Translator: Nox

Chapter 12

“I absolutely forbid it!”

“Excuse me?”

Aubrey’s sudden outburst of fury was entirely unpredicted.

“It is inconceivable to appoint a commoner from the frontier as the head maid,” she spat.

“But Aunt, wasn’t it you who handpicked Adel for me?”

“I only did that to avoid accusations of negligence! There is a massive psychological difference between receiving a single gift and being forced to choose between two options!”

Adel stood there, being discussed like a piece of refuse destined for the scrap heap, yet her face remained a mask of perfect composure.

I stole a glance at Ruk Kelfosher. His gaze had darkened, if only by a fraction.

This specific detail had been a source of anxiety for me. I had worried that because Adel Kelposher was his ‘hidden sister,’ Ruk might be entirely unaware of her existence. However, it was becoming clear that Ruk was merely feigning ignorance of Adel due to some unspoken necessity.

I realized then that I hadn’t just hit a single jackpot; I had struck gold twice. Securing Ruk Kelfosher’s loyalty was paramount. He had served as the primary counselor to Assis Grand Duke Frazier for over a decade. If I wanted to win over the Grand Duke, I first had to ensure Ruk was firmly on my side.

I gave Aubrey a slow, deliberate nod. “I hear you, Aunt.”

“Do you? Good. Then it is settled. Rilda shall be the head maid—”

“Adel will take the position of head maid,” I interrupted. “Rilda can serve as my personal attendant.”

Aubrey’s entire frame began to shake with indignation. “Tulia Frazier! How dare you suggest a girl of noble heritage serve under a peasant from the borderlands?”

“You presented both to me as gifts, did you not?” I countered. “Therefore, the right to assign their roles belongs exclusively to me.”

Aubrey’s complexion turned a vivid shade of crimson as she doubled down. “That is irrelevant! This is an empire built on social hierarchy and the sanctity of noble blood!”

“You took the words right out of my mouth, Aunt.” I offered her a smile that mirrored her own false affection. “I am the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Frazier. In this entire Grand Ducal estate, I am the only granddaughter who actually carries the family bloodline, am I not?”

The temperature in the room seemed to plummet instantly. Even Viscountess Aubrey Frazier, who usually fluctuated between the roles of a shrewd matriarch and a mindless socialite, was stunned into silence.

The statement was undeniably accurate. Hyacinthia, the eldest daughter of the Grand Duke, had passed away childless. My father, Marquis Aster Frazier, had fathered only the twins and me. While Count Nigela Frazier, the third son, had a daughter, she was the child of his mistress and shared no biological connection to the Fraziers. Even the ‘daughter’ of the youngest son, Viscount Lilius, was merely a clever girl from a vassal family adopted for her charm.

I had just effectively reminded everyone that I was the sole biological granddaughter of the house. It was a remarkably arrogant thing to say, but it was the absolute truth. In the original story, Tulia uttered such cutting remarks as easily as breathing. As a premier villainess, she possessed a natural gift for crushing others with her tongue.

Aubrey’s face shifted through a spectrum of frustrated colors, but she found herself unable to retort. I kept my expression sweet and innocent.

“What does their rank matter when they serve me? From my perspective, they are both equally beneath me.”

That was another classic line from the game. I was actually being quite restrained compared to the original character, who hadn’t earned the nickname ‘the mad filly of high society’ for nothing. When Tulia decided to be cruel, only the male leads could withstand her.

Thinking of them reminded me of the tasks ahead. My eyes drifted toward the star hovering above. After a brief moment of focus, I gathered my skirts and performed a shallow, polite bow.

“Thank you for providing the servants, Aunt Aubrey. I shall pay you a formal visit later.”

---

“Shall I extinguish the lamps, Miss Tulia?”

“Leave them,” I replied. “I still have work to finish. I’ll take care of them myself.”

Adel shook her head gently. “That won’t do, Miss. Please, just pull the bell cord when you are ready, and I will return to handle it.”

“Very well. I’ll do that.”

With a small, soft smile, Adel departed. Her personality must have been at a maximum score. Despite being a minor character I hadn’t encountered in the game, she was exceptionally kind. Considering she was also Ruk’s secret sister, she was an invaluable asset.

I felt a surge of ambition as I reached for my stationery. In the world of the game, timing was everything. To achieve an A-rank, I needed to make contact with the male leads early on while I was still building my attributes. Initial meetings were mandatory.

I began to map out the schedule:

1. Travel to the Imperial Palace to find the Crown Prince.
2. Attend the Founding Festival to meet the Bastard Prince during his debut.
3. Be present at Grand Duke Frazier’s birthday gala for the return of the twin brothers from the Academy.

The list was short because I had already memorized the game’s progression over two years of playing. The real obstacle was my reputation. I wasn’t the heroine, Coriko; I was Tulia, a girl whose social standing was in the gutter. Furthermore, I was currently trapped on Frazier land. I couldn’t travel without a guardian unless I possessed the Direct Lineage Necklace—a symbol of authority I had yet to earn.

I decided to worry about that later. I ruined the notes with a splash of tea to hide my plans, cleared the desk, and collapsed onto the bed. Curious, I pulled the bell cord.

The response was nearly instantaneous.

“Adel?”

“I am here, Miss. Is something wrong?”

“No, I was just surprised by how fast you arrived.”

My genuine praise made her expression turn momentarily stern. “There are some servants who forget their duty to their master, but I am not one of them.”

She quickly softened, stepping forward to tuck the blankets around me. Since the new staff had arrived, even my linens had been replaced with high-quality, plush fabrics.

“I wish you pleasant dreams, Miss.”

The warmth of her farewell was something I hadn’t experienced in any of my lives—not as a player, not since being reborn here, and not even in my original world. It was a strange, comforting sensation, like being a small bird sheltered from the cold. I felt a flush of shy embarrassment.

I knew that starting tomorrow, the treacherous Rilda would likely use Aubrey’s influence to undermine Adel at every turn. I would have to be vigilant. Every other maid in this wing was essentially a spy for my aunt.

But for tonight, I wanted to pretend everything was fine. I wanted to believe in this fleeting peace.

“Goodnight, Adel,” I said, offering her the first sincere, heartfelt smile I had given anyone since arriving in this body. “Sleep well.”

---

The following days unfolded exactly as I had feared. Rilda immediately began acting as though she were the head maid, citing her noble ancestry as justification for her arrogance. She was clearly emboldened by the support of Viscountess Aubrey, who managed the internal affairs of the estate.

I had spent my time considering how to handle Rilda’s insolence. My primary strategy—Plan A—was to lean into Tulia’s reputation as a mindless brat and simply douse the girl with water.

However…