《The Maid Dreams Of The Sunset》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Her first impression of the child was, to put it bluntly, not very good. ¡°I¡¯m Dahlia Beroch.¡± After bowing deeply, the girl looked straight ahead as before. Her gestures gave off an impression as if she was brought up in a fairly strict house. Mrs. Prada buried her body deep in the chair and began to scan the child with her indifferent eyes. ¡°Miss Beroch, how old are you?¡± ¡°I turned 16 this spring.¡± ¡°It¡¯s very young for a career.¡± The girl had fine brown hair and bright green eyes. Her nails and skin were clean, and her clothes were neat. She was so well-groomed that perhaps Mrs. Prada would have hired her as soon as she saw her if she had been an ordinary maid¡­ but there was a silent frown on Mrs. Prada. As the chief maid with 22 years of experience, the essence of the child was clearly visible to her, who was more bitter than anyone else. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The girl in front of her, who should be better referred to as a woman but is still a girl, didn¡¯t have any hairpins or brooches that the girls of her age would normally wear. Perhaps without that hat, it would¡¯ve been more unpleasant to see just her untied long hair. And even though she had a good taste in jewelry, but by looking at her attire¡­ An old dress made of cheap fabric, and a shiny jacket with worn-out sleeves. The suitcase near her feet was covered in white leather that had been handed down from generation to generation. Seeing her poverty dripping down all over, Mrs. Prada sighed inwardly. ¡°Where are you from?¡± When she briskly asked the question as she read her introductory sheet, Dahlia answered with a broad smile on her face. ¡°I worked at Baroness McFon¡¯s mansion for half a year.¡± She worked as a mansion maid there. She got a lot of compliments for doing a good job. Her introductory letter was also written by the baroness¡­ ¡°No, other than that, where did you say you were from?¡± Dahlia gently lowered her head at this question. Hoping that her answer would be accepted without prejudice, she clasped her hands and answered politely. ¡°I am from the Cerecopalts Poverty Centre.¡± Missy Prada frowned at the word ¡®Poverty¡¯. As she thought, the girl looked shabby for a reason. Orphaned children do not learn basic etiquette properly, so there are many things to be taught, and most of them have a bad hand at it. She tried to turn a blind eye a few times and hired some, but all of them ended badly. She wondered if this girl was any different. Mrs. Prada was troubled when she saw the seal stamped on the girl¡¯s introduction sheet, and she felt she was going to give in again. After all, the girl in front of her was a child who worked in the mansion of the infamous Baronness McFon. Besides, the fact that she even wrote an introduction sheet means she was a pretty good maid, so Mrs. Prada believed this kid was different from others. And most importantly, Mrs. Prada was not in the position to be too dismissive and strict. They were seriously lacking workers in the mansion. After much deliberation, Mrs. Prada came to her conclusion. ¡°You must have known what kind of place this mansion is now and applied for it knowing that, right?¡± Mrs. Prada stood up from her seat and looked out of the window. Blue flags fluttered all over the garden where the forest can also be seen and were in harmony with everything around it. The silver wolf embroidered on the flag symbolized a family that no one can not help but know in this Northwestern land. ¡°To be honest, Miss Beroch. You don¡¯t fit our mansion.¡± In response to her resolute words, Dahlia raised her head and answered her. ¡°Well, if it¡¯s because of my origin, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s a prejudice that orphans have bad hand habits¡­¡± ¡°Listen to the end.¡± Mrs. Prada turned her head, raising her hand to stop her from speaking. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be hiring you if it wasn¡¯t needed, but three maids left the mansion all at the same month.¡± Mrs. Prada stared at Dahlia in her upright position with her back erect. ¡°Since the mansion is so large, there was always a shortage of people, but coincidentally, three quit at a time, so there was too much of a shortage of people right now. And Miss Beroch came with a letter of introduction from Baroness McFon. A letter of introduction from that picky baroness, who is known to have every maid quit after a month.¡± ¡°¡­Well¡­¡± ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s right. I¡¯m a little curious as to how you worked with Baroness McFon¡­¡± Watching Dahlia¡¯s puzzled face slowly change to raise a smile, Mrs. Prada raised the corners of her lips as well but only so barely one would think it wasn¡¯t there. ¡°I will trust you once. I will keep an eye on you for a month, and if you do well, I will officially hire you. Dismissed.¡± ¡°Thank you, Ma¡¯am! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll never let you down!¡± Dahlia, who was so happy that she let out a small cry, hurriedly covered her mouth and nodded her head. She was now the maid of the Duke. This mansion was of a high level in terms of salary and welfare that could not be compared with that of Baroness McFon but because of its popularity, it was famous all around that one could not even be interviewed without the arrangement of a job agency. She had come here thinking it would be a good thing if she didn¡¯t get kicked out, but she had never imagined that she would be hired. Dahlia bent over her tightened waist, clutching the hem of her skirt so tightly that her hands turned white. Her superior, Mrs. Prada, said goodbye to her, but Dahlia shook her head violently to not receive the greeting of someone of higher status than her. Even when she was told that if she didn¡¯t work she would get kicked out in a month, Dahlia only smiled more. ¡°I am Owen Prada, the mansion¡¯s chief maid. Everyone calls me Mrs. Prada. First, we will guide you through the dormitory, so let¡¯s talk about the details there.¡± Mrs. Prada stood up from her seat, walked, and stood in front of the door with calm steps. A large bundle of keys, which did not match her slender stature, creaked incessantly from her waist. Dahlia clasped her suitcase tightly and followed the chief maid with a jolly pace. Hope for a good future glimmered in her soft green eyes as if mirroring a lively spring. More than fifty years ago, the historians of the empire chose luxurious diamonds to represent the imperial family and nobles, with the meaning that they are what will never change. Their words were accepted as the creed; it was without exaggeration or pretentiousness in their belief that even if they lose their luster and become cloudy at any time, their value and essence will still be brilliant. But now, only half a century has passed. With the collapse of the imperial family and the establishment of a republic, most of the nobles, except for the great lords, had their territories taken away and they all wandered the streets without a penny. It is natural for what was once considered valuable to slowly fade away in worth over time, but no one would have expected that the value of aristocrats would drop so sharply. For the people of the republic, who wished for the downfall of the wealthy, the word aristocrat was used as no worse than and was even considered as synonyms to prostitute or a beggar in an instant. But, ironically, the value of the 22 High Lords left who became the foundation of the republic, soared without caring for their past status as what they once hated aristocrats due to their scarcity. At the center of it all was the Duchy of Eufgenschult. The Eufgenschult family that ruled Helman, a vast territory in the northwest, was a prestigious family that had built up the trust of the permanent residents for many years after the border guarding the western border of the Dinoessa Mountains. The imperial family looked down on Eufgenschult as merely an old wolf guarding the mountain range, but as if ridiculing them, the Duke only showed off his wealth with iron and gold, then played a major role in driving out the corrupted imperial family. Thus, Duke Eufgenschult¡¯s rise in reputation as one of the main contributors to the revolution. To the extent that even an orphan like Dahlia knows his name. That¡¯s why it was not unreasonable for Dahlia to wander around the mansion she worked in that¡¯s so famous for its greatness. But life doesn¡¯t always turn out the way you think. ¡°Dahlia, go to the reception room in the left wing instead of here. This is the main building.¡± ¡°Oh my God, Dahlia! Wood tables should be oiled, not waxed!¡± ¡°Dahlia! The sheet is in the laundry room in the right wing, not the left wing. Hurry up and move!¡± There was only one word that Dahlia could say amid the pouring rebuke that poured out all day. ¡°Sorry!¡± Contrary to the initial aspiration that she would never disappoint, Dahlia made frequent mistakes for about a week, and she had to be scolded by a senior maid. Actually, Dahlia didn¡¯t have a problem. All the maids working at the Duchy for the first time made similar mistakes. It was not a matter of ability, but the peculiarity of the mansion itself. First of all, the Duchy was incomparably bigger for Dahlia than the Barony she had previously worked in. In addition to the main building where socializing and business are held, there is the left wing side of the mansion that entertains the house vassals, and the right wing side where members of the duke family reside, so it took several days to memorize the place. In addition, with learning the strict rules to be followed and paying attention to the manners to be applied, Dahlia had to spend a whole month in a nervous state. But all people can get used to whatever peculiar situation they¡¯re in, wherever they¡¯re at. Besides, Dahlia was a dexterous and quick-witted child. About a fortnight after entering the mansion, Dahlia began to be mentioned by the senior maids as the most anticipated newcomer. She was cleaning again and again. She ran minor errands for the high-ranking maids and the maids chasing after them. It was truly, very demanding work. But with pride in being able to contribute to such a great mansion, Dahlia tried to live each day happily. But just as the words mean, trying to live happily meant that there were things that were not enjoyable in the first place. For example, getting used to the work was okay, but getting used to the atmosphere of the mansion was a different matter altogether. She also had a pretty hard time at the baron¡¯s mansion, but this place was different. Dahlia realized every day that serving nobles was much difficult than she thought. ¡°Lady, I brought the ribbon you mentioned.¡± As Dahlia bowed her head and handed the satin ribbon with her hands, the maid standing in front of the dressing table took the ribbon with a sour look. Then, in front of her, the woman sitting in front of the dressing table looked at Dahlia using the reflection in the mirror and let out a small smile. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen your face before. What is your name?¡± Her voice was very smooth, like high-quality silk. Do all noblewomen have this voice? Carla Eufgenschult, the Duchess¡¯ cherished daughter and the only lady in the mansion, was awe-inspiring to meet. ¡°I am Dahlia Beroch, my lady.¡± ¡°Dahlia¡­¡± Carla, who smiled as she bent her fine eyes, spoke her words in a calm tone. ¡°You have a pretty face. You poor thing¡­ Still, Mrs. Prada doesn¡¯t seem to have presbyopia yet.¡± [Presbyopia is the gradual loss of your eye¡¯s ability to focus on nearby objects.] Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Contrary to the impressive voice, the sentences that flowed out were a bit harsh. Besides, to make fun of Mrs. Prada who is truly a god to the maids like her¡­ Unlike Dahlia, who was frozen not knowing how to react, the maid beside her smiled and responded to the girl¡¯s words. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s no fun if someone as beautiful as the Young Lady makes a joke like that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a joke. She¡¯s really pretty. It¡¯s not good to be a pretty maid.¡± Carla, who was examining Dahlia in her mirror, twisted her bluish-black hair with her fingers. The moment she felt Dahlia¡¯s gaze who still didn¡¯t know how to react, her curved lips drew a horizontal line, and the smile in her eyes evaporated in an instant. Carla smiled again but only with her mouth and she mumbled cryptic, meaningful words. ¡°There¡¯s no way Dad or Max would leave a pretty maid like you alone¡­ You should be careful, too. If someone like you keeps moving around and appearing in front of us, you may end up like the ghost of that annex.¡± As soon as Dahlia blinked her eyes, the maid scolded Carla, saying, ¡°Lady!¡± Feeling as if she heard something that she shouldn¡¯t have heard, Dalia stepped out of the room carefully. A faint sound of laughter continued behind her back. It was when Dahlia entered the gallery to finish cleaning there that she realized exactly what Carla meant. At the far end of the gallery where the portraits and statues of the eight states were lined up, Carla¡¯s father and Max, whom Carla spoke of, were seated next to each other. The 8th head of state is Duke Gehern Eufgenschult and next to him is Maximilian Eufgenschult. Gehern and Max, the owners of the mansion, were looking down at Dahlia solemnly and elegantly from across the portrait. ¡®Do these people touch the maids?¡¯ ¡°What the hell was she talking about¡­?¡± Although she had never seen the two of them in person, to Dahlia who cleans the gallery every day, Carla¡¯s words seemed like a bad joke against the masters. Dahlia took out the duster, dusted the frame, and looked up at the portrait with longing eyes. What¡¯s there to be careful about? The Duke and the heir next to him- are the honor of the family even if Carla¡¯s words were messed up. ¡­Isn¡¯t she ridiculous talking about other people¡¯s families when she¡¯s the last person to know anything about having them? She smiled and focused her attention on cleaning. Still, Carla¡¯s words did not leave her mind. ¡®What did she say again?¡¯ Dahlia, who had been chewing on her lips again, turned back to Carla¡¯s last sentence and tilted her head. She kept feeling uncomfortable, so she wanted to do something, but it still turned to the phrase stuck in her head. ¡®The ghost of that annex¡­¡¯ There does exist a small annex far away from the main building. She heard that ghosts lived there. It¡¯s not a real ghost of course, but the peasants and the maids and workers who occasionally go there all refer to the person living there as a ghost. Well, she wouldn¡¯t need to think deeply about it because she wouldn¡¯t go to the outbuildings anyway, and it wasn¡¯t like a maid like herself would ever need to meet anyone there. Dahlia smiled bitterly. She diligently worked her hand. ¡°Dahlia, have you finished cleaning?¡± Her roommate Edina came into their room, dusting off her dirty head cap. No matter where she came from, the white head cap would always come back messed up with black dust. Dahlia, who was wiping the table with a dry rag, nodded her head and straightened her back. ¡°Yes, the gallery cleaning is over. Now all I have to do is clean the stairs.¡± ¡°Okay¡­? That¡¯s great. Everyone is mad cleaning the fireplace in the main hall right now. You can take care of the stairs later, so let¡¯s go together first and help there.¡± ¡°The fireplace? Thelma told me to leave it alone because they will be building a new one soon anyway.¡± ¡°Yeah, and the day they would be building that is today. Right now, they¡¯re tearing down the whole wall and cleaning up the decorations on the wall. After the cleaning is done, the construction will start. Let¡¯s go!¡± Cleaning up a dirty place is quite rewarding, but the thought of cleaning that gigantic fireplace made her worried if they could finish it today. Dahlia followed in Edina¡¯s footsteps, not knowing whether to be happy or sad. As she entered the main hall, she saw a dozen maids clinging to the crumbling fireplace and cleaning it. Frames, candlesticks, tapestries, and paintings which were usually decorated near the fireplace, were scattered here and there at the entrance to the fireplace which was large enough to fit five adult women inside. Any frame from this room alone can make up a maid¡¯s three to four months¡¯ salary, so the hands of the maids were very careful. While Dahlia was contemplating on what to clean first, the senior maid-in-charge of the maids stood in front of the fireplace and looked back at the two of them indifferently. ¡°We can¡¯t go on like this. The soot is so severe that it¡¯s too much for women to completely clean the inside. Edina.¡± ¡°Yes, Thelma¡±. ¡°Call Grandpa Anjes. He¡¯ll be near the barn. Tell him to bring a ladder and an iron brush for cleaning the chimney.¡± At her flippant orders, Edina hastily left for the barn. The senior maid, Thelma, took a metallic luster wax out of her pocket and tried to hand it to Dahlia, but she paused and looked at her watch. ¡°Ah, the time has come already.¡± Checking her watch, Thelma frowned and clicked her tongue slightly. Seeing Thelma who always had an expressionless face make such a bothered expression, Dahliawondered what was going on. ¡°Dahlia. Is your probation period over?¡± ¡°Yes. Just yesterday, Mrs. Prada said that she would officially hire me, so starting today, I became a full-time employee of the main building.¡± Thelma looked at Dahlia with her arms crossed and her eyes judging. Sixteen. Even though she was not very mature in age, Dahlia was quick with her hands and eyes. Thelma also knew from before what it was like to be a newcomer, and she liked the sincerity of the young maids. ¡®Can I leave this child with him?¡¯ After thinking for a while, Thelma believed in Dahlia¡¯s character and settled her troubles. ¡°You know there is a Young Master in the annex, right? I have something to give him, but you can go instead.¡± Thelma pulled a square box from the trolley lying in the corner and handed it to Dahlia. Dahlia¡¯s eyes widened at the word ¡¯Young Master¡¯. A strange existence in an annex that is more familiarly called ¡®ghost¡¯ rather than ¡¯Young Master¡¯. It was the first time that the ghost had been mentioned directly by someone¡¯s mouth. Dalia accepted the package with a sloppy touch and a worried look. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if I go, but¡­ Mrs. Prada said that ordinary maids like us should not approach the annex.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true but I can¡¯t help it this time because I can¡¯t leave this place right now. The room on the far right of the second floor is the study, right? He would probably be there at this time. Just give him this and come back.¡± Dahlia reluctantly received it, but when she still hesitated and wouldn¡¯t move her feet at all, Thelma nudged her on the shoulder to say she should go quickly. Dalia smiled awkwardly, hugged the package, and turned around. Leaving the noisy maids behind, she exited the main building. And as she stepped past the garden and set foot into the northern woods, the sound of the wind and the rustling of the leaves filled her eardrums, replacing the noise that was much louder earlier. There was a constant crunching sound at her feet due to the pile of fallen leaves. In the forest where autumn was at its height, the smell of dry firewood was gently floating in the air. Thinking that this wonderful season had come already, Dahlia opened the fence door and entered the front yard of the annex. As she approached the building, her palpitating heart intensified. An unknown feeling, either fear or curiosity, took over her body. Dahlia grabbed the package tightly, turned her gaze away from the annex, and followed the lights from the building shining down on the pathway. ¡°Who are you?¡± As she approached the door, Dahlia lifted her head startled at the sound of someone speaking. A tall man with his waist bent was standing at the door of the annex, looking down at Dahlia with a watchful eye. ¡°You must be a maid working at the main building¡­ Didn¡¯t you hear from Mrs. Prada? This is not a place for anyone to just come into. Go back.¡± The man¡¯s face, seen up close, looked quite young in contrast to his hoarse voice. Dahlia, pretending not to be surprised, stretched out her shoulders and held out the package in front of her. ¡°I came on an errand by a senior maid. She said to bring this to the Young Master and he¡¯ll know.¡± ¡°A senior maid? Who?¡± ¡°Miss Thelma.¡± ¡°Thelma¡­ Ah, Thelma Quants.¡± The man who mumbled the name closed his mouth and looked at the package with a stern expression, then silently opened the door and gestured his chin to the stairs. Dahlia rushed up the stairs at a slow pace, wary that she might be surprisingly stopped by another person again. Words from the husky voice passed by the back of her head. ¡°Go quickly and be polite.¡± Contrary to the gloomy exterior, the inside of the annex was noticeably clean even from far away. However, her thumping heart showed no sign of calming down due to the past appearance of the menacing man. Dahlia stood by the door on the far right side of the second floor and in front of the study Thelma had told her, feeling the smell of old dust seeping into her nostrils. ¡°Young Master, I¡¯m here to deliver items from Miss Thelma as an errand.¡± With a voice almost fading away into the silence, Dahlia spoke after knocking. After a short pause, she heard a reply. ¡°Come in.¡± Dahlia took a deep breath and grabbed the doorknob. The room was much larger than she thought. Even though it¡¯s the middle of the day, long curtains were hanging on every window, so she thought the Young Master liked the place to be gloomy, but when she saw the tall bookshelves on the wall, it seemed like he just drew the curtains because he didn¡¯t want the ink inside the books fading by basking them in the sun. In the corner of the room where the voice came from and the only place where the curtains were not drawn shut, a ghost figure she presumed to be the Young Master was sitting with his back against the chair and looking down at the floor. There was a white piece of paper larger than the desk on the floor. Dahlia approached, wondering what he was looking at so intently, and was surprised to find out that it wasn¡¯t a paper lying on the floor¡­ Chapter 3 Chapter 3 On the floor was a puzzle. A pure, white-colored jigsaw puzzle. The puzzle, large and white enough to be tired of just seeing it, was surprisingly on the verge of completion. ¡°Interesting?¡± A pleasant voice spread gently through the silence. Dahlia lifted her head at the unexpected, placid voice. As if waiting, the person intently looking at the puzzle that only his nape was seen to the onlooker, slowly turned his eyes up to look at Dahlia. His face filled her view. Her green eyes unhurriedly seemed to only contain this person¡¯s face at this moment. As soon as her eyes took notice of the boy¡¯s face, her eyes which were originally large on their own became so round that they could not grow any larger. ¡°It¡¯s a puzzle called the ¡®White Night¡¯.¡± ¡­Isaac Eufgenschult. The ghost in the annex, the cursed illegitimate child born to a courtesan, and the duke¡¯s son. The moment she faced this infamous figure, Dahlia realized that all those nicknames became irrelevant. Smooth flowing black hair. The black eyes that showed innocence on the pure white face that looked as if it had never been exposed to sunlight were slowly blinking and looking at Dahlia. This, this face¡­ ¡°You are lucky. I¡¯ve been working on this for two days and I¡¯m just about to finish it.¡± The boy showed the puzzle piece he had in his hand and gently blinked his eyes. Dahlia, who looked at him as if possessed, instinctively nodded and replied absent-mindedly. ¡°I see.¡± Then, a pale smile slowly spread over the calm face that was looking at Dahlia. ¡­No, no. This is why he was called a ghost. Dahlia, who muttered inwardly, looked at him with eyes wide open. The reason the Young Master was called the ghost of the annex was not that he was rejected by his family as the illegitimate son of a duke, nor was it because he was confined to the annex because of his ugly appearance like the rumors, only being able to roam at night. It¡¯s like this¡­ because of his shocking appearance. It was because of the atmosphere that was too lifeless and colorless, like a person just about to disappear, they almost seem transparent. ¡°The book?¡± Isaac, who placed the last piece of the puzzle in its right place, turned his head again and threw a patient gaze at her. Dahlia, who was dazed with her mouth open, suddenly came to her senses and handed the package she was holding in her arms to the boy. The paper wrapped around the object was peeled off with a rustling sound. Dahlia smiled awkwardly and talked to him to deal with the awkward atmosphere. ¡°I thought it was unusually heavy for such a small package¡­ As expected, it was a book.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you know?¡± ¡°Yes. I was just told to deliver it. I thought it was a book, but I wasn¡¯t sure¡­ Uh¡­¡± Dahlia opened her eyes wide and stared at the untied package. The book was revealed to be a sequel to an adventure novel she had read once. That book, she was very curious about what happened in it, but she wasn¡¯t able to buy it at all because she didn¡¯t have the money. Dahlia¡¯s face looking at the book was bright. So Isaac who was opening the package stopped his hand and tilted his head slightly to the side. ¡°Why are you looking like that? Are you interested in this?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ no. No?¡± Contrary to the way she waved her hand saying she was not, her gaze was still fixated on the book. An ambiguous smile crept up on Isaac¡¯s face as he looked at Dahlia. ¡°Do you know how to read?¡± Dahlia licked her lips and nodded slowly. Isaac¡¯s eyes widened slightly at her unexpected reaction. This is a well-off mansion so they send their children to school to teach the alphabet, but most of the maids who work in these mansions often don¡¯t know how to read and write. For this reason, it was very rare for a maid to show interest in books. Dahlia read his thoughts from his gaze and recalled an awkward smile. ¡°That¡¯s because there was a bookstore alley near where I lived. When books are left for a long time, they smell musty. So bookstore owners sometimes take them out to the street to bask in the sun to get rid of the smell and there were a lot of children¡¯s books there.¡± ¡°Did you learn to read there?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± It was such a rare scene in which countless books are piled up, you can¡¯t even imagine it. The moment she remembered the memory, a smile crept around Dalia¡¯s mouth. ¡°My sister wanted to know what¡¯s inside those books and she requested me to read them to her. I wanted to do that for her so I learned it by myself.¡± Isaac, who was quietly looking at Dahlia, mirrored her smile on his face and opened his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s great to learn to read by yourself. Your parents would be proud.¡± Isaac muttered in a soft tone, but Dahlia muttered something and shut her mouth. As he looked up at Dahlia with his puzzled face, he exclaimed. ¡°Oh no,¡± he said belatedly. ¡°I see. Your parents¡­ I didn¡¯t know. If I was rude, I apologize.¡± ¡°Oh, no! Young Master, it¡¯s okay.¡± Dahlia waved her hand in amazement at the gentle apology. Even though he lived separately in a detached house, he was a member of the family of the Duke, a descendant of Eufgenschult. How could such a great man bow his head to a trivial person like her? Thinking that he was a really strange young master, Dalia wiggled her fingers. Isaac, who was watching the finger movement with his head tilted, opened his mouth with a faint smile. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°Dahlia. I¡¯m Dahlia Beroch.¡± Dahlia Beroch. Isaac quietly recited her name and moved his eyes to Dahlia¡¯s face. The smile that appeared on his lips seemed to deepen a little. ¡°You seem to like books¡­ It¡¯s a bit embarrassing and lacking to call this an apology, but you can borrow any of the books here if you want.¡± His white, delicate fingers scanned the bookshelves that lined the wall. Dahlia, who was moving her gaze to follow his fingers, turned to look at him in surprise, but the boy¡¯s expression was calm. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve read them all anyway, so they¡¯re useless to me. It would be better for someone to read them and have use for them.¡± ¡°I appreciate your words, but these are expensive books. It would be rude for someone like me to borrow any of it¡­¡± She refused with words and hand gestures, but she couldn¡¯t hide her longing expression. There were many ways to escape from reality, but none of them were as harmless as reading. Is it because of that? Dahlia loved reading. The feeling of being immersed in a story of the distant past or someone¡¯s imaginary world was so freeing and enjoyable that words cannot describe it. As long as she opened a book, Dahlia could become a princess in a distant desert country or an admiral who commands the sea, rather than an orphan in a poor mansion. She read and reread all the books in the poverty house until the edges were all worn-out and tattered. And sometimes when old, worn-out books that had no commercial value came in bulks, she would roll her feet and rejoice. With what she was able to learn, she was able to teach her younger brothers and assist the headteacher. ¡°Thank you very much, but it¡¯s okay. It¡¯s really okay¡­¡± Dahlia¡¯s words slowly faded as she looked on blankly at the bookshelf. He will lend her any book. She could not tear her eyes away from the bookshelf, even though she knew that it was a pity to not be able to read them if it was not for her lowly status and that it was insulting in the first place that she even ever dreamed of it. Isaac who was still watching her stood and took three to four books out of the bookshelf. And finally, the sequel to the novel that Dahlia wanted to see. Afterward, he put them all in her arms. ¡°I¡¯m telling you. Take it. Don¡¯t refuse.¡± Dahlia looked down at the pile of books in bewilderment while she was overcome with delightedness for the heaviness that had fallen into her arms. ¡°This is¡­ the book I just brought. The master should read it first.¡± ¡°You seem to want to read it first, so I¡¯ll give it up. Don¡¯t feel pressured because I¡¯ll still lend you more when you finish reading them.¡± Their gazes on each other intertwined. Unlike his thin body, Isaac was tall enough to stand next to Dahlia. With Dahlia in his eyes, his eyes bent very slightly as he softly smiled. ¡°Come again, Dahlia.¡± The moment she heard the whisper that felt like a spell for a moment, the fleeting smile had already passed by the young boy¡¯s face. With a squeaking, faint sound of the door, Dahlia withdrew from the room. Silence came again to the place where the stranger had come and gone. As usual, the only sounds heard from and about the annex are the small chirping of the birds, the roaring wind, and the occasional howling of the forest. Isaac, who was looking at the door with an expressionless face, shifted his gaze and looked down at the completed puzzle. There was a faint smile now on his pretty face. The expression, unexpectedly, contained pleasure, not boredom. He started it thinking it would be fun, but the 5,000-piece puzzle only proved to be just another boredom added to his boring daily life. It¡¯s always the same every day, the same routine. He thought today would just pass by, but an unexpected person appeared and caused a stir. Instead of a calm smile, an awkward smile spread over Isaac¡¯s face. It was both a familiar but completely different smile. ¡°Young Master.¡± The man who came in without a knock was Hoover, the only servant of the annex and Isaac¡¯s only loyal subordinate. When Isaac threw his eyes at him as if to ask what¡¯s wrong, Hoover looked around the room with his eyes. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°I asked people not to send anyone anymore. I¡¯m really sorry. I¡¯ll warn the maid.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± Isaac swept his hand on the back of his neck and turned his head back to the window. The familiar landscape filled his eyes. ¡°She¡¯s quite unique. She doesn¡¯t seem to know about the rumors. When all the others meet me, they all tremble or just avoid me, but the girl looked straight into my eyes.