Chapter 2

“You’re here.”

In the quiet office, a mature voice echoed. Bowing my head, I greeted the woman sitting at the wide desk with proper manners.

Her name was Artasha Blanchard. With white hair just like Tina’s and slightly darker blue eyes, she was the head of the Blanchard Baronet Family and Tina’s mother.

To describe Artasha in one word… she was an extraordinary woman.

Originally, Bonnie Blanchard, the head of the Blanchard Baronet Family, was obsessed with gambling. Despite the family’s tight financial situation, he gambled even while accumulating debt.

His end, of course, was not good. After squandering the family’s fortune and drowning in alcohol, he was severely beaten by some thugs one night.

Even the clothes and jewels he wore were taken, and he tripped over his own feet, suffering a concussion. A miserable end fitting for a gambler.

According to Renihael, the Blanchard Baronet Family should have fallen with Bonnie’s death. With no family fortune left and the massive debt Bonnie had incurred, no one wanted to take over as the family head.

The person who had kept this crumbling family afloat until now was Artasha. To protect the family, she stayed up nights studying management and used her exceptional business skills and unique accounting methods to keep the family going.

Though the Blanchard Baronet Family still had massive debts, the fact that this mansion still stood was entirely thanks to Artasha.

If Artasha had been the head of the Blanchard Baronet Family from the start, it might have become quite a prestigious household.

‘Looking at it, Tina is quite selfish.’

In the original game, Tina was a timid and book-obsessed character. She was always stuck in the library like a ghost. If you talked to her, she would say she fled to the library to escape the pressure at home.

While her mother was staying up nights trying to pay off the family’s debts, her only child was doing nothing but reading books. What kind of filial piety is that?

I felt sorry for Artasha. She loved the family so much, but her husband, who should have been the pillar, was drowning in gambling debts, and her daughter, who should have been her support, was ignoring her.

“Wait for a moment.”

Artasha spoke briefly and turned her attention back to the documents. I silently sat on the sofa as she instructed and waited. After a while, Artasha sighed and sat across from me.

“Tina. You know you’re fifteen now, right?”

I had noticed before, but Artasha’s voice toward her daughter was quite cold. It was clear that Tina and Artasha didn’t have a good relationship.

“Yes, I know.”

“Really? And yet you spend all day holed up in your room reading books? Do you even have a thought in your head?”

Her cold, scolding voice echoed in my ears. The chilly atmosphere made me shrink back. No wonder she was the family head; Artasha definitely had a commanding presence.

This must be the ‘pressure’ Tina mentioned in the game.

Tina would have taken this as nagging, but to me, it sounded like a mother’s heartfelt concern. If Artasha truly disliked her daughter, she would have left her to read or cause trouble.

“By the end of this month, you’ll debut in the social circle. I won’t stand by and watch you waste your life anymore.”

Her tone was forceful.

This must be why Tina ran away to the library. It wasn’t hard to understand. Tina was only fifteen, the age of a stormy middle schooler in Korean terms.

It’s the age where anything parents say sounds like nagging. And if Tina’s rebellion was just holing up in her room to read books, it wasn’t that bad.

If I were really fifteen, I might have taken Artasha’s words as unpleasant too. But that was when I was actually fifteen.

My teenage years were long gone.

Having lived half my previous life as an orphan, I didn’t know much about family love, but I wasn’t so dull as to miss a mother’s genuine concern.

Looking at Artasha—no, my mother—with her cold eyes, I smiled slightly.

“I’ll follow your words.”

At my response, Artasha’s face twisted sharply without a moment’s hesitation.

“I knew you’d say that. But this time, your opinion doesn’t matter. Starting next—”

Her voice, which had risen sharply, suddenly stopped as if she’d been struck by lightning. She blinked blankly for a moment, then stared at me with wide eyes.

“What did you just say?”

“I said I’ll follow your words.”

At my repeated answer, Artasha looked quite flustered. She hadn’t expected this response. Seeing her, usually so stern, looking so bewildered was quite amusing.

“Ahem. Good. It’s a relief you’re following along. I’ll inform you of the plans later, so wait.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“…What?”

The chair creaked as Artasha’s body shook noticeably. Her eyes widened in surprise.

“W-what did you just say?”

Artasha looked at me with trembling eyes and asked. Thinking she might not have heard properly, I calmly cleared my throat and repeated.

“I said I understand.”

“Not that. What did you call me?”

“…Mother?”

Artasha’s eyes shook violently. Seeing this woman, who I thought was emotionless, so flustered made me feel awkward too.

Was it because I called her ‘Mother’?

No way, that can’t be it.

Calling your mother ‘Mother’ shouldn’t be surprising.

“…Alright, go rest.”

“Yes.”

I politely bid farewell to Artasha and slowly left the office. Carefully closing the door, I leaned against the wall and let out a deep sigh. The tension drained away, leaving me feeling slightly drowsy. Since this was my first proper encounter with Artasha, I had been quite nervous without realizing it.

‘…Still, this is a pretty good start, right?’

There was no hostility in Artasha’s last glance at me. Instead, there seemed to be a faint hint of goodwill. Maybe winning her over would be easier than I thought. For my comfortable, wealthy, and idle plan, her help was essential, so today’s events could be considered quite successful.

Well, there was another reason too.

I felt sorry for Artasha. In the game, she was portrayed as a strict mother who pressured Tina and caused her stress, but after being in Tina’s body for three months, I knew better.

Artasha was a strong mother who was sacrificing her health to keep the family afloat. And she truly loved her daughter, Tina.

Tina had rejected Artasha’s love, but I wanted to help her, even if just a little. Even if I wasn’t her real daughter, I wanted to be a small comfort to this pitiful woman carrying so much alone.

It’s too harsh that even her own daughter couldn’t be a comfort to her while she worked through the nights.

“Then, my first goal is to get closer to Mother.”

But there was one problem.

I’m not Tina.

Of course, since I’m not Tina herself, I don’t know much about Artasha. I don’t know what food she likes or what her hobbies are. Even if I wanted to win her favor, I couldn’t think of anything clever right now.

“Hmm… what does Mother like…?”

I tapped my chin with my finger, pondering.

She seemed happy when I just followed her words, but that alone wouldn’t be enough to get close.

I couldn’t think of any good methods, but I wasn’t too worried. In times like these, it’s best to seek help from others. Fortunately, there are servants who have worked at the Blanchard Baronet Family for a long time. Asking them for advice would surely be a big help.

Maybe I should ask Renihael?

She’s been working here for 15 years.

She must know what Artasha likes.