“Patrasche is a dog, though.”
“Pfft! Still, you must never say that in front of others. Got it?”
Contrary to how nervous she had been, the soft and warm cloth wiping her face felt surprisingly pleasant.
But why is she wiping it for me? Can’t I wash myself?
With a flicker of hope, Donghee swung her legs and stretched her arms high. Yet even as she did so, the nanny remained utterly focused, diligently wiping every corner of Donghee’s face.
Thankfully, her arms and legs moved just fine—no issues with mobility.
“I’ll do it.”
Feeling embarrassed at being treated like a child at her age, Donghee took the towel from the nanny.
The texture was already vastly different from the towels she’d bought at the supermarket—9,800 won for four.
But why am I not waking up from this dream?
The washcloth touching her face was soft and warm, and her pinched cheek still stung.
The nanny blinked in surprise and handed over the washcloth to Donghee. Donghee took it, soaked again in warm water, from the nanny.
“Don’t forget to wipe your neck and underarms.”
“Eek!”
Donghee grimaced, suddenly reminded of all the rude customers she’d dealt with—those who not only used the washcloths meant for hands to wipe their faces and necks, but in the summer, even their underarms.
She’d always hated those customers the most. Now that she was doing the same, it felt weird.
“I just… want to freshen up a bit.”
Donghee draped the damp cloth over the edge of the washbasin.
The brass basin gleamed under the sunlight.
Though she was referred to as a nanny, both the title and the woman standing before her felt utterly unfamiliar to Donghee.
The nanny looked at her with a puzzled expression, then gave a small nod.
“Then I’ll return once the bath is prepared.”
After the nanny left the room, a strange calm settled over Donghee.
She got out of bed and walked slowly around the room, trying to organize her thoughts with cold logic.
First, the face in the mirror is not mine.
Second, the title “Lord” is definitely not a name.
Third, pinching my cheek hurts, and the towel is damp—so this isn’t a dream.
Donghee stopped dead in the center of the room. Her mind went blank, and a wave of fear surged through her.
What do I do?
My part-time jobs? My studio apartment? My real body?
A flood of worries scrambled through her head all at once, so overwhelming she didn’t even know where to start.
Dding!
A mechanical chime rang out—totally out of place in this setting.
It was a dull, unimpressive sound, but one so familiar that it filled her with immense relief.
As she looked around for the source of the sound, Donghee spotted a floating blue status window hovering in midair.
“What the heck is this?!”
Startled, Donghee stumbled back and collapsed onto the bed.
As she backed away, the status window drew closer. When she turned her head, it followed her gaze. When she bent down, it moved toward the floor.
It was like those loan sharks who’d constantly shoved their faces in hers, demanding repayment. The resemblance sent a chill down her spine.
“Eek!”
– Revive the impoverished domain! Would you like to accept the quest?
A cheerful, friendly voice rang out, almost laughably at odds with her frightened state.
“Excuse me?”
– Yes! Thank you. Since you have accepted the quest, we will now give you your first mission.
Just as abruptly as it had appeared, the status window began issuing a mission. White letters blinked on the entirely blue screen, waiting for her input.
– Please enter the name you will use.
“No! That’s not what I—”
– ‘No’ is already in use.
“Huh?”
– ‘Huh’ is two characters. Please enter at least three.
Donghee’s mind had gone beyond jumbled to completely blank.
Now that she thought about it, the screen looked eerily similar to a game interface she used to play when she was stressed.
Could this really be a game world? But everything feels too vivid.
– Please enter the name you will use.
The white letters blinked, pressing her to enter a name.
“This is insane!”
– Your name has been registered as ‘This is insane.’
“No, that’s not it!”
If this was going to be the name she’d be called by from now on, there was no way she could go with This is insane. Donghee decided to come up with something more presentable.
Even if it wasn’t real, wouldn’t it be better to use a pretty actress’s name?
After a moment of intense mental debate, she said the name of an actress she liked.
“Chloë Grace?”
– ‘Chloë Grace’ has been registered as your user name.
Something felt like it had advanced to the next stage. Donghee nodded firmly in response.
“Yes.”
Dding!
– You have accepted your first quest. A door to your studio apartment will now be connected, Chloë Grace.
“My room? Great!”
It seemed like she was finally waking from the dream.
Donghee started bouncing her legs, hoping she wouldn’t be late for her shift.
Wake up, wake up already!
But instead of waking up, the status window in front of her grew twice as large, its text multiplying rapidly.
