Episode 6
The heart was now twice as big as before and shone even brighter, as if someone had replaced its batteries. With her heart fluttering, Donghee chanted her affection score in her mind and eagerly waited for the screen to appear before her.
– The current affection level of the territory residents is –189,450.
It had gone up by 40 points.
Donghee had only expected it to rise by about 20 at most, so the unexpectedly large increase made her almost shout, “Jackpot!”
Not even guessing the right answer on a multiple-choice test had made her this happy.
She repeatedly checked the affection score that had gone up by 40 points and smiled in satisfaction.
“So you can earn affection points multiple times from the same person?”
It had only been a short while since Delma left the room, cradling the five pieces of bread she’d received from Donghee like precious treasure.
Ding, ding, ding!
– The affection level of the territory residents has increased by 10.
– The affection level of the territory residents has increased by 10.
– The affection level of the territory residents has increased by 10…
Suddenly, chimes rang out from all directions, and one after another, messages announcing affection increases appeared with slight delays.
Unlike earlier, no heart appeared. It made sense since no one else was in the room. Still, Donghee spun in place, trying to figure out what had just happened.
“What’s going on?”
As she stood dumbfounded, blinking in confusion, the nanny entered the room with a beaming smile, her cheeks flushed with excitement. Unlike earlier, she was now empty-handed.
“My lady, you wouldn’t believe how happy the servants were to receive the bread!”
Only after hearing Delma’s unusually high-pitched, rapid-fire words did Donghee finally understand what had happened—Delma had done what Donghee was supposed to do.
Delma looked as thrilled as if she had been the one receiving compliments. Her excitement was so intense that Donghee could feel the heat radiating from her.
The affection Delma held for her young mistress was so deep that Donghee was suddenly overcome with guilt. Even if it wasn’t by choice, it still felt like she had stolen someone else’s body and was fooling everyone.
Seeing Donghee’s suddenly downcast expression, Delma began to worry she’d done something wrong.
“If the lady doesn’t want me to share next time, I won’t do it again.”
Delma glanced around nervously as she spoke. But Donghee quickly snapped out of it and flashed a bright smile.
“No, I should’ve done it myself. Thank you. Did they really like it that much?”
As Donghee’s expression brightened, Delma let out a relieved laugh and nodded enthusiastically.
“Yes! They said they’d never eaten bread that delicious in their lives.”
It was especially meaningful for Delma, who had never heard the servants speak well of their lord before today.
“Please take care of our Chloe. You’re the only one I can trust.”
Those were the final words of the marquis, who couldn’t close his eyes in peace, burdened by having to leave the lordship to his young daughter. With a cold, dying hand, he had grasped Delma’s and made this request.
Delma had long felt guilty for not fulfilling that promise properly. But today, her heart finally felt a little lighter.
This was the first time that young Miss Chloe, who had always been self-centered, had taken care of those beneath her.
Delma wiped away her sudden tears with the back of her hand and smiled brightly.
She couldn’t let herself cry on such a joyful day.
– The current affection level of the territory residents is –189,400.
Meanwhile, Donghee trembled with excitement as she confirmed how rapidly the affection score had risen. Even though she hadn’t delivered the bread herself, the score still increased.
Maybe bringing that massive number down to just 1 point wouldn’t be as hard as she thought.
Feeling like this was actually doable made her eager to lower the score as quickly as possible.
It might be annoying, but if she made a few more trips to the convenience store, she could probably get it down to 1 without much trouble.
As she vaguely calculated how many more pieces of bread she might need, an uncalled-for system window suddenly popped up.
– You have earned 120 Hidden Points for increasing the affection level by 100 points in a short time.
“My lady, your dress is wrinkled. Let me smooth it out for you.”
While the nanny carefully flattened the creases on Donghee’s dress, the system began to spit out more messages.
– Hidden Points can be used to purchase items in the Hidden Shop. Would you like to open the Hidden Shop?
Yes.
Donghee answered with a heart full of anticipation.
– Thank you. 60 points have been deducted to open the Hidden Shop.