¡± The filth of the bloodline, the disgrace of the duke, the ghost of the annex. All these other names that all refer to him were already more familiar to him than his real name. Gazes of displeasure and reluctance, gestures hesitating to come closer. All of them¡­ were no different from the air he breathes to Isaac. Determining what¡¯s good or not is something that anyone who has ever known happiness can do. You must experience love and hate simultaneously to know the difference, but for Isaac who has been treated as a stranger since birth, the life of being rejected was just expected. It¡¯s his daily routine. It¡¯s all he¡¯s ever known. Therefore, a maid named Dahlia should have easily just looked at him and immediately cast an unpleasant gaze. Because everyone was like that. That was just what is right. But what happened? The moment she faced him, he could not forget the way her green eyes, which contained the freshness of early spring, grew in surprise in his mind. Soon after, the glistening eyes that reflected Isaac¡¯s image permeated his heart and he possessed emotions he had never felt before. As Isaac had a dull distinction between emotions, he did not know whether those emotions were awe and admiration. However, he could feel that the green eyes contained something bright and positive. ¡°She said she likes books.¡± Strange anticipation filled his gaze as he regarded the forest. The little boy slowly lowered his head and averted his gaze to the white puzzle lying on the floor. He subtly wanted to indulge in building the puzzle again. Regardless of it breaking up what he has put together, Isaac put his hand under the puzzle with his palm facing up. ¡°I hope to see you again¡±. As his hands crushed it snappily, the closely intertwined puzzle quickly collapsed. Crumpling the finished puzzle, Isaac smiled softly. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 The fireplace construction was completed only in the evening. When the work was over, Dahlia was finally able to rest her exhausted body. She turned towards the dormitory with slow steps. Soon after, Thelma, who came out after the end of the work, caught Dahlia. Taking Dahlia to a corner, Thelma asked in a low voice. ¡°Dahlia, did you move all the cushions in the salon to the laundry room?¡± Unlike her sudden action, the topic Thelma brought up was just normal. Dahlia replied gently, blinking slowly. ¡°Yes, but the cushion covers embroidered with golden thread should be handled by the company, so they took those first. All covers have been replaced by something else for the meantime.¡± ¡°Okay. You know that Friday is the day to clean the curtains and mats, right? Don¡¯t forget to change the carpet in the conference room.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The two, who had nothing to say, closed their mouths and stared at each other. Dahlia was thinking about going back slowly, but Thelma¡¯s reaction was so strange that she waited silently for her words to continue. It was not a significant matter for her so she thought it was strange to bring it up first and emphasize it. And as expected, Thelma, going straight to her point with a disapproving expression, spoke in a very low voice. ¡°Nothing really happened in the annex earlier, right?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s just as I told you after I came back.¡± ¡°The Young Master didn¡¯t say anything? Really?¡± ¡°Really, nothing¡­ Is something wrong?¡± After visiting the annex, when Dahlia reported that she had delivered the package, Thelma had replied bluntly as if she got it. So Dahlia could not understand why Thelma asked again. Thelma held her forehead and was lost in thought for a while before opening her mouth in an unexpected tone. ¡°¡­. No. Nothing. Go ahead.¡± Thelma, whose face was full of worry, pressed Dahlia¡¯s back and urged her to walk, which was so unlike her, who showed a thorough and tough appearance¡­ Dahlia wondered why, so she turned around to look back once again, but Thelma looked at her saying she was going to see her tomorrow with her same stern face as usual. What worries her so much? After contemplating for a while, Dahlia forgot their conversation less than an hour after entering the dormitory. All thanks to the letter she received, for which she had been waiting for all along before going to bed. ¡°What? Whose letter made you feel so happy?¡± Edina, who was brushing her hair hard with her back against the bed, jokingly talked to Dahlia, who was flashing a broad smile. Dahlia spoke, looking at the letter without taking her eyes off it. ¡°It¡¯s a letter from Laurel.¡± ¡°Laurel? Your sister?¡± ¡°Yes. It hasn¡¯t been long since I gave her the mansion¡¯s address, but I already got a letter. She is saying she misses me.¡± The younger sister who is eight years younger than Dahlia, Laurel was Dahlia¡¯s sore finger, who she had no choice but to leave her in the orphanage due to poverty. After carefully reading the letter, Dahlia looked through the letter again and put it in the envelope with a careful touch. Edina laughed at the way she treated the letter as if she were dealing with holy relics. ¡°Anyway, she is in terrible condition. How is her health?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s okay. But since it¡¯s going to be winter soon¡­ she needs to be extra careful so that it doesn¡¯t get any worse.¡± ¡°I know. You said her lungs are weak, right? It will be especially bothersome in the winter.¡± Dahlia nodded and gently rubbed the name written on the envelope with her index finger. Laurel Beroch, the crooked writing seemed to emit warmth. ¡°I should buy a new blanket and send it when I get paid this time.¡± Laurel, who had been suffering from asthma since she was a baby, had weak physical strength, so she would lie down immediately when she was exposed to the cold wind. Especially in winter, her coughing intensifies, and if there was no medicine, she used to have seizures, making Dahlia¡¯s stomach boil in worry. At the poverty centre, only food, clothing, and shelter were provided, and they couldn¡¯t pay for Laurel¡¯s medicine. Therefore, Dahlia had to continue doing side jobs day and night, such as making paper decorations and sewing to help her sister. It was to pay for Laurel¡¯s medicine that Dahlia came to this distant land of Helman. She¡¯s sending all the money she¡¯s making to the poverty centre, leaving only the minimum amount she needs for her living expenses. ¡°The head said he was looking for a new doctor. And they said they already changed her medicine to a good one¡­ So I really hope she doesn¡¯t get sick and has a warm winter this year.¡± ¡®Wool blankets are probably expensive, right?¡¯ Dahlia thought while laying flat on the bed. It was her problem but accompanied by a subdued voice, she could feel a pitiful gaze coming from the bed next to hers. Dahlia turned the topic to a lively tone, trying to expel the heavy atmosphere. ¡°Yeah, Edina. Something very strange happened today. I went to a place today on an errand for Thelma.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°The Annex.¡± Edina jumped out of bed with her answer. ¡°The Annex? Are you talking about the one in the northern forest?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why? Thema¡­? But why? Did you really go there¡­?¡± As Dahlia nodded her head, a sigh escaped. Edina stared at Dahlia with a look as if she couldn¡¯t believe it. She quickly blinked her eyes and opened her mouth. ¡°I heard that Thelma was in charge of the Annex. So¡­ why did you go?¡± ¡°There was a commotion today because of the fireplace cleaning so Thelma was extremely busy, but she said she had to deliver it today. She didn¡¯t tell me what the ¡®it¡¯ was but ¡®it¡¯ turned out to be just a book.¡± ¡°Ohh¡­¡± ¡°I was worried when I went there¡­ The annex looks really eerie on the outside. But it wasn¡¯t as bad as I thought. It¡¯s clean and there are a lot of books inside¡­¡± ¡°No way!¡± Edina jumped into Dalia¡¯s bed and squeezed her face with her hands. Her round, freckled cheeks glowed softly with excitement. Edina looked around her and lowered her voice to ask as if something was going to sprout out and bother them when there was no one watching. ¡°Did you meet the ghost?¡± ¡®A ghost.¡¯ Dahlia let out a flat laugh as she drew the transparent traces left by the boy in her mind. Ghost was a nickname that she thought would suit him, but at the same time, it didn¡¯t suit him at all. ¡°Are you talking about the Young Master?¡± ¡°Yeah! The Young Master. They said he was very gloomy and ugly. They said he had a hunched back, is that true?¡± ¡°No. The person with a crooked back is the servant of the annex. He¡¯s kind of harsh and eerie, that person is the one who is like a real ghost. But the Young Master¡­¡± She paused her speech for a moment and picked her words. She couldn¡¯t think of a proper word to describe his atmosphere and his look. Dahlia, mindful of what would suit him, recalled the picture drawn on the cover of the creation myth and raised the corners of her lips so subtly and unconsciously that it was almost invisible. ¡°He was more of an angel than a ghost.¡± Dark eyes contrasted with his white skin like an ink drawing on paper. Black eyelashes flickering slowly over the pupils and soft black hair that was too dark and bluish. The figure of the boy sitting leisurely under the afternoon sun was exuding a detached beauty as if he was about to spread his wings and fly. Thinking of his slender fingers moving softly over the puzzle, the nape of her neck got itchy for some reason. ¡°What kind of angel? What does he look like, huh? Everyone curses him every day for being ugly.¡± ¡­ ¡°Hey, Dahlia! Can¡¯t you hear me?¡± Edina poked Dahlia in the side and urged her to keep talking, but Dahlia kept her mouth shut. In her dazed mind, there were only those slender white hands that were completely different from her rough ones and the thought of when to return the book she had borrowed. The reunion with the Young Master came sooner than expected. The next day, after cleaning and being examined by Thelma, Dahlia opened her mouth to the shocking news she had never expected. ¡°You want me to take charge of the annex?¡± Thelma frowned and let out a sigh, not knowing whether it was a sigh or a groan. Thelma, who stared into the distance with an expression of displeasure, worry, and bewilderment, told Dahlia again. She fixed her gaze and opened her mouth to speak. ¡°It¡¯s not like you are going to be the one in charge, it¡¯s just that whenever I have an errand, I want you to go in my stead. After all, most of the work related to the annex is done by Hoover. Was there a man with a crooked back of the same age as me in the annex?¡± Before entering the annex, Dahlia nodded as she remembered the man who had treated her with a dreadful face. ¡°That man is Hoover. He¡¯s the one who came in with the Young Master when he entered the mansion, but his personality is¡­ blunt and gritty. Don¡¯t worry about it, because you won¡¯t see him often.¡± Thelma continued, slowly scanning the organized cleaning tools. ¡°Anyway, the Young Master has asked for you, so if I need to run an errand in the future, you¡¯ll just be the one to go.¡± ¡°Did the master personally appoint me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She expected to see him again, but she didn¡¯t expect it to happen this way and so soon. Feeling that didn¡¯t know whether to like it or not, Dahlia lowered her perplexed gaze. Thelma, who saw her sullen appearance, wondered if she was going to back down because she didn¡¯t like it, so she grabbed Dahlia¡¯s arm and offered her consolation. ¡°There are a lot of concerns about the rumors about the Young Master, but¡­ you met him in person yesterday. He is not bad¡­ It¡¯s just because the Duchess and the Little Duke hate the Young Master so much, the nasty rumours were purposely spread like that.¡± Young Master, Isaac Eufgenschult, was a child the Duke suddenly brought from outside one day. Of course, the Duchess couldn¡¯t have loved an illegitimate child whose mother she did not know. As soon as she saw Isaac, she cursed him and drove him out to the annex. Years have passed since then, and the Duchess¡¯ hatred has not faded but served to only burn more. To avoid her anger, the servants were also busy hushing about Isaac, and the results have come to this day. The ghost of the annex, no, mansion, that no one pays attention to except his father, the Duke. The nickname, ¡®Ghost¡¯, that people call him in the public contained the dark and dirty side of the Duke. Thelma took a step closer and continued her advice in a low voice so as not to be heard around. ¡°Never tell other people what you know or what happened because there are no children who have seen good things when they served the Young Master. So if you need to run an errand, turn east where there are fewer people and go quietly. Got it?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be careful. Do not worry too much.¡± She nodded her head and said it was okay, but Thelma gave her a worried look, not knowing whether or not she could relax. Not saying anything, Dahlia silently endured Thelma¡¯s gaze to show she understood her concerns well enough. After staring at the young maid for a while, Thelma took the little envelope from the pocket of her skirt and handed it to Dahlia. She was secretly revealing that the wrapping paper decorated with black ribbon was a luxury item even at a glance. ¡°Then come on, deliver this right now. Don¡¯t take too long.¡± Dahlia put the envelope in her arms and walked out of the mansion. Dahlia went with lighter and slower steps than yesterday. She went carefully like that until she reached the northern forest through the eastern garden, and was stopped with a surprised expression as soon as she entered the front yard of the annex. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 A familiar yet unfamiliar figure stood in front of the wide-open front door. ¡°That person¡­ is it?¡± Dahlia wondered if she had seen something wrong, so she moved a little closer. She wasn¡¯t wrong though. The man in front of the door looked exactly like the person in the portrait hanging at the far end of the wide wall in the gallery that Dahlia cleans every day. Carla¡¯s twin brother and the heir to the Duchy, Maximilian Eufgenschult. The neatly curled black hair and blue eyes that were reminiscent of the autumn sky were proof that he was of the great Eufgenschult¡¯s bloodline. It was only for a moment that her body was about to jump from the fright of unexpectedly seeing the great figure she¡¯s only seen in portraits when Dalia processed and reflexively shuddered at the ensuing shouting. ¡°How dare you go to the same school as me!?¡± Max tore the paper he was holding and threw it inside. His large shoulders trembled incessantly in anger. But beyond Max¡¯s roaring voice, a soft and gentle voice that had not gone through the transformation period yet could be heard. ¡°I wasn¡¯t even going and I never said I wanted to go. His excellency applied to this with my name on his own.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t believe that my Father has gone so crazy that he would put you in the same school with me. How shameful! Don¡¯t pretend to be a cunning, smart j*rk. Did you secretly go to Father and request this of him?¡± The quietness of the forest was broken by his loud cry. Max, who couldn¡¯t suppress his anger, punched the front door and urged Isaac to answer. Dahlia looked on anxiously. She didn¡¯t know what was going on, but seeing him so angry, she was worried about what would happen if he hit the Young Master. Can that slender body withstand that big fist? ¡®Please, Young Master. Just say you¡¯re sorry and move on. It¡¯s not shameful to bend over to the strong.¡¯ However, Dahlia¡¯s earnest wish was shattered in an instant due to the following words. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are talking about. You¡¯re the one bringing disgrace to the family, Max.¡± A calm voice came out along with the rustle and the sound of picking up paper. Max, who was staring blankly in front of him, understood his words a beat later and stuttered and opened his mouth. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a crime to be dumb. Still, what would other lords think of Eufgenschult if your grades were like this? There¡¯s a lot of noise already because of your gambling and messy matters with women.¡± A soft voice ended with a short sigh. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much because you are the one who¡¯s not qualified. We might not be accepted for the same school after all. The school is meant for aristocrats, and they have no intention of having a fool like you there.¡± A horrifying silence ensued. Max, whose face and lips were distorted, had a horrible expression. ¡°You b*****d!¡± With the sound of the wind, Max¡¯s fists ripped through the air. Dahlia covered her mouth with her hand to prevent the scream from coming out. The moment she closed her eyes tightly, unable to see, a very small whisper passed through her eardrums. ¡°Have you forgotten Maya Oubric?¡± As soon as he spoke those words, Max¡¯s raised fists went still. There weren¡¯t noises of hits nor groans. All that remained were the sound of Max¡¯s breathing, the rustling of the leaves, and the eerie silence. Max frowned. ¡°Maya Oubric, that damn b*tch.¡± Max, who spat swear words with a slurred pronunciation, looked down at Isaac with bloodshot eyes. The little boy looked at him with a calm face, doing nothing. On the other hand, Max¡¯s hand which was holding Isaac¡¯s collar to leverage his past attempt to hit gradually lost its strength. The prevailing tension only disappeared after he let the collar go. The little boy said his last words, pushing Max away with a weary face. ¡°Again, I have no intention of going to school. I will live quietly until I die in the forest according to your wishes¡­ Don¡¯t fight for nothing and go back, Maximilian.¡± Max¡¯s embarrassment didn¡¯t last long. Whenever he saw his half-brother gently lowering his tail whenever he provoked, Max always felt an exhilarating yet empty sensation. It was only then that he backed away. Max looked down at Isaac for a moment, then arrogantly raised his head and sneered at him. ¡°Don¡¯t be presumptuous because I held it in today. I¡¯ll let it pass this time, but if this happens again, I won¡¯t let it go, so you can look forward to it.¡± Max kicked the front door with a loud noise and without hesitation, he turned around and left the annex. Dahlia quickly hid in the grass before he turned around, fearing that if she was found out she would be in trouble. When the muffled footsteps disappeared, peace finally came. As she was hesitating whether to get up or not, she heard a familiar voice above her head. ¡°Looks like spying is your hobby.¡± Dahlia slowly lifted her head, feeling her heart sinking. The Young Master, the fierce but lifeless little child from a while ago, was looking down at her with a calm face, which was not overshadowed at all by the fuss just before. Dahlia pondered on what to say first, and then spit out her honest feelings. ¡°I think I came when you were¡­ I think I came at the wrong time. You two seem to have a very bad relationship.¡± ¡°As you can see.¡± ¡°¡­So, Uhm, I think the Little Duke doesn¡¯t really hate you! My sister and I are usually good friends, but sometimes we fight¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°No, well, siblings usually grow up fighting. It¡¯s called hateful affection. You can fight!¡± After speaking, Dahlia wiggled his fingers, wondering if she was being too innocent. It was a rather rude topic for someone to spit out, but Isaac didn¡¯t care and just smiled softly. ¡°Would it be even called a fight? It¡¯s just a one-sided attack. Still, it was fortunate because I didn¡¯t have any chance to meet him at all after I entered the annex.¡± ¡°-It must be their vacation¡±, he muttered while reaching out to Dahlia. Dahlia hesitated for a moment, then grabbed his outstretched hand. His white, slender hands were much stronger than they looked. His hand then patted the hem of her messy skirt, then cleaned her messy hair. ¡°It would be best not to run into Max as much as possible. He has bad hand habits when it comes to women. Especially for new maids.¡± Dahlia kept her mouth shut, pondering over Isaac¡¯s words. What did he mean by bad hand habits? It was already surprising that the Little Duke had just been wrestling with Isaac before, but when she heard these almost blasphemous words of caution directly from Isaac¡¯s mouth, she thought that all the rumors about the Little Duke might actually be true. Maximilian Eufgenschult, whom she saw in portraits every day, was a noble with a solemn and good-natured image. Of course, even young Dahlia knew that she shouldn¡¯t judge people by their outward appearance, but she still thought the people of the Duchy would be different. Because it¡¯s Eufgenschult. Because he was born with a noble and clear status, which is regarded as a symbol of aristocrats. ¡°There is nothing different from being a noble. They¡¯re also just human beings.¡± Dahlia raised her eyes at the words that pierced her heart. The black eyes which were looking at the forest slowly turned towards Dalia. The soft smile that had stayed at the corners of his mouth from before went away, and a bitter blank expression rose upon his face. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s all the same.¡± Along with the calm words, an indescribable disdainfulness shrouded the past expressionless face. The words with an unclear subject seemed to be muttering he directed to himself, not to Dahlia. She didn¡¯t know what to answer. Dalia kept her mouth shut and only looked at the sunlight pouring over his black hair. The right wing side of the residence, which had been engulfed in gloomy darkness, lit up with a light brighter than usual. With the return of the heir, the mansion was much more lively than usual. When the Duke and the Little Duke joined the dining room where the Duchess and the ladies would only come and go, there were more than ten attendants to serve them. Dahlia also helped the servants with their chores with a stiff face. She could not help but be nervous as she encountered all the members of the Duke¡¯s family that she would not normally see. A sweet voice came from over the shoulders of an attendant preparing for the next tableware, ¡°One more drink.¡± Max frowned and raised a glass of wine. The Duke clicked his tongue as if Max had thrown away his table manners. All the family members gathered after a long time, but the atmosphere at the table was cold. Under the breathtaking silence, only the clattering sound of tableware was cutting through the tense atmosphere. It was an atmosphere that could not be described as harmonious even in empty words, but it was a familiar atmosphere for the four sitting down. In fact, the silent atmosphere was already a good thing for them, who would not have gathered if not to keep appearances as Eufgenschult¡¯s. It was necessary to show the morality of a family. Even if only to be seen by the attendants, or to show off their individual magnificence to other family members. The first person to break the silence was the Duchess. ¡°You came back earlier than I thought. There is still another week left before the semester ends.¡± The Duchess swirled her spoon around the bowl and talked to Max. Max, who had been drinking wine one after another, responded in a sour tone. ¡°I heard things that weren¡¯t fun to hear at school. I couldn¡¯t wait until vacation.¡± Max said, staring at the Duke with a distorted face after gulping the remaining wine at once. ¡°Was it really father who tried to get his illegitimate child into school?¡± The duchess, who was looking at her son with a puzzled face, belatedly understood the meaning and looked at her husband with open eyes. ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t actually have to ask Father. I checked the application form myself.¡± Her son¡¯s faltering voice made her heartache even more. The Duchess, unable to overcome her sense of betrayal, forgot her face and cried out. ¡°Are you crazy? How are you thinking of sending that child to school! No matter how cheap you go, how can you show off your disgrace in a place where only nobles exist¡­?!¡± ¡°Max.¡± It was Max, not his wife, that the Duke, who had been silent all along, showed interest in. Blue eyes full of cold energy looked at his son with overwhelming energy. ¡°You should do your part well, but why are you interfering at paying attention to Isaac¡¯s work?¡± Max puffed his chest more, disregarding the Duke¡¯s gaze. There was no need to panic. It was his father who was at fault, not him. ¡°Isn¡¯t this something worth paying attention to? The prestige of our family is at stake. What would happen to me if I went to the same school as him?¡± ¡°Prestige?¡± ¡°The Royal Society¡¯s State University is a place no one can so easily enter if they¡¯re not high-ranking aristocrats like me or government officials. How can you do that to such a place? No matter how Eufgenschult he is, his status in this mansion and the social circles is clear: my mother doesn¡¯t recognize him.¡± ¡°Maximillian.¡± The Duke raised his hand and blocked Max¡¯s continuing words. Max¡¯s excited eyes caught his father¡¯s impatiently smiling face. ¡°I get that you hate Isaac, but don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯re going to distort your identity for something like that.¡± ¡°¡­What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Did you want to lose face by crawling and whining around like that all day where everyone can see you?¡± Suddenly, Max got up from his seat and looked at his father with a cold face. His smile with only the corner of his mouth tilted slightly, resembled that of his half-brother, whom Max hated bitterly. Max, who could not overcome his anger, slowly reached out to a wine glass. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 For someone who had been dominating others since birth, controlling their impulses was almost impossible. This was true especially if the person in question is the successor of Eufgenschult, whom none dared to oppose, with the exception of his father. He had a very hot-tempered personality. At the unbearable insult, Max looked down at the table with widened eyes, wine glass in hand. The Duke who had grasped his son¡¯s inner deliberation on whether to throw the wine glass or not instantly, stopped him with a low voice. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be like that. Without thinking of the reason behind your father¡¯s sarcasm, you are in a hurry to relieve your anger. Stop doing things you will regret and sit down.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Look at you, you should learn how to manage yourself while living in school. Everytime, I¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why!¡± Interrupting the Duke¡¯s words, Max clenched his fists and looked straight at his father. ¡°Did you plan to send your smart illegitimate b*****d to the same school as me, for him to get good grades to compare with the foolish legitimate heir? Father always does this! You don¡¯t even consider how I¡¯ll be ridiculed if I was pushed down by that b*****d.¡± ¡°Max.¡± ¡°Be it my dignity or honor, Father, it¡¯s you, who is always souring the order of how things should be. It¡¯s always like this¡­!¡± The clenched fist that held the wine glass rose tensely, and fell again in vain. Max stared at the duke with his lips curled angrily, before turning and leaving the table. ¡°Since it¡¯s a school that you can¡¯t enter unless you¡¯re from nobility, you must have donated a lot to get an admission application. But what should I do, Father? As soon as I returned, I tore it apart in front of him and threw it in his face.¡± ¡°Max! How could you mess with your father¡¯s business?¡± ¡°Anyways, Isaac said that he had no intention of going to school, so everything went well, don¡¯t you think? No, don¡¯t come and say anything anymore! Please don¡¯t do anything useless and just leave it be!¡± Max spat out angrily and left the dining room in big strides. The Duke, who was watching his son¡¯s retreating figure with burning eyes, also sighed after a long while, and went out of the other door. At the Duke¡¯s order to bring him alcohol, the butler, who stayed by the wall like a stone statue, moved hurriedly in response. The servants who were hardened in their positions, breathed out slightly at his signal. The heavy atmosphere seemed to sink endlessly into a swamp due to his departure. The Duchess, who observed the father and son¡¯s fight silently, took a sip of her glass of water with a frown on her face. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve met but isn¡¯t it nice that you just left without a formal greeting? It¡¯s really awkward for such situations to occur each time we meet.¡± Carla laughed at the softly whispered sigh. ¡°My mother is also very¡­You¡¯re aware of Max¡¯s and Father¡¯s personalities. Even if we are in the midst of a formal appearance, they will be busy keeping each other in check.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the part that is weird. Max is Max, but your father is really¡­ Max is the heir anyways, so I don¡¯t understand why your father sides with that child.¡± What do you mean you don¡¯t know? Carla raised an eyebrow at the Duchess¡¯s sly remarks and let out a subtle smile. The reason behind the Duke¡¯s favor towards Issac was apparent to Carla after meeting with Issac briefly. While Max had a quick temper and did as he pleased, Issac was calm and mature, making it hard to believe that he was the younger brother between the two. Above all, he was just¡­ wise. Not only is he knowledgeable, his behaviour and speech changes depending on the person he¡¯s talking to, in order to give them a good impression. It wasn¡¯t merely being perceptive, but cunningness. With an infinitely innocent face, he wielded such tricks, As such, it would have been impossible for her to not like Issac, regardless of the Duke¡¯s favor towards him. As the hostess of the mansion, there was no way the Duchess could not know the true nature of the child. Nonetheless, the Duchess got Issac out of her mind with some effort, and with an nonchalant face, she touched her chest. ¡°If I leave this situation as it is, breakfast tomorrow will be ruined. Carla, go to Max as soon as you¡¯ve finished eating. Won¡¯t he feel better with your reassurance?¡± ¡°Well, will he?¡± ¡°No matter what happens, the two of you are twins. Besides you, who else would he open up to? Tell him about your school life and how the capital has been like these days.¡± Without a moment¡¯s pause, the Duchess rose from her seat and left the dining room with gentle footsteps. The handmaiden followed behind her, leaving only Carla and three maids in the dining room to clear the dishes when they¡¯re done. Carla, who had been gazing at her mother¡¯s vacated seat, folded her napkin and stood from her seat very slowly. She let out a long sigh and disappeared with unwilling steps, leaving behind the uncomfortable silence typical to the dining room. It was already midnight when she finished cleaning up the dining room. Dahlia hurriedly returned to the dormitory, washed up roughly, and then laid down on her bed. The sound of a sigh left her and fell over the soft lamp light. Edina, who was sewing her skirt across her, smiled and lifted her head. ¡°Are you tired from work today? In the first place, it has always been tricky to serve during mealtimes.¡± ¡°The work wasn¡¯t difficult, but I was a little surprised because the atmosphere was so tense. Were the two masters not on good terms from the start?¡± ¡°The Master and the Little Duke?¡± As she nodded, Edina narrowed her brows slightly and continued her words. ¡°At first, it was okay, but apparently their relationship worsened after the Duke brought the Young Master five years ago. It¡¯s not something anyone can understand. I think I¡¯ll be very upset if my dad suddenly introduces another person as my brother.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be disappointed with my dad, and I¡¯d hate the child he brought,¡± Edina, who continued her passionate speech, frowned and added. ¡°Without the Young Master, the mansion would have been much more peaceful. It¡¯s mostly because of the Young Master that the Little Duke is annoyed. It¡¯s exhausting.¡± ¡°Is this also why the Duchess is angry at the Young Master?¡± Unaware that she had frowned, Dahlia responded to her words. Her common sense could not comprehend how the dissatisfaction caused by the Masters¡¯ finicky personalities could be concluded as the Young Master¡¯s fault. ¡°There is nothing wrong with the Young Master.¡± ¡°Yes, he didn¡¯t do anything wrong, but that¡¯s the truth. This incident occurred because the Duke favors the Young Master only. Look at what happened today. If your father was prejudiced against you, wouldn¡¯t you be angry? What¡¯s more if you were someone with strong pride, like the Little Duke?¡° Edina¡¯s words made sense in her own way. Still, Dahlia¡¯s displeasure did not go away, so she could only stare at the pitiful ceiling with her eyebrows raised. It is okay to be discriminated against, but it was not right of him to bully and beat his brother like that. Furthermore, Max must have lived a peaceful life with the support of his family, as he is the successor. It was inappropriate. At the same time, she felt that Isaac was very pitiful. ¡°No, Edina. I feel sorry for the Little Duke, but what did the Young Master do wrong? Did he want to be born as an illegitimate child?