I was an ordinary college student.

One of the many students who moved from the provinces to the city and barely survived on money sent by their parents.

There were no omens on that fateful day.

I finished class as usual, came home, and did my assignments. And then I fell asleep after finishing a can of beer.

But when I opened my eyes, I was inside a book.

At first, I didn’t even know I was inside a book.

Of course. Who would wake up and think, ‘Oh my! Did I transmigrate into a book?’

Naturally, I thought I was drunk.

To be drunk on one can of beer. I’ve become quite weak… thinking this, I tried to go back to sleep.

If only a long sentence hadn’t appeared before my eyes at that very moment.

[Ding—]

[Welcome to < I’ve Ended As the World-Saving Hero >!

You are the protagonist and warrior, Adella Helsington!

You’re free to act as you wish, but please follow the instructions at important turning points!

Commands are categorized by level according to importance:

Level 1 – 100% freedom,

Level 2 – 50% freedom,

Level 3 – 5% freedom.

The range of choices widens according to the degree of freedom, and penalties follow if instructions with low freedom are rejected.

Now, until the day < I’ve Ended Up As the World-Saving Hero > is completed, good luck!!]

< I  Ended Up As the World-Saving Hero > was a fantasy novel I had read not long ago.

It was a typical adventure growth fantasy about gathering comrades to defeat the Demon King, but it failed because it was boring as hell.

The entity that summoned me into the novel was the ‘Author,’ and I call him the ‘Lousy Author.’

They usually left me alone, but gave instructions whenever I seem to deviate from the original work.

I had to ignore, adapt, or follow like a parrot according to the importance.

And so, having become the protagonist, I rolled like a dog for a year, saved the world from the hands of the Demon King, and met my death.

Just waiting for the moment I’d wake up in my original world.

“But a Part 2…”

I managed to slog through Part 1, but I can’t even begin to guess the contents of Part 2.

Coming to my senses for the third time today, I sighed and opened my hand.

“Undine. I won’t get angry, so come on out.”

Undine peeked her face out from within my hair.

• • …Really? You’re not going to talk to yourself, laugh creepily, and try to scare me like you did earlier?

“Yeah. Sorry.”

I patted her gently while organizing my questions.

“How much time has passed since I died?”

• • Hmm, I went straight to the Spirit Realm after you died, so I don’t know exactly… but I think about five years have passed in human time?

It hasn’t been that long.

In that case, I might be able to meet my old comrades.

“Undine, I’m going to call someone. What do you want to do?”

• • I’ll go back to the Spirit Realm! The King is curious about how you’re doing.

“Alright.”

Only after Undine disappeared did I pull the bell cord hanging by the head of the bed.

A maid or lady-in-waiting would come soon. Thanks to my experience in Part 1, it didn’t feel unfamiliar.

After a moment, the door opened and a maid entered quietly.

“Master, did you have a good night?”

Master. That’s a bit cringey. I hid my embarrassment behind a blank expression.

“I need to get dressed.”

“Yes, the bathwater has been prepared.”

The maid glanced at my feet, brought over some slippers, and placed them neatly.

Then, she knelt on the floor and bowed her head. Her posture was natural, as if she had done this hundreds of times.

“Master, excuse me, but could you please lift your foot?”

Did the maids always go this far?

Even thinking back to the Imperial Prince Leonhart, the biggest “silver spoon” among my comrades, I don’t recall it being like this.

I wanted to refuse, but I couldn’t. The instruction clearly said ‘as usual.’

“…Fine.”

As I lifted one foot, she slipped the slipper on for me.

The moment I lowered my foot, the maid’s fingertips, moving quickly, scratched the top of my foot.

“Hm?”

It wasn’t a strong impact, but a red scratch appeared on my pale skin.

I guess I’m the type to get scarred easily.

Just as I was looking down indifferently at the red mark, the maid suddenly collapsed backward.

“Ah… ah…”

“Huh?”

“Ah… so… so… sor… sorry… sorry…”

She was seized by absolute terror.

To the point where she couldn’t even speak properly.

‘Why is she so scared over something like this?’

Just as I was about to tell her it was okay.

[Level 2: (Slapping the maid’s cheek) From today on, you’ll be in charge of cleaning the research laboratory.]

“….”

What did the maid do to deserve a slap? Isn’t this way too much?

‘This is why this novel flopped!’

The Level 2 instruction had a freedom rate of 50%. I only had to follow half of the script.

Instead of slapping her cheek, I patted the maid on the crown of her head.

“From today on, you’ll be in charge of cleaning the research laboratory.”

At that moment, the maid’s face turned ghostly pale.

