《Who Do You Like More, Mom or Dad?》 Chapter 1 Today was another tiring day. Diana, who was tapping her leg, yawned. She was thinking about lying down for a second when a sound entered her ears. She buried her head under a pillow at the persistent harassment of the ringing. Shaking her head and covering her ears, suddenly Diana came to her senses. It was the ¡®Miss is Looking For You¡¯ bell. ¡°Why are you this late?!¡± Diana ran in a hurry, and as soon as she opened the door, something flew at her. It was a piece of sample fabric that hit her face and fell. ¡°I- I apologize.¡± Covering her face, Diana lowered her head and apologized. ¡°Go to the Lily of The Valley Boutique and tell them to change it to the fourth fabric, then come back here.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Right now. Immediately.¡± The surprised Diana raised her head. ¡°Right¡­now?¡± Through the window behind the Miss, the sunset was seen. The sun was still there, but it was clear that it would be night soon. ¡°B-but, Miss. The Lily of The Valley Boutique is in the neighboring city¡­¡± ¡°Who doesn¡¯t know that?¡± Diana bit her lips. The girl who was yelling at her was Baron Bordeaux¡¯s little girl. The Bordeaux territory was on a small plot of land in the countryside. It wasn¡¯t the biggest, but it was comfortable to live on. It was located next to Aachen, the largest city in the central region, where the Lily of The Valley Boutique was. Diana was the youngest maid in Baron Bordeaux¡¯s Mansion, and at the start, Diana wasn¡¯t a maid at all. Diana¡¯s mother worked as a tutor for Baron Bordeaux. She didn¡¯t know who her father was because from the moment Diana was born, it was only her mother who was with her. But, that fact was not to be regretted. Until her mother died in a sudden accident when she was seven. ¡°Um¡­ Miss, if I go early tomorrow in the morning¡­.¡± ¡°No, go right now. Immediately.¡± Diana was about to cry. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you go and fix the order now so that I can see it fixed when I wake up tomorrow?¡± Another maid, who was combing the Miss¡¯ hair, giggled. Whispering so that Diana couldn¡¯t hear her words. ¡°Oh my, Miss, please take a look at her face. She looks so scared¨C ¡± ¡°What¡¯s so difficult about it that you look like you¡¯re about to cry? Don¡¯t you know that everybody can see? Stop being so embarrassing.¡± Lily of The Valley was a boutique located in Central Aachen. Even if it was simply in the next-door town center, it still took a couple of hours by carriage. Even if the trip went well, it would be well into the night when she came back. The lack of sun wasn¡¯t the only problem. If she stayed out too late, there might not be any carriages that would take her back to the Bordeaux territory. If something went wrong, she had to walk all night long. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± But, Diana couldn¡¯t disobey the Miss¡¯ words. Sadly, her unfortunate hunch was correct. By the time she had finished her business in the boutique, the sun had already set. There wasn¡¯t even one carriage that went to the Bordeaux territory. In the dark night, Diana walked alone on the spooky path, relying on the moonlight to see. ¡®I-it¡¯s scary.¡¯ She wiped away the tears around her eyes and hurried her steps. She cried, but no one helped her. Dina clasped the pendant on her chest. The pendant, which had a small but detailed portrait on it, was her mother¡¯s only relic. The feeling of the metal gave her a sense of relief. The Miss, Atticia Bordeaux, didn¡¯t torment her at the start. When her mother was alive, Diana was actually Miss Atticia¡¯s playmate. She had clear memories of romping around and studying with her. But, when Diana was seven years old, her mother died. So, Baron Bordeaux took in the young girl. Diana quickly got over the shock of losing her mother. No, she actually had no choice but to quickly get over it. A child that¡¯s difficult to deal with. If she was like that, she would¡¯ve long been sent to the orphanage, and to Diana, that was terrifying. There were a lot of bad rumors about the orphanage. Moreover, she didn¡¯t want to leave the place where the memories of her and her mother were. The Bordeaux Mansion was Diana¡¯s world. In order to not be seen as a troublesome child, Diana soon began to help the maids. And just like that, Diana stayed in the ambiguous position of Atticia¡¯s friend and maid. Diana, who was just a skinny little girl, grew up to be a pretty girl. Her hair, which used to be a murky gray, became a shiny silver, and her dull brown eyes became a bright and vivid scarlet. With this, the way people looked at Diana slowly changed. Then one day, during Atticia¡¯s eleventh birthday party, Atticia¡¯s fiance visited the Baron Bordeaux family. Atticia, who was beautifully groomed, waited for her fiance¡¯s escort, but his gaze did not fall on her at all. Instead, he stared at Diana. [What is that maid¡¯s name?] Leaving his fiance behind. From that day on, Atticia¡¯s torment started. A series of dull hitting sounds came from the corner of the dark street. The black shadows gathered together and looked like nothing but a lump, but as Diana got closer, she heard a little bit of coarse swearing. Somehow she felt like she shouldn¡¯t have gone any closer. But, this was the only road that led back to the mansion. Just as Diana halted her steps because she felt she couldn¡¯t go any further, a voice rang out. ¡°Hold onto this jerk. I¡¯m going to look around. If this person gets helped right now, I think I¡¯ll lose my mind¡­¡± One of the men turned around dusting his clothes. ¡°What¡­?¡± Their eyes met. The moment she faced the eyes of the people in the moonlight, her whole body stiffened. ¡°There¡¯s someone here. Ted, what did you do? Weren¡¯t you on the lookout?¡± The man spoke in a sour way and began to approach her. ¡°You there, do you know who you¡¯re looking at right now?¡± ¡°No¡­ I-I¡­.¡± It was time for Diana to keep her mouth shut. ¡°It¡¯s better not to have witnesses anyway. Let¡¯s finish this quickly.¡± What the man said gave her goosebumps. As Diana instinctively backed away, the men began to surround her. The man called Ted strongly grabbed Diana¡¯s shoulder. She has always missed her mother, but at this moment she was all she could think about ¡®Mom!¡¯ Suddenly, like a blade of a sword, a strong wind blew. ¡°Ack! What is this!?¡± The man hung his face down because he couldn¡¯t open his eyes, his grip becoming loose. Diana quickly shook off his hand. ¡°Oh! Oh!¡± She heard something breaking from the hands of the man who she had just escaped from, but she ignored it. As she ran, her shining pendant lost its light and fell to the ground. ¡°That bitch is running away!¡± ¡°Catch her!¡± Diana ran frantically. ¡®Run away, I must run away!¡¯ The footsteps of the men echoed, chasing after her. ¡®But, where to?¡¯ She had to run for a while if she headed to the village. So, Diana jumped towards the bushes. She ran stamping into the forest. She wanted to get away even just a little bit, but that was just her hoping. Diana, who was about to be caught, shouted. ¡°P-please save me! Please sa¡ª!¡± As she was running away frantically, she got caught in a tree root and tumbled down. Without missing a beat, the man grabbed Diana¡¯s wrist. It was this time when she seriously thought she was going to die. ¡°¡­What is this?¡± It was someone¡¯s voice that was supposed to be impossible to hear in the forest. The man¡¯s movement stopped. ¡°What are you!?¡± The shaggy bearded man shouted threateningly. ¡°Would you even know if I said it?¡± ¡°What? That nerd-like person¡ª¡± ¡°Hey. Hey. Just leave and go where you¡¯re supposed to go! But don¡¯t think because I let you off, I¡¯m saving you.¡± The other man stopped the man who wanted to fight right away and spat. ¡°I also want it to be like that, but I hate having dragonflies going wild.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t regret it.¡± The men made eye contact with each other. The moment the man approached his opponent¡ª ¡°Kyaak!¡± She could hear the sound of a person falling down along with a scream. ¡°W-what? What¡¯s the matter!?¡± ¡°Aaack! T-this bastard is a so-sorcerer!¡± ¡°Why is a sorcerer here?!¡± The man who was holding Diana was flustered and let her go. As Diana hurriedly tried to raise herself up, another tearful scream shook the forest. She didn¡¯t know what in the world was going on. ¡°Save, s-save¡ª kyaaaaak!¡± The unpleasant smell of iron made her nauseous. While bowing her head down, Diana covered her mouth. At some point, the unending screams and groans ceased. With a rustle, someone came up to her. Diana, who couldn¡¯t even think of running away, trembled. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± In the forest, the moonlight was hidden by clouds. There was almost nothing to be seen. Only the figure of a tall man covered in robes. She couldn¡¯t even see his face. Diana tried to get up. However, her trembling body didn¡¯t move as she wanted. ¡°You can¡¯t get up? Do you want me to help you?¡± ¡°Heup!¡± The man reached out his hand to her. For a moment, Diana was taken aback as if she had been burned by a match. The man took his hand away in surprise. ¡°That¡­ no, excuse me, save me¡­.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Please save me. Save, save¡­.¡± Diana, who collapsed to the ground, begged wildly. She couldn¡¯t think of what to say. Instead, she burst into tears. ¡°So, you were completely terrified.¡± ¡°Hic, Hicc. P-please save me.¡± ¡°Why would I kill you? Where¡¯s your house?¡± The man reached his hand out again. The moon, which had disappeared under the clouds, poutingly appeared. Even in the dark, a clear light penetrated through the trees. The moonlight shone on Diana¡¯s face. ¡°Because it will be hard to go back alone, I¡¯ll take you ba¡ª¡± For a moment, the man stopped his words. Then in a completely dumb voice, he spoke, ¡°¡­ Philippa?¡± Chapter 2 ¡®What am I going to do now?¡¯ Hermann let out an annoyed sigh and grabbed his horse reins. ¡®No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve finally found her traces. Even though it took a while¡­.¡¯ Hermann couldn¡¯t even remember his best friend¡¯s face anymore. Philippa Ohrid. The Ohrid Bank was called ¡®The Place Where Money Gathers¡¯. Count Ohrid, the richest man on the continent and was also known as the ¡®Gold Master¡¯. That Count had a daughter he called his precious child. It had been 13 years since that child, Philippa Ohrid disappeared, and it had been 13 years since Grand Duke Thesevitz Bale Nohibaden, who had been dating Philippa Ohrid, went on a frantic search for her whereabouts. Thesevitz, Philippa, and Hermann were best friends. They all went to the same academy where they built their friendship and graduated. Thesevitz and Philippa falling in love was natural. The two had chemistry and they were also both in business. The two aristocrats returned to their own families and Hermann entered the World Tower. He thought both of them would certainly do well. However, Philippa suddenly disappeared. Of course, as her lover, Thesevitz turned the continent upside down trying to find her. Count Ohrid, Philippa¡¯s father as well as the richest man in the Empire, also spent a fortune looking for his daughter. But, no one could find even a single trace. Finally, when Hermann got out of the World Tower, Thesevitz¡¯s eyes lost their shine and he was practically half crazy. Hermann didn¡¯t have the heart to tell Thesevitz that before Philippa disappeared, she had met him for one last time. [Philippa? What brings you here? Even going as far as coming to the World Tower?] [I have a favor to ask. There¡¯s no one I can trust other than you.] [What¡¯s going on? The only daughter of Count Ohrid doesn¡¯t have any other people to ask¡­ is that even possible?] Philippa should¡¯ve laughed at his playful remark, but instead, she looked immensely anxious. [I came to look at your face as well.] [You told Thesevitz you came here right? That jerk likes to pretend but his jealousy is very severe. I still want to live.] Philippa¡¯s face hardened when he mentioned Thesevitz. Hermann could feel the strange tension from Philippa. He wondered if they fought but soon erased the thought. That was impossible. He personally saw just how much Thesevitz loved Philippa from the way he acted. In front of Philippa, Thesevitz lost all the notoriety he had. He was but a stupid boy who had suffered from a long unrequited love. Hermann was the one who stood by and watched this long unrequited love. [Thesevitz doesn¡¯t know. Please keep it a secret from him that I came to see you.] [That¡¯s not hard¡­ but aren¡¯t you being a little weird?] He didn¡¯t remember what kind of face she had at that moment. [It felt great looking at your face. I haven¡¯t seen you for a long time. Well, then¡­ take care.] For some reason, it felt like a permanent farewell, but Hermann didn¡¯t think much about it. However, with that last greeting, Philippa disappeared from the continent. ¡°For real, where in the world are you Philippa? The Grand Duke of Nohibaden has gone crazy.¡± It was at that moment when a figure of a wolf suddenly popped out of Hermann¡¯s shadow. It was his summoned beast that he had commanded to find Philippa¡¯s traces. To be precise, it was commanded to track the traces of Philippa¡¯s spirit that Thesevitz gave. The summoned beast ran in an instant. Hermann hurriedly kicked his horse in the stomach. He was glad he was hovering around the last trace. It was very near. ¡®Please this time!¡¯ But when he caught up to the summoned beast, it was standing alone on a road without one person in sight, its nose poking on the ground. The wolf raised his head and gave something that fell on the ground to Herman who just got down from his horse. It was a pendant. ¡°Shit!¡± It was the pendant that Thesevitz filled with a wind spirit. Hermann clenched his teeth and opened the pendant. ¡°What is this?¡± Instead of the original portrait, a portrait of Philippa was seen. ¡°Why did the portrait change¡­¡± Hermann shook his head. The important thing wasn¡¯t that. He missed it again. No. Hermann clenched the pendant hard enough that it would leave a mark on his hand. Considering that the spirit¡¯s reaction was not long ago, the person couldn¡¯t have left the area yet. Determined, Hermann commanded the summoned beast to detect if anybody was around him. Just then, a small cry was heard from somewhere. ¡°¡­Please save me! Please sa¡ª!¡± He should¡¯ve just ignored it. He was so near to finding¡ª Hermann grumbled and let out a string of abusive words. Then, he commanded the summoned beast again. ¡®Find the girl who screamed.¡¯ Herman thought he couldn¡¯t remember his best friend¡¯s face anymore. But when the moon, which had disappeared under the clouds, came out with its clear light penetrating through the trees, shining on the girl¡¯s face, he realized that it wasn¡¯t the case at all. ¡°Philippa?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°No¡­ No. You¡¯re too young. You look alike. No, but you two look exactly the same. Is that even possible?¡± The man talked to himself like crazy. Diana came to her senses bit by bit, and only now did she realize that the men who threatened her disappeared. She stared at the man standing in front of her, the man that saved her. ¡°T-thank you for s-saving me.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The man looked at the girl silently. When Diana began to panic again, the man opened his mouth. ¡°By any chance, are you¡­.¡± The man paused for a moment. Then, looking down at her, he continued to speak again. ¡°Do you know a person called Philippa?¡± ¡®Who is Philippa? If I say that I don¡¯t know, will I be k-killed?¡¯ Diana¡¯s frightened eyes shook once again. ¡°You should just tell me the truth.¡± Diana looked at him and shook her head. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± This time, she nodded her head. ¡°Then, by chance, can I know your mother¡¯s name?¡± ¡°¡­My mother¡¯s name?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± It was a random question. Diana doubted for a second but quickly answered, afraid that it would offend the man. ¡°Her name is April.¡± Disappointment immediately covered the man¡¯s face. ¡°No, but still¡­. Is this a coincidence? There¡¯s no way.¡± The man started mumbling to himself in agony. Unconsciously, Diana groped at her chest, looking for her mother¡¯s relic that made her feel safe¡­ ¡°¡­!¡± It wasn¡¯t there. Diana hurriedly groped the back of her neck but she didn¡¯t feel anything other than her own skin. ¡°Huh?! Where is it?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did anything happen?¡± Diana hurriedly crouched down onto her stomach, as if her previous trembling appearance was just an illusion. She groped the ground and desperately searched even though she couldn¡¯t see anything. ¡°What are you doing so suddenly?¡± ¡°Give me a moment. I-I have to find¡­ there is something that I must find.¡± ¡°What are you looking for? Ah! Don¡¯t tell me¡­? But, she said her name was April¡­¡± However, Diana did not hear one thing. She was too muddle-headed to even stop and think about what the man had just said. ¡®Where did it drop?¡¯ She tried to remember, but she simply couldn¡¯t. ¡®I definitely touched it while I was coming here¡­ please, please.¡¯ It would be fortunate if it simply fell on the road but, if it fell while she was running in the forest, that was a different story. She couldn¡¯t even tell which direction she was running because she wasn¡¯t thinking at all when she fled. ¡°Are you looking for this?¡± The man took the pendant out of his pocket. ¡°¡­!¡± Diana¡¯s eyes opened widely. ¡°Th-that¡¯s right!¡± The man¡¯s face hardened but Diana, who was still not in the right state of mind, didn¡¯t notice it. The fact that it was found was the only thing she focused on. ¡°Ah, thank goodness. Thank goodness. It¡¯s something that I lost. Thank you.¡± Diana reached out her hand to thank him. But, the man avoided Diana¡¯s hand and retracted the pendant back into his hands. ¡°You said¡­ this is yours?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°This belongs to a person that I know. Is this really yours?¡± The man spoke with a straight face. The threatening voice made Diana pale. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering? Is this really yours?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The frightened Diana began to stutter again. ¡°I-I, s-so, m-my¡­.¡± The man breathed out a deep sigh. Hanging his head down he took off his hood. He revealed his thin face, the type that belonged to an intellectual, and oddly enough, this relieved Diana. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. Is this really yours?¡± Hup. Diana breathed in and said in a tightening voice. ¡°¡­Yes, it¡¯s mine.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± This time, it was the man who fell quiet. ¡°I-is there any problem?¡± Diana asked with trembling lips, breaking the silence. The man alternately looked at the pendant and Diana. He then opened the pendant, seemingly very familiar with it. He showed Diana the picture inside it. The moment she saw her mother¡¯s face, tears pooled in her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s your relationship with this woman?¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°I asked what¡¯s your relationship?¡± She couldn¡¯t understand why the man would ask such a thing. ¡®Why should I be interrogated like this?¡¯ Diana felt like a victim. She just went through a terrible ordeal, yet here was this man continuously bothering her. Then, while holding back her tears, Diana spoke. ¡°If I answer¡­ will you give it back?¡± The man slowly nodded. Diana was exhausted. There was nothing more she wanted to do than to quickly get the pendant and head back. So she answered. ¡°My mom. The person in the photo¡­ She¡¯s my mother.¡± The man sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me your father is another¡­ ah, no, that¡¯s not the important thing. Where is your mother?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask if the woman inside the pendant is really her and give it back.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Diana was speechless. The moment the man mentioned her mother, her emotions burst. Sadness poured in like a wave and squeezed out every single one of her tears. ¡°Hic, hicc.¡± ¡°What? Why? Why are you crying?¡± ¡°W-why, are you, hicc, hic, doing this to m-me?¡± ¡°No. What? What do you mean why? Why are you crying? Stop crying for a moment.¡± ¡°M-mom has¡­. My mother has¡­.¡± Diana tried to stop her tears by biting her lips several times. However, the outburst of emotion was too hard to control. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ No, it can¡¯t be that right?¡± Looking at Diana¡¯s crying appearance, the man stepped back. It was as if her expression already told him everything. The man shook his head violently. He looked very scared. ¡°No. It¡¯s not what I think it is, right? It shouldn¡¯t be. It¡¯s impossible. Please.¡± After a few more breaths, Diana completed her words. ¡°¡­passed away.¡± Chapter 3 ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s really mine. Although, it¡¯s my mom¡¯s relic¡­. But, it¡¯s, it¡¯s really mine. Really.¡± Diana could no longer speak, tears once again pouring out of her eyes. The man simply stared blankly at her sorrowful appearance. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± The man reached out his hand slowly. It was the arms of a stranger, but Diana just wanted to cry. It didn¡¯t matter in whose arms she was crying in, and so she buried her face in his robes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Diana cried for a long time. The man would comfort her with a light pat with his hand but then she would cry again and again and again. At some point she came to her senses and the man took off the hand that had comforted her. ¡°¡­ You must be quite thirsty, right?¡± Diana nodded. The man handed over a water bottle that was attached to his waist and gave it to her. Diana struggled to open the lid as she had no strength left in her arms. ¡°Hand it to me for a second.¡± The man took the bottle from Diana¡¯s hand and opened the lid. ¡°Th-thank you.¡± Her voice completely cracked. With each gulp of water, the taste of blood flooded her mouth along with a stinging pain. The man patiently waited for her to finish and finally took out the pendant. ¡°I¡¯ll give this back.¡± The man who hanged the pendant on his neck paused. The pendant cord was broken. ¡°Hic, hicc.¡± Her tears threatened to come out once again. Then, a light shone from the man¡¯s hand, fixing the broken cord in an instant. It was magic. Diana looked at the man with wide-opened eyes. Her tears dried up just like that. ¡°Are you a sorcerer?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The man replied in a subdued voice. ¡°Woah, it¡¯s my first time seeing a sorcerer. It¡¯s so fascinating! Wow¡­ Woah, it¡¯s really amazing!¡± ¡°I sure am quite¡­ amazing.¡± Diana stroked the cord several times. The sorcerer carefully put the pendant back on her neck, making the relieved Diana let out a laugh. ¡°This is driving me crazy.¡± The sorcerer muttered when he saw Diana¡¯s smile. Surprised by the words, Diana looked at the sorcerer. ¡°I wasn¡¯t saying it to you¡­¡± The sorcerer put his head down and wrapped his hands around his face. ¡°Ah, shit! Ah, ah! Damn it. Philippa. Philippa, if it¡¯s like this, Thesevitz will¡­.¡± The sorcerer¡¯s tortured groan leaked through his fingers. ¡°¡­.¡± This time Diana was the one who waited for the sorcerer to calm down. It was not long before the sorcerer got himself together and looked up. He uncovered his dry face and untied his robe. ¡°First, wear this.¡± ¡°Yes? Ah, I¡¯m f-fine.¡± Diana took a step back, looking down at her leg stinging in pain as she attempted to move it. One shoe must have flown away without her knowing it, as one of her feet was bare. ¡®My shoe¡­ Can I find it? But, if I ask for a new one¡­ the Head Maid will get mad¡­¡¯ Looking at the expression on Diana¡¯s face, the sorcerer finally realized Diana¡¯s sorry appearance. The sorcerer clenched his hand, a round light appearing as he opened it. ¡°Woah!¡± Diana looked at the sparkling light as if she was possessed. The small sphere illuminated Diana¡¯s figure very well. Her hair tangled with scattered leaves and branches, her skirt which was torn somewhere along the way, her half-clad feet, and her limbs that were full of scratches. ¡°Damn!¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± Diana apologized reflexively. ¡°No, it¡¯s not targeted at you¡­!¡± The sorcerer who shouted, breathed heavily, his hand reaching out and grabbing Diana¡¯s wrist. It was a gentle touch. However, the scarred wrists were long sore. Along with her realization of the pain she was feeling, it amplified the feeling of strain. ¡°¡­ It hurts.¡± Diana murmured unconsciously. ¡°Stay still for a moment.¡± With a distorted look the sorcerer put his hand on Diana¡¯s wound and muttered. A flow of warm energy came from the man¡¯s touch, permeating into her wrist. ¡°¡­!¡± The red marks disappeared in an instant. Her other wounds healed as well. The surprised Diana touched and pressed here and there. ¡°Don¡¯t touch it. It¡¯ll take time to recover even if it looks completely healed.¡± ¡°Thank you very, very much.¡± ¡°¡­Well, it¡¯s nothing.¡± The sorcerer put his robe around Diana. ¡°Even though it feels stuffy, endure it a little more. Where is your father? Because it¡¯s dangerous, I¡¯ll take you back home.¡± The robe was much softer than Diana¡¯s smile. She fiddled with it, muttering softly in response. ¡°There¡¯s none.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t have a father.¡± Diana glanced at the sorcerer. The sorcerer¡¯s appearance, which had become a little softer, hardened again. ¡°You¡­.¡± The sorcerer wetted his dry lips and asked with a serious look. ¡°How old are you this year?¡± Though Diana tilted her head, she answered obediently. ¡°Thirteen years old.¡± ¡°Thirteen? You said thirteen?¡± The sorcerer asked as if he couldn¡¯t believe it. The tall sorcerer bowed his head and touched Diana¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m thirteen¡­.¡± Diana replied, blurring the end of her words. ¡°Birthday, when is your birthday?¡± The sorcerer asked impatiently. The questions of unknown reason started once again. Realizing he was too impatient, the sorcerer sighed. ¡°Ha!¡± Then he laughed as if he had lost his mind. ¡®Is he going¡­ insane?¡¯ Oblivious to Diana¡¯s worries, the sorcerer muttered to himself. This appearance only further instigated her concern. ¡°¡­ Gosh! Philippa. When you disappeared, you were¡­ is that why? Thesevitz, that bastard. What do you mean you didn¡¯t know the reason why Philippa disappeared?¡± The smiling, crying, and squealing sorcerer wrapped her up once again with his robe. He murmured some sort of spell and lifted her up into his arms. ¡°Oh my!¡± Without any notice, Diana was lifted into the air. ¡°Please let me down!¡± ¡°Because you don¡¯t have any shoes, just endure it for a moment. You can¡¯t just walk barefoot right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Why are you this light? Do you even eat? With your stature like this, you¡¯ll be mistaken as a ten year old¡­¡± The sorcerer sighed and shook his head, he then took a stride forward. Diana, who was struggling, got surprised and hugged his neck. ¡°Right, hang on tight.¡± ¡°¡­ Thank you, Mister Sorcerer.¡± Diana said in a crawling voice. ¡°Hermann Rietchev.¡± Hermann Rietchev. In order to remember the name of her lifesaver, the first sorcerer she had ever seen, Diana tried to roll the name in her mouth a few times. Hermann looked down at her with a mysterious look on his face. ¡°I¡¯m your mother¡¯s best friend.¡± Diana opened her mouth wide, coughing into the cold wind. ¡°Tell me if you¡¯re sick.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m fine. It-it¡¯s just that I¡¯m surprised. How can my mom¡¯s friend be here¡­ Are you really my mom¡¯s friend?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m the one who cast a spell on the pendant. That¡¯s why I asked.¡± Diana¡¯s mouth opened again. ¡°Woah. So, this was a magical pendant?¡± Diana took the pendant out once again. However, she couldn¡¯t feel anything different from other normal objects.. ¡°¡­So, you didn¡¯t know.¡± Hermann glanced at Diana, who was smiling innocently and clenched his teeth. He couldn¡¯t believe that she didn¡¯t even tell her own daughter that the pendant was magical. Philippa. He knew he was simply opening the child¡¯s old wounds, but he couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Can you tell me how and when your mother passed away?¡± The child suddenly stopped moving. Hermann hastily added. ¡°The last time I saw her, she was really healthy. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t know what in the world happened.¡± The child didn¡¯t remain silent for long. ¡°She passed away when I was seven years old, by a carriage accident.¡± ¡°Did you say a carriage accident?¡± Hermann asked back as if he could not believe it. Diana said with a slight shrug. ¡°Yes, it was raining and the carriage skidded on the slippery road.¡± ¡°Ha. That¡¯s impossible. What is this ¡­.¡± Her mother¡¯s death was a great sadness for Diana, but it happened a long time ago. It was a sad, painful, and hard thing to go through, but enough time had passed for her to finally give up and accept it. You can¡¯t live if you don¡¯t let the dead go. However, for her mother¡¯s friend this was a bolt out of the blue. So she kept silent and left him to mourn. For a long time, she could only hear the sound of leaves passing by the wind and the cries of grasshoppers. Finally, Hermann spoke in a hoarse voice. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go together to your mother¡¯s grave tomorrow.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± *** Diana¡¯s face was buried in a soft pillow. It felt like she was buried in feathers. It was warm and cozy like the bed she used when she was young. As Diana opened her eyes from her sleep she awoke to a bright feeling around her. The room was brightly lit by sunlight coming in from a large plaid glass window. ¡®Where is this?¡¯ There was no such big window in the maid¡¯s room where Diana stayed. All she had there was a small wooden window, where a tremendous cold wind would blow in in winter. She often thought she¡¯d rather not have a window. Suddenly, she came to her senses. ¡°Oh, crap!¡± Diana jumped out of her bed.¡°Oh my, what time is it now? What will the Miss say? No, I must be crazy. When did I fall asleep?¡± She didn¡¯t remember. The last thing she remembered was coming back in the arms of Hermann. Did she fall asleep in her mother¡¯s friend¡¯s arms?! ¡°Crazy! Diana, you must be crazy!¡± Diana screamed then shook her head. She didn¡¯t have time to dawdle around right now. After all, she slept outside overnight without notifying them. She was scared, already knowing that the head maid would be very angry at her. ¡®Shoes! Where are my shoes?!¡¯ While looking for her shoes, Diana realized that someone had changed her clothes. ¡®W-who changed my clothes?¡¯ It was made of a soft pink material. ¡®No. More than that, where is my clothes¡­ and where is Mister Hermann? I have to go back quickly¡­.¡¯ Feeling impatient, Diana searched the room. Diana soon found a quill pen, ink, and paper. She hurriedly wrote, [Thank you for saving me. I work at the Bordeaux Mansion. It would be great if we can meet again. -Diana-] The handwriting was very crooked. It was as if it was written by a child who learned to write for the first time. ¡®Mom was very smart and had beautiful handwriting. What should I do if Mister Sorcerer questions about why her daughter¡¯s handwriting is like this?¡¯ Ah, she doesn¡¯t know anymore. First things first, she had to go. Diana opened the door in a hurry but soon stopped. Chapter 4 ¡°What are you mumbling about? Are you okay?¡± Hermann was there sitting on the sofa. His under eyes were black as if he couldn¡¯t fall asleep all night. ¡°M-Mister Hermann?¡± Hermann¡¯s forehead wrinkled. ¡°What did you say? Mister Hermann?¡± ¡°¡­I-I apologize. I don¡¯t quite know¡­ How should I address you?¡± Hermann rubbed his forehead at the sight of Diana¡¯s hesitant look. ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize¡­ just call me Hermann.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­ Will it be alright?¡± Hermann repeatedly nodded his head. ¡°Is your body feeling okay?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m not hurt at all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Even though it should be expected since I cast magic on you.¡± ¡°Thank you so much.¡± Healing Magic. For her, who was not a noble, it was a very luxurious thing. In her heart, she added a few more grateful points for Hermann. While getting up from the sofa, Hermann looked at her. ¡°You have to eat. Do you have anything you want to eat? You can order here and you can also go out to eat. Ah, you need to wash your face first. I¡¯ll call the staff here.¡± At those words, she came to her senses. Now was not the time to be leisurely talking like this. ¡°Mister Hermann! I mean, Hermann! By any chance, did you see my clothes? It seems that I can¡¯t find the original clothes that I was wearing.¡± ¡°Clothes? Aaah¡­.¡± Hermann yawned and rubbed his face. His relaxed appearance burned her insides. ¡°It was already torn and dirty, so I threw it away.¡± ¡°Excuse me!? N-no, I mean, did you just say you threw them away?¡± ¡°Yeah. Ah, I asked the staff here to change your clothes, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± It was fortunate to know that she didn¡¯t have to ask, but still, he threw her clothes away! What should she do? Diana, who was concerned, asked carefully. She couldn¡¯t afford to waste time like this. ¡°Then, Hermann. Can you lend me the clothes I¡¯m wearing right now? Just for a while, only until I come back to the mansion. I¡¯ll wash it then give it back to you later.¡± ¡°Because you called me Hermann, just bring that. What am I going to do with women¡¯s clothes even if you gave it back?¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± That was indeed true¡­ Diana bowed her head down awkwardly. ¡°Thank you.¡± Hermann waved his hand half-heartedly. The clothes she wore now were much better than what she used to wear. ¡®This looks expensive, is it okay?¡¯ ¡°But, that¡¯s a nightdress? You¡¯re going to go out wearing that?¡± Hermann asked as if it was weird. ¡°Nightdress?¡± Only then did she properly examine the clothes. Come to think of it, it looked similar to the clothes that Lady Atticia wore to sleep. ¡°Because I already bought the clothes for you to change, just change into that.¡± Hermann pointed to the shelf next to the door that Diana came out from. She could see neatly folded clothes in the basket. The top she had in her hand was as soft as the one she was wearing. It was a white top and a deep blue skirt, very smooth and good to touch. ¡®It looks hard to wash.¡¯ As she was admiring and examining the newly attained clothes, Diana noticed Hermann by the side. ¡°¡­Then, can you lend me these clothes?¡± ¡°Haaaah¡­¡± Hermann sighed deeply. ¡°Keep that too. I don¡¯t need it.¡± Hermann approached with heavy steps and grabbed a glass of water on the shelf. ¡°Drink and calm down a bit. Where in the world are you going to that you¡¯re rushing out without even washing your face?¡± Diana had a tearful face. ¡°I apologize. But, if I¡¯m much later than this, I¡¯ll be scolded by Miss. No, even if it¡¯s not like that, Miss will scold me too, but even so¡ª¡± ¡°Miss?¡± Hermann cut off Diana¡¯s words. ¡°What Miss?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Miss Atticia. The Young Lady of the Baron Bordeaux household. The person I serve.¡± ¡°Did you just say¡­ serve? Hermann¡¯s voice became low. Not understanding the reason why, Diana hunched her shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m working there as a maid.¡± ¡°¡­Ha!¡± *** Diana nervously rubbed her sweaty hands on the hem of her dress. In front of her was the back door of Bordeaux¡¯s mansion. The hem of the skirt gently cleansed her palm. Taking one final deep breath, Diana walked into the mansion. On the way to the Head Maid¡¯s room, she ran into some employees, but they all ignored her. It didn¡¯t affect her however, she was used to it. Diana knocked on the door where the Head Maid was located. ¡°Who is it?¡± A stern voice replied from the other side of the door. Diana¡¯s breathing stagnated for a second, but she soon replied. ¡°It¡¯s Diana, Ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°¡­ Come in.¡± The Head Maid was not the only person in the room. Inside, Laura, Miss Atticia¡¯s closest maid was waiting along with her. Laura snapped as soon as she saw Diana. ¡°What have you been up to all night?¡± The voice was filled with irritation. ¡°Do you know how much the Miss had to suffer trying to find you? I heard you arrived at Lily of The Valley last evening!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯ve made you worry¡ª¡± ¡°Who would worry about a person like you?¡± ¡°Laura.¡± The Head Maid called Laura to stop her. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better if she didn¡¯t come back? Today the Miss¡¯s fiance came. Didn¡¯t she come to seduce him?¡± ¡°Laura!¡± The Head Maid shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t recklessly talk about Lord Hauzen.¡± Diana bit her lips. She was never interested in the Miss¡¯ fiance. She was actually quite busy avoiding him, but everybody still blamed her. Shouldn¡¯t it be the fiance¡¯s fault for immorally looking away from his fiance while at his fiance¡¯s house? ¡°I don¡¯t know why he wants to pursue such a person like you. The Miss would be far more comfortable if you were immediately kicked out.¡± ¡°Laura, stop it and return to the Miss. And Diana, you¡­.¡± Unlike when she looked at Laura, the Head Maid¡¯s expression was cold. ¡°You know the penalty for staying out overnight without notice, right? I¡¯ll cut it directly from your paycheck.¡± ¡°Ah, um, Head Maid. It was actually because of an accident¡ª¡± The head maid didn¡¯t have any interest in Diana¡¯s words and simply cut her off. ¡°Right¡­ When Lord Hauzen has gone back, clean up the annex on the second floor. Make sure to do it within a week.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that reaction? Are you dissatisfied?¡± The second-floor annex was a place that people usually didn¡¯t clean. If she were to clean up that place alone, she would have to cut off both her sleep time and eating time for a week. ¡°It¡¯s not like that, Head Maid. Yesterday, when I was going back, there was an acc¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make excuses.¡± ¡°No, Head Maid, please hear out my wor¡ª¡± ¡°Pay attention to your mouth. You¡¯re still not shutting up?!¡± The Head Maid cut off Diana¡¯s word sharply. ¡°Who taught you to talk back? Where did you learn such manners?¡± Diana was speechless. Her face turned into a scowl. Suddenly, she realized the reality of her position. If she didn¡¯t come back, would they even try to find her? ¡®I don¡¯t dare hope for them to be worried.¡¯ But, if there was something, couldn¡¯t they ask her why was she late? No. Couldn¡¯t they at least listen to her? ¡°What¡¯s with that look? Are you unhappy with what I said?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to do it, you can quit. Even without you, there are people who are willing to work.¡± The Head Maid said to her distastefully, as if she was wasting her time by simply talking to Diana. Diana bit her lips until they became white. The Head Maid mockingly laughed at her expression. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Tsk. We wasted so much time because you¡¯re so stupid. Quickly go and clean up!¡± Diana clenched her hands tightly, then breathing out loudly she said, ¡°I¡¯ll quit.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The Head Maid and Laura went silent. ¡°W-what did you just say!? You will quit?¡± The Head Maid asked back with a slight stutter. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll quit.¡± Diana recalled her conversation with Hermann. [Why can¡¯t you quit? What in the world is the problem?] [I can¡¯t! If I leave my job there, I won¡¯t have a place to stay, and because I don¡¯t have a guardian¡­.] [What are you talking about?] The ridiculing tone of his voice, his sigh, and his words were patronizing. But, for Diana, it was a ray of light. [Of course, I¡¯m your guardian now.] She was no longer alone. ¡®Yeah. This is for the better.¡¯ Diana tried to calm herself down. ¡°Are you not right in the mind? If you quit, do you even have a place to go?!¡± Flustered for a moment, Laura shouted. ¡°Laura, stop and let it go.¡± ¡°But, Head Maid! That thing¡ª¡± ¡°I said stop it.¡± Laura pouted at the Head Maid¡¯s warning. Under the threat, Laura left the room, shoving Diana¡¯s shoulder while she was at it. Diana rubbed her stinging shoulder. Passing through the side where she was in such a spacious room, it was obviously intentional. ¡°You should be thankful that you were given a bed and fed despite being an orphan. I don¡¯t know the reason, but let¡¯s see how long you can last.¡± Laura fiercely opened the door. ¡°Don¡¯t kneel and beg us to take you back again later, okay?¡± Along with a loud slamming sound, the door closed. The Head Maid clicked her tongue and stood up from the chair. ¡°Right. You said you¡¯ll quit.¡± The Head Maid approached the shelf and took a thick bundle of paper. ¡°Even if you didn¡¯t quit like this, I would already have a headache. Especially since you seduced Lord Hauzen.¡± At the ridiculous statement, Diana unconsciously questioned her. ¡°What in the world does that mean? I seduced him!?¡± ¡°Why? Are my words wrong?¡± ¡°You know it well, Head Maid.¡± The Head Maid raised her head. The way she looked at Diana was unbelievably cold. Her eyes looked at her as if she was but an insect. Just looking at those eyes made her feel so insignificant. Diana clenched her hands together. It¡¯s okay, calm down, Diana. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything. You know more clearly than anybody my innocence.¡± ¡°So? What am I supposed to do?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°What can I do, that¡¯s how you were born. Well, you have a decent face, so if you work hard, maybe you¡¯ll be able to meet a decent guy. Unless you follow the ways of your mother.¡± ¡°Head Maid!¡± Diana shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t yell for nothing. Are my words wrong? Isn¡¯t it true that your mother gave birth to you without a husband?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Diana bit her lips until they turned white. ¡°How could a single mother proudly carry her face around like that? A nuisance that doesn¡¯t know its place. At least you shouldn¡¯t live like that.¡± She clasped her hands together until her fingertips were white. She intentionally didn¡¯t raise her head, because if she looked at the Head Maid¡¯s face right now, she wouldn¡¯t be able to hold back her anger. Chapter 5 The Head Maid walked to the shelf and opened a safe. She counted the money inside it and put it in a leather pouch, seemingly indifferent she pushed the pouch and threw it towards Diana. ¡°Here. It¡¯s the salary for this month and your retirement pay. It would be great if you left as soon as possible. When are you planning to pack up?