Chapter 3: Browsing the Developer Menu

The heavy oak doors of the Zenith mansion shut behind Ereba, instantly cutting off the tense murmurs of the drawing-room. She didn't look back. Walking with an effortless grace she never possessed in her past life, she navigated the winding hallways until she reached her own quarters—an isolated, slightly dusty courtyard at the far edge of the estate.

The moment she closed her bedroom door and locked it, the elegant facade dropped. Ereba let out a long breath and collapsed into a plush armchair.

*‘Alright, System,’* she thought, rubbing her temples. *‘Show me what I just unlocked. Open the Item Shop.’*

*Ding!*

A brilliant, glowing blue holographic interface expanded in front of her eyes. To anyone else, it would look like high-level spatial magic. But to Ereba, a veteran game developer, it looked exactly like an asset store and debugging terminal.

Rows of glowing icons floated in the air, categorized not by fantasy tiers like 'Epic' or 'Legendary,' but by software terms:

* **[Texture Polish Patch (100 pts): Fixes physical blemishes, fatigue, and dull skin.]**

* **[Passive Aura: Firewall (1,000 pts): Blocks low-level mental hexes, curses, and perception alterations.]**

* **[Data Leak Radar (300 pts): Intercepts local audio data and hidden dialogues within a 50-meter radius.]**

Ereba looked at the bottom of the screen where her balance was displayed.

**[Current Balance: -98,400 Reputation Points]**

**[System Warning: User is currently operating on a Developer Credit Line. Max limit: -100,000. Please exercise caution.]**

"Figures," Ereba muttered with a dry chuckle. "Even in an iseaki fantasy, I’m living on credit. But a smart developer knows when to invest."

She tapped her finger on the **[Data Leak Radar]**.

*Ding!*

**[Item Purchased: Data Leak Radar (300 pts).]**

**[New Balance: -98,700 Reputation Points.]**

**[Activating Radar...]**

Instantly, a faint, sonar-like ring pulsed outward from her body in a translucent blue wave. For a moment, there was silence. Then, static buzzed in her ears, followed by the faint sound of whispering voices transmitting directly into her mind.

The radar was picking up a conversation from the adjacent servant's kitchen.

*"...Is it done? Did you put it in?"* a sharp, unfamiliar voice whispered.

*"Yes,"* a trembling, familiar voice replied. It was Mina, Ereba’s personal maid—the one person the original Ereba had trusted blindly. *"The slow-acting phantom poison is completely dissolved in her afternoon tea. She won't feel a thing today, but within six months, her organs will completely fail. No physician will find a trace of magic or poison."*

*"Good. Lady Seraphina will be pleased. Once that wretched woman is dead, you will be highly rewarded, Mina. Make sure she drinks every last drop."*

The audio stream cut off into static.

Sitting alone in her armchair, Ereba’s expression completely froze. The warm sunlight filtering through her window suddenly felt ice-cold. In the original novel, Ereba’s health had mysteriously declined rapidly after the broken engagement, making her weak and easily manic.

*‘So it wasn’t just stress,’* Ereba thought, a dangerous, freezing smile creeping onto her lips. *‘Seraphina didn’t just want my engagement. She wanted my life.’*

Right on cue, a soft, polite knock echoed against her bedroom door.

"My Lady?" Mina’s sweet, gentle voice called out from the hallway. "I’ve brought your afternoon Earl Grey tea to help soothe your mind after the Prince's visit."

Ereba stood up, smoothing down the creases of her silken dress. Her violet eyes flashed with an apex predator's light.

"Come in, Mina," Ereba called out smoothly. "I’ve been waiting for you."

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***