Chapter 1: What does it mean to get into trouble right from the start?

Continental Year 978, Kingdom of Valencia, a rainy night.
In a secluded mansion near the city outskirts, Tina lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, counting down the moments of her life.
Becoming a witch through transmigration was supposed to be something to celebrate, but her new body was plagued by an incurable disease, leaving her bedridden and on the brink of death.
“I just want to live properly, that’s all.”
In a haze, whispers echoed in her mind:
[Link successful. Simulator loading.]
“Simulator? I’ve been in this world so long, and you only tell me about a system when I’m at death’s door? Isn’t that a bit late?” Tina grumbled inwardly, frustration rising.
[Host, the simulator’s appearance is precisely valuable at this moment.
Complete the tasks, and you can extend your life—six months, three years, five years, or even achieve a full recovery.]
“Then… what do I need to do?”
[You only need to travel to different timelines, save the downtrodden heroines, and ensure they live with lifelong regret to achieve your goal.
The rules are simple. You’ll understand once you try.]
“Huh? It’s starting already?”
The whispers in her mind faded, replaced by an increasingly deafening ringing in her ears and a piercing white light that overwhelmed her vision.
Buzz—
When the world before her eyes cleared, her body felt refreshingly light, a sensation she hadn’t experienced in ages.
“The feeling of being free from illness… it’s so nostalgic.”
…If only my little brother were still here, it’d be even better.
[Loading progress: 100%]
[You will enter the historical timeline: Year 972, Kingdom of Kellivir, Border City-State.]
[You will assume a temporary identity: The young lady of the Everson family.]
[Now, you are the undisputed noble daughter of the Kingdom of Kellivir, but as an elf, you cannot wield any magic.
Your family dotes on you, and under their careful protection, you’ve grown smoothly to the age of 18. Any rumors or gossip about you were snuffed out before they could spread, and no one dares mention your shortcomings to your face.
In early 970, a cataclysmic event shook the kingdom: the Elf King was assassinated, and the culprit was… his most beloved daughter, the Elf Princess.
When the news broke, it caused a nationwide uproar. Based on evidence provided by the prince, people believed the princess had been seduced by a cult, resorting to dark magic to kill the king and seize the throne. Fortunately, when she turned on the prince, he thwarted her, exposing her scheme.
From then on, the princess began her life as a fugitive, relentlessly pursued by the prince’s armies, while the prince smoothly ascended as the next king.]
[Task: The truth of the matter remains unclear. Find the princess and help her successfully restore her kingdom.
The task duration is one year. The initial reward is an extension of six months of life. Additional rewards will be granted based on the regret index of the target upon task completion.]
[Initial Talent: Witch’s Gift—You can use a portion of a witch’s power, but this may attract the attention of certain individuals.]
[Introduction complete. Simulation begins.]
“A year? That’s all I get… The kingdom’s so vast, how am I supposed to find a fugitive princess? And helping her reclaim her kingdom? The funds, time, and forces needed for that…”
Just thinking about it gave Tina a headache.
But more than the hassle, she was grateful to have a healthy body again and a chance to keep living.
Tina got up and looked around. She was in a lavishly decorated room, and it was early morning. Standing by her bed was… a girl about her age?
Why was this girl so disheveled? She looked completely out of place in such an elegant setting.
[Prompt: The Everson family hired a new maid in the past couple of days.] The system chimed in her mind.
“Oh~ So you’re the new one, huh? Why didn’t you clean yourself up before coming to serve?” Tina didn’t mind too much, assuming the girl was just a rookie who needed some polishing.
But the girl remained silent, her head lowered, her expression unreadable.
A mute maid, huh? Not exactly a great habit to stay so quiet.
With that thought, Tina pushed open the door. “Come on, I’ll take you to freshen up.”
Though she took the lead, it was really an excuse to familiarize herself with the mansion. After wandering around for a while, she finally found the maids’ quarters.
“Handle it yourself.”
Tina left with that remark and headed to the first-floor dining hall, where she began eating the food laid out on the table.
But as she ate, something felt off.
The entire mansion was eerily quiet, not a soul in sight.
For a family this prominent, shouldn’t there be at least a few maids bustling about?
Even if she was late for breakfast, wouldn’t her family be around?
Were they all out partying without me?
After mulling it over with no answers, Tina decided to embrace her role as the young lady of the house for now. She’d deal with finding the princess once Earl Everson returned.
Just then, the new maid came downstairs.
“You, come here and give me a back massage.”
“…”
The girl hesitated for a moment but approached with her head still lowered.
“Why do you seem so reluctant? As a maid, isn’t it normal to help your master with tasks?”
Tina studied the girl. Only now did she notice the girl’s hair was a pure silver-white. After washing up, her delicate features were no longer hidden by dirt, and she seemed to glow with a newfound radiance.
The girl clenched her fist, then relaxed it, as if wrestling with herself. Finally, she placed her hands on Tina’s back and began massaging as instructed.
“There you go. But your technique’s a bit rough. Have you never been a maid before?”
“…”
Tina felt the pressure increase slightly.
“Hey, hey, hey, what’s that? Lighten up a bit. Yeah, that’s better.”
The pressure was just right now, but before she could enjoy it for long, the mansion’s main door burst open. A noisy crowd gathered at the entrance, all wearing expressions of shock.
[Prompt: These people are from families secretly supporting the princess. They just held a tea party to celebrate finding her and to plan their next strategic moves.]
Oh, so they’re allies? Wait, who did they find?
“Tina, what are you doing?!” The middle-aged man leading the group shouted her name the moment he saw her. His tone made it clear he was Earl Everson.
“I’m teaching the new maid some manners?” Tina broke into a nervous sweat as an unlikely possibility dawned on her.
“Lady Tina, actually… I’m the new maid…” A small, trembling figure emerged from the crowd, shaking with fear.
“?”
If you’re the maid, then who’s this behind me?
“You—” The earl, who had been cheerfully toasting with the group moments ago, now looked livid. “You said you woke up late and didn’t want to join the tea party, so I told you to take good care of the princess. Look at what you’ve done!”
“Huh?” Tina turned her head stiffly, like a puppet, meeting the faintly aggrieved yet resolute pale blue eyes of the girl behind her.
You’ve got to be kidding me.
The girl’s forced smile delivered the final blow, sending Tina’s heart plummeting into an icy abyss. “It’s fine, Lady Tina. I’m just grateful you took me in. Doing this is far easier than living as a fugitive.”
Hey, don’t say things that could be misunderstood like that!!
How do I recover from tanking the task target’s goodwill right from the start? Help, urgent, waiting online!!!