everyone knew what could happen to a young noble lady if she wandered around outside without anyone to protect her. “Do you understand now, why I want Eckles to guard me?” “…” “I’m sorry to have made you worry, Brother,” I said in parting. Then I breezed past Reynold, who stood frozen in place, and up the stairs. An expressionless Eckles followed me, along with Emily, her head bowed somberly. A consequence of being despised was neglect, and I simply couldn’t find it in myself to forgive those in the Eckhart household who’d knowingly left Penelope exposed to the dangers of the world. For the sake of the girl that I was before coming to this world. I’d just climbed the last of the steps when I got another notification. <SYSTEM> [Check Out the Festival] with [Reynold] Event quest failed! Try again? (Rewards: Reynold’s Affection +3%, other benefits) [YES / NO] I selected [NO] without so much as a second glance. Eckles trailed behind me like a puppy all the way to my door. Emily’s expression grew more and more horrified as it became obvious that he was intending to follow me into the room, and I was forced to intervene. “You’re not going to follow me in, are you?” I said, planting myself firmly in the doorway. “But…,” he said with some difficulty, tilting his head and coming to a stop. “You said I have to demonstrate my value.” When it clicked into place why he’d been so subservient until now, I couldn’t help feeling disheartened. Well, I guess that’s the degree to which he wants to avoid going back to the slave auction. The yellow marble embedded in the choker glinted from where it was strapped to Eckles’s throat. The ring. I was suddenly reminded that I held a magical item that could restrain him if necessary, and my excitement at his 18 percent affection cooled. The memory of how he’d broken his cuffs and slaughtered all those men in the alleyway was still achingly vivid. In Normal Mode, he’d been a courteous knight who’d remained loyal to his mistress even though she was the villain of the story. But this untamed Eckles was dangerous beyond imagination. It occurred to me that perhaps the reason he had stayed so loyal to Penelope originally was only because of the choker. I can’t let his sweet face fool me. He killed a pack of hyenas with his bare hands and a wooden sword, I reminded myself, resolving that I needed to stay on guard. “I didn’t mean I wanted you to service me in bed,” I said. “Then what do you…?” Eckles trailed off hesitantly, unsure what I wanted from him. “You heard what I said earlier, didn’t you? I brought you here to make you my personal guard.” “Yes,” Eckles replied softly. “Your first duty is to get the residents of the estate to accept your presence here.” “My…duty?” “Correct. I can’t insist they keep someone around forever if they provide no worth,” I said dryly, making it clear what I expected. Wait, did that come off as too callous? I forced myself to adopt a kinder tone. “I trust you won’t let me down. You can do that for me, can’t you?” Eckles nodded slowly, and his gray eyes seemed to sparkle as he gazed at me. [Affection: 20%] His affection suddenly increased, putting his meter the closest so far to Normal Mode’s 30 percent starting point. Haah… And even when I do finally get to thirty percent, I’ll still have such a long way to go before I reach an ending. I felt tired just thinking of the work ahead of me. “Emily, show Eckles to whatever room Pennel prepared for him.” “Yes, Miss.” Before I could move, Eckles called out to me. “Mistress,” he said, sounding just as drained as I felt. “I’ll work hard to earn your praise.” Blinking, I reached out and stroked his dirty hair, playing it cool and pretending it was nothing. Eckles eagerly rubbed his head against my palm. The terror I’d felt when he’d slaughtered those people was still fresh in my mind, yes, but I was also hopeful that I’d made the right choice, and that I could one day escape this world. “I’m so happy it was you who saved me, Mistress.” And that hope was what moved me forward. After successfully bringing Eckles to the manor, I locked myself in my room for a while on the pretext of self-probation, pretending to be penitent for my behavior. The duke and Derrick ended up letting him stay, the alibi I had created doing its job splendidly. They also made no comment when I didn’t show my face around the manor, shutting myself away for days on end. However, I was kept up to date on news by Emily. Hearing that the duke had been searching high and low throughout the empire for a noble by the name of Kluy made a chill run down my spine. She also told me the knights of the estate were undergoing harsher training and discipline. He won’t actually succeed in finding that pig of a man, will he…? Not that anything would happen to me even if he was found, of course. But I did feel a bit guilty, as things had quickly gotten out of hand, spiraling in a direction I hadn’t predicted. “Ugh, whatever!” I said, pulling myself out of my thoughts. I threw aside the book I’d been holding and flopped onto my bed, the partly drawn curtains allowing the warm sunlight of noon to stream in. Perhaps because I’d just cleared the massive hurdle that was the “saving Eckles” episode, the game seemed to have granted me a brief period of peace. I could stay in bed until late afternoon, nibbling on snacks and reading, and no one came to bother me. Probation really is the best. I wished Derrick would confine me to my room until I reached one of the game’s endings. I didn’t have to do the laundry or clean, and food was brought up to me at mealtimes. What a life! Knock, knock. “Goodness! You’re still in bed, Miss? Get up—it’s time for lunch,” Emily said from the doorway. Just when I was thinking about what a sweet deal this is… Creepily accurate timing. “What’s on the menu today?” I asked lazily, not moving from where I lounged as Emily brought in a tray. “Sweet pumpkin salad and roasted drumsticks.” “That’s it?” Today’s lunch was disappointingly simple, and I let it show on my face. “I told the chef you wanted something spicy, and he developed a special sauce.” “Really?” I perked up, sitting up immediately with a smile. I’d been nagging Emily about wanting to eat spicy chicken for a while now, and it had finally reached the chef’s ears. “Speaking of, Miss, it seems your tastes have completely changed recently. You only ever used to like bland foods…,” Emily mused, looking puzzled as she arranged the plates in front of me on the table. I felt a twinge of anxiety. Emily might have looked down on and hated Penelope, but she’d still served her for many years. I could tell she was confused at times by the slight changes she saw in her mistress. “People’s palates develop with age, you know,” I said nonchalantly, raising my fork. “That’s true,” Emily said, nodding placidly. Luckily, her bemusement was quickly alleviated. “Lunch is served,” Emily said, gesturing for me to eat. Gone was the girl who’d played tricks with my food. She had separated the meat from the bone and placed it on my plate, allowing me to eat the chicken without any effort whatsoever on my part. “Does it taste okay? Please chew slowly.” She was busy making sure I was eating properly even though she’d already deboned the meat, her attitude so devoted that I was finding it hard to reconcile the maid in front of me with her previous self. Still, that didn’t mean I wasn’t on high alert whenever mealtime came. She probably had no idea I was studying her suspiciously, even as I ate everything she gave me. This should be sweeter… It’s not the spicy-sweet yangnyeom flavor I was looking for. After tasting the food carefully, I only started eating in earnest when nothing seemed to be wrong with it. What I’d really wanted was the spicy fried chicken I’d sometimes eaten with my friends at university, but the chef’s efforts had only resulted in drumsticks that stung my tongue, nothing more. I’ll have to nag Emily about adding a sweet-and-salty flavor now. Though it wasn’t the taste I was craving, I still enjoyed the numbing sensation on my tongue, having not had anything spicy for some time now. Soon enough, I’d eaten the plate clean. “I’m full now,” I announced, putting down my fork. Emily quickly cleared away the plates and served dessert. “The Founding Festival is nearly over,” she said, making small talk as I devoured my melon sherbet. “That so?” “Mm-hmm! I’m so used to you attending every festival and bringing back all sorts of gems. Was there nothing to your liking this time?” “Something like that,” I equivocated. I’d been too busy to even take note of what was being sold, though her words made me recall that Reynold had said something similar. Original Penelope must have been seriously obsessed with jewelry. Quite the diligent spender. Imagining her going from stall to stall during the festival and purchasing endless piles of gems made me feel numb all over again. “Oh, by the way! The butler asked me to tell you that your order from the jeweler has arrived,” Emily said. “…My order?” “You summoned the jeweler before the festival began, remember?” “Ah.” Her words finally rang a bell, bringing to mind a certain someone I’d completely forgotten because of the Eckles ordeal. “Do you want me to go fetch it for you?” Emily asked, noticing that my expression had grown pensive. I nodded absently. “Yes. Right away, please.” Emily soon returned with a box small enough to hold a single item of jewelry. It was wrapped in fine velvet, luxurious at even a passing glance. I took the box from her and opened it. “Wow! The color is so beautiful!” Emily exclaimed at the sight of the round jewels, which were the same navy blue as the deep sea. Lapis lazuli usually had small flecks of gold or white, and the fewer such imperfections it had and the darker the navy color, the more expensive it was. I rotated the box, checking for flaws, but there wasn’t a single impurity to be found in the dark-blue gemstones. “I like them,” I said in appraisal, setting the box down on my desk. The jeweler had bragged endlessly about the high quality of his wares—and he had delivered—so I didn’t regret the lavish expense. “Are these a gift for the duke, Miss?” Emily asked innocently as she peered at the enormous lapis lazuli twinkling from where they were set in men’s cuff links. Yeah right, I thought bitterly, and I swiftly changed the subject instead. “Emily. Would you bring me one of my jewelry boxes? Any will do,” I said. “A jewelry box? Right away!” She seemed perplexed by the request but complied without question. With a soft thump, she set down a large, heavy wooden box on the desk. I pretended to mull something over before addressing her. “I have an errand I need someone to run for me.” “Yes? What is it?” she asked curiously. “Do you know anything about the information guilds in the merchant district?” “Information guilds…” Emily hesitated. “I don’t know much about them myself, but the girl I share a room with probably would. She used to be an errand girl in that district before she started working at the manor.” “Really?” I paused again. “What’s her name?” “L-Lena, Miss…” “And where is she now?” “B-but, Miss, if there’s something you need done, I can do it better than Lena!” Emily rushed to say. “She knows a lot, yes, but she has a big mouth.” She carefully studied my reaction. It was as though she was afraid I’d cast her aside for this other maid. “Emily, it is of the utmost importance that this task is completed in secrecy. Extreme discretion will be necessary.” It was because of this task that I’d insisted on taking Emily back as my personal maid in the first place. From the start, there had been no other suitable candidate. “You’re asking me to trust you with this? Aren’t you the one who looked down on me all these years?” I continued, intentionally riling her up. “M-Miss Penelope!” It was a sore subject that hadn’t been brought up in a while. At the reminder of her past behavior, Emily’s face drained of all color. “I—I haven’t even thought of doing anything to disrespect you since then, Miss! I-I’ve been nothing but devoted to you. How could you think—?” Emily choked up, close to tears as she whined about the perceived injustice. “Anyone in the manor could say the same about their recent behavior toward me,” I pointed out coldly. She immediately fell silent. “I…I think…,” Emily started to say, the tears in her eyes drying up as she fell into deep thought. Her attitude suddenly took an abrupt turn. “You know how perceptive I can be, Miss.” I marveled at the sudden 180. That was pretty impressive, I’m not gonna lie. Emily was definitely quicker on the uptake compared with the other NPCs in the game. Then again, that was probably how she’d succeeded in tormenting Penelope with the needle she kept hidden in her hair for so many years. Emily continued her earnest appeal, unaware of what I was thinking. “Please remember, Miss, I haven’t made a single mistake with any of the duties you’ve given me so far.” “…” “Please leave this to me. After all, I’m your personal maid…” There was a long silence, the only audible sound my finger tapping deliberately against the desktop. Emily grew more and more nervous the longer the silence stretched, shifting uncomfortably. “Fine.” I finally accepted. “I’ll trust you this time.” “Miss…” Emily gazed at me with an oddly sentimental expression. Frankly, after threatening her with the needle, I thought it unlikely that she might harbor any goodwill toward me. However, the idea that I could begin to favor one of the other maids seemed