TPTM 27

Chapter 27

So now it’s not just a single bystander—it’s bystanders, plural?

“Ahhh!”

I frantically opened my status window.

[System: Status Window]
Tulia Prejean (15 years old)

• Coins: 995

• Personality: 1

• Beauty: 8

• Skill: 1

• Wealth: 0

• Luck: -10

Overall Rating: F

The once fragrant and serene hall—like the angels’ tea room—was now rapidly losing its warmth by the second.

Without thinking, I acted immediately.

Clink!

[System] 2 coins spent.
[System] Skill increased to 2!

“Th-This should be enough, right?”

But once again, Prejean’s necklace writhed like a living snake, resisting as it tried to slip to the floor.

Instinct and fear kicked in—I snatched the necklace up and hastily spent more coins.

Clink!

[System] 3 coins spent.
[System] Skill increased to 3!
[System] 4 coins spent.
[System] Skill increased to 4!

At least this time, unlike with the personality stat, the skill stat was cost-effective, and I quietly thanked the heavens while tears stung my eyes.

Then—Clink!

[System] 986 coins spent.
[System] Skill increased to 5!

My eyes froze in midair. No—maybe my breath froze first.

How many?

How many coins?

The status window seemed to answer, sparkling like it knew I needed clarity.

[System] Current Coins: 0

[System] Bonus for second rank-up: 1 coin added.
[System] Coins: 0 → 1

Current Overall Rating: D-

“…Tulia Prejean?”

Staring blankly into space, I snapped back to reality.

Archduke Asis Prejean was looking at me with a peculiar expression.

“Are you feeling unwell?”

If I were fully conscious, I might have been surprised by the faint concern in his voice. But right now, I was barely in control of my own mind.

I forced myself to speak, or at least appear to:

“I-I’m sorry, Grandfather. I think I got so startled that my hands keep losing strength…”

As Asis Prejean murmured “Hmm,” frowning, he glanced at the Lilius family.

Of course, I didn’t even have the energy to look back.

Like some mechanical automaton, half-conscious, I began to carefully place Prejean’s necklace around my neck again.

This was the last chance. Fail here, and it would look deliberate. Glory would be confiscated, I couldn’t leave the mansion legally, and I wouldn’t even be able to meet Male Lead 1—the first step toward achieving an A-rank.

The main quest would fail utterly.

‘In other words… I’d be dead…’

My hands shook violently, but somehow, the necklace settled onto my neck, glowing beautifully as if it had been made for that very purpose.

Despite my outrage over the reckless spending of coins, my nausea, and my dazed state, a strange sense of satisfaction crept in.

It was… beautiful.

“Congratulations, Miss Tulia!”
“The Glory suits you perfectly.”
“It seems to have found its rightful owner. You’re radiant.”

The voices of the attendants, chuckling warmly, floated in but didn’t reach my heart—they simply dissipated like soft clouds.

My eyes remained fixed on the air before me.

[System] Coins: 1

‘Th-This is insane…’

I learned for the first time that when someone is utterly dumbfounded, a hollow laugh escapes them, regardless of place or situation.

Once a stat is raised, it can’t be reversed. I regretted not spending coins on Wealth instead of Skill, but the train had already left the station.

‘I’m a villain wasting stats on Skill first instead of Wealth.’

It’s like a barbarian skipping hunting lessons to take up golf instead. That villain is me.

“Congratulations, Miss Tulia.”
“Congratulations. Has any Prejean ever received Glory this early?”
“You seem destined to become a dignified figure who will bring honor to the Prejean name.”
“How perfectly the gem’s color matches you.”

As the congratulations poured in, I swallowed my tears and bowed to each attendant. Meanwhile, Glory—the Prejean necklace—dangling from my neck, sparkled elegantly.

“Alright, Tulia Prejean.”

As I nodded respectfully, Archduke Asis approached.

“Go rest. Your complexion is not good.”

Normally, I would have seized this moment to impress him, but today, I truly needed rest. Otherwise, I might have smashed the status window and the winged star floating around.

“Thank you, Grandfather…”

My voice was faint, drained of all energy.

That night, I would only learn the next morning that Archduke Asis Prejean had sent an abundance of the rarest medicinal herbs.

The much-awaited day arrived.

After a late breakfast and finishing my morning routine, I summoned the maids and lined them up.

“Rilda?”
“Yes, Miss Tulia.”

The events in the hall had surely spread throughout all the Prejean estates. By now, every noble in the region probably knew.

The same applied to the maids assigned to my quarters.

I approached Rilda, who looked pale as a patient, sweat pouring down like rain.

The other maids were in similar states.

‘Was Rilda the only one being influenced?’

Had I hidden Tedric’s exam papers in my room? Neither I nor Head Maid Adele knew.

In any case, all the maids here were sent by Aubrey. Whether any of them were co-conspirators, I couldn’t know…

‘Wait.’

I glanced at the star-shaped cursor floating around and clicked it toward the maid on the far left, drenched in sweat.

[System: Profile]
Marie (23 years old)

• From a southern city of the Briyan Empire.

• Joined the Archducal household as a maid three years ago…

‘No, I don’t need the full profile!’

But I scrolled anyway.

• Hidden secret: ………………………………………………………………………………(View More)

I clicked “View More.”

• Co-conspirator under Rilius and Aubrey’s influence.

‘What?!’

My eyes widened like an astronomer discovering a falling star.

Profiles could be used for this!

I quickly confirmed all the maids’ profiles, smiling as if I’d hit the jackpot twice in a row.

“Rilda.”
“Yes… Miss Tulia.”
“Marie. Bekley. Cindy. Zeze. Clara.”

The named maids flinched in surprise.

‘How is it that not a single one isn’t a co-conspirator?’

It stung a little, but what could I do? Aubrey held the real power, and I had been a discarded marquis’ daughter until yesterday.

“Girls.”

I moved to Rilda, raising my hand. She instinctively shrank and closed her eyes.

Given her age, if she handled this well, she’d probably earn the rank of head maid of a viscount’s house.

I gently held her hands and smiled as warmly as I could.

“Thank you.”

No violence, no reproach—just the kindest smile I could offer as Tulia.

Rilda blinked, startled.

“…Yes?”

“It’s thanks to you, Rilda, and the other five of you.”

Who else would understand such a vague but heartfelt expression of gratitude—especially under such tense circumstances?

Rilda did. Nobility ran through her veins, just as Aubrey had boasted.

The meaning behind my words was simple:

“Thank you for betraying your true mistress, Aubrey, and helping me instead.”

Her shocked protest threatened to escape:

“Miss, I… when did I…!”

She could never finish that line—it would only allow me to turn it back on her, questioning whether she’d staged yesterday’s false accusation.

Most importantly…

“…Tulia. I’m sorry for entering without knocking.”

Aubrey’s voice, always smiling kindly—or glaring subtly as if I were Tedric’s enemy—floated in my ears.