Surviving in the Cursed Mansion

Chapter 17: The duchess’ Whereabouts (4)

If Asche had been in her real body, she would have foamed at the mouth in fury. For a mere knight to dare issue commands to her—the cherished jewel of the emperor? Such insolence was beyond comprehension.

But the current Asche was merely “Maid Selly.”

So, she could only press her lips together and swallow her indignation.

“Uh… ah…”

Next to her, Elne cast nervous glances.

Asche assumed Elne was scared of the knight who had approached them. She was soon proven wrong.

“…She’s a hard worker!”

Whack!

Elne shoved Asche forward. Only then did Asche realize Elne’s timid glances hadn’t been directed at the man but at herself.

“You…!”

She wanted to spew a torrent of harsh words but stopped herself. Wasting energy on something that wasn’t even fully human felt ridiculous.

More importantly, if she refused, she might end up seeing that desiccated, maggot-infested version of Elne again…

“I’ll… I’ll go.”

“It doesn’t matter who goes. You’re all the same anyway.”

You lowly worm!

Asche seethed internally. If only she had her original body, she would’ve crushed that knight with ease and pummeled him senseless.

“Have a good trip,” Elne muttered sarcastically, her tone dripping with mockery.

These outdated relics of 500 years ago had nothing to like about them.

As Asche followed the knight in silence, he offered some instructions.

“You’ll be serving the wife of His Excellency Neterto, one of the Star Knights. Be mindful of how you address her—Lady Mirelda Neterto.”

“Neterto? The wife of that Neterto…?”

“The one and only. Even a laundry maid like you recognizes the name, huh? Well, she’s certainly a remarkable person.”

Remarkable was an understatement.

Just as not all noble titles carried the same weight, the Star Knights varied in prestige.

Neterto was the leader among the seventy-two transcendent knights, the undisputed strongest of his time—or so the historical records claimed.

Upon reaching Lady Mirelda, the knight bowed deeply.

“I’ve brought her, my lady. Please make use of her as you see fit.”

“Oh, thank you. You may leave us now.”

“Understood, my lady!”

Asche found herself reflecting on her glorious past.

Even Mirelda, who the knight now groveled before, had been beneath her.

It only reinforced just how extraordinary she had been as a princess of the empire.

The thought of reclaiming the Imperial Palace and escaping this cursed mansion filled her with determination.

“I’ve been struggling without an attendant, so I appreciate this.”

“It’s an honor to serve you, my lady.”

“My, such elegance! Even more refined than some young noblewomen. Are all the Imperial Palace maids like this?”

“If you notice any shortcomings, I humbly ask for your guidance, my lady.”

“Goodness…”

Asche bowed her head outwardly, but inwardly, she found the situation bizarre.

‘She’s Lady Neterto, yet she has no attendants and seems unfamiliar with the palace?’

It didn’t make sense.

Neterto himself was the head of the Imperial Guard, the emperor’s closest confidant. While her husband moved through the palace like it was his own home, Mirelda seemed strangely out of place.

‘Hmm. She seems soft-spoken and pliable… I could easily mold her to my liking.’

Occasionally, Asche had encountered fools like this—isolated, low-confidence nobles who delegated decision-making to their servants.

“Lady Neterto,” Asche said, adopting a harmless smile as she prepared her strategy.

“It would bring me great joy if you were to use me as your errand maid or even as someone to keep you company.”

This was where her experience as a princess, surrounded by constant flattery, shone. She knew how to play the game.

Mirelda, visibly moved by Asche’s sincerity, readily agreed.

***

Over the following days, Asche came to understand two key rules governing the painting’s world:

1- Certain “events” were immutable.
For example, being chosen by Lady Neterto was unavoidable, but earning her favor had been up to Asche’s actions.

2- She couldn’t disrupt the flow of the world too drastically.
When she attempted to sneak through a secret passage in the palace, a sudden mist appeared, forcing her back to her starting point.

This made sense—if she could easily assassinate the emperor, the rules wouldn’t hold.

Asche’s time serving Mirelda was productive, yielding another success:

“The aroma of this tea is divine. How did you become so skilled at tea ceremonies?”

“My lady’s happiness is my happiness, so I gave it my utmost effort.”

Mirelda had grown completely fond of Asche.