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll sort it out today.¡± ¡°Alright. About your work¡­. I¡¯ll work it out, so just go.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Go quietly. Don¡¯t make a fuss, leave silently like the dead. Understood?¡± Diana took the leather pouch. ¡°Thank you for everything you¡¯ve done for me.¡± The sound of the door closing behind her back echoed quietly. The hallway was empty. ¡°Haah.¡± Diana sighed deeply and rubbed her eyelids. ¡®Who would know that I¡¯d quit like this.¡¯ She had been agonizing about how she would do it, but yet again, her agonizing was all for naught. ¡®It¡¯s fine. It worked out rather well.¡¯ Diana opened the pouch and checked the amount of money inside. A maid¡¯s salary varied depending on their position, but it was usually around 200,000 Sorna a month, which was about 10 silver coins. However, Diana¡¯s salary was nothing compared to that. Her salary was 20,000 Sorna at most. The Head Maid said it was because she was young, so she had no choice but to give her less. She said that she should be grateful for even getting a salary at a place that already provided her accommodation. ¡®But, I worked the same amount as the rest¡­.¡¯ No, rather, ever since she began being ill-treated by the Miss, she had to do more work than the other maids. Diana rubbed the scar on the back of her hand. It was a wound that formed while doing laundry in the middle of winter. Washing clothes in the cold was a painful process. She had to break the ice and do the laundry in floating water. That day, by the time she had finished doing the laundry it was already very dark. Diana came back expecting to get some rest, when suddenly Laura threw the Miss¡¯s skirt at her and told her to go back out and wash it as well. Even worse was the fact that the skirt had ink stains on it that were intentionally put there. The already ingrained ink didn¡¯t come off well, and by the time she returned, barely finishing the task, her leather shoes were frozen hard, splattered with water. While taking off her shoes, Diana couldn¡¯t help but groan, her feet had become swollen red, frozen like a statue. Diana¡¯s luggage was simple. She simply had to fold her few clothes and put them inside her bag. She also grabbed a bunch of letters that were tied with a string and placed them into the bag, closing it. She took one last look around the room. Her gaze passed from the old bed, to the small bedside table, and to the only closet. ¡®I didn¡¯t know I would leave here like this.¡¯ She had enough of everything, but she still felt sad. After all, it was the place she lived in for more than five years. Diana sighed and picked up her luggage. *** ¡°I¡¯ll write to you when I¡¯ve settled down.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of writing a letter? I don¡¯t know how to read.¡± Mrs. Martin snorted. She was the only Missus who sincerely cared for Diana at Bordeaux¡¯s mansion. She was also the only person to ask when she didn¡¯t come back yesterday. Diana at least wanted to say her last greetings to the Missus and give her an explanation. After hearing the circumstances, the Missus was enraged as if it was her who was told to leave, and even offered to escort Diana out. Diana smiled and stopped her steps. ¡°Mrs. Martin, I¡¯m really fine. You can go in now.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I say I¡¯ll go with you? I have to at least see which bastard it is who¡¯s claiming to be your guardian.¡± Mrs. Martin huffed and crossed her arms, untrusting the fact that Diana now had a guardian and was leaving the mansion. It was to the extent that the Missus asked her if she was kicked out and that¡¯s why she was leaving. Even offering to step in and ask the Head Maid about it. ¡°I can¡¯t let you go because I¡¯m anxious. Don¡¯t you know how dangerous the outside world is¡­?¡± At that time, the figure of a carriage appeared from the forest. ¡°I think I see a carriage over there. Don¡¯t tell me, is that the carriage?¡± Diana turned her head at Mrs. Martin¡¯s words. ¡°Ah, I think that¡¯s right.¡± Mrs. Martin squinted her eyes and muttered. ¡°The carriage is nice¡­.¡± The fast-running carriage stopped on the hill. The door opened and Hermann, who was wearing a deeply-pressed hat, got off. ¡°Gasp!¡± Mrs. Martin, whose mouth was shut, let out a strange exclamation. Diana also looked at Hermann with big eyes. Hermann dressed completely different from the common travelers one would see in the morning. He dressed like the city people, clad in a sophisticated suit, a glossy black cape, and holding an expensive-looking cane. The cape in particular, looked incredibly expensive. ¡®Looks like he¡¯s even better than the Lord¡­?¡¯ With a strange expression, Mrs. Martin whispered to Diana. ¡°¡­By any chance, is that person a noble?¡± An answer came out from the other side. ¡°No, I¡¯m not. Diana, who is she?¡± Diana hurriedly introduced Mrs. Martin. ¡°This is Mrs. Martin, the head cook of the Bordeaux Mansion. She came out to see me off.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Hermann took off his hat and bowed slightly without saying a word. Mrs. Martin, who had been staring blankly for a while, belatedly greeted him. ¡°P-please take good care of Diana.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Hermann spoke politely, reaching out his hand to Diana. ¡°Then, let¡¯s go now.¡± After nodding her head, Diana greeted Mrs. Martin one last time. ¡°Mrs. Martin, I¡¯ll go now. Thank you for escorting me all the way here.¡± ¡°Y-yeah. Be careful, and stay healthy.¡± Mrs. Martin gave Diana a tight hug. ¡°Is this all of your luggage?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Nice way of thinking, it¡¯s better to throw away all unneeded baggage.¡± Hermann picked up Diana¡¯s luggage bag. ¡°Ah? I can also hold it¡­.¡± Hermann simply ignored Diana and put her bag inside the carriage. He then grabbed Diana¡¯s waist and lifted her up. ¡°¡­!¡± Before she could even scream in surprise, she was already in the carriage. ¡®W-what just happened?¡¯ Hermann followed, casually stroking Diana¡¯s head as he got in. Settling in, he nonchalantly sat on the seat across her. Diana was left puzzled and touched the part where Hermann had stroked her. The carriage took off slowly. Rushing to the window, Diana waved back at Mrs. Martin. Diana waved to Mrs. Martin until she wasn¡¯t visible anymore before sitting down. Hermann, who was staring at her, blankly asked. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Hermann pointed with the tip of his chin. It was the bouquet of wildflowers that Diana was holding. ¡°Ah.¡± Diana hurriedly looked at the bouquet. She accidentally squeezed it when she climbed up, but thankfully the flower was fine because she held the stem part. She let out a sigh of relief. ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯ll be going to see mom.¡± To get flowers one had to go out of the city. Even more so, flowers were very expensive, so she could only manage such luxury once a year, on her mother¡¯s death anniversary. Hermann looked caught off guard. He turned his head and looked out of the window as if to hide his face. After a long time, he opened his mouth again. ¡°¡­Philippa didn¡¯t like flowers.¡± ¡°Philippa¡­. Ah right, you said it was mother¡¯s name.¡± Hermann belatedly recalled telling Diana her mother¡¯s real name yesterday. It was still awkward for Diana to hear the name. ¡°Boys always sent her flowers as gifts, so she said that she was tired dealing with it.¡± ¡°Really? I didn¡¯t know.¡± It was the first time she heard that story. So, she didn¡¯t like flowers¡­ Diana once again fiddled with the pendant that was on her chest, a habit she had picked up. Hermann looked at her appearance and said, ¡°About that pendant, don¡¯t tell anyone about it and don¡¯t show it as well. ¡± ¡°Yes? Ah, yes.¡± ¡°Are there a lot of people who know that the pendant is your mother¡¯s relic?¡± Diana agonized over it with her fingers then shook her head. Mrs. Martin, Miss Atticia and a friend at the academy. Those were the only ones. Hermann nodded at the number of fingers Diana folded. ¡°It¡¯s a relief that there are only three people. The fact that it¡¯s a relic isn¡¯t the important thing. What¡¯s important is the fact that there¡¯s a spirit in it.¡± ¡°A spirit?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°You said last time that it was cast by a magic spell.¡± ¡°Of course, the spirit was placed using magic.¡± The spirit was put in by Thesevitz, who is most likely your biological father. Hermann swallowed the following words. It wasn¡¯t confirmed yet so he shouldn¡¯t come to conclusions so quickly. Although he was almost 100 percent sure due to the timing and her symptoms. Even so, it was really fortunate that there was that pendant. Without the traces of the spirit, even if it was Hermann who was searching, he would not have found Philippa, no, Diana. The problem was that the spirit who had long been asleep in the pendant suddenly started to move. Hermann examined the pendant when Diana fell asleep, but Spirits wasn¡¯t his major. ¡°T-then is this something very precious?¡± Frightened, Diana turned pale. Herman was appalled, trying to calm her down, he said moderately, ¡°Surely it¡¯s not common, but it¡¯s not very precious.¡± It was worth a castle, but it¡¯s not precious because your father is the Grand Duke of Nohibaden. Hermann once again swallowed the following words. Fortunately, Diana seemed somewhat relieved by Hermann¡¯s words. ¡°At this rate, in the future how will Philippa¡¯s daughter¡­.¡± Hermann looked at Diana worriedly. The horseman knocked on the carriage door, indicating that they had arrived. Hermann¡¯s expression, which had relaxed, turned stiff again. In a firm voice, Hermann said. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve arrived. Let¡¯s get off.¡± They arrived at the Aachen Public Cemetery. A place where people without connections were buried. It was a quiet place with very few visitors, even now, they were the only people there. A mixture of weak wooden tombstones and still shaped stone tombstones gave the scenery a lonely feeling. Diana walked familiarly between them, Hermann following right after her. After walking for a long time, they arrived. Diana laid down a bouquet of flowers in front of the best-managed tombstone. [April] It was a rough tombstone with only one small name that was engraved on it. ¡°Wait, for a moment¡­.¡± Hermann buried his face between his long fingers. As he breathed in, Hermann said without raising his face from his hand. ¡°Diana. For a moment, haa¡­. Can you leave me alone for a while?¡± Hermann pretended to be calm, but at the end of his words he trembled. Diana alternated between looking at her mother¡¯s grave and Hermann. She knew that Hermann didn¡¯t want to show her his grief. ¡°I¡¯ll be in the carriage.¡± Diana headed for the carriage looking back every now and then anxiously. Chapter 6 Hermann didn¡¯t return for a long time and the snoring horseman was proof of it. Diana waited in the wagon alone made her feel gloomy. Feeling choked up for no reason, she rubbed her nose, leaving the carriage door open for some air. Her mother¡¯s funeral was simple. Diana knew nothing of what should¡¯ve been done but she barely managed to hold the funeral with the help of a priest from Aachen. If Hermann was there back then, would things have been different? A long time passed before Hermann returned. When he came back, his eyes were red and filled with deep anxiety. ¡°You came.¡± When Hermann saw Diana, he clenched his teeth, a way for him to resist the incoming burst of emotions. ¡°Yes, at least her daughter is still here¡­ ¡± Is it a relief? In the end, the words Hermann muttered were not heard. But in her heart, Diana wished in a small way that it would be great if it was a relief. Hermann reached out his hand to Diana. ¡°¡­ Let¡¯s go.¡± *** The carriage rattled loudly on the dirt road. ¡°Where are we going now?¡± ¡°Aachen.¡± ¡°Do you live there?¡± ¡°No, I usually reside in the World Tower.¡± ¡°World Tower¡­.¡± She had heard of that place. A tower of sorcerers, where twelve wise men ruled as representatives through voting. ¡°Come and play later. It¡¯s worth seeing at least once.¡± ¡°R-really? I can also go in there? Can I really go?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Woah¡­.¡± The World Tower¡­ Isn¡¯t that the place I¡¯ve only seen in fairy tales? ¡°There is not much to see in the World Tower. It¡¯s not something you should expect much of.¡± ¡°Even so.¡± Looking at Diana¡¯s sparkling eyes, Hermann swallowed back his words, too embarrassed to crush a little girl¡¯s dreams. ¡°First, we¡¯ll visit the Ohri Bank today.¡± ¡°Bank?¡± ¡°Yeah. Have you ever been there?¡± Diana shook her head. The Bank is a place for people¡¯s wealth to go, but the entirety of Diana¡¯s fortune was already inside the small leather pouch she carried. ¡°Ohri Bank is a bank that is owned by Count Ohrid.¡± Herman rubbed his face then continued. ¡°Count Ohrid was called the ¡®Gold Master¡¯ way before the Heimbarden was founded.¡± Hermann peeked at the window curtain. ¡°You know that gold coins are called Reeds, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I know.¡± Even though she has never actually seen a gold coin¡­. ¡°It¡¯s named after Count Ohrid.¡± ¡°Wow. Even gold coins?¡± ¡°Yeah. Ohri Bank¡¯s Reed is the base value of a gold coin. Other currencies are simply made after it and then the prices of goods are set.¡± Ohri, Reed. They were all named after Ohrid. She laughed because it seemed like a funny pun. Hermann hesitated after hearing her but still continued. ¡°For the Ohrid family nothing is impossible. Everything that can be done with money can be done and everything that cannot be done with money will be made possible. He is but a Count, but he is levels above the others holding the same title.¡± Hermann drew the curtains again and looked at Diana. He sighed deeply, looking as if he had something on his mind. ¡°If you¡­ so if¡­ this is only an example. Okay?¡± Looking at his cautiousness Diana couldn¡¯t guess what he was trying to say. ¡°Yes, please just say it.¡± ¡°What would you feel if you became a part of the Ohrid Household?¡± Diana blinked. ¡®¡­ Is this some sort of metaphor for winning the lottery?¡¯ It was a very strange question. Diana, for the life of her, couldn¡¯t figure out why Hermann would ask such a question. Looking at Diana who was agonizing over the problem, he waved his hand. ¡°No, no. Just forget it.¡± Hermann shook his head. ¡°We¡¯ll stop by the bank and find a house where you can stay.¡± ¡°¡­Look for a house?¡± They weren¡¯t going back to Hermann¡¯s house? Ah, come to think again, he did say that he lived in the World Tower. Diana could feel her future turning dark. ¡°I¡¯m going to find your biological fathe¡ª I mean friend. I have to go find my friend. That person is in another continent right now, so going there in person is the fastest way, and I can¡¯t take you there.¡± ¡°Then, what about me¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s three months at the most. Only until then, will you be alone.¡± ¡°Alone?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have someone I know to watch over you, so you don¡¯t need to worry.¡± ¡°Oh¡­.¡± Diana¡¯s expression fogged over. Not long after, the carriage stopped. Diana put on a hat and a robe, and got off the carriage. It was something Hermann gifted her. Countless people moved in and out of the ivory building. Some people who looked like uniformed guards stood at the entrance. Diana leaned over and read the sign. [Ohri Bank, Aachen Branch] Above the metal sign, there was a sculpture of a bird flying over a branch. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± Hermann made sure his hat was on properly and went ahead. Diana hurriedly followed, afraid she would lose him. Inside, employees bustled around trying to finish their tasks, some people sat by the windows and chattered, and some people silently waited. Hermann walked past the busy hall and walked towards a corner where he opened a heavy-looking brown door. Inside the door was a completely different scene from the one outside. The red carpet in the silent hallway absorbed the sound of footsteps. Unfazed by the sudden change of atmosphere, Hermann walked up the spiral stairs and walked down the hallway on the second floor. He looked at the signs and stood in front of one door. He knocked, and with almost no delay a ¡®Come in¡¯ came. ¡°What brings you he¡ª¡± The man sitting at the mahogany desk suddenly jumped up, not continuing his words. ¡°¡­ Mister Hermann Rietchev? Are you really Mister Hermann Rietchev?¡± Diana looked at Hermann in surprise. Hermann clicked his tongue. ¡°Don¡¯t make a fuss.¡± ¡°¡­I apologize. Please come in.¡± The man guided them in the most courteous manner. He brought them to a drawing room attached to the previous space and both Hermann and Diana sat down on a leather sofa directed by the man. ¡°Who might the person beside you be?¡± The man asked politely. ¡®Person?¡¯ (t/n: In Korean, there are different ways to refer to a person, like ?? [saram], ? [bun], ? [myeong], ? [gun], ? [nim], ? [ssi], etc. Some are units that refer to people, and some are ways to call people and many other uses. Here, the man uses the word ? which is a respectful & very formal way of saying a person. So, for Diana who was bullied and has never been respected, it was a very unexpected title.) Not knowing what to do with the heartwarming title, she blinked her eyes quickly. Hermann put his hat down on the table and said. ¡°You don¡¯t need to care about who she is¡± Hermann¡¯s cold voice quickly caught the man¡¯s attention. ¡°Does the Lord Mayor also know that Mister Rietchev is in Aachen?¡± ¡°He knows. But, I asked him to be quiet.¡± Lord Mayor? Wasn¡¯t that a very high position? ¡°I see. May I know what brings you to our Aachen Branch?¡± ¡°I want to have a quiet conversation related to the property that was managed by the proxy.¡± Hermann glanced at Diana. The man from earlier rose from his seat, seemingly knowing what Hermann was talking about. Hermann took off his cape and frowned as Diana tried to take it. ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s not a thing that you should be sorry for. However, try to correct such behavior from now on, or else you¡¯ll be looked down upon.¡± Hermann spoke firmly as he roughly hung the cape on the sofa and followed the man out of the drawing room. ¡®I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s a nice or scary person¡­.¡¯ And just like that, Diana was left alone in the drawing room. Trying to kill time, Diana shook her legs. Noticing that Hermann showed no signs of returning, she cautiously got up. ¡®It wouldn¡¯t matter if I looked around for a bit, would it?¡¯ On one wall of the drawing room was a bookcase full of hardcover books, and on the other was a cupboard with luxurious ornaments. On another side, a colorful candlestick with leaf-shaped decorations was placed, and next to it was a bronze scale and an additional weight measurement. Diana slightly pressed one side of the scale. ¡®Oh, it moved.¡¯ Diana fascinatingly pressed it a few times then looked at the other decorations. In the big picture on the wall, there was a navy-haired woman who had her hand raised as if greeting a flying bird. At the bottom the words [Elpasha Ohrid] were written in small letters. ¡®Scarlet eyes?¡¯ Even though her and her mother¡¯s eyes were scarlet, it wasn¡¯t by any means a common color. ¡®Well, mom also hid hers because she said it stood out too much.¡¯ Just as she finished her ¡®sightseeing¡¯ Hermann¡¯s voice grew closer. ¡°¡­ Okay. Then if you find a good real estate agent, please introduce the person to me.¡± Hermann, who entered the drawing room, saw Diana and took back his cape. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We have to go see your house.¡± ¡°¡­Are we really buying a house?¡± ¡°Of course, we are. Did you think we were going to look for a fake house?¡± ¡°Ah, no, um¡­¡± Diana briefly glanced around. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°Um¡­.¡± Diana hesitated. Even though it was hard without money, she had never been embarrassed about it. But now, in a place full of such expensive items, explaining her poverty to Hermann, who seemed to be her mother¡¯s very rich friend, was too¡­ miserable. ¡°Because of what? Tell me quickly.¡± At Hermann¡¯s urging, Diana grabbed the hem of her skirt, her face turning red with embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ Um, money¡­ I don¡¯t have it. It¡¯s a little hard to get a house¡­.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t have money.¡± She didn¡¯t fit in here. Hermann frowned, as if he was confused about Diana¡¯s words, sighing, he rubbed his forehead. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± He put down the papers he was holding with a ridiculous expression on his face. It was a bundle of documents. ¡°Read it.¡± Diana picked up the documents on the table and began to read them out. ¡®Whose property was Hermann taking over?¡¯ There were many words that she couldn¡¯t understand because of the difficult terms, so she had to grasp the contents merely through context. ¡°Why are you telling me to read this¡ª¡± Diana¡¯s eyes, which had been reading straight, stopped like that. [¡­Hermann Rietchev, the guardian, gives the inheritance of seven hundred one million six hundred thousand Sorna to Diana.] ¡°¡­?¡± Diana rubbed her eyes. [¡­gives the inheritance of seven hundred one million six hundred thousand (701,600,000) Sorna to Diana.] She wasn¡¯t seeing things. Diana looked at the document then looked at Hermann once, twice, and once again. ¡°W-what¡­ i-i-i-is this?¡± ¡°Your inheritance.¡± Inheritance? ¡°It¡¯s something your mom left to me.¡± Chapter 7 ¡°This¡­ this is impossible. What in the world¡­ Just how much is this¡­?¡± Hermann took the document from Diana¡¯s hand and read it aloud. ¡°If it¡¯s 700 million Sorna¡­ then it¡¯s about 1750 Reed. This isn¡¯t all, there will be more land and buildings to be given in the future.¡± Hermann¡¯s words didn¡¯t register in her head. ¡°Since it¡¯s complicated to transfer ownership of non-gold coins, we should deal with them later when you become an adult. By then you can deal with the inheritance tax on your own through a lawyer.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I was barely able to transfer the gold coins because I was listed as your guardian. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that I met Mayor Aachen in advance and passed the guardian request right away, we wouldn¡¯t have been able to transfer them at all. I can also still use the property if you¡¯re a minor, but don¡¯t worry about it because I don¡¯t have any thoughts of touching it.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°First, here is 100 Reed.¡± Herman put the trading form he held onto the side. A 100 gold coins glistened brightly in front of her. She breathed in with a gasp, her shaking eyes fixed on the box of coins. She didn¡¯t remember how she walked out after that. By the time she had come to her senses she was already in the carriage. Diana looked at the gold coins she was holding. An image of a bird flying while holding a branch with leaves was on the gold coin. Diana looked at the coin with shaking eyes and bit it. ¡°What are you doing¡­?¡± Her forehead crumpled at the sudden appearance of Hermann. ¡°Why are you biting that? It¡¯s dirty so quickly spit it out!¡± Hermann took the gold coin from her. At the sight of Diana¡¯s teary eyes, Hermann sighed and took something out of his chest pocket then put it into her mouth. ¡°If you¡¯re hungry, eat this.¡± Diana mumbled as the thing entered her mouth. ¡°Kwandy!¡± Her pronunciation was strange. Diana gulped and pushed the candy to one side of her cheek before speaking again. ¡°Is this lemon-flavored candy?¡± ¡°You like candy?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I have a lot. Here. Keep it all.¡± Hermann rummaged through his chest pocket and gave a handful of candies to Diana. ¡°Hermann, please keep one for yourself.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like sweet things.¡± Then why did he have this candy? After reading the cues, Diana asked carefully. ¡°Did you buy this because of me?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yes.¡± As expected, such a thing was impossible. Hermann looked at Diana who was quietly eating another candy and rummaged through his chest pocket again. No way, it¡¯s not more candy, right? But, what he took out was two gold coins. He put them in his palm and showed them to Diana. ¡°Huh? They look different¡­¡± ¡°Yeah. The gold coin with a bird on it is Reed. Do you see the leaves on the branch it¡¯s holding? You can see when this was issued through that. And, if you turn the angle like this¡­ Can you see it?¡± Diana nodded her head as she saw the leafy parts sparkling as if they were breaking into pieces. ¡°Ohri Bank is the only bank who puts magic in their coins, that¡¯s why it sparkles. People just need to check that part and they¡¯ll know it¡¯s real. It can¡¯t be copied by anybody. And this other one is the Derek gold coin that was issued by the Empire.¡± In Diana¡¯s small hand, Hermann placed the Reed gold coin and the Derek gold coin. ¡°The Derek gold coin is smaller and thicker than Reed.¡± It was definitely different in size. The Derek gold coins were also stamped with a rising sun instead of the bird on the Reed coin. ¡°However, if you compare the weights of these two, they are the same. If the two are weighed and they are different, it means there¡¯s a problem.¡± Hermann flicked the Reed coin with his finger. Diana¡¯s eyes followed the gold coin that moved. ¡°Gold coins that aren¡¯t Reed sometimes play with purity, but all the money I use is Reed. After all, no one dares to mess with Reed because that person will definitely get caught right away.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you don¡¯t have to bite it to check.¡± ¡°I see¡­.¡± ¡°¡­Who in the world still says that you have to bite it to confirm it¡¯s real. I can¡¯t believe it.¡± Blinking her eyes, Diana said carefully. ¡°It was Mrs. Martin who told me¡­.¡± Hermann, who was annoyed, paused. ¡°¡­Well, it¡¯s also possible that some people are simply not aware yet¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.Pfft!¡± Diana burst into laughter. The candy that was in her mouth almost popped out. In the meantime, the carriage finally arrived at its destination. A woman was waiting for them as the two got off the carriage. ¡°I¡¯ve been informed in advance that you were coming.¡± A woman with her hair up asked, guiding them. ¡°Is there any particular house that you want?¡± The idea of buying a house had not even registered in Diana¡¯s mind yet. Her mouth was shut like a honeyed mute, but Hermann was different. ¡°We¡¯re looking for a house that has a garden with a high fence and a moderate amount of distance from all the other houses. Three or more servants will be living with the owner, so we¡¯re looking for one with more than five rooms. It would be great if the place was near clean streets, a security guard, and relatively quiet.¡± Hermann¡¯s long string of words slowly started sounding like a spell instead of a house request. ¡°The price will be quite high for a house of such quality. Dear customer, will it be okay?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Hermann glanced at Diana and raised his chin. ¡°I don¡¯t care about the price.¡± ¡®I never thought such words could be said¡­!¡¯ It felt like she was introduced to a whole new world. The woman¡¯s face was full of joy. ¡°Then please wait for a moment.¡± Hermann nodded. After being guided to a place that looked like a drawing room they sat down and after a while a servant came in. Diana instinctively got up. ¡°You can just sit back comfortably.¡± ¡°Ah, um¡­ Yes.¡± Diana awkwardly sat on the edge of the sofa as the servant put the tray down. The idea of being served made her feel uncomfortable. The servant put down the teacup and a plate of snacks and left. Hermann picked up the teacup in front of him without hesitation. ¡®Can I drink what¡¯s in front of me? Can I eat these snacks too?¡¯ There were some round cookies on the plate. After looking at it for a long time, Diana finally picked it up. The outside of the snack was hard, but she could taste the soft cream after she bit it. Her eyes opened wide at the crisp yet moist texture. ¡®It¡¯s delicious!¡¯ Diana who was admiring the taste devoured the tea and snacks. In an instant, all the snacks on the plate disappeared. ¡°You want more?¡± Hermann looked at her with a surprised look. Diana quickly came to her senses. ¡°Cough, no. I-It¡¯s okay¡­.¡± Diana hurriedly wiped her lips. The woman came back into the drawing room just in time. ¡°Everything is set. We can go see the house now.¡± Hermann pointed to the plate and said, ¡°Is there any more of it?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Diana gasped at Hermann in surprise. The woman smiled softly and asked. ¡°Oh my, does it suit your taste? Should I bring some more?¡± ¡°Just give her a few more.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Diana¡¯s ears turned red. ¡°T-thank you.¡± *** The first house was by Aachen¡¯s main street. The woman got off the carriage and opened the front door with a key. When Diana went inside, she could smell the scent of delicious freshly baked bread. Diana sniffed. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Hermann noticed Diana¡¯s actions and asked. ¡°No. It just smells delicious. I¡¯m full because I ate a lot of snacks.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Diana laughed softly She felt warm and fuzzy, knowing that there was someone who cared for her. ¡®It feels quite nice¡­¡¯ Diana walked around the mansion, unable to hide the fact that she was so happy she could fly away. ¡°Is this a rocking chair?¡± Standing in front of the fireplace, Diana pushed the back of the chair with her hands. It tilted, swaying back and forth. ¡°Would you like to sit down?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Just sit down.¡± Before she knew it, Hermann appeared and encouraged her. ¡°T-then, just for a moment¡­.¡± Diana carefully sat in the chair, making it swing weakly back and forth. ¡°Woah.¡± ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Hermann approached Diana whose face was flushed. For some reason, she had an ominous feeling. Before she could quickly get up, Herman¡¯s hand came first. ¡°You¡¯re too timid. You have to shake this much.¡± Hermann pulled the chair back. ¡°Oh my!¡± Diana startled and grabbed the armrests. Fortunately, the chair soon returned back to normal. Diana quickly jumped up with her hand on her fluttering heart. Hermann smiled nonchalantly and went away, saying he would look at the other rooms. The woman looked at them with clear appreciation in her eyes and said, ¡°Your father is very playful.¡± ¡°Yes?!¡± Diana jumped up again. The woman opened her eyes wide, surprised by Diana¡¯s response. ¡°H-he¡¯s not my f-father¡­.¡± Diana said, glancing in the direction Hermann went. The woman immediately took back her words. ¡°Ah, I apologize.¡± Diana looked down at the carpet and intertwined her hands. ¡°Diana! Come here!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Diana ran towards the voice calling her from the inside. Chapter 8 It took some time to look around the house, and even though they were done looking, Diana still had to wait in the carriage for Hermann and the woman to return. Hermann returned first and the woman was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Where¡¯s the lady that you were talking to?¡± ¡°She¡¯ll come after a while.¡± Hermann got into the carriage and closed the door. ¡°How was it?¡± The house was impressive. After going through the front entrance, you could see beautiful and large marble stairs, columns, spacious halls, and spiral stairs. To be honest, the mansion itself was really nice. But¡ª ¡°It¡¯s too¡­ big.¡± A two story mansion was too big for her to live alone. ¡°You don¡¯t like big houses? I¡¯ll be hiring a maid, so you don¡¯t have to worry about cleaning up.¡± ¡°Even so, it¡¯s still a little¡­.¡± ¡°Okay. I understand.¡± Hermann nodded candidly. She didn¡¯t know he¡¯d accept her opinion so easily. Diana¡¯s mouth opened to ask a question. ¡°Why¡­?¡± Hermann¡¯s forehead wrinkled up. ¡°Did you want me to be against it?¡± Diana hurriedly shook her head. ¡°If you have anything that you want just tell me directly. I loathe beating around the bush.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of hearing you only say ¡®yes¡¯ all day long¡­.¡± Hermann stopped talking and stared at Diana who was tilting her head. Unconsciously he reached out to stroke her head, turning away right after. Diana fixed her hair where Hermann patted her. ¡®Why does Hermann care so much about me?¡¯ Since she met him, all she did was receive. He taught her things she didn¡¯t know, gave her gifts, and returned her mother¡¯s legacy. ¡®Why would mom leave her legacy with Hermann?¡¯ Diana looked at Hermann and carefully opened her mouth. ¡°Hermann, by any chance¡­.¡± Hermann, who was looking out the window, looked back at her. When their eyes met, she thought, ¡®as expected, it¡¯s probably only my imagination.¡¯ ¡°No, nothing.¡± ¡°What? Just say it.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. Really.¡± ¡°After making people curious, why bother not finishing your words?¡± Diana hesitated and the wrinkles between Hermann¡¯s forehead deepened. Hermann pushed Diana. ¡°I told you to tell me.¡± ¡°Um¡­.¡± Diana exhaled deeply and spoke. ¡°Hermann, by any chance, are you my father¡­?¡± ¡°What!?¡ª Ack!¡± Hermann jumped up, making his head slam onto the ceiling of the carriage. The collision made a very loud noise. ¡°A-are you alright?¡± Herman groaned with his hand clasped around his head. ¡°What a horrendous idea¡­.¡± Herman, who had hesitated, shouted again. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like I¡¯m some sort of trash!¡± ¡°I never said you were trash though¡­.¡± ¡°Look here. If I was your father, are you saying that I look like the type of person who, despite not being married, would make your mother pregnant, let her give birth and raise the child on her own, all the while remaining completely unaware!? Even going as far as cluelessly looking through another continent instead!?¡± Hermann spoke quietly at first but increasingly got louder at the end, clearly getting heated. Especially the last sentence. Although she couldn¡¯t understand what it meant. ¡°Another¡­ continent?¡± Hermann paused and waved his hand. ¡°It¡¯s just an example!¡± ¡°Oh.¡± She nodded as if she understood, but in truth, she couldn¡¯t understand at all. Just what kind of example was that? ¡°Don¡¯t think about useless things. Your mother and I were just friends! Pure. Friends. Got it?¡± ¡°I-I understand.¡± Hermann inhaled deeply, trying to calm down from his burst of emotions, then leaned back on the carriage seat. ¡°How did you suddenly think of such an idea?¡± ¡°Just¡­ I just thought that it would be great if Hermann was my father.¡± ¡°What?¡± Hermann opened his eyes wide at her words, as if he had heard something unexpected. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you would dislike the idea so much.¡± Diana scratched her mouth in embarrassment. Hermann stared at her then averted his eyes towards the window. After that, he spewed out a few more words. ¡°You¡¯re cute.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°But, I don¡¯t like your mom.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± *** Hermann raised his body from the ground. Dry grass clung to the bottom of his cape as it grazed against the bushes. The night sky was full of clouds and not a single shed of moonlight was seen. ¡®If the protection magic I place is to this extent, then it should enough¡¯ Hermann was placing magic to stop intruders. It was a luxury to install it in regular houses, but if it was for Diana, it was only natural. [¡­ It looks similar to the house that I lived in with mom when I was young.] Philippa has died. Hermann grabbed his hair and let out a laugh. He still couldn¡¯t believe it. And¡­. [ I just thought that it would be great if Hermann was my father.] Philippa¡¯s child. He had never thought about having a child but maybe it wouldn¡¯t be so bad. Hermann giggled. ¡®Will it be Diana Nohibaden? But, Philippa and Thesevitz weren¡¯t married, so would it still be Nohibaden?¡¯ A single mother¡¯s child. Usually, one would be treated as an illegitimate child. However, Diana¡¯s situation was one of a kind. Illegitimate child? If anyone dared to say such words, their neck would be cut off by Thesevitz¡¯s own hands. Thesevitz Bale Nohibaden. Grand Duke of Nohibaden, also known as Master of The Red Flames, had vast territory in the North. But, the name Thesevitz was more familiar to Hermann. Hermann believed that Diana¡¯s biological father was Thesevitz. And, if Hermann¡¯s guess was right, that would lead to another problem. ¡®Count Ohrid.¡¯ Philippa was Count Ohrid¡¯s only daughter. Count Ohrid opposed the relationship between Philipa and Thesevitz. Of course, the former Grand Duke of Nohibaden also opposed it. They were forced to separate because of the opposition from the two families, and like that Philippa disappeared. Count Ohrid openly blamed Nohibaden for all this. If Thesevitz wasn¡¯t the only heir to the Grand Duke of Nohibaden, and if he wasn¡¯t Master of The Red Flames, maybe by now, he would¡¯ve been dead by Ohrid¡¯s hands. ¡®Count Ohrid acknowledging that Thesevitz is the biological father¡­ that would never happen, right?¡¯ The surest way to ascertain the child¡¯s paternity was Philippa¡¯s testimony. But, Phillippa didn¡¯t even leave a will. Hermann suppressed the feelings surging up. He was dumbfounded when he thought of Philippa. She wasn¡¯t the type of person who would just leave like that. Eventually, the dark clouds gathered and it started to rain in the evening. Hermann¡¯s clothes were wet, but he didn¡¯t care and simply continued to work. In order to bring Thesevitz back as soon as possible, he couldn¡¯t waste time, and so he sacrificed even his sleep. *** Hermann stayed up all night, but still headed to the hotel, though it was well past lunch time. In the hotel, Diana was alone, trying to kill time. She pulled out an unopened letter out of her luggage, a letter she wouldn¡¯t have even checked if Mrs. Martin hadn¡¯t reminded her. The friend who she exchanged letters with was a student who her mother used to teach. Thessior Fabre. He was about the same age as Diana and studied with her. Naturally, they became acquainted. However, when her mother died, she stopped seeing him. The Fabre County was close to the Bordeaux mansion, but it was not easy for young Diana to visit. Following that, Countess Fabre passed away and her friend left for the academy. Fortunately, they still consistently exchanged letters. Diana confirmed that it was addressed to her then ripped off the wax seal by hand. As Diana opened the letter, the smell of ink permeated through the air, but it disappeared as quickly it came. She opened it with a rustling sound. [To Diana, whose birthday is coming soon.] ¡®Ah, come to think again, it¡¯ll be my birthday soon, right?¡¯ Diana counted the days and realized. She¡¯d been so out of her mind recently that she didn¡¯t even know what day was passing. [How are you? If I asked you this, you¡¯d definitely say you¡¯re doing good, right? Well, I¡¯m also good. Except the test results this time were pretty bad¡­] Thessior¡¯s letter was Diana¡¯s only source of energy in life. While reading his letter, she felt as if she returned to the times when her mother was still alive. [If you have any present you want, write it down and send it to me. If not, I¡¯ll choose as I always do.] Diana giggled. Just then, she heard the sound of the hotel door opening. Diana hurriedly folded the letter and put it back in the envelope. ¡°You¡¯ve come?¡± Hermann, who came in through the door, looked very tired. ¡°Are you alrigh¡ª¡± Diana paused. Something was wriggling in Hermann¡¯s arms. ¡®A puppy?¡¯ The puppy with mixed gray and black fur had blue eyes. A transparent sky blue that reminded her of the high autumn sky. ¡°Here, a present.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Diana asked back blankly. Hermann handed over the dog to her, clearly, he wasn¡¯t going to explain twice. Diana held the puppy in her arms. The little creature gave off a soft warmth. ¡°If you have it, you won¡¯t be lonely.¡± Hermann passed the dog to her and walked right past Diana into the room. ¡°¡­ !? How did you know?¡± ¡°What do I know?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this my birthday present?¡± ¡°Ah, yeah. Your birthday is nea¡ª¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Hermann¡¯s hand holding the luggage bag paused. Hermann coughed in vain and avoided Diana¡¯s gaze. ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s your birthday present. I¡¯m giving it to you in advance because it seems like I can¡¯t come back from the East Continent before your birthday.¡± Diana looked down at the puppy in her arms with sparkling eyes. The puppy looked very calm and cute. Diana rubbed her face and the puppy turned its head to the other side. ¡°So cute.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t dislike animals, right?¡± ¡°I like it!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a relief.¡± Hermann sincerely thought. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter even if I told her now that it wasn¡¯t prepared as her birthday present. Saying that it¡¯s her birthday present is the wisest thing. At least she¡¯s happy,¡¯ Hermann thought shamelessly. That animal looked like a puppy, but it was actually Hermann¡¯s summoned beast. It could move in and out of the shadows, and even if it was far away, it would always detect danger around Diana and remove the threat. Chapter 9 ¡°I¡¯ll take you to your house and leave right away.¡± Diana, who was petting the puppy, paused. ¡°¡­So fast?¡± ¡°If I want to come back fast, of course, I have to leave fast.¡± In an instant, Diana¡¯s expression dimmed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Diana¡¯s expression still didn¡¯t straighten out. She looked like a puppy about to be abandoned. It was hard for Hermann to leave her behind. But, he had to go. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve been through a lot.¡± Hermann kneeled down in front of her. ¡°Even if the thing I¡¯m about to do doesn¡¯t work out well, I¡¯ll definitely take responsibility for you.¡± Hermann raised his hand and lightly stroked Diana¡¯s head. ¡°Trust me. I¡¯ll definitely come back.¡± With tears in her eyes, Diana nodded fervently. Herman sighed at her reluctant appearance and eventually hugged Diana. ¡®I¡¯ll bring your father back as soon as possible.