to inspire some loyalty in her. “Thank you, Miss! I promise I won’t disappoint you!” At her effusive bows, I nodded nonchalantly and moved back to the subject at hand. “Open the jewelry box,” I said. Perhaps afraid I would change my mind if given the chance, she hastily did as I instructed. “Until I’m finished with this self-imposed probation, I’d like you to go to the guilds every morning after you’ve served my breakfast. I need them to find someone for me.” “Find someone? Wh-who are you looking for?” “I’ll write a description down and give it to you. Show it only to the highest-ranked members of the guilds. You’re free to use as many of the jewels in that box as you need to commission their services.” The box Emily had pulled out earlier was filled to the brim with shining gemstones, an obvious display of the extravagant taste of the duke’s adopted daughter. Since Penelope didn’t possess a large sum of gold, the only currency I had at my disposal was her collection of gems. Even if I had to use the whole box, it didn’t really matter, since there were plenty more where this one came from. “Yes! I can do that, Miss! I’m sure you’ll find whoever it is you’re looking for in no time,” Emily assured. “There’s a catch. You can’t go to the run-of-the-mill guilds that specialize in finding people.” Emily’s eyes went wide. “Wh-where would you have me go, then?” “I need establishments that deal in the most obscure of objects and information—organizations that only the high-ranking nobles would turn to. You’ll have no trouble doing that for me, will you?” I asked, my voice dripping with honey. “Of course not! Leave it to me!” Emily said in promise. I’d learned from the game that the guild run by Winter was the largest and most well-known of the establishments that provided the services I’d specified. It should be easy enough to find him. Of course, I already knew that he was both a marquis and a sorcerer, and that he secretly doubled as the head of an information guild. If my goal was simply to meet him, all I had to do was frequent the parties he’d be expected to attend. But Winter was the next-best love interest after Eckles, and I’d decided to use the knowledge I’d gleaned from playing Normal Mode to pursue a more…dramatic meeting. [As soon as she returns to the ducal manor, the heroine searches for the benefactor who helped her locate her real family. All she knows about him is that he is a sorcerer, and that he wears a rabbit mask. At the party held in celebration of her debut as the “true daughter of the duke,” she encounters Winter. His eye color makes it immediately obvious to her that he is the man she is looking for.] It barely made any sense. How do you recognize a person by only their eye color? I’d been grateful for how easy the episode had been when I’d played the game, but that wasn’t relevant now. I had no intention of attending endless parties just so I could run into Winter. I’ll make him come to me. “One more thing,” I said to Emily primly. “Make it obvious you’ve been sent by a daughter of a noble house.” “Huh? But how do I do that?” Emily asked. “Act secretive, like you’ve been tasked with finding a young lady’s missed connection—a man she fell for at first sight,” I told her, making my voice demure. “Oh my! Miss!” Emily jumped out of her seat. “It might be faster to just ask me about this man.” I frowned at her reaction. “All we maids do is talk about the nobility. If he’s an unmarried, handsome nobleman, we’re sure to know all about him—” “Emily,” I said, cutting her off. “Can you do it or not? That’s all I want to hear.” “I can, Miss! I’ll find out all about the man who’s stolen your heart—” “It’s not like that,” I protested. I could practically see the delusional fantasies she was mentally concocting. You have no idea what’s going on inside my head. Emily didn’t listen, though, her eyes glittering happily. “Our Miss Penelope has finally let springtime into her heart…” I pulled up my sleeve and showed her the back of my hand, forcing her back to reality. “Be careful and discreet, Emily. The ultimate fate of your sewing needle is on the line,” I warned, eliciting a gasp from the maid. “I’m giving you a big opportunity here,” I said. “Don’t waste it. You wouldn’t want to be kicked out of the manor for real this time because you did something I didn’t want you to, would you?” The stab marks had faded, leaving the pale skin of my hands unblemished, but Emily had no trouble remembering my threats all the same. She gathered herself, assuming a more reserved expression. Have I…grown attached to her? I felt a little apologetic for being so harsh on the girl. Knock, knock. As I was contemplating my feelings, someone knocked on the door. “It’s Pennel, Miss,” the butler said, announcing himself. He hadn’t thrown open the door without permission since I’d reprimanded him, but I still waited a few moments to respond. “Come in,” I said finally. I watched as the butler opened the door cautiously and bowed. “What is it?” “An invitation has arrived for you from the Imperial Palace.” “For me?” I asked, confused. To my knowledge, there were no major events planned to follow the second prince’s recent birthday celebration. “Indeed. It seems a modest victory commemoration party is to be held on the last day of the Founding Festival.” My expression soured. With the number of parties they’re holding, it seems like Imperial Party Hall would be a more fitting name than the Imperial Palace. “But didn’t they already have a huge banquet for the army’s homecoming?” “Yes, but this party is to be hosted by the crown prince himself,” replied the butler. I felt my body tense until it was as rigid as an unoiled machine. “The…crown…prince?” The air in the room instantly turned ice-cold, like a tundra. The mere mention of the crown prince was practically taboo in the manor. All at once, I remembered his chilling crimson eyes and the fiery way they’d burned, as if reminding me he could slit my throat at any moment. My wound had healed, and I’d removed the bandages long ago, but just thinking of him made my neck throb again. I can’t ignore an invitation from the palace without serious repercussions. My hands quivered. Clasping them tightly, I asked, “What…what did Father have to say about this?” “Actually…” The butler, who was usually unfailingly prompt to reply, seemed to hesitate. “The invitation was for you only, Miss… As such, His Grace is yet unaware.” “Son of a—” I slammed my fist on the table and shot to my feet, unable to contain my emotions any longer. “M-Miss!” Both the butler and Emily stared at me, aghast. I wasn’t paying attention to them, though. Is he out of his damn mind?! He’s worse here than he was in the actual game! That nutjob hadn’t forgotten about me. In fact, I was certain he was doing this on purpose. I hadn’t visited the palace since the second prince’s birthday celebration, so now he’d decided to force me into the open in a bid to kill me. —“But the next time we meet, I’ll have you regale me in full detail just why, how, and when you started to fall for me.” I shuddered as his sinister words replayed in my mind. There was never any episode like this that I played before, you stupid game! I concentrated, trying to remember the original storylines. But even if nothing came to mind, basing it on my recollections wasn’t reliable—I’d never actually managed to get Penelope out of the maze garden alive, after all. “Wh-what would you like me to do about the invitation, Miss?” the butler asked cautiously, wary of my visible rage. “Haah… What other option do I have?” I exhaled heavily, sweeping my dark-pink hair aside. “I’m sick,” I said. Taking a seat once more, I laid backward dramatically. Letting my body melt into the chair, I went limp, as if I suddenly felt faint. “I’m burning to death with a fever, Pennel,” I said weakly, my eyes falling half-shut. The butler stood confused for a moment before quickly catching on. “Our young mistress has fallen ill. Oh, how terrible. Whatever shall we do?” he asked in full display of the canniness that working at Eckhart Manor for decades had taught him. “A cold, is it?” “Probably better to add that I’m still suffering from metal poisoning caused by the sword injury.” “Understood, Miss,” the butler said as he bowed deeply, and he hurried from the room. “Haah.” I sighed again. Hoping to lessen the pounding in my head, I pressed a hand to my forehead. Emily peered at me in worry. “Miss, are you all right? Do you want me to inform the duke that you need a doctor?” “No, that’s not necessary—,” I replied reflexively before thinking better of it. “Actually, yes. Please call a doctor.” I’d make my illness common knowledge around the estate so I could stay in my room a little longer. I’m not leaving my bed for a while, much less the manor. I’d stay the hell inside until the crown prince lost interest in me altogether. Emily carried out my instructions to a T as I continued to stay confined to my room. Good thing the jeweler finished the cuff links in a timely manner. Because the festival was in full swing, nobody thought it conspicuous that Emily kept leaving the manor on odd errands. “They all seemed reluctant at first, but they changed their tune when I brought out the gems,” Emily reported. She had visited the establishments of four information guilds over the past two days. I barely paid attention to most of what she had to say until she mentioned a strange place with no employees besides a single man in a white rabbit mask. The description matched what I knew of Winter from the game. Good. The bait’s been cast. I raised a hand to stop Emily from continuing to wax on about her findings. “Nice work. It can’t have been easy, especially with the rain we’ve been having. Go back to your room and get some rest.” “Thank you. I’ll be back at dinnertime, then!” Emily said enthusiastically, unbothered by her soaking wet clothes and dripping hair. Luckily, she didn’t seem to have caught a cold while running around outside. The door clicked shut behind her, sending the room into silence again. I turned to look out the large window. The fair weather of a few days ago was gone, the outside world overlaid in a gloomy gray. “Why does it have to rain all day…?” Staring out the window with my chin in my hand and watching the downpour made me feel depressed. I hated rainy days—they always revealed things I wanted to hide. As a child, I’d envied my peers who had mothers to come pick them up after school with an umbrella. I’d always walk alone across the schoolyard with nothing to cover me, and every time someone innocently asked, “Where’s your mother?” it made me feel miserable and embarrassed. Those childish emotions changed little even as I’d grown older. The other kids would leave school in groups of three or more, attaching themselves to those who had the foresight to bring an umbrella. Then there was Asshole #2… —“Young Master! Over here, quickly!” —“Tch, it wasn’t supposed to rain today. Now I’m all wet. Hurry up and get me home, Secretary Kim.” —“What of the Young Miss…?” —“What about her? She can find her own way home. C’mon, hurry!” The car had driven away, leaving me standing alone on the empty school grounds. “…So annoying,” I muttered, the unbidden memory bringing a scowl to my face. I shook my head, trying to banish my sudden melancholy. “I’m in no position to be sitting around and watching the rain.” I stood abruptly. That’s right. I should be doing anything I could to get out of this sucky game as soon as possible. Umbrella in hand, I sneaked out of my room. The grounds were enveloped in a thick layer of fog, totally silent. The persistent rain meant no one was inclined to brave the elements. I slowly made my way through the garden. I’d come outside wanting to busy myself with something, but I couldn’t think of anything to do now that I had left the manor behind. Following wherever my feet led me, I ended up in a secluded part of the estate, somewhere the duke’s sons were unlikely to find me. Squelch, squelch. My footsteps made a soft splatting sound as I walked along the muddy path, lost in thought. Eventually pulling myself out of my reverie, I took note of my surroundings, realizing they were familiar. “This place…” I’d found myself on the wooded path that led to the training field. Having scoured the manor’s surroundings for days searching for that doghole in the wall, I could recognize where I was on the manor grounds with but a glance. “I might run into Reynold here,” I muttered, hesitating. I’d already met him once on this path, back when he’d been returning from training. And not just Reynold—there was the very real possibility of encountering Derrick here, too. “Dammit…” I’d come too far. Shaking my head, I spun around. I’d wanted to do something productive, sure, but that didn’t mean I had any desire to see either of them. Now that I’d established that their affection seemed to improve only when they didn’t see me, they were better left alone. I was making my way back to the manor when I heard a soft whistling noise and paused. Fwoosh, whish. It was the sound of a blade swinging repeatedly through the air. Someone is training in this weather? I’d heard multiple times recently that the knights were being put through much more rigorous training, a fact that left me a little disconcerted. The knights were not idiots. They would know I’d brought home a slave to be my personal guard, which had in turn inadvertently made their lives a whole lot more miserable. I resumed walking slowly. Frankly, I was a bit