Knock! Knock!
Just as I was in the middle of mentally cursing my rotten luck and the holy trinity of bastard characters this world had to offer, someone knocked on the damn door and broke my rhythm.
I sighed at myself, half annoyed and dragged my sorry self off from what I believed was my bed.
Since it was Lucien's, then automatically it was mine.
It was too soft and judging by how deep my body had sunk into it, I was ninety percent sure it could eat people alive if it tried.
Truly pleasurable.
'I will be right back.'
I looked at the delicate thing, my eyes lingering on it for a moment.
Then I made my way to the door with my feet dragging a little, because who in their right mind would be energetic after being transmigrated into a game where every route ends in death?
Reaching the tall, carved wooden door, I paused for a second and then opened it, expecting… I don't know.
More disappointment?
Instead, I found a woman standing outside.
No, "girl" would be more accurate than "woman." She was probably in her late teens, I assumed.
She had good curves which didn't go unnoticed by me.
Ahem.
Anyways, she was dressed in what could only be called a maid outfit straight out of the game's character design screen.
And yeah, it looked real.
Like 3D real.
Black fitted dress with crisp white apron, subtle lace trimming the collar and cuffs, a silver pin at the center of her chest, and a neat white headband holding back her jet-black hair. Everything was clean and pressed like she'd walked out of a cutscene.
The outfit looked practical yet fancy, not the weird anime ones you see at conventions.
I blinked.
She blinked back.
Then her cheeks turned bright red, as if someone had hit the embarrassment button in her brain.
Ah, crap. I had stared too long.
I sighed, mostly at myself, and opened my mouth.
"You gonna keep blushing out here or actually tell me why you knocked?"
My voice was flat, neither too warm nor too cold, just enough to convey the message.
She seemed to snap out of it as if my words yanked her back to reality. She quickly bowed her head and spoke in a flustered rush.
"I—I-I'm sorry, young master. I didn't mean any disrespect."
Another sigh escaped me. I wasn't used to people bowing to me, especially not girls in maid uniforms. This whole situation was starting to feel increasingly like a fever dream.
I crossed my arms and leaned slightly on the doorframe.
"So?" I said. "What's the reason for interrupting my very medically necessary recovery nap? You do know I've been prescribed to rest for days, right?"
She blinked again, then looked like she swallowed something bitter.
"Y-Young Master Lucien… the Lord Duke has summoned you to his office."
…Duke?
I stared at her for a second.
Why the hell would he want to see me?
Or well, Lucien.
I was pretty sure that man hated Lucien's guts more than I hated stepping on Lego barefoot. From what I remembered, he'd rather chew glass than share the same air as this bastard. His grudge was so strong, it probably needed its own character sheet.
And yet... he couldn't touch Lucien.
Why?
Because of a single individual.
It was never clearly stated in the game, but the tension was always there, and Alex knew it.
Well, many veteran players also knew this fact.
However, even if Duke couldn't do anything to Lucien, his hatred cannot be underestimated.
If memory served right, there was even a route where Lucien literally died in the mansion, and the Duke didn't even show up to look at the body.
Yeah, he didn't mourn him, it was that bad.
Crap. I zoned out again.
"Alright," I said, running a hand through my hair. "Lead the way."
The maid nodded and bowed again way too politely for someone who just got roasted for blushing.
She turned around and led the way to the office as I followed along.
From the way she walked and talked, I could tell this maid was probably new. Maybe she hadn't been taught to fear Lucien yet.
Or maybe… maybe something was different.
Could it be… this Lucien wasn't exactly like the one from the game?
Highly unlikely.
But I guess I'd find out soon enough.
Especially once I saw the Duke's face.
Because that would tell me everything I needed to know—whether this world was following the script, or if the pages had started rewriting themselves.
While walking down the hallways, I realized something pretty obvious: the mansion was big.
Like, very big.
Compared to my old shoebox apartment, this place was a straight-up castle. Every wall was dressed in expensive textures and ridiculous golden trim, the kind of stuff I'd usually see in museums or fantasy movies.
I almost expected to trip over a red carpet and fall face-first into some ancient relic worth more than my entire life back on Earth.
We passed by multiple guards as we moved through door after door, each of them giving me a polite nod or a slight bow.
Which, honestly?
Made me feel weird.
I wasn't used to this kind of treatment. Being bowed to just for walking felt like I'd accidentally walked into royalty cosplay night.
After what felt like an hour of endless corridors (probably just five minutes), we reached a staircase that led to the second floor.
And there it was.
A double-door room flanked by guards, dressed a little more formally than the others, each standing like their backs were glued to the wall.
Yeah, no doubt.
The Duke's office.
And not just any office it was a private one.
The only one the head butler or a "person of importance" could enter beside the Duke himself.
Spoiler alert: Lucien wasn't important. He was a walking red flag. So, the fact that I was here now? That was already suspicious.
The maid stopped in front of the door and turned toward me. Her expression was composed, but I caught the way her eyes shifted nervously toward the guards.
"Young master, this is the Duke's office. As my task is complete, I will now kindly take my leave."
She gave a respectful bow quicker than before and walked off without waiting for my reply.
Yup. Definitely more scared of the Duke than of me.
I stared at the door.
Two guards on either side stood like statues, but I could feel their eyes tracking me.
Their gazes weren't neutral either.
It wasn't just the usual "standing-at-attention" look; it was more like the kind you give someone you wish wasn't breathing in your air.
Jeez. NPCs showing open hostility in broad daylight.
And to one of their young masters, no less.
...Okay, maybe Lucien deserved it.
I cleared my throat, ignoring the invisible daggers being thrown at me from both sides, and knocked.
A few seconds passed.
Then came the voice, it was deep, hoarse, and so cold it could probably freeze the hallway.
"Come in."
I don't know why, but my fingers hesitated on the door. My hand was already halfway there, yet my brain went, "Wait. Are you sure about this?"
I pushed the door open anyway.
My heart gave a quiet thud.
And that's when I stepped into the lion's den.