Chapter 35
Invitation to the Tea Party (1)
The Odelia Preference Contest ended more simply than expected.
Because both of them got the answer right.
Thanks to that, Annie concluded there was no winner.
So, the prize—a wish granted by Odelia—ended up in my hands.
I decided to use that wish to mediate the fights between the four male leads.
Light bickering was acceptable, but any form of physical injury or defamation was off limits.
That was my wish.
There was a bit of resistance among the four, but it quickly died down.
I had already threatened that if they didn’t comply, I’d run away to the ends of the earth, mansion be damned.
“Ugh, I’m exhausted…”
Stretching lightly, I collapsed onto the bed, and Annie and Lucy burst into laughter.
“You worked hard today, milady.”
“Today was fun, thanks to Annie’s event.”
At my words, Annie scratched her head in embarrassment.
That wasn’t exactly a compliment, though.
“But you did enjoy it, right?”
Annie offered a teacup as if asking for praise.
It had been quite the hassle, but I did enjoy it.
Maybe because such peaceful daily life was nonexistent in the original story, it felt all the more precious.
I wondered, if Odelia ever returned, could we live like this again?
Like dreaming of a future I couldn’t see, I imagined it briefly and then nodded.
“It was fun. I’d even want to do it again.”
“Seeing you happy, I’m sure there’ll be another contest next year.”
“Let me make the questions next time. Today’s questions were shocking.”
“I’m sure the answers were even more shocking.”
Lucy sighed and shook her head.
How many did she get right again…? Ah, none.
Looking dejected, Lucy cupped her cheeks and stared at me with concern.
“No matter what, you’re still the daughter of a Marquis. If this continues, you might run into trouble someday.”
“Trouble?”
I tilted my head as I took a bite of the cookie Annie handed me.
What kind of trouble?
Could it be that there’s a white house on the hill here too? Am I going to get locked up?
Swallowing the cookie in surprise, I saw Annie nod seriously.
“If you keep this up, I’m worried you’ll be ostracized by other noble ladies.”
“You should start showing your face in social circles. You don’t even know the current fashion trends, let alone have a proper dress.”
That made me tilt my head again.
“…Surely you’re not thinking of avoiding the social scene altogether, right?”
“Uh… is that bad?”
When I asked, Lucy let out a deep sigh.
Why, though?
Even in the original story, Odelia never participated in the social scene.
Well, she was basically confined, but no one really forced her either.
And if I was going to run away eventually, I figured it was more important to learn how commoners lived than how nobles socialized.
I had learned basic knowledge and how to count money from books, but reality was different.
“You can’t stay cooped up in the mansion forever. You’ll have to marry someday.”
“Knowing you, it won’t be a political marriage. So you should start building relationships now.”
I shut my mouth at their concerned words.
Romance? In this body?
That was asking too much.
Eventually, Odelia would have to return to this body.
I couldn’t go around forming relationships in her place.
Existing relationships I could maintain, but I didn’t want to create any new ones.
Love, for me… was truly too much to ask.
“I’ll think about it.”
Even though I said that, my chest felt heavy.
For some reason, this conversation was more draining than the daytime contest.
“Oh, by the way, I haven’t reported this to you yet.”
“Hm? What is it?”
I turned my head as Annie called out just as I was about to get into bed.
“The information you asked me to gather when we went to town last time.”
Annie’s words brought back a memory.
The day I first met Jinjer, I had asked Annie to gather information.
Rumors about another world—something, anything that could lead me home.
As she laid the documents on the central table, Annie handed me a sheet of paper.
“I organized the data for easy reading. It includes everything from widespread rumors to historical records.”
Seeing Annie point to the books stacked in order, I couldn’t help but clap.
“Annie, I already knew you were a genius.”
“I know you’re just flattering me, but I’ll take it! Oh, and I put the documents I recommend separately.”
Looking at the books stacked under the pile of paper, I tilted my head.
What’s the difference?
“These are mostly historical records. Especially this one—”
Annie pulled out the book at the bottom with effort and handed it to me.
A worn brown book landed on the white bed sheet.
Maybe it looked even older against the white sheet—or maybe it really was that old.
