Episode 8 –
“You’ve taken up suicide as a hobby lately, haven’t you, Lady?”
‘So that’s why it’s been quiet for a while.’
Muttering sarcastically, he glanced at the sword lying on the floor.
“Don’t tell me you picked that up with arms that can’t even properly swing a wooden sword?”
His gaze, which had been fixed on the blade, slowly traveled to my thin wrist.
I nodded blankly.
“Yes.”
They say ignorance is bravery.
Despite having almost crossed the River Jordan just moments ago, I answered with unexpected boldness, which made him chuckle—though it was clearly a laugh of disbelief.
Just as the atmosphere threatened to grow cold, a soft voice broke the odd tension between us.
The sweet voice belonged to Noelle.
“Oh my.”
Turning toward the source of the gentle exclamation, I saw, as expected, Noelle with a startled rabbit-like expression.
“Are you two alright?”
Her worried voice overflowed with kindness, just like her warm personality. In response to her question, the man who had coldly scanned my figure slumped on the ground finally spoke.
“Seems like it.”
His voice held not the slightest hint of emotion.
He brushed off the dust from his uniform and strode toward Noelle.
He never offered to help me up.
‘Not that I expected him to.’
Kyler’s fingertips lightly grazed Noelle’s chin.
His touch was delicate, as if handling fragile glass.
“You seem surprised. You’ve lost your color.”
“No, I’m fine. Lady Yuria should be the one you’re worried about…”
She fidgeted nervously, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. Understandable, considering I was the one who fell, yet she was receiving the concern.
Kyler gently stroked her cheek and frowned.
“Noelle.”
“……”
“Your well-being is what matters to me most.”
His corny words made Noelle blush deeply and lower her head.
“Please stop saying things people might misunderstand… We’re being watched.”
Judging by how flustered she was, it seemed like their relationship was still a secret.
‘So sweet. So innocent.’
As I absentmindedly admired the picture-perfect pair, a question suddenly popped into my head.
“……?”
Just where did these two meet anyway?
From what I remember, their first meeting was at Café Montblanc!
But seeing them now, you’d think they’d known each other forever.
‘Wait a minute… could my interference in the original story have messed up the timeline?’
While I was deep in thought, a transparent system window popped up as if to answer me.
Blue typeface began appearing across the screen.
Tap tap tap… Ding!
{system: ‘Noelle Catherine’ has met 3 of the 4 target characters.}
{Currently, she has met Kyler Francis, Noah Iosif, and Shuaden Babilov. Progress: 75%.}
I don’t know when she met three of them, but… well, it’s not my problem.
After all, my only goal was Noah Iosif. Just him.
‘Should I be thankful for that?’
While I grimaced, Noah approached and gently reached out his hand.
“Are you alright?”
“Maybe…”
As I took his hand and stood up, another system window appeared right in front of me.
Perfect timing, really.
{As a result of passing the 50% threshold, the player ‘Yuria Benestra’ will now receive a random penalty!}
A random penalty?
Wasn’t this already over?
As I stared dumbfounded at the screen, Noah waved his hand in front of my unfocused eyes, concerned.
“Master?”
……Wriggle, wriggle.
Something massive began to stir within the system window.
‘What the heck is that!’
A red box suddenly launched into the air.
Covered in red question marks, it rolled like a die across the floor before bumping into Noah’s foot and bursting open with a loud pop!
Thankfully, I was the only one who could see it, so no one else seemed to notice the bizarre occurrence.
A notification popped up.
{system: Congratulations! Random Penalty: (Lv.1 Status Effect) Drunkenness has been applied.}
‘What’s there to congratulate!?’
I scowled.
‘Still… if it’s just drunkenness, that’s not too bad.’
…Or so I thought.
The next moment, my body collapsed to the ground like a falling sack of potatoes.
Thud.
“Master!”
“……”
Huh?
Why was I suddenly in Noah’s arms?
And why is my face so hot?
“Why are there two Noahs?”
“Pardon?”
‘…No, three?’
Fsshh…
Yep. Drunkenness confirmed.
Kyler, watching me with a scowl, asked Noelle in a flat tone:
“Did the lady eat something spoiled before I arrived?”
“No, she didn’t eat anything, but suddenly…”
Noelle looked at me worriedly as she answered.
Strangely, I didn’t hate her concern.
My head felt light, my body buoyant.
‘Feels kinda nice…’
I raised a limp finger and pointed at the row of daggers on the wall.
“I’ll take everything from there to the end.”
Something I would never say while sober.
It felt like someone inside my head was controlling me.
Buy it all! Buy everything!
“Ehehe.”
“……”
Kyler’s face twisted with horror at my slack-jawed grin.
“What on earth is wrong with her?”
“Maybe she hit her head when she bumped into you earlier…”
Noelle whispered to Kyler, then quickly turned away when our eyes met.
They were treating me like I’d lost my mind. I felt a surge of indignation.
This was all the system’s fault!
“Hic…”
So unfair, so cruel!
There’s no one on my side in this wretched world!
Sniffling, I turned toward the shop owner and slurred:
“Misterrr.”
“…Yes?”
I pointed at him and beamed brightly.
His face turned pale like he’d seen a ghost.
“That sword from earlier—I’ll take it.”
But then his face instantly lit up.
“Really? But no refunds—even if you can’t lift it!”
Must’ve been a pain to get rid of that oversized cursed sword.
Can’t blame him—who’d want a blade that moves on its own?
‘Well… I just bought it, didn’t I.’
“Just to be clear—no returns.”
