《The Abandoned Lady Lives in a Dollhouse》 Chapter 1 Juno wiped away the tears from her eyes as she heard whispers from the people around her. ¡°Is that child his wife¡¯s daughter?¡± ¡°Oh goodness, how old is she? She looks so young.¡± ¡°She¡¯s said to be ten years old.¡± Juno did not want to cry in front of those who curiously looked at her. ¡°Ten years old! The road ahead will be difficult.¡± ¡°The marquis is quite cruel. This is his wife¡¯s funeral, yet he¡¯s not here.¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk. It¡¯s to be expected. She was an unloved woman after all.¡± Listening to them, Juno stared at her mother¡¯s coffin. White lilies were placed on top of it. ¡°Why did the marchioness¡¯s family decide not to take in the child?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you know? The older brother of Her Ladyship, Marchioness Oliva, was the head of the family, and he died three years ago.¡± ¡°Oh, so¡­¡± ¡°Indeed. Since then, they¡¯ve been publicly criticized.¡± ¡°What a shame.¡± They were so rude. The women thought they were speaking quietly; Juno was determined not to cry in front of them, even though she was holding in her anger. ¡°Won¡¯t His Lordship, Marquis Trish, give that to his child?¡± ¡°Do you think so? She can meet my son-in-law.¡± ¡°Unless the mistress gives birth to a son. Then that¡¯s another story.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right!¡± Juno clenched her first. That woman¡­ ¡°What will happen to his daughter then?¡± ¡°She¡¯ll be married off to a suitable aristocrat.¡± ¡°She¡¯s pretty, so there¡¯s bound to be many marriage candidates.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± ¡°I heard His Lordship is very handsome as well. What kind of person is his mistress?¡± ¡°They say she¡¯s plain-looking.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Well, she¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Oh my!¡± Juno covered her ears as the frivolous laughter resounded. She didn¡¯t want to hear anything. It was despicable such scum was present at the funeral of Marquis Trish¡¯s wife. Juno¡¯s mother was not loved by the marquis, and her mother¡¯s family had fallen from their noble status. No one wanted to pretend to be respectful to Juno or her mother. It¡¯s not a big deal anyway. As Juno was deep in thought, someone approached her. ¡°My lady.¡± It was a friendly voice she always recognized. Nereus was the family butler and also the only person who was kind to Juno. ¡°What is it?¡± With an apologetic look, Nereus said, ¡°His Lordship is calling for you.¡± ¡°¡­My father?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Juno didn¡¯t want to go. No one else would truly grieve for her mother. She wanted to stay here until she was confident her mother went to heaven. Nereus noticed Juno was rather reluctant. ¡°My lady.¡± ¡°Do I have to? The funeral will be over in one hour.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± It wasn¡¯t his fault, yet he looked like he wronged her. ¡°I understand.¡± Juno followed Nereus. There were still traces of her mother in the mansion, calming Juno¡¯s heart but also making her sad at the same time. As they walked to her father¡¯s study, Juno could sense Nereus¡¯s sympathy. Everyone, the aristocrats and servants, felt sorry for her. But she could only grit her teeth. It¡¯s all right. It was not Juno¡¯s fault she was unloved. Being unloved by her father didn¡¯t make Juno feel sorry for herself either. As her mother said, Juno was just unlucky. ¡°My lady.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m on your side.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Juno appreciated the friendliness the butler showed her. He was also the only one who would look at Juno like she was his friend. With a perfect smile, the butler knocked on the door to the study. ¡°I have brought the young lady.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± Juno walked past Nereus, who had opened the door for her. In the past, Juno was nervous when she was called into the study. Because I was scared of him. To Juno, her father always lurked in the shadows. But today was different. Juno, as usual, looked at her father. After a brief silence, the marquis spoke. ¡°Juno.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Father.¡± ¡°Your mother has died.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He sounded happy talking about the dead woman. ¡°Lilith will arrive at the house tomorrow.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Show some respect to your new mother.¡± Did he just call his own daughter, who was attending her mother¡¯s funeral, to say something like that? A scathing remark came to mind. ¡°I think you¡¯re mistaken.¡± ¡°What?¡± Juno knew the more she acted like this, the harder it would be in the future. However, she wanted to do something for her mother today. To be honest, she wanted to make her father, Marquis Robert Trish, infuriated. She wanted him to feel the anger, the sadness, the exhaustion that she was feeling, barely enduring even. It felt like she was going to die. ¡°¡­Lilith can¡¯t be a marchioness. So, she¡¯s not my mother.¡± ¡°¡­Say that again.¡± There was no going back after this, but Juno didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°She will never be listed in our family registry. She can never be my mother.¡± Crash! Juno ignored the glass that flew past her. ¡°How dare you!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Angry as he was, the marquis couldn¡¯t argue against Juno. It was the truth. The venerable House Trish was not the only family led by a marquis. He was fortunate to be born as a legitimate successor. Since he only had his current position, the branch families and retired old men were watching him. Therefore, he could never officially bring Lilith into the family, who was a commoner and from a brothel, as the marchioness. The only thing he could do was not hire a new servant. ¡°I¡¯m quite happy I resemble my mother.¡± Juno grinned as the marquis cursed. It was a beautiful, bright smile that her mother always praised and said looked like her own. The branch families were no different from trash when they ignored what her father did to her mother as her family fell from their noble status, but in this circumstance, those damn relatives were helpful. A lesser evil is better than the worst evil. The marquis, whose face was red, said in a cold voice, ¡°Get out.¡± His voice was filled with fury and despair. It was great. Even if his anger wasn¡¯t like Juno¡¯s, his blood was boiling. ¡°My lady.¡± The butler anxiously looked at Juno, but she didn¡¯t care. From the moment her mother died, her father had no regrets. ¡°Let¡¯s return to the funeral.¡± ¡°Yes, my lady.¡± Juno began to walk faster. Soon, there would be another chapter in Juno¡¯s life, and Juno wanted to see her mother go on her final journey. Nereus was worried when he saw Juno running as fast as she could. ¡°My lady, you¡¯re going to trip and hurt yourself.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Juno, who left in the middle of the funeral, stopped in her tracks. Everyone had left. ¡°What? Why did¡­¡± ¡°My lady!¡± Juno broke into a sprint. It wasn¡¯t long before she ran out of breath. ¡°Huff, huff.¡± Juno saw a maid walk by. She noticed Juno. ¡°My lady?¡± ¡°W-Where¡¯s my¡­ mother?¡± The maid¡¯s eyes were filled with pity. ¡°Oh, the cemetery¡ª¡± ¡°What? It¡¯s not time yet!¡± ¡°¡­His Lordship said we must not delay it any further.¡± Juno held back her tears. Why were people so cruel? Did he hate her mother so much that he couldn¡¯t let the funeral go on for another hour? Or was this his final act of love? Juno reached out to hug Nereus who had just caught up to her. ¡°I¡­ The carriage¡­¡± ¡°Understood, my lady.¡± Nereus hugged her back. The last time this happened was when she was eight. Maybe the butler had gotten older in two years¡¯ time, for she heard his beating heart as Nereus carried her to the stables. He called out, ¡°Where is the carriage?¡± The stableman appeared and was startled to see the butler. ¡°Mr. Nereus?¡± ¡°The carriage!¡± Nereus¡¯s usual, neat, gentle appearance was nowhere to be found. With a confused look, the stableman hesitated for a moment. ¡°Well, you see¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Nereus was unable to hold back his frustration. The stableman glanced at Juno before answering as if there was nothing he could do. ¡°Miss Lilith wanted to go shopping, so she needed a carriage¡­¡± Nereus shouted, ¡°She doesn¡¯t have her own carriage!¡± ¡°Y-Yes, so¡­ I let her borrow Her Ladyship¡¯s carriage.¡± ¡°What?¡± The stableman averted his gaze. ¡°The wheels of His Lordship¡¯s carriage were broken¡­¡± ¡°How many days has it been since Her Ladyship passed away?¡± Juno tugged Nereus¡¯s sleeve. She was also upset, but they were running out of time. ¡°Are there any other carriages?¡± Her question made the stableman grimace. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lady. They¡¯re being used to transport Miss Lilith¡¯s luggage.¡± There were no carriages. Rather than be upset, Juno found the situation to be absurd. Is this why the funeral ended early? Perhaps she was right. Truly, her father¡¯s love was amazing in its own right. ¡°This is absolute madness¡­¡± Nereus could no longer hide his anger. Juno pulled on his sleeve again. ¡°Mr. Nereus, hold on.¡± ¡°My lady?¡± If there were no carriages at the mansion, they could rent one from somewhere else. ¡°Bring a carriage here.¡± ¡°What? Me?¡± The stableman pointed at himself. ¡°Must I be the one to go when I¡¯m but an old man?¡± Nereus was furious. Today wasn¡¯t a good day. The stableman shook his head and said, ¡°No, of course not, Mr. Nereus.¡± ¡°You must hurry!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± As the stableman left, the butler turned to Juno. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lady.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± ¡°You must stay here until a carriage arrives¡­¡± ¡°No, I will wait with you at the front gate.¡± Juno pretended to be calm, but she was impatient. She wanted to see her mother as soon as possible. The old man who knew Juno¡¯s heart reached out his hand. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Nereus and Juno stood in front of the mansion gate, waiting. As more time passed, the butler was worried about her. ¡°My lady, don¡¯t your legs hurt?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Why is he late?¡± Her legs did hurt, but Juno refused to take her eyes off the main road that was past the front gate. Juno was determined to wait for the carriage. Chapter 2 Seconds turned into minutes as the sun began to set, but no matter how long she waited, the carriage didn¡¯t arrive. Nereus was absolutely livid. ¡°He¡¯s practically making a carriage from scratch!¡± Juno couldn¡¯t take it anymore. The coffin was already buried at this point. Her voice trembled. ¡°¡­Mr. Nereus.¡± He was surprised to see Juno¡¯s shaky legs and helped her stand. ¡°Yes, my lady?¡± ¡°The carriage¡­¡± ¡°Would you like me to get a horse?¡± The old butler was not strong enough to ride one. Nevertheless, Juno couldn¡¯t refuse his offer. ¡°¡­Is that all right with you?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m going to¡­¡± Before Nereus finished speaking, they heard the sound of approaching hooves. The old butler looked at the main road. ¡°Ah, here comes the carriage¡­¡± Juno was at a loss for words as carriages appeared one after another. The one in the very front belonged to her mother. Once they stopped in front of the gate, servants began to unload the carriages. Among them was the stableman who had gone to rent a carriage earlier. Like Juno, Nereus was very upset. ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to get a carriage?¡± The stableman avoided making eye contact with the butler. ¡°I ran into Miss Lilith, and she said there weren¡¯t enough carriages, so I¡­¡± ¡°What?!¡± It was her again. Juno wasn¡¯t the least bit surprised. The door to her mother¡¯s carriage opened, and a sweet voice asked, ¡°What¡¯s with all the fuss?¡± One of the servants rushed forward to help the woman get off the carriage. ¡°Ah, is my daughter here?¡± Juno didn¡¯t know her that well. She looked at Lilith who responded with a smile. Lilith was a woman with brown hair and brown eyes. She was also unworthy of her mother¡¯s carriage. Her expression was irritating. Lilith approached Juno and asked, ¡°Oh, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lilith looked so pleased with herself that her eyes sparkled. She looked around and found the stableman while Juno glared at her. ¡°Oh right, I need to ask for a favor.¡± Lilith was pretending to be noble, but despite awkwardly covering her mouth with her hand, one could still see a smirk. ¡°Since we¡¯re now family, please don¡¯t be mad about this, all right?¡± Juno wasn¡¯t going to let this slide. She wanted to wipe that expression off her face. She wanted her to be upset. Juno already angered her father, so she wasn¡¯t afraid of pressing Lilith¡¯s buttons. ¡°¡­How are we supposed to be family?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The confrontation between them attracted everyone¡¯s attention. Juno slightly raised her voice. ¡°You, a commoner, will always be a mistress.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± The corners of Lilith¡¯s mouth began to falter. ¡°A mistress will never be in the family registry in her lifetime, so we can never be family. You¡¯re nothing.¡± She said harsh words she wouldn¡¯t normally say. Lilith could never replace her mother. Even if Lilith took her place next to her father, it was no different from being a shadow. ¡°It won¡¯t matter even if you give birth to a son.¡± Looking at Lilith tremble with anger, Juno smiled. ¡°As you can see, we can never be family.¡± Lilith bit her lip as she stared at her. ¡°¡­You¡¯re so mean.¡± Juno laughed. She was going to say those exact same words. ¡°You only have yourself to blame.¡± ¡°Even so, aren¡¯t you just a puppet whose strings have been cut?¡± Lilith snarled, her noble fa?ade shattering instantly. Juno nodded. ¡°Maybe. Do be careful from now on. How long do you think your love will last?¡± Lilith thought of herself as a great person, but she was still just a whore working at a brothel. Then, Juno heard a voice from someone she didn¡¯t want to see. ¡°What is going on?¡± ¡°Oh, Rob!¡± Marquis Robert looked coldly in their direction. Juno started to act even more unruly. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything wrong here.¡± Juno scoffed at Lilith who was clinging to Marquis Robert. Juno wasn¡¯t going to be afraid of her father now that her mother died. She met his gaze and said, ¡°We need to retrain the servants. They actually dared to hand over a carriage to a mistress.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°The proud legacy of House Trish is about to be tarnished. The servants don¡¯t even know the basics. It¡¯s not good to blame them for their lack of education when Mother was relieved of all her responsibilities.¡± As soon as her mother became ill, Marquis Robert stripped her of her authority over the household as if he had been waiting for it. ¡°You¡­¡± Juno had one last thing to say to her father. ¡°Of course, since you didn¡¯t attend the funeral, it is natural the servants haven¡¯t learned anything.¡± She curtsied, noting his face was red with anger. ¡°Ahem, I shall excuse myself.¡± ¡°Oh, dear!¡± Juno left them behind and boarded her mother¡¯s carriage with the help of Nereus. ¡°Go to Mother¡¯s grave,¡± she said to the coachman. The servant nodded. ¡°Understood.¡± Juno made them angry as she had hoped, but she wasn¡¯t pleased one bit. *** At sunset, there were no people in the cemetery. Juno stared at the place where her mother now rested. ¡°My lady.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Juno was devastated. Nereus held her hand, took out his handkerchief, and helped wipe away her tears. ¡°My lady.¡± ¡°I hate it. I don¡¯t want to cry.¡± Yet no matter how hard she tried, she couldn¡¯t stop. She didn¡¯t want to cry. Crying meant she was admitting defeat. ¡°It¡¯s okay to cry.¡± ¡°Mother¡­¡± Juno was upset. She was angry. All she can do is make harsh comments, but she can only cry when everything was over. ¡°I couldn¡¯t even say goodbye,¡± she murmured. ¡°Her Ladyship will wait for you.¡± ¡°Waah¡­¡± Nereus continued to comfort Juno. ¡°It¡¯s getting late, isn¡¯t it? Please say your farewells. Fortunately, we¡¯re the only ones here.¡± Juno looked around. Now that the funeral was over, there would be nobody in the cemetery owned by Marquis Trish. Sobbing, Juno said in a hoarse voice, ¡°It¡¯s all right, I¡­ I¡¯ll be okay. I should stop crying.¡± Her last goodbye didn¡¯t mean much, but there were words she wanted to say. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± ¡°My lady.¡± Juno wiped her face with the handkerchief from Nereus. Then, a strong wind caused a flower to fall onto her mother¡¯s tombstone. Nereus looked at the flower. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a marguerite daisy?¡± ¡°Marguerite?¡± Staring at the yellow center and white petals, he said, ¡°I guess your mother is saying she heard you.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The butler gave the marguerite daisy to Juno. ¡°In the language of flowers, it means true love.¡± ¡°Waah¡­!¡± The tears Juno thought were gone fell once more. ¡°It¡¯s all right. Let it all out just for today. Be strong tomorrow.¡± In Nereus¡¯s arms, Juno wept. His clothes were stained with her tears. How much time has passed? The butler handed something to Juno, whose eyes were swollen from crying so much. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It is something to keep the swelling down.¡± He had given her a bottle filled with a strange liquid. ¡°The color is weird.¡± Nereus opened the bottle and explained, ¡°It¡¯s a medicine made by an alchemist.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Juno¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Yes, from a famous alchemist.¡± Alchemist. A title that was like a star in the night sky to commoners and nobles. Juno, still teary-eyed, asked, ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t it expensive?¡± She knew one small medicine bottle could sell for a lot. Nereus shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I received this as a present.¡± Juno wondered who gave him such a gift. She glanced at Nereus, who smiled affectionately and said, ¡°Now, close your eyes. It has to be applied gently.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The butler squeezed a few drops onto his hand and rubbed the area around Juno¡¯s eyes. ¡°Well?¡± The heart gradually faded from the places where the medicine was applied. The area around her eyes, once sore and painful, returned to normal. Juno was unable to hide her astonishment. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore.¡± ¡°Are your eyes better now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The butler held out his hand. ¡°We must return home now.¡± Juno looked at the carriage and grumbled, ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Hahaha, you¡¯re scared.¡± ¡°¡­¡± After crying her eyes out, Juno¡¯s anger had somewhat subsided. There remained only surprise and fear of what she had done. Juno was alone now without anyone¡¯s help. She thought she wasn¡¯t afraid of her father anymore, but she was still scared. Nereus tidied her hair. Juno grabbed his hand and held it against her cheek. His palm was rough but also warm. He said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You won¡¯t be able to do anything regardless. In that case, you must take advantage of the situation.¡± Juno nodded. Her relatives only used her for their purposes, so if other cards appeared, they would abandon Juno. The only one who truly cared for her was this kind, friendly, old butler. ¡°I wish I was a boy,¡± she whispered. If that were the case, her mother wouldn¡¯t have been treated so poorly, and Juno¡¯s position in the family wouldn¡¯t be unstable when her mother died. But this wasn¡¯t something Juno could change. ¡°¡­My lady.¡± Juno shook her head as Nereus¡¯s eyes were filled with sorrow. ¡°Let¡¯s go now.¡± From the carriage, Juno watched the cemetery get farther and farther away. She strengthened her resolve. No matter how angry or sad you are, don¡¯t be bothered if she doesn¡¯t make the first move. It wasn¡¯t good for Juno to continue behaving like this. She hated that she was still a child. She needed something to protect herself, at least temporarily. Juno disliked having to be so calculating, but she would manage. She will live proudly as an adult. For her mother. Chapter 3 When the wobbly carriage stopped, Nereus said, ¡°My lady.¡± Juno, who was ready, nodded. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s get off now.¡± With the help of the butler, Juno got out of the carriage and walked straight to her room, ignoring the servants. On her way back to the mansion, she prepared herself. Soon, the traces of her mother will disappear from the mansion. But it was all right. Her mother wouldn¡¯t want to stay here either. It was sad she found freedom only after death, but she was free nonetheless. Arriving in her room, Juno took out a fairy¨Ctale book that her mother often read. It was a book about a girl who was unlucky. She remembered what her mother had told her. ¡°This child is neither sad nor pitiful. It¡¯s just that some people are unlucky.¡± Little Juno asked, ¡°What if you¡¯re unlucky all your life?¡± Her mother smiled and patted Juno¡¯s head. ¡°There¡¯s no one who¡¯s unlucky all his life, my dear.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Sometimes luck is hard to come by.¡± Juno, reminiscing about the past, smiled brightly. Come to think of it, her mother was not a quiet person. ¡°Is that true?¡± Her mother held Juno¡¯s hands together and said, ¡°Yes. Remember, luck doesn¡¯t come by very often. Don¡¯t miss the opportunity.¡± ¡°I see!¡± ¡°My Juno is so smart.¡± Her mother¡¯s face looked sad when she said those words. Why did she laugh so sadly? Did she miss an opportunity? Juno placed the flower she got from the cemetery into the book. Marguerite. The last present her mother gave. Juno stroked the soft petals with her finger, before closing the book and putting it back on the bookshelf. However, she couldn¡¯t figure out what to do now. What did I do when I wasn¡¯t taking lessons, other than meeting with relatives and talking to them? After completing all the lessons that every noblewoman was expected to take, the relatives always called her over to tell the story of House Trish¡¯s legacy and honor. Then I would eat while Lilith cursed the fact that I wasn¡¯t a boy, Juno thought. Her relatives always checked up on her to make sure she grew up without any difficulty and to see whether she¡¯d help them with their plans. When she returned to her room, full from eating earlier and looking at the sunset, Juno was free to do what she wanted. What did she do then? Oh, right. Juno looked at the handkerchief on the other side of the room. Juno always worked on it with her mother in their spare time. She also wrote letters for her mother, trimmed flowers, embroidered handkerchiefs, and painted pictures. Juno would run to her mother¡¯s room, carrying them for her mother to see. After her mother became sick, Juno could only see her after dinner and before going to bed. Her mother smiled when Juno opened the door. As Juno gave her whatever she was holding, her mother¡¯s expression seemed to brighten. Seeing that smile made Juno¡¯s tiredness disappear as if it was washed away, leaving her mother¡¯s laughter in its place. Juno then lay next to her sick mother, and they would giggle and chat. It really wasn¡¯t much. The flowers bloomed beautifully that day. What kind of clothes would be worn by the viscountess, who came to teach? Juno learned a lot and was praised for her improved skills. She hid the bad things and only told her mother good things. Then her mother smiled softly as she stroked Juno¡¯s hair. Juno spent time with her until a servant came in and said she had to go. This was what Juno did in her free time; it was her hobby and her favorite thing in the world. Yet now there was no one to give a handkerchief to, no one to draw a picture with, and no one who smiled when Juno read out loud a letter. Juno glanced at the handkerchief with a girl¡¯s name, her mother¡¯s name. Juno wondered what to embroider on it and thought of a marguerite. Yellow tassels and white leaves. It didn¡¯t take long to add them because Juno had done it before. She stared at the finished handkerchief. It¡¯s time to get some rest. As Juno, holding the handkerchief in her hand, lay down on the bed, the door opened. Juno looked up. There was a man who she never expected to see. ¡°Juno.¡± ¡°Father.¡± It was Marquis Robert, who never visited her room before. Sitting up, Juno asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°No matter how much I think about it, today cannot be overlooked.¡± Robert strode into the room. Based on his cold expression, he wasn¡¯t here to console his daughter. ¡°Are you going to hit me?¡± The marquis¡¯ expression wavered, but only for a second. Then, he said, ¡°¡­I¡¯m giving you a warning.¡± Juno gave him a confused look. She wanted to laugh at him but she didn¡¯t have the strength. ¡°Say it.¡± ¡°If you hurt Lilith, I won¡¯t stand by and watch.¡± Juno glanced at the fairy¨Ctale book on the shelf and replied, ¡°If she doesn¡¯t do anything to me, I won¡¯t do anything to her.¡± Robert scrutinized her, trying to see if Juno¡¯s answer was honest. She said it for the sake of her future, but his satisfied expression bothered her. As Robert turned around to leave, Juno said, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell her? If she was too rude, she would have left the room.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Juno continued in a disgusted tone, ¡°Don¡¯t forget about Nusrion.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m going now.¡± He tried to leave the room again. Juno said, ¡°Tell Lilith to leave me alone.¡± Robert didn¡¯t respond as he walked away, but she knew the silence had a positive meaning to it. It¡¯s a good thing she doesn¡¯t bother me. Juno lay down on the bed. She stared at the ceiling, and tears began to trickle down her eyes. She promised not to cry, but she was crying again. It¡¯s all right. She¡¯s gone, so she won¡¯t see it. The funeral was over, and her mother was in heaven. Nereus and the other servants weren¡¯t around to be worried about Juno. To be honest, she was excited to see her father. She was such a fool. I thought you¡¯d tell me everything was going to be okay. No matter how much he hated her mother, and Juno didn¡¯t know why he hated her, but if he still thought Juno was a child, she figured he would apologize as if to understand the pain of his daughter who just lost her mother. Juno didn¡¯t want his fatherly love. She wanted him to apologize to her and her mother. ¡°What an awful man.¡± The marquis hated her mother, but rather than despising her, he could¡¯ve apologized. He didn¡¯t need to think of her mother as an obstacle to his love. Even if it was an arranged marriage, he had to apologize for breaking his vows. Even though he was unable to take his anger out on the servants, he shouldn¡¯t have vented it on her mother. He shouldn¡¯t have made her mother so miserable. He was a man who couldn¡¯t throw her away despite being angry at her. A person who could neither fight against the branch families nor give up the title of marquis for love. A person who did not even think of blaming himself for his lack of courage and blamed others. A person who never approached Juno as a way to vent his anger. Such a man visited Juno after her mother¡¯s funeral. She looked forward to it if ever so slightly. Because her mother was dead, she thought he might feel guilty. But it wasn¡¯t even for that. ¡°For the first time in his life, he came to his daughter¡¯s room only to tell her not to hurt his mistress.¡± Juno couldn¡¯t stop smiling. It was hard for a person to stay the same. Perhaps Juno¡¯s behavior today was surprising, but seeing him fear what she¡¯d do with that woman made Juno feel resentful. He was truly a coward. So, Juno warned him about a plot that would devour the marquis. Life was predictable to some extent. The branch families and her father will continue in their power struggle. And I¡¯ll be caught in the middle. However, the fight won¡¯t last long. If Lilith gives birth to a son, it will be over. It will take Juno eight years to become an adult. Would Lilith not have a child until then? If that woman gives birth to a child and the child is a boy, Juno¡¯s life will become worse than it is now. Juno, the daughter of his wife, and the bastard son of his mistress. Between the two, it seemed Juno was the one to inherit the noble title; however, the illegitimate son would be named the heir. Women weren¡¯t allowed to be the head of the family. When that time comes, Juno will have truly lost. ¡°Until then, I¡¯ll do my best to make use of them.¡± She¡¯ll learn everything she can, get everything she can, and prepare herself to live alone. It wasn¡¯t bad for Juno to move as they wished, be used, and be abandoned once they got what they wanted. Marquis Trish was a prestigious man, so she received a high-quality education. We¡¯re just using each other. Juno hated her father and Lilith as much as they hated her. Juno glanced once more at the bookshelf and sighed deeply. I really am unlucky. She wondered how unlucky she could be. Still staring at the ceiling, Juno put a blanket over her head. Perhaps it was summer that she had trouble breathing, but she insisted on keeping the blanket where it was. Then Juno held the handkerchief close. Touching the embroidery of her mother¡¯s name and the marguerite, she tried to breathe normally. It wasn¡¯t easy, but Juno managed to breathe. This is because it¡¯s summer. It was so hot that she was sweating. It was the beginning of a hot, humid summer. Chapter 4 It¡¯s been a month since Juno¡¯s mother died. However, life hasn¡¯t changed much aside from Lilith moving into the mansion. I also don¡¯t have a mother now. Of course, it was thanks to Nereus that the servants minded their manners. While Nereus had power behind the scenes, Nusrion was like a shield protecting her. Nusrion, the man Father is most wary of. Although he was part of House Trish like Juno, he was still a distant relative. However, his abilities and leadership were proven by how he led the other branch families. ¡°Juno, you look pale.¡± Juno, who had been lost in thought, said, ¡°It¡¯s all right. Thank you for your concern.¡± She silently put down her teacup, and Nusrion nodded with a content expression. Despite his skills, there was still the problem of legitimacy, so he concluded that he needed Juno who was from the main family. I¡¯m at ease thanks to you. The enemy of her enemy was her friend. The two, not on good terms with Marquis Robert, had an amicable relationship. ¡°You¡¯ve done a good job overcoming the difficulties before you. I¡¯m proud of you.¡± Nusrion wore the mask of a kind adult, but Juno didn¡¯t forget the snake-like eyes that looked as if they were evaluating her after her mother¡¯s death. ¡°Yet I¡¯m still worried. Because of the current situation, you don¡¯t have anyone to talk to.¡± Juno wasn¡¯t sure how to respond. Not waiting for her to say something, Nusrion continued, ¡°I¡¯ve decided to give you a playmate.¡± ¡°A playmate?¡± ¡°Yes. He¡¯s a good and smart kid.¡± Juno smiled and tried to guess Nusrion¡¯s intentions. Do you want to keep an eye on me? In order to have someone at Juno¡¯s side under the pretense of a playmate, the age gap between them couldn¡¯t be large. Juno quickly recalled the faces of the children from the branch families that were around her age. ¡°I¡¯m not saying he¡¯s my son. Regardless, Jupiter will be a good friend.¡± Come to think of it, though Juno didn¡¯t know his exact age, Nusrion¡¯s son was known as a genius. ¡°He¡¯s three years older than you, but I think you need a more mature friend now.¡± Juno nodded without saying a word. She was slightly embarrassed, but since it was already decided, she didn¡¯t add more to the conversation. I don¡¯t like being watched, but life in the mansion will become easier. Juno remembered Lilith. Once she settled down in the mansion, she ignored Juno in order to get the servants on her side. Lilith had taken control of the household to some extent, and it was bothering Juno. What has the marquis been up to? There appeared to be an agreement not to mess with each other, but the marquis clearly can¡¯t protect one of the women in his family. That¡¯s why I¡¯m being pushed around by my relatives. Juno smiled and inwardly laughed at the marquis. ¡°Thank you for thinking about me.¡± ¡°As an adult, I do what I have to do.¡± Nusrion grinned as he called for a servant. ¡°Jupiter is waiting in your room.¡± Juno¡¯s mouth began to ache as she forced herself to smile. She couldn¡¯t believe Jupiter went into her room without permission. The marquis and Nusrion were annoying. Fortunately, their time together was at its end. Otherwise, Juno wouldn¡¯t be able to keep smiling. ¡°Is that so? Then¡­¡± ¡°Go. I shall pay a visit to the marquis.¡± Juno grabbed the hem of her dress and curtsied before leaving the drawing room. She clenched her fist. Today will somehow be all right. Juno managed to smile and talk as if nothing had happened, but it was still uncomfortable dealing with adults who wanted to use her. She hid her true feelings, but it was likely Nusrion noticed her discomfort. Who knows? What matters is that it¡¯s not obvious. Marquis Robert was still here. Unless Lilith had a child, Nusrion would never abandon Juno. There was nothing to worry about for now. Juno sighed. She noticed the servant waiting by her room and changed her expression. She would ask for one thing. I hope you¡¯re as mature as they say. Juno, who had no power, was confident she would get along with anyone who didn¡¯t openly mock or bully her. When she arrived in front of her room, the servant bowed and said, ¡°My lady, Lord Jupiter is inside.¡± Juno nodded and walked in. There, a child sat quietly in a chair and gracefully drank tea. Jupiter had platinum blond hair. He was so pretty that he could¡¯ve been mistaken for a girl were it not for his short hair. His beautiful eyes were like a crystalline lake. Then there were his long eyelashes, pointed nose, pink lips, and fancy clothes. I think you¡¯re prettier than I am. Juno stared at Jupiter. Their eyes met, and the boy calmly rose from his seat. ¡°Hello, my name is Jupiter. I hope you¡¯ll forgive me for entering your room without your permission.¡± A gentle voice, polite behavior, and an apology. Juno knew he was thirteen, but he looked much older. Perhaps it was because of the aura of maturity around him or his height. Decent. Juno curtsied. ¡°Nice to see you. I¡¯m Juno Trish. I look forward to talking to you.¡± He wasn¡¯t a normal playmate, but her first impression of him wasn¡¯t bad. *** ¡°It¡¯s sudden, isn¡¯t it? My father is very worried about you.¡± ¡°I appreciate his concern,¡± Juno responded to Jupiter¡¯s smile with her own. She learned from their conversation that Jupiter would stay at the mansion and study with her. Juno wasn¡¯t appalled by this, and Jupiter was quite good at socializing. She noticed from her first impression that he was very mature and knew how to win an opponent¡¯s favor. In other words, this was nothing more than a pretentious act. Aside from the initial greetings, it was all fake laughter. Well, that doesn¡¯t mean there¡¯s anything wrong with Jupiter. I do it every day too. Juno didn¡¯t think he was an easy opponent, but he was trying to be nice to her. ¡°My lady.¡± Juno looked at the servant who called her. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Lord Nusrion will soon be leaving. He has asked for Lord Jupiter.¡± Jupiter looked at Juno as if it were natural. ¡°It seems I must say goodbye to him. Would you like to accompany me, Juno?¡± It was hard to refuse since Juno had talked with Nusrion earlier. We¡¯ll be together for the next few years. Jupiter had to observe Juno, so he didn¡¯t need to put on a show. Juno nodded and followed him out of the room. On the way to the first floor, Juno asked, ¡°Will you enjoy your time here, Jupiter?¡± It was a question she asked because there were no servants around, and at the same time, it was a question she asked out of concern for Jupiter, whom she had grown fond of. Although Nusrion often visited the mansion along with the other relatives, it was still the residence of Marquis Robert. Even if it wasn¡¯t serious, Jupiter was going to be treated almost like Juno. ¡°It won¡¯t be any different from when I lived at home.¡± It was strange a person who was good at socializing like Jupiter would reveal his true feelings only a few hours after meeting her. ¡°Really? There¡¯s a lot to be worried about.¡± Jupiter looked at her and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t this house comfortable?¡± It was a question that had a deeper meaning to it. Like Juno¡¯s question, it was also different from their superficial conversation in her room. Did Nusrion order him to do this? Juno, after thinking about it, gave an appropriate answer. ¡°There are many eyes.¡± Before Jupiter asked another question, they went down the staircase and were on the first floor. Next to Nusrion was Marquis Robert, and both men were surrounded by several relatives. Just as Jupiter and Juno saw Nusrion and Marquis Robert, the two men saw them. ¡°Juno. Jupiter as well.¡± Unlike the marquis who frowned at them, Nusrion welcomed the kids with a kind smile. As expected, there were many eyes, and it was uncomfortable with so many people present. Juno pretended to be calm. ¡°Are you leaving already?¡± ¡°Indeed. Did you get along with Jupiter?¡± ¡°Yes, I think we¡¯ll be good friends.¡± Next to Juno, Jupiter said, ¡°I look forward to staying here, Marquis Robert.¡± He gave no response to Jupiter¡¯s words. No one cared about the marquis¡¯s manners. The marquis, looking at Nusrion with eyes filled with wariness, turned his attention to Juno. Yes, I¡¯m still here. The month after her mother¡¯s funeral has been quiet, hasn¡¯t it? Recognizing the expression on the marquis¡¯s face, Juno frowned. ¡°You don¡¯t even greet your father. Weren¡¯t you taught basic etiquette?¡± Instead of being intrusive, he tried to vent his anger on her. Juno curtsied. ¡°Good morning, Father.¡± The marquis scoffed, and Nusrion stepped forward. ¡°To me, Juno is still a young lady who has room to grow. Nevertheless, if His Lordship finds her lacking¡­¡± He put on a friendly fa?ade. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s because of your currently absent mistress. I suggest having someone else be in charge of Juno¡¯s etiquette lessons.¡± The marquis¡¯s expression was not amused at the sarcasm disguised as advice. Nusrion looked at Jupiter and said, ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be fine, Jupiter.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± ¡°Take good care of Juno.¡± His glance at the marquis was enough to show it was a warning. The branch families won¡¯t let the marquis do anything to Juno, which also meant Jupiter would act as their eyes. As if he said all he wanted to say, Nusrion led the relatives to the door and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll be on my way. I can¡¯t keep wasting the time of a busy man.¡± The marquis could not say anything until they left. He returned his attention to Juno, perhaps feeling her gaze was mocking him. It was almost unbelievable his eyes were filled with contempt as he looked at his daughter. Chapter 5 Just as the marquis was about to say something, Jupiter grabbed Juno¡¯s hand. She looked at him in surprise. With an innocent face, completely different from the maturity Juno saw before, Jupiter said, ¡°Can you take me to my room? I¡¯m not quite familiar with the mansion yet.¡± Still shocked by his current demeanor, Juno soon realized that by holding her hand, he was trying to help her. She nodded, dragging Jupiter away. She felt the marquis¡¯s gaze behind them, but neither Juno nor Jupiter looked back. Juno, having reached the second floor while holding hands with someone like a seven-year-old, cautiously let go of Jupiter when the marquis was out of sight. ¡°Thank you for your help.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Juno moved around her fingers as the warmth from Jupiter¡¯s hand disappeared. ¡°You did it on purpose, didn¡¯t you? You have my thanks.¡± A little surprised, Jupiter grinned. So I was right. Staring at his smiling face, Juno said, ¡°¡­Then I¡¯ll be going now.¡± She turned around, but then Jupiter asked, ¡°Why are you leaving?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Jupiter tilted his head to the side. ¡°You said you¡¯d take me to my room.¡± ¡°It was an excuse.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s on the same floor as your room. We¡¯re living in the same mansion from now on.¡± Juno gave him a baffled expression, yet Jupiter outstretched his hand. What are you trying to do? Does he really want to be friends? Or does he have other ideas? Juno scrutinized him. Unlike before, there was a fake smile on his face. After agonizing about it, Juno had no choice but to hold his hand again. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to, but¡­ They didn¡¯t argue about useless things, and Jupiter¡¯s room wasn¡¯t far away. Their time together was short. Juno let go of his hand to open the door. With that done, she said, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll actually be going now.¡± ¡°See you tomorrow, Juno,¡± Jupiter said in an amused tone. If she turned around, she would see him smile. So, Juno didn¡¯t look back. She didn¡¯t want to know if his smile was sincere or not. It¡¯s been a long time since Juno had to say goodbye like this, so she felt slightly awkward. ¡°¡­All right, see you tomorrow.¡± Jupiter Trish was a little weird. *** Juno stared out the window and thought about her age. ¡°I¡¯m still only fifteen.¡± She had to wait three years to become an adult. ¡°Even so, nothing will change,¡± Juno muttered, glancing at the large pile of books on the desk. Is it because she was the only daughter of Marquis Robert? Nusrion made her take lessons that a legitimate successor would take. Originally, she planned to persuade her relatives to allow her to take lessons, but before she even asked, they took the initiative on her education. ¡°It¡¯s like you want me to be smart.¡± Juno didn¡¯t understand. For them, the more stupid Juno was, the easier it was to control her. ¡°I can¡¯t even become the head of the family.¡± As a woman, she wasn¡¯t able to inherit the noble title. Even then, someone from a branch family would be the ideal heir. No, perhaps it¡¯s to educate Jupiter¡­ Thinking of his clear blue eyes, Juno heard a knock on the door. ¡°My lady.¡± ¡°Mr. Nereus.¡± Juno opened the door and smiled at Nereus, the old butler. In these five years, his face has gotten more wrinkles. Nevertheless, he was a parental figure and her friend. When Nereus looked at her affectionately, Juno naturally smiled. Unfortunately, the moment she saw the person behind Nereus, that smile disappeared. ¡°Lord Jupiter is here as well.¡± When Nereus finished speaking, Jupiter walked into the room. ¡°Hello, Juno.¡± Jupiter, Nusrion¡¯s son. Like Nusrion, he can be named the heir. He was also her playmate supported by the branch families. ¡°My lady, I must take my leave.¡± Once Nereus left, Jupiter approached her and said, ¡°The teacher will be here any minute.¡± Nusrion had Jupiter stay by Juno¡¯s side out of concern for her mental state, but no one actually believed Nusrion sent him to the mansion because he was worried about Juno. I suppose it¡¯s necessary for Jupiter to learn how to be a proper heir. Like Marquis Trish, the heir to a prestigious, old aristocratic family needed an extensive education different from ordinary nobles. Ordinary nobles can only be taught certain things. And Jupiter, who was originally from a family of distant relatives, wouldn¡¯t receive such an education. However, because he lived with Juno, he took the same classes she did under the excuse of helping her study. But why do you want to show off and be my tutor? Unlike Jupiter, who was called a genius, Juno was only clever and often couldn¡¯t keep up during class. When that happened, Jupiter helped her understand the information. Juno narrowed her eyes at him. Jupiter smiled softly. Well, it¡¯s thanks to you that I¡¯ve lived a comfortable life for the past five years. It¡¯s not like she wasn¡¯t ignored, but because Jupiter was acting as the eyes of the family relatives, the marquis, Lilith, and other servants treated Juno like the daughter of a noble. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Juno?¡± With a worried expression, he looked pitiful. Jupiter wasn¡¯t a gentle person, but on the surface, he was the prince all noblewomen dreamed of. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Sit down.¡± Juno pointed to the chair next to her. Despite living with him for five years, Juno didn¡¯t know who he was. Jupiter, only three years older than her, was born to be a noble. Every action of his was elegant; his exceptional looks and swordsmanship made him shine. In fact, Juno wouldn¡¯t mind if Jupiter became the next marquis. If anything, his flaws lie in that pretentious expression and personality I don¡¯t understand. When Jupiter met her gaze, he grinned. He¡¯s becoming harder to read. Juno thought about her own appearance. She had green eyes and red hair like her mother. From a young age, Juno had been told that when she was older, she would have a bright future. She grew up beautifully as the family relatives and other people expected. Yet Jupiter was more beautiful than her. He¡¯s quite well-known in high society, isn¡¯t he? She heard Jupiter was popular for his handsome face and friendly smile. But I can see it¡¯s a mask. Why hasn¡¯t anyone else noticed? No matter how lovely that smile is, it¡¯s nothing compared to a real smile. She tried to guess what he was thinking by looking at his mouth, but all she found was a platonic affection for her. Ah yes, friendship. Surprisingly, Jupiter was fond of Juno. And I don¡¯t know why. Juno was good at noticing people¡¯s expressions and behaviors, most likely because she had to read the room from an early age. Jupiter was different from those who wanted to use her. For Jupiter, she was a tolerable existence, so his kindness was understandable. However, many people were tolerable like Juno. I mean, there are a lot of people who want to look good. Nusrion trusted Jupiter, and Jupiter was often involved in other activities. Nusrion¡¯s allies frequently visited the mansion to speak to Jupiter. However, the smile they saw and the smile Juno saw were slightly different. This nuance bothered her. Why aren¡¯t they the same? Juno wouldn¡¯t have cared so much if he treated her differently from the others. It was a small detail that even Jupiter had yet to realize. Why¡­ Tilting his head to the side, Jupiter said, ¡°Juno, you¡¯re acting strange today.¡± She replied with a smile. ¡°No, I just don¡¯t want to study.¡± There was no need to tell him. ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to study?¡± He looked at her as if she was cute. Juno got goosebumps seeing his sincere expression. ¡°Did you figure out the part you didn¡¯t understand from last time?¡± Juno coughed and nodded. ¡°Ah, yes. Thank you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad I could help.¡± Juno shrugged and returned her attention to a book. Jupiter¡¯s kindness wasn¡¯t bad. Since the future marquis was being friendly to her, her own future would benefit from it. If things continue the way they are now, Jupiter actually will be named the next marquis. Originally, the branch families put their hopes on Jupiter as the heir, but now he was well-liked by other nobles. There¡¯s also the fact I don¡¯t have a younger sibling. A woman couldn¡¯t become the head of the family, but Marquis Robert had neither a new wife nor a son. His power was growing weaker, while Nusrion, who had a good heir candidate, became stronger. Juno smiled at Jupiter. At least you won¡¯t sell me to an old man. She had an idea, but she put it in the back of her mind as the teacher entered the room. As stated before, Juno wasn¡¯t a genius like Jupiter, but she was clever. If she was thinking about something else during class, she ended up falling behind. Knowledge is power. Whatever Nusrion was thinking, this opportunity was perfect for her. So, she¡¯ll take it. Juno¡¯s mood improved, and Jupiter, who was looking at her, had a strange light in his eyes. Chapter 6 After class, Jupiter and Juno had tea together under the pretense of helping her study. ¡°Juno, why were you like that today?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Juno pretended she didn¡¯t understand, but it seemed Jupiter wanted an answer. ¡°Something felt different.¡± ¡°Was it obvious?¡± ¡°Mm-hmm, I could tell.¡± In order to maintain their superficial relationship as playmates, they spent a lot of time together until Jupiter made his social debut last year. So, Juno knew Jupiter well, and he knew her well too. Of course, Juno couldn¡¯t say he and his father were suspicious to Jupiter¡¯s face, so she mentioned her worries from before they met. ¡°¡­It¡¯s just I¡¯ll be an adult in three years.¡± Juno wanted to see how he would react. ¡°So, Jupiter.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Usually, girls get married when they¡¯re eighteen. I¡¯ll most likely have a husband as soon as I¡¯m an adult.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Jupiter¡¯s eyes widened. Juno was enjoying herself, the corners of her mouth rising. Chuckling mischievously to herself, she continued, ¡°Will my father find me a good marriage partner?¡± Jupiter quickly smiled and laughed. ¡°¡­Why, of course. You are his one and only red-haired daughter.¡± What a funny thing to say. His laughter was natural, but Juno couldn¡¯t help but notice how he took a moment to respond. In any case, even if the marquis didn¡¯t feel that way, it was understandable he was trying to get rid of Juno. Marquis Robert and Lilith. For the past five years, they regarded Juno as a stranger. There were many days when Juno was upset about being treated like that, but now she wasn¡¯t bothered by it anymore. It¡¯s not my problem. However, the mansion wasn¡¯t so peaceful because there were no children between the marquis and Lilith. At this rate, he will have to bring in a new mistress or try to get Juno on his side. Between those two options, his position as marquis would be more stabilized if he married a woman from a decent background, and then use that family¡¯s power to keep his title and get a legitimate heir. Even if he married off Juno and had a son-in-law, Juno was no different from an outsider, so he had little influence on her. There was still a chance he could lose to the branch families. The problem here is Lilith. The marquis had to abandon her in order to get a new mistress, but obviously, he wasn¡¯t going to do that. All he could do was try to have a child with Lilith and maintain a lukewarm relationship with Juno. Juno chuckled. ¡°If they don¡¯t have a child in three years, I¡¯ll have to marry someone who¡¯s decent.¡± She didn¡¯t believe they wouldn¡¯t have children. Is Lilith still struggling to have a baby? Jupiter touched Juno¡¯s hand. ¡°Why are you talking about this?¡± Juno, slightly surprised by his serious expression, responded, ¡°It just suddenly came to mind. I wish I became an adult already, but I¡¯m also afraid of the reality that comes with it.¡± ¡°Juno.¡± She pulled her hand away from his. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± She avoided his gaze. Tea time after class tended to play out like this. ¡°By the way, here¡¯s what I learned today.¡± Juno handed him a book before shuddering. There was a coldness in his blue eyes. Although he wasn¡¯t looking at her as he flipped through the pages, he was deep in thought, and it sent a chill down her spine. It was clear how he acted in front of Juno had something else to it. Juno, a little unnerved, softly called out, ¡°Jupiter?¡± He slowly looked up. There was a warmth permeating from his icy expression. ¡°Juno.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± He took her hand again and kissed the back of it. He¡¯s quite fond of physical contact. Juno didn¡¯t know if he was like this to others, but ever since they met, Jupiter would show his affection for her without any hesitation. With a serious expression, he slowly said, ¡°I¡¯ll never force you to do that. Do you understand?¡± Juno didn¡¯t expect such a reaction from him. It seemed he cared more for her than she thought. She was relieved and expressed her feelings honestly. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± Jupiter smiled brightly; however, a coldness that couldn¡¯t be hidden remained. It wasn¡¯t directed toward Juno, so she pretended not to see it. Jupiter looked at her book and began to explain. ¡°It discusses specifically¡­¡± For the first time, Juno saw some of Jupiter¡¯s true colors. She still didn¡¯t know why he was nice to her, but as long as he didn¡¯t change, there wouldn¡¯t be a problem. I¡¯ll be fine. Juno ignored her goosebumps and focused on Jupiter¡¯s explanation. *** Juno, who wasn¡¯t a genius, had to review what she learned the next day. She stared at the broken quill pen. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Juno?