TYLSA 13

Chapter 13

“You received the invitation… personally, Sister?”

“You’ve just debuted, but I debuted a year ago. I can’t keep leaving my invitation management to Mother forever, can I?”

“I see… I understand, Sister.”

A smile finally returned to Eleni’s face.

“So, where are you going tonight?”

I’d been waiting for her to ask.

“I’m going to the Marchioness of Chiantique’s salon.”

“!”

The smile that had just barely returned to Eleni’s face faded by half.

But she quickly regained her composure.

“The… Marchioness of Chiantique’s salon? How wonderful, Sister!”

“Thank you. Oh, look at the time—it’s already this late.”

“Please be careful on your way.”

“I will. When I come back, I’ll tell you all about how wonderful it was. And please tell Mother not to wait up and to go to bed.”

Eleni nodded with a forced smile.

“…Yes, Sister. I’ll do that.”

It took a while just to get out of our mansion, but fortunately, the Chiantique family’s residence was slightly smaller than ours.

Not only that, but other carriages made way when they saw the crest of the House of Rozenheyer.

‘So this is what VIP treatment feels like…’

Enjoying a taste of power I’d never experienced in the real world, I safely arrived at the Chiantique residence.

—

<system> You have attended the Marchioness of Chiantique’s salon.

<system> Fame increases by 30.

—

As expected, a famous salon was different. Just attending raised my Fame.

“Confirmed.”

After checking my invitation, a servant of the Chiantique household handed me a small mask that covered the area around my eyes.

“What’s this?”

“Today’s salon theme is ‘Truth Behind the Mask.’ It’s a preparation to help our guests converse freely in a relaxed atmosphere. We would appreciate your cooperation.”

Ah, I see. I obediently put on the mask.

‘Of course, a mask this small can’t completely hide a guest’s identity.’

Still, it might make it a little easier to speak more honestly than usual, just for fun.

It seemed the Marchioness was aiming for exactly that level of effect.

“Oh my! The young lady I’ve been waiting for has arrived. Would you come this way?”

The way she confidently pulled me to her side the moment she saw me confirmed it.

She handed me a glass of champagne and gestured toward the podium, whispering.

“The person speaking over there right now is a renowned literary figure.”

Then someone next to her interjected provocatively.

“I wonder if our newly arrived young lady can guess who that gentleman is?”

Hmph. Of course I can’t.

I leaned back into the sofa with a relaxed smile.

“Well, I’m not sure if it’s wise to reveal the identity of someone wearing a mask.”

“…!”

If I had arrogantly answered correctly, they would have criticized me for not observing proper guest etiquette. If I had stammered and failed to answer, they would have mocked me for lacking the sophistication to attend such a salon.

—

<system> Intelligence increases by 10!

<system> Fame increases by 10!

—

Perhaps because I had elegantly dodged that trap?

My Intelligence stat rose considerably.

“Hmph, hmph.”

The noblewoman, who had only ended up boosting my Intelligence after picking a fight with me, fluttered her fan and stepped back.

‘Shield crest…’

I made a mental note of the family crest engraved on that noblewoman’s fan.

Not that I was planning anything malicious—it never hurts to remember.

The Marchioness of Chiantique chuckled.

“Well done. As expected of one of today’s leading guests, that was a splendid response.”

“Leading guest…?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. Don’t be nervous. By ‘leading guest,’ I simply mean the guest I was most looking forward to hosting at today’s salon.”

Ah, I see.

“But one of them has been nowhere to be seen all evening. I’m sure they wouldn’t miss it, though…”

Just as the Marchioness of Chiantique muttered that—

—

<system> Quest triggered!

The guest whose whereabouts the Marchioness of Chiantique is curious about. Who could that guest be?

Success if you find ‘that guest’ within 30 minutes.

—

‘Here it comes.’

I smiled inwardly.

The first time I received this quest, I was utterly baffled.

Told to find a guest with no name, no family, no face—nothing to go on. And with no mention of a reward.

When I first read this story, I thought, ‘What kind of quest is this, with no foundation at all?’

But now, for me, it was about as difficult as revisiting a restaurant I’d already been to once…

‘Or so I’d like to say, but I can’t remember where that person was hiding.’

I’d racked my brain for three days, but since I’d skimmed through this section without much care, I couldn’t recall the exact location.