curious about how the knights would react to me now. I wonder if they curse me as they lie in bed at night. Not that I really cared. It was Penelope they hated, not me. I should also probably do my due diligence and make sure Eckles is settling in. When I arrived at the training field, however, there was no one around, save for a single individual swinging a wooden sword off to the side. I almost failed to see him, since his drenched gray-brown hair nearly matched the color of the storm clouds in the sky. Moving quietly and slowly so as not to catch his attention, I drew near to get a clearer look. He’d removed his shirt and was repeatedly sweeping his sword in practice swings both high and low. His back and shoulders were dense with muscles that rippled with each of his movements. They were also riddled with deep scars. Rather than eliciting pity, they made him look fierce. He must be cold… He was so focused on his drills that he didn’t notice my approach. I was directly behind him when he finally reacted. With a gust of air, he twisted around lightning quick. Swoosh. I heard the air parting before the blade and blinked. Before I’d even realized it, there was a wooden sword pressed against my neck. Eckles panted as he gazed at me, shoulders heaving. The hairs on my arms stood on end at the menace in his gaze. The simple training routine I’d witnessed shortly ago was incongruous with his ultra-swift reflexes. As recognition dawned on Eckles, the venom in his eyes faded, replaced slowly by confusion. His face fell when he fully registered who it was that he held at sword point. “M-Mistress.” His voice is trembling… He must be really shocked. All at once, I realized I hadn’t taken a breath since he’d turned to me. My lips quivered, and I finally let go of the breath I’d been holding. “It’s…,” I began, doing my best to look unconcerned and unafraid despite the sword still at my neck. “It’s raining out, Eckles.” His storm-gray eyes glinted as he stared at me, the letters above his head twinkling in tandem. [Affection: 23%] Though his affection had gone up by 3 percent in a short period of time, I couldn’t find it in me to be pleased, considering our current positions. “What are you doing here?” Eckles asked softly. “How about lowering your sword first, hmm?” I asked, flicking my eyes down at the weapon. “It’s uncomfortable.” “Ah…!” he exclaimed. With a movement so fast I couldn’t catch it, the sword was gone from my neck. The blade whizzed through the air as he swung it upward, holding it above his head. Its long shadow fell over my face, and I flinched, closing my eyes involuntarily. I knew it was unlikely, but I couldn’t help being scared that he might use it to strike me. The sound of something splintering forced my eyes to snap open. Before me, the sword lay on the ground, snapped in two pieces. What the…? My eyes slowly tracked from the sword to Eckles as he fell to his knees in the mud. “Mistress.” “…” “I’ve wronged you.” He bowed his head in a kneel, begging for forgiveness. “I…I dared to…” The way his face contorted reminded me of a child about to burst into tears. “Punish me.” The rain was beginning to come down more heavily. Droplets dripped endlessly down Eckles’s face, running over the curves of his shapely nose and sharp jawline. He looked pathetic. But I recognized immediately where his gaze had fallen—intently focused on the red ruby that adorned my left index finger. I sighed, barely audible, glancing between Eckles and the discarded pieces of the broken wood. He’s asking me to punish him, but he looks ready to attack if I so much as raise a finger against him. It seemed Eckles had thrown the pieces of sword aside with force, as they’d ended up half-buried in the mud, the sharp, jagged edges pointing skyward. I had a sneaking suspicion that were I unfortunate enough to trip and fall, I would end up impaled on them. Urk… The thought alone made me tremble. All of a sudden, I was reminded of the dialogue prompts I had turned off. This is the type of scene where I’d have died at every turn in the real game. I’d have reset over and over until I could finally make the right choices and get out alive. Of course, I couldn’t be 100 percent certain, since I hadn’t played Eckles’s route in Hard Mode. But I’d spent enough time in this game world to instinctively know I’d reached a crossroads. What does Penelope need to say to survive this? I regarded Eckles—still kneeling at my feet—with cold eyes. His eyes were fixed pitifully on the ground as the rain poured down on him. I wonder what’s going on inside his head. His home country had fallen overnight, leaving a talented swordsman at rock bottom, nothing but a slave groveling on his knees. He probably hated the arrogant woman who had bought him for an extravagant price and surely despised his current situation, which forced him to bow his head obediently if he wanted to survive. It wasn’t hard to guess how he was feeling. He’d immediately attacked when he’d realized someone was behind him, and I’d seen for myself the venomous hostility in his eyes. It told me everything I needed to know about the rage that must be simmering within him. I knew there was only one viable solution: I had to smile innocently like the heroine of Normal Mode, who knew nothing about the way the world really worked. I just need to tell him that it’s all right, that everything is fine. But…I couldn’t bring myself to say those empty words. How can I when everything is the opposite of fine? How can I when I nearly met my death from the blow of a practice sword? “Eckles…,” I said, clenching my quivering hands into fists. If I refused to give him false platitudes, I’d need to change tactics. “Has someone been bullying you?” Even though I’d rescued Eckles according to my plan, I was far from in the clear, constantly on my toes and thinking of different ways to survive. This wouldn’t change as long as I was playing Penelope—as long as I was the villain of this story. “As far as I’m aware, the knights who serve my family are treated very well. Why are you training in this weather?” I asked. “…” “And all alone, at that,” I said, forcing myself to smile. All the while I was keeping a wary eye on him, just in case he suddenly shoved me toward the jagged wooden sword pieces. “Hmm?” I pressed. Eckles’s face was devoid of emotion, and he continued to stare blankly. “Come on, you’re soaking wet,” I said, trying again. I knew it was useless at this point, but I bent down, tilting my umbrella so that it shielded him from the rain. His long lashes were heavy with dewy raindrops. I reached out and delicately wiped some of the moisture from his eyes. “Tell me, who had the nerve to put you up to this?” Eckles flinched when I brushed my hand against his face, as if my fingers were hot brands. When he finally spoke, his voice was almost a sigh. “…No one.” “…” “No one forced me to come here.” “Why are you out here, then?” I asked softly. “It’s just… I…” He trailed off. His eyes moved from my hand up to my face. “I want to become a real knight as fast as I can so I can stay by your side…” “…” “That’s why I was training alone, Mistress.” “How admirable,” I said, smiling gently. His gray gaze focused on me, losing its watery sheen. “I’ll have to reward you for working so hard.” The letters above Eckles’s head began to blink again. I did my best to tamp down my emotional turmoil so that nothing showed on my face. “Should I have the servants set up a tent so that you can train even when it rains? Or is there something else you’d like?” “…” Eckles shook his head silently. My eyes fell to the broken wooden sword in the ground. “Oh, of course. Your sword’s broken. I’ll get you a new one,” I offered. “…” “I’ll call over a weapons dealer. Or would a blacksmith be better? A completely new weapon could be forged for you—” “Mistress,” Eckles said, cutting me off. “I want you to visit me often.” His reply baffled me. I regarded him with wide eyes as he continued. “You haven’t come to see me once since you brought me here…” “…” “I thought you’d forgotten about me.” There was something like blind devotion in the eyes that gazed at me, as if he was desperate for my affection. “Ha…” A mocking laugh—it might have been directed at myself; I couldn’t be sure—escaped my lips. I get it now. I’d found the dissonance strange—a killing machine who could dispatch others as easily as he could kneel at my feet. Just as I played the role of kind and loving master to garner affection, so, too, was Eckles acting the loyal dog to ensure his own survival. Except I might’ve picked up a wolf cub instead of a lapdog. Like a fool, I’d never once considered that pursuing Eckles would have its own dangers, but now? I wasn’t so sure anymore. I hadn’t gone down all possible routes in Hard Mode, something that was apparently coming back to bite me. Be all that as it may, it was too late to stop at this point. “…Very well. If that’s what you want,” I acquiesced. [Affection: 25%] Eckles smiled faintly at my agreement. “You’re going to catch a cold, Eckles.” His lips had slowly begun to turn blue since he’d stopped his grueling training. I’d kept my voice as gentle as I could but showed no hesitation as I straightened, taking my umbrella with me. The rain began pelting Eckles’s naked upper body once more. “Stop training for today. That’s an order.” I turned abruptly and was already several paces away when he called after me softly. “Mistress.” I glanced back and found him still kneeling in the mud. His eyes were glued to me, and he wasn’t bothering to try escaping the rain, as if the thought hadn’t even occurred to him. “…Won’t you punish me?” “…” “I nearly hurt you.” No, not just hurt—you almost killed me. My lips pursed, but I forced them into a smile. “Punishing a loyal knight over something so trivial would make me a fool, Eckles.” “…” “You didn’t do it on purpose, did you?” I swiveled and strode away before he could answer. I could feel his eyes watching me as I left the training field. My one and only guardian knight… I had neither commanded him to get up, nor granted him forgiveness. Fortunately, he didn’t try to call out for me again. I fled down the path, uncaring that my dress was getting soaked. My quick retreat through the grounds was in stark contrast to my earlier meandering, when I’d been walking carefully in order to keep my skirts dry. There’s nothing safe about Eckles’s route. This discovery left me dismayed, though it wasn’t anything new, all things considered. All five main love interests started with zero or negative affection. I’d died more times than I could count at every step of the way while playing through Hard Mode. What had I been thinking, expecting an easy way out of this? What did I ever see in him for me to approach him so fearlessly? Just remembering the kiss of the wooden sword against my neck made me feel dizzy all over again. “Ah…” I came to a stop. Unaware that I was still partly exposed to the rain, I leaned against the wooden pole I had found myself standing next to. My knees felt as if they might give out at any second. I glared into the fog until the dizzy spell cleared. And at that moment, I suddenly knew: “I need to meet with Winter as soon as possible.” Eckles had the highest affection of any of the love interests—25 percent—but there was something I felt I was overlooking that continued to bother me. Derrick’s and Reynold’s affection rose by only 2 to 3 percent at a time, 5 percent in very rare cases. But Eckles, whom I’d only met a few days ago, had an affection that was jumping up at unprecedented speeds. The faster the climb, the harder the fall. In Hard Mode, drops in affection meters had often been caused by the most unexpected things. Eckles was my first choice for getting out of the game world, but I couldn’t put all my eggs in one basket. “…I should have a backup escape plan, just in case.” The ice-cold rain fell on my exposed arm, and the sensation brought my jumbled thoughts into focus. “Yeah, that’s all. This game is predictable, so there’s no need to panic,” I said, trying to console myself once more. My harried breathing slowed, and my wooziness receded like a low tide. Glancing down, I noticed that the shoulder of my dress was also soaking wet. “Emily will make a fuss,” I commented absently to myself. Tutting, I began walking again. Now that I had calmed down, I’d finally begun to feel the cold. If I didn’t hurry back inside, Penelope’s weak body would no doubt come down with a fever of some sort. The information guilds Emily had visited delivered results after only two days. “Miss, here are the merchants’ replies regarding the person you’re searching for,” Emily said, placing the cup of black tea and the cake I’d asked for on my desk and surreptitiously setting the envelopes down next to the tray. The guilds’ insignias were stamped in wax on each of them. After putting aside my book, I opened them. Inside each envelope was a single piece of paper with many names and houses scrawled down its length. The lists were almost identical, though there were slight discrepancies in how many names each contained. “Is this it?” I asked as I skimmed through them. Emily straightened her posture immediately, likely afraid that I was disappointed with the results. She quickly added, “The messengers told me it would be useful if you gave them a little more information about the man you’re looking for, Miss. It would help narrow down the possibilities…” She trailed off, shooting a nervous glance at the papers in my hand. She’d been so certain