Donghee leaned in to read it, just like she would when reading a flyer stuck to a wall.
Unlike at first, when fear had overtaken her, now it was sheer frustration and stubbornness building up inside her.
What is this thing, and why is it tormenting me?
“Just open the door already! I’m busy!”
[Status Window]
- Username: Chloë Grace
- Occupation: Part-timer / Lord of Grace Territory
- Abilities: 0 / Which means, absolutely nothing
- Activity Range: 1 / Basement studio apartment
- Trait: 0 / Dirt-poor territory
“What is this?”
Donghee waved her hand through the uncool, blue-hued status window, half-thinking it was an illusion.
The screen shimmered like water, but returned to its original state right after.
“This is driving me nuts.”
She pulled her hand away, half-worried her skin might turn blue, but thankfully that was just nonsense.
“Milady! Your bath is ready!”
The nanny, who had left earlier, entered the room again through the open door.
Donghee stared blankly at the nanny’s face, which now looked like a ghost’s thanks to the floating blue screen. Then something caught her eye, and she clamped a hand over her mouth.
“Huh? That’s—!”
Next to the doorway, set into the wall, was a worn-out, keypad-locked studio apartment door.
Donghee slowly walked through the status window, dazed, heading toward the wall with the front door.
She stepped carefully, afraid the door might vanish if she made any sound.
The plush carpet beneath her feet felt incredibly soft. This isn’t a dream.
“Nanny.”
“Yes?”
The nanny furrowed her brows. She couldn’t fathom what nonsense her young mistress was up to now.
“What is this door?”
The nanny raised her eyebrows in confusion as she followed Donghee’s gaze.
The young lord had been acting odd all morning. Though she’d woken up at her usual time—after the sun had risen high in the sky—today, unlike every other day when she just wiped her face with a wet cloth, she’d asked for a full bath.
“This… door?”
The nanny pointed hesitantly toward the door she herself had entered through.
But Donghee’s eyes were fixed elsewhere.
“No, I mean the gray front door with the keypad next to it.”
To Donghee, it was crystal clear—a gray apartment door with a number pad. No way this was an illusion.
“Front door…? What’s that? There’s nothing there, milady. That’s just a wall.”
The nanny’s voice trembled like she was on the verge of tears.
She can’t see it?
Donghee pressed her hand against the door. The cold metal texture transferred to her palm. It wasn’t an illusion.
“This door. I’m talking about this one.”
Her heart pounded so loudly it felt like it was thudding right behind her ears.
The nanny stared at the young mistress, who was now pressed up against the wall with a strange smile.
Relieved, the nanny let out a long sigh and crossed her arms.
“Milady, enough playing around. Come take your bath. And don’t fall asleep in there again.”
Shaking her head, she grabbed Donghee and dragged her toward the bathroom.
“No, I want to go through that door!”
Determined to open that front door and return home, Donghee struggled, but it was no use.
The nanny’s grip was strong—her resistance meant nothing.
Inside the bathroom, a maid stood politely waiting.
The bath was already filled with hot water, and the room was clouded with steam.
The nanny and maid quickly undressed Donghee. It was done so naturally, she didn’t even have time to protest.
Flushed with embarrassment, Donghee hurried into the bath.
The scented bath salts made the water soft and fragrant. As her body relaxed in the warm water, her tension melted away.
Guess I’ll just take a bath first.
While the maid gently scrubbed her clean, Donghee experienced a level of luxury she’d never known. For a moment, she feared the front door would disappear while she bathed—but somehow, she felt certain it would still be there.
Warm water flowed between her fingers, and white foam piled on top of her chestnut-colored hair like whipped cream. Every sensation felt utterly real.
After the bath, the nanny applied fragrant oil to Donghee’s body and hair, then dressed her in a soft bathrobe. Though it felt like she’d turned into a helpless child, there was something deeply comforting about being cared for with such detail.
Even if it was a fleeting dream, right now, she was happy.
Saying she’d return with breakfast, the nanny and maid left the room.
Sitting in front of the vanity, Donghee stared at herself in the mirror, gently touching her cheeks flushed warm from the bath, and her damp hair still glistening.
The pretty girl in the mirror mimicked her every move.
“This is such a strange dream.”
It was so sweet she didn’t want to wake up—but Donghee stood up without hesitation.
The happier the moment, the harsher the return to reality would feel.
Taking a deep breath, Donghee stood in front of the front door. Just in case, she placed her hand on it again—still cold, still solid.