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s also the reason why the Duke defends the Young Master. It must be because there is no one other than the Master that will take care of him.¡± Hating is usually easier than tolerating someone. If Max had made a slightly more difficult choice, if he had accepted Isaac as a brother instead of pushing him away, the atmosphere in the mansion might have been completely different from what it is today. Of course, all of it were useless assumptions now. Dahlia recalled a helpless smile and continued to talk as if she was about to cry. ¡°¡­It¡¯s difficult to see. I thought that if they were able to live like this, they would get along with their family. Why is it so disappointing to know that they bite each other?¡± It was because of money. All because of that ¡®great¡¯ money, Dahlia tried to abandon her only sister. [Editor: great is said sarcastically, hence the ¡® ¡¯.] She didn¡¯t have such thoughts from the beginning. The bond between the two left behind in the world was full of affection. More than anyone, Dahlia loved and cared for her younger sister, her only family left in the world. But such affections gradually lost its worth in the face of harsh reality. Laurel was often very ill. Dahlia needed too much money to support living with her. Even though she saved money by sewing with fern-like hands and running errands, it was far from enough to take care of Laurel. Laurel lived quietly to comfort her, but Dahlia¡¯s heart broke in an instant. As she could not afford to pay for the medicine, her respiratory system could not be fixed. Even if she tried to forget about her situation, an episode of seizure would come and she would have to take care of Laurel. She was sick of it. To a young Dahlia, her only sister had become a burden. She believed that her life would have become more comfortable, if her only blood relative had died and disappeared. Dahlia then came to a realization. WIthout money, the smallest amount of dignity can¡¯t be kept. People weren¡¯t good from the beginning. The sense of shame she felt then was still vivid, even until now. Along with her determination to not have such thoughts in the future, the notion that people living well would care for each other and live harmoniously took root in her mind. But as she watched the events of tonight¡¯s dinner¡­ She wondered to herself why did she had such a belief. Having money doesn¡¯t necessarily mean that everyone is happy. Is the Duchy particularly gloomy, or that other noble families also have the same atmosphere? Dahlia, who had been contemplating as she lay down on her stomach and pinched her chin, felt a persistent gaze and turned her head to her side. Edina, who was looking at her with her curious gaze, put her hairbrush down on the side table, and then she stretched out her arm to pinch Dahlia¡¯s cheek. ¡°Oh my, Miss Dahlia is so naive. Did you think that if you had enough money, everyone would be able to live peacefully, huh?¡± ¡°¡­Am I the only one who thought so?¡± ¡°Whether we¡¯re living well or living in poverty, we¡¯re all humans. No¡­that¡¯s not right. Because we have more things, we become increasingly anxious to steal from each other.¡± Mumbling in an unenergetic voice, Edina buried herself in bed. ¡°Working in a mansion¡­ I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much difference with being a nobleman. They may behave elegantly, ??but the twisted things are the same in my house.¡± After grumbling to herself, Edina stopped thinking about useless things and got up, closing the curtains and turning off the lamp. The smell of oil remained faintly in the darkened air, tickling the tip of the nose. Dahlia followed the trajectory of her fluttering curtains with her eyes blankly, contemplating. In her head, Edina¡¯s previous sentence reverberated strangely. Somehow she felt like she experienced deja vu, and thinking deeper about it, her words were very similar to what she heard this morning. ¡®Even if they¡¯re from nobility, they¡¯re merely human beings.¡¯ The empty echo lingered in her ears. Why did the Young Master say that? Was his words spoken lightly like Edina did? As her thoughts grew deeper, the heavier her eyelids became. While repeatedly recalling the low-pitched voice, Dahlia slowly fell into slumber¡¯s embrace. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 With the heir¡¯s return, the mansion was revitalized, but in a negative sense. Max kept finding fault with the workers endlessly, from the unsatisfactory interior decoration, to making a mess of mealtimes. He¡¯d beat up his servants all the time, and in the name of hunting, brought his servants to the Northern Forest where Isaac lived, and made a wreck out of it. The precious young saplings that the keeper of the forest, Grandpa Bones, had raised to the best of his abilities, were ruined as a consequence. As he wandered through the forest teary faced, the other employees were unable to comfort him despite feeling sorry, as they were kept busy with Max¡¯s orders. ¡°Dahlia, have you completed your morning tasks?¡± The senior maid Thelma, tapped near her temple and nodded towards Dahlia. Dahlia, who nodded while observing the tired look on Thelma¡¯s face, concluded that she must have been having a hard time. Dahlia only realized that her headcap was crooked after Thelma¡¯s hand touched her head. ¡°There¡¯s no need for a separate inspection, as you¡¯re good on your own. Let¡¯s wrap up tidying the main building, and attend to the Young Master in the afternoon.¡± ¡°Is there anything I need to deliver to the Young Master?¡± These days, Dahlia has been running an errand almost every two days. Even if it was called an errand, it wasn¡¯t difficult as she delivered trivial items such as books, handkerchiefs, bookmarks and ink. It was a little odd that she was told to come and go so often, when she could¡¯ve brought it all at once. She wondered what else she should bring him today, but Thelma shook her head and held out a toolbox with cleaning tools. ¡°It¡¯s not an errand. These days, the Little Duke goes out hunting in the northern forest daily. It was noisy and dangerous, hence the Young Master¡¯s residence was moved to the Left Wing.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Thank goodness, Dahlia thought as she patted her chest. Even so, it was Dahlia, who found it hard to fall asleep as she was worried about the glass-like boy being injured accidentally. Thelma nodded her head, lifted her lips a little as if she understood. ¡°As such, could you clean the Young Master¡¯s room in the afternoon? They are the two innermost rooms on the third floor of the Left Wing. I thought of sending the maids in charge of the Left Wing, but the Young Master would be more comfortable with you. If it was any other maid, she would have been frustrated to have to clean up instead of running errands that were easier in comparison. But Dahlia smiled and accepted the toolbox happily. It bothered her that everyone else would be kept busy while she was wasting time on errands, and this was a good opportunity for her to show off her strengths to the Young Master. ¡°Leave it to me. I will finish it soon.¡± Dahlia bounced towards the Left Wing energetically, holding the toolbox tightly. The autumn sunlight shone through the window and gently warmed Dahlia¡¯s cheeks. Her brown hair that was pulled into a high ponytail, swung from side to side with her steps. At the appearance of the youngest maid, smiles appeared on the faces of passersby. A song reached her ears, one that she had heard somewhere. It wasn¡¯t until she had almost reached the front of the room that she realized it was her that was humming. Suppressing her excitement internally, Dahlia opened the door with a mature attitude. ¡°Hello, Young Master!¡± As she greeted him cheerfully, Isaac, who was seated in front of the shady table, slowly lifted his head to meet her gaze. A faint smile spread slowly, like paint spreading over his indifferent face. ¡°Hi.¡± With a shy smile, Isaac got up from his seat. Dahlia dissuaded him from rising as she gathered the curtains together and opened the window widely. Isaac looked out with his relaxedly from his seat by the window. From the autumn wind gazing past the tip of his nose, the arid scent of winter permeated. Isaac, who had been looking out of the window for a long time, turned his head again. While he fiddled with the chess piece in his hand, he captured the scene of the busy youngest maid. ¡°When did you start working in the mansion, Dahlia?¡± Her hand, which was lifting the bedsheets, paused at a low question. With her head tilted to the side, Dahlia replied with a puzzled look on her face. ¡°It will be three months soon. It hasn¡¯t been that long since I¡¯ve started.¡± ¡°Were you working as a maid before that?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t for very long as I¡¯m young. Before coming to the Duchy, I worked in Baron McFon¡¯s mansion for about half a year.¡± Isaac raised his eyes slightly at the name he seemed to have heard of somewhere. ¡°Baroness McFon¡­ I¡¯ve heard rumors that she¡¯s pretty tough. It must have been difficult.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ haha. I can¡¯t say no.¡± Dahlia smiled helplessly with her eyebrows raised. The old baroness was someone who appeased her broken heart by tormenting her maids. When she is upset, she screams, and when she is angry, they are beaten for no reason. Once, the sound of footsteps annoyed her and so she slapped its owner, the youngest maid. Ever since that day, all the maids have always stepped with anxiety, wondering if they would offend the Baroness. No matter how tidy it was, if there was a single speck of dust in the display cabinet, it would result in merciless accusations. No matter how she looked, Dahlia couldn¡¯t say that it was a good job. ¡°The majority of the maids couldn¡¯t last longer than a week, and quit. My roommates must have changed five times over the span of half a year.¡± ¡°Did you quit like that too?¡± ¡°No. The wife fell ill and sold the mansion to travel to the south. Then I got a letter of introduction and came to the Duchy.¡± ¡°I am lucky to be working for the Duke,¡± she added, and gave a clumsy smile. ¡°Of course, it was difficult to work for the baroness, but it is very rare to find a place that is willing to take in a girl from a poverty house like me. I have to endure it in order to send money.¡± ¡°Where are you sending money to?¡± Instead of answering, Dahlia stared at the boy in front of her curiously. While she can¡¯t claim to have a wealth of experience, the nobles that Dahlia worked for used to think of their servants as furniture or objects. In other words, they did not pay attention to the feelings or daily life of their servants. As she was just staring at him without answering, Isaac tilted his head and turned his curious gaze back. His black hair fluttered softly against his pale white forehead. When she caught the vivid appearance in her eyes, Dahlia¡¯s eyes curled in a crescent without even realizing it. ¡®In the first place, was I the kind of person that lowered my guard down in front of a good-looking person?¡¯ At that thought, she became speechless. ¡°To the poverty house. I have a younger sister. She¡¯s not feeling well, so I am paying for medical bills and medicines. They said she has asthma, so I have to keep taking care of her.¡± A glimpse of surprise flashed into Isaac¡¯s black pupils. ¡°You weren¡¯t alone.¡± ¡°Yes. My parents were alive too. They both died in the war.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a war, is it during the civil war with Ubrang?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± She unconsciously gripped the mop harder, as the corners of her lips that she tried to keep raised drooped down. Images of the past she tried hard to forget came crashing through her mind like a tidal wave. The sounds of loud bombings and shouts of soldiers, charred houses and crumbling walls. Her mother¡¯s slender arm jutted out from underneath. Dahlia hugged a younger Laurel, and ran endlessly, without being able to retrieve her body. It was a really harsh winter. Ever since she ran away from her hometown, Dahlia had to become a bright and smart child without any weakness. She had to do so to survive among adults. However, whenever the memories of that winter were recalled, she reverted back to her ten-year-old self regardless of her will. Dahlia Beloch became a child that was not desperate and perpetually depressed. Uncontrollable emotion swelled up and Dahlia¡¯s face was washed with her tears. Regretting having said something pointless, she bit her lips and apologized. ¡°You¡¯re impressive, Dahlia.¡± The unexpected words from Isaac instantly diluted the thick haze of depression. The face of Isaac staring at her calmly greeted her when she turned her droopy gaze upwards. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that even the civilians in Ubrang were annihilated during the civil war¡­I heard that it was horrendous. You were a survivor of that¡­¡± ¡­.. ¡°It¡¯s easy to talk about tragedy and everything, but the words of someone who was directly involved in the incident is far more precious. If a young child like you had lost both of her parents and managed to live with your sister, it must have been really, really hard.¡± Her round eyes slowly narrowed, and her thick eyebrows lifted upwards, giving her a pitiful expression. Isaac continued with a sad smile. ¡°It¡¯s really amazing. You¡¯ve worked hard?¡± ¡®You¡¯ve worked hard.¡¯ She didn¡¯t do anything great. Although she heard this phrase being said to her multiple times, for some reason this time it sounded completely different. Dahlia felt her eyes twitch and blinked quickly. She bit her lip while scrambling for a suitable reply, but she couldn¡¯t get any words out. She shut her mouth again. To soothe her rising emotions, she pressed the mop she was holding on her chest. A brief moment passed, before Dahlia gave an answer nonchalantly. ¡°I think that it was the will of heaven that I managed to survive against the odds¡­As such, I believe that good things will happen if I work hard.¡± Dahlia responded with a slightly shaking voice, smiling calmly. At her old fashioned answer, Issac thought of a faint smile. ¡°It¡¯s a positive mindset. I would like to believe that if I work hard like Dahlia, good things will happen to me too.¡± ¡°It is said that happiness will come after suffering. Good things will surely happen to you too,¡± Dahlia replied cheerfully while lifting the bedsheets. Dahlia returned back to cleaning with a brighter face, as if she was encouraged by her own words. The Young Master pulled a knee up and rested his chin on it, watching Dahlia with interest. She acted as if she had not suffered before, despite experiencing the horrors of that war. If she was wearing his half-sister¡¯s dress, she would¡¯ve been much prettier than Karla, compared to the apron she was wearing currently. As the maid, engrossed in sweeping the floor with a broom carefully, Isaac hid his smiling lips behind his knee and laughed at the humorous image of her lips protruding unknowingly. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 ¡°I¡¯ve finished cleaning, Young Master. I¡¯ll get going now, so please rest comfortably.¡± After she had finished tidying the room, Dahlia nodded her head while holding the toolbox. Then Isaac, who was leaning by the window, slowly raised his head and looked around the room. Even before undergoing Dahlia¡¯s touch, the room was clean but after, it became so clean that a single speck of dust couldn¡¯t be seen. From the neatly lined stationery, chairs that are aligned precisely at the same angle, and the ribbons that hung from the curtains looking identical, as if they were printed on a board¡­ It was truly perfect. ¡°Wow.¡± Dahlia smiled proudly as he scanned through the room blankly with his mouth agape. When she heard that it was the residence the Young Master was staying at temporarily, she put all her energy into cleaning it. The room was immaculate even for a person who was fussy about cleanliness, so others would also be surprised about the spotlessness of the place. And as expected, his next words made Dahlia burst into laughter. ¡°It¡¯s so tidy that it would be a waste to lie down on.¡± Isaac raised his eyebrows as he gestured at the bed awkwardly. A pretty puppy made out of towels was placed atop the perfectly made bed. When he asked what that was, Dahlia laughed shyly, saying that she learnt to make it when she was working in a side job of making ribbons. ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving then, Young Master. Feel free to call me If you need anything.¡± ¡°Have you read all the books I had lent you a while back?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ those books.¡± It¡¯s been a while since she had finished reading it, but it was difficult to return it to him, so she kept it in her room. She was embarrassed to approach him just to return a book, so she was scrambling for a reason to meet the Young Master. ¡®¡­Did he think that I wouldn¡¯t return them?¡¯ At that thought, Dahlia¡¯s face turned bright red. ¡°I have read them all! I¡¯ll return it right away, so please give me a moment!¡± ¡°No, no! It¡¯s not urgent.¡± Surprised by her flustered appearance, Isaac brushed the nape of his neck and spoke in a subdued voice. ¡°I was just asking because I was curious about your opinion. If you have finished reading it, I¡¯ll lend you another book. Could you come back at this time tomorrow, if you don¡¯t mind?¡± Isaac asked carefully, hoping that she would not refuse, unlike previously. Fortunately, instead of refusing, Dahlia nodded her head and accepted readily. ¡°I¡¯d be grateful if you¡¯ll lend it to me. I will be back tomorrow then.¡± She greeted him with a lively voice left, closing the door behind her. As soon as she took her hand off the handle of the door, Dahlia dropped the toolbox onto the floor of the hallway. ¡°Eeeehhhh¡­¡­!¡± The composure she kept was replaced with embarrassment and loss of what to do. ¡°Didn¡¯t I¡­ look so foolish today?¡± She sighed as she looked back on the flow of events. She pressed her temples down to cool her head. It seemed that she made it difficult for the Young Master by replying back to when she should¡¯ve cleaned silently. ¡®Why did I talk about my parents? Why haven¡¯t I returned the book yet?¡¯ Upon recalling his hesitant face whenever the conversation stopped, she was so embarrassed that she couldn¡¯t control her limbs. Dahlia held back her desire to pound her head on the floor, and exhaled quickly. ¡®¡­But the Young Master is generous. He won¡¯t think of me as weird.¡¯ She consoled herself as she picked up her toolbox again. As she listened to the rattling sounds of cleaning tools bumping together, Dahlia quietly vowed not to make a mistake next time. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ That¡¯s how half a month passed by. Dahlia was able to confront her awkwardness around the Young Master, due to their book exchanges that took place every two days. While they weren¡¯t at the point where she could say that they had a close relationship¡­ ¡°Young Master. Won¡¯t you feel lonely if you¡¯re living in an annex alone?¡± She could ask such questions without hesitation. Isaac let out a short sigh as he stopped shuffling the cards in his hands. The languid expression that he usually had disappeared as if washed away and only vividness remained. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Now that I¡¯m used to it¡­ Besides, I¡¯m not alone as Hoover is around.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. Mr. Hoover was there too. Um, come to think of it, if Mr. Hoover is Young Master¡¯s attendant, why is he not staying in the Left Wing?¡± ¡°Hoover stayed in the annex. The Duchess will only find fault with him if he stays with me, so it¡¯s better to leave him.¡± Isaac carefully gathered the divided pile of cards into halves and continued to shuffle, but raised his head again after finding the absence of an answer strange. At the sight of Dahlia biting her lip with a difficult expression on her face, he raised his eyebrows. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be considerate. I¡¯m used to the people of this house hating me.¡± ¡°¡­Do you also hate your family?¡± ¡°What does it look like to you?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ that¡¯s¡­¡± The boy glanced at Dahlia with thinly curved eyes and then divided the deck of cards in half. After skillfully shuffling the cards, he picked up eight cards and pushed them in front of Dahlia. Dahlia pondered for a moment, before pulling out the rightmost card and turning it over. ¡®Will he be able to guess what card it is this time too?¡¯ Unlike Dahlia¡¯s excited face, Isaac retrieved the remaining cards instantly with the flick of his wrist, and looked at the cards Dalia was holding with an expressionless face. ¡°I don¡¯t particularly hate it. Ace of Spades.¡± Dahlia¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at the card and Isaac alternately. Held in the tip of her fingers, which turned white due to lye, was an ace of spades. ¡°No, how did you¡­ did you mark the cards?¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be. These new cards were brought by you, Dahlia.¡± When he managed to accurately guess the Queen of Hearts earlier, she thought it was just a coincidence. What kind of trick did he do to be able to identify the cards without looking at them? When she shouted ¡°One more time,¡± Isaac shrugged and shuffled the cards again. Isaac lifted a corner of his lips and laughed as she picked a card again. ¡°It¡¯s the Eight of Diamonds.¡± ¡®Oh my God,¡¯ mumbled Dahlia, whose mouth was opened wide, before stammering softly. ¡°Young Master¡­ Do you perhaps know how to use magic?¡± Isaac only replied with a mysterious smile that he had memorized it, when asked for his method of identifying the cards. Dahlia concluded that it was a magician¡¯s trick after wondering whether he meant that he was memorizing even the sequences which the cards were being shuffled in one by one. The ripe scent of late autumn wafted in through the cracks in the window. As she tapped the duster in her pocket, Dahlia suddenly realized that she had forgotten something important and jumped up from her seat. ¡°I forgot! I was supposed to change the furniture in the main building¡¯s parlor in the afternoon. I need to hurry up and go!¡± ¡°Changing the furniture again? Wasn¡¯t it changed a while ago?¡± ¡°These days, a lot of guests have come regarding Young Lady Karla¡¯s engagement. The Madam has ordered for the upholstery to be changed often.¡± ¡°Karla¡­ Oh, yes. She made her debut in the social world this year.¡± As Karla had debuted into society at the start of this year in the blooming age of 18, and the halo of the Duchy of Eufgenschult behind her, her prospective fiances will flock to her like a wave just looking at her background. Isaac tapped the card in his fingers on the armrest as he recalled Karla¡¯s uninterested face. The jet-black pupils shifted from looking at the card towards Dahlia. His half-sister¡¯s miserable back overlapped the image of Dahlia heading out the door. Was she really looking forward to her engagement? The sound of the door closing was heard over his crude curiosity. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ The furniture rearrangement was completed in an instant. As it was something done many times these days, both the maids and servants skillfully changed the covers, put fabric under the furniture, and moved the existing furniture to the warehouse. The room, which used to be in green, was quickly changed into a deep purple color, creating an elegant ambience. Just as everyone was about to return to their assigned tasks after finishing with the laundry, a request for help rang out from the drawing room. ¡°Those with available hands, please come and help out!¡± ¡°Why? What is it?¡± ¡°The Young Lady¡¯s clothes have arrived from the dressmaker. We¡¯ll take the dresses, so can you guys bring the shoes and the rest?¡± The maids, who would normally have been dragged their feet reluctantly with a distasteful expression, ran towards the drawing room, glowing at the word ¡®dress¡¯. Seeing the atmosphere, she felt that she had to go too, so Dahlia hurriedly followed in their footsteps. Dresses of natural colors fluttered with the movements of the maids, who admired the dresses and fiddled with the lace decorations. As they stepped into Karla¡¯s room, their attitudes changed as if they had always been polite, and bowed their heads. Karla¡¯s earth-toned room had a clothes hanger and a bust out as if she was prepared for the arrival of her dresses. When the maids held out the clothes, the ladies-in-waiting and a dedicated handmaiden looked at the dresses with careful eyes. ¡°Leave this, this, and that dress, all five of them here.¡± The lady-in-waiting checking the dresses ordered the maids as she pointed to the sofa. Then, Karla, who was sitting at the dressing table, scanning the dresses, sighed and got up from her seat. ¡°It¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t like makeup or dresses, but I¡¯m getting tired of doing this every day. Angie, choose an outfit for the tea party occuring the day after tomorrow, starting from a dress.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a tea party, it will be held in the courtyard garden, so a lightly coloured dress would suit you. How about this lavender dress?¡± ¡°¡­Are you being serious?¡± ¡°It¡¯s similar to the dress you wore to a picnic previously. I think it¡¯ll look good on you.¡± Karla¡¯s expression crumpled as she cast a cold gaze. ¡°It was acceptable because it was late summer back then, but it¡¯s not suitable now. It¡¯s going to be winter soon, so bright colors are unstylish. Bring a wine-colored dress first.¡± ¡°Since you have fair skin, a lightly coloured dress would suit you better¡­¡± While grumbling, her lady-in-waiting Angie, selected a burgundy dress and brought it in front of Karla. The dress, made with thinly layered muslin, gave the wearer a fluttering figure that brought out an alluring beauty, incongruent with the dark color. But Karla was not satisfied. She ordered for more dresses of the darker variety to be brought. A dark gray dress, a black dress, and even a dark green dress was brought, but she wasn¡¯t sure which one would be better. Karla¡¯s eyes widened when she saw Dahlia standing in the corner while she was fiddling with the hem of the gown she had on. While she was questioning the presence of that child, a mischievous idea occurred to her. Karla stared at Dahlia with a gaze filled with interest as she opened her mouth. ¡°Which dress do you think would look the best on me?¡± Dahlia, who did not think she would have spoken to her, looked around and realized that the question was directed towards her, was startled and replied in surprise. ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes, you. Which do you think looks the best?¡± ¡®Why did she have to ask me instead of her lady-in-waiting?¡¯ Dahlia, who was watching the atmosphere, glanced at the rows of dresses and spoke carefully. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Editor¡¯s note: In case anyone was confused with the differences between ladies-in-waiting and maid, ladies-in-waiting are usually noblewomen of lower rank hired as attendants of a higher ranking lady, whereas the term that¡¯s translated as maid refers to a female servant hired to do housework. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Translator: Alice Editor: starrie ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ ¡°My Lady has beautiful eyes in the shade of the blue sea, so how about the dark blue velvet dress hanging over there?¡± Dahlia lowered her head as she pointed towards an unexpected direction. Instead of choosing amongst the dresses hung outside, she chose a drab dress hanging inside the dressing room. As the handmaiden Angie sneered and was about to give advice that was unpleasant to the ears, Karla moved her body first. ¡°There was such a dress?¡± ¡°A few days ago, you had several dresses refitted for banquets. That dress was rejected because the colour was too dark.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ that¡¯s right. I remember now.¡± Karla, who was looking downwards at the dress, glanced at Dahlia with strange eyes. She looked up and down Dahlia with a gaze filled with curiosity and arrogance. A dress that matched her blue eyes. A mocking smile flashed past the corner of Karla¡¯s lips. Karla waved her hand at the maids in dismissal while staring at Dahlia. ¡°I will settle the matter of choosing a dress, so all of you can leave. Angie, you too.¡± ¡°Me too? You¡¯ll need my help if you intend to try on the dress.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to have the girl pick the dress, so don¡¯t worry about it, and don¡¯t come in until I call for you.¡± At Karla¡¯s resolute tone, Angie left her room with a dissatisfied look on her face, not even thinking of a rebuttal. All of the maids had gone out, leaving only Karla and Dahlia in the room. Dahlia, who had been looking at the young lady with an absent minded look, raised her head at the next command. ¡°What are you doing? Without bringing a dress over.¡± Karla took off her bathrobe and pointed her chin to her dressing room. Dahlia, who was about to head to the dressing room, stared at Karla while frozen. Contrasting with her neatly twisted hair, there was nothing but pure white nakedness underneath Karla¡¯s face. With her nakedness exposed without hesitation, Dahlia hurriedly brought her the dress, unable to find a place to lay her eyes. Although the hands used to untie the ribbon and arrange the lace were clumsy, Karla observed her amusedly with her legs crossed. ¡®Was her name Dahlia?¡¯ ¡®I think I heard her full name, but I can¡¯t seem to remember her last name. After all, surnames of the maids¡¯ were good things, but¡­¡¯ ¡®I heard she was the youngest amongst the maids, how old was she? Fifteen? Sixteen?¡¯ Assessing her age, Karla looked down at the glimmering crown of her head. Her dark brown hair, unlike the usual dull colour, caught her attention as it had a bright sheen under the sunlight. It was a mysterious shade, close to blonde, but too vague to be orange. Her eyebrows and eyelashes were lighter than her hair, and eyes reminiscent of sprouts in early spring, turned turquoise towards the pupil, glimmering with a variety of colors. With her slender physique and color combinations, she was a child full of fresh beauty, reminiscent of a young seedling. Soft cheeks, and without much breasts¡­ Making eye contact, Karla let out a smile that wasn¡¯t clear whether it was one of ridicule. ¡°I told you to watch out for Father and Max,¡± she said. ¡°What if you get caught by someone more dangerous than them?¡± Dahlia raised her head blankly, wondering what was the topic about. Then, Karla¡¯s smile grew even deeper. ¡°Even if there aren¡¯t any peers, what will happen if you become close with him? Mother will get very upset if she finds out. Do you want to be kicked out of the mansion?¡± The moment she understood the full meaning of her words, ice-cold anxiety crept over Dahlia¡¯s once ignorant face. She went in and out of the left wing to clean Isaac¡¯s room daily, but only a few maidservants knew about it. Besides, she never stayed in the room for a long time, and never showed any intimacy with him, so how did the Young Lady know of her relationship with the Young Master? Was she trying to intimidate her? Unable to comprehend Karla¡¯s intentions, Dahlia kept her mouth shut and only looked into her eyes. Contrary to the stiffened Dahlia, Karla rose from her seat with a perfect composure and raised her arms. ¡°Hold up the dress. Since I¡¯m just going to try it on and take it off, I won¡¯t be needing the undergarments.¡± Dahlia, who was looking down at the floor, hurriedly got up from her position and helped her with the dress. Karla, who stood still like a doll until Dahlia finished tying the knots, moved to stand in front of the mirror to adjust the clothes on her. Her blue eyes staring into the mirror narrowed. ¡°Do you think it suits me?¡± ¡°Oh, yes, yes. It fits you very well.¡± ¡°I thought it wouldn¡¯t look good as the color of the dress was sombre, but it gives an appearance of maturity when I put it on¡­ Yeah. Good. Instead of the tea party, I¡¯ll wear this to a banquet next week. The men will like it because it¡¯s a low-cut dress.¡± With a derisive laugh aimed at herself, Karla caressed the valley of her breasts that was exposed outside her dress. On the tips of her pale fingers, even whiter skin was strongly caressed. Although it was suggestive and sadistic, Dahlia cringed involuntarily at her disgraceful provocative attitude. ¡°Dahlia.¡± Startled by her name popping out of nowhere, Dahlia opened her mouth and faced Karla. ¡®The Young Lady remembers my name?¡¯ At the ensuing questions, her little joy was shattered instantly. ¡°Do you know why Isaac¡¯s nickname is Ghost?