that the search wouldn’t take long, but the lists of names were far from short, so I wasn’t surprised by her concern. I knew it wasn’t Emily’s fault, though. A nobleman who attended the second prince’s birthday celebration and carried a white handkerchief. The written memo I’d given her to take to the guilds wasn’t very descriptive. Most noblemen carried handkerchiefs with them when attending a party or banquet, after all. It was a matter of etiquette. “I-I’ll inquire at another information guild, Miss,” Emily tried to assuage my apparent displeasure, her expression troubled. “No. This will do just fine.” Since I hadn’t actually intended for them to find him in the first place, I shook my head at her suggestion. “I meant that you only gave me three envelopes. I thought you said you went to four establishments?” “Ah…,” Emily said, her face finally relaxing. “Come to think of it, one of them still hasn’t replied,” she said, tilting her head to the side. I checked the three lists in my hand again. None of them bore the white rabbit seal I was looking for. I thought he’d reply right away… Surprisingly, I found myself disappointed by Winter’s seeming lack of enthusiasm. Well, if he isn’t going to show his face, that leaves me with only one option. I’d have to do what the heroine of Normal Mode had done and attend every party Winter was likely to show up at. Talk about a bummer. I sighed quietly. “Would you like me to try again?” Emily asked cautiously, noticing my chagrin. “No. In any case, did you pay them for their services?” “Yes. I sent each messenger back with the gems we’d agreed upon as payment.” “Well done,” I said distractedly, mind already on all the approaching parties I could remember from Normal Mode. “As a reward for your hard work, you can have all the gems that are left in the jewelry box.” “But th-that’s…!” Emily’s jaw dropped at the unexpectedly big reward. “I—I couldn’t possibly, Miss! I’ll bring the box back after tidying up the gems.” “Why not? Are jewels not your thing? Would you prefer gold instead?” “N-no, not at all!” She shook her head emphatically. “I…I don’t want anything like that, Miss.” I paused, finally turning to look at Emily and finding an unhappy expression on her face. Wouldn’t most servants jump for joy if they were offered riches? She almost seemed distressed as she continued, “I don’t need compensation. I just—” “Oh,” I said, remembering what I’d originally put on the line. “Don’t worry. I’ll get rid of the needle, as promised.” “Y-you don’t have to do that, either! You should keep it,” Emily protested. “Huh?” I was thoroughly confused at this point. The needle’s been making her anxious, but now she insists I hold on to it? “Tell me what it is that you want exactly,” I demanded, frowning slightly. Emily peered timidly at me, then slowly stuttered, “I—I…I want to be your true lady-in-waiting, Miss.” “…” I studied her without showing any emotion, trying to guess what she meant. “You’re already my personal maid. I can’t grant you much more than that, I’m afraid,” I said indifferently. “Miss!” Emily exclaimed, suddenly falling to her knees. “Please forgive me!” “…” “For so long, I committed the most awful sins against you. I…I don’t know what I was thinking! I don’t know how I dared… It’s only a given that you wouldn’t trust me.” “Emily.” “B-but if you give me one more chance, I can prove myself useful…and worthy of being beside you!” I was briefly at a loss for words. “…So you’re saying you want to be my loyal right-hand woman?” I asked. “Yes!” I couldn’t make sense of it. Up until now, Emily had been one of the most enthusiastic contributors to Penelope’s tortured existence. Considered the “fake daughter,” Penelope had been disrespected by even the servants. Such were the consequences of her position in House Eckhart. Does Emily think she’ll receive some reward greater than gems if she aligns herself with me? Sadly, Penelope, who prodigiously wasted money from the family coffers, did not have any money set aside for her. She would beg the duke or the butler to call a merchant over to buy gems from time to time, but she had no other personal wealth. Emily had been her maid for years now and knew this better than anyone. What is she up to? I peered at her suspiciously. Emily’s jaw set in determination. “Keep the needle and show it to His Grace if you ever come to think I’m undeserving of your trust.” “…Do you really mean that?” Emily nodded with conviction. I studied her closely, but sincerity was written all over her face. I considered the girl kneeling at my feet. I never would’ve expected this. Emily was an unimportant side character I’d regarded as nothing more than a pawn I could use once I’d given her the proper incentives. Why is she suddenly volunteering her undying support? Is this another one of the game’s twists? Her change of heart would’ve made little sense in real life, but here, now? I wasn’t complaining. Having a loyal maid can’t hurt. I didn’t have to contemplate for long. “Go ahead and put the remaining jewels back where they were, then,” I said. “Miss!” Emily rose to her feet, eyes misty with emotion. It was clear she understood that I’d accepted her proposition. “Thank you! Thank you, Miss! I’ll do my absolute best to serve you, now and forever!” “Yeah, yeah. Get to it,” I said, waving her off as she repeatedly thanked me. As soon as the door finally clicked shut behind her, the white game system window reappeared. <SYSTEM> Your relationship with a manor inhabitant has improved. Reputation has increased +10 points. (TOTAL POINTS: 15) “Hmm. Now that’s interesting,” I said, reading the message. I’d given up on my reputation practically at the start, but surprisingly, it kept improving without any deliberate effort. The huge window in my room let in a stream of dazzling sunlight. I was sitting on the floor in front of it, dozing off, the table that was usually where I was now having been shoved aside. I would’ve loved to go outside for a walk, but I didn’t want to risk running into the crazy assholes that were my adoptive brothers. So getting some sun inside my room was the next-best thing, and it was actually brightening my mood a little. It’s so peaceful… If I was being honest with myself, I knew I shouldn’t be wasting time like this. I’d waited two more days after the first missives Emily brought me from the information guilds, but Winter still had yet to reply. This had forced me to turn to the butler of all people. —“Gather all the invitations we’ve received to parties that might attract high-ranking young noblemen.” I recalled my instruction and Pennel’s reaction—the implication that I was growing socially active again had made him visibly nervous. I couldn’t help but wonder how much trouble Penelope had caused in the past to cause such visceral alarm. Haah… I guess this is how my happy, peaceful life in voluntary probation ends… I was already dreading the prospect of attending a bunch of parties in search of Winter, so much so that I felt tears in my eyes even as I dozed. Creeeak… The soft squealing of the window interrupted my moping. I’d left it ajar, but it was forced fully open as a great gust of wind blew into the room. “Wh-what the…?!” Jolting up in shock, I squinted and tried to keep my eyes open. But the wind was so powerful that I was forced to squeeze them shut. My hair fluttered around wildly, falling tangled into my face. “Ugh!” I crouched low, confused, but the wind died down as abruptly as it had started. The room was suddenly so silent that I wondered if I’d imagined the whole thing. I raised my head cautiously to peer around and take in my environment. “What in the world…?” “Squee?” Hearing a strange squeaking noise, I silently turned to locate its source. What I found was a ball of white fur on the floor, sitting on the hem of my dress. “Squee!” No, not a ball of fur—a rabbit. “Huh…?” This absurd new series of developments left me at a complete loss. A weird gust of wind, and now a rabbit? I rubbed my eyes, worried I was seeing things, but the baby rabbit was still there when I opened them. “Squee, squee!” The small animal tilted its head at me as I stared down at it in astonishment. Then it hopped to where I was still crouched and came to a rest on my knee. “Uh… Where did you come from, little guy? This is the second floor, you know…” “Squee?” “The wind can’t have carried you in, right?” The rabbit didn’t seem to understand me, blinking at me with its red eyes, nose twitching as it tilted its head again. “Ugh, what am I thinking? The actual problem would be if you did understand me.” The rabbit opened its mouth suddenly, its two tiny incisors peeking out. Then it spoke. “Your request has been fulfilled.” The cute rabbit had the husky baritone of a grown man. I froze for a second, then— “Gyah!” I screamed, recoiling. To my horror, the rabbit was flung off my knee. Thankfully, it seemed to have good reflexes, landing softly on its feet instead of crashing to the floor. It then proceeded to peer up at me innocently, as if nothing strange had happened. “The hell? That voice just now…” I’d definitely heard a deep, masculine voice come from the rabbit. The creature was barely the size of my fist, but I stared at it in trepidation. It didn’t speak in its strange voice again, though, and I muttered to myself, stupefied, “What was that? Am I hearing things, or—?” “Your request has been fulfilled. If you wish to receive the information, kindly visit our guild in person,” came the deep voice in response. “Oh my god!” I freaked out once more, scrambling away quickly. I was so desperate to get away from the rabbit that I soon felt the bedpost digging into my back. However, the animal didn’t make any attempt to pursue me. In fact, it didn’t move at all from where it sat on the plush carpet. “This has been a message from the Guild of the White Rabbit. Thank you for your time,” said the rabbit, and another gust of wind blew through the room. When it had died down, and I was done fixing my bird’s-nest hair, the fluffy white rabbit was nowhere to be seen. “What was that…?” I stared at the patch of carpet where the rabbit had been sitting moments ago, until I finally remembered that this was how Winter would contact the heroine in Normal Mode. He kept his identity a closely guarded secret and seldom did any task in person. His messages were delivered through small animals like birds, mice, or puppies. Most common, though, were the white rabbits, in the theme of his merchant group’s emblem. I vaguely recalled finding it quite romantic, but the game neglected to mention one shocking detail. “No one ever said anything about talking creatures…” The actual game had no voice actors. Winter’s messages were written out as on-screen text, so I hadn’t imagined that the animals would literally speak. “Ha.” Thinking back on the masculine voice that had come from the adorable baby rabbit’s tiny mouth made me laugh. It was so silly. Why didn’t he just send a letter or a messenger like a normal person? Wait, this isn’t foreshadowing that he’s got some screws loose, too, is it? The thought made me shiver, and I shook my head. I’d already been fooled by Eckles, whom I’d falsely considered to be an easy way out. Pursuing Winter was only insurance just in case Eckles’s affection dropped for some unforeseeable reason. But if even Winter couldn’t be trusted… “Actually, yes. It’s highly unlikely that all five of them are crazy,” I muttered to myself, shooting down the possibility wholeheartedly. I considered what I’d seen of Winter in Normal Mode and during our brief encounter at the palace. He was gentlemanly enough to offer his handkerchief without hesitation, even to the villain. Maybe he would turn out to be an even easier target than Eckles. “I need to go see him before I decide anything.” Feeling a little calmer, I picked myself up off the floor. I had fled a considerable distance from my original spot by the window. Looking back, I felt a little embarrassed that I’d scrambled away like a coward because of such a small, fluffy thing. I hope he didn’t see that. In any case, Winter reaching out was great news for me. I wouldn’t have to attend countless balls and festivities just for a chance at meeting him. I’d just come to this satisfying conclusion when the white notification window popped up again. <SYSTEM> A new episode is available. [The Enigmatic Sorcerer—Winter Verdandi] Teleport to the guild? [YES / NO] “Crap, give me a second,” I said, as if the game system could understand me. I hurriedly began preparing. I needed to take a few precautions if I was going to leave without alerting anyone. First, I found the cloak I’d worn when I’d rescued Eckles. I’d taken care to hide it deep in the closet despite Emily’s protests and attempts to throw it away. Then I retrieved a sapphire necklace from one of the jewelry boxes, to be used as payment. I also gathered Winter’s white handkerchief and a thank-you gift I thought he might like. “Do I need to take this?” I wondered, eyeing the smiling mask Reynold had bought me at the festival. Winter had sent the rabbit directly to my room, which meant trying to hide my identity would be redundant. On the other hand, I was trying to convincingly play the part of a noble young lady clandestinely searching for a man. I’ll stay true to that concept for now. I put the mask on, and after a final look in the mirror, I dashed back over to the pop-up window. “All right. Let’s do this!” There was a flash of light, and when I opened my eyes, I was standing in a quiet