The manor's kitchen was warm with the heat of cooking fires and the rich scent of roasting meat.
A young maid with dark hair tied back in a practical bun stood at the preparation counter, carefully ladling thin soup into a simple wooden bowl.
Her movements were precise, measured. Not the elaborate dishes being prepared for the family's dinner, but something easier to digest.
Food for the sick young master.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Footsteps approached from behind.
The maid's shoulders immediately tensed, her grip tightening on the ladle.
"Is that for Jin?" Vivienne called softly, pleasant, carrying that perfect maternal warmth she deployed so effortlessly.
The maid turned quickly, nearly dropping the ladle in her haste to curtsy. "Y-yes, my lady. I used fresh vegetables from the morning delivery, and the chicken stock is—"
Vivienne waved her hand dismissively, already moving closer to the counter. "Don't worry about that. I'll take care of it."
"My lady?" The maid blinked in confusion.
"The physician was very specific about Jin's dietary needs," Vivienne said. "The texture needs to be just right, ground properly, strained carefully. It's quite particular work."
She took the ladle from the maid's hand with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "You've done wonderful work with the main courses. Why don't you go help with the dining hall preparations? I know they're short-handed tonight."
The maid hesitated, her eyes darting between Vivienne and the half-prepared bowl.
"But my lady, I was told to—"
"And now I'm telling you that I'll handle it personally," Vivienne interrupted, her voice still pleasant but with an edge of steel underneath. "My stepson's health is my responsibility."
The maid swallowed nervously. "Of course, my lady. I understand."
She curtsied again, deeper this time, her eyes fixed on the floor and turned to leave, her footsteps quick and light as she moved toward the kitchen door.
But just before exiting, she paused.
Glanced back over her shoulder.
Vivienne stood at the counter, her back to the doorway, already focused on the bowl. She'd pulled a small pestle from the utensil rack and was grinding something with methodical, practiced motions.
The maid's brow furrowed slightly, something uncertain flickering in her expression.
Then she shook her head and slipped through the doorway, the door swinging shut behind her with a soft creak.
Silence settled over the kitchen.
Vivienne continued grinding for another moment, then set the pestle aside with a quiet clink.
She glanced toward the doorway, checking, confirming she was alone, then reached into the hidden pocket of her dress.
She pulled out a pouch, untied the drawstring and carefully extracted a pinch of fine grey-white powder and sprinkled it over the soup, stirred it gently with a wooden spoon.
No hesitation. No guilt in her expression.
Just calm, methodical efficiency.
Vivienne tucked the pouch back into her hidden pocket and wiped her hands on a clean cloth. Then she picked up the bowl and inspected it, holding it up to the lamplight.
The soup looked completely normal. No one would ever suspect.
She smiled, not the warm, maternal expression she wore in public, but something colder. More satisfied.
"Poor dear Jin," she murmured to herself, "Still so weak. Still so... fragile."
She set the bowl on a small wooden tray, added a cloth napkin and a spoon, and arranged everything.
Then she lifted the tray and turned toward the door, her expression smoothing back into that mask of gentle concern.
**********
Morning light filtered through window.
It's been three days...
Three days since Agnes left.
I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the bowl of broth in front of me.
Steam rose from the surface in lazy spirals, carrying that familiar scent of herbs and chicken. And underneath, barely detectable, the bitter edge of nightshade.
Vivienne's daily gift.
My loving stepmother, still diligently trying to murder me.
I picked up the bowl with both hands and brought it to my lips, tilted the bowl back and drank.
The broth was warm and savory, the poison barely noticeable beneath the other flavors. I'd gotten used to the taste over the past few days.
I drained the entire bowl, then set it down on the nightstand.
The familiar tingling sensation spread through my stomach as the poison entered my system. My body immediately recognized the threat and began responding.
[Ding!]
[Poison Resistance 56%]
I leaned back against the pillow, a small smile tugging at my lips despite the mild discomfort spreading through my gut.
Every dose of poison Vivienne fed me was making me stronger, not weaker.
The irony was almost poetic.
I was grinding poison resistance by literally poisoning myself daily.
The thought made me laugh that I immediately cut off.
Can't let anyone hear me laughing alone in my room.
And also, my body was slowly recovering, muscle mass returning, color coming back to my face, energy levels rising. I could stand without wobbling now. Still weak by normal standards, but compared to where I'd started?
It was a progress.
I was about to open my status window to check my full stats when—
[Ding!]
A new notification appeared.
[New Quest Available]
I sat up straighter, my attention immediately focused.
[Main Quest: Expose the Poisoner]
[Difficulty: Medium]
[Description:] Your stepmother Vivienne Raith has been systematically poisoning you for years. While you have survived and adapted, she remains a threat to your life and the lives of others.
Gather evidence of her crimes and expose her to Aldric Raith or another authority figure capable of bringing justice.
[Objectives:]
Obtain physical evidence of poison possession (0/1)
Find witness or corroborating evidence (0/1)
Present evidence to authority figure without being caught (0/1)
[Rewards:]
-500 EXP
-??
-Vivienne's removal from household
[Failure:]
False accusation leading to YOUR punishment Vivienne discovers your investigation
[Accept Quest?]
[Yes] / [No]
I stared at the notification, my mind racing.
A quest to expose Vivienne.
If I tried to expose her and failed...
The failure conditions were clear. My own punishment. Evidence destroyed.
Meaning I'd probably end up with a much faster-acting poison in my next meal. Or a knife in my sleep.
But the rewards...
500 EXP would push me past level 3, maybe even level 4.
And most importantly... Vivienne's removal from the household.
She'd tried to kill me for years. Had probably killed Jin's mother, the memories were fragmented, but there were hints. The sudden illness. The rapid decline.
And Agnes. Sweet, kind Agnes who'd lost everything because she'd shown me kindness and I'd been careless.
Vivienne had orchestrated that too. She'd destroyed Agnes's life without hesitation.
Just another move on her personal chessboard.
My hands clenched into fists against the rough blanket.
It was time to finish what she'd started.
I focused on the quest notification and mentally selected.
Yes.
[Quest Accepted: Expose the Poisoner]
[Good luck, Host.]
The notification faded, replaced by a quest tracker in the corner of my vision.
[Evidence Gathered: 0/3]
I stared at it for a long moment, then exhaled slowly.
"Alright, Vivienne," I muttered under my breath. "Let's see who's better at playing the long game."
Time to get to work.