¡± She tried to dip a new quill pen into the ink bottle, but the ink bottle fell over. She sighed and rang the bell to call for a maid. The servant knocked on the door and entered the room. ¡°Did you call for me, my lady?¡± ¡°Yes, I spilled some ink. Please clean it up.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The maid was about to leave, but an unwanted person appeared at the door. ¡°Juno.¡± ¡°Jupiter.¡± She didn¡¯t have class today. As Juno checked the calendar, Jupiter strode into the room. ¡°What happened to your hands?¡± Only then did Juno notice they were black. ¡°Ah, I think some ink got on me when I spilled the bottle.¡± Jupiter smiled and handed over his simple, lightly scented handkerchief. Juno wiped her hands with it. ¡°Why are you here?¡± It might have been an awkward question, but Jupiter answered, ¡°I wanted to have tea with you since the weather was good.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you busy today?¡± She planned to politely decline. Jupiter wouldn¡¯t know that, yet he didn¡¯t back down so easily. ¡°Let¡¯s ask Mr. Nereus to accompany us.¡± ¡°Mr. Nereus? Are you sure?¡± Jupiter made an unexpected proposal. And while Juno cared about Nereus, nobles typically don¡¯t have tea with their servants. ¡°Isn¡¯t it his day off?¡± Despite knowing the meaning behind her words, Jupiter responded as if he made up his mind. Juno walked to the bathroom and washed her hands. ¡°Well, if you insist¡­¡± Since she couldn¡¯t refuse at this point, she might as well enjoy it. ¡°But how do you know Mr. Nereus¡¯s schedule?¡± Nereus and her father were the ones to decide when the servants had time off. Jupiter didn¡¯t show much of a reaction. ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m a close friend of yours.¡± ¡°¡­How strange.¡± Juno had a wary look on her face. ¡°What? I think it shows I care a lot about you.¡± Jupiter and Juno weren¡¯t on bad terms with each other, but neither of them was involved in the other¡¯s private life. However, Jupiter was acting differently today. It wasn¡¯t like him to insist on having tea time despite Juno showing she wasn¡¯t interested. It must be because of what happened yesterday. Juno sighed. ¡°Are we continuing where we left off? Is that it?¡± ¡°Yes, but wouldn¡¯t it also be nice to go out for a change?¡± Whatever the case, spending time with him was going to happen. Glancing at Jupiter¡¯s smiling face, Juno hurried to Nereus¡¯s room. She was forced to have tea time, but the thought of having tea with Nereus made her feel better. Excited, she knocked on the door. ¡°Mr. Nereus.¡± There was no response. Juno knocked on the door again. ¡°Mr. Nereus?¡± Juno and Jupiter looked at each other. Juno murmured, ¡°Is he not in the room?¡± She banged on the door. ¡°Mr. Nereus?¡± Jupiter turned the doorknob. ¡°Is it supposed to be unlocked?¡± The door opened; the silence put Juno on edge. She slowly entered the room. It was rude to walk in without permission, but her instincts told her to go inside. She looked around anxiously but sighed in relief when she saw Nereus laying on the bed. ¡°Are you still sleeping?¡± she asked playfully as she approached him. It was strange he had yet to wake up. ¡°Mr. Nereus, you told me before that the early bird catches the worm.¡± He must be quite tired, for he didn¡¯t move when Juno continued to be loud. She touched his shoulder. ¡°Mr. Nereus?¡± Juno immediately pulled back her hand. His body was stiff. Nereus¡¯s skin was rough, but it was also weirdly cold. Jupiter entered the room and stood behind her. ¡°Juno?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He intertwined his fingers with hers, and she squeezed his hand as if clinging for warmth. Juno looked at Nereus again. Chapter 7 His face was pale. Or rather, she was looking at the face of a corpse. Juno had seen it before. Her mother was like this right before the funeral. ¡°Mr. Nereus is cold,¡± Juno said, her voice barely above a whisper. ¡°What?¡± Jupiter, seemingly startled from Juno holding his hand, hugged her from behind. Juno got out of his embrace and yanked the quilt off the old butler. ¡°Wait!¡± She grabbed Nereus¡¯s face. ¡°Mr. Nereus!¡± He still didn¡¯t wake up. Juno tightened her grip. Then, Jupiter gently pulled her back. ¡°Juno.¡± His gaze, so full of worry and concern, was annoying. She didn¡¯t want to say it. She knew what had happened, but she didn¡¯t want to say it. ¡°Jupiter, this isn¡¯t real, right? This isn¡¯t real.¡± She wanted him to reassure her that everything was fine, that Nereus was in a deep sleep. However, Jupiter¡¯s expression said otherwise. ¡°Juno.¡± He reached out to comfort her, but she slapped his hand away. ¡°I said hello to him yesterday¡­¡± She really did say hello and good night to him. She would see him the next day. But now he¡¯s dead. Jupiter touched her shoulder. ¡°Calm down, Juno.¡± She flew into a rage. ¡°How can I calm down?¡± ¡°Juno!¡± ¡°Why¡­¡± Why did he have to die? Why today? ¡°He was old. We should prepare for the funeral.¡± Juno didn¡¯t want to hear Jupiter¡¯s voice. She knew Nereus should have retired already and lived out his remaining years in the countryside. This is because of me. Nereus was so worried about her that he stayed at the mansion and continued to work. She stared at Nereus¡¯s dead body as Jupiter called out her name. ¡°Juno. Juno.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She turned her head. Their eyes met, and Jupiter said, ¡°I¡¯ll prepare the funeral for you. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Juno felt as if someone punched her. That was her responsibility. ¡°¡­No, I can do it. I will do it.¡± ¡°Juno.¡± Nereus was the only one who Juno considered family; he treated her like his daughter. His funeral was something Juno had to prepare. As if talking to herself, Juno said, ¡°Mr. Nereus doesn¡¯t have a family, so I have to do it.¡± ¡°All right.¡± ¡°I was like a daughter to him, so I can do it, right?¡± While she wasn¡¯t his actual child, she thought their friendship was enough to justify having a funeral. Jupiter nodded. ¡°Yes, of course.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s send out invitations first. As for the funeral itself¡­¡± Juno remembered what Nereus had said right after her mother¡¯s funeral. ¡°I get lonely quite easily, so I¡¯d appreciate it if my lady buried me under a tree and visited me often.¡± As Nereus spoke, he glanced at her. He was afraid she would dislike what she heard. Instead, Juno had nodded happily. Other than that, Nereus often talked about death. Did he worry such a day would come? That was how old he was. Juno took a deep breath and said, ¡°He asked for his body to be cremated¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see if that can be done.¡± However, this was Juno¡¯s responsibility. ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°Juno, I¡¯ll do it for you.¡± She looked at Jupiter, and his blue eyes were like a lake shining under the warm sunlight. Juno bit her lip. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± ¡°Did Mr. Nereus request anything else?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Jupiter left the room and stopped a passing servant. Juno covered Nereus with the quilt. Seeing his peaceful expression, she knew he did not have a painful death. Juno stood by the bed in a daze, and Jupiter approached her. However, she wanted to be alone. ¡°Jupiter, can you leave me alone for a bit?¡± He was silent. Then, he asked, ¡°Are you going to cry?¡± She said nothing. Jupiter didn¡¯t avert his gaze. ¡°Will you cry if I leave?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to cry, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m asking you to leave.¡± Jupiter pulled up two chairs. After he made Juno sit down in one, he sat in the other. ¡°I refuse. I¡¯ll stay with you.¡± It was ridiculous. She didn¡¯t know why he decided to do this. They weren¡¯t close. ¡°Who are you?¡± Despite her sharp tone, Jupiter said, ¡°You¡¯ve been there for me before.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°No one was sad about my mother¡¯s death, so you said you¡¯d be sad for her.¡± ¡°When did I¡­¡± Jupiter¡¯s mother died when Juno was six years old. Jupiter smiled. ¡°Do you not remember? It¡¯s most likely because you were too young.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what happened. You even told me that since I couldn¡¯t openly mourn her, you¡¯d do it in my place.¡± Juno had no memory of this, and she didn¡¯t want to try and remember. Nereus¡¯s death was hard enough. She couldn¡¯t focus her energy on something else. ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°Yes, but I do.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to know.¡± Juno was becoming more curious, but she was stubborn. She didn¡¯t want to reveal her vulnerable self to a stranger. However, like Juno, Jupiter was also stubborn. ¡°You think so? But you do need it. You told me it¡¯s better to have someone hold your hand when you¡¯re sad and want to cry.¡± ¡°¡­Did I really say that?¡± Jupiter smiled softly. ¡°You told me what the marchioness had told you.¡± Those words were something her mother would say. She was a very kind person. But Juno wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°I don¡¯t remember any of this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. I should¡¯ve been by your side at your mother¡¯s funeral, but I wasn¡¯t. At least you had Mr. Nereus.¡± ¡°Did you actually come to her funeral?¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking the obvious.¡± Strangely enough, Jupiter acted more like a human today. It¡¯s like he took off all his masks. Was it because Nereus¡¯s death was too surreal? Or was it because she heard a story from her past that involved her mother which made Juno lower her guard? For the first time, Juno relaxed in front of Jupiter and asked, ¡°Why can¡¯t I remember?¡± He tucked her hair behind her ear. ¡°Haven¡¯t you been very busy?¡± Indeed. She was too busy holding herself together. Jupiter placed Juno¡¯s hand on top of Nereus¡¯s and said, ¡°Allow me to be here for you this time. Mr. Nereus was as important to you as the marchioness.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Jupiter said. ¡°I¡¯ll be here for you.¡± Juno bit her lip. ¡°I won¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to cry, then don¡¯t cry. I¡¯ll cry for you.¡± It was the most ridiculous thing he ever said. Even in a situation like this, Juno laughed at the absurdity. ¡°You?¡± Jupiter nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are you actually going to cry?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a daunting task.¡± It was strange Juno could laugh. She was so sad that she couldn¡¯t believe she laughed. Perhaps she had yet to fully accept Nereus¡¯s death. Juno looked at Nereus again. It hurt, but it wasn¡¯t as bad as before. Ah, you were preparing for this day. Nereus always said that he was old enough to die at any moment. He wanted her to be ready for it. She was upset whenever he talked about it, but Nereus was wise. She wasn¡¯t completely devastated; she was okay. I can get through this. Still, tears fell. Juno ignored the person next to her and wept. She said she wouldn¡¯t cry, but she cried. She didn¡¯t dislike the warmth next to her, so she let him stay. Juno didn¡¯t want to tell him to leave. She appreciated him holding her hand. It was nice that someone, who didn¡¯t say anything, was next to her. Her mother was right. It was comforting to have someone hold her hand as she cried. *** The funeral was over. Juno placed the urn with Nereus¡¯s ashes on the table and looked at Jupiter. ¡°I have a question.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± She thought about whether or not to ask him, but she decided to do so in the end. Only then could she figure out what to do with Jupiter in the future. ¡°You¡¯re very nice to me. Is it because I said those things to you as a child?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± She didn¡¯t understand. Wasn¡¯t his story from a long time ago? Juno didn¡¯t even remember it. Not hiding her disbelief, she said, ¡°I must have said it without meaning anything.¡± ¡°It was meaningful and helpful to me. So I don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not that kind of person.¡± Jupiter smiled and leaned in close. ¡°You must have some kind of misunderstanding about me then.¡± He was so close that they could feel each other¡¯s breath. ¡°I know what you think of me,¡± Jupiter whispered. He moved his hand toward Juno¡¯s face. ¡°Good.¡± She narrowed her eyes at Jupiter, who looked like he was having fun. ¡°You¡¯re pretentious and arrogant.¡± Jupiter¡¯s hand brushed against the side of her face. ¡°Nothing like a human.¡± He was too close. ¡°Ah, but I am one.¡± A person who says he or she is a human only made said individual less human. Jupiter cupped her cheek. ¡°I¡¯m normal.¡± He said it almost like he was guilty of something. ¡°You are a little weird at times,¡± Juno said, grabbing the hand that was on her face. ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t know why you were fond of me until now.¡± In any case, he couldn¡¯t be trusted. With a sly grin, she asked, ¡°Are you hoping I¡¯ll treat you like family? What is your goal here?¡± Jupiter frowned as if he were in trouble. ¡°¡­Well, that¡¯s going to be difficult, don¡¯t you think?¡± His response made Juno laugh. Chapter 8 Juno would have never believed Jupiter if he said he wanted to be considered family. ¡°It¡¯s nice that you¡¯re honest.¡± ¡°Hm? Are you saying you like me?¡± She didn¡¯t answer his question and pushed him away. ¡°I repay my debts.¡± He moved to the side, but his scent stuck to Juno¡¯s clothes. It tickled her nose. ¡°You don¡¯t need to think of it like that. I did it because I wanted to.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I would like for us to get along.¡± Juno still didn¡¯t understand, but she won¡¯t be insincere. She¡¯ll open her heart to Jupiter. If ever so slightly. ¡°Do you want me to be like how I am now? You have a unique taste.¡± Jupiter tilted his head and blinked. ¡°Is this your answer?¡± He chuckled. Juno scoffed in response to his captivating laugh. ¡°It¡¯s very convenient for me.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Jupiter smiled and grabbed Juno¡¯s hand. ¡°The ink still hasn¡¯t come off.¡± There were traces of black ink under her fingernails. I¡¯m ashamed of myself. No matter how busy she was, it was obvious she didn¡¯t wash it properly. Juno took back her hand. Yet Jupiter continued to stare at her. Juno hid her hand behind her back. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just wondering how I can get rid of it.¡± His gaze seemed to be still focused on Juno¡¯s hand, which was out of sight. Jupiter muttered, ¡°I wish it disappeared without a trace.¡± Juno, sensing something was off, changed the subject. ¡°Now that you mention it, I haven¡¯t returned your handkerchief yet.¡± ¡°My handkerchief?¡± Juno tried to remember its whereabouts, but it seemed she forgot where she placed it. ¡°The one you gave me to wipe the ink off my hands.¡± ¡°Oh, that.¡± ¡°The ink completely ruined it.¡± Juno brought it up, yet she was unable to recall where the handkerchief went. Did I take it to Mr. Nereus¡¯s room? Or did I leave it on the desk? Have the servants thrown it away already? Regardless, she couldn¡¯t give it back to him now. Jupiter grinned as if to reassure her. ¡°Is that so? You can just give me a new one.¡± Juno frowned. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t this be the moment where you tell me I don¡¯t have to return it?¡± The Jupiter she knew would¡¯ve said something like that. With a bright smile, Jupiter said, ¡°Hm? Why?¡± Was it because they decided to get along with each other? Juno forced herself to smile. ¡°You asked me what I wanted, did you not? Please give me an embroidered handkerchief once a month.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You may put my name or initials on it. Other patterns are also acceptable.¡± How ridiculous. He said he wanted to get along with her. More importantly, is this something to say after a funeral? Juno stared at him for a bit before nodding. By being close, they helped each other a lot, no? ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t once a month too much?¡± she asked. ¡°Then once every two months.¡± Still ridiculous. ¡°Once every six months.¡± Still smiling, Jupiter said, ¡°Once every two months.¡± ¡°Why not once every three months?¡± As if waiting for it, he said, ¡°All right. Once every three months.¡± Juno felt as if she lost a lot of money. But thanks to Jupiter, her sadness disappeared. Juno pointed to the door. ¡°If you got everything you wanted, leave.¡± Jupiter nodded. ¡°Rest well, Juno.¡± Normally, he would exit the room immediately, but instead, he kissed Juno lightly on the cheek. Her face turned red starting from where his lips touched her skin. Surprised, she pushed him away. Jupiter then waved his hand and left. Was it Juno¡¯s imagination that she felt almost happy? *** Juno stared at the handkerchief with Jupiter¡¯s initials. It was the first time she would give a handkerchief as a present to someone other than her mother. ¡°I don¡¯t think it looks good.¡± She continued to think about whether the pattern was ugly or the letters were crooked and if there were any stray threads on it. Holding the handkerchief in her hands, Juno soon realized it was almost up against her face. She threw the handkerchief across the room. ¡°What am I doing?¡± She turned her attention away from it and remembered what she had to do today. ¡°The tailor will arrive with a new dress, and tomorrow¡¯s lesson¡­¡± Her gaze slowly drifted back to the handkerchief. Acknowledging she had class tomorrow was admitting she had to meet up with Jupiter. In other words, she would have to give him the handkerchief at that time. ¡°I¡¯m still having trouble understanding what I learned from before. I should study¡­¡± Juno opened a book; however, after reading the same chapter ten times, she picked up the handkerchief. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t hurt to look at it again.¡± Jupiter was the only one who helped with Nereus¡¯s funeral, so her present had to be perfect. ¡°Why did you ask for this? ¡­How troublesome.¡± Juno returned to scrutinizing every inch of the handkerchief, which she had been doing for the past few days. *** The start of class always began with a test on the material from yesterday. Juno, who finished the exam several minutes after Jupiter, was playing with her quill pen. Out of the corner of her eye, a hand pushed something by her elbow. You almost scared me! Juno glanced at the person next to her. Jupiter was reading a book, pretending to be the perfect student. Oh? She looked at the note with Jupiter¡¯s handwriting. He had written, ¡°Did you bring the handkerchief?¡± Was this how a person felt when hounded by debt collectors? Regardless, Juno did have the handkerchief with her. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to give it to him after I made sure it was perfect? The pattern was a little ugly, and the color of the thread didn¡¯t match the handkerchief. Juno was unable to concentrate in class because she continued agonizing over it until the teacher left. This is Jupiter¡¯s fault. Once class was finished, Juno made up her mind. I¡¯ll just give it to him. Because she focused so much on the handkerchief, she didn¡¯t dwell on Nereus¡¯s death, but it wasn¡¯t good to fret over a handkerchief the entire day. ¡°Jupiter.¡± Their eyes met. Jupiter rested his chin on his hand. ¡°What is it?¡± Juno, who had started to admire Jupiter¡¯s face, quickly snapped out of it and said, ¡°I couldn¡¯t concentrate on today¡¯s lesson because of you.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± She glared at him. ¡°I really couldn¡¯t!¡± ¡°I promise to help you study then.¡± Juno started to laugh before noticing she was acting unusually childish. I wasn¡¯t like this since I was ten. She took a deep breath. ¡°Thank you again for your help.¡± She smiled calmly. Jupiter smiled as well. ¡°Mm-hmm. I have nothing else to do today besides wait for something to arrive.¡± He was talking about the handkerchief. Juno sighed and took it out. ¡°Yes, of course.¡± ¡°I look forward to receiving it.¡± As he excitedly stared at the handkerchief, Juno narrowed her eyes as if to warn him. ¡°Don¡¯t judge it too harshly.¡± ¡°Of course. I don¡¯t judge gifts full of sincerity,¡± he answered without any hesitation. Juno was slightly relieved. ¡°I don¡¯t know if¡­ No, I put a lot of thought into it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Shouldn¡¯t he have noticed that Juno worked hard on embroidering the handkerchief? ¡°Did it take you three attempts to make?¡± She was unable to understand the intention behind his words. Recalling the amount of time she spent on the embroidery, she said, ¡°This is harder than you think.¡± Jupiter never had to embroider anything, so he wouldn¡¯t understand how much effort goes into it. ¡°That¡¯s why three months isn¡¯t enough time¡­¡± Juno hesitated before giving him the handkerchief. Why are you giving me that look? She looked down at her lap. Jupiter, with his bright eyes and smile, was too dangerous. Juno slowly raised her head; their eyes met again. The hand that his chin rested on partially covered his mouth as he said, ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll make good use of it.¡± He gazed at his initials embroidered on the handkerchief. The expression on his face seemed different. Does he like it? Touching the handkerchief, Jupiter looked at her again and smiled. It was the same smile he always had. Was I imagining things? I don¡¯t think I did¡­ Jupiter put away the handkerchief in his coat pocket and tapped the table to get her attention. ¡°Juno.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I like it a lot.¡± She nodded. Touching the pocket where he put the handkerchief in, Jupiter said, ¡°I have high hopes for the next one.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, all right.¡± Juno quickly added, ¡°Don¡¯t you think once every three months is too much?¡± Jupiter ignored her and began to pack his belongings. Unbelievable. He wasn¡¯t going to help her study like he said he would. ¡°Are you listening to me, Jupiter?¡± ¡°My apologies, Juno. I¡¯m busy today. We¡¯ll review the material at another time.¡± ¡°Then how am I supposed to study?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you before the next class.¡± ¡°How could you¡ª¡± ¡°Farewell.¡± Jupiter left instantly. Left alone, Juno stared at the empty chair next to her. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t have anything else to do today,¡± she murmured. Juno sighed. However, the corners of her mouth were slightly raised. Chapter 9 Juno stared at the servants as they passed by. They avoided her gaze. Juno sighed, though it sounded more like a snort. It¡¯s natural they would react that way. Marquis Trish¡¯s only daughter was not invited to a ball in her own mansion. Staying in her room and reading a book, she looked so pitiful. Besides, tomorrow is my birthday. Exactly two hours from now, Juno would turn seventeen. Of course, she planned to stay in her room since she couldn¡¯t attend the ball. It was common for noblewomen to make their social debut at the age of sixteen; however, Juno had yet to be a debutante because of the marquis¡¯s meddling. How nice of you to do that since you¡¯re aware you¡¯ll be criticized more than I. She was amazed at how much he loved Lilith. Marquis Robert was stubborn; he knew about the gossip circulating high society because Juno hadn¡¯t made her debut. Because of this, she wasn¡¯t allowed to attend any balls in the mansion. Well, I certainly don¡¯t mind. The balls hosted by House Trish were to strengthen the influence of Marquis Robert. Since Lilith was a mistress, she could attend. She wouldn¡¯t be welcomed anywhere else. I¡¯d rather stay in my room than look at her. Juno kept her gaze on the book she held. ¡°You may leave now.¡± The servants standing in Juno¡¯s room left as if they were waiting for her to say it. Although Juno was protected by the branch families, the most powerful person in the mansion was still Marquis Robert. It was to be expected the servants disliked Juno. They weren¡¯t this bad when Mr. Nereus was here. In the past, Nereus cared for her, so the servants couldn¡¯t openly display their reluctance to serve her. But the new family butler was loyal to the marquis. As a result, Juno¡¯s living situation worsened. She briefly recalled that friendly smile. Then, she heard laughter outside her room. The ball was at its peak. ¡°How noisy.¡± Juno clicked her tongue and reached for her teacup. She grimaced after taking a sip. ¡°¡­What is this?¡± The tea was truly bitter. It was unlikely they brewed the wrong tea in the first place, so they must have used low-quality tea leaves. ¡°They can¡¯t even be bothered to put in the minimal effort.¡± She decided to go back to reading her book. She didn¡¯t want to make a big deal out of it. Even if she spoke about it, Juno would only make a fool of herself. Juno allowed this to happen in hopes of the possibility that someone would speak up for her. ¡°I have no intention acting upon something that will never come to fruition.¡± Juno drank the rest of her tea while turning the pages. Perhaps the chilly weather made the tea taste not as bad as she initially thought. As soon as Juno reached the last page, there was a small knock on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± she said without taking her eyes off the book. She didn¡¯t know who it was, but she presumed the person was one of Lilith¡¯s servants. Juno felt the visitor¡¯s gaze on her. After observing her from the doorway, the visitor slowly approached her. Juno, satisfied with finishing the book, closed it and looked up. ¡°I didn¡¯t call for any¡­¡± She blinked. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°It will be your birthday in a few minutes.¡± The unexpected visitor was Jupiter. With a pleasant smile on his face, he sat across from her. ¡°Haven¡¯t you been quite busy as of late?¡± Unlike Juno, he was invited to the ball. Jupiter shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s just a typical party.¡± In other words, that was an excuse to reject Marquis Robert¡¯s invitation. ¡°I felt it was unnecessary to attend.¡± Marquis Robert still had no children with Lilith, and the power of the branch families had grown. Jupiter didn¡¯t even have to acknowledge the marquis. Nodding, Juno noticed Jupiter¡¯s clothes. ¡°Did something happen?¡± It was impossible he dressed up for no reason. He was wearing formal attire, and his platinum blond hair was slicked back. He was handsome in a black suit. ¡°Yes. Please forgive me for what I¡¯m about to say¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Very annoying. Talks too much for my liking.¡± Jupiter usually smiled, so when there wasn¡¯t a grin on his face like right now, he looked almost unrecognizable, unapproachable. ¡°Did you not like the person you met this time?¡± ¡°Not necessarily. I told him I had to do something important, but he insisted I stay longer.¡± ¡°It must be very important, huh?¡± ¡°Yes, I almost missed your birthday.¡± Juno was speechless. Smiling, Jupiter said, ¡°I¡¯m here to wish you a happy birthday.¡± He glanced at the clock. ¡°In ten seconds.¡± As soon as the clock struck midnight, he looked at her and said, ¡°Happy birthday, Juno.¡± It was a very simple celebratory greeting; however, Juno felt it was more than that. Curious to see how she¡¯d react, Jupiter said, ¡°I wanted to be the first one to say it.¡± A little ashamed she was almost gawking at him, Juno pretended nothing happened. ¡°You¡¯re the only person who¡¯s been wishing me a happy birthday since¡­ Why are you smiling?¡± Juno pointed at the raised corners of Jupiter¡¯s mouth. Seemingly enjoying himself, he shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s fun.¡± ¡°Do you like it when no one celebrates my birthday?¡± ¡°No, I like spending time with you.¡± Blushing, Juno turned her head to the side and murmured, ¡°You¡¯re weird.¡± ¡°Is that what you think?¡± His soft laugh tickled her ears. Juno quickly changed the subject. ¡°Would you like to have a drink?¡± She picked up the teapot and poured a cup of tea for him. ¡°It¡¯s cold, but you can¡¯t complain.¡± With mischief in her eyes, Juno smirked as she watched Jupiter drink the tea. ¡°¡­What is this?¡± He didn¡¯t spit it out, but he wasn¡¯t gentle with putting down the teacup. Juno giggled at the liquid that got on the tablecloth. ¡°Tea.¡± Raising an eyebrow, Jupiter asked, ¡°Was this your idea?¡± She moved her hand to show that wasn¡¯t the case. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose.¡± Juno was still a little childish. I was hoping you¡¯d throw a fit if I served you low-quality tea. Unfortunately, he drank it without even showing the slightest hint of dissatisfaction. It would be embarrassing to tell him the truth, so she swallowed her words. Jupiter looked at her as if she was cute and asked, ¡°So I¡¯ll lose if I don¡¯t drink all of it?¡± Juno sipped her tea without saying a word, and Jupiter emptied his teacup before pouring himself another drink. ¡°It¡¯s awful.¡± Jupiter, who had been drinking the tea as if to a beat, poured the last of the liquid into his cup. ¡°Do you know who¡¯s behind this?¡± Juno snorted. ¡°Who else would do such a childish prank?¡± ¡°Are you going to let it go?¡± It was unimaginable Jupiter was drinking the low-quality tea. At a glance, a person would think he drank the finest of teas with how elegant he was. Of course, Juno¡¯s manners were just as good as his. ¡°It could¡¯ve been worse. I¡¯ll deal with it.¡± Jupiter placed his teacup on the table. Juno was grateful, looking at the empty teapot. ¡°Well done. Truly a wonderful birthday present.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you a different present. Won¡¯t you consider this just me doing you a favor?¡± It was an amazing act of kindness. She couldn¡¯t believe he drank all of that disgusting tea. Juno chuckled. Then, Jupiter took her hand. Carefully, he traced each of her fingers and touched a callus on her middle finger. ¡°You have calluses.¡± Juno tried to pull her hand back. ¡°I¡¯ve been studying.¡± Jupiter only tightened his grip in response. He put her hand against his mouth, his lips touching the callus. Juno felt a shiver down her spine. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Jupiter didn¡¯t answer her question. ¡°It¡¯s horrible. The scent is unnecessarily strong.¡± Juno attempted to pull her hand back again. ¡°Why does that matter?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Jupiter didn¡¯t let go, and he placed her hand on the table. Juno gulped. He was still holding her hand, but she was relieved he wasn¡¯t going to kiss the back of it like before. She wiggled her fingers. ¡°Juno.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± She wanted to ignore what just happened, but her voice came out a little hoarse. She bit her lip. ¡°¡­Are you lonely?¡± Without thinking too much about the question, Juno replied, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°It must get lonely at times.¡± The atmosphere in the room had completely changed. Juno looked at him. ¡°Am I not enough?¡± he asked. Should she say he looked bitter or sad? Are you upset? It was difficult to determine a person¡¯s feelings with only facial expressions. Feeling restless for some reason, she murmured, ¡°I wish I had some room to breathe.¡± Jupiter tilted his head. ¡°Have I crossed a line?¡± When the warmth around her hand disappeared, Juno accidentally pushed the book she had been reading. Chapter 10 Jupiter, his gaze flitting between Juno and the book, asked with a pretentious smile, ¡°What is it about?¡± Narrowing her eyes at the sudden change, Juno shoved the book to him and said, ¡°Look at the last page.¡± ¡°I prefer not to read the ending first¡­¡± He soon stopped talking. Juno focused on the teapot, waiting for him to finish. After some time passed, she felt his piercing gaze on her. She ignored him, but it wasn¡¯t long before she heard him chuckle. Her face was turning red again. The fact she showed him the book for no reason was on her mind. Juno tried to snatch it from Jupiter, but he caught her hand instead. ¡°You liked it, didn¡¯t you? I¡¯m glad.¡± Juno looked at the bookmark next to Jupiter¡¯s hand. As stated before, Jupiter was the only person to celebrate Juno¡¯s birthday after Nereus¡¯s death. He sent her a postcard as a present last year when he was away from the capital. That postcard was Juno¡¯s bookmark. She glanced at the neat cursive on the postcard and snorted. ¡°¡­Thank you for everything.¡± Jupiter smiled and tapped the back of Juno¡¯s hand. ¡°Happy birthday, Juno.¡± Eventually, Juno smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡± The temperature in the room appeared to rise. Yet she didn¡¯t dislike it. It¡¯s warm. Juno took Jupiter¡¯s hand and held it for a few seconds. Giggling, she was about to pull her hand away when he tightened his grip on it. Jupiter asked, ¡°Do you hear that?¡± ¡°Hear what?¡± Jupiter glanced in the direction of the first floor, which was brightly lit up. ¡°Music.¡± There were still people at the ball, and Juno listened to the song. ¡°Shall we dance?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± He replied, ¡°You haven¡¯t danced yet, have you?¡± Juno had yet to have her debutante ball, so of course, she hadn¡¯t danced. ¡°That is correct.¡± ¡°Would you like to dance with me?¡± Juno frowned. Her dancing lessons were always with Jupiter. She danced with him before, so did she have to do it again? ¡°This isn¡¯t the first time,¡± she said. Despite that, Jupiter stood up. ¡°Today is special.¡± Because it was her birthday? Or¡­ Juno tried her best to forget what happened earlier. ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± Jupiter didn¡¯t back down. ¡°I want to do this. Think of dancing as paying me back for the favor earlier. I also never danced with anyone else.¡± ¡°You?¡± No wonder Jupiter often received ball invitations. ¡°I don¡¯t always need a dance partner,¡± he said. ¡°You danced by yourself?¡± Rather, he was able to move around more freely because he didn¡¯t dance with anyone. Ignoring Juno¡¯s question, Jupiter held out his hand to her. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not a great dancer.¡± Having danced with him before, Juno knew that was a lie. However, she accepted this loss and placed her hand in his. Jupiter gently pulled her close and placed his hand on her waist. It was strange this time, most likely because of the height difference that wasn¡¯t there before. Juno and Jupiter began to match the beat to the music from outside, maintaining eye contact with each other. In order to pretend she didn¡¯t see the unfamiliar emotions in his blue eyes, Juno said, ¡°You¡¯re quite skilled.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± he whispered. The melody became more cheerful, and Jupiter adjusted accordingly. Step after step, the tension between them gradually disappeared. In its place were bright smiles that matched the song. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine you dancing to this.¡± As if puzzled by her words, Jupiter said, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Juno turned around. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a dance for children?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this the type of dance unmarried men and women do regularly?¡± Juno didn¡¯t know. But she always had the image of Jupiter dancing to a slow waltz in her mind. ¡°I think something not so fast-paced suits you better.¡± ¡°I already told you I¡¯ve never danced with someone else before, so I¡¯m not sure. However, I think I can appreciate this kind of dance.¡± Juno noticed Jupiter¡¯s appearance was slightly disheveled. ¡°Your hair and clothes are messy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t hate it.¡± Her hair fluttered with every turn and spin; her nightgown was wrinkled, but Juno still enjoyed herself. The two laughed and continued dancing until they were exhausted. How much time had passed? The song changed once again. ¡°I can¡¯t dance anymore.¡± Juno pushed Jupiter away and plopped into a chair. He laughed softly and rang the bell to call for a servant. ¡°There¡¯s nothing left to dance to.¡± ¡°Hahaha, that¡¯s right.¡± Juno chuckled as she heard a knock on the door. Before she could respond, Jupiter said, ¡°Come in.¡± The door opened, and there stood a surprised servant. ¡°My lord, how may I¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to explain. Bring me some tea.¡± ¡°Ah, understood.¡± The servant glanced nervously in the direction of the teapot. Neither Juno nor Jupiter said anything, so the servant quickly left. Juno smiled. ¡°You did that on purpose.¡± ¡°Hm? I just thought you were thirsty,¡± he said. It was unlikely he called a servant for that reason, but even if he did, this wasn¡¯t a matter to take lightly. What an interesting predicament. The servant who came running to Juno¡¯s room was someone close to Lilith. It was also late at night, but the servant arrived as if waiting to be summoned. I¡¯m sure you wanted me to throw a tantrum. Staring at the spot where the servant once stood, Juno murmured, ¡°Are you worried they¡¯ll do something to the tea?¡± It was okay they did these things to her, but it wasn¡¯t okay for Jupiter to find out about it. She looked pitifully at the door. ¡°What if I was angry?¡± Wouldn¡¯t the servant claim it was just a mistake, and then Lilith would pretend to be forgiving while also insulting Juno? ¡°He¡¯s fired. A servant who doesn¡¯t know his master¡¯s taste is useless.¡± When Juno turned her gaze toward Jupiter, he said, ¡°Even if you weren¡¯t angry, I would be the one to make him find a new job.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Speaking of the people around Lilith, I think it¡¯s time to remove them.¡± He sounded nonchalant, but Juno wasn¡¯t able to do such a thing. She stared at Jupiter. ¡°You are Marquis Trish¡¯s one and only red-haired daughter. You don¡¯t need to play along with their antics.¡± Juno laughed at his words. ¡°That¡¯s only possible when you have power, right?¡± She wasn¡¯t able to do anything because she was weak despite having legitimacy. ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯m here.¡± Jupiter may have said that to reassure Juno, but it only offended her. Juno was reminded of how she couldn¡¯t do anything alone. Before she could express her displeasure, Jupiter hastily added, ¡°And I have the family relatives.¡± Juno smiled. Even though their positions were slightly different, they still had something in common. She sighed. ¡°Well, one day you and I will be able to get rid of them.¡± Jupiter winked at her. ¡°You¡¯re also rebellious, huh.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it natural to want to stand on your own feet when you¡¯re older? Look at the marquis.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re not wrong.¡± She felt better remembering the marquis was trying to distance himself from the branch families. By the time she was done feeling ashamed of herself for thinking she was the only one without power, the servant returned with a new teapot. He waited to see if they needed anything else, but Jupiter dismissed him without saying much. Once the door was closed, Jupiter said, ¡°Now we can have tea together.¡± Juno noticed it was almost 2 A.M. ¡°Ah yes, at this hour.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? The ball held by House Trish hasn¡¯t ended yet.¡± The party would last until dawn, so the mansion will be awake for a while. The fragrant scent of tea was very strong. It almost made Juno¡¯s nose hurt. And so, she spent a lot of time with Jupiter. With a deep, soothing voice, he talked about his day. Then he asked about what she did today as if it were natural. The simple conversation made Juno sleepy. Regardless, she wasn¡¯t alone. Chapter 11 Ever so slowly, time continued to pass, and soon enough, Juno¡¯s eighteenth birthday was a week from now. ¡°I¡¯ll be an adult,¡± Juno murmured. She was about to see the end of this dangerous path. Then Jupiter was at her side. ¡°Juno?¡± He still had a beautiful face. His features as a boy had sharpened as he became an adult, yet he retained the elegance and splendor of his youth. She remembered the birthday she spent with him last year. It was a sweet, warm birthday. Well, most of her memorable moments were with Jupiter. Juno stared at him. The end that could be seen in front of her also meant Jupiter¡¯s future was set in stone. He was busy trying to become the next marquis. Yet despite his hectic schedule, Jupiter always found time to visit her. ¡°Hello,¡± she said. ¡°What are you doing?¡± The sun was setting. Juno leaned back in her chair and looked out the window. ¡°I¡¯m waiting to turn eighteen.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was almost time to get engaged. One could even be married at an early age. Thinking about her future, Juno glanced at Jupiter who recently turned twenty-one years old. ¡°By the way, why aren¡¯t you engaged?¡± ¡°Let me think.¡± It didn¡¯t matter when men got married, but Juno was at the age to be married. ¡°Is Nusrion is getting in the way?¡± Rather than answering, Jupiter smiled. Still staring at his face, Juno concluded that getting engaged might be a requirement for becoming the official heir of House Trish. ¡°It might be better to wait then.¡± After becoming the heir, he could find a better marriage partner. Satisfied with the answer she came up with, Juno nodded. ¡°Why don¡¯t you fight?¡± Jupiter asked. His mood had somewhat changed. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Why¡­¡± He moved closer to her. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to become the next head of the family?¡± ¡°Of House Trish?¡± ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± It was a sudden question. She never thought Jupiter would ask that. Wasn¡¯t he the one who wanted to be the next marquis? ¡°May I be honest?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± She would be lying if she said she hadn¡¯t thought about becoming the next head since she was a child. But it was different now. ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± Jupiter frowned. It seemed he didn¡¯t like that answer. ¡°Your life is at stake, is it not?¡± ¡°Jupiter.¡± There was a sad smile on Juno¡¯s face. It was impossible for Jupiter to be unaware. Juno could never become the next family head because she was a woman. ¡°That title will be inherited by my husband-to-be. Not me. The man I must keep an eye on will only change from my father to my husband.¡± ¡°¡­Are you going to stay like this because you can¡¯t do anything about it?¡± She couldn¡¯t understand why Jupiter was angry. He was technically an outsider from the branch families. ¡°Do you think I should actively look for a husband?¡± Juno sighed. ¡°Even if I find a good man, will my father treat him kindly?¡± She wasn¡¯t sure what the marquis would do. Jupiter took her hand. ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Jupiter was silent, and Juno waited for him to speak. The bond between them was at a point where one could wait for the other to collect his or her thoughts. After a long time, Jupiter spoke slowly. ¡°I¡ª¡± The door opened. ¡°My lady.¡± Juno glared at the servant who didn¡¯t knock. It was a familiar face: Lilith¡¯s maid. ¡°You¡¯re quite rude.¡± The impolite servant looked at Jupiter, and her face turned pale as she lowered her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! My lord said he must make an announcement¡­ It¡¯s urgent.¡± It¡¯s not worth getting mad at her. Before Jupiter stepped forward, Juno held him back and asked, ¡°Where is he?¡± ¡°The dining room. Everyone has been asked to join.¡± That meant the family relatives were present. ¡°Did he also call for Jupiter?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Please give us a moment.¡± The maid quickly left the room, glancing back at Jupiter. ¡°It seems my father has made his choice,¡± Juno muttered. ¡°Ah, what did you want to say?¡± Jupiter shook his head. ¡°Let¡¯s go down first. This sounds very important.¡± Juno nodded without any hesitation. I wish I had something more to say. The two walked to the dining room. It was obvious the announcement had to do with the heir. ¡°What would my father do?¡± Juno asked. ¡°He¡¯d choose you. There¡¯s no one else.¡± Juno recalled Lilith, who always looked at her in contempt. Shouldn¡¯t you direct your anger toward the marquis? Juno didn¡¯t know why Lilith hated her so much. Lilith not getting pregnant was their problem. Lilith was a mistress, but she still tried to pretend to be a marchioness. She even participated in the power struggle with the family relatives. Yet it didn¡¯t last long. Lilith slowly realized the marquis¡¯s favor wasn¡¯t everything. While he appeared powerful, he wasn¡¯t a man who could always protect her. The closer Juno¡¯s eighteenth birthday got, the more Lilith became anxious. She became more paranoid and began to overestimate the branch families. It wasn¡¯t that Juno was happy about it, but she didn¡¯t feel she was in a better position than Lilith. You never know when things will change. Well, the fight for who gets to be the heir is almost over now. Shrugging, Juno said, ¡°He hates me more than he hates you.¡± ¡°The marquis isn¡¯t a fool. The moment he chooses me, the greater the risk he poses to himself.¡± Jupiter¡¯s words made sense. If Jupiter became the official heir, the branch families would have the most power. Ah, but Father¡¯s love is quite strong. Juno said, ¡°Isn¡¯t it love that¡¯s causing my father to make a fool of himself?¡± The marquis could¡¯ve given up his power for Lilith. ¡°There might be another option.¡± ¡°What do you have in mind?¡± Juno asked. ¡°Something to tie us together.¡± After thinking about what he meant, Juno slowly looked at Jupiter. They made eye contact, and he nodded as if to confirm her guess was correct. ¡°¡­So, marriage?¡± Juno said. ¡°¡­¡± Jupiter didn¡¯t deny it, but he also didn¡¯t give her an explicit answer. There were a few instances where noble families had their only daughter marry a family relative. If we get engaged, we prevent them from doing anything for a while. Specifically, the marquis could keep his power for a longer period of time. However, their marriage was also the marquis saying that he lost. He would inevitably hand over the title of marquis to Jupiter, so it was only a matter of when. ¡°It would be less humiliating.¡± Until Juno and Jupiter actually got married, the marquis maintained his position. He would protect his pride to some extent without betraying Lilith. It was the best decision the marquis could make. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s why Nusrion has yet to select a marriage partner for you.¡± Juno took another step to the dining room entrance. ¡°Would you be all right with it?¡± Juno already imagined many worst-case scenarios, such as living in a rich, old man¡¯s mansion. This was nothing. ¡°You¡¯re better than a stranger.¡± Silence. Juno turned her head. ¡°Jupiter? Are you not coming with me?¡± ¡°¡­No, let¡¯s go.¡± Jupiter, who had been standing like a statue and staring at her, immediately rushed to her side. His cheeks were slightly red. For the past year, Juno had been the one to make Jupiter blush. She tried to look at his face, but he kept avoiding her gaze. Eventually, Juno straightened her posture and smoothed out the wrinkles in her clothes. It was time to care about appearances. She refused to look ridiculous in the dining room. I should be proud. That way no one can ignore me. She rested her hand on Jupiter¡¯s arm so he could escort her; a slight warmth was shared between them. Green and blue seemed to mix as emotions bubbled. Not yet. Not yet. Juno turned her head. After preparing herself, Juno winked at the servant. Chapter 12 The door to the dining room opened. Juno looked at the people already there. I¡¯m tired of family gatherings. She remembered the first one she attended after her mother died. The dark, dull room was frightening, but what was scarier were the eyes of those who watched her every move. They were wondering how to use me. No one protected Juno then. She did her best to hide the fact she was scared. Now, she wasn¡¯t afraid of them or her father. Juno roughly understood the situation. This is bad. Lilith was next to her father. Even if this were an irregular family gathering, Juno guessed that the announcement won¡¯t be good for her future. She loosened her grip on Jupiter¡¯s arm. Their guesses were all wrong. They weren¡¯t going to be engaged. Juno left Jupiter behind and sat down in her seat. ¡°Hello, did you call for me?¡± Once Juno and Jupiter sat down, food was served; no one started eating. Juno studied the faces of the people in the dining room. Lilith and the marquis were too happy, and the family relatives were solemn. It seems the tug-of-war is over. Juno started to eat the appetizer dish while looking at the marquis and Lilith. If this announcement was something everyone needed to hear, then it would be best to get it over with. ¡°It must be good. I can¡¯t believe you called everyone so suddenly,¡± Juno said. Lilith replied, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s very good news.¡± The answer was obvious seeing her bright expression. As expected, Juno was unlucky. ¡°Are you pregnant?¡± Juno asked. Lilith continued to smile as did the marquis. The current situation was almost funny. They were the only ones who¡¯d like the child. ¡°I see,¡± Juno said. Her own reaction was also amusing. Jupiter¡¯s mouth tightened into a thin line; however, Juno was the only one who didn¡¯t care. No, he might have already known. There was never a moment when Juno¡¯s relatives told her the marquis wasn¡¯t a threat. She wasn¡¯t an adult yet. She had plenty of time. No one knew when they would have a baby. Juno wasn¡¯t particularly lucky. So, she didn¡¯t care. She felt the time had come. It was later than expected. Maybe I do have a little bit of luck? She was able to live comfortably because they had yet to have a child. Juno sipped some water and looked at Lilith. She knew what that expression meant. It was a face with something in mind, watching Juno¡¯s reaction. Lilith hated Juno to death, even though Juno had never been particularly hostile to her except for when she was a kid. ¡°Congratulations. Who am I being sold to?¡± ¡°Juno!¡± Nusrion shouted. Juno smiled. ¡°What? Look at her. They already picked out my marriage partner.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a boy or a girl!¡± he retorted. That was true. Lilith was a mistress, so the child could never be the heir unless it was a boy. To be honest, it would be difficult for the child to become the heir even then. Juno was sitting next to the perfect heir candidate. The other family relatives chimed in their dissent. ¡°We won¡¯t allow it.¡± ¡°Indeed. We can¡¯t believe you made such a decision on your own.¡± ¡°This is absurd.¡± ¡°As expected, you have no dignity.¡± The marquis, who had been listening to the relatives express their opinions, rolled his eyes and continued to smile. Juno sensed the delight in that grin. Marquis Robert said, ¡°The other party has already agreed to it.¡± The relatives scoffed, and Nusrion ignored Marquis Robert¡¯s words. Meanwhile, Juno noticed something about what the marquis said. There¡¯s more to it. Nusrion said, ¡°Send them a letter asking to reconsider.¡± It would bring disgrace to the marquis; the relatives didn¡¯t care. They knew he would lose face, but they refused to admit defeat. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Marquis Robert said. House Trish was one of the most powerful noble families in the empire. That meant the other party couldn¡¯t be ignored, even with the marquis¡¯s current predicament. It was unbelievable. Who was it? Juno recalled there was a suitable opponent. Actually, there was only one such individual. ¡°Does it involve His Majesty?¡± Juno asked. The fickleness of a fifty-year-old man was unsurprising to her. Would it be ridiculous to say he was a better opponent than she expected? Juno thought of the emperor and the royal family. There was the empress, the crown prince who just turned thirty, another prince, and two princesses who have yet to marry. Wasn¡¯t there also a courtesan? However, the marquis¡¯s answer was never in Juno¡¯s wildest dreams. ¡°Count Sergien.¡± There was an awkward silence at the dining table. The relatives wore expressions filled with disgust. It was understandable. What do you mean by Count Sergien? Sergien. Juno laughed. The entire dining room was filled with her laughter, but Juno really couldn¡¯t stop laughing. ¡°Not bad!¡± Did it have to be Count Sergien out of all people? He was said to be above even the emperor. Peter Sergien, the alchemist, was known for almost revolutionizing every aspect of the empire and the daily lives of its citizens. Juno finally managed to stop laughing and wiped her tears. ¡°Did the alchemist give his approval?¡± He was a man over eighty and never had a wife. Now he wants to get married? ¡°Did he like my face?¡± Juno murmured. There was no doubt she was beautiful. Jupiter touched her arm. ¡°Juno.¡± Of course, Jupiter was still much more beautiful. However, the alchemist had no other reason to marry Juno. ¡°No, it¡¯s strange, isn¡¯t it? He hasn¡¯t married anyone in the past eighty years, and now he wants to marry me?¡± Juno looked at the marquis. ¡°Father, did you seduce him?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Juno thought he assumed the title of marquis solely because of legitimacy, but she didn¡¯t expect him actually to have some talent. ¡°Should I be thankful I won¡¯t be his second wife?