alleyway. “Is this the place?” A run-down-looking building stood in front of me, where the faint image of a rabbit was made almost invisible by the grain of its old wooden door. I recognized this as Winter’s establishment, having seen it in the game art. I approached the door, intending to knock. However, when I raised my hand to do so, the door opened by itself with a creak. “Huh?” A shiver went down my spine at the thought that someone was watching me. I peered into the dark interior before pushing the door open all the way and going inside. The guild looked exactly as I remembered it. There was a desk, a bookcase, and a sofa for guests. It was just an ordinary office, and—strangely—it appeared to be totally empty. “Where is he?” I’d come almost immediately after receiving the rabbit’s message and was disappointed to find the place vacant. Should I go back to the manor? Hmm… There’s no harm in waiting around for a bit since I’m already here. I didn’t know how to get back anyway and would have to borrow a carriage, which was basically the equivalent of a taxi in this world. Despite this being a high-level information guild of great repute, they seemed to not have a single servant or employee. What kind of guild doesn’t have any servants? But then again, I suppose that’s why he sends those nightmare rabbits with the fully grown male voices to pass on his messages… I pulled the door shut behind me and made my way to the sofa. I’m a guest here, might as well make myself comfortable while I wait. I was curiously examining the interior once more when— Bang! A loud booming noise reverberated throughout the room, the sofa vibrating beneath me. “Wh-what the…?!” I exclaimed, jumping to my feet. The entire building seemed to shake for a moment before it returned to quiet stillness. “Strange,” I murmured, furrowing my brows in confusion. I was moving to retake my seat when the sound came again, this time accompanied by a vibration powerful enough to make me stumble and a distant rumbling sound. “Whoa!” I yelped, grasping at the back of the sofa to hold myself steady. I just want to see Winter, for goodness’ sake! Why is nothing easy in this world? The furniture wobbled under my grip, but once again, the shaking soon passed. “I-is it an earthquake?” I grabbed on to the armrest, bracing myself for another tremor. I waited in tense silence, but everything remained still. Quickly sliding off the sofa, I checked out the window. I had no knowledge of any natural disasters occurring in the game world and wanted to see how other people were reacting. “Huh?” The scene outside couldn’t have been more peaceful. No one had run out in a panic despite the two enormous tremors. In fact, the street remained completely empty. “I mean, even if it is a quiet alleyway… There are still other buildings here. Where are all the people?” Because the festival was still in full swing, there would be pandemonium if an earthquake hit the capital now. I pressed my ear against the glass with a frown. Maybe the window is soundproof and blocks all outside noise? At that moment, I heard a thumping noise—not from the alley, but from behind me, farther inside the building. I turned and gasped at what I found: There were strange markings on the wall. “What are those lines?” A large, perfect rectangle had been drawn from the floor almost to the ceiling. I should inspect it more closely. Thump! There was another loud sound, and I was now certain it was coming from behind this wall. I rushed over and ran my fingers over the lines that formed the rectangle. “Wait…” They weren’t lines, but cracks. This is the outline of a door—probably a secret entrance! “So you’re a legit sorcerer, huh?” The idea that I’d found a secret passageway—the kind you’d usually only see in books and movies—made my heart pound with excitement. In the game, Winter would appear whenever the heroine was feeling sad or upset, performing fancy little magic tricks for her. What the developers had been going for with Winter’s character was pretty obvious—“Whenever you’re feeling down, your own personal novelty key chain will appear out of nowhere and cheer you up with his cuteness!” or something fun like that. Ultimately, though, it was more style than substance. The game was extremely easy in Normal Mode, Winter’s ending especially so. Unlike the other picky love interests, he had been genuinely fond of the duke’s true daughter from the moment he met her. His seemingly gentle nature was the reason I hadn’t eliminated him as an option, in fact. Well, now he’s been turned into my backup man. I laughed bitterly to myself, then frowned as I scanned the cracks in the wall once more. “How do I open it?” There was no doorknob and no indent—as one would find in a sliding door—that I could fit my fingers into. Just the thin outline to work with. “This can’t just be for decoration, can it?” I rubbed my chin, wondering what to make of it, before feeling along the cracks again. Maybe there’s a hidden button? I was groping the wall when the game system window flashed into my vision. <SYSTEM> Hidden quest discovered! [Unearth the Sorcerer’s Secret] <SYSTEM> You have found the sorcerer’s hidden space. Enter? (Reward: unspecified) [YES / NO] “What the…?” The last thing I’d been expecting to find was a quest, and I blinked at the notification with wide eyes. This quest didn’t show up in Normal Mode… I glanced at the reward and frowned. “Ugh!” Hidden quests, by their nature, never told you in advance what the reward would be. It was similar to the dialogue-prompts feature—both came with unknown boons. “Should I accept?” I wondered, staring at the buttons hovering at eye level. I only really cared about Winter’s affection and had no interest in “unearthing his secret.” Everyone is entitled to their privacy, after all. What use was it sticking my nose where it didn’t belong? It’s not like I’ll get an increase in affection out of it or anything. I might even end up losing more than I gain. Gah! I was reaching for the [NO] button when another loud banging noise made me pause. The sound was accompanied by low vibrations, and this time I was able to visibly see the wall shaking. “But then again… If this leads to a secret chamber, Winter might be inside.” Some time had passed since I’d arrived, and he had yet to appear. Maybe this was one of those mandatory Hard Mode quests I’d be forced to complete either way. I read the hovering notification again carefully. There were no penalties for failing the quest, only the promise of a mysterious reward. I could only assume that meant everything would be okay even if I failed. Probably. “All right. I came all this way, so I should at least try to see him before I leave.” Making up my mind, I accepted the quest. As soon as I did, the rectangular segment marked on the wall slid aside, revealing a secret passageway. I entered without looking back. Beyond the wall was a dark, broad corridor that stretched into the distance. Seen from the outside, this building should not have physically been able to contain such a long tunnel. I felt a surge of excitement, as if I were in a movie and going on an adventure. The loud thumping sound and faint tremors from before returned, making me cover my ears. What in the world is he up to? I wondered with a frown. The noises were coming from the end of the corridor, where a bright light was emanating from the room beyond. With my hands still clamped over my ears, I began making my way down the long passageway, then slowed to a stop when I reached the entrance. Inside was a huge, sprawling room, probably as big as the property that stretched out behind the ducal manor. Countless bookcases lined every wall, each filled with various tomes. The duke’s study housed an impressive collection of literature, but this was on par with a national library. “Whoa…” I stared in awe at the magical expanse, which I hadn’t encountered while playing the game. Besides the book-lined walls, the enormous room housed a myriad of other curiosities. Large glass display cases were scattered around, showcasing gems, accessories, and mysterious minerals I couldn’t identify. I also spotted the stuffed pelts of creatures I’d never seen before and reconstructed large skeletons—perhaps once belonging to dinosaurs. “It’s…almost like a museum,” I murmured dreamily. “Damn, this place is awesome.” I never imagined I’d find something like this when I stepped through that secret door! Deciding to venture deeper inside to explore, I lowered my hands from my ears. With a skip in my step, I made to look around before being promptly interrupted. Boom! Thud! The loud slamming noises and vibrations, momentarily forgotten, rudely pulled me out of the clouds and back down to earth. “Hey, dummy! Aim for that spot!” a small voice cried. “L-like this?” a different tiny voice asked. “No, this way!” There was the sound of a small explosion, followed by a crunch. “Eek! Watch out for the shards!” A group of children was fleeing from one corner of the room, sharp ice fragments pouring out after them. The children all wore animal masks—there was a lion, a cat, a squirrel, a puppy, a pig… “Dang it! Be careful! If we break the box inside, the guild master’s gonna kill us!” shouted the lion-masked boy. He narrowly escaped being skewered by a spear of ice by tumble-rolling and springing back to his feet. “Okay. I’ll focus on the ice on the edges, then…,” muttered another child glumly, raising the object in their hand. A wand? Are they…young sorcerers? A different child approached the ice and raised their wand, too. “You take the left side this time! I’ll do the right!” A total of five children now surrounded the chunk of ice that towered over them. I eyed the jagged, cold mass carefully. Something was encased within, and I had a feeling I’d seen it before. If my memory served correctly, it was… An ancient sorcerer’s artifact! [Acquired: Ancient Sorcerer’s Artifact! Discovered by Winter in the north, this necklace is a relic once used by sorcerers of old. It changes color when toxic material is detected in its vicinity…… ……All the surrounding artifacts were destroyed during its excavation from the ice, leaving only the necklace remaining. Due to its rarity, acquiring this item leads to a rise in Winter’s affection of……] I remembered the passage from the game but couldn’t quite recall the exact percentage by which his affection would rise. This is the event that leads to all artifacts save for the necklace being destroyed! My musings, however, were interrupted by chanting. “Nom perdanon fero thum!” called the child in the pig mask, speaking in a strange language. A white ray of light resembling a laser beam immediately shot out of their wand. As soon as the light made contact with the ice, it erupted in a huge explosion. The children shrieked. “Get out of the way!” one of them yelled, and they all split. When the smoke cleared, it revealed that a chunk of ice near the chest had been blasted away. “Wow, guys, look! The corner’s sticking out! We did it!” “Whoa, we really did. Let’s try that again, together this time!” These clueless kids…! Artifacts need to be treated as gently as a newborn baby! I was horrified by the children’s misplaced enthusiasm. If they continued, they would destroy the ice and the chest inside it. “Kids!” I cried, rushing over to them. “Nom perdanon…” “Hey, knock it off!” I said, hastily stepping in front of the child who had been preparing to cast another spell. “What are you doing?” Now that I was seeing them up close, the kids appeared to be maybe ten or eleven years old. And just as I finally had a good look at them, I, too, was suddenly being scrutinized by many pairs of clever little eyes. The child with the lion mask pointed his small wand at me. “What the heck?! Who are you, old lady?!” “‘Old lady’?!” I was aghast and frankly affronted. “Yeah, you’re wearing an old noble-lady mask!” yelled the boy. “Mm-hmm! You look like a scary noblewoman!” cried another of the children. At their words, I was reminded of the mask I still had on. Why are they saying it looks like an old noblewoman, though? I wondered briefly what the children meant until it dawned on me that to them, the white smiling mask evoked the white makeup associated with women of the nobility. “I’m not an old lady. I’m a patron of this guild,” I said, forcing myself to calm down and explain like an adult. “Who are you kids?” They all started speaking at the same time. “We’re the guild master’s pupils.” “Idiot! You can’t just tell her that!” “But guests aren’t allowed to come inside!” “They aren’t even able to! How is she here?” I’d never been good with children, even in the real world. Watching as they shouted over each other, a memory suddenly came to me from my days in kindergarten of how our teacher used to settle a rowdy classroom. “Kids! Stop, stop! Everyone, clap your hands!” I shouted and clapped my hands three times. None of the children followed along, no doubt finding the practice unfamiliar, but they all peered up at me quietly regardless. I spoke while I had the chance. “It doesn’t really matter who I am or who you are. What matters is that you’re about to destroy a precious artifact!” The children stared blankly at me. “Don’t you have chisels and hammers? Did your guild master instruct you to destroy the ice with magic?” I was asking because I was actually curious, but the children reacted as if I was scolding them. They dropped their gazes to the ground, looking guilty. “No…,” murmured the child who’d pointed his wand at me, seeming