¡± The merry tone she spoke in, as if she was about to sing, was overly sweet to be the voice of a menacing person. Dahlia forced her dry lips to move, and answered. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ because he lives in the annex.¡± ¡°No. That sorrowful atmosphere is not because he¡¯s living in that dreary annex.¡± ¡°Oh¡­?¡± ¡°Literally, that child kills and eats the person he favours.¡± Dahlia¡¯s eyes, which were reflected in the mirror, grew wide. Karla smiled with her eyes bent because she liked Dahlia¡¯s surprised face. ¡°It¡¯s half a joke, and half the truth. All those who were kind to Isaac die or disappear. Rather than the will of that child, these days, most of them vanished as per the will of Mother and Max.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve warned you. Even so, if you want to be friendly with him, I won¡¯t stop you, but be careful not to be noticed by other people. The mansion has been noisy because of Max¡¯s stay, I hope that nothing else that makes my head hurt will occur.¡± ¡°Now, release it again.¡± Dahlia untied the knots with her clumsy hands. ¡®What will she accomplish by saying this?¡¯ ¡®Was she really saying that because she was worried about me?¡¯ Karla¡¯s sonorous voice cut through her muddled mind, saying, ¡°That¡¯s enough, bring me the black dress.¡± Although her white hands swept the hem of her dress reflexively at her master¡¯s command, her mind was occupied with thoughts of something other than the dress, her eyes filled with agitation. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ The ghost that was mentioned a while ago, Isaac Eufgenschult. A bird landed beside a window tilted its head and looked inside. Seeing that there was no one present, the relaxed bird jumped through the window noisily. The apricot-colored feet wandering around the white marble window frame bounced over the outstretched hand that was next to the window frame. The hand that was hanging down raised slightly at the odd sensation, before falling back onto the marble again. ¡°What will happen if you, who aren¡¯t on your guard, get caught like this?¡± Contrary to his blunt tone, there was warmth in the gaze looking down at the bird. Isaac, who moved his eyes to watch the bird, was debating whether to let it go or leave it alone, and chose the latter. The little bird, who was moving around in the palm of his hand, liked the warmth, so it climbed up to the pants and buried itself in the area where the clothes were folded. At that cute gesture, the corners of Isaac¡¯s lips moved upward. ¡®What kind of bird is this? I think I¡¯ve seen it somewhere before.¡¯ Isaac, who was carefully observing the bird, soon knew the identity of it. Those soft-looking dark brown feathers reminded him of the girl with dark brown hair wandering around him these days. Dahlia Beroch. The fine hair that shone golden underneath the shining sun. Her skinny body, that moved busily back and forth while hugging a pile of blankets larger than her frame, was overflowing with intense vitality that did not match her mature face. When she is still, she doesn¡¯t look any different from a ceramic doll, but when she is working, she keeps the surroundings noisy with all sorts of emotions and vitality. The duality in appearance kept attracting his attention towards the unusual girl. ¡­.. She is the only girl who treats him, whom everyone turns away from, without apprehension. He had no idea if she¡¯s fearless or if she¡¯s just simple. Since he was a child, he was accustomed to being alone, and he did not have a particularly deep interest in Dahlia from the start. He was intrigued by the way she didn¡¯t shy away from him, so he instructed her to visit frequently, but even though he gave such orders, he thought that his interest in her wouldn¡¯t last long. But ironically, Isaac takes delight in the afternoon hour when Dahlia comes over. A clear voice with a faint southern accent and a laughter that that dazzles the opposite sex as it tickles the ear with petals. As her voice full of favour murmured her own story and the happenings around her, emotions that even Isaac herself had not been aware of popped up from the edge of his chest, astonishing him. Although he acknowledged early on that Dahlia was an attractive person, he never expected that she had enough charm to draw something out of him. He had to admit that the times spent with her were pleasant without any sense of dread. It¡¯s both enviable and mystifying, as if he likes it, but at the same time he dislikes it. Anxiousness and joy, these contrasting emotions mixed together and complicated his mind. But recently, even the chaos has been placated. It was much more enjoyable than he expected to get to know the parts of himself that he did not know before. ¡°Dahlia.¡± Underneath the halfway lowered eyelids, the drowsy-looking eyes looked downwards again. The bird¡¯s head swaying back and forth was adorably cute. The soft golden feathers resembled Dahlia, so cute and lovely¡­ ¡®¡­Dahlia¡¯s.¡¯ It looked similar to Dahlia Beroch. Long and straight fingers approached the bird at a very slow speed. A long shadow fell upon its small head. As the smile on his face disappeared, only black eyes were staring at the bird with a strange vigour. ¡®How about holding onto it like this? It would never fly away¡­¡¯ It wouldn¡¯t run away, it wouldn¡¯t disappear. If he held it tightly, like this. ¡°¡­It might die.¡± Isaac, who spoke to himself with a gloomy face, closed his mouth again and continued to think. No, that¡¯s not it. ¡®Wouldn¡¯t it be alright if I controlled my strength just to the point where it wouldn¡¯t die?¡¯ ¡®Cause I¡¯m no longer a child. Now that I am rational and sensible, I can control my power well.¡¯ That¡¯s why. So¡­ ¡®¡­Now, wouldn¡¯t it be alright to have someone I¡¯m fond of close to me?¡¯ ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Chapter 10 ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ His saddened eyes became brighter again instantly. His fingers that were frozen in the air moved again towards the bird. Just as his fingertips were about to touch its feathers, Isaac withdrew his fingers and clenched his fist. No. There was only an unknown bird in front of him. What kind of delusion was he having? It¡¯s not Dahlia, it¡¯s just a little creature, but why was there feelings of despondency? A bitter smile formed on his stiff lips. His hands went down silently, and Isaac¡¯s body drooped as he quietly looked at the scarlet sky turning to dusk. The colours of the ever-changing sky dye the world brilliantly, and the sound of Isaac¡¯s breath was the only thing that could be heard in this still and serene place. The tranquility was broken by the Duke. The door was opened without a sound, and the Duke quietly entered the room with an emotionless face. Without bringing an aide or a servant, the Duke arrived alone and raised an eyebrow when he found his son sitting by the window. ¡°Isaac.¡± The low-pitched sound disturbed his peaceful mood. However, there was no sign on Isaac¡¯s face, which had a soft smile as he met the Duke¡¯s eyes, and raised himself from his seat leisurely. Silence quickly fell after the dozing bird awakened and disappeared out of the window with the sound of flapping wings behind it. Isaac straightened up after tidying his clothes. ¡°What brings Your Grace here?¡± ¡°I had a lot on my mind, so I stopped by to rest for a while. Shall we play a round?¡± Instead of answering, Isaac nodded and headed towards the balcony with the chess table. Four hours ago, the chessboard that Dahlia had meticulously arranged ended up cluttered with chess pieces to replay a game. The messy pieces were arranged by Isaac instantly, and he gestured towards the other seat with his hand politely. The Duke sat down and reached for the pawn. With the sound of pieces colliding with the chessboard, the pawns started to move forward. In the beginning, the Duke¡¯s hasty temperament could be seen through the fast-paced game. When the pawns faced off and created a defensive formation, the duke started to move his knight on the offensive, as if he had been waiting. Words did not flow between them. The only thing that broke the heavy silence was the sound of the pieces rubbing against the chessboard. As all the knights escaped from the initial formation, even the sound of the pieces being moved softened. The Duke rolled a captured pawn in his hand and stared profoundly at Isaac. The wrinkles around the eyes deepened with the passage of time, but his eyes were still as sharp as a knife. At the persistent gaze, Isaac felt a tingling sensation on his face. The Duke looked like he had words he wanted to say, but he stopped fiddling with his piece and just stared at Isaac, dazedly. Isaac raised his head at his stinging gaze. The Duke¡¯s eyes narrowed as their eyes met. Still, his gaze did not fall. Unsuppressed emotions were transmitted through his eyes, making Isaac uncomfortable. His foolish father. Isaac swallowed a bitter smile internally when he sensed the faint remorse within the Duke¡¯s pupils. Despite the familiarity of his gaze, he felt uncomfortable each time their eyes met. The Duke viewed him with the same emotions from the beginning till now, with only the specters of the past illuminated, and not himself. The duke was always looking at him, but it wasn¡¯t Isaac that he was seeing. The duke had never looked at Isaac. Although he pretended to care about his son, in reality, the person the Duke wanted to take care of and apologize to wasn¡¯t Isaac. To the Duke, the person sitting before him was not a worthless son that had no shared history with him, but the courtesan he once loved, Rene. ¡°Are you castling?¡± Isaac asked, while tapping the pawn he had captured with his fingertip. Lost in thought, the Duke was belatedly conscious of his words and nodded his head indistinctly. The separated king and rook, swapped positions and changed the flow of the chessboard. As if it was a scene from his foolish past, Isaac couldn¡¯t help but laugh. The purpose of castling was for the rook to launch an offensive while protecting the king. At a point in time, Isaac thought that his life would be like castling. While a king had the freedom of movement, the game would be over if it was caught. A powerful tank that could roam far and wide while protecting the king. He believed that it would be beneficial for both the Duke and Isaac, if such a synergy could be actualized, resulting in them taking the upper hand of the chessboard. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t think of the bishop.¡± At the sight of his knight being captured, The duke, who had been dazed, was surprised to the point of speechlessness. The boy who moved his bishop to capture the knight nodded his head to urge the Duke to make his next move. The Duke still stared at him with clouded eyes as he moved his knight mechanically. Their lines of sight met again. The image of his father at their first meeting was contained within his jet-black eyes. ¡®¡­What was it like when I first arrived in the mansion?¡¯ He came to Helman with a rebellious heart. The little boy who faced his father without much expectations, had the thought of becoming a rook to protect him, the moment he found out about the background of his father. The ruler of Helman, a revolutionary hero who led the Republic. The father, whom he did not know existed, appeared with such illustrious titles and shocked him. Wouldn¡¯t this person be different? If it was this person, wouldn¡¯t he be able to rely on him? To a young child who lost the will to live and was faltering, the Duke was like a light in the midst of darkness. Inspired by the fact that he was a Eufgenschult, the little boy had no doubt in his mind that he could become the sword and faithful son of the king. But, the results were apparent. At best, he escaped the stigma of being the child of a courtesan, but was immediately enshrouded in the shell of an illegitimate child. Besides, the duke was already equipped with all the horses. Queen, bishop, rook, knight; there was no need for Isaac to prove his worth. Even if he proved it, he was already trapped in the frame of an illegitimate child. What words could he use to promote himself? There was only one place left for him. There were a multitude of pawns piled up on the chessboard. Soldiers that were used as cannon fodder in the stead of knights, only to disappear one by one. Like the other relatives who possessed the name of Eufgenschult, he too would be manipulated as a pawn and disappear without a sound eventually. The half-closed eyelids, quietly covered jet-black eyes. Isaac, who closed his eyes slowly, moved his pawn confidently. Unlike the serene atmosphere, a fierce battle was occurring on the chessboard. Isaac¡¯s pawn, which captured the Duke¡¯s bishop, unknowingly reached the opposite end of the board. Isaac placed the pawn that reached the end to one side, and laid down a knight at the space the pawn once occupied as he spoke. ¡°Queening.¡± The queen wearing a crown replaced an unassuming pawn and began to advance. Isaac looked down at his queen, who relentlessly counterattacked, with deepened eyes. ¡­If he was a pawn. He will never become a soldier that quietly disappears in the place of knights. He will hide his potential and improve himself endlessly, and after a while present the fruits of his labour as the strongest knight. A snow-white finger contrasted greatly with the black queen, as it moved the knight. After careful calculation of the remaining pieces, he estimated that a checkmate would occur in the next four turns. Looking at the king he had to knock down, the corners of Isaac¡¯s lips were raised at an angle out of the Duke¡¯s view. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Dahlia headed to the dining hall just in time for dinner, but stopped upon the sight of a crowd gathered in front of the dining hall. The dining hall was always relatively free of people as the servants had meals in shifts. Just as Dahlia was about to join the unexpected crowd on her toes to see if anything happened. ¡°Dahlia! You haven¡¯t eaten yet, right?¡± Edina, who was in the midst of the crowd, grasped Dalia¡¯s hands with a brightly smiling face. ¡°Move aside,¡± after Edina pushed past the other maids and entered the dining hall, she pointed to the boxes piled up in front of the kitchen and said in an excited tone. ¡°Look at this. Count Viten sent a present to Young Lady Karla. Do you know what¡¯s in those boxes?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Crabs! Hairy Crabs from the North Sea!¡± Edina grabbed Dahlia¡¯s shoulder as she emphasized ¡®the North Sea¡¯. She thought Dahlia would bounce about and make a fuss, but contrary to Edina¡¯s expectations, Dahlia only blinked her big eyes without any response. The hand on Dahlia¡¯s shoulders slided downwards as Edina made an expression of disappointment. ¡°What¡¯s with your reaction? Have you ever eaten hairy crab?¡± ¡°I grew up in the South¡­ I tried fried mud crabs before.¡± ¡°Mud crabs? What is that? Hairy crabs are completely different from those cheap ones. It¡¯s way more delicious.¡± Excited, Edina raved about the texture of the hairy crab, as well as how expensive and delicious it was. Dahlia, who was quietly listening to Edina¡¯s raving of hairy crab, asked the question she was most curious about as soon as Edina stopped speaking. ¡°It¡¯s a gift for the Young Lady, but why is it in the servant¡¯s dormitory kitchen?¡± ¡°What do you mean why? Crabs spoil easily. As the amount given was too much, they couldn¡¯t finish it and the remainder fell to us. Therefore, crabs are on the menu for dinner today!¡± As soon as the words were over, the kitchen maids started to bring an armful of steamed crabs out into the dinning hall. The steaming hot hairy crabs looked very hideous, making both Dahlia¡¯s hunger and appetite dissipate. She took a step back, wondering if Edina¡¯s taste might be strange. Unlike the astonished Dahlia, all of the maids who were waiting in front of the kitchen picked up crabs with their faces in full bloom. In the dining hall where chatter and laughter once filled the air constantly, there was only the sound of hands extracting crab meat busily amidst the fishy and fragrant smell. ¡®Do you think this monster-looking thing is so delicious? Do the people of Helman like this?¡¯ Dahlia, who stared at the crab with furrowed brows, resolved her doubts when Thelma, who was sitting at the end of the table, lifted a fork with a smiling face. If it¡¯s not a face without expression, then it¡¯s a face with a frown. Such a person who seemed to only have two emotions, anger and sadness, was smiling brightly as she put crab meat in her mouth. The frequently found atmosphere of a dormitory manager that was constantly around Thelma disappeared, leaving her with a warm atmosphere that only a young lady in her twenties had. ¡®Is this so delicious? To the point where Ms. Thelma smiled like that?¡¯ Dahlia blankly stared at Thelma as she pulled at Edina¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Ed-¨C Edina. Edina!¡± ¡°Why? Don¡¯t do that, and you should quickly have some.¡± ¡°Look over there. Thelma is laughing over there¡­Eup!¡± Out of nowhere, the soft crab meat was shoved into her mouth. Dahlia, who tried to spit out the contents of her mouth by reflex, felt the delicate sweetness that permeated the tip of her tongue and widened her eyes. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Chapter 11 ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ This¡­ What is this? What is this taste? Just what is this taste? Thoughts about Thelma and everything else disappeared as Dahlia focused only on chewing what was in her mouth. Interestingly, as she chewed, the sweetness became stronger. After she swallowed the meat that had appropriate chewiness and a firm mouthfeel, her tongue, feeling the emptiness, savoured the meat¡¯s lingering aftertaste from her saliva. ¡°It¡¯s delicious¡­¡± At her joyful expression, Edina, who had been looking at Dahlia with shining eyes, laughed for a long time. At the same time, she didn¡¯t forget to affectionately shove deboned crab meat into her mouth. ¡®Oh my goodness, I thought grilled chicken legs were the tastiest food I¡¯ve ever eaten so far. I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s such delicious food.¡¯ It was shocking. Excited, Dahlia realized that there weren¡¯t many crabs left and hurriedly picked up her fork. Continuously chewing the crabs in front of her led her to a realization, that even after suffering a shock, she did not dwell upon it and shoveled crab meat to her mouth faster than anyone else. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ That night, after eating crabs till she was full, Dahlia dreamed of holding the pincers of a crab as large as her body, and dancing. Dahlia danced by the resplendent emerald sea of her hometown, Ubrang, while Laurel was sucking on the leg of a crab larger than her own forearm. Even after dwelling upon it, it really was a happy dream. ¡°It was so delicious that it even appeared in my dreams!¡± As she recalled the crab she ate yesterday, Dahlia stared dazedly at the duster she was holding. Isaac, who was organizing the bookshelf, stopped his movements and burst into laughter. ¡°Did you like it that much?¡±¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve never had such delicious food before. Young Master, do you like crabs too?¡± Isaac tilted his head, before shaking his head with a slight smile. At his response that he didn¡¯t particularly like it, Dahlia stared at him with round eyes that were asking how could he not like it, and commented, ¡°Oh my gosh.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be because it¡¯s not delicious that you don¡¯t like it. Could it be that there¡¯s something more delicious than that?¡± Isaac eventually laughed heartily at her pure reaction. ¡°I don¡¯t really enjoy eating gourmet food, so I just wasn¡¯t interested. Also, there are many things that taste better than crabs. Since Dahlia responds well to everything, I want to feed you those.¡± Dahlia breathed in and replied maturely. ¡°Young Master, I¡¯m a ladylike girl. I won¡¯t carelessly put anything into my mouth.¡± At her response of, ¡°But if you do give me anything, I¡¯ll gratefully accept it,¡± Isaac covered his mouth and gently curved his eyes. As the pleasant atmosphere warmed his room. Bang! The door opened suddenly and a round, black mass flew in and landed in the middle of the room with a thud. Not long after, thump, thump. Two masses flew in and landed on top of the first one. The pale yellow fur was spotted with bloodstains. The moment he realized that the bloody figure was that of a rabbit¡¯s carcass, the smile on Isaac¡¯s face vanished without a trace. ¡°It looked like rabbits were gathering around the northern warehouse, Hoover that b*****d was very restless when I killed him. Could it be that you raised them?¡± With a swagger, Max pushed open the door and entered the room while holding a shotgun. From the looks of the blood dripping from the dagger worn on his waist, it was clear that the rabbit caught with the gun was stabbed with a knife again. ¡°Young Master. That¡¯s, that¡¯s¡­¡± At the horrible spectacle, Dahlia grabbed Isaac¡¯s sleeve. But it was Max, and not Isaac, who first expressed concern with words that sounded like a groan. ¡°What¡¯s this? What reason is there for a maid to be sticking around you? But then, it¡¯s¡­It¡¯s my first time seeing her.¡± The maids of the mansion disregarded Issac as if he was a ghost, due to the fact that the Duchess would be enraged if there was anyone close to Isaac. But, just what is this, of all things? The young lass¡¯s face was as pale as a sheet, and the image of her standing side by side with Isaac made Max feel annoyed. From a glimpse of her face, she possessed a decent face, which increased his feelings of unhappiness. ¡°You looked like you wouldn¡¯t have any interest in women in this lifetime, but it seems like you¡¯re undoubtedly a man.¡± Max grinned as he stared at Dahlia from head to toe. At his undisguised gaze, Isaac¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. ¡°Max, just because you are like that doesn¡¯t mean that I am too. The room was in such a mess that I had no choice but to call for a maid. As everyone was unwilling to do it, an oblivious stranger came instead.¡± Isaac dispelled his suspicion with a plain tone. If he pretended to be close to her here, Max¡¯s anger might be directed to Dahlia. Isaac pushed a hesitant Dahlia as he pointed to the door with a sour expression. ¡°If you¡¯re done with cleaning, leave. Don¡¯t bother me.¡± ¡°But Young Master, if you want to get rid of those rabbits¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me ask you to leave?¡± It was spoken in a brusque manner, unlike his usual self. Dahlia belatedly realized the seriousness of the situation and quickly left the room. Max, who followed her back figure with eyes filled with suspicion, smirked and looked back at Isaac. ¡°What an ill-bred child. No matter how trivial you are, should they be acting like that? You still are a young master of Eufgenschult.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your business here?¡± ¡°I came over to give you a present, because you seemed to like rabbits. It just so happened that there were more than 20 rabbits gathered near the annex, so I couldn¡¯t have just passed by.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°What do you think? Shall we have a stew?¡± Max shrugged and pointed to the dead rabbits. Issac could feel the malice in his smile. These blood soaked rabbits weren¡¯t treated properly after slaughter and as such will not be palatable even after proper treatment. Above all, those rabbits were animals that Isaac had fed and raised personally, so there was no way he could eat them. However, it was clear that if he caved in here, the intensity of his malice would only increase. Isaac fixed his eyes on the dead rabbit and gave a hazy smile. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ ¡°It¡¯s chilly, so I wanted to eat something warm. Stew¡­That¡¯s great.¡± At sunset, the dim light enveloped the mansion. Dahlia, who visited the dining hall for dinner, looked down at the bowl and sighed deeply. It was a luxurious menu of rabbit meat stew with plenty of vegetables, rye bread, and pickled vegetables. However, her appetite disappeared the moment she saw the meat in the clear soup, which reminded her of the rabbits in Isaac¡¯s room. ¡°It smells gamey. Did they not drain the blood properly? Edina, who came to the dining hall with Dahlia, tasted the stew and frowned. Unlike her grumbling words, Edina hurriedly moved her spoon to empty the stew. Dahlia, who was hesitant, followed Edina and took a mouthful of the stew. On the contrary to her concerns, the stew was quite tasty. Edina propped her chin as she smiled at Dahlia actively putting the stew into her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s winter soon, so I¡¯ll be going on my vacation soon. Dahlia, are you going to visit your sister?¡± ¡°Vacation? What kind of vacation?¡± ¡°We have a vacation period of 15 days, from the last week of this year to the first week of the next year. You didn¡¯t know that? Dahlia, who was blinking while fumbling with her memories, exclaimed, ¡°Ah.¡± She remembered that on the day she was officially hired, Mrs. Prada did explain to her about the vacations she would get. ¡°There¡¯s two vacations a year, and one occurs during winter. Not much time¡¯s left before the last week comes.¡± ¡°Okay. If you¡¯re buying a train ticket, it¡¯s better to get it in advance, as tickets to the capital will be sold out soon. Shall I ask someone who¡¯s not working tomorrow to buy it?¡± ¡°No, the poverty center is not near the capital, so it¡¯ll be okay. Edina, are you going back to your hometown? Edina smiled broadly and nodded. Edina smiled broadly and nodded her head. Edina was excited at the thought of returning to her hometown, which is a small town near the capital, hummed as she put bread into her mouth. Dahlia also felt excited. In most of the estates, vacations were a welfare that only senior maids or ladies-in-waiting could enjoy. So when Mrs. Prada was explaining to her about her vacation, she was only half-listening without paying much attention. If she had known earlier, she would have listened attentively. As her eyes started to twinkle with the thoughts of how to get to the poverty center and what to buy as a gift, Dahlia realized a troublesome matter and frowned. ¡°What will the Young Master do while I am away?¡± ¡°Young Master? What Young Mas¡­That Young Master?¡± At her nod, Edina looked around and moved her head closer. ¡°Why are you worried about that? Didn¡¯t I tell you not to be close with him?¡± ¡°But how can I ignore him when I meet him every day while cleaning up? Also, the young master has a gentle personality and is a very good person. Edina, if you¡¯ve experienced it yourself¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, child. Do you want to enter the Madam¡¯s radar and receive a harsh scolding? What do your vacation plans have to do with the Young Master?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in charge of cleaning right now, as others don¡¯t like approaching the Young Master.¡± As her words became vague, Dahlia pursed her lips. In fact, cleaning was secondary. There was something else that she was more concerned about. ¡®¡­If the Little Duke harms the Young Master.¡¯ ¡®What if that happens?¡¯ The image of Max trying to hit Isaac in front of the annex a while ago, as well as the image of him tossing the carcass of dead rabbits and scoffing at him today, overlapped and cast a deep shadow in her heart. Good premonitions are rare, but bad premonitions, strangely, come true. It¡¯s always been like that. Be it the day her father and mother died, or the day her sister had seizures, an ominous feeling surged up on the back of her neck. Even now, while she was thinking about the vacation plans and recalling Isaac, the same feeling appeared on her neck. Although she comforted herself by thinking that she was overreacting, she couldn¡¯t help but feel uncomfortable. She had a feeling that something bad was about to happen, so much so that she couldn¡¯t concentrate on her work all day. Dahlia pondered whether she should be happy about her vacation or not, racking her brains on how to let Isaac know she was leaving the mansion. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ But, to her dismay, a few days later, Isaac brought up her time off first. ¡°It¡¯s December next week, right? The time left before the new year arrives isn¡¯t much¡­ Has Dahlia made any vacation plans?¡± Shuffle The sound of paper rustling cut through his low voice that rang out. Dahlia stood stiffly, twisting the rag in her hands. ¡°You knew I was going on a vacation?¡± ¡°It happens yearly, so of course I¡¯d know about it. So, where are you going?¡± He stared at the small book and pulled the corners of his lips slightly. At that moment, the wind blowing through the open window brushed past the black hair that was covering his forehead. As she faced the smile that light spreaded over his uncovered pale face, her lips twitched involuntarily. Dahlia swallowed her embarrassment as she touched the corner of her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m leaving in the last week of the year, and after spending the end of the year, I¡¯ll be back by the following week. Everyone says they¡¯re going back to their hometowns, but I have nowhere to go except for the poverty center, so I¡¯m going to meet my younger sister.¡± ¡°Where is the poverty center?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Cerecopalts Poverty Centre.¡± It was a distant city that could be reached by train from Helman, where the Duchy is located, to Cerecopalts. Isaac stared at the edge of the book with his squinted eyes and let out a small whisper like a self-talk. ¡°Cerecopalts¡­ it¡¯s far away.¡± ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Chapter 12 ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ ¡°Young Master? What did you say?¡± Dahlia tilted her head slightly with a puzzled expression on her face. Isaac shook his head softly saying it was nothing. ¡°You¡¯ve said that your sister¡¯s at the poverty center. How long has it been since you¡¯ve last met her?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t seen her since I entered the residence of Baroness McFon¡­so it¡¯s been over a year.¡± The day that she left the poverty center all by herself. Both waved their arms in farewell incessantly until each other¡¯s silhouettes became tiny dots. At that time, she held back her tears, as she thought they would be able to meet again soon. Even the crybaby Laurel smiled brightly on that day, pretending to be mature. Dahlia knew that it was that child¡¯s consideration for her. Although it has been a year, her heart still ached. But, the thought that she¡¯ll see Laurel soon diluted her sadness. Dahlia continued to speak cheerfully, as she fiddled with the window latch. ¡°She kept boasting that she had grown taller, and each letter only talked about her height. I¡¯m short so I thought Laurel would be the same¡­ I am looking forward to seeing how much she has grown. If we meet, we¡¯ll chatter about it all day, and I don¡¯t know if we¡¯ll be able to sleep on time.¡± ¡°You must be very happy to meet her after a long time. Dahlia, you¡¯ve been smiling for a while now.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ is that so?¡± ¡®It¡¯s embarrassing that it¡¯s so obvious when I¡¯m in a good mood,¡¯ Dahlia smiled awkwardly while rubbing her cheeks. An untainted, brilliant smile that shone brighter in the afternoon sun. ¡°Dahlia. Reach out your hand.¡± Isaac, who was staring at her quietly, took something from his inner chest pocket and handed it to Dahlia. Dahlia, who had taken the object from him without much thought, realized that there was a sparking gold coin in her palm and widened her eyes. It was a gold coin. It was a large amount of money, amounting to the salary she would receive after working for ten months. Before Dahlia asked what this was, Isaac laid his hand under hers and folded her hand into a round fist. ¡°It¡¯s vacation pay. Have a nice vacation, and if you have some money left, could you get me a book? I¡¯ve almost finished with the books in the mansion, so there¡¯s nothing worth reading.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s still too much money, Young Master. How many books can I buy with this amount of money?¡± ¡°In any case, I would only be staying in the mansion, so I have no use for it. After your vacation, tell me about what you ate, and what you bought.¡± ¡°Nowadays, listening to your stories amuses me. Take it for my benefit, okay?¡± Through his soft smile, bitterness was evident at being unable to leave the mansion. As if he was trying to get rid of her hesitation, Isaac gripped her hand tightly again. ¡°If it¡¯s really alright¡­ I¡¯ll accept it with gratitude for the time being.