Translator: Nox

Chapter 48

Based on the cooldown, it appeared I would need a full week between checking the Affection Level of different individuals. Furthermore, bypassing that wait required an immediate expenditure of coins. I might have considered it for a single coin, but the price was steep.

One hundred coins? Not a chance.

I had no desire to waste such a fortune on Leon Frazier. Besides, my entire stash was currently tied up in the ‘Bank’ feature, leaving me with nothing on hand. I could afford to be patient for a week. After all, both he and Lisian were scheduled to remain at the Main Castle for the next two months.

---

I stepped out after breakfast, feeling more satisfied and full than I usually did.

“Hey.”

A voice I knew well stopped me as I reached the stairs. I turned to find Leon Frazier trailing behind me, his posture lazy and his expression sour. Even with that attitude, his striking looks were undeniable, possessing a magnetism entirely different from Lisian’s elegance.

“I assume you’re desperate not to be a wallflower at the upcoming gala?”

“Pardon?” I asked, confused.

“Why else were you staring at me throughout breakfast? It’s enough to spoil my food and my mood.”

It was truly a tragedy that such a volatile personality inhabited that face. In the original game, I might have found a way to tolerate him, but living as Tulia made this an exhausting uphill battle. Leon came to a halt two steps below me. For once, I found myself looking down at the crown of his head. I realized then that I could happily spend the rest of my life in this exact position—looking down on him.

While I savored that petty wish, Leon leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a cold whisper. “Regardless of your schemes, I will never grant you a single dance. Not as long as I live.”

As if I had even asked. I was stunned by his arrogance, but I managed to find my voice. “I wasn’t looking at you.”

“You weren’t?” he challenged.

“No. I was simply scanning the room. You’ve clearly misinterpreted things.”

“Are you suggesting my eyes deceive me? You think I can’t tell the difference between a casual glance around a hall and you hovering over me?”

“I’m truly sorry,” I said, my face twisting into a grimace of pure disbelief. “But do you suffer from some kind of narcissistic delusion?”

He blinked, thrown off. “What? Some kind of what?”

“I’m saying your ego is a bit much, don’t you think?”

“What are you on about?”

“Do you honestly believe every woman in the room is captivated by you?”

Leon’s brows shot upward in an instant. “Unbelievable. My brother should hear the way you speak. Where is your refinement? We are family.”

He glared into my eyes, his voice low and biting. “A woman? That’s a joke.”

“Is it?” I met his stare head-on. “You’re the one who insisted I wasn’t part of this family.”

The silence was immediate. Leon’s mouth clamped shut, his sneer vanishing.

“I’m well aware of your distaste for me,” I continued, “but I’d appreciate it if you stopped looking for reasons to fight.”

He took a moment before responding, his voice tight. “Why? Are you upset?”

“Yes. I am.”

If this were a scene from the game’s CG gallery, it would be the classic confrontation between the primary villainess and the first male lead. I looked directly into his pale blue eyes and spoke with absolute clarity.

“And I have no intention of letting myself get hurt anymore.”

---

“Young Master Leon.”

The personal physician he had brought from the Academy was waiting when he stepped back into his quarters.

“We need to tend to that mark on your cheek again. We can’t risk an infection.”

“It’s nothing,” Leon dismissed.

“If it worsens, it could leave a permanent scar on your face.”

“Then let it stay. It doesn’t matter.”

“Young Master!”

Leon ignored him, sinking into a chair with his hands buried deep in his pockets. “My brother was the one who hit me. I’ll deal with the consequences.” He scowled, his brow furrowing. “It’s not like I earned the right to be pampered anyway.”

“Well, that is true,” the doctor admitted. “If someone as composed as Lord Lisian felt the need to strike you, you must have been the one in the wrong.”

Leon shot him a sharp look. “Whose payroll are you on, exactly?”

He clicked his tongue and looked away, unable to find a retort. The doctor managed to dab a bit more salve on the injury, but Leon’s patience was thin. He ushered the physician out and bolted the door behind him.

He collapsed onto the sofa, only to pace the room a second later. He didn’t leave the suite, but he paced the floor toward the balcony like a restless animal. The Main Castle was massive; he had no idea which room had been assigned to Tulia Frazier. His eyes wandered aimlessly over the hundreds of glowing windows.

The whole situation felt nonsensical to him. “She spent her life getting everything she ever wanted,” he muttered. She had so much that she had spent her adolescence throwing it all away. And now, this?

