episode_0028

She tried not to repeat the same mistake that had occurred three years ago, keeping in mind the warning she had received. She delayed her arrival to avoid friction with the nobles. She disguised herself as a servant to avoid causing a commotion by shouting unfairness. Ultimately, she took on the guise of a servant to avoid causing an incident on her coming-of-age ceremony day, and this was deemed the best course of action to prevent a repetition of what had happened back then.

It is said that the intention behind the carsein she received from her older sister on her birthday, which was also her coming-of-age ceremony day, was just that. However, Claire did not believe it. It didn’t seem like that was all there was to it. A gut feeling told her that there was something more being concealed.

Moreover, there was a strange sense of unease. So, she had intended to ask Carsein about it right after his return. However, during her conversation with Hanryang, she heard something odd.

“──────, does this mean I have to beg Ariana because I didn’t get permission with this?”

She couldn’t hear the preceding sentence, but she didn’t dwell on it because the latter part was more important.

“Carsein, why do you have to beg my sister? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Kk, Miss Claire.”

Had he done something terribly wrong to her sister? Begging for permission? What kind of talk was that?

She listened further. After hearing him out, it wasn’t a big issue.

“You’ve caused quite a few accidents, so it’s reasonable for them to raise concerns. This is your responsibility.”

“So, you’re telling me to go beg Ariana?”

“No, it’s not like that. If you just explain why you went out, there shouldn’t be much of a problem. If you had an accident somewhere, a letter will arrive at the mansion by tomorrow.”

She roughly concluded the matter. If Carsein had a reasonable explanation for this outing, it was hard to simply dismiss Emma’s words as entirely wrong without confirming it.

However, Claire, preoccupied with her own duties, didn’t get to hear what Emma had to say about this measure.

“So, what is it? Why did you go outside?”

In response to this question, Carsein casually replied, “A birthday gift.”

“What?”

“Mother allowed me to go out as a birthday present.”

Suddenly, a sense of unease arose. The word “birthday” began to spin wildly in my head.

No way.

It can’t be.

The day I thought was my coming-of-age ceremony, it couldn’t possibly be that day. Right?

However…

“My birthday is on December 31st.”

Casually, Karsein uttered words that should never have been spoken with such nonchalance.

All doubts and unease turned to ashes.

All that remained was the sensation of something hard striking my head and the incessant ringing in my ears.

“A birthday… like that…”

Unlike others, it was an infinitely miserable birthday.

I received no congratulations from anyone.

Not even a memory of a gift buried and forgotten.

Only belatedly did I realize that the gift I received was the pitiful permission to go out.

And…

Someone who claimed to be family. My younger brother’s sister.

Realizing only now that she didn’t come on her own birthday, while I had thrown a fit.

“What should I say, what should I say…!”

My fingertips trembled.

My mouth naturally fell silent.

With eyes trembling as if possessed, I faced him once more.

Even if it was an excuse. Even if it was a lie. Even if it was empty words, I had to say something.

However…

“…!”

His cold, indifferent gaze said it all.

Even after revealing that shocking truth, there seemed to be no change in his emotions.

Karsein maintained his chilling composure as if he hadn’t expected anything in the first place.

“Just go inside. You know what I mean.”

Dropping her head, Claire spoke in a drained voice.

“Just go inside? But who’s going to beg Ariana to come and do the cleaning?”

“Not to Unni!”

For a moment, it felt like my breath was being cut off.

It seemed as if the words were stuck in my throat, refusing to come out.

Still, Claire forced out her voice as if struggling to vomit.

“I’ll handle it well. So, just go inside…”

Without a word, Karsein passed by Claire. The sound of his footsteps entering the mansion from the stable seemed particularly loud today.

Just as the sound of footsteps completely ceased,

Claire pressed her forehead, trying to calm her throbbing head.

However, there was someone present who did not take kindly to Karceine’s behavior.

“Claire, young master Karceine may have caused an accident outside.”

“Enough, just send him away.”

“What? Miss Claire, but this is too—”

“Just shut up and send him away. Isn’t that clear enough?”

When Emma spoke without realizing, Claire shot her a fierce look and spat out curses.

“You, seriously, acting all high and mighty. Why are you making such a fuss over just going out? Trying to put on a big show or something?”

Her fierce gaze poured down without mercy. In the face of her intimidating remarks, there was no room for retort.

Emma could only bow deeply in apology right there.

“I-I’m sorry! I misspoke. Please forgive me just this once…!”

“Mis-spoke? Ha. Even if Unni had imposed an outing ban, this, clearly, is an abuse of power, isn’t it?”

“Claire, please…”

“Try crossing the line one more time. Even if you’re Flora’s nanny, I won’t let it slide next time.”

“Yes, yes! I’ll be careful…!”

As Claire headed back into the mansion, she added a final word to Emma, who was still bowing deeply.

“I’m warning you again, if this gets heard within the mansion, you’ll be the one to suffer. Behave yourself properly.”

It was a clear warning.