¡± The marquis responded, ¡°¡­There will not be a wedding. The church shall only receive the necessary documents.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve decided to save money. Is that right?¡± It was even better the marquis wasn¡¯t going to prepare for a wedding. Juno giggled. ¡°One week from now,¡± the marquis said. Juno glanced at the servant who was taking away her empty plate, then she turned her attention back to the marquis. ¡°Father.¡± This was the worst-case scenario Juno always thought about, so she didn¡¯t feel resentful. On the contrary, it was surprising, especially since the other party had a good background. Am I really going to become Count Sergien¡¯s wife? However, Juno didn¡¯t like how they were acting. It might not be a good thing in the end. She pointed at Lilith with a fork. ¡°In any case, you will suffer.¡± ¡°What?¡± If the child was a boy, he had to compete against Jupiter. If the child was a girl¡­ the marquis was finished. But even if the child was a girl, would she be able to survive? Juno raised the corners of her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m just saying it out of pity. Anyway, I understand.¡± ¡°¡­Is that it?¡± The marquis was puzzled by her response. Perhaps he expected more. Juno smiled. What kind of reaction did he want? Everyone except the marquis was confused by Juno¡¯s reaction. Juno shrugged as she used a knife to cut into her steak. ¡°Shall we cry tears of joy and make a scene instead?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Juno, it hasn¡¯t been made official yet¡­¡± She smiled. ¡°He¡¯s the Count Sergien, right? If he agrees to it, then shouldn¡¯t I do the same?¡± Juno was thinking rationally now. This wasn¡¯t going to change if she whined. ¡°It¡¯s been decided already. Ah, I can¡¯t even be dramatic because the table is too heavy for me to flip.¡± Juno tapped the table with the back of her hand and put a piece of steak into her mouth. After swallowing it, she said, ¡°Aren¡¯t any of you going to eat? This wasn¡¯t what I wanted, but the food can¡¯t be that bad, right?¡± No one but Juno touched their meal. Some of the family relatives lowered their heads, and Nusrion was grimacing. ¡°Juno.¡± Jupiter¡¯s deep voice reached her ears. She smiled as she looked at him. His mask, always perfect, was nowhere to be seen, and there was anger in his gaze. Juno almost felt her blood boil too, but she continued to grin. She pretended to be fine and offered him a piece of steak. ¡°Jupiter, try it. The meat is tender.¡± It wasn¡¯t anything new. It was just the worst-case scenario Juno always imagined came true. Perhaps that¡¯s why she kept smiling. Occasionally, Juno¡¯s laughter resounded in the otherwise quiet dining room. Sergien. Was her husband actually going to be the alchemist, Count Sergien? What a joke. Yes, it was hilarious. Wasn¡¯t this too important to be sad about? So, Juno had to laugh. She couldn¡¯t cry or be angry here. Juno laughed. Chapter 13 Juno scolded Jupiter for slamming the door open. ¡°You¡¯re going to break it.¡± Following her into the room, Jupiter asked, ¡°How can you be so calm?¡± She appeared to be calm. That¡¯s a relief. After staring at him for a while, Juno said, ¡°I told you before, didn¡¯t I? I could become the wife of an old man.¡± ¡°Juno!¡± He slammed the door again to close it. This wasn¡¯t something for others to hear. ¡°Well¡­ If he¡¯s a humble old man, he would¡¯ve been upset at the marquis. But it¡¯s Count Sergien.¡± ¡°¡­¡± If it had been anyone else, Juno wouldn¡¯t have accepted the marriage. I¡¯m sure he would¡¯ve been able to do something. However, the marquis refused to let Juno escape this marriage. She looked at Jupiter and said, ¡°What¡¯s done is done.¡± ¡°You never know. The alchemist¡ª¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Jupiter?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Jupiter was so close to becoming the next marquis. He shouldn¡¯t be this emotional. ¡°Look at the reality of the situation.¡± He needed to be arrogant and pretentious, as he always had been. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the moment where you ask me to be nice to you?¡± she asked. ¡°Juno!¡± ¡°It might benefit you in the long run if the count favors me.¡± She approached him and continued, ¡°Of course, I prefer you over Lilith¡¯s child. I can help you become the heir.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± Juno laughed bitterly. ¡°I appreciate you being angry on my behalf, but you should stop.¡± ¡°You can be so frustrating sometimes!¡± ¡°It¡¯s interesting. I never thought I¡¯d see you so upset,¡± Juno said. She wanted to get through this as smoothly as possible. She didn¡¯t want to deny the fact she couldn¡¯t change anything. Juno tried to change the subject. ¡°You never yelled like this even when you were angry, huh?¡± But Jupiter had no intention of hiding what was on his mind now. ¡°Do you not know how I feel?¡± Juno stared at him without saying anything. How could I not know? She wasn¡¯t an idiot. Juno was aware of the intimacy between them. Do you want to talk about it now? He understood the meaning behind her look, but he didn¡¯t avert his gaze. ¡°I know,¡± she said slowly. ¡°¡­You do?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She didn¡¯t know why Jupiter liked her, but there was something between them. Jupiter grabbed her wrist. ¡°Yet you¡¯re just going to accept it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice.¡± Juno caressed Jupiter¡¯s cheek. Trying to console him, she said, ¡°¡­You also know this for a fact, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°So you are aware that I like you, but you don¡¯t think much about me.¡± He continued, ¡°You don¡¯t want to put in the effort for nothing.¡± Juno didn¡¯t deny it. ¡°¡­That¡¯s correct.¡± They knew of each other¡¯s feelings; however, she didn¡¯t like Jupiter enough to ask him to elope with her or to solve this problem. No, it¡¯s because I like you that I¡¯m doing this for your future. Jupiter closed his eyes as if to hold back his anger, then opened his eyes. Having calmed down slightly, he asked, ¡°Have you heard the rumor about the old man?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Count Sergien was famous not only in the empire but also throughout the entire continent. Peter Sergien, the alchemist. The rumor Jupiter mentioned was not of Count Sergien¡¯s skill but rather his personality. Is it because he¡¯s an eccentric person that even the emperor can¡¯t do anything about him? Count Sergien had no servants because he despised humans and didn¡¯t trust them. The dolls that he made took care of the mansion. Not to mention, there were rumors the dolls were made with human body parts. ¡°We have to do something!¡± Juno sighed. ¡°¡­Jupiter.¡± Rumors were nothing but rumors. They could be true, but there was also the possibility they were false. Jupiter walked past Juno and headed toward the door. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± She caught up to him. ¡°Jupiter!¡± ¡°My father must also be thinking of a solution.¡± The branch families will try to do something about this; however, the time they had was limited, and the opponent was formidable. Shaking her head, she said, ¡°You can¡¯t do anything.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know that yet!¡± Juno, who continued to hide her innermost thoughts and pretend to be calm, raised an eyebrow. In this situation, Juno should be the person who was angry. Why did he keep trying to give her hope? Why don¡¯t you give up now? You¡¯re going to fail. Aren¡¯t you scared about being disappointed? To be honest, Juno didn¡¯t want to be more hurt than she already was. What Jupiter had to do was neither be angry nor try to stop her marriage. If he truly liked her, he would allow this to happen. The sadness, the anger Juno managed to hold back and struggled to ignore escaped. ¡°I just want to be free!¡± Jupiter was startled. Then, Juno moved closer and grabbed him by the collar. ¡°You better become the next marquis!¡± She was in this situation because she was weak. But Jupiter had power. ¡°I like you so much that I won¡¯t be upset if you steal the title from me.¡± Juno hated Lilith and her father, yet she understood why they made their choice. That child will mean a lot to them. But at the same time, she was angry. She was angry at her own helplessness, and she was angry at the two who wanted to kick her out of the mansion. The greatest revenge Juno could get was to have someone else become the next marquis. ¡°You must never let their child succeed.¡± She realized she wasn¡¯t a good person. Because she was weak, she was forcing the man who liked her to inherit the title she didn¡¯t dare dream of obtaining. ¡°Take it.¡± But there was nothing else Juno could do. ¡°The position of marquis belongs to you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She wanted him to promise her he¡¯d become the next marquis. ¡°Jupiter.¡± With a wavering gaze, Jupiter loosened Juno¡¯s grip on his collar and stepped back. In a soft voice, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ Goodbye.¡± Juno opened the door. As he left the room, she said, ¡°Jupiter, calm down and reassess the situation.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Juno sighed as she looked at the closed door. She despised being helpless. But she was never able to live in this household without any problems. Studying, being caught in the power struggle between her father and her relatives, enduring the contempt of a mistress and her servants, these were things a noble wouldn¡¯t have to always worry about. That alone was too much for me. Juno didn¡¯t have the courage or determination to defy societal conventions and become the head of the family. To survive in a place where no one was on her side was hard. No, perhaps it was better to say she gave up early on. It was annoying to live like that. Yet¡­ She wasn¡¯t in a hurry because Jupiter, the one most likely to become the heir, was fond of her. I¡¯ve become complacent. Juno buried her face in her hands. She was pathetic. There were plenty of opportunities that appeared before her, but she missed every single one of them. She ignored her mother¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯m a fool.¡± Juno was just a silly girl pretending to be smart in the end. And now, it was all for nothing. *** Juno bitterly laughed. The ¡°wedding¡± was tomorrow; time passed slowly, yet this week went by too quickly. Tomorrow at noon, Count Sergien would send a carriage. Then she would go to the church, say her wedding vows, and sign the document. That was what she had to do tomorrow. ¡°Will I be by myself?¡± She didn¡¯t know whether the old man would be at the church himself. How many people have seen what he looked like? The emperor let him come and go, and Count Sergien rarely left his mansion for a long time. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll know everything by tomorrow.¡± She wondered if he really was an eccentric person, if he used humans to make those dolls, and the reason he was marrying her. But right now, Juno¡¯s biggest concern wasn¡¯t the wedding. Jupiter. She was worried about him. He never visited her in the past week. She didn¡¯t think he would do anything rash, but she was worried nonetheless. ¡°This is him we¡¯re talking about.¡± Jupiter was Jupiter. It was pointless to worry about him. Her only regret was that her birthday would be over in half an hour. ¡°No one will wish me a happy birthday this year.¡± She pushed Jupiter away but also wanted him to wish her a happy birthday. She was a person full of contradictions. Juno sighed. Her birthday last year was a dream come true. ¡°Why are you sighing?¡± Chapter 15 Astonished, Juno, who was on the terrace, looked in the direction the voice came from. In House Trish¡¯s mansion, Jupiter was the only one who talked to her so casually. But that voice wasn¡¯t his. ¡°Who could have¡­¡± She spotted a small shadow in the garden below. The mysterious entity had no intention of hiding itself. ¡°You¡¯re a girl, aren¡¯t you?¡± The voice sounded young. Juno didn¡¯t let her guard down and glanced behind her. I have to get inside and ring the bell. Trying to remain calm, she asked, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know if I show you.¡± As soon as she heard a voice behind her, the terrace door slammed shut. Juno felt a shiver down her spine; she could no longer escape. There was one thing left to do. Juno slowly looked behind her. ¡°Where are you going? Are you trying to call for someone?¡± The owner of the lovely voice was a child. He had blond hair, blue eyes, and chubby cheeks. When he and Juno made eye contact, the child smiled and said, ¡°I sneaked in to see you. If you don¡¯t keep this a secret, my master will scold me.¡± Juno stared at him. How did he jump up here? It was impossible for a human. But if he wasn¡¯t¡­ She recalled what he said earlier. Master? It was a ridiculous notion, but she remembered who was going to be her husband tomorrow. ¡°Impossible¡­¡± The child with rosy cheeks smiled and waved his hand. ¡°Tomorrow, you¡¯ll be his wife.¡± ¡°Do you belong to Count Sergien? But how¡­¡± He giggled. ¡°I¡¯m not a human.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a doll.¡± It was unlikely the child was a human, given he jumped to the terrace. However, there weren¡¯t any doll joints to be seen on him. His face was also full of life. He was no different from a human child. Juno frowned. ¡°You can¡¯t be. A doll has¡ª¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious I¡¯m different from them? I¡¯m special.¡± The child walked up to Juno and grabbed her hand. His hand was soft and warm. ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°My skin is smooth too.¡± ¡°Let go of me.¡± She glared at the child who kept holding her hand. He had a strong grip. He poked himself in the cheek and said, ¡°I¡¯m also cute, right?¡± Juno couldn¡¯t believe the child, blinking and looking at her, was a doll. ¡°My master¡¯s new wife is pretty too.¡± Her instincts told her the child wasn¡¯t a human, but he acted too much like one. He also didn¡¯t plan to let Juno go. She slowly asked, ¡°¡­Are you going to take care of me?¡± ¡°Yes. My master said so.¡± The child visited her out of curiosity, and he didn¡¯t have Peter Sergien¡¯s permission. I think he wants to talk to me. Juno decided to find out what the owner of this doll was like. Isn¡¯t this situation strange? This child was an uninvited guest in her house; however, because of his cute appearance, it was easy to lower her guard. Was it because she realized this child was a doll? Or because she was doing herself a favor? Do dolls have feelings? Whatever the case, it didn¡¯t confine to the norms of thought. ¡°What¡¯s your master like?¡± ¡°What kind of person is he? A tough, eccentric old man.¡± ¡°Why is he marrying me?¡± The doll shrugged. ¡°How should I know?¡± ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°I told you already, didn¡¯t I? I was curious.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe this¡­¡± Was that the only reason he was here at such a time? The child blinked and laughed. ¡°Why? Is it because I¡¯m so cute?¡± Juno narrowed her eyes. ¡°Being cute and bad manners are two different things.¡± ¡°That¡¯s mean. Look at my beautiful blond hair.¡± He began to play with a lock of his hair. The strands themselves looked human-like. It¡¯s better than the person who takes care of it. But could she say that out loud? Juno murmured, ¡°¡­You really love yourself.¡± ¡°Of course. However, I prefer hair that¡¯s red like yours.¡± Juno snorted. She didn¡¯t care about that. Carelessly, she said, ¡°Then make your hair red.¡± ¡°What? That¡¯s¡­¡± Juno observed the process of the child changing his hair color. ¡°Can you do that whenever you want?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The child¡¯s eyes widened as he touched his own hair. When he had blond hair and blue eyes, he looked like a coy noble, but with his hair red, he looked lively. She said, ¡°Red suits you.¡± The child seemed to be very upset about something. ¡°Why? How¡­¡± Before Juno asked if he was okay, someone knocked on the door to her room. She heard a voice call for her. ¡°Juno.¡± It was Jupiter. Juno glanced at the child. It wasn¡¯t a good idea to let him find out about the doll. ¡°Go.¡± ¡°No, wait¡ª¡± She patted the child on the head. The red hair between her fingers was soft. ¡°Leave. I have a visitor.¡± The child hesitated. ¡°Okay, but¡­¡± Before she knew it, her initial surprise had disappeared. Now all Juno could think about was sending the child away and seeing Jupiter. ¡°We¡¯ll meet again.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, my lady.¡± Juno watched as the child disappeared into the night, then returned to her room to open the door. As expected, there stood Jupiter. ¡°Juno.¡± In a week, he had gotten thinner. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I have something to tell you,¡± he said It wasn¡¯t good for either of them that Jupiter came to her room so late at night since Juno¡¯s marriage had been decided. She looked around before letting him in. The door closed. Juno approached Jupiter who was standing in the middle of the room. ¡°Well?¡± ¡°¡­I understand you have no choice but to get married.¡± He grabbed her hand. ¡°Please promise me one thing.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°If you ever find yourself in trouble, come and see me.¡± ¡°I beg your pardon, what did you just say?¡± He squeezed her hand, but he looked so sad that she didn¡¯t try to step back. ¡°If you¡¯re ever in trouble, won¡¯t you pay me a visit?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t, Jupiter.¡± Nothing would change. Visiting him won¡¯t solve anything, and it would only make things more difficult. She shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t keep giving you a hard time, can I?¡± ¡°Promise to keep in touch with me.¡± Juno squeezed Jupiter¡¯s hand before letting go. ¡°It¡¯s not good for you.¡± ¡°Juno!¡± Juno was upset, but this was reality. ¡°What are you going to do if a scandal breaks out while we keep in touch?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Do you think Nusrion will stay still?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of my father,¡± Jupiter said. ¡°¡­No. I¡¯m doing this for you.¡± He closed his eyes and said in a choked voice, ¡°Aren¡¯t you being too cruel?¡± ¡°Jupiter¡­¡± When he opened his eyes again, it appeared as if he was on the brink of tears. Without realizing it, Juno said, ¡°¡­If I can¡¯t stand it, I¡¯ll see you then.¡± ¡°Really?¡± She wanted to tear her own mouth apart. I shouldn¡¯t be doing this. But she couldn¡¯t stop talking. ¡°Of course.¡± It was cruel. Knowing this was like giving him a false sense of hope, Juno hated that she gave such an answer. ¡°Will you send me letters at least?¡± Jupiter asked. That was the last thing she should do. It might have been funny to say no, but this wasn¡¯t the time. ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure,¡± Juno said. ¡°Why?¡± Jupiter responded with a bittersweet smile upon seeing her expression. ¡°I know you told me to calm down.¡± ¡°Not until we both do.¡± In the end, she added a condition. If she didn¡¯t, Jupiter would never calm down. Maybe I want to put some space between us. ¡°When will that be?¡± ¡°Not now.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like this. I thought I could have done something, anything,¡± Jupiter said. He, who always looked neat and elegant, was currently a mess. Juno didn¡¯t try to console him. Why does Jupiter like me so much? It was sad to see him struggling. If you were unlucky, you would¡¯ve known the path ahead had an end. Then Jupiter stepped closer to her and whispered, ¡°May I kiss you?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Despite seeing her astonishment, Jupiter didn¡¯t take back his words. It was better to give her first kiss to him than give it to an old man who she had never seen before. However, Juno was afraid this would affect Jupiter¡¯s future. I can¡¯t be selfish anymore. Yet Jupiter was trembling; he was terrified she would refuse. ¡°¡­All right,¡± Juno said. With a shaky hand, he tucked some of her hair behind her ear and leaned in. Their lips touched, and soon enough, almost frantically, desperately, they were swallowing each other¡¯s breath. Holding Juno tightly in his arms, Jupiter looked pitiful. Juno wasn¡¯t in the position to pity anyone, but she pitied him. When they pulled away, Jupiter pressed his forehead against hers and sobbed, ¡°Happy birthday.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± It was a painful first kiss. Chapter 16 While looking at the child, Juno felt Count Sergien¡¯s eyes on her. The old man with white hair and a white beard was observing her. Juno met his gaze, turning her attention away from the disassembled body of the child. I know that look. A fire sprang to life in her heart. That was the look of someone trying to evaluate her, to see if she was worthy. The anxiety she felt when first entering the mansion dissipated. I¡¯m sick and tired of it. She stared back at him with a defiant gaze. Just as the old man was sizing her up, she was sizing up the old man. You look younger than I thought. She heard he was eighty years old, but he appeared barely over sixty. Contrary to the rumors, he had aged like fine wine. His piercing gaze stood out the most. He almost looked like an older version of the doll who had escorted her here earlier. Will the doll look like him when he gets older? ¡°It¡¯s quite a thing,¡± the old man said. Juno eyed him. ¡°¡­Have you finished your assessment?¡± ¡°Yes. Are you also done?¡± ¡°I am.¡± The old man turned back to the disassembled doll. ¡°Hm.¡± Looking at the doll, Juno still felt disgusted. It was unbelievable the only thing intact was the face. ¡°What was wrong with him?¡± Juno asked. ¡°I was piecing together the truth.¡± ¡°What does that even mean¡­¡± Was this a punishment for the visit? Juno continued to stare at the doll. ¡°Say it again,¡± the old man ordered. The child¡¯s eyes blinked, and Juno felt goosebumps. Did he just move? The child said, ¡°I prefer red hair.¡± He could speak and look around. He¡¯s truly not a human. Juno felt the old man¡¯s gaze on her again. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Try it.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The old man¡¯s habit of not explaining anything was frustrating. ¡°Do what you did yesterday.¡± ¡°What I did yesterday¡­¡± She remembered the red hair she felt between her fingers. Is he talking about that? It wasn¡¯t anything special. Didn¡¯t the child just do it? She glanced at the old man before saying, ¡°¡­Make your hair red.¡± As soon as she finished talking, the child¡¯s blond hair turned red. ¡°¡­¡± Did it change because she said so? No, perhaps it¡¯s another ability of the doll. It was no surprise that these dolls, smarter than humans and possessing superhuman strength, could do other things. It must be easy to change the color of your hair. The old man approached her and said, ¡°You¡¯re lucky.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The old man, who had looked composed and aloof, had a twisted smile on his face. ¡°You¡¯re unexpectedly talented.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You have the qualities of an alchemist.¡± The alchemist was a mysterious existence. Aside from Count Sergien, there has never been an alchemist. They were like mythical creatures. Nonsense. How do I have the qualities of an alchemist? The previous person who held the title of alchemist was Peter Sergien¡¯s father. But suddenly Juno could be one? Ridiculous. Laughing, she said, ¡°You must be joking.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t play tricks.¡± ¡°What are you even talking about then?¡± Juno then realized he was telling the truth without elaborating. He¡¯s not lying. Juno turned her attention to the child. His eyes blinked beautifully. ¡°You¡¯re quite bold for someone who¡¯s been abandoned by a mistress.¡± Juno glared at the old man, but he only laughed. ¡°Do you know what people think of you as?¡± She gritted her teeth. She knew. She heard it from the servants the past week, and she could tell based on the letters she received from acquaintances. A woman who was kicked out by a mistress and her child and sold off. That was what she was known as. Everyone made fun of her while pretending to be worried. Even the man in front of her mocked her. The old man chuckled; her first impression of him disappeared instantly. With a grin, he held out his hand to her. ¡°I will change everyone¡¯s opinion of you. You shall be the object of envy.¡± Juno stared at his large, calloused hand. He wasn¡¯t the kind of husband I was expecting. When she met his gaze, he was looking at her like she was interesting. I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s going on, but¡­ She was certain it was time to make a decision. The opportunity her mother mentioned. Juno didn¡¯t know if she was lucky or unlucky. She didn¡¯t know if the right choice was to hold this hand; however, Juno no longer wanted to live in complacency. I¡¯ll stop having regrets. I don¡¯t plan to keep hiding. As the old man implied, Juno didn¡¯t want to be remembered as someone who was kicked out by her father¡¯s mistress. She remembered how she didn¡¯t escape while also cursing the reality of her living situation. I¡¯m going to change. She recalled how she left the mansion alone and the shadow that could be seen from her bedroom window. She will not miss this opportunity in front of her. After Juno grabbed the old man¡¯s hand, he laughed. ¡°Nice to meet you, Juno Sergien. Welcome to my home. I¡¯m Peter Sergien.¡± *** Looking at the child who had been disassembled into a mess of doll parts, she asked, ¡°Are you going to leave him like this?¡± Peter glanced at the child before turning around and saying, ¡°You fix it.¡± What was he talking about? Peter began to walk to the door. ¡°How?¡± ¡°On your own.¡± Juno followed after him. ¡°Even when you haven¡¯t taught me anything?¡± Peter stopped at the door and looked at the bookcase. ¡°Do you want me to read all these books?¡± ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t have time,¡± he said. ¡°Wait!¡± She just arrived here and already he wanted her to fix that doll. She raced after him; when Peter suddenly stopped, she bumped into him. Peter glanced at her and said, ¡°If you fix it within a month, I¡¯ll accept you.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you already accept me?¡± ¡°Yes, but if you fix the doll, I¡¯ll teach you better.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The corners of Peter¡¯s mouth rose. ¡°Try your best to get it done in time. If you want some advice, envision it, lay out the foundation, and then imagine it.¡± Juno frowned. Peter pointed to the brown-haired doll standing in front of him. ¡°This fellow will help you with your day-to-day life.¡± She was surprised to see Peter take a coat from the doll. You¡¯re leaving now? ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a busy man.¡± Juno watched as he opened the door. The brown-haired doll said, ¡°Have a nice trip, Master.¡± ¡°I will.¡± The door closed. Did he actually leave? Shaking her head, Juno ran to the door and threw it open. No one was in the corridor. Peter just walked out, but he was nowhere to be found. Juno felt like she was seeing things. Was the person she talked to really Peter Sergien? Can that even be considered a conversation? Did Juno have a knack for alchemy? He was her husband. Did her husband just accept her as his apprentice? It was absurd, ridiculous, and put Juno at a loss for words. What the hell is going on? He said she had the qualities of an alchemist and that he would make her an object of envy, then just left. He literally just disappeared, leaving her alone with the dolls. What even¡­ She stared at the door until she felt a presence standing next to her. Juno looked at the brown-haired doll. ¡°My name is John. I will be serving you from now on. Pleased to make your acquaintance.¡± Juno nodded. ¡°Nice to meet you, John.¡± ¡°I suggest you start studying.¡± A doll who tells his master¡¯s new wife to study as soon as she walked into the mansion. She heard a voice from behind. ¡°My lady, please fix me as soon as possible!¡± Juno looked in the direction of the voice, then back at the brown-haired doll. No, she looked at John. It seemed she was the only one who didn¡¯t understand the situation. Chapter 17 Juno stared at the closed door as well as John. She was curious. ¡°How did he disappear?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out later,¡± John said. ¡°No, it¡¯s ¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you can study right now, so I¡¯ll show you around.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°This way, please.¡± She glanced at the room behind her. ¡°What about him?¡± ¡°Are you talking about the doll?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It will have to stay like that for a while.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± John started walking. ¡°How kind of you. I¡¯ll take you to your room first. You have to change your clothes.¡± His gaze told Juno to follow him, so she did. The appearance of that child was still on her mind. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it hurt?¡± If the child hadn¡¯t spoken or moved, it wouldn¡¯t have bothered her as much. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± ¡°Then is there another issue?¡± ¡°It must be feeling uncomfortable.¡± ¡°Because he can¡¯t move?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± John was indifferent as he responded to her questions. It seemed dolls don¡¯t have emotions. ¡°May I ask one more question?¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Is it true all the servants here are¡­¡± A torso with multiple arms appeared at the end of the hallway. Juno grabbed John¡¯s arm and shouted, ¡°What is that?¡± The arms on the torso, holding various cleaning supplies, swung wildly and swept the area around it. John was unfazed as he said, ¡°It¡¯s a doll just like me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a doll? A doll for cleaning?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± John replied. Juno remembered the doll in Peter¡¯s study from earlier. ¡°What about the one in the study?¡± ¡°It handles business affairs.¡± Each doll seemed to have its own role. Juno stared at John who looked exactly like a human. What is your role? A butler? Juno couldn¡¯t resist her curiosity. John was going to be the one to help her in the future, and even then, Juno would continue to live here; she needed to know the ins and outs of the mansion. ¡°And you?¡± ¡°Think of me like a handyman who does troublesome chores and occasionally has to go outside.¡± It appeared John was made to look like a human so he could do tasks that required one to leave the mansion. Then why did that child look like a human? ¡°How about the boy?¡± John stopped in his tracks and looked at her. ¡°You¡¯re quite interested in that doll, aren¡¯t you?¡± Rather than being interested, Juno was bothered by the child. If you see that, wouldn¡¯t you be concerned? ¡°I saw him yesterday.¡± ¡°I heard.¡± ¡°Since I¡¯ve only seen him once, I¡¯m worried.¡± ¡°You keep treating the doll as a human.¡± Juno reflected on what he said. John wasn¡¯t wrong. But that child looks like one. Perhaps it was because of her first impression. ¡°Is that so?¡± she said. John took another step. ¡°It was my master¡¯s latest work. He made it for you, my lady.¡± Peter made the doll for her. She wasn¡¯t sure what that meant. ¡°For me?¡± ¡°He made it before realizing you had a talent for alchemy. Now it¡¯s useless.¡± ¡°What?¡± His words unsettled her. John repeated, ¡°It¡¯s useless.¡± ¡°What happens when a doll is useless?¡± she asked cautiously. ¡°It gets disposed of.¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± Her loud voice echoed through the wide corridor. Surprised, Juno covered her mouth. ¡°The decision was made by my master.¡± Finding his words unsettling, Juno gripped John¡¯s arm tighter. ¡°Aren¡¯t I the master now? It falls to me to deal with whatever that child does.¡± ¡°Yes, my lady, you now own the doll.¡± She didn¡¯t like the use of the word ¡°own¡±, but that wasn¡¯t important right now. ¡°It¡¯s weird to think of it like that. I¡¯ll just let him do what he wants.¡± John gave her a strange look. ¡°Do you like it that much?¡± Juno felt bad for the boy. Every word used to refer to the child reminded Juno of herself. If it was useless, it was abandoned. The child was ¡°owned¡± by someone else like it was nothing more than an object. I¡¯m getting too attached. Was it because the child turned his hair red when she asked for it? ¡°Well¡­ You all talk, listen, and move around, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I heard dolls don¡¯t have feelings, but they still move. I can¡¯t think of them as inanimate objects.¡± ¡°Were there no dolls in your previous home?¡± Juno nodded. House Trish never had dolls, so she was unaccustomed to dealing with them. ¡°Noble families like House Trish don¡¯t use them.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± It was almost impossible to understand. Why don¡¯t high-ranking noble families, said to be the epitome of the aristocracy, use dolls? Dolls were more efficient and safer than people. It¡¯s all a matter of pride. Juno scoffed. ¡°Because dolls are becoming more common, they think human servants are more luxurious.¡± ¡°How strange.¡± His answer made her laugh. ¡°I think so too.¡± As John said, it was strange and inefficient. They lived an uncomfortable life as a means to show they were superior to others. If all the servants were dolls, Juno¡¯s living situation at the time wouldn¡¯t have been so bad. Dolls treat everyone the same. ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s why you feel awkward around dolls.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± It must be why her common sense, when it came to dolls, was lacking compared to others and why she cared a lot about the child. Juno recalled the words said by Peter Sergien. ¡°I have more questions.¡± ¡°All right.¡± ¡°What are the qualities of an alchemist?¡± ¡°Exactly as you think it is. It¡¯s the power to make what you want and what you think become reality.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°If you read one of the books, you¡¯ll understand.¡± Juno recalled the number of books she saw earlier. Even a month wouldn¡¯t be enough time to finish reading everything. ¡°There are books handed down from generation to generation. Consider them the alchemist¡¯s treasures.¡± ¡°Is it all right for you to show me those?¡± ¡°You are now part of this family, my lady.¡± Juno murmured, ¡°My family, huh¡­¡± Again, she wondered why Peter Sergien married her. ¡°Why did he marry me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I wasn¡¯t told the reason.¡± Juno bitterly smiled. She and John were in a similar situation. John stopped in front of a door and looked at her. ¡°We have arrived. This is the bedroom you¡¯ll be using in the future.¡± ¡°I¡­ see.¡± After John opened the door for her, she peered in and saw a room three times as large as her bedroom back in House Trish¡¯s mansion. ¡°Is it not your liking?¡± Juno shook her head. ¡°Where¡¯s his room?¡± ¡°It¡¯s at the end of the hall.¡± As with most arranged marriages, they used separate rooms. Juno was relieved. John stepped aside. ¡°You may rest for a while. I¡¯ll call you when dinner is ready.¡± She thought it would be wise to take a rest. The sudden influx of information made her dizzy; however, her curiosity had yet to be satiated. I told myself to have no more regrets. I¡¯ll do my best. Juno asked, ¡°May I change my clothes here and then go back there again?¡± ¡°Are you referring to the study?¡± ¡°The other room.¡± ¡°You mean my master¡¯s workshop.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That doll must be bothering you a lot.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say he was uncomfortable earlier? I better get to work as soon as possible.¡± Of course, what Peter Sergien said before he left was another reason. ¡°I also only have a month.¡± John nodded. ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll help you change¡ª¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Juno doubted her ears. ¡°I¡¯ll help you change¡ª¡° Juno¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You¡¯re a man!¡± ¡°I¡¯m a doll.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡­¡± As they established earlier, Juno wasn¡¯t used to dolls. ¡°I¡¯m used to changing by myself, so I¡¯ll be quick!¡± ¡°Understood. All the clothes there are yours, so you can wear whatever you like.¡± ¡°All right.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting outside.¡± Juno nodded and closed the door. She was alone in her new room. No dolls, just her. Juno sat down on the floor. Chapter 18 John might still be standing behind the thin door, but when Juno felt she was alone, she collapsed. She pretended to be fine, but it was too much to nod and accept she had the qualities of an alchemist. I have a talent for alchemy? What is that? Why did his hair change color? She also didn¡¯t know what to think of Peter Sergien. I feel like my head is going to burst. It was ridiculous the marriage took place in a week and that her husband was Peter Sergien, but she accepted what had happened. Then, her husband claimed she had the qualities of an alchemist and left behind a broken doll for her to fix. What kind of husband is that? It was strange at first, but now Juno found it completely absurd she could also be an alchemist. Do you really want me to study and put the doll back together? Juno buried her face in her hands. I want to see Jupiter. Up until this point, the most unpredictable person in her life was Jupiter. Now there was someone even more unpredictable than him. She wanted to scream. How much time had passed? Juno lowered her hands and took a deep breath. Nothing will be solved if I continue to sit here. She already made her choice; she took the alchemist¡¯s hand. It was better to read books and study than sit around and think about Jupiter. All I¡¯ve done so far was study. Juno stood up. For now, let¡¯s focus on fixing the child. Juno opened the closet. *** As Juno¡¯s gaze flitted between the child in front of her and John, she asked, ¡°What should I do first?¡± John handed her a thick book. ¡°I recommend you read the basics.¡± With a sullen face, she accepted it. ¡°This one?¡± It felt heavier than it appeared. ¡°Yes, you will see what an alchemist is like.¡± Juno nodded. There was nothing else she could do. ¡°¡­I understand.¡± ¡°Shall I bring you a chair?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± John left the room. As Juno was looking around, the child spoke. ¡°My lady.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Juno asked. ¡°Are you mad at me?¡± ¡°Huh? Why would I be?¡± ¡°Because of me, my master recognized your talent.¡± Juno wasn¡¯t sure why she should be upset that such a thing happened. ¡°Am I supposed to be mad?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve discovered a talent even I didn¡¯t know about. The more skills a person has, the better. Especially if it¡¯s a unique, rare one.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± The child¡¯s mood improved. He was more expressive than John. Now that Juno thought about it, she didn¡¯t know his name. ¡°By the way, what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have one yet.¡± She looked at him in surprise. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°My master has yet to decide on one.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Indeed, Peter Sergien didn¡¯t seem to be the type of person who gave a name to every single doll. But I don¡¯t want to keep referring to him as ¡°the child¡±. ¡°Is there a name you¡¯d like to have? Or do you have one in mind?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Really? Since you¡¯ll be with me from now on, choose a name you want in the meantime.¡± ¡°Is that an order?¡± Juno stared at the child. He was just born and already obedient. She smiled and nodded. ¡°¡­Yes, it¡¯s an order.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± John returned with a large, comfortable chair and table. ¡°Isn¡¯t that heavy?¡± Juno asked. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± John set the chair and table next to her. Then he walked to the door and brought in a tray with a cup of tea. He placed the teacup on the table. ¡°Thank you,¡± Juno said. ¡°Use this if you need me.¡± Juno examined the object with a button that John gave her. No matter how many times she looked at it, she couldn¡¯t figure out how to use it. ¡°How does this work?¡± ¡°If you press the button, I¡¯ll get a signal.¡± Juno pressed the button, and something identical to the object Juno was holding popped out of John¡¯s arm. Oh, so it¡¯s like a bell to call for a maid? Juno was impressed by the item in her hand. John started to head to the door. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Juno asked. ¡°I have to check on the meal preparations.¡± Juno thought it was better to see him as a butler than a handyman. John left the workshop; Juno sat down in the chair. ¡°My lady,¡± the child said. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Are you going to fix me?¡± ¡°Hopefully.¡± ¡°Will you really do it?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The child grinned. As expected, you look so much like a human. Juno smiled back at the child and returned her attention back to the book. She wanted to fix the child as soon as possible. *** ¡°I did it!¡± Juno excitedly raised her arms. The child also raised his arms and shouted, ¡°Yay!¡± Juno and he began to dance in a circle around the workshop. John soon walked in as he saw the two. ¡°My lady.¡± ¡°John, look! I fixed him!¡± Juno grabbed the child¡¯s arm, but then his hand fell off. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The child snatched his hand off the floor and reattached it. ¡°It¡¯s all right, I put it back on.¡± He moved his hand around again. Juno nervously laughed. ¡°¡­O-Of course. John, please forget what you just saw.¡± She planned to do the same. ¡°Understood.¡± John nodded before approaching Juno and grabbing her hair. ¡°Did it get messed up again?¡± she asked. John nodded. He had the same blank face, but she could see he was unhappy. Juno looked at a nearby mirror. Unlike in the past, where she looked prim and proper in order to not show any weakness, her reflection revealed a woman with messy hair who wore simple clothes. There was no makeup on her face. She didn¡¯t hate her current appearance. I look happy. John made Juno sit down in a chair. ¡°I¡¯ll tie it up again.¡± Her hair was disheveled partially because John was clumsy, but also because Juno moved around while repairing the child. ¡°I can¡¯t always stop to fix my hair.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not an expert in this sort of thing¡­ When Master comes back, I¡¯ll ask him to add the necessary functions.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re good at everything else! Look, my hair is pretty now.¡± Juno smiled at her loosely tied hair. To be honest, seeing John, who appeared to be perfect, not be good at everything made him feel more human. Juno asked John why he visited the workshop. ¡°Is it lunchtime already?¡± ¡°No, my lady.¡± John shook his head while staring at Juno¡¯s hair in disappointment. ¡°What happened? Didn¡¯t you say you were busy today?¡± Juno was pretty sure he said he was busy. Although her perception of time disappeared because she worked all day and night to fix the child in the past few weeks, she didn¡¯t forget what was said yesterday. The child, who was staring at Juno¡¯s hair while leaning on the chair¡¯s armrest, nodded. ¡°Yes, John said he was busy today.¡± The problem was Juno couldn¡¯t remember why he was busy. She was too focused on her work. ¡°Can you tell me the reason again? I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t told you yet.¡± ¡°Oh? Then why were you busy? Why did you come here all of a sudden?¡± John had said he was a handyman, but he was always busy because he managed everything in the household and every doll. It was usually difficult to see him outside of lunch and dinner. ¡°Master is on his way back from his trip.¡± ¡°What?¡± Juno hurriedly checked the date. ¡°There are still three days left,¡± John said. ¡°But why is he coming back so soon?¡± She wasn¡¯t prepared at all. I almost fixed the child, but it¡¯s still not perfect. Juno stood up from her seat. Time to get back to work. She recalled the gaze that appeared to be evaluating her. If she didn¡¯t meet his expectations, it was obvious that¡­ ¡°I do not know. He¡¯ll be here any minute now.¡± While Juno was panicking, the child called out to someone happily. ¡°Master!¡± Juno felt like she was about to faint, but she forced herself to smile and take a deep breath. John anxiously looked at her. I don¡¯t have to be so nervous. If he says it¡¯s not perfect, I can tell him he just came back earlier than expected. The child ran to the old man entering the workshop. Peter Sergien, wearing a black coat, watched him. The child moved around. ¡°Look, everything¡¯s working again! Even this joint!¡± Peter Sergien looked no different from when he left a few weeks ago. John approached him and took his coat. ¡°Master, you¡¯re back.¡± Peter nodded at the child before him. ¡°Yes, the doll has been fixed.¡± His attention turned to Juno. ¡°Juno Trish.¡± Chapter 19 ¡°It¡¯s Juno Sergien.¡± ¡°Yes, Juno. Let¡¯s take a closer look.¡± The child followed Peter and lay down on a table under the window. Juno approached them and asked, ¡°Where have you been?¡± ¡°Alchemists are busy people.¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t been a month yet.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a very capable person.¡± It was hard to deny that. Juno learned a certain amount of knowledge within these few weeks and understood how amazing Peter¡¯s craftsmanship was. How much time had passed? Peter looked at her. ¡°You¡¯re still inexperienced, but it¡¯s not bad.¡± Juno grinned. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± She glanced at the child. ¡°Congratulations on becoming my official apprentice, Juno Sergien.¡± She didn¡¯t want him to think she gave up just within a few days. Perhaps noticing the look in her eyes, Peter said, ¡°You must have a lot to say. Get out, both of you.¡± John and the child left the workshop without question. Once the door to the workshop was closed, the old man leaned on the table. ¡°What do you want to know?¡± Juno was nervous, but she tried not to reveal it. ¡°Why did you marry me?¡± ¡°I was asked to.¡± ¡°Ha, who can ask such a great alchemist for such a thing?¡± This was the same alchemist who said the emperor couldn¡¯t do as he pleases to the emperor himself. ¡°What¡¯s your relationship with my father?¡± ¡°I never met him.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Why do you think it was your father who asked me for a favor?¡± Who else could it be? Another person came to mind. ¡°Do you know Lilith?¡± Lilith originally worked in a brothel, so it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if she knew Peter Sergien. Annoyed, Peter Sergien said, ¡°Anyone else?¡± His expression wasn¡¯t hiding anything. Juno was frustrated. ¡°Who the hell is it then?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know. And from now on, call me Teacher.¡± Juno blinked. She didn¡¯t really want to say it, but she couldn¡¯t help herself. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ your wife.¡± ¡°Do I look like I care?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Did that mean Juno wasn¡¯t meant to be his wife? As if the reason for why I was brought here couldn¡¯t get more confusing. If he took Juno as his wife just because of a request, then how was the person who asked for the favor related to her? ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know,¡± Peter said. Juno grabbed his arm. ¡°What do I need to know then?¡± ¡°Alchemy.¡± She couldn¡¯t believe he was willing to teach her alchemy but not tell her who made the request. However, alchemy was too good of a discipline to get angry at Peter. What Juno had seen in a month was astounding. It fascinated her, and she wanted to learn more. She looked down at her hands. Aside from the callus on her middle finger, there were faint scratches. She was doing something unimaginable. I want to learn more. I want to make it mine. That way her curiosity would be satiated. Juno now had a passion for alchemy. ¡°¡­What will you teach me?¡± ¡°Just keep doing what you¡¯ve been doing.¡± ¡°I have to study by myself again?¡± ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t know anything, you can ask me.¡± Juno muttered, ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± ¡°Your mindset will be different. And you can ask me questions. We¡¯re running out of time, and my time is money!¡± Juno knew having and not having to ask someone weren¡¯t the same thing, but she couldn¡¯t believe she was learning by herself. She tried to catch up to him again, but Peter took out that object with a button on it. ¡°I¡¯m hungry, so I¡¯m going to have lunch.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not done talking!¡± John opened the door to the workshop. ¡°Did you call for me, Master?¡± ¡°It¡¯s time for lunch.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Juno said, ¡°What am I supposed to be doing, Peter?¡± ¡°Teacher.¡± Juno hesitated for a moment before she said, ¡°Teacher.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have lunch.¡± Juno stared at Peter as he walked away. What a selfish old man. *** Peter Sergien finished his meal instantly while Juno wondered if that was normal. His table manners were more akin to an old aristocrat than an old man with a bizarre smile. Was he like that back then? Juno watched as he put down his work. Wiping his mouth with a napkin, Peter looked at her. She didn¡¯t avoid his gaze. She wanted to ask him more questions, but she decided to save them for later since he said he would teach her alchemy. At last, Peter spoke. ¡°A person must have a goal in order to work hard.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Peter leaned back in his chair. ¡°I¡¯ll be dead in two years.¡± ¡°What?¡± Juno was stunned. He was going to die in two years? Just like that? No, the real problem is how he can be so sure he¡¯ll die in by then. And why was he telling her? She eyed him warily. ¡°You only have two years to learn alchemy from me.¡± It was like his words erased any other thought she had. She didn¡¯t need anything else. What was important were those two years. Juno asked, ¡°¡­And?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll answer any questions you have once you can call yourself an alchemist in those two years.¡± It was a good deal for Juno. ¡°All right.¡± ¡°During that time, I¡¯ll shut the door to the mansion.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Do you plan to keep people out but also prevent anyone from leaving? Even then, this was a place where most people were prohibited from entering. Does that mean Peter Sergien will no longer work as an alchemist? As Juno tried to understand the meaning behind his words, Peter continued talking. ¡°Two years is not a lot of time for an alchemist.¡± So not only did Juno have to work hard for two years, the two of them would be working hard together? ¡°I¡¯m not going to meet with anyone else. You should do the same,¡± Peter said. For a moment, Juno thought of Jupiter. But she already told him she would contact him if something happened. Not hearing anything from her meant things were going well. Jupiter will be fine. Juno nodded. ¡°I understand.¡± Peter turned his head to John who was standing behind him. ¡°John.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve cleaned the room already.¡± Peter rose from his seat. ¡°Finish your meal. Starting tomorrow, visit the workshop at seven in the morning.¡± ¡°All right.¡± As the door closed, Juno stared at Peter¡¯s empty seat before relaxing and stretching out her arms. Her hands were sweaty; her knuckles hurt from clutching her eating utensils too hard. I don¡¯t think he cared. She noticed he didn¡¯t eat much. Juno looked at the dish in front of her. A doll was clearing the table of empty plates and brought her another meal. It was one of the dolls that couldn¡¯t speak. She patted it on the head. ¡°Thank you.¡± The doll creaked and returned to the kitchen. Juno smiled as she saw her favorite food before her. She didn¡¯t know if John requested it or the doll chose to do it, but she felt better. She also felt hungrier. Juno lifted her fork when the kitchen door opened again. The doll from earlier brought her a large bowl of ice cream. ¡°Huh?¡± Juno didn¡¯t know if she could finish it, but ice cream was her favorite dessert. The doll was standing still and showed no signs of leaving. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll enjoy my meal, but I¡¯m worried my stomach will explode.¡± The doll went back to the kitchen. Was it her imagination that it seemed happy? Juno started to eat; the door opened, and the red-haired child ran to her side. ¡°My lady!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± The child¡¯s expression had never been brighter. It was beautiful to see. ¡°I¡¯ve decided on a name!¡± ¡°Really?¡± The child¡¯s eyes were practically shining. ¡°I¡¯ll be Hebe from now on.¡± ¡°Hebe?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Juno patted Hebe¡¯s head. ¡°It¡¯s a very pretty name.¡± Hebe sat in a chair next to her. ¡°Do you want to stay here?