“Are you challenging discipline in front of me, the executioner?”

“Discipline?”

After he finished speaking, the Archduke asked with an expressionless face.

“Implied disobedience against the noble lineage is an insinuation of rebellion, not to mention disrespect towards them. At the very least it could be considered a minor rebellion.”

“No, what I meant was… it’s just that. It’s just my suggestion to find the culprit as soon as possible for the sake of His Majesty’s reputation. I won’t interfere with your investigative authority, so don’t push it too hard.”

The elder changed his stance and backed off. He felt frustrated that he couldn’t expand his authority to the extent of the investigation. Concerns about fairness towards the southern subjects and hidden letters of complaint were just the groundwork.

“While I’m not just any cattle here but a noble of the honored lineage, you might want to rein in your contempt.”

This palace was a mess. The disdain for subordinates, the brutal punishments, and the attitude that treated these as the norm. It seemed there was no sane person in sight.

I was quickly concluding that I needed to finish this damn game and get out when a graceful voice intervened.

“Indeed, Archduke. The elder was merely sharing his opinion, so let’s not be too hard on him.”

It was the blond-haired man from the head seat. He intervened with a compassionate tone, and the once chilly atmosphere turned surprisingly warm.

‘So, my life is spared for now…’

If I hadn’t increased my favorability with Karzan, things might’ve been dire. If my favorability wasn’t sufficient, I could’ve been exposed and brutally executed right there. I discreetly let out a sigh of relief.

Suddenly, my eyes and nose started itching. 

A status window appeared before me.

[??·Sub Mission 4 ??·]

Surprise Mission!

Try to sneeze in the most creative way.

?Condition: Make at least one person in the conference room laugh to succeed.

However, if you fail… you’ll have to face the consequences.

?Reward: Special Item +1

Do you want to accept?

Damn it. Out of the blue? Here? Now?

It’s said when overwhelmed, logical thinking can become impossible. Even so, I tried to keep my sanity and ignore the sudden prompt. But there was still no ‘No’ option, and it wasn’t going to magically appear.

This is bad. My eyes watered, and a gust of wind shot up my nose.

Unwanted pressure caused my lungs to expand involuntarily.

“Ah-choo. Ah-choo”

I sneezed in my usual, bland manner.  It was neither funny nor impressive, just a plain old “human livestock” ruining the atmosphere of the meeting. The air, which had been calm just moments ago, suddenly turned chilly. Through the stifling air that pressed on my shoulders, thorny glares were fixed on me.

Then, a second chance came.

My nose tickled again.

Right, I’ve already messed up once. Sensing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I seized it.

“Uh-choo-bri-ba-di-choo! Poo-choo! Hoo-choo! Ee-yaa-ahh!! Achoo!”

The last one was a bonus.

If you do something, always give your best. Try every angle. That was my philosophy. But effort doesn’t always equate to success. Everyone stared at me with stern faces.

Time seemed to freeze. I met each icy gaze without blinking.

Pfft–

Suddenly, someone let out a very audible fart-like sound.

It was the judge, seated in the corner. He’d quickly shoved his fist in his mouth to muffle the noise of his laughter, then sneaked a look around to gauge reactions. Following his lead, a few others in the back also produced similar sounds.

‘Th, Thank… thank you.’

Who would’ve thought that I’d ever be so desperate for someone else’s laughter? Silently thanking them, I swallowed back my tears.

 [??·Sub Mission 4 ??·]

You thought just any sneeze would do? 4 out of 5.

?Reward: Seductive Pheromone Perfume +1

As the mission-clear notification popped up, I immediately checked the progress bar below. It had moved a decent bit, now at 5%. Was I generously awarded 2% for nearly losing my life?

“The meeting seemed quite dull, huh? Even the maids think so,”

Quipped the blond man with a playful smile. The others began to chuckle, whispering amongst themselves about the ‘unique’ sneezes. The mood lightened as a few laughed, ensuring that no one chided me for the disruption.

Thank goodness. The meeting quickly wrapped up after discussing funeral procedures. I practically buried my flushed face in my hands.

‘Damn. I almost died without even making 5% progress. This freaking mission…damn it…’

As everyone left the conference room, a figure breezed past me and paused. A crisp and noble fragrance enveloped me. It was the blond man from earlier. Our eyes met, and he offered a gentle smile before continuing on his way.

‘What was that about?’

I whispered to a maid standing next to me, 

“Who was that man that just passed?”

The maid, her eyes wide, looked at me as if I was insane. 

“That was the Crown Prince…”

“Oh, right. The Crown Prince. Haha.”

The Prince, Crown Prince. An ominous feeling bubbled up in my chest, but I decided to feign ignorance for now. I had many more things to worry about.

“Here’s your room from now on, Ms. Hena.” 

The same maid who showed me the shower room earlier informed me.

“As a personal attendant, you get a private room. It even has a small peephole in the door so you can see the hallway. It’s complete with a personal shower and toilet. Everyone will be envious!”

Despite her weak and pallid appearance, she maintained an enthusiastic smile throughout her explanation.

“What’s this? It’s just like the cheap lodgings I’ve heard of…”

The new space, with no sunlight, made the word “envy” seem feeble.

The new space, with no sunlight, made the word “envy” seem feeble.

“And what about Ronald? Who was my senior here..?”

“Oh, him. He’ll have to go back to the servants’ quarters since you’ve taken his place as the personal attendant of the Archduke. The men’s servant quarters are rooms shared by ten. Men’s quarters can be quite… musty.”