***

▶ Successfully cleared the outing branch of Episode IV! ◀

▶ Successfully brought about results beyond the choices made. ◀

▶ Claire’s intimacy has greatly increased, and harassment at the mansion will decrease. ◀

[ Claire Bagram ]

[ Intimacy Level: 13% ]

■ Rewards

[ Ariana’s outing restriction is relaxed. ]

[ From now on, you can go outside the mansion without seeking permission. ]

The anticipated result unfolded as planned. From the moment Claire openly eavesdropped on their conversation, Emma couldn’t even make a sound. She then revealed her birthday as indicated in the options. Thanks to the shocked Claire, she was able to smoothly exit that place.

Emma was then caught by Claire. She would do anything to punish Carcine, regardless of how it might affect Claire’s feelings.

I didn’t care about the conversation that took place there. What mattered was that Claire’s intimacy had increased and the restriction on going out had been slightly lifted. This meant more freedom of movement.

There were still plenty of dangers lurking, but being able to go out was a significant development. It meant being prepared for other dead triggers. Just that alone was enough, of course, we would need to gather enough clues.

“And… the time has come to trigger a dead trigger.”

Camilla, Carcine’s personal maid. This was an opportunity to sever the deep tie with this maid who had just entered the room with me. But I couldn’t let my guard down yet. There had been significant actions. Actions like spending extra money to buy things I needed or leaving the place before Emma arrived, these were unusual behaviors not seen in the game. I had to address the reason for these unusual behaviors before the dead trigger was activated.

I asked directly, “You know you need to explain, right? Camilla.”

“…Yes, I know.”

When we finally arrived at my room, I threw the question as if testing the waters.

Thud!

A dull sound echoed loudly from the floor. Camilla, who had swallowed nervously, immediately dropped to her knees.

“I’m sorry, Master!” she started apologizing abruptly.

***

Not only did Camilla drop to her knees with a thud, she even bowed her head to the ground.

“What’s this?”

She showed the ultimate form of submission. There must be a special reason for speaking in such a prostrate manner. Yes, for instance, like asking for money for an ailing mother.

“Do you need money?”

It all made sense, especially after overhearing the conversation with Heron and seeing her openly holding cash. Moreover, she had even added 200 pesos extra to buy my item, so it seemed likely that she was after money.

“If you need money, you can take one of my clothes and sell it tomorrow. Even if it’s useless to me now, it used to be noble attire, so selling it should fetch a good amount. If you need permission, I’ll provide the receipt for the items I brought myself.”

“Oh…! No, that’s not it. I don’t need money.”

Is she saying she’s in need? Good.

“Well, I could add more interest. You can even take a few more and claim from the ship’s funds. If that’s still not enough, you can add what you received when you were young. It should yield a few more coins, which should be satisfying enough.”

The 200 pessels received from Camilla are crucial for controlling my fate right now, so it doesn’t matter.

Furthermore, even if I were to sell off the gifts Karsein gave me when I was young, no one would dare question the countess.

“No, I don’t desire coins or jewels. I didn’t pay the lord for goods!”

Upon hearing this, Camilla dropped to her knees and shook her head vigorously. She had rejected such a generous compensation with her own hands.

“Do you expect me to believe that? You’re clearly aware that you receive a salary twice as high as the norm due to your mother’s illness.”

“That, that’s…”

Camilla, struck to the core, took a deep breath. She currently works as my personal maid because of her financial situation.

If her need for money is so pressing that it reaches the ears of Arina, then her purpose at the count’s estate cannot be unrelated to money.

So, she doesn’t need money? This claim itself was a significant contradiction.

As Camilla bit her lip, her complexion grew paler, and then, as if recalling something, she suddenly spoke up.

“But that money!”

“Hmm?”

“The money used for the expenses actually came from the advance payment given by the steward!”

If an unexpected remark had popped up earlier, this time, an even more startling revelation emerged. ‘What’s this? This is practically a confession, isn’t it?’ The source of this cash, 200 pessels, was revealed to be from the steward, and it was disclosed as an advance payment.

Then naturally, the process and results are derived. The moment Camilla received the money from Emma, it meant she had received a request, which, quite naturally, as her dedicated maid, implied that she had something to do for me.

It’s clearly not a story to be taken lightly. It’s extremely confidential, even among the most confidential matters. As it is a matter of such significance that it could shake the aristocracy once revealed, I wouldn’t dare to disclose it confidently in front of me.

“When you said there was somewhere the young master needed to listen, that’s when Emma came to me.”

– For the sake of the Marquis, you will consider moving, won’t you?

“That’s what she said while giving me the money. Emma said she would lay the groundwork for me. After it’s over, if the young master wants to know what happened, he’ll probably listen to the report and pay the balance. Of course, now that things aren’t going as planned, he’ll probably make a fuss…”

The request to report on what Carcine did outside. I said I wouldn’t carry it out.

From the advance payment discussion to the precise timing of the mentioned request.

There was an entirely natural flow without a single mistake.

However, my doubts were not resolved.

No matter how much I think about it, isn’t trying to send Carcine in first contradictory behavior?

I couldn’t understand it at all, so I narrowed my eyes and asked.