¡¯ *** It was huge. The body of the four-wheeled white carriage was adorned with extravagant golden vine patterns. The carriage door was even more lavish, decorated with a familiar pattern of birds flying with branches in their mouths. The birds had sapphires in their eyes, their wings embedded with gold, and emeralds decorating their beaks. Literally, the carriage that was made out of jewels. A symbol of the Ohrids. Two drivers with dark green capes approached the carriage. ¡°Miss Camillo. There are reporters swarming in. It looks like we won¡¯t be able to follow the schedule.¡± A voice came from the open window. ¡°Again? They¡¯re really troublesome.¡± Camillo, the owner of the sighing voice, continued. ¡°Well, what else can we do? It¡¯s the fate that we, Ohrids, have to face.¡± Camillo said while gently moving her fan. Camillo was Ohrid¡¯s granddaughter, the niece of the current Count of Ohrid. ¡°An Ohrid can¡¯t just stay at home because they¡¯re scared of the paparazzi, you know?¡± ¡°I apologize. It¡¯s my fault for not managing my subordinates properly.¡± The person across Camillo opened their eyes. Under the eyelids that opened slowly were eyes that looked like they were made of melted gold. His face was so delicate that he looked like a wax figurine, his slightly swaying platinum clad feet were truly aristocratic. The man¡¯s name was Senir, Ohrid¡¯s heir. Senir was raised as the heir of the Ohrid Family after the disappearance of the Young Count of Ohrid, Philippa Ohrid. However, for Senir that was a commoner, there was one condition for him to be the heir. Marry an Ohrid with the closest blood relation. It was precisely Camillo Ovalon, who was chosen as Senir¡¯s bride. Senir and Camillo. As both of them got off the carriage, a crowd of reporters pressed their shutters and began shouting. ¡°Miss Camillo! When will you officially join the Ohrid family register!¡± Someone called distinctly in the uproar. Camillo, who was walking up the red carpet, stopped walking. Camillo looked back at the reporters with a displeased face. It was Camillo who leaked her own schedule. Today was Camillo¡¯s birthday. And, she wanted to show off the presents that she received. That¡¯s why she intentionally leaked their appointment to watch the opera. She wanted a crowd to ask her about her gifts so she could brag. However, the reporters only asked stupid questions with no clue at all. ¡®I have to tell Senir to get rid of those reporters.¡¯ Senir would definitely use his hands to make them no longer appear in front of her again. Because, even if she told Senir to pick the stars from the sky, he would do it. ¡®It would be great if I can officially join the Ohrid family register fast.¡¯ She wanted to be Camillo Ohrid as soon as possible, not Camillo Ovalon. Then, she would be able to slap the faces of those who laughed at her saying, ¡°It¡¯s not something you would know. After all you¡¯re not an Ohrid, right?¡± ¡®Only by becoming an adult¡­¡¯ When she becomes an adult, even Count Ohrid could no longer postpone Camillo¡¯s entry into the family register. Her father had always told her, [Ohrid was originally mine! If it wasn¡¯t for that Clement Ohrid asshole, we¡¯d be the most prosperous! We¡¯re only getting back what was originally ours!] Her father, the current Count¡¯s younger brother, was forced out of Ohrid in the second half of his life after Count Ohrid took over. All that remained was the measly title of Baron Ovalon. He didn¡¯t receive anything else from Ohrid. [Senir. Even though that low life¡¯s ability is outstanding, if he doesn¡¯t marry you, then he will have nothing. It doesn¡¯t matter if he was raised to succeed Ohrid, in the end the most important thing is bloodline! Do you think my mother, Ohrid¡¯s esteemed wife, would admit Senir if he didn¡¯t marry you? That¡¯s ridiculous.] Senir was outstanding in both brains and beauty. Even if she scoured the entire continent, she wouldn¡¯t find anyone as good as Senir. ¡®Although it¡¯s only natural to be that good if he wants to marry me.¡¯ Camillo smiled proudly as she headed to her box seat at the opera house owned by the Ohrid Family. When she appeared, all eyes gravitated toward her. Camillo approached the edge of the box seat, straightening up her posture to show the Nova¡¯s Tear that she received as a present. She felt that today would definitely be a perfect day. She was enjoying the stares and admiration that was aimed at her, when someone came into the box seat and pulled back the curtain. It was Senir¡¯s closest secretary. Camillo¡¯s face turned sour when she saw the secretary. The secretary ignored her gaze and whispered something into Senir¡¯s ear. With a completely unchanged look, Senir nodded slightly. ¡°What is the matter?¡± Camillo asked, as the secretary left. ¡°Camillo, something urgent has come up. I have to leave now.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Camillo, I¡¯m very sorry.¡± ¡°What in the world are you talking about?¡± She picked up the cape that Senir had taken off. ¡°Today is my birthday! Is there any matter that¡¯s more important than my birthday?!¡± Senir smiled lightly with his eyes drooping as if he was sorry. However, not once did he say he was going to stay. ¡°Senir!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll tell father about today¡¯s matter!¡± Camillo quivered and threatened. But, Senir had already left his seat without looking back. Camillo stared at the floating curtains he left behind. Emerging from the curtains, Senir saw his secretary. ¡°Tell me what happened.¡± In an instant, Senir¡¯s beautiful face became expressionless. It was as if the sorry smile he gave to Camillo never existed. ¡°Lady Philippa¡¯s secret bank account, which the Sage, Hermann Rietchen held, has been transferred to someone.¡± The secretary handed over the report. Philippa Ohrid¡¯s secret bank account. It was her personal secret fund that Philippa kept secret from the family. But, one can never avoid Ohrid¡¯s eyes. Surely, she took various measures to avoid them. However, Count Ohrid¡¯s efforts to find his missing daughter were a step ahead. Philippa did some unique things before she disappeared. One of them was handing over her secret property to Hermann. Hermann was not interested in the property and left it to a proxy manager, never looking for it as if he had forgotten about it. But for more than a decade, Ohrid continued to monitor the secret account. The last person Philippa faced. Her long-time best friend. There was good reason to keep an eye on Hermann, not just because of the account. For the first time after 13 years, Hermann Rietchev came out of the World Tower and immediately began searching for Philippa. ¡°It doesn¡¯t say to whom the property was transferred to.¡± ¡°I apologize. I¡¯m afraid finding out will take a little longer.¡± ¡°How long?¡± ¡°One day. However¡­.¡± Senir, who was reading the report, glanced at his secretary. ¡°It was said that Hermann Rietchev brought back a girl, claiming to be her guardian.¡± Senir was silent. The secretary didn¡¯t know what Senir was thinking. But he wasn¡¯t nervous. Senir always did what was best for Ohrid. ¡°What¡¯s my schedule?¡± ¡°Tomorrow, there will be a luncheon with the Imperial Prince. The day after tomorrow, there will be a finance ministry meeting, and in three days, there will be a donation auction held at the Duke¡¯s place.¡± Philippa was the only rebel of Ohrid. The disappearance of Ohrid¡¯s beloved daughter, Philippa, who should have inherited Ohrid, caused big irreparable wounds to Ohrid. ¡°Cancel it all. We¡¯re heading to Aachen.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand. For how many days should I cancel?¡± ¡°Indefinitely until everything is clear.¡± Senir said while handing over the file to his secretary. *** ¡®It¡¯s really strange. My home¡­¡¯ That phrase was incredibly strange for Diana. Her chest tightened so much that she wondered how it got hurt. On top of the bed, Diana rolled over and laid down. The sun penetrated through the window and illuminated the wooden floor. ¡®Just a few days ago, I was waking up at dawn and working until the moon was high up in the sky¡­¡¯ Diana petted the puppy on her bedside. Gradually, the puppy¡¯s ears drooped, carefully enjoying her touch. ¡®I need to name the puppy¡­.¡¯ For several days, Diana just called it ¡®Puppy¡¯. She petted the puppy for a long time before coming up with a name she liked. ¡°Sky.¡± Sky since its eyes were blue just like the sky. Diana proudly called. ¡°Sky.¡± The black-fur ears pricked up. Did the puppy understand? Wanting the puppy to remember it soon, Diana repeatedly said. ¡°Your name is Sky.¡± Diana said firmly. It was when Diana got up from laziness and was washing and drying her hair, that she heard a bang on the door. ¡°Who is it?¡± Donatella, one of the maids that Hermann hired for Diana, said. ¡°Sky, let¡¯s go check. It seems we have a visitor.¡± As Diana opened the door she saw two people. A merchant and another man who he had brought along. Diana¡¯s house was a house where no one had lived in for a long time, so it needed to be renovated here and there. They needed to assess the situation of the real estate. Chapter 10 The merchant and his helper went straight to work. Firstly, they ripped off the old carpet and looked at the wooden floor. The decayed area was completely removed and the wooden boards were replaced. All the ash and dust were removed from the chimney and fireplace was removed. While replacing the rattling cupboard of the kitchen, they decided to also replace all the tiles on the wall. The old opaque windows were also changed, and several old furniture were also taken out. A person from Aachen¡¯s City Hall said would come and pick it up. Diana waited for the final arrangements to be finished, before she changed her shoes and left the house, Sky following right behind her. It was because she was going to buy the daily necessities that were needed. First, she bought papers, ink, pen points, and a pen holder. What she got was high-quality ink and paper, so she didn¡¯t have to dry them out, worrying that it would spread after writing a letter. Diana used to always buy the cheapest ones. Good ink was twice as expensive as usual, and a good pen holder was five times as much. Diana thought about it again, and again, before closing her eyes tightly and going through with it. The moment she left the general store, she regretted it. ¡®As expected, this is truly too extravagant¡­¡¯ While hesitating, Diana sat on the bench and drank the fruit juice she bought from one of the street vendors. Sky pulled on Diana¡¯s skirt. Aware of what the puppy wanted to do, Diana lifted the puppy onto the chair. Sky sat next to her and laid down. She drank the juice and watched people moving busily, enjoying the gentle breeze. ¡°Newspaper! 10 Sol for a newspaper! Buy some newspapers! 10 Sol¡ª¡± 10 Sol for a newspaper. Diana looked at the boy who was walking and on a whim she called him. ¡°Excuse me¡­.¡± Diana¡¯s voice was very small. But the boy managed to hear and approached her. ¡°Are you going to buy a newspaper?¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± She did indeed call him, but now what should she do? She called him on impulse because she recalled the memory of her mother reading a newspaper when she was young. The boy tilted his head. ¡°P-please give me one.¡± Biting her hesitant lips, she took out 10 Sol from her pocket. ¡®Am I being too extravagant today?¡¯ Diana opened the newspaper while drinking the juice with a straw made of long leaves. [Lady Ovalon, Received ¡®Nova¡¯s Tear¡¯ From The Ohrid Heir!] On the first page, lay a big picture of a girl in an extravagant fancy dress holding a young man¡¯s hand and getting off the carriage. [The ¡®Nova¡¯s Tear¡¯ was sold for 480 million Sorna this year as the highest-priced product ever at the auction¡­] Diana let out a gasp. ¡®480 million¡­ ¡¯ ¡®What a terrifying necklace.¡¯ Diana fiddled with the pendant that hung around her neck. [¡­research results from The Sorcerers¡¯ Tower finds an abnormality in the increase of monsters¡­ the Guardian of the North, Grand Duke of Nohibaden ¡­monster¡¯s subjugation gains support from the Imperial Family¡­.] There were many things that were hard for her to understand. After flipping through a few more pages, a collection of events from the western side, where Diana resided in, appeared. [Shocking eradication of a criminal organization in the Bordeaux territory. In the middle of the night, part of the criminals¡¯ mutilated bodies were handed over to the security forces. The arrested group¡­.] ¡®Parts of a body? Where did this happen? So, scary. I have to be careful.¡¯ Just when she was at the peak of enjoying her newspaper, a voice called out to her. ¡°Oh my? Miss?¡± She raised her head at the shadow that called in front of her. ¡°Are you really the Miss?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± It was one of the two maids that Hermann introduced to her yesterday. ¡®¡­Her name was Sophie, right?¡¯ Sophie greeted her happily. ¡°I was on my way back after buying dinner. It looks like Miss decided to bring the puppy out, too!¡± Sophie said, ¡°Hello,¡± and greeted Sky that was laying down beside Diana. It was a friendly atmosphere. ¡°Have you named the puppy?¡± ¡°Yes, It¡¯s name is now ¡®Sky¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­ Um, I see.¡± At Sophie¡¯s reluctant reaction, Diana opened her eyes wide. ¡°Why? Is it a bad name?¡± ¡°Um, a little? This is such a good-looking puppy, but the name reminds me of the dog that the miller next door has¡­. Well, if Miss likes it, then it¡¯s a good name.¡± Sophie grinned at Diana¡¯s shocked look. ¡°Well¡­ I understand why Miss named the puppy ¡®Sky¡¯. It suits the puppy!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s too late to change it now.¡± Diana pouted and folded the newspaper. She stood up, gathering the things that she bought today and bringing them into her arms along with Sky. ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡± The two chatted and carefully walked towards their home. ¡°I¡¯ve also seen the Grand Duke of Nohibaden before. He was as scary as the rumors say.¡± ¡°Rumors?¡± ¡°Ah, you don¡¯t know, Miss? That¡ª¡± Diana suddenly stopped. ¡°Miss?¡± Sophie looked back at Diana who fell behind. Diana faltered and pulled at Sophie¡¯s skirt, dragging her to hide into a corner. ¡®Lord Hauzen!¡¯ It was Atticia Bordeaux¡¯s fiance. Roman Hauzen. He was the second child of a wealthy Baron family, who got engaged to Atticia at a young age. Atticia, who had exchanged letters with Lord Hauzen since childhood, was looking forward to meeting him. The reason why she knew all of this was because she was once Atticia¡¯s friend. Lord Hauzen stood there with a bunch of young people his age. He looked like a typical nobleman or knight because of his fancy clothes and the sword around his waist. Their energetic laughter reached all the way to where they were. ¡°Miss? What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Sophie, let¡¯s go take another road.¡± Looking at Diana¡¯s pale complexion, Sohpie asked in surprise. ¡°Your face¡­ Miss, are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡± Lord Hauzen occasionally visited the Bordeaux mansion under the name of spending time with his fiance, and Diana avoided him as much as possible. However, even with her efforts, she would always run into him. Every time they met, he scanned her with his snake-like eyes. Even if she told the people around her she disliked his gaze, the words that always came back to her was, [It¡¯s because you¡¯re pretty. What else can you do? I envy you, having the attention of a noblem¡ª] It was always the same words. But Diana had never once thought of it as a compliment. ¡°There¡¯s a person that I dislike running into.¡± Through the alley, she hurriedly headed home, completely unnoticed by Lord Hauzen. As they approached they saw Donatella talking with someone. ¡°Sophie? How come you¡¯re together with the Miss?¡± ¡°I ran into her on my way here.¡± ¡°Great job. Ah, Miss. This person said that he definitely had to meet with you, so he stayed here, waiting.¡± It was the person who had talked with Hermann at the bank. Why did he come to find her? Diana tilted her head. ¡°Hello.¡± The middle-aged man greeted politely with his hat in front of his chest. ¡°Yes. Hello.¡± The middle-aged man was full of sweating even though the temperature wasn¡¯t that high. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for coming without an appointment. I was in a hurry and was impolite.¡± ¡°How did you know about this place?¡± Diana stayed on guard while she petted Sky. ¡°I found out when I was dealing with Miss Diana¡¯s transfer of property. The same goes for your name. I didn¡¯t mean to. There¡¯s simply some things that I can¡¯t help but find out when I work.¡± ¡°I see. But, what brings you here?¡± ¡°Um, by any chance, may I know where the person who became Miss Diana¡¯s guardian went?¡± ¡°Hermann?¡± The man, who was exhaling, coughed. ¡°Y-yes. W-well, s-so that¡¯s how you call him. H-haha. I have something that I have to deliver to that person.¡± ¡°But, he had already left.¡± ¡°Yes?! T-to where?¡± ¡°For me to tell you, it¡¯s a little¡­.¡± Just then, Sophie stepped in. ¡°Why are you asking such things? If it¡¯s a matter that concerns the Miss¡¯ guardian, I¡¯ll pass it on to my master¡¯s wife, Countess Norvan. Please just tell me instead.¡± *** Diana stretched and yawned, rubbing away the tears caused by this action. She then hugged Sky who was under the bed, flapped her blanket and arranged her sheets. She pulled her pillow upright before going into the bathroom to wash up. After getting out of the bath, she smelled something delicious. Diana familiarly setted the pots, tablecloths, cups, and utensils. Soon after, Donatella put the food on a plate and came out of the kitchen. A delicious golden pancake with melted butter on top of it appeared in front of her. Beside it were scrambled eggs made fluffy with milk, a grilled sausage, and pea soup. The breakfast menu was exquisite. ¡°There¡¯s also raspberry syrup here Miss.¡± Sophie pushed a glass bottle in front of Diana. The bottle containing raspberries boiled with sugar and honey smelled sweet. Diana took a big spoonful of the raspberry syrup. ¡°Why do you think that Mister came here yesterday?¡± ¡°I also wonder. Why was he digging up Miss¡¯ address just because he had nothing to do? It¡¯s completely suspicious.¡± Diana let out a small laugh. ¡°I¡¯ve already sent the Countess a call right away, you don¡¯t have to worry about it. If by any chance you¡¯re still worried, I¡¯ll request for a strong servant to come. Sophie, why in the world are you telling such things to the Miss?¡± Donatella came out of the kitchen and was immediately called out by Diana. ¡°Donatella, stop working and eat.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just take care of this real quick.¡± Donnatella laid down a brass bowl before Sky. It was filled with raw meat, finely chopped and lamb¡¯s milk. Sky licked the lamb¡¯s milk first before chewing on the meat. Donatella¡¯s cooking was as good as Mrs. Martin¡¯s. There was no such thing like the sweet and fancy dessert that Miss Atticia ate, but it was enough. After she had eaten breakfast, Diana left home with a letter that she had written last night. The early morning streets were still full of hazy fog, and the bell from the temple bell tower had just rung. Chapter 11 The place where Diana was headed was the post office. The postal service employee checked the destination that was written on the envelope and said, ¡°That would be 980 Sorna.¡± Diana took a copper coin out of her leather bag and handed it to the person. The employee gave the rest of the money back with a lazy look on his face. ¡°Here. The 20 Sorna change.¡± She received the money in lighter and smaller than Sol, copper coins. Diana tucked the money away, paused, and then asked the employee. ¡°How many days will it take for the letter to arrive?¡± ¡°It takes about 20 days to get to the academy. It¡¯s 10 days for regular special delivery, and for one Dellim you can get advanced special delivery that will deliver it in a day.¡± ¡°One Dellim?¡± Dellim was 20,000 Sorna in the form of silver coins. It was nearly twenty times the price of regular mail. For only one letter, one Dellim was a bit expensive¡­ The employee took a look over Diana¡¯s clothes. ¡°Can you afford to send it by express? Don¡¯t waste your money and go if you¡¯re done with your business. Next person!¡± The person behind immediately took over Diana¡¯s place and came forward. She didn¡¯t even have any time to argue. Diana¡¯s letter was stamped and sent into the back basket. Diana ploddingly went out of the post office. ¡°Do I look that shabby?¡± Since she washed the clothes that Hermann gave, today she went out wearing the clothes that she usually wore. ¡®It looks like the treatment is definitely different¡­¡¯ Diana sighed and headed to the flower shop. This time, she chose flowers without thinking about money. Diana left the store and got on a carriage. She hugged Sky, putting the puppy on the coachman¡¯s perch and climbed after it. The foggy scenery seen from the carriage running on the dirt road was unique. However, Diana only had a short time to appreciate the scenery. ¡®Am I bored because I¡¯m alone?¡¯ She felt even more so because her last visit was with Hermann. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Diana said while paying the coachman. The coachman nodded dryly, his gaze not at her but in a different direction. Diana was puzzled and followed the coachman¡¯s gaze. ¡°¡­ A carriage?¡± ¡°What kind of person¡¯s carriage would be that big?¡± There was no decoration on the outside. But it was a carriage that looked twice as big as Diana¡¯s. ¡®Who is it?¡¯ The Aachen Cemetery was a place that Diana frequently visited. However, it was the first time she had encountered a visitor other than herself. The foggy cemetery felt eerie. In between the weeds and bushes that grew at different heights, Diana walked along a path that only one person could pass. As she went up the hill, the fog faded. On top of the hill, there was a person. His figure stood there, shining. The urban-looking young man was dressed in a sophisticated suit that did not match the ruins of the cemetery at all. However, as she grew closer, she noticed something was different. He was like the living dead standing in front of a tomb. She didn¡¯t know why, but it felt like that. The beautiful golden eyes, which seemed to melt like gold, were as cold as ice. The man¡¯s delicate face was colder than anyone that Diana had ever seen. A creepy air surrounded him, not showing even a single sign of life. At that moment, her eyes met with the young man. Diana tucked her elbows in at the cold feeling. After the young man made eye contact with her, his eyes opened, slightly wide. The young man blinked a couple of times and his lips rose gently. It was a smile only for formality¡¯s sake, but with just that, the cold air surrounding the young man disappeared in an instant and only the calm smile remained in her memory. ¡®It¡¯s like snow melting under the spring sun¡­.¡¯ It was a fascinating feeling. Perhaps the young man was just passing by, as he slightly bowed to her and moved away. ¡®What is it? Have I seen him somewhere before?¡¯ His face was strangely familiar. ¡®But, there¡¯s no way that I would forget such a handsome person.¡¯ Arriving at her destination, Diana wiped away the layer of dust on top of the tombstone. ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve come. How have you been doing?¡± When she put down the bouquet of flowers in front of the tombstone, she could smell the fragrant scent of flowers spreading. Such pretty flowers didn¡¯t match the shabby tombstone. Come to think of it, she didn¡¯t need to support her mother at the cemetery anymore. ¡®Should I move it to a more well-managed place?¡¯ A bleak landscape with no one in it. Diana nodded to herself. ¡®Let¡¯s talk about it when Hermann comes back.¡¯ Suddenly, Sky that was at her feet began to whine. ¡°Sky?¡± Sky pulled at her skirt as if begging for a hug. Sky licked Diana¡¯s face when she held the puppy in her arms. ¡°What¡¯s this? Are you comforting me?¡± Thanks to Sky, the sinking feeling somewhat eased. She put Sky down again, and cleaned up the tombstone. As usual, she then spoke about what she had been happening around her. ¡°I saw someone interesting when I was coming up. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen someone else here¡ª¡± At that moment, she realized why she felt a sense of deja vu when she saw the young man. ¡®He looks similar to the person who was in the newspaper last time!¡¯ His name¡­ what was his name again? Diana shook her head. It just occurred to her that he was the heir of Ohrid. ¡®Well, even if it¡¯s not him, they really look alike.¡¯ A butterfly landed on the bouquet of flowers, drawn by the scent. Diana looked up, saw the sun, then got up. It seems like she had to go slowly because of all the thick fog. ¡°Sky¡ª¡± Sky came running from far away. Sky led the way, and they began to go down the hill together. Diana, who was heading for the carriage, stopped. ¡®It hasn¡¯t gone away yet?¡¯ The huge carriage was still there, and the closer she got, somehow the more noisy it was. ¡°¡­Are you saying that you don¡¯t know how long it¡¯ll take? Do you mean to say that I have to helplessly stay here until you fix it?¡± The brown-haired man, who was wearing a gray vest and glasses, looked like an employee of a noble. The man was angry at someone. ¡°Is that what you¡¯re telling me now?¡± ¡°Um¡­ I apologize. I had no idea that this kind of matter would suddenly¡ª¡± The other man apologized, sweats falling down in beads. The coachman of the carriage that Diana came with was looking at them then discovered Diana. ¡°When did you arrive?¡± ¡°Just now.¡± Diana nodded slightly in the direction of the commotion. ¡°What is the matter?¡± ¡°I think the wheel shaft is broken. No matter how hard they try, they can¡¯t do anything about it until the parts come, so it¡¯s just needlessly tormenting the coachman.¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± ¡°Get on. We¡¯re going back to downtown Aachen, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Diana put her foot on the foothold and looked back. The coachman kept apologizing to the man in the gray vest. Diana couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the coachman. Diana, bit her lips and put Sky inside first. ¡°Sir, please wait for a moment.¡± After she shouted like that, she ran in the direction of the huge carriage. ¡°Excuse me.¡± Diana called for the man in the gray vest. The man didn¡¯t look back as if he didn¡¯t realize that he was the one being called. Diana called in a louder voice. ¡°Excuse me!¡± ¡°¡­Is it me you¡¯re calling?¡± The man looked back at her. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°What is this about?¡± ¡°Um¡­.¡± Diana wet her dry lips and continued. ¡°I¡¯m about to go back now.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°This is a remote place, so carriages don¡¯t pass by.¡± Diana also came by renting a carriage. That¡¯s why when she worked as a maid, it was a burden every time she came. ¡°The nearest village takes about an hour and a half, and Aachen takes about two and a half hours. That¡¯s why¡­.¡± Diana hesitated, before finally saying, ¡°Would you like to ride together?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Because it looks like it would be better than waiting for the wagon to be fixed here.¡± The man¡¯s gaze scanned over the public carriage behind Diana. It was a shabby carriage that couldn¡¯t compare with the one that they came in. Diana added. ¡°If you are uncomfortable, then there is nothing I can do about it.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± The man in the gray vest waved his hand frantically. ¡°Thank you for Lady¡¯s consideration. I¡¯ll ask the Little Young Master first. Would you mind waiting for a while?¡± Lady? Diana blinked and nodded belatedly. When he knocked on the huge carriage, the curtains were pulled away and the windows were lowered. Diana looked with interest at the window coming down. She glanced at the white thread-like hair that was inside. In the end, they got on the carriage together. So the Little Young Master of the person who introduced himself as an aide was the beautiful young man she met earlier. The young man was much more beautiful up close. The thread-like hair that was made of platinum looked like it was going to scatter at any moment. His face with dark golden eyes was just like that of a doll¡¯s, and his long eyelashes fluttered like the wings of the butterfly flying between the bouquet of flowers. She kept turning her eyes towards his face. ¡®Why did I uselessly ask for us to ride together?¡¯ She didn¡¯t expect for them to ride alone, just the two of them. The aide with the grey vest had to stay behind and confirm that the wagon was being fixed. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± There was only the sound of an occasional rattle in the silent carriage. The cushion was thorny for some reason. In order to avert her attention from the man opposite her, Diana focused on petting Sky. However, as soon as she casually raised her head, their eyes met. The young man smiled gorgeously. ¡°Thank you for your consideration.¡± ¡°Yes? No, i-it¡¯s nothing.¡± It seems like she now knew what it meant to be captivated by a smile. ¡°My name is Senir.¡± The young man, who said his name was Senir, laid his hand on his chest and greeted softly. ¡°May I know the Lady¡¯s name?¡± At the soft accent from the central region, Diana felt as if her ears were being tickled by the man¡¯s voice. ¡°¡­It¡¯s Diana.¡± Diana, whose cheeks were burning, replied whispering. When Senir nodded slightly, his thin hair scattered on his neat forehead. Diana rubbed her itchy earlobe for some reason. Senir continued the conversation with an elegant smile. ¡°Do you come to Aachen Cemetery often?¡± ¡°Not that often. About once a month?¡± ¡°Is there a person that you know?¡± Diana smiled bitterly. ¡°My mom¡¯s here.¡± ¡°Oh my. I pray for the repose of the deceased.¡± Senir bowed slightly. Even though it was a simple bow, elegance seeped through his every action. Diana returned the bow. The atmosphere relaxed a bit. Diana asked while petting Sky. ¡°What brings Senir here?¡± ¡°I was looking for someone, and I heard that the person occasionally visits the Aachen Cemetery.¡± Chapter 12 ¡°Is that so?¡± Diana tilted her head. She had been visiting the cemetery every month for several years now, but she had never encountered anyone else unless her visit coincided with an ongoing funeral ceremony. Was there anyone who visited regularly other than her? ¡°Have you met the person that you¡¯re searching for?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then, that¡¯s a relief! That¡¯s quite amazing. Encountering another person here, today was the first¨C Aack!¡± Diana, who was speaking, fell forward because of the rattling wagon. Normally, she would have bumped into the hard chair, but this time she fell on something soft. No, it was soft but solid. Diana knew who she was hugging and took a deep breath. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Senir held her with one arm. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. Please sit down carefully.¡± Senir held her elbow until she sat down again, making her arm feel numb. ¡°After all, the carriage shakes a lot.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Thank you.¡± Diana fanned her face that was quickly turning red. Unlike her who was embarrassed, Senir looked as if nothing had happened. ¡°We¡¯re nearly there.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°Once again, thank you. If it wasn¡¯t for Lady Diana, I would have spent a day stuck there.¡± Senir sighed then smiled beautifully. ¡°I¡¯d like to express my gratitude. By any chance, do you have time?¡± *** It was Diana¡¯s first time coming to a coffee house. Entering Aachen¡¯s tallest building, they got into a strange box. Senir pressed the button and in an instant, they were going up through the floors. When they arrived, the place was divided into rooms, making it difficult to encounter other people. Entering the room that they were guided to, Diana exclaimed. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± She could see the view of the city from the large window. Even the windmill of the Bordeaux territory was faintly visible. ¡°Is that the Arphe River over there? Oh, I can see the boat too.¡± ¡°When the sun goes down, the sunset will reflect onto Arphe River, and the scene will look pretty good.¡± ¡°Have you ever seen it before?¡± ¡°I saw it when I first came here yesterday.¡± ¡°Aha.¡± Senir helped Diana take a seat that was close to the window. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s nice of you. Thank you.¡± Senir only smiled lightly without saying a word. Diana carefully seated Sky next to her. The employee waited for Senir to take his seat before placing the menu down on the white table. Senir handed her the menu first. ¡°Please choose first.¡± His elegant voice once again tickled her airs. She changed the direction of her hand and shyly rubbed her ears, holding up the menu to cover her face. Diana gasped loudly. As soon as she saw the menu, a groan came out unconsciously from her mouth. ¡®Why is it so expensive? And it¡¯s just for tea!¡¯ Does this price even make sense for a simple cup of tea? It cost as much as a month¡¯s salary that Diana received from the Bordeaux mansion. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry because I¡¯m the one who will be paying for it.¡± Senir said, noticing her unease. Diana made a troubled face. ¡°Still, it¡¯s too expensive.¡± Senir looked at her as if he had just heard something strange. ¡°I don¡¯t quite think what I did is worth this much¡­¡± At this price, she could rent three of the carriages that she rode. Senior¡¯s long eyelashes hung down and then spoke as if he could not do anything about it. ¡°It¡¯s not that the price burdens me, but if it bothers you, should we move?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯d appreciate it.¡± ¡°Where would be a good place?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± She was speechless. There was no other suitable place that she knew. After all, it was her first time coming to a coffee house today. After racking her head over and over, Diana said sullenly. ¡°Let¡¯s just stay here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± Senir smiled brightly. Somehow she felt like she had been tricked. ¡®I must be imagining things.¡¯ Diana picked up the menu. ¡°I¡¯ll take anything¡­ Oh?¡± Diana pointed at the menu then asked. ¡°By any chance, is this a c-coffo? Coffee? Is it the dark brown and fragrant tea?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Among the types of coffees, that one is an espresso.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take this one please.¡± Among the items in the menu, it was the one with the lowest price. There was a hint of wonder in Senir¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯ll be very bitter. Will it be okay?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s okay.¡± After all, most teas were bitter and astringent. Even Atticia¡¯s favorite black tea was just tasteless water without milk, honey, or sugar. Senir called the staff, ordered two espresso cups and then chose another item on the menu. Diana stared at Senir. His figure when ordering looked strangely familiar to her. Come to think of it, there was an aide next to him, and there was also an escort beside the huge carriage. ¡®Is he a noble?¡¯ Diana¡¯s face hardened a little. A noble is a bit¡­ ¡°¡­Um.¡± Senir sent the employee away and looked at her. His eyes told her to keep talking. ¡°By any chance, are you a noble?¡± Senir smiled a little. ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°¡­Ah, is that so?¡± It was an unexpected answer, but she was relieved. Smiling lightly, Senir asked. ¡°The Lady¡¯s puppy is very calm. Is Lady Diana the one who raised it?¡± ¡°Yes. The puppy¡¯s cute, right? It¡¯s very smart. It¡¯s name is Sky.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a cute name.¡± Diana¡¯s awkwardness and tension seemed to be forgotten. She welcomed Senir and the topic warmly. ¡°Really? It¡¯s great, right? It really suits the puppy, right?¡± ¡°It still looks young, what breed is it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the breed. My guardian gave it to me as a gift.¡± ¡°Your guardian¡­.¡± Senir¡¯s eyes glanced sharply at Sky, but Diana didn¡¯t notice. ¡°Seems like that person is a good person.¡± At the employee¡¯s knock, their conversation stopped. The employee brought a tray with two very small cups and a slice of cake. The cake was the type that had white cream and strawberries between the chiffon. ¡®A strawberry cake at this season?¡¯ The cake along with a small silver fork was placed in front of her. ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t order this one though.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one who ordered it.¡± Diana¡¯s round eyes opened widely. Soon a silver spoon and small teacup were placed next to her. The small glass was filled with a soft-looking light brown foam that gave off a lovely scent. It was the tea that her mother used to drink every morning when she was young. But, was the cup this small back then? Her hazy memory was unclear. It was quite a ridiculous amount for the price. The employee placed a cute bottle full of sugar cubes. There were tongs next to it too. ¡°Lady Diana, are you not going to put in sugar?¡± ¡°Ah! Ah¡­ yes!¡± When he asked how many she wanted to be put in, she said in a small voice, ¡°Only one.¡± Senir picked up the sugar cubes with the tongs. The sugar cubes melted away in an instant. Was he originally a person this considerate? Or were the gentlemen living in the institution supposed to be like this? She stirred the coffee with a spoon, covering up her doubts. Senir drank the glass without adding any sugar. Diana, who confirmed that the sugar was all melted, followed his actions, and the moment she put it in her mouth. ¡°¡­!¡± It was fortunate that she didn¡¯t spit it out. ¡®Bitter! Too bitter! Is this really something that people drink? Isn¡¯t this poison? Ah, what should I do?!¡¯ Diana remained in shock, unable to spit or swallow. She could hear a cough and a small laugh from in front of her. The reason he asked if I wanted sugar was because it¡¯s bitter like this? Then, he should have told her about it in advance! No, he did tell her. ¡°You can spit it out,¡± Senir said at the tearful Diana Not even a few seconds had passed by when she thought, ¡®How could I spit out such an expensive thing?¡¯ Diana was really, really sorry but she couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and spat it out into an empty cup. ¡°Ugh.¡± She felt that if she swallowed her saliva, the poison-like taste on her tongue would once again wash over her. Senir handed over a handkerchief. Diana, who accepted it because she couldn¡¯t say no, wiped her lips and trembled. In the meantime, Senir called an employee again. ¡°Please bring us some water and the menu. Clean this up as well please.¡± Senir said, pointing to Diana¡¯s espresso. Diana looked sadly at the glass that was taken by the employee. ¡®¡­What a waste.¡¯ But she didn¡¯t dare to drink it again. When she finished the glass of cold water that the employee brought, the bitter taste just barely went away. ¡®Just what kind of taste are people who drink this looking for?¡¯ Diana groaned internally. The coffee stains on the plain white handkerchief were clear. With an embarrassed face, Diana spoke in a small voice. ¡°I¡¯ll wash it and return it to you later. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Senir returned it with a light smile. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Please don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Senir, held the teacup and drank the poison like nothing. Diana¡¯s mouth gaped at the sight. ¡°Is it not bitter?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s bitter.¡± Diana was relieved. Her taste buds were normal. ¡°I ordered it because it was the tea that my mom liked, but I should have looked into it before ordering.¡± Senir¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Did your mother like coffee?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± What was it that her mother told her again? Was it because it wouldn¡¯t let a person sleep? She wouldn¡¯t let her drink it no matter what. Now she understands why she didn¡¯t let her touch it. ¡°It¡¯s interesting.¡± Senir stared at the teacup and continued. ¡°As far as I know, coffee has only been popular in the Heimbarden Empire for less than 10 years.¡± ¡°Ah, is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. Originally, it was a drink consumed by people in the southern regions, especially the Academy people.¡± Senir pushed the cake plate in front of her. ¡°If you eat the cake, it¡¯ll be a bit better.¡± ¡°Can I really eat it?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°¡­Then, thank you. I¡¯ll eat it well.¡± She cut the cake into bite-sized pieces with a fork. As soon as she put it in her mouth, the soft chiffon wrapped around her tongue and the cream melted into her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s delicious!¡± Chapter 13 Senir was a good conversation partner. His gaze was not burdensome and his gestures were gentle and considerate. He knew etiquette and stepped down quietly if Diana found it difficult to answer the question. ¡°Then, shall we go now?¡± Time had passed and before she knew it, it was time to leave. Diana nodded and stood up with Sky in her arms. As she stepped out of the building, she saw Senir¡¯s carriage. Diana smiled brightly and looked back at Senir. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s already been fixed! What a relief.¡± ¡°Little Young Master.¡± The aide met Senir in front of the carriage. Senir nodded and said to Diana. ¡°I¡¯ll take you home.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s near, so I can just walk.¡± Diana was burdened, but at Senir¡¯s persuasion, she soon got onto the carriage. The huge carriage was truly different to the public carriage they used earlier. It was so cozy with its fluffy velvet seats and there was no shaking at all. ¡®How could it break down? It looks so sturdy.¡¯ Her doubt was cut short as Diana looked out of the window and shouted urgently. ¡°I¡¯ll just walk from here!¡± Diana hugged Sky in her arms and got down from the carriage. ¡°Thank you for taking me back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one who should be grateful.¡± Greeting him for the last time, Diana lightly turned her body. As soon as Diana disappeared over the wall, the aide asked urgently. ¡°Is Miss Diana¡¯s mother Miss Philippa? That means she¡¯s the granddaughter of Count Ohrid¡­¡± Senir looked at the man with an expressionless face. The man who realized his mistake bowed his head. ¡°I apologize. I was impertinent.¡± Only then did Senir answer. ¡°As of now, it¡¯s not something I can be sure of.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If Count Ohrid approves, then it¡¯s Miss Philippa¡¯s. If he doesn¡¯t approve¡­ ¡± But would that ever happen? Senir laughed inwardly. Either way all judgment was to be made by Count Ohrid. ¡°Contact the count.