¡± After hesitating for a while, Dahlia could not refuse, and took the gold coin carefully. She was reluctant because it was too much money, but the fact that she didn¡¯t have any extra money made even the train ticket a big burden, so at the unexpected gain, she was very happy. The guilt of leaving the Young Master behind, all alone, still haunted her, but upon deeper consideration, staying with him wouldn¡¯t make it any better. Even if something happened, what can a maid such as herself do? No, offering to help would have been very disrespectful towards Isaac. And it can¡¯t be¡­ What could happen? ¡®Dahlia, it will be fine¡¯, she brainwashed herself as she fiddled with the innocent gold coin. The sound of gold coins and random items colliding against each other in her pocket, akin to the sound of the pieces of her shattered conscience rubbing against each other. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Farmers flocked to the wheat fields one after another after the autumn harvest. Old scarecrows that had fulfilled their roles were on fire everywhere, and young innocent children ran through the fields, shouting. With the end of Sabbath, which marks the end of the year, December came, and the time for vacation finally began. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s appearing slowly.¡± Dahlia, who was lying on a straw pile, sat up. Flattened straw scattered under the rattling carriage. After a journey of eight hours by train and twenty minutes by carriage, the brown roof of the poverty center could be seen in the distance. The protruding dark gray chimney had white bricks sparsely inserted within, seemingly repaired not too long ago. It was a long journey, but she wasn¡¯t tired. She sent a telegram before she departed, but will Laurel be there to pick her up? After thanking the farmer for the ride, she jumped out of the wagon. Within the suitcase she was carrying, candy and stuffed animals for the children rattled. As she drew closer, the old signboard that read ¡®Turan Refugee Center¡¯ increased in size. Similarly, the small dot crouching underneath the sign grew. When the distance lessened to the point where faces could be recognised, the girl who was piling up on the stones under the sign jumped up and ran towards Dahlia. ¡°Sister!¡± The strength that was used to hug her waist was stronger than it was in the past. Dahlia looked down at the child who was exhaling wildly. The girl that ran over with her dark brown hair fluttering, was taller and skinnier than the last time she had seen her. While she was trying to control her trembling voice, Dahlia ran a hand through the girl¡¯s short hair gently. ¡°Laurel, didn¡¯t your sister say that you shouldn¡¯t run? What will happen if your cough worsens?¡± ¡°How could you only arrive now? I have been waiting ever since morning, when your telegram arrived!¡± Laurel nagged at her sister in between heavy breaths. Dahlia hugged her sister tightly as if she was responding to Laurel. ¡°You lied to me, saying that you¡¯ll run all the way here from Helman! Everyone knows that you came by train!¡± and burst out laughing. The two sisters slowly walked towards the poverty center while exchanging jokes on Laurel¡¯s dissatisfaction. Laurel, whom she has not seen in a long time, has grown so much that it was unbelievable that she was only eight years old. Although she was worried that she might be sick as she was skinny, Laurel ate well, smiled happily, and ran vigorously. After greeting the children and the director, it was already late in the evening. Dahlia went up to the attic with Laurel, and opened her bag, and brought out the candy, dolls, and wooden toys she had bought. ¡°Play with toys and share sweets with the other children. This is the lemon candy that Laurel likes, right? Your sister bought it at the station.¡± ¡°This candy is expensive. Sister, didn¡¯t you spend too much money? You must have spent a lot of money to be able to buy all of this.¡± The quick-witted Laurel looked at the candy worriedly. Dahlia shook her head and answered with a bright face. ¡°I told you, your sister is serving the Young Master at the mansion, didn¡¯t I? After hearing that I was going on vacation, he gave me some pocket money. I bought those with that money.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course. Would your sister lie about something like this?¡± Although she smiled as she spoke, she didn¡¯t use the money Isaac gave her. How could she use that huge amount of money to buy such trivial things? As such, Dahlia used almost all the emergency funds she had saved. Even so, at the sight of Laurel¡¯s smiling face, Dahlia thought it didn¡¯t matter. Dahlia unwrapped the candy and shoved it into Laurel¡¯s mouth. ¡°You will be surprised to learn how nice the Young Master is. Normally, people of higher stature wouldn¡¯t bother talking to people like us.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But Young Master seemed to enjoy listening to your sister. He asked to drink tea together, didn¡¯t ask me to do anything laborious, and specially set aside a snack for your sister to eat every day.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes! How can he speak so gently¡­ I was so surprised by his beautiful looks. The Young Lady was also very pretty, but I find that the Young Master is prettier. His eyes are so big, and have long eyebrows¡­¡± ¡°I know! You wrote about it often in letters. But he¡¯s a man, how pretty can he be?¡± ¡°No! Laurel, you¡¯d be surprised if you saw him in person!¡± With a blushing face, Dahlia began to explain in detail about how those black eyes were like a deer¡¯s, and how his bluish hair swayed softly as it fluttered in the wind. Laurel looked at her sister with sleepy eyes, before pulling up her blanket and letting out a deep sigh. ¡°Sister. Do you like him?¡± Dahlia tilted her head as if she thought Laurel was talking about something else, but later realized what she meant and squeaked. ¡°This kid! What are you talking about? How can a person like me, to the Young Master¡­ I only meant that he¡¯s a pretty and nice person.¡± ¡°So what if you like him? My sister is pretty and talented, so even the noblemen would take a fancy to her, right?¡± ¡°¡­What, no!¡± ¡°Why not? Sister Jenny, who worked at a candy store, also became the bride of a Viscounty¡¯s young master. My older sister is much prettier than Sister Jenny, so I¡¯m sure the Young Master will like you too.¡± At the name of Jenny, Dahlia¡¯s face hardened. Unlike the buoyant Laurel, Dahlia bowed her head with a frown on her face. Jenny was older than Dahlia by two years, and also came from the same Turan poverty center. Every time the Belloch sisters passed by the candy store, Jenny would sneakily exit from the back door and give them candy. Rumours spread about how Jenny fell in love with a young master from a Viscounty and rose in status as his bride, through word of mouth amongst girls dreaming of love. However, the truth that Dahlia heard from the lady from the candy store was not as beautiful as those rumors. ¡°¡­That won¡¯t happen, so let¡¯s stop talking about it. It¡¯s too late, shall we go to bed now? I¡¯m sleepy.¡± Dahlia quickly removed the gifts from the bed, turned off the lamp and laid in bed. Laurel, who was complaining about having to sleep so early, fell asleep in an instant, not knowing the extent of her tiredness. While hugging Laurel¡¯s small wriggling body tightly, Dahlia placed her one over her little sister. Although she did feel exhausted due to the long journey, her head cleared up when Jenny¡¯s story came up in conversation. Dahlia frowned as she looked out of the window at the obscured moon. ¡®How is Jenny living right now?¡¯ ¡°What do you mean being the bride of a young master from a Viscounty¡­¡± Jenny, who disappeared with a bulging belly, apparently gave birth to a child in the slums west of Cerecopaltz. Although there wasn¡¯t any news of her since she disappeared after crossing the border¡­ The last postcard that was sent to Dahlia was stamped with the postmark of Anksi, a small city near the border. Amongst the sensible girls, there was none that didn¡¯t know of Anksi. Poor children that roamed the streets like Dahlia, couldn¡¯t have not known about it. Anksi is a brothel located in the lawless zone between the Republic and the Kingdom. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Chapter 13 ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Jenny, with her shy and quiet personality, was a pr*stitute. It didn¡¯t feel real, then and even now. However, it wasn¡¯t a wild leap. Illegitimate children fathered by aristocrats are always abandoned in that way so that their flaws are covered. It was impossible to become a nobleman¡¯s wife, but they weren¡¯t lacking in mistresses. This happened, not only Jenny, but also Angela and Milena. A talentless young woman without anyone to depend on. Moreover, there are very few places that view a woman with children favourably. It was an unavoidable path for a homeless woman to go to a brothel, bringing along their children. At that thought, Dahlia could not help but fly into a rage. ¡°Just because they¡¯re orphans, you can treat them as you wish?¡± Orphaned young women were the perfect playthings for fiendish men. Having a child doesn¡¯t automatically make you a family, and even if you did get married together, there isn¡¯t a need to pay for a bride price as you don¡¯t have a family. Above all, those with naive personalities are perfect to play with. Dahlia wasn¡¯t unfamiliar with the gazes and hands filled with evil intentions. One of the reasons for leaving Cerecopalts was also due to weariness of the gazes of such men. ¡­However, the Young Master is different. As an illegitimate child, the Young Master would fully understand the sorrow of children born to such women. Therefore, he wouldn¡¯t flirt with naive women, and result in an illegitimate child. Of course, she wasn¡¯t fully certain. There¡¯s no point in guessing how he would be unless she could dig into his thoughts. However, the Young Master that Dahlia has observed so far, was a level headed person that was more sincere and elegant than anyone else, even if he was an illegitimate child. He was totally different from the b*****d that played with Jenny¡¯s heart. She recalled his long, straight fingers tapping the chessboard. On his face that only showed hazy emotions? An occasional smile passes like a spring breeze. Thinking back at his low and feeble voice that had just finished changing due to puberty. The Young Master of her imagination bloomed like a flower in her mind, which was in turmoil due to the memories of Jenny. The corners of Dahlia¡¯s lips naturally turned upwards as she closed her eyes. ¡®Is the Young Master sleeping too?¡¯ Her distracting thoughts disappeared, while the Young Master¡¯s laughter steadily lingered in her ears. It has only been a day, but she missed his laughter. She couldn¡¯t figure out why she was like this. A feeling of drowsiness began to encircle around her body. After painstakingly erasing the master from her mind, Dahlia slowly fell into deep slumber while thinking about what kind of book she should get. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ The vacation felt short even though it was half a month long. Dahlia, who spent her days dazedly while surrounded by children, was heavily disillusioned with the word ¡®vacation¡¯, as she boarded the early morning train with an exhausted body. When she arrived at the Duchy, it was just past noon. After notifying the head maid of her return, Dahlia was considering whether to return to the dormitory or to deliver the book to the Young Master, but ended up choosing the latter. She had spent almost all the money she had brought, so she had no choice but to buy a used book instead of a new one. The gold coins that Isaac had given her were with her, as she had no intention of spending it at all. Dahlia glanced at the book in hand and calmed her pounding heart. Although it¡¯s old and worn out¡­ It¡¯s a book she had chosen after much consideration. If it was the Young Master, he wouldn¡¯t be disappointed. She kept murmuring that to herself, as she walked hastily towards the Left Wing where he stayed at. Her mood, full of expectation at his reaction, plummeted instantly the moment she met Isaac. Thoughts on books and the gold coin were forgotten as Dahlia let out a startled cry. ¡°Young Master! What happened to your face¡­!¡± A wound she has never seen before engulfed Isaac¡¯s face. A large bandage was attached to his white, smooth cheeks. What were the patches of bruises at the ends of his eyebrows? As she grabbed him with a face of shock, Isaac raised his eyebrows and gave her a troubled smile. ¡°I fell while organizing the chess table. I bumped into a corner of the table and got a little hurt.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness¡­ how bad was the injury that you¡¯ve even placed such a large bandage over it! Let me look at it!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. The bandage was only a precautionary measure. Don¡¯t worry about it, it¡¯s really alright.¡± Although his cheeks were clearly swollen, Isaac refused her request to look at the bruises with a firm tone. Isaac disregarded her displeased expression, Isaac repeatedly said it was okay, and naturally changed the topic. ¡°How was your vacation? Did it go well?¡± Dahlia nodded reluctantly as she looked at the wounded area uneasily. If he insisted on changing the topic, he must have wanted to hide his pain. Dahlia¡¯s feelings were written all over her face, so while she was trying to appease her bitterness, she abided by Isaac¡¯s intentions. ¡°Yes. My vacation was normal. The poverty center is the same as it has always been.¡± ¡°What about your sister? You¡¯ve said before that the condition of her body wasn¡¯t good, is she still sick?¡± ¡°She seems to be quite healthy without many problems. As she wrote in her letters, she suddenly grew so tall. I was surprised at that.¡± ¡°They say kids grow faster in the time when they¡¯re apart.¡± He dragged the ending ¡®Hmm¡± of his soft voice. Isaac, who had been fiddling with his fingers, glanced at Dahlia with twinkling eyes. ¡°What about me? Do you think I¡¯ve grown a little taller?¡± A mischievous smile that was incongruous with his usual character spread over his wounded face. Seeing his lively expression made Dahlia burst out laughing involuntarily. ¡°Young Master. It¡¯s only been half a month since I¡¯ve left for vacation. Even if the Young Master grows up quickly, how would there be visible changes in half a month¡ª¡± Isaac got up from his seat by the window and stood in front of her. Dahlia looked at him up and down with astonished eyes. A fortnight ago, their eye levels seemed to be the same, but now, she had to look upwards slightly to meet his eyes. He had really grown taller. ¡°Really¡­ you¡¯ve grown taller. Wow¡­ how did you grow so tall within a fortnight?¡± ¡°I heard that I¡¯m taller than my peers, but I wanted to be taller than Dahlia. I¡¯m glad that will happen quickly.¡± Isaac patted the bandage on his cheek and muttered to himself in a light tone. At his playful tone of voice, Dahlia asked about something she was unsure of. ¡°Young Master. How old are you?¡± ¡°How old do I look?¡± ¡°Please stop joking around.¡± ¡°In any case, I¡¯m not ten.¡± Dahlia pouted in response to his playful tone, and sullenly prodded for an answer. Isaac pulled on Dahlia¡¯s wrist and left the room, replying softly in a voice filled with laughter. ¡°Fourteen. Now that the year has passed, I¡¯ll be fifteen.¡± Dahlia¡¯s large eyes, rounded until they could no longer grow. When Dahlia asked if that was true, Isaac gave a shrug of his shoulders as a response. When Dahlia realized that the Young Master, who had the air of a mature adult, was younger than her, she could not continue speaking and stared at Isaac with her eyes widened. Just like that, when they reached the first floor of the Left Wing, Isaac, who felt the presence of other servants, released Dahlia¡¯s wrist and glanced at the main building. ¡°You¡¯re still on vacation till the end of today, right? Please do not work and just rest at the dormitories. And from now on, come to the annex instead of the Left Wing.¡± ¡°Are you going back?¡± ¡°Yes. Actually¡­ I¡¯ve returned to the annex since the day before yesterday. So, you don¡¯t have to come and clean anymore.¡± From the way his hands were clasped behind his back and the way he avoided her gaze, shyness was evident from his entire figure. She wondered why had he remained in the Left Wing when he had already returned back to the annex, but Dahlia could make a guess from Isaac¡¯s attitude. Could it be that he was waiting to say this to her? Did he keep waiting in that room, so that she wouldn¡¯t make a trip in vain? Isaac gently caressed Dahlia¡¯s back as if to cut off his loneliness. ¡°See you next time,¡± Dahlia was jolted into reality from her musings at his calm voice, and turned. Then, she suddenly remembered the fact that she had yet to pass to him what she had brought. Dahlia carefully held out the book she was holding. ¡°Excuse me, this is¡­ a gift for the Young Master. You mentioned that you¡¯d like it if I could buy you a book. It¡¯s¡­It¡¯s old, but it¡¯s clean on the inside. I chose it as it¡¯s quite an interesting novel.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t bear to spend the money the Young Master had given. It¡¯s¡­ too precious, so I bought an old book. If you don¡¯t like it¡­¡± ¡°No, no.¡± Isaac, who was staring at the book, hugged the book as if it was something precious. The bandaged cheek moved upwards slightly, and a bright smile appeared on his usually flat mouth. ¡°Thanks. I will read it well.¡± It was a very clean book, other than the corners that were rounded due to wear. When he said it was a book he had wanted to read, and that he was really happy, Dahlia gave an embarrassed smile and left after bidding him farewell. At the sight of her hurriedly disappearing form, Isaac squeezed the book in his arms harder. Disproportionate to her slowly disappearing silhouette, the pounding of his heart gradually became louder and reached his eardrums. He pressed the book against his chest at the heartbeat that was unlike himself. Faint sunlight shone upon the corridor she disappeared through, and the traces of dust that floated mid-air glimmered. ¡°A gift¡­¡± It was the first gift he ever received. In his mind, which separated only what he needed from what he didn¡¯t, there was no concept of gifts. After his arrival at the estate, he could purchase anything he needed, but it was the first time someone had given him something selflessly. ¡°If you have some money left, could you get me a book? I¡¯ve almost finished with the books in the mansion, so there¡¯s nothing worth reading.¡± From his understanding of Dahlia¡¯s personality, if he gave her money without asking for anything, she wouldn¡¯t accept it. So, he just said that as an excuse. ¡­It can¡¯t be because she still remembered his request for a book. The fingers that were caressing the cover of the book swept down the rounded edges and the back of the book. His half closed eyelids went down completely and then lifted up very slowly. Under the jet-black eyelashes, and in pupils even darker than that was filled with a mysterious brilliance. After leaving the main building, Isaac walked through the courtyard leisurely across the garden. His melancholy, that had been accumulating during the fortnight Dahlia wasn¡¯t here, disappeared in an instant because of the book in his hand. A faint smile appeared on his face, which had always been blank. However, his joyous mood didn¡¯t last long. It was because there were people he never wanted to meet in front of the arch that connected the garden to the forest. ¡°I heard that you¡¯ve returned to the annex, but why did you come out from the main building again? Didn¡¯t I warn you not to show up in front of me?¡± A high-pitched voice and a look of dissatisfaction. This was the Duchess¡¯s attitude towards Isaac. The Duchess, dressed in a sable coat and a small parasol in hand, was probably on a walk. Karla, who was standing next to her, tactfully dismissed the ladies-in-waiting, and began to appease the Duchess in a low voice. ¡°He must have left something behind. Look, Mother. Isn¡¯t he holding a book?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to let your maids run your petty errands? But why are you here?¡± ¡°What can they do if the maids find it hard to be around Isaac? I¡¯ll bring this to Mrs. Prada¡¯s attention, so Mother should be understanding.¡± Upon hearing that the servants hate Isaac, the wrinkles on the Duchess¡¯s forehead became slightly straightened. However, there was no sign of the resentment within her eyes extinguishing. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Chapter 14 ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ ¡°What if you run into the vassals? Seriously, how embarrassing¡­!¡± The Duchess stared at him with a frown for quite a while, before clicking her tongue and turning towards the other side of the garden. Her handmaidens, who had retreated a distance away, glanced at Karla and Isaac as they followed after the Duchess. Isaac, who had endured the situation silently, only started moving to leave after the clear sound of their footsteps were completely gone. The moment he set his foot on the forest path past the arch, Karla, who had been standing in the distance, followed him. In the forest where the migratory birds had left, there was only the rustling sound of leaves and the sound of the wind. When they reached the connecting fence towards the annex, Isaac stopped and turned to Karla. ¡°Do you have any business?¡± ¡°Not exactly?¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t follow me.¡± As if she was ridiculing his calm tone, Karla raised her voice and asked. ¡°Was that Max?¡± She pulled up the corners of her lips as she pointed her chin to his injured cheek. Her hand holding the cape looked elegant. She was curious about it, so she followed him. Issac touched his face sluggishly, before opening his mouth with a wry smile. ¡°If you are following me because you want to hit me too, I¡¯ll let you hit me as much as you want. So, can you hit me quickly and get out of my sight?¡± ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t have the intention to hit you.¡± ¡°Then, just beat it.¡± It was a drastic remark that did not go well with that slightly smiling face. Karla let out a sigh and got to the point. ¡°Why did you have to provoke Max? There¡¯s no benefit to making him angry.¡± ¡°I think you are misunderstanding, so let me clear it up in advance. The person that started the argument first was Max. I¡¯m not sure of the details, but apparently my opinion had been adopted at the vassal¡¯s meeting, so he rushed in excitedly.¡± A few days ago, the new railroad track came up in conversation while he was playing chess with the Duke. Issac suggested to the Duke, who was worried about the cost of laying down new railroad tracks, that rather than laying the tracks for a roundabout route, it would be more reasonable to lay tracks through a tunnel. After elaborating with some examples and structures, the Duke¡¯s eyes lit up and cleared his chessboard. That was it. He was just chattering without thinking because he was tired of the Duke¡¯s poor chess skills. But Isaac didn¡¯t expect his word to have such an effect. ¡®I¡¯ve told you a few times to know your place. What are you doing, showing off to the vassals? Do you want to get rid of the illegitimate child label? You unlucky b*****d¡­!¡¯ Max must have barely been able to participate in this vassal meeting for the first time as the Little Duke. Naturally, Max would be frustrated if his words were taken half-heartedly but Isaac¡¯s opinion was agreed upon by the vassals. Even so, it wasn¡¯t acceptable for him to barge in in the middle of the night and slap him on the cheek. Karla snorted as she watched him touch the bandage while choosing his words. ¡°I¡¯m not talking about that. What did you say to Max afterwards?¡± ¡°Did you threaten him by talking about Maya Oubrick again?¡± The blue lace of her sleeves swayed in the breeze. With an expression colder than that breeze, Karla took a step closer to Isaac. ¡°Is that the only weapon you have against Max? Don¡¯t you know he¡¯ll fly into a fit whenever that topic is mentioned about?¡± In this spacious mansion, there was only Karla that could soothe Max, who was a mess that even their parents had washed their hands off on. There weren¡¯t many empty words that could comfort her foolish twin brother, but she wasn¡¯t only burdened by her brother. Her hysterical mother, her indifferent father, and even her own future of a marriage that was akin to being sold, all of it was frustrating to her. ¡°I implore you, please don¡¯t push Max like that. You can escape with just a fist to your jaw, but I¡¯m the one that has to handle the aftermath.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that none of my business?¡± Isaac responded without much care, and looked towards the ground. The image of scattered leaves on the well-maintained dirt road seemed to reflect his disorderly mental state. It¡¯s always been like this. This attitude of constantly protecting their own interests while pushing all the blame to Issac. Although his half-sister had a neutral stance, she was no different from other members of the Ducal family by passing the blame to him during crucial moments. Even now, instead of worrying about him after seeing his swollen cheek, she¡¯s busy blaming him ¡­In this mansion, there was only one person who truly cared for him. Issac turned his gaze to the book he was holding, and let out a sigh. There was no time for him to engage in a verbal spar. He wanted to quickly return to the annex and read the book that Dahlia gave him. ¡°It has nothing to do with me, so stop talking nonsense and go, Karla.¡± He held the book that had faded yellow due to the sun tightly in his arms. As he turned around while ignoring her, Karla grabbed Isaac¡¯s wrist. ¡°No. You¡¯re involved in this too. If you make things difficult for me, that girl will be in trouble too.¡± ¡°That girl?¡± ¡°That girl. Dahlia Beroch.¡± ¡°¡­Dahlia¡­?¡± ¡°The maid who goes to and from your room everyday. The girl that you treasure.¡± As soon as a familiar name that did not fit in this miserable situation touched his ears, Isaac lifted his eyes slowly while clenching his jaw. Isaac had originally looked at Karla with an expressionless face, but now, rather than saying Karla¡¯s face was that of a person¡¯s, it felt like he was looking at an inorganic matter. He stared straight at Karla with a blank face, his pupils dilated. In the absence of emotion on his face, unexplained dark emotions swirled in the black pupil. ¡°Karla.¡± A low voice pierced her eardrums. At the same time, an alarm blared in Karla¡¯s head. Realising she had crossed the line, Karla licked her dry lips to moisten them, and moved her mouth. A calm voice flowed into her ear in the place of the sound of the wind blowing past. ¡°You¡¯re not a stupid b*tch. Are you, Karla?¡± Emotions could not be discerned from both his whispered voice and his face. Isaac called his sister, who was six years older than him, a b*tch composedly as he gently pried Karla¡¯s fingers that were holding on to his wrist. ¡°You are aware of what I can do if I am really angered. You are well aware of how I adapted to the clumsy rhythms of your family, and the reason why you insisted I should take on the role of an illegitimate child.¡± ¡°I¨C I¡¯m.¡± ¡°Karla. You¡¯re not that foolish, are you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay to bully me. But don¡¯t try to control me. You aren¡¯t Rene.¡± A barely audible whisper, floated in the air and scattered in the wind. Karla nodded her head slowly, barely exhaling the breath that she had been holding back. She wasn¡¯t Rene. She wasn¡¯t Isaac¡¯s mother, who died miserably in an extremely shabby brothel. She was only a witness to that incident, not a fallen body on the floor. Her trembling body shook as she nodded her head with difficulty. Even a cape made of fox fur couldn¡¯t prevent Karla from shaking. Warmth spread over Isaac¡¯s expectant face. Isaac released his wrist while giving a bleak smile, before taking a step back. ¡°I¡¯ll take into account your advice. I won¡¯t see you off, so be careful on your way back.¡± Isaac gave his sister a sorrowful glance, but headed towards the annex without hesitation. As he left, a calm and reasonable atmosphere followed behind him. As she looked at his silently retreating silhouette, Karla trembled before gazing at the annex with piercing eyes. She then hurriedly turned her back and left the forest. Only then did warmth begin to flow through her body. ¡°¡­Freak.¡± Why did something like that come into this house? The flowing water-like whisper was drowned out by the rustling of branches and disappeared instantly. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Covered by the veil of nightfall, the mansion was silent as always. It was only disturbed by the sound of the burning wood, the only sign of life in the stillness. Seated on her sofa, Karla fiddled with the lace at the end of her sleeves habitually. Within her blue eyes, a mysterious glimmer could be seen reflected other than the dying embers. Karla, who had been quietly staring at the fireplace, slowly got up to her feet and rang the bell. ¡°Did you call me, Young Lady?¡± ¡°Whiskey. Very light.¡± As the maid left even quieter than when she entered, silence returned. Karla crossed her legs and gazed into the embers in languid eyes. Within the burning red embers, the shadows of the past replayed, and the fireplace in the old brothel where she had first met Isaac five years ago were reflected into Karla¡¯s pupils. Five years ago¡­ What was it like back then? When the Duchess learned that there was a half-sibling to her children, she fainted and Max left the house. But Karla felt ecstatic. She was so happy, to the point that she couldn¡¯t fall asleep, at the fact that there finally was someone who was more unfortunate than her in this house. Ducal Princess Eufgenschult. Other than Karla herself, there wasn¡¯t no one else that knew just how ugly and dark it was behind the glamorous name that most would envy. Her pretentious father, who made decisions based on the family¡¯s best interests out of love or something else. Her mother, who was intoxicated with the status of Duchess, killed those that offended her without hesitation, as well as her brother that inherited the very same nature from her mother. As the price of being able to live an enviable life of luxury, the flaws of her family members were too great. While she tried to accustom herself to it for the sake of family, the sense of alienation only increased as she got older. Living normally in the midst of crazy people was like training yourself endlessly. Even if you¡¯ve undergone that kind of training, the future that awaits was being sold to another foolish family that was gunning to become the next Eufgenschult. Karla¡¯s pessimistic personality so as there wasn¡¯t any other alternative. She was in an inevitably unfortunate situation. But, she actually had an ¡®illegitimate brother¡¯. Isn¡¯t that term itself referring to someone that, predictably, would have a hard life? ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Chapter 15 ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ To meet someone who is more unfortunate than you in your unfortunate life¡­ Although she hasn¡¯t even met him yet, Karla decided that she would love her youngest brother. While sympathizing and pitying her younger brother, within her heart she anticipated the experience of being superior to him. She wanted to meet her brother as soon as possible. That¡¯s why she persuaded her father and personally went to bring her brother back. As such, her carriage headed towards Anksi, a notorious brothel in the lawless zone. ¡°¡­Hah, really. There¡¯s a degree to how stupid you can be.¡± A self-deprecating laugh slipped out at the thought of her foolishness. If only she had stopped then. If only she hadn¡¯t gone to meet him in person. Then, she wouldn¡¯t have known that Isaac was a lunatic. Her eyes burned slightly from not blinking for a while, and through the dry surface, a layer of moisture began to form. Karla gently pressed on her eyes to reduce her fatigue. When her eyes reopened again, they were red and swollen. ¡®Anksi¡­¡¯ The Anksi that she had arrived in was a city far more dangerous than she had expected. Drug dealers were like children selling flowers, casually shoving the goods around by the roadside, while all the vagrants gathered together to share warmth. Within an old shack that was decorated with colourful ribbons, naked women were leaning against the window, giving passers-by ardent gazes. At the end of the filthy city, past all the other houses, a wooden shack smaller and filthier than the others appeared. After a long moment of hesitation, Karla ordered her escorts to open the door with a sceptical mindset. When her escorts opened the door, a disgusting stench stung her nose, making her nauseous. The fishy smell that appeared out of the gap was familiar to Karla. Karla, who raised her hand to stop the escorts unwittingly, entered the house as if she was possessed. With every step, an unpleasant creaking and squeaking could be heard. As she crossed the pitch-black living room that even moonlight did not illuminate, she relied on her sense of smell and headed towards the pungent source. When she reached the end of the hallway. ¡°Who¡­ who, who¡¯s¡­ who¡¯s there?