Chapter 2
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 2
‘How is a person supposed to eat this?’
Between two slices of bread so hard they were difficult to even chew sat a single, shriveled-up cucumber.
Next to it was a smear of odd-colored butter that was clearly on the verge of spoiling.
This breakfast, prepared with such utter lack of care, tasted absolutely horrific.
‘I wasn't even expecting steak, but this is crossing the line.’
I’d kill for a cup of instant ramen or a triangle kimbap right now…
Anything but this cold, stale garbage!
After forcing myself to eat just enough to stave off the hunger, I headed to the bathroom. As expected, the bathwater waiting for me was ice-cold.
I dipped a finger into the worn-out tub and immediately recoiled, shivering.
‘It’s freezing!’
Even a foal in the Frezier family wouldn't be washed in water this cold.
At this point, something felt seriously off.
‘Was Tulia really this poor?’
I knew Tulia’s father, Marquis Frezier, was a petty man who didn't send his daughter child support.
But Tulia was currently staying at the Grand Duke’s castle.
‘Shouldn't there be at least a basic dignity maintenance allowance in the budget?’
Even if she wasn't living in luxury, it made no sense for the legitimate granddaughter of a Grand Duke to be living like a beggar.
A sharp intuition struck me. It was the gut feeling of Han Ina, someone who had grown up walking on eggshells her whole life.
No, even when starting The Milk Bread as Corico, things were never this pathetic.
And Corico was an illegitimate child who was looked down upon for having the blood of a slave.
“Ugh, so cold…”
I barely managed to wash my face, but even that left me shaking like a leaf.
I buried myself under the covers, waiting for my body heat to return, and must have blacked out for a moment.
‘What was that?’
I opened my eyes at a faint sound and caught the back of a maid scurrying out the door.
“Excuse me…”
Despite my sleepy call, the maid didn't even look back. Slam! The door shut tight.
It was the kind of attitude one might show toward a quarantined plague patient.
Anyone could see she was blatantly avoiding Tulia, her mistress.
It would be one thing if this were the Tulia who kidnapped and sold off maids with no connections, but right now, she was just a penniless young lady who didn't even know what such a thing was.
In other words, they were treating Tulia with utter contempt.
Freeze to death, starve to death, or be ignored to death.
I had no intention of choosing any of those three. I threw off the covers and stood up immediately.
Fine.
“Don't underestimate my years of experience playing The Milk Bread.”
Thanks to my extensive time playing the game, I knew exactly who was in charge of the internal affairs of the Frezier Grand Duchy—a household whose power rivaled that of the Imperial Family.
Just as I took my first step to go find him…
“…?!”
I froze in shock. I couldn't help it.
“What is this?”
A translucent status window began to manifest in the air before me.
*
[System: Status Window]
Tulia Frezier (15)
• Held Coins: 1,000
Stats
• Personality: -10
• Beauty: 8
• Skill: -10
• Wealth: -9
• Luck: -10
Overall Rating: F-
*
My eyes widened.
Was I dreaming on my feet? I stared blankly for a moment.
Then, a strange sense of déjà vu washed over me.
‘I’ve seen this screen somewhere.’
The memories, which had been as blurry as ink dissolving in water, suddenly snapped into focus.
“Wait, is this The Milk Bread…?”
My eyes grew even wider. The realization finally hit me.
This was the interface from the game I had been playing right before I died.
To put it simply, it was a Status Window.
Why on earth was this appearing before my eyes? Was I hallucinating? A thought suddenly occurred to me.
“Don't tell me I have to raise Tulia instead of Corico like in the game…”
Surely not…
“...!”
Suddenly, vivid, multi-colored letters flared up like a neon sign.
*
[System: Main Manifestation!]
Main Content: Settling Karma
You are trash!
You have no money, bad luck, and everyone hates you!
(Except for one person) No one loves you!
Goal: Reach A-Rank before the ‘real one’ appears!
Failure Penalty: Death
*
The jarring word ‘Death’ snapped me to my senses.
I quickly pulled myself together and re-read the floating text.
Goal: Reach A-Rank before the ‘real one’ appears!
A-Rank? Before the real one appears?
Something clicked.
“Is it Corico…?”
It had to be Corico, the original protagonist of The Milk Bread.
And that was how the game’s story went, wasn't it?
The plot truly began the moment Corico entered this household.
In other words, I had to reach A-Rank and survive before Corico showed up…
Isn't the difficulty level a bit much?
I looked back at the status window with despairing eyes.
*
[System: Status Window]
Tulia Frezier (15)
• Held Coins: 1,000
Stats
• Personality: -10
• Beauty: 8
• Skill: -10
• Wealth: -9
• Luck: -10
Overall Rating: F-
*
‘Is it even possible to survive with such horrific stats? And how am I supposed to reach A-Rank?’
Corico, the original protagonist, had a much lower difficulty curve.
Setting aside the fact that her starting stats were much better, her overall rating began at a solid C.
Unless you were intentionally trying to see a hidden ending, hitting an F- was a feat of extreme difficulty in itself.
Furthermore, to reach A-Rank, I would inevitably have to get involved with the male leads…
Bang! Bang!
The bedroom door flew open with a sound like wood splintering.
“Hey, beggar.”
The boy who walked in had a face practically screaming for a fight. His name was Tedric.
I never expected to see him first.
He was Tulia’s cousin; his father, Viscount Lilius, was the younger brother of Tulia’s father, Marquis Frezier.
It was Viscount Lilius who was currently in charge of the Grand Duke’s internal affairs.
‘How did he know I was about to go look for his father and come here first?’
Tedric Frezier looked like he harbored an immense amount of hostility toward Tulia.
‘Ah, right.’
Even in The Milk Bread, they got along terribly.
Tulia would bully Corico, and Tedric would clash with Tulia while trying to protect Corico.
But Corico wasn't even here yet, so why was he coming here to pick a fight?
Judging by his expression alone, Tedric Frezier looked more like the villain than I did.
When I just stared at him silently, Tedric’s eyes flared as if he were offended.
“What are you staring at with those big eyes, you pathetic beggar?”
Thanks to Tulia’s memories flowing into me, I could easily predict what he was going to say next.
First, insult Tulia’s living quarters.
“By the way, your warehouse… I mean, your castle looks like it’s about to collapse every time I see it.”
Next, insult Tulia’s circumstances.
“Well, what can you do? Grandfather did put you under indefinite confinement.”
Finally, insult Tulia’s life.
“Oh, right. It’s a fact that your dad abandoned you, so why were you so bitter that you had to make such a scene at the banquet? That’s why you can’t escape being a beggar. How pathetic.”
‘Wow, this guy.’
It was the same pattern, day in and day out.
To be honest, I didn't realize it when I was just playing the game. But now that I had become Tulia, I couldn't understand it at all.
Why on earth were all the members of the Frezier family, except for Tulia, portrayed as kind supporting characters in The Milk Bread?
Was it because they acted like angels toward Corico?
Or did the female lead’s buff influence even people like this to become saints?
Even a guy like this, who constantly mocked her for living in a warehouse instead of a castle?
“Hey! Are you ignoring me? A discarded beggar sure has a lot of pride!”
When I didn't respond, Tedric’s voice rose, clearly feeling slighted.