Chapter 27
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 27
Now it wasn't just a bystander, but bystanders?
‘Aaargh!’
I frantically opened my Status Window.
[System: Status Window]
Tulia Frezier (15 years old)
- Coins: 995
- Personality: 1
- Beauty: 8
- Skill: 1
- Wealth: 0
- Luck: -10
Overall Rating: F
The temperature of the hall, which had been as fragrant and beautiful as an angels' tea room just moments ago, was dropping by the second.
Without a second thought, I immediately made a purchase.
Clink!
[System] 2 Coins consumed.
[System] Skill reached Level 2!
‘T-this should be enough, right?’
But once again, the Glory of Frezier’s Necklace squirmed like a sentient snake, trying to slip toward the floor.
Driven by a mix of survival instinct and sheer terror, I snatched the necklace and threw more coins at the problem.
Clink!
[System] 3 Coins consumed.
[System] Skill reached Level 3!
[System] 4 Coins consumed.
[System] Skill reached Level 4!
In the midst of the chaos, I was practically weeping with relief that the Skill stat was so much more cost-effective than Personality. But then...
Clink!
[System] 986 Coins consumed.
[System] Skill reached Level 5!
My eyes froze in mid-air. Or was it my breath that stopped?
How much?
How much did you say?!
As if in answer, the system window flashed kindly.
[System] Current Coins: 0
[System] 1 additional Coin has been granted as a bonus for your second Rating Rank Up.
[System] Coins: 0 → 1
Current Overall Rating: D-
“……Tulia Frezier?”
I snapped out of my daze and realized I was staring blankly into space.
Grand Duke Asis Frezier was looking at me with a peculiar expression.
“Are you feeling unwell?”
If I had been in my right mind, I would have been shocked by the faint trace of concern in Grand Duke Asis’s voice. But right now, I was far from sane.
I couldn't afford to be.
I barely managed to pull myself together—or at least, I did a damn good job of faking it—and opened my trembling mouth.
“I-I’m sorry, Grandfather. I think I was just so overwhelmed that my hands kept losing their strength….”
Grand Duke Asis let out a small “Hmm,” furrowed his brow, and glanced toward the Lilius family.
Of course, I didn't have the luxury of looking back at them.
Like a machine, slowly and with my consciousness half-faded, I began to fasten the necklace around my neck once more.
If I failed this time, it was over.
To anyone watching, it would look intentional, and the Glory would undoubtedly be confiscated.
Without the Glory, according to the Family Law, I wouldn't be allowed to leave the estate. That meant I couldn't meet Male Lead 1, the very first condition for reaching A-Rank.
If that happened, the Main Quest would be an absolute failure.
‘Which basically means I’ll just die….’
My hands shook pathetically because of that thought.
However.
The necklace settled around my neck as if it were born to be there, shining beautifully against my skin.
Despite the bitterness, the heartache, and the mental exhaustion from blowing all my coins, I felt a strange sense of accomplishment.
It was beautiful.
“Congratulations, Lady Tulia!”
“The Glory truly suits you.”
“It seems to have found its true master. You are absolutely radiant.”
The hearty laughter of the vassals didn't reach the depths of my heart; it merely scattered like hollow, warm clouds.
My eyes were fixed on the air in front of me.
[System] Current Coins: 1
‘This… this is insane….’
Haha.
That was the moment I learned that when a person is truly dumbfounded, they can’t help but let out a hollow laugh, regardless of the time or place.
They said once a stat is raised, it can never be reversed.
I was hit with a wave of intense regret—if I had known it would be like this, I wouldn't have hoarded my coins and would have dumped them into Wealth instead. But the bus had already left the station.
‘A villainess who blindly pumps the Skill stat instead of Wealth.’
What kind of barbarian learns how to play golf before learning how to hunt?
There’s a villainess out there who squanders her stats like a luxury, and that villainess is me.
“Congratulations, Lady Tulia.”
“My congratulations. Has there ever been a Frezier in history who received the Glory so early?”
“Lady Tulia is surely destined to become a person of great dignity who will bring honor to the Frezier name.”
“And how does the color of the gem suit you so perfectly?”
I barely managed to swallow my tears amidst the pouring congratulations.
“Thank you. Thank you so much.”
Even as I bowed to each of the vassals, the Glory of Frezier’s Necklace dangled from my neck, shining magnificently.