put out. He then rummaged around in his pocket and withdrew something. “The guild master left us these, actually…” A tiny ice pick and hammer sat in his hand. The other children produced their own sets as well. “The ice is too thick to just use these, though!” complained one of them. “And it’s enchanted, too! The ice grows back super quick after you break it!” said another. “We thought we could get it done fast if we used magic like the guild master would’ve…,” murmured a third. The children were obviously morose at the turn in conversation. With a sigh, I held out my hand. “Give me those.” After taking an ice pick and hammer from one of the kids, I approached the large mass of ice, which was nearly as tall as I was. The children, interest piqued, gathered behind me. They were right. The chunks of ice they’d blasted away were already re-forming. The corner of the chest that had been freed was slowly becoming encased again. I studied the growing ice carefully and realized that there seemed to be a limit to its regenerative ability. Upon closer inspection, the corner was still slightly exposed, the spread of the ice stopping before it was fully covered again. I might be able to recover it if I do this just right. I asked the lion-masked kid, “Do you have hot water?” “Yes! We can conjure some with magic!” “We don’t want to damage the artifact. Can you spray it on the ice but make sure no water gets on the chest itself?” The child nodded enthusiastically and held up his wand again. “Water Fission!” A soft mist of water sprayed from the end of the wand, and moments later I called, “Okay, stop. Now, wait for my signal, then spray again.” “Got it!” I’d ceased scolding them, choosing to deal with the situation myself. The hot water had melted the hard surface of the ice on contact. Careful to avoid the chest, I placed the tip of the pick into the softened ice and swung down hard on the handle with the hammer. With a cracking sound, a huge fracture formed in the ice around the chest. Driving the pick into the crack a few more times, I soon was able to lift out a huge hunk of ice, revealing the corner of the chest in full again. I waited for a long moment, just watching, and my suspicions were confirmed. Eliminating the same area multiple times slowed the regeneration considerably. “…I think this is the only way to remove the ice without harming the artifact.” “What do you mean?” asked a child. “The old-fashioned way.” I delivered the news without sympathy to the children staring up at me with shining eyes. “Don’t try to take shortcuts with magic. You’ll have to soften the ice and chip away at it piece by piece.” “Aww…” They all groaned in disappointment. Looks like they were convinced they could take the easy way out. “The good news is that areas that’ve already been carved away seem to take longer to regenerate.” “So we chip away at the same part over and over?” one of the children asked. “Correct,” I said with a nod. “I’ll work on the ice first with our little lion here. The rest of you, continue chipping away at the spot we choose right after, okay?” “Okay!” I was a little flattered, seeing their eyes sparkling with enthusiasm as they scrambled to obey. And feeling in my element was admittedly exciting. With the eager children clamoring to follow my lead, I began helping to extract the artifact in earnest. I’d read about the excavation process in books over and over, but I’d never gotten to try it before myself. I thought I’d have plenty of opportunities once I went to college… I smiled bitterly. I never imagined my long-awaited dream would come true for the first time after I was forced into a game world. “Now, then. Try hammering right here. Make sure the pick doesn’t come in contact with the chest—you’ll scratch it.” “I want to try!” “Me too, me too!” Unexpectedly, the seemingly clumsy children had a more delicate touch than I did. We chipped away at the ice for a while, and by the time only half of the precious chest containing the artifact was exposed, we were all pretty wiped. I’d expected the surrounding floor to end up soaked with water, but it was surprisingly dry, and much cleaner than it would have been if we’d been excavating dirt. This was mostly because—seemingly still enchanted—the ice flakes that fluttered to the ground didn’t melt. “Oof, my poor back…,” I said, straightening from where I’d been crouched over the ice. My entire body was aching. The children were obviously feeling tired as well, grumbling and massaging their limbs. “This is hard…” “Too hard.” “But we’re, like, halfway there!” shouted one of the children, doing their best to sound perky. “Right, yeah!” responded another. Surveying our work, I noticed that the chest didn’t have a single scratch on it. I grinned. “Good work, everyone.” “It’s all thanks to you, old lady!” “Yep! It’s ’cause the old lady taught us what to do!” The children all rushed me at once, clapping in appreciation. Don’t make this “old lady” repeat herself—I told you not to call me that, I thought, ticked. However, since I was still wearing the mask, I begrudgingly resigned myself to the moniker and clapped along. That was when a chilling voice rang out from behind me. “And who might you be?” I froze, my palms pressed together awkwardly, mid-clap. So engrossed in excavating the artifact, I’d forgotten why I’d come here in the first place. “What are you doing here?” the voice continued. I turned around stiffly, like my joints had suddenly rusted over. Standing a short distance away was a tall man in a white rabbit mask. Winter Verdandi. “I cast a spell on this place—no normal person should be able to recognize, much less enter, it.” I could see navy-blue eyes glaring at me through the mask’s eye holes, cold as the night sky. He slowly raised a large, heavy staff, pointing it at me. “That mask you’re wearing—are you a sorcerer?” A white light glowed at the top of the staff, and I had a sinking feeling the a spell might fly at me at any second. I gulped, trying desperately to think of what to say. “I’m here on a side quest” was very well out of the question. What’s the best way out of this predicament? Should I unmask myself while I’m ahead? Outright reveal my identity? In my hesitation, the numbers above his head began to blink precariously— [Affection: 9%] Then notification after notification popped up in rapid succession. Affection –1% Affection –2% Affection –2% Affection –1% The flurry of small messages rolling into existence above his affection bar made my jaw drop and my heart stop. What the…?! What’s happening?! [Affection: 3%] No! Please, no! Stop! His affection had dropped to 3 percent in an instant. And that clearly wasn’t the end of it—the letters were still blinking threateningly, indicating they might change at any moment. I bit my quivering lower lip. And here I thought there wouldn’t be any penalty for accepting the quest. There was no warning! So why…?! Thank goodness for small mercies. If my face hadn’t been covered by the mask, I might have straight up burst into tears at this turn of events. Winter jerked his staff, which was still aimed in my direction. “It would be in your best interest to explain how you got in here,” he pressed, a threat concealed under his polite tone. “Y-you see…,” I started. I hadn’t experienced such a sudden plummet in affection since waking up in this world, so my mind was drawing a blank. I couldn’t think of a single excuse in my stupor. My lips opened and closed helplessly, but no words came out. “We brought her here!” one of the children cried as they all ran in front of me, forming a barrier between us. “This old lady knows a ton about excavating artifacts, so we asked her to help us!” “That’s right!” another little voice hollered. “We’re nearly done thanks to her! See!” They pointed at the chunk of ice behind us. Winter looked over, and his eyes widened briefly before he addressed the children. “How many times have I told you that outsiders are never to be allowed in here?” he said sternly. “But she said she was a patron!” “And the task you gave us was waaay too hard…” I hadn’t expected the children to stand up for me. After all, we’d only met a few hours ago. I barely had time to sit in my appreciation, though. Winter’s cold stare had changed as soon as he heard the word patron leave the child’s lips. He glanced between the artifact and me before lowering his glowing staff and bowing politely. “It would seem I treated you quite rudely, and after you helped the children, too. Please forgive me. This place is usually off-limits to all but a select few.” This was the first apology I’d ever received from one of the game’s love interests—if you excluded Eckles begging for forgiveness. In this world, no one ever apologized to Penelope. But I couldn’t feel the slightest bit happy about it. What I did feel was stupid for getting excited over playing archeologist, and scared that I might die. Terror and horror that I’d meet my end in this room and there was nothing I could do to stop it—watching the affection meter drop in real time was a uniquely terrifying experience. The game world I’d found myself in left room only for fear. I might find myself rejoicing one moment, but in the next, I could be plunged into incredible danger. My hands were quivering from the shock, and I tucked them behind me to hide it. Despite my fright, I finally found my voice. “I…didn’t know this place was off-limits. I’m sorry.” Sick with fear on the inside, I did my best to hold my head up high. I had to maintain the persona of a haughty, fearless noblewoman at all costs. This is a nightmare. Winter seemed taken aback by the soft tone I’d adopted in contrast to my confident attitude. “…Please come this way,” he said after a pause. “This isn’t the proper venue to discuss business.” He gestured politely, guiding me from the room. Despite his unfailing courteousness, I had the feeling he wanted me out of the secret chamber as soon as possible. I moved as slowly as I reasonably could, wondering if a game notification would appear. Despite entering the “hidden space” as the quest had directed, there was no indication from the game that I’d succeeded. Judging by the plummet in Winter’s affection, I was starting to gather that a condition of the hidden quest was getting in and out without being detected. And I’d failed spectacularly in that regard. Did all hidden quests in Hard Mode provide so little information? Screw this game. See if I accept another one of these stupid quests… I mentally swore off them, trudging over to Winter’s side. He ushered me to the passageway as soon as I reached him. Does he think I’m some kind of monster who will hurt the kids? Irritation shot through me at the thought. I knew that sneaking in hadn’t been the right thing to do, but I’d had a great time with the children and taught them something useful. I didn’t deserve to be treated with such suspicion. As if hearing my thoughts, voices suddenly called after me. “Ms. Old Noble Lady! See you later!” “Come play again sometime!” I turned to find the children in their little animal masks, crowded together and waving at me. The one with the lion mask, who’d been the first to defend me, placed a finger to his lips and winked. Cute little things. I wish I could thank them properly for helping me. I waved at them in goodbye, breaking into a bright smile, even though the mask probably hid it from view. Realizing the man in the rabbit mask, Winter, had stopped to stare at me, I awkwardly let my hand drop and scurried after him. In complete silence, we walked down the same tunnel I’d entered through earlier. How did it come to this? I thought, blinking sadly at the [Affection: 3%] above his head. If the children hadn’t intervened with their white lie, I would have likely been killed by whatever magic spell he’d been gearing up to throw at me. I’d wanted to use Winter as insurance, but considering the state of things, I would be lucky to simply maintain his current affection. Haah… I heaved a deep inward sigh. The corridor seemed much shorter on the way out. Winter stood aside when we reached the doorway, waiting for me to exit first. Though I was trembling in fear within, I held my composure as I passed him. He followed directly behind me, turned, and waved his staff at the open door. It slid shut. Huh? The wall was back to normal, and I stared in shock. The white cracks that had allowed me to see the outline of the door were no longer visible. In fact, I didn’t feel confident I’d be able to find its exact location again. Winter didn’t seem to mind that I was watching so intently as he worked. He flicked his wand several more times, as though he were double and triple locking the secret door, before finally turning to me. “Thank you for taking care of the children.” “…” “However, it is too late in the day for me to accept new business requests. I’ll have to ask you to come back another time.” I’d expected to be questioned on how I’d gotten inside, but he was simply politely but sternly sending me away. Processing his words, I glanced out the window next to the entrance and saw that the sun was already setting. I’d been so engrossed in working with the kids that I hadn’t realized how much time had passed. Emily would have definitely noticed my absence by now. I’m done for… Another interrogation with the duke is on the horizon for sure, I thought, fighting the sudden urge to cry. Since I was already in trouble, I decided to hell with it—why not take a more brazen approach? “I’m not here to make a request. You sent a white