The Status Effect Count - Chapter 11

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Earl with an Abnormal Condition — Episode 011
[2 Combo!]
[3 Combo!]
With each movement of her hand, a soft chiming sound rang out from nowhere, and numbers bloomed in the empty air.
[100 Combo Achieved (3/100)]
Ann felt as though she understood what those mysterious words meant.
This number appearing over and over—it was telling her to fill it up to a hundred, wasn’t it?
‘Fine. I’ll do it!’
The more she broke through the membrane clinging to the Earl’s body, the higher the numbers climbed, and strange effects erupted everywhere.
[70 Combo!]
[71 Combo!]
‘This is actually fun.’
Her hands grew faster. She scanned for any remaining discoloration, then meticulously cleaned the Earl’s arms and legs.
And finally.
[100 Combo Achieved (100/100)]
[Abnormal State Resolution Method (1) Quest Complete!]
“All done!”
Stars burst before her eyes with a triumphant chime.
Ann threw her hands up with a cheer, surprising herself with her own enthusiasm. A sense of satisfaction flooded through her.
‘Oh right, the Earl.’
Lost in the work, she’d forgotten about him—but now she noticed he was sleeping peacefully, breathing softly.
Ann pressed a hand to her chest and let out a long, anxious breath.
Then she hurried out of the room.
Her heart hammered at the thought of the Earl waking and interrogating her again about what had happened.
‘I’m insane! Absolutely insane!’
The moment she stepped into the hallway, the brazen Ann who’d acted so confidently vanished, leaving only Ann wringing her hands in regret.
‘Ugh. Why did I do that?’
I shouldn’t have been curious. I should’ve pretended not to know. I shouldn’t have gotten closer to look more carefully.
I should’ve acted like nothing was there, like I knew nothing…….
And on top of that, I’d answered back to the Earl when he questioned me.
‘Am I about to get fired?’
She’d made quite a spectacle of herself.
As Ann stood despondent, something materialized before her with a soft pop.
[First Step]
[Congratulations! You have taken a meaningful first step. This step shall become the starting point of a new tale.]
A meaningful first step?
A new tale?
The tray continued to speak in incomprehensible riddles.
‘Come to think of it, that was a mistake too.’
A maid who’d suddenly announced she’d treat the Earl and then cleaned her master’s body without permission—what would the Earl think of her now?
‘And I didn’t even solve anything.’
When she’d last glimpsed the Earl’s head, that ominous number was still there, unchanged.
Claiming to help. Claiming to fix it.
Ann glared at the white tray before her, her heart full of grievance.
Then.
A new window appeared.
[A reward has been granted. Will you accept it?]
[Yes / No]
Even her doubting mind couldn’t stop her hand from flying to the [Yes] button.
Oops. Her fingers had been faster than her thoughts.
[You may now view Favorability.]
[Nadan Preneta (Abnormal State): ♡♡♡♡♡
He suspects you greatly. To maintain a good relationship with him, you may need to make more effort?]
“…….”
What kind of reward was this?
* * *
The narrow, shabby room smelled of straw that had long since settled into dust.
“Mm, cozy.”
Ann quickly changed into her nightclothes and threw herself onto the bed she’d woven together from straw.
This worn room was Ann’s secret hideaway.
Between the senior maids who lorded their authority over the household and her fellow servants who cowered at the sight of her, Ann had claimed a storage room in a remote corner as her own quarters.
It was one of those places the manor had long since abandoned—eerie from the outside, untended, shunned by everyone.
So no one would notice a single maid slipping in and out.
‘Well, not that I need to hide from anyone anymore.’
There was nowhere better than this room to conduct her experiments.
Ann straightened her posture on the bed.
The White Tray that had hovered before her eyes all this time had vanished after she left the main house.
Ann drew in a sharp breath, eyes snapping shut before flying open as she splayed her fingers wide.
“Come out!”
…….
‘This can’t be right.’
Ann shouted again.
“Appear? Show yourself? Emerge?”
…….
No matter how loudly she called, nothing appeared.
Embarrassed, Ann quickly curled her fingers into fists.
“What is this? You could understand me before?”
It appeared without warning when she wasn’t even calling for it, yet now, when she was trying to examine it properly, it refused to show itself. Completely unreasonable.
Ann grumbled.
‘Or is something wrong?’
Now that she thought about it, the tray had written some very strange words on it.
Quest, Conquest Target, and such.