¡± *** Diana looked nervous. She glared at the sign as if it was a vicious enemy. [Lily of The Valley Boutique] She could see clothes on display by the large glass window. From dresses to bright blouses and skirts that could make you look ready for any banquet right away. Diana swallowed and opened the door to the boutique. ¡°Welco¡ª¡± The employee, who was initially welcoming, paused before making a weird face at the sight of me. ¡°Diana? Are you running errands for the Miss? There¡¯s still some time left before the dress is complete¡­. Anyway, why did you come through the front door? Hurry up and go around. Come back in from the back door.¡± ¡°No, today I didn¡¯t come here to run errands.¡± ¡°What?¡± It seemed like she didn¡¯t know I had already quit working for the Bordeaux mansion. Diana soaked her dry lips and pulled herself together. ¡°I¡¯m here to get clothes for myself. ¡°Clothes for you?¡± The surprised employee soon smirked. ¡°Go look somewhere else. You work as a maid, don¡¯t you know more than anyone else just how high the prices of the clothes are here? With your salary, you¡¯d need to work a million years before you can buy even one piece.¡± The employee waved her hand in dismissal, as if telling Diana to get out quickly. Diana¡¯s face turned red. ¡°¡­I have money.¡± The employee snorted loudly and folded her arms, challenging her to take the money out. ¡°Cut it off. Actually, you know what? Let¡¯s see how much you got there. Even so, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s not much.¡± Diana squeezed the pouch in her arms. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have come in.¡¯ She should¡¯ve gone somewhere where people didn¡¯t know her. Still, this was the only clothes maker she knew, so she came here, but the embarrassment and bitterness overwhelmed her. ¡°I¡¯ll just look somewhere else.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± The employee¡¯s murmur penetrated her ears. It was then that Diana bit her lip and turned around. From inside, the boutique¡¯s owner, the Madame, came out. ¡°Diana?¡± ¡°Hello.¡± Diana greeted weakly. ¡°What brings you here?¡± The employee came forward at Madame¡¯s question. She spoke in a gentle voice, vastly different from the tone she used when she spoke to Diana. ¡°It¡¯s not a big matter, Madame. Diana said she wanted to buy clothes, so I was sending her back.¡± ¡°What?¡± The Madame¡¯s eyes opened widely as she looked at Diana and the employee. She knew right away what was happening. The clothes here were definitely too expensive for someone with a maid¡¯s salary to buy. However, knowing Diana¡¯s circumstances being an orphan, she also felt that it was a little too cold-hearted to just send her out. ¡°Sorry, Diana. The clothes here are a bit expensive. It¡¯ll be hard for you to meet the price. What kind of clothes are you looking for?¡± Madame asked gently, in a comforting manner. ¡°Just casual clothes.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your budget? I¡¯ll introduce you to the right boutique. If you have a letter of introduction from me, they¡¯ll take care of you a little bit more.¡± The employee looked at Diana with displeased eyes. It was a look saying that she already knew the Madame would do something useless like this. ¡®I should just say it¡¯s okay and go out.¡¯ However, Diana didn¡¯t know much about clothes. It seemed better to take Madame¡¯s advice. Diana shook out her leather pouch. The Madame raised her eyebrows as a copper coin came out followed by some silver coins.Then, as soon as a shiny gold coin came out, a gasp echoed throughout the room. It wasn¡¯t just one gold coin as well. Diana, who was counting her money, didn¡¯t hear. ¡°If it¡¯s this much, where would a good place be to go?¡± ¡°What is this!? Why do you have that much money?¡± The shocked employee pointed a finger at Diana. ¡°¡­But you said I wouldn¡¯t have a chance?¡± ¡°If you have that much, of course you have a chance! Whoa, it¡¯s impossible. Where did you get that money?!¡± Diana¡¯s forehead wrinkled. Why does she have to get interrogated like this just to buy clothes? Let¡¯s just give up buying from here. ¡°I¡¯ll just go to another place.¡± Diana replied gloomily and turned around. ¡°P-please wait! Miss Diana!¡± Miss Diana? The Madame approached, gently grabbing Diana¡¯s shoulders and elbows. Her touch was as soft as a feather. ¡°Why are you in such a hurry?¡± Diana, who couldn¡¯t understand the situation, opened her eyes wide and saw the Madame smiling softly. ¡°Our employee was a little rude, wasn¡¯t she? I¡¯ll apologize on her behalf. I¡¯m sorry. Please forgive her.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Surely the employee herself also has to apologize. You! Quickly apologize to Miss Diana.¡± ¡°Ma-Madame?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t even recognize a customer, even going as far as to try and kick her out. Just what were you doing all this time?¡± Madame stared at the employee with a cold face. The employee was startled and bowed her head. ¡°N-no, i-it¡¯s because-¡± ¡°Are you in a position to make excuses now?¡± ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯m not.¡± The flustered employee bowed in the direction of Diana. ¡°S-sorry, Diana.¡± ¡°It should be, ¡®I apologize, Miss Diana¡¯, right? I¡¯ll see you later, alone.¡± The employee¡¯s face paled into a deathly white. Diana was also stunned by the sudden change in attitude. ¡°So how many pairs were you planning to get?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ I haven¡¯t thought about it. How many pairs can I get?¡± Diana glanced at the employee who was about to collapse at any moment. ¡®Just what is going on here?¡¯ ¡°If the amount is that much, it¡¯s enough to get as many as you want.¡± The Madame said while guiding Diana inside. ¡°But, where are we going?¡± ¡°Of course we¡¯re going to take your measurements.¡± ¡°You said you¡¯ll introduce me to another boutique¡­.¡± ¡°No.¡± Madame said firmly. ¡°You can also get it here. I¡¯ll even give you the best one.¡± It took a lot of money to get casual clothes. No matter how many pairs there were, she could still buy them all. A slightly cheaper dress was also within her budget. It was a big catch. Madame quickly called in an employee with her eyes shining. After entering the inner room and waiting for a while, a tailor holding a tape measure came in. The tailor made Diana stand on a white platform. She then took what Diana was holding. ¡°I¡¯ll put your luggage aside for a while.¡± ¡°Yes? Ah, yes!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. Be as comfortable as you can, we¡¯re only taking your measurements.¡± The tailor with a sweet voice used the tape measure on her. Her gestures were skillful yet careful. In the time between, the Madame came in bringing a fabric sample. ¡°This is the fabric that is used most when making a blouse. For the top, we tend to use a lot of bright colors. How is it?¡± Diana reached out her hand and rubbed the fabric. ¡°It¡¯s really soft.¡± ¡°There are many different colors. Miss Diana¡¯s skin is white, so dark colors would look good on you.¡± Madame, who was continuing her explanation, saw Diana¡¯s clothes and murmured. ¡°Hm? The clothes that you¡¯re wearing right now are made of a very good fabric. The sewing is also precise¡­ Where did you get it?¡± It was a basic design, so she almost ignored it, but it was made of a surprisingly good fabric. ¡°It¡¯s not that I bought it, but rather I received it as a gift,¡± Diana said shyly. ¡°Oh my, it¡¯s a gift?¡± Diana tilted her head at the Madame¡¯s extremely surprised expression ¡°Is it an expensive type of clothing?¡± It was just something in the basket, right? She accepted it because in that circumstance she couldn¡¯t refuse. Although she did notice that the way it felt over her body was different. ¡°May I take a closer look?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take a look then.¡± Madame approached and looked at the clothes that Diana was wearing. She carefully examined the seams, sleeves, collar, and even skirt. ¡°The fabric¡­ No, don¡¯t tell me¡­ Hm¡­.¡± ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Diana asked at the sight of Madame who seemed to be contemplating for some reason. ¡°No. It¡¯s not that there is a problem. No¡­ wait a minute.¡± The Madame shouted after turning over the waistband of her skirt. ¡°Meister Faradi?!¡± (t/n: Meister is just ¡®master¡¯ in German. A title.) ¡°F-Faradi?¡± The tailor, who was quietly waiting next to her, was surprised and asked again. It seemed like she was the only one who didn¡¯t know who he was. ¡°Is he a famous person?¡± Madame explained passionately at her question as if asking how she couldn¡¯t know who Meister Faradi was. ¡°Yes! He¡¯s a famous Meister! He¡¯s a Meister at El-Corte. Oh my gosh, Miss Diana, did you say that you received the clothes as a gift?¡± ¡°Yes? Ah, yes-¡± Just why in the world are they like this? Chapter 14 Diana said she got it as a gift. So that meant it wasn¡¯t a custom-made suit. If the Meister¡¯s clothes weren¡¯t custom-made, did that mean he took off the clothes on his mannequins? Madame took a guess, but it was indeed the answer. While Diana was sleeping, Hermann had approached Meister Faradi to get her clothes. However, Meister Faradi said that he couldn¡¯t do it, so Hermann threatened him. In the end, he handed over the money and simply brought the clothes Meister Faradi had been displaying. ¡°Looks like the person who gave Miss Diana the gift cares a lot about Miss Diana.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± Diana¡¯s face brightened up. ¡°By any chance, may I know who gave Miss Diana the present?¡± In the end, Madame couldn¡¯t resist her curiosity and asked. The tailor also paid attention. ¡°Well¡­ He¡¯s my mother¡¯s friend, and he said he¡¯d be my guardian.¡± ¡°Oh my, Miss Diana already got a guardian?¡± Diana nodded her head. ¡°Oh my! That¡¯s good news!¡± It was a man rich enough to buy Meister Faradi¡¯s clothes as a gift! And, such a girl had such a rich man as her guardian! The tailor and Madame exchanged glances. Their hands became very diligent. After choosing one set of white fabric, two sets of ivory fabric, and one set of dark navy fabric with gloss, there were already four tops. There were also four skirts and two dresses. It was the first time Diana knew that there were so many types of dresses. A dress without a waistline, a dress with an A-line skirt, a dress with Empire style. They decided to add embroidery on the collar and sleeves, as well as bright lace ruffles on the ivory-colored collar. Diana, who was looking at the silver-decorated pins after choosing an ivory button carved with a lily pattern, suddenly came to her senses. ¡®You¡¯re crazy. Diana!¡¯ After coming to her senses, Diana said hastily. ¡°U-um, I think this is enough.¡± The Madame let out a sigh of regret. But the edge of her mouth was still upturned in a lion-who-had-eaten-until-it-was-satisfied smile. ¡°You must be tired, right? Feel free to sit down and rest for a while. I¡¯ll go ahead and make the price list for you.¡± A good seller knew when to step down. The Madame gestured to an employee while holding herself back from humming. ¡°Come here and give Miss Diana some tea.¡± *** At the same time, the employee who was severely scolded for chasing Diana out the entrance was guarding the back door. The back door was usually used by maids when running errands, not customers. Everyone avoided this place, where there was nothing to learn and nothing to do. The employee burst into a rage. ¡®Diana, who the hell is she? Where did she suddenly get the money?¡¯ Diana, who was ordering clothes inside, was also a maid who used to enter from here. ¡®Was she hoarding money? What a show-off!¡¯ In the employee¡¯s head, the memory of how she ignored Diana was already completely gone. Someone entered while she was wallowing in her irritation alone. ¡°Laura?¡± ¡°Hm? It has been a long time. Why are you here?¡± Laura¡¯s comments made the employee angry. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here! I need to ask you something!¡± ¡°What is it? I came here running Miss¡¯ errands, so I have to go back quickly.¡± ¡°Just a minute. You know Diana, right? Since you work together¡­.¡± ¡°Diana? She had been kicked out of the mansion long ago. What¡¯s up with her?¡± ¡°Did you just say she was kicked out? She¡¯s getting clothes here right now though?¡± ¡°What? What are you talking about?¡± The employee explained what she saw. Laura listened to the story with a ridiculous expression on her face. ¡°So, where is she right now?¡± Diana was on the sofa in the guest hall by the entrance. It was the first time she knew there was such a place. After all, she had always come in and out from the back door. ¡®It¡¯s my first time to be served tea here.¡¯ Money sure was good. The treatment was different as soon as she became a guest. The almond cookie crumbled as she placed it in her mouth. There were several magazines as well as a catalog with a silk cover on the table beside the sofa. Sick of seeing the catalog, Diana picked up a magazine. ¡®Lady Atticia must¡¯ve read this a lot.¡¯ Diana read the magazine cover and paused. [Introduction of Meister Faradi¡¯s Collection] ¡®Isn¡¯t this the person Madame was just talking about?¡¯ It was when Diana opened the magazine, ¡°What are you-¡± Diana raised her head at the voice that was suddenly heard. ¡°Laura?¡± Why was she here¡­. Ah, she probably came in order to run an errand. It looked like Laura was the one who picked up her duties after she quit. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Are you asking what I¡¯m doing?¡± ¡°I heard you were ordering clothes. From here?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± Diana¡¯s question was answered when she saw the employee who hurriedly appeared behind Laura. She was the employee who was scolded by Madame after trying to kick her out of the entrance door. The employee grabbed Laura with a puzzled look. ¡°No, wait a minute Laura. You can¡¯t make a fuss.¡± ¡°Let me go. You just said that she mocked you. Why are you stopping me?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡®When have I ever?¡¯ The astounded Diana looked at the employee. Rather, it was that employee who laughed at her! As if it was intolerable, the employee was happy on the inside looking at Diana¡¯s suffering, all the while pretending to stop Laura. ¡°You got money from somewhere and are now buying clothes here? Tell me the truth. You stole something didn¡¯t you?¡± This time, not a single word left Diana¡¯s mouth. Laura considered her a pain in the neck and even her attitude towards the end wasn¡¯t good. However, she thought it was all over because she had left the mansion. But, she didn¡¯t expect this to happen since she had now quit her job. ¡°You were living in the mansion like a beggar! It wasn¡¯t enough to just let you get kicked out of the mansion¡­!¡± It was at that moment. ¡°Just what is all this fuss about?¡± ¡°M-Madame?¡± The employee¡¯s face turned pale. Madame, who saw Laura standing next to the employee, opened her mouth. ¡°Just how did she get in here¡­. Don¡¯t tell me, you¡¯re the one who let her in?¡± Madame rebuked the employee with a fierce look. The employee replied in a trembling voice. ¡°N-no, All I said w-was that Diana is here¡­.¡± ¡°You¡­.¡± Madame clenched her teeth and said to another employee in the back. ¡°Bring her out.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± She spoke to the employee who was being dragged. ¡°You¡¯re fired.¡± ¡°Yes? Madame! Madame! I made a mistake!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even think about stepping in here again.¡± The employee who was being dragged ran forward in surprise. But she was soon captured by another employee and got dragged back. Diana looked at the whole situation with her eyes wide open. Madame sighed as she shook her head and looked back at Laura. ¡°Laura, you should get out of here, too. You know that only customers can come in here.¡± ¡°But, Diana is also here!¡± Diana flinched at Laura¡¯s shout. Madame obscured Diana from Laura¡¯s gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re mistaking here, but Miss Diana is our customer. I won¡¯t tolerate you being rude anymore.¡± Laura¡¯s face distorted. ¡°Are you really¡­ saying that Diana is a customer? That¡¯s impossible.¡± Madame only said until that much before looking back at Diana. Diana got up from the sofa in a hurry. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Diana. Our employee truly committed such a discourteous act.¡± Diana bit her lips and walked past Laura. She felt as if she was sitting on pins and needles. She only wanted to buy clothes. ¡°Are the calculations done?¡± ¡°The clothes will be completed in 15 days.¡± The employee behind Madame gave out the check. The prices for the fabric, labor, and accessories were all listed and totaled at the end. She wondered if she was really that absent-minded when choosing as the total price was about two-thirds the amount she brought. Diana took the leather pouch out of her pocket. As soon as she took out the gold coin, someone took a deep breath. ¡°Wh-what¡¯s this?¡± After being quiet for a while, Laura opened her mouth again. ¡°You really have money?¡± Laura had a shocked look. ¡°I-it¡¯s impossible. Where did you, from where did you get this gold coin? Tell me the truth!¡± As Laura almost broke in, the startled staff stopped her. ¡°Laura! Why are you like this?! Are you crazy?!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not letting me go?!¡± The reason Laura couldn¡¯t be dragged out and only be blocked was that she was the maid of Baron Bardeaux¡¯s Lady, a customer the Lily of The Valley Boutique cared about. ¡°You¡¯ve been acting poor and pitiful, doing everything alone, and yet you¡¯ve been hiding such money¡­.¡± ¡°I simply received my mother¡¯s inheritance.¡± Diana cut off Laura¡¯s words and said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I said I received my mother¡¯s inheritance.¡± However, Laura¡¯s reaction was strange. She laughed out loud, as if it were ridiculous. ¡°What kind of inheritance do you have? Your inheritance is¡­.¡± The surprised Laura covered her mouth and shouted again. ¡°T-There¡¯s no way you have an inheritance!¡± ¡°Hm?¡± There¡¯s no way? Diana tilted her head suspiciously. ¡°Why, are you so sure that I don¡¯t have an inheritance?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Laura rolled her eyes like she was flustered. Suddenly, she shook off the employee¡¯s hand and ran out of the boutique. ¡°What¡¯s up with her?¡± Not just her, the question was on everyone¡¯s face. *** Atticia Bordeaux saw Laura, her maid, rushing in and clicked her tongue. Atticia said to the maid who attended her. ¡°Finally you¡¯ve come. Since Laura has come back, you go out.¡± The maid bowed politely and quickly left the room. Laura ran straight to Atticia without a single glance to the maid who was getting out. ¡°Miss, I¡¯ve just witnessed a really huge matter!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the fuss about?¡± Atticia raised her gaze from the magazine and asked Laura. ¡°More importantly, when did they say they could finish the needlework? I told you that I have to have it by next week if I¡¯m going to attend the Imperial Ball, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± At that moment, Laura remembered why she had to go to the Lily of The Valley Boutique in the first place. Chapter 15 ¡°A-About that.¡± As Laura hesitated, Atticia¡¯s eyes gradually narrowed. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, you¡­.¡± Seeing her expression, Laura kneeled flat on the floor. ¡°I apologize, Miss. Without realizing it myself, I forgot to ask about it.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Atticia¡¯s voice became high. ¡°Are you kidding me right now? What have you been doing all this time? Did you come after playing at Aachen?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that¨C¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m stupid?¡± Still kneeling down, Laura bit her lips. ¡°What the hell is everyone doing? You¡¯re all just being lazy! You¡¯re always late whenever I ask you to run an errand, and you even went out to play? Did I say I sent you to Aachen to play?!¡± Atticia bit her lips tightly. This was all Diana¡¯s fault. It was only because of one person, Diana, who quit, that there was suddenly a lot of work to do. Several people shared Diana¡¯s leftover work, but they found it difficult. Inevitably, Laura also had to share part of the work. The hardest thing was that Atticia now had no one to relieve her irritation. After having the person she picked on disappear, she started to get annoyed with everyone. ¡®Diana, just why did she quit?!¡¯ Atticia seemed to have the same thought. ¡°Not a single thing has worked out since Diana quit!¡± ¡°Ah, right, Miss. I saw Diana at Aachen!¡± Atticia suddenly stopped and frowned. ¡°What? Diana is in Aachen?¡± ¡°Yes! Yes. I¡¯m telling you so.¡± Laura nodded urgently. But Atticia¡¯s face only became more distorted. Laura was flustered. Just why was the Miss acting like this? ¡°So?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°So you¡¯re using that as an excuse? You saw Diana in Aachen, so you just came back?¡± ¡°N-no. I apologize.¡± Laura kneeled flat again. ¡°Miss, I¡¯ll immediately go again and¡ª¡± ¡°Forget it!¡± For a moment, the dull sound of an object being thrown was heard right next to Laura¡¯s face. Surprised, Laura turned around and found a magazine had tumbled down. ¡®Did the Miss just throw the magazine at me?¡¯ She couldn¡¯t believe it. She had seen the magazine thrown at Diana countless times, but it was the first time she, herself, had experienced it. Atticia shouted at Laura, who was taken aback. ¡°I¡¯ll send another person! You! Go out immediately!¡± Laura couldn¡¯t talk anymore and left the room without delay. Atticia did not even look back at Laura, and simply grumpily pulled on the line that was used for calling maids. In no time, a maid from another floor came rushing through the hallway. The maid who saw Laura in front of the door whispered as she was short of breath. ¡°Laura! You just came out of Miss¡¯ room, right? What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°How would I know?!¡± Laura shouted irritatedly. The surprised maid covered her ears and glared at Laura. ¡°If you don¡¯t know, then you don¡¯t. Why are you shouting?¡± At that reply, Laura suddenly opened her mouth. She was a maid that was always cautious about how she was treated. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°I asked why did you shout!¡± The maid shoved Laura hard, pushing her out of the way. ¡°You can¡¯t even work. A maid who only knows how to play.¡± ¡°W-What did you just say?¡± ¡°Why? Why don¡¯t you go and tell the Miss again? Though I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s going to listen to you now.¡± The maid snorted and entered the Miss¡¯ room. Clenching her hands tightly, Laura trembled in anger. But, she couldn¡¯t open the Miss¡¯ door and enter at her own will. ¡°Just wait and see¡­ I won¡¯t forget this.¡± The Miss was only angry at her for a moment. If she wasn¡¯t beside her, she would be called by the Miss right away. First of all, she had to tell what she heard today. Laura hurriedly went downstairs. As soon as she reached downstairs, she ran into someone she was looking for. ¡°Head Maid!¡± ¡°Laura? What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I have something to tell you! It¡¯s about Diana.¡± The head maid¡¯s face hardened. ¡°Follow me.¡± The Head Maid walked past the empty hallway and entered a dusty room in one of the corners. ¡°What did you say? She received an inheritance? Diana did?¡± Laura explained everything that she had experienced at the Lily of The Valley Boutique to the Head Maid. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. I¡¯m sure I organized everything.¡± ¡°At first, I also didn¡¯t believe it, but she took out a gold coin! Also, she said with her own mouth that it was her inheritance.¡± Laura bit her nails nervously. ¡°If it¡¯s not from her inheritance, then from where would she suddenly get that huge amount of money?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The Head Maid was the one who knew best about Diana¡¯s salary. ¡°Then, first¡­.¡± The Head Maid opened her eyes a bit and said as if to calm herself down. ¡°I¡¯ll find out what happened.¡± *** Time flew by quickly. It seemed like it had only been a blink of an eye, but investigating Diana had been slow. There was also the constant problem with the maids serving Miss Atticia. A call came as Atticia sent back the maid, who was crying and clinging onto her, saying that she could no longer serve the Miss. ¡°Madam, did you call me?¡± It was the Madam who was in the middle of welcoming a guest. The guest sitting in the drawing room was a man who they had never seen before. ¡®Who is it?¡¯ The Baroness of Bordeaux looked uncomfortable somewhere. But, on the contrary, the man looked quite pleasant. The man was fiddling with his luxurious suit and had a stylish mustache. When he saw the Head Maid, he smiled. ¡°Are you the Head Maid of The Bordeaux mansion?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m the Head Maid. How may I help you?¡± The man shook his head and spoke in a plain tone, as if he was only talking about the weather. ¡°You have been charged with embezzlement and fraud.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± The Head Maid doubted her own ears. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Since I have already investigated it in advance, it is useless to deny it.¡± ¡°No, I mean, embezzlement? Fraud? If this is a joke, it is certainly not funny.¡± The stern Head Maid denied instinctively. However, a chill clawed at her from the very bottom of her toes. ¡°Does this sound like a joke to you?¡± The man asked while opening his eyes clearly. For a moment, she recalled an event. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡­ No way! But how come it¡¯s only being investigated now? That was years ago!¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re denying it, then I suppose I¡¯ll tell you.¡± ¡°What are you talking¡ª¡± ¡°Do you admit that you siphoned off April¡¯s fortune? The very April who worked at the Bordeaux mansion as a tutor?¡± The Head Maid urgently looked at the Madam. ¡°Madam! What kind of situation is this right now¡­.!¡± But the Madam¡¯s expression was firm. No, rather she was even glaring at her. For a moment, the Head Maid, who was suffocated, puffed up. ¡°Do you admit it?¡± ¡°¡­Who- Who the hell set up such ridiculous false charges?¡± The Head Maid¡¯s voice became fierce. What kind of stupid bastard was fighting a Baron over an orphan girl? Yeah! It was true that she siphoned off April¡¯s fortune. However, the Baroness of Bordeaux caught her when she was stealing it. But, funny enough, the Baroness of Bordeaux didn¡¯t tell her to return the inheritance to Diana. Rather, instead of just turning a blind eye to it, she even demanded to get a part of the inheritance. The Head Maid was forced to hand over 70% to the Baroness of Bordeaux. When she had to pass it over, she was sad, but she believed in one thing. That the Baroness and herself were now on the same boat. If the Head Maid was dragged away, the Baroness could not avoid responsibility, too. When the Baroness became her backing, the Head Maid became more confident. The Baroness of Bordeaux kept Diana in the mansion just in case she would talk nonsense. And when no one was looking, she finally kicked her out. But as soon as she kicked her out, this happened! ¡°Who accused me of doing such things?¡± Don¡¯t tell me, it¡¯s Diana? However, at the Head Maid¡¯s question, a voice answered back as if it was laughable. ¡°If you knew that information, then what would you do with it?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Are you going to contract someone to kill the person?¡± ¡°Yes? W-what kind of¡ª¡± ¡°It was a joke.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The man laughed like he was having fun. But the Head Maid, and the Baroness, didn¡¯t feel like laughing at all. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be curious or upset, because the accusation came from someone that you can¡¯t even dare to imagine.¡± The man gulped down the lukewarm tea water. Hm, it¡¯s cheap. At a noble mansion, the tea would never be of low price because it would be served to guests. But, to a person who worked under the archipelago¨Cno, the continent¡¯s richest man, it was nothing but a cheap cup of tea. That was the truth. Baron¡¯s Head Maid was somewhat¡­. Even if this was a Baron household, they were dealing with Ohrid, who could crush Barons with a single finger. It was absurd that Count Ohrid¡¯s professional lawyer, himself visited this smelly country estate. At first, he tried to get people to handle it roughly. However¡ª [As expected, they siphoned off the inheritance.] [It seems like the Baroness is her backing.] It was the Little Young Master, who had vanished from his official seat for several days, who ordered him to do so. Numerous rumors had poured over the head of Ohrid¡¯s heir. However, the Little Young Master, who ordered the investigation, was calm as if he did not care about the rumors. Even indifferent to the report of the girl¡¯s miserable past that he received. [First, focus on handling the maid and tracking down the inheritance. I¡¯ll leave the Baroness alone for now.] And, that Young Master gave the orders ¡®personally¡¯. [You have to do it perfectly.] Perfect. He used the word ¡®perfect¡¯. It meant that if he made a mistake, it wasn¡¯t the Head Maid or the Baron of this countryside¡¯s head who would fly away, but rather his own. Nevertheless, it was strange. An Ohrid and a single mother who just died. And he¡¯s interested in the legacy of an ordinary orphan girl? The inheritance was insignificant compared to any property of the Ohrids. Of course, it was a little too much for a single mother who was a commoner. But, it would be nothing but dust if compared to Ohrid. It was unpleasant as he may know or not know about something. But whatever the Young Master¡¯s purpose, it had nothing to do with him. He only needed to carry out what he was told to do. Chapter 16 ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t admit it. There¡¯s lots of evidence anyway.¡± The man glanced at the Baroness, who was pretending to be innocent. Even so, the Baroness was also rotten. ¡®Well, it¡¯s more important to recover the legacy first.¡¯ When he looked back at the Head Maid again, he was shaking with anger. She still couldn¡¯t understand the situation she was in, and thus couldn¡¯t figure out why the man was so angry. The man sneered at her. A countryside territory in the corner of the country, and the head maid of the Lord¡¯s mansion. She was probably the second most powerful person here after the owner and his wife who she was serving Of course, such a person would have pride as high as the sky. But the world was wide, and it made sense for smaller authorities to obey greater ones. Just like the Baroness said, the answer was already decided. ¡°First, go and get investigated. If you¡¯re innocent, you¡¯ll be released.¡± ¡°Madam!¡± The Baroness¡¯ eyes avoided the Head Maid¡¯s. The Head Maid shook her head in anger. The Baroness of Bordeaux would dare not truly abandon her. They were on the same boat. ¡®Firstly, I need to get past this situation. There¡¯s no way the Baroness would abandon me. She¡¯ll definitely use her hands.¡¯ The Head Maid trusted her like that. However, it didn¡¯t take long to realize that it was just an illusion. *** In Heimden, an archipelago that was within the imperial kingdom of the Heimbraden Empire, there were teleportation gates in each province that were connected to the major cities. However, not even nobles could easily use the gates due to its high costs. If people couldn¡¯t afford it, they would usually choose to take the train rather than the gate. And those in poor conditions would travel by carriage, no matter how much time it would take. At the side of the gate, there were lounges for a select number of families who frequently used the gate. The wealthier the family, the more spacious and extravagant their lounge was. Inside of the lounge with the best scenery, which was overlooking the gate entrance, there was a fierce sound. Slap¡ª Together with the loud sound, the platinum young man¡¯s head turned. The cheeks of the beautiful young man reddened in an instant. His pale face and red cheeks were quite the contrast. ¡°I apologize.¡± However, the young man lowered his eyes, straightening his head without any signs of pain. His golden eyes disappeared under his eyelashes. ¡°I made a mistake.¡± ¡°Of course you did. Is that all you have to say?¡± The owner of the hand was an old woman. She was so calm that there was no trace of her being the person who slapped him just a moment ago. ¡°There is no way Philippa, my daughter, is dead.¡± The woman took off her gloves and placed them on her lap. The room was filled with a deathly silence, not even a single breath sound could be heard. ¡°However, it is indeed strange. There is no reason for Hermann Rietchev to suddenly take a boat to the Eastern Continent during this period.¡± The woman tapped her gloves with her finger. There was almost no sound. ¡°Coincidentally, the Grand Duke of Nohibaden is also in the East Continent¡­ It¡¯s strange to call it a coincidence.¡± The woman leaned back and rested, her eyes wrinkling in contemplation. ¡°Bring him here.¡± She spoke in a firm voice. ¡°I have to confirm it myself.¡± The young man politely greeted the woman one last time and left the lounge. His attendant who waited outside looked at the young man¡¯s cheek and spoke carefully. ¡°I¡¯ll get a healer in Aachen on standby.¡± ¡°Please do.¡± The young man replied indifferently. The gate was prepared in advance, so it only took a moment to arrive in Aachen. The moment Senir¡¯s figure gradually appeared between the lights of the gate, a voice called out to him. ¡°Little Young Master! Something has happened to Lady Diana.¡± *** A cheese-colored cat sat with its legs together on top of a wall stacked with green shrubs, flower trees, and brown bricks sticking out between the bars. She could only look at the scenery like this when Sky wasn¡¯t there, because the puppy would quickly run away if she didn¡¯t keep an eye on it. When Diana exited the alley in front of her house and entered the main street, the atmosphere quickly changed. On the noisy streets, there were students who appeared to be her age. The students and teachers were wearing the same capes, which looked like they were school uniforms, and walked away somewhere. Diana¡¯s feet familiarly headed to the post office. There was a call that a package had arrived. She declined Sophie, who said she would get it, and came out herself. She knew what it would be. Her excited footsteps stopped as someone blocked her. She tried to pass by without much thought, but the person shadowed her again and blocked her. The moment she looked up at the person curiously, she breathed in sharply. ¡°What a coincidence. I didn¡¯t know we¡¯d run into each other here.¡± ¡°¡­ Lord Hauzen.¡± She used the tip of her tongue to say his name. Aachen wasn¡¯t by any means a small city, but who knew that they would meet like this? ¡°I went to the Bordeaux mansion last time and I didn¡¯t see you. They said you quit your job?¡± Lord Hauzen looked her up and down with bleary eyes. She got goosebumps and put her hand on her elbows. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything and just quit? It¡¯s unfortunate. Ah, or did they say you were fired? Anyhow, does it matter? Rather, I feel it¡¯s quite good.¡± ¡°What are you talking¨C¡± Diana glanced at her surroundings. Everyone was busy walking, so no one was interested in her. ¡°Your life must¡¯ve been hard, getting fired without a single recommendation letter.¡± Lord Hauzen spoke pretentiously as if he felt it was regrettable. ¡°That¡¯s why, how about coming to our household and working there?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you a lot more than the Baron.¡± Diana barely managed her face from crumpling up. ¡°Thank you for the offer, but I¡¯m f-fine.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, yeah?¡± ¡°I¡¯m really fine.¡± Lord Hauzen came close to her. Diana grabbed the hem of her skirt, and took a step away, but Lord Hauzen took a step forward with every step back. ¡°C-can you please move a bit farthe¨C¡± ¡°You¡¯d better think about it carefully. You don¡¯t even have any parents, right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If you serve me well, I might also become your guardian, you know?¡± Diana swallowed her saliva, as she felt her mouth dry. ¡°Uhm, Lord Hauzen has Miss Atticia as your fiance. If you keep acting like this, it¡¯s going to be a problem.¡± ¡°What?¡± As if her words were ridiculous, Lord Hauzen snorted and kicked the stone floor. His threatening appearance made her shoulders shrink. ¡°Isn¡¯t this such a ridiculously funny bitch? This arrogant wench doesn¡¯t even know its place. What in the world are you talking about right now?!¡± Her shoulders shrank at Lord Hauzen¡¯s shout. She glanced around to see if anyone took notice of this commotion. However, as people saw Lord Hauzen¡¯s noble appearance, they ignored the two and quickly walked away in fear of getting involved. ¡°When did I say that I liked you? I asked when did I say that I liked you?!¡± ¡°N-no¡­.¡± Diana bit her lips until they turned white. How could he be so shameless? Of course, he didn¡¯t say it directly that he liked her. However, his disgusting gaze as he looked at her while smacking his lips was enough for her to know. How could she not know he was interested? Being young didn¡¯t mean that she didn¡¯t know anything. ¡°I¡¯ve already said that I would take care of a child as low as you. And you dare to refuse that?!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I mean, do you hate it that much when I tell you to work at my house? And you even dare to make that face? Who do you think you are? Who do you think you are?!¡± Hauzen raised his arm threateningly and as if he was holding it in, retracted it and swept his hair back. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re really making me angry.¡± It was very easy to deal with a young maid like this. He just had to scare her first and then pretend to be nice again. Then, if she didn¡¯t listen, his hands may go up a little, but the maid couldn¡¯t refuse him anyway. ¡°You say that you¡¯re thankful for my offer, but you won¡¯t do it. Then why are you making me mad?! Huh?!¡± She was a maid he had been desiring ever since he first saw her in the Bordeaux mansion. However, he could only taste the face of his fiance. But now, he happened to have this opportunity. He couldn¡¯t miss this kind of once-in-a-lifetime chance. Wasn¡¯t she an orphan wench anyway? There would be nothing wrong even if he played with her and threw her away. ¡°No, I mean. I shouldn¡¯t have been angry like this. It¡¯s because you made me angry. Right? It¡¯s your fault, right?¡± Should she say that she¡¯s sorry? If she apologizes and holds it in, would this matter be let go? ¡®¡­ I don¡¯t want to do it.¡¯ She hated it. She didn¡¯t do anything wrong. She didn¡¯t want to apologize. When she was at the Bordeaux mansion, everyone always asked her to just bear it. They had always said that she should just endure it and move on. That there was no reason for her to make things bigger. Even though it wasn¡¯t her fault. Diana closed her lips and raised her head. ¡°I-I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Why do I have to apologize to Lord Hauzen?¡± ¡°What did you say just now?¡± Lord Hauzen¡¯s face turned red. After saying it once, it was rather easy after that. ¡°I¡¯m not grateful at all, rather I¡¯m burdened.¡± ¡°You dare?!¡± The moment Lord Hauzen raised his hand, Diana reflexively raised her hand and closed her eyes tightly. However, there was no pain like she expected. ¡°So, you were right here.¡± A gentle voice tickled her ears. Diana gently opened her eyes. A beautiful face with a delicate jawline that still stood out even if he was wearing a hoodie, appeared. Diana¡¯s thin open eyes became big. Why was this person here? Senir, who seemed exhausted for some reason, breathed out a relieved sigh and bowed down. ¡°Huh?¡± Following Senir¡¯s gaze, Diana lowered her gaze along and let out a groan. ¡®Huh? When did Sky follow me out?¡¯ Senir handed Sky which was at his feet to her arms. Sky whined and licked her face. For a moment, her heart calmed down. ¡°What are you¨C¡± Lord Hauzen put his hand on the shoulder of the person who stood in his way with a shrill voice. ¡°B-be careful.¡± Diana grabbed the hem of Senir¡¯s robe with a pale face. Senir smiled as if asking her to not worry and turned slowly. As he grabbed the hem of his hood and pulled it off, his sparkling platinum hair scattered under the sunlight. Lord Hauzen¡¯s eyes opened wide. ¡°O-O-O-O-Ohrid, the Esteemed Son of Ohrid?¡± He was so flustered, that he said ¡®Oh¡¯ four times. Listening to his words, Diana hardened as well. What did he just say? Chapter 17 Senir slapped Lord Hauzen¡¯s hand that had been on his shoulder. Lord Hauzen¡¯s hand retreated, startled as if he had just been stung by a bee. ¡°No¨C W-why in the world is the Esteemed Son of O-Ohrid her¡ª¡± ¡°Do I have to explain?¡± ¡°Y-yes? O-of course not.¡± ¡°Rather, I¡¯m the one who is curious.¡± Senir glanced back at Diana then back to him. Lord Hauzen¡¯s flustered face was clearly visible. ¡°Do you normally persecute others like this?¡± ¡°N-no! T-to say this is persecution!¡± Lord Hauzen jumped. ¡°We¨C T-that w-what¡¯s the word¡­ Uhm, we were only having a conversation. Right, Diana?¡± Lord Hauzen glared at Diana, his eyes telling her to agree quickly. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s thinking that I¡¯ll agree?¡¯ Diana bit her lips and shook her head. ¡°No. Even though I had refused, he kept asking me to go to his house¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re not shutting up?!¡± Lord Hauzen suddenly shouted. ¡°Esteemed Son of Ohrid, that wench is lying¡­!¡± ¡°So now you¡¯re even screaming.¡± ¡°Ah, I a-apologi¡ª¡± Senir cut off Lord Hauzen¡¯s apology and looked back at Diana. ¡°Surely, you have to apologize to the Lady, not me.¡± At that moment, Lord Hauzen suddenly gained the courage to talk back. ¡°To think that the Esteemed Son of Ohrid cares about this kind of insignificant matter, I can¡¯t believe it.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Diana, who was behind Senir, couldn¡¯t see his expression, but Lord Hauzen, who faced Senir, turned pale in an instant at what he saw. With shaking eyes, Lord Hauzen¡¯s gaze turned to Diana. However, it seemed that an apology would damage his pride too much. Lord Hauzen¡¯s face distorted even more. Diana thought that it would be over soon and he would simply yell at her. However, Lord Hauzen bowed his head to her while gritting his teeth. ¡°I apologize.