‘All I remember is that the background illustration was a somewhat dimly lit indoor space…’

While I was deep in thought, the Marchioness of Chiantique, oblivious to my inner turmoil, said this:

“…By any chance, do you think you might be able to find that person, young lady?”

“Me?”

“Yes. Actually, I was hoping to introduce that guest to you today.”

“…Alright.”

No choice. I’d have to search the indoor spaces within the time limit.

“That sounds like fun.”

“You have a spirit of adventure. Good. Then I’ll give you one magic phrase to help you find them.”

“…?”

“When you meet a gentleman you suspect might be him, say this to him.”

Whisper, whisper. Hearing the words murmured into my ear, I giggled.

“‘Your godmother would have said you shouldn’t be lazing around like this,’ is it?”

“Yes. Now, I’ve already given you quite a few hints, haven’t I?”

“…A gentleman, and nine times out of ten, he’s probably lazing around somewhere?”

“Hehe, exactly.”

—

<system> Quest started!

<system> When you approach ‘that guest,’ the system will notify you with an alert chime.

—

…Alright, fine. At least it’s not a completely unfounded event.

‘I can find him.’

“Alright, let me go have a look.”

“I’ll be cheering for you.”

With the Marchioness of Chiantique seeing me off, I carefully left my spot.

‘A gentleman who’s lazing around, huh…’

In the corner of my vision, the countdown timer was steadily ticking down.

‘It’d be nice if I just ran into him while walking around, but that’s probably not going to happen.’

I avoided the center hall where people were gathered in small groups and started walking toward the corridor lined with arched doorways.

But then—

“Oh my.”

“Ah!”

I happened to lock eyes with a man and a woman who were tangled up in a fluster between the curtains on one side of the corridor.

“Sorry…”

As I stepped aside to let them hurriedly straighten their clothes, I found myself standing in the corridor of the Chiantique residence, having left the central hall where everyone was gathered.

“Oh dear. Did I come too far?”

Just as I was about to turn back—

Ding-dong.

“…!”

A familiar system alert chime stopped me in my tracks.

And it wasn’t just once. I hadn’t misheard.

The chime rang slowly at intervals… ding-dong… ding-dong…

‘So that means… he’s still far away, right?’

Click, clack.

Only the sound of my footsteps echoed through the empty corridor.

I glanced to both sides of the corridor.

‘This way seems to lead to the garden, and that way seems to lead further inside the mansion…?’

Then the direction I should take was clear.

Without hesitation, I stepped onto the path leading into the house. The intervals between the ding-dong chimes grew slightly shorter.

‘Nice…!’

As I quickened my pace, the intervals grew shorter and shorter. It was entertaining, so I kept walking until—

‘Huh, the interval got longer again.’

Could the target be moving? I backtracked along the path I’d come from, and the chimes shortened again—back to normal.

‘He said he was lazing around, but it seems he’s parked himself in one spot with full commitment…’

That was fortunate for me. A stationary target was naturally easier to find than a moving one.

As I slowly retraced my steps, I noticed a door I hadn’t seen when I’d been walking excitedly earlier.

‘Good. At this rate, he’s practically a mouse in a trap.’

Thinking it would be that easy, I opened the door—

‘Huh?’

I’d expected a drawing room, but it turned out to be a small library.

And a completely empty one, with no sign of anyone.

‘…Is this… the right place?’

The chimes that had been ringing at regular intervals—ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong—stopped the moment I entered the library.

Unfortunately, the system seemed unwilling to offer any further hints.

‘Huff. By now, he should be showing himself.’

I stared at the steadily decreasing number, fidgeting anxiously.

Correction—I fidgeted, then tripped violently over something jutting out.

“Whoa…!”

Fortunately, I barely managed to catch myself from falling, grabbing the back of a sofa and tumbling onto it.

Thump.

“Ugh, thank goodness—wait, hold on.”

Was there a cane left on the sofa? Why is it so hard…?

“I’m glad I could be of help, but…”

Just then.

From the head of the sofa, I heard someone’s voice.

“Uh, ah…?”

Thump. The crumpled blanket slid down, and from beneath it, a man sat up.

At the same time—

—

<system> Quest complete: You have found ‘that guest’!

<system> Entering ‘Episode 3: The Secret First Meeting with the Crown Prince’!