“Calling a person a conquest target? That’s not even a monster….”
[Would you like to confirm your Conquest Target?]
“You!”
Ann jolted upright as though about to leap from the bed. Only then did the tray spring forth.
“Why did you take so long to appear!”
Even as Ann voiced her complaint, the tray simply displayed the same message again.
[Would you like to confirm your Conquest Target?]
“Yes. Let’s confirm. Show me.”
[Nadan Preneta (Abnormal State)
The new Count of Preneta Castle.
The Continent’s strongest swordmaster and hero of the Continental War.
However, rumors of him circulate in the Capital….
A beautiful man who appears fragile and forlorn.
Favorability: ♡♡♡♡♡
He is very suspicious of you. To maintain a good relationship with him, you may need to make a bit more effort.]
‘It seems longer than before.’
Ann made a dissatisfied face.
The tray displayed information about her employer, Count Nadan Preneta.
Written in language that felt oddly ambiguous.
And Favorability?
“Why do I need to know my employer’s favorability?”
Ann tilted her head.
There were five hearts displayed in the Favorability column.
Though they were hollow, seeing them beneath her employer’s name felt burdensome.
Ann crossed her arms and challenged the tray.
“You said you’d prevent the Count from dying. But you haven’t resolved anything.”
The tray shot up immediately.
[Abnormal State Resolution Method (1) Complete!]
[Will you accept your reward?]
[This reward has already been claimed.]
“I know. So all I learned was that the Count suspects me. You haven’t actually solved anything.”
Ann had checked before leaving—the Count’s Golden Nameplate showed no change.
[Count Preneta
※Abnormal State—30 days until death]
As Ann voiced her frustration, the tray wavered weakly.
As though it were sighing.
‘You, thing.’
The tray rotated once before transforming into a shape adorned with a cute little bird.
Getting cute doesn’t change the fact that you’re insufferable.
[Would you like to switch to Beginner Mode?]
“……Beginner?”
Anne’s face twisted in displeasure.
It was a word she knew all too well—and not in a good way.
Beginner Mode!
That was exactly the phrase Emil had fallen for when she was swindled.
‘For beginners—’
‘Welcome, beginners!’
Any sign carrying those words was nothing but a con artist trying to fleece the ignorant.
As Anne glared with suspicion, the tray trembled.
As if saying, ‘How dare you call me a fraud!’
“But this is suspicious! How am I supposed to trust you!”
[This mode is designed for players on their first run. We provide various tips and rewards!]
[Would you like to switch to Beginner Mode?]
[Yes / No]
At the mention of rewards, Anne’s finger flew like lightning and stabbed [Yes].
“Oh!”
She should have read it properly first.
Her regret was brief—something extraordinary was happening again.
The bird drawn on the tray rubbed its beak across the thin membrane, then slowly cracked the tray apart.
Crack!
The bird burst from the tray and circled the ceiling with a soft flutter.
“Eek!”
Anne’s finger reached out of its own accord.
The small bird showed no fear and fluttered toward her, brushing its feathers against her fingertip.
Good heavens. It’s tangible?
Soft feathers brushed against her fingertips. The shattered tray vanished, and a new one appeared in its place.
[Name: Jaelong-i
I am here to help you whenever you need.]
“Wow, what a tacky name.”
“Chirp?”
Who comes up with a name like that?
Either Jaelong-i didn’t understand the harsh judgment, or chose not to—the little bird tilted its head adorably, then opened its beak wide.
“What may I assist you with?”
“You can talk?”
Anne gasped.
This yellow bird that had suddenly appeared from a dish—Jaelong-i, rather—could actually speak human words.
Though its manner of speech was oddly stiff and mechanical, in stark contrast to its cute appearance.
“You’re telling me you can help me?”
What could this tiny thing possibly do?
Jaelong-i hopped across Anne’s shoulders. It was adorable enough, but the movements didn’t inspire much confidence.
Then again, who knows? Maybe it has some special ability?
Anne asked cautiously.
“Um, I was wondering if you could get rid of that golden nameplate above the Count’s head…….”
If that shimmering golden nameplate hovering above the Count’s head would just disappear, this whole commotion would be over.
At Anne’s question, light flickered in the bird’s small, bean-sized eyes.
Then suddenly it blazed with iridescent color.
“Whoa?”
But then.
“Search failed. Please rephrase your request.”
What?
“Search failed. Please search using more precise terminology.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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