¡± Diana¡¯s mouth opened at the unexpected apology. Lord Hauzen, whose face had turned red, looked back at Senir. ¡°T-Then I¡¯ll get going now. Uhm¡­ that¡­ When we meet again next time, please allow me to greet¡­ N-no, I¡¯m not forcing you.¡± Lord Hauzen¡¯s steps faltered and he simply ran away, trying to get out of sight as soon as possible. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Are you okay, Lady Diana?¡± Senir looked back behind him slowly. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m okay.¡± When Lord Hauzen disappeared in front of her eyes, she felt cold sweat drip down her back. Diana hugged Sky, who was in her arms, tightly. The pounding warmth gave her a sense of stability. Seeing Lord Hauzen¡¯s pathetic appearance, she felt that it was funny and¡­ unfair that she was scared by such a human being. She was sad that she couldn¡¯t be like Senir and treat such trash recklessly. ¡®It¡¯s frustrating¡­.¡¯ Diana bowed her head and suppressed her resentment. Slowly, her stirred heart calmed down. Fortunately, it calmed down quickly. Sky, who noticed that she was feeling better, jumped out of her arms as if aware. Diana bowed her head to Senir. ¡°Thank you for helping me. Seni¡ª¡± Diana, who was expressing her gratitude, paused. The information that she had forgotten because of the commotion came to mind again. ¡®Lord Hauzen said he¡¯s the Esteemed Son of Ohrid¡­.¡¯ Diana glanced at Senir¡¯s face and raised her head in surprise. She hurriedly grabbed Senir¡¯s robe, stood on her tiptoes, and asked him. ¡°Senir? Why is you cheek like that?¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Only then did Senir recall the fact that he had been slapped. He was in such a hurry to reach Diana that he had come without meeting up with a healer. ¡°It¡¯s very red. Were you slapped¡­. No, are you okay?¡± WIth teary eyes, Diana stared intently at his cheek. She looked paler than when she was being threatened by Lord Hauzen earlier. Covering his cheek with the back of his hand, Senir slipped away from Diana. ¡°You don¡¯t have to pay attention to thi¡ª¡± But while Senir was talking, Diana had already ran into the grocery store, leaving only a ¡°Wait a minute!¡± It didn¡¯t take long before she reappeared. Diana came running and placed a cold wet handkerchief on Senir¡¯s cheek. At the damp and cool feeling, Senir grabbed Diana¡¯s wrist as if to stop her. However, Senir could not give strength to his wrist at all. The teary round eyes that stared at him stopped him. ¡°¡­ Does it hurt a lot?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°What should I do¡­?¡± Diana sobbed. Senir couldn¡¯t answer anything. At times like this, he didn¡¯t know what expression to make. It was unfamiliar. It has been so long since he saw someone worried about him. It took a while before he was able to say anything. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°But, you¡¯re¡­.¡± Diana hesitated. She didn¡¯t know how to say it. Wasn¡¯t it better to go to the hospital because he was the heir to Ohrid? But why was Ohrid¡¯s heir slapped? Who hit him? Was he really the heir of Ohrid? She did think that he looked like the person in the newspaper, but she never imagined it would really be him. Several questions tangled and spun around her head. Eventually, Diana asked the most basic question among the ones that came to mind. ¡°Are you Ohrid¡¯s heir?¡± Senir¡¯s golden eyes met Diana¡¯s. They were an unusual color for eyes. When their eyes met, his gaze hardened as if he was facing a beast. Senir turned his gaze away. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s what they call me.¡± Senir¡¯s small smile remained unshakable. ¡®Why did he lie to me, saying that he¡¯s a commoner?¡¯ There was no benefit for him to lie to her. ¡®Should I ask him?¡¯ But she soon stopped. What could she even do after she asked him? Diana quietly flipped the handkerchief, placing the side that was still cold onto Senir¡¯s cheek. ¡°I¡¯m glad I carried this handkerchief around.¡± It was the handkerchief Senir had handed to Diana. ¡°I carried it around so I could give it back to you when I met you again. Oh, of course, I didn¡¯t know that we would really meet.¡± Senir laughed brightly. The sight of his smile was really picturesque. His soft voice was like¡­. Diana shook her head trying to get herself together again. Fortunately, the redness of Senir¡¯s cheeks subsided a little. ¡®I¡¯ll go into the store and wet it one more time¡­¡¯ Lost in her own thoughts, Diana didn¡¯t catch what Senir was saying.¡± ¡°¡­What do you want me to do?¡± ¡°Yes? Ah, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t hear the first part.¡± ¡°What should I do with the Esteemed Son of Hauzen?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Senir took the handkerchief from Diana¡¯s hand. The gesture was so natural that Diana couldn¡¯t care less about him taking the handkerchief. ¡°Did you just ask me what to do with Lord Hauzen?¡± ¡°First of all, the title ¡®Lord¡¯ doesn¡¯t suit the Esteemed Son of Hauzen.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Diana rubbed her hands on her skirt. She didn¡¯t know what the difference was. Senir explained as if he had read her mind. ¡°The title ¡®Lord¡¯ is an honorific title for those who have been appointed as knights. And His Esteemed Son of Hauzen is¡­.¡± Senir smirked. It was more of a sneer. ¡°He¡¯s still too lacking to be worthy of receiving the title ¡®Lord¡¯.¡± That brat wasn¡¯t even aware that he almost died today. Senir looked at the black summoned beast wagging his tail next to Diana. If it was such a stupid bastard like him, it didn¡¯t matter if he died, but not right now. Watching Senir, Diana smiled slightly. ¡°I like the way Senir gets angry for me like this.¡± ¡°¡­Did you just say I got angry?¡± ¡°Were you not?¡± But, she thought he was angry because he looked serious? ¡°It seems like I was mistaken. Still, thank you so much for your help.¡± Diana smiled brightly. Senir stared at her with indistinct laughter in his eyes. At that moment, Diana opened her eyes wide. ¡°Ah! Ah, right. I¡¯m sorry. Uhm¡­. What should I call you? I¡¯m sorry until now, I really don¡¯t know. Should I call you Your Esteemed Son of Ohrid?¡± Senir gave a hollow smile. ¡°I will make sure to settle the Esteemed Son of Hauzen so that this kind of matter doesn¡¯t happen again in the future.¡± ¡°If you do that, I¡¯m thankful for it of course. Why do I keep bumping into him when Aachen isn¡¯t even small¡­?¡± ¡°Was there this kind of matter before?¡± Diana shook her head. ¡°At that time, I saw him first and avoided him, so nothing happened.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ll make it so we won¡¯t meet again¡­?¡± ¡°I believe so.¡± It was a firm answer. Diana looked at Senir oddly and laughed again. For some reason, she wanted to believe it. ¡°If so, then it would be great.¡± ¡°Also, it¡¯s enough to call me just Senir, without the title.¡± ¡°Is that alright?¡± Diana asked back carefully. ¡°Please just take it easy.¡± ¡°Uhm, alright.¡± It¡¯s hard¡­ Diana sighed inwardly. Since he himself said that it was okay, then it must be that it was truly okay, right? Before she knew it, people around them were glancing at Senir. The moment she was conscious of their gaze, she suddenly became very burdened. ¡°Uhm, then Senir. Thank you for your help today. You must make sure to treat your cheeks. Then, I¡¯ll get going¡­.¡± ¡°Wait a moment. Lady Diana.¡± Senir called Diana again, who had been hesitatingly moving away. ¡°W-why?¡± Senir showed a look of contemplation. ¡°Is there anything else you want to tell me?¡± ¡°I have a request to ask of you.¡± ¡°¡­For me?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s something that only Lady Diana can do.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Of course, since he saved her, it didn¡¯t matter if she had to do a simple request. But what kind of request does the heir of Ohrid have that he needed to ask her to do it? Unlike her worries, the words from Senir¡¯s mouth were unexpectedly very easy, although she didn¡¯t quite know the reason for the request. ¡°There is a person who wants to see Lady Diana.¡± Chapter 18 ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± ¡°Take your time. I also have something I need to take care of.¡± Senir laughed as if he didn¡¯t care. When she asked if she could take Sky home, he also laughed like that. Getting off the carriage, Diana entered the post office. ¡®Just who is that person?¡¯ Diana recalled the moment she was asked the request. [There is a person who wants to see me?] Diana rolled her eyes as she agonized over who it might be, but no one came to mind. [Just¡­ What kind of person are they?] [It¡¯s difficult to say that here.] Despite Senir¡¯s reluctance to tell her who wanted to meet her, Senir continued to plead for her to accept the request with a desperate look on his face. [I¡¯m ashamed, but it won¡¯t harm the Lady.] [¡­Is that so?] Honestly, she was confused. ¡®But, since he helped me¡­¡¯ If it weren¡¯t for Senir, who knows what would¡¯ve happened. Diana shivered. It was okay for her to grant him a small request in return. Diana received a numbered plaque from the postal service employee. The line was short and the employee soon called her number. Coincidentally, he was also the employee who ignored her last time. ¡®I did seem to not have any money, but he did say to just send my letter through regular service, right?¡¯ For some reason, she felt her mouth was bitter. The employee didn¡¯t recognize her. She thought it was natural since it was a place where he usually met dozens of people a day. Diana also didn¡¯t want to be recognized either. However, ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°¡­Uhm.¡± She was flustered for a moment. Was he originally a person who talked like this? He was usually annoyed as he spewed out informal speech, but today for who knows what reasons, he was very friendly. ¡°Is this your first time coming? Let me know if you need any help.¡± ¡°No. Uh, I¡¯m here to find a package.¡± Diana held out the certificate of ownership for her package. The employee was very kind to help her with the requisition. ¡®¡­Is it because of my outfit?¡¯ Well, it wasn¡¯t once or twice that this kind of sudden politeness happened after she got her new clothes tailored. From the horsemen even until the merchants who were selling street juice, they all changed as if they had never ignored her. Thanks to it, she was able to find her package quickly. After leaving the post office, Diana headed to the alley where she and Senir were supposed to meet. ¡°Ah, here it is.¡± It was the carriage that dropped her off in front of the post office. It was so big that even if it was parked on one side, its presence was still enormous. At that moment, a man with a nice looking mustache came out of the carriage. The man rubbed his face with a tired look. ¡°Phew, I was so nervous¡­.¡± Muttering alone, the man passed by her. However, the exhausted man suddenly hurriedly turned around. ¡°¡­?¡± Diana tilted her head at the man¡¯s movement. The frightened man flinched and took a step back. Diana was also flustered. ¡°Phi-Phi-Phi-Phil¡­ No, no.¡± ¡°Are you alright?¡± The man¡¯s face became pale as if he had just seen a ghost. ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s okay. E-excuse me.¡± The man quickly wore his hat and hurriedly moved away. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± That person was a little strange. Was there something on her face? Diana rubbed her face. Diana knocked on the door as she approached the carriage. The carriage door opened smoothly. ¡°You came quickly.¡± ¡°Is there something weird on my face?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Senir tilted his head as if he had heard something strange, his long eyelashes blinking gracefully. ¡°Not at all.¡± As expected, there seemed to be no problem. As soon as Diana sat in the carriage, it departed right away. ¡°Did something happen? ¡°No. Huh?¡± Realizing Diana¡¯s question, Senir lightly slapped his cheek with the back of his hand. As if it was never red, the swelling had completely disappeared. Could it disappear this fast? ¡°I called a healer.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Just who the hell slapped Senir¡­. No, it wasn¡¯t something she should be concerned about. ¡°That package is very big.¡± ¡°I have a friend at the academy. He sends me a gift every birthday.¡± ¡°¡­Is it your birthday?¡± Senir asked with a slightly flustered face. Not noticing this, Diana asked with excitement. ¡°By any chance, can I open the package here?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± When she opened the package, what came out was an object that looked like an oil lamp. How would one use this? It was when she was turning it around, that Senir, reached out his hand and pressed a part. Soon, light came out of the central bead. ¡°Oh?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a magic lamp.¡± Diana¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°If you press here, it turns on.¡± Senir pointed to a slightly protruding metal button. When he pressed it one more time, the light became brighter. ¡°If you press it one more time, it gets brighter. Press it again and it turns off.¡± ¡°Woaah!¡± When she pressed the button, the light faded. Diana pressed the button just as Senir taught her. ¡°Whoa.¡± Press and admire, press and admire. For a long time, Diana simply sat there pressing the magic lamp¡¯s button crazily. Suddenly Senir bowed his body. Diana was surprised by the sight of Senir¡¯s platinum blonde hair suddenly coming close and leaned back. Straightening up his body back, Senir immediately spoke in an apologetic tone. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for surprising you.¡± Senir handed her a card. ¡°It¡¯s because this fell down.¡± ¡°Huh? Ah, somehow there was no card. Thank you.¡± [Happy 13th Birthday. Thessior Fabre.] ¡°If it¡¯s Thessior Fabre, then is he the second son of Count Fabre?¡± ¡°Yes. Do you know him?¡¯¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ve never met him. Just¡­.¡± Senir made sure to choose his words lightly. ¡°All I know is that Count Fabre¡¯s eldest son died in an accident, and his second son went to an academy.¡± ¡°Aha.¡± ¡°You must be a close friend.¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ Yes. I think it¡¯s like that.¡± ¡°Think?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been so long since I saw his face. When was the last time we saw each other?¡± Diana counted with her fingers. It had been more than five years since her mother passed away. She kept sending and receiving letters like this, but honestly, she wasn¡¯t confident they were friends. Even if one day, no letter came, she thought there was nothing she could do about it. ¡°It¡¯s because Thessior is a noble¡­¡± Diana let out a deep sigh. ¡°¡­and I¡¯m a commoner.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t nobles and commoners be friends?¡± ¡°Of course, I think it¡¯s possible. That¡¯s what I think, but now¡­ I don¡¯t know anymore.¡± The more she was by Atticia¡¯s side, the more her confidence shrank like a balloon leaking. ¡°Did something happen?¡± Senir asked knowingly. With a little bit of investigation, Atticia Bordeaux¡¯s way of treating Diana was easily dug up. Of course he knew why she thought like that. If Diana wanted to retaliate against Atticia, Senir was confident in achieving that wish. No, he was hoping she would wish for it. It was quite an interesting thing. He wanted to do it not because of a deal or necessity, but simply because his heart wanted to do so. ¡°No.¡± However, the answer he wanted didn¡¯t come out. Senir¡¯s face stiffened slightly. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ There are things that I can¡¯t do with just my efforts.¡± Although she was bitter, Diana smiled softly, as if it couldn¡¯t be helped. ¡°I see.¡± Senir felt a sense of regret. Usually, he didn¡¯t care. But somehow, if it was for Diana, he wanted to do whatever she wanted. Diana looked out the window of the stopped carriage. ¡°Have we arrived already?¡± ¡°No, we haven¡¯t arrived.¡± Then why did it stop? Senir opened the carriage door and got off first. The hem of his light ivory robe lightly got caught on the chin of the carriage before dragging down slowly. Senir reached his hands out to Diana, who was about to get off. ¡°We¡¯re going to ride the gate. Have you ever used it?¡± ¡°Yes? What did you say we¡¯re going to ride?¡± Tilting his head, Senir said. ¡°Gate. By any chance, do you not know what a gate is?¡± ¡°No. No, it¡¯s not that¡­ ¡° Even for the Baron Bordeaux family, the gate wasn¡¯t something that could easily be used. It was only once a year when they went to the archipelago to attend the imperial ball, did they use it. And in the case of maids, servants, and knights, they were sent up by carriage, not by gate. ¡°Isn¡¯t it expensive?¡± ¡°The gate?¡± Senir asked back as if her words were rather surprising. ¡°¡­.¡± Diana remained silent. ¡®Right. They said Senir¡¯s family is rich, right?¡¯ She felt their distance again. She gave up trying to understand. ¡°It¡¯s ready. You can depart right away.¡± Inside the building, the aide whom Diana saw once came out. Senir received something opened by the aide and approached Diana. ¡°Excuse me for a moment.¡± Diana, who was about to take a step back, stopped when she saw the thing Senir held. It was a gray robe. Senir put the robe on Diana¡¯s shoulders and pulled up the hood. More than half of her face was now covered. ¡°Uhm, why do I need this¡­?¡± Diana pulled back the hood out of frustration. ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°Heimden.¡± ¡°¡­Yes? What did you say? Heimden?¡± The Heimden Archipelago. It was the Capital of the Heimbraden Empire. Senir pulled the hood back up on Diana. Her face was now covered again. The pouting Diana eventually gave up. ¡°You¡¯re going to send me back, right? I can¡¯t come back alone.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Senir smiled and continued to talk. ¡°If you want to go back, you can go right ahead.¡± Chapter 19 The light seemed to fade away and disappear from her sight, as suddenly, an open space appeared before her eyes. Even though she was stepping on the floor, she felt dizzy as if she was on a boat. She covered her mouth and staggered in the midst of her nausea. Someone held her hand tightly. ¡°When using the Gate for the first time, people often complain of motion sickness.¡± All she saw was a moving mouth in front of her. The voice sounded distant from her ears. Diana closed her eyes from the dizziness. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you rest a little. Take your time. Take a deep breath and let it all out.¡± Diana inhaled deeply as she held Senir¡¯s arm. ¡®If I had used the gate after eating, I might have vomited¡­¡¯ She was glad she currently had an empty stomach. Come to think of it, she was so busy that she skipped lunch. As she rested a little, her condition soon improved. ¡°I¡¯m okay now.¡± Senir carefully arranged her robe once more before finally moving away. In front of her was a large circular space. She could see a blue sky with white clouds flying through the dome-shaped ceiling. Diana was surprised to see the floor. There lay a weakly lit magic square, that wriggled and changed shape as if it were alive. ¡°First, let¡¯s get out of the square.¡± Diana followed Senir¡¯s lead. They headed for an arch-shaped passage that had no doors. A lot of people came and went. Just like them, there were quite a few people who had pulled over their hoods and covered themselves from head to toe. Walking on the shiny marble, a set of stairs appeared as they turned around the corner. From this point on, the number of people decreased rapidly. As she climbed the spiral stairs she placed her hand on the railing carved in the shape of a flower bud. Soon, an open corridor appeared. Under the railing, one could see the circular space where Diana had initially arrived. The magic square, which shone at her feet, was much more magnificent when viewed from above. ¡®So, the shape keeps changing.¡¯ Distracted by the magic square, Diana didn¡¯t notice that Senir had stopped walking. Just like that, her face hit his back. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± Fortunately, she didn¡¯t collide with him hard. Diana rubbed her nose and nodded, as if saying that it was okay. ¡°This is¡­?¡± ¡°You can go in from here.¡± Senir pointed to the arched door in front of them. The dark reddish-brown door was adorned with gold sculptures. The door was styled with birds that held branches in their beaks. ¡®It¡¯s like the symbol on the gold coins, right?¡¯ Why was this engraved here? This place wasn¡¯t even a bank. Senir beckoned the servant who stood at the door. Diana raised her head at the sound of the servant¡¯s knock. ¡°Little Young Master has come, together with a guest.¡± ¡°Let them in.¡± A voice was heard from inside the door. Diana didn¡¯t even notice that she, herself, was very nervous. Just like that, she entered the room whose door was opened. It was a place that looked like a resting area. There were crystal chandeliers on the ceiling, vine-shaped golden sculptures all over the creamy walls, and crystal vases with low saturation flowers on the antique sofa table. She heard a voice from the inside speak once again. ¡°To say that she¡¯s 13 years old¡­ She looks like she¡¯s around 10.¡± It was the low voice of a middle-aged woman. She then heard the sound of a drink being poured into a cup. ¡®But it¡¯s a voice that I¡¯ve never heard before.¡¯ At the edge of her sight, which was covered by the hood, she could see a wheelchair. ¡®Are her legs crippled?¡¯ It was her first time seeing a wheelchair in person. ¡°Can you show me your face?¡± The woman asked in a flat tone. Diana pulled off her hood. She shook her head lightly and arranged her hair which rose because of the static electricity. She might be about 50 years old? The young wrinkles around her eyes and the gray hair near her temple made Diana guess the woman¡¯s age. ¡°Hello. Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Diana.¡± However, the reply that should¡¯ve come, didn¡¯t. Tilting her head, Diana continued. ¡°I heard that you wanted to see me.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± At the silence, Diana looked back at Senir. Senir, whose eyes met with Diana, smiled softly. ¡®I don¡¯t think I said anything wrong.¡¯ The glass slipped from the hand of the woman who looked at her. Clang¡ª The fallen glass shattered and the red wine spilled onto the carpet, slowly seeping into it. However, the woman¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t move away from Diana. ¡°Madam?¡± Diana said worriedly. ¡°Oh, oh my. Oh my God.¡± The woman covered her mouth with her gloved hands. Diana somehow felt the situation was familiar. ¡°For a moment, closer¡­¡± The maid behind the woman pushed up the wheelchair. Diana felt that the woman¡¯s wrinkled eyes, that had quickly turned red, were quite familiar. ¡°By any chance, have we met somewhere?¡± At Diana¡¯s words, the woman burst into tears. ¡°Madam?!¡± The flustered Diana looked around. Just in time, she made eye contact with Senir. Senir smiled weakly at her and slightly bowed his head. ¡°Oh my¡­ Really, really my daughter¡­¡± The other employees in the room stiffened. It was the first time that the Count, who had always been known to be iron-blooded, shed tears. The moment they saw the Count¡¯s tears, everyone realized that this girl was the real deal. (t/n: Count in this passage is most likely a general title.) ¡®Just what in the world is going on?¡¯ The woman stretched out her hand, which was covering her mouth, to Diana, before quickly retracting it. Taking off her gloves, the woman reached her hand out again. The heat of something neither warm nor cold touched Diana¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Are you alright Madam?¡± Diana said carefully. She was groping the face of the person whom she had only met for the first time today. Diana deserved to feel that it was rude, but somehow she didn¡¯t have any thought of taking the woman¡¯s hands off. ¡°I¡¯m saying this but¡­ by any chance. By any chance¡­¡± The woman¡¯s voice was so small that Dian wouldn¡¯t have heard it if she didn¡¯t concentrate. ¡°Is your mother Phi, Philli, Phil¡­¡± The woman stuttered several times as she couldn¡¯t bear to say that name. ¡°¡­Phillipa?¡± The woman shook her head first before Diana answered. The hair on the woman¡¯s head became disheveled as she turned her head. ¡°No, no. It¡¯s impossible that your mother isn¡¯t Phillipa. Your mother is Phillipa, right?¡± It was a confident voice. Diana nodded carefully as she stared at the woman. ¡°Do you know my mother?¡± ¡°Of course, of course I know. How can I not know.¡± The woman gently grabbed Diana¡¯s hand. The lukewarm temperature returned and the tears that dripped on top of it were hot. ¡°You, you don¡¯t know? I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m your¡­¡± She wanted to listen to the woman but for some reason, she also didn¡¯t want to listen to her. There was no reason, but her heart started beating faster. ¡°Your grandmother.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Diana¡¯s eyes, which were looking at the tear marks on the back of her hand, slowly looked up. When the woman gestured, a maid brought a small frame on the table. ¡°Here, this, look at this once.¡± The frame she received showed a black-and-white picture. The quality of the old picture was not good. But it was enough for Diana to recognize the face on it. The young face in the frame was familiar. Diana¡¯s shaking eyes faced a mirror on the other side of the table. Then, she looked at the frame again, looked at the woman, looked in the mirror, and simply repeated this several times. ¡°This, what is this¡­¡± Diana, who stumbled, pointed at the table, covering her gasping mouth. ¡°¡­Are you really my grandmother?¡± ¡°Yes. Really. It¡¯s really the truth.¡± ¡°Really? Are you seriously telling the truth?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m telling you it¡¯s real.¡± So¡­ the person in the picture was her mother. Her mother in the picture was a little younger than what she remembered, and the woman next to her young mother was a young Madam, the person in front of her. ¡°Ha¡­ Haha, ha. This¡­ What¡¯s¡­¡± It was so ridiculous that she burst into laughter. ¡°Why now? No, I mean, really? Why¡­.¡± Diana grabbed the woman¡¯s arm and asked pitifully. ¡°Are you really my grandmother?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Tears formed in Diana¡¯s eyes too. Diana shook her head. She burst into tears and laughter. It was too unrealistic. ¡°Why? Just why now¡­¡± ¡°One day, Philippa disappeared. I tried every means, but I couldn¡¯t find her.¡± The woman¡¯s cheeks were wet with tears. ¡°However, not long ago, Phillipa¡¯s inheritance was given to someone.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­?¡± The inheritance that Hermann handed over? ¡°We found the owner of the inheritance. And I was told that the person looked exactly like my daughter. I also heard that the child¡¯s mother was already dead.¡± The woman bent down and grabbed the hem of her clothes. ¡°I didn¡¯t believe it. That my daughter died, and that I have a granddaughter. But¡­ By any chance, just by any chance¡­.¡± The woman bowed her head, biting her lips. It was suffocating. She couldn¡¯t believe it. She didn¡¯t believe it. The sound of her heart pounding thumped painfully in her ears. She had dreamed countless times after her mother died. That maybe, by any chance, another family member would come to find her. For the first time, she also wanted to find her father. Father, or even if it wasn¡¯t him, maybe a relative. Somewhere, wouldn¡¯t there be at least one person who would protect her? She wanted to rely on someone, anyone was fine! As long as there was someone¡­ But, day after day passed. In her tiring life, her hope soon died down and crumbled like faded paper. ¡°It¡¯s true that you¡¯re my granddaughter. It¡¯s true. It¡¯s impossible for you to not be my granddaughter.¡± Diana opened her lips to deny it, but her voice didn¡¯t come out. ¡®You¡¯re asking me to trust this?¡¯ Diana, who was panting, looked down at the frame in her hand. However, her eyes were blurred, so she couldn¡¯t see the face in the picture. Before she knew it, her cheeks were soaked with tears. More than anyone else, she wanted to believe it and also at the same time didn¡¯t want to believe it. What if it turned out to be a lie? It was better to not have hope from the beginning. Diana, who repeatedly cried and laughed, pinched her cheek. It hurt, but it still seemed like a dream. When she tried to pinch again, someone grabbed Diana¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. It hurts, right? It¡¯s not a dream.¡± Diana¡¯s face distorted, she could feel the hand of the woman who grabbed her, shaking. There was only a crying sound like that of a wounded beast¡¯s moaning. ¡°Diana, don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t cry.¡± Eventually, Diana collapsed to the floor and buried her face in both of her hands. ¡°Raise your head. Let me see your face.¡± Diana continuously shook her head. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, it¡¯s fine not to raise your head. Don¡¯t cry. Hm?¡± No matter what the woman said, Diana just kept shaking her head. She really wanted to believe it. Chapter 20 She collapsed to the floor. No, she lay down and cried until she was exhausted. When she tried to get up, her head was spinning. Soon there was a commotion, people called for a doctor because she almost collapsed. The door opened and an elderly maid came in. ¡°Here is an ice bag.¡± ¡°Thwank you.¡± [Thank you.] Her nose was stuffy and only a dull sound came out. As she saw her swollen eyes in the mirror, she thought it would definitely be a sight worth seeing by tomorrow morning. Diana put the ice bag that was wrapped in a soft cloth on her eyes. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s cwool.¡± [Ah, it¡¯s cool.] An exclamation came out reflexively. A smiling maid handed over a new handkerchief. ¡°Please use this to blow your nose.¡± The handkerchief was soft to the touch. Diana hesitated for a while, but eventually sniffed and blew her nose. She felt breathing become easier. It was hard to lift a finger though, perhaps because her body had no more energy after losing all the water from her crying. ¡°Diana.¡± ¡°Sniff, yes.¡± Grandmother, who had went away for a while, returned. Diana blew her nose one more time and put down the ice bag. ¡°By any chance, have you ever heard about your father from Phillipa?¡± ¡°¡­About Father?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Grandmother¡¯s eyes were somehow desperate. Diana shook her head. ¡°No, I have never heard about him.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Diana felt it was a little strange. It felt like Grandmother was relieved by her answer. To think that saying she didn¡¯t know who her father was made her Grandmother relieved? So, it wasn¡¯t that she wished to find him¡­? ¡°Then, by any chance, did Phillipa happen to ever mention me?¡± Grandmother and Hermann called her mother with the same name. ¡®I feel like I¡¯m getting used to it as I keep listening to it.¡¯ Diana flipped through her memories before shaking her head. The answer was the same again this time. ¡°I don¡¯t really know.¡± Diana mumbled with an ashamed face. ¡°Mom passed away when I was young. It might be that I don¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± Grandmother had a bitter face. Come to think of it, it was really strange. Grandmother was so well and healthy, but why has her mother never mentioned her? No, she never mentioned Father and Hermann either. ¡®Turns out, I really don¡¯t know a thing about mom.¡¯ Diana said in a small voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing for you to be sorry about. It¡¯s all my fault.¡± Diana¡¯s lips twitched, but she couldn¡¯t find a word of consolation to say. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. Before I¡­¡± Grandmother took a deep breath then looked up at her again. Even though she thought it had already stopped, Diana felt like she was going to cry again. She raised her hand and buried her face. Grandmother was surprised and leaned toward her. ¡°Why, why are you like this again?¡± With her head down, Diana shook her head left and right. ¡°Please don¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m not crying.¡± However, her voice was already trembling. The flustered Grandmother patted her shoulder. It was a very clumsy touch. Eventually, tears burst again. She calmed down again after a while. ¡®Huft, I¡¯m going to die.¡¯ It seemed like a pocket that would burst whenever someone touched it with their finger. She cried so much that her head was having a throbbing headache. Grandmother handed her a cool water bag. ¡°Excuse me. Then¡­¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± As if Grandmother had heard something incredibly strange, she looked at Diana. She also looked slightly hurt. ¡°Call me Grandmother.¡± Grandma added cautiously, afraid that Diana would take offense. ¡°Ah, but there¡¯s nothing that I can do if you¡¯re uncomfortable with it. It must be awkward because we¡¯ve only just met. I understand.¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to.¡± It¡¯s not that she didn¡¯t want to¡­ it¡¯s simply that the words didn¡¯t come out well. Diana moistened her dry lips and pouted several times. Her ears were worn out. It wasn¡¯t a big deal, but she was very shy for some reason. ¡°Ha, ha¡­.¡± After hesitating several times, Diana took a deep breath and said. ¡°¡­Grandmother.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± Grandmother¡¯s voice was choked up as if she was tearing up. ¡°Grandmother.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± It was at that moment. ¡ªGrrowwl. Her tactless stomach expressed its intention. Diana breathed in. However, the stupid stomach continued to assert itself without knowing that it was embarrassing. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± ¡°No. I-it¡¯s because I cried.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Denying her words, the sound of thunder resonated from her stomach. Diana covered up her stomach and said with a teary face. ¡°I-It¡¯s because I didn¡¯t have lunch.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t eat?¡± Grandmother looked as if the sky had collapsed. The very, very serious Grandmother beckoned to call the maid. ¡°Prepare a carriage immediately.¡± If one looked only at her face, one would think war would break out any moment now, even right away. The preparations were completed in an instant. Diana shook her head, saying that it was okay and simple enough, but her grandmother was eager to feed her properly. Wearing her hood again, Diana quietly followed her grandmother. The hallway was quiet. ¡®Come to think of it, why did Senir find my grandmother?¡¯ Senir had disappeared before she knew it. ¡®Was there a relationship between the two of them?¡¯ From the opposite side of the hallway, a man in luxurious attire walked over and stopped when he saw her grandmother. Soon after, anyone could tell by the way that he quickly approached, that Grandmother was his purpose. Grandmother clicked her tongue. ¡°Oh my, who is this?¡± ¡°¡­Count Norvan.¡± Diana was surprised and looked at the man. It was the household that sent her a maid. They didn¡¯t know each other because it was through Hermann, but the encounter here was surprising. ¡°To think that I would meet a noble who¡¯s so hard to meet in here¡­ What brings you all the way here? I hope that you are feeling better now?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to care about it.¡± Grandma said, her tone surprisingly cold. Would it be fine acting that way towards a Count? Diana opened her mouth lightly. However, Count Norvan laughed, as if it wasn¡¯t unpleasant at all. ¡°You¡¯re still the same. What about your Godfather?¡± ¡°Well, the same as always.¡± The two looked very close to each other. Diana could not hide her bewilderment. With a slightly bitter face, Count Norvan said. ¡°Well, age can¡¯t be helped. Is Senir busy these days? I couldn¡¯t see his figure. I heard that the meeting with the Ministry of Finance was also delayed.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Grandmother replied back indifferently. Count Norvan forced out a smile and nodded toward Diana. ¡°Who is this?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t have anything to do, you can get going now.¡± Grandmother cut the question straight away. ¡°So, I can¡¯t ask anything. Well, alright. Please send my greetings to Godfather and your Husband.¡± Count Norvan backed down easily, unlike when he first approached. As they moved away from Count Norvan, Grandmother opened her mouth again. ¡°I didn¡¯t introduce you because you¡¯re not ready yet, so don¡¯t be disappointed.¡± It was a sweet voice that made it seem like it was a different person who had been talking to Count Norvan just now. ¡°It takes a lot of preparation to announce your existence.¡± After thinking about what she meant, Diana realized that she was sorry for not introducing Diana to Count Norvan earlier. ¡°I¡¯m fin¡ª¡± Diana couldn¡¯t finish her sentence. ¡°Whoa.¡± A panoramic view of the archipelago unfolded in front of Diana, who exited the building. Large tall buildings with fancy decorations. Dozens of fancy carriages filled the main street, with people casually crossing between running carriages. As she raised her head, four towers covered with gold stood tall over the other buildings, with white marble pillars and pointed roofs. ¡°Here is the archipelago¡­.¡± ¡°Is this your first time at the archipelago?¡± ¡°Yes. This is my first time.¡± Diana couldn¡¯t hide her excited voice. ¡°If it is indeed your first time then the archipelago will be fascinating for you. I¡¯ll tell them to guide you later.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± To think she could go sightseeing at the archipelago! She was excited just imagining it. She didn¡¯t expect that she could ever sightsee the archipelago in her entire life! With a cane made of ivory white wood, Grandmother stood up from the wheelchair. Diana opened her eyes wide. ¡®So it¡¯s not that she can¡¯t move her legs at all¡­¡¯ Diana noticed that one leg looked uncomfortable. Grandmother slowly got into the carriage with the help of a maid. Diana followed in a hurry. ¡°Let¡¯s have a meal first.¡± In a blink of an eye, the carriage arrived at its destination. Before getting off the wagon, Grandmother put a hood on her. For some reason, her cheeks turned red, feeling shy. Grandmother stroked her head as if she was cute. It was when Diana, who got off the wagon, passed through the marble pillar at the entrance of the building with her grandmother. A click sound was heard from somewhere. ¡°Huh?¡± Diana stopped and looked around. Grandmother said with a thin voice. ¡°You don¡¯t need to care about it. It¡¯ll be taken care of.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± At that time, a shout came from the corner of the building¡¯s flower garden. ¡°¡­Is everything about Reed? I¡¯m going to sue you!¡± Grandmother didn¡¯t give a single glance to where the shout came from. Diana, who was looking around, followed her grandmother¡¯s urging. As she entered the building, she saw a sign saying [Teysllo]. Diana approached the restaurant, and groaned when she saw the sign on the handle. [Break Time until 17:00] ¡°Grandmother, right now, here is¡ª¡± However, unlike her, Grandmother opened the door without hesitation. ¡®Is it okay for us to enter?¡¯ Diana followed belatedly. The manager, who was organizing the list at the counter, looked up at the sound of the door opening. The manager told the girl and maid who entered the store. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it is preparation time for dinner so¡ª¡± The manager, who was manning the counter, paused. There was one more person. An old woman in a wheelchair. ¡°Gasp!¡± The surprised manager covered his mouth. ¡®Is it really Count Ohrid?¡¯ The manager¡¯s eyes grew as if they were going to pop out immediately. ¡®No, I mean, why is Count Ohrid here?¡¯ ¡°Can¡¯t we have a meal even if it¡¯s a simple one?¡± ¡°¡­Uhm, Yes. Of course! Surely! It¡¯s possible.¡± Even if it was impossible, they had to make it possible. ¡°Would you mind waiting for a while? I¡¯ll call an employee to guide you to your seat.¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯ll be great if we don¡¯t have to wait too long.¡± Cold sweat formed on the manager¡¯s forehead as he nodded firmly and backed away. ¡°It¡¯s a relief that we can have a meal.¡± Count Ohrid patted Diana affectionately. The manager, who was stepping back, doubted his own eyes. ¡®What¡­ what am I seeing right now?¡¯ At that moment, he made eye contact with Count Ohrid. The manager was surprised and ran again. Chapter 21 They did have to wait for a little while, but the meal was truly delicious. When they left the restaurant, the same thing happened when they entered the building. Grandmother said to the shadow which appeared by the window. ¡°Where is he from?¡± ¡°I believe he is a Notlander.¡± It was a woman¡¯s husky voice. A creaking sound was heard together with her appearance, she seemed like a knight. ¡°Break that.¡± ¡ªCrack As the shadow moved away, the carriage slowly started. ¡°Why does he keep taking pictures secretly?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Grandmother smiled as if telling her not to pay attention to it. ¡°Even if I go out quietly, there are people who follow me like this. I would have let it go if it were a normal day but¡­ because you¡¯re here today.¡± Following her? Diana tilted her head. Grandmother continued to talk. ¡°We are going home now.¡± ¡°Home?¡± ¡°Yeah. Don¡¯t be surprised and listen. When we get home¡­ There will be quite a few people who will come to meet you.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t prepared your room yet, but there won¡¯t be anything lacking for your stay.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± However, as time went by, Diana¡¯s complexion gradually darkened. Across from her, Grandmother noticed this. ¡°Is there anything that you¡¯re worried about?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­¡± Diana hesitated. However, after sighing, she looked at Grandmother with teary eyes. ¡°Will the people at home like me?¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± As Grandmother stroked Diana¡¯s head, she said in a sweet voice. ¡°If they don¡¯t like you, of course, they have to leave my house.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± As the carriage went inside, Diana felt something chilling. ¡®But I heard that the price of land in the Imperial Capital was very expensive.