¡± A child¡¯s voice came through the crack in the door. His weeping voice was filled with vigilance. Karla exhaled a long breath that she had been holding back, before she opened the door smoothly. Although she expected that something bad had happened when she entered the house and detected the scent of blood, the situation she saw with her own eyes was worse than she had imagined. She faced a bloody corpse lying on the floor and a red-haired boy shivering beside her. Whether it was fortunate or not, Karla, who was accustomed to the absurdities of her family, quickly snapped out of her daze. Even so, Karla had to force herself to enter the room. ¡°Are you Isaac?¡± She asked the child while looking around helplessly. The child, who was startled by the word ¡®Isaac¡¯, shook his head as tears streamed down his pale face. ¡°I¡¯m not. I, I¡¯m¡­ Isaac¡¯s¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯m Isaac.¡± With a calm voice, something small crouched in the corner shuddered and straightened. His slender limbs and expressionless pale face gradually appeared in her eyes. Jet-black hair with even darker eyes that are sharply raised, resembles her father, Duke Eufgenschult. The child, who walked out from the darkness, was completely drenched in blood, as if he had tangled with the corpse. Isaac, who looked at the corpse lying on the floor and the crying child with an indifferent face, glanced towards Karla again, and stood in front of the crying child to block her view while gripping on to the knife in his hand tightly. ¡°Who are you? Who are you, pretending to be familiar with me?¡± Differing from the shallow voice that spoke his name, a voice that was too heavy and raspy for a child cut through the humid air and spread with an aura of danger. ¡°The only person I knew was Rene¡­ Are you related to Rene?¡± His dim eyes had a ghastly light to them. The tip of his knife shone with a sharp gleam towards Karla. The monster bared his fangs, making an ambiguous sound that was unclear if it was a laugh or a cry. ¡°I¨C I am your older sister! Karla, I¡¯m Karla Eufgenschult!¡± ¡°¡­Sister?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to bring you back! I came, in the place of my father, to bring you back!¡± At that time, if Karla had revealed her identity one second later¡­ She could have shared the fate of the corpse on the floor. His eyes filled with killing intent looking back at hers. That atmosphere. Everytime she recalled that very moment, shivers travelled down her spine. At that moment, it didn¡¯t matter that the corpse was Isaac¡¯s mother Rene, or that Isaac was holding a knife. That day, Karla saw the real face of a monster. In the face of a real monster, the whys aren¡¯t important. This is because she knew that the moment she brought up the question, she would be gobbled up by that monster. To preserve her life, it was best to follow the will of that monster, and as such, Karla quietly disposed of the body and brought Isaac back to the mansion. Just like that, everything was buried in darkness. That¡¯s right. It had been so long that even she had forgotten about the darkness. The pitiful figure of Isaac, subjected to the whims of the Duchess and beaten by Max, was only an exterior that hides his innate character. The real Isaac¡­ What the real face of Isaac looked like¡­ ¡°Young Lady, may I enter?¡± A cheerful voice awakened Karla from her thoughts. When she gave the maid permission to enter after calming her surprised heart, a familiar maid stood in front of Karla with a tray in hand. ¡­It wasn¡¯t good timing. This child came just as she was thinking about Isaac. The accumulated anger and hatred towards Isaac changed course, aiming at the maid in front of her. But it was ironic that just as she was about to burst in anger, the tense atmosphere relaxed and she sighed. Karla fiddled with her sleeve and spoke to her in a tight voice. ¡°I asked for light. Did you do as I had asked?¡± The hand that was putting down the glass paused. The maid answered shyly with a ¡°Yes¡±, and then put the bucket filled with ice and the glass down. The brown hair in a high ponytail fluttered lightly with every move. Above her white collar, the even paler nape of her neck, was shined upon by the candlelight and gave a dazzling yellow glow. Karla was worried internally, as her pretty appearance was to Max¡¯s taste¡­ She never thought that the maid before her would steal Isaac¡¯s heart. ¡®That monster can actually like a person.¡¯ When she first realized this fact, goosebumps rose all over her body. She couldn¡¯t imagine that Isaac, who she thought would suppress the strong emotions he felt and live with a mask for his entire life, would be happy to wait for someone eagerly. Looking at how the seemingly untamable monster has found its owner, she believed she would be able to control Isaac if she used the maid as her shield. Unfortunately, Isaac seemed more inclined to reveal his true nature rather than being manipulated. ¡­Isn¡¯t there any other way? She gently shook the glass in circles. The amber liquid was glistening with a floating light. Looking down at the alcohol in hand, Karla lifted her gaze towards the maid standing next to the sofa. The maid, who had not been dismissed, fidgeted and puzzlement could be seen from her smile. ¡°Is there anything you¡¯d require, Young Lady?¡± Although she pretended to be mature, her youthful face that has yet to lose her baby fat, exuded the unique freshness of a young girl. Her green pupils, which gave off the likeness of early spring, looked at Karla with a clear light. Despite her pretty appearance, she was a child with a mysterious charm that was able to create a peaceful atmosphere naturally. Karla stared dazedly at her, pointed towards the seat opposite of hers and spoke. ¡°Dahlia. Shall we talk for a moment?¡± After hesitating for a moment, Dahlia sat down on the sofa cautiously. After Karla took a sip of alcohol, she exhaled even more relaxedly. It was time for conciliation. Karla gave a soft smile as she curved the corners of her eyes. ¡°I heard that you¡¯re pretty young. How are you coping with the mansion¡¯s housework?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Although it is still unfamiliar, I¡¯m trying my best.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. Mrs. Prada praised you for being smart and quick with your hands despite having little experience. The dress that you had chosen for me previously was highly praised, so it seems that you have a natural sense for such things.¡± ¡°¡­You praise me too much.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t overpraise. As a mistress, there is nothing more satisfying than having capable people by my side. It goes without saying that I am not uncomfortable, and I have high expectations of you.¡± Dahlia was at a loss after being showered with compliments, so she bowed deeply. It was inevitable for Dahlia to feel happy when the Young Lady that spoke to the head maid sternly with eye gestures praised herself even though she was lacking. ¡°Young Lady, I will work harder to meet your expectations.¡± At Dahlia¡¯s feelings that were easily read, the corners of Karla¡¯s lips rose. She lowered her voice and shifted the topic in a persuasive tone. ¡°Does Isaac rely on you greatly?¡± Dahlia shrugged her shoulders and examined Karla¡¯s mood. She was worried that Karla might turn unfriendly again, but there were no such signs from the graceful smile on her face. Dahlia stammered while choosing her words carefully. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I¡¯m embarrassed to tell you, but the other servants find it a little difficult to be with the Young Master. There aren¡¯t any others of the same age other than me, and our hobbies are similar¡­ So, I guess he feels comfortable around me.¡± ¡°You both share similar hobbies? What are your hobbies?¡± ¡°Reading books¡­Reading, yes. It¡¯s reading.¡± ¡°I see. Isaac likes to read books, too. There are, indeed, many similarities with you. So you¡­¡± With a smile on her face, Karla voiced her agreement, before speaking again after a brief silence. ¡°I mean Isaac. He¡¯s not that bad, is he?¡± Dahlia¡¯s eyes twinkled at the favourable remark, raising the tone of her voice. ¡°Yes. He is a very kind and nice person.¡± ¡°Yeah. Quiet and kind. I advised you to stay away from him because everyone kept hushed about him. By the way¡­ As you may know from the rumors, that kid is quite pitiful. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Dahlia nodded her head silently as she looked down at the table. Green eyes full of compassion moved back and forth between the corner of the table and the floor. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ *** Chapter 16 ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ While staring at Dahlia calmly, Karla¡¯s lips twitched due to an unfamiliar happiness. As a young and innocent maid, she wouldn¡¯t be able to grasp the meaning of her words. Karla took a sip of alcohol and slowly opened her mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll believe me when I say that I don¡¯t hate Isaac. If that kid likes you, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything wrong with being friendly with each other. It¡¯s really pitiful to not have any friends in this spacious mansion¡­ Of course, you have to be careful to not get caught by Mother or Max, but personally, I want to cheer on you both.¡± Karla got up from her seat and took something from above the fireplace. It was the relief sculpture of a wolf, the family¡¯s emblem, on a white plaque. Karla spoke in a gentle tone as she reached out for Dahlia¡¯s stiff hand and closed her fingers around the plaque. ¡°It¡¯s a gift. Please take good care of Isaac from now on.¡± After finishing her words, Karla gently wrapped her arms around Dahlia¡¯s shoulder and dismissed her. The glass in her hand made a sloshing sound of ice melting. Looking at the plaque with surprise, Dahlia stood up from her seat unsteadily. Her pupils were filled with confusion while looking at the plaque. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Although she knew it was an important item, she was shocked as she couldn¡¯t figure out what was it used for. While Dahlia agonized over this, she decided to return back and think about it. ¡°Thank you, Young Lady. I will cherish this.¡± Her hand holding the plaque trembled slightly. Karla opened the door and saw Dahlia out personally with a cordial expression on her face. An air of emptiness descended in the room. Karla, who had been shaking her glass, erased the expression of friendliness from her face and sat down on the sofa again. Traces of the maid¡¯s retreating image lingered in her mind. ¡°Dahlia Beroch¡­¡± If she used that maid. If she can¡¯t control the monster, she can reign over its master. She was tired of being ordered about by her family, and she didn¡¯t want to be manipulated by Isaac. If she coaxed the maid, it wouldn¡¯t be too difficult to control Isaac. ¡°Ignorant Isaac.¡± ¡®I had only figured out who you liked.¡¯ Contrary to her cynical mumbling, Karla¡¯s face was full of bitterness. It wasn¡¯t a lie that she didn¡¯t hate Isaac. It wasn¡¯t a commendable mindset, but simply that she didn¡¯t want to be eroded by the monster¡¯s frenzy. If Isaac had been an ordinary kid, if only she hadn¡¯t faced the events of the day, their sibling relationship might not have been so bad. But she knows the real face of that monster. And she wasn¡¯t the kind of person who had enough magnanimity to embrace such a monster as a part of her family. ¡­It was already taxing for her to cover for herself, but having to cover for someone else? The monster that came to the mansion wore the hat of a victim, and completely pretended to be weak. Perhaps there was no other option for Isaac to live on, but in Karla¡¯s point of view, as long as she didn¡¯t participate in the abuse, she had already done the best she could. An onlooker. Some may point their fingers, but it was the best that Karla could do given her position. Her life was too hard for her to confront her pettiness herself. Karla slowly closed her eyes and leaned back deeply into her sofa. She only hoped that the monster would not hate her. Hoped that he would not hurt her. Karla listened quietly to the sound of the fire embers crackling, as she hoped that the maid¡¯s green eyes could edify the monster. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ A flock of migratory birds flew up in the skies at the peak of winter. Although it was the same winter as always, winter in a place other than the mansion gave off a different feeling. Blankly staring at the mountains, Isaac pointed towards the mountaintop and spoke. ¡°Dahlia, look at that. It¡¯s only white at the top.¡± It was a magnificent view, where snow-capped peaks were piled up one upon the other. Dahlia looked toward the direction Isaac was pointing at and gave a bright smile. ¡°It¡¯s perpetual snow. I heard that the snow-capped mountains in the North don¡¯t melt even during summer, is that true? I¡¯m so curious whether it will melt in summer.¡± ¡°The snow doesn¡¯t melt even during summer? How is that possible?¡± ¡°¡­Young Master, have you not seen that mountain before?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s my first time seeing it today.¡± The giant mountain range enveloping the North was symbolistic of Helman. But when she asked if it was the first time he saw it, Isaac nodded his head. ¡°Because I¡¯ve been in the mansion all the time¡­ Today is the first time I¡¯ve come out. There¡¯s only flat ground in the mansion grounds, so I thought everything would be flat. So Helman has many mountain ranges.¡± Isaac smiled brightly as he tucked his disheveled hair behind his ear. Dahlia untied her scarf and wrapped it around Isaac¡¯s neck, not knowing whether she should laugh or not. A cool breeze blew past them towards the section of the town at the bottom of the hill. ¡°We still have a little more distance to cover. Young Master, please take my hand.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, a large hand approached and grabbed Dahlia¡¯s. Isaac looked down at her hand with a gentle expression, narrowed his brows lightly. Dahlia¡¯s hands were red and frost bitten from the cold, not even wearing any gloves. He frowned while looking down at her hands, before taking off his gloves and putting them on Dahlia¡¯s hands. Then, he tangled their fingers tightly so that the glove wouldn¡¯t free itself. A warmth spread throughout the palm of her hands gradually. Dahlia tilted her head as she glanced dazedly at their clasped hands. Hands so big it didn¡¯t feel like they belonged to a boy. If his physique is bigger than his peers now, and his hands and feet are this big, how tall would he become when he has fully matured? ¡°Dahlia, I want to go to a bookstore. Are there any bookstores downtown?¡± Isaac asked excitedly while holding her hand. At his natural attitude, Dahlia gave an embarrassed smile while nodding her head. ¡°Yes. I thought you would want to go to the bookstore, so I had found its location in advance. I heard that there is a big bookstore near the fountain in the center of the city. Apparently it is a place with a very long history, and the signboard of the bookstore says 120 years¡­¡± Dahlia continued explaining in a low voice. She looked calm at first glance, but her excitement was obvious through her longer than usual strides. It was her first vacation after ten days. Dahlia felt apologetic for giving an old book to the noble Young Master, so she decided to go out to town on the day she received her salary. Then, she suddenly wondered what would it be like if they went out together, so she asked the Young Master for his opinion. She originally thought that she would be rejected, but Isaac happily agreed and pulled on Dahlia¡¯s hand and left the mansion. Leaving behind Hoover¡¯s aloof gaze, they boarded a wagon heading towards downtown. ¡°What if you¡¯re caught by the Duchess later? I¡¯m worried that I¡¯m getting the Young Master in trouble for nothing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Even if I get caught, I¡¯ll only be rebuked. Since it¡¯ll be the same even if I stay inside quietly, I¡¯ll just do as I please.¡± ¡°¡­That doesn¡¯t seem like a very good solution. I should think about what kind of excuses I¡¯ll use later¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Dahlia, I¡¯ll take care of it. Instead of that, look over there.¡± When they reached the commercial street, colorful signs and awnings attracted both theirs¡¯ and the large crowd¡¯s attention. Isaac craned his neck and looked around, before stopping in front of the gift shop. His widened eyes without double eyelids slowly began to scan the music box, notebooks, and dolls displayed at the window. His gaze, which had been moving about, stopped at a location. With a faint smile on the corners of his mouth, Isaac took Dahlia¡¯s hand and entered the shop without hesitation. ¡°Give me this and this.¡± Isaac picked up the white leather gloves and the rabbit fur scarf that were displayed in the shop¡¯s window and passed them out to the store owner. Just as the owner was about to name the price of those items, Isaac took something out from his pocket first. An ivory plaque with the relief sculpture of a wolf. It was the emblem of Eufgenschult. The owner, who had been examining the plaque doubtfully, looked again at Isaac¡¯s attire and the plaque, and bowed with a pale face. Although his expensive clothes were uncommon, the plaque he was holding was undoubtedly an emblem of Eufgenschult. The owner kept greeting him with an expression of shock, but Isaac left the store leaving only a sentence behind, ¡°Thank you for your service.¡± As soon as Isaac had left the store, he placed new gloves on Dahlia¡¯s hands and wrapped the scarf around her. The combination of an old dress and a worn coat, with a luxurious scarf and gloves could not be described as harmonious, even with empty words. However, in Isaac¡¯s eyes, such disharmony only served to highlight Dahlia¡¯s charm. Isaac gently caressed Dahlia¡¯s cheek with the back of his hand with a satisfied smile. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful. It suits you well.¡± Looking at him with a puzzled face, Dahlia looked alternately at the store and Isaac, before asking in a voice filled with curiosity. ¡°Why did you suddenly buy this? No, Young Master. What was that thing earlier? ¡°That thing earlier? I didn¡¯t buy anything besides these.¡± ¡°No. The item you took out of the coat earlier.¡± Isaac, who had his head tilted, gave an exclamation as he took out the ivory plaque from his pocket. ¡°It¡¯s a family plaque. I heard it¡¯s used to prove your identity, but it can also be used to buy things like before. I guess the bill will be sent to the mansion later.¡± In addition to the family¡¯s crest, the ivory plaque was also engraved with complicated and elaborate imagery, so it could not be imitated without exceptional delicacy. Dahlia kept staring at the plaque, and was shocked to learn that the item that Karla gave her a while ago is exactly the same as this one. She knew that it was a precious item, but she never thought it was something that could be used to replace money. As she lightly caressed the side of his chest pocket which concealed the plaque out of pointless worry, Isaac cheeks turned red and he looked away. Dahlia, who belatedly noticed her behavior, said it was a misunderstanding with a pale face while giving an explanation that didn¡¯t explain anything. An awkward atmosphere followed. Isaac, who was staring at the street with a slightly red face, suddenly pulled Dahlia into his arms. ¡°Uh¡­!¡± Before Dahlia could feel shock, a carriage passed the spot where Dahlia had been standing speedily. After the clamouring noise, Isaac sighed. ¡°The road is narrow, so it¡¯s dangerous. Stand closer to me, Dahlia.¡± A husky voice echoed in front of her. From the tightly pressed upper body, she felt a firm, muscular chest that couldn¡¯t have belonged to a young boy. The wind blew the dry scent of winter nights past the tip of her nose. The moment she realized that it was the scent emanating from Isaac¡¯s body, a pink blush spread across Dahlia¡¯s cheeks. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Chapter 17 ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ The large hand that was pressing on her back slid down slowly to hold her waist. As Isaac hugged her with both his hands as if trying to protect Dahlia from the crowds, they left the front of the shop. When she touched her chest, she could feel the disorderly pounding of her heart, inciting feelings of extreme bashfulness. To hide her red face, she lowered her head while in Isaac¡¯s embrace. ¡®It¡¯s just a simple hug, but why¨C¡¯ ¡®It isn¡¯t anything, but why is my heart pounding?¡¯ Was the Young Master always so big in the first place? She never knew that he was so strong¡­ Every time she saw the slender and pitiful form of the Young Master, it reminded her of a pure white canary. He was fragile and needed to be looked after, and without constant care, he would die. But the hand grasping hers was much bigger and longer than Dahlia¡¯s. His straightened upper body was broad and firm rather than soft, and he simply could not be regarded as a boy in his adolescence. The Young Master that was holding her in his arms was not something like a canary. ¡°Dahlia, look at the yellow sign over there. Isn¡¯t that the bookstore that Dahlia talked about?¡± Isaac, who had been gazing into the distance, turned towards Dahlia again. The raised ends of his eyes slowly turned downwards, creating a well defined gentle curve. Dahlia looked at him dazedly, before hurriedly detaching from him. Somehow, it felt like her pounding heart had increased in intensity. Flustered, Dahlia grabbed Isaac¡¯s sleeve and turned in the direction he was pointing at. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the bookstore. Let¡¯s go!¡± Isaac tilted his head, feeling that there was something strange about Dahlia, who was leading with her head bowed. At the sight of red ears beside her soft curly brown hair, he gave a faint smile. The duo visited the bookstore, the park, the cafe and the cookie store, the last place they visited being a lace shop. That was when Dahlia requested to leave before the sunset, she stopped in front of the lace shop towards the end of the city and stared at the window as if she was bewitched. The shop¡¯s display window was lined with petticoats, gloves, handkerchiefs, ribbons, and other things that girls of her age would like. Dahlia looked fascinated at the hand-knitted black teddy bear, before smiling and pointing towards the white lace ribbon that the teddy bear was wearing. ¡°Young Master, look at this. While the doll is made very crudely, the ribbon hanging on it is very gorgeous.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Although I didn¡¯t think it would be fitting, when it¡¯s decorated in such a manner, it fits perfectly. The ribbon is pretty¡­¡± Just as she had mentioned, the black teddy bear and the white lace ribbon did not seem to match well at all, but the combination of the two was intriguing. Rather than this being due to the fact that the teddy bear was pretty, the ribbon itself was elegant, making it suitable no matter where it was placed. Isaac, who was quietly looking downwards at Dahlia and the display window, turned his gaze around the street. He saw a stall selling ice cream and lemonade near the crowded shopping street. ¡°Dahlia. Are you thirsty?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay, as I drank tea earlier. Young Master, are you thirsty?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not thirsty, but it looks delicious. Can you buy me a cup? I will wait for you here.¡± Dahlia looked at the lemonade stand, before pondering for a moment whether it was alright to buy such food for the Young Master. Then, she realized that if it wasn¡¯t now, when would he even get a chance to try it, so she readily agreed before heading towards the stall. ¡°What a cute Miss. Would you like a glass of lemonade?¡± ¡°Yes, I would like to have one glass please. How much is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s two billings.¡± As she fumbled around her pocket to retrieve her money, her hand touched the plaque that she had hidden inside her pocket. She thought about using the plaque to pay for the amount required, but Dahlia shook off that train of thought. As this was a request from Isaac, it would be okay to just use it. But, she was reluctant. Although a meal at a good restaurant or buying an expensive gift would be appropriate, for some reason, she wanted to give the Young Master something regardless of its value, to give him the little things that she found precious and to feed him. A common understanding can only be achieved to the best effect when both parties are of equal positions. Dahlia didn¡¯t want to treat him like she was indebted to him even when they were in private. Of course, she had to be careful in the mansion, but at the very least, she didn¡¯t want to have to be meek and subservient outside the mansion. Even though her familial circumstances were not comfortably off, she was a member of the working class that earned her paychecks. She had also just received her pay yesterday. She was an adult capable enough to be able to buy the Young Master a glass of lemonade. ¡°Here, two billings.¡± She handed two small copper coins to the stall owner. With a warm smile, the stall owner swiftly started to prepare the lemonade. ¡°Miss, your scarf is very pretty.¡± The stall owner pointed towards Dahlia¡¯s scarf while handing over a glass bottle. As Dahlia blinked while wondering what she meant, her face turned red unwittingly when she looked at her reflection in the glass bottle. The white scarf that Isaac bought seemed very pretty and luxurious, even to a greenhorn like her. Dahlia asked softly while fiddling with her scarf. ¡°It was a gift I had received. Does it look good on me?¡± ¡°Your face is so milky, what is there that wouldn¡¯t suit you? Oh, now that I look closely, the tips of the fur are silver, so it must be made out of Snowfield Rabbits. Did you receive such an expensive gift?¡± ¡°Snowfield Rabbits? Is it expensive?¡± ¡°Of course. Apparently those rabbits only live at high altitudes, so it¡¯s very difficult to catch them.¡± ¡°I had also received such gifts before when I was younger, but I was never gifted with something so expensive.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen it made as small earmuffs, but I¡¯ve never seen it made into an entire scarf. It seems like the young miss¡¯s lover must be a very capable person.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yes, but it¡¯s still a scarf, how expensive could it be?¡± ¡°Oh my gosh, that¡¯s not right. It¡¯s worth at least 30 silvers if it¡¯s sold to a pawn shop. Snowfield Rabbit skin is more precious than Golden Fox skin.¡± At the words ¡®30 silvers¡¯, Dahlia¡¯s eyes widened. At her face that was filled with surprise, the stall owner laughed for a while before shaking the glass bottle of lemonade again and tapped her on the shoulder. She didn¡¯t know how she had the presence of mind to greet the stall owner. Dahlia¡¯s head angled downwards and looked at the scarf wrapped around her neck. ¡°30 silvers¡­?¡± As she moved her feet, the shadow of 30 silvers did not leave her mind. At the thought that a scarf worth three months of her salary was wrapped around her neck, she was overcome with nervousness that she couldn¡¯t move her neck. After a moment of deliberation, Dahlia took off the scarf and gloves, folded them neatly, and put them by her side. ¡°I must have kept you waiting for a while.¡± Leaning against the wall and observing the street languidly, Isaac spotted Dahlia and gave a faint smile. His appearance was like a child waiting for his mother, making Dahlia smile softly. The yellow light indicative of the setting sun filled the sky. From the gentle breeze, the strong scent of stew and bread lingered. Now that it was time to return, the duo suppressed their reluctance at having to leave and started in the direction of the wagon. ¡°Young Master. This scarf and gloves. Please don¡¯t buy me any more of such presents.¡± She spoke seriously, giving advice while showing him the scarf and gloves. Isaac stared curiously at the glass bottle of lemonade, and tilted his head as if he didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Why can¡¯t I buy them for you?¡± ¡°Such expensive items¡­ They don¡¯t suit someone like me.¡± ¡°I think it suits you very well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because the Young Master is nice to me. This is something that doesn¡¯t fit with my means. Others will think that I stole it if a person like me went out wearing such an expensive item.¡± Isaac, who was tapping the cork at the mouth of the glass bottle, turned his head to meet Dahlia¡¯s line of sight. The image of her raising her eyebrows made her look pitiful. ¡°I didn¡¯t know if it fitted within your means. I just bought it because I thought it would look pretty if Dahlia wore it¡­ Can I not buy you something like this?¡± ¡°As long as it¡¯s not too expensive. I am fine with anything.¡± ¡°Do I have to check the price every time I give a gift? Isn¡¯t the expensive price an indicator of its good quality? I only want to give the best as a present to Dahlia.¡± At his firm eyes and the determined ending to his words, Dahlia was at a loss for words. Isaac¡¯s words were an acceptable argument. Anyone will have the same desire to give only the most precious to a person that they like. Dahlia admits that she had also bought a coat for winter and gave Laurel good clothings only. However, if there was a huge difference in their positions, it would only be viewed as a burden by the recipient. How should she explain that a gift that¡¯s too expensive was detrimental to herself? As she fiddled with her fingers in embarrassment, Isaac took her hand and placed a small box in her palm. ¡°I know what you¡¯re trying to say. If you feel that it¡¯s burdensome, I¡¯ll be more careful next time. Then, accept this as the last present.¡± ¡°¡­What is this?¡± ¡°I bought it when you went to buy me lemonade.¡± The thin and flat box was decorated with satin ribbons and dried flowers, subtly hinting from the packaging alone that it was an expensive gift. Isaac added with a sullen face as Dahlia hesitated and turned her gaze away. ¡°This isn¡¯t expensive. You will figure it out once you open it.¡± She couldn¡¯t reject him at the sight of his expression, which seemed as though he was about to cry soon. Dahlia shrugged her shoulders and untied the ribbon unwillingly. ¡®It couldn¡¯t be jewelry or a watch, could it?¡¯ She opened the box, with the thought that she will return it immediately if it¡¯s an expensive item. But the sight of an unexpected item popped up and shook her heart. ¡°Uh¡­ this. Isn¡¯t this the ribbon that the bear that we saw earlier was wearing?¡± A white ribbon that looks as if it was made by weaving thin threads one at a time. It was the ribbon that the black teddy bear at the lace shop was wearing. ¡°That¡¯s right. Because Dahlia looked at it closely. I bought it because I thought it would suit Dahlia better than the teddy bear. Do you not like it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like it¡­¡± Although it¡¯s not expensive, a vertically weaved ribbon seemed to be quite expensive at first glance. But no matter how expensive it is, the ribbon is just a ribbon. It seemed that Dahlia¡¯s salary was enough to afford this. Even if she wore it on her, others wouldn¡¯t think that it was stolen. Her heart, which had been stained with pressure, was washed away in an instant. Dahlia raised her head with a bright smile as she fiddled with the ribbon. ¡°Thank you. I will cherish it.¡± Isaac, who had his head bowed with a gloomy face, gave her a soft smile in response. The way his expression changed so quickly was interesting, so Dahlia laughed softly so as to not be heard. Isaac, who entered the wagon first, reached out his hand and escorted Dahlia. Deep within her thoughts, Dahlia was unaware that the Young Master was escorting her onto the wagon, and blankly took his hand to enter the wagon. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Chapter 18 ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ The door closed, and the sound of the exhaust from the internal combustion engine passed by her ears faintly.. As they sat next to each other, the other¡¯s body temperature could be felt. As her body swayed along with the carriage, Dahlia slowly spoke while looking outside the window. ¡°Young Master. Please give me your hand.