¡± A doll didn¡¯t need to eat, so there wasn¡¯t a reason for Hebe to be in the dining room. Moving his legs back and forth, Hebe said, ¡°I want to be with you. Isn¡¯t it weird to be alone?¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± Juno resumed eating as Hebe talked. This isn¡¯t so bad. The dolls here, alchemy, and Peter Sergien. It wasn¡¯t such a bad place. Chapter 20 The sudden announcement from Count Sergien shook the empire. And the man sitting in the dark room was shaking as well. Long, white fingers tightly held onto a handkerchief. In the darkness, his blue eyes were fierce enough to scare anyone away. It was like he had lost all reason. He put his hand on his neck and breathed heavily as if someone was strangling him. After a long time, he looked up. The man with bloodshot eyes licked his lips. ¡°Juno¡­¡± *** Juno grabbed the book and looked at Peter. One year has passed since she arrived here. She read about half of the books in the workshop, and her relationship with the old man wasn¡¯t bad. We¡¯re a good teacher-and-student pair, and we never had to work as if we were a couple. She kept wondering about who asked him for that favor but pushed that question to the back of her mind. The more she learned about alchemy, the more she was curious about it. Sitting across from her, Peter Sergien examined a doll¡¯s brain, which he had been working on since they both used the workshop. ¡°Teacher.¡± She knew he wasn¡¯t a man who wouldn¡¯t give her an answer because he was angry. ¡°Why do you make dolls?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°You can use alchemy for other things, so¡­ Why do you only make dolls?¡± When Juno first learned of alchemy, it was to fix Hebe. What she knew best at the moment was alchemy in its application to dolls, but alchemy itself wasn¡¯t limited to just that. In fact, it¡¯s only a small part. However, because of Peter Sergien, the alchemist of the current era, most people think of a doll when they hear about an alchemist. ¡°To store memories,¡± Peter said. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I want to keep memories. Well, I can¡¯t necessarily call it a memory in the first place.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Peter smiled. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it to be for a sentimental reason.¡± Peter snorted at her answer. ¡°What did you have in mind?¡± ¡°I thought you wanted to feel like a god. That kind of thing.¡± In the past year, she saw Peter Sergien as a man brimming with confidence and full of conceit, to put it mildly. Peter frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not interested.¡± ¡°It sounded like it was possible given what usually comes out of your mouth.¡± ¡°I hate the gods.¡± ¡°What?¡± Juno stared at Peter¡¯s expression. That wasn¡¯t the look of someone who just ¡°hated¡± gods. ¡°To tell you the truth, I think it¡¯s right for me to say I want to defeat the gods.¡± She felt she touched something she shouldn¡¯t have. ¡°Aren¡¯t you technically an agent of a god by being an alchemist?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Juno laughed because she didn¡¯t want to ruin the mood for no reason. Peter winked at her and said, ¡°Go study.¡± There was one more thing she wanted to ask: the future direction of her studies. ¡°¡­Am I allowed to research something other than a doll?¡± ¡°Has something caught your interest?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She opened the book she was holding and pointed to a particular page. ¡°This!¡± ¡°Weapons? Why?¡± There was no particular reason, but Juno wanted to have at least something to protect herself with. She shrugged. ¡°I wanted to try and create one with self-defense in mind.¡± ¡°What will happen when you make it?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± It was a simple question, but the implications weren¡¯t. What did she mean by ¡°making weapons¡±? ¡°As I started making dolls, there were more dolls in the empire, correct?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Peter Sergien¡¯s dolls were used by most noble families, and half of the royal family¡¯s servants were dolls. Dolls are used by everyone. They were very helpful in many ways. Just as the dolls in the mansion had their own roles, so did the dolls sold to the public. Depending on the need, there were dolls available on the market for tasks such as housework and business affairs. There was no need to worry about things like betrayal, fraud, or even death. Dolls were used throughout the entire continent. ¡°And you know we can¡¯t stay like this forever.¡± Juno nodded. As they spoke, numerous letters arrived at the mansion, all addressed to Peter Sergien. He had shut off his mansion for a year. Dolls were indispensable in people¡¯s lives, and only alchemists like Peter Sergien could fix dolls once they ¡°died¡±. In addition, several household items were made by alchemists, so he couldn¡¯t keep the mansion closed as it was. ¡°As long as we live in an empire and people continue to use these goods, they will seek us out.¡± Juno nodded again. Alchemists could specialize in almost anything, but it took a lot of effort to hone their skills. Endlessly studying, researching, and experimenting. A lot of money was spent on such. Why do alchemists sell their inventions on the market? It was because they needed money. Juno¡¯s spending over the past year was greater than her expenses in the eighteen years she lived at House Trish¡¯s mansion. ¡°But you don¡¯t want to shut yourself away and study. Or throw away all this money and hide, right?¡± ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°If you want to become the head of this family after my death, you need to have good results.¡± She was surprised. ¡°Me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have children. All I have is a wife and an apprentice.¡± Juno was the only person here where both those words applied. ¡°But¡­¡± Peter smirked. ¡°Yes, women cannot become the head of the family in this empire. However, there¡¯s an exception to that rule, isn¡¯t there?¡± Her eyes widened. ¡°When there are no relatives¡­ The widow becomes the head of the family¡­¡± Peter continued to smile. ¡°Indeed. If I die, this family name will be yours.¡± ¡°¡­I can be an actual Sergien?¡± Juno remembered everything about House Sergien she had learned in the past year. It was the most famous, influential, and richest family on the entire continent. It was envied by everyone and the source of many rumors. ¡°Only if you pursue the path of an alchemist and carry on the legacy. It can¡¯t be just for wealth.¡± Peter stared at her as if looking forward to her answer. Of course, Juno wanted anything but money. I want the reputation of an alchemist. She wanted not to be known as just Peter Sergien¡¯s wife, but as Juno Sergien. Peter turned his gaze back to the doll and said, ¡°Are you going to follow in my footsteps and continue making dolls? Are you going to make weapons like you said you wanted? Or will you do something else?¡± The easiest choice was to do what she did best, which was making dolls. But that won¡¯t do. Juno said, ¡°Well¡­ You haven¡¯t revealed the existence of human-looking dolls like John or Hebe because you fear the consequences.¡± ¡°Yes. I showed the world that dolls only move when given an order.¡± She recalled the dolls who appeared to have thoughts and feelings in this mansion. What would happen if that kind of doll was on the market? It should never happen. Then, the memory of how she held his hand came to mind. That means¡­ ¡°So, John and Hebe are alive to you since they think and move around?¡± ¡°¡­To some extent.¡± Peter¡¯s confirmation made her smile. Her teacher secretly regarded the dolls as family. Even if he didn¡¯t, he cared for them. Since you said you made dolls for the memories. He wasn¡¯t a person with no emotion. Maybe Hebe would be happy to hear that. And John too, of course. No, all the dolls in this mansion would be pleased. They loved their creator, their father, Peter. ¡°And that¡¯s why you don¡¯t reveal your current research to the public, right?¡± ¡°Correct. The dolls I made before are enough.¡± Juno decided not to specialize heavily in doll-making. ¡°¡­If I want to surpass you, I have to go beyond the horizon.¡± If Juno was a child, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem. But at first glance, I¡¯m the young wife of an alchemist. A woman who was sold to become Peter Sergien¡¯s wife. That was what everyone knew, which meant Juno will be held to a higher standard. She had to develop and show greater results than Peter Sergien. Otherwise, no one would see Juno as Juno Sergien. Chapter 21 Peter, who had been silent for a moment, nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Then doll-making isn¡¯t an option.¡± ¡°Will you make weapons?¡± That wasn¡¯t good either. Since it would be used throughout the entire continent and potentially the world, the weapon can¡¯t be used to kill people. People won¡¯t be satisfied with that. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± What should she do to be recognized? How will it benefit the world? What can she do to increase her worth? Juno looked at the books that she had yet to read. Fortunately, as her knowledge increased, the time it took to read a book decreased. Of course, there were some books she didn¡¯t fully understand. Juno saw Peter was focused on making a doll. ¡°What are you doing now?¡± ¡°For the future.¡± ¡°I see.¡± She didn¡¯t understand what he meant and peeked at the basic framework of the doll head. ¡°Go study, you fool,¡± Peter scolded. Juno pouted. It was true she wasn¡¯t as capable as her teacher, but she wasn¡¯t an idiot. Regardless, she stepped back. As he said, she only had a year left. ¡°Yes, Teacher.¡± She sat down at the desk and opened a book. Only the sounds of a moving quill pen and clinking doll parts could be heard in the workshop. *** Nusrion glared at his son who was standing before him. ¡°You¡¯re insane.¡± Jupiter smiled. ¡°Father touched what was mine first.¡± Over the past year, Jupiter learned a lot. What was Nusrion doing? Well, whatever he did behind the scenes, it was none of Jupiter¡¯s business. I can never forgive you for hurting Juno. It was Nusrion who prevented the other branch families from stopping Juno¡¯s marriage. She must have thought it wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing to marry Count Sergien. Acquiring the title of marquis would take more time, but more importantly, Nusrion figured he could take control of House Trish without relying on legitimacy. He even put in a clause that took away Juno¡¯s right of inheritance, so she could never return. ¡°¡­Are you going to do it?¡± Nusrion clutched his chest in pain. Jupiter¡¯s expression was as beautifully dangerous as a blooming rose covered in thorns. Just as his father abandoned Juno, Jupiter would abandon Nusrion. Jupiter tilted his head to the side. ¡°I have no use for a father now.¡± Lilith gave birth to a girl. She said that she can give birth to another child, but no one else knew she couldn¡¯t get pregnant anymore. Nusrion gritted his teeth. ¡°¡­It will take longer to¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind. It means they can suffer longer.¡± They will experience the pain that Juno felt. They will cower in fear and regret what they¡¯ve done. Nusrion almost wanted to laugh. ¡°I was¡­ part of that¡­¡± ¡°Worry not. I¡¯ll become the next marquis like you always wanted.¡± Crimson blood flowed out of Nusrion¡¯s mouth. Jupiter stepped back. ¡°I would prefer you not get any blood on me.¡± He glanced at the documents that pertained to the family expenses on Nusrion¡¯s desk. ¡°Of course, what¡¯s mine also belongs to Juno.¡± ¡°¡­Do you think she¡¯ll accept you after finding out who you really are?¡± Yet his words didn¡¯t elicit the reaction he wanted from Jupiter. Still smiling, Jupiter said, ¡°Father, do you truly believe I¡¯ll be caught? Even you weren¡¯t aware I was this kind of person, hm?¡± Nusrion had a disgusted look on his face. He never thought Jupiter, his perfect son, was actually a madman. ¡°Hahaha, I¡¯m glad I get to die without¡­ Ugh¡­¡± The smile on Jupiter¡¯s face disappeared. ¡°You¡¯re surprisingly tough. Why are you still talking?¡± Nusrion breathed heavily in response to Jupiter¡¯s words as if he had no more strength to speak. Looking down at him with an indifferent gaze, Jupiter murmured, ¡°Your death will put more pressure on Marquis Robert. And of course, his new daughter.¡± Nusrion¡¯s death was a fine card in Jupiter¡¯s hand, so there was no need to be upset. Time passed very slowly. At last, Nusrion closed his eyes. ¡°Good, you¡¯re finally dead.¡± Jupiter¡¯s gaze went from Nusrion¡¯s lifeless body covered in blood to the cup of tea and letter on the desk. Both were sent by Lilith to celebrate her daughter living for one hundred days. As soon as that proud woman found out her child was a girl, she tried to please the branch families. Every time she saw Jupiter, she wanted to win his favor. A disgusting woman. Of course, Marquis Robert was disgusting too. On the day of Juno¡¯s marriage, Jupiter made a promise in her empty bedroom once she left. He would make them pay. Then, a month afterward, Count Sergien forbade anyone from contacting his residence. Jupiter¡¯s heart sank. Juno. She said she would contact him if something bad happened, but she hadn¡¯t sent anything. Jupiter thought it meant she was okay. But what if she¡¯s not telling me anything on purpose? Juno could have done that. She pretends to be tough, but she¡¯s kind. I¡¯d be fine if that was the case. However, what if Juno couldn¡¯t contact him even when she wanted to? Then she¡­ Every day, Jupiter imagined the worst: Juno, laying in a coffin. While he was here, Juno might have already died. What was the point of telling her to ask him for help? Please be safe. Jupiter didn¡¯t want to think about it, but he was worried. Juno was never seen outside ever since she arrived at Count Sergien¡¯s mansion. Count Sergien rarely went out anyway, but the situation changed with how he announced he¡¯ll be shutting himself off from the world. There were two popular rumors about why he did such a thing. Either Peter Sergien was so enamored with his young wife that he put off his work, or he made his young wife into a doll. Don¡¯t think about it. Whatever the case, it was bad. Jupiter tried to contact Count Sergien multiple times, but it was all in vain. Whenever Jupiter was on the brink of despair, he remembered Juno¡¯s words. Calm down. Look at the reality of the situation. Those with no power couldn¡¯t do anything. So, Jupiter tried harder to inherit the position of marquis. The heir of a powerful noble family and the head of the family were bound by different laws. ¡°I thought I could bring you back.¡± If Lilith¡¯s child was a girl, Juno could return. If the child was a boy, Jupiter would have killed him. And that was when he found out about the marriage contract. Jupiter briefly recalled the first time he saw it. ¡°I was na?ve.¡± That clause made Juno unable to return to House Trish and to him. It was all because of Nusrion, his greedy father. Jupiter was furious and wanted to murder him right then and there, but he recalled Juno¡¯s words. Yes, let¡¯s look at the reality of the situation. At that time, he needed his father. Waiting this long was worth it. His father¡¯s death wasn¡¯t done purely with personal feelings in mind. Nusrion did a lot of questionable things; he either had to die for Jupiter¡¯s future or disappear so that his son could become the marquis. Since you¡¯re dead, you can keep the marquis and Lilith company when they join you. ¡°I hate blood, but it can¡¯t be helped.¡± Jupiter pushed the chair Nusrion was sitting in, which caused the body to fall onto the floor. With a panicked expression, he shouted, ¡°Father! Wake up! Please, you must open your eyes!¡± The door to the study opened. ¡°What happened?¡± Looking at the servants, Jupiter picked up the body, which caused his hands to be stained with blood. ¡°My father has been poisoned! Don¡¯t let anyone leave the mansion! Check my father¡¯s room as well!¡± Nodding, the servants rushed out of the room. Once they left, Jupiter¡¯s panicked expression vanished instantly. He watched the death of Nusrion throw House Trish into a state of chaos. The next day, rumors spread throughout the empire that Nusrion had been poisoned, and Lilith was the culprit. Chapter 22 Juno glanced at Peter. He was looking at the dolls he made over the past two years. I¡¯m sure what he said yesterday was a lie. No, what he said two years ago was a lie. Yesterday evening, they were working in the workshop as usual. After they had dinner, Peter said, ¡°I will die tomorrow.¡± Unable to sleep properly because of his statement, she entered the workshop with a tired expression. She kept glancing at him to try and understand the meaning behind his words, but he was fine. It¡¯s a lie. If he was going to die today, he wouldn¡¯t be doing research like that. ¡°Juno.¡± She almost jumped from her seat. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Come here.¡± ¡°All right.¡± As Juno approached him, Peter showed her some doll parts. ¡°Look at this.¡± Juno stared at the object in his hands. ¡°¡­It¡¯s a brain, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Correct.¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite big compared to a typical doll¡¯s brain. Overall, I mean.¡± The brain wasn¡¯t the only doll part that was large. It was understandable that the doll¡¯s head was big to accommodate the brain, but the body seemed to be 1.5 times larger than an ordinary human body. ¡°A bigger brain requires a bigger body.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Juno recalled the dolls that moved around the mansion. ¡°I have a keen eye for beauty.¡± John and Hebe were evidence of that, but it was hard to say if Peter was pursuing a universal kind of beauty considering some of the other dolls. ¡°Yes, of course.¡± In any case, the brain in Peter¡¯s hands was well-crafted. You mentioned you¡¯ve been working on it before I arrived. It wasn¡¯t surprising that the quality was good. Staring at the doll parts, Juno shook her head. This wasn¡¯t the time to be amazed by dolls. ¡°Teacher, you were lying about what you said yesterday, right?¡± She was irritated by Peter¡¯s calmness. ¡°You said you were going to die today!¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t lying.¡± ¡°But what you¡¯re doing right now¡­¡± Peter turned his head to look Juno in the eye. He put down the object in his hand. ¡°You¡¯re an alchemist now.¡± ¡°What?¡± He handed her a ring. ¡°Take it. It¡¯s a key only the family head, the alchemist, can have.¡± It was a leather ring. What kind of key was this? Juno examined it in her hand. ¡°What is it for?¡± ¡°John will tell you.¡± Peter turned around. ¡°Now, get out of here.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I need some time alone. Go to your room. You¡¯ve been working without a day off, so it¡¯s fine to relax today.¡± The door to the workshop opened, and John walked in. He bowed before Peter. ¡°Did you call for me?¡± ¡°Yes. John, escort her out.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Wait, no, John!¡± Peter didn¡¯t look back as John dragged Juno out of the workshop. ¡°Let¡¯s go, my lady.¡± ¡°Teacher!¡± Juno was led to her room. ¡°Is he really going to die today?¡± ¡°Master does not lie.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the point!¡± Peter said he was going to die, but how could he accept it so easily? John pushed Juno into her room. ¡°You should rest as Master said. I¡¯ll tell Hebe to keep you company.¡± ¡°John!¡± Bang! The door closed. Juno tried to turn the doorknob, but it didn¡¯t budge. Am I trapped? Ridiculous. ¡°What is happening?¡± She laughed bitterly. Juno meant nothing to Peter. Why else would he¡­ ¡°My lady!¡± Juno stared at the open door. It was Hebe. After he ran into her room, the door closed. Juno tried to open it again, but the door was locked. ¡°What is my teacher doing?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. He¡¯s with John.¡± John was with Peter, and Hebe was with her. No matter how close she was to Hebe, Hebe probably wanted to be with Peter at this moment. ¡°¡­Can you stay with me?¡± Juno asked. Hebe smiled and held her hand. ¡°I prefer you over Master, so I¡¯ll stay with you.¡± She was grateful. It meant their time together wasn¡¯t meaningless. ¡°¡­Is he really going to die?¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± Juno didn¡¯t understand. It was impossible today was the deadline. Is he going to die in a day? Aside from a few hours after dinner, she spent most of her waking hours with him. She never felt he was sick. ¡°Do you know why?¡± ¡°He¡¯s getting old. Simple as that.¡± Nereus came to mind, and he suddenly passed away one day. Now that I think about it, you¡¯re the same age as him. An old man who could die at any time. Hebe touched Juno¡¯s cheek. ¡°My lady, are you crying?¡± She held his small hand and wept. ¡°¡­I¡¯m a fool.¡± Juno knew Peter was going to die, and they had to part ways soon; however, she grew attached to him. ¡°Why were you pretending to be aloof? I know you cared about me.¡± She appreciated Peter¡¯s guidance over the past two years. Hebe patted Juno¡¯s back. ¡°It¡¯s sad.¡± ¡°¡­It is.¡± What was sadder than his death was the weight of this feeling. ¡°What¡¯s worse is that I¡¯m not the last person he wants to be with.¡± Hebe furrowed his eyebrows. He couldn¡¯t cry because he was a doll, but his expression showed his own sadness. ¡°I¡¯m sad too.¡± ¡°Hebe.¡± ¡°And if you keep crying, I¡¯ll only get sadder.¡± ¡°Come here.¡± Juno hugged Hebe. He really felt like a human. The warmth in her arms was real. ¡°My lady.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be with us for a long, long time, right?¡± She swept some of Hebe¡¯s hair to the side. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough for me. All I need is my lady.¡± By the time Juno and Hebe calmed down, John appeared. ¡°My lady, Master has asked for you.¡± Looking at the sunset, Juno said, ¡°¡­All right.¡± ¡°You as well, Hebe.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± They arrived at Peter¡¯s room. John opened the door, and Juno slowly walked in. The room looked no different than hers. Peter had his back to her. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve been here,¡± she said. ¡°Because there was no reason to be here.¡± Juno approached him and followed his gaze. There was a large portrait on the wall. The man and young woman looked like John, the only differences being their eyes and hair color. That man was probably his mentor. But she never had seen the woman before. ¡°Me and my younger sister. With the end approaching, I couldn¡¯t help but remember her.¡± Looking back at Juno, Peter continued, ¡°You worked hard for two years.¡± ¡°Is this really goodbye?¡± Peter clicked his tongue. ¡°You idiot, I told you not to get too attached.¡± Her eyes were swollen from crying. Juno smiled. ¡°Is that for you to decide?¡± Hebe, whom she grew fond of since the beginning, and John, who she was awkward with at first, were people she could talk comfortably with. Even Peter, pretending to be ill-tempered, cared about her. It was hard not to get attached. ¡°Yes, since I was the one who said so.¡± That was true, but now he was talking to her. This really was the last time she would see him. ¡°Teacher, you¡¯ve grown fond of me, right?¡± She grabbed his hand. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s nice to hear.¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to be difficult. However, you¡¯ll be fine,¡± Peter said. ¡°Thank you.¡± With a firm gaze, he looked at Juno. ¡°Don¡¯t lose to anyone.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°This mansion belongs to you now. I¡¯ll give you everything I¡¯ve obtained as an alchemist.¡± Juno hesitated for a moment, but she wanted to hear the truth. ¡°¡­Was this something that person asked you to do?¡± Peter, for the first time, smiled gently. ¡°No, it¡¯s because I accept you as part of my family.¡± ¡°¡­Me too.¡± Tears welled up in her eyes again. ¡°Not as a wife, but as a family member.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Although they met through marriage, the two were teacher and student. They were family. ¡°I enjoyed these last few years. Hebe.¡± Hebe grabbed Peter¡¯s other hand. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. Everyone dies.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± After Peter patted Hebe on the head, he tapped John on the shoulder. ¡°John, it¡¯s time. End it.¡± ¡°All right. Everyone else, please leave now.¡± Juno kissed the old man on the cheek and exited the room. That night, Peter Sergien died. Chapter 23 She couldn¡¯t remember what had happened since then. She spent her time doing what John told her to do. Now, she was attending Peter¡¯s funeral. ¡°Is he really dead?¡± ¡°Goodness.¡± ¡°What do you think? With the alchemist dead¡­¡± Of course, they weren¡¯t worried about Juno. They were concerned about the alchemist¡¯s death and the consequences. Many eyes were interested in Juno. ¡°Then does that make her head of the family?¡± ¡°Yes! She¡¯s now the family head of House Sergien!¡± A woman who was sold to an alchemist and lived in seclusion for two years. The main character of this exciting story was a marquis¡¯s daughter who was kicked out by a mistress. The tremendous wealth and legacy of her alchemist family under Juno¡¯s name were worth people¡¯s attention. Juno ignored them. She didn¡¯t care what they saw. In the past, she used to try not to care; however, she was now indifferent to what they said. She wouldn¡¯t be hurt by their words. What they know me as shall disappear. Juno will become Juno Sergien, the alchemist. As she stared at the coffin, John approached her. ¡°My lady, all the guests are gone.¡± Juno looked around. No one was there. She nodded. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll be buried like everyone else.¡± House Sergien had a cemetery near the mansion. ¡°Would you like a moment alone?¡± She appreciated John¡¯s consideration. ¡°Yes.¡± Peter Sergien lay inside the coffin. An old man who was her husband, teacher, and family. Juno touched the coffin lid. It¡¯s cold. She could feel it through her black lace gloves. Juno smiled bitterly. She refused to believe it at first, so she tried to listen for a heartbeat and checked to see if he was breathing. After confirming it, she accepted that he died. She didn¡¯t want to open the coffin again. ¡°I¡¯ve bothered you many times, so I won¡¯t do it again.¡± If she opened the coffin now, she would¡¯ve stared at him for a while. She should send him off like this. Despite Peter leaving her, Juno wasn¡¯t alone. Yes, I¡¯m not alone. She had the dolls and everything else in the mansion. Peter had given so much, so it was time to let him go. Just as she had to let go of her mother, Nereus, he too must¡­ ¡°Juno.¡± Juno¡¯s eyes widened. Her heart, which had been quiet, was thrown into great turmoil. She slowly turned her head toward the voice she hadn¡¯t heard in a long time. Yes, this was a funeral that others attended, which meant he could also appear. ¡°¡­Jupiter.¡± The bags under his eyes, sharper chin, and how he had gotten slightly taller were noticeable, yet the most noticeable change was the gloominess around him. Examining his appearance without realizing it, Juno stopped thinking. Meanwhile, Jupiter bit his lip as if he didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°¡­How have you been?¡± Unable to wait for him to stop a few steps away from her, Juno approached him. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m all right.¡± Unbelievable. She had heard about it only once when there was a sudden visit from the royal family. Nusrion was dead, and Lilith had a daughter. Juno wondered if she should¡¯ve contacted him when Nusrion died; however, considering she was the legitimate daughter of the marquis¡­ I didn¡¯t even send a letter for two years. Hiding her guilt, she said, ¡°I heard Nusrion passed away.¡± ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± He was unfazed, but Jupiter was always good at hiding his emotions. Juno reached for his hand, and he let her hold it. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re all right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not so bad.¡± Juno felt sorry for him since she enjoyed the past two years. She had a happy and fulfilling time. She often thought of him, but there were other things on her mind. ¡°As for me, I¡¯m fine. He wasn¡¯t a bad person.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± Juno carefully interlaced her fingers with Jupiter¡¯s. ¡°He was like a grandfather to me.¡± ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t a lot of things happen?¡± Her heart ached; she understood the emotions contained in his question. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean.¡± A lot of things happened, but Jupiter was the only one who was worried about her. With her other hand, Juno touched his cheek. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be fair to say everything¡¯s fine. Regardless, there¡¯s nothing you should be concerned about.¡± ¡°Are you certain?¡± Jupiter leaned his face into her palm. His gaze was persistent. Without averting her eyes, Juno nodded. ¡°I was curious about why he married me. Nothing happened.¡± ¡°And then?¡± Jupiter smiled. Juno glanced at the coffin. ¡°He was nice.¡± ¡°Why did he close off the mansion?¡± Too much had happened to tell him now. Then, Juno noticed someone approaching them. She took her hand off Jupiter¡¯s face. ¡°My lady?¡± John¡¯s gaze flickered between Jupiter and her. Juno gave him a nod, and John left. Only then did she remember where she was. Are you insane, Juno Sergien? Unlike when she willingly denied her attraction to Jupiter in the past, she casually touched him. I knew I shouldn¡¯t have done it then. It¡¯s still the case now. She must not show how she feels about Jupiter, for his own sake. It took a while to suppress her emotions. ¡°I¡¯ll send a letter. We¡¯ll talk then.¡± Jupiter, who noticed Juno had tried to put some distance between them, glanced in the direction that John left in. ¡°Will you actually keep in touch?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Really?¡± There¡¯s no way he doesn¡¯t know what I¡¯m thinking. Juno forced herself to smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we can¡¯t¡­¡± She was happy to see him again, and she felt lonely when she was staring at the coffin that she couldn¡¯t help but reach out to Jupiter. However, she shouldn¡¯t have done it. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re already married or engaged.¡± When Juno heard of Nusrion¡¯s death, she wanted to contact him so much that she tried not to hear any more news from the outside world. It was possible Jupiter already got married or engaged. ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± he said. Part of her was happy he wasn¡¯t, and she tried to hide that joy. ¡°It¡¯s not good for us to meet like this. I¡¯m doing it for your sake.¡± As she averted her gaze, she heard an unusually cold laugh from Jupiter. He grabbed her left hand and began to slowly remove her glove. ¡°Don¡¯t push me away for my sake. If I were to tell you the number of times I imagined the worst-case scenario, will you change your mind?¡± ¡°Jupiter.¡± Once again, she felt a deep sense of guilt. He whispered, ¡°If I could win your heart by pretending to be pitiful, I would do it.¡± After taking off her glove, he pulled Juno¡¯s hand closer to his face. ¡°I would cry and gain your sympathy. However¡­¡± His warm breath tickled her hand; his lips brushed against her skin before he gently kissed her palm. Juno felt a shiver down her spine. The walls around her heart began to crumble. ¡°You¡¯d be sad.¡± His blue eyes never looked away. ¡°I want you to be happy, Juno.¡± She nodded without realizing it. Jupiter softly chuckled. ¡°And you are my happiness.¡± Those were sweet, sweet words, but his gaze was still sharp. Slowly blinking, Jupiter raised the corners of his mouth as if he were in the middle of enduring something. With his picturesque smile, he leaned his face into her palm again. They were almost in the same position as before, but the mood had completely changed. Juno trembled. His skin is rough. The change she purposefully ignored was in front of her eyes. Jupiter slowly let go of her other hand. It¡¯s¡­ Juno carefully looked at his face. The hollow cheeks, the gloominess. She couldn¡¯t push him away. No, she didn¡¯t want to push him away. Once I get something, I can¡¯t help but be greedy. She used to dislike her father because of his greed. He had a family. He became a marquis, so it was fine to give up on love. Juno thought he should give up on love because he already had a wife and daughter. Yet she was following in his footsteps. In the end, I¡¯m the same. Juno inherited a family legacy that was better than House Trish¡¯s. She became an alchemist. John, Hebe, and the dolls in the mansions were like family to her. She lacked nothing, but she refused to let go of the man she couldn¡¯t have. I thought experiencing it once was enough. Again and again, she had to smother the flame of desire. She managed to put it out and move on, but the fire returned and was ready to burn once more because of this one encounter. It would not go out again. Jupiter, who noticed that flame, grinned. It was not a beautiful yet pretentious smile, but a twisted, sincere one. Chapter 24 Juno removed her hand from his face and took a step back. ¡°I¡¯ll contact you.¡± Noticing she was telling the truth this time, Jupiter nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± Juno walked past him. As she approached the door, she saw John. She felt guilty. Why did this happen at Peter¡¯s funeral? ¡°My lady, I will handle everything else. Please rest.¡± John¡¯s face always showed no emotion, but his gaze seemed to question her. Juno nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± She hurried out of the annex. The annex where the funeral took place and the mansion were in close proximity to each other. Juno walked as fast as she could to her room. The door slammed. She was about to bury her face in her hands until she realized she didn¡¯t get back her glove. How pathetic. Everything was a mess. She was sure John noticed. Her unexpected meeting with Jupiter reignited a fire within her heart; it burned more intensely than before. Juno staggered to her dressing table. In the mirror, her face was a mixture of excitement, guilt, and sadness. Juno tried to pretend nothing happened. At some point, she was running, no longer pretending to walk, but it was only her in the mansion. She hurriedly opened the door to the study and entered the workshop. ¡°Huff, huff.¡± Juno tried to catch her breath. Still, she thought she could calm down here. It was her first time in the workshop since Peter¡¯s death. As always, there were books and junk laying around. ¡°It¡¯s still the same.¡± When she smelled the comforting scent of books in the familiar room, she relaxed. Eventually, she spotted something unfamiliar in the workshop. What is that? It was a huge doll, the one Peter was working on for a while. Juno approached it and checked its face. ¡°Oh.¡± It was Peter. The doll looked younger than he actually was, but the doll was more or less a replica of Peter. ¡°So, you made a doll with your own face?¡± He really was narcissistic. Juno laughed at the absurdity as the doll¡¯s eyes moved to look at her. ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Juno froze. The doll then opened its mouth. ¡°¡­Juno.¡± ¡°Why are you¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s me. Peter Sergien.¡± Juno frowned. Perhaps it was because of this that she could think clearly. Should I say it¡¯s a good thing? She sighed. ¡°Since Teacher modeled you after himself, it¡¯s no surprise you¡¯d say that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really me.¡± Juno stared at the doll. Something had to be wrong with it. Then, John entered the workshop. ¡°My lady.¡± When she saw him, she remembered what had happened with Jupiter, but she pushed the event to the back of her mind. ¡°John, what¡¯s this doll for?¡± Hebe, who had entered the workshop with John, waved. ¡°My lady!¡± ¡°Hebe, this doll is weird. He thinks he¡¯s Peter.¡± ¡°My lady, allow me to explain,¡± John said as he approached her. ¡°Do you actually believe this doll?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How does that make any sense? How can it be him? He¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°I transferred my memory,¡± the doll said. ¡°What?¡± John added, ¡°In simple terms, it¡¯s a brain transfer.¡± ¡°¡­What nonsense are you two talking about?¡± Juno¡¯s gaze flitted between John and the doll who claimed to be Peter. The doll who claimed to be Peter nodded at John. John handed a letter to Juno. ¡°Master gave me this. He told me to give it to you if it works.¡± ¡°There was only a small chance it wasn¡¯t going to work,¡± the doll remarked. Juno stared at the doll who claimed to be Peter, then looked at the letter. It was written in Peter¡¯s handwriting. ¡°I can confirm it too,¡± Hebe said with a smile. Is that why Hebe didn¡¯t attend the funeral? His smile was pretty, but Juno couldn¡¯t smile back. John pointed at the letter. ¡°Everything is explained there.¡± Juno removed the seal. She didn¡¯t know what was going on, but she knew she had to read this letter to understand what the doll, John, and Hebe were saying. *** Juno reread the letter. Peter Sergien, her teacher, didn¡¯t like the gods. That was something she knew. And since he hated them so much, Peter refused to die. ¡°You really are him, huh?¡± Juno had read the explanation of the process involved in making the doll. She put down the letter and sighed. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it,¡± Peter sarcastically replied. ¡°Is that a joke?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Despite wanting to yell at him, Juno decided to ask the question that¡¯s been on her mind since reading the letter. ¡°Can a doll with Teacher¡¯s memory really be considered Teacher? It¡¯s just a memory and not the person himself.¡± ¡°Perhaps.¡± If the doll truly had Peter¡¯s memory, could he be Peter? ¡°Why are you so sure you¡¯re Peter Sergien?¡± Juno asked. ¡°Because I know I¡¯m Peter Sergien.¡± Juno couldn¡¯t deny that. Everything from his facial expressions to how he talked to her was the same as before. ¡°¡­I am a person who believes in things such as a soul. So, Peter, until I see Teacher again.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Juno believed in the concept of a ¡°spirit¡±. However, dolls were nothing like humans. ¡°I think John, Hebe, and the other dolls are alive.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just want to feel at ease.¡± It was hard to understand, but she thought she could accept that doll, Peter, just as she accepted John and Hebe. ¡°My lady accepts him as Master!¡± Hebe exclaimed. Juno narrowed her eyes at him. Initially, she was worried when he disappeared earlier. ¡°Hebe, when did you know about this?¡± ¡°Before the funeral¡­¡± It coincided with the time when she couldn¡¯t find him. ¡°Why wasn¡¯t I told about this?¡± ¡°You¡¯d be sad.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Well, my lady is ¡­¡± Hebe trailed off. John said, ¡°You care about Master a lot, correct? I also thought you wouldn¡¯t accept it so easily.¡± Juno gestured for him to stop. ¡°All right.¡± With everything explained, Juno wanted to change the subject as naturally as possible. ¡°If you¡¯re really my teacher, I have something to say.¡± Peter nodded. ¡°Get out, both of you.¡± When the workshop door closed and the two were left alone, he asked, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You promised me something. I let it go because of your death, but I have to know now.¡± Juno didn¡¯t want to scold him about dying. She accepted his death and buried him without complaints. I was satisfied not knowing his intention. However, as she prepared for the funeral, a person came to mind. Peter said he had no relationship with her father or Lilith. She wanted to see if she was right. ¡°Who asked you to marry me?¡± ¡°Do you not even have an inkling of who it is?¡± She remembered the person who consoled her at her mother¡¯s funeral. ¡°No, this funeral reminded me of him. He was close to me and had medicine made by an alchemist.¡± ¡°¡­Go on.¡± His bitter smile confirmed her suspicions, but she wanted to make sure. ¡°Nereus, correct?¡± ¡°Yes, my younger sister¡¯s husband, Nereus.¡± Juno wiped away her tears. It was him. ¡°Did¡­ he ask you for a favor?¡± ¡°Correct.¡± ¡°What about marrying me?¡± Nereus wouldn¡¯t have asked for such a ridiculous thing. Peter shook his head. ¡°That wasn¡¯t what I was asked to do.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I was keeping an eye on you. Of course, I didn¡¯t do it all the time. I had to work. But one day, I heard Marquis Trish was trying to find you a marriage partner. A perverted noble was in the middle of negotiations with him. There wasn¡¯t much time left, so I said I¡¯d marry you.¡± In a sense, Peter was part of Nereus¡¯s family. However, Juno was the one to prepare Nereus¡¯s funeral. She still had the urn with his ashes. ¡°But he doesn¡¯t have a family¡­¡± ¡°Because my sister had passed away already.¡± Peter shrugged. ¡°Nereus and I aren¡¯t friends. I can¡¯t even say I was on good terms with my sister, but she was very happy with him. I decided it was fine to do him a favor.¡± Juno recalled the day she visited Peter¡¯s room and how he was looking at a large portrait. There was a woman in the portrait. It was clear there was something Juno didn¡¯t know, but she didn¡¯t want to open old wounds. She remembered Nereus. Someone who was always there for me like a family member. The one who gave me the strength to move forward. What was Nereus thinking at the time when he asked Peter, whom he wasn¡¯t even friends with, to look after her? Chapter 25 While Juno was lost in a moment of nostalgia, Peter said, ¡°It was unexpected you had a talent for alchemy. Do you remember what I told you?¡± ¡°You said it¡¯s hard to learn alchemy, even if you have the talent.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s difficult unless you¡¯re very talented.¡± Peter walked to a bookshelf and grabbed a book. It was the one John had given Juno to learn about the basics of alchemy. ¡°You can certainly be called a genius, but you¡¯re not a prodigy who appears once every century.¡± He gave the book to her. Juno opened it to the page he wanted her to look at. [In alchemy, the first step is to make a foundation using materials.] As explained in the book, it was difficult to make one¡¯s thoughts become reality without any preparation unless one had talent. A flower, planted in fertile soil and being tended to daily, grew much more easily than a flower growing in dry soil. ¡°I studied a lot.¡± Her efforts were to create a foundation so that her wish could come true. She had to make preparations before using alchemy, but it wasn¡¯t to the extent of when she first started. Peter was considered a genius in his own way, and Juno, with her education, was the same. What about others? They aren¡¯t even aware of their own skills. Unlike in the past, alchemy was almost lost to time because no one supported the education required to train an alchemist. I¡¯m lucky that I can use alchemy, but there¡¯s not much to show for it. For someone who knew nothing but had a natural talent, it was impossible for that person to change water into wine; however, it was possible to make wine more delicious. The practice of alchemy became less widespread. Something happened during that time and was recorded in history. Unfortunately, the passage was very short and written vaguely, but Juno remembered the book had said there was a sharp decrease in the number of alchemists. I was lucky in many ways. The dolls used around the world were incomplete; they were unable to think for themselves and only obeyed orders. Those who were talented but untrained couldn¡¯t change dolls like Juno. If Juno saw the dolls without knowing anything, she wouldn¡¯t have made any changes. But Hebe was the one I met. A doll that was almost indistinguishable from a human. He was like the best fertile soil Juno could¡¯ve asked for to develop her talent. ¡°It was thanks to my luck that I became an alchemist,¡± Juno said. Nodding at her remark, Peter sat down in a chair. ¡°Because of your talent, I made you my apprentice. Maybe I was also ambitious. It was disheartening that everything I accomplished would disappear after my death.¡± Juno knew he wasn¡¯t talking about his fame, fortune, or family, but about the dolls in the mansion. ¡°What were you thinking at the time?¡± she asked. ¡°It was a possibility, but I refused to fail.¡± ¡°Still, you¡¯re alive. How come I¡¯m the one to become the head of the family?¡± After all, Juno only obtained this position when Peter died. He laughed at her question. ¡°Do you think I can go out like this? Will people acknowledge me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Juno stared at Peter. He looked exactly like a human, but his proportions were too big. There was also the fact that he appeared younger. ¡°Can you imagine the kind of mess we¡¯d have to deal with? Also, life becomes quite troublesome for those who want to live forever. This body is quite large, don¡¯t you think?¡± He raised his hand. It was larger than Juno¡¯s head. ¡°It shows I¡¯m still lacking in skill.¡± He didn¡¯t make such a large doll on purpose. Peter tapped his head. ¡°I needed a big brain to transfer all my intelligence, knowledge, and memories.¡± Juno sighed before chuckling. Indeed, this was Peter Sergien. ¡°Since you needed such an organ for all your tremendous knowledge, you had to construct a larger body to compensate.¡± ¡°Correct. I¡¯ve made a lot of assumptions. I can¡¯t afford to fail, so I had to play it safe.¡± Peter, who had to become a doll, couldn¡¯t take any risks. He also couldn¡¯t use alchemy in his current state. ¡°It would¡¯ve been nice if I was told about this ahead of time.¡± ¡°I knew you¡¯d cry a lot when I died, but I also didn¡¯t want to give you a false sense of hope.¡± If the transfer was unsuccessful, Peter would have truly died. Juno gritted her teeth and muttered that she was about to burst into tears. ¡°¡­Enough about that.¡± Peter looked at her. ¡°You will carry on this family¡¯s legacy. John will manage the dolls. Nothing has changed.¡± Juno refused to believe that. A lot had changed. Collecting her thoughts, she said, ¡°I have to go outside.¡± Peter nodded and responded happily, perhaps in an attempt to cheer her up. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re free now. I can only do research.¡± Despite that, Juno couldn¡¯t hide her anxiety. ¡°¡­Are you sure I¡¯ll be all right?¡± ¡°Do I look like the person who makes anyone my successor?¡± ¡°¡­If you spoke less arrogantly, I¡¯d appreciate you more.¡± Juno grabbed his hand. ¡°Why did you make yourself so young?¡± ¡°It was on a whim.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to do that, shouldn¡¯t you make yourself look like a young man? You must have been very popular at that age.¡± Peter snorted. The mood in the workshop became less dreary. Juno found herself smiling. ¡°Anyway, why did you run here all of a sudden?¡± Peter asked. Juno¡¯s mouth tightened into a thin line. She remembered what happened at the funeral and John who saw it. I¡¯m sure he already figured it out already. After hesitating for a while, Juno decided to speak honestly. She still felt bad about it; it was good that Peter returned like this. Otherwise, she would¡¯ve been ruminating for days. Juno lowered her head and said, ¡°¡­I met Jupiter again. I used to like him.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I think I still like him.¡± No matter how Peter responded, there was nothing she could say to excuse her actions; however, his reaction wasn¡¯t what she expected. ¡°And?¡± When Juno looked at Peter, he had an indifferent expression on his face. ¡°Isn¡¯t he a distant relative of House Trish? Is that the problem?¡± ¡°No,¡± Juno said. ¡°Then what is it?¡± Was he doing this because he didn¡¯t know or to make her feel guilty? Juno took a deep breath. ¡°I was excited to see him on the day of your funeral.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the issue here. I¡¯m your wife.¡± Peter looked as if he heard nonsense come out of her mouth. ¡°A wife is just a wife, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m part of your family! Who blushes at a man during her family member¡¯s funeral?¡± Peter gestured to her. ¡°You.¡± ¡°Peter!¡± He sighed and touched his forehead. ¡°I don¡¯t see an issue here. I¡¯m glad you have someone you like.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Peter rested his chin on his hand. ¡°I recognize you as an alchemist and as a person. Why do you think I died?¡± ¡°¡­Because I¡¯m a woman?¡± The only time a woman could be free was when her husband passed away. Peter nodded. ¡°I only used marriage as a means to protect you.¡± ¡°You allowed me to become the family head so I could be free to love whoever I want?¡± He frowned. ¡°I gave you this family so you can live your life freely. Of course, that includes your love life.¡± He sighed. ¡°If you want to get married, go ahead. Or don¡¯t, if you don¡¯t want to. As long as you have the surname of Sergien, you can do whatever you want.¡± Juno didn¡¯t understand. It was too good to be true. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Nereus meant a lot to my sister. And even if it wasn¡¯t for him, you¡¯re not a bad person.¡± Juno¡¯s face was slightly flushed. ¡°Why are you suddenly so affectionate?¡± ¡°¡­A side effect from becoming a doll.¡± He shuddered. It seemed he didn¡¯t notice it until now. Juno smiled. ¡°I see. Are you not going to say anything else on this matter?¡± ¡°I am a little curious. What¡¯s he like?¡± Chapter 26 Juno was embarrassed to talk about Jupiter to Peter. She murmured, ¡°Since you¡¯ve kept an eye on me, you know who he is.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been watching you. I didn¡¯t care about anyone else.¡± ¡°You know him, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m only vaguely aware of things.¡± Peter recognized who Jupiter was when he heard Jupiter¡¯s name, and he knew about House Trish. He was probably asking about Jupiter¡¯s relationship with Juno. Unsure of how to explain it, she said, ¡°¡­He likes me a lot.¡± ¡°And you?¡± ¡°I like him.¡± ¡°You¡¯re purposefully ignoring him, aren¡¯t you? Do you not want to commit?¡± ¡°¡­I thought it would be impossible,¡± Juno said and smiled bitterly. ¡°Are you going to do anything about it?¡± ¡°What do you think I should do?¡± Peter stared at her. Juno also knew it wasn¡¯t right to ask others for an answer. He sighed. ¡°Is it a big deal to date someone when you¡¯re young?¡± ¡°You believe I should date him?¡± ¡°Even if you two don¡¯t get married, no one will say anything about it.¡± Peter was too nonchalant. ¡°What if I give him everything and he doesn¡¯t reciprocate?¡± Peter clicked his tongue. ¡°Coward.¡± Juno laughed. She knew she was a cowardly, greedy person. ¡°You¡¯re right. The people who I give my heart to always leave me.¡± Her mother, Nereus, those who cared about Juno disappeared. Technically, Peter also counts. Peter looked at her without saying a word. The reason Juno avoided things like this was because of her childhood. She thought it¡¯d go away eventually, but it didn¡¯t. Her fear continued to grow. After some time passed, Peter spoke. ¡°¡­No one here will leave you because they¡¯re all dolls. Even I will live longer than you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Juno couldn¡¯t help but smile. He wasn¡¯t wrong. Juno feared being alone more than dying. ¡°So, if he¡¯s gone but you aren¡¯t dead yet, and you feel sad about it¡­¡± Juno was speechless before she burst into a fit of laughter. Peter was trying to avoid her gaze. She asked, ¡°You¡¯re embarrassed, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Juno approached Peter and tightly hugged him. He gently patted her on the back. ¡°I understand,¡± she said. ¡°Good.¡± Juno giggled and let go of him. ¡°I must speak with John and Hebe. Especially John.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I think he overheard my conversation with Jupiter.¡± ¡°Do whatever you want.¡± Juno smiled and pressed the button to call John. *** Jupiter passed the marquis and Lilith, who stared at him since he attended the funeral, and entered the room after being greeted by several servants. He leaned against the door and murmured, ¡°Juno.¡± It really was her. She grew up in those two years. When Jupiter heard House Sergien was to hold a funeral, he thought it was Juno¡¯s funeral. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t. Peter Sergien. He remembered what happened when he found out the alchemist died. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Count Peter Sergien is dead.¡± For a moment, Jupiter stared blankly at the man who had told him this. Then, Jupiter covered his mouth with his hand to hide the fact that the corners of his mouth rose; however, as soon as he smiled, Jupiter scolded himself. He still wasn¡¯t the marquis. I have to hurry. Only then¡­ could he protect Juno. Swallowing his words, Jupiter sent the man away before heading to the marquis and Lilith. ¡°I will attend the funeral,¡± Jupiter had said. ¡°You?¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather have myself go instead of the marquis.¡± The marquis frowned when he was criticized for not being on good terms with Juno. He must have known how incredible House Sergien was, so it was a typical reaction. Lilith said, ¡°That¡¯s great. You didn¡¯t want to go anyway, right?