Chapter 22
I was somewhat bewildered.
‘What’s going on here?’
This wasn’t in my expected responses…
But before I could collect my thoughts, Paula continued.
“If you go to the Spring Ball without knowing the basic etiquette, the Ulmer family’s honor will hit rock bottom. So, it’s only natural that you can’t go to the Spring Ball!”
“……”
“I-I’m just making a logical decision, thinking it’s better for the family if you don’t attend! This has nothing to do with my personal feelings, which are totally irritated just looking at your face! Got it?”
I didn’t respond, and Paula quickly spun around and rushed out of my room.
“Poor Paula…”
“Miss, what should we do?”
The maids who followed Paula chorused their concerns before quickly chasing after her.
At last, my room fell silent.
“Ugh…”
It felt like a storm had just passed by.
But what bothered me more was Paula’s behavior, which felt oddly strange.
The way I played the game had kept me distant from the social routes, so I never had much interaction with Paula. Because of that, I couldn’t pinpoint what exactly felt off about her earlier.
But it was unsettling. It felt like I had expected her behavior to fall within a predictable range, only to realize that it might not be that way at all—a sense of crisis, I suppose.
‘I thought she was just here to complain, but maybe that wasn’t the case…? What’s going on?’
It didn’t seem like she had come because she was upset about me going to the ball.
Once I started doubting, it was hard to shake the suspicion. But I stopped myself from continuing down that line of thought.
‘I shouldn’t be worrying about this.’
Today was the important day I needed to cash in my top-grade mana crystals.
To spend the next year—well, about 11 months—peacefully without major issues, selling these mana crystals was key.
‘But who should I sell the mana crystals to?’
According to the system, there were plenty of trustworthy and powerful figures at the Spring Ball who could easily purchase large amounts of mana crystals.
However, the problem was that mana crystals were considered extremely rare in the world setting.
If I sold them to just anyone, I risked disrupting the balance of the dimension I had to live in, Ortiera.
Why was I worrying about this?
‘I don’t want to worry about it either…’
I had already experienced the consequences of such actions during a past game.
I had unlocked the mana crystal mines and thought I could make a lot of money by selling all the mana crystals to a highly trusted merchant, Müller.
But, within a year, my dimension collapsed and the game ended.
So, it was better to carefully select a few trustworthy buyers, but…
‘Well, I’ll have to see who’s around first.’
Today, I’d spend time meeting as many potential buyers as possible and making a list.
The palace was big enough, so even if I moved around a lot, I probably wouldn’t be noticed right away.
I smiled, planning my moves confidently.
I never dreamed this plan would fall apart before it even started.
When the Spring Ball began in the Bregenze Empire, a large festival for the common folk was held across the capital, Bregenheim.
Perhaps because of that, the crowds enjoying the festival were thick both inside and outside the palace.
‘I’ve only seen these crowds in game illustrations, but seeing it in person… it’s huge.’
It felt like the crowds at the Yeouido Fireworks Festival.
I had no idea how packed it would be, so after lounging in bed late into the afternoon, I finally decided to head out at 8 PM. It was already quite late.
Still, I could afford to be this late since the Spring Ball lasted three days and nights.
And that meant people would be coming and going throughout both day and night!
‘Also, in the game, there was an event where the guards were more lenient between 6 and 9 PM.’
Taking advantage of this, I had infiltrated the palace several times in the past.
So, naturally, I didn’t think it would be difficult. Or at least, I didn’t think it would be.
But…
‘What is this…?’
I ran into a hurdle right from the start.
“Wait, aren’t those knights?”
“Why are the temple guards stationed outside the palace on festival day?”
Whispers from the crowd revealed that the temple knights were stationed in force right outside the palace.
‘What’s going on here?’
I quickly pulled my robe tighter and hid, trying to avoid the knights.
Normally, I’d just slip into the crowd of busy servants moving around, but this time, the knights were checking them.
In the game, I’d do this a hundred times and it always worked.
But why were the knights checking the servants now?
“Ugh.”
Hiding in a corner, I cautiously observed. While I couldn’t see the whole area, the entrance to the palace was lined with knights, and there was no way past them.
But my troubles didn’t end there.
[SYSTEM] Warning! Due to your titles ‘Elder Abuser’ and ‘Devil’s Smile,’ ‘Mid-Level Knight Olaf, the Temple’s Hound,’ is observing you.
-
Title Effect: When it comes to finding evil-doers, Olaf has a 60% accuracy rate. The higher your Infamy, the more accurate he gets.
To avoid being subjected to Olaf’s random search, your Infamy must be below 250.
“Ah, seriously, this is driving me insane!”
My Infamy had just crossed 250, thanks to my grave-robbing adventure and Sophie’s meddling.
How unlucky was I to hit that limit?
I wasn’t a criminal, so a random search shouldn’t be too problematic.
‘No, I can’t afford to be too confident.’
I snapped back to reality, realizing what was at stake.
I thought about the top-grade mana crystals hidden under my robe.
‘Damn it.’
Two top-grade mana crystals could activate most artifacts.
So here I was, a woman wearing a robe with two mana crystals, during a festival with a huge crowd.
If anyone thought I was planning something suspicious, I could end up accused of terrorism!
