Chapter 208
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 208
“What? Was that the problem? Hey, Tulia Frezier.”
Klaus laughed.
He wore his usual boyish grin, but that was all it was.
Because I knew exactly how bitter I felt right now, I could guess the kind of emotions Klaus was hiding behind that smile.
“Fine, I get it. You’re the most important person in my life, so I can’t exactly propose to you as a mere prince, just like you said.”
“……”
“So, just give me three months. I’ll come back as the Crown Prince. Just wait until then.”
“……”
“Well, since I’m heading back to my kingdom for the first time in a while, I should bring back some good stuff. You like necklaces, don’t you? I’ll scrape up every jewel I can find and give you a proper proposal so you’ll actually look at me.”
“……”
“Why do you have that look on your face again, like you’re about to get pissed and smash everything? Do me a favor and leave my bedroom alone. I’m still a guest here, after all; have a little conscience.”
“……”
“Yeah, right. That kind of response suits you better. You know? You’re a precious lady, so of course you should act like that. I was being too impatient. So don’t look at me like that…”
Klaus playfully scolded me for having a look like I was ‘about to smash everything,’ but the eyes I saw were drifting with a desolate, endless void.
A field on a summer day, a blue night sky. A blowing breeze, the shining stars, the moon, the sun, and a trickling stream.
Klaus Rocheva was a man who looked like he would reign forever as the king of all things free.
That was why the moment I saw him bound by such unpleasant emotions, I grew even angrier at my situation. I wanted to tear the quest window to shreds, and I felt deathly sorry for Klaus.
In other words, my heart was always at odds with the quest window.
I’ve hurt him enough already… No amount of apologizing later will ever be enough.
But…
How was I even supposed to apologize?
By accepting his proposal?
By promising to be his queen?
But.
I was constantly reminded that this system window—this absolute bastard—was not to be trifled with.
The condition the Inevitable Quest had set was to severely wound all the male leads.
And coincidentally, every male lead except for Leon, Lisian, and the twins had already proposed to me, either directly or indirectly.
So it means I have to reject every single proposal.
And it wasn't even a nice rejection.
It was forcing me to reject them like this.
Then what comes next?
How am I supposed to apologize?
I can’t exactly accept everyone’s proposal, can I?
Just as I was checking the system window, feeling like my head was about to split open—
Huh?
I froze like a statue.
[System] Give Male Lead ‘Klaus’ a severe wound (Incomplete)
What?
It wasn't finished yet?
As if answering my question, the system window flashed brilliantly once more.
[System] Guide Content 3
—Klaus. Did you actually mistake my feelings for something real?
I felt like being stabbed with a literal knife would hurt less.
This was too much…
“Klaus. Did I ever give you the impression…”
You son of a bitch.
“…that I actually had feelings for you? Were you really that delusional?”
You absolute piece of trash.
Klaus’s hands froze. He slowly pushed himself up from his kneeling position. Even as he rose, his gaze remained pinned on me.
[System] Sudden Event!
[System] Even though all guides have been completed, the quest remains in an incomplete state!
[System] A Special Guide is being added to complete the quest!
[System] ☆Special Guide Content☆
—I’ve never thought of you as anything but a dog.
You… you absolute, utter bastard.
What?
I have to say that?
To Klaus?
Me? Why?
I was beyond furious at the system. At this point, I felt like just letting everything go to hell.
Why did I have to hurl such verbal abuse at Klaus, who had done nothing wrong?
Does saying something like this and then apologizing later make it go away?
Klaus had been so good to me all this time…
I eventually gritted my teeth.
Forget it. I was going to tell him to ignore everything I just said.
I was going to tell him I’d just gone crazy for a second and was spouting nonsense, so he should just forget it, but—
[System] Special Limited Benefit Quest in progress!
[System] You cannot speak words that deviate from the guide!
You son of a bitch!
My mouth felt like it had been set in a plaster cast; I couldn't move it.
I struggled and struggled, cycling through thousands of sentences in my head, until finally, I managed to spit out a single sentence.
“Did you think that just because I saved your life, I’d be willing to mortgage my own life to you?”
“……”
“If it weren't for that baseless oath in the first place, you would have suspected me of being a fanatic and killed me. What right do you have to propose to me…?”
“……”
“Get out. Stop annoying me.”