rabbit asking me to come, so here I am.” “Ah…,” Winter murmured. “I waited around for a while since there was nobody here. I could have just left, yes, but the fact of the matter is, I’m much too busy. I don’t have time to come again,” I said. Truthfully, I had more time than I knew what to do with, but I could pretend to have a busy schedule if it suited my interests. I had my pride, after all. “Then the children came out and asked me for help.” I shamelessly pointed at the wall that housed the hidden door. Do you understand what I’m saying? It wasn’t my fault—it was yours. You were late. Winter had appeared taken aback at the mention of the white rabbit and only grew more so as I continued speaking. He may be a sorcerer, but that doesn’t mean he’s all-knowing. I guess even his abilities didn’t alert him to the fact that the intruder in his secret room was the very client he’d contacted earlier that day. To my surprise, he bowed and apologized. “Forgive me. My clients usually come calling a day or two after I send them notification… I didn’t expect you so soon—an error on my part.” I felt a blush spreading across my cheeks and thanked my lucky stars that I was still wearing the mask. Huh? So I unknowingly broke some kind of social convention? How was I supposed to know that nobles usually waited a day or two before showing up? Now he’d think of me as the impatient client who’d rushed over the moment his message arrived. Not only that, but the request I’d looked so desperate to get his help with…was of a girl searching for this random man she’d bumped into at a ball! Talk about embarrassing… Winter might even have realized the moment he received my request that he was that very man I was looking for. That had been my intention when I’d included the hint about the handkerchief, but… I suddenly found that I couldn’t look him in the eye. “Let’s forget the request was ever made. We can call ourselves even—you made me wait, and I intruded where I shouldn’t have,” I said, quickly spinning away from him, not entirely sure what I was saying anymore. Plans and requests and whatever else didn’t matter now. I just needed to get out. I was rushing toward the door when he spoke. “Wait,” he called urgently. “Please wait.” “…Yes?” I said, turning reluctantly. He was staring intensely at my face with his navy-blue eyes. “I made you wait and treated you impolitely even when you so kindly helped the children. I cannot let their savior just leave like this.” I felt my face contorting in pure confusion. He was in a hurry to chase me out a few moments ago. Why the sudden change? “Savior is a bit much. I didn’t really do anything special…,” I muttered, unwilling to take his words at face value. “My lady, please grant me the opportunity to regain your trust,” Winter implored earnestly. My initial instinct was to refuse and insist he could worry about that some other time, since I had to get back to the manor before people realized I’d left without permission again. Not to mention the hidden quest had messed with my plans, and I needed to regroup and develop a new strategy. But that was before the letters above his head gleamed. [Affection: 6%] It was enough to change my mind instantly. “If that’s the case, I’ll hear what you’ve found regarding my query, then,” I said primly, moving to sit on the guest sofa. Winter followed and sat opposite me, then waved his hand as if summoning someone. Teacups and a pot appeared out of thin air, and I watched curiously as hot black tea poured into the cup that had landed softly in front of me all by itself. Since I was wearing a mask anyway, I didn’t have to worry about hiding the wonder on my face at seeing magic from Winter. “Please drink,” he said, lowering his hand and setting the teapot down gently on the table. Obligingly, I picked up the cup and took a sip. The temperature was just right. “…You may be unaware, my lady, but only a select few know that this guild is run by a sorcerer.” I also know you’re a marquis, I thought smugly. I nodded without comment, though. “Furthermore, no one who has entered that secret chamber has ever walked back out again.” I nearly spat out my tea. Hurriedly setting down my cup, I asked coldly, “Are you threatening to kill me?” “I beg your pardon? Certainly not. That would be a crime,” Winter said, looking confused. “I meant that magically erasing someone’s memories takes a toll on their body, causing them to fall into a deep sleep. I usually have to carry them out, you see.” “Ahem!” I cleared my throat, embarrassed to have jumped to the wrong conclusion. “Ordinarily, I would see it fit to wipe your memory as well, my lady, but…” Thankfully, Winter ignored my faux pas and continued calmly. “I could not bring myself to follow through in light of my imprudent actions today.” “…” “A guild’s greatest virtue is the trust that exists between it and the client. If I altered your mind, you’d forget that you hired me entirely. And I have no desire to take things that far.” I frowned, realizing just how much of my memory he’d considered erasing. I could have ended up attending ball after ball in search of him had he gone through with it. “So? What is it that you want from me?” I asked. “Please keep what you saw today a secret. In return, I shall provide you all the information you wish about the man you are seeking, free of charge,” he said. His exceedingly generous offer took me by surprise. Why was he so desperate to hide that secret chamber? “What’s so special about those kids in there? Are they related to traitors or something?” “They’re orphans who were imprisoned and abused at the hands of the Anti-Magic Association, and then later rescued.” “The…Anti-Magic Association?” Wait, I don’t remember the game having such detailed lore. I combed through my memory, unable to recall anything about a group of people that hated magic. “As magic became more commercialized and commonplace, there grew a religion whose devoted followers began persecuting sorcerers, claiming that magic was a dark art that went against their doctrine,” Winter said bitterly. “…” “The sitting Imperial family links their legitimacy to the temple, which means the mistreatment of sorcerers has been increasing.” Winter paused for a moment before continuing. “Some of the heretic sects have made the absurd claim that only when all ‘wicked’ magic users have been expunged will the true god-ordained emperor be born.” “…” “I’m sure you are aware, my lady, that the remnant factions of the Holy Nation of Laila, which was recently defeated by the crown prince’s armies, have been causing trouble in particular.” “Of course.” Of course I had no freaking clue what any of what he’d just said even meant, that is, but I pretended otherwise, nodding gravely. “However groundless their claims may be, there are a surprising number of nobles in the empire who share their beliefs.” “Nobles…agree with them? Why would they?” I asked, frowning. “It’s mostly those who have their own businesses mass-producing magical items and tools. Though they use us, they would prefer that all sorcerers were gone in order to monopolize the market themselves.” When I’d played the game, I hadn’t known why Winter hid that he was a sorcerer. I thought it was just a random tidbit added by the developers… Who knew there was such a complex reason behind it? The background details of the game seemed to all have some sort of underlying reason for being included, as I’d come to find out after learning the crown prince’s backstory. I couldn’t shake the feeling that this world seemed to be rapidly departing from the game I thought I knew. “Please, my lady,” Winter said, bowing his head. “The children’s lives depend on it.” Noticing that the letters [Affection: 6%] began to shimmer as he pleaded for the children, I realized my answer would greatly affect his affection. As I opened my mouth to reassure him that I’d be careful, something suddenly occurred to me. Wait a second… This doesn’t feel right. Why would his affection be so tied up in my response? Everything that had happened today had managed to take me by surprise, especially the hidden quest. In the game, Penelope didn’t go to the information guilds to look for Winter, did she…? My eyes widened, and the mistake I’d made dawned on me. My game knowledge was based entirely on my experience playing Normal Mode. …I don’t have the faintest clue what Winter’s route or personality is like in Hard Mode. In the game, Winter had been a kind man who regularly took in orphans from the streets and helped the poverty-stricken. [The sorcerer was patrolling a slum, intending to help those in need, when he discovered the true daughter of the duke, who’d been taken in and raised by a poor commoner. The kindhearted heroine was able to return to the manor thanks to the sorcerer’s help. She began to join him in aiding the impoverished children, donating her time and wealth generously.] Mentally reviewing the sorcerer’s backstory, I wondered, If Winter is such a benevolent and gentle person, why did he bring the heroine back right on the day of Penelope’s coming-of-age ceremony? That’s a very calculated time to choose to reveal her… All eyes had been on the fake daughter, and I couldn’t help but think, Isn’t that one big obvious “FU” to Penelope? “…My lady?” prompted Winter at my lack of response. A sneaking suspicion washed over me. The hidden quest, which had appeared without warning. Winter’s affection, which had plummeted abruptly. Clueless to the details of the plot in Hard Mode, I had firmly believed I was on the correct path—that I’d changed things and avoided death. But what if…what if all of this is just part of the predetermined story route? Clenching my trembling hands, I summoned the multiple-choice options I’d kept turned off for so long. Dialogue prompts ON, I instructed in my mind. I had to see for myself. A white box appeared immediately. <SYSTEM> Turn dialogue prompts [ON]? [YES / NO] I pressed [YES], and the options materialized on-screen. 1. Why should I do that? 2. I don’t know… What’s in it for me if I keep your secret? You got any rare gems? 3. And if I do go around talking about the children? What happens then? Ah… I groaned inwardly. Why were my bad feelings always right? Penelope had apparently made her bed during the events of Hard Mode in just this fashion, and being despised by all the male protagonists in Normal Mode was her lying in it. My finger quivering, I made my choice. “…And if I do go around talking about the children? What happens then?” For the first time in a while, I experienced the unnatural sensation of my mouth moving on its own. Winter’s eyes hardened frighteningly at my response, and when he spoke, his tone had iced over. “In that case, you’d best consider the meager status you’re currently managing to hold on to to be at risk.” Even though his head was bowed, there was nothing polite about his words. They were a threat, plain and clear. So he does know who I am. It didn’t come as a surprise, since he had known where to send the white rabbit to deliver his message. From what I can gather, Penelope must’ve ignored his warning and spread rumors about the children anyway in Normal Mode. Having gotten what I needed, I recited in my head, Dialogue prompts OFF. With the feature disabled, I was able to speak freely once more. “I’ll be careful, then,” I promised, and Winter’s threatening aura vanished almost instantly. The meter above his head also began to blink again. [Affection: 8%] His affection was now almost back to to where it had started that day, and the relief that came with its restoration in turn made me feel miserable. I stood without further delay. “Are we done here? It’s getting late, and I should be heading back.” This one-sided masquerade had left me tired. Had I known things would turn out like this, I’d have left the useless mask in my room. Winter stood as well, eyes wide with surprise behind his own mask. “I still haven’t told you about the man you were—” “It’s fine,” I said quickly, holding up a hand. Having made up my mind, the words tumbled out of me without much thought, almost robotic. “I already found who I was searching for. Another information guild provided the name.” He flinched, obviously not expecting my answer. Turning him down didn’t make me feel any better, though. Compared with the other male love interests, Winter was perfectly sane but also now perfectly useless as insurance. The damn side quest meant I now knew his secret whether I liked it or not, and that had ruined everything. Besides, Winter would soon come across the Normal Mode heroine. He’d have to make a choice between the beautiful young girl he met regularly in the slums and the “mad dog” who now carried a bomb in her mouth. His gentle nature I’d been putting my hope in was a double-edged sword, a fact I had sorely overlooked. I’m better off focusing on those who haven’t met the heroine yet, I resolved, deciding to no longer care what he thought of me and resolutely ignoring the [Affection: 8%] above his head. “Right.” I suddenly recalled the objects I’d hastily gathered and brought with me. “You said you’d give me information as payment for keeping my mouth shut.” I returned to stand in front of him and retrieved several things from my cloak pocket. “Since I don’t need it anymore, can you just give these to the person I was looking for? The reason I came here today was actually to ask you for this additional request.” I set the white handkerchief and antique velvet box down next to my teacup. “Do you have a