chapter 4

After scrolling through the system screen, Riy asked, "How do I level up?"

[To level up, you must collect points.]

"Points?"

[You can earn them by completing missions and tasks assigned by the system. Points are also awarded when you increase your significance in this world.]

"So the more important I become, the more points I get?"

[Correct. The amount of points you receive depends on the difficulty of the mission.]

"And what can I do with these points?"

[You can purchase items from the system shop.]

"A shop? Open it for me."

[You do not have enough points to access the shop.]

"I have points, don’t I? How many?"

[You currently have 10 points, which you received upon becoming a member of the system. To access the shop, you need at least 50 points.]

"Tch. So how am I supposed to earn more?"

[You can open the task menu and select a task to complete.]

"Show me the tasks."

A list appeared in front of her.

Complete any one of the tasks:

Read the history of the empire (5 points)

Do 50 push-ups (5 points)

Knit the empire’s symbol five times (5 points)

Riy sighed. So these are the options? She glanced at them, thinking.

I could try the push-ups, but I don’t even know how strong this body is. Knitting? Not happening.

After a moment, she tapped the first option. "I’ll read the history of the empire. I need that knowledge anyway."

She rang the bell.

A few minutes later, a maid entered with a displeased expression.

"What can I do for you, my lady?" the maid asked indifferently.

Riy narrowed her eyes. Who is she, System?

[That is Millie. She has been working here for two years. She is arrogant and openly disrespects Elise. She, like many of the other maids, treats you poorly because she knows the Duke and your brothers dislike you.]

Riy’s expression darkened. So she thinks she can act this way just because no one stops her?

She looked at Millie and said coldly, "Come closer."

Millie ignored her command and instead folded her arms.

"I’m very busy right now, my lady," she said lazily. "Just tell me what you need so I can leave."

A sharp, unwanted memory flooded Riy’s mind.

The old Katarina—fearful, timid—watching helplessly as Millie treated Elise cruelly. The moment she had tried to step in, the head maid had arrived, twisting the situation and blaming Katarina instead.

The abusive words. The humiliation.

And Katarina had done nothing—because she was afraid.

Riy’s anger flared.

Not this time.

Without hesitation, she stepped forward and slapped Millie across the face.

A loud crack echoed through the room.

Millie gasped, stumbling back in shock.

"You—how dare—"

Another slap. This time, she fell to the floor, her hand clutching her stinging cheek.

Riy didn’t stop. She stepped forward, pressing her foot against Millie’s hand, pinning it to the ground.

"Ahhh! Move your foot! It hurts!" Millie shrieked.

Riy smirked coldly. "Oh? It hurts? That’s strange—I thought you had thick skin."

She leaned down slightly, her golden eyes gleaming dangerously.

"You’ve had no problem trampling on others. But when it’s your turn, you can’t handle it?"

Millie’s face turned pale.

For the first time in her life, Riy felt no fear.

This was her body now. Her life.

And no one—no one—would ever look down on her again.

Katherina released her foot from Millie’s hand, only to grab her hair and yank her up. Millie let out a gasp, but her fear was quickly replaced with arrogance.

"You better let me go!" she snapped. "My aunt is the head maid! If you don’t want her to find out about this, you’d better release me right now!"

For a moment, there was silence.

Then Katherina laughed.

A slow, mocking laugh that sent chills down Millie’s spine.

"Oh? So you’re the head maid’s niece? That explains why you think you can behave however you want." She wiped a fake tear from the corner of her eye. "Oh no, I’m so scared. What will I ever do if the head maid finds out?"

Millie smirked, thinking she had won. "Now that you understand, you’d better pray my aunt won’t punish you too severely."

Katherina’s expression darkened, and before Millie could react—SMACK!

Another slap.

Millie staggered, holding her burning cheek.

"You really thought I was scared?" Katherina asked, her voice dripping with amusement. "Poor girl, you shouldn’t have said that. You just triggered a very bad memory of mine."

A vivid flash of the past struck her.

The head maid, holding a stick, mercilessly striking her small hands as a child. “A noble lady must have proper table manners!” The cold, cruel voice. The pain. Elise’s mother kneels, begging the head maid to stop.

Katherina’s grip on Millie’s hair is tightened.

"How dare you treat your master like that?" she hissed, her golden eyes blazing. Then, with a shove, she threw Millie toward the door.

"Go."

Millie’s breath hitched.

"Go and bring your aunt to me."

Millie scrambled to her feet and bolted from the room.

Katherina exhaled and sat down, glancing at the system.

[Congratulations! You have achieved a hidden task: "Teach a Lesson to a Disloyal Maid." Reward: 25 points.]

"A hidden task?" Katherina smirked. "Nice. That brings me to 35 points."

Then the system buzzed again.

[New Special Task: "Teach a Lesson to the Head Maid." Reward: 50 points.]

[Accept?]

Katherina’s eyes gleamed. "50 points? Absolutely."

She pressed YES.

"Now, let’s wait for our quest."

A few minutes later, heavy footsteps echoed outside. The door opened, and Millie walked in with the head maid trailing behind her.

The head maid’s face was twisted with displeasure. "Miss, I heard you hit Millie."

Katherina leaned back in her chair, completely unbothered.

"So what if I did?" she said with a smile. "Do you have a problem with that?"

The head maid’s frown deepened. "Have you gone crazy after the accident? Were you just pretending to have lost your memory?"

Katherina crossed her legs, tilting her head slightly.

"Whether I lost my memory or not, I do remember one thing," she said smoothly. "I am the lady of this house, and you and your niece work for me."

The head maid’s face paled.

"Oh? Why do you look so surprised?" Katherina continued. "Your niece told me everything herself."

The head maid whipped around to Millie in fury.

"You fool!"

Millie’s eyes widened in panic. "A-Aunt! I didn’t mean to say it! I accidentally—"

"Silence!" the head maid barked.

Katherina chuckled.

"My, my. Look at this wonderful aunt-and-niece duo. Was this supposed to be a secret?"

The head maid tried to regain her composure. "Many people know about this, miss. There’s nothing secretive about it."

Katherina leaned forward, her sharp golden eyes piercing through the woman.

"Oh? If it wasn’t a secret, then why did you abuse your authority to bring an incompetent girl into this mansion as a maid?"

The head maid stiffened.

"What are you implying?"

"I’m implying," Katherina said, "that your niece is not only unqualified but insolent." She turned toward Millie. "Tell me, did you really pass the test fairly?"

Millie flinched, looking at her aunt in desperation.

The head maid clenched her fists. "She passed the test properly, miss—"

"I think not," Katherina cut her off. "Not only is your niece incompetent, but you are as well."

The head maid’s nostrils flared, but she kept her head bowed.

"And another thing," Katherina said, "you keep calling me Miss. It seems you have forgotten basic manners. Or perhaps it’s because you’ve aged and your memory is failing?"

The head maid’s jaw clenched. "I apologize for my poor conduct, my lady."

Katherina smiled. "Good. That’s more like it."

The head maid lowered her head further, seething inside.

"Why is this happening?" she thought bitterly. "She used to be so timid. Could it be… should I try using the Grand Duke against her?"

Just as she considered it, Katherina’s voice cut through her thoughts.

"Don’t even think about it."

The head maid looked up in shock.

Katherina smiled darkly.

"I know exactly what you’re thinking, but it’s never going to work again."

The head maid’s throat went dry.

Something had changed in this girl.

And for the first time, she felt a sliver of fear.