Episode 3
Their uniforms were unmistakably those of servants.
Except for one glaring detail—their faces.
Where there should have been eyes, noses, and mouths, there was only… emptiness.
Pale, mask-like skin stretched over hollow voids, faintly writhing in the darkness.
The grotesque sight sent chills down my spine—but the shock didn’t last long.
‘Ah, must be a beta version glitch.’
How do I report this again…?
Deciding to file feedback later, I brushed off the unsettling sight.
As I steadied my nerves, the head maid—or what I assumed was the head maid—approached.
“Are you Lady Nadia Windsor, the fiancée of His Grace, the Duke of Belmont?”
The abyss of her face stared directly at me. Her voice was flat, tone unreadable.
But the message was clear: I was the duke’s betrothed.
‘The game description mentioned multiple routes… Is this a character-specific event?’
Maybe they’d dumped me here because this segment was bug-ridden. Or maybe being here at all was the bug.
‘Whatever. Overthinking won’t help.’
I was here to play. And to play well, I needed to immerse myself.
“Lady Windsor?”
“Ah—yes! That’s me.”
I nodded hastily, realizing I’d left them waiting too long. The head maid began guiding me.
“We’re relieved you arrived safely. Please follow me.”
Beyond the mist-shrouded garden, the silhouette of the grand manor loomed.
Though the Rules described it as “decayed,” the estate was undeniably opulent—just poorly maintained.
‘Passable.’
I glanced at the servants scattered around, each performing tasks with eerie precision.
But something was off.
A maid scattered feed for chickens—except there were no chickens. A stableman stood guard—but no horses existed.
‘This place is a buffest.’
Objects vanished or glitched mid-action—typical game errors. ‘Easy fixes for the devas,’ I reassured myself.
The interior matched the exterior: grand but neglected. Dust coated the furniture, grime smeared the floors.
‘Guess the “absent owner” setting explains the neglect.’
Or maybe the story involved restoring the manor’s beauty?
The head maid stopped at a relatively clean room.
“This will be your quarters, my lady.”
‘At least they spared effort for the duke’s fiancée.’
But even here, oddities lurked.
A withered lily slumped in a vase. A meticulously crafted crucifix hung upside-down on the wall.
The atmosphere was… unsettling.
“Do you find it satisfactory?”
I’d been silent too long.
‘It feels like a haunted hotel, but…’
“Haha, of course! It’s lovely!”
I forced a smile, not wanting to offend.
“I’m glad. The full tour will wait until tomorrow. If you need anything, pull the bell rope by the bed.”
With a bow, she left.
Thud.
Finally alone.
Exhausted from the “journey,” I slumped onto the bed—then noticed my disheveled state.
‘A bath first.’
The tub was pre-filled with warm water. Not pristine, but functional.
‘Heh. In real life, I’d never afford a private soak like this.’
The hyper-realistic sensation melted my fatigue.
Freshly dressed in nightclothes, I remembered:
‘The main quest!’
As if summoned, the quest window reappeared.
[MAIN QUEST]
▶ Uncover the Secrets of Belmont Ducal Manor
The manor hides dark truths around its master, Duke Edwin Belmont.
Befriend key figures, investigate, and gather clues.
―Key Characters
・Head Maid (New!)
A loyal caretaker who knows much about the duke.
・???
・???
―Manor Map (Uncharted)
―Rewards
・50,000 Diamonds
・???
My curiosity fixated on the duke.
‘They blurred all the male leads’ faces in promotions… but he’s got to be handsome, right?’
What secrets could he have?
‘The “lonely villain” trope is overdone, but…’
Only the head maid was unlocked so far, with a 0/100 Affection Meter.
‘Guess I need to charm her to dig deeper.’
The map showed nothing—I’d have to explore manually.
And the rewards…
‘50,000 diamonds?!’
Even with hidden spoilers, that was a fortune.
Satisfied with my plans, I sank into the bed.
The plush blankets enveloped me—and exhaustion dragged my eyelids shut.
Just before sleep took me, one thought lingered:
‘This game… is way stranger than I expected.’
