As I opened the door handle and stepped out into the corridor, I felt a piercing gaze on the back of my head.
The reaction was completely different from when I entered, making me feel a new sense of emotion.
But once I was fully out of the office, I decided not to care about it.
After all, the Duke was not someone I needed to improve my affection with, and if I ended the game with just anyone before the coming-of-age ceremony, there would be no point in continuing.
Click. I carefully closed the Duke's office door and turned around.
That's when it happened.
"I clearly told you to live like a mouse."
"Ah!"
A chilling voice pierced my ears.
I jumped in surprise and turned my head.
On the opposite side of the dimly lit corridor, a large figure stood slanted.
In the darkness, [Affection 0%] glowed.
His black hair, which seemed to blend with the shadows, and his blue eyes were barely visible.
It was Derek, the Duke's eldest son.
"Emily."
"......"
"A loyal maid who has worked for the Duke's family for nearly ten years."
Thud, thud. Derek walked out of the shadows.
The man crossed the wide corridor in one stride and reached right in front of me.
He looked down at me with his blue eyes, his gaze condescending, as if he were looking at trash.
I hadn't done anything wrong, yet I felt my body shrink under the torrent of disdain and contempt.
"No one wanted to take on the job of your personal maid, even with extra pay. Yet, you volunteered to cater to my whims."
"......"
"That ends today. You've chased away the last remaining maid with your unruly behavior."
I felt a surge of indignation at Derek's words.
When did I ever chase anyone away? The one who got excited and acted out was the pink-haired girl.
'Instead, I nearly got kicked out of this world for eating that rotten food!'
I wanted to lash out in frustration.
But what stopped me was the [Affection 0%] glowing above Derek's head.
'Hold it. If it drops any further, it's death.'
I took a deep breath, suppressing my frustration.
'Affection 0%. 0%......'
I was already exhausted after groveling before the previous Duke.
Moreover, I couldn't remember this scene well because I had been too focused on the choices.
So, I decided to calmly rely on the system's power.
'Choices ON.'
1. Ha! Did that girl serve you at night, brother?
2. She must have done something wrong to be chased away.
3. (Stare silently.)
After quickly scanning the choices, I shouted desperately.
'Choices OFF! OFF!'
〈SYSTEM〉 Do you want to turn off the choices?
[Yes. / No.]
I hurriedly pressed [Yes.]
If I chose one of the insane options the game provided, I would be dead.
While I was internally conflicted, time seemed to pass, and Derek's face grew colder as he looked at me.
"Huh. Now my words sound like a joke to you."
His tone was not just disdainful but also filled with hostility.
I had no choice but to speak.
"I'm sorry for causing trouble."
How many more times would I have to apologize for things I didn't do?
I have pride, and bowing humbly to someone is always unpleasant and miserable, no matter the situation.
But to survive, this was nothing.
Besides, these people were not real; they were just virtual characters in a game.
- That girl scratched me and drew blood, Father! Brother!
- As expected, someone who looks like a rat does such despicable things.
Before I became independent, I lived with my half-brothers and apologized for countless wrongs.
Mostly, it was in situations like this.
Unlike in the game, not apologizing for a wrong wouldn't put my life in danger.
But back then, I was quite young, and I felt my life was threatened in every situation.
So, I begged and groveled until my hands and feet were sore.
Compared to that, cleaning up Penelope's mess wasn't so bad. She really did cause trouble, unlike me.
Perhaps because I had already experienced such things in reality, surviving by apologizing in the game felt easier.
'Just like before, it's unpleasantly similar.'
I recalled the thought I had when I first entered the game and spoke indifferently.
"As you said, I didn't know my place."
"......What?"
"It's my fault for not behaving properly, so you don't have to chase the maid away. I just finished begging for forgiveness from Father."
Derek's expression changed when he heard my words.
His slightly widened blue eyes looked unfamiliar, similar to the Duke's reaction.
I spoke smoothly. Since I had rehearsed the lines, repeating them was not difficult.
"From now on, I will live like a mouse, without causing any trouble. Please forgive me one more time."
Then, I bowed deeply.
'Did I sound too soulless?'
I was a bit worried that my tone lacked sincerity.
But even in a ridiculous game, a brother wouldn't randomly stab a sister who was apologizing.
Since Derek wasn't a psychopathic crown prince, I felt a bit lighter as I waited for his response.
I wanted to quickly end this and return to my room.
Standing was becoming a chore.
Come to think of it, I had been violently sick all morning due to that wretched maid and was now starving and weak.
Despite my earnest wish, Derek didn't speak for at least five minutes.
"......This time only."
"......"
"I'll let it slide this one time."
Just as I thought it was easier than expected, he added.
"But remember, this is the last time I'll tolerate your arrogance."
It was a much less favorable response than the Duke's.
I was relieved that death wasn't the answer, as expected.
But I couldn't bring myself to say thank you, even if it was a lie.
'Who, who. What safety?'
I mocked him in my head, just as I would with my eldest half-brother, and bowed deeply.
Then, I turned to head straight to my room.
At that moment.
"Ah......"
Dizziness suddenly surged, and my vision blurred.
Perhaps because I was relieved to have passed another hurdle, my tension relaxed, and my legs went weak.
I lost my balance and stumbled.
'I'm going to fall......!'
Just as the corridor floor was getting closer.
Thud. Someone roughly grabbed my shoulder and steadied me.
"Hey."
I felt the force that straightened my tilted body.
When I turned my head, blazing blue eyes were right in front of me. Derek had caught me as I was about to fall.
"I heard you ate spoiled food."
His gruff voice snapped me back to reality.
As I stared at Derek in shock, he asked,
"Should I call a doctor?"
My agitated heart instantly calmed.
'So, you knew.'
He knew it wasn't Penelope's fault.
He knew it and still tried to blame it all on the maid.
'If I hadn't apologized immediately, he would have killed me mercilessly, just like in the game's scenario.'
It felt like someone had poured cold water over my head.
"No, Young Master."
Thud. I shook off Derek's hand, a movement driven by the instinct to survive.
Then, I immediately regretted it. Afraid that I might have offended him, I forced a smile.
"I said I wouldn't cause any trouble, remember?"
So, leave me alone.
"Alright."
I bowed politely again and hurriedly left.
My almost running figure in the corridor would look ridiculous to anyone watching, as if I were being chased.
But it was true. I was afraid he might draw a knife on me, using my rudeness as an excuse.
In my haste to head towards the central staircase, I didn't notice.
The expression on the man left behind.
* * *
"......Young Master."
Derek repeated the words Penelope had left behind, without realizing it.
She was the one who called him and Leonard 'brother' while not daring to address their father casually.
Her pale face when he caught her as she was about to fall was still vivid in his mind.
His blue eyes, which had strangely sparkled as he watched Penelope flee, now turned away indifferently.
[Affection 5%]
Above his black head, the white text that Penelope hadn't seen glowed.