"Almost there! If I cut through here, I can make it to the gates."
Evelissiuex "Evie" Caerwyn darted down the hallway, skirts bunched in her fists. At just eight years old, she was a small slip of a girl. Dressed like a porcelain doll in frills her father insisted on, she looked the picture of innocence—if you ignored the dirt smudge on her cheek and the triumphant grin on her face.
"Evie! Where are you?!" Eleur Caerwyn's voice thundered through the manor halls.
"Big brother, did you find her yet?" wheezed Elsan, stumbling after him with the stamina of a wilted flower. Despite the estate being small and shabby for a baron's family, chasing Evie felt like he ran laps around a palace.
"No, you bookworm! Don't collapse now—we'll be doomed if Mother finds out we lost Evie!" Eleur the older of the two twins hissed.
"Maybe if you listened to me and we stayed in the library instead of chasing butterflies in the gardens—" Elsan blamed.
"And maybe if you exercised instead of hugging books all day you wouldn't slow our search—" Eleur countered.
Meanwhile, their father, Baron Edrien Caerwyn, was in a full-blown panic. The man was red in the face, sweating through his shirt, and—at this very moment— uprooted a tree at one of the gardens in case his daughter had decided to hide underneath.
"Evie, my poor sweet girl" he wailed, dust clouding around him.
It wasn't just the Caerwyn family mobilized for this grand search. Their entire household staff had been dragged into the commotion—a small crew that the baron could barely afford to pay, yet they remained out of sheer loyalty.
The butler, stiff-backed and pale, reported, "I checked the shed, the rain barrels, even the old well. No sign of her, my lord."
"She's not under the hedges either," the maid-nanny puffed, dirt streaking her skirts as she crawled out on hands and knees. "If I crawl any further, I'll turn into a beetle!"
The housekeeper stormed from the manor, apron flapping. "She's not in the bedrooms either my lord"
The cook waved a hunk of bread like a peace flag. "Lady Evie! I've got fresh bread! I'll even add butter if you come out!"
The stablemaster stumbled up, panting. "Not in the stables, nor the hay."
"I checked the training hall and she wasn't there" the tutor and swordsman ran to the group without breaking a sweat, earning an angry and jealous look from the stablemaster.
Baron Edrien clutched his head like a man in despair. "My darling girl, where are you? If your mother finds out I lost you, she'll lock me out of the manor forever!"
All this chaos unfolded while Evie tiptoed merrily to the manor's so-called gates.
They weren't the towering, gilded arches of noble estates she'd imagined. No, the Caerwyn gates were nothing more than two stubborn iron bars—crooked, squeaky, and patched with mismatched hinges. Ivy had climbed across them with more dignity than the iron itself, and a wooden plank had even been hammered at the bottom to keep the chickens in.
Evie pressed her tiny palms to the cool, rust-speckled bars, heart racing. For years she'd been trapped in this shabby little manor, smothered by a doting father, mischievous brothers, and a fussy mother who treated her as though she'd shatter if a breeze hit her wrong.
"Finally!" she whispered, although her dark-raven hair was a mess now, her sapphire eyes were beaming with triumph. "After five years... I can actually do it. System!"
The familiar translucent panel only visible to her, floated into view;
[ System Notification ]
🌟 Quest: Go to the Town Square.
Condition: Reach the Town Square
Reward: Unlock System Purse
It has been five years since she awoken in this world and although Evie was technically still only eight, she often felt like she was a bit older. It had already been five years since she awakened in this world. Most of her past-life memories had slipped away, lingering only as dreamlike fragments. Yet she knew one truth with certainty: she was not entirely of this world. Reincarnation was supposed to grant unrivaled gifts—glorious powers, bottomless riches, a destiny that glittered.
"Just you wait! I'll complete you today and when I do I'll finally be able to unlock all other features!" She said with a renewed determination in her face.
Or so she thought.
A thunder of footsteps closed in and a large shadow swept over her "EVIE! My sweet girl! Papa's here! You're safe now!" Baron Edrien barreled toward her like a runaway bull, scooping her up in a hug so fierce she let out a muffled squeak.
"I–I can't breathe!" Evie wriggled frantically, her little feet kicking in protest.
But rescue was not in sight—only reinforcements.