Oh, please. I’m loaded.
‘Gotta maintain my noblewoman image.’
I shook my purse full of gold coins with pride and lifted my chin.
“All in one payment.”
“A-All of it?”
I nodded, and the shopkeeper began eagerly packing up the weapons like a fish in water.
Curious about what Kyler was up to, I glanced over and saw him chatting with Noelle on the couch.
For some reason, that annoyed me.
And before I knew it, I blurted something I normally wouldn’t.
“Did I… accidentally buy everything the Duke wanted?”
Well, hauling this pile back to the estate was going to be a pain anyway.
If anything in there was useful to him, I could always offer it as thanks—and maybe gain some favor points.
‘Even if he didn’t mean to, he did save me earlier.’
I recalled him risking himself to grab that cursed sword and looked at him with a neutral expression.
‘Why did he help me, though?’
He clearly hated me—no, hated Yuria Benestra.
Maybe he heard my mumbling, because he stopped in his tracks.
What he said next completely caught me off guard.
“What game are you playing this time?”
“Huh?”
Game? What’s he talking about?
I stared at him blankly, and he frowned as if he couldn’t stand the sight of me.
“And I’m not the Duke. I’m the young duke.”
He gave me a strange look.
“My father is still very much alive.”
My face turned beet red.
Oh no. I just sent his perfectly healthy dad to the afterlife.
“You knew I was joking, right?”
Clinging to the hem of his shirt like a lifeline, I muttered under my breath.
His sarcastic response was swift.
“You joke about people’s lives, Lady?”
“No, that’s not—!”
{system: ‘Kyler Francis’ affection has decreased by -2. Current Affection: -38.}
What.
This can’t be fixed just by raising a few points, can it?
Stunned, I froze as his chilling voice sliced into me like a blade.
“Stop disappointing me.”
{system: ‘Kyler Francis’ affection has decreased by -1. Current Affection: -39.}
It dropped again?
“……”
I didn’t mean to!
When I played the game, Kyler had already inherited the title. I didn’t mean to kill his dad!
“I-I’m sorry… Hic!”
I wanted to say more, but hiccups kept interrupting.
Kyler lifted my chin with a slender finger.
“If you wanted my attention with such poor acting…”
His icy blue eyes flashed.
“You should start with the basics.”
He rubbed between his brows and sighed.
Wow. I’ve never seen him this angry before.
Even in the game, he never looked like that, no matter how mad he got.
“You really haven’t changed at all—”
“I-I’m sorry!”
Apologize now. Survival comes first!
“I’m sorry, Duke—I mean, Young Duke!”
I bowed deeply, my shoulders trembling.
This should be enough, right? He won’t kill me?
I cautiously opened my eyes.
“……Hah.”
He exhaled deeply and shook his head.
“…It seems you’re not in your right mind. We’ll speak again later.”
His sharp gaze turned to Noah.
“Take her with you.”
Noah immediately stepped forward and wrapped his arm firmly around my waist.
“Yes.”
His grip was gentle but firm.
Clench.
“Relax your body.”
He whispered softly, just loud enough for me to hear.
“…Huh?”
What are you—?
And then I was lifted effortlessly.
Poof.
My cheek squished against Noah’s solid chest, like a deflated dumpling.
Kinda funny-looking, but…
‘Doesn’t feel too bad.’
As Noah carried me out of the shop, Noelle tugged on my sleeve and hesitantly called out:
“U-Um, Lady Yuria!”
Three pairs of eyes—mine, Noah’s, and Kyler’s—turned toward her.
Flustered under the sudden attention, Noelle blushed and spoke with a trembling voice.
“I don’t know many people here yet, and…”
Not many?
I nodded lightly to show I was listening.
“I want to invite friends to my tea party, but… I don’t really have any. I haven’t had the chance to socialize…”
Right. Noelle barely had any female friends aside from the male leads.
In a society obsessed with status and pedigree, her low-born background from Kennith was enough to get her excluded from every ball and social event.
‘So unfair.’
They looked down on her, only to watch her one day marry the fearsome Northern Duke—that had to sting.
“This is…”
As I pondered Noelle’s pitiful situation, something soft was placed in my hand.
“You’ll come, won’t you?”
It was a white handkerchief.
A tiny blue parrot was embroidered in one corner, and it smelled like fresh spring flowers.
Giving a handkerchief marked with one’s family crest was a formal noble gesture—usually made during serious requests.
To refuse would be seen as an insult to her entire house.
‘Clever girl.’
I nodded.
“Sure.”
After all, who would turn down the chance to befriend a duke’s daughter?
“Thank you. I’ll send an invitation to House Benestra soon.”
Noelle’s gloomy face instantly lit up.
{system: ‘Noelle Catherine’ affection increased by +3. Current Affection: 5.}
A warm orange-colored system window appeared—symbolizing friendship.
Still on Noah’s back, I closed my eyes.
{system: (Lv.1 Status Effect) Drunkenness has been removed.}
Finally, that godforsaken penalty was gone.
As my mind cleared, the memory of all the embarrassing things I did hit me like a truck.
‘I’m doomed.’
I wanted to crawl into the nearest hole.
I tapped Noah on the back and whispered:
“…Can we go back to the estate right now?”
What had I said earlier again?
[Did I just buy everything the Duke wanted?]
…Unbelievable.
I must’ve lost my mind!
This would haunt me for the next ten years.
“Please… let’s go. Quickly…”
I hugged Noah’s waist tighter, and his earlobe turned red as a pink notification appeared.