“Why are you telling me this?”

Camilla, who had been silent for a long time at my words, choked up and took something out of her sleeve.

“This is a diet pill… but I tried to die with the hope that even a little money would go to my mother from the solitary confinement. It can cause gastric ulcers from overwork. If that happens… I thought my mother could get a little more money…”

Mentioning that she actually tried to die, Camilla was spilling everything out to me without holding anything back.

The process seemed quite arduous.

But I wasn’t here to hear this answer.

“Camilla. My question isn’t about that, is it?”

Her whole body trembled like trembling hands. Then, gradually, her whole body began to tremble. Soon, her breath became erratic, and her voice began to tremble too.

Beneath her reddened eyes, her moistened pupils glistened through the maid’s skirt.

Camilla’s lips parted once more.

“I… I couldn’t do anything until the end!”

“What?”

“All my pitiful and feeble actions that tormented you were endlessly shameful and humiliating. But you, milord…! You forgave someone like me, didn’t you?”

She found her answer in the word “forgiveness.”

It was utterly incomprehensible. Even after arriving at this conclusion, she reconsidered it several times.

No other answer came to mind.

“Camilla showed kindness to me.”

In fact, upon careful consideration, it wasn’t just the two of them. Perhaps there were more instances, such as wishing not to be ignored or even trying to prepare adult clothes independently for the coming-of-age ceremony.

If one were to scrutinize every detail, there might be more.

And bowing one’s head in this manner meant…

“I already knew. I tried to expel you from the mansion.”

Camilla nodded with tightly pressed lips.

■ Possessed Item ■

▶ [ Shufep Root ]

[ Effect 1: When ingested, it releases magical asphyxia and reduces the likelihood of recurrence to 0%.]

…

…

The moment she consumes it, Camilla’s mother will be freed from magical asphyxia and able to lead a normal life again.

Since it could only be obtained in such dark and obscure places, the possibility of noble young ladies visiting such a place was close to zero.

She had also noticed it before anyone else. That was the item she had been so desperate to obtain, and the fact that I would offer it to her.

I extended the Shufep Root to Camilla and asked.

“I’m not reprimanding you, so answer comfortably. Do you have any reason to stay at the mansion? If it’s money, after treating your mother’s illness, you wouldn’t need to stay here.”

“…Because I’ve committed a great sin against you, milord.”

“To alleviate your guilt?”

“Shamefully, yes, that’s correct.”

Until now, Camilla had only felt like an ordinary extra character.

Simply a character driven by the need for money.

A dedicated maid character who tormented Carcyn and created various dead triggers.

At the same time, a character who only gives Carsein a chance to rebound in a specific episode.

Now, all that was left was to make the final move to turn off the Dead Trigger; he was just a character in the game. Therefore, he thought it was the end. The goal had already been achieved, and there were no plans for any future Dead Triggers related to Camilla in any episodes. But what about now that it has become reality?

Being once a noble family’s daughter, it would be more difficult to endure than an average commoner to swallow one’s pride. Especially when realizing the other party is from a poor village. Desperate circumstances, such as having to commit wrongdoings without hesitation to gather money to cure his mother’s illness, may have greatly hindered him.

Nevertheless, he maintained an attitude of reflection, even adopting a humble posture.

He might as well listen to the story.

“Tell me what you want. Camilla.”

Realizing the opportunity had come, Camilla wiped away her tears and assumed a polite posture.

“I wish to repay the favor to you, sir!!”

And soon after,

-Ding!

▶Will you accept Camilla back as a maid?◀

[1. Accept.]

[2. Do not accept.]

The options appeared.

It was a choice never seen in the game before. If it were a game, he would have concluded it was a futile belief and never accepted it. There could be risks, and he might have simply disposed of anything like a potential Dead Trigger. However, the sincerity and even the earnestness in her eyes made it seem far from a futile belief.

“Logically, following Emma rather than me would be better, wouldn’t it?”

“I’ve given up on that logic. You can think I’m crazy. I don’t intend to follow Miss Emma anymore.”

“I have no money to give you. Unlike Emma’s hush money, being the exclusive maid means receiving the Duke’s salary. Your life ahead might become difficult.”

“It’s my responsibility to bear. I realized too late that turning the burden I should carry into harm for you, sir, is unacceptable.”

No matter how you look at it from Karceine’s perspective, that bastard was definitely wrong. Even from my current standpoint, if I had missed the opportunity to throw him into solitary confinement, my feelings wouldn’t have been much different from Karceine’s.

But for now, he’s the only person in the Marquisate who can be loyal to me. I will never miss this kind of opportunity.

“You only get one chance. Keep that in mind.”

“Thank you, Master! I will never forget this favor and will accept any task without hesitation!”

▶ Hidden Episode: Cleared the Maid’s Original Sin! ◀

▶ Accepting Camilla as a maid results in some of the surveillance on Karceine disappearing completely! ◀

▶ Perception within the Bargrand Marquisate greatly improves! ◀

▶ As a result, the existing danger zones are significantly reduced! ◀

…