¡± ¡°Lilith, this isn¡¯t the time for that.¡± ¡°What? You want to go to the funeral?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I want to go, but it¡¯s that I should go¡­¡± Lilith shrieked, ¡°Do you mean to say you need her now? Do you want me to bow down to her too?¡± Jupiter narrowed his eyes. ¡°Would you like me to go in your place then?¡± The marquis nodded as if to appease Lilith. And at the funeral that the marquis and Lilith didn¡¯t attend, Jupiter saw Juno for the first time in two years. Her pale face was covered by a black veil; her hair was slightly disheveled, and she had swollen eyes. You look sad. You¡¯re not hurt, are you? Someone had whispered that Juno was saddened by Peter Sergien¡¯s death. Jupiter felt a fiery fury burn inside him. It mixed with a small amount of jealousy, and at the same time, he was happy the old man died. Juno. He wished to call out to her, to express how much he missed her, unbearably so. He wished to kiss her soft, white neck. Suppressing his desire to leave a mark on it, Jupiter waited for the funeral to end. When everyone else left, Jupiter called out to Juno. She was astonished, but more importantly, he saw the emotions that bloomed within her heart: surprise, joy, and longing. Juno was alive, and for the first time, she openly expressed her feelings for him. Jupiter struggled to hold back his desire. I want to embrace you. He tried to calm down his racing heart; he didn¡¯t want to hurt her. He continued their conversation, pretending nothing happened. You were happy. It was better to be happy than to be in despair. Regrettably, Jupiter wasn¡¯t part of those happy memories, but her longing for him soothed his heart. Juno missed him, but not to the extent that he missed her. Juno tried to distance herself from him; however, he was satisfied with the result. Juno wouldn¡¯t be able to push him away anymore. The corners of Jupiter¡¯s mouth rose, recalling the moment. Yet the smile disappeared from his face. ¡°Only one thing is bothering me.¡± The good-looking servant he saw at the funeral. As soon as Juno saw that man, she put some space between herself and Jupiter. At a glance, it looked like she was guilty. ¡°What¡¯s your relationship with him?¡± She said nothing happened with Peter Sergien, but there could¡¯ve been someone else, especially if she¡¯s only been with that family for two years. ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± It was fine. She had to stay alive. All she had to do was stay alive. He felt a spark of jealousy, but Jupiter decided to focus on thanking Juno for being alive. He looked at the wine in the display case. After he drank, Juno usually appeared in his dreams, so he didn¡¯t typically like alcohol. However, he wanted to drink today. Jupiter took out a bottle and drank some wine without pouring the liquid into a glass; it was a while since he last had liquor. It was bitter. Perhaps the wine was also strong since he started to feel dizzy. Jupiter was about to take another swig when he heard a tapping sound from the window behind him. Jupiter took out a dagger from the display case, but he paused as he looked at the window again. ¡°A bird?¡± Specifically, it was a sparrow. The sparrow made eye contact with him before tapping the window again with its beak. Jupiter glanced at the bottle in his hand. Am I already drunk? Or the marquis was trying something. Jupiter frowned, and the sparrow continued to tap the window. The bird looked annoyed. How could a sparrow have an annoyed expression? As I thought, it¡­ Jupiter slowly opened the window. The sparrow flew past him and landed on the desk. It then pecked the desk. The bird looked cute yet ill-tempered. Chuckling to himself, Jupiter said, ¡°I truly am drunk.¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± Jupiter¡¯s eyes widened. The sparrow talked. Indifferent to Jupiter¡¯s surprise, it said, ¡°I have a message from my lady.¡± ¡°Excuse me¡­¡± The bird flapped its wings and shouted, ¡°Why does she want to see such an idiot?¡± Jupiter walked to the desk. ¡°You¡¯re not an actual sparrow.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a doll!¡± A doll made by an alchemist. Jupiter began to somewhat understand the situation. ¡°Did Juno send you?¡± ¡°Who else?¡± Jupiter touched the sparrow¡¯s head. He could only believe this was real if he touched it himself. Even if this was a dream, Jupiter never had anything like this happen before when he was drunk. The sparrow immediately backed away. ¡°Hey! No touching! Only Master and my lady are allowed to pet me!¡± The bird ruffled its feathers as it puffed out its chest. ¡°My lady said she¡¯ll see you tomorrow at noon.¡± ¡°Are you referring to Juno?¡± ¡°You have time, right? Don¡¯t you dare be late!¡± The sparrow was arrogant, but if it really was sent by her, Jupiter can¡¯t ignore it. ¡°Where should I go?¡± Jupiter asked. ¡°I¡¯ll lead you there since you have to sneak in.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The door to House Sergien¡¯s mansion will be closed for a while.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She¡¯s shutting herself away from the world again? ¡­Why? It was difficult to think because Jupiter drank earlier. The sparrow flapped its wings. ¡°The only good thing about you is your face, huh? I¡¯ll be back tomorrow, so you better show up!¡± Instantly, it flew out of the room. Jupiter stared at the window before glancing at the bottle again. ¡°I¡¯m very drunk¡­¡± Then he noticed the dirt on the desk. It was rough between his fingertips. ¡°Did that actually just happen?¡± Jupiter put away the bottle of wine. ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll find out tomorrow.¡± If this wasn¡¯t his imagination or a dream, but reality, he¡¯d see Juno again. Feeling his heart race, Jupiter closed the window. Chapter 27 With a serious expression, Juno welcomed Jupiter to the drawing room. ¡°Jupiter.¡± ¡°Juno.¡± The sparrow doll next to Jupiter moved to Juno¡¯s shoulder. ¡°My lady!¡± ¡°Good work.¡± Pi was as cute as she looked. Juno petted her, and Pi playfully pecked Juno¡¯s finger before disappearing. Jupiter, who watched Pi fly out the window, asked, ¡°That was a doll, right?¡± He had the same reaction as Juno when she first saw the dolls in the mansion. ¡°Yes, I created her.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± He must have been stunned at how advanced it looked compared to the ones on the market. ¡°It¡¯s a little surprising, huh?¡± Juno beckoned for him to sit down. They awkwardly faced each other. There wasn¡¯t much tension the last time they met, but today was different. I¡¯m a little embarrassed. Juno, wishing John showed up as quickly as he could, made eye contact with Jupiter. Averting her gaze, she said, ¡°So, Jupiter.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± She didn¡¯t know what to say, but she wanted to tell him the truth. Peter said that if Juno felt Jupiter was reliable, it was okay. ¡°¡­I told you nothing happened, but that wasn¡¯t the case.¡± Juno took a deep breath and continued, ¡°Count Peter Sergien was both my husband and teacher.¡± ¡°Teacher?¡± ¡°I learned how to use alchemy.¡± Jupiter stared at Juno. How much time passed before he spoke? ¡°¡­Just to be clear, you learned alchemy from Count Peter Sergien?¡± ¡°Yes. I will also be the head of House Sergien.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± He must also have questioned if such a thing was possible. Smiling, Juno said, ¡°My teacher only had me as his family.¡± ¡°I see¡­ This complicates things.¡± Juno knew as well. It was House Sergien, a family that everyone kept an eye on. There will be those ready to slander me at a moment¡¯s notice and those who will try to win my favor. However, Juno was going to do her best. It¡¯s all right. She wasn¡¯t alone, and there were allies at her side. She smiled in front of Jupiter, who smiled back. Calm down. Juno tried to relax. She was worried and scared to see how he¡¯d respond, but she didn¡¯t want to avoid the topic. ¡°Also¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Before she could continue speaking, the door to the drawing room opened. ¡°I¡¯m not dead.¡± Peter sat down next to Juno on the sofa. ¡°Teacher, why are you here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t always have to be in the workshop.¡± Peter snorted before scrutinizing Jupiter. ¡°Are you Jupiter Trish?¡± Jupiter¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°¡­I thought you were dead.¡± ¡°I am. This is just a doll I transferred my consciousness to.¡± Jupiter looked at her with a gaze that demanded an explanation. ¡°¡­Juno?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alchemy.¡± For the first time, Jupiter had an incredulous expression. ¡°Do you truly believe this doll is Count Peter Sergien?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jupiter sighed. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t understand his reaction. Juno, despite knowing a lot about alchemy, still had trouble accepting it. ¡°You saw that bird earlier. Does she look like a doll? The ones here think and have their own personalities,¡± Juno said. ¡°¡­¡± She shrugged. ¡°I won¡¯t ask you to believe me. I just wanted to talk to you about these past two years.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Thanks to Peter¡¯s appearance, Juno felt more reassured. It¡¯s been a long time since we saw each other. She wanted to show Jupiter she was doing well. She could tell what he was thinking based on his facial expression. Her cheeks began to turn red from the blatant affection in his gaze. ¡°Um¡­¡± The door opened again, and John entered the room. He bowed, poured some tea, and looked at Peter. ¡°Master, I need you to go outside for a moment.¡± Peter looked at Jupiter, then Juno before standing up. John bowed again. ¡°Call me if you need any assistance.¡± ¡°Thank you, John.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± After Peter stepped out of the room, John left and shut the door behind him. Jupiter stared at the closed door. ¡°¡­Who¡¯s that servant?¡± It seemed he was slightly jealous, and Juno was amused to see him this way. ¡°John. He¡¯s a doll,¡± she said. ¡°A doll?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She nodded. ¡°Regardless¡­ I want to be honest with you right now. I kept pushing you away because I wasn¡¯t brave enough. However, I¡¯ve decided to be a little more courageous.¡± She continued, ¡°Don¡¯t give me an answer right away. You¡¯ll be Marquis Trish, and I¡¯ll soon be Countess Sergien.¡± Even if they were on the same page, this was something they had to overcome together. ¡°Surely, you must be aware of what will happen if we¡¯re in a relationship.¡± She laughed bitterly. There was a lot of work ahead until Juno could be regarded as Countess Sergien. It was the same for Jupiter. ¡°Our marriage won¡¯t be for some time. Is that all right?¡± Juno was saying they won¡¯t be able to reveal their relationship to the public until everything settled down. She heard a sigh. Jupiter¡¯s gaze was cold, calculating. This was the first time she had seen it; however, she didn¡¯t avert her eyes. She knew he wouldn¡¯t like what she said, but it was important enough for her to address it. After a long silence, Jupiter said, ¡°¡­Juno, why did you ask such a question when you already know the answer?¡± ¡°Getting a verbal confirmation is different from knowing it.¡± Juno wanted a definite answer, and Jupiter had to acknowledge their relationship will face many hardships in the future. I¡¯m also a coward. Juno smiled. ¡°Well, what do you say?¡± Jupiter looked slightly annoyed at how she was waiting for his response. ¡°I only need you.¡± Then, he grinned. Juno said, ¡°Promise me one thing.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°I¡¯m scared of being left behind.¡± She didn¡¯t care if it was only a promise. ¡°If I give you my heart, you¡¯ll die sooner or later. So, can you promise me that you¡¯ll live as long as possible, no matter what?¡± It was a question that revealed her insecurity without beating around the bush. ¡°All right, I promise.¡± When he answered without any hesitation, Juno smiled as if to embrace her fear. It was almost funny that she asked him not to die after saying he¡¯d eventually die, but Juno wanted to be sincere. ¡°I don¡¯t want anything else, Jupiter. Please, stay alive. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± With a soft smile, Jupiter stood up and approached her. Juno reached out to hug him. *** Ever since that day, Juno wondered if everything was a dream. She, preparing to make a public debut, was getting closer and closer to Jupiter. He had visited again to prevent people from finding out, and they were in the middle of a conversation. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°The Kingdom of Darnan.¡± It was a neighboring country. Juno frowned. ¡°Why? They and the empire haven¡¯t been on good terms lately.¡± ¡°The marquis is playing one of his games. I¡¯m supposed to be a delegate to improve relations.¡± Juno was aware of the activities of House Trish thanks to Jupiter. Marquis Robert¡¯s position was in danger. Since Lilith gave birth to a girl and was now infertile, rumors circulated between the branch families that a new mistress had to be brought in. It was a threat. The title of marquis must be handed over to Jupiter or else. The branch families knew the marquis wasn¡¯t going to bring in a new mistress. Under immense pressure, the marquis decided to send Jupiter to another country. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t like this,¡± Juno murmured. Jupiter stroked her hair. ¡°It¡¯s all right. The fight for who gets to be marquis is almost over.¡± He wasn¡¯t wrong. Perhaps this was the last thing the marquis could do, but Juno was still nervous. Jupiter squeezed her hand to reassure her. Their eyes met; Juno blushed. A familiar doll appeared. As Jupiter gently kissed her cheek, Juno called out to the doll. ¡°What is it, Pi?¡± Chapter 28 ¡°My lady!¡± ¡°You.¡± Jupiter always showed his dislike for Pi. And of course, Pi didn¡¯t like him either. It¡¯s weird that they don¡¯t get along. However, Juno was pleased to see them together. Jupiter usually doesn¡¯t express his emotions like this. She smiled as the two of them bickered, then clapped her hands as she remembered something. ¡°Oh, we can use Pi!¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Since I¡¯m worried about you being in another country, Pi can accompany you in my stead.¡± In dismay, Jupiter glanced at Pi. ¡°What can she do?¡± Pi was furious. ¡°Whatever you can do, I can do better!¡± ¡°Pi has a lot of functions. She¡¯s the only doll I¡¯ve ever made who can speak. Ah¡­ I hope it won¡¯t be too bothersome.¡± While Peter devoted himself to making dolls that looked indistinguishable from humans, Juno made dolls that looked indistinguishable from animals and insects. After all, my teacher already succeeded in making human-like dolls. Aside from being the only doll of hers that could speak, Pi knew of the concept of trust and trusted Jupiter. Juno saw Jupiter¡¯s exasperated expression; she knew he would never refuse her requests. ¡°It¡¯s all right, Pi can join me.¡± His answer was as expected. Juno grinned. ¡°Pi, will you go to John to get some medicine?¡± ¡°Medicine?¡± It was a medicine Juno made that had an instantaneous effect on humans and dolls. It can heal most wounds. ¡°Yes, one for you and one for Jupiter,¡± Juno said. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back!¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy if my lady is happy.¡± Pi quickly turned to Jupiter and spoke in a monotone voice. ¡°We¡¯ll be together from now on.¡± ¡°¡­I already feel exhausted.¡± Juno chuckled at his expression. Ignoring Jupiter, Pi flew out, then appeared with the medicine before leaving through the window. Juno¡¯s room was quiet again. Looking at Jupiter, she asked, ¡°When will you be leaving?¡± ¡°Tomorrow.¡± Juno sighed. ¡°That¡¯s why you visited me today?¡± She continued to grumble as Jupiter laughed. The gentle smile on his face made his face almost radiant. He gently patted her head. Juno¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and Jupiter kissed her on the lips. ¡°Mm.¡± Slowly, Jupiter¡¯s tongue sneaked into her mouth. With his body close to hers, Juno could feel his loudly beating heart. A soft laugh leaked out from Jupiter¡¯s lips as Juno smiled at their slow, gentle, yet passionate kisses. Smiling, Jupiter pulled away. ¡°I was only told of this yesterday.¡± ¡°I¡¯m quite tired of the marquis.¡± Frowning, Juno suppressed her sorrow. She didn¡¯t want to waste time complaining since she wouldn¡¯t see him for a while. ¡°Are you going to stay here for the rest of the day?¡± ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t you get in trouble?¡± She was worried he was busy since he had to leave tomorrow. ¡°No. Besides, you¡¯ll be in the public¡¯s eye soon, correct?¡± Juno nodded. ¡°There¡¯s been a lot of talk about it.¡± ¡°I have to fix dolls again.¡± Letters were pouring into the mansion. Most, of course, asked about whether there were any dolls left to buy. ¡°They don¡¯t expect a new type of doll to be created.¡± ¡°Your teacher will help, won¡¯t he?¡± Jupiter asked. ¡°No, I¡¯m doing this by myself.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Juno laughed as she remembered Peter who had slammed the door after she told him. ¡°He¡¯s sulking right now.¡± After they talked about trivial matters, Jupiter sighed. ¡°We won¡¯t see each other for two months.¡± ¡°Indeed, but won¡¯t it be interesting to see what I¡¯ll be like in those two months?¡± Two months from now, Juno will debut as an alchemist. Jupiter tucked some of Juno¡¯s hair behind her ear. ¡°I look forward to it.¡± They decided to leave behind their woes and enjoy the time they had left. They held each other¡¯s hands and talked. It wasn¡¯t enough to compensate for the two years they weren¡¯t together; they got to know each other better by discussing the time they didn¡¯t share. Time flies for lovers saddened by their inevitable parting. The next day, Jupiter left for the Kingdom of Darnan. *** Juno hadn¡¯t slept properly for the past few days. She looked at John, who was holding a letter in his hand. ¡°My lady¡­¡± John tried to console her, but it wasn¡¯t easy. Juno snatched the paper from John. She heard the delegates headed to the Kingdom of Darnan were attacked. Pi is with him. She ignored the worst possibility happening and used the insect dolls to find out what exactly happened. This paper contained their findings. Juno¡¯s hand shook as she read the letter. No, her whole body was shaking. Juno fell to the floor. It hurt, but it also didn¡¯t at the same time. She covered her face with her hands. Impossible. This can¡¯t be happening. It wasn¡¯t real. It wasn¡¯t real. ¡°My lady!¡± John tried to calm her down. ¡°Argh!¡± Because of Juno¡¯s state of mind, some of the objects in the room attacked him. However, he didn¡¯t let Juno go. Peter and Hebe ran into the workshop. Juno couldn¡¯t feel anything despite the situation. No, it was because her emotions were in turmoil that she couldn¡¯t focus on anything else. It hurts. Her whole body was in pain. ¡°Aaaaah!¡± It wasn¡¯t real. Jupiter, please. Please. Jupiter? The scream of losing one¡¯s beloved reverberated in the mansion of House Sergien. *** Juno took a deep breath. She hadn¡¯t slept or eaten properly. Looking back, she regretted what she did. She should¡¯ve been greedier. She shouldn¡¯t have let him go to the kingdom. She should¡¯ve expressed her feelings more. All she had were a pile of regrets that helped no one. But now wasn¡¯t the time. I can do this. No, I must. Despite Peter¡¯s advice, Juno decided ¡°that¡± would represent her. She knew the consequences of revealing it to the world; however, this was for Jupiter who was caught in the confrontation between the empire and the Kingdom of Darnan. He and several other high-ranking nobles were killed. Not a single body was found. War was bound to break out between the two countries. Of course, there will be a war once this becomes public. Juno was going to take this opportunity. She would lay the groundwork so that the empire never lost. In this way, she¡¯d avenge Jupiter and increase her own worth. I have to stay calm. This isn¡¯t the past. It¡¯s the present and for the future. She repeated the thought to herself to give herself the strength to look forward. Knock, knock. ¡°My lady, it¡¯s time.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Juno rose from her seat and checked her appearance in the mirror. She looked neat and elegant. ¡°¡­You don¡¯t have to do it today,¡± John said. ¡°No, I have a plan.¡± After one last glance at the mirror, Juno and John went down to the dining room on the first floor. Today was the day she would tell everyone the future of House Sergien. Of course, there are people here who want to take a piece of Peter¡¯s legacy. Juno gave a nod to John. When the door to the dining room opened, high-ranking officials rose from their seats to welcome her. She greeted them before sitting at the head of the table. The dinner began with typical pleasantries. ¡°The food is quite delicious.¡± ¡°The wine is of the highest quality.¡± Everyone smiled and spoke to Juno who showed the utmost respect. How funny. On the outside, they were polite to her, but in reality, they were throwing curses at her in their minds. A clueless, twenty-year-old woman who was sold to the alchemist Count Peter Sergien was lucky enough to take his place. It was an easy task to keep an eye on them with the insect dolls. Juno looked at the nobles who were beginning to exchange glances with one another. They wanted her to talk about Peter Sergien¡¯s legacy. Juno put down her fork. ¡°Allow me to make an announcement,¡± she said. Originally, she was going to take her time, but with what happened, there wasn¡¯t enough time to prove her worth. This is the only way. She was going to show the value of her inventions in a splendid manner today. One of the nobles laughed. ¡°Hahaha, what is it do you want to say?¡± ¡°As you know, my husband was an alchemist. John.¡± ¡°Yes, my lady.¡± He brought forth a tray. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± asked one of the officials. ¡°It¡¯s a new tool, finished before the count passed away.¡± On the tray was a black box. Inside was a rectangular object, smaller than a person¡¯s hand. ¡°The shape is unique, isn¡¯t it?¡± Those who once were excited to see Peter¡¯s work had a look of dismay as they stared at the item. Chapter 29 Juno smiled. ¡°Its purpose is to protect.¡± ¡°Protect?¡± ¡°Yes, I named it Protective Barrier.¡± Juno took out the item. It was small and light. ¡°I heard we¡¯re on bad terms with the Kingdom of Darnan.¡± Her words startled the nobles. ¡°How did you¡­¡± ¡°The count didn¡¯t hide anything from me.¡± The nobles¡¯ expressions changed. It¡¯s obvious what they¡¯re thinking. Peter, rumored to be madly in love with her, must have expressed his dissatisfaction by telling his lovely wife one of the empire¡¯s well-kept secrets. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m revealing this to you after much consideration.¡± They realized this wasn¡¯t a place for flattery. ¡°Is that why everyone here is related to the army and the royal family?¡± Juno nodded. ¡°Out of my love for the empire, I¡¯d like to make a suggestion.¡± Their pretentious smiles disappeared; their true faces were revealed. A nobleman asked, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Please invest in me,¡± Juno said. ¡°I beg your pardon, what did you say?¡± ¡°Are you asking for money?¡± Juno shook her head. She didn¡¯t want money. She wanted trust. ¡°Please support and acknowledge me as the new family head of House Sergien.¡± One of the noblemen sighed. ¡°¡­My lady.¡± Juno couldn¡¯t be addressed as Count Sergien; that was the law of the empire. However, Juno didn¡¯t want to be just a countess. ¡°I will continue to be Countess Sergien, but everything that belongs to Count Sergien shall be mine.¡± She smiled. ¡°Of course, I understand you must be hesitant to support a woman of only twenty years with nothing to show for it. John?¡± ¡°Understood.¡± He handed Juno another box. It was the same size as the box that contained the Protective Barrier. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°A weapon. I call it a Shooter.¡± She ignored the gazes of the nobles. ¡°John, can you open the window for me?¡± ¡°Yes, my lady.¡± Juno turned to the noblemen. ¡°My apologies, I don¡¯t want to destroy the house.¡± ¡°What do you¡ª¡± Juno took the Shooter, aimed it at the open window, and pulled the trigger. A white light flashed. Boom! With a loud noise, beams of light hit one of the trees near the mansion. The noise and dazzling light startled the aristocrats from their seats. ¡°T-The window!¡± A noble looked at the cracked glass. Juno covered her mouth and smiled. ¡°As you can see, it¡¯s not perfect yet.¡± ¡°The tree¡­¡± The nobles were in a daze, seeing the tree laying a great distance away. ¡°It¡­¡± ¡°That small weapon¡­¡± They turned their attention to the Shooter. It was about the size of two hands. ¡°And it¡¯s still a prototype¡­¡± ¡°I-Impossible¡­¡± A noble asked, ¡°Will you sell it to me?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t sell weapons here,¡± Juno replied. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The count passed away. No other weapons can be made.¡± She pointed at the cracked window. ¡°As I said before, it¡¯s not good enough.¡± The nobles sat down after realizing they were admiring the destruction caused by the weapon. In reality, the Shooter was as perfect as the Protective Barrier; however, Juno wanted revenge for Jupiter¡¯s death, not the destruction of the entire continent, by using the greed of the empire and nobility. The Protective Barrier would be sold on the market to show Juno won¡¯t let Peter¡¯s legacy go to waste. I also don¡¯t want to disappoint Peter. Juno lost Jupiter, and she didn¡¯t want to lose Peter too. With a lovely smile, she looked at the nobles. ¡°Hmph, so why did you reveal that weapon?¡± Juno pointed to the box. ¡°To show the effectiveness of the Protective Barrier.¡± She looked back at John before winking at the nobles. ¡°Everyone, please take one each.¡± They each took a Protective Barrier and whispered amongst themselves. ¡°How can this small thing protect us?¡± ¡°The weapon earlier¡­¡± Juno raised the corners of her mouth, pretending not to hear their conversations. ¡°Just hold it in the palm of your hand.¡± Boom! The dining room was ruined instantly. The marble table was fine, but pieces of tablecloth and plates had scattered in all directions. The glass window was completely shattered. The aristocrats blinked. They were the only ones unharmed, not a single strand of hair out of place. The person who used the Shooter was also fine. ¡°T-The¡­¡± a nobleman muttered, looking at the slightly damaged walls behind John, who was perfectly fine. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. I have a doll that specializes in repairs,¡± Juno said. Breaking the long silence, a noble shouted, ¡°That was remarkable!¡± The others stared at the Protective Barrier greedily. ¡°¡­Of course, the items on the market aren¡¯t much compared to what you have now.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I-Is that so?¡± Juno asked, ¡°But this will help you. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± They nodded. ¡°Of course, our empire will grow stronger!¡± ¡°Hasn¡¯t the empire been thinking of going to war these days? With this, we won¡¯t suffer any casualties.¡± ¡°Then, do I have your support? I will sell these to the knights and soldiers of the empire.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Then a noble asked the most important question. ¡°Has the count created any more of these?¡± That¡¯s what Juno was waiting for. ¡°I¡¯ll be the one to make it. Any other questions?¡± ¡°Did my lady just say you¡¯re going to make these?¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± The aristocrats were surprised. It meant she was an alchemist. ¡°How¡ª¡± ¡°As I told you before, the count hid nothing from me.¡± She was still smiling, but the nobles felt a chill down their spine. ¡°You must have forgotten that he was a cold-hearted person. Why would he choose me as his wife?¡± ¡°¡­Oh.¡± The rumors they heard were false. The count didn¡¯t bring in a wife; he found an apprentice. This young woman was the new alchemist and would influence the empire¡¯s future. Juno glanced at the object in their hands. ¡°There are only ten of those in existence, including mine and the one belonging to the butler. You may keep them. Also, His Majesty won¡¯t receive one.¡± The nobles stared at one another, hoping one of them would speak first. ¡°¡­You have my support.¡± Juno curtsied to the marquis who spoke. ¡°Thank you.¡± The other nobles also expressed their thoughts. ¡°I¡¯ll help. With this, the empire¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve made a great contribution to our country. Of course, I should support you.¡± When all eight of the high-ranking officials agreed to support her, Juno thanked them. ¡°Also, dolls will be sold and repaired like before. Please schedule an appointment ahead of time.¡± Dessert was served to the guests, and the dining room was filled with laughter. ¡°Hahaha!¡± ¡°Oh my, I¡¯ve never met such a wonderful woman before.¡± ¡°Hahaha, long live the empire.¡± Juno picked up a glass of wine to hide her sneer. Chapter 30 With John¡¯s help, Juno returned to her room. After he left, Juno ran to the bathroom and vomited. She sat on the floor, still feeling unwell. A long time passed before her nausea subsided. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± She stood up, approached the mirror, and removed her makeup. In the reflection, a sickly woman stared back at her. ¡°It¡¯s all right. You did great.¡± Tears were about to fall again. She didn¡¯t like that. Juno washed her face with cold water which got onto her clothes. ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ I¡¯m fine¡­¡± Her hands that were clenching the sink began to hurt. It was only a week since she found out about Jupiter¡¯s death. The despair still ate away at Juno and was waiting for the moment it could devour her whole. Juno didn¡¯t want to give it a chance. The greater the sorrow, the more she worked. I can¡¯t take a moment to rest. Unbeknownst to her, she started to talk to herself. ¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m not sad. Don¡¯t cry. Don¡¯t cry.¡± As if giving an order to herself, Juno repeated those words. She didn¡¯t care. She was fine. She can get through this. Didn¡¯t she do a good job today? She recalled the dinner with the high-ranking officials and what she¡¯d get from it. Juno will be known as an alchemist in the future. People will doubt her at first, but once the war starts, they¡¯ll change their minds. Juno will have the reputation she wanted. She¡¯ll be someone no one can ignore, someone who doesn¡¯t falter or bow down to anyone. Yes, Juno would be happy. She can be happy. That¡¯s why she shouldn¡¯t cry. She shouldn¡¯t stop working. With a little more effort, Juno will be so happy to erase all this sadness. She¡¯ll be able to move on, and everyone will bow at her feet. ¡°I¡¯m an alchemist. The empire will move at my whim. I can avenge Jupiter. Please, don¡¯t cry.¡± She continued to speak to herself, saying the same thing until dawn. Surely, she¡¯ll be happy, right? She¡¯ll be happy. *** Less than two months after Peter Sergien¡¯s death, the door to House Sergien¡¯s mansion opened again after two years. For the first time in decades, people flocked to the dinners held by House Sergien. What could one get from Juno Sergien? What will be the future of the empire? Dolls made a lasting impact on people¡¯s lives, and Peter Sergien was dead. Many couldn¡¯t imagine a life without dolls; they visited House Sergien to get information. Then, they heard outrageous rumors. Despite their ridiculousness, they continued to spread. When two or more people gathered, whether on the streets or in a ball, they talked about the same thing. It was the same as today. A young man made eye contact with a noblewoman. ¡°Have you heard the rumor?¡± ¡°About Countess Juno Sergien?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Goodness, I was so surprised to hear about it the first time.¡± ¡°Is the rumor true?¡± ¡°My father said it¡¯s true. I¡¯m acquainted with the man who was invited to a dinner held by House Sergien.¡± People began to crowd around him one by one, and he wasn¡¯t unaware of the noblewoman¡¯s attitude as he began to boast about his family connections. ¡°So, it is true?¡± ¡°She¡¯s an alchemist!¡± ¡°She really doesn¡¯t know anything about people.¡± More and more voices joined the conversation. ¡°Who knew she¡¯d be like that?¡± ¡°A pathetic, useless woman kicked out by a mistress.¡± ¡°What a pity. Can she do anything by herself?¡± ¡°The thorn in Marquis Trish¡¯s side is gone.¡± ¡°Yes, but the daughter he drove away became an interesting person.¡± ¡°Would it be okay for him to step down? Wasn¡¯t there someone else who could be the heir besides his daughter?¡± One of the nobles spoke. ¡°Didn¡¯t you know? It¡¯s said he died.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°He was one of the nobles in that incident with the Kingdom of Darnan.¡± ¡°Oh, that handsome man?¡± Some of the younger people sighed, recalling his beautiful face. ¡°He was quite intelligent.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too bad. But if he¡¯s dead, then¡­¡± Now, there was something more interesting than the death of a handsome nobleman. ¡°Yes, he¡¯s the only person of House Trish who was known to be acquainted with Countess Sergien. Now House Sergien has nothing to do with House Trish.¡± ¡°Will the countess attend the ball?¡± ¡°I wish I could go. I¡¯d get to know her then.¡± ¡°Shall I send you an invitation?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Thus, the story of Juno Sergien, who became the wife and widow of the alchemist Peter Sergien, spread without end. Some shook their heads, saying the rumors were nonsense. Then, Juno was invited to the Imperial Palace, and supplies were sent to the army. Dolls began to be repaired. A new alchemist was born. Juno Sergien *** A new alchemist who met with high-ranking nobles put the empire on edge. Specifically, war was just around the corner. After confirming the power of the Protective Barrier, the royal family prepared to wage a full-scale war against the Kingdom of Darnan. Juno, who had been summoned by the royal family and met privately with the emperor, worked day and night to produce the required number of Protective Barriers. ¡°Countess Sergien, you made this thing?¡± Holding the slightly lower-quality Protective Barrier in his hand, the emperor had asked, ¡°With this, our empire will have victory. Will you help the royal family and the empire?¡± Juno lowered her head. The emperor, with an eager look, said, ¡°If you do¡­¡± Their eyes met. ¡°I shall have you recognized as Countess Sergien.¡± It was exactly what she wanted. After returning to the mansion, Juno continued to make more Protective Barriers for the upcoming war, two weeks after learning about Jupiter¡¯s death. ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired, my lady?¡± Standing next to her, Hebe was worried. However, Juno needed to be busy. She was tired that she couldn¡¯t think of anything else. ¡°It¡¯s all right. Thank you for worrying about me.¡± ¡°Drink this.¡± Juno took the cup of warm tea and stroked Hebe¡¯s head. Hebe gave one last look at her before leaving the workshop. She pretended not to hear Peter click his tongue. Crash! There was a loud noise from the garden. Juno looked out the window in surprise. Before long, Peter got in front of her as if to protect her. ¡°My lady! My lady!¡± Juno doubted her ears. It was Pi. ¡°Teacher, am I dreaming?¡± She wondered if she fell asleep. Juno stared at the window. Peter replied, ¡°No, this isn¡¯t a dream. Pi has returned.¡± Juno stood up; the sudden movement made her dizzy, but Peter made sure she didn¡¯t fall. Juno staggered to the window. There was Pi with much of her body damaged. ¡°How did you fly all the way here?¡± Juno murmured. Pi, who was now very large, had one of her wings completely smashed to pieces. With Peter¡¯s guidance, Pi, the most complicated doll Juno made, could change her size at will. If this child is here, then Jupiter¡­ ¡°My lady, help! The human won¡¯t open his eyes!¡± Pi had returned with Jupiter. The hope that he was alive and Pi¡¯s words caused a mix of contradictory emotions to stir within Juno¡¯s heart. John, along with the other dolls, was in the garden when Juno arrived. The dolls made way for her. ¡°John?¡± ¡°He¡¯s here.¡± John stepped to the side. There was Jupiter. He had a lot of dried blood on one of his eyes, but it was Jupiter. His face and body were horribly injured. ¡°¡­Is he dead?¡± Juno asked. John quickly supported her. ¡°He is alive. Just unconscious.¡± Juno¡¯s legs gave out. Thanks to John, it didn¡¯t hurt; however, she fell to the floor. Slowly, she crawled toward Jupiter. ¡°There¡¯s so much blood¡­¡± ¡°Pi used the medicine,¡± John said. Her eyes widened. Yes, she gave her the medicine. Juno looked at the bird. ¡°Pi?¡± ¡°The carriage blew up. The explosion was so big that¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± Why was she sorry? Juno appreciated Pi¡¯s effort. Juno shook her head. ¡°No, Pi. Well done.¡± ¡°I used all the medicine on him, but he didn¡¯t wake up. I wanted to come sooner, but my wings¡­¡± All the medicine Juno had given Pi was used on Jupiter. Thanks to that, Jupiter was alive. Juno was so proud of Pi who managed to get here without giving up. She comforted Pi before saying to John, ¡°Take Pi to the workshop. She needs to be fixed.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Also tell Teacher to come to the garden.¡± ¡°I¡¯m already here.¡± Juno touched the large hand that was on her shoulder, full of hope. Chapter 31 The war progressed smoothly. There were almost no casualties on the side of the empire; the Protective Barrier proved its effectiveness, and more people because interested in Juno. However, not everyone had a good opinion of her. ¡°There¡¯s a rumor that Countess Sergien is fulfilling her selfish desires by using her dead husband¡¯s creations.¡± Juno, who was making a new medicine while examining Jupiter¡¯s condition, laughed at what John told her. ¡°I don¡¯t need to worry about that, right?¡± ¡°If the rumors pile up, the situation will become troublesome.¡± Juno looked at the newly made medicine. ¡°Do you think I should clear the air?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Juno spoke of her concerns. ¡°It¡¯s no different from the rumors about House Sergien.¡± ¡°Master, however, was recognized as a perfect alchemist.¡± Yes, Peter and I are different. Peter was born into House Sergien while Juno wasn¡¯t. Even though they knew Juno was selling alchemist-made products and the Protective Barrier, they made fun of her. They recognize what I created, but they don¡¯t want to recognize me. Not all nobles were like that, but many didn¡¯t want to see a woman as better than them. For Juno to be recognized as an alchemist like Peter, she had to put in more effort. The problem was that Juno had something more important than their recognition. ¡°I want to focus on Jupiter¡¯s recovery,¡± she said. John blinked. ¡°With the Protective Barrier on the market, they¡¯ll keep trying to contact you.¡± He pointed to the stack of letters on a metal tray. Aside from acknowledging Juno, many people were anxious to make use of her skills. She revealed the Protective Barrier to the world, so she couldn¡¯t pretend it didn¡¯t exist. I don¡¯t plan to give up on revenge just because Jupiter returned alive. A month had passed since he came back to the mansion, but he showed no signs of waking up. Juno frowned, thinking of Jupiter who was currently lying motionless on the bed. ¡°I don¡¯t regret being motivated by revenge, but I do regret putting out an inferior version.¡± The ones being sold on the market were of a lower quality than what Juno could make, but people still wanted them. Having the Protective Barrier is like having another life. It was a great advantage not to be hindered by an opponent¡¯s attack on the battlefield. The news of victory increased the value of the Protective Barrier and caught the attention of many nobles. Thus, many letters were sent to House Sergien. Juno sighed. ¡°Tell them there¡¯s nothing better than the Protective Barrier currently being sold.¡± Her highest priority was waking up Jupiter. John nodded. ¡°Unfortunately, no one will believe you.¡± The high-ranking officials who received the Protective Barriers from Juno as a gift were showing them off. Juno checked the time and began to stir the medicine. ¡°Indeed, they can¡¯t keep their mouths shut.¡± ¡°Since everyone has seen and heard of it, they¡¯re persistent.¡± She knew what John was worried about. Juno had the skills but not the respect, all because she wasn¡¯t born into House Sergien and the rumors about her before her marriage. The daughter that Marquis Trish abandoned. The woman who was sold to Count Sergien. These made Juno laugh; the fears and jealousy people generally had toward alchemists weren¡¯t directed at her. At this rate, there will be problems as John said. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll ignore them for now. I¡¯ll think about what to do.¡± Just a little more. Juno wanted to save Jupiter. She wanted him to wake up and look at her with his blue eyes. She had been feeling this way for the past month. I must really love him. When she thought he was dead, she was so tired that she didn¡¯t want to feel anything anymore. When he was brought back to the mansion, she was filled with so much hope. Juno stared at Jupiter¡¯s unmoving body. If you don¡¯t wake up, a piece of me will be gone. Jupiter had a very special place in her heart. Neither Peter nor John, not even Hebe could replace him. She had to wake Jupiter up, no matter what. You kept your promise. She refused to give up on him because he kept his promise to stay alive. Juno clutched the medicine in her hand. John, after quietly watching her, walked out of the room. *** Juno reached out to touch Jupiter¡¯s hand. Half a year after he returned, he was still sleeping. None of the medicines that Juno created worked. ¡°¡­Why won¡¯t he wake up?¡± she asked. Standing behind her, Peter said, ¡°His body is fully recovered. Him not waking up can¡¯t be solved with medicine.¡± He touched her shoulder. ¡°I have a suggestion. Why don¡¯t you put him in a doll?¡± ¡°¡­A doll?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Should she transfer Jupiter¡¯s memory into a doll? Would he be like Peter? Juno would do anything to feel Jupiter¡¯s warmth again, but this wasn¡¯t her decision to make. ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t choose for him.¡± ¡°I know. Juno, do you remember the process by which I put myself into a doll?¡± She nodded. ¡°I transferred my memory into the doll¡¯s brain before my old brain stopped functioning. I had to cut into my own skull.¡± Juno winced. ¡°I wasn¡¯t conscious. However, I couldn¡¯t even guarantee my brain was still functioning. There was only a slim chance that the medicine kept my body alive.¡± Peter looked at Jupiter before turning his attention back to Juno. ¡°He¡¯s still breathing. We can¡¯t just do what I did.¡± She was too frightened to take that risk. ¡°Then what should we do?¡± ¡°Transferring his memories into a doll will be our last resort. Before that, I have to make sure his brain is still working.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Peter tapped his head. ¡°We¡¯ll wake up his brain. Then we communicate with him through his consciousness to ask for his opinion.¡± ¡°¡­Is that possible?¡± ¡°In theory, yes. Since I have the experience of transferring my consciousness, it¡¯s not that absurd of an idea. Of course, the best outcome would be if we woke up his brain and he regained consciousness normally. However, that¡¯s being too optimistic. But it¡¯s better than nothing, right?¡± Juno nodded. ¡°What should I do?¡± As long as Jupiter was breathing, she refused to give up. Peter took his hand off her shoulder. ¡°There¡¯s something else that needs your attention. Leave him to me for now.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re aware of what¡¯s going on outside these days.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Juno bit her lip. As John had warned, rumors about Juno were growing out of control. There were those who tried to oppose her by saying she refused their requests. One person heard a noble family bribed her. Another said she was on good terms with a certain group and only did business with them. Someone claimed he was insulted by Juno Sergien. Groundless, false rumors continued to spread. Compared to Peter Sergien, who was like a solid, untouchable fortress, Juno was a castle with a weak foundation and only lucky to have become an alchemist. The title of alchemist carried a lot of weight, but the name of Juno Sergien did not. They asked Juno to do what Peter didn¡¯t and criticized her for not doing it. It wasn¡¯t just that. The war against the Kingdom of Darnan ended with the empire as the winner. Those who were displeased with Juno began to make their move. After all, the Protective Barrier wasn¡¯t needed anymore. A nobleman decided not to do business with her, and others followed suit. It was their loss; however, more and more people sympathized with that decision. As a result, people had begun to doubt Juno¡¯s skills. It¡¯s only a matter of time before the emperor loses interest. Juno might not be able to protect her family if there continues to be more doubt. Everyone is after me and my family. Everyone was driven by greed to get what Juno had. She hadn¡¯t done anything despite having the resources to do so. If she continues on like this, she might lose everything again. ¡°I¡­¡± Chapter 32 ¡°It will cost an unimaginable amount of money and take a long time to research,¡± Peter said. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of him from now on while you take care of the family.¡± Juno also knew she had to keep moving, but¡­ ¡°Teacher.¡± ¡°You are Juno Sergien. Now show me Juno Sergien.¡± When Juno first arrived here, she made up her mind. She was going to inherit House Sergien and its reputation. Waking up Jupiter was a slow process, and Juno still had to make a name for herself. The family¡¯s reputation will be damaged at this rate. Juno glanced at Jupiter. To protect you, I must protect my family. House Sergien was also Juno¡¯s home. She had to protect it for John, Hebe, and Peter. After a long silence, she looked at Peter. His expression with its twisted smile was the same as the one back when he held out his hand to her. ¡°What are you going to do, Juno Sergien?¡± Juno¡¯s answer was the same now as it was then. She won¡¯t give up. She won¡¯t miss this opportunity. She grinned; her own arrogant smile was similar to Peter¡¯s. ¡°¡­I should reclaim what¡¯s mine.¡± Peter threw his head back and laughed. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the apprentice I know.¡± It was time to move as Juno Sergien. *** Juno snorted as she reviewed the information collected by the insect dolls. ¡°As expected.¡± ¡°Indeed, they would suffer greatly without our products.¡± Many of the nobles who declared they wouldn¡¯t do business with House Sergien because Juno was the family head still secretly bought Juno¡¯s products. In addition, Marquis Thunia, the loudest of Juno¡¯s opposition, had a close connection to Peter. ¡°What about the others?¡± she asked. Some families bought Juno¡¯s products. Others delivered materials to Juno while publicly saying they wouldn¡¯t do business with her. Rather than persuade them, Juno planned to find new clients. ¡°There is one not in the empire, but in another kingdom.¡± ¡°And the emperor?¡± ¡°We are still figuring out the details.¡± Most of the necessary preparations were complete. Juno nodded and left the room. John followed after her. She smirked as she entered the carriage. ¡°It¡¯s all right to be a bad girl every once in a while.¡± She was going to make sure everyone knew not to mess with Countess Sergien. John faintly smiled at her remark. ¡°What about Jupiter?¡± ¡°The same as before,¡± he said. Juno focused her attention away from the mansion. ¡°I see. Let¡¯s go.¡± The location was nearby, and Marquis Thunia had already arrived. As Juno entered the restaurant, people stared at her. She ignored their gazes and approached the man at the head of the table. ¡°Thank you for your invitation, Marquis Thunia.¡± Marquis Thunia wrote a letter saying he wished to meet her in person and that there was something they needed to discuss. Yet when Juno actually appeared, he was surprised. ¡°No, I should thank you for accepting my invitation, Countess Sergien,¡± he said. John pushed the marquis¡¯s servant to the side and pulled Juno¡¯s chair out himself. Juno smiled as she sat down across from Marquis Thunia. ¡°It seems there are a lot of customers here who I haven¡¯t heard from in a while.¡± She glanced at the other nobles. Marquis Thunia laughed. ¡°As I mentioned in my letter, we have a lot to discuss.¡± Juno said, ¡°Let¡¯s cut to the chase.¡± The servants who were about to put food on the table paused. The marquis realized Juno wasn¡¯t here to grovel. He sent the servants away. ¡°Do you plan to drag House Sergien¡¯s name through the mud?¡± Covering her mouth with her hand as if she didn¡¯t understand, Juno replied, ¡°Oh, what do you mean by that?¡± ¡°You seem to be unaware since no one¡¯s around to help you. With your current behavior, everyone will turn against you. Why don¡¯t you be more polite? The count who protected you is dead.¡± In other words, he wanted Juno to bow before him, hand over her family, and ask for mercy. Some nobles in the restaurant were shocked by the marquis¡¯s harsh words; others looked at Juno with disdain. Smiling, Juno said, ¡°¡­Are you referring to how I no longer do business with House Thunia and the aristocrats who secretly trade with you? Or are you wondering if I found a new customer?¡± The marquis scoffed. ¡°Is there anyone left who wants your products?¡± Many high-ranking nobles, wary of Marquis Thunia, decided not to buy anything created by Juno; however, Marquis Thunia¡¯s power was limited to the empire. She shrugged. ¡°Other countries have nobles who want to trade with me. I already signed a contract with one of them.¡± ¡°Are you out of your mind? You bought materials from another kingdom?¡± Juno frowned. He was a funny man. Why did he think she¡¯d only trade with the nobles of the empire? Dolls were used throughout the entire continent; Count Sergien also interacted with the high-ranking aristocrats of other kingdoms. ¡°House Sergien worked with them before, and the quality of materials is much better. There was a lot of profit to be made.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a true noble! How could you join hands with another kingdom?¡± There was only one reason the marquis was like this despite there being aristocrats who traded with nobles from other countries. He¡¯s aware of the business expenses accumulated by House Sergien within a year. It was a pain to think that the money lost was comparable to a nation¡¯s annual tax. ¡°What else could I have done? My lord didn¡¯t want to do business with me. Also, a majority of my customers have close ties to you.¡± It was something he¡¯d been hiding for a long time, but Juno found out by using a worm doll. ¡°I¡¯m in quite a dilemma.¡± With a startled expression, the marquis looked at the other nobles. The sight of his pale face was worth it. Juno continued, ¡°How absurd would it be for high-ranking nobles to go along with whatever Marquis Thunia says?¡± The families who cut ties with Juno because of him would be furious if they found out. ¡°¡­What do you want?¡± Juno waved her hand. ¡°Just continue what you¡¯re currently doing.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°No matter what you do, my behavior won¡¯t change. I won¡¯t do business with you in the future as you wanted.¡± The marquis clenched the apple in his hand. ¡°If you are offended by my actions¡ª¡± ¡°Are you feeling regretful? We both know you aren¡¯t. I figured we needed to tell each other where we stand.¡± Juno arrogantly looked down on him. The marquis, unable to contain his anger, cried, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m the only one?¡± It was impossible for others to act in accordance with Marquis Thunia when they found out they were deceived by him. ¡°You still want to fight when the results have already been decided? I should learn a thing or two from you.¡± When the marquis remained silent, Juno rose from her seat. ¡°I think I¡¯ve said everything that needed to be said. I shall take my leave.¡± Marquis Thunia tried to follow after her. ¡°Wait a min¡ªAugh!¡± John, who had been watching the situation, held back the marquis. ¡°How dare you!¡± Juno watched as Marquis Thunia took out his anger on John. ¡°I stayed as long as I could like the count.¡± She put on a pitiful expression. ¡°But everyone says they don¡¯t want that, so I had to think of something else.¡± She pretended she was in a difficult position. Then, giggling, she looked at the marquis. ¡°I¡¯m a shrewd woman as the rumors say. I¡¯m fickle, and I love bribes. Don¡¯t you already know that? So, from now on, I¡¯ll only work with people who give me what I want.¡± With a beautiful smile, she said, ¡°Cheer up, everyone, and get what I want. There¡¯s a lot of things I¡¯d like to have.