“That is enough, Tulia Frezier.”
As I was busy bowing, Grand Duke Asis approached me.
“Go and rest. Your complexion looks terrible.”
Normally, I wouldn't have missed an opportunity to get on the Grand Duke’s good side, but right now, I really did need to rest.
Otherwise, I might have grabbed that fluttering Status Window—that winged star—and snapped it in half before burning it to ashes.
“Thank you, Grandfather….”
My voice trailed off, my energy completely drained.
That night.
It wasn't until the next morning that I discovered Grand Duke Asis Frezier had sent a mountain of incredibly expensive and rare medicinal herbs to my room.
* * *
The big day dawned.
After a late breakfast, followed by washing up and brushing my teeth, I summoned the maids and lined them up.
“Lilda?”
“Y-yes, Lady Tulia.”
Rumors of what happened at the hall must have already spread through the Main Castle and every annex in the Frezier territory.
Since the vassals were present, there probably wasn't a single noble in the vast Frezier lands who didn't know by now.
The same would go for the maids assigned to my quarters.
I strolled over to Lilda. Her face was as pale as a corpse. She was breaking out in a cold sweat.
The other maids weren't much better.
‘Was Lilda the only one who was bribed?’
Was she the one who hid that brat Tedric’s exam papers in my room?
Neither I nor the Head Maid, Adel, knew the answer to that yet.
Regardless, all the maids here were girls sent by Aubrey.
There was no way to know for sure if there were other accomplices among them who had been bribed by Aubrey….
‘Wait a minute?’
I glanced at the star that was fluttering around me like bird droppings and clicked it.
Then, I looked at the maid standing on the far left, who was sweating buckets.
In that instant:
[System: Profile]
Mari (23 years old)
- From a southern city in the Brillant Empire.
- First entered the Grand Duchy as a maid three years ago….
‘No, I don’t need the detailed profile!’
I scrolled down, and just as I expected:
I immediately clicked ‘See More.’
‘Holy crap!’
My eyes widened like an astronomer who had just found a fallen meteorite.
I can use Profile checks for this too?!
After quickly checking the profiles of all the maids, I was now wearing a very bright smile.
A person who won the lottery twice would probably have a smile like this, wouldn't they?
“Lilda.”
“Y-yes….”
“Mari. Beckley. Cindy. Jeje. Clara.”
The maids flinched as their names were called.
‘How is it that every single one of them is an accomplice?’
It was a bit bitter, but what could I do?
Aubrey was a power player who held the reins of the estate’s internal affairs, and until yesterday, I was just a discarded daughter of a Marquis with nothing special to my name.
“Girls.”
I walked right up to Lilda and raised my hand.
Lilda instinctively hunched her shoulders and squeezed her eyes shut.
Since Lilda was older, she probably had been promised a position like Assistant Head Maid for the Viscount’s family if she handled this job well.
I used my raised hand to gently take both of Lilda’s hands in mine.
Then, I thanked her with all my heart.
“Thank you.”
There was no violence, no accusation.
I simply gave her the kindest smile Tulia could muster and said thank you.
Lilda, who opened her eyes a beat late, asked back with a dazed expression.
“……Pardon?”
“It’s all thanks to you, Lilda, and the five of you.”
How many people would be able to immediately understand a thank-you that lacked any context?
Especially when they had a very guilty conscience.
But Lilda was indeed the maid Aubrey had bragged about, claiming she had noble blood in her veins.
She understood my words, albeit a moment late.
My groundless gratitude carried only one meaning.
‘Thank you for betraying your true master, Aubrey, and her conspiracy to help me.’
That was the implication.
In other words, a frame-up.
Or perhaps, driving a wedge?
“M-My Lady. I… when did I ever…!”
She seemed on the verge of protesting, wanting to ask when she had ever betrayed Aubrey to help me, but she couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence.
The wicked woman wouldn't have been able to say it anyway.
If Lilda spoke like that, it would give me the opening to counter-attack.
I could interrogate her, asking what on earth she was talking about, and if she was the one who played the lead role in yesterday’s false accusation.
But above all….
“……Tulia. I’m sorry for coming in without knocking, dear auntie was just worried.”
Because the voice of Aubrey—who always pretended to be a sweet aunt or looked at me as if I were Tedric’s mortal enemy—had just reached my ears.