IPTD 10

Chapter  10

I felt a twinge of self-reproach for the version of myself in the past that had found this interesting.
Thwack.
I closed the book without hesitation and stood up.
Rather than reading some meaningless story about dragons, chopping firewood seemed far more worthwhile.

“Ugh!”

Stretching, I stepped out through the front gate, and the air felt pleasantly warm. Today, the weather wasn’t particularly cold. Could spring already be on its way?

Nina, the maid responsible for me in the “Gana-Da” maid group, had mentioned that winter in Celeste was extremely fickle. Some days it would be brutally cold, and then, as if nothing had happened, the sky would clear. Fog and frost could return at any time, she said.
I deeply agreed with the notion that the weather here was almost like the whim of a god.

But today, feeling the gentle warmth and tending a small garden seemed like a good idea.

“Has the ground thawed a bit?”

After I fell while chopping wood, Betty had hidden a hand axe somewhere. But she wouldn’t know this.
“I know there’s a pickaxe behind the pile of firewood!”

Haha! Now I can use this to prepare the soil.

The backyard of the cabin was perfect for a small garden, both in size and soil quality. I could plant lettuce, tomatoes, herbs… and if this world had chili peppers, I’d grow those too. I could even grow cabbage and radishes to make kimchi.

Compared to my past life, this was a satisfying lifestyle—but there was one thing I missed: rice with kimchi.

“I was born to be Korean.”

I needed rice to have the energy to work! Though, arguing this point felt almost like an excuse, considering the Gana-Da maids had grown strong on Western food… still, I could at least try to learn about rice cultivation or making kimchi.

I squatted in the middle of the backyard and pressed my hands into the soil. The earth was cold, but the snow had already melted. Maybe it wouldn’t be bad if I dug it with the pickaxe.

“Ugh!”

My thoughts were short, but my actions were quick. I grabbed the pickaxe and slammed it into the ground.

“Ah!”

Then I immediately flung the pickaxe aside. Actually, it nearly flew into me. The ground was soft enough for the pickaxe to sink in easily, but there was something hard beneath it—like a stone.

A jolt ran through my body as if electricity had surged up the pickaxe, making every hair on my arms stand on end.

“My hand!”

Right… I was weaker than I thought. Thinking of Betty, the smallest yet strongest maid, I secretly shed envious tears. If she had seen this, she would have scolded me.

“Absolutely cannot let her see.”

It was better to act as if nothing happened. Even one Betty was overwhelming, but if all six overprotective maids found out I’d been digging alone… they might keep me from stepping outside the bed entirely.

“No thanks!”

Better pretend it never happened. I tried to remove the pickaxe and casually cover the hole with my foot when…

“?”

Something dangled from the end of the pickaxe.

“What is this…?”

Was it possible to catch something from the ground? It was absurd. I examined the object carefully. It was an antique silver cup with handles on both sides.

The intricate patterns made it look valuable. If it were slightly larger, it could even serve as a trophy. It sparkled suspiciously, considering it had been buried in the soil.

“…This is ominous.”

The feeling was chilling. Taking it into the house felt wrong, so I carefully scraped some soil, placed the silver cup back in the hole, and covered it.

“Nothing happened. Yes, nothing at all.”

I thought that would be the end.

“Milady, are you feeling unwell?”

Ria, the maid responsible for “Ra” in the Gana-Da maid group, looked at me with concern. Despite her well-toned muscles, she was the most tender-hearted of them all.

I forced an awkward smile and shook my head. Inside, though, I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

“I-I’m fine…”

“Fine? Your face is shadowed, Milady!”

Ria quickly brought a hand mirror in front of me. In its reflection, I looked pale, with dark circles under my eyes. No wonder—I hadn’t slept well in days.

In just a few days, the genre of my life had shifted from a “peaceful rural healing story” to a “horror and despair story.”

“Milady, time for your meal!”

At that moment, Garnet, Nina, and Dora entered the cabin in order, each carrying a tray and smiling brightly.

“Even their entrance is in Gana-Da order…”

Since declaring themselves my foot wipe, the maids had noticeably improved the presentation of meals. However, for someone used to healthy food, it was still greasy. After sharing the first meal together, I had asked them to return to simpler, healthier dishes.

The maids had begged me to allow them to prepare full portions, and I couldn’t refuse. Hence, they came bearing three trays.

“Milady, today we’ve prepared wine as a special palate cleanser. Dora and I secretly took it from Katarina’s meal!”
“It was truly thrilling!”

Haha! Normally, I would have laughed along at their antics, but today I couldn’t.

“Eeek!”
“Oh my! Milady, are you okay?”
“What’s wrong?!”
“What’s going on?!”

Even Betty and Marie, who were cleaning windows and sweeping the yard, rushed over and assumed battle stances at my panicked cries. I trembled, buried in Garnet’s broad chest. Honestly, I was terrified.

And the reason was…

“That silver cup! Where did it come from?”
“The silver cup? It was on your table this morning, Milady, and we used it because it was pretty…”
“Ah! That crazy, cursed cup!”
“Milady!”

Yes! It was that very silver cup! A few days ago, while trying to create a garden, I had picked up a suspicious silver cup. I thought I had quietly put it back without anyone noticing, but strange things began that night.

That night, trying to bury it in my mind as if nothing had happened, I washed up and lay down in bed.

“?!”

Lifting the blanket, the silver cup was there.

“Creepy!”

I tossed it out the window, but… that was just the beginning.

“Ahh!”

I threw it out, buried it in the ground, left it in the main house, even hung it on a tree in the backyard. But no matter what, the cup always returned, like a relentless traveling entertainer!
It repeated for several days, driving me nearly insane.

Yesterday, thinking it would be the end, I buried it under a tree in the duke’s castle garden.

“A demon! It has to be a demon.”

Was this why I had been “cursed”? Was it real? Not just medieval-style gaslighting because my eyes were red, but an actual curse?

At that moment:

“Milady, look at this!”

Marie, who had instantly dropped her battle stance, opened her eyes wide and held out the cup.

“Something is reflected inside the cup!”

“What?”

Curiosity surged uncontrollably. There was determination within me too. I was searching for a way to end this tiresome game of hide-and-seek. If it really was a demon, I wouldn’t hesitate to exorcise it physically. I glanced at my reliable Gana-Da maid group.

Their well-toned muscles were as impressive as ever. With their strength, even a demon would be no match.

“Yes. I may be weak, but my allies are strong… maybe I can fight a ghost too.”

Gathering this petty courage, I cautiously peered into the silver cup. And inside, there was…