Episode 105. Beth’s Story (2)

And just like that, Beth was suddenly cast out into the world.

To think of it as the world she originally lived in would be a mistake—Beth had no knowledge of this world at all. The game always began with her as the governess at Count Bohan’s estate, so she never had any reason to experience life outside of that mansion.

There, Beth didn’t have to prepare her own meals, nor did she need to work hard to earn money. At first, she had to dress herself and bathe on her own, but even that became unnecessary once she gained the favor of Count Bohan.

But now, she found herself penniless, having to do everything on her own.

By some stroke of luck, she managed to find a kind household that allowed her to stay in exchange for doing chores, but Beth was far from satisfied. She screamed in frustration.

“This is just a game! Why do I have to work so hard? In other games, all you have to do is pull a few weeds, and they turn out to be herbs you can sell for money…”

The only work Beth could do was laundry. Her hands quickly became rough and calloused from the cold water and harsh lye soap.

‘At this rate, I’m just getting older.’

And she wasn’t even getting paid for it—just room and board. This wasn’t a zero-sum situation; it was a loss. After all, time was still passing for her.

‘I need to find a different job right now.’

Having worked as a governess in a noble family as prestigious as Count Bohan’s, Beth was confident she could easily find another job. She was good at arithmetic and writing. Surely, she could at least find work as a clerk.

But her hopes were dashed after just a month. No one was willing to hire someone without references.

“No one will give me a job. Why isn’t this going according to the game?”

She had expected that at least her pretty face would secure her some work. Her face hadn’t changed, but it was as if her beauty had vanished.

‘This can’t be happening.’

Beth tore at her hair. Without the frequent washing and expensive oils she used at Count Bohan’s estate, her hair quickly became damaged. When she saw the strands breaking off, Beth was so shocked that she released her grip.

‘How did I end up like this…?’

Though she let go in surprise, her anger quickly returned, and she instinctively clenched her skirt tightly. Beth stomped forward, eyes downcast, her mind filled with complaints.

‘This is ridiculous. I somehow ended up inside the game. I finally became the protagonist, and now I’m reduced to this?’

Everything felt like a terrible nightmare. The worst part was that she couldn’t wake up. A tear fell from Beth’s eye.

‘I was so happy when I first entered the game…’

She had thought she was going to die after all the suffering, but when she woke up, she found herself as the protagonist of her favorite game. There were restrictions on her—like having to use polite and refined language—but she didn’t mind because, as the protagonist, she was pampered and adored. She had genuinely been happy.

She had never doubted that this would lead to a happy ending.

‘What about the male protagonist? He wasn’t at all like I imagined. He didn’t even love me. And then some character who wasn’t even in the game pressured me…’

As she walked on, lost in her resentment, Beth suddenly found herself in a strange place. A grand mansion surrounded by high walls. Yet, the sight was strangely familiar.

“Count Bohan’s estate.”

How could she ever forget that mansion? Even if she didn’t recognize anything else, she knew that mansion inside and out. It was Count Bohan’s estate.

A spark of life returned to Beth’s weary eyes. She unknowingly moved toward the wall.

“Daniel. I need to tell Daniel about me.”

Daniel Bohan. Her male protagonist. The one who should have loved and cherished her.

“By now, Daniel must have reflected on everything.”

Remembering how Daniel had recoiled as if awakening from a trance just before they parted, it was an impossible thought. But Beth was someone who only ever considered herself, so she firmly believed that Daniel must be missing her as well.

‘But how do I meet Daniel?’

The walls were high, and the gate was securely closed. Beth wandered around the front, eventually sinking to the ground.

‘I don’t know. If I wait here, I’m sure I’ll see him.’

But as time passed and the sun set, the weather grew colder, yet Daniel didn’t appear.

It wasn’t just Daniel that was the problem. The mansion remained quiet, and even as darkness settled, no lights were lit. Only then did Beth realize that there was no one guarding the main gate.

‘What’s going on?’

It was as if the mansion had been abandoned.

At a loss, Beth spent the entire night sitting in front of the gate until morning. When the gardener arrived to tend to the garden, he was startled to find Beth sitting there.

“Gah! Wh-who are you? Get out of here!”

“Wait!”

The gardener didn’t recognize Beth. Perhaps she had changed so much that he couldn’t even tell who she was. Beth quickly grabbed him and asked,

“Where is Count Bohan? Why is the mansion so quiet?”

“Why are you asking me that? If you’re here to beg for the count’s mercy, try another mansion! No one lives here anymore.”

“N-no one lives here?”

“That’s right. Rumor has it that the ghost of the late count haunts this place, so they all left.”

“A ghost…?”

The ghost of the late count.

And the reason he died.

Beth turned pale as she glanced around the mansion.

* * *

As soon as the guards showed an opening, Beth took the opportunity to escape. Normally, someone planning an escape would do so with careful calculation, but Beth’s attempt was so clumsy that it was difficult for the guards to even pretend to be fooled.

Julius, who had deliberately ordered them to let her go, asked with a perplexed expression.

“Are you really satisfied with this?”

The sweet tea, only available in Julius’s office, felt just right on my tongue. It was so sweet that it kept me from reaching for the snacks, but that was a small flaw. I shrugged as I replied, “For her, that’s punishment enough.”

It was me who suggested that Beth be released.

‘She definitely won’t be able to adapt. She’s so full of self-righteousness, believing she’s the protagonist.’

If we kept her in the palace, she might cling to some hope of regaining her status. So, I asked Julius to make sure she left on her own, convinced that staying would be her end.

Julius released Beth from the palace, just as I requested. But while he honored my request, he wasn’t convinced. With a tone full of dissatisfaction, Julius asked again.

“How is that punishment? She’s not even enslaved by anyone, just living a normal life.”

“Exactly. For her, living an ordinary life is more effective than being enslaved.”

“I find it hard to understand, sister.”

Trying to reform her or make her reflect on her actions would be infuriating. It was better to get rid of her where I wouldn’t have to see her.

As I sipped my tea elegantly, Percy, who was seated next to me, gave a soft smile and said.

“My wife is just too kind. It’s no wonder His Majesty doesn’t understand.”

“Your Grace… Are you sure you’re talking about us?” Julius retorted, bewildered.

What does he mean by that? I didn’t think I was as kind as Percy said, but I didn’t deserve that look from Julius either.

Just as I was glaring at Julius in disbelief, Percy furrowed his brow and said.

“But I do agree with His Majesty, Sienna. There are countless ways to make someone suffer. If you’re too soft-hearted to make the decision, I’ll handle it myself.”

His tone was gentle, but his words clearly meant he intended to hunt Beth down and kill her. I shook my head. Just as eating the wrong food can upset your stomach, taking someone’s life unnecessarily can bring about bad karma. It’s best to let it go.

“Just forget about it. That’s the best revenge.”

“If my wife says so…”

Though he wasn’t pleased, Percy obediently lowered his head. I found him endearing for being so attentive, so I gently patted his head. Julius, watching with an irritated expression, muttered, “Did you two come to the palace just to show off your affection? If you have nothing else to say, hurry up and leave.”

“You were the one who summoned me, brother.”

“I only summoned you, Sienna!”

Julius’s childish outburst was so cute that I couldn’t help but giggle.

It was a peaceful day.