[System] You have completed the quest <Give Male Lead ‘Klaus’ a severe wound>!
* * *
That night.
The main building of the Frezier Grand Duchy.
Tulia, the only young lady of the castle, had twelve personal maids assigned directly to her.
Considering that daughters of high-ranking noble houses usually had about six, this was double the standard number.
Of course, high-ranking nobles above the rank of Marquis possessed vast lands and merchant guilds, so their internal budgets were naturally plentiful. For a Ducal house or higher, it went without saying.
Even so, the reason they didn't infinitely increase the number of servants attending to the direct bloodline was purely due to security and loyalty.
Personal servants who had to assist with the master’s bathing or dressing had to be as loyal as the family’s knights.
Since they lived in close proximity to their master at all times, the probability of harm coming to the master increased exponentially if a personal servant harbored ill intentions.
Due to these realistic concerns, even in the Brillant Empire—the most powerful nation on the Spring Continent—the number of personal servants for high nobility was generally fixed at five or six.
The fact that Tulia had twelve personal maids meant she was essentially living at the level of an Imperial Princess.
This was naturally backed by the full budgetary support of Asis, the head of the Frezier family, and Tulia’s doting father, Marquis Aster. But more than anything, it was the result of Head Maid Adel’s competence.
Head Maid Adel, who was rumored to be the hidden younger sister of Luc Kelposher, Grand Duke Asis Frezier’s direct aide, managed the massive castle flawlessly while ensuring her mistress, Tulia, lacked for nothing.
Adel was dignified, taciturn, and above all, meticulous. She paid particular attention to Tulia’s safety.
Under Adel’s command, the twelve personal maids took turns in shifts to attend to Tulia.
As personal maids to the young lady of a Grand Ducal house, they were all exceptionally talented individuals.
In particular, their quiet, diligent, and tight-lipped nature was their greatest strength.
However, no matter how silently they worked like iron machines, one could not overlook the fact that these personal maids were also girls around Tulia’s age.
Above all, the more one served a high noble family, the more one became focused on the master’s every move.
This was true even for Imperial servants who underwent rigorous training and education, and the Grand Ducal house was no different.
Thus, the two maids who had just finished assisting Tulia with her bath looked around with dark expressions.
In the southern wing of the second floor, which Tulia used exclusively, there were a total of seventeen rooms for various purposes, all belonging to her.
Unless it was time for the formal evening banquet, this southern wing was generally very quiet.
After confirming that no one was passing by, the two maids lowered their voices and shared a secret conversation.
“Hey. Don’t you think the young lady… has suddenly become very strange?”
At the brown-haired maid’s cautious question, the maid with rosy cheeks nodded slightly.
“I know, it’s weird. She’s become so kind…”
Her voice, already as quiet as a falling needle, dropped even lower.
“She’s suddenly become so subservient, and she’s strangely anxious about every little thing we say…”
“…Right? It’s not just me who felt it?”
“Yeah…”
Originally, Tulia was a cheerful young lady, beyond reproach except for the occasional unexpected scream she let out while alone in her bedroom at night.
Sometimes, when she met someone she didn't like, she would glare at them as if she were going to devour them, but the old days of her being terrified by her own wickedness and hunger were almost gone.
She hadn't been arrogant or haughty toward the maids, but she had never once bowed or acted humble before them…
Today’s Tulia was far too strange.
“Even when she asked me for the scented oil earlier—no, even the fact that she asked is weird. Why is the young lady asking me? She should be giving an order…”
“She was even trembling a little, her hands and her voice. For a second, I thought I’d put cold water in the tub and was so startled I dipped my own hand in to check. But it wasn't that…”
In fact, there was a more serious problem.
The rosy-cheeked maid and the brown-haired maid exchanged meaningful glances at the same time.
“…You saw the young lady’s body too, didn't you?”
“I saw it…”
“Those bruises… what on earth are they?”
“Who could have possibly left such horrific marks on our lady’s body?”
* * *
[System] (!Warning) Penalty Triggered!
[System] A penalty has been generated because you did not perfectly execute the Special Guide sentences!
[System] Penalty: You will become the ‘Han Ina’ from before she encountered Why Did That Lady Give the Handsome Man Milk Bread?! (Time remaining: 52 hours 32 minutes 21 seconds)
(☆Tip: Good luck! ^^ )