Chapter 15 - Chapter 2.5: First Reward

𝟐.𝟓: First reward

𝐄lysia sprawled lazily across her bed, her arms and silver hair fanning out over the soft mattress. The sunlight pouring in through the tall windows kissed her hair, giving it a faint, golden-blonde sheen.

A goofy smile of satisfaction curled on her lips as she stared up at the ceiling.

The tea party with King Zachary ended a while ago. And although it concluded pleasantly enough, it wasn't the real reason she was currently floating on cloud nine.

No, that honor belonged to the absolute obliteration of Benjamin Gaetan.

"That audacious dimwit," she mumbled with a smirk. "He would've gotten away with it too if he'd just kept his damn mouth shut."

Was this the start of her villainess arc? If it was, she didn't mind one bit.

A thought flickered across her mind like a mischievous sprite.

"Speaking of that…" She sat up abruptly, scanning the room. "Oh, Winfred~!" she sing-songed, calling out for her tiny companion.

With a sudden buzz of wings, Winfred popped into existence right in front of her nose.

[Host.]

"I got a bunch of notifications earlier, back in the throne room, right after they hauled Benjamin's sorry butt outta there. But you know, the tea party with King Zachary and all..." She trailed off with a knowing smirk.

"But now," she grinned, flashing a thumbs-up, "I'm ready so let 'er rip!"

The sparkle in her eyes was unmistakable. It had been so long since she'd had this much fun.

Her breath hitched a little in awe when a shimmering, translucent red screen materialized before her eyes.

[Host, you have successfully completed your first mission.]

[In addition to your reward, you have earned 5 experience points, advancing from Lv 0 to Lv 1.]

[As a bonus reward, a new system feature has been unlocked. Details forthcoming.]

[Reward class: C. Unpacking…]

[Ding! +2 exp.]

[Ding! +1 mystery item.]

[Do you wish to claim it now?]

"One word... yes."

—

« Reward Item » A questionable silver key coated with specks of rust.

« Purpose » View side mission [ ! ]

⨀ Added to Inventory

—

Elysia blinked at the screen, her lips twitching in disbelief. "What the… Are you telling me I can only use this janky key for a side mission?"

[Correct, Host.]

[Side missions do not impact the main storyline. They are optional. However, successfully completing them grants rewards. Skipping them, on the other hand, forfeits those rewards.]

[Do you wish to view the side mission?]

Elysia scratched her head. "Well, since it's optional, I guess it won't hurt to take a look."

—

« Side Mission » Uncover the hidden history of the Aerelion family.

« Difficulty » ★★

« Location » Secret room in the Royal Library, where historical records are stored. Hidden behind a concealed door.

« Requirements » Key to access secret door.

⨀ In inventory

« Allotted Time » 7:00:00:00

« Reward » Class C

—

[Do you wish to accept the side mission?]

"A chance to dig up some dirt on the Aerelion family…" Elysia mused aloud, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "My future's looking real bright."

"I accept."

[Ding! Mission added to Ongoing Missions Tab. Countdown initiated.]

'With whatever I uncover, I'll have something up my sleeve if things ever go south. Knowledge is power, after all.'

She stretched her arms overhead with a small groan of satisfaction. Then a new curiosity struck her.

"By the way, do I have one of those fancy character profiles?"

[Affirmative, Host.]

—

Updated: just now...

« Name » Princess Elysia Aerelion

« Role » Female Lead

« Family Background » Aerelion Royal Family. Reigning Monarchs of the Caelondria Empire.

« Race » Human

« Age » 17

« Birthday » 5th of November

« Blood Type » O+

« Skills » N/A

« Weaknesses » [Unlocked at Lv 5]

—

Elysia squinted at the screen. "Wait, wait, why can't I know my weaknesses right now?" she deadpanned. "Am I supposed to die from a freak food allergy or something crazy like that before then?"

[Host, your weaknesses will be revealed upon reaching Lv 5.]

[Please work diligently to earn experience points.]