¡± ¡°My hand? Why?¡± Instead of answering, Dahlia pulled Isaac¡¯s hand to her side. She then pulled something out of her pocket and secretly placed it on his hand. Within those black eyes, a bright glimmer shone. Rather than being due to a present, it was more because he was happy that Dahlia was holding his hand tightly. As he continued to stay still, Dahlia tapped his hand, ¡°Please check it out.¡± Isaac slowly spread his fingers, remedying his feelings of regret. What was left on his palm was an ointment. Wound ointment within an insignificant round container. When she met Isaac¡¯s puzzled gaze, Dahlia gave an embarrassed smile. ¡°You don¡¯t know how upset I felt when I saw the Young Master¡¯s face was injured. I can¡¯t give you a present that¡¯s as precious as a Snowfield Rabbit scarf or gold coins, but apparently this is a famous ointment that ensures there isn¡¯t a scar left from your wounds. The next time that you get hurt, please don¡¯t forget to apply it.¡± ¡°Of course, it would be better to not get hurt.¡± As she muttered to herself, her slender fingers landed on Isaac¡¯s cheek. Dahlia let out a sad sigh as she gently stroked his cheek. When she recalled the moment she saw the wound on Isaac¡¯s face when she had arrived at the mansion after her vacation. A big bandage, eyes bruised blue. And¡­ the way he tried to justify that nothing happened. ¡°I¡¯m glad it didn¡¯t leave a scar. Tripping over the table wouldn¡¯t have caused such a wound, but I didn¡¯t press further as I felt it wasn¡¯t my place¡­Who was it that hit you?¡± The light green eyes that were looking at Isaac were filled with anger. Dahlia continued speaking in an even harder tone. ¡°Who did that? Master? The Duchess? Was it the Little Duke?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­So, it was the Little Duke. Am I right?¡± Isaac didn¡¯t respond and only stared blankly at the ointment. Dahlia, who felt deja vu at his appearance, roughly bit on her lower lip unknowingly. The common point about abusive people was not violence. They threatened their victims that if they dared to say a word about the abuse to someone else, they would increase the abuse ten-fold without mercy. Children with immature egos, would shut their mouths in fear of being beaten if they did something wrong. This happened often in poverty houses. Even though the marks from being hit by the nursery teacher were obvious, the children keep their mouths shut and try to leave the matter at that, saying it¡¯s nothing. Just like how Isaac is right now. And Dahlia was the type of person that stood in the frontlines to break down such absurdities. ¡°If¡­ If someone harms you like before, call me when you want someone to help you. Of course, I don¡¯t know how I can help¡­ Even so.¡± It was enough seeing young children being put in a disadvantageous situation. With her own power, Dahlia wanted to end the instances of children crying alone without protection, be it in a warzone or in the poverty house. In her eyes, the Young Master before her was a child with a large body. Even though he had the status of a member of the ducal family, he was still weak and needed someone¡¯s care. Dahlia¡¯s common sense told her that it wasn¡¯t right for Isaac, a beautiful and kind person, to be neglected by his family just because he was an illegitimate child. ¡°Even so, you must call me. I may not know how to hit people, but I¡¯m good at running and hiding. If you feel really tired, don¡¯t hold back. Let me know, okay?¡± Dahlia held his cheek and forced their lines of sight to match. The downward facing eyelashes lifted up, and the unfocused black eyes looking down slowly regained reason and faced Dahlia¡¯s eyes. The eyes that were darker than night looked as though they were about to suck Dahlia within them. ¡°Why?¡± Between the disparity of calm eyes and harried breathing, a cracked voice appeared. Isaac continued speaking with difficulty, without the thought of catching his breath. ¡°If I call for you. Are you planning to run away with me?¡± Contrary to the desperate expression on his face, his black eyes were slowly engulfed by a deep ecstasy. Without noticing that, Dahlia just gave a compassionate smile and moved her lips. ¡°When you really can¡¯t endure anymore, you have to run away.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­Why are you so¡­ worried about me?¡± His anxiety filled voice was like a child¡¯s. Dahlia lifted her head and looked up at the ceiling, smiling faintly. Whenever she looked at him, she would think about Laurel. With a weak body, constantly saying that she was alright, Laurel courageously stood alone in the distance, waiting for her. This child resembled her little sister. The way he refused to speak up even if he felt tired, and the way he gave a slight smile to muddle through, it all reminded her of her younger sister. Of course, his pitiable situation that was similar to her¡¯s and her younger sister¡¯s also played a part. As she continued to ponder, the answer came to her and she groaned. There were many causes for her worry, but the root cause was simple. ¡°Because I like the Young Master.¡± The eyes that had been looking up at the ceiling turned to Isaac again. Dahlia¡¯s smile became even brighter. Within the eyes of an anxious boy, the image of a maid smiling benevolently was reflected. ¡°Of course I like you, so I¡¯m worried for you. Also, a kind-hearted child deserves to be happy.¡± Her hand, which was fiddling with the hem of her skirt, gently held the hand that was holding the ointment. Then she patted his hand as if to comfort him. Isaac, who had been staring at her quietly, lowered his gaze to their hand that was shaking. His eyelids trembled over the squinting rim of his eyes. Due to his eyes that remained open for a while, a thin film of tears formed over his red unblinking eyes. ¡®Because I like you.¡¯ It was something he shouldn¡¯t have heard. It felt as though the footing that had supported him up until now gave way in an instant. ¡­Nevertheless, those words continued to echo in his ears, words that were enchantingly bewitching. He tried to force his eyelids to close and hide his chilly eyes, but it didn¡¯t work and his eyes remained open. His body could not move. He exerted the strength in his fingers, holding on to the innocent ointment. ¡°¡­Kind-hearted child.¡± ¡®She sees me as a good child.¡¯ ¡®¡­The Isaac that¡¯s in your eyes, was a kind-hearted kid worthy of being liked.¡¯ Through the clear windows of the wagon, violet light of the impending twilight poured in, colouring Isaac¡¯s cheeks bluish. The veil of water in his eyes couldn¡¯t withstand its duty, and collapsed. Under the light, a clear stream of tears flowed down over the illuminated cheeks. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Only the sound of wind could be heard, without signs of insects or birds, during nightfall in the annex, which can be attributed to the winter season. Isaac, who was staring blankly at the book, picked up a bookmark and placed it in the book. Whether it was because he couldn¡¯t concentrate on what he was reading, or that old habits die hard, he extinguished the lamps and laid down in bed. Although his body was tired, he could not fall asleep easily. As the range of emotions he had experienced today was far more intense than that of over the past five years, his excitement had not abated in the least. ¡°Dahlia, towards me¡­¡± ¡®Because I like you.¡¯ ¡®She said that she likes me. She likes me¡¯ He never thought that someone¡¯s pure kindness would feel so delightful. ¡®Other people, ordinary people. Do you experience such exciting good intentions every day?¡¯ Envy and jealousy formed a lump, rushing from his chest and pressed against his throat. But soon, the feeling that squeezed on his throat disappeared instantly when he realized that he was also the recipient of such kindness. There wasn¡¯t any need for jealousy or envy. Isaac too, was like them. ¡®Because Dahlia likes me.¡¯ With a serene heart, he slowly closed his eyes. Slumber that seemed to never come, swallowed Isaac. Eventually, as the chains of consciousness loosened, reality was drowned out by his dream. ¡­Instead of sleep, it was a dream. Instead of rest, he fell into another despair. White light dazzled his eyelids. Before he could lift them, his field of vision widened. Isaac awakened at the boundary between reality and the unconsciousness. It was a resigned future. The scene of a familiar living room appeared where the light had disappeared. It was an old entertainer¡¯s house, at the same time it was despair ¨C It was Renee¡¯s house. ¡­It was the same dream he dreamt of each time. He held his breath. Even though he knew that it was a dream, this dream has always been accompanied by bitter wounds every time it replays. In his distant consciousness, a voice he loathed resounded. ¡°Come over here, Isaac.¡± The woman seated in front of the fireplace beckoned Isaac with her hand. Her beautiful appearance and her curly red hair were her pride. She was afraid that the fire embers might splash upon her, so why was she seated in front of the fireplace? His amazement did not last for a long time. The woman, who was trembling in the frigid air, pulled Isaac¡¯s dawdling body and began to warm up her frozen body. ¡°That d*mn b*****d! I can¡¯t believe that he only gave me 2 slivers to do it in the stable. I¡¯m tired of dealing with such perverted men.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s cold.¡± ¡°Stay still! What¡¯s cold about staying in the house! Don¡¯t you know that it¡¯s all thanks to me that you guys are able to stay warm and fed?¡± Renee, who had been complaining, let out a long sigh and looked down at Isaac¡¯s head. ¡°If only you had died then! D*mn it! Who knew I¡¯d lead such a beggarly life? When I had you, I thought my luck would turn better, but that b*tch sent an assassin too¡­!¡± Her grating voice rang lowly over the noise of crackling firewood. ¡°So what if you¡¯re the Duchess? You can¡¯t even keep watch over your husband. What a fool.¡± The hand that was holding Isaac slowly strengthened. His slender forearms were filled with marks from her sharp nails. Even so, Isaac had only endured her anger silently. What she said weren¡¯t empty words. Renee was a pr*sti*te, who commanded the world with her gorgeous appearance and coquettish charm. She, who sold her smile to the wealthy, was more than or less a nobleman. She led a luxurious life. That was before she touched the Duke of Eufgenschult. To be exact, it was before the Duchess was angered. ¡°Scr*w her! Did she think I¡¯m a bulliable target? In the end, the person who holds out will win. I¡¯ll hide here until you reach adulthood, before bringing you back. I¡¯ll witness with my own two eyes how that great ducal family collapses.¡± Encouraged by her own words, Renee laughed for a long time. As her anger gradually subsided, remorse appeared on her face slowly. ¡°Gehern¡­ He¡¯s probably looking for me right now. Your father really loved me. The only difference between her and I are our backgrounds. If I was born as the daughter of a Marquis and not the daughter of a candle maker, I would definitely be the one living in that mansion now.¡± Little Isaac didn¡¯t really understand what she was saying. He only understood that ¡®that woman¡¯ is the Duchess, and that ¡®Gehern¡¯ was his father¡¯s name. As she kept mumbling to herself, her voice harassed his eardrums. Over her fragmented soliloquizing, a soft voice sounded. ¡°Is Mother back?¡± When Renee, who was looking at Isaac with her tender eyes, heard the sound of the door closing, she lifted her head immediately. She glared fiercely at the sight of a boy cowering at the doorway. At the sight of the child with the same red hair as hers, the eyes that were warm like the firewood instantly changed in agitation. Darkness spread slowly in her eyes that were dyed red with a gentle light. ¡°I told you early in the morning to wash the clothes. Is all that you do at home eating bread? You worthless brat!¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll do it now. I¡¯ll do the laundry right away.¡± ¡°Is what Mom said funny to you? How many times do I have to repeat my words before you¡¯ll act before I say it?¡± At her tilted body, Isaac soon escaped her hold. Renee pushed Isaac away like she had been waiting for this moment and approached the child while shaking her fist. It was the prelude to violence. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Chapter 19 ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Isaac closed his eyes and crept into the corner beside the fireplace. Although she was relieving her anger at others, it was only a matter of time before her anger was directed at him. Rene, who was consumed by anger, was inhuman. She vented her anger at everything in front of her. Regardless of whether it¡¯s her child or any other kid. As such, it was better to curl up as if you were dead to prevent being noticed. Isaac buried his face between his knees and earnestly prayed for the quicker passage of time. As both sound and light vanished, he confined himself in the pitch-black darkness, with his body curled up constantly. Using even smaller hands to grab at his slender calves, he grabbed them hard. If he could compress himself into a small, tiny form, then one day he could disappear from reality. ¡®How long do I have to stay like that?¡¯ A voice could be heard faintly. ¡°¡­Isaac.¡± The boy called Isaac¡¯s name again after coughing. When he looked up, the red haired boy glanced back at him and shook Isaac¡¯s shoulder. He doesn¡¯t know how long he had been curled up, as there wasn¡¯t any feeling in his entire body. When he touched the floor with trembling hands, his entire body rolled on the floor arbitrarily. The child watching him helped Isaac up. ¡°There¡¯s bread left on the table, so eat that.¡± ¡°¡­Rene?¡± ¡°She went to work, and won¡¯t be coming back today. I¡¯m going out to do the laundry, so don¡¯t go outside and stay at home.¡± Isaac nodded obediently. Rene, who regarded her second son as a tool towards success, was worried that he¡¯ll be harmed by the Duchess¡¯s talons, hence she forbade Isaac from going outside. Relieved at his obedient attitude, the child patted Isaac on the shoulder again. There was a mixture of emotions like sadness, apology, worry and pity mixed within the child¡¯s eyes. ¡°¡­¡­How I envy you¡­.¡± Although the child¡¯s voice sounded melancholic, Isaac¡¯s hair standing on its ends was caused by his envy towards Isaac that was clearly evident through his worried tone. They were both born in the same boat, but his older brother didn¡¯t even know who his father was, while Isaac was born with noble blood. With only that difference, one was served like a holy object and one led a slave-like life. Isaac bowed his head and pretended that he didn¡¯t hear it. After a small sigh and the sound of footsteps. Only after the door was closed, could Isaac peacefully close his eyes again. To protect himself from the mire of his life, the method Isaac chose was to cut off all of his thoughts. It wasn¡¯t that difficult to completely empty his mind, which had nothing in the first place. A day quickly passed when he closed his eyes leant against the wall like a machine, without having any thoughts or feelings. It was the most efficient way to endure a dark day. Dark. Dark again. It was as if he had fallen asleep. It was as if he had a dream. Of course, as he could not remember anything, he couldn¡¯t be sure that it was a dream passing through his mind. When the boundary had blurred, in a situation where it was unclear whether it was a dream in his dreamscape or the reality within his dreams, a sharp sound of cracking flashed through his dull head. ¡°He¡¯s going to leave me and only take Isaac? That doesn¡¯t make sense!¡± At the sound of shattering glass, he opened his eyes suddenly. From the other side of the living room that¡¯s darkened by nightfall, a piercing cry came. ¡°How long has it been since he whispered sweet nothings and words of love? He¡¯s going to abandon me now? Gehern, you j*rk! How, How could he do this to me?!¡± ¡°No, Mom. Wasn¡¯t it written in the letter that he would come and pick you up soon. He said that after persuading his wife, he would definitely come and fetch mother¡­ He¡¯ll definitely come to pick us up.¡± ¡°Did you actually believe that? You¡¯re the same as that fool!¡± After the shrill cry, silence descended. A terrifying sensation climbed up the back of his neck and choked Isaac. When he forcibly straightened his curled body, a sensation of numbness spread throughout his body. Without caring about the pain, Isaac moved his trembling limbs towards the origins of the noise. The words that Rene shouted forcibly awakened his muddled awareness from within his firm mind. ¡®He¡¯s going to take me. Gehern is¡­¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s taking only me, and leaving Rene and my brother behind.¡¯ ¡®Why just me¡­?¡¯ ¡®¡­It doesn¡¯t feel good.¡¯ At the same time, a loud scream tore through his thoughts. ¡°Arghhhh! Mom!¡± ¡°What a ludicrous fellow. Us? Us?! How would he dare to mention about us? Did you think someone like you could step into that house? Did you think that just because I gave birth to you, I¡¯ll be taking you along?!¡± ¡°Ugh! I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry¡­!¡± ¡°Nothing good has happened ever since I gave birth to you. Perhaps if it wasn¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t have to live as a pr*stit*te¡­! Just because I gave birth to something like this¡­ I gave birth to a kid whose father¡¯s identity is unknown!¡± The sound of something being knocked over, with the sound of screaming and crying. The sounds of a beating were woven in between as if to liven things up. The sound of being beaten about left and right was soon replaced by a long scream. Although this was a regular occurrence, today¡¯s scream was exceptionally long. Isaac wiped his sweaty palms onto his pants and carefully pushed open the door to prevent it from making any sound. At the end of the long hallway, the image of Rene dragging his older brother by the hair entered Isaac¡¯s vision. His little feet kicked in the middle of the air before disappearing into a room, leaving only an empty shadow behind. As a bang sounded from the door being slammed shut, the cold sweat on his forehead slid down and landed on Isaac¡¯s eyelashes. That room. Rene¡¯s room, where you would leave with some part of you broken. When he first entered that room, his tooth was broken, and the second time, his arm was broken. Rene using violence wasn¡¯t a day or two¡¯s matter, but it was exceptionally vicious today, and to the point of entering that room. Where else was she trying to break? There wasn¡¯t anywhere else that could be destroyed anymore. ¡®At this rate, could it be that Brother¡­¡¯ ¡®¡­.if he dies¡­¡¯ His mouth went dry at the thought that his only protector might die. The feeling of his chin trembling was very unfamiliar. His hand that flinched near his pants¡¯ pocket, slowly headed toward the table. A long dull knife was placed next to the dried bread. Isaac took the knife without hesitation, and walked towards the room where the two had disappeared into. It was still empty within his head. He relied only on his instincts to move. The reason wasn¡¯t clear, but he knew the time had come. He knew that he could no longer be a bystander towards his life. ¡°Just go and die! If you were dead then! I wouldn¡¯t have had to raise such trash¡­!¡± As Isaac approached the end of the hallway, the shrieks and groans grew louder. Rene¡¯s voice has never been as irritating as it was today. His brother¡¯s cries had never been as heart wrenching as it was today. ¡®Just what will exist at the end of this kind of reality?¡¯ ¡®What for, are we enduring such reality for?¡¯ The obscure questions that had always lingered in his mind increased in size and engulfed his head. Both fear and worry left him, leaving behind the questions about life, making Isaac move. He opened the door. Rene did not notice the creaking sound of the opening door, focused only on torturing his brother. Beyond the brutal figure, the small body that was beaten and swollen all over could be seen instantly. The moment his frightened eyes saw Isaac, his eyes flashed with hope. When their eyes met. ¡­Isaac realized the answer to the question that filled his mind. ¡°Do you want to live?¡± Even though it was spoken in a very soft voice, his brother, who had immediately understood, nodded quickly. At his answer, the veins in Isaac¡¯s thin hand that held the knife became evident. ¡°I¡¯ll save you.¡± Realising that the door was opened, Rene turned toward Isaac. Isaac, who moved his body earlier than her, looked at Rene and raised his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll follow through with what Mom wants.¡± ¡°Isaac! What are you doing¡­!¡± ¡®Didn¡¯t you want to die every day?¡¯ The soft whisper was scattered without a trace at the ensuing scream. His view wobbled before becoming clear again. The Isaac that moved wasn¡¯t the part of Isaac that was abused by his mother, but the part that contemplated his dreams. And the reason for his wobbling wasn¡¯t the guilt of a child harming his mother, but the compassion and sorrow that he had for himself. ¡°¡­No¡­ Isa¡­¡± The name that was voiced with hatred disappeared into the void. The eyes that looked at Isaac lost it¡¯s gleam, and descended into emptiness. The only thing left in the wake of death was an eerie silence. Isaac, who breathed roughly, held the knife tightly. The pupils of the black eyes which were dilated contained madness, and stared persistently at his mother. It¡¯s not over yet. ¡®She might wake up again. She¡¯s going to hit me again¡­ For trying to kill her.¡¯ ¡®I have to ensure that she¡¯s dead. So that she can never get up.¡¯ The hands with blood dripping down rose up again. The red-haired boy, who sat on the ground at a loss, was shocked at his movements and hung onto Isaac¡¯s feet. ¡°Stop, stop! It¡¯s over now! It¡¯s over¡­¡± It¡¯s over. It¡¯s all over. Perhaps the words ¡°it¡¯s over¡± sank into his mind, causing tears to fall on his brother¡¯s cheeks. Soon after, he began to wail on the floor. ¡°Is it over?¡± Seeing how she¡¯s not moving, is it really over? ¡­Now, she will never wake up again? It was a strange feeling. It seemed carefree, yet he was ill at ease. As this unnamed feeling of pleasure passed through his body, it filled the void within him helplessly. Isaac absentmindedly walked towards a corner of the room. He gripped the knife tightly as if it was a lifeline, and crouched down in a familiar position. The words that followed soon after were plain without any signs of gloom. ¡°Gehern said that he¡¯ll take me?¡± The words escaped from his knees, penetrating through the cries of his brother. The boy, who cried while clutching his broken ankle, sniffled and nodded. Isaac continued quietly, still looking at the floor. ¡°Do you want to go with me, Brother?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°That man could be someone like Rene. No, he could be even worse.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Even so¡­ Do you want to go?¡± Isaac raised his head and looked at his older brother. It was ironic that the blotchy and messed up face of his brother was brighter than anything Isaac had ever seen before. ¡°I want to go. I want to¡­ live. I want to live properly¡­!¡± The eyes that twinkled distorted again, and tears fell. At the sight of his crying older brother, Isaac¡¯s face gradually started to twist too. ¡®I don¡¯t want to live.¡¯ He had no reason to exist when he was born, and he endured day by day. Isaac was an item that secured Rene¡¯s future when she grew old, and to his older brother, a sore point that he had a love-hate relationship with. He was an object whose place was crouching beside the fireplace, and also the illegitimate child of the man named ¡®Gehern¡¯, who would take him away someday. That was all. Isaac did not know about himself. There wasn¡¯t neither a need to know, nor a need to be curious. The vessel that had nothing in it has long lost his desire to live. But he couldn¡¯t die because of that. Aside from the fear and suffering, for a child like Isaac, death was an uncharted territory. In a situation where he couldn¡¯t make a choice, life was nothing more than something Isaac had to endure through. It would be nice if he could disappear like this. But his older brother said that he wanted to live. In Isaac¡¯s narrow world, the only person who took care of him said that he wants to live. He wanted to go there with Isaac. ¡®I don¡¯t want to live.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± The sound of a bang could be heard from somewhere. Then the sound of footsteps followed. The sound of the footsteps of an unfamiliar intruder could have frightened the red-haired boy, and as such he burst into tears again and covered his face. ¡°I want to go. I don¡¯t want to stay here anymore¡­¡± His brother¡¯s piercing voice drove a wedge into his trembling heart. It was a despairing proclamation that extended Isaac¡¯s life. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Chapter 20 ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ His dream vision gradually turned cloudy. Karla entered the dirty room and found Isaac. As Isaac, who was crouched in the corner, brandished his knife, a hazy light gradually appeared in his vision. His first despair ended. The end of his dreams has always descended unexpectedly. White light occupied his entire field of vision, and the five senses that were sleeping began to stir. At the faint burnt scent that brushed past his nose, Isaac felt relieved and slowly raised his eyelids. ¡°¡­Hah¡­¡± He raised a hand and pressed it against his forehead, which was drenched in cold sweat. His hands were colder than his ice-cold forehead. The pajamas that clinged to his body felt cumbersome. As he got up to throw off his clothes, the item in his pocket fell under the bed with a clatter. Not knowing what it was, Isaac looked down and recognised the object, before hurriedly fumbled on the floor. ¡°No, no¡­¡± He reached around and touched a round metal tub of ointment. The cold and hard surface instantly calmed his trembling heart. ¡®I must be careful. I cannot lose this.¡¯ With a brief sigh, his chilly body started to become warm. The metal tub, which was cool, became heated from his body temperature. Afraid of losing it again, he held the tub tightly. Isaac¡¯s face, which was looking down at his hand, was filled with sadness and guilt. ¡®I will cherish it until the day I die, because it¡¯s a gift that she gave me.¡¯ Because it¡¯s¡­ a treasure that was given by Dahlia. ¡°Dahlia¡­¡± The name that flowed out like a moan hovered in the air before quietly disappearing into the light of dawn. Within his distorted eyes, liquid that was unclear whether it was due to longing or relief formed. It¡¯s over. It has ended. It¡¯s already over. Renee¡¯s house has long been a thing of the past, and the dream has come to an end. The b*****d that killed his own mother no longer exists. The one who existed in reality was the Isaac sitting on the bed now. ¡°Because I like the Young Master.¡± He is worth liking. ¡°A kind-hearted child deserved to be happy.¡± ¡®I deserve to be happy.¡¯ ¡°¡­Kind-hearted child. I am a kind child.¡± He chanted those words like he was trying to brainwash himself, but his feelings of bitterness were still present. His trembling fingertips brushed past the sweat-soaked pajamas, increasing his displeasure. Despite that, Isaac hugged his calves and curled up into a ball. His body that had grown big could not crouch into the size he took up when he was younger. He buried his face on his knees as he could not get used to the trembling vision. Isaac closed his eyes and he kept repeating the resonant voice of the person that saved him in his mind . ¡®Dahlia. Dahlia¡¯ ¡°Young Master, did you sleep well? The weather is nice today.¡± The darkness of dawn receded, and warm sunlight illuminated his mind. ¡®Look at this, Young Master. It¡¯s a caterpillar from the Northern white butterfly. As it feels soft to the touch like high-quality silk, it¡¯s also called a satin insect.¡± The hem of the drenched clothes that clung to his body turned into silk and softly brushed against his skin. ¡®Is the name of that bird called Starling? For some reason, I thought that the Young Master would know.¡¯ The heavy silence disappeared and the living chirping of birds echoed in his ears. ¡®Young Master, Young Master, Young Master¡­¡¯ Her voice was like a song, quietly pushing away the helplessness that weighed down on his entire body. Did she know? Those meaningless words are piled up one after another, colouring Isaac¡¯s white blankness with enchanting colors? It made him who was nothing, think of himself as someone that was worthy of living. ¡°If you feel really tired, don¡¯t hold back. Let me know, okay?¡± Just as he was about to say Dahlia¡¯s name unconsciously, Isaac raised his head all of a sudden and glanced about his surroundings quickly. In the room where the sunlight, silk, and Starlings was devoid of, only the chilly air of dawn was present. ¡­All of those were illusions brought about by her voice. As Isaac stared blankly into the air, he gave a hollow laugh before falling back onto the bed. This was another reality. ¡®If I call her name¡­¡¯ ¡®If I called her name, and she did not appear before me¡­¡¯ ¡­ Even though he knows that she wouldn¡¯t appear, he will still collapse out of disappointment. She was neither a fairy nor an angel. While she was sleeping peacefully in the servant¡¯s dormitories, he would be crying in self-mockery, wondering why she wouldn¡¯t come. A madman, hungry for affection, unable to discern the difference between his dreams and reality, and was incapable of learning. That was Isaac. After he acknowledged his lacking self, familiar serenity came rushing in. Isaac stared at the ceiling with a lighter heart. ¡°¡­Dahlia likes me.¡± It was not a dream, neither was it a hallucination, but the truth. ¡°I am a kind-hearted boy.¡± This was also a truth that she has said. The frown on his forehead eased, and a languid smile appeared on the stiffened corner of his lips. As his mood gradually improved, Isaac added a small, tiny wish in the place of another truth. ¡°I hope that she will like me more¡­¡± ¡®I hope you will continue to like me, so that I can continue to live.¡¯ Those last words were so embarrassing that he couldn¡¯t speak them aloud. With a faint smile on his face, Isaac buried himself deeper within his blanket. The feeling of the sweat-soaked blanket, which was always accompanied with discomfort, didn¡¯t feel that bad today. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Half a month has already passed since the vacation. They were entering the beginning of February, and the sound of spring cleaning resonated throughout the mansion. She found it strange that all the maids, other than the senior maids, were given a vacation. She soon knew that the head maid, Mrs Prada, wasn¡¯t a person that handled the servants randomly. As soon as February came, the head maid continued to give the servants work, as if the previous vacation was meant to replenish their stamina for this spring cleaning. ¡°Ugh. How many chandeliers alone are there, d*mn it! We have been cleaning the chandeliers for the past 5 days already.¡± Edina frowned, before placing the crystal that she was holding into the lye. The moment the cloudy and dusty crystal came out of the water, it glimmered with a bright light, revealing its true form. Dahlia, who waited next to her with a dry towel, carefully hung the crystal onto the frame of the chandelier to prevent scratches on the crystal. ¡°But it¡¯s still better than cleaning the furniture or the fireplace. Aren¡¯t chandeliers pretty?¡± ¡°Dahlia¡­ Do you think this is pretty? The fireplace can be cleaned quickly with a thorough wash, but this takes the entire day¡­my hands are about to rot.¡± The other maids nodded their heads and agreed with Edina¡¯s words. ¡°Looking at these twinkling things reminds me of Young Lady Karla¡¯s jewelry box. It¡¯s amazing that there was such a difference between precious stones.¡± ¡°Hey. Can those precious jewels be compared to these crystals?¡± ¡°If I¡¯m going to clean it anyway, I want to clean some of those. All the clothes and accessories are managed by the ladies-in-waiting, right? It seems like this time they bought a lot of jewels when they were buying dresses.¡± ¡°Yeah, I saw it too. They cleaned up the studio beside the dressing room and made it larger. It seems to be even bigger than the Madam¡¯s dressing room.¡± Dahlia, who had been listening to the maids¡¯ chatter, tilted her head as she recalled the wide and spacious dressing room. ¡°Is there a need to enlarge the spacious dressing room even further? Did noblewomen buy so many clothes originally?¡± ¡°There were quite a number of dresses originally, but these days, a proposal comes every one or two days. In order to look good in front of men, they¡¯d buy this and that.