I had these mana crystals to show off at the ball and make deals, but there was no way to prove their legitimacy.
If I started talking about where they came from, it could lead to an unpleasant encounter with the temple’s “Sucker Detecting” priests… or worse, an interrogation with a lie-detection priest.
As I frantically considered my next move, I heard a voice from behind.
“Hey, you, in the robe.”
Hmm, surely not talking to me, right?
I hoped not. I really did.
“Wait, stop right there.”
But when I didn’t respond, the voice became more insistent.
No, my instincts told me I was being called.
‘Crap.’
It was definitely me.
But looking back now… the fear was so intense that I couldn’t bring myself to turn around. I couldn’t move.
“Priestess?”
Feeling a surge of guilt, I hesitated, trembling, and started thinking through my options.
Should I run? No, that would definitely draw all the knights to me.
Should I just stay put? That seemed risky too!
As I pondered, the man got closer.
‘Run now.’
In situations like this, fleeing was usually the best option.
I made up my mind, readying my fist from under my robe to strike and run.
But then…
I braced myself, preparing to strike the man with a swift punch from under my robe, but before I could act…
“What are you doing?”
The voice was sharp, and I froze mid-action.
I slowly turned my head, my heart racing, and was greeted by the sight of a man standing in front of me. His expression was calm, but his eyes were piercing and full of authority.
He was tall and dressed in the white and gold armor of the temple knights.
It was Knight Olaf, the one from the system notification.
[SYSTEM] Knight Olaf, the Hound of the Temple, is now directly observing you.
I cursed inwardly. He was too close, and now I had no choice but to deal with him.
He looked at me, his gaze lingering on my robe, then narrowed his eyes.
“Your name.”
I took a deep breath, trying to keep my composure, and spoke carefully.
“Adelheid Ulmer.”
I tried to make my voice as steady as possible, though my heart was pounding in my chest.
He studied me for a moment, his gaze intense.
“Adelheid Ulmer. From the Ulmer family?”
I nodded, trying not to appear too anxious.
“Yes.”
There was a long pause before he spoke again.
“Do you have a reason to be so suspiciously hidden in this crowd? The robe, the way you’re avoiding the eyes of the guards… It’s a little odd.”
My mind raced as I tried to come up with an answer that would satisfy him. But the weight of the two mana crystals hidden under my robe was like a ticking time bomb. If he found out about them, I was done for.
“I… I was simply avoiding attention. I’m not used to being around so many people,” I said, trying to sound convincing.
Olaf didn’t respond immediately. He seemed to be considering my words. The silence stretched on for a moment, and I could feel my nerves getting the better of me.
Finally, he spoke again, his voice softer now, but still commanding.
“Why are you really here, Adelheid?”
I swallowed hard, trying to keep my composure. There was no way I could tell him the truth—about the mana crystals, about my plans. I had to keep my story straight, no matter what.
“I’m here to attend the Spring Ball, of course. As a noble, I am required to be here.”
Olaf’s expression softened slightly, but I could still see the suspicion in his eyes.
“Very well, but remember, the palace is not a place for secrecy. If you are hiding something, I will find out.”
The words were a warning, clear and direct.
I nodded quickly, not trusting myself to speak further.
“Good. Don’t make me regret this.”
He stepped back, giving me one last lingering look before turning away and walking off.
I let out the breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. My hands were clammy, and my heart was still racing.
That was too close.
I quickly adjusted my robe and walked away from the crowd, doing my best to blend in. As I moved deeper into the festival, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread settling over me.
If I was going to make it through this night, I needed to stay on my toes. The Spring Ball was full of opportunities, but it was also full of dangers. And I couldn’t afford to let anyone get too close, especially Knight Olaf.
Later that night, the ball began in full swing. The ballroom was opulent, with chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and the sound of music filling the air. Nobles from all over the empire mingled, chatting and laughing, their expensive clothes shimmering in the soft light.
I stood near the edge of the room, surveying the crowd. I could see the rich and powerful, their eyes glittering with ambition and desire. But I was looking for something—or someone—specific.
I needed to find the right buyers for the mana crystals.
I made my way through the crowd, careful not to draw attention. I had already seen a few likely candidates, but I wasn’t sure who I could trust.
My heart skipped a beat when I saw a familiar face across the room.
It was him—one of the most powerful figures in the empire, a man who had the wealth and connections to make my sale. But dealing with him was dangerous. He had a reputation for being ruthless, and if things went wrong, it could cost me everything.
But I had no choice. I had to take the risk.
I walked up to him, my steps measured and deliberate. He turned to face me as I approached, his cold eyes studying me.
“Adelheid Ulmer,” he said, his voice smooth. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
I smiled, trying to appear confident.
“I have a business proposal for you.”
He raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
“A proposal?” he repeated. “You’ve piqued my interest. Let’s talk.”
[SYSTEM] You have initiated a deal with ‘Lord Laverick.’
As I walked with him to a quieter corner of the room, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was on the edge of something dangerous. But I had no choice. I had to make this deal, no matter the cost.
And with that, the Spring Ball continued, the music and laughter echoing in the background as I made my way into the heart of the empire’s intrigue.