"Little sister!" Eleur and Elsan came charging after, they clung to there father's huge frame to bundle next to Evie, tears streaming and latching onto her as if she'd nearly drowned and they were her lifeline.
"Ew get away from me you both stink of sweat—!" Evie tried to push away, buried under arms and snot.
The household staff who were trailing behind them visibly sighed in relief at the sight of their young lady.
The Baron tossed Evie over his shoulder like he was carrying a bag of flour, "Quick, let's get you back to your room before your mother finds out and—" Baron Edrien froze mid-step. A chill rippled down his spine.
"Mama..." Evie croaked. Her father and brothers stiffened like a bunch of puppies who got caught flooding the manor.
Lady Elowen Caerwyn stood before them, arms crossed, gaze sharper than any blade. She was beautiful, regal, terrifying—every inch the baroness.
"Oh, so this is what you all do the moment I leave?" she asked, voice calm but dangerous.
"Mo-mother..." the twins gulped.
"Darling! You've come home!" Baron Edrien tried his best smile and opened his arms. A knuckle promptly met his head.
The staff had dispersed at this point knowing well how to make themselves scarce when the Baron was about to get an earful from his beloved baroness.
"How many times have I told you? You can't toss Evie around like she's one of the boys! She's delicate!"
"I was only carrying her so her little feet wouldn't tire on the way back," he whimpered massaging the three bumps on his head as he lowered Evie safely on the ground.
"And why is she out of her room in the first place? She just recovered from a fever, you heard what the doctor said, she must have bed rest." Her glare cut toward him.
"Evie said she wanted to play hide-and-seek," the Baron began, voice already wobbling like a man on trial. He didn't even bother to finish explaining—his knees were halfway to the ground, prepared to ask for his wife's forgiveness.
Given his towering frame, Baron Edrien still stood nearly eye-level with his wife even while he was on both his knees like a scolded schoolboy.
Then Baroness Elowen swung her head to the twins. "Boys! I specifically asked you not to drag your little sister along your antics and aren't you supposed to be with your tutor?"
The boys flinched. Elsan, ever the strategist, shoved his older brother forward. "Mother, Eleur has an excellent explanation."
Eleur squeaked. "W-well, you see—Father made me do it!" Then bolted for the manor, abandoning his father.
"My Lord." Lady Elowen folded her hands but you could see a vein on her temple starting to bulge out of frustration. "May I have a word with you in private?"
"Mama! Don't be mad at Papa!" Evie jumped in pleading with eyes.
Baron Edrien's own eyes started to tear up. "My sweet girl—you're defending Papa!"
"Evelissiuex Caerwyn." Lady Elowen's voice cracked like a whip. "Don't think you can charm me with those teary eyes. Why were you outside the manor?"
Evie flinched at her full name. "Mama, I just wanted to go see the town square!"
"Out of the question. You are still recovering."
"But Mama, I feel better!" She clasped her hands together, turning the sparkle in her eyes up to full power.
"Regardless of how well you think you feel, going out of town without an escort is forbidden." lady Elowen, despite the firmness in her voice gathered her gently into her arms. "Come now, you must rest and recuperate."
Evie pouted, but the spark in her sapphire eyes said otherwise "But Mama, you promised me last year you'd take me to see the town square..."
Her mother's lips thinned. Her father still on his knees tried to reason "Yes, yes—that's true, my love. We did promise."
"Darling..." Lady Elowen warned.
"Think of it as... uplifting her spirits!" Baron Edrien said backing away a little.
Evie leaned in close, pressing her tiny forehead against her mother's, "Please, Mama? Look—see? I'm all better now!" she chirped, pulling every ounce of cuteness she had.
Lady Elowen sighed, defeated. "Fine. Tomorrow but only for an hour. I'll take you in the carriage, when the town isn't busy."
"Thank you, Mama!" Evie flung her arms around her mother.
Baron Edrien silently pumped his fist in victory.
The twins burst out from bushes "Can we come too?!" the twins shouted, eavesdropping.
"I'll show you the best meat skewers!" Eleur grinned.
"And there's a stall that sells ribbons that you might like!" Elsan beamed.
Evie laughed, her sapphire eyes twinkling with triumph. Finally—the Town Square Quest was within reach.