Episode 7
A man was pushed out of the status window as if thrown out, with long, silvery hair shining like moonlight.
If it weren’t for his sharp gray eyes and cold smile, he could’ve easily been mistaken for a fairy or an elf because of his incredibly beautiful appearance.
Having suddenly appeared, he staggered for a moment before letting out a deep sigh and plopping down on the edge of the bed.
“Ha… only 60 seconds.”
He raised his right hand to examine the back of it, his perfectly shaped eyebrows furrowing.
Floating transparently above his hand was a tiny hourglass, about the size of two finger joints. Instead of sand, a glowing blue liquid dripped slowly into the empty bottom half. The hourglass stood upright and spun slowly in place.
Even as he sighed, the blue liquid continued to flow quickly from the top chamber to the bottom.
“Ha…”
He sighed again, staring at the remaining third of the top chamber. Then, as if giving up, he gave a wry smile and looked around the room.
His hair, catching the sunlight pouring through the window, shone like a silver-crafted piece of art.
“Another offering, is it…”
Contrary to his bewitching appearance, his voice was icy—so cold it felt almost piercing.
A small status window, about the size of a palm, popped up in front of him.
It might turn out to be a gift.
Seeing the words on the screen, the man gave a bitter smile.
That lingering attachment, clung to until the very last moment, was pathetic and shameful.
Sparkle, sparkle.
The final drop of the blue liquid fell from the upper chamber of the hourglass floating above his hand.
Fssssh.
As the man glanced around the room with regret, the space became completely empty.
Chirp chirp chirp.
A sparrow flew in again and hopped onto the window sill before jumping down into the room.
As Donghee exited the bedroom, a spacious drawing room unfolded before her. It looked like something straight out of a medieval drama.
The furniture—sofas, tables—and even the scattered decorations were so splendid that none of it failed to catch Donghee’s attention.
‘Wow, selling just one of these things could probably get me a lot of money.’
Tempted by the unfamiliar luxury, Donghee gulped and forced a calm expression to her face.
As she walked across the grand drawing room, Donghee suddenly stopped and glanced back at the bedroom.
“Is something wrong?” Delma asked anxiously, afraid Donghee might change her mind. Though she wore a calm smile, she was clearly nervous—such fickleness was not unusual for a lord.
“Didn’t you hear a noise from the bedroom?”
“No? What kind of noise?”
Delma shook her head.
Donghee tilted her head, puzzled, then continued walking with the soft rustle of her navy-blue dress trailing behind.
As Donghee approached the door to the drawing room, the large double doors swung open as if waiting for her. Startled by the automatic opening, she pretended to stay calm and composed.
The heavy doors were polished to a mirror-like shine.
Glancing up at the towering doors, Donghee passed through them naturally.
Outside, she noticed a pair of feet visible beneath the open door—someone had apparently been waiting and had opened it upon hearing a sound.
Donghee felt a pang of guilt, imagining the two people standing outside, listening for movement.
She felt both the guilt of enjoying something that wasn’t hers and discomfort from unfamiliar kindness.
But those feelings quickly vanished as the grandeur before her came into view.
“Wow…”
The mansion’s corridor reminded her of a famous European art museum. She had never been to Europe or an art museum, but still—that’s what it felt like.
Donghee held up her dress slightly as she walked, unable to take her eyes off the paintings lining the walls.
Most of them were portraits of unknown figures, but some featured unique jewelry like necklaces, tiaras, and rings.
Between the paintings were spots where frames had clearly once hung, leaving square outlines more vivid than the surrounding wallpaper.
“Where did those paintings go?” Donghee asked, pointing at the frame-shaped marks on the wall.
“Ah, the lord sold those, remember?” Delma’s voice was tinged with bitterness and sadness, suggesting she had objected to the decision.
Not knowing what else to say, Donghee simply resumed walking.
Even with her limited knowledge of art, Donghee could tell the remaining paintings were exceptional.
They were so detailed that she had initially mistaken them for photographs.
While all the paintings drew her attention, one portrait of a woman particularly captivated her.
The painting was similar in size to the others, but its frame was distinct—more like a sculpture. The wooden frame was intricately carved with flowers and unknown creatures, making it a work of art in itself.
Donghee unknowingly stopped in front of the portrait.
“Paying your respects to Madam again today?” the nanny asked gently, as if Donghee had done this before.
Donghee turned in confusion and saw Delma gazing up at the portrait with tear-filled eyes and a sad smile. It was a look far too sorrowful to be just missing a former master.
“Mother…”
The unfamiliar word slipped from Donghee’s mouth before she could stop it, and she quickly covered her lips in shock.
Now that she looked closer, the woman in the portrait looked strikingly similar to Chloe.
The only differences were the slightly smaller lips and softer eyes. Chloe had slightly upturned, catlike eyes, while the woman in the portrait had gentle, downward-sloping eyes—like a kinder version of Chloe.
Donghee only remembered her mother’s face from old photos.
Her mother had died in a car accident when she was very young, and over time, those memories had faded like the old photographs. When her father remarried, even the few remaining pictures were hidden away, and after his sudden death, they were lost forever.
Now, she missed her mother more than ever—even though she couldn’t clearly remember her.
Strangely, she felt an ache in her chest, thinking that Chloe, whose body she now inhabited, might feel the same.
“Delma.”
“Yes, my lord?” Delma answered while still gazing at the portrait, lost in emotion.
“Did my mother love me?”
There was no response.
Donghee’s heart sank, wondering if she had crossed a line.
“I was just wondering…”
Trying to lighten the mood, Donghee turned her head. But Delma, eyes glistening, suddenly hugged her tightly.
“Why?”
“My lady, your mother loved you more than anyone in this world. So please stop blaming yourself, alright?”
Blaming herself? What did she mean?
Clearly, there was more to this story. Donghee didn’t press further, deciding she’d uncover the truth in time.
Delma, thinking Chloe was just feeling down, began speaking without being asked.
Delma smelled like laundry dried in warm sunlight.
Drawn in by the scent, Donghee unconsciously sniffled.
“Madam used to sing you lullabies every night and gave you handmade dolls on your birthdays. She even planted your favorite flowers in the garden. You were everything to her. Of course, you probably don’t remember since you were so young.”
Delma’s voice was thick with emotion as she recalled the memories.
Her gentle hand rubbing Donghee’s back was warm and comforting.
Ding!
Just as Donghee’s eyes began to water, she heard a familiar and welcome sound.
Sure enough, above Delma’s head, a heart about the size of a 500-won coin floated up, glowing a soft red.
This time, unlike before, the heart didn’t burst immediately—it shimmered gently for a moment before finally popping.
Donghee felt a flicker of hope rise.
Current favorability from the territory residents: -189,380.
‘It went up by 20.’
Just by talking about her birth mother, her favorability had increased by 20 points. That meant Delma had a deep affection for Chloe’s mother.
Donghee made a mental note to talk with Delma about her mother whenever she could.
‘So my room was on the second floor.’
As she descended the spiral staircase to the first floor, Donghee rolled her eyes around, observing everything. The staircase also led up to a third floor.
At first, she hadn’t understood how such a grand mansion could be considered impoverished, but the more she explored, the more she felt a subtle emptiness.
It felt… lifeless, like no one had lived there for a long time.
Though spotlessly clean, the mansion lacked warmth—it felt vacant.
“My lady, we should hurry a bit,” Delma called from the first-floor lobby, seeing Donghee still hesitating on the stairs.
From the look in her eyes, Delma clearly thought the young lady was dragging her feet because she didn’t want to go inspect the territory.
