TCBUP 11

11. Target of Capture

<HELP_ADDITIONAL>
Third, capturing the male lead is a goal you must achieve.
There are no resets for you.
Rewards and penalties will be given based on your results.
The reward for a successful capture is escape.
The penalty for failure… is you.

“No!”

I screamed.

The mention of failure being me hit me harder than the reward of returning to reality.
When I think of penalties, things like a soul, a life…
Or maybe being stuck in this game forever.
Whatever it is, if it’s a penalty, it’s bound to be bad.

“This is insane! It’s one thing to mess up your own life, but ruining someone else’s?”

“What nonsense. Did I ruin it? You wrecked it yourself. And yet, I still tried to help as a father by giving you a dowry, but instead of being grateful…”

“What the hell is this? I bowed and begged, and all I get is a slap in the face?”

“Huh? A slap in the face? Try earning something for once. Can you even hold on to it? Or is this your way of rebelling at the end?”

“What if I fail?”

A cold shiver ran down my spine, and the blood drained from my face.

“Fail? That’s why I broke the promissory notes into installments.”

“So I’ll just… die meaninglessly, huh…”

I dropped my head, and then—

Ding-dong—a sound rang in my ears again.

I quickly looked up to see another status window appear.

[ABOUT YOU]

Name: Sienna Hargreaves
Age: 21
Occupation: Unemployed
Assets: 0 (Awaiting funds from second-hand sales.)
Current Status: ☠☠☠
Current Possessions: None
Public Opinion: A spoiled, temperamental noble’s daughter from a nouveau riche family. No wonder she got dumped—tsk tsk.

Current capturable male leads:
✤ Damian Ortiz: This is freedom.
♦ Nox Green: Lifeline.

“…”

There were many things I wanted to protest, but now wasn’t the time.

‘If I have to choose between the two…’

It had to be Nox Green. No other option.

The odds of successfully capturing Damian were practically zero.
Not only had I built the worst reputation with him, but I didn’t want to get involved with a man I’d already broken off an engagement with.
Besides, I didn’t think I could surpass Lily.

“Dying? Don’t be so dramatic… Sienna?”

“…”

“Sienna!”

The earl suddenly yelled, and I remembered I was still in a conversation with him.

Oh, right. The dowry. My investment money.
Something I absolutely had to get—right now, it was the most important thing for maintaining my relationship with Nox.

I stared the earl dead in the eyes, as if I was ready to burn him alive.
With my life on the line, I had nothing to fear.

“Double it. In one lump sum.”

“What?”

The earl flinched, startled by my boldness, so unlike the meek and obedient version of me he was used to.
But he quickly scowled in anger.
Holding your ground at the negotiation table was critical, so I didn’t back down either.

A tense silence fell between us as we stared each other down.

“How dare you look your father in the eye like that and speak so arrogantly!”

Luckily, the earl looked away first and raised his voice.

I straightened my posture and calmly fixed my expression.

“You want me to be independent and stop asking you for money, don’t you? But if you pay me in installments, it’s no different from handing out an allowance.”

“Well…”

“I’m not expecting the same amount you promised the Duke of Ortiz. But it should at least be enough to interest Mr. Nox. I thought that’s what you were aiming for too.”

“…You figured it out?”

“Yes. I think Mr. Nox is a good option.”

He’s not just a good option—he’s essential.
I nodded, silently saying, You and I want the same thing, so let’s work together.

“The contract states that its terms take effect the moment I receive the full dowry. If this continues, I could stay here until I get the final payment, and you wouldn’t be able to say anything about it. Are you okay with that?”

At the time of the contract, we hadn’t agreed on a dowry amount.
So I had sneakily added the word full—anticipating the earl’s stingy nature.
If I wasn’t happy with the amount, I could drag it out.

Indeed, with legal documents, you must read them two, three times thoroughly.

“Are you threatening me?”

The earl crossed his arms and shook his leg nervously, scowling.

Even though I’d asked for double, it was a negligible sum compared to the earl’s wealth.
The issue wasn’t the money—it was that I was getting the upper hand.

In that case, maybe I should push a little further.

“I’m not threatening. Just pointing things out. But with my life at stake, I’d love to threaten if I could.”

“…”

“So what’s it going to be? Should I just stay here until I get the final payment? Oh, right. If I don’t find the promissory notes, I could keep leeching off you forever.”

“What did you say?”

“You don’t like that, do you? Then do what I want. I’ll disappear from your life completely.”

So, what’s your decision?

I placed my bet, full of confidence.
Though inwardly, I was incredibly nervous.

“Whew. Almost done?”

Wiping the sweat from my forehead, I looked around at the still-messy room with satisfaction.

At last, I had moved out of the Hargreaves estate and into a new home.
It was a small two-story house with a quaint garden, one of several places Nox had recommended.

Technically two stories, but it only had a living room and kitchen on the first floor, and a bedroom and bathroom upstairs.
Still, it was perfect for one person.

The surroundings were great too.
Being near the academy, it had a lot of students, which meant affordable cafes, restaurants, shops, and bookstores all nearby.
It was a bright, convenient neighborhood.

“Miss, where should I put this?”

“Hmm, just leave it there for now. I’ll organize it later.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Take a break too. You’ve been working since morning.”

“I’ll just finish wiping this first.”

Mary wiped down the table with a freshly laundered cloth.
The earl had ordered everyone not to help me, but Mary had taken the day off to come.

She carried, unpacked, cleaned—all without pause.

“I really appreciate it, Mary.”

“Oh, don’t say that. It’s nothing compared to what you did for my youngest.”

“I just helped a little with the hospital bill. How’s she doing?”

“Very well. Healthy as can be. Oh! The professor’s here.”

Nox entered through the open front door.

He looked around briefly, then walked over to me.

“Ouch!”

“Professor!”

He had banged his knee on a wooden box and slumped down awkwardly.

Startled, I rushed over as he winced.

“Are you okay?”

“Ah, yes.”

“Sorry, it’s still a mess in here.”

“No, it was my fault for not paying attention.”

Rubbing his knee, Nox got up awkwardly.

Then he looked at Mary, then at me.

“You’re the only two here?”

“Yes. I don’t have much stuff.”

I had already sold off most things.
What I brought from the estate was just clothes, some essentials, and bedding.
The furniture was too big to fit in this house.

“I’ll help.”

“Oh, you don’t have to…”

Though I brushed it off, truthfully, I could use the help.
There were some heavy boxes that even Mary and I struggled with, and some newly delivered furniture to arrange.

“But if you insist, I won’t say no.”

“Leave it to me.”

Nox confidently pushed up his glasses.

“Would you just sit down?”

“But the unpacking isn’t finished yet…”

“No, really, please just stay put.”

A little while later, Mary finally spoke up to Nox.

She was clearly suppressing her growing irritation.

We had asked him to help lift things, but Nox was… clumsy.

Even when we offered to carry things together, he insisted on doing it alone, then dropped things or stubbed his toe.
He groaned in pain, leaned on a stack of boxes for support, and knocked them all over.

“Professor, please rest.”

“I’m sorry…”

He sighed, deflated.
He looked so pitiful that I couldn’t help but smile.

So different from the strict professor who would coldly mark my tests in red or logically dismantle my arguments in class debates.

“Hm?”

On his chest, I spotted a silver pendant glowing softly with a green diamond.

This must be it. The male lead’s signature icon.

I gently reached out and tapped it.