“Haha… I never experienced such luxuries at home.”

Mirelda sighed as she sipped her tea.

“Everyone always seems so busy…”

Hearing this, Asche refrained from commenting on how poorly Mirelda’s household appeared to function.

Servants refusing their mistress’ requests, frequent solitary meals drawing quiet ridicule, and more—it was a mess.

As Mirelda vented her loneliness, Asche quietly judged her to be the archetypal tragic heroine.

“You must have endured much hardship, my lady,” Asche said, kneeling beside Mirelda and gently holding her hand.

“If I can do anything to ease your burden, I would gladly lend my strength.”

Her compassionate tone seemed to resonate with Mirelda, who placed her hand atop Asche’s with a grateful smile.

“Oh, Selly…”

Mirelda’s affectionate use of the name made Asche’s next calculated step all the easier.

“Would you… become my personal maid?” Mirelda asked.

Just as planned.

Burying her face in Mirelda’s lap, Asche let a sly smile across her lips.

“It would be my greatest joy, my lady.”

Though the speed at which Mirelda’s trust had grown was a little surprising. How low could her self-esteem be to trust a maid so easily?

Still, this rapid development gave Asche the perfect opportunity to ask what she’d been wondering about.

“My lady, there’s something I’ve been curious about.”

“Yes? What is it?”

“Does the empire have a family called Arkaden?”

Asche had wanted to ask this for some time.

Mirelda answered casually.

“Oh, yes. The Arkaden family is renowned for their extraordinary magitech innovations. They rose from marquis to duke because of their contributions.”

“…I see.”

“They’re said to have advanced the empire’s civilization by centuries. Some even say they’re as wealthy as His Majesty himself. Rumor has it they have a pouch that can hold endless items. Fascinating, isn’t it?”

That rumor is 100% true.

Asche resisted the urge to confirm Mirelda’s claim.

“My lady, I’ve also heard that the mistress of the Arkaden family is exceptionally beautiful. I was curious about her.”

“Selly…!”

Mirelda gasped, looking around nervously. Once she confirmed no one else was nearby, she leaned in and scolded Asche in a hushed voice.

“Never repeat such things. The duke is still unmarried. If word of this spreads, it could turn into a scandal.”

Mirelda’s concern seemed genuine as she warned Asche that such rumors could provoke a thorough investigation into their origins.

“I see. My apologies for speaking out of turn, my lady.”

“It’s alright. It’s natural to be curious about things you don’t know.”

“Thank you, my lady.”

“Though… it’s true the duke is past the usual age for marriage. Perhaps some misunderstandings are inevitable. I wonder if he has anyone in mind…”

The duke was unmarried.

What a tricky point in time I’ve ended up in.

As Asche contemplated this, Mirelda sighed deeply, her worry evident.

“There’s even that ominous prophecy about a witch. He really should marry before something terrible happens.”

“…Excuse me?”

“A Gifted Talent of the Empire Must Not Be Endangered. And my husband… he’s been quite busy because of that prophecy.”

Mirelda’s voice softened as she murmured words laced with her own hopes and wishes.

“Yes, that must be why he’s been so busy…”

***

November 1, 2024.

The time of year when the once-warm air begins to chill.

The sunlight remained warm, but the shadows cast by tall buildings were cold—typical of early winter.

It was in this setting that I opened my eyes.

“…Huh?”

Honk! Honk!

Bwooong!

Cars zipped along the asphalt, their horns blaring impatiently. The neon signs painted the scene with dizzying lights and vibrant colors, outlining the sharp, vivid world around me.

A crosswalk painted with white lines.

A sky dyed deep navy blue.

And me, standing there awkwardly in between.

“What… is this…?”

Honk!

Another sharp honk startled me, and instinctively, I stepped back onto the sidewalk. Only then did the cars, as if annoyed by the delay, resume their frantic rush.

My odd behavior drew curious glances, but people in the modern world lacked the time or patience to dwell on strangers.

The world swiftly returned to normal as if nothing had happened.

“I’m back…”

It had been a day without any warnings.

A monotonous day, no different from any other.

Just another ordinary day.

It was November 1, 2024.

Seoul.

Standing at the edge of a crosswalk near Gwanghwamun.

Here, in this place…

I received an invitation to another world.