¡± Juno left the restaurant. ¡°Well done,¡± John whispered. ¡°You think so? I¡¯m glad.¡± According to the rumors, Juno was a cruel woman who manipulated people. Rather than be criticized for not making things easy, shouldn¡¯t she make use of that? Juno was pleased with herself as she got into the carriage. Her first outing as Juno Sergien ended quite spectacularly. Chapter 33 The news of Juno¡¯s actions was known throughout high society. Some of the more powerful aristocrats grasped the meaning behind the confrontation between Juno and Marquis Thunia overnight. ¡°The rumor spread more quickly than I expected.¡± As soon as she got out of the carriage, Juno smiled at the gazes drawn to her. Looking at the approaching servant, John said, ¡°House Thunia was involved with many nobles.¡± Indeed, there were more than Juno thought. ¡°That¡¯s good for us.¡± Juno winked at the servant to show them the way. She recalled the invitation she received earlier this morning. It was from the emperor, and it arrived a day after the meeting with Marquis Thunia. What will you do? There are words an emperor was expected to say, but there was no guarantee they¡¯d all be said. Juno was at the Imperial Palace a few months ago when she had to deliver the Protective Barrier. She was upset at the servants who didn¡¯t spare her a glance. ¡°It was effective. They can¡¯t afford not to look at me.¡± Her smile was filled with ridicule and pity at those who changed their attitudes at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°You may take this opportunity to add more dolls as servants to the royal family,¡± John said. ¡°That¡¯d be nice.¡± It wasn¡¯t a bad idea if things went well with the emperor. Juno turned her head at the sight of the dolls. Then, the servant stopped in his tracks. ¡°My lady.¡± They had arrived. Juno looked at the servant who certainly heard her and John¡¯s conversation. She nodded. ¡°Your Majesty, Countess Sergien is here.¡± ¡°Let her in.¡± It was the emperor¡¯s voice. The door to the throne room opened. As always, the emperor was by himself. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Juno gracefully greeted him. The emperor grinned. ¡°Thank you for accepting my invitation.¡± ¡°Of course. How could I refuse His Majesty¡¯s summon?¡± He was satisfied with her words. ¡°I heard what happened the day before. It¡¯s quite a shame.¡± Juno politely smiled without saying much, so the emperor continued speaking. ¡°I heard you¡¯re going to try something else,¡± he said. ¡°I spent a year mourning my husband¡¯s death, but as you know, things changed. I thought I had to act.¡± ¡°Indeed, Marquis Thunia was a little rude this time.¡± ¡°Thank you for understanding.¡± Juno lowered her head. The benign-looking emperor had a troubled look on his face. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to do business with other nobles.¡± Juno looked up at the emperor. She was waiting for this moment after she signed the contract with an aristocrat from another kingdom. Since the emperor heard about it, he had no choice but to call her here. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll try to coax me. Juno waited to see what he¡¯d do. She was Countess Sergien, an alchemist of House Sergien, but she had no recognition. That¡¯s why she needed the support of high-ranking nobles for now. And the highest-ranked aristocrat in the empire is the emperor himself. Juno planned to work with the emperor to stabilize her position. Then the opposition will have no choice but to admit defeat. Nodding, Juno said, ¡°My apologies, but if I trade with them, my products will be of higher quality.¡± ¡°Then they¡¯ll be in other countries¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m certain I can provide the same quality to Your Majesty.¡± The emperor, realizing the meaning behind her words, narrowed his eyes. He coughed. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Your Majesty said I would receive help with being recognized. Should I not repay the favor?¡± The emperor leaned forward, covering his mouth with his hand. ¡°I may need your help from now on, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s a simple matter for the woman who led the empire to victory by providing those Protective Barriers.¡± He was greedy under the pretense of rewarding her for her contributions. ¡°I hope to cooperate with the royal family in the future.¡± When Juno insisted they¡¯d join hands, the emperor was more pleased. He saw the capabilities of the Protective Barrier and understood the consequences of working with an alchemist during this time. Moreover, it felt like Juno swallowed her pride in this situation, unlike what she¡¯d done with other nobles. ¡°I feel the same way, Countess Sergien.¡± *** By joining hands with the emperor, things progressed smoothly. He refused to compensate the nobles who suffered losses by cutting ties with Juno; people also realized Juno had the emperor¡¯s support because the emperor did nothing. Along with the families related to House Thunia, Marquis Thunia lost power. Juno Sergien showed what happened to people who dared to mess with her. Naturally, some began to wonder if they should continue to watch the situation. ¡°Are you going to side with His Majesty and watch Countess Sergien run wild?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help Marquis Thunia since he did that.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± However, the doubt soon faded. A nobleman visited Juno Sergien, knelt before her, and obtained a Protective Barrier. The rumors about bribes and flattery working on her held a lot of weight. ¡°Have you heard?¡± ¡°She lent money to a writer who was about to go bankrupt¡­¡± ¡°Then the baroness¡­¡± ¡°You said you were going to offer her a deal!¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± As long as Juno Sergien looked good, a person would enjoy the power she offered. Even those wary of her tried to win her favor. So, Juno began to be recognized, and she, watching it all unfold, became colder and more ruthless. *** Exhausted, Juno visited the workshop to look at Jupiter, who was still sleeping. Since she allied herself with the emperor, there were many balls she had to attend. She needed to meet the demands of those who flattered and bribed her. ¡°Teacher?¡± Peter looked back. ¡°I told you to rest.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t looked at how far you¡¯ve gotten in the past few days.¡± Peter recorded his findings in a journal for Juno. ¡°The progress is slow, but research is research.¡± Juno began to read the procedures. Then, John entered the workshop. ¡°My lady.¡± ¡°John, you¡¯re here,¡± Juno greeted after returning the journal to Peter. ¡°My teacher is doing quite well.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°I look forward to next time.¡± ¡°Give me a break.¡± Peter tossed the journal aside and returned his attention to the item he was looking at earlier. John approached Juno. ¡°It¡¯s good that you look well, but there¡¯s been a development.¡± She raised an eyebrow. ¡°Is it another noble?¡± ¡°No, not that kind. I found out why the Kingdom of Darnan and the empire are on bad terms.¡± ¡°¡­Do I have to know?¡± Juno felt she just needed to know the results. From the time they attacked the delegates to improve relations, Juno¡¯s hostility had been directed at the Kingdom of Darnan. ¡°Yes.¡± John glanced at Peter. ¡°Someone tried to take the princess of the Kingdom of Darnan to the empire by force. The princess was unharmed, but the other party suffered heavy losses.¡± Juno sighed. ¡°¡­Are there not others who care?¡± It wasn¡¯t Juno¡¯s business to kill the nobleman who harmed the princess. Wasn¡¯t Jupiter someone who had nothing to do with this? ¡°It was His Highness, the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Do you remember the servant who arrived before Master¡¯s funeral? The one from the royal family?¡± Juno recalled that before Peter closed the door to the mansion, a customer visited them. ¡°I can¡¯t believe someone¡¯s here late at night. How inconsiderate,¡± Juno had said. ¡°Why is he here?¡± With an annoyed look, Peter responded, ¡°His Highness has been gravely injured. Even the medicine I have may not be enough to save him.¡± ¡°Are you going to give him the medicine then?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you give that a try?¡± Juno had asked. ¡°The medicine I made. I want to see if it works¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not bad, is it? All right.¡± Peter gave Juno¡¯s medicine to the servant and sent him away. A few days later, they received a letter thanking them for the crown prince¡¯s improved condition. ¡°Is that why they needed it?¡± ¡°Yes. The royal family didn¡¯t apologize for His Highness¡¯s conduct and demanded compensation for the crown prince¡¯s injuries.¡± ¡°¡­Why wasn¡¯t I told this earlier?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t good for the princess or His Highness, so everyone kept quiet. Also, we didn¡¯t have the insect dolls made at the time.¡± ¡°So, His Highness and the royal family are to blame for Jupiter¡¯s current condition.¡± John and Peter silently agreed with Juno. She laughed. It seemed she had joined hands with another target for her revenge. Chapter 34 After listening to John, Juno looked at Jupiter. ¡°What do you think, Teacher?¡± ¡°Do what you want. You don¡¯t need to work with His Majesty.¡± Juno gently caressed Jupiter¡¯s face. She combed her fingers through his hair. His complexion wasn¡¯t bad, and his hair was soft thanks to the nutrients being supplied. ¡°Yes, there are plenty of ways to gain power without the emperor.¡± The title of alchemist held a lot of value. As long as she was active, there were people willing to become an ally. ¡°However, it will take a lot of time.¡± Juno wanted to sort things out as soon as possible to focus on Jupiter. ¡°It won¡¯t be easy. Working with the emperor means you can¡¯t avoid him,¡± Peter said. ¡°Yes, but if I can, I should.¡± The anger buried under her composure still boiled. Peter sighed as he saw it. Juno continued, ¡°I thought about what I¡¯d do. If I were Jupiter, I¡¯d use them until they served their purpose, then throw them away.¡± Jupiter was kind and gentle in front of her, but he was always a cold, cruel person. ¡°It¡¯s not a bad idea to isolate His Highness.¡± The crown prince would be shunned by the nobles even if Juno didn¡¯t do anything. ¡°There are still a few people who support him, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The position of the crown prince was unstable because he wasn¡¯t the son of the empress. The emperor was also facing opposition from the empress¡¯s family. In recent years, the emperor has been criticized for turning a blind eye to the crown prince¡¯s reckless behavior. Then, Juno reached out to the royal family. I thought it was a blessing in disguise, but that wasn¡¯t the case. If the empire lost the war, the crown prince and the emperor, the main instigators, wouldn¡¯t have been able to act as they are now. The royal family won the war thanks to Juno but also used her to bury their faults. Since they used me like this, I should do the same to them. ¡°I¡¯ll get as much as I can, and when Jupiter wakes up, I¡¯ll ask him how he wants them to be thrown away.¡± ¡°¡­All right, go ahead.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let His Majesty and His Highness bring about their own ruin. I have my own path of destruction to follow.¡± Juno remembered the crown prince who had approached her. ¡°Are you Countess Sergien?¡± He had been sneaking glances at her and ¡°accidentally¡± bumped into her. Truly the worst. Recently, he had been talking casually about Juno and Count Sergien. ¡°I thought I had to be the one to take the reins of the emperor and the crown prince, but it seemed there was no need.¡± Juno almost wanted to laugh. ¡°I will abandon both of them when I know all their secrets.¡± It would take a long time for her revenge to come to fruition. *** Juno opened the curtains and the window. The sunshine and fresh air that poured into the room made her feel better. ¡°Hello, Jupiter.¡± She always said that to him every day after he returned to the mansion for eight years now. She gently touched his face before wringing the water out of a wet towel. ¡°My lady, here¡¯s a letter for you,¡± John said after entering the room. Juno was wiping Jupiter¡¯s hand. ¡°From who?¡± Letters were always sent to her, so it wasn¡¯t anything new. She grinned as she looked at Jupiter¡¯s nails. ¡°Marquis Robert¡¯s legal representative¡­¡± Her smile disappeared. How many letters had she received? ¡°I¡¯ll see him today.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Juno hadn¡¯t met a persistent opponent in a long time. She¡¯ll see what was happening and determine if the visit was worth it. Juno shuddered, remembering the countless letters sent over the past few days. As she put away the wet towels, John gave Juno medicine. ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± She began to apply it to Jupiter¡¯s skin. It was a new medicine for him that was absorbed through the skin. After examining Jupiter¡¯s body, John said, ¡°Fortunately, there seem to be no problems.¡± Indeed, there wasn¡¯t, except that Jupiter was still unconscious. ¡°How is Teacher doing?¡± ¡°No major issues so far. Master is making progress as always.¡± ¡°I see.¡± During these past eight years, Juno continued her own research and gained more power. As a result, her position was very stable. It¡¯s all a matter of skill and politics. With her long wait coming to an end, she was concerned when she received a letter from House Trish. About my father¡¯s will. After the incident with Jupiter, Marquis Robert lost power as soon as Juno established herself as an alchemist. I didn¡¯t do anything, however. Those who paid attention to her pushed the marquis away. She only remembered him after hearing about his death. He realized what kind of mess he was in. When Jupiter was said to have died and Juno become more popular, the marquis continued to pick fights with other nobles for eight years. In the end, they wiped each other out. Now there was this problem. The legal representative insisted to meet Juno to discuss the will even when she said she wasn¡¯t interested. I was going to ignore it this time, but¡­ She didn¡¯t want to be stingy with opportunities. She also wished to focus on her research as soon as possible. As she sighed in exasperation, Pi flew through the window and put a flower next to Jupiter. ¡°Good morning, my lady!¡± Pi perched next to her and chirped. Juno stroked Pi¡¯s head. ¡°Hello, Pi. You brought him a present today too.¡± ¡°Yes, a gift for the sleeping beauty. Aren¡¯t I nice?¡± Pi was cute as always. ¡°Thank you,¡± Juno said. ¡°Are you going to keep me company?¡± Pi nodded. Juno petted her head. ¡°Please take care of him for today. I have to go.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Juno always felt grateful to Pi for saving Jupiter. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back, Jupiter.¡± She had changed a lot over the past eight years. Her title was the same, but in terms of personality, it could be said she had become a completely different person. She was a cold-hearted person who followed her own rules, but the only thing that didn¡¯t change was her feelings for Jupiter. No, I can¡¯t say my feelings haven¡¯t changed. There was a growing sense of urgency. Was it because she repeatedly said she wouldn¡¯t give up? Her love for Jupiter only grew stronger and stronger. I wonder if it borders on the line of obsession. Knowing she wasn¡¯t a good person, Juno moved forward. If she stopped or looked back, she would collapse. Juno caressed Jupiter¡¯s face before she left the room. Things that you don¡¯t want to do should be done first. Juno changed into formal attire and looked in the mirror. An aloof woman with red hair stared back. Not pretty. ¡°My lady.¡± John entered the room as she was about to leave. Juno shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll go by myself.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. You know it won¡¯t be dangerous.¡± Juno had the strongest versions of the Protective Barrier and Shooter, neither of which were on the market. Since Juno became popular, John became more concerned about her safety. She smiled as if to reassure him, and John stepped aside. ¡°I understand. Have a safe trip.¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll be back as soon as I can,¡± Juno said as she got on the carriage. ¡°If you don¡¯t come back in three hours, I¡¯ll pick you up.¡± ¡°Do you think it will take that long?¡± It won¡¯t take three hours. The carriage began to move. And so, Juno visited the mansion of House Trish for the first time in nearly ten years. There, she encountered the unexpected remains of the past. *** A little girl sat in the drawing room. She was a pretty child; her twin tails added to her cute appearance. However, Juno looked away without much of a reaction. She shoved the will back into the legal representative¡¯s hand. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± ¡°A mansion and a child who must be loved and cared for¡ª¡± ¡°What if I don¡¯t want either?¡± The man had a puzzled expression. ¡°My lady, this place is¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know who I am?¡± Juno¡¯s attitude, which had been polite, changed in an instant. ¡°Yes,¡± the legal representative answered quickly. There¡¯s no way he didn¡¯t know. In the empire, no, the entire continent, no one didn¡¯t know the name of Juno Sergien. But what the hell is this? Chapter 35 The man in front of Juno was Marquis Trish¡¯s legal representative. He was well aware of the marquis¡¯s situation. Nevertheless, the reason he referred to Juno as ¡°my lady¡± instead of ¡°Countess Sergien¡± was to emphasize that she was the legitimate child of Marquis Robert. ¡°I have plenty of money, so I don¡¯t need this mansion,¡± Juno said. ¡°Of course¡­¡± Juno looked at her surroundings. The mansion of House Trish was more like an antique because it belonged to an old aristocratic family, but this place meant nothing to her. It reminds me of the awful past. Juno returned her attention to the legal representative. ¡°I was married. Just because my husband is dead doesn¡¯t mean I lost his surname.¡± ¡°Your father decided to give you your inheritance.¡± She scoffed and pointed to the child in the drawing room. ¡°You¡¯re also going to leave her with me?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Let me make it clear. I have no intention of inheriting anything from House Trish.¡± The legal representative hurriedly caught up to Juno who was about to leave. ¡°Wait! Don¡¯t you feel sorry for your sister?¡± For that poor thing? The remains of the past that she didn¡¯t care about or feel the need to care about, were at Juno¡¯s feet. She wanted to forget about it, but her anger was still there. This isn¡¯t even amusing. She stared at the legal representative for a long time before shaking her head. ¡°Why should I?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°You know what happened.¡± The legal representative¡¯s eyes widened as if he wasn¡¯t expecting Juno to bring it up herself. ¡°I was the daughter who was sold to a rich, old man because of my father¡¯s mistress and her child.¡± ¡°N-No, my lady¡ª¡± ¡°Countess. Sergien.¡± ¡°Countess Sergien, the child is only ten years old¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. You should leave her at an orphanage.¡± As Juno was leaving the mansion, someone approached her and the legal representative. ¡°Countess Sergien.¡± He was a man wearing the knight uniform of the Imperial Guard. Juno scrutinized him as she put her hand on the weapon hidden in her coat. The legal representative confronted the knight. ¡°Who are you? This is private property, so¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to speak to Countess Sergien,¡± the knight said. ¡°If you wish to make an appointment, please send a letter. Don¡¯t try and meet with me in person,¡± Juno said. The knight handed her something. After a moment of hesitation, Juno took it because she saw a familiar seal on the envelope. It made sense that only the royal family used the Imperial Guard for these kinds of errands. ¡°Is it from the royal family?¡± Juno asked. ¡°Correct.¡± The knight had a proud look on his face. Juno examined the envelope; however, even if it was from the royal family, she wasn¡¯t obligated to open it now. After eight years, Juno had the power to do that. ¡°His Majesty made a promise to me. He would make an appointment in advance like everyone else.¡± Juno walked past the knight. ¡°My lady, where are you going?¡± the legal representative called. Juno didn¡¯t look back. ¡°Countess Sergien!¡± Her time was expensive, and she wasn¡¯t going to waste it on her half-sister. ¡°I¡¯m going back to work.¡± ¡°Countess Sergien, the inheritance!¡± Juno shouted, ¡°I don¡¯t need it! I¡¯m rich!¡± It was a childish response, but her anger got the best of her. ¡°Countess Sergien!¡± Juno got into the carriage and said, ¡°My time is money.¡± The door closed, and the carriage began to move as if it read Juno¡¯s mind. ¡°I¡¯m not her anymore.¡± The pitiful Juno Trish was no more; she was now Juno Sergien, a rich widow and skilled alchemist. Her anger began to subside. Juno couldn¡¯t afford to be resentful about her past. She looked out the window. ¡°I¡¯m Juno Sergien.¡± In the crowd were a lot of dolls and objects made through alchemy. Throughout the empire and in other countries, Juno opened shops to sell her products. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say she had an influence on everyone¡¯s daily lives, regardless if they were commoners or nobles. ¡°That¡¯s Countess Juno Sergien¡¯s carriage!¡± People began to look in her direction. Their gazes were filled with awe and respect. ¡°The alchemist!¡± Everyone knew who Juno Sergien was, and no one ignored her. Juno smiled at a passing child. By the time the carriage reached the mansion, Juno was in a better mood. *** Juno entered the mansion and patted Hebe on the head. ¡°My lady, where have you been?¡± he asked. He grabbed Juno¡¯s hand. ¡°It was a waste of time.¡± She felt better now. ¡°Would you like me to bring you some sweets?¡± ¡°That would be wonderful.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Hebe smiled and nodded. ¡°My lady.¡± John approached them, which caused Juno to sigh. ¡°John.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± The conversation at House Trish¡¯s mansion came to mind. ¡°I need to think about what to do with the inheritance. Would you like to accompany me?¡± John nodded. ¡°All right.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to the study first.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Hebe, listening to their conversation, let go of Juno¡¯s hand and said, ¡°I¡¯ll bring the food to the study!¡± He hummed as he went to the kitchen. Looking at Hebe¡¯s back, John asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°The legal representative said I would be given House Trish¡¯s legacy.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± John had seen the marriage contract and remembered its contents. Nodding, Juno said, ¡°I want some advice. My teacher is in the workshop, right?¡± ¡°Yes, my lady.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Upon arriving at the workshop, Juno approached Peter. ¡°Teacher?¡± ¡°What?¡± He didn¡¯t turn around. ¡°I need your help.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°I paid a visit to House Trish.¡± Peter looked at her. ¡°Isn¡¯t he dead?¡± ¡°The problem is the will.¡± Peter began to tidy up his workspace. Rising from his seat, he approached her. ¡°Go on.¡± John pulled out a chair for Juno. ¡°Please sit down, my lady.¡± She leaned back in the familiar chair. ¡°Teacher, you remember how I couldn¡¯t inherit anything, right? That clause was there.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware.¡± She sighed. ¡°However, it seems I¡¯ll be inheriting everything.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not surprising. What else?¡± ¡°There are conditions.¡± Peter raised his eyebrow. Juno gritted her teeth. ¡°I was asked to take care of a child. Father and Lilith¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°¡­Are they mad?¡± That was exactly what Juno wanted to say. Why did Marquis Robert write such a thing in his will? While Juno remained silent to control her anger, Peter asked, ¡°Will you do it?¡± ¡°What? No!¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s the problem? It¡¯s not like you aren¡¯t wealthy. Do you want the money?¡± ¡°What am I going to use it for? You gave me a large amount of money already, and I¡¯m wealthy enough from my business deals,¡± Juno said. ¡°Do you have to accept it?¡± ¡°The legal representative is very persistent.¡± He seemed to be a very righteous man who was determined not to send the child to an orphanage. ¡°My lady!¡± Juno smiled as Hebe entered the workshop while holding a tray filled with desserts. She would always be in a better mood whenever she saw him because he was so cheerful. However, Hebe brought something else besides dessert. ¡°What is that, Hebe?¡± Juno asked. ¡°Hm? Oh, letters. One from the royal family¡­¡± Juno remembered the knight she encountered at House Trish¡¯s mansion. ¡°The other is from Marquis Robert Trish¡¯s legal representative¡­¡± Chapter 36 Juno furrowed her brow. She was annoyed; Marquis Trish, even in death, was troublesome. He¡¯s no different from the emperor and the crown prince. Juno first read the letter from the royal family. She skimmed through the pleasantries and got to the actual content. ¡°The emperor wants to see me.¡± Peter nodded. ¡°That¡¯s for you to decide.¡± In the past years, Juno received money from the royal family to repair things at a certain time. She had to once again fix those items. Folding the letter, Juno said, ¡°I think there¡¯s more to it. He wants me to visit.¡± Usually, the objects that needed to be repaired were sent to the mansion, so Juno didn¡¯t need to see the emperor. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do them a favor.¡± Juno was strong enough to let go of the emperor¡¯s hand. There was no need to be stressed about him or the crown prince now that they were less valuable. Juno placed the letter on the table. I must concentrate on my research first. We can make a move once Jupiter wakes up. She didn¡¯t want to waste time trying to get rid of the emperor when her research was so close to being done. Besides, wasn¡¯t she going to let Jupiter decide what to do with Prince Anton? As Juno was thinking about the crown prince and the emperor, Peter glanced at the other letter. ¡°You should look through that one as well,¡± he said. Juno stared at it before taking out her letter opener. She didn¡¯t want to acknowledge it, but she¡¯d keep getting more letters otherwise. As she read through its contents, she became livid. It was the first time in years since she was this angry. ¡°You bastard,¡± she cursed. Juno crumpled the letter. The legal representative looked harmless, but his personality was something else. She knew the moment she saw his stubborn gaze. Juno laughed. ¡°Is that what you¡¯ll do?¡± ¡°Juno.¡± She handed Peter the letter. ¡°Look at it.¡± John approached Peter as he read it. Peter smiled. ¡°He¡¯s quite clever, don¡¯t you think?¡± Juno glared at him before taking the letter. She pointed to the other piece of paper. ¡°There¡¯s the will.¡± It was the copy she read while at House Trish¡¯s residence. Juno drank the iced tea brought in by Hebe and chewed on the ice. She looked through the will again and was done reading after her cup was filled with water. She scoffed. ¡°If I don¡¯t give a proper response, he¡¯ll let the royal family know?¡± ¡°You do have a reason to meet with the emperor,¡± Peter said. He took the will from Juno¡¯s hands and began to read it. Juno continued to chew on the ice. She felt uneasy. ¡°¡­It¡¯s a little too coincidental.¡± Peter answered, ¡°You¡¯re lucky I suppose. Right now, you¡¯re allied with the emperor.¡± Things would work out, but something was still off. John asked, ¡°My lady, when will you go to the Imperial Palace?¡± Juno stared at the ceiling for a few seconds before saying, ¡°Tomorrow.¡± To ease her mind, she thought it was better to meet with the emperor as soon as possible. Peter nodded at Juno¡¯s answer. ¡°Understood, my lady.¡± Juno sighed. She was tired. Then, Hebe put a fork in Juno¡¯s hand. ¡°My lady.¡± ¡°All right. Thank you, Hebe.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Hebe smiled beautifully before pulling up a chair and sitting down. Poking her dessert with the fork, Juno said, ¡°By the way, Hebe, didn¡¯t you mention you wanted to be taller before?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I want to see you better, my lady!¡± Juno hugged Hebe. He made her feel better, unlike the dessert. ¡°How can you be so cute?¡± She forgot some unpleasant thoughts by just looking at him. Juno decided not to think about tomorrow. Hebe¡¯s refreshing laughter resounded throughout the workshop. *** The next day, Juno visited the Imperial Palace and ignored the nobles who tried to talk to her. As soon as she entered the throne room, where the emperor was, she handed over the list brought by John. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± the emperor asked. It was clear she had something to say, but the emperor didn¡¯t skip formalities. Because I haven¡¯t seen him in a while. ¡°I have a favor to ask of you, Your Majesty.¡± The emperor¡¯s expression changed as if he was waiting for this. What a sly, old man. ¡°I¡¯ll listen to your request.¡± ¡°You must have heard that my father died.¡± The emperor frowned. ¡°Ah, yes. The marquis.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a problem with my inheritance.¡± ¡°There is?¡± She didn¡¯t like the emperor¡¯s widened eyes. Juno nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t want it.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°However, I noticed some of the properties belonged to my mother¡¯s family.¡± She didn¡¯t like it, but now was the time to respect the emperor. Specifically, it was time to pretend she respected him. He received a lot of help from her, so even if it was a request, Juno¡¯s request was an order. Respecting Juno¡¯s order as a request was an act of politeness. ¡°My father¡¯s property, which he said he¡¯d give to me if I received the inheritance, belongs to the royal family.¡± That was what the will stated. If Juno didn¡¯t take care of her younger sister, everything that belonged to her parents would belong to the royal family. Juno wasn¡¯t in a position to be threatened by anyone, which made the legal representative more impudent. Juno suppressed her agitation. All I have to do is please His Majesty. She didn¡¯t enjoy this, but he won¡¯t refuse Juno¡¯s request. ¡°¡­So, what do you plan to do?¡± ¡°I hope Your Majesty would sell my mother¡¯s properties to me.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The emperor, as always, began to appear interested. ¡°If you want anything, I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± The emperor smiled and nodded. Based on his expression, he wants something. I don¡¯t think it will be a big deal. Juno waited for the emperor to speak. ¡°Yes, I do want something from you.¡± With a warm smile, he continued, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be good for you to inherit the marquis¡¯s legacy?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Juno stared at the emperor. Obtaining the inheritance meant taking care of the child. Despite Juno¡¯s piercing gaze, the emperor didn¡¯t take back his words. ¡°That daughter of theirs. Don¡¯t you feel sorry for her?¡± Juno restrained her anger, but this was the last time. ¡°Since when has His Majesty been interested in orphans?¡± ¡°Hahaha, if you don¡¯t accept the inheritance, everything will belong to the royal family.¡± No, he was putting pressure on Juno. ¡°I¡¯ll never sell the estate.¡± ¡°¡­For what the reason?¡± Juno asked. ¡°All I want is one thing. Please take care of the child.¡± ¡°Tell me or else I won¡¯t be able to accept her.¡± Juno was willing to destroy her friendly relationship with the emperor if he didn¡¯t reveal his reasoning. There would be a lot of work, but¡­ She wanted to focus her efforts on Jupiter, so she couldn¡¯t afford to waste more time. She had been tolerating the actions of the emperor and Crown Prince Anton for this reason, but now that the emperor was like this, Juno wouldn¡¯t put up with them anymore. Did he read her mind? After hesitating for some time, the emperor spoke. ¡°That girl is not the marquis¡¯s child.¡± Juno was stunned. The marquis wasn¡¯t the father? Am I hearing this correctly? ¡°¡­I beg your pardon, what did you just say? Whose child then?¡± Her head began to ache. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t tell you.¡± But the answer was right there. Why would the emperor care so much in the first place? ¡°Is she a child of the royal family?¡± ¡°¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Did my father know about this?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lilith cheated on him with someone from the royal family in order to have a child. So much for true love. Juno narrowed her eyes at the emperor. ¡°Is she Your Majesty¡¯s child?¡± ¡°Hm.¡± His pretentious smile and politeness already disappeared. Juno said, ¡°¡­You won¡¯t be happy if I become your enemy.¡± However, he didn¡¯t cower since he was the emperor. ¡°You also won¡¯t be happy if I was your enemy.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, you need me for a lot of things.¡± ¡°¡­I know. That¡¯s why I¡¯ll make it up to you.¡± Absurd. Juno said, ¡°I don¡¯t need compensation.¡± ¡°Yes, of course. However, if you help me, I will repay the favor.¡± Whose child was this? It can¡¯t be His Majesty¡¯s child. He had many illegitimate children, so summoning them to the palace was easy. There was only one case where he¡¯d be this desperate despite the girl not being his child. ¡°She¡¯s not a child of Your Majesty since a servant hasn¡¯t been sent for her.¡± ¡°¡­¡± A child only an emperor would love. ¡°Is she the daughter of His Highness the Crown Prince?¡± ¡°¡­¡± His silent affirmation was enough. Juno was speechless. That damn crown prince had another accident. She sighed, remembering his engagement ceremony was around the corner. Isn¡¯t this his third engagement? The first and second engagements were annulled because of the crown prince. If this fails, he¡¯s done for. Chapter 37 When the crown prince tried to take the princess of the Kingdom of Darnan by force, he was on his own path to destruction as expected. The reason he hadn¡¯t fallen from grace was because of Juno. She couldn¡¯t contain her anger and said sarcastically, ¡°Are you afraid of having to break the engagement? I wish you took better care of your children.¡± The crown prince was an illegitimate son of the emperor. Although he was the emperor¡¯s first son, his mother was neither the empress nor the courtesan. His mother was a maid who died while giving birth to him, and the crown prince himself lacked any sort of skill. All he has is the emperor¡¯s love. Yet the emperor¡¯s affection was strong. He married the daughter of Duke Gelford, who was known as the empire¡¯s Pillar of Strength, and made her the empress. Yet the position of crown prince wasn¡¯t given to the son he had with the empress. ¡°You must not be aware how the other prince is a much better option,¡± Juno said. His legitimate child¡¯s power was in part his mother¡¯s, but he also was a capable person. The grandson of Duke Gelford would make a better emperor than the idiot crown prince. Do you truly believe the crown prince, who even in his 40s, needs the help of his father, will be able to lead the empire? ¡°Anton will be the next emperor.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Love blinded the emperor and made him a fool, just like her father. Juno was sick of it. The moment her father came to mind, her alliance with the emperor was over. It was going to end anyway. She had no intention of doing more work until Jupiter woke up; however, she was at her limit. I¡¯ve had it for eight years. Anton. Only Jupiter could decide what happened to him. The emperor, unaware of Juno¡¯s thoughts, said, ¡°Think about it, then send me a letter.¡± ¡°¡­¡± There was nothing to think about. Juno stormed out of the room. It was time to cut ties. *** After meeting the emperor, Juno sat in a dark room of the mansion while waiting for a guest to arrive. The emperor put pressure on Juno for his personal gain. As well as Anton. Juno no longer wanted to do anything for Anton, so she sent letters to certain people she had met over the years. When she heard a knock on the door, Juno looked up. ¡°Come in.¡± A tall, rather plain-looking man with a muscular physique entered the room. He had a nervous look on his face when he made eye contact with Juno. ¡°Hello, Your Highness,¡± she greeted. ¡°Countess Juno Sergien.¡± He was Argos Peloponnese, one of the empire¡¯s princes, who secretly came to visit her late at night. He¡¯s a good candidate for the throne. Argo Peloponnese, the son of the empress, also had Duke Gelford¡¯s backing. Not only was his background great, but so were his skills. The crown prince was no match for him. ¡°Why did you want to meet with me?¡± the prince asked. Juno smiled, hiding her anger against the emperor and the crown prince. Let¡¯s not have this conversation go to waste. After years of observation, Juno knew what Prince Argos was like. But there¡¯s something I still need to check. What Juno needed was Argos¡¯s willingness to ascend the throne even if he had to distance himself from the emperor and kill the crown prince. ¡°Do you want to be emperor?¡± Juno said. Argos hesitated before saying, ¡°¡­I¡¯m not the crown prince.¡± ¡°Your Highness, I asked if you wanted to be the emperor.¡± ¡°¡­Does this have to do with your meeting with my father today?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Argos had a wary look. It was clear he didn¡¯t know what was on Juno¡¯s mind. ¡°My answer will change the situation,¡± he said. ¡°Yes.¡± Argos nodded immediately. ¡°I want to be emperor.¡± ¡°All right, Your Highness, I¡¯ll make you the emperor.¡± ¡°¡­Can I trust you?¡± Juno liked those who were capable, and she needed an emperor who¡¯d listen to her. It¡¯s not like him to be unaware of how much I¡¯ve endured. Juno raised the corners of her mouth. ¡°You have no choice.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Argos knew why he wasn¡¯t the crown prince; the emperor loved Anton. The emperor¡¯s love was so great because of the friendly relationship between the emperor and Juno. Yet Juno was throwing away the emperor and trying to join hands with him. You¡¯ll see what a great opportunity this is. She decided to give him a hint. ¡°My half-sister will be living with me soon.¡± ¡°¡­And?¡± ¡°Find out who her father is, then we¡¯ll meet again.¡± ¡°Is this a test?¡± Juno smiled. Argos, who had been silent, nodded with a determined expression and left. Then, Peter entered the room and sat down in front of her. ¡°It will be on a large scale,¡± he said. ¡°Were you also thinking about it?¡± Ten years after becoming an alchemist, Juno was no longer a woman who followed others, but someone with the power to turn the world upside down. Removing the emperor and his successor was child¡¯s play to her. Peter grinned. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for a long time.¡± He seemed proud of her and proud of himself. He laughed. ¡°Well done. You don¡¯t need to show mercy to those who aren¡¯t aware. The higher the position they¡¯re in, the greater the fall.¡± Juno nodded. As Peter said, if one couldn¡¯t get along with the person at the top, that person had to go. Only then will a proper hierarchy be maintained. That was the power of the alchemist, Juno Sergien. *** Juno was reading through the research journal as she noticed John approach her. ¡°My lady, I have been informed that the child will be here soon.¡± ¡°Really?¡± After meeting with Prince Argos, Juno told the emperor she was willing to accept the girl. The emperor was very pleased, saying he¡¯d give Juno a big reward. Juno, of course, refused. She would get her own reward: the throne. ¡°Master said he wouldn¡¯t leave the workshop in any case, but what about Hebe?¡± It was very inconvenient to have someone else live with Juno and the dolls. After thinking about it, Juno said, ¡°He¡¯s my son.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°He can be my son.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Juno always treated Hebe like her own child. After meeting Juno, Hebe became a cheerful, charming person. Even if that weren¡¯t the case, Juno fixed and raised him for the past ten years. If she couldn¡¯t be considered his parent at this point, then what was a parent supposed to be? ¡°What¡¯s wrong? No one would think it¡¯s strange that I have a child when I¡¯m letting my half-sister live with me.¡± She couldn¡¯t reveal Hebe was a doll because she didn¡¯t know what kind of rumors would spread; however, revealing Hebe as her child would get rid of the men who were troubling her. They¡¯ll be very annoyed. Few men tried to ask for her hand in marriage because of her position, but there were quite a few who flirted with Juno. The wealth of House Sergien and her skills as an alchemist, her being well-known throughout the entire continent, and even if she didn¡¯t say it herself¡­ I¡¯m very pretty. Of course, many people had ill intentions. If she said she had a child, the people who dream of marrying her will disappear. Let¡¯s tell everyone I had a child. Juno was satisfied with her choice. ¡°I understand,¡± John said. ¡°I¡¯ll give you some freedom, but the story has to be believable.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Also make sure my half-sister never goes to the third floor.¡± The third floor contained a lot of personal things, including the workshop, Juno¡¯s and Peter¡¯s rooms, the room used by Hebe and John, and Jupiter¡¯s room. Peter might be uncomfortable, though¡­ John and Hebe look like humans, but Peter was another story. He was larger than humans, so it was impossible to say he was one. No matter how long Peter was in the workshop, doing it voluntarily and involuntarily were two different things. ¡°Tell me when she gets here,¡± Juno said. John nodded before leaving the workshop. Then, Hebe appeared. ¡°My lady!¡± The timing was good. Juno reached out to Hebe as he ran toward her. ¡°Hebe, I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Smiling, Juno held his hand. ¡°Address me as Mother from now on.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want her to know you¡¯re a doll.¡± Hebe stopped smiling. Hesitantly, he asked, ¡°¡­Can I?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± She didn¡¯t see what the problem was. ¡°I¡¯m not your actual child.¡± However, Juno saw his mouth twitch. ¡°What do you mean? I dress you, feed you, and raised you. Come on, say it. Mother.¡± ¡°¡­Mother.¡± Juno poked Hebe¡¯s cheek and laughed. ¡°Good. Call me Mother from now on, Hebe.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Hebe smiled beautifully and gave Juno a big hug. Juno laughed as she hugged him tightly. Chapter 38 Hebe, who had been acting cute in Juno¡¯s arms for a while, looked up and said, ¡°I hear a carriage.¡± ¡°She¡¯s here,¡± Juno said. ¡°Are you going out?¡± She shrugged. ¡°Why not? I should see her for dinner.¡± ¡°Do you not like her?¡± Juno knew that child was innocent, but she shouldn¡¯t give her any affection. ¡°I don¡¯t hate her, but I hate my father and the emperor.¡± Still, Juno couldn¡¯t understand why Marquis Robert entrusted that child to her. Why leave Juno with a daughter that wasn¡¯t even his own? Is this to take revenge on Lilith? Whatever the case, the child wasn¡¯t lovely because of her father or the emperor. Looking at Hebe, Juno said, ¡°Don¡¯t get attached to her. She¡¯s only living with us because I know I can use her. She¡¯ll be gone soon.¡± That child was a card to make Argos the emperor. Hebe nodded. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Am I being too mean?¡± Hebe shook his head. ¡°No! Um¡­ Mother is kind, but I¡¯m worried you¡¯re too nice. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll treat her well.¡± Her father and Lilith¡¯s daughter. Even though Juno disliked her, the child didn¡¯t know anyone else. Juno, who had been silent, said, ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure about that.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± Hebe squinted his eyes at Juno¡¯s words. Juno pinched his nose. ¡°Who makes fun of his mother?¡± Hebe giggled, grabbed her hand, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go see my father.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Jupiter!¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Let¡¯s go.¡± As she was led to Jupiter¡¯s room by Hebe, Juno made a promise to herself. I doubt it will happen, but don¡¯t get too attached. Juno planned not to see the child much; there was nothing to worry about. *** Lily clenched her hand. She was a little worried since she was heading to the residence of House Sergien. The place where Juno Sergien, the alchemist, lives. Lily remembered what her drunk mother said while holding Lily¡¯s face. Mother said Juno was also my father¡¯s daughter. Mother said the worst thing she had done in her life was marry off a woman named Juno to Count Sergien. Mother whispered that to Lily all the time. However, the best thing Mother did was take away House Trish from Juno. She laughed at how Juno wouldn¡¯t get an inheritance as well. Mother didn¡¯t often look at me. Whenever Mother drank, she would visit Lily and act as if she loved her. Lily¡¯s father didn¡¯t love Lily either. Did my father love Juno? It might have been the case. Maybe that was why Juno married into a great noble family and was given the surname Trish. The same surname Lily didn¡¯t receive. Lily didn¡¯t know much else about Juno. Father and Mother hated talking about Juno. What kind of person is she? Juno might not be a bad person, given she accepted Lily as her half-sister. The man sitting across from her said, ¡°Miss Lily.¡± ¡°What?¡± He smiled. ¡°We¡¯ll be there any minute now.¡± ¡°I see. Um¡­¡± Normally, she wouldn¡¯t ask this question, but she didn¡¯t know a lot about the place where she¡¯d be living from now on. Charles had always been a kind man during their time together, so Lily thought he¡¯d be fine with answering. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°What kind of lady is she? Father and Mother don¡¯t talk to me that much.¡± Lily didn¡¯t converse much with her parents or the servants. She was no different from a ghost wandering around the mansion. Although she was the child of a marquis, she didn¡¯t receive the proper education for an illegitimate child. Pretending to hesitate for a moment, Charles spoke slowly. ¡°Miss, I¡¯ve known you for only a month, but I think you¡¯re a smart girl.¡± He smiled. Lily knew her life wouldn¡¯t be much different from before. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest with you.¡± He continued, ¡°Countess Sergien¡­ The alchemist hates Marquis Trish and Miss Lilith.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Have you not heard?¡± Lily may have been no different from a ghost in the mansion, but she was also one in high society. She couldn¡¯t make any friends, for she was unwelcomed by commoners and nobles. That¡¯s why she hadn¡¯t heard any rumors. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t even have a surname. I can¡¯t go out in public.¡± ¡°Countess Sergien got married because she was kicked out.¡± Lily must have thought her father loved Juno. Charles said, ¡°Perhaps¡­ you¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± I hope she doesn¡¯t hit me. Lily didn¡¯t mind being ignored or becoming a target of someone¡¯s anger, but she didn¡¯t want to be hit. ¡°If you have any difficulties, please contact me. Here¡¯s my address.¡± He handed her a piece of paper. ¡°You¡¯re still a child, so you don¡¯t have to be an adult.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± It was the first time someone treated her kindly. Charles nodded. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. We¡¯ve arrived. Shall we get off then?¡± Lily took a deep breath. ¡°¡­I¡¯m ready.¡± With the help of Charles, Lily got out of the carriage and looked at the residence of House Sergien. It was a magnificent and large mansion that resembled House Trish¡¯s. It looks nice. She noticed a man walking out of the mansion. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Charles Vallen.¡± The man responded, ¡°I am John, the butler of Countess Sergien.¡± Butler. Lily remembered the middle-aged butler from House Trish. This was the first time she knew a young man could be a butler. He was very handsome. Charles said, ¡°This is Miss Lily.¡± ¡°Where is her luggage?¡± ¡°The carriage.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Then dolls appeared behind John. Lily, who had never seen a doll in her life, was amazed. ¡°Wow! Oh¡­!¡± She covered her mouth when she saw John glance at her. ¡°Where is the countess?¡± Charles asked ¡°She is busy,¡± John replied. ¡°¡­All right. Miss Lily, don¡¯t forget to contact me,¡± Charles said. He was such a kind man. Lily didn¡¯t think she needed to contact him, but she smiled in response. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Young Miss, please follow me,¡± John said. ¡°Okay.¡± Lily waved at Charles before hurrying after John. She resolved herself as she followed him. I¡¯ll be as quiet as possible. Don¡¯t offend the countess. Thus, Lily entered the mansion of House Sergien. *** Lily couldn¡¯t hide her nervousness as she followed a doll through the hallway. She had a room with a window on the second floor. When she heard what Charles told her, she thought her room would be small and windowless; however, the room she got was very good. Everything in the room was nice as well. I heard Countess Sergien had a lot of money. It must be true. Lily was most curious about the dolls. House Trish didn¡¯t use dolls as servants. There seemed to be no other human servants besides John. Well, of course, there would be dolls here. Lily stopped following the doll. John stood before her and looked aloof. ¡°There you are. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Lily stared at the slightly opened door. Let¡¯s be on our best behavior. This was her first meeting with Juno, her half-sister. Based on Mother¡¯s words, Juno was rude and mean; however, Lily didn¡¯t believe her words. Mother was a person who hated everyone except her father. Charles said Juno hated Mother and Father, though¡­ Lily decided to only believe half of her mother¡¯s words. Lily opened the door and looked at Juno who was sitting at a table. ¡°H-Hello.¡± ¡°¡­Have a seat,¡± Juno said. Lily thought she wouldn¡¯t acknowledge her greeting, but she did. As she thought, Mother was only half-right. ¡°Yes!¡± Juno Sergien was popular, but not many people saw her. It was hard for those like Lily to see Juno. I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be very pretty. Juno looked nothing like Father. She was dressed in fancy clothes, but her face was different from Mother¡¯s. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± It was a child¡¯s voice. ¡°Huh?¡± Lily noticed there was a child sitting nearby. Chapter 39 The child looked slightly older than Lily. He also has red hair¡­ Lily never heard of Juno having children, but Lily knew he was Juno¡¯s son because of his hair and beautiful face. ¡°Say hello to my son, Hebe Sergien.¡± Lily stood up and bowed. ¡°Hello, my name is Lily.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the same age as you.¡± He waved his hand. ¡°Hebe.¡± Lily awkwardly waved back and lowered her head. ¡°Pfft!¡± ¡°Hebe.¡± After giving her son a warning, Juno turned her attention back to Lily. ¡°Do you remember what John told you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not allowed to go on the third floor. Otherwise, I¡¯m free to wander around the mansion. We¡¯ll have dinner together today, but most of the time we¡¯ll be eating by ourselves.¡± She continued, ¡°If I need anything, I can ask a doll. I can¡¯t bring my friends to the mansion, but I can go outside and play. I can ask Mr. John if I¡¯m unsure of something.¡± Lily tried to catch her breath after speaking so quickly. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll remind you again. Never come up to the third floor.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Lily nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s eat then,¡± Juno said. Lily didn¡¯t know where the food came from; she looked at the doll who brought her another meal. She was pleasantly surprised as she took a bite. For some reason, the doll seemed proud of itself. Then, Hebe talked to John. ¡°Mr. John, I¡¯m not hungry today.¡± ¡°You are a growing boy who needs to eat.¡± Hebe glared in response. Lily glanced at Juno to see how she¡¯d react. Lily could never complain about eating food. ¡°Then I¡¯ll give you a drink,¡± John said. We didn¡¯t get in trouble. Lily recalled the day Mother slapped her because Lily didn¡¯t eat all of her food. Since then, Lily made sure to eat everything. Other families are different. Lily kept an eye on Hebe who made jokes and Juno who laughed at them. She was very affectionate toward him. ¡°Lily, have you finished eating?¡± Juno asked. She nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Juno called for a doll to clear the table. Meanwhile, John handed Lily a piece of paper. ¡°I heard you can read, Lily,¡± Juno said. ¡°I can.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk about your future.