episode_0004

▶ Maid Camilla enters with dessert. ◀

[ 1. Come in. ]

[ 2. (angrily) What dessert?! Don’t try to act all fancy with your damn tricks, just get lost! ]

[ 3. Pretend to be asleep under the covers. ]

[ 4. (opens the door and rushes out) You eat that garbage yourself! ]

As if heralding the beginning of the first episode, the choices appeared.

Yeah. That’s how it actually happened. After a brief scene skip during the tutorial, the first episode starts right away in Carcyn’s room.

The maid’s statement about bringing dessert.

I’m not in a state to eat, being unwell and devoid of hunger. Nevertheless, the correct answer is option 1. I told her to come in absentmindedly.

First… I probably can’t proceed with the test because of my condition.

“Come in.”

While still under the covers, I said that, and the maid cautiously opened the door and entered.

“I apologize for the intrusion, Lord Carcyn.”

My head spins after choosing the option. I can’t endure this as it is.

“Darn it, my head is spinning so much I can’t see clearly. I’ll have to lean against the wall.”

Muttering to myself, I leaned against the wall at the head of the bed, and in the meantime, with a rustling sound, the dessert kit was placed in front of me.

Two puddings and a drink were laid out on the table before me. This was the dessert given to me.

“I will leave now. Please call me when you’re finished.”

Maid Camilla replied curtly and left with the kit.

With two puddings and a drink on the table and Carcyn struggling to endure due to his illness. This would likely have been the scene in the game.

A simple mini-game was played here, but pretending to be fine with aching body was tough. It’s almost as if I can’t even remember how easy it was to find clothes in the morning.

▶ The timer is ending. ◀

▶ Since I endured until Maid Camilla left, the penalty disappears. ◀

From the moment Camilla brought in the kit, a timer appeared before my eyes, and during that time, I had to avoid revealing my pain. And I succeeded.

The problem comes next.

Carcyn collapses due to his illness, unable to endure any longer, concluding this episode.

So, my body was actually about to collapse at any moment.

But. A shining fork appeared before my eyes.

“Memorial… Was it?”

Logically, a fork wouldn’t naturally emit light. In this game, there are occasionally items that shine. This one was a memorial item that, when clicked, showed a scene from the past.

In this absurdly bad ending-filled game, it provides players with clues to help them make the right choices.

Even though this episode is supposed to end with this, I wonder if there’s any significance…

‘But it’s probably good to check.’

My body, burning like a fireball, felt stiffer and slower than when walking to the restaurant. Nevertheless, I awkwardly reached for the fork, and the memorial brightly illuminated a scene like a filmstrip.

What came into view was the nobleman’s empty room. There, the nobleman seemed to have brought in a maid.

The nobleman tried to hand something to her from his pocket but abruptly withdrew it.

“This time, there’s no money to give.”

“What? What do you mean…”

“You did the job so carelessly, and now you shamelessly claim you did it well?”

Camilla, who had thought she would receive the money soon, was taken aback by the sudden refusal.

“What are you talking about? I, I did everything as instructed.”

“Then tell me what your task was.”

“Instead of hot water, filling the bathtub with cold water, and sprinkling plenty of salt on the meal. Wasn’t that it?”

The details of today’s events were laid bare. The salted meal of Carcain, the water for Carcain to bathe in. It was all Camilla’s doing.

“So why would the youngest lady be upset! Carcain nonchalantly emptied half the soup. Besides, he bathed with cold water and didn’t say a word when he came out. Isn’t it natural for me to suspect you?!”

“What? B-but I…”

-Thud.

“…!”

“I’ll give you one more chance. Regomos series awakening agent and stimulant. Take these drugs and make a dessert. If even this fails, then it’s really over.” The nobleman threatened, placing two vials directly into Camilla’s hands.

That was the end of the scene illuminated by the memorial.

My body, now a fiery mass, returns. I regained consciousness with a blurry vision.

It was quite different from the scene in the game. Well, it wasn’t much different from the memorial scene seen in the game, but there was quite a bit of additional content.

In the game, it was just a scene of handing a vial to Camilla, and as a player, one would focus more on the information that Camilla is the culprit rather than that scene.

I didn’t know that there were stimulants and excitants in the pudding and drink that, when consumed together, would stimulate the nerves. Let alone the fact that they received hush money and worked.

Perhaps the game’s flow will remain unchanged unless you touch those foods. However…

“I can definitely make use of this.”

I am not Karsein, I am Kim Minhyuk.

Whether it’s the possibility of escaping from here or the chance to clear the game, if even a slight clue is given, I will never refuse it.

Gulp.

I immediately picked up the fork and stabbed right into the center of the pudding. Then, I reluctantly put it in my mouth and chewed before swallowing as much of the drink as possible.

Stimulants and excitants. One of the in-game items, consumable items.

If you eat just one, it can be used as medicine, but the moment you consume both at once, it stimulates the nerves, making you sensitive. Karsein, who experienced that, got angry and saw a bad ending.

Well, it didn’t matter either way.