¡¯ However, all the mansions they passed were huge. It was similar to the area where the rich people lived in Aachen¨C no, it was much more luxurious than that. The vine-shaped iron door opened and the wagon slid in. The stone road that the carriage followed was lined with all kinds of statues and flower bushes as it passed through another iron gate. The carriage kept going inside. After passing through the elaborately decorated garden and fountain, the carriage finally stopped. A huge mansion came into sight. The ivory mansion with a green roof gave off a bright yet antique feeling. ¡®No, it can¡¯t be. No way¡­¡¯ The door of the carriage opened and a maid helped Grandmother get off. Diana then grabbed the hand of the person who opened the door of the carriage and got off. And like that, her body stiffened. Under the stairs at the center of the entrance of the mansion, people who were dressed as maids and servants were lined up. There were a lot of people, but the only sound heard was the sound of the water from the fountain and the chirping of birds in the distance. The chilly feeling she felt in the carriage persisted. Among the employees, a person who looked like a butler stepped out. ¡°Welcome, Count Ohrid.¡± Diana turned her head like a doll with broken clockwork. It seemed like there was a creaking sound coming from her neck. Making eye contact with Diana, Grandmother smiled softly. ¡°This is our home.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Blink. Blink. Blink. She repeatedly opened and closed her eyes quickly. ¡°I¡¯m Liam, the butler. I have heard the explanation in advance from the Little Young Master.¡± The eyes of the person who introduced himself as the butler were slightly red. The butler, who cleared his throat, continued. ¡°Welcome to Ohrid, Young Miss Diana.¡± ¡°Welcome to Ohrid, Young Miss.¡± The employees lined up behind the butler, followed and bowed their heads. ¡°G-Grandmother.¡± At that time, a middle-aged man came out through the line of employees. The wrinkled but thick features made her reflect on his youthful appearance. ¡°Good heavens!¡± The man exclaimed as soon as he saw Diana, hugging her. ¡°I¡¯m your grandfather.¡± Pulling herself away from the hug, Diana flinched. ¡°My¡­ grandfather?¡± ¡°Yes! I heard you had a hard time. Really, really¡­.¡± Grandfather¡¯s voice dampened little by little. ¡°Thank you for staying alive.¡± Grandfather rubbed his face against her head. Eventually, the butler pulled out a handkerchief and pressed it hard around his eyes as if he couldn¡¯t hold back his tears. ¡°What is this¡­¡± Diana gasped. Her eyes were shaking with anxiety, drifting toward the bird-shaped statue of the fountain. Diana said in a choked voice. ¡°Count?!¡± ¡°Why is your voice like that? Are you hurt somewhere?¡± Diana shouted, pressing down her desire to stamp her feet. ¡°The Count of Ohrid?!¡± However, it was impossible for Grandfather, whom she had just met, to understand. ¡°What are you saying suddenly?¡± ¡°Just now the butler said Ohrid, and Count¡­¡± He said that Grandmother is the Count. Of. Ohrid! ¡°Just what are you saying? Of course. The Count of Ohrid is your grandmother. Is there any problem¡ª Don¡¯t tell me?¡± Grandfather squinted his eyes at Diana¡¯s reaction. He then looked back at Grandmother. Before she knew it her Grandfather¡¯s tears stopped. ¡°Honey. You didn¡¯t tell her?¡± ¡°Tell her what?¡± ¡°Then that must be it. Oh my.¡± ¡°What about me?¡± Grandfather shook his head in despair. Grandfather put his hand on Diana¡¯s shoulder and made eye contact. ¡°Diana, this is the County of Ohrid.¡± At that moment, her legs became weak, and she almost collapsed. Grandfather quickly grabbed her forearm. ¡°Diana!¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m alright. For a moment, my legs became weak.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± She stood up again on her knees. ¡°I¡¯m Spencer Ohrid, the Count of Ohrid¡¯s husband.¡± ¡°Ah. I see. I haven¡¯t told her.¡± ¡°How can you forget that?¡± ¡°Since I¡¯ve never needed to introduce myself before, I forgot to introduce myself.¡± ¡°To forget¡­¡± It could hardly be called a reason. Grandfather stared at Grandmother for a while before continuing to talk again. ¡°And your grandmother is Clement Ohrid, the Count of Ohrid.¡± Grandfather, who was coughing, said with a kind smile, trying to look as harmless as possible. ¡°So, you¡¯ll be Diana Ohrid.¡± *** Diana buried her face in a fluffy feather pillow. Two turns to the left and two turns to the right. The bed was so wide that there was no need to worry about falling down even if she rolled around as much as she wanted. But soon she stopped rolling and got up. This was because her hair strangled herself. She then unravelled her hair and stroked Sky, who was sleeping near the pillow. The same day she met her grandmother, Diana returned to Aachen to pack. She also explained the situation to Sophie and Donatella. She told them that she met her maternal grandmother and that she was now going to enter her grandmother¡¯s house. Sophie and Donatella rejoiced as if it were them who reunited with their own grandmothers. At first, they were very suspicious, but after talking to the person Grandmother sent, they went back to Count Norvan. Fifteen days after entering the mansion, she also met the Esteemed Mother of Ohrid. The unhealthy Esteemed Mother greeted Diana in bed. The Esteemed Mother also welcomed her warmly, completely overshadowing her worries. [Philippa gave us a present.] Diana felt a desperate sincerity. The way she held Diana¡¯s hand and swallowed her tears looked exactly like Grandmother. ¡®And also¡­ Hermann.¡¯ If he had known Mother, of course he would have known that Grandmother was alive. ¡®But why didn¡¯t he tell me that I had a Grandmother?¡¯ Just why? She knew Hermann was extremely stingy with his words to her. But did he have to be stingy with his words about her family? Or was there a reason why he couldn¡¯t say it? She thought about asking Grandmother for the reason. But she stopped. ¡®I want to hear it directly from Hermann.¡¯ Even if he kept her grandmother¡¯s existence a secret, he was her savior. He tried to become her guardian, and even gave her the inheritance. If he hadn¡¯t saved her, she wouldn¡¯t have met Grandmother. ¡®Since Hermann said that even if it took a long time, it would only take three months¡­¡¯ It has now been a month. The longest time before Hermann returned. Walking by the canopy, Diana wore velvet slippers. She was a little tired, but she didn¡¯t think she could fall asleep anymore. She unsteadily got up and picked up a glass on the table. The water she drank from the cup was cold as if it had been newly placed. She walked to the terrace and pulled up the curtains. The dawn light of the morning shone. In the still quiet mansion, only the sound of fountains and the chirping of birds were sparsely heard. The chilly dawn air filled her lungs. At the end of the garden, she saw a gardener watering some plants. She heard the sound of the iron door opening from afar. The main gate seen from Diana¡¯s terrace was tightly closed, so it was probably the sound of the back door where the employees came in and out. Soon, the sound of a cart rolling got closer. It was probably the person who delivered the ingredients. She could hear the servants carrying fresh ingredients for breakfast. The gardener walked again, shaking the empty water bottle. Soon she would hear a knocking sound in her room. ¡ªTok. Tok. It was a very small sound. It was so weak that it wouldn¡¯t wake Diana up if she was still asleep. ¡°I¡¯m already up.¡± Diana entered the room from the terrace. ¡°Hello, Young Miss. It¡¯s a good morning, right? You always get up early.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good morning.¡± It was Michelle, the person who was assigned as her personal maid. Michelle familiarly picked up and held a shawl. She put the shawl on Diana¡¯s shoulders, that got cold from standing on the terrace. Warm milk, honey, and sugar were seen on the tray on the table. ¡°Shall I only place a spoon as well today?¡± ¡°Yes. Please do.¡± Michelle wasn¡¯t like a friend like Sophie. She was also older than Donatella and much more mature. After Diana emptied half a cup of milk, Michelle asked. ¡°Do you want more milk? Or do you want to wash up?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wash up.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll prepare an ice pack as well.¡± After she entered the County, she cried every night before going to bed, perhaps because she had more tears. There was no big reason. One day she cried because she was so happy, and one day she cried because she missed her Mom. Chapter 22 ¡°How¡¯s the temperature?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good.¡± Medicinal herbs that were said to be good for the skin were left in the stone bathtub. After releasing the bath bomb, the scent of peach blossoms subtly came out. When she got out of the bath, other maids who served her awaited. Anna, Daisy, Jane, Neria. On the first day she came to the County, she was introduced to the employees all at once. Her head was spinning as she memorized their names. Anna brushed each strand of Diana¡¯s hair, applying a sweet scent of flavor. Jane put cream on her hand and massaged her. After massaging for a while, Jane said, ¡°Didn¡¯t your hands get softer?¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes! Please look.¡± Jane covered Diana¡¯s hands with a warm wet towel and wiped off the cream. Diana raised her moist hand. ¡°Oh? It really is.¡± There was nothing that they could do with the scars, but after a few days of hard massage, the calluses had reduced by a lot. ¡°Thank you, Jane.¡± Jane smiled and bowed her head. She couldn¡¯t forget the exhilaration she felt when she first received a tribute of gratitude from the Young Miss. Perhaps it was because it was the first ¡®Thank you¡¯ Jane had ever heard from her superiors and nobles after entering the Ohrid mansion. The employers of Ohrid¡¯s mansion weren¡¯t hard people to serve. Mr. Ohrid was picky, and Young Master Senir was hard to understand, but they spent very little time at home, making it difficult to meet both of them. The Count and the Esteemed Mother were also served by the maids who had served them since when they were very young, so there was no occasion for ordinary maids to serve them. Except for the strict restrictions on going out and exchanging letters due to confidentiality provisions, there was no better job than here. The salary was higher than any other noble mansion. It was also said that they received more than the court ladies. The atmosphere in Ohrid¡¯s mansion was that of a silent castle after Lady Philippa disappeared and the Esteemed Mother became sick. The main building, which banned banquets and all outsourced people from entering, was breathtakingly silent. There were days when not a single word was said at all. However, since Young Miss Diana came, that still atmosphere disappeared. In the silent castle laughter and chatter began to be heard again. ¡°Young Miss, what kind of clothes would you like to wear?¡± Neria pushed in a hanger where several clothes hung. It was a collection of some of the clothes that Young Miss Philippa wore when she was young. ¡°Young Miss, what kind of hairstyle would you like to have today?¡± ¡°What do you think about the belt with the stripe pattern on that dress?¡± ¡°How about braiding it using this hair tie? The blue satin will go well with the dress. Whenever the Young Miss moves, the droplet shaped sapphire decorations will sparkle!¡± Today, Diana would only walk around at home all day, but they did their best to make it look like she was going to go out right away. At first, she was very flustered. When she asked if it was necessary, saying that she liked comfortable things and said to go without it, the maids seemed disappointed and their shoulders drooped. After that, she just let them do what they wanted. ¡®Well, it does look much better when they dress me.¡¯ The girl in the mirror was blushing with a lively expression. She even felt as though she looked lovely when she saw herself. ¡®Pretty.¡¯ Inside the light sky blue dress, a blue satin was overlaid, making it look rich and colorful. The sapphire ornaments glistened on top of the round hair divided into pigtails. ¡°Do you like it, Young Miss?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯d be perfect if you wore a hat. But, that¡¯d be too much, right?¡± The maid was holding a hat with a wide brim. Even so, that was a bit¡­ Diana was taken aback, her mouth slightly opening. ¡°Of course it¡¯s too much! I¡¯m going to eat breakfast! Who eats with a hat on?¡± The maids laughed. Only Anna, who suggested the hat, hung it back on the hanger with disappointment. When they finished decorating her with all their heart and soul, the milk Diana drank as soon as she woke up was digested. She felt herself gradually becoming hungry again. When Diana got up from her seat, all the maids except Michelle greeted her while organizing her room. ¡°Young Miss, please enjoy your meal.¡± ¡°Please have a safe trip!¡± ¡°Please enjoy your meal!¡± Diana headed to the dining room with Michelle. ¡°Are you going to the portrait hallway again today?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Dinah nodded and walked forward with light steps. Currently, Diana¡¯s room was on the right side of the central staircase on the third floor. Passing through the hallway where the morning sun shone brightly and going down two floors through the central stairs, it was the dining room. But, Diana took a small turn. [Phillipa Ohrid.] It was to see her mother¡¯s portrait. The mother in the portrait was much younger and more vivid than the small painting in the pendant. It was not until Diana saw this portrait that she felt it was all real. It felt like her mom was telling her that she could really stay here, that it really was her family, and that she could trust it. If you went down to the first floor and crossed the wide hall to the right, it was the dining room. The waiting servant opened the door and Michelle greeted by the entrance. If nothing special happened, except for bringing food, the servings were all eaten up. Grandfather arrived first today. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Welcome. You look so pretty today. Seems like the maids have been excited since the morning.¡± Grandfather lowered the newspaper he held and opened his arms. When Diana approached and hugged him, Grandfather hugged back as if trying to crush her. Then the door opened again and Grandmother came in. ¡°How was your night?¡± ¡°I slept well. The hair decorations look good on you.¡± Diana smiled brightly. Both grandmother and grandfather always praised her once in a while. And like that, she could not bear to prevent the maids from dressing her. ¡®There¡¯s no Senir today either.¡¯ Diana couldn¡¯t see his face after the dinner with her on the day she entered the mansion. It seemed like since he was Ohrid¡¯s heir, he was really busy. ¡®Even so, it would be great if I could see him again.¡¯ When Grandmother sat down, the servants picked up the food on the tray and carried it in. The dishes on the shiny silverware were appetizing. There were crispy croquettes mixed with roasted button mushrooms, croutons, cream soup with sprout green leaves, mashed potatoes, carrots, and cheese. She could tell the custard cream on top of the thin bread and the blueberry raw fruit on top of it were sweet just by looking at it. Fresh salad, egg dishes, juicy sausages, milk, and fruit pudding. There were so many different foods that it was difficult to list them all. ¡°Pick it up.¡± Together with Grandmother¡¯s words, the utensils were picked up. After finishing the plentiful breakfast, Diana went to play with Sky, who had just woken up. She went for a walk in the garden with Sky, who now had a plump stomach as the maids took good care of his meals and digestion. However¡ª ¡°Sky!¡± ¡°Sky!¡± ¡°Just, until, where, are, you, going.¡± Diana, who was running around, panted heavily by the statue. She definitely started searching in the back garden, but she was now at the front door of the mansion. She could see the iron bars that were tightly closed. ¡®Because I wouldn¡¯t have been able to go out.¡¯ The garden was so large that Sky disappeared even though she just took her eyes off for a moment. ¡®But soon Teacher will come.¡¯ It was the promised time she had to go to the back garden again. ¡°Diana?¡± She heard Grandfather¡¯s voice from behind her. Diana turned around. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I was searching for Sky.¡± ¡°But Sky was hugged by your maid and they went into the garden?¡± She seemed to have suffered for no reason. As if he found Diana adorable, Grandfather stroked her head. Grandfather was dressed neatly as if he was about to go out. Grandfather¡¯s appearance of wearing a stylish hat and a fancy cane with large embroidery, was perfect for a magazine that Diana began to see these days. Diana said with her eyes shining. ¡°Grandfather is so cool.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Grandfather tried to maintain a solemn and cool appearance by suppressing the corners of his mouth which were rising by itself. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I was just going to get some air.¡± Suddenly, there was a twinkle in Grandfather¡¯s eyes. ¡°Come to think of it, you¡¯ve never been out since you came to the mansion, right?¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± Her existence was still a secret. It would receive tremendous attention if the missing Philippa Ohrid, her death, and the existence of her daughter were revealed. Grandmother said that after she learned slowly, and got used to the County, they would announce it. A teacher was hired, and it was a hectic day learning this and that. Naturally, she didn¡¯t have time to go out. ¡®First of all, I can¡¯t even look around the mansion.¡¯ Thinking about something, Grandfather shook his head before touching Diana¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Have you ever gambled?¡± ¡°YESS?!¡± Diana jumped. ¡°Gamble?!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way I have!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Just why ask that?¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Get on.¡± When Diana, who had been led, stood in front of the carriage, the servant quickly opened the carriage door. ¡°Hurry up and get on. And you, get off.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± There was a person already in the open carriage. It was the person who was usually with Grandfather. ¡°Gasp. Young Miss? Hello. I¡¯m Renold. I¡¯m working as Mr. Spencer¡¯s aide. Although I have passed by you plenty of times, I believe this is the first time we have properly met.¡± ¡°Yes. Hello.¡± They greeted each other without knowing why. Grandfather waved his hand as if everything was done. ¡°Can you get off a little faster? Don¡¯t procrastinate.¡± ¡°Mr. Spencer?¡± Grandfather grabbed the aide¡¯s arm and pulled him off the carriage. The aide faltered, perhaps because the strength in the pull was too strong. ¡°Diana, be careful when getting on.¡± Then, he held Diana¡¯s hand as if he was handling a piece of glass. ¡°Young Miss? Mr. Spencer? What is going on?¡± ¡°Diana is going out with me.¡± ¡°Mr. Spencer?¡± ¡°Grandfather?¡± The two surprised people called at the same time. Grandfather pushed aside the aide and closed the carriage door. Then he opened the partitions of the horse seat. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Chapter 23 When she heard the whipping sound, the carriage began to depart. The aide, who was looking at the carriage with a puzzled face, suddenly came to his senses and knocked on the door. ¡°No, Mister Spencer! Mister Spencer!¡± Diana awkwardly couldn¡¯t sit nor stand. ¡°Sit. You¡¯ll get hurt if you stand like that.¡± ¡°I-is it alright to do this?¡± ¡°Is there anything that you aren¡¯t allowed to do?¡± ¡°Mister Spencer! Please wait a minute! Mister Spencer!!¡± The carriage¡¯s speed gradually increased and the knocking sound was eventually cut off. ¡°Mister Spencerrrrrrr!¡± Leaving behind the aide¡¯s scream, the carriage slid over the open iron door. *** Even though it was close to noon, there was a huge crowd. Diana lifted her hand to see if the mask on her face was well positioned. ¡°Why? Is it uncomfortable? It is indeed a little big.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not that.¡± ¡°Then, is it because you¡¯re anxious?¡± Biting her lips weakly, Diana nodded. Grandfather also wore a mask covering his face. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry. As long as you don¡¯t show your face, it¡¯ll be okay.¡± Of course, there were a few people who saw them wearing masks and found it interesting, but they quickly averted their attention because they were busy on their way. ¡°See. No one is interested in us.¡± Grandfather shrugged. ¡°Well, it¡¯s because it¡¯s your first time that they¡¯re not interested. But if you keep wearing the mask when going out, maybe rumors will spread quickly.¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s why. Is it really alright to be like this?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve already told Clement about it. It¡¯s hard to hide your existence completely anyway. Rather than that, it¡¯s better to go out confidently from here first. As an unidentified girl wearing a mask.¡± ¡°Ah. Grandmother too¡­¡± If it was a matter that had already been agreed upon, then it should be okay. Diana was relieved. ¡°Although I¡¯ve never talked about going out of the blue without any preparation.¡± Diana¡¯s mouth slightly opened. Grandfather laughed. *** The large arena consisted of a total of three floors, with Diana and Grandfather heading to the third floor which had the best view. The third floor was divided into rooms, not seats, and next to the door of the viewing room, there was a pennant symbolizing each family hung on the wall. As expected, for Ohrid, it was a bird flying with a branch on a green background. They didn¡¯t come to the racetrack to just watch it. ¡°No, don¡¯t!¡± Grandfather jumped up from the sofa. The two horses, who were competing back and forth, passed the finish line almost at the same time. ¡°Which horse was it, Diana? Did you see it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the black horse.¡± Grandfather sighed. ¡°I blew it again this time.¡± The referee at the finish line lifted a large flag that had a red dragon with a spear on its neck on a black background. Grandfather asked, chewing the paper that had been cut into tissue pieces. The price of that piece of paper¡­ Diana, who was thinking of it, erased the price from her head as if she was escaping from reality. ¡°What happened to the horse you picked?¡± Diana hid the paper so that Grandfather wouldn¡¯t be able to see it. Diana only picked and didn¡¯t bet money. Her cowardice would not remain if she bet a huge amount of money like Grandfather in a place like this. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me. Again?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Is it the last place? No way?! Really?! How many times has it been? You¡¯ve picked only the one in last place nine times, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not. It¡¯s eight times.¡± ¡°Then, that is that!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°How could you be so unlucky?¡± ¡°P-please don¡¯t make fun of me. It¡¯s possible to be like that.¡± Diana shot back as if she was being wrongly accused. Grandfather laughed loudly as if he couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. ¡°Diana, it would be great if you don¡¯t gamble.¡± Grandfather put his hand on Diana¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m not doing it. I won¡¯t do it!¡± ¡°Well, every horse that you picked took last place, should I say that this is consistency¡­? Or should I say that you¡¯re simply like Phillipa¡­?¡± ¡°Was Mom unlucky, too?¡± Diana said, a little welcoming of it. To be honest, it was beyond unlucky to pick last place eight times in a row. ¡®But if it¡¯s because I¡¯m like Mom, then there¡¯s nothing that I can do.¡¯ It was when she was thinking so that¨C ¡°No? I mean that consistency is the thing that makes you resemble each other. Philippa was born with natural luck. Everything she picked was always first place. There were times when she lost a little, but in the end, it ended with gain. I could never win if I made a bet with Philippa.¡± With a sulky face, Diana threw the paper into the trash can. Grandfather grabbed her cheeks and rubbed it as if he found she was cute. ¡°Hm? Look at how your lips are pouting. It¡¯s a waste that only I can see it. Why are you so cute? Are you angry?¡± When Diana shook her head, Grandfather¡¯s hand moved as well. ¡°I must have used all my luck to meet Grandfather and Grandmother. Mom is¡­ Kyaaak!¡± Grandfather suddenly hugged Diana tightly and turned around. ¡°Oh my. Oh my. How can you be so cute? Hm?¡± Diana hugged Grandfather¡¯s neck and shouted. ¡°P-please put me down quickly!¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t want to?¡± ¡°Yes? W-what is the meaning¡­¡± The flustered Diana shouted again. ¡°No, I mean, I¡¯m heavy!¡± ¡°You? That¡¯s nonsense.¡± Grandfather said firmly. ¡°You have to eat well.¡± ¡°But I am eating¡­¡± ¡°More! You have to eat twice as much as you do now. Ah, right. You¡¯re going to decide what to eat here, too.¡± Then she heard a knock on the door. Grandfather, who sighed, put Diana down. When Diana turned to grab the mask, Grandfather waved his hand. ¡°You don¡¯t have to use it. I can guess who it is. Come in.¡± The door opened and a large person wrapped in a dark green cape entered. Grandfather said with a face like he was extremely reluctant. ¡°So, this is the end of our fun time.¡± ¡°The Count sent us to attend to you. She said that you left in a hurry without any escort.¡± ¡°You must have really come here in a hurry.¡± Grandfather nodded his head. ¡°Greet Diana.¡± The man with short, brown hair bowed his head. ¡°I am Paul Dominic. Please just call me Lord Dominic.¡± A short-haired woman standing next to him greeted her. ¡°I am Serafina. You can just call me Lord Serafina. It is an honor to greet the Young Miss.¡± Diana also held her skirt and greeted. ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Diana.¡± ¡°They are the knights who will follow you wherever you go. You¡¯ll have to adapt, too.¡± Grandfather said as if it was tiresome. ¡°That is right. Young Miss, in the future, wherever you go, you have to move together with us.¡± ¡°Please refrain from running out alone like Mister Spencer.¡± Lord Dominic and Lord Serafina said consecutively. Grandfather got up and picked up his cane and mask. ¡°Well, it¡¯s good timing. Since I was just thinking of going out.¡± Unlike the third floor, which only had employees going around occasionally, she felt the commotion as soon as she stepped foot on the second floor. Diana, who was wandering around and watching, sniffed at the delicious smell that wafted through. Grandfather looked at the knights. The knights averted their gaze, but at Grandfather¡¯s persistence, Lord Dominic eventually said, ¡°If we feed our Young Miss with bad food, the Count¡­¡± and only went to buy it after he was stabbed with a cane by Grandfather. She hadn¡¯t even had lunch, but she felt her stomach was about to explode when she ate the skewered sausage, butter-coated corn, thinly sliced fried potatoes, sugar-coated churros, and even cool watermelon juice. She could also see a stable on one side of the arena that smelled of horse poop. The horse, who had just won first place, walked into the stable while snorting in excitement that had yet to calm down. It was the horse of the family who had a red dragon with a spear on the back of its neck on a black background. ¡®So that family¡¯s horse won again.¡¯ Not long ago, she saw a family-specific pattern diagram in the study. The pattern was a little scary, so it remained strongly in her memory. A family that murdered a dragon and was cursed from generation to generation. It was the pattern of the Grand Duke of Nohibaden Family. To think they thought of it as a curse. They only saved the people who were slaughtered by the dragon, but the reward they got in exchange was brutal. ¡°Diana, are you good at horseback riding?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah? To what extent can you ride?¡± ¡°Ah, I have never ridden a horse.¡± Diana said insignificantly. ¡°¡­What did you say?¡± Grandfather asked back in surprise. ¡°Did you just say you¡¯ve never ridden a horse?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± *** Grandfather was dressed in slender dark navy horseback riding pants and horseback riding boots. ¡°How did you get these clothes?¡± Grandfather had his horseback riding suit ready, but of course, Diana didn¡¯t. As a result, Lord Dominic had to wander around quickly to get comfortable pants and horseback riding boots. ¡°How about Lord Dominic?¡± ¡°He went to get the support.¡± ¡°Turns out the Lords are having a hard time because everyone was cleared away.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s alright.¡± There were only the knights and Grandfather in the horseback riding course, but Diana continued to wear a mask to prevent possible mishaps. Lord Serafina handed the reins over to Grandfather. It was a horse with white spots with pale yellow fur. The horse was so big that Diana had to raise her head for a long time. Originally, when learning horseback riding, one would start with a horse of short stature, but because Ohrid had no children for a long time, there were no small horses and this horse was the mildest. ¡°Let¡¯s go over there first.¡± Diana turned her head in the direction Grandfather pointed and paused. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°There¡­ I think I saw a blue mane. Did I see it wrong?¡± Diana rubbed her eyes and looked again. She rubbed it a few times over and over again. However, no matter how many times she closed and opened her eyes, it was blue. ¡°Ah, that horse.¡± Grandfather frowned. ¡°¡­Right. So it¡¯s your first time seeing it.¡± Grandfather handed over the reins to Lord Serafina again and said. ¡°Do you want to take a look?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Diana and Grandfather headed to the cage where she saw a blue mane. As they approached, it became clear. ¡°The mane¡­ is really blue?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s Nohibaden¡¯s horse.¡± Chapter 24 The horse moved sensitively, perhaps anxious about the person approaching. The figure of the horse kicking on the ground fast made it seem like he would¡¯ve attacked right away if he hadn¡¯t been trapped in a cage. ¡°It¡¯s from the family whose horse won twice today, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Lord Serafina looked worried. ¡°Mister, can we say it?¡± ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s only to this extent.¡± Diana tilted her head. Grandfather shook his head as if it was nothing. ¡°Yeah. It is Nohibaden¡¯s specialty¡­ but its bloodline is quite unique. It¡¯s a mixed breed of spirits and horses, although the blood has become very light because it happened a long time ago. That¡¯s why it¡¯s mane is blue like this.¡± Speed, endurance, and intelligence were all way beyond those of other horses. That¡¯s why, at the racetrack, the blue maned horse wasn¡¯t allowed to participate, saying that the results of the game would be obvious. Even if there was no colored mane, and only very faint blood, most of the Nohibaden Family¡¯s horses won first place in the end. However, there was also a weakness that exceeded all of these abilities. ¡°If I can ride a horse well, will there be a day when I can ride it?¡± ¡°All the horses in this stable are yours.¡± Grandfather smiled as he rubbed Diana¡¯s cheek. ¡°That, that¡¯s a little¡­ I think that¡¯s too much¡­¡± Surprised, Diana looked around. The horses she saw while passing by, had already exceeded ten. ¡°But, you can¡¯t with that horse. It¡¯s too dangerous.¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s very violent. It has never allowed anyone up on its back. Even several veteran horse managers ran away because of it. If I didn¡¯t receive it as a gift, I would¡¯ve sold it.¡± The weakness that exceeded all of its strengths. It was that the horse would never listen to anyone unless the person had the talent to handle it. In other words, it meant that mostly only the people of the Grand Duchy could handle it, or an exceptional knight, or an extremely rare outstanding sorcerer. The blue mane horse was also offered to the Imperial Family because of its rarity. There were two in the Imperial Family, but neither of them could come out of the stable. It was the Grand Duke of Nohibaden who presented this rare but difficult horse. ¡®That kid, too, his stubbornness surely isn¡¯t normal.¡¯ After Thesevitz Bale Nohibaden officially became the Grand Duke, he sent a gift to Count Ohrid. However, Count Ohrid didn¡¯t even look at the present the Grand Duke sent, and continuously sent the presents back. The last thing that he sent was this horse. At first, she also tried to send this horse back. However, after three horse managers were kicked and hospitalized, and two more who ran away, Count Ohrid gave up. And the matter was forgotten just like that. It had been a long time since Spencer saw this horse too. It seemed like it¡¯d die after living in this stable for the rest of its life¡­ ¡°Mister Spencer! There, the Young Miss¡­!¡± Lord Serafina shouted as if she was puzzled. Grandfather, who had been lost in thought for a while, urgently looked back at Diana. His eyes opened wide at the unbelievable sight. The violent horse gently stuck its head out of the cage, and Diana was petting it. No, Diana was only raising her hand awkwardly, but the horse rubbed its head against her hand as if it was asking for a pat. ¡°G-Grandfather, why is this horse like this?¡± The flustered Diana looked at Grandfather with a face asking for help. ¡°Ho, hoho, ho. Oh my. Really, hoho.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really surprising.¡± Grandfather couldn¡¯t help but let out a chuckle in disbelief, as Lord Serafina muttered alone. ¡°You, why are you like this to me?¡± Diana asked the horse in a slightly frightened voice. Of course, the horse couldn¡¯t understand her. The horse just purred as if it liked her awkward gestures. Watching this, Lord Serafina approached carefully. She only took one step closer, but the horse immediately looked back at Serafina and put its head back into the cage. ¡°Ah!¡± Lord Serafina smiled despondently. The horse in the cage stamped its feet annoyedly as if asking her to go away immediately. ¡°As expected, the horse only allows the Young Miss¡¯ touch.¡± ¡°Is that possible?¡± Diana doubted those words, saying that it was impossible. However, as soon as Lord Serafina moved away, the horse stuck its head out again. ¡°Huh? What? It¡¯s really the truth?¡± Diana beckoned Lord Serafina to quickly come again. And as soon as Lord Serafina took a step forward, the horse snorted and went back in. Watching with a strange face, Grandfather approached. ¡°It looks like the horse likes you.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t even know how to ride a horse?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Didn¡¯t the horse recognize your talent?¡± Diana tilted her head. ¡°Maybe it is like that¡­¡± Grandfather smiled bitterly for some reason and stroked her head. ¡°When you can ride it later, name the horse.¡± ¡°Can I do that?¡± Diana¡¯s eyes sparkled. My horse! ¡°Of course. I told you that every horse in here is yours, right?¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s only one, it¡¯s alright!¡± Grandfather shrugged and led Diana. ¡°Yeah. Well, you have to learn first, right?¡± The first thing to learn was how to get close to the horses. She had learned how to pet the mane, pat the back of its neck, and set it at ease. The next part was how to ride it. ¡°Always mount a horse from the left. You can grab the reins and the mane together like this, and hang your left foot on its back, kick the ground with your left foot and like this¡ª you mount a horse.¡± Grandfather mounted at once. ¡°The important thing is when you mount, you shouldn¡¯t stimulate the horse¡¯s side. If you do something wrong, it¡¯ll start running off like that.¡± When Grandfather kicked the side, the horse began to walk slowly. Again, he kicked a second time, this time with more strength, and the horse began to run fast. ¡®It¡¯s so cool.¡¯ The figure of her body bouncing up and down while riding a horse couldn¡¯t be that cool. Grandfather slowed down the horse by pulling the reins and returned to his original position. ¡°When you get off, bend your body, remove your right foot from the back, and then grab the mane and reins equally and¡ª you can get off like this. Now, I¡¯ll show you one more time.¡± While showing it a few more times, Lord Dominic came bringing a small stair. ¡°Young Miss can mount by stepping on top of this.¡± It was a thing that helped beginners and the elderly mount easily. It was time for Diana to climb the stairs and grasp the reins. ¡°Ah, wait. Diana, come here.¡± Tilting her head, Diana headed to her grandfather¡¯s side. Grandfather reached out his hands and turned over her hair. ¡°You have to tie your hair.¡± Grandfather stretched out his hand to Lord Serafina. ¡°Hair tie.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Lord Serafina had a confused face. ¡°There¡¯s none?¡± ¡°Yes. Should I get it?¡± ¡°No, I mean, you don¡¯t even have a hair tie?¡± ¡°About that¡­ I can not tie my hair.¡± Lord Serafina had bobbed hair¡­. In the end, Lord Dominic went running again to get a hair tie. ¡°But Grandfather, do you even know how to tie hair?¡± ¡°Sure, of course I do.¡± Grandfather combed her hair with his big hand. Unlike the maid¡¯s brushing, the movement was awkward. ¡®But it looks like you don¡¯t know how to do it¡­.¡¯ Grandfather asked with a serious look. ¡°Tell me if it hurts.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± For some reason, her nose was tingling. After a long time, Grandfather, who was barely able to tie her hair, breathed out a sigh of relief. Fumbling around her hair, Diana smiled broadly and looked back at Grandfather. ¡°So Grandfather really knows how to tie hair!¡± ¡°Of course. Didn¡¯t I say I knew how to do it?¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Diana buried her face in her grandfather¡¯s clothes. Grandfather, who was stroking Diana¡¯s round head, looked sulky. ¡°But I think it¡¯s hard to stroke your hair now. Is it because your hair is tied?¡± ¡°Of course it is!¡± Diana rushed out of her grandfather¡¯s arms just in case he would untie her hair. If her hair had to be tied once again, she might not be able to ride a horse today. ¡°Then should we start again? You remember the steps, right?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Climbing the small stair, Diana grabbed the reins as she had seen. Grandfather nodded seeing she had grabbed it right. Lord Serafina held the back of the horse¡¯s neck at the unexpected risk. Grandfather spoke as if he were calming her down. ¡°If you can¡¯t, you can just give up. Lord Dominic or Lord Serafina can put it up, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Try to pet it once first.¡± She could feel the mane under her gloved hand. ¡°Now get ready.¡± Diana gulped. ¡°One, two¡ª¡± Together with the sound of ¡®three¡¯, Diana kicked off the stair. The horse was not excited at all and the posture was stable. The thing that she was worried about most was the gentle movement that her body made. Making her embarrassed. ¡°Did I ride it properly?¡± ¡°Yeah. You did a very¡ª good job.¡± Grandfather replied a beat late. Relieved that she rode a horse without any problems, Diana released the breath she didn¡¯t even realize she was holding. ¡®Does this mean that blood can¡¯t be denied¡­?¡¯ *** ¡°Come here! Start with the injured people!¡± It had been about an hour since a half-damaged ship entered the previously quiet port. With the news that the ship had entered, a man rushed to the port pulled the reins. A large ship with smoke rising from it appeared in his eyes. ¡°This time, too?¡± The man¡¯s eyes quickly swept over the ship. With how ragged and torn the ship was, one would be unable to recognize its shape, but the man had a good memory. ¡°Oh my. To think that even a merchant ship was not spared.¡± With the largest scale among the trading merchants on the continent, it was a place where even merchant¡¯s had solid guards because it had enemies in the maritime country. In the man¡¯s eyes, he could see the one who left and arrived first, alike with him. The man jumped off his horse. ¡°Thesevitz!¡± The Grand Duke of Nohibaden, who was dressed as an ordinary traveler covered by a deep robe, looked back at him. Chapter 25 ¡°What did they say?¡± ¡°Pirates.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really going crazy. Really. Just how many days has it been?!¡± Despite the man¡¯s loud voice, the Duke of Nohibaden only looked at the ship with cold eyes that did not reveal his feelings. ¡°I said we have to go before the east wind blows!¡± There were only about 15 days left until the east wind blew. When the east wind begins to blow, no matter how good the ship was, it was impossible to go to the West Continent until spring. Originally, pirates had always existed. But, their presence wasn¡¯t to this extent. As if they had received support from somewhere, they were armed with fast ships, sharp weapons, and high-performance cannons, the pirates hunted all ships that were traveling to and from the continent. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­.¡± No matter how much he thought about it, the timing was too much of a coincidence. If one looked closely, there was also something strange about their behavior. Leaving the small ships alone, they acted as if the large merchant ships were the purpose. However, it was the merchant ships which were traveling to and from the East Continent that received the biggest damage. Even if the merchant ship had nothing, it would always sink or be damaged to the point where they couldn¡¯t even dream of operating for a while. The delight he felt when he had quickly found Thesevitz was only for a moment. He couldn¡¯t tell how long it had been since he was stranded on the East Continent. Unable to hide his anxiousness, Herman said to Thesevitz for no reason. ¡°What kind of spirit did you cross the sea with? Because the Red Flame is useless in the sea¡­.¡± ¡ªCring. ¡°Ugh.¡± It was a wave sound which was only heard by those who could feel mana. Although it was no use blocking it, Hermann, who reflexively blocked his ears, shook his tingling head. ¡°What¡¯s that about Red Flame? I thought it was asleep.¡± ¡°It¡¯s surely just that the power of the Red Flame weakens in the sea, but it doesn¡¯t fall asleep like the rumors that circulate around say.¡± Thesevitz slightly frowned and said. ¡°Oh yeah?¡± ¡°So the sage made a mistake.¡± ¡°Hey.¡± Still, he calmed down little by little after the nonsensical conversation. After closing his mouth for a while, he looked at Thesevitz. ¡°Is Count Ohrid trying to tie you up here?