¡± ¡°Do you mean my inheritance?¡± Lily rolled her eyes. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s a list of the properties owned by your father and mother. Please look at it.¡± ¡°¡­Um.¡± There were many things written on it. ¡°You¡¯ll get them once you turn eighteen.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Okay.¡± John handed Lily another piece of paper. Like the first one, there were many big words. ¡°Right now, the royal family owns it. You can claim the properties once you¡¯re an adult. Every month you¡¯ll receive an allowance, and the amount is written there.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± No matter how many times Lily looked at the second piece of paper, it made no sense. I can read it at least¡­? Lily understood the letters, but the stories they created were like gibberish. She may not have been properly educated; however, Lily learned how to read and write. Unfortunately, her only friend was a book. Will she yell at me for not understanding? Should Lily just nod? But if Lily didn¡¯t give an answer now, she¡¯ll get in trouble later. Hebe smiled. ¡°¡­Mother, I think she¡¯s confused.¡± Lily felt ashamed. Mother was very angry when Lily didn¡¯t understand what she said. Lily closed her eyes, bracing herself for the scolding. In a calm voice, Juno explained, ¡°I¡¯m saying I have no interest in your inheritance. The money you spend is what your parents left you, so don¡¯t hesitate to use it.¡± Lily didn¡¯t get in trouble. She blinked. ¡°Um, how much do I owe you?¡± ¡°What?¡± Juno raised her eyebrow. Lily¡¯s heart sank. ¡°Y-You¡¯re raising me¡­ Um, my allowance can¡­ I mean, the money I have to pay back for living here¡­¡± A laugh resounded in the room. It was from Hebe. ¡°Mother, she¡¯s a funny person!¡± ¡°Hebe.¡± ¡°But she¡¯s worried about the money, isn¡¯t she?¡± After staring at Hebe for a long time, Juno sighed. She turned her attention back to Lily. ¡°I have a lot of money.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask you to pay me for taking care of you.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Mother always wanted to be repaid for taking care of her. So, Lily always tried to please her. Of course, Mother said Lily was a disappointment, but Lily kept trying. Juno shook her head. ¡°Read the papers I¡¯ve given you first. If you have any questions, ask John.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Lily nodded. Juno stood up. ¡°I shall take my leave.¡± Lily didn¡¯t get in trouble and wasn¡¯t yelled at. No one gave disapproving looks at Lily. No one clicked their tongues. I have never seen this happen before. Lily jumped from her seat and curtsied to Juno as she left. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re welcome.¡± Hebe waved at Lily before grabbing Juno¡¯s hand. ¡°Mother, now we¡­¡± The door closed. With Juno gone, Lily felt her body relax. She took a deep breath and leaned back in the chair. John approached her. ¡°I will carry all the paperwork and escort you to your room.¡± ¡°Um¡­ All right.¡± Lily followed him out. This is awkward. Once they arrived in front of her room, John spoke again. ¡°It¡¯s true my lady doesn¡¯t like you very much, but as long as you follow the rules of this house, you won¡¯t encounter major problems.¡± It was a warning for Lily. John wasn¡¯t looking at her when he said those words. He¡¯s strict, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯s a bad person. Lily nodded. ¡°I understand.¡± John opened the door and placed a huge stack of documents on the desk. ¡°Good night. I¡¯ll send a doll to check in on you.¡± As he left the room, Lily said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m fine by myself.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°I¡¯m used to doing it by myself¡­ Is that not allowed?¡± ¡°I see. I will not have a doll check in on you.¡± John left the room and closed the door. Lily sat down on the bed and picked up the paper at the top of the pile. It talked about each property¡¯s value. ¡°Does this mean the number will continue to go up?¡± Lily put the document back on the desk after trying to understand its contents. It wasn¡¯t important for now. ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯s a bad person.¡± John and Juno seemed to be good people. It was impossible they were bad people because they accepted Lily while hating Mother and Father. Juno didn¡¯t get angry. She didn¡¯t smile either, but she also didn¡¯t ignore Lily. ¡°¡­It¡¯s better than my old home.¡± There weren¡¯t any servants who ignored her or secretly mocked her; the room was nice and clean. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s much better.¡± It was so much better. There wasn¡¯t a father who looked at Lily with a strange look, no mother who expressed her hatred, no servants to bother her. It was better¡­ But I still miss Mother and Father. Lily began to cry. The soft bed made her sad. However, she didn¡¯t blame the bed because she cried every other day after her parents died. ¡°I had a mother too¡­¡± Lily was jealous of Hebe. He had a mother who said his name and looked at him affectionately. They held hands after dinner. ¡°But my mother is¡­¡± Lily tried to find something Mother was better at but failed. Juno was prettier, and her personality was nicer. You¡¯re also an alchemist, so you¡¯re probably more amazing than Mother, right? Even Lily, who lived in a mansion without any friends, knew how great Juno Sergien was. Lily¡¯s mother, on the other hand, cursed Juno¡¯s name and drank alcohol every day. But when she drank, Mother always says she loves me. Lily hated the smell of alcohol. She didn¡¯t like Mother swearing at her half-sister who Lily never met; however, Lily liked the warm hug and ¡°I love you¡±, so Lily waited to see her drunk mother before going to bed. ¡°This is my home now.¡± Lily blamed the soft blanket for why she was crying. The bed was so warm that she remembered Mother¡¯s hugs. It was the bed¡¯s fault. Lily wrapped herself in the blanket. The faint sound of sniffling could be heard for a long time. Chapter 40 Juno sighed while Hebe continued to tease her as soon as they left. ¡°I told you so. You¡¯re too nice.¡± ¡°All right, I get it,¡± she said. Tugging Juno¡¯s hand, Hebe asked, ¡°Well? She was very polite.¡± Juno wasn¡¯t surprised. I thought you¡¯d be like Lilith. However, except for her hair color and eye color, Lily hardly resembled Lilith. Lily¡¯s personality was too polite. She was a child who was used to reading in her room. I should¡¯ve known instantly she wasn¡¯t my father¡¯s child. Juno shouldn¡¯t have believed her father or Lilith treated that child kindly. ¡°I was reminded of what I used to be.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still going to do what you said.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It was unfortunate, but Juno wasn¡¯t willing to change her mind. ¡°Why are you heading to the workshop?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to keep teasing me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to tell Master.¡± ¡°Hebe.¡± He nodded. ¡°Fine!¡± When they arrived at the workshop, Peter turned to look at them. ¡°Teacher.¡± ¡°How was it? The girl.¡± Juno sighed. She wanted to talk about something else. Hebe spoke on Juno¡¯s behalf. ¡°Mother doesn¡¯t mind her.¡± ¡°Hebe.¡± Juno glanced at him. He smiled at Peter. ¡°I¡¯ll stop talking now!¡± ¡°In any case, you¡¯re going to proceed as planned.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Juno replied. ¡°Do whatever you want. John left a letter, by the way.¡± Peter pointed to an envelope on the desk. Juno knew who the sender was. She heard someone was waiting for her. ¡°It¡¯s from Prince Argos.¡± She opened the letter and read its contents. It contained information about Lily. ¡°Not bad.¡± Hebe approached Juno. ¡°He found out a lot.¡± ¡°He did.¡± ¡°Are you going to meet with him again?¡± It was convenient to have him come to the mansion, but she couldn¡¯t do that right now. Juno shook her head. ¡°Lily¡¯s here now.¡± It would be difficult to handle private matters in this residence for a while because Juno didn¡¯t know if Lily could keep a secret. Hebe asked, ¡°Who will accompany you?¡± ¡°I will.¡± ¡°John?¡± John entered the workshop and closed the door. ¡°I escorted Miss Lily to her room. Currently, I believe she¡¯s crying to herself.¡± ¡°¡­I see. Let¡¯s go together then.¡± John didn¡¯t add anything more to his report. ¡°At what time?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you want it to be as soon as possible?¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Juno pushed Lily to the back of her mind and began to focus on her research. She had more important things to care about than a child. *** Juno was surprised as she sat across from Argos. ¡°Her Majesty isn¡¯t on your side.¡± ¡°I wish to work independently from my mother.¡± Juno smiled. He truly was a better choice than the crown prince. The empress is no different from the emperor. If the emperor was driven by love, then the empress was driven by revenge and resentment toward her husband. One of the reasons Argos hadn¡¯t killed the crown prince was because of the empress. While the crown prince caused a lot of trouble, the empress also has problems. Juno didn¡¯t know what he thought of her silence, but Argos continued to speak. ¡°I cannot follow my mother all the time. If you approached me because of her¡ª¡± ¡°I know. As an adult, you must do things alone.¡± Juno nodded at John who handed Argos a stack of papers. ¡°So, it¡¯s true she¡¯s your brother¡¯s child.¡± After skimming through the documents, Argos placed them aside on a table. ¡°Yes.¡± Once Juno learned of Lily¡¯s identity from the emperor, Juno began to investigate Marquis Trish. The emperor wasn¡¯t lying. ¡°Did my brother actually attend one of the marquis¡¯s parties, got drunk, and took Miss Lilith to bed?¡± ¡°The two drunks agreed to do it.¡± ¡°Do you mean to say he didn¡¯t force her?¡± Juno also thought the crown prince couldn¡¯t control his lust; however, that wasn¡¯t the case. ¡°One of the servants saw them. They were passionately moaning each other¡¯s names.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Juno recalled the balls her father hosted in order to stand his ground against the branch families. She wasn¡¯t there, no, wasn¡¯t allowed to be there, but House Trish held an extravagant ball once a month. It happened during one of those events. There was also a problem. Some servants found out because the door wasn¡¯t properly closed. Naturally, Marquis Robert heard about it. ¡°My father covered it up. Unfortunately, as the child grows older, she¡¯ll look more like the crown prince.¡± ¡°That was also something I noticed,¡± Argos said. Juno remembered Lily¡¯s face. If Lily had a debutante ball, everyone would¡¯ve mocked her behind her back. ¡°She reminds me of the crown prince when he was a child.¡± ¡°¡­Yet she hasn¡¯t entered high society?¡± Of course, there was a good reason. Lily¡¯s mother was a mistress, and she was a girl. It wasn¡¯t necessary; Lily also didn¡¯t ask to debut in the social world. ¡°My father didn¡¯t give her the family surname, but I¡¯m sure he was more worried about her resemblance to the crown prince. Then again, how many people remember the crown prince as a child?¡± ¡°Even in House Trish are there power struggles.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Even if her father realized Lily wasn¡¯t his child until later, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to do much. After Jupiter disappeared, the branch families still threatened the marquis. And since Juno¡¯s right of inheritance was taken away, Lily couldn¡¯t be revealed as someone else¡¯s child. However, her existence wasn¡¯t a complete waste to him. The emperor and the crown prince began to support Marquis Robert, so he was able to maintain his position. In any case, Juno had more than one reason to deal with them. ¡°Are you going to use her?¡± Argos asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t you pity her?¡± Juno did feel sorry for her. Lily was innocent. Shrugging, Juno said, ¡°Sure, but if the crown prince takes the throne, the whole empire will be more pitiful.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The crown prince is a lost cause. I also hate him.¡± Juno¡¯s feelings couldn¡¯t be truly expressed with a mere statement of dislike. She smiled. ¡°If he becomes emperor, I plan to leave the country.¡± Juno tilted her head to the side, watching Argos, who had recently turned twenty-five, blink. She thought it was necessary to establish her position and influence as Countess Sergien. ¡°There are other places that want an alchemist. If you lose me, the empire won¡¯t be what is now.¡± ¡°Did something happen between you and my brother?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it the crown prince who started that little war in the first place?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± He seemed to know what happened. Not to mention, wasn¡¯t it around the time the crown prince said he became impotent? It was hard to say. Maybe that¡¯s why His Majesty cares so much about Lily. Juno sneered. ¡°It was thanks to me we didn¡¯t suffer major casualties. Of course, you must be aware other countries won¡¯t like it if the crown prince becomes emperor, right?¡± The Kingdom of Darnan was not the only country that despised the crown prince. Only the emperor wanted his first-born son to ascend the throne. ¡°I¡¯ll help you from the shadows,¡± Juno said. ¡°Why not just publicly announce it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for the best.¡± Juno also knew if she openly supported Argos or other nobles, things would go a lot smoother more quickly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be the center of attention. I already get enough of that.¡± Juno wanted to focus on Jupiter¡¯s recovery. She was motivated enough to help stage a coup, but Jupiter was her highest priority. The extent to which she could help Argos, who was a better candidate for emperor, was limited by the amount of time available to her. ¡°¡­You don¡¯t believe you can fail.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? If you side with me, Your Highness, the throne will be yours.¡± Juno Sergien was the emperor¡¯s sharpest sword and strongest shield. The moment he lost that, it was over. Things were going all according to plan. Chapter 41 Juno raised one corner of her mouth. ¡°Of course, I told you that since promises were made, you must keep them.¡± She pointed to the papers in front of Argos. ¡°Some are easier to do than others.¡± ¡°Yes, but the emperor won¡¯t look the other way.¡± Juno did what she wanted, but the process was too cumbersome. ¡°Isn¡¯t it tiring to coax him? He¡¯s hard to please.¡± Now that they roughly knew each other¡¯s perspectives, it was time to make sure. ¡°Your Highness, will you be my ally?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± His answer made Juno feel better. ¡°Good. I¡¯ll get back¡ª¡± Argos raised his hand. ¡°There¡¯s something I would like to let you know.¡± Does he want to put more conditions? Juno responded with a fake smile on her face. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The child.¡± Juno nodded. ¡°Do you mean Lily?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯d like to use her only as a last resort if possible.¡± ¡°¡­Why?¡± Juno wasn¡¯t expecting that. It was hard to understand him. Lily was the best card for Argos to use against the crown prince. I can¡¯t believe you won¡¯t use her. ¡°She¡¯s innocent, is she not?¡± ¡°As you wish, Your Highness¡­¡± Argos was strange, and it was strange for Juno to agree with him. ¡°I¡¯m a man who can beat my brother without taking advantage of his children. Please leave her alone.¡± ¡°I understand, Your Highness. Shall we discuss how we can communicate in the future?¡± She tried to stop herself from thinking about Lily. *** Juno returned to the mansion after meeting with Argos. She sighed as she entered the workshop. She was so concerned about a child she just met. Don¡¯t be. Juno thought she became an adult who knew when to be distant; however, she was still unable to escape her past. What did I say? ¡°My lady.¡± She noticed John give her a worried look. Juno shook her head and hugged herself. The little girl came to mind. She was tired of how her past overlapped with that girl. I thought I was over it. ¡°Did it not work out with the prince?¡± As soon as Juno heard Peter¡¯s voice, she regained focus. Juno wasn¡¯t a child who wanted to be loved anymore; she had a family. I also wasn¡¯t alone in the past. There was Nereus and Jupiter. Juno gave a small smile. ¡°No, everything went well.¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°It was a little too much.¡± She didn¡¯t want to tell Peter everything. She smiled to show she was fine. Peter scoffed. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you¡¯re in a good mood.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± She approached him. For him to say such words meant something good was about to happen. Indifferently, Peter said, ¡°I was able to awaken Jupiter¡¯s consciousness in his brain.¡± Juno stared at him. After taking a deep breath, she said, ¡°Are there any side effects?¡± ¡°Of course, but I was successful.¡± There would be problems, but it was finally done. ¡°Really? If¡­¡± ¡°Who do you think I am?¡± Peter said proudly. He had that confident, arrogant look of someone who looks down on the world. The expression of Peter Sergien, Juno¡¯s teacher and one of the best alchemists in the world. Even if he couldn¡¯t use alchemy anymore, his cognitive skills were outstanding. ¡°It¡¯s unsurprising my teacher didn¡¯t fail.¡± ¡°You helped make it successful. I designed it, but you used alchemy.¡± Peter smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s get on with it.¡± Juno grabbed his arm as he walked past her. ¡°Right now?¡± ¡°The sooner the better. Don¡¯t we already have a doll ready? It¡¯s time to ask him.¡± As Peter said, there was a doll prepared for Jupiter. Yet all of this still felt too sudden. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Come on.¡± Juno put the finished product onto the tray and glanced at John who was following Peter. ¡°Teacher, can you use it?¡± Someone had to enter a sea of unconsciousness to awaken Jupiter¡¯s brain. It was only possible in the human brain because it could be used as a tool to connect two minds, but the whole concept seemed impossible. ¡°Of course. Look at my perfect brain.¡± Listening to Peter praising himself, Juno said, ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Peter snorted and began to operate the device to open the door to Jupiter¡¯s consciousness. John helped him. Juno¡¯s hands were shaking. After Peter placed a metal plate near Jupiter¡¯s head, he handed a crown-like object to Juno. ¡°Put it on your head.¡± Juno placed the crown on her head while touching the cold, metal plate. ¡°I¡¯m going to activate it now,¡± Peter said. ¡°All right.¡± Juno looked at Jupiter and held his hand. She was going to see him again. Jupiter. *** The moment she felt a stinging sensation in her head, a different world appeared before Juno. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± She looked around. Everything was black and white. Is this a funeral hall? Juno noticed some familiar faces. A young Jupiter and Juno were standing a slight distance away from her. They were holding hands. Juno walked toward them. ¡°Leave.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± Juno began to overhear their conversation. ¡°Why are you crying?¡± the young Jupiter asked. ¡°No one else is. That¡¯s why I¡¯m crying for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not crying. You didn¡¯t even know her.¡± It was exactly as Jupiter told her back then. ¡°She always gave me candy because I said she was pretty when we met.¡± The young Juno pouted as she looked around. ¡°Everyone¡¯s weird. If you¡¯re sad, just say you¡¯re sad. You¡¯re pretending not to be sad like everyone else.¡± She pointed to Jupiter¡¯s mother who lay motionless in the casket before continuing to speak. ¡°My mother said I should stay here. She told me that it¡¯s better to have someone hold your hand when you¡¯re sad and want to cry.¡± The young Juno pointed again at a woman. Her mother. To Juno, it was almost like seeing herself in the mirror. Did she look the same as the current Juno? ¡°I¡¯m going to cry now. No one will notice because it¡¯s me.¡± The young Juno began to weep loudly without waiting for the young Jupiter to respond. Her cries reverberated throughout the funeral hall. Juno couldn¡¯t see anyone else besides Juno, Jupiter, and their mothers, but she heard whispers. It was because this place was based on Jupiter¡¯s memory. The young Juno cried, ignoring how everyone else looked at her. Juno saw the young Jupiter silently shed tears. I think it helped to some extent. Juno was proud of her younger self. She fixed her younger self¡¯s hair before kneeling in front of the young Jupiter. He had a chubby face, something Juno didn¡¯t remember him having. She caressed his cheek. She didn¡¯t think he could see her, but she wanted to console him. ¡°What can I do to wake you up?¡± she whispered. When Juno caressed his cheek with her hand, Jupiter would nuzzle her palm. Juno turned her attention to her younger self. ¡°I¡¯m quite cute at this age. I understand why you liked me so much then.¡± She glanced at the young Jupiter who still stared at the casket. ¡°Thank you for keeping your promise.¡± She didn¡¯t think it would work. ¡°While you were asleep, I realized I loved you a lot.¡± She wanted to say what she couldn¡¯t say earlier. ¡°You¡¯re very important to me.¡± Like her younger self, she wanted to like him with an honest heart. ¡°Do you know how long I¡¯ve been waiting?¡± Juno waited for so long that it was hard to tell the difference between love and obsession; however, she saw him today. It was clear. She really wanted to see him again. ¡°It hurts. It hurts a lot.¡± Sometimes she had to doubt her own feelings to alleviate this unbearable longing. ¡°Please come back. Please. You were always by my side whenever things were tough.¡± She lowered her head. The tears dripping onto the floor were ugly. Juno tried to wipe away her tears by taking back her hand that was on the young Jupiter¡¯s face, but then someone grabbed her hand and nuzzled her palm. ¡°Juno.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Juno slowly stood up. She raised her head and burst into tears again. A beautiful man greeted her. ¡°Hello.¡± She was overwhelmed. Seeing the affection in his blue eyes, Juno said, ¡°¡­Hello, Jupiter.¡± When was the last time she heard that voice? Juno hugged the man as he was. Chapter 42 Lily had enjoyed an unusually peaceful life since she stayed in the residence of House Sergien. The dolls were all kind, and even if she didn¡¯t say anything, they knew what she wanted and took good care of her. All the books in the room were interesting. Time flew by as she read each one. ¡°Should I stop for today?¡± Lily put down the book. She hurried to the window and saw someone hurrying across the front yard. Lily watched as someone entered the mansion. It wasn¡¯t Juno. After their first meeting, she never properly met her half-sister. ¡°Are you really busy?¡± At first, Lily thought it was better not to offend her, but she remembered how Juno held hands with Hebe. ¡°It¡¯s hard to get close to you, right?¡± Juno didn¡¯t get along with Lily¡¯s parents, so it would be hard for Juno to see Lily in a positive light. Sulking, Lily kicked the floor with her feet. Then, the door opened and someone walked in. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡± It was Hebe, Juno¡¯s son and Lily¡¯s nephew. Lily was so startled that she couldn¡¯t say anything else. ¡°It¡¯s me, Hebe!¡± he exclaimed. Lily rolled her eyes. Does he want to pull a prank on me? Maybe Lily wouldn¡¯t like living in the mansion anymore. She avoided his gaze. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°I thought you were bored!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± That was unexpected. He was someone Lily had never seen before. She hadn¡¯t met a lot of people, but Hebe wasn¡¯t normal. ¡°Mr. John is with my mother at the moment. I¡¯m bored, so let¡¯s play together.¡± Lily didn¡¯t dislike this. It was the first time someone approached her honestly. ¡°¡­Is that allowed?¡± Lily asked. ¡°Your mother doesn¡¯t like me so¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s too nice. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll protect you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Lily blinked. She didn¡¯t understand what he was saying. ¡°I¡¯m going to see what kind of person you are.¡± He grabbed Lily¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s play.¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± ¡°We can say hello to the dolls. You¡¯ve been stuck in this room the whole time, right?¡± Lily nodded. ¡°Didn¡¯t Mr. John say that as long as you didn¡¯t go to the third floor, you¡¯re free to roam around the mansion?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°But what?¡± Lily glanced at the bookshelf. ¡°I was reading.¡± Hebe nodded as he looked at Lily, the bookshelf, and then Lily again. ¡°I can see that. Let¡¯s go outside.¡± ¡°¡­Wait!¡± Lily was then dragged out of the room by Hebe. *** Hebe marched ahead, still dragging Lily. She had relaxed a little when he had told her Juno and John weren¡¯t here. Lily adjusted her pace to keep up with Hebe. They visited every place except for the third floor. How long have they been walking around the mansion? My legs hurt. Lily was on her way back to her room. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted something and pointed to the figure with several arms. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°A cleaning doll.¡± ¡°Is that why it has so many arms?¡± The doll had an interesting appearance, but Lily wasn¡¯t very surprised, unlike the first time. Over the past few hours, she got used to seeing the dolls. As Lily stared at it, Hebe shouted, ¡°Mother!¡± Lily quickly looked in the direction he was pointing at. Her eyes widened. ¡°Where¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s a carriage in front of the mansion.¡± Lily followed after Hebe. As he said, a carriage had stopped in front of the residence. I might be able to see the countess today if I behave. She thought she could at least say hello. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going out?¡± Lily asked. ¡°Won¡¯t you be by yourself?¡± ¡°I could accompany you and say hello¡­¡± Hebe was silent for a moment. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°¡­Why?¡± ¡°Mother doesn¡¯t look happy.¡± Hebe must be lying. I can¡¯t believe he can see a person¡¯s face from far away. ¡°You can see her?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He seemed to be telling the truth. ¡°Your eyes must be very good.¡± Hebe grinned. ¡°I¡¯m perfect at everything.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re weird.¡± Lily checked to see if he¡¯d get angry, but he didn¡¯t. ¡°I¡¯m just confident.¡± Lily didn¡¯t know if that was a good or bad thing, but when Juno entered the mansion, she passed Hebe and Lily. With John, she instantly went to the third floor, and in that brief moment, Lily saw Juno¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t happy. ¡°She¡¯s not in a good mood.¡± Hebe nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to your room.¡± Lily tilted her head. ¡°I can go by myself.¡± ¡°I dragged you around the mansion, so I should take you to your room.¡± Hebe was a good person. To be honest, as soon as Lily saw Juno, she thought he would leave her. Well, if he¡¯s with Juno and Mr. John, he has to be a good person, right? ¡°¡­Are you sure?¡± Lily asked. ¡°Yes.¡± With Hebe, Lily walked to her room. In fact, when Lily saw Juno¡¯s expression earlier, Lily froze on the spot. It was like when Mother was angry. Lily was terrified when that expression was on her mother¡¯s face. Lily would look at the floor, and her palms would start to sweat. Her heart was beating quickly, but Hebe didn¡¯t react as she did. He was worried about the countess. It was amazing. ¡°Have you ever been scolded by the countess?¡± ¡°By Mother? Yes.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared?¡± ¡°Why should I be?¡± Lily was speechless. ¡°You¡¯ve been scolded before.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with being scared?¡± ¡°I was scared of my mother.¡± Lily was ashamed of it, but Hebe didn¡¯t give much of a reaction. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, but I still loved her.¡± ¡°What about your father? My mother¡¯s father.¡± Lily remembered him. He didn¡¯t openly express his anger; however, he showed no interest in her. ¡°He didn¡¯t care.¡± She was sad talking about her parents. The relationship between Juno and Hebe came to mind. They¡¯re a family that you only see in books. Lily was jealous. ¡°Since she didn¡¯t get along with my parents, it¡¯s impossible for me and her to get along, right?¡± ¡°Hm.¡± Seeing that Hebe was hesitant to give an answer, perhaps Lily was right. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m keeping an eye on you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Hebe opened the door to her room. ¡°Anyway, we¡¯re here!¡± It was a cozy and warm room, but something felt off. Lily felt lonely. ¡°You¡¯re going to leave now, Hebe?¡± ¡°I have to. I wonder what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°Oh, all right. Goodbye.¡± Hebe was about to turn around, but he stared at Lily. Then, he said, ¡°Hurry up.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Hebe shrugged as he grabbed a book. ¡°I¡¯ll wait and then leave. It looks like you don¡¯t want to be alone.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Lily guessed that was what she felt. She didn¡¯t want to be by herself again. After spending half a day wandering around the mansion with Hebe, she didn¡¯t want to be left alone. She envied the people who could go to the third floor. Hebe is a good person. He had sat down in a chair and started reading. There was a different feeling in her chest. Feeling shy, Lily stared at the ground. ¡°Go take a bath. I¡¯ll still be here when you get out.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Lily hurried to the bathroom. Is it because he¡¯s her son? He and the countess are very kind. Lily couldn¡¯t hide the fact she was happy someone was waiting for her. It was also her first time talking to someone for so long. Lily¡¯s cheeks turned red. Chapter 43 Juno slowly opened her eyes. ¡°My lady.¡± ¡°Are you all right?¡± John and Peter worriedly looked at her. She rose from her seat. ¡°You woke me up in the nick of time, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Teacher, you¡¯re truly amazing!¡± She hugged him. Peter snorted. ¡°Thank you.¡± With a smug look on his face, he patted Juno on the head. ¡°Did you talk to him?¡± John asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Juno said. ¡°What did he say?¡± Juno pulled away from Peter. ¡°He doesn¡¯t mind if his consciousness is transferred to a doll.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± There was a glint of happiness in John¡¯s eyes. He and Juno smiled at each other. ¡°There¡¯s another option,¡± Peter said. ¡°What?¡± Peter gestured to Jupiter. ¡°Look.¡± Jupiter¡¯s fingers were shaking. As the three watched with bated breath, one of Jupiter¡¯s eyes slowly opened. ¡°¡­Juno.¡± His voice was hoarse, but it was Jupiter. Juno ran to him. This was a possible outcome Peter mentioned. By waking up Jupiter¡¯s brain and consciousness, he could wake up normally. He said that it was highly unlikely to happen, but Jupiter woke up. Juno stopped Jupiter from speaking. ¡°Wait.¡± Conveniently, John took out a bottle and gave it to Juno. ¡°Thank you, John.¡± As Juno helped Jupiter take the medicine, Jupiter¡¯s gaze was focused on her. She set the bottle aside; Jupiter grabbed her hand. ¡°¡­I met you in my dreams. So¡­¡± ¡°Yes, that was me.¡± ¡°Are you certain?¡± Juno grinned and clasped his hand. ¡°Ahem, let¡¯s save the lovers¡¯ reunion for later,¡± Peter said. Juno glared at him for ruining the mood. ¡°Teacher.¡± Peter turned his attention to Jupiter. Jupiter¡¯s gaze flitted between Peter and Juno before he looked at his hand. ¡°Am I in a doll?¡± The sudden question reminded her of their conversation when she asked him if he wanted his consciousness placed into a doll. It would¡¯ve been impossible normally for a person who fell into a coma to move around easily like this. Peter answered, ¡°No, you¡¯re in your own body.¡± ¡°So, I woke up.¡± ¡°Correct.¡± ¡°Eight years have passed.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As Jupiter tried to sit up, the door suddenly opened. ¡°Mother! On my way here¡­¡± ¡°¡­Mother?¡± Juno, who was looking at Hebe, glanced at Jupiter. ¡°It¡¯s not what you think.¡± Jupiter muttered, ¡°It¡¯s all right if you met another man¡ª¡° Peter said, ¡°That¡¯s not what happened. Hebe, Jupiter is awake.¡± ¡°Really? Jupiter!¡± Hebe ran to Jupiter¡¯s bed, which startled Jupiter. ¡°Hebe?¡± Touching Hebe¡¯s shoulder, Juno said, ¡°This is Hebe, who became my son while you were asleep.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Juno tried to explain the situation to Jupiter who had a calm expression on his face. Peter said, ¡°Get out, you two. And you can be jealous later. I have to check your body first.¡± After hesitating for a while, Juno nodded and stepped back. ¡°All right.¡± *** ¡°Mother!¡± The sound of Hebe¡¯s voice made Jupiter¡¯s gaze sharp. Juno didn¡¯t notice, but Peter did, which caused him to scoff. Jupiter who had a gentle appearance disappeared as his piercing gaze stared at the door. Yet as Juno explained the situation, Jupiter was like a harmless sheep. ¡°It¡¯s all right if you met another man¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what happened.¡± Peter noticed that Jupiter¡¯s hand was ready to tear the blanket apart. After that, Peter, who treated Hebe like his own son, glanced at Jupiter¡¯s expression. ¡°Get out, you two. And you can be jealous later. I have to check your body first.¡± As Jupiter watched Juno and Hebe leave, Peter approached him and snapped his fingers. Jupiter¡¯s attention returned to him. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t feel too uncomfortable since we¡¯ve been using a lot of medicine on you. Try moving your fingers.¡± Peter didn¡¯t think there was a problem since Jupiter could move his hands, but it was better to be safe than sorry. ¡°Toes as well.¡± It was inevitable Juno loved Jupiter; however, Peter was very concerned about Jupiter¡¯s more sinister side. ¡°Move your legs.¡± Thankfully, Jupiter was utterly devoted to Juno, but with that kind of gaze, he was unpredictable. ¡°Sit up.¡± Peter nodded, vowing to himself to observe Jupiter in the future. ¡°Hm, it appears everything is in working order,¡± Jupiter said. ¡°It is because of the medicine Master and my lady made,¡± John said as he approached them. Peter nodded and looked at Jupiter. Specifically, he noticed Jupiter only had one eye. Peter pointed to where Jupiter¡¯s right eye would¡¯ve been. ¡°What shall we do about that?¡± Jupiter frowned. It didn¡¯t hurt, but it was uncomfortable having only one eye to see. Peter observed Jupiter¡¯s lack of a reaction. ¡°Did you know you lost the other one?¡± ¡°Yes, I remember it happening before I lost consciousness.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you a replacement.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Peter sighed as he saw Jupiter continue to glance at Juno who was smiling with Hebe. Peter didn¡¯t like this, but Juno loved Jupiter very much. ¡°Juno looks happy.¡± Peter murmured, ¡°I¡¯m glad you came back alive.¡± Jupiter turned to look at him. He appeared to be surprised. Peter noticed Jupiter didn¡¯t like him. ¡°I¡¯ll give you some alone time. Thank you for being Juno¡¯s pillar of support.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Jupiter smiled. Peter didn¡¯t like that pretentious face either. After all, Peter was part of Juno¡¯s family who cared for her. ¡°Hmph.¡± Juno returned to the room. ¡°Teacher?¡± Peter had no intention of looking at Juno and Jupiter. He grabbed Hebe¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go find him a new eye.¡± ¡°Oh, can I pick it?¡± Juno nodded at Hebe. When Hebe turned to look at Jupiter, Jupiter also nodded. Peter dragged Hebe out of the room. ¡°There¡¯s a lot to choose from.¡± John pulled up a chair for Juno to sit in. ¡°My lady, please call if you need me.¡± ¡°Thank you, John.¡± ¡°Goodbye, Jupiter!¡± Hebe exclaimed. The three left Jupiter¡¯s room. Hebe hummed as he walked; John and Peter were right behind him. Arriving at the study on the third floor, Peter entered the workshop and took out a box containing eyes. He opened the lid. ¡°How¡¯s the girl?¡± Now that the problem of Jupiter was solved to some extent, it was time to check in on the other issue. Hebe said, ¡°Everything¡¯s all right, but I¡¯m a little worried.¡± Peter nodded. ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°She¡¯s very interested in Mother.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°She wants to be treated like family.¡± Peter snorted. ¡°That¡¯s not even a good joke.¡± ¡°Mother will accept her at this rate.¡± Hebe had a disgruntled expression on his face. Peter felt the same way. He looked at John. ¡°What do you think?¡± Indifferent, John said, ¡°The timing isn¡¯t good at the moment.¡± With a frown, Peter asked, ¡°Does that mean she¡¯ll be useful later?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed? She¡¯s strong, but she still has a soft spot.¡± ¡°Ah, of course.¡± Juno was in a better position, but she was still weak. It was natural since she was a human. The uninvited guest who entered their mansion reminded Juno of her past. ¡°It¡¯s not necessary to keep the child separated from her. She¡¯ll be useful, politically and emotionally.¡± That child was needed for Juno¡¯s growth. Peter responded, ¡°Then we should keep our distance as before.¡± ¡°Since Lord Jupiter is awake, she¡¯ll be focusing on him for a while. I do not think there will be any major issues.¡± Peter nodded and turned to Hebe. ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, Master. She¡¯s not that annoying.¡± Fortunately, Hebe didn¡¯t mind observing the child. Peter said, ¡°Hebe, don¡¯t forget.¡± ¡°I know. Don¡¯t get too close, right?¡± Hebe smiled. ¡°She thinks we¡¯re so kind. Really, we¡¯re probably more selfish than humans.¡± Peter raised one of the corners of his mouth. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because I¡¯m your creator.¡± Hebe giggled. John asked, ¡°Master, what do you plan to do with Lord Jupiter?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see if he causes any trouble.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°What about Prince Argos?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think we need to worry since he¡¯s better than the crown prince and the emperor. I¡¯ll have to ask you to go outside as usual.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± It was part of Peter¡¯s responsibility to deal with risks in advance. After finishing his report, John left the room. Hebe returned to being a talkative child, and Peter began to look for Jupiter¡¯s new eye. Chapter 44 Unfortunately, the time that Juno had with Jupiter to explain what happened while he was asleep was short. Juno returned to being Juno Sergien. She stared at the men sitting in front of her. They¡¯re greedy as well. All the nobles in the empire wanted an opportunity to talk to her. The meeting held by Juno wasn¡¯t an official one to discuss the nation¡¯s affairs, but it was important for sharing information. ¡°I heard my lady is raising her half-sister.¡± Their attention shifted to Juno. Come to think of it, is this the first meeting we had after I brought Lily into the mansion? She didn¡¯t remember since she was focused on Jupiter. ¡°You¡¯re so generous, Countess Sergien.¡± It sounded like a sarcastic remark to accept the daughter of the mistress who kicked Juno out. Juno asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡± The aristocrat replied, ¡°Well¡­! It must be hard to accept her.¡± Juno nodded. ¡°Yes, I was very offended.¡± Since she didn¡¯t criticize him, the noble breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Are you implying you didn¡¯t do it because you wanted to?¡± questioned another noble. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The room became noisy. ¡°Then, why¡ª¡± ¡°His Majesty ordered me.¡± Juno smiled. ¡°What?¡± The nobles exchanged glances. ¡°His Majesty?¡± ¡°Why¡­¡± While they were surprised, Juno could sense the movements of those who paid close attention to the relationship between her and the emperor. ¡°Since he¡¯s part of the royal family, I obeyed, yet I can¡¯t help but feel upset.¡± ¡°¡­What are you trying to say?¡± They glanced at the empty seat next to Juno. She continued to smile. ¡°His Majesty isn¡¯t attending this meeting because I didn¡¯t tell him. I think it¡¯s time to make things clear on who has the upper hand.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Silence settled in the room. Juno looked at each of the nobles. Good. Juno was giving advice to them, not to the emperor. If they act presumptuously like the emperor, they won¡¯t be invited to come back. Someone gulped. The nobles were afraid they¡¯d never attend this meeting again. ¡°Is there anyone who wants to give me something before we start?¡± ¡°Countess Sergien!¡± People coughed, and some gave their reports to John as he approached them. Juno slowly read the four reports, and no one made a sound. ¡°It¡¯s been decided. Viscount Gillette.¡± A man who was sweating buckets responded, ¡°Y-Yes!¡± ¡°If this information is true, I will help you this month,¡± Juno said. ¡°Thank you!¡± He lowered his head, unable to hide his joy. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll also compensate those who gave me information separately. Shall we start the meeting now?¡± The meeting room became noisy. Not only were there stories about an incident concerning a noble family or petty gossip, but they also spoke of incidents in other countries. ¡°The scandal with the count¡­¡± Talk about various events all over the continent and what will happen in the future filled the room. Of course, they kept glancing at Juno as they talked. Those who were telling the story put in more detail when they noticed she was listening. Boring. The atmosphere of the room changed based on Juno. She rested her chin on her hand, staring at the people who tried to earn her favor. Those who desired the skills of an alchemist and those who wanted Juno¡¯s skills struggled to please her. This was a meeting only those who knelt at her feet could attend, and there were very few nobles. ¡°I heard of something more important. May I talk about the viscountess?¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡± The aristocrat who was interrupted expressed his frustration while the other tried to hide his excitement as he spoke. In this place, status meant nothing. The closer you were to Juno, the stronger you were. It could be status, money, or something else. Juno was picky. One day she¡¯d care about this person, another day she cared about someone else. Sometimes she liked the smart one, other times she liked the rich one. People fawned over her to please her fickleness; however, if you flattered her too much, Juno would keep her distance. Because you can¡¯t be as arrogant as the emperor. Juno laughed as she listened to the story. ¡°Interesting.¡± Most of the nobles here were high-ranking, but in this meeting room, they were clowns who acted cute to get Juno¡¯s attention. Look at me. I can do it. Choose me. It was possible to do a lot of things when a person was close to Juno, and it was advantageous to be someone who could boast about it. It¡¯s funny. Those who laughed at her and pitied her now wanted her to look at them. I used to be thrilled. No one looked down on her or forced her to do something. But that was a long time ago. Afterward, Juno felt a sense of emptiness. Their compliments and gifts meant nothing in the end. Nevertheless, Juno continued to host the meeting. It was to get revenge on the emperor and the crown prince, but at the same time, she couldn¡¯t let go of the power at her hands. I¡¯m a hypocritical person. She thought her power had no intrinsic meaning, but she refused to give it up. Juno felt nothing as people bowed down to her; however, she wouldn¡¯t allow them to surpass her. I¡¯m not in a position to mock them. I¡¯m just as greedy. Juno had been doing this for years. As there were more meetings, Juno¡¯s power grew. She was still a countess, but her influence can be compared to the emperor. I don¡¯t need to be in the spotlight. That was why she was confident about Argos. Argos never attended these meetings because Juno supported the emperor, but it was time for him to understand her power. He¡¯ll see why he hasn¡¯t beaten the crown prince despite trying so hard. Juno checked the time and cut off a noble who was in the middle of talking. ¡°Let¡¯s end it for today. Since I still have something to say, some of you may stay.¡± The meeting room became quiet. Everyone was eager to know which nobles were lucky. Juno called out their names. ¡°¡­Only those five.¡± The chosen nobles stepped forward. The others left instantly, bitter looks on their faces. Juno looked at the remaining aristocrats and their expectant gazes. Then, she shrugged. ¡°It has to do with His Majesty not being here today.¡± ¡°Preposterous.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡± All the nobles held a decent amount of power. They immediately knew what she was going to say. What would happen if Juno no longer supported the emperor? Juno continued to speak calmly, ¡°I will be helping His Highness, Prince Argos. Not Her Majesty.¡± A noble flinched at her words. He was someone who was allied with the empress. Juno stared at him, but he tried to avoid her gaze. ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d support him from the shadows?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Juno glanced at the nobles standing before her. They were all on the side of Prince Argos. ¡°Then why are you telling us?¡± ¡°Because I know some of you are nervous.¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­¡± Juno raised her hand to signal the noble to stop speaking. ¡°I¡¯m letting you know my alliance with the emperor has ended. I suggest you don¡¯t do anything rash.¡± Chapter 45 Juno saw their expressions change. ¡°Get out. And you better keep what I said in mind.¡± The nobles left one by one. Once they were gone, Juno sighed and plopped into a chair. John handed her a cup of tea. ¡°My lady.¡± ¡°John, where is he?¡± She was tired, but there were still people to meet. ¡°He¡¯s here.¡± After drinking the tea, she asked, ¡°Is there anyone else?¡± ¡°Only the bodyguard.¡± ¡°Let him in.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Juno straightened her posture as someone entered the room. It was Prince Argos. ¡°Countess Sergien.¡± Behind him, John prevented the bodyguard from joining them. Once the door was closed, Juno rose from her seat to welcome him. ¡°Your Highness must have been surprised by the sudden invitation.¡± Argos looked around the large meeting room with traces of people once being present. ¡°No, but I would like to know why you wanted to meet all of a sudden.¡± ¡°Someone knew I was helping you.¡± Juno¡¯s promise to support Prince Argos was a secret. That way even the idiot prince wouldn¡¯t find out. Argos¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What? The people who know should be¡­¡± ¡°Aside from you, your bodyguard.¡± Argos¡¯s bodyguard was the only person who followed Argos to his secret rendezvous. ¡°He¡¯s a bad drinker.¡± ¡°Have you¡­¡± The question was whether or not she handled the people who found out. Juno smiled, recalling the nobles that had stayed behind. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s up to you to take care of them.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Juno looked up at him and raised one corner of her mouth. Argos, who understood her warning, asked, ¡°Why do you not want to be found out?¡± Juno laughed. Sooner or later, he¡¯ll know why. ¡°Even if everyone is aware, His Majesty won¡¯t help you.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I already tell you? I can only buy you time.¡± It was already boring and still is. Juno didn¡¯t even want to get a title or reward. ¡°I have a lot of money, but I don¡¯t have time. Time is precious.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Argos seemed to back down, though he didn¡¯t understand. Unlike the emperor, Juno liked people who weren¡¯t stubborn and decided to reward Argos. She approached him and whispered, ¡°Here.¡± Argos froze as Juno took the Protective Barrier she was holding and put it in his inner coat pocket. ¡°Carry it around.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Juno laughed as she placed her hand on Argos¡¯s chest, where the Protective Barrier was. ¡°It¡¯s better than the ones on the market.¡± ¡°Why are you giving this to me?¡± ¡°I heard there will be another assassination attempt. Of course, the crown prince is behind it with the emperor¡¯s approval.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Argos seemed to want more information, but Juno had no intention of giving it or revealing her source. ¡°You can deal with your bodyguard.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± She stepped back. ¡°So, Your Highness, do you have some spare time next week?¡± Now it was Argos¡¯s turn. *** As soon as Juno left the mansion, Peter visited Jupiter. Jupiter blinked. Even though his new eye wasn¡¯t a real one, it didn¡¯t feel like a foreign object. It was strange. ¡°Is it uncomfortable?¡± Jupiter shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m very impressed.¡± Peter handed him a mirror. ¡°Tell me if you feel any sort of discomfort. I made sure to make it as similar as possible to your original eye.¡± It was amazing to see normally because of the replacement eye. It had the same shape and eye color as his left eye. In addition, the fact that Peter, John, and Hebe existed proved how great an alchemist was. ¡°It¡¯s slightly off-putting, but it truly is the same as my actual eye.¡± Pi, perched on Jupiter¡¯s shoulder, flapped her wings and puffed out her chest. ¡°It¡¯s amazing, right? Master is the best!¡± ¡°Pi.¡± Jupiter smiled. He didn¡¯t usually feel much affection for small things, but this bird was different. Pi tilted her head. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I heard you¡¯ve taken good care of me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so weak, so I can¡¯t help but take care of you!¡± She huffed. ¡°Thank you.¡± Pi snorted at his honesty. ¡°Hmph.¡± As Jupiter laughed at her being embarrassed, Pi flew out the window. Then, Jupiter heard someone else¡¯s voice. ¡°Who¡¯s laughing?¡± It was higher-pitched than Hebe¡¯s. Jupiter glanced at Peter. ¡°Does she have another child?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not her actual daughter. Use your eyes correctly for once.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jupiter looked in the mirror. His fierce gaze stared back at him. ¡°You¡¯ll be caught if you keep acting like this.¡± While Jupiter¡¯s expression shifted, Peter continued, ¡°It¡¯s been eight years since you fell asleep. Juno has quickly matured a lot since then.¡± ¡°¡­I will keep that in mind.¡± ¡°Good.¡± As Jupiter checked his face, he heard laughter again. He wondered whose child that was. ¡°Is that child another doll?¡± ¡°Juno¡¯s half-sister.¡± Jupiter, who had started to nod, looked at Peter. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Everyone knows her as the child of Marquis Robert and Lilith.¡± Jupiter recalled the child he saw in House Trish¡¯s residence. Why was she here? ¡°Aren¡¯t they dead?¡± If the marquis and Lilith hadn¡¯t died, the child wouldn¡¯t be here. ¡°A lot of things happened.¡± Nusrion died. Jupiter ¡°died¡± too, which put the branch families into a state of panic. The marquis was merciless with his enemies, and even if he didn¡¯t lose, he would die eventually. There was bound to be a lot of back and forth. ¡°The marquis must have lost,¡± Jupiter said. ¡°Correct.¡± Then why was his child here? ¡°Why did she accept her?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t be bothered to give a full explanation.¡± Peter sighed as he organized a box¡¯s contents. ¡°Basically, the marquis and the emperor entrusted that child to Juno under the excuse of House Trish¡¯s inheritance.¡± Jupiter knew the marquis had no shame, but he didn¡¯t understand why the emperor cared. ¡°Juno was very upset about it, so she decided to make her move. That¡¯s why she¡¯s not here right now.¡± After Juno greeted him in the morning, she left the mansion with John. Jupiter could tell she had enough influence to be angry about the emperor¡¯s behavior. ¡°Why did His Majesty get involved? At a glance, she already settled down.¡± ¡°They say the child is the crown prince¡¯s son.¡± ¡°Wait¡­¡± Jupiter frowned. ¡°Yes, she¡¯s not the marquis¡¯s daughter.¡± Because of Juno, Jupiter knew of some events that had occurred since he was asleep, but there appeared to be more to it. Peter shook his head. ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s why I¡¯m stuck here. You also don¡¯t have to worry for a while since she¡¯s not allowed to go to the third floor. She¡¯s a nice kid, so I think Juno will like her.