“What the hell! That’s not fair!”
Startled by the unexpected point deduction, Donghee couldn’t help but yell.
“Pardon?”
Delma blinked in confusion, looking unfairly accused as she continued to straighten the dress.
“Not you, Delma.”
Flustered by her own outburst, Donghee gave a sheepish smile and winked awkwardly.
Damn scammy system window.
Even though it wasn’t a person, Donghee couldn’t shake the feeling that she’d just been robbed by the status screen.
[Status Window]
User Name: Chloe Grace
Occupation: Part-timer / Lord of Grace Territory
Ability: 0 / Means you’re totally powerless
Activity Range: 2 / Basement studio, convenience store
Trait: 0 / Dirt-poor territory. ★Obsessed with choco rolls
Territory Resident Affection Level: –189,400
mp: 60 / 86,400
And then, as if it had been summoned, the floating status screen appeared again.
The sudden wave of blue filling her vision made Donghee squint slightly, but her eyes soon widened at a new entry she had never seen before.
mp?
“What is that?”
“The back of your dress was wrinkled. All done now.”
Thinking she was speaking to her, Delma responded kindly as she gave the dress one final pat.
“Th-thanks.”
– You’re welcome.
Donghee had intended the thanks for Delma, but the system screen responded instead, as if it were no big deal.
It was maddening and surreal, but for now, she decided to let it slide.
Still, the sudden appearance of a new stat made her feel uneasy, and being tricked out of her points left her feeling quite bitter. Just then, a mechanical sliding noise rang out, and the status screen opened to a page she hadn’t seen before.
Long, rectangular panels unfolded like dragonfly wings, one after another, settling in tidy rows as clean text began to appear.
– These are items and stat upgrades available for purchase with your remaining points. Would you like to check now?
“My lady, it’s time to head out. Please be sure to get off the carriage and take a look around where the residents live today, alright?”
With both the nanny and the system talking at the same time, Donghee could hardly keep her focus.
“Not now.”
The system blinked out with a soft pop, but Delma let out a deep sigh, her wide eyes now full of disappointment. Just moments ago, she had looked at Donghee with such proud affection, but now her expression said: Here we go again.
“If not now, when will you go see the territory?”
Delma misunderstood and thought Donghee’s words were directed at her, prompting her to scold gently, in a voice meant more to coax than to criticize.
“I wasn’t talking to you.”
Feeling guilty for making someone who truly cared about her feel this way, Donghee quickly apologized.
The Hidden Shop could be opened again anytime.
Though suspicion still lingered in Delma’s eyes, perhaps because of the bread earlier, she didn’t press further.
“Then who were you talking to…?”
Delma trailed off, looking nervously around the empty room, worried that another strange joke was coming.
“I was just thinking out loud.”
“Really?”
Only then did Delma smile in relief and open the door, looking back with a bright grin.
“My lady, it’s time to depart now.”
Honestly, Delma was more of a secretary than a nanny.
Leaving behind the chaotic room she had spent the morning in, Donghee swiftly cleared her thoughts.
‘First, I should focus on raising the residents’ affection.’
If she could raise the score by large amounts like before, she might receive more Hidden Points.
She still didn’t know what those points could do, but since the shop said things could be purchased, surely it would improve her situation.
Zzzk.
Zzzzk, tchchch…
In the empty room left behind by Donghee and Delma, a faint static sound echoed. So quiet that if one wasn’t paying attention, it would be easy to miss.
A few sparrows perched on the windowsill poked their heads in, then fluttered away.
On the neatly made bed, fragments of square-shaped lights began to flicker and vanish, irregularly appearing and disappearing.
The white blanket shimmered in soft blue from the unexpected glow.
Where once there were three or four light fragments, now six, then dozens. They merged, flickered, and eventually fused into one.
That mass of light finally took the form of a large status screen. It was bigger than the bed itself, yet only one line of text appeared.
– mp: 60 / 86,400
The simple screen started to ripple and stretch, warping vertically.
It elongated like dough being pulled, then burst into radiant light that filled the entire room—
—and spat out a person.