message I should pass on when I deliver them?” Winter asked. “Tell him it’s a thank-you for last time… He’ll understand what it means.” The pupils in Winter’s navy-blue eyes dilated a little, his affection meter shimmering. [Affection: 13%] It was a sizable increase, but I turned my cheek without a second glance. “I’ll leave you to it, then,” I said. With that, my debt to him was paid. I’m going home and drawing a big fat X over his name. I wrenched the door open, only to feel the handle slip from my hand as the door was forced back shut. Huh? I twisted the knob again, and when it failed, I looked up in surprise to see an arm above my head, holding the door shut. Winter was standing right behind me. Swiveling around, I found myself nose to nose with his rabbit mask, trapped against the door beneath his towering form. “…My lady.” His deep voice seemed to rumble through me, leaving me visibly flustered by the position we were in. “Y-yes? Do you have something else you need to say?” Winter spoke after a heavy pause. “I…would like to offer you something as a thank-you for looking after the children today,” he murmured. “No need. I’m the one who was trespassing, so—” “It’s not in my nature to leave a debt standing,” he interrupted, slowly lowering his head with his words. Our masks were almost touching. Is this some scare tactic to make sure my lips are sealed? My throat abruptly felt as dry as a desert. He didn’t have to intimidate me—I’d already fully intended on keeping my mouth shut since I wanted nothing more to do with him. I pressed myself farther into the door, shrugging and feigning nonchalance. “I don’t need anything from you.” I don’t care about your hang-up with debts. You’re off my list the moment I can get pen to paper. Winter was silent for a moment before replying, “I’m a sorcerer. That means I can do what the ordinary person cannot.” I didn’t understand where he was going with this. Are you trying to say you could kill me and get away with it? I didn’t know how to respond to this type of indirect threat. “Please come back if you are ever in need of my help.” Suddenly, a white system window slid into view behind Winter, who was still leaning over me. <SYSTEM> Hidden quest complete! [Unearth the Sorcerer’s Secret] <SYSTEM> You safely learned the secret hidden inside the sorcerer’s hidden space. Reward Acquired: [Sorcerer’s Aid x1] <SYSTEM> Accept the reward? [YES / NO] “Ha!” I huffed, affronted by the contents of the reward. It was too little, too late, considering the fear and anxiety I’d gone through to complete the unexpected quest. I was already running away, determined not to get involved with him ever again. The reward was practically useless to me. “That…that’s just not fair,” I muttered under my breath. “I’m sorry?” Winter said, bewildered. I shook my head and put my hand on his chest to nudge him away. Though I didn’t exert much force, he backed off without resisting, in stark contrast to earlier when he’d obstinately prevented me from leaving. When I’d pushed him far enough to reach the notification window, I removed my hand and pressed [YES] in one smooth motion. “I’ll come back if I need you,” I said, not in a position to refuse the ridiculous reward. Who knew? It could be useful to me later, seeing as my life seemed to be in constant danger. “Though I don’t think that’ll happen,” I added begrudgingly. More like “that better not happen,” but still. <SYSTEM> Item acquired! [Sorcerer’s Aid x1] To use, yell out (HELP). I read the last system message before turning and throwing the door open. By now, the alleyway was filled with the long shadows cast by the setting sun. “Oh, dammit…” I felt my heart sink as I trudged down the last of the steps. “You idiot! You forgot to ask him to call a carriage…” It had completely slipped my mind that I wouldn’t be able to teleport home. Should I go back and ask for help? I thought for a moment, looking over my shoulder at the door I’d slammed behind me. I didn’t need long to deliberate. I’d stomped out, claiming I didn’t need his help. How ridiculous would I seem, crawling back to him to ask for a ride? No thanks. I was done embarrassing myself for the day. It’s going to take me forever to get home… I hope the duke’s still wrapped up with work when I arrive. I gazed in desolation at the alley that stretched before me. Thankfully, it seemed to lead to a wide street that was brightly lit. I could hear the sounds of the festival, which had yet to end. I should get to the main road first. I’m sure I’ll be able to flag down a carriage there. Grateful that the alley didn’t lead to a maze of backstreets like when I’d rescued Eckles, I hurried along. As soon as I reached the end of the short lane, I found myself on the main road, as expected. The scene that greeted me was similar to the time I’d visited the festival with the duke’s sons, filled with stalls and shops. What I needed was a carriage, but what I got was a street overflowing with people instead. Scowling deeply, I scanned my surroundings. That was when I noticed men wearing silver armor that bore a familiar insignia. Not far away from where I stood, two knights were questioning a suspicious-looking man. “Your identification card, please,” said one of the knights. “Wh-what do you want my ID for?” “We’ve been ordered to keep an eye out for any criminals that might have infiltrated the capital during the festival. Your identification, now.” “W-well…” The man seemed unwilling to comply. I’ve seen that armor somewhere, I swear, I thought. My eyes widened as it suddenly came to me. Holy crap! That’s the Eckhart coat of arms! Glancing around once more, I realized the duke’s knights lined the street in small groups. Why are they here? Wait—Did the duke notice I was gone and send them out to find me?! A wave of terror washed over me at the possibility. This was not good. Derrick was in charge of the knights, which meant he could very well be nearby. If they find out I sneaked out again, I’m as good as dead. I’d volunteered to stay in my room as a sign of remorse, sure, but the duke hadn’t permitted me to leave the estate yet. I cast my gaze about frantically. I have to get home before Derrick has a chance of seeing me. That was when I heard a familiar voice coming from where the two knights stood nearby. “Is there a problem here?” “Captain!” The knights greeted someone who was angled away from me, and I looked closer, praying to any higher power that it wasn’t him. Black hair, armor with the Eckhart coat of arms engraved in pure silver, an ornate black cape billowing in the wind—it was undeniably Derrick. He was right there. My heart was racing. The silver lining was that I was still wearing my cloak and mask, which should make me impossible to identify. He won’t recognize the mask, will he? It had already been a week since Reynold had bought it. Derrick hated the very sight of me, so surely, he wouldn’t remember such a tiny detail, right? There was a crowd shuffling past him, so he hadn’t spotted me yet. I hunched over as best I could, planning to let the crowd carry me to safety. There! That’s my ticket out of here! I noticed a group of people wearing masks similar to mine. Stealing glances at Derrick, I waited for the right time to make my move. He was listening to the knight speak when he suddenly looked up, staring right at me. I flinched, stumbling backward. Our eyes had met, and his questioning expression quickly twisted into a scowl. “You…” Oh, shit. I whirled around before he could know for sure it was me and dashed back down the alley, which turned out to be a dead end. There were only a few buildings, including Winter’s establishment. In other words, I had nowhere to run if Derrick gave chase. I climbed the stairs, tears of shame stinging my eyes. Without further delay, I threw myself against the door, shoving it open. “Help!” Though it hadn’t been more than five minutes since I’d left the building, confident I wouldn’t need his assistance, I screamed the word that would activate the quest reward. I gasped for air, huffing after my panicked escape. “…” Cold silence met my cry. Surprisingly, Winter was still standing right where I’d left him, in front of the doorway. His murky-sea blue eyes were wide, and my face reddened like a tomato under my mask. Thank goodness I didn’t remove it yet. I’d lamented how useless it had ultimately been but now felt relieved. “…Please close the door and come inside,” Winter said, breaking the stunned silence, then stepping aside to let me through. I cleared my throat awkwardly. Ugh, I’m not going to live this down. Fighting the wave of embarrassment I felt, I hurried to follow his instructions. As I pushed the door shut, I scanned the dark alleyway outside for any sign of Derrick, but he was nowhere in sight. Did I lose him? Even if I had, I wasn’t out of the woods yet. If he returned home and found that I wasn’t in my room, I was done for. Turning back to Winter, I got right to the point. “Sorry to suddenly change my mind, but is the favor you offered still on the table?” “Of course,” Winter replied easily. “I’d like to take you up on it, then. Please bring me to Hamilton Street. Like, immediately.” The words tumbled out of my mouth all at once. I was in a rush—I had to get back before Derrick. Since Winter could use magic, I was sure he must have some method of instant transportation. “Hamilton Street…” Winter seemed to mull the address over in his mind. Where else? Hamilton Street was one block away from Eckhart Manor. Since Winter already knew my identity, I could have asked him to take me directly to my room. It would certainly have been more convenient. But I decided to just continue pretending I was clueless. After today, I would hopefully never see him again anyway. “I can’t seem to find a carriage, since there are so many festival goers out and about,” I mumbled stiffly after a moment’s pause. “You didn’t bring an escort with you?” His eyes peered at me through the rabbit mask, deeply serious. I considered my only personal knight, whom I’d left back at the estate. Though I’d told him he was to be my guard, I had no intention of having him perform those duties. He’s my “all-in” love interest. I need to treat him like he’s made of fine china. I wasn’t going to tell Winter any of what was going through my mind, though, so I shrugged and demurred. “Can’t a lady have her secrets?” Winter cast one last suspicious glance my way but accepted my answer without further comment. He produced his wand from the folds of his coat and held his hand out to me. “Your hand, if you would?” As I’d hoped, he seemed to be readying himself to perform a spell. What a relief. I placed my hand in his, and he gripped it firmly. At the same time, a system window popped up in my vision. <SYSTEM> You used [Sorcerer’s Aid x1]. <SYSTEM> You will be teleported to [Hamilton Street]. “You may experience some dizziness,” he warned gently, and then all I saw was white. When I opened my eyes, Winter and I were standing in a quiet but familiar alleyway. He’d teleported us to Hamilton Street. Good. That should give me a head start on Derrick. I smiled, satisfied. Then an odd thought struck me. We’d been transported by Winter’s magic, but it felt identical to when I’d used the game’s teleportation feature. A puzzling sense of déjà vu came over me. “You can let go now,” Winter murmured from where he stood beside me. “Huh? Of what—?” “My hand. You’re still holding it,” he clarified. At his words, I glanced down and realized I was gripping his hand tightly, our fingers interlaced. “Oh, gosh!” I dropped his hand like a hot potato and backed away several paces. Wait. How did our hands even end up so entwined? Seeing as I’d practically thrown his away from mine, I suddenly felt sorry, wondering if I’d been rude. Either way, he’d helped me in my time of need, so I expressed my gratitude sincerely. “Thank you for helping me.” “Don’t mention it. I’m glad I was able to repay the debt I owe, my lady,” Winter said, shaking his head modestly. “I suppose we can consider our trust restored,” I said, letting a small laugh slip out at how seriously he was taking this. Considering he was a marquis, it was surprising that he would defer so politely to his customers for the sake of his business. He really was living up to the stereotype of an eccentric sorcerer character. Winter gave me an odd look at my little joke. “Does that mean you’ll come seek out the guild in the future?” “…I’m not sure about that,” I said, the smile dropping from my face at this question. “What reason would we have to cross paths again?” The cold night air blew through the alleyway as we stood regarding each other, both of us hiding our identities behind a mask. He probably hasn’t the slightest idea that I know who he is. It was for the best that I didn’t disabuse him of this notion, both for my sake as well as his. He’d soon discover the heroine, after all. Letting our secrets out into the open would do neither of us any good. “Bye,” I murmured, turning away. I was about to leave the alleyway when his soft voice reached my ears, carried by the wind. “If…I deliver the items you gave me…” I stopped in my tracks. “…and receive a message for you in return…may I pass it on?” I glanced back at him. There was something eerie about the rabbit mask, its white facade seeming to float in the darkness. “No,” I said simply. I didn’t know what expression he was making beneath the mask, but I could see his affection. [Affection: 15%] I was surprised to see it grow despite my firm rejection.