¡± It was as he said. Juno was softhearted despite her imposing appearance. She must feel sorry for that child. Peter explained the girl¡¯s situation, and Jupiter knew how the marquis and Lilith would have treated her. Could Juno ignore her? When Jupiter tried to approach the window, Peter stopped him. ¡°I¡¯m observing the child for now, so just focus on resting. The sooner you recover, the happier Juno will be.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be there for her too.¡± Hebe had entered the room. ¡°Yes, Juno has a family now.¡± Jupiter didn¡¯t know what this feeling was; however, he was relieved that Juno wasn¡¯t just sad for the past eight years. I¡¯m annoyed that I wasn¡¯t part of that, but it was my fault. It was good Juno had a real family now. Perhaps she wouldn¡¯t be the way she was now without them. While Jupiter was away, they supported and protected her. And now, Peter was telling him not to worry and rest for Juno¡¯s happiness because he would have his own role as her shield. Chapter 46 Jupiter didn¡¯t know what this feeling was. He was happy someone else cared about Juno just as much as he did, but at the same time, he was anxious. He wasn¡¯t the only person in Juno¡¯s heart now. Trying to comprehend what he felt, Jupiter said, ¡°¡­That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°Well, you probably mean the most to her. Do something about your eyes,¡± Peter said. Jupiter looked at the mirror again. His gaze was a mixture of jealousy and other emotions. He took a deep breath. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll be more careful.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right to walk around on the third floor, but you can¡¯t do any more than that.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to say this now.¡± Peter looked at him with a serious expression. ¡°Juno is still the same as before, but she¡¯s changed. If you hurt her because she¡¯s no longer the person you knew¡­¡± ¡°Such a thing will never happen.¡± ¡°She¡¯s different from the Juno you remember.¡± Peter, who was larger than an average human, looked down at Jupiter. He had never liked him that much. Peter cupped Jupiter¡¯s face; he touched the area around Jupiter¡¯s right eye with his thumb. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about trying to hurt me. I¡¯ll gouge out both your eyes if there¡¯s a problem.¡± What a wonderful threat. Jupiter smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it will happen.¡± Peter lowered his hand. ¡°She¡¯ll be back soon. Will you see her?¡± He picked up the box he brought in and opened the door. ¡°Of course, you can¡¯t go down from the third floor because of the girl. We haven¡¯t decided yet if we should introduce you.¡± Jupiter was sure of it. Peter Sergien dislikes me. He didn¡¯t like Jupiter, but Juno liked him, so he was doing her a reasonable favor. Even now, Peter¡¯s words were more like a suggestion, but his sharp gaze kept an eye on him. Of course, Jupiter would never reject the ¡°suggestions¡±, but Peter¡¯s tone wasn¡¯t to his liking. ¡°¡­You care a lot about Juno.¡± However, Jupiter was certain her teacher wouldn¡¯t harm her. ¡°Of course.¡± Even though Peter showed his dislike for him, he treated Jupiter well. Jupiter was reminded of Pi who flew past them moments ago. As Jupiter left the lab with Peter¡¯s help, he said, ¡°I understand who Pi takes after now.¡± ¡°Be nice to her too. She worried about you a lot and was the one who brought you back here.¡± Jupiter remembered. The moment the carriage exploded, large wings shielded him from the blast, and Pi dragged him to a safe place to use the medicine on him even when she was injured. Pi also brought something for Jupiter to eat and forced the food into his mouth. She saved his life. ¡°I know. I remember what she did when I was still conscious.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Peter told Jupiter that Juno was still the same despite her aloof appearance. You have a family whose members are similar in many ways. Juno climbed up the stairs and began to give instructions to John. Afterward, when she walked up to Jupiter, she had a bright smile. ¡°Jupiter?¡± The moment he saw her, whose expression softened, he thought she was very pretty. ¡°Juno.¡± ¡°Are you here to see me?¡± ¡°Yes. How was your trip?¡± Jupiter added, ¡°You have dark circles under your eyes.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Juno ended up being the one to help Jupiter stand. Peter had rolled his eyes and stepped back after John whispered something in his ear. ¡°I¡¯m back, Teacher. And John, you worked hard today.¡± Peter shrugged as if he was dissatisfied with Juno¡¯s greeting. ¡°Hmph.¡± ¡°Thank you, my lady. Please relax for the rest of the day.¡± ¡°All right.¡± It was a very peaceful time. *** Argos observed his surroundings. Everything around him, even the escort knights who were drunk and revealed sensitive information, was a mess. Argos was perfectly fine. He stared at the Protective Barrier. He was aware of the ones supplied to the army. ¡°She said it was of a higher grade, but I didn¡¯t know it¡¯d be like this¡­¡± The Protective Barriers used by the army could deflect a sword attack. How did she have a stronger version of that? ¡°As expected¡­¡± He guessed she wouldn¡¯t have revealed everything. Perhaps this was just a fraction of what Juno Sergien owned. ¡°Should I consider myself lucky?¡± The relationship between his father and the alchemist was estranged, resulting in Argos acquiring a strong ally. ¡°I still haven¡¯t figured out everything.¡± Argos was a prince, and his mother was the empress. Obviously, the power the two had was tremendous. But even Argos couldn¡¯t collect enough information on Juno Sergien. She must be the one controlling what information gets released. All he knew was what everyone else knew. I only know the information about Lily, her half-sister. Argos was still suspicious of Juno¡¯s intentions and didn¡¯t trust her completely. I was thinking about whether or not I should bring it with me. Argos looked at the Protective Barrier in his hand. He thought it was a weapon to attack him; however, after learning that his bodyguard leaked information, Argos took a gamble. This was the result. For whatever reason, Juno Sergien was his ally for now. ¡°I have no choice but to take advantage of what was given to me.¡± He approached the frightened people and knights. Argos didn¡¯t know what would happen, but he was looking forward to his upcoming meeting with her. *** Juno looked at Jupiter who was standing in front of her. Two weeks after waking up, he was able to move around and hold a sword without the help of others. Therefore, she didn¡¯t understand his decision after making a full recovery. ¡°You don¡¯t want to reveal yourself to Lily yet?¡± ¡°Correct.¡± It also meant Jupiter couldn¡¯t go outside the mansion. ¡°Why?¡± she asked. ¡°I need to think about something still.¡± ¡°Is it bad?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± He smiled, so it didn¡¯t seem to be problematic. ¡°So what will you do?¡± ¡°I will continue to wait.¡± It was the same as before. Jupiter said a lot of meaningless things. Juno pouted. ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll understand eventually.¡± Juno accepted his choice since he wanted to do it, but she couldn¡¯t help but worry. ¡°Won¡¯t you be uncomfortable?¡± ¡°The mansion is big enough.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Jupiter laughed. ¡°In any case, you have a meeting today, do you not?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It happens quite often, don¡¯t you think?¡± Unless something else happened, there was always a meeting. ¡°It¡¯s only once a week. Isn¡¯t once every two weeks too much?¡± ¡°At this time?¡± ¡°Everyone is busy during the day, right?¡± The nobles all occupied important positions in the empire, so they had business to take care of. It was the same for Juno, so the only time they could meet was late at night. ¡°Hm.¡± ¡°Are you worried, Jupiter?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She took out the Shooter she carried around and showed it to him. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Over the past few days, Jupiter learned about a lot of things. From Juno¡¯s work in the past eight years to the work of Count Sergien and the relationship between the crown prince and the Kingdom of Darnan. Jupiter touched the Shooter in Juno¡¯s hands. ¡°It¡¯s definitely remarkable.¡± ¡°You have to carry one around as well.¡± Juno pointed to the Protective Barrier in his pocket. What she gave him was the final version of the Protective Barrier. She didn¡¯t want to have a repeat of the delegate incident. Noticing her sullen face, he squeezed her hand. ¡°I will. What do you think the emperor will do?¡± ¡°He knows he¡¯s not on good terms with me but believes it¡¯s only temporary.¡± His being absent from the meeting was just a means to upset Juno. He worked with her for several years, but he didn¡¯t know her that well. It wasn¡¯t unreasonable he acted like that since Juno still provided her services as an alchemist. Juno didn¡¯t mind since it meant he was less troublesome. ¡°I don¡¯t have to worry about it for a while.¡± ¡°Why does he want the crown prince to ascend the throne?¡± Juno shrugged. ¡°Love.¡± ¡°I suppose. However, I don¡¯t understand why he must express his affection that way.¡± Juno agreed. Why did the emperor feel the need to show his affection by handing over the crown? Chapter 47 It wasn¡¯t good for the empire or the crown prince. When was the last time Juno saw someone make a stupid decision? ¡°Have you thought about what to do with the crown prince?¡± she asked. ¡°Do I need to be concerned?¡± ¡°You¡¯re just going to leave him alone?¡± ¡°Juno, you¡¯re already working with Prince Argos.¡± Seeing her frown, Jupiter patted her head. ¡°I heard the crown prince is still the same.¡± While he was active in politics when he was the official heir of House Trish, he didn¡¯t know Anton. ¡°He is.¡± Jupiter nodded. ¡°I have no interest in worrying about useless things. It¡¯s a waste of time.¡± To him, the crown prince meant nothing. Juno didn¡¯t like his response. ¡°But because of him, you¡­¡± She trailed off. It was presumptuous for her to continue when Jupiter expressed no interest. He grabbed her hands. ¡°Say it.¡± She shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± Jupiter grinned. ¡°Juno?¡± As she kept her mouth closed, Jupiter¡¯s smile continued to widen. The more beautiful the smile, the more intimidating Jupiter was. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t want to let it go.¡± She snuck a glance and saw his cheerful expression. ¡°Oh? We can do that then.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you help His Highness Prince Argos more actively? In exchange, you can ask him to hand over the crown prince when everything¡¯s all said and done.¡± Seemingly ignoring Juno¡¯s surprised expression, he continued, ¡°Of course, His Highness will think that is dangerous, so you¡¯ll have to negotiate¡ª¡± ¡°Wait a moment, Jupiter.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°You said you didn¡¯t care.¡± ¡°Mm-hmm, I want to focus on you and not on a poor excuse of a person. But you said you wanted revenge. I just woke up from a nap while you¡¯ve been waiting for me for eight years. Don¡¯t you also have a good reason to take revenge against the crown prince?¡± Juno slowly nodded. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Your revenge will be worthwhile. For the empire¡¯s sake, Prince Argos must be the next emperor.¡± With a troubled expression, Jupiter added, ¡°The empress is also an issue.¡± Juno just realized he was saying this to lighten the mood. It was probably why he held her hand and asked for her opinion. No, maybe he knows how I feel. It wasn¡¯t enough to intervene in the war against the Kingdom of Darnan. Eight years was too long. Until now, Juno hadn¡¯t made a move against the crown prince or the emperor because the time wasn¡¯t right. There was a reason why she waited for Jupiter to wake up. If I took care of them earlier, I was afraid I was going to fall apart. If there wasn¡¯t anyone left to be a target of her revenge, she would¡¯ve had nothing else to live for. Maybe she wasn¡¯t waiting for Jupiter to wake up. Maybe I would have put it behind me. So Juno held onto her anger, her revenge, and waited. It wasn¡¯t time to take her revenge and insisted it was up for Jupiter to decide. I no longer have to tolerate it. Her anger was like a fire forcibly kept alive, burning so that she could live. Even Jupiter was aware of it. To the point where he knows what I¡¯m thinking. And now, he was saying it was all right for her to make them feel her wrath. She deserved it. I like him. She liked that he held her hands despite knowing they were dirty and covered in mud. When she looked at him again, she smiled; it was a real smile that revealed her own twistedness. Jupiter had a relieved expression on his face. ¡°¡­His Highness is trying not to rely on the empress.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± Jupiter said, tilting his head. ¡°There¡¯s still a lot I need to know.¡± It was difficult to learn what happened these past eight years in the span of a few days, but Jupiter was a so-called genius. Juno scoffed. ¡°Aren¡¯t you already aware of what¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°I am.¡± He chuckled. ¡°But I want to know more about you. Is there anything you want to tell me?¡± Smiling, he approached her. Juno let him caress her cheek. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s find out together.¡± Jupiter played with a lock of her hair before leaning in. Then, they heard a knock. ¡°I am sorry, my lady, but it is time to leave.¡± Jupiter sighed and backed away. ¡°Have a safe trip. We can continue after you return.¡± ¡°All right. Wait for me.¡± Juno kissed him on the cheek and opened the door. John was waiting outside the room. ¡°My lady.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± She had to concentrate on her revenge first. It was time to be Juno Sergien. *** ¡°Hello, Peter.¡± ¡°Did Juno leave already?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Peter watched as Jupiter approached slowly him. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± It was annoying. Since John was helping Juno and Hebe was in charge of Lily, that left Peter to take care of Jupiter. Peter and Jupiter¡¯s conversation continued from the one they had the day before when Juno was away. ¡°I need to claim the title of marquis.¡± ¡°Of House Trish?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Jupiter walked around the table to stand next to Peter. ¡°Did you not say Juno would accept that girl eventually?¡± ¡°I did.¡± ¡°I feel the same way. Even now, I¡¯m surprised to hear that child laugh.¡± ¡°¡­You plan to become the marquis?¡± Peter didn¡¯t understand how Juno¡¯s affection for Lily was related to Jupiter becoming the marquis. Peter had no intention of staying still if Jupiter planned to use Juno to pursue his own goals. ¡°As I expected, Juno wants revenge. I wish to provide assistance.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not someone who needs your help,¡± Peter said. They were words that hurt Jupiter¡¯s pride, but he only nodded. ¡°I know; however, I want to be officially by her side.¡± ¡°Do you need a noble family to be legitimate?¡± Even without House Trish, Jupiter can become Juno¡¯s husband. Indeed, he hated Marquis Robert and Lilith like Juno. Yet unlike Juno, Jupiter wasn¡¯t softhearted. With a smile that revealed his own twistedness, Jupiter said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to give the child a family. I also don¡¯t wish for Juno to be seen as an easy opponent.¡± ¡°She does appear to be easy pickings.¡± ¡°I¡¯m certain she¡¯s still working behind the scenes.¡± Jupiter heard John was gathering a lot of information from time to time. However, he didn¡¯t think they would know certain things only on. Peter replied, ¡°The nobles of the empire know Juno will use the girl to support Prince Argos.¡± ¡°¡­Perhaps. At the same time, others are beginning to look down on her.¡± ¡°Their opinions do not matter.¡± Jupiter gazed at the window. ¡°They say a pebble can cause an avalanche if it falls in the wrong spot. I don¡¯t want Juno to get hurt.¡± Peter put down the object in his hand. ¡°That prince won¡¯t even use the child.¡± He wasn¡¯t happy about it either. ¡°Juno won¡¯t use Lily unless the circumstances call for it. Some nobles are bound to underestimate the alchemist.¡± As Juno¡¯s influence on the continent grew, the forces that kept her in check continued to grow. Once Juno was revealed to have a weakness, they¡¯d take advantage of the opportunity to come out on top. Jupiter continued, ¡°It will be difficult for her to appear as Juno¡¯s weakness.¡± The child was already likely to be her weakness. Not now but in the distant future. Peter asked, ¡°So?¡± ¡°Regardless, we must have a reason for letting Lily live here.¡± ¡°Is that where you come in?¡± Now that Juno was caring for her half-sister, what would happen if Jupiter Trish, said to have died, reappeared in high society with Juno¡¯s support? What would happen if he became the family head of House Trish? Everyone would think this was part of Juno¡¯s plan to control House Trish. Chapter 48 I don¡¯t like it at all. Peter wasn¡¯t fond of Jupiter¡¯s way of thinking, especially since he came up with the idea in such a short time. Nobles truly did enjoy their games. But it was definitely worth a try. Jupiter chuckled as he read Peter¡¯s expression. ¡°They will believe Juno and I are allies. Thus, I can become the marquis.¡± With Juno¡¯s power, Jupiter can become the family head of House Trish. Having a wary gaze, Peter said, ¡°This is all for Juno.¡± ¡°Mm-hmm. She wants revenge.¡± ¡°Then?¡± Jupiter smiled, which sent a shiver down Peter¡¯s spine. ¡°Marriage won¡¯t be a problem.¡± ¡°It was never an issue in the first place.¡± ¡°There will be rumors. I¡¯m going to be seen as pitiful.¡± Once Jupiter becomes Juno¡¯s husband, everyone will talk about him. Of course, there will be stories that make people feel sorry for Jupiter because of Juno¡¯s personality. All because she¡¯s too nice. Peter sighed. He cared for her too because of her kindness, so he couldn¡¯t help but worry. Juno acted more aloof and crueler as she her power grew; however, she was still a nice person. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± It was best to avoid any possible risks so Juno wouldn¡¯t get hurt. Jupiter responded as if he was waiting. ¡°It¡¯s a good plan.¡± ¡°Are you going to put yourself in danger?¡± Doing that was like putting Juno in danger, so Peter had to worry about Jupiter¡¯s safety. ¡°My right eye. I was a little surprised at first¡­ It should be easy, right?¡± Peter looked at Jupiter. He didn¡¯t know if the young man was lucky or talented to notice the eye could be modified further. He sighed. ¡°¡­What do you have in mind?¡± A new alliance was formed in order to protect Juno. *** Juno approached Argos who was waiting for her outside the meeting room. ¡°You didn¡¯t bring a bodyguard.¡± She knew he already got a new one. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be a problem if the information is leaked out again?¡± ¡°You¡¯re by yourself.¡± Argos patted his chest. ¡°You gave me that.¡± ¡°You seem to like it a lot.¡± ¡°It was impressive.¡± Argos¡¯s decision not to bring an escort wasn¡¯t bad. After all, the bodyguard he had for years revealed information so easily. Juno also didn¡¯t know if Argos was aware his new bodyguard had close ties to the empress. As Juno continued to evaluate Argos, he asked, ¡°Why did you summon me here?¡± There were many reasons. However, Juno decided to show Argos the beginnings of a new era. ¡°I thought I¡¯d do more to help you.¡± She pointed to the door behind him. ¡°If you go there, we can make a deal.¡± ¡°Is that so? What¡¯s behind it?¡± ¡°People. They¡¯re the real forces of an unofficial empire.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°How about you think of them as the people who keep the empire afloat?¡± The people behind that door were different from their public personae. They were the ones who guided and controlled the main forces of the empire. Some actually occupied high-ranking positions, but others were not powerful at all in the public¡¯s eye. ¡°You¡¯ll understand when you see them.¡± Juno winked at John, and the door was opened. Everyone sitting at the table stood up to welcome her. ¡°There you are Countess Sergien.¡± Juno smiled and walked to the table. Then, she introduced Argos who had followed her. ¡°Hello, everyone. We have a new member.¡± While the people in the meeting room appeared nonchalant, they paid attention to anyone who was new. This time, it was Argos. ¡°It¡¯s His Highness,¡± one of the nobles said. Juno nodded. ¡°I gave you my word, didn¡¯t I?¡± She pointed to the chair next to her. ¡°He will take his place.¡± The nobles exchanged glances. Juno no longer had any interest in the emperor. After exchanging greetings, the meeting began. *** Argos was surprised, though he didn¡¯t show it on his face after observing the expressions of everyone else. Most of the nobles are here. Judging by the conversation, the people Argos didn¡¯t know occasionally spoke. It was clear they weren¡¯t aristocrats, but still held a lot of influence in the empire. They also belong to various factions. Argos¡¯s own men were here as well as Anton¡¯s. They exchanged information without antagonizing one another. The information isn¡¯t trivial either. Argos wondered how they were able to talk about it so casually. He briefly recalled how the seat he was sitting in had belonged to his father. I can see why Mother and I haven¡¯t been able to defeat him. Even his allies were present. Naturally, information was leaked which allowed the emperor to be one step ahead. ¡°Is there anything you¡¯d like to know?¡± Juno asked. ¡°Oh.¡± Argos hesitated for a moment. He should ask for neither trivial nor important information. Since the people in this meeting room exchanged information with one another, Argos also had to give information they¡¯d want. Otherwise, he didn¡¯t have the right to know anything. ¡°Is there anything about my new bodyguard?¡± He decided to ask for information that was important to him but not so much for them. It was good since he was curious about the escort knight. Argos glanced at Juno who was smiling. After their last meeting, it was hard to see that expression as just a mere smile. ¡°Is there anyone who wants to answer?¡± A man opened his mouth. ¡°Sir Balde is believed to be Baron Balde¡¯s second son and will not be able to inherit the title of baron. He has been married for five years.¡± Another noble responded, ¡°Isn¡¯t there more to it?¡± The other nobles nodded. ¡°Ah, yes. He¡¯s allied with Her Majesty.¡± ¡°Her Majesty is very generous.¡± Argos realized their conversation was going in a strange direction. They were implying Sir Balde was his mother¡¯s lover. ¡°He¡¯s been a knight for three years. Since he¡¯s His Highness¡¯s bodyguard, it shows how much Her Majesty cares.¡± ¡°It was a sudden attack, so it would have been difficult for Her Majesty to find someone reliable.¡± ¡°The only problem is that he¡¯s the empress¡¯s secret lover.¡± Argos tried to maintain his expression. ¡°He has a mole on the back of his ear. In terms of courtship, he vastly prefers¡ª¡± ¡°I believe that¡¯s enough.¡± Argos smiled. The man who was the first to answer Argos¡¯s question nodded. ¡°I have more information, so I¡¯ll organize it and send it to His Highness later.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± Argos realized once more how vast their information network was. Juno said, ¡°Shall we call it a day? If you have anything else to say, you can speak to John.¡± Several nobles rose from their seats and approached the man called John. Argos was about to eavesdrop on their conversation when several other aristocrats approached him. ¡°Your Highness, I look forward to your cooperation.¡± ¡°It¡¯s time for the empire to usher in a new era.¡± ¡°Honestly, the crown prince is not fit to be emperor.¡± Nobles who were part of the crown prince¡¯s faction, neutral, and ones Argos considered to be of his own faction welcomed him. It seemed appearances weren¡¯t everything. Afterward, they said their farewells to him. ¡°I hope to see you next time.¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± When Argos glanced at John, the nobles surrounding the butler had already left. Argos couldn¡¯t help but lament the fact that he missed an opportunity to hear something good. Then, Juno approached him. Chapter 49 ¡°Your Highness.¡± Argos looked back at Juno who was approaching him. ¡°As you said, this is an empire.¡± He could feel how great this woman was, smiling without saying a word. Argos continued, ¡°And the ruler here is you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Argos was no longer bewildered by Juno¡¯s confidence in not denying his words. With a dejected smile, he said, ¡°So what do you want?¡± He was talking about the deal Juno put forward before showing him this. ¡°You must have liked the meeting.¡± ¡°I did,¡± Argos answered, preparing himself. Juno Sergien, who had this power, would want something incredible if she offered a deal. ¡°There¡¯s only one thing I want. Please hand over the crown prince to me when this is over.¡± And Argos¡¯s prediction was not off the mark. She wanted him to hand over Anton. Trying not to show surprise, he asked, ¡°¡­May I know why?¡± Juno replied as if she didn¡¯t care. ¡°I have a personal grudge. Very personal.¡± But the apparent anger expressed in her words wasn¡¯t something to be easily dismissed. What the hell happened? Considering the nature of Prince Anton and his past activities, he must have done something truly terrible. However, Anton was a noble, and it couldn¡¯t be related to that. Fortunately, Juno gave Argos some space. ¡°I understand it¡¯s not an easy decision to make, so give it some thought before you let me know.¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± Juno Sergien, who was already struggling with her feelings, said calmly, ¡°Shall we end it here?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Unless something important happens, you¡¯ll be the crown prince next year and the emperor in the future.¡± It was questionable whether or not there would be an unexpected event. Argos asked, ¡°What are the possibilities?¡± ¡°You may ignore me like before, or I may lose my power.¡± In the first case, it was unlikely. Argos saw what happened to his father who made Juno his enemy. What was even more unlikely to happen was the second case. ¡°Do you believe you will lose your power?¡± It was either excessive humility or a joke. And so far, based on what Argos has seen of Juno, Juno Sergien of House Sergien was not particularly humble. Amused, he said, ¡°Is this some sort of a joke?¡± ¡°Does it appear that way? But the source of my power is my skills, so if someone with similar abilities appears, my authority will be challenged, no?¡± Her humility and playfulness seemed to be serious, but for Argos, Juno¡¯s family was so impressive it was ridiculous. ¡°Impossible.¡± ¡°Nothing is impossible.¡± Argos no longer refuted her opinion because he had to look at the big picture. Then, John approached Juno and whispered something. She looked at him and said, ¡°¡­Well, Your Highness, shall we say goodbye now?¡± ¡°All right.¡± Argos extended his arm to her. Pretending to be surprised, Juno opened her mouth. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re escorting me.¡± ¡°It is basic etiquette.¡± Juno smiled quietly and rested her hand on his arm. Argos discussed the information he heard today as they headed toward her carriage. ¡°Is the information about my bodyguard true?¡± She continued to smile. It probably was true. Argos sighed. ¡°¡­I see. At some point, my mother always had a lover, so it was unsurprising. I didn¡¯t expect everyone knew about it.¡± Argos also heard and saw his mother¡¯s lovers as he got older. He really didn¡¯t think it was an open secret. While thinking about how to deal with his mother, Juno took back her hand. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness. I¡¯ll contact you about the date and place for the next meeting.¡± After a quick exchange of pleasantries, Argos recalled her hand while watching the carriage leave. Unlike other noblewomen, there were calluses on her knuckles. Was he shocked by seeing the rough texture? It seemed he could still feel its warmth. Argos scratched his arm and approached his horse. *** Juno got into the carriage and looked at John once the carriage door closed. ¡°Tell me again what you said earlier.¡± While she talked to Argos, John delivered an unexpected message. ¡°Master and Lord Jupiter met privately.¡± ¡°Really?¡± It was a fact that she was aware Peter didn¡¯t like Jupiter. Of course, Peter, for her sake, didn¡¯t let her know, but she knew him as well as he knew her. But she wasn¡¯t worried. I don¡¯t need to be. When Juno was away, Peter called Jupiter to tell him about what happened while he was sleeping. It wasn¡¯t strange that they met. Confused, Juno waited for John to explain. He continued, ¡°It seemed like they were planning something. They didn¡¯t mention any details because they were afraid one of the dolls would notice.¡± There were many dolls in the mansion. A doll with hearing as good as John, Hebe, and Peter, to the point where they could hear everything in the mansion, did not exist; however, there were enough dolls inside the mansion that one could eavesdrop on Peter and Jupiter¡¯s conversation. Peter was one of the most human-like dolls, like Hebe and John, so he could notice the presence of other dolls. In the end, it was difficult to hear anything important or the whole conversation. Shrugging, Juno said, ¡°Neither of them is capable of doing anything without me.¡± She didn¡¯t know what their plan was, but she believed in them. ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°More of the insect dolls have gone missing.¡± Juno looked out the window and felt the summer breeze. It weighed on her conscience to throw away dolls with egos once they fulfilled their duties, so the ones she sent out to gather information had no personalities and communicated with John. Since it had no ego, an insect doll was vulnerable to the outside environment. As it was small in size, it was highly likely to be attacked by other animals or insects, and it was easily damaged by humans. Observing the weather, Juno replied, ¡°Is it because it¡¯s summer?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Like before, John¡¯s report indicated an unusual pattern. Juno gave an order. ¡°Check if there are more dolls and find out where the missing ones went.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Juno leaned back in her chair and looked at John. It was he who always acted accordingly with her every move, so she thought he could see the situation more clearly. ¡°What do you think?¡± she asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Juno recalled Prince Argos, who had been with her until now. ¡°Prince Argos. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s a better option than the crown prince. But do you really think he¡¯ll be a good emperor?¡± John looked at Juno in wonder. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d care about that.¡± It wasn¡¯t something to worry about if it was his usual Juno. Juno replied with a nod. ¡°I¡¯m starting to rethink my personal opinions. And he¡¯s a bit of an annoyance.¡± ¡°In what way?¡± Juno recalled the time when she became interested in Prince Argos¡¯s character. ¡°Personality?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of her.¡± Juno replied with a smile. ¡°I can¡¯t deny that.¡± She liked Argos when he vowed to use Lily only as the last resort. More specifically, she liked his sense of humanity. Few people were born like Argos and grew up while still having it. I feel sorry for others only when they don¡¯t hurt me. Most aristocrats would choose the easy way rather than do what Argos did in that situation. Just like Juno. At first, I figured he was a stupid person. She thought he was not aware of his position because of a sense of moral justice. But Argos surpassed her expectations. So, she became interested in him. It was fascinating that someone who could think about how to use Lily said he wouldn¡¯t use her. John said, ¡°As expected, Hebe is right.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You have such a weak heart.¡± Juno did not argue with him. It¡¯s true that Lily bothers me. At first, Lily reminded Juno of herself, and later she felt bad when she thought of using the child. Of course, it was an apology on behalf of the child¡¯s feelings since Lily knew nothing. Maybe it¡¯s pitying the past me as a child. In the past, she was tired of her life, which was dominated by the will of others, and she hated the gaze of others who judged her. But now she was becoming that kind of person herself: a person who uses and evaluates others according to her own purpose. It¡¯s very evil of me. She wasn¡¯t as weak-minded as her allies say. Rather, Juno was a hypocrite. She only sympathized with the child by projecting her from the past without feeling any guilt for using others. Juno didn¡¯t say how she felt and just laughed. ¡°But my people around me will make up for that, right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Juno¡¯s smile deepened at his answer. ¡°Thank you, John.¡± He nodded and began to take out papers one by one. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the reports we received today.¡± ¡°Are we getting straight to work?¡± John answered Juno¡¯s question which came out as a grumble. ¡°When we return, you¡¯ll be spending time with him again. I think you should take care of some things here so that your time is not interrupted.¡± To sum up, he meant that he would let her work from now on so as not to disturb her date at the mansion. Juno thought he heard the conversation in the room earlier. Eventually, Juno burst into laughter. Chapter 50 The emperor sighed and look at Prince Anton drinking tea in front of him. Unlike him, who was worried, Anton¡¯s face was full of smiles. It was an expression that radiated a youthful charm from his son who was in his 40s. The emperor called out to his beloved son. ¡°Anton.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± On the outside, the emperor was pretending to be okay, but he was restless. He hadn¡¯t been to the meeting for a second time. The emperor sighed and said, ¡°The alchemist seems to be sulking.¡± His face contorting, Anton replied, ¡°Tsk, that¡¯s how women are.¡± The emperor took a deep breath. Anton was old enough to be angry and scolded like back then. ¡°¡­As I said, the alchemist is an important person.¡± He wanted Anton to understand what he was saying, but his son only laughed. ¡°She¡¯s just a nobody who uses her dead husband¡¯s legacy. Now that I think about it, I can¡¯t tell the difference between how she acts in public and how she acts privately.¡± ¡°Ha, Anton.¡± The emperor was about to say something, but Anton raised his voice. ¡°Why are you so obsessed with her?¡± The emperor was speechless at his son who knew nothing. ¡°You don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Because they don¡¯t tell me.¡± Anton shouldn¡¯t treat Juno Sergien so lightly, even if he wasn¡¯t aware of the unofficial meeting. No one could disregard Juno in terms of how she was in the public eye. But why does Anton always think lowly of her? The emperor, who was about to tell Anton about the meeting held by Juno Sergien, remained silent. Even if he told him, Anton would just get angry. He shook his head and said, ¡°You aren¡¯t ready yet.¡± The emperor was too tired to scold Anton. ¡°How¡¯s your relationship with your fianc¨¦e?¡± ¡°Still bad,¡± Anton said angrily. ¡°What? She¡¯s from a family that will strengthen your power!¡± ¡°Yes, I know. It¡¯s why I¡¯m messing around.¡± The emperor gave him another warning. This was the third time. ¡°Your engagement cannot be broken. I¡¯ll have to go to Juno Sergien¡ª¡± Anton interrupted the emperor. ¡°I get it. Stop that.¡± Whenever Anton acted this way, the emperor recalled his dead beloved. Anton had to be the next emperor for her sake. He looked at him and said, ¡°Anton, you must be emperor.¡± ¡°Well, of course. The throne is mine.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The emperor seemed to be getting angrier. He couldn¡¯t figure out what to do with Anton. Seeing his father had nothing else to say, Anton opened his mouth as if he was doing him a favor. ¡°If it bothers you that much, I¡¯ll go visit the alchemist.¡± ¡°Did you forget? You shouldn¡¯t meet Juno Sergien privately.¡± ¡°Because of her?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lily was Anton¡¯s child, and she looked similar to Anton. It would be a big deal if others were suspicious of why they were together for no reason. The emperor would have dealt with that child named Lily without hesitation, but Anton¡¯s impotency was a problem. Anton¡¯s only child couldn¡¯t be killed while it was unclear if he could have another child in the future. Anton spat out a curse. ¡°That damn girl.¡± ¡°Anton.¡± The emperor looked sternly at him who was grinding his teeth. But Anton couldn¡¯t calm down. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Only me and you are here. Declaring victory over a country isn¡¯t something to laugh at.¡± Even so, it was achieved by Juno Sergien, not them, but Anton didn¡¯t seem to care. The emperor¡¯s head began to hurt. ¡°¡­I have a headache now. Get out.¡± When the emperor turned away, the crown prince¡¯s eyes flashed. Anton, who had been silent for a while, bowed his head. ¡°¡­I shall take my leave.¡± The fire in his eyes had not died down. *** Anton gritted his teeth as he walked out of the throne room. It doesn¡¯t matter if my father treats me like this. He was the crown prince of the empire and a grown man. How could he ignore it and look pathetic? Where is Juno Sergien? Regardless of what she had done as an alchemist, she was still a woman. Anton, briefly mesmerized at the thought of her red hair and graceful gestures, shook his head. He began to mutter curses at her again. ¡°She¡¯s just a lucky woman who has nothing except for that face.¡± She was a rude woman who always looked down on the world. She was only lucky she got married to the right man. ¡°How dare you.¡± The cold treatment came to mind as she slapped away his hand when he approached her out of goodwill. Those eyes were full of scorn. Anton, who was thinking about it, turned away from his room and headed out of the capital city. He didn¡¯t want to bother with politics in his current mood. He was benefitting the most from the current situation, so it wouldn¡¯t be a problem to play for a day. In fact, Anton messed around almost every day, well not even that much, but he didn¡¯t care about such details. ¡°Your Highness, where are you going¡ª¡± ¡°Get lost. I¡¯ll do it.¡± Anton pushed aside the knight who blocked him and mounted the horse. The servants flocked around him, but Anton pulled the reins. The horse raised its front legs which caused the people to back away. Anton yelled, ¡°Don¡¯t follow me!¡± The knight was shouting for another horse to try and stop Anton somehow. Anton told the knight to shut up; however, this knight was given to him by his father, so he wouldn¡¯t listen to Anton¡¯s orders. I feel like a beggar. There was no need to be more upset. Anton rode away before a servant brought another steed. He could hear a loud noise from behind and sensed the knight chasing him on horseback. However, riding was one of Anton¡¯s fortes. Anton raised the corners of his mouth and rode the horse out of the castle. A sense of freedom overtook him as he left the capital city. He giggled as he looked at the people make way as they tried to avoid him. How dare they run away. It was ridiculous. Yes, everyone should fear me! Don¡¯t be ridiculous and pathetic. Anton rode more fiercely. A long time later, he was able to get away from the knights and soldiers. ¡°H-Ha.¡± Anton was catching his breath. He felt like he had exercised after a long time. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here again?¡± It was the typical greeting he received once he arrived at his usual bar. Anton handed over the horse to a man and approached a waiter. He ordered a drink and looked at a woman. ¡°I want to drink. Bring it.¡± The woman smiled charmingly. ¡°Of course. Shall we, everyone?¡± At her call, women rushed out and surrounded Anton. ¡°Yes!¡± Anton entered the building, enjoying himself with the new company. The women began to coo. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten more handsome!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been working so hard, right? You look tired.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re still handsome!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you stop by more often?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s the best when Anton comes.¡± Anton replied solemnly, ¡°It¡¯s hard because I¡¯m busy with politics.¡± The women grinned and praised his greatness. ¡°You¡¯re amazing.¡± ¡°Thanks to you, we¡¯re living well, right?¡± ¡°What are you doing now?¡± ¡°Oh, what do we know? He does great things we aren¡¯t even aware of.¡± ¡°Ahem¡­¡± Anton nodded, and they changed the subject. ¡°Please choose me this time.¡± ¡°No, choose me. I¡¯m going to perform a new dance¡­¡± ¡°I changed my hairstyle.¡± ¡°I¡¯m known to be the prettiest here¡­¡± Anton decided to be generous. ¡°Everyone can join me this time.¡± The women clapped their hands at his words. ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡°You¡¯re definitely the best!¡± ¡°The new fruit is so delicious. Do you want to try it?¡± Yes, it¡¯d be great if they gave him a nice hug and smile. A woman had to be soft. They aren¡¯t cold or arrogant. The moment those green eyes, half-closed, faced Anton, he gave her a look over. Scornful eyes. Anton grimaced at the thought of Juno Sergien¡¯s gaze, which again came to mind. Anton walked away, dragging the woman he held. I need a drink. Anton ordered more alcohol to the point even he wouldn¡¯t be able to finish it all. He was the emperor here. Where no one could ignore him. Anton vented out his anger like that. *** Anton blinked. Everything was dark, and something was off. His body didn¡¯t move properly. ¡°Ah!¡± He couldn¡¯t even hear his voice properly. He seemed to have drunk too much. Anton nervously moved his body again; however, no matter how much effort he put into it, his body didn¡¯t move. Am I tied up? He thought he played a little dangerously yesterday. It was often the case, so Anton decided to wait. The reason why he couldn¡¯t hear his voice was probably because he drank yesterday, and he screamed and played a lot. It was still quiet, but Anton waited for his partner to appear. I feel a lot better, so I¡¯ll just keep waiting. As time passed, his eyes slowly got used to the darkness. Anton was staring vacantly at the ceiling when he noticed something. ¡°Oh.¡± It was a mirror. This kind of room had a mirror on the ceiling. He was somewhat annoyed at being surprised for no reason. Where did she go after typing him up like this? He looked around the room for a while, vowing not to let it go. Anton couldn¡¯t believe what he saw and looked away. He appeared strange in the mirror. Chapter 51 ¡°This¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t speak properly. But that wasn¡¯t important now. Something was wrong with his hair. Actually, it was more like his physical appearance. It was like¡­ ¡°Ugh!¡± As he screamed, he screamed at himself in the mirror. His mouth was weird too. There was a trail of blood running down his face. ¡°Ah!¡± There was no tongue in his mouth which screamed. Why don¡¯t I have a tongue? Anton was appalled and suddenly a bright light appeared. It was dazzling, yet understanding the current situation was more important. Anton strained his eyes and looked in the direction of the light. It was coming through the open door. ¡°Ah!¡± Anton screamed once again. Soon after, an unknown man walked through the door and approached him. Anton was scared, but his anger was greater than his fear. Who dares?! The man walked past him, and Anton didn¡¯t take his eyes off him. The man lit the fireplace. He did such a ridiculous thing and didn¡¯t acknowledge Anton. After finding out who Anton was, the man would be surprised and kneel. It¡¯s fine that my tongue was cut off. With the alchemist¡¯s medicine, his wounds would heal quickly. Alchemy. Yes, a cut tongue is nothing before an alchemist. As soon as Anton remembered that, the remaining fear he had disappeared in an instant. A weird wound on his head or tongue could be quickly healed. Anton waited until his opponent showed his face. He wondered what kind of crazy person did this nonsense. The unknown man turned around. In the flickering light of the fire, his face slowly revealed itself. What? The moment Anton saw the man¡¯s face, he couldn¡¯t hold back a scream. ¡°Aaah!¡± Frowning, the man said, ¡°Too loud. Please be quiet for a while. I¡¯m a kind person who decided to keep you alive.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± The man approached Anton, looked at his mouth, and said, ¡°You can¡¯t speak, but it doesn¡¯t hurt. Amazing, isn¡¯t it?¡± The man clicked his tongue and grabbed Anton¡¯s chin. ¡°Don¡¯t struggle. The wound on your head is still open.¡± Connecting something to Anton¡¯s arm, he continued, ¡°Stay calm. I have to go now.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Anton shouted and cursed at his ridiculous opponent, but he couldn¡¯t say anything meaningful. The man walked farther and farther away from Anton. Anton stomped his feet. He shook his hold body; however, his bindings were never removed. Don¡¯t go! The man left the room and the door began to close. Anton shouted with all his remaining strength. That man shouldn¡¯t have done this. But Anton¡¯s cry was of no use. Soon, the door closed completely. Still, Anton couldn¡¯t stop struggling. Because that man¡¯s face was just like Anton¡¯s. ¡°Ah!¡± The futile struggle continued. *** Back in the mansion, Juno headed to the workshop where Jupiter and Peter were. ¡°Teacher?¡± Peter welcomed her as usual. ¡°Juno.¡± She also greeted Jupiter. ¡°Jupiter, you were with him?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Juno looked between the two. ¡°What were you doing?¡± Jupiter replied as if it was nothing. ¡°I was asking what it was like to do research. It¡¯s interesting.¡± As Juno looked at the object in Peter¡¯s hand, Jupiter held her hand and asked, ¡°How did it go?¡± When Juno found out the two were planning something, she was suspicious of Jupiter¡¯s behavior but didn¡¯t show it. He would tell her when the time comes. She replied, ¡°Easy like always.¡± Juno noticed someone was missing. ¡°Where¡¯s Hebe? I don¡¯t see him a lot these days.¡± It wasn¡¯t just today. It was hard to see Hebe at all. Peter answered her question. ¡°He¡¯s with Lily.¡± Juno furrowed her eyebrows. ¡°Is he getting close to her?¡± Peter replied, ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°I told him not to.¡± She was worried about Hebe. She didn¡¯t know when anything or what would happen, so he couldn¡¯t get too attached. As Juno turned around, Jupiter asked, ¡°Are you going to find him?¡± ¡°I suppose so. Aren¡¯t they too close?¡± Jupiter smiled softly. ¡°If you¡¯re worried, go ahead.¡± Juno narrowed her eyes. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not going to introduce yourself?¡± ¡°Yes, for a while.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Juno knew if she went to Hebe now, she had no choice but to run into Lily; however, since they lived in the same mansion anyway, it was natural to keep bumping into each other. And Juno wanted to meet the child again. It wasn¡¯t that she was worried about the child. It¡¯s not good to keep relating herself to me. The child was discouraged by the first meeting, so there might still be some awkwardness between them. Somehow, Juno had to find out the difference between Lily and herself and change her opinion about the child. It wasn¡¯t good for her to keep thinking about Lily as is. Juno, who left the workshop and was near some dolls, slowed down when she heard a laugh. You must be having a lot of fun. As the laughter got closer, Juno felt her body stiffen, but she ignored it. She didn¡¯t like having to prepare herself to see a child. She took a few more steps and saw Hebe smiling brightly. Ah. As soon as she saw that smile, Juno couldn¡¯t move anymore. She could tell as soon as she saw it. It wasn¡¯t the bright smile Juno knew. A thoroughly calculated grin. Only then did she understand Peter¡¯s response. Peter didn¡¯t answer her question properly. But unlike Hebe, Lily was smiling brightly like she was truly happy. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± Juno clenched her teeth. Unlike her mother¡¯s family which had problems, her father sometimes gave Juno a fake smile. There was a time when she thought the smile was real, and there was a time when she liked her father. Once again, the younger Juno Trish, who had known nothing, came to mind. Juno shook her head. I was mistaken. To meet again and find a difference. Just doing this alone, she found another similarity. If she met the child now, the thoughts in Juno¡¯s mind would become more complicated. Her initial decision was correct. She shouldn¡¯t run into that child as much as possible. Juno turned around. Like she was running away from that laugh. ¡°My lady?¡± Juno, who was climbing the stairs quickly, tripped at the sound of the voice from behind her. ¡°What?¡± She could feel her body slowly falling backward. Juno reached for the railing, but couldn¡¯t grab ahold of it. As soon as she felt her body in the air and nothing touching her feet, Juno closed her eyes in anticipation of a collision. ¡°My lady!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Her heart raced; however, it didn¡¯t feel like her body was in the air like before. A pounding heart and a nervous stomach like she was weighed down by something. Juno grasped the situation and heard a familiar voice. ¡°Are you all right?¡± She thought he was far away, but John¡¯s arm wrapped around her waist since he was close. He caught her and stopped her from falling; however, her stomach was in pain because of how tight his grip was. Juno stood up with John¡¯s help. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Be careful.¡± Feeling John¡¯s gaze as it slowly checked Juno for any injuries, Juno straightened her posture. It was obvious he would feel bad if she showed her stomach hurt. However, such efforts didn¡¯t seem to work. Staring at her stomach, John asked, ¡°Are you ill?¡± Juno shook her head quickly. ¡°No! I¡¯m fine.¡± She changed the subject before John apologized. ¡°Why did you call me?¡± ¡°I found out more about the matter we discussed earlier.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Maybe it was because she saw the child, so she couldn¡¯t remember what she ordered John to do. He explained himself. ¡°About the disappearance of the insect dolls¡­¡± ¡°Oh, then let¡¯s go to my room.¡± Perplexed, John asked, ¡°Are we not going to the workshop?¡± Juno laughed as she recalled Peter and Jupiter. ¡°They have a secret, so let¡¯s have our own secret.¡± John smiled faintly at Juno¡¯s playful way of speaking, knowing that Peter could hear their conversation from another room if he wanted to. ¡°Understood. Then you better go to your room and take some medicine.¡± Juno nodded as she glanced to the side. Fortunately, her head was clear from what happened prior. She once again pushed Lily and her past self to the back of her mind. Not yet. Not yet. Funnily enough, Juno wasn¡¯t ready to face herself from the past. Back to normal, Juno followed John with a smile and headed to the bedroom. There was so much work to be done right now. *** As soon as Juno swallowed the medicine given to her by John, she sat down and asked, ¡°What did you find out?¡± ¡°I checked when and where the dolls disappeared.¡± Juno looked at the map he gave her. The location and the date of the dolls¡¯ disappearances were written down, and the results pointed to one thing. ¡°This¡­¡± John answered with a nod. ¡°Yes, I think they¡¯ve entered the capital.¡± ¡°So¡­ they knew those were dolls and got rid of them?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Then there are two cases. The first one was that ordinary people were suspicious about the insect dolls and dealt with them. ¡°John, would non-alchemists know the insect is a doll?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not impossible.¡± The dolls and real insects were so similar that they couldn¡¯t be easily distinguished with the naked eye, but if someone were to look carefully, even a normal person would find something odd. Pressing her head to her aching head, Juno said, ¡°You can tell the difference between an insect and a doll.¡± ¡°Because I have good eyes.¡± As he said, John was equipped with eyes incomparable to the ones on the market. ¡°So, if they have good eyes like yours, they can recognize them?¡± ¡°Yes, but you wouldn¡¯t see they were normal dolls.¡± It was fortunate someone hadn¡¯t figured out the insect dolls were used as spies. If people found out Juno watched everyone with dolls, she would be criticized. No, it was actually good. This was a problem Juno could deal with. As she continued to imagine the worst-case scenario, John opened his mouth. ¡°It might not be very important.¡± ¡°Yet the possibility that it¡¯s a big problem still exists, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The big problem Juno assumed and John guessed was the second case. The person who got rid of the insect dolls was an alchemist.