Thud.
If this were a game, that sound effect definitely would have played just now.
Eyes wide, I stood there, slack-jawed in stunned silence.
“W-What? Why are you saying that all of a sudden?”
Why would she bring that up now, of all times?
Weren’t we just having a perfectly heartwarming conversation?
I thought the rising affection level might mean I’d get to stay longer at the estate, or maybe that she was going to help me get closer to the Duke… but instead, she was offering to send me away?
I stared at the head maid, my eyes trembling as I tried to make sense of it.
“Wait… did Mr. Attendant tell you to kick me out?”
He kept things polite on the surface, but it was obvious that ‘the Duke Belmond’s attendant’ didn’t like me.
And after yesterday, bossing the staff around and even making him do some work—sure, I buttered him up a little and he seemed to buy it—but maybe now he’s plotting(?) to get rid of me.
But the head maid quickly shook her head, flustered.
“No, not at all, Miss Windsor! It’s not like that…”
“Then why?”
A faint sigh slipped out of her.
After a long moment of hesitation, she finally spoke.
“His Grace is dealing with… a small problem.”
Apparently, it was quite an interesting matter.
“Huh? What kind of problem?”
The Duke still hadn’t shown himself.
I vaguely remembered hearing something about him being unwell, but my gut told me there was more to it.
Honestly, unless he was aiming for the whole ‘frail and sickly’ aesthetic, it felt a bit off for a male lead in a romance simulation to stay holed up just because he was sick.
Besides, wasn’t Grand Duke Belmond the classic ‘Northern Duke’ type?
Considering the state of his castle, there was a good chance something had happened that left him emotionally scarred.
And in games like this—romance simulation types—it was practically a given that a male lead’s emotional scars only made him more appealing.
With that thought in mind, and now thoroughly intrigued, I gently urged the head maid for an answer. After a moment of hesitation, she finally gave in.
“He was once a kind and gentle man. But… after something that happened in the past, he completely shut his heart off. Ever since then, he hasn’t let anyone in.”
Ah. That kind of trope.
“To us, it doesn’t matter. We’re just tools to be used as he sees fit. But for someone like you, Miss Windsor—so full of life and expression—I was worried it might feel frightening.”
“How does he act when he’s ‘shut his heart off’?”
I let out a small laugh as I asked, genuinely curious.
The head maid, caught off guard by my light tone in response to such serious words, hesitated for a moment before finally replying.
“His moods… fluctuate a bit.”
And right then, a wild theory struck me like lightning.
“Oh! Is it one of those situations where he’s super gentle during the day, but turns strangely dangerous at night or something?”
“W-What? How did you know that!?”
“So it is true…”
Obviously.
If I had to compare him to someone, would he be the textbook Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde type, or in more old-school terms, ‘sweet by day, dangerous by night’?
Honestly, whether it was a dual personality or something else, I’d go check it out myself.
One thing was certain—when it came to spicy R-19 routes, you couldn’t ask for a more perfect setup.
‘Well then… maybe I should just enjoy it to the fullest.’
The tension I’d felt earlier instantly melted away, replaced with a tiny bit of anticipation.
“A-anyway, I don’t think His Grace intends to upset you, but still… Miss Windsor, you might find it overwhelming at times…”
“Oh, no worries. I’m actually kind of into that?”
“Excuse me?”
“Come on, nobody’s perfect. I think even flaws can be charming. With that, I’m starting to get curious about the Duke.”
I threw in a bit of pretend lip service at the end, and sure enough, the affection gauge above the head maid’s head ticked upward.
Well, this woman had watched over the Duke since childhood. It must have hurt to see him suffering because of his own personality, especially when there was little she could do to help.
Anyway, now that I’ve come to know this kind of story, I’ll either become his salvation—or fall into the abyss with him, hand in hand.
“Hehehe…”
Whatever my little giggle meant, the head maid clearly misunderstood and quickly added.
“Th-The Duke rarely opens up to anyone, so you may not even be able to see him…”
“That’s fine.”
“I-I’d like to say that’s not true, but there’s a chance it could be physically dangerous…!”
“Yup, yup. I’m good.”
I waved my hand dismissively, completely unfazed.
If this were a horror game, I’d obviously be trembling in fear by now.
I’d probably be struggling to survive, trying not to get murdered in all sorts of creative ways by the Duke.
But where was I again?
Right, this was 〈Thump Thump: Fateful Love☆Crush〉, a steamy, bittersweet R-19 romance sim.
Instead of worrying about blood and gore, I should’ve been more concerned about content so hot and heavy it could easily get this game banned for anyone underage.
And right on cue, sparkly text popped up with a new system alert.
[You’ve acquired new information!
— Edwin Belmond
· Jekyll & Hyde (Dual Personality)”
Due to a certain incident in his childhood, Duke Belmond has closed off his heart and developed an unpredictable personality.
As a result, he now exhibits unstable behavior and emotional swings, at times acting in ways completely contrary to his otherwise rational nature.
※Caution! Approach with care.
‘So this really was the right answer.’
The head maid, perhaps out of guilt, had revealed part of the truth—but to me, it was simply another stepping stone, bringing me one step closer to uncovering the Duke’s true nature.
Riding that momentum, I decided to ask one more thing.
“Then… would you be able to tell me what exactly happened to the Duke when he was a child?”
“…As a member of House Belmond, I cannot reveal anything that might tarnish His Grace’s noble honor.”
She shook her head firmly.
Maybe my affection level isn’t high enough yet?
At the moment, the head maid’s affection was at 55, even after the recent boost.
But I had a hunch: once I maxed it out to 100, she might just give me a different answer.
She glanced at me for a moment—maybe to see if I’d try pushing further—then finally relaxed her shoulders, realizing I wasn’t going to press the issue.
“Miss Windsor… you’re special.”
“Me?”
“Yes, without a doubt.”
Her tone was as flat and emotionless as ever, but somehow, it felt… genuine.
It didn’t sound like a pre-scripted line—this time, it felt like she was carefully choosing each word herself, one syllable at a time.
For the first time since entering this game, I felt something shift, and for a moment, I said nothing—just looked at her in silence.
“There have been other young ladies who claimed to be the Duke’s fiancée. Many, in fact. But none of them were anything like you.”
Well… the player character is always special, after all.
As I listened closely to her words, I couldn’t help but remind myself—again—that this was all just a game, and that the head maid was merely a character within it.
Her voice dropped a little lower.
“I first came to House Belmond as a nanny ■■ years ago. I’ve served His Grace, the great Duke Edwin Belmond, ever since he was a child.”
‘The great’…? Is that really something you say about someone whose diapers you changed?
Before I could fully unpack the weirdness of that, she continued.
“To think I’ve shown such disgraceful behavior… I apologize if my words have caused you any confusion.”
“Huh? Oh—no, not at all! You don’t need to apologize. I actually enjoyed hearing about the Duke…”
“You found it enjoyable?”
A faint chuckle echoed from somewhere within the hollow space that was her face.
“And that, Miss Windsor, is what sets you apart from the others. Unlike you, none of the previous young ladies ever found it enjoyable.”
How awful must someone be if not a single fiancée ever found him remotely pleasant?
As I tried to imagine what kind of unhinged personality the Duke must have, her voice cut through my thoughts again.
“Regardless, my offer still stands. If you wish to leave, I will make the arrangements. Just let me know whenever your heart changes.”
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