‘That’s strange… I clearly spoke softly with a smile, so why does she seem even more terrified?’

“Th-th-the… do you mean…the sealed laboratory…?”

“Is there another laboratory besides that one?”

“Hieek! M-m-master! Please spare me!”

“…Eh?”

“I was wrong! I-I-I won’t make a mistake again… p-please, please, anything but the laboratory! I’m begging you! P-please forgive me just this once!”

‘W-what is going on?’

I looked down at the maid with bewildered eyes. She was clinging to my leg, even kissing the top of my foot.

‘She seems terrified of the laboratory.’

I don’t know what they research there, but if the mere order to clean it causes this much fear, it can’t be ordinary.

‘Are they raising monsters or something?’

I clicked my tongue inwardly while having useless thoughts.

‘Just how many people did she kill for her to be like this? The girl is practically having a breakdown.’

I could guess roughly.

Unfortunately, it seems the personality of the body I possessed is very “aristocratic.”

Meaning arrogant, authoritarian, and selfish.

Her pride in her bloodline must be sky-high, thinking only she is noble while everyone else is insignificant.

‘Ugh, of all people, why did you make me possess this character!’

I started to help the maid up but paused.

From now on, I needed to act as much like Adrianne as possible.

Because I can only return to my original world if I hide my identity until the end.

Of course, acting slightly different from Adrianne wouldn’t immediately make them suspect possession, but you never know.

It was better not to do anything that the cunning lousy author could nitpick.

Instead of helping the maid up, I stepped back.

What would Adrianne have done in this situation? She certainly wouldn’t have comforted her.

“Why are you dawdling? Did you not hear my order?”

Both my action and my tone were different from the instructions and weren’t natural, but fortunately, there was no penalty.

‘So this counts as 50%? The judgment isn’t too stingy.’

“M-master, please, just once, forgive…”

Tears dripped from the maid’s wide eyes.

As pitiful as it was, it couldn’t be helped. Let’s just make her clean the lab for today. I can call her back tonight.

[Level 3: Adrianne takes the laboratory key from the small drawer next to the bed and gives it to the maid.]

[Level 3: (With a sinister smile) Try to survive for fifteen days. Then I’ll forgive you.]

‘…I guess one day won’t do.’

As per the instructions, two keys were lying lonely in the drawer next to the bed. I took one and handed it to the maid.

“Try to survive for fifteen days. Then I’ll forgive you.”

The maid stood up unsteadily, as if she had given up.

“…I-I will… call another maid for you.”

After bowing, the maid left, and another maid entered. She was a red-haired girl with cute freckles on the bridge of her nose.

“M-m-master, d-did you call for me?”

Her thin body was trembling so much it was pitiful.

She’s too scared. The previous maid was at least calm when she first entered.

Adrianne must have really put the employees through the wringer.

“I need to get dressed. Prepare.”

“Yes, master.”

Once the bath was over, the maids were mobilized to dress me. For a full two hours.

“Master, I’m all done.”

I stared blankly into the mirror.

Heavy smoky makeup. A perfectly styled updo without a single hair out of place.

A diamond headpiece adorned my hair, and large diamond earrings that matched the set were in my ears.

The tight-fitting pitch-black dress embroidered with gold was elegant and beautiful, but even that was extraordinary.

‘It’s like I have a fan attached to the back of my neck. Is it made of feathers?’

Everything I wore was lavish and beautiful.

It was so opulent that I felt I could easily buy a house just by selling the diamonds in the headpiece.

“Am I attending a party today?”

When I asked, feeling a bit overwhelmed, the maid, who was standing, answered politely without even daring to lift her head.

“Shall I ask the butler about your schedule?”

“…No.”

So she dresses like this normally.

‘Looking at each piece, it’s truly beautiful. It’s beautiful… but why do I look like a witch instead of a Duchess?’

They say status makes the person. It’s right to have the dignity befitting a Duchess, but this was a bit extreme.

I look way too mean. Who would dare talk to me out of fear?

I shook my head.

‘Over-setting is a characteristic of a failed work.’

Honestly, isn’t the title too bad as well?

< I  Ended Up As The World-Saving Saint >. It’s the same as Part 1.

‘Even after failing that hard, there’s no improvement.’

Judging by the title, the genre is a fantasy similar to Part 1, and the plot seems to be about the protagonist becoming a Saintess and defeating the Demon King.

And I am the cold Duchess who sponsors the protagonist.

‘Wait, so who is the Saintess?’

You damn author! You should at least tell me who the protagonist is!

“Sigh…”

Damn it, I need to find the protagonist first.

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