TCBUP 18

Damian held out a mask.

It was large enough to cover half my face, and the strap to fasten it was made of the same black lace material that decorated my hair.

The mask itself was ornate.

Tiny jewels were set all along the border, sparkling brilliantly under the lights.

“Is the mask part of the dress code?”

“So I’ve heard.”

“This gets more suspicious by the minute.”

Still, it meant my identity would remain hidden.

That was actually a relief since I’d have to snoop around everywhere to dig something up.

“Let’s go.”

I immediately tied the lace strap of the mask behind my head and headed for the carriage.

I thought I saw him offering his hand to escort me, but it was hard to be sure through the limited view of the mask.

Inside the carriage on the way to the venue, there was little conversation between me and Damian.

In the past, I would have babbled on whether he responded or not, but I didn’t feel like doing that anymore.

Perhaps he found my silence odd—he occasionally glanced at me curiously—but I just stared out the window, hoping we’d arrive soon.

Eventually, the carriage stopped at the destination, and Damian, having gotten off first, held out his hand.

It was natural for one’s partner to escort them out—it had happened countless times before—but I didn’t particularly welcome it this time.

Still, I was here for work with him.

So I politely took his hand, stepped down from the carriage, and walked into the building.

<MISSION> Uncover the hidden conspiracy. Success: Affection +10% Failure: You will go missing. This mission has a time limit. If exceeded, the mission will automatically fail. Remaining time: 03:00:00

What mission?! And a time limit?

A status window suddenly appeared before me, and I blinked in shock.

“Siena?”

“It’s nothing.”

Thank goodness I was wearing a mask—I almost got caught.

But I was still stunned.

As usual, there was no refusal button, and worst of all, the timer was already ticking.

<MISSION> Remaining time: 02:58:17

‘This is insane…’

I nearly cursed out loud.

To impose such a harsh penalty like “disappearance” and then slap on a time limit?

Even if this was a game, it was unbelievably heartless.

It was the first mission—I didn’t even know the difficulty level! Unless they wanted me to fail, wasn’t this just too much?

‘Isn’t this supposed to be a romance simulation game?’

A random mission was bizarre enough, but if you fail, you go missing?

What does that even mean—not death, but disappearance? A chill ran down my spine.

But the reward was a 10% affection boost.

‘I am worried about Nox’s affection level.’

Lately, he’d been too busy cleaning up messes to even show his face.

Last I checked, his affection had dropped by 8%. If I could raise it by 10% in one go, I’d do just about anything.

“Siena?”

“Yes?”

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

“No, I think I’m just nervous. It’s been a while since I’ve attended an event like this.”

I fumbled for an excuse, and Damian looked down at me without a word.

His dark eyes, hidden behind his mask, seemed clouded with concern.

“…”

I turned away to avoid his gaze.

It’s natural for people to worry when someone looks unwell, but for some reason, his kindness made me uncomfortable.

I took a deep breath and smiled brightly.

“Let’s head inside.”

The interior was completely different from what I remembered.

They had removed the inner walls to convert the lobby into one large hall, making the space feel much more open.

The polished marble floor gleamed, the gold-splattered painted walls shimmered, and the massive chandelier hanging from the ceiling added to the luxurious grandeur.

“This definitely isn’t a welfare center,” Damian muttered with a hollow chuckle.

It felt less like a welfare facility and more like a noble salon.

On one side, people were playing roulette and light card games; on the other, groups chatted around the wooden bar, sipping various wines and nibbling finger foods.

If I had to describe it—it was like a luxurious welfare facility for nobles who had too much time and money.

But for a place rumored to hide a conspiracy, it looked too ordinary.

“Champagne?”

“Huh? Oh, sure.”

Damian brought me a slender glass filled with pale golden champagne, frothing lightly at the top.

“Don’t drink too much.”

Ah, that’s right. At some party in the past, I’d bumped into Lily and gotten completely drunk, causing a huge scene.

Perhaps recalling that, Damian handed me the glass with a warning.

“Don’t worry. This will be enough.”

That embarrassing memory wasn’t something I wanted to relive.

Feeling flushed, I turned away and sulkily accepted the glass.

“It’s not much, is it? I expected more from a royal-hosted salon.”

“True.”

No matter how hard I looked, I couldn’t find anything suspicious.

And yet the clock kept ticking.

Nervously, I clutched and released the hem of my dress over and over.

‘Where do I even begin to look… huh?’

There should’ve been eight columns, but I only saw seven.

The wall hiding the last column had no door, so I assumed it was just the end of the hall.

But if they blocked off a space with no entrance, there had to be a reason.

And the building had five floors—but there were no visible stairs leading up.

‘I know this building inside and out.’

It was the first property I’d ever purchased, so I had personally conducted the inspection.

I knew the layout like the back of my hand—even with my eyes closed.

Aside from the main entrance, the only other way out was…

‘The bathroom window.’

Less than two hours remained on the timer.

In a hurry, I gathered my dress and moved quickly—only for Damian to grab my arm.

“Where are you going, Siena?”

“Um, just… to the ladies’ room.”

“Ah. I’ll wait here then.”

He reluctantly let go of my arm.

But clearly suspicious, he reminded me several times not to wander off or go alone.

Back when we attended events as partners, I’d always slip away despite his protests—so why was he being so clingy today?

I glanced back, and Damian was still watching me.

‘What is with him?’

Was he worried I’d cause another scene and embarrass him again?

Still, I didn’t have time to figure out what was on Damian’s mind.

“Whoever designed this spent a lot. How much did it cost?”

The existing bathroom had been renovated with a lounge and powder room, making it much more spacious.

Everything was top-tier, from the velvet sofas to the golden faucet handles.

I wandered casually, pretending to explore while checking if anyone else was around. Then I slipped into a bathroom stall and locked the door.

Deep breath. I steeled myself, opened the window, and leapt up—then jumped down without hesitation.

<SYSTEM> Remaining time: 01:58:21

I circled to the back of the building and was greeted by a completely unfamiliar sight.

I’d heard that the building behind had been seized, but it had been entirely demolished and replaced by a single-story structure.

“No wonder it wasn’t visible from outside.”

They must have built the two-story wall to hide this low structure.

Just as I was wondering how to get in, I spotted a group of nobles heading inside.

I approached the group and, acting like I was helping a drunk noblewoman, blended in naturally.

“Thank you.”

“My pleasure.”

“I just drank too much because I was in such a good mood.”

“I understand. I probably would’ve done the same if someone hadn’t stopped me.”

Desperate times, they say, bring out desperate measures.

I lied and acted with ease—almost professionally.

Well, I was told not to drink, so it wasn’t a total lie.

“Who was it, your husband?”

“Not quite…”

“Oh well, then that’s fine. This place is a waste to visit with your husband. You should come alone.”

“Pardon?”

She waved me closer with her wobbly, drunken hand and a secretive smile.

Thinking she was about to tell me something important, I leaned in to listen.