And I have no intention of letting myself get hurt anymore.

“Dammit,” Leon groaned, violently shoving a hand through his hair. “This is infuriating.”

Perhaps it was the throbbing in his cheek, but everything felt out of sync. He couldn’t understand why a few words from that girl were bothering him so much.

---

Does Leon Frazier have some sort of hidden talent? Like he can see the future?

I was reeling. After our brief clash on the stairs, I had retreated to my room only to be greeted by a sight that left me shaken: glowing, vibrant text hovering in the air.

[System] Sub-Quest Triggered!

This was the first new objective since the main quest had started. My heart raced as I scanned the words. As I read, my face fell, twisting as if I’d just tasted something foul.

Sub-Quest: Star of the Gala
You are a social pariah! You have no funds, terrible fortune, and the world despises you! Aside from one person, you are completely unloved.
Objective: Dance with ‘Lisian Frazier’ and ‘Leon Frazier’ during the ‘Gala.’
Reward: ???
Penalty for Failure: -10,000 Coins.

“What… what is this?”

Lisian would probably agree if I asked him, but the quest required me to dance with Leon too. It wasn’t an option; it was a requirement. I checked the text again, hoping I’d misread it, but the despair only deepened. The objectives weren’t separate; it was an all-or-nothing deal.

And the penalty? Ten thousand coins? I’d be ruined.

“Nooooo!” I screamed into the empty room. You absolute nightmare of a system! “At least try to be reasonable!”

Unable to contain my rage, I began pummeling my pillow. I didn’t stop until white feathers were drifting through the air like snow over my bed.

---

“The fever has vanished entirely, it seems…”

The assistant butler listened to the physician’s report with a grave expression. “That is good news, surely.”

“Despite the severity of the illness, there appears to be no lasting neurological impact,” the doctor continued.

“Is that so?” the butler asked. If that was the case, he couldn’t explain why the young lady had taken to shouting at the walls lately.

The physician offered a tentative theory. “It is possible she is simply suffering from a great deal of internal stress.”

“Ah…” The butler nodded understandingly.

“I recommend serving her cold sweets often and ensuring she spends time outdoors.”

“I see. I’ll have ice cream sent up immediately. We’ll include it with every meal.”

Cold delicacies were a luxury. While fruit sorbets were expensive enough, ice cream—rich with cream, sugar, and rare spices—cost a small fortune. However, Ruk Kelfosher had given strict instructions: Tulia was to have whatever she desired, especially if it was requested by her head maid, Adel.

The butler realized he hadn’t seen Adel lately. However, Ruk had also commanded that no one inquire about her whereabouts. As a man who served the secret advisor to the Grand Duke, the assistant butler knew better than to ask questions. He turned toward the kitchens to secure the treats for Tulia.

---

“Mother!”

“Tedrick! Oh, my dear boy…!”

Aubrey pulled her son into a frantic embrace, her eyes welling with tears. “You’ve wasted away to nothing. Lilius, bring him inside this instant.”

“It was freezing in that storehouse, Mother,” Tedrick complained, nearly sobbing as he entered the castle. “The drafts were unbearable. Even the common folk shouldn’t have to endure such conditions!”

A massive spread of food was waiting for him.

“Sit, eat. I made sure to prepare all your favorites.”

Tedrick didn’t wait. He began shoving pieces of succulent turkey into his mouth, finally catching his breath.

“How could they let him go hungry like this?” Aubrey lamented.

“He wasn’t starving, Aubrey. Calm down,” Viscount Lilius sighed.

She turned on him with tearful eyes. “Look at him! His wrists are like twigs!”

“…He certainly missed a few decent meals. Eat your fill, Tedrick,” Lilius conceded.

Tedrick barely acknowledged them, his eyes darting hungrily over the feast. Grand Duke Assis Frazier had placed him under house arrest in a different wing of the estate. If not for those strict orders, they would have sent him gourmet meals every day. But the Frazier family laws were absolute, and those under arrest were restricted to a specific diet.

“Hard bread and watery soup,” Tedrick grumbled between bites. “Wilted greens and rancid butter. That’s all I had.”

Aubrey felt a pang of grief. She dabbed her eyes with a rose-embroidered silk handkerchief and pushed more food toward him. She watched him spread thick, fresh cream and premium butter onto soft white rolls.

“Eat up, my son. You need to regain your strength. You have to be the strong man who protects your mother, don’t you?”

Viscount Lilius merely watched them, a small frown creasing his brow.