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± If his predictions were correct, the reason why Count Ohrid would do this was obvious. Diana. How did she find out? Was she watching him? Or was the problem with handing over Philippa¡¯s property? However, when Philippa handed over her property, she said it was property that even her family did not know about. No, everything was an excuse. It was just that he was too complacent. Unlike him, who was suffering from a sense of self-criticism, his close friend¡¯s face did not reveal what the hell he was thinking of. Even when he heard about his daughter¡¯s existence, he had the same expression on his face. [Are you sure you¡¯re listening to me? You have a daughter.] [I know.] [You know?] [Why do you think I¡¯m here?] [¡­.] [Philippa gave birth to a child here.] [What? Are you saying that she went over the sea because she was pregnant? Is she crazy? If something went wrong¡­.] Cutting off Hermann¡¯s words, Thesevitz asked. [So, are you saying that Philippa is dead?] He shut his mouth. The empty eyes full of despair. He could barely answer as if someone was squeezing his breath deep in his lungs. [¡­Yeah.] [So it¡¯s like that.] Thesevitz looked at the corner of the desk meaninglessly. Silence enveloped the room. He couldn¡¯t find a word of consolation. Since no words of consolation would reach him. Thesevitz, who palmed his face, got up. [Let¡¯s talk about the rest tomorrow. ¡­I want to be alone.] Walking with heavy steps, Thesevitz approached the cupboard. [Do you want to dri¡­. Ah, no, nothing. Yeah, see you tomorrow.] This was Thesevitz who had already stopped drinking after going through bad things once. Hermann had no choice but to leave behind the man quietly tilting his drinking glass. It seemed that Philippa had given birth to a child here and stayed a little before returning to the West Continent. When he heard the fact Thesevitz had tracked down¡­ ¡°Hermann.¡± ¡°Why.¡± Having been lost in thought for a while, he looked at Thesevitz. ¡°There¡¯s something I want you to do.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Thesevitz wasn¡¯t looking at him. He was looking at the broken ship, no, he was looking at the horizon beyond it. ¡°Now I¡¯m sick and tired of chasing after someone.¡± *** Count Ohrid¡¯s office, which was full of antique furniture with vine-patterned decorations, gave the impression of the family¡¯s wealth and the long years of maintaining it. Each thing in the room was Ohrid itself. And if someone had to choose the newest thing in the office¡ª ¡°Is the class okay?¡± Diana raised her head. She put down the book she was looking at a while ago on her lap. She was waiting to drink tea with Grandmother. ¡°Tell me if it¡¯s too hard. I heard that you fell asleep late last night too.¡± ¡°Ah, yesterday? It¡¯s because after I did the homework that Teacher Conrad gave me, I was curious about something.¡± Teacher Conrad was a tutor that Grandmother attached to Diana. ¡°I went to the study and found an interesting book, but as I read it, it had already become late.¡± Diana smiled brightly. ¡°Although it¡¯s a relief if it¡¯s like that¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really fine. I do it because I like it.¡± ¡°Good. Don¡¯t overdo it.¡± ¡°Come to think of it, I heard you got to ride that horse.¡± ¡°Ah, even if I don¡¯t, I¡¯m thinking about its name.¡± She had also learned horse riding consistently. Yesterday, she finally climbed on the blue maned horse for the first time. It had been a month since she brushed its mane and walked around holding its reins. It was a success reached after consistent hard work. Of course, everyone was so worried that she couldn¡¯t even dream of running with it. ¡°Be careful. Since that horse is too wild.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be careful.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like knowing that such a small and insignificant creature, the horse, was choosing its owner. Though seeing that it chose you, it seems like it¡¯s smart.¡± In the end, Diana burst into laughter. Diana, who jumped up and ran, tightly hugged Grandmother who was sitting in a chair. ¡°Grandmother, you know I really like you, right?¡± ¡°Am I the one you like most?¡± ¡°Of course, you¡¯re the first one.¡± Grandmother, who was rubbing her cheek on Diana¡¯s bright hair, paused. ¡°But I heard Spencer brag about being the first you like most¡­.¡± ¡°Yes?!¡± No, she meant, just when did he brag about that? She burst into laughter. Grandmother asked in a serious voice. ¡°Who do you like more, Grandmother or Grandfather?¡± ¡°Now is Grandmother.¡± Grandmother looked dissatisfied. ¡°Diana. I¡¯m saying that if¡­.¡± Grandmother stopped talking and looked at Diana. Dianan tilted her head at her. ¡°Grandmother?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Grandmother stroked Diana¡¯s head and raised herself up. ¡°It was a useless thought.¡± Diana brought Grandmother a cane. ¡°Turns out you must have waited for a long time. I¡¯ll have to tell them to bring out the tea.¡± Even if it was slow, Grandmother preferred to walk in the house rather than use a wheelchair. At that time, she heard a knock on the door. The number of people who could enter the office was very limited. Grandfather, a maid who had been serving Grandmother since childhood, the butler, and Diana. ¡°Come in.¡± Two people were seen through the open door. The butler and¡ª ¡°Count, the Little Young Master has returned.¡± A welcome came after the unexpected meeting. Following the butler, Senir entered the office. ¡®It¡¯s the first time since I came to Grandmother¡¯s house, right?¡¯ She hadn¡¯t seen him for quite a while, but nothing had changed. A delicate face like a wax doll, a calm expression, graceful manners. Senir also saw Diana. When he saw her, he blinked his golden eyes exactly twice, then headed towards Grandmother. ¡°Greetings to the Count.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s been a while.¡± Then he bowed his head slightly toward her again. ¡°Turns out, the Young Miss was also here.¡± Diana hesitated, also bending her head reflexively. ¡®Did he call me Young Miss just now?¡¯ Senir, who looked back at Grandmother again, calmly said. ¡°I did not know that you would be with the Young Miss because you were in the office. I will organize what I have done and report it right away.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Then I will get going.¡± She just blinked at the situation that was over in an instant. It had been so long since they met, but he only greeted like this then parted? She didn¡¯t know when Senir would return if he left the mansion again. Seeing Senir heading back to the door, Diana hurriedly said. ¡°Excuse me¡ª!¡± At her shout, Senir and Grandmother looked back at Diana. ¡°Uhm¡­.¡± But what should I say? Don¡¯t just go? Go after we talk a little bit more? Won¡¯t I look like an insistent person? But¡­ Waiting, Grandmother asked. ¡°Diana? What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Uhm, how about drinking tea together?¡± Grandmother looked back at Senir and said to the butler who was still at the door. ¡°Prepare the place.¡± ¡°Yes, understood.¡± It was tea time that she thought would simply end with a teacup. Because until now, it had only been simply drinking tea in Grandmother¡¯s office or on the terrace attached to the office. But somehow, it became a full-fledged tea party, setting up seats in the garden. Senir and Diana went down first while the butler was preparing for the place. Grandmother said she would follow after finishing her work. ¡°It¡¯s the first time since that day.¡± Unlike Diana, who couldn¡¯t open her mouth easily, Senir remained unchanged. ¡°How have you been during that time?¡± ¡°Everyone was so nice to me, so I¡¯ve been doing well. How about Senir?¡± ¡°There was nothing different from usual. Except that I didn¡¯t have time to come back home due to a lot of work.¡± The soft, gentle voice and beautiful appearance remained the same. ¡°Ah, by any chance, do you like pearls?¡± ¡°Pearls?¡± At the sudden question, Diana opened her eyes wide. ¡°Yes. Among the places I visited, one was famous for pearls.¡± Senir smiled. Even with their leisurely pace, before she knew it, they arrived at the garden. She could see the place that had been prepared. Between the brightly bloomed bushes, white tables appeared, with a few checkered ones here and there. ¡°It¡¯s very pretty here, too.¡± Diana was amazed. It was a place that she used to pass by often, but when it was put down with tables and chairs, it became a good place to relax. At that time, she heard a rustling sound between the bushes. Chapter 26 ¡°Sky!¡± Suddenly coming out, Sky rushed towards Diana. Senir caught the jumping animal mid-jump. ¡°Oh?¡± Diana, who was preparing to receive Sky, was surprised and looked at Senir. Senir, with a calm face, showed Sky¡¯s feet. Diana¡¯s mouth opened wide. ¡°Ack! Sky?! Where did you come after playing!? What¡¯s with the feet?!¡± Its feet were all muddy. Senir, who caught Sky with great technique, did not get the mud on his clothes, but if it was the one who Diana hugged Sky, she would have needed to change. A startled servant ran and retrieved Sky. Sky struggled sadly toward Diana, but it could not escape the servant¡¯s arms. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Senir, I would have been in trouble. Thank yo¡ª¡± At the moment she saw Senir, Diana remembered what she had to say. ¡°Ah! Come to think of it, there was something I was going to say when I saw Senir. I almost forgot about it.¡± ¡°To me? Feel free to speak.¡± ¡°Thank you for finding Grandmother and Grandfather.¡± She really wanted to say this. ¡°Thank you so much.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Senir looked at her silently. When Diana tilted her head and asked, ¡°Senir?¡± only then did he smile as usual. ¡°Even if it wasn¡¯t me, others would have definitely found them for you.¡± ¡°However, despite your busy schedule, Senir came to meet me in person.¡± Diana smiled brightly. ¡®Come to think of it, what does it have to do with Senir?¡¯ Since he¡¯s the heir of Ohrid¡­ A relative? Cousin? Since he¡¯s called a Young Master, is he her older brother? ¡°It looks like the Young Miss is still the same as before.¡± ¡°Pardon? Ah! Right, Senir. Why are you calling me Young Miss?¡± An answer was heard from behind. ¡°I¡¯ll answer that.¡± ¡°Grandmother? You came early!¡± When Diana jumped up, Grandmother waved her hand. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Diana, sit down.¡± Grandmother slowly approached with the help of a maid, and opened her mouth. ¡°The situation is complicated.¡± ¡°Complicated?¡± ¡°Yeah. Because I don¡¯t agree with Mother¡­¡± If she¡¯s saying Mother then it must be Esteemed Mother. Ohrid¡¯s Esteemed Mother was Diana¡¯s great-grandmother. Since her great-grandmother wasn¡¯t feeling well, Diana only met her once a day for a short time. ¡°You know that Senir isn¡¯t a noble, right?¡± ¡°Whaaat?¡± Diana opened her eyes wide and looked back at Senir. ¡°No! I really didn¡¯t kno¡ª¡± Diana who was talking paused at the memory which was recalled. ¡®Come to think of it, Senir said he was a commoner when we first met, right?!¡¯ ¡°Ah! That was true?!¡± Senir¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°That kind of thing, did you think it was a lie?¡± ¡°No. Really. I thought it was just a joke¡­.¡± Diana couldn¡¯t hide her confusion. Grandmother continued to explain again. ¡°There is a condition for Senir to officially enter the Ohrid Family. And that condition hasn¡¯t been met yet.¡± ¡°What kind of condition is it?¡± ¡°Marry the one who succeeded Ohrid blood.¡± Diana opened her eyes wide and looked back at Senir. The eyes she met were bent gently. She also recalled the fact that he had a fiance half a beat late. Lady Ovalon. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s why¡­.¡± She almost made a strange assumption. She felt relieved but also somewhat uneasy. ¡°Yeah. He¡¯s still a half-heir.¡± Even as head of the family she seemed to have matters that she was also unable to do as she wished. Diana sighed deeply then said. ¡°Turns out it¡¯s quite hard.¡± ¡°What I can say for sure is the fact that you won¡¯t have anything to worry about.¡± Soon after, the butler brought a kettle of tea leaves and hot water on a large tray. ¡°The dessert will be served right away.¡± Putting down the tea and the kettle, the butler soon stepped away. Senir picked up the teapot and poured hot water into an empty teapot to heat the teacup. Then he threw away the water and moved the tea leaves with a teaspoon. This seemingly indifferent movement was actually naturally elegant. ¡®Of course, I think it¡¯s worth the misunderstanding that he¡¯s a noble.¡¯ But it¡¯s fascinating. Turns out, they also choose the heir of a noble family in this kind of way. Senir, who poured hot water and washed the dust from the tea leaves, poured water again and turned the hourglass upside down. The white teapot looked good with him. Diana just looked on with admiration. When the sand in the hourglass fully fell, Senir lifted the kettle and neatly put the tea water in a teacup. ¡°The figure of Senir pouring tea looks so beautiful. Ah, is it wrong to say that it¡¯s beautiful?¡± Senir smiled faintly at the sight of Diana¡¯s slightly embarrassed faced and her blurred words. ¡°There¡¯s no way it can be wrong.¡± Senir¡¯s gaze turned to her wrist. ¡°Since Young Miss still doesn¡¯t have strength in your hands, it is inevitable that your hands will tremble. After all, the kettle is heavy.¡± Diana looked back and forth at her hands. Recently, she had gained weight so they had become a little bit better, but they were still skinny and had lots of scars. She didn¡¯t particularly hate to see her hands. Since all the hands of people who worked were like that. However, the people of Ohrid could not hide their regret whenever they saw her hands. ¡®Should I wear gloves?¡¯ Just in time, Grandmother covered her hand. ¡°You¡¯re too skinny. You have to eat a lot from now on.¡± Senir, who put a teacup in front of Grandmother, asked. ¡°Would you like to drink it with some apricot jam?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll have some¡­ ah, thank you.¡± The apricot jam splashed into the light pink tea water. Senir held out the teacup to Diana. After taking a sip, Diana opened her eyes wide. ¡°Is it good?¡± Diana nodded. She had always felt the tea was bitter, but when apricot jam was added, it became sweet and refreshing. ¡°I think jam is better than milk.¡± Diana probably wouldn¡¯t have said that if she had known that Grandmother would prepare dozens of different jams, but she had already said it. Grandmother, who smiled happily, lifted a silver spoon. ¡°Since you like it, I¡¯ll also add some in and drink it.¡± Grandmother also added some jam and stirred it. In the meantime, the tea cooled down a little and it took time for the jam to melt. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not bad. Rose jam would also go well with this tea.¡± ¡°Rose jam? You can also make jam with roses?¡± While talking about various things, the butler returned. There were also servants who followed, holding all kinds of desserts on a large silver tray. Eclairs filled with vanilla cream that were sprinkled with sugar powder on top of its chocolate icing, mint meringues sprinkled with crushed pistachio, and pound cakes with seasonal fruits on top were first put on the table. Next, it was Mille-Feuille, where cream and raspberries were layered between golden pastries that looked crispy yet soft just by looking at them. In addition, sliced apple tarts, madeleines, golden-baked scones, whipped cream, and raspberry jam were placed in a pretty bowl for application. She had never seen such splendid desserts, and in such variety too, even in the Bordeaux¡¯s mansion. Diana was amazed, unable to keep her eyes in one place. ¡°Hurry up and try some.¡± Grandmother smiled happily. Diana looked at the desserts that looked splendid, and picked one up. Diana, who cut it into bite-sized pieces with a knife, put it in her mouth with excitement. ¡°How does it taste?¡± The moment she chewed, the thin paste crumbled and the sweet filling leaked out and filled her mouth. Diana, who mumbled, suddenly recalled something. ¡°Really¡­ It¡¯s so delicious.¡± ¡°Now feel free to tell the kitchen if you want to eat anything. Since we especially hired a new dessert specialty patissier.¡± ¡°A dessert specialty, Patissier? Was that why there were so many desserts that came out all of a sudden? ¡°Yeah, they said you seem to like sweet food.¡± ¡°O-of course, I like it, but¡­.¡± To think there was a dessert specialty patissier? There was no such chef even in the Bordeaux mansion. ¡°I didn¡¯t enjoy sweets, so I must have neglected that area a little.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m alright! You don¡¯t have to do this muc¡ª¡± ¡°It would be great if you don¡¯t say that you¡¯re burdened.¡± Grandmother looked at Diana affectionately. Diana was speechless. ¡°I want to do everything I haven¡¯t done for you when I had yet to meet you.¡± The butler, who was happily watching, coughed and intervened. ¡°It¡¯s a relief if the Young Miss likes it, but¡­ Soon it will be time to draw the portrait of the Young Miss. What should we do?¡± ¡°Time flies so fast? What time is it now?¡± Senir, who put down the teacup like an elegant noble, took a silver watch out of his arms and informed her of the time. ¡°Gasp, I¡¯m late!¡± The portrait model took about an hour, but it took another hour to change into the portrait dress and prepare her hair. When Diana got up in a hurry, Grandmother raised her hand to block her. ¡°Grandmother?¡± ¡°Should we tell them to rest today?¡± The butler asked quickly. ¡°Right. Teacher Conrad, too.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± When not only the portrait but also the name of the teacher who was in charge of her class appeared, Diana¡¯s eyes turned round. ¡°I¡¯m skipping classes too?¡± ¡°Yeah. If you¡¯re going to rest, surely you have to take a good rest.¡± No matter how she thought about it, it seemed like she was worried about Diana falling asleep late last night. ¡®I have to be careful from now on.¡¯ No one knew what time she fell asleep before. No one was worried. Naturally, by itself, her heart became warm. ¡®I¡¯m so happy.¡¯ Somehow, she felt like she was going to cry again, so she hurriedly said something else. *** Diana, who tasted all the desserts, sat lazily with a full stomach. ¡°Are you full now?¡± ¡°Yes. I can¡¯t eat anymore.¡± ¡°Then, how about sightseeing the Imperial Capital with Senir now?¡± Chapter 27 ¡°Yes? Suddenly like this?¡± ¡°Suddenly is when Spencer took you out as if kidnapping you.¡± At Grandmother¡¯s words, Diana¡¯s smile faltered. On her first day of going out, Diana fell asleep as soon as she washed away the dust and sand from horseback riding. Later, she heard that Grandfather was scolded by Grandmother that day. ¡°I felt sorry that I told you that I would show you around the Imperial Capital but you only stayed at home.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I go around learning horseback riding, too.¡± ¡°You have to go to other places, too.¡± ¡°Another place?¡± ¡°Yeah. Is there any place you want to go?¡± ¡°Umm.¡± At that moment, Senir naturally suggested. ¡°How about El-Corte?¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± Grandmother nodded then asked her. ¡°Diana, have you ever been to El-Corte?¡± ¡°No. But I¡¯ve heard of it. Isn¡¯t it the place where they gather and sell high-quality things?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, it can also be called a department store.¡± El-Corte. It was the place where Young Miss Atticia sang every time. ¡°Then, it wouldn¡¯t be bad to also get your clothes and shoes there.¡± Surprised, Diana frantically waved her hands. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s enough just having what Mom used.¡± Even if she wore a different one every day, there would still be many clothes that she couldn¡¯t wear. But Grandmother insisted firmly. ¡°Frugality is not a virtue of Ohrid.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± *** The hall was busy preparing to go out. ¡°Young Miss, this way.¡± ¡°Michelle!¡± Diana ran to her side. Michelle handed her a black mask with fancy decorations. It was a mask that she was quite used to now. ¡°Ah, right, the Little Young Master sent you a gift. Please do open it after coming back.¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯d heard of it. He said that it¡¯s pearls.¡± ¡°Pearls?¡± Michelle continued with a small smile. ¡°Neria and Daisy were guessing whether or not they were jewels, but turns out, Neria was right.¡± She wrapped the cape that Michelle was holding around herself. Diana, now wearing a glossy, thick ivory cape, stepped out the front door. When she came down the stairs, there were two knights dressed up in light suits. It was Lord Serafina and Lord Dominic. As Diana waved her hand enthusiastically, the two knights greeted with smiles on their mouths. ¡°It¡¯s ready to go.¡± Senir nodded lightly at the butler¡¯s words. The butler approached Diana, and politely held out an envelope. ¡°The Count told me to give it to the Young Miss.¡± When Diana opened the ordinary off-white envelope, a thin, shiny piece of paper came out. Numbers and stamps were written on the rectangular paper without any decoration. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a check.¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve seen Hermann use it when he was doing the house transacti¡ª Wait, wait a minute.¡± 300 Reed? Then the zeroes were¡­ 1¡­ 2¡­ ¡°120 MILLION SORNA?!¡± Diana¡¯s hand trembled. To think that this piece of paper that was light enough to fly away when a slight wind blows was worth 120 million Sorna! The butler explained politely. ¡°The Count said to come back after using all that is on the check.¡± *** When she came to her senses, she was already in the running carriage. Diana looked at the person sitting opposite her with shaking eyes. ¡°How do I use 300 Reed? Is it possible? To use it only in one day?¡± Senir burst into a small laugh at Diana¡¯s concern. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If you¡¯re really tired, the Count won¡¯t say anything even if you come back without using it all.¡± ¡°I-is that so? It must be like that, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Huuuu.¡± Diana breathed out relief. ¡°Even so, you surely have to work hard.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll work hard!¡± Diana answered determinedly, but she felt it was somewhat strange. The carriage soon entered the main road. Senir blocked Diana¡¯s hand as she tried to pull up the window curtains. ¡°Hm?¡± When Diana looked at him oddly, Senir pointed at the mask with his finger. ¡°You have to wear the mask first.¡± ¡°Ah, right.¡± Diana picked up the mask that she had put down. The small feather that was attached to the mask shook at Diana¡¯s movement. The mask was one that covered her entire forehead up until the tip of the nose and was tied around the back. The string at the back had to be tied on its own, but it was a lot more difficult than she thought. ¡®Ah, I should have asked Michelle to do it.¡¯ Her hair and the string kept getting tangled. When she was finally able to barely tie it up, the moment she raised her head, the mask fell down. It seemed to be too loosely tied. Diana pouted and untied the string. Senir, who was watching it all happen, took off his gloves and said. ¡°Please sit back.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s okay. I can do it alon¡ª¡± Senir moved to Diana¡¯s side. Diana smiled and handed over the mask. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Please help me.¡± When Senir sat close, Diana could faintly smell a good scent. ¡®Perfume? Soap?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t a strong scent. It was subtle. She felt Senir collecting her hair. He was so careful that she couldn¡¯t even feel his fingers touching her nape. ¡°Just a moment.¡± Senir lifted over the hair he was holding. Senir, who adjusted the position of the mask, asked. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°To the left¡­ Yes, there. It¡¯s good now.¡± She felt a slight pull on the string. After she felt a slight tickle on the back of her head, Senir asked again. ¡°Is it suffocating?¡± Diana shook her head sideways as well as up and down. It didn¡¯t hurt because it was fixed too tightly nor did it shake because it was too loose. ¡°No, it¡¯s perfect!¡± While Diana straightened herself, Senir sat back on the opposite side again. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± Senir continued to talk while wearing the gloves he had put down. ¡°We¡¯ll arrive in 10 minutes.¡± Senir swiped back the curtain with an elegant gesture. ¡°This is Baroque Main Road. It is a road named after the middle name of the first emperor of Heimbarden. It runs straight from that gate to the gate of the Imperial Palace.¡± Diana made sure the mask was in place one more time and sat close to the window. Senir told a few anecdotes related to the building as the carriage passed through. ¡°What is that building?¡± Diana pointed to a fancy building where a pair of sweet lovers in a dress and suit entered. ¡°That¡¯s the Opec Museum of Art. It¡¯s owned by the Esteemed Mother of Ohrid.¡± ¡°It¡¯s huge¡­ Yes? What?¡± Among the words that poured out like flowing water, a part caught her breath. ¡°It is only exhibiting today. It is an art auction that is held once a month, and it is also the largest auction hall on the continent.¡± ¡°No, not that. What did you say is owned by Esteemed Mother?¡± ¡°Ohrid has always been sponsoring many artists since the old times. Especially the Esteemed Mother who has a good eye for painting. Thus she runs the museum passionately.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± To think they¡¯re the sponsor of artists. After coming to Ohrid, Diana felt that she had become dull in most things. ¡°She had let go of business affairs after handing over the Count position to the current Count, but she continued to take care of the Opec Museum of Art personally.¡± The majesty of the Opec Museum of Art in Ohrid was extraordinary. It had been a symbol of Ohrid for generations since it was founded by Count Ohrid. The foundation was a place where one could tell who in the family the central power lied with. Senir only explained the light truth. ¡°Currently, for its operation, the Count Husband is in charge of it.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Turns out Grandfather works, too.¡± At the words of Diana who did not know the entire truth, Senir unknowingly had to suppress his laughter. ¡°Huh? Why, ah!¡± Diana covered her mouth because she was embarrassed. She had said the thoughts in her heart too thoughtlessly. Diana rolled her eyes as she looked around. ¡°Uhm¡­ Mister Spencer is quite busy, too.¡± Senir spoke with a voice full of laughter. ¡°However, when I¡¯m studying, he comes every time and asks me to stop and play¡­¡± Thinking of the way that Grandfather asked her to play almost nine out of ten times, Diana realized. ¡°Wait, if Grandfather is ¡®quite¡¯ busy, then Senir and Grandmother are ¡®very¡¯ busy, right?¡± The smiling Senir avoided Diana¡¯s gaze. So she was right. ¡°If you have a chance, it would be great to go to the Opec Museum together with Mister Spencer.¡± ¡°Grandfather is¡­ oh? That¡¯s the opera house, right?¡± There they could see a fancy and large building with ivory-colored sculptures lying on each pillar. Probably because nothing was currently being performed, they could see the bare marble instead of a red carpet on the stairs. ¡°It¡¯s the Haslin Opera House. It¡¯s the largest opera house in Heimbarden. There are personal box seats for the Ohrid Family there, so you can go comfortably whenever you want to see it.¡± ¡°What is a box seat?¡± ¡°When building an opera house, they give the families who invested the seats they want. They usually receive the 2nd or 3rd floor. The Imperial Family has 15 seats, followed by the Ohrid Family, the second largest number of seats with 10 seats.¡± ¡°Ah, is it like the racetrack viewing room?¡± In the end, all he was saying was that there was also Ohrid¡¯s share there. Diana said with a slightly tired face. ¡°At this rate, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll say there is even a road made for Ohrid later.¡± ¡°Are you curious?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°That is El-Corte.¡± Senir pointed to a building that stood out across the road. If the opera house was a classic building made of marble, El-Corte had a style that had never been seen before anywhere. The exterior walls of the building with crystal decorations everywhere were transparent, and through the glass windows, the people inside were sometimes reflected. An exclamation naturally burst out. ¡°The building is really pretty.¡± ¡°There is a special design so you can see the inside from the outside, but you can¡¯t see the outside from the inside.¡± ¡°That¡¯s somewhat¡­. shouldn¡¯t it be the opposite?¡± ¡°It¡¯s designed so that customers in the building don¡¯t know the passage of time and only admire the inside from the outside.¡± ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Currently, there were only two El-Corte on the continent. When El-Corte was first established 15 years ago, the snobbish master craftsmen considered it insulting to bring their stores together in one place. However, the atmosphere had changed completely now, and these days, shops that have not been able to enter El-Corte couldn¡¯t be recognized as proper craftsmen. ¡°How do you know about it so well? By any chance, even El-Corte, Ohrid¡­¡± At Diana¡¯s suspicion, Senir spoke as if it were natural. ¡°El-Corte was founded by Young Miss Philippa.¡± ¡°What? Who?¡± Chapter 28 Young Count Philippa came up with the idea and gathered the investors, and the largest investor, Count Ohrid¡­ As time passed, it became the best in both name and reality¡­. The explanations continued endlessly. ¡°So Mom¡­¡± Diana touched her head in dizziness. ¡°She has done quite a lot of work.¡± ¡°If we organized the shares, it would be a significant portion of the Young Miss¡¯ inheritance.¡± ¡°Um. I see.¡± What it meant, she didn¡¯t understand half of it. First of all, the one thing that she did know was that El-Corte belonged to Grandmother. Following the footman¡¯s guidance, the carriage stopped at one place. Senir reached out his hand so that Diana, who would get off the carriage, could grab it as he said. ¡°In El-Corte, I will call you ¡®Lady Diana¡¯. Since we still can¡¯t reveal your identity, please do understand.¡± ¡°Do as you want.¡± In fact, even during ordinary times, she wished for him to call her by her name rather than calling her ¡®Young Miss¡¯, but she thought that there was a good reason for him to change the title even though he originally called her ¡®Diana¡¯. ¡®Still, it¡¯s a bit disappointing.¡¯ Diana approached the building with Senir as escort. As she approached the entrance, she saw a giant fountain carved with twelve baby angels which were made of crystal. The light that was reflected on the statue touched the front of Diana¡¯s face. ¡°Ugh, too bright.¡± At her words, Lord Dominic blocked her front. Lord Dominic¡¯s build was so big that Diana was fully covered in his shadow. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°For what? It is only natural for me to do. The Young Miss is 11 years old, right? Aren¡¯t you too small?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m 13 years old.¡± Lord Dominic groaned, eek, and his shoulders shrank. Lord Serafina stabbed him in the side, asking him to apologize. Lord Dominic felt awkward as he apologized to her. ¡®Am I that small?¡¯ She had never thought that she was small, but she couldn¡¯t count how many times she¡¯d heard it recently. Diana stretched her hand up, but she could not come out of Lord Dominic¡¯s shadow. ¡®S-small.¡¯ Tiptoeing was also useless. Even if she stretched her arms to both sides, only a hand at most would pop out of Lord Dominic¡¯s shadow. Although it was the big Lord Dominic who was, by birth, like a bear, she was still a little upset. Those who were watching all her actions were busy holding back their laughter, losing their mind when Diana pouted. ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re still 13 years old. You will grow soon.¡± Serafina said as if she was comforting Diana. And that same Serafina was also very tall. What was worse was that even Senir was big. ¡°Since Mom was big¡­ I¡¯ll grow up, too.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± No way, what if she¡¯s small because she resembles her biological father? Suddenly, she was curious about her father¡¯s height, whose name or face she didn¡¯t even know. She thought it would be very unfair if she was short because of her father who had never helped her as she struggled to live. The entrance square was crowded with people who tried to enter or had already bought something and then come out. Some of them looked at Senir then whispered. However, Senir surprisingly ignored the surroundings. ¡°There are a lot of people?¡± ¡°It is because the biggest event of the year, the Imperial Ball, is coming soon. It will be more crowded because there are also many country nobles.¡± It was then¨C ¡°¨Cyou know!¡± Quickly without hesitation, Diana raised her head. It was a familiar voice. ¡°Lady? What is the matter?¡± Serafina, who held her sword case, asked. Diana was looking around with a hardened look on her face, but she did not find the person she was looking for. ¡®It must be an illusion.¡¯ Diana rubbed the back of her neck, which had unknowingly stiffened. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. It seems like I heard wrong.¡± Just like that the uncomfortable feeling disappeared when she entered El-Corte. High and wide pillars and a crystal chandelier shining brilliantly over the shiny ivory-colored floor was seen. Fancy and fancy again, it was a sight that was beyond imagination. The items sold on each floor were largely divided into men¡¯s and women¡¯s clothes, and smally divided into hats, shoes, ornaments, and others as the names of the deserved representative craftsmen were hung. The door opened at the same time the notice said that the guide in the elevator had arrived. Diana stepped in after touching her mask to see if it was fixed well. *** ¡®¡­I¡¯m tired.¡¯ Diana thought she liked pretty and bright things. But today, her faith had been broken. Although she visited about 10 boutiques, all the products looked similar. She picked about 10 outfits, but although she¡¯d only said ¡®this is prett¨C¡¯, they already sent it to Ohrid mansion. From horseback riding boots, which were of the finest quality with sheep leather, horseback riding clothes, saddles, reins, and gloves. She remembered up to here. It was also quite fun to customize as she wanted dozens of leathers after she touched it. However, as the seven shoes began to be determined from the height of the heels to the type of string to be tied, Diana gradually began to get tired, and for the gloves, she just bought them as how the craftsman made them and only adjusted the size. Senir said to Diana, who was stirring a drink full of ice with a straw. ¡°You¡¯re tired.¡± ¡°To be honest, yes. It¡¯s so tiring. Senir, are you okay?¡± ¡°I am alright.¡± The place where they were now was a lounge where only a few people could enter. Senir followed up, smiling slightly, ¡°If you¡¯re having a hard time, let¡¯s ask them to bring the things.¡± ¡°Bring it up?¡± ¡°Yes. Bring it up so that you can sit here and choose.¡± ¡°Uhh.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t give up yet. You haven¡¯t spent even half of the money the Count gave.¡± ¡°Aaaa.¡± Diana groaned as she lay down on the table. At that moment, the door of the lounge opened and someone came in. ¡®Huh? Senir said that there¡¯s almost no one who could come in, though?¡¯ Diana, who raised her head, looked at the doorway. The sound of heavy footsteps came and stopped in front of them. Diana blinked. ¡°To think that I saw the person who said it was hard to meet because he was busy at the El-Corte Lounge. This isn¡¯t even funny.¡± He was a young man with a voice which was obviously at the age in which one¡¯s voice breaks. The corner of his eyes were raised and had a sharp feeling. He was quite handsome, but that light faded in front of Senir. ¡°What was worse, you¡¯re not even alone?¡± Senir, who got up from his seat, blocked her front as if he was protecting her and bowed his head. ¡°I greet Your Highness Esteban.¡± Diana barely endured letting out a groan. ¡®Imperial Prince!¡¯ Surprised, Diana also stood up and politely bowed her head. ¡°I believe she¡¯s a daughter whom I¡¯ll only be meeting for the first time. Who is it?¡± ¡°She is the Count¡¯s guest.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you to answer, though.¡± An arrogant voice responded to the smooth answer. Esteban tried to look at her, but she was hidden by Senir so she wasn¡¯t seen clearly. ¡°Get out of the way. Take off that not even funny mask.¡± This time too, Senir replied. ¡°It is difficult to take off the mask, since it was the Count who wished for her to wear it.¡± ¡°I have already said that I didn¡¯t ask you to answer, though.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The atmosphere made it feel like the juice she just drank would make her have indigestion. Diana glanced at Senir but he only shook his head slightly. It meant that she should not step up. ¡°Your Highness, she is Count Ohrid¡¯s guest.¡± There was the sound of grinding one¡¯s teeth. ¡°Great. Great job.¡± Esteban spoke in a drooping low voice. ¡°Send her out.¡± ¡°Please wait a moment.¡± Senir grabbed Diana¡¯s arm lightly. To the point that she couldn¡¯t even feel the weight. Diana followed Senir, who was leading her. When Diana looked back a little before leaving the door, she could see Esteban watching them. Outside the lounge, Lord Serafina and Lord Dominic showed signs of being at a loss. In addition, there were also those who looked to be Esteban¡¯s escort knights. ¡°We apologize. We couldn¡¯t tell you in advance because His Highness told us not to say anything.¡± Lord Dominic said. If the Imperial Family entered while pushing with their authority, the knights couldn¡¯t do anything. Senir waved his hand as if he saying ¡®forget it¡¯. ¡°Lady Diana. Please take a look around El-Corte. Since it seems that His Highness has something to tell me, I¡¯ll come and find you when our conversation is over.¡± ¡°Although I don¡¯t really care about taking a look around¡­¡± Since she hasn¡¯t even looked at all of El-Corte yet. Diana looked at Senir worriedly. ¡°Will it be okay?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°It seems like you¡¯re in trouble because of me.¡± Just who in the world was worrying about whom? But Diana was sincere. The answer came out a half-beat late when he refuted the subtle emotions which were hovering around his toes. ¡°¡­Of course, you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Senir sent an eye signal to Lord Serafina. ¡°Lord Serafina.¡± ¡°Please leave it up to me.¡± Lord Dominic decided to stay in place and waited for Senir. Senir, who watched Diana leave the front of the lounge together with Lord Serafina, returned to the lounge. Esteban, who was in a fitting seat, opened his mouth while watching Senir approach. ¡°To think that you, who doesn¡¯t even laugh if there is no benefit, are so devoted like that. If someone saw it, they might think that she¡¯s your fiance.¡± ¡°What is your business?¡± He was always like that. He had a mask-like face that couldn¡¯t be read at all. A person who moved thoroughly only following Ohrid¡¯s benefits. He was amazed at Count Ohrid for he did not know from where she obtained such a person. ¡°Your fiance has no sense of distance from Lithuania at all.¡± It was when the Emperor exceeded the age of fifty that his grown-up children were divided into two groups. The fight for the throne between the Second Imperial Prince, Robert, the resuscitation of the former Empress, and the Fourth Imperial Prince, Siegfried, the son of the current Empress. ¡°You must¡¯ve not known that Lithuania and Lady Ovalon are beneficial to Siegfried just because they have a close relationship, do you?¡± Esteban was on Robert¡¯s side and Lithuania was on Siegfried¡¯s side. Lady Ovalon was planning to enter Ohrid. So what people thought if Lady Ovalon showed intimacy with Lithuania was, ¡®So, the next generation of Count Ohrid is on Siegfried¡¯s side!¡¯ Senir had the real power. Even if there was no real benefit, it was a benefit to Siegfried to just have such thoughts planted in the minds of the people. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it Ohrid¡¯s rule to not be involved in the succession of the throne?¡± Esteban tilted his head sharply. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take care of your fiance?¡± ¡°I understand what you are worried about.¡± ¡°An acquaintance can¡¯t keep track of his fiance, I can¡¯t let¡­¡± ¡°Your Highness Esteban.¡± Esteban was surprised when Senir cut off his words. However, the surprise was incomparable to the shock of the words that followed. ¡°Will Count Ohrid really let Lady Ovalon enter?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Chapter 29 ¡°That is all that I have to say.¡± Esteban looked at Senir with a face of disbelief. It seemed like he had a lot to say, but wasn¡¯t able to bring it up easily. ¡°If you¡¯re done with your business, then I will be going.¡± ¡°No, wait. One more.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Why did you go to R¨¹den?¡± R¨¹den was the Eastern port where ships from the West Continent docked. It was also a place that was famous for its pearl as their specialty. If one went further out into the sea from there, there was a large island that was no different from the home of the pirates. Senir, who finished the conversation, got up from his seat. ¡°I will take my leave now.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Esteban¡¯s forehead crumpled up. He didn¡¯t know why he felt like he was being beaten like this when everything went the way he wanted. ¡°You jerk.¡± In the end, Esteban cursed, feeling annoyed. When he kicked the table, a teacup rolled down. Nevertheless, his anger was not relieved. That stiff attitude. That aloof behavior as if he was someone important, with his position, which was merely the Count¡¯s outstanding commoner. He was the only one who had that attitude towards him, who was part of the Royal Family. And it was clear that his attitude would not change even if his brother, Robert, became the Emperor. ¡°We have to somehow reduce the power of the Ohrid bastards.¡± Jumping up, Esteban opened the lounge door roughly. It has been a long time since Senir and his escort knight left. The aide and the escort knights who were waiting looked at Esteban. ¡°Since my business is done, let us go back.¡± About to leave the lounge just like that, Esteban paused. He almost forgot. ¡°Ah, and the one who wore a mask and left the lounge earlier¡­ Find out who it is.¡± *** ¡°No, I mean, what kind of gloves are¡­¡± At that moment, without realizing it herself, her inner thoughts came out. She slowly read the room, to check that there was no one who heard it. Lord Serafina said. ¡°Other than me, there is no one who heard it.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s¡­ a relief.