It looked like it might crumble at a touch, so I glanced up at Annie.
“You’ll see from the title—it’s about people from another world. It contains stories of those who came here from elsewhere.”
At her words, I picked up the book.
If Annie was right, and this book was real, it was a huge discovery.
“Was there anyone who might have known about this? If these people were real—”
Annie shook her head.
“Those who came from other worlds were often free-spirited and unusual. Most were accused of being witches or monsters and executed.”
Annie opened the book and showed me.
On the page, there was a drawing of a woman burned black by flames.
And then another. And another.
All of them met gruesome ends.
“Some survived but disappeared without a trace. So there are no clues to follow.”
Annie said it like it couldn’t be helped.
“…That’s a shame.”
To be honest, it wasn’t just a little disappointing.
It felt like all of Annie’s efforts had been in vain.
Lucy, who had been hovering nearby with concern, gently patted my shoulder.
“Are you okay, milady?”
“I’m fine.”
Not wanting to worry her, I closed the book.
Just then, Annie handed me another piece of paper.
The writing on it looked familiar.
“Annie, this is…?”
“This is a separate rumor I investigated.”
The letters on the paper were unmistakably Korean.
Scrawled in a panicked hand, it was messy, but clearly Korean—with consonants, vowels, subject, object, verb structures.
“They say this was a note left by the first person from another world to vanish. No one could read it, so it became like a cursed letter passed around town.”
“…”
“Can you read it, milady?”
Annie… are you seriously asking that?
I barely stopped myself from saying that aloud and began to read the note.
[To the one who entered this novel,
If, by any chance, you came into this strange world like me,
You must hide your true identity.
Otherwise, you may die.
If you are currently safe,
If you still hold the sorrowful hope of returning to your own world,
Please find us.
We will be waiting for you in this place.]
The pressed-down letters told me—
That someone like me existed here.
Hope wasn’t entirely lost.
“Annie.”
Annie, who was gathering the books, looked up at my call.
“Could you help me once more?”
A week later, a long-awaited letter finally arrived.
It was a letter from Lady Sudibach.
When I opened the deep green envelope, I saw elegant, effortful handwriting.
[Dearest Jinah]
Ugh. That’s a bit much from the very first line.
Skipping the awkward formality, I continued reading.
[I understand your request.
I’ll contact you soon with good news.]
A satisfying response.
I had only asked her one thing:
To find the long-rumored “Place of Love” often mentioned in social gossip.
The letter from the otherworldly person had said just this:
“Come to the Place of Love.”
Probably worded that way to avoid discovery.
But since the letter had no date and the phrase “Place of Love” was vague, I had to search in all directions.
Because of that, Annie had spent days going around on paid leave.
I felt bad about it.
As I continued reading the letter, I noticed a postscript.
[If it’s all right with you, would you attend our family’s upcoming tea party? It would be a great opportunity to make your debut in society.]
Unlike the main letter, the excited handwriting of the postscript sent a chill down my spine.
I turned my head to see Lucy quietly closing the door.
Why… why did she close the door so ominously?
No way…?
I shook my head.
Even if Lucy danced a tap dance to convince me, I wasn’t going.
These were relationships that would vanish with my memory once I disappeared.
I couldn’t create confusion for the real Odelia when she returned.
Still, why did I feel so uneasy?
As if someone would burst through that door and destroy this peaceful moment—
“You can’t go to a party without a dress!!”
“Knew it!”
As Lucy burst in, I leapt to my feet and took a defensive stance.
“I’m not going!”
“Refusing such an invitation is rude, milady!”
“Says who?!”
Growling, I faced off against Lucy—when suddenly a stranger placed his hand on her shoulder.
Calming Lucy down, the man greeted me flatly.
“Nice to meet you, Lady Odelia.”
Unlike the excited Lucy, he had a calm face as he rummaged in his pocket.
Then he spoke.
“Milady.”
“Y-Yes?”
Startled, I responded formally.
He adjusted his round glasses and pulled out a measuring tape.
“Hold her down so she can’t escape!”
Jesus!
Why is my life always so far from peaceful?!
Hands from all directions—maids—reached toward me.
What am I, a wild animal during a health check-up?!