There’s no point in being sensitive or anything due to a cold. Is there any reason to get angry when you’re suffering from a cold?

So, even if there’s an endless malice seeping through the pudding and drink that looks fine both on the outside and in taste, it doesn’t have any effect.

*Gulp. Gulp.*

After emptying about a third of the drink and eating one pudding, that’s enough.

“Ugh… I can’t take it anymore…”

Now it was really my limit. As I watched the fork fall to the ground, my body also plummeted to the ground.

I don’t feel the pain very well, so I don’t know. It’s just a shame that I couldn’t see the contents of the status window that appeared before my eyes.

▶CHAPTER 1 – Episode I Cleared!◀

▶You have succeeded in bringing about results beyond the choices.◀

At breakfast, there was nothing but dissatisfaction.

Something was clearly amiss.

The cold water in the tub ordered by the maid, Mother’s indifferent response to scolding, and even the heavily salted meal all failed to elicit any reaction from Karsen.

Because she didn’t react to anything. It felt like a missed opportunity.

So there was dissatisfaction. She even began to suspect if the maid wasn’t doing her job properly.

Then Emma, who had served as a nursemaid since childhood, spoke up. She promised to produce the proper results.

How much time had passed since then? With a sly smile, Emma told Karsen to go up to her room as usual, making it clear that she couldn’t avoid getting angry this time.

“As expected of Emma!”

Thanks to her, Flora’s steps, which had been filled with dissatisfaction during meal times, became infinitely lighter.

Excitedly walking, almost skipping, she found herself standing right in front of Karsen’s room.

“Let’s see… you said you prepared dessert, right? Yeah!”

Recalling what Emma had told her, Flora opened the door with a cheerful expression.

“Did you enjoy the dessert I prepared for you~?”

Truly a mocking tone.

It was obvious what was in the prepared dessert, so the mocking expression seemed to ask how she could stomach it without getting angry.

This should definitely make her angry at herself. She would surely raise her voice, grumble, and show her displeasure.

It was a statement thrown without doubt.

“What’s this? Why isn’t it here?”

Karsen wasn’t visible in the room. She wasn’t on the bed, nor was she sitting at the table. Karsen, who usually suppressed her emotions, was nowhere to be seen.

That couldn’t be true. Unlike Karsen’s maid, Emma wouldn’t lie.

What could have happened? Upon closer inspection, a foot protruded from under the table. It had been hidden.

“Hmph, what’s this? Are you hiding because of me?”

It wasn’t a game of hide-and-seek. Revealing herself like that made Flora want to tease her even more, to the point of exasperation.

Flora pondered how to make use of this and moved towards the table. However, “Uh, uh…?” The expression of the girl who was about to raise her medicine stiffened in an instant. Her delicately folded eyes trembled as if in confusion, and her smiling lips quickly turned downward. She didn’t express anger, nor did she raise her voice. She didn’t even show an attempt to endure. He lay between the bed and the table, unable to show any reaction, be it facial or vocal, because he had collapsed. “I, I don’t know… I… I don’t know!” The frightened girl took a step back. One step, then another. And before she knew it, she turned her back and left the room. -Thud! Karsein’s door closed with a heavy sound.

“Looks like everyone’s finished eating, so I’ll get up now.” “Mom? Are you getting up already?” “There are still some things I need to do. I want to finish what I started.” “But, Mom. You’ve just come back after a long time. It’s okay for you to rest a little longer.” Hearing this, Isabella shook her head. With Karsein and Flora gone, there was no reason for the two of them to stay. Although their mother, who had returned after a long absence, said she was going back to work, both daughters knew better. Since Karsein left, Isabella’s eating speed gradually slowed down. After that, her gaze became distant and her responses became shorter. All because of that guy who left his seat for the first time. That’s why their mother left her seat. Unable to contain her dissatisfaction, Claire immediately changed direction as soon as she left the dining room. Watching her, Arina called out to Claire. “Claire.” “Don’t stop me, sis. Mom has finally returned from the estate, she should at least stay until the end.” If she had at least stayed until the meal was finished, the dining table wouldn’t have ended so ambiguously. “That’s why I have to say something. Don’t stop me.” “I’m not trying to stop you. I’m saying let’s go together.” “Huh?”

“I agree with you. Basic courtesy is something that should be upheld.”

The sisters, who shared the same thought, walked side by side to Karsen’s room.

“Karsen—”

“Hey, Karsen. Are you in there? We’re coming in!”

Ariana tried to knock on the firmly closed door, but Claire, who couldn’t contain herself, just opened it and went in.

“Hey, where did you go? You can’t possibly be showering right now.”

“Karsen wouldn’t have any plans. The table looks like it was just being used for dessert.”

“Well, that’s true, but then where on earth… huh?”

Suddenly, something caught Claire’s eye outside the table. It was Karsen’s shoes.

“This is crazy. What’s he doing on the floor while eating dessert?”

“Hey. What are you doing on the floor in your room?”

The two sisters, walking briskly, widened their eyes just like a pair of detectives.

“Kar-Karsen!”

“Is there anyone outside? Go and call for Shaden!”