¡± When Diana pouted her lips, Serafina held back her laughter. When she entered the store, it was fortunate that the employee who tried to explain this and that, and made her feel burdened was driven away. Diana picked up a glove. Delicate lace was attached to the top of the smooth-textured gloves, and the jewel which was woven grain after grain into the silver thread added even more splendor. However, it didn¡¯t catch her eye very much. ¡°Will Senir be okay?¡± ¡°He will be alright.¡± Serafina asserted. In truth, Serafina had never worried about the Little Young Master. Rather, if he was scared, she would be terrified. Because he was not like a human. ¡°Since Lord Serafina must have been with Senir for a long time. Then, all right. He must be okay.¡± Tudug tudug, tapping the shelf, Diana turned her gaze to the display case again. [This year¡¯s Meister Gautier collec¡ª] It was when Diana was reading the explanation below. A hand suddenly popped out and took the gloves she was looking at. ¡°Huh?¡± Diana looked at her opponent in the unexpected situation. And then, just like that, she froze. It was fortunate that the mask covered her face which turned pale. Approaching in a composed and orderly way to the back of Diana¡¯s opponent, the Madam said, ¡°Haven¡¯t you already bought gloves earlier? Atticia.¡± It was Baroness Bordeaux and Atticia Bordeaux. Diana put her hand over her throbbing chest. The maid behind the Baroness was also a familiar face. However, the maid who hurriedly approached Atticia¡¯s side was a face which Diana saw for the first time. ¡°It¡¯s really pretty. It looks the best on the Young Miss.¡± The maid who was next to Atticia cut in front of Diana. Serafina stepped up as she couldn¡¯t stand seeing the situation like this. ¡°My Lady, there was someone who was looking at it first.¡± However, Atticia looked back at Serafina with an expression of ¡®so what¡¯. ¡°So?¡± ¡°¡­Lady, please be courteous.¡± ¡°No, are you going to buy it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°I asked if you were going to buy it or not.¡± It was something that Serafina could not answer at will. However, Diana also could not open her mouth thoughtlessly. ¡°I¡¯m just looking at the thing that you won¡¯t even buy. Why are you so¡ª¡± Atticia, who had an arrogant expression, saw Diana and paused. ¡®What¡¯s with the mask? But it looks like¡­ I¡¯ve seen her somewhere, though?¡¯ It was those eyes that caught her eye more than the mask. The vivid scarlet eyes reminded Atticia of some unpleasant memories. ¡®Diana¡­? She looks like her, though?¡¯ However, Atticia, who had been looking at her opponent¡¯s attire from the top to bottom, then shook her head. The luxurious mask, which was covering the face, gave a glamorous yet secretive feeling, like the appearance of a high-status noble miss who secretly came out to play. ¡®No. It¡¯s impossible for it to be Diana.¡¯ Even, the clear yellow topaz brooch which was fixed on her coat looked like it was worth more than Atticia¡¯s best jewelry, even just by the size of the topaz. ¡®Yeah. Diana won¡¯t even know the value of such an accessory.¡¯ However, for her to completely deny it, the shape of the face under the mask, the red lips that Atticia envied, and even their build were too similar. It was an impulsive urge for Atticia, who was completely lost in her own thoughts, to reach her hand out to the mask. Just who in the world was this opponent whose attire she envied and desired, the momentary desire of just wanting to have a glimpse at her face. Someone grabbed Atticia¡¯s hand, which was stretching out. ¡°What are you doing right now?¡± It was a red-haired knight, who was standing next to the girl. ¡°What is wrong with you? Let go of me!¡± Atticia frowned at once as she shook off her hand. No, she was trying to shake it off. However, of course, there was not even a slight movement in the hand that she thought would fall off. Atticia was surprised and looked at the knight. ¡°I-I told you to let go!¡± ¡°What are you doing to my daughter?¡± Only then did Baroness Bordeaux step up. Her previous stance of standing by and watching the commotion was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Just what kind of matter makes you think you are entitled to do this?¡± ¡°I grabbed her on the grounds that she was making suspicious gestures.¡± ¡°Suspicious gestures?¡± ¡°No, Mom! I was only going to take that mask off because it looked stuffy!¡± The knight looked at Atticia with an absurd expression. The old maid who was next to the Baroness hurriedly stepped out. ¡°Knight, please let go. The Madam is Baroness Bordeaux. And the person whom the Knight is holding is the Lady of Baron Bordeaux, who is the Madam¡¯s daughter.¡± It was a certain status. Baroness Bordeaux thought that the knight who knew her status would definitely step down and apologize. ¡°Before I hear the explanation, I can not just let it slide.¡± However, the knight spoke in an unchanged attitude. ¡°Hey. Even if she was rude like this¡­.¡± ¡°What are you looking at? You can¡¯t quickly stop it?¡± She was an employee who didn¡¯t know what to do since the commotion broke out. The employee, who got attention, closed her eyes tightly once and carefully opened her mouth. ¡°Excuse me, Knight.¡± Serafina looked at the employee with a cold face. The terrified employee said as if she hoped for her to calm down. ¡°Th-the thing about letting go¡­.¡± There was nothing good about the interference of the employee, who was just a commoner, in the quarrel between the nobles. But she knew that she couldn¡¯t stay still when the Baroness, who was deathly pale, was glaring at her with her two eyes. Serafina talked nicely. ¡°Step back. This is not a matter for you to intervene.¡± However, Atticia wasn¡¯t like that. Atticia pressed the employee. ¡°Quickly get rid of this crazy person!¡± ¡°About that, Knight, please calm down a bit, and¡­.¡± ¡°Step back. If you also have eyes, you would have seen it clearly, though.¡± When the employee hesitated, Atticia shouted again. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anythi¡­! Ah! It hurts! It hurts!¡± When Lord Serafina gave strength to her hand, Atticia screamed again. Atticia¡¯s maid, who was unable to do this or that while being terrified, ran somewhere. At a glance, Serafina pushed the employee away. ¡°Stand back.¡± As the cape went up together at her movement, there could be seen the household symbol which was attached on the inside of the cape. The employee¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Lady, what should I do¡­.¡± Looking back at Diana, Serafina paused. Serafina threw away the wrist which she was holding. ¡°Kyaack!¡± ¡°What are you doing!?¡± Atticia dropped down as she was screaming, and the Baroness, who grabbed her falling daughter, shouted sharply. ¡°It¡¯s done. Let¡¯s go now.¡± Serafina, who blurted out, wrapped Diana around with her cape and turned around. ¡°You! Where are you going!? Aren¡¯t you going to apologize right away?¡± ¡°Baroness, stopping here and going back is¡­.¡± It was when the employee, who approached hurriedly, was helping Atticia that¨C Slap¡ª There was a sharp sound. Diana, who was buried inside the cape, poked her head out in surprise. The employee who covered her cheek couldn¡¯t raise her head. ¡°Who do you think you are stopping right now?!¡± It was Baroness Bordeaux. Without any time to take action, a sharp wave sound rang again. Then Baroness Bordeaux, who was gasping, raised Atticia up. ¡°Mommmmm.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you to be careful in the Imperial Capital?¡± Baroness Bordeaux patted Atticia. Then she glared fiercely at the employee and left. The gazes which were looking, as if they were sightseeing, also moved away little by little. Looking at the mother-daughter while grinding her teeth, Serafina looked at Diana. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Her white complexion gradually returned to normal. Diana took a deep breath and exhaled. ¡°It¡¯s okay. More than that¡­.¡± Diana¡¯s gaze headed toward the employee who sunk down. There was a deep wound on her cheek that started to heat up red, as the Baroness had hit her with a ring on. It seemed like it would leave a pretty big scar. The blood which came from the wound fell down her cheek, and, tuk, dropped to the floor. ¡°Are you okay? The wound on your face¡­¡± Diana, who was approaching, stopped at the feeling of something hitting at her feet. Looking down at the floor, there could be seen the gloves. The thin silver thread, which was decorating the back of the hand, was cut off, and the jewel, which was connecting grain after grain to the silver thread, could not even be seen. Blocking Diana, who was trying to pick up the gloves, Lord Serafina picked it up. ¡°Um.¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± Lord Serafina and Diana groaned. The stamped footprints were clear on the light blue gloves. Lord Serafina shook her head. ¡°It can¡¯t be used.¡± ¡°What should we do with this?¡± ¡°Maybe that employee will have to compensate.¡± Diana looked back at the employee. The employee, who had her head down, saw the gloves and eventually burst into tears. ¡°I was only away for a moment¡­.¡± At the voice which she welcomed, Diana looked back. ¡°Senir!¡± ¡°But, what had happened in the meantime?¡± It was a cold voice. Chapter 30 Translated by EunEunEdited by eris421 ¡°Did you say you met His Highness Esteban?¡± Teacher Conrad hmm-ed and looked at the table for a while. Then he said adding. ¡°It must¡¯ve not been a very good experience. Since he¡¯s not a person with a good personality.¡± At the remark that was equivalent to the crime of insulting the Imperial Family, even though Diana knew that there was no one else aside from them both, she still looked around the inside of the room. When she heaved a sigh of relief, Conrad laughed without a sound. ¡°Do you know each other?¡± ¡°Should I say that I know him¡­. I have simply given him a class.¡± Teacher Conrad raised his glasses as he added. ¡°Surely I mean, although he¡¯d never had a proper class because he¡¯s busy.¡± ¡°Y-You were the Imperial Prince¡¯s teacher?¡± ¡°No. He came as an auditing student when I gave a lecture at the academy.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± It seemed that there were no good feelings. ¡®Well, since I don¡¯t have any good feelings either¡­ Are we comrades?¡¯ Laughing nonsensically inside, Diana asked. ¡°It seems that he¡¯s so busy to the point that he can¡¯t even take a class.¡± ¡°The reason he came to the academy, as an auditor, was only an excuse, since it was mainly for increasing his power.¡± ¡°Power?¡± At Diana¡¯s question, Conrad lifted up a teacup that was put aside because of the book. It was an action that he often did when the conversation was about to become longer. Diana also stealthily pulled a plate of cookies, that was on one side, that had chocolate chips embedded on it. ¡°I had told you that His Majesty the Emperor has two empresses, right.¡± It was the very first thing that she learned. The First Empress, Tatiana Loffen Heimbarden had three children, except for the First Imperial Prince, who had a different and early fate. There were Robert and the fraternal twins, Estelle and Esteban. Like that, she passed away after having three children. And then, the Emperor brought in the Second Empress, the Current Empress, Margarita Stadt Heimbarden. Empress Margarita gave birth to her first child, a son, Siegfried, and a daughter, Lithuania, as her second. ¡°The children of the two empresses unite with the center being their biological mothers, and are fighting for the Imperial throne. The former Empress¡¯ faction is centered on Imperial Prince Robert, and the current Empress¡¯ faction is centered on Empress Margarita.¡± It came to her mind once again that Esteban was also a person who had lost his mother when he was young. That fact made her feel very, very little sympathy. Sipping the tea once, Teacher Conrad opened his mouth again. ¡°But the Young Miss doesn¡¯t need to pay attention to it.¡± ¡°¡­I can do that?¡± ¡°Yes. Since not being involved in the succession of the Imperial throne is Ohrid¡¯s strict rule.¡± ¡°Aha. What a relief.¡± ¡°Although because he believes in that strict rule, His Highness Esteban is behaving insolently¡­.¡± ¡°Aha.¡± It meant that he behaved impolitely because we aren¡¯t going to be on his side nor on another person¡¯s side. He started disliking us more. ¡°Since Young Miss Diana also has nothing that you¡¯ll need to manage for His Highness Esteban, you can do whatever you want.¡± ¡°You said I have nothing that I¡¯ll manage?¡± Biting down on the cookie with a rustle, Diana asked back. ¡°One-third of the Heimbarden Imperial Family tax is the tax that Ohrid pays.¡± Diana paused. ¡°And another one-third is the tax that¡¯s collected from businesses and merchants that are connected with Ohrid either directly and indirectly.¡± Teacher Conrad kept continuing to talk. ¡°The richest one on the continent is the World Tower, and the next is Ohrid. Since the World Tower is a coalition group of sorcerers centered on the twelve sages, as a single family, Ohrid is the first.¡± The cookie which Diana was biting in her mouth, tuk, fell. ¡°Even becoming a Duke or Marquess Family, there was surely nothing lacking at all.¡± ¡°But why¡­.¡± ¡°In Ohrid, there¡¯s one thing that¡¯s impossible, no, rather than impossible, there¡¯s something that they don¡¯t dabble in.¡± As she tidied the cookie that fell and its crumbs, Diana looked at Teacher Conrad. ¡°It¡¯s soldiers. Ohrid has received restrictions on military power since the moment Heimbarden was founded.¡± ¡°Are you talking about knights?¡± ¡°Yes. From the Marquess rank and above, soldier restrictions are loosened. Therefore, for Ohrid, who receives military power sanctions, it is difficult to get a rank above Count. Well, they can just hire mercenaries, but it¡¯s surely lacking compared to knights who are loyal to the family.¡± ¡°But we have Lord Serafina and Lord Dominic, don¡¯t we?¡± Other than them, there were other knights as well. ¡°Because it¡¯s just a few. There are a few knights who are directly under Ohrid, but it is hard to form an order of knights.¡± ¡°I see.¡± No, it wasn¡¯t a matter that could be passed by just saying, ¡®I see¡¯. The second richest in the world, no, to think it¡¯s the richest man? Really? At that moment, Teacher Conrad tilted his head as he asked. ¡°But doesn¡¯t Lady Diana have something to be more concerned about than that?¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°Something I¡¯ll be more concerned about?¡± Pausing, Teacher Conrad put down the teacup that he had lifted. It was a face that was looking forward to something fun. Diana squinted her eyes. ¡°Oh my, have you not read today¡¯s newspaper?¡± ¡°Yes. Because I was busy doing my homework in the morning.¡± ¡°As expected, it turns out there¡¯s a reason why you were calm.¡± Yesterday El-Corte was just the beginning. There was something bad that happened, but that wasn¡¯t enough for her to quit visiting the Imperial Capital and return back. She walked on the streets of Ropelita Hill, climbed to the top of the clock tower, and also watched the sunset. She also visited Teislo. It was her second visit, but as expected, the dexterity was incredible. After going around all day and coming home, she terrifyingly couldn¡¯t even wash up and conked out. She barely woke up and hurriedly finished her homework in the morning. ¡°Lady Diana is quite the rare and faithful student.¡± Conrad smiled satisfactorily. Many noble children didn¡¯t want to do their homework and shirked, or they just made their servant or maid do it instead, and then brought it, saying that they did it themselves. He could tell just by looking at the handwriting, but they either played innocent until the end, or they got angry at the servants, saying that the reason they got caught was because of the servants. After teaching such people, to see that there¡¯s a student who tries her best to learn like this¨C As a teacher, he was bound to be proud. Conrad rang the bell and called a servant. ¡°If there is today¡¯s Figarosa Newspaper here, bring it.¡± The servant soon brought the newspaper. Conrad handed Diana the newspaper. ¡°It¡¯s not only in the Figarosa, but the Treim and the Betasa Newspaper also have similar content.¡± [What is the identity of the girl who got escorted by Ohrid¡¯s heir? The reason why that girl bought the trampled gloves.] It was a picture of her which she didn¡¯t know when it was taken. Although her face wasn¡¯t revealed because she was wearing a mask¡­ [Ohrid¡¯s heir returns to the Imperial Capital after a long overseas trip. The very first thing he did was escort a masked girl. While gathering news materials about Ohrid¡¯s heir and the girl, exclusive information came in. There was a noble lady who had tried to remove her mask, and when she was stopped, she slapped an employee¡¯s cheek, trampled on a product, and left. With the trampled product is Miester Gautier¡¯s fall collection that¡¯ll come, the price is¡­ The employee was in the position to compensate, but the girl paid all the prices, saying that she was going to buy the gloves¡­] ¡°What is this?¡± The article was very detailed. ¡°Who took a picture of me?¡± She completely had no idea. Just when did they start following her? ¡°Anyhow it turned out, you got a good image. Congratulations.¡± Is this something to be congratulated on? Diana had a strange look. ¡°When Lady Diana makes your debut later, it¡¯ll become helpful.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± Conrad nodded. Although this article might be deliberately spilled from Ohrid, Diana didn¡¯t need to know. And those who heard this article had another curiosity. Just who in the world did such a wicked act? The identity of the noble was revealed as if they¡¯d waited for everyone to wonder. The Bordeaux Baroness and Lady. People were worked up. Since they weren¡¯t even a family that had such high power to the extent that they possibly couldn¡¯t be insulted. People didn¡¯t hesitate to ridicule and insult them like a fish in water. If this incident had broken out and the mother and daughter had shown signs of self-consciousness, it could¡¯ve subsided shortly. However, Atticia Bordeaux didn¡¯t do that. It would¡¯ve been right to say that she had never done that. Atticia ordered a servant to assault a maid who was caught talking behind her back. And that matter was revealed once more through the newspaper. Cases of the actual behavior of noble women, who are well-known for their noble character, do to their servant or maid being the opposite of those rumors, were very common. In other words, it meant that such matters were not new among nobles. However, it was different when the facts that were known to each other while turning a blind eye to each other were laid bare through the newspaper. It was a very humiliating matter as a noble to be condemned for being vicious while becoming a gossip topic. The Baron Bordeaux Family¡¯s honor fell to the ground, and those who had exchanges with them distanced themselves, afraid that even their names would be brought up in vain. And Diana couldn¡¯t know all of these facts. Because it was a matter that wasn¡¯t worthy of her to know. *** ¨CTwo years later. Ohrid¡¯s backyard, which blocked people¡¯s approaches, felt remote among all the Ohrid¡¯s other gardens. The garden, which was intertwined with trees that grew as if they were competing and bushes that gushed out as it liked without pruning, gave off a deep forest-like feeling. Among the large trees was an elegant gazebo. Originally, it was a garden whose size wasn¡¯t much different from other mansions. However, Count Ohrid ordered to overturn the fine back garden. Marbles were set up and a gazebo that was decorated with large jade was made. This was a gift for her only beloved granddaughter. It also reflected the taste of her granddaughter who had said that playing in the garden is fun, and that she liked the forest. Although, Diana didn¡¯t actually know the reason why the garden suddenly changed. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°Young Miss. Young Miss.¡± Diana buried her head in between the warm and fluffy fur. However, the warm pillow suddenly moved and slipped out. ¡°Aack!¡± Chapter 31 At the falling sensation, Diana woke up in fright. Her hair which touched the floor stretched long. Diana looked around her surroundings bewilderedly. ¡°My goodness! Young Miss, are you all right?¡± ¡°What, ah, what¡¯s happen¡­.¡± The culprit was Sky. Diana looked discontentedly at the pillow whose tail was wagging. ¡°You can wake me up in another way, you know.¡± Sky, hmph, snorted and slowly headed towards the mansion. Diana yawned as she stretched. The dark turquoise ribbon, which decorated her chest was shaking. ¡°Why am I so sleepy even though I slept so much?¡± ¡°Young Miss, it turns out you are getting a lot of sleep.¡± At Michelle¡¯s words, Diana nodded as she rubbed her eyes. After coming to the Ohrid mansion, time flew by quickly. She had already spent two winters, and now the third winter was approaching. Sky grew a lot, and Diana grew a little. Although she still looked younger than her age, her appearance looked a lot better when compared to when she first came to the Ohrid mansion. ¡°Young Miss, the Count is looking for you.¡± ¡°Grandmother is?¡± Diana tilted her head. ¡°For what matter?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t tell me. Shall I prepare to comb your hair and wash your face?¡± Diana nimbly wiped around her mouth to see whether she drooled without herself realizing it. ¡°Is it very obvious that I fell asleep?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that, but rather it seems you¡¯re still sleepy.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll surely get awake as I walk.¡± She walked out the backyard together with Michelle. As she got closer to the mansion, Diana ran heading toward the person who was standing under the stairs. ¡°Grandmother!¡± ¡°Run carefully.¡± ¡°Why are you out here?¡± ¡°I was gonna take a walk with you. I mean only if I¡¯m not a distraction.¡± ¡°Of course you¡¯re not!¡± Smiling brightly, Diana linked her arms with Grandmother¡¯s. And then Grandmother familiarly rested so that she would be comfortable. Using a cane on the opposite hand and leaning onto Diana, Grandmother slowly walked. ¡°I¡¯m thinking about expanding the backyard a bit more.¡± ¡°More? Then, wouldn¡¯t the backyard be too big?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. After all, there¡¯s no one in the separate building now. I am thinking about demolishing the wall that is shared with the separate building and merging the gardens.¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s going to happen to the separate building? The separate building has no garden, right?¡± Diana¡¯s chattering voice spread through the garden. ¡°You like the backyard, don¡¯t you?¡± Diana¡¯s ears suddenly turned red at Grandmother¡¯s words which were trivial. ¡°Or by any chance, you don¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°N-No. I definitely like it! I really like it!¡± ¡°Yeah. Then that¡¯s enough. So I¡¯ll have to tell them to proceed like that.¡± She had come to a conclusion. Diana smiled faintly. ¡°Then from when do you plan to start the construction?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s in line with my thoughts, I want to proceed right away, but no matter how I see it, it must be able to proceed in the coming winter.¡± Diana slowly led Grandmother towards the direction where there was shade. Although it had entered autumn, the sun was still hot. Grandmother opened her mouth again. ¡°Marchioness Lombell will be visiting the main building tomorrow.¡± ¡°The main building?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°It¡¯s interesting.¡± ¡°Well, after you came here, it¡¯s the first time, right?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s the first time.¡± The Ohrid mansion was divided into a total of three buildings through two steel-barred windows. Each was respectively called the west building, the main building, and the separate building. If you enter the inside of the first wall, there was the west building, and it was a place where external guests were received or where the employees were staying. Most of the guests were met at this west building. The main building was inside of the second wall. As the access of outsiders is almost cut off, in the main building, is where she, Grandmother, Grandfather, Esteemed Mother, and Senir lived. ¡°Then what should I do? Should I stay in my room?¡± Since they still haven¡¯t revealed her publicly, not showing her figure¡ª At that time, Grandmother said to her with a stern face. ¡°This place is your house. Why do you have to hide?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ that- is right¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± My house. Somehow the feeling of warm energy spread in her heart. Looking at Diana who was grinning, Grandmother continued her words again. ¡°I intend to prepare for your debut.¡± *** Marchioness Lombell¡¯s mood was very low. Even at the teacup that was put in front of her, she didn¡¯t touch it. Marchioness Lombell and Count Ohrid were at a similar age. However, the radius of activity was different. It was absolutely not a close relationship. However, even if they weren¡¯t close, there was a lot of news that reached her ears. The influence of Count Ohrid, who lost her daughter and her heir disappeared, gradually decreased. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks People naturally flocked to Baron Ovalon. Since if ever Count Ohrid dies, the noble title would belong to Baron Ovalon. Count Ohrid was now finished. It was when everyone thought so. Count Ohrid put up some commoner whose identity was unknown as her heir. It sure was possible under Imperial law. If he just entered the family register, then he had the right of succession ahead of Baron Ovalon. However, no one had ever done that. After Count Ohrid decided internally Senir as her heir, she lived a secluded life in the mansion. At first, everyone thought that she would come back after a short break. However, the period of her not appearing lengthened. Rumors about whether there was something wrong with the Count¡¯s health have also circulated. When such a count requested a meeting, the Marchioness of Lombell also couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. The Count visited while avoiding people¡¯s eyes, and the Marchioness of Lombell returned all the maids and faced the Count alone. [I plan to hold my birthday banquet in a month.] The Marchioness of Lombell held the teacup without shaking even at the surprising words. It was a very elegant gesture to the point that it was impossible to catch even one flaw, but inside there were raging winds. Count Ohrid says that she¡¯s holding a birthday banquet? This is something new. The Marchioness didn¡¯t even remember when the Count last held a banquet. [The Count surely didn¡¯t ask to talk and came all the way here just regarding the banquet, right.] Count Ohrid smiled faintly. Marchioness Lombell was a bit surprised. It was because she read affection from that smile. [There¡¯s a child whose face I¡¯ll show.] Come to think of it, had she ever seen the Count smile? [Please take care of the child.] At that shock, the answer ended up a little late. The Marchioness of Lombell¡¯s eyes became sharp. [¡­Don¡¯t you know well that I don¡¯t teach just anyone?] [That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking you.] [What if I refuse?] [Refusal, you won¡¯t be able to.] [¡­.] That¡¯s how she ended up coming to the Count of Ohrid Family. This situation was very unpleasant. Marchioness Lombell was once part of high society¡¯s powerful figures and even now when has retired, she still wielded influence as a doyenne. There were never ending lines of nobles who would line up just to have a chance at requesting learning from her. Teaching wasn¡¯t just simply learning. It meant becoming the person¡¯s support in high society. It was not a seat to be exchanged recklessly like a deal. However, as she was half threatened like this, she did it. It was natural for her high pride to be damaged. With nothing more to see, it was a refusal. She was going to do only the bare minimum of her duty. Just to the point where Count Ohrid couldn¡¯t pick on her. There was the sound of the long-awaited knock. Marchioness Lombell raised her chin straight. There was then the sound of the door opening. The continuing footsteps were light. After putting down the teacup, Marchioness of Lombell turned half a beat late. As soon as she saw the girl who came in, she couldn¡¯t help but harden just like that. ¡°Hello. I am Diana. It¡¯s an honor to meet you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Marchioness Lombell couldn¡¯t immediately reply. She has experienced lots of situations as she dominated high society. However, she has never been silent for so long like this. ¡®¡­I guess now I¡¯ve also aged.¡¯ Now, the name that was buried inside her memory came to mind. Philippa Ohrid. In an instant, all puzzles were put together. ¡®To think that I couldn¡¯t notice this before.¡¯ The masked girl who keeps going in and out of the Ohrid mansion. She showed a distinctive move every time. There was a rumor that came to her ears even if she wasn¡¯t interested. The thing that made even Marchioness Lombell surprised was the words that she had tamed the notorious blue maned horse from Nohibaden. The taken photo of the girl who was riding the horse and running was sold at an enormous price single-handedly at Figarosa, and there was said that the reporter had turned their life around with one photo. The reason Count Ohrid asked for her was for the Count¡¯s granddaughter. There was no way she didn¡¯t know. Since there was no one who would prattle recklessly to the Lady who had Marchioness Lombell as her support. ¡°I am Antales Lombell.¡± She knew that this deal would bring a huge benefit to the Marquess of Lombell Family. ¡°I heard from Grandmother. She said that you¡¯re a person who has very many things to learn from.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s Grandmother?¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s Count Ohrid.¡± On the girl¡¯s face who said Count Ohrid as Grandmother familiarly, there wasn¡¯t even a speck of showing off. Only the light of deep affection towards family. ¡°If so, it would be Dianna Ohrid.¡± Marchioness Lombell said sharply. ¡°When introducing yourself, it is good to reveal your last name to reduce each other¡¯s mistakes.¡± It was something that she naturally spat out as how her usual character was. Sure enough, there¡¯s no way the arrogant Ohrid would accept thi¡­. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± However, the girl bowed her head as she said thank you for making her realize a new fact. ¡°¡­.¡± From the Esteemed Mother, the present Count, and also Philippa Ohrid. Antales Lombell had faced three generations of the Ohrid Family. They were all immeasurably arrogant people. It was to the point that Baron Ovalon was arrogant. What¡¯s worse, even Senir was arrogant. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Inside the Marchioness¡¯ head, Count Ohrid¡¯s affectionate smile came to mind. ¡°Since I took charge of Lady Diana¡¯s education, from now on, you can call me Marchioness Lombell.¡± Marchioness Lombell admitted her defeat. Chapter 32 She thought that the sound of pen scratching paper was always nice to listen to. After Diana read and checked the invitations she received and was handed over by Grandmother when she had finished signing, she put it in an envelope that matches the name. On the table, invitations were piled up like a mountain. ¡°Did Grandmother write all of this?¡± Raising her eyebrows slightly, Grandmother moved again her hand which had stopped. ¡°I have to write it myself to be in accordance with the rules of etiquette, but¡­ I used a ghostwriter. Since I got one person with the same handwriting.¡± ¡°Is that alright?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no thing like time to write it one by one.¡± It was a firm voice. ¡°Although now most of the external affairs are handled by Senir, it surely can¡¯t be helped since it¡¯s still too early for him to even handle the family affairs.¡± Although it¡¯s not as much as Senir, Grandmother was also very busy. It was to the extent that when she wanted to go see Grandmother, she didn¡¯t need to ask where she was. Since she just needs to go to her office to find her. ¡°It¡¯s your birthday banquet, but it¡¯s a shame because it¡¯s not your actual birthday.¡± ¡°It surely can¡¯t be helped. Since when the Imperial ball is held, it¡¯s tacit to not hold a banquet.¡± It held the meaning of respecting the Heimbarden Imperial Family. ¡°Since it¡¯s just a birthday celebration in name only. Your debut is more important. The date, no matter how it is, doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Debut. Even looking at invitations like this, it hadn¡¯t hit her yet. ¡°It¡¯s not tiring, right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Reading down the invitation, Diana put the invitation in the envelope. What¡¯s more, even the envelopes were in the state where they had already been arranged following Grandmother¡¯s signing order. It was a thing that Grandmother asked her to help, but honestly, it was ambiguous to say that she was helping. ¡®Rather¡­ it looks like she called me to tell what relationship Ohrid and the nobles are.¡¯ Most of the things Grandmother sometimes asked Diana to do were this way. Things to tell her something. ¡®I have to work hard.¡¯ Diana, who was checking an invitation, paused. ¡°Turns out you¡¯re sending one to Marchioness Lombell?¡± ¡°Put that one separately.¡± Diana put the invitation in an envelope that was written ¡®To Marchioness Lombell¡¯, and Grandmother took it back. ¡°Hand this invitation directly when you meet her.¡± ¡°Ah, come to think of it, this morning the Marchioness said that she would invite me to tea time after I debut.¡± ¡°Marchioness Lombell did?¡± ¡°Yes. She said that she was going to introduce me to people my age.¡± As if she was contemplating for a moment, Grandmother nodded. ¡°Do as you wish.¡± Opening the drawer, Grandmother took out the green color propolis. When she lit a fire to the propolis with a magic circle, it melted quickly. ¡°Grandmother. Because there are a few people whom I want to send that invitation to. Can I choose to send an invitation to those people?¡± ¡°Who are they?¡± ¡°Thessior and Hermann.¡± Grandmother, who was trying to stamp the dropped propolis, paused. Thessior Fabre. Her friend who¡¯s at the academy whom she kept sharing letters to. She also talked about her recent conditions. To the point that she said she found her grandmother and came to live together. She couldn¡¯t explain that her grandmother was Count Ohrid. Since this time, she was going to have Grandmother¡¯s birthday banquet as her debutante, she was planning to explain in advance before that. ¡®Isn¡¯t he going to seriously say something?¡¯ She became a little scared. It pricked at her conscience even though she just hadn¡¯t said it properly until now. ¡°For the Esteemed Son Fabre, I¡¯m okay with it, but Hermann Rietchev¡­.¡± And her guardian, Hermann Rietchev. Hermann didn¡¯t return. She was worried whether some kind of problem had happened for a day, two days, a month, two months. And like this a year had passed, she couldn¡¯t help but to admit it. Hermann abandoned her. They said that it¡¯s not that she doesn¡¯t hear from him because he¡¯s dead or is seriously injured. They said that a sorcerer is strong, and if there was a problem, there was no way Grandmother who asked around wouldn¡¯t hear the news. In other words, it meant that Hermann just hid away. The letter which she left in Aachen only piled up dust just like that at the same position. ¡®Liar.¡¯ And he said he¡¯d come back. Diana hid her bitter feelings as she said. ¡°¡­Even so, I¡¯m just going to have it even if it¡¯s only an invitation.¡± At that time, someone knocked on the door in a hurry. There was only one person in this mansion who made a commotion at Grandmother¡¯s office. Grandmother sighed. ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°Diana!¡± ¡°Grandfather?¡± Grandfather who came running embraced Diana and went round and round. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± After Grandmother, who couldn¡¯t wait to open her mouth, only then did he say, ¡°Ah right,¡± he released the hand which was hugging Diana. When Grandfather approached Grandmother and whispered to her, she looked back at her. Diana couldn¡¯t tell at all what was going on just by the look on Grandmother¡¯s face. Grandmother laid down her fountain pen. ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day here.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s still a lot left?¡± The answer came out from Grandfather¡¯s side. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to go out yesterday? Let¡¯s go now.¡± ¡°Really? We¡¯re going out today?¡± ¡°Of course! When have I ever forgotten that we¡¯ve decided to go out to play?¡± Diana and Grandfather grabbed each other¡¯s hands and shook them as if they liked it. At that appearance, Grandmother shook her head. Grandfather led Diana and went out as he waved his hand. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be back.¡± ¡°Get back safely.¡± ¡°I will be back!¡± When the two who were giggling went out, the office was filled with silence. It was silent as if it had never been noisy. It was the original appearance. A fixed appearance to the point that she was sick and tired of it until Diana came. The Count arranged the remaining letters and took her cane. Resting on the desk and getting up slowly, the Count also came out of the office. ¡°Count.¡± The butler was waiting in front of the office. ¡°How¡¯s Mother?¡± ¡°She¡¯s awake. Doctor Norman just finished his examination and left.¡± The Count¡¯s steps were headed toward the inside of the mansion. When she stood in front of a large room just to the left of the stairs, the maid who was guarding in front of it greeted her politely. She entered the inside of the door that was opened by the maid. Inside the room, there was a strong smell of medicine. A full ray of very dry sunlight came in through the large window, but it wasn¡¯t enough to drive out the signs of illness. ¡°Is it Clement?¡± ¡°Yes. It is me.¡± ¡°Dmitri is¡­ cough cough.¡± Coughing a few times, the Esteemed Mother said as she caught her breath. ¡°I guess Dmitri¡¯s here.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Dmitri Ovalon. He was Clement¡¯s younger brother, who once was called Dmitri Ohrid. ¡°I guess the banquet talk leaked out.¡± ¡°It surely can¡¯t be helped.¡± It was a matter that required labor. The more people one knew, the easier it was to leak out. It wasn¡¯t even a secret to hide well anyway. Since the important thing wasn¡¯t the banquet, but the purpose of the banquet. And then Dmitri immediately came running to find out what she was up to. ¡°What about Diana?¡± ¡°She went out together with Spencer.¡± ¡°Yeah. There¡¯s surely nothing good about them running into each other.¡± The Esteemed Mother caught her breath for a moment and asked. ¡°How about Hermann Rietchev?¡± ¡°We lost track of his traces from the East Continent.¡± It was a name that came out of the blue, but the Count answered immediately. ¡°They said that they had lost track of every trace.¡± ¡°¡­Turns out there are a lot of useless talents.¡± The sage name wasn¡¯t for nothing. ¡°What about the Grand Duke of Nohibaden?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no particular movement.¡± ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡± Knowing that Hermann Rietchev had gone to the East Continent to find the Grand Duke of Nohibaden, the Count cut all the routes from the East Continent. Since even if he¡¯s the Grand Duke who made a contract with a spirit or a sage who possessed an incredible ability, he couldn¡¯t fly across the sea. From winter to early spring, the wind blew the other way and blocked the returning course. Hence, the Grand Duke returned after midsummer. However, he even has no time to step foot at the Imperial Capital. The Grand Duke headed to the West immediately. It¡¯s because the West was completely devastated by demons. The Grand Duke Family figured out the movement of the original demon and if it was seen that the number was increasing, they¡¯d taken action against the subjugation in advance. Their once-reduced number of demons couldn¡¯t cross the North and the West border. However, the Grand Duke unintentionally emptied his territory for two years. There was no subjugation. The number of demons increased and they came down in a flock just like that. The Knights of Nohibaden, who had a lot of experience with demons and were the elite among the elites, were protecting the North and blocked this well even if the Grand Duke wasn¡¯t present. However, it wasn¡¯t the same with the West. It was the West that was dealing only with the demons that had already been dealt with once at the North. With loose discipline, and as if it was always like that, they prepared with insincerity as they were engrossed in siphoning off the military funds. The West collapsed just like that. Half of the Western plains burned and prices skyrocketed. Among them, wheat prices rose without knowing how high the sky is. The displaced people who lost their hometowns and those who could barely cope with the prices became the poor. But all of this had nothing to do with the Imperial Capital where Ohrid is. Knock knock¡ª The door opened and a maid approached while holding a tray. There were a total of three teacups. The Esteemed Mother¡¯s, the Count¡¯s, and the Baron of Ovalon¡¯s one. They always prepared three cups like this, but the three of them had never drank tea together. Seeing the teacup, the Esteemed Mother had a bitter face. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t like him, he¡¯s your younger brother. Don¡¯t treat him too poorly.¡± Ever since Clement, the eldest daughter, was born, she was raised as an heir. With Dmitri, her younger brother, they have quite an age gap. Was it a problem to raise him spoiled because he was a late child? Dmitri naturally thought that his older sister took away the heir position that he should have. It was a relationship that was worse than strangers. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only However to the Esteemed Mother, no matter how foolish he was, he was her child. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to throw him away. To make him not dream a useless dream, she took the succession right of the Ohrid Family and sent him out of the family. However, so that he can do what he wants to do except for that, she supported him abundantly. However, later, through Philippa¡¯s disappearance, the Count of Ohrid Family lost their heir. The Esteemed Mother also took action to get Senir and Camillo engaged when Clement put Senir up as the heir. Although it was a matter which she had done because she didn¡¯t know of Diana¡¯s existence at that time, because of this, it was no different from forcing the spirit of rebellion to sprout in the Count of Ohrid Family. Now she had to pluck it out. ¡°I¡¯ll have to break Camillo and Senir¡¯s engagement.¡±