[Required EXP for Lv 5: 100]

[Current EXP: 7]

With a dramatic groan, Elysia flopped back onto the mattress, landing with a soft thud.

"This is gonna take forever…"

[Not at all, Host.]

She chuckled dryly. "Easy for you to say, Winfred. You're not the one grinding here."

[. . .]

"In any case," she murmured, rubbing her sleepy eyes with the heel of her palm, "I've got less than a month until my debutante ball."

The weight of that thought settled over her.

"I need to start scheming. I can't meet Thorne unprepared. No way."

Her gaze hardened as she stared up at the ornate ceiling, her mind already swirling with possibilities.

Just as she was rolling onto her side, still lost in thought, a sharp knock echoed through her chamber. She stiffened instinctively.

"Father?" she muttered, bolting upright.

But no, that was unlikely.

They just saw each other about an hour ago. Why would he be here again?

'My brothers then?'

A shiver of distaste ran through her at the thought. Definitely not.

"Come in," she called out hesitantly.

The door creaked open, revealing three young women in crisp, matching maid uniforms of soft grey and white, their skirts brushing elegantly against the polished floors.

They stepped in with a grace that was clearly drilled into them, but Elysia's sharp eyes caught the tension in their shoulders.

The one at the front, a tall girl with thick curls pinned at her nape, dipped into a low curtsey.

"Good afternoon, Your Highness," she said with an even voice. "We are your new personal attendants, assigned by His Majesty."

Elysia blinked, sitting up straighter on the bed.

'Well, call me the first daughter of a cow… That took no time at all.'

The girl introduced herself as Mira, with a voice smooth as velvet but eyes that didn't quite meet Elysia's directly.

The second maid, shorter and wiry with an unreadable face, gave her name. Seraphine.

And lastly, a bright-eyed, almost bashful one with a dusting of freckles across her nose spoke softly, "I'm Liliette, Your Highness. I look forward to serving you."

Elysia opened her mouth to respond politely—and then froze.

In the air, just above each girl's head, faintly glowing meters shimmered into existence.

They were delicate, semi-transparent bars, like something out of a video game. Next to each was a small, pulsing heart symbol and a number.

—

Mira — 28

Seraphine — 24

Liliette — 60

—

Elysia's mind screeched to a halt.

'What the hell...?'

[Host, the new system feature has been successfully unlocked: Affection Meter.]

She barely kept her face composed, nodding at the maids while her brain raced a mile a minute.

[The Affection Meter measures how fond a character is of you. The scale ranges from 1 to 100. Higher numbers indicate stronger loyalty, trust, and positive feelings.]

[This feature updates in real-time based on your actions and interactions.]

Elysia's lips twitched slightly as she absorbed the information.

'So... I can literally see who hates me and who doesn't... and adjust my moves accordingly?'

For a fleeting second, she could've sworn she felt the universe pat her on the back. More like—a certain god.

'This changes everything…'

"I see," she finally said aloud, keeping her tone light and graceful. "I look forward to getting to know all of you."

Mira and Seraphine dipped their heads, polite but stiff. Liliette, however, beamed brightly, her affection meter flickering up a few extra points—now at 62.

Elysia caught it instantly.

'Aha... so it does move dynamically depending on my behavior.'

Her smile deepened, turning sweet but calculative.

'This will be perfect,' she thought.

'No more guessing games. No more blind trust. I'll know exactly who to pull closer... and who to destroy before they even get the chance to betray me.'

"Come," she said warmly, motioning toward them. "Tell me about yourselves."

As the girls stepped forward, starting to share bits and pieces of their backgrounds, Elysia leaned back ever so slightly, feeling like a spider at the center of a shimmering web.

One thing was for certain.

In this twisted court, information wasn't just power. It was survival.

And she fully intended to survive — and thrive.

—

A/N: Woah we're almost at 10k. Thanks for the reads, guys. If you've stayed this far please consider leaving a review, vote or gift :)