Chapter 7
Ruk Kelfosher stood as a rare soul who held Tulia in higher regard than Coriko. His unwavering devotion to House Frazier meant his loyalty naturally gravitated toward the Grand Duke’s true granddaughter, whereas Coriko was merely a daughter-in-law by marriage. Even when the original narrative painted Tulia as a villain everyone loathed, Ruk alone had maintained his courtly grace toward her.
“There is no need for such formality, Miss Tulia,” he said gently. “I am simply here on behalf of His Grace the Grand Duke to deliver a message.”
“What word does my grandfather send…?”
Anxiety gripped me for a second, but before the question fully left my lips, a different thought struck me. I shifted my focus. “Have you been standing outside that door this entire time?”
“I have,” he confirmed.
“Since when?”
“Approximately two hours ago.”
I felt a sharp pang of sympathy. It wasn’t long ago that I was the one enduring nine-hour shifts on my feet just to scrape together rent for my tiny studio.
“That must have been exhausting for you,” I murmured.
Ruk blinked, clearly caught off guard by the sentiment. A quiet, genuine warmth touched his features as he smiled. “It was the Grand Duke’s order. Nevertheless, I appreciate your kindness.”
He stepped forward, offering the documents in his possession. “His Grace requests your presence at the main castle. You are to reside there moving forward. It is unseemly for a direct scion of House Frazier to dwell in such a dilapidated environment…”
Trailing off politely, Ruk reached out a gloved hand. His posture was rigid and dignified, reminiscent of a sworn protector. “Shall we depart?”
The sensation was bizarre. Beyond the culture shock of this elegant world and its polished manners, I felt a fleeting sense of security. It was an emotion so distant I barely recognized it. Back in my old life, even after moving into that cramped apartment, I lived in constant fear that my brothers would track me down and start another nightmare.
Perhaps it was simply the novelty of being treated with dignity. Or maybe it was the realization that this man represented a shield provided by the Frazier name. As I placed my hand in his and followed, a strange lightness took hold of me.
I truly felt like a noblewoman now.
Because of the chaos from the previous day, Viscount Lilius hadn’t found the time to strip away the expensive decor he’d used to furnish the ground floor. Consequently, while the upper level remained a wreck, the entryway was radiant and opulent. The contrast was staggering—like stepping out of a dusty garret and into a royal palace.
My pulse quickened as we descended the stairs, caught up in the sudden glamour of it all. Of course, the effect was somewhat ruined by the fact that I was still shuffling along in tattered slippers and rags for pajamas.
“Miss Tulia,” Ruk noted as we walked, “I heard you refer to His Grace as ‘grandfather’ yesterday.”
“Well, calling him grandmother would be rather confusing, wouldn’t it?”
When I met his gaze with a puzzled expression, Ruk let out a soft, amused huff of laughter. “Indeed. It has simply been a very long time since anyone used that specific term for him.”
He didn’t elaborate further, though the lingering smile on his face suggested he found the situation quite entertaining. It took me a moment to grasp the nuance of his comment.
In this empire, most high-ranking nobles addressed their parents with distant, formal titles. The Imperial family used even more rigid honorifics. Considering House Frazier possessed power that rivaled the throne itself, the etiquette there was notoriously stiff. The Grand Duke’s other sons always used the most formal versions of ‘father’ when speaking to him, much like the way Viscount Lilius had been groveling the day before.
However, one son had always been the exception.
Marquis Frazier.
He was Tulia’s father, and his relationship with Grand Duke Assis was nothing short of poisonous. They weren’t family so much as bitter rivals. My father was the only person in the realm bold enough to tell the legendary, iron-willed Grand Duke that tigers who lost their teeth should stop trying to run the pack. A man with that kind of venomous tongue would never bother with respectful titles.
It made sense that Ruk found my casual phrasing nostalgic. I decided then that I wouldn’t change how I spoke to the old man. Tulia was already facing quiet doubts about her legitimacy; if I mirrored the Marquis’s blunt personality in small ways, it might actually convince people I shared his blood.
Besides, if the Grand Duke truly took offense at my lack of manners, he likely would have had me executed by now. I felt a surge of relief that my head was still firmly attached to my shoulders—though the system window remained a constant threat to my peace of mind.
I glanced at my wealth stat, which was still glowing with a depressing negative number, and cleared my throat. “Ruk?”
“Yes, Miss?”
“About my allowance… when will that be sorted out?”
“All will be revealed once we reach the main castle,” he replied.
The Grand Duke’s advisor was a man of his word.
While my new quarters weren’t overflowing with literal chests of gold, a stack of substantial documents sat waiting on a heavy wooden desk. Since my survival depended on my finances, I bolted toward the table the moment the door clicked shut.
I tore into the thick envelope, my heart racing as I scanned the text. I offered a silent prayer of thanks that I could actually read the script of this world. As I reached the final figures, my eyes nearly popped out of my head.
“Units, tens, hundreds, thousands…” I started counting the zeros, my voice climbing an octave with every digit. “Millions… billions…”
The sum mentioned in the papers was staggering. I quickly grabbed the debt notices I’d taken from Viscount Lilius—the ones threatening the loss of my land. The moment I handed those finalized papers over to the clerk Ruk had assigned to me, the air seemed to shimmer.
[System] Wealth -8 reached!
[System] Wealth -7 reached!
[System] Wealth -6 reached!
…
[System] Wealth 0 reached!
I stared at the screen in disbelief. Just how much debt had I been carrying if this fortune only managed to bring me back to zero?
As I sat there, stunned, a burst of prismatic light exploded across my vision.
[System] Rank-up bonus achieved! Awarding 1,000 additional coins.
[System] Total Coins: 0 → 1,000
Current Overall Grade: F