¡± Edina took a deep breath and continued speaking. ¡°What was the use of dressing up like that? In a tea party that I was serving not too long ago, I secretly heard that the Madam seemed to be considering the Young Lord of the Notte Marquisate for the Young Lady.¡± ¡°Notte¡­ Notte? It can¡¯t be that piggish Young Lord?¡± ¡°Oh my goodness, that Young Lord?¡± ¡°I heard that he was quite successful in the central region, could it be that the Madam means for a match between that Young Lord and the Young Lady? That¡¯ll be such a waste for the Young Lady!¡± ¡°Oh my¡­ How terrible.¡± The three maids began taking turns to speak nastily about the Young Lord of Notte. Dahlia, who had never seen that Young Lord, asked a question with a face of puzzlement. ¡°Is he that fat?¡± At Dahlia¡¯s question, the maids nodded with frowns on their faces. ¡°Have you not seen him before? His stomach is so big and he has two chins. One thigh of his must be thicker than two of Dahlia¡¯s thighs combined.¡± ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that absurd.¡± The maids that faced Dahlia¡¯s dismissal of their words as an exaggeration, used loud voices to proclaim their innocence that the words they spoke of were the truth towards Edina. Edina turned around and checked the surroundings for the presence of others, before using a low voice to whisper secretively. ¡°Aside from being fat, rumors say that he is also a p*rvert. He picked the young maids of the mansion only and committed strange acts.¡± ¡°What? To the maids?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve heard about it too. Apparently, two of the maids that were kicked out were because they were pregnant.¡± ¡°Oh my gosh. Is that true?¡± ¡°Yeah. And that¡¯s not all. It was said that he fed poisonous herbs to the pregnant maids because he was afraid that they would come back after giving birth to an illegitimate child.¡± The three maids clicked their tongues in unison, saying, ¡°Oh my God¡± at the same time. Edina, who had been swearing at Young Lord Notte for quite a while, shook off the water from the crystal and spoke in a bitter tone. ¡°Would that house be the only one? In the eyes of aristocrats, people like us were no different from dogs and cats that were passing by. Why, even in this mansion, the Little Duke also has bad hand habits. Not too long ago, because of the Little Duke, Lady Oubric, who was a lady-in-waiting with two other maids who quit, also¡­¡± ¡°Lady Oubric?¡± It was a name that she seemed to have heard somewhere. When she asked who Oubric was while looking at their faces, the other maids looked at each other and kept their mouths shut. Feeling the strange atmosphere, Dahlia tapped on Edina¡¯s arm. As such, Edina, who was rolling her eyes, reluctantly opened her mouth. ¡°There was a lady-in-waiting named Maya Oubric, who used to serve the Madam. She was the daughter of Viscount Oubric, and was quite the beauty. While her personality wasn¡¯t that great, in any case, she had a pretty face. The Little Duke must have acted a little annoying to her.¡± Maya Oubric, the Little Duke. At that combination, Dahlia became lost in thought. Edina chose her words carefully in the midst of a quiet atmosphere, before muttering in a lower voice. ¡°However, that lady-in-waiting had an accident in the Northern forest around this time last year.¡± ¡°The Northern Forest¡­ was it where the annex was located?¡± ¡°Yes, due to that, the Young Master was said to be the mastermind behind that incident, and the mansion became quite noisy for quite a while. The reason for that is, there is a cliff if you travel up the path leading to the annex a little further. The lady-in-waiting was found dead there¡­¡± ¡°Edina Jaxs.¡± A low voice made Edina gasp and stop speaking. After realizing the owner of that voice, all the maids looked towards the door with faces of contemplation. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Chapter 21 ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ The senior maid Thelma walked over with several dry rags in hand. The eyes that glanced at the chandeliers felt fiercer than usual. Thelma tapped lightly at the uncleaned parts of the chandelier that she has been staring at with her finger, and recited a warning. ¡°I won¡¯t fault you for idle chatter, but it seems like everyone¡¯s hands have stopped. I instructed you all to finish this before teatime in the afternoon, but will you even be able to finish this by today?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Also, refrain from talking about Lady Oubric within the mansion. If the Lady heard about it, a severe scolding would befall.¡± Edina¡¯s confident appearance disappeared instantly, and she bowed her head like a crestfallen puppy. The maids that were familiar with the Duchess¡¯ fussy temper also nodded silently at Thelma¡¯s nagging. ¡°Dahlia, come over here.¡± Thelma beckoned at Dahlia after retreating towards the door. As soon as Dahlia came towards her, Thelma took three or four books from the tray in front of the door and handed them to Dahlia. ¡°These are the books requested by the Young Master. Be careful, don¡¯t get noticed.¡± As Thelma was about to turn, she grabbed Dahlia¡¯s wrist. ¡°I chose my words carefully as I didn¡¯t want to seem like I was interfering¡­ Dahlia.¡± When Dahlia looked upwards, it wasn¡¯t Thelma¡¯s dull expression as per usual, but a face flickering with complex emotions. From the years of accumulated senses, Dahlia intuitively realized that Thelma was worried about her. ¡°Take care to not get too close to the Young Master.¡± She had anticipated her to emphasize on not being seen by others, but the words that she heard instead was a slander against Isaac. Thelma continued to speak to Dahlia, who was hesitant. ¡°The Young Master may seem cordial at first glance, but he isn¡¯t as docile as you may have thought. Also, you remember that when you went out with the Young Master, the Lady was very angry, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And also, although the truth of the incident with Lady Oubric that those kids were talking about earlier is unknown, being involved with the Young Master wouldn¡¯t result in anything good. So¨C¡± ¡°I know, as you¡¯ve repeated it many times.¡± Dahlia cut off her words, trying not to sound too cold. At her determined attitude, Thelma, who was trying to continue speaking, quietly closed her mouth. Dahlia turned and stepped forward without hesitation. The gaze she felt on the back of her head today was exceptionally uncomfortable. Only after descending down the flight of stairs and exiting the mansion, did Dahlia look backwards bitterly. A slightly bitter gaze seemed to flow from beyond the upper level. Unlike the rapid steps used to leave the mansion, her steps through the forest were endlessly heavy. Dahlia trudged through the forest based on her habitual path with her head lowered. Her head was filled with vague questions that couldn¡¯t be completed into sentences, differing from her calm expression. ¡®Maya Oubric and the Young Master¡­¡¯ The Northern forest where the annex was located, an accident that occured to a lady-in-waiting from a cliff in said forest. The main suspect behind this incident, the Young Master. Thelma¡¯s advice to be wary of him. Could it be that the Young Master was the one that killed that lady-in-waiting? She seems to understand why the servants of the mansion hushed up when it came to him. Karla¡¯s metaphor that she would suffer from his wrath if she gets close to him made sense now. But her doubts still remained. That day, the first time that she saw Max¡­ Just as Max was about to swing his fist at Isaac out of anger. ¡°The Little Duke¡­ he stopped his first when he heard the words ¡®Maya Oubric¡¯.¡± Like he has heard something he shouldn¡¯t have, the odd way Max¡¯s face paled as his fist trembled, it was perturbing. While the incident¡¯s main suspect Isaac, brought up the name Maya Oubric calmly. If it was Max who was always at Isaac¡¯s throat, it would be normal for him to mock him for being a murderer as soon as he heard the word ¡®Oubric¡¯. But, the person that used the word ¡®Oubric¡¯ as a weapon was Isaac and not Max. She had verified with her own eyes that the two¡¯s relationship was the complete opposite from the rumours. ¡­ She couldn¡¯t figure out what this meant. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s what.¡± She stepped into the annex after organizing her complex thoughts. Hoover, who stood in front of the door, looked at Dahlia with wary eyes, and as if she was familiar with it, Dahlia bowed calmly in greeting. As there were only a few residents, the chilly air of winter enveloped the annex in its totality. When she was in the mansion, she had always felt warm and relieved, but a frown formed on her forehead at the thought that the weak Young Master might catch a cold. The white mist from her breaths followed her like a trail of footprints. As Dahlia stood in front of the door and was about to knock, took something out of her pocket suddenly. It was a white ribbon that Isaac had gifted her. It was a ribbon that she had never used before as she found using it to be a waste, and she felt somewhat embarrassed to wear it before the Young Master, hence it remained folded in her pocket. After a short moment of contemplation, Dahlia added the ribbon over her current ponytail. If she had a mirror, she could have tied it in a prettier manner, but she did not have one, so she gave up and knocked on the door. ¡°Young Master, it¡¯s Dahlia.¡± As soon as she entered the room, warmth welcomed her. Like it was to break Dahlia¡¯s preconception that it would be cold, the room was as warm as spring thanks to the blazing fireplace. Isaac, who stood in front of the chess table, approached Dahlia with a smile. Looking at the messy rows of chess pieces, it seemed that he was probably reviewing a chess game. ¡°What happened? I told you not to come over for a while as it¡¯s cold.¡± ¡°How can I not come just because it¡¯s cold? Ms. Thelma asked me to deliver these books, so I came. Nothing much happened, right?¡± Dahlia slotted the books she had brought into the bookshelf and began to organize the room in a practiced manner. Behind her busy form, Isaac stiffened his mouth to hide his excitement, and closely followed her around as if he was a baby bird. ¡°I heard that the mansion is very noisy as it¡¯s undergoing spring cleaning these days. Are you busy too?¡± ¡°Yes. I thought it wouldn¡¯t be a problem as the mansion was cleaned every day, but it¡¯s so big that there are many places that needed to be worked on. I had to return on my day off and am in the middle of cleaning. I was going to rest a few days ago¡­¡± ¡°What were you planning to do on your day off?¡± ¡°Hm, I was just going to rest in the dorms. I still have to send a letter to Laurel and there¡¯s quite a lot of sewing that needs to be done. But I was so busy that I¡¯ll have to postpone the letter for a while.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Isaac, who was peering around Dahlia, stopped walking and clasped his hands behind him while shaking his head lightly. Dahlia did not notice his movements, and was still busy organizing piles of books and paper. Isaac smacked his lips a couple of times and closed his mouth disapprovingly. There was something he really wanted to say, but he couldn¡¯t speak when he met her. His shaking gaze that represented his feelings brushed from her small facial features to strands of unkempt hair, before reaching the ribbon tied around her hair. As soon as he recognized the lace ribbon, Isaac¡¯s clenched fingers also stopped moving. That day. The day that we went out together. The white ribbon Isaac gifted her fluttered about the gaps of her brown hair. The ends of the ribbon had a lace pattern that was so complex that it was unknown whether it was of a flower or a weed. The ribbon¡¯s gracefulness was further enhanced when paired with simple satin. ¡­No. It wasn¡¯t the ribbon that was graceful. Brown hair fluttering next to him, the round and curved forehead, and the thick and shimmering brown eyelashes. The ribbon was only a strip of cloth, but it looked very elegant when Dahlia wore it. Isaac stole a glance at the large green eyes that gave off the sentiment of spring, and pondered over the definition of grace. His maid was prettier than anyone else. As he looked at the maid wearing his gift, a drowsy sense of joy spread within the depths of his heart. Along with it, the fetters of hesitation loosened. Isaac thought long and hard with his eyes closed, before sighing and plucking up his courage. ¡°Hey, Dahlia.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°On your next day off¡­ If you don¡¯t have anything to do, shall we go around the town together like last time?¡± Dahlia¡¯s eyes, which were staring at Isaac quietly, gradually grew in size. She blinked several times like she was surprised, and made an expression that was like a smile yet not a smile, before letting out a soft sigh with a face of disappointment. ¡°I would be happy to, but I¡¯m afraid the Young Master will be scolded¡­ I heard that you were caught by the Madam last time and was scolded ferociously.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that, as the most that woman can do is whip me.¡± ¡°That woman¡­ Are you talking about the Madam?¡± When Isaac nodded, Dahlia placed the writing instrument she was holding down onto the desk and stood in front with a stern look. She then proceeded to scold him with the same tone she used to scold her younger sister. ¡°Young Master, I know that you hold many grudges with the Madam. Still, It isn¡¯t good to talk about the Madam like that.¡± Isaac, who stared at her with sparkling eyes, frowned immediately. He was so close to an answer, but the words that came out were defending the Duchess. Dahlia seemed to completely understand his feelings, and gave him a gentle gaze when their eyes met. ¡°That¡¯s right. To be honest with you, I don¡¯t really like the Madam either. I don¡¯t know why she hates the Young Master so much. But¡­ Young Master, don¡¯t be like that. Don¡¯t be exactly the same as her and hate her. Try to remain as polite as you can.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid that you¡¯ll regret it.¡± He had thought that the typical answers like because she¡¯s an adult or because she¡¯s family, so you must be like that would appear, but an unexpected answer came out instead. Dahlia smiled bitterly as Isaac furrowed his brows and seemed to want to say something. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ hm, it¡¯s unsuitable to be called a similar example, but my father wasn¡¯t a very good person either. But after he passed away during the war, I kept feeling that I¡¯ve let down my father, even though I did nothing wrong.¡± Her father¡¯s blurry silhouette appeared in her green eyes. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Chapter 22 ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ The silhouette stirred like a heat haze and gradually formed into a clear shape. As memories of her father resurfaced, Dahlia calmly recollected about her father. Her father was a fisherman, and was someone that liked to drink and had a rough mouth. He would hit Dahlia and her mother without hesitation whenever he was angry, and he couldn¡¯t be termed as a good father even with empty words. Dahlia hated her father. Funnily enough, after losing her father, the survivor¡¯s guilt of, ¡°I should have taken care of him when he was alive,¡± tormented her. Is this the nosiness of a lucky survivor or was this a self-criticism that naturally arises for the past mistakes? The answer was unclear, but Dahlia concluded simply. ¡°It¡¯s weird. Bad people wouldn¡¯t change after their death, but the feelings of regret would still remain. In the end, it will become a stain that¡¯s left in your heart.¡± ¡°Stain?¡± ¡°It¡¯s remorse for my attitude towards that person. Don¡¯t leave a stain on yourself, even if it¡¯s to not end up like that, and for you to be able to face yourself confidently.¡± Isaac asked in reply with a faint smile. ¡°To be confident?¡± ¡°Yes. For yourself, Young Master.¡± ¡®For yourself.¡¯ Isaac savoured those last words into his mouth. Perhaps some might find it fake, but Isaac always treated the members of the Duchy with a polite attitude. Because that¡¯s what they want. However, from a different point of view, Dahlia¡¯s words were right. Isaac has been as polite as possible, and knew that he wouldn¡¯t have any regrets if they died. That¡¯s what happened to Rene. The only thing left in his mind after his mother¡¯s death was compassion for himself. There wasn¡¯t any feeling of indebtment towards her. Because she didn¡¯t leave a stain. Because he did his best to be polite when she was alive. Isaac gave a plain smile and bowed his head. He had only chosen to be courteous to live, but when he listened to Dahlia¡¯s words, it seemed as if his life had become something noble. And she moved him at this very moment and felt amazing and mature. Not knowing Isaac¡¯s inner thoughts, Dahlia changed the subject with a composed face. ¡°It would be nice to go out with the Young Master¡­ I¡¯ll have to find a way to not get caught by the Madam. If we leave from the main gate, we¡¯ll be caught by soldiers. Is there any other path?¡± There are two ways. ¡°If you cross through the Northern forest towards the right, you can get to the town.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯ll take a while since the path is winding, but it doesn¡¯t take that long if you ride a horse. The road is dangerous, so you need to be careful. There¡¯s a cliff, and the downcline is steep.¡± When she heard about the cliff, Dahlia¡¯s shoulders trembled. The cliff in the Northern Forest. The stories that were told by the maids earlier passed through her mind. ¡­Maya Oubric died there. Instead of agonizing over it silently, Dahlia chose to ask directly. ¡°Young Master, I heard of a strange rumor.¡± ¡°What rumor did you hear about?¡± ¡°Do you happen to know someone named¡­ Maya Oubric?¡± Isaac nodded and replied readily. ¡°Yes. She was the Duchess¡¯ lady-in-waiting. She was strict but had good sense, and the Duchess cherished her greatly¡­ She suffered an accident in the forest last year.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°It could be because of the rainy season that the ground was softened. But why did she have to be at the cliff¡­ It¡¯s unfortunate. Besides, Viscount Oubric is the most renowned amongst the vassals. The incident was so shocking to him that he didn¡¯t attend the vassal meetings ever since and apparently was living in seclusion.¡± No matter how she looked at it, Isaac reciting the circumstances of the lady-in-waiting with a gloomy face, was wholly unlike the main culprit who caused the incident. Isaac, who had been speaking in a pitiful tone, looked at Dahlia with his head tilted. ¡°But why are you talking about that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I heard something a little absurd. They said that¡­.¡± ¡°Was it that this incident occurred because I pushed her?¡¯¡± The ruthless words made Dahlia bite her lip in response, before nodding her head slowly. The clear and limpid eyes staring at Dahlia curved lightly, and Isaac continued in a soft tone. ¡°It¡¯s not odd for such rumors to float around. As I¡¯m the only person living in the annex and Lady Oubric wasn¡¯t the kind of person that normally wouldn¡¯t enjoy taking walks. Yet such a person has died in this area¡­ I would be suspicious too.¡± ¡°¡­You must have been upset.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter as it¡¯s not a day or two of me being misunderstood. And, Dahlia doesn¡¯t think that way, right?¡± At her nod, his smile deepened a little. ¡°That¡¯s all that matters.¡± Isaac leaned against the bookshelf and smiled languidly. The half-closed eyes overflowed with a sensual beauty that didn¡¯t match his age. Although she had always coaxed him like a younger brother with the thought that he was younger than her, this mature appearance that occasionally appeared was unfamiliar. When she stared at him blankly like she was bewitched, Isaac stretched out a long arm and tapped Dahlia on the cheek. Then he smiled mischievously. Dahlia, who was drunk on the naturalness of his action, became bashful a beat later and slapped away the hand that was touching her cheek. Even though the action was quite rough, Isaac wasn¡¯t embarrassed, instead bursting into laughter. ¡°You¨Cyou scared me! Must you always joke around like this?¡± ¡°Dahlia¡¯s reaction is so fierce that I¡¯d like to keep messing with her.¡± ¡°¡­Please don¡¯t do that. I¡¯m shy.¡± Isaac, who was tapping his pants, suddenly approached and held Dahlia¡¯s shoulders. When Dahlia faltered and tried to pull back in surprise, he gripped her shoulders a little harder and pulled her close to him. When his muscular upper body was pressed downwards, she felt a subtle constriction in her chest. Their breaths tangled between their close faces, emitted a strange tension. But Issac was very composed, perhaps Dahlia was the only one that felt conscious. ¡°Young Master, can you move away for a second?¡± The clear smile on Isaac¡¯s face wasn¡¯t as welcome at this moment. When she tried to push away his shoulders, Isaac was a beat faster and used even more strength to pull Dahlia towards him. ¡°Young¨CYoung Master!¡± A strong force that did not match his usual weak appearance suppressed Dahlia. She tried to raise her arm, but she couldn¡¯t move the slightest bit. A husky voice rang over the tightly held upper body. ¡°Tell me, what were you thinking when you heard the rumor? Did Dahlia also think that I was the culprit?¡± The lips that had stayed near her temple slipped downwards and a hot whisper flowed into Dahlia¡¯s ear. ¡°Or did you feel sorry that I was being framed?¡± It was difficult to grasp the context of his words because she was distracted by the tightly attached upper body. Dahlia moved her lips to respond belatedly. ¡°That¡¯s obviously¡­¡± ¡°Obviously?¡± ¡°¡­I thought the Young Master was pitiful, because I know he¡¯s someone that won¡¯t do that.¡± The feeling of Isaac¡¯s mouth lifting upwards from their touching cheeks was very slight. Was he worried that she might suspect him? Dahlia raised her hand that was near her thigh and slowly patted Isaac on the back. ¡°Don¡¯t take it to heart. The others are just swept away by the rumours, no one actually thinks badly of you.¡± Comforting pats combined with her friendly voice evoked a tranquil coziness. Isaac closed his eyes and buried his face on her shoulder. Dahlia is very naive. It doesn¡¯t matter what others say. Who would be angry at the sound of sparrows chirping? He just pretended to be pitiful before her, and he would be happy if she thought of him as even just a little more pitiful. The kind Dahlia that tried to comfort the poor Young Master gingerly, without knowing his true intentions. It made him really happy and overjoyed. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m used to those kinds of gossip. If Dahlia thinks positively¡­ no matter what. everything else is fine.¡± Keep going, keep going. ¡°Anyways, no one would like something like me. Just like this¡­ I want to fall asleep and then melt away.¡± He could pretend to be pitiful. ¡°If I die like that, wouldn¡¯t everyone else be ecstatic that the ghost of the annex has finally disappeared?¡± The miserable voice disturbed Dahlia¡¯s mind. Dahlia held his face and checked his expression, before frowning at his gloomy face. ¡°Young Master, why are you saying that?¡± ¡®Look at this.¡¯ ¡®You¡¯re looking at me with a face of worry again.¡¯ As if proving his internal musings, Dahlia pulled Isaac into her arms pressing harder on the hand that was lightly patting his back. She gave a tight hug to the Young Master, who was larger than her, and expressed her sincerity urgently. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t say that thoughtlessly! I like you. I like the Young Master.¡± ¡®I like you.¡¯ Words that evoked joy wildly every time it secretly tickled Isaac¡¯s ear. However, such a friendly push passed through his mind and disappeared. In fact, nothing could reach his ear for now. All of his five senses were occupied with her body. The sensation of her skin and body temperature was being delivered throughout him, causing him to shiver. Isaac was busy not knowing what to do. ¡°So don¡¯t say things like dying or disappearing. Got it?¡± Her small shoulders, her breath that touches his cheek, touching his chest¡­ ¡®Dahlia¡¯s scent.¡¯ The brown hair, which tickled his forehead and cheeks, shook his reason as it emitted her scent strongly. Her cheek that brushed against the nape of his neck was as soft as freshly baked white bread. What would it feel like if he licks and bites it? His eyes widened endlessly at her soft female body. ¡°Young Master?¡± ¡®Oh¡­oh no¡­¡¯ ¡®No, no.¡¯ His alter ego, which he didn¡¯t know had existed in the vicinity of their touching flesh, began to twitch and increase in bulk. Isaac shuddered at the unfamiliar sensations. Although he remembered this feeling while half-awake from a wet dream, it was the first time in his life that he became so excited in this manner. Why must it occur when Dahlia was in front of him¡­ how indecent. ¡­No, no. Because Dahlia is here¡­ because she was right in front of him. ¡®Right now, am I¡­ lusting for Dahlia¡­?¡¯ A sad sigh leaked out unwittingly. Still, the guilt of his indecency and the self-rationalization that it was a natural phenomena and that it can¡¯t be helped, mixed together and tormented Isaac. As he bit his lower lip, he tried to swallow down his lust desperately. However, the sweet scent from her body brushing past the tip of his nose and the softness touching his chest ripped apart the string of reason he was barely held onto. ¡®I want to hug you.¡¯ ¡®¡­I want to kiss you.¡¯ It was hard to control his steep excitement. As his lips trembled, Isaac felt his head turn blank and opened his eyes suddenly. Once¡­ Just once. In one moment, his worries cleared. Soon after, the lips that had been hovering around her thin shoulders as if it was about to touch, began to rise slowly up her neckline. His harsh breathing didn¡¯t sound like his own. His heated breath touched the pale nape of her neck. ¡°¡­Young Master?¡± Dahlia, noticing Issac¡¯s unusual behaviour, looked downwards puzzledly. Eventually, when his heated lips were about to reach her earlobe¡­ ¡°Isaac.¡± A heavy voice resounded through the door, along with the sound of a knock. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Chapter 23 ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Startled by the sound of the door, Dahlia pushed him away hastily. But Isaac was faster and grabbed her hand, hiding Dahlia behind him. Other than Dahlia, there was only one other person that had a deep and lofty voice, and could enter and exit the room freely without Hoover¡¯s permission. Isaac quickly regulated his messy breathing and moved towards the door. ¡°What brings you here at this hour?¡± Dahlia instinctively bowed at the sight of Isaac bowing in greeting. When the door opened and she glanced at the person entering, Dahlia realized that her premonition wasn¡¯t wrong. ¡°Some strange documents related to protocol were sent from the capital. I wanted to ask for your opinion.¡± The Duke, Gehern Eufgenschult, Lord of Helman and the Master of the mansion, entered the room with parchment paper in hand, and sat before the chess table naturally. His gaze remained fixed on Dahlia from the moment he entered the room. Was it with interest, or lust? As Isaac was trying to discern which of the two was the emotion contained within his eyes, he moved the hands that were clasped at his back, pointing towards the door. Dahlia noticed his intention and bowed, before moving towards the door hesitantly. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen Isaac so close to a maid. You over there, what¡¯s your name?¡± The Duke fiddled with the parchment and spoke to Dahlia while staring at her. Dahlia¡¯s eyes widened and she raised her head, not expecting that he would talk to her. ¡°Yes, Master. I¨C I¡¯m assigned to the main building.¡± ¡°Dahlia Beroch is a maid that¡¯s around the same age as me. Recently, she has been running errands on behalf of her senior maid, Thelma.¡± Isaac stood in front of her and cut off her words with a fluent introduction. He then looked back at Dahlia with cold eyes, and indicated towards the door again. ¡°Leave us.¡± As the Duke watched Isaac coldy draw a line with a face of interest, he waved his hand to stop Isaac. ¡°No. We¡¯ll take a while to finish, so it¡¯s best to prepare tea. Where¡­ Dahlia? Hoover has gone to fetch a cigarette, so would you prepare some tea?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. I will prepare it immediately.¡± Dahlia bowed and replied politely, before leaving with quick steps. At the edge of her jumbled awareness, the conversation between Isaac and the Duke resounded vaguely, before disappearing instantly. ¡°Oh, Mr. Hoover!¡± When she reached the hall, she met eyes with Hoover, who just happened to carry the tray into the hall. Hoover gave Dahlia a distasteful glance and a raised eyebrow, before looking back at the tray he was carrying. A tea set and a cigar case was placed on the tray. ¡°What is it? I have to bring this to them, so move aside.¡± ¡°He told me to bring the prepared items. I¡¯ll bring it there.¡± Hoover¡¯s eyes contorted slightly. Tsk, the way he clicked his tongue was full of emotions. ¡°Oh, right. I was wondering why the Master was standing there blankly without entering the room, but it seems that he came to see you.¡± ¡°Me? Why would the Master come to see me?¡± ¡°Do you know? Even the Master knows about it whenever you flirt with the Young Master. What a vulgar greenhorn that doesn¡¯t know her place.¡± Whenever he flirts with the master, even the master. Because there are no snobs on the subject of a young kid.¡± ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± ¡°You should give up the thought of seducing an aristocrat to turn your luck around. In any case¡­women are.¡± The annoyed face that he had daily twitched, and the intensity of his irritation was deeper than usual. As Dahlia stared back at Hoover¡¯s eyes with a frown, she spoke in a hardened voice. ¡°What do you mean everyday¡­ And, when did I seduce the Young Master? The one that started the flirting was Young Master.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I can just take this with me, right? I will serve tea in your stead, so Mr. Hoover, take a break.¡± As Dahlia snatched the tray from Hoover while staring at him strongly, before heading back to the second floor. Grumblings such as being rude and arrogant could be heard from behind, but she ignored them and moved forward silently. ¡°I don¡¯t know why he gets angry every time he sees me.¡± Whenever Hoover encountered her, he always clicked his tongue with a displeased face. In other words, whenever she meets him every other day, she¡¯ll have to face his displeased face. At first, she thought that she had done something wrong so she was on tenterhooks, but when she heard that he treated all the female servants similarly, she gave up. ¡°Is it because he hates women?¡± Well, as everyone had their own taste, so it was possible. Still, the words he said earlier had crossed the line. She thought if that was the case, she should have spoken more firmly, before organising her thoughts and opening the door. ¡°¡­With adjustments according to the situation, it means that the tariff only applies within the territory of the Republic. In other words, the High Lords will be taxed an additional 2.12%. If the iron ore¡¯s tariff-free rate written below is applied¡­¡± The two of them spread out the parchment on the chessboard and were in the midst of a serious discussion. As she was curious about what was written on the parchment, she sneaked a peek while pouring tea, but she couldn¡¯t figure out what it was about as the parchment was full of dense and unknown characters. Seemingly conscious of her gaze, Isaac continued to speak in a light tone while looking towards Dahlia. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen the sacred language, so I was also confused, but the outline is simple. The fact that it had to be written on parchment instead of paper and written in the sacred language, seems to imply that it¡¯s a document handed over to the High Lords only for formality.¡± Those squiggly words were actually sacred language. As she covered her mouth in silent admiration, Isaac closed his eyes slightly. He looked at the teacup, the floor, and the Duke in turn while explaining naturally, as if he had never looked at Dahlia. ¡°Rather than for religious purposes, the fact that it was sent here with the upcoming Spring Festival in mind. But¡­the fact that the tax rate, which has always been applied simply must be subdivided, makes me worried.¡± ¡°Although it¡¯s slightly complicated, it doesn¡¯t seem to cause much change. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to just follow the instructions of the Central government?¡± With his head tilted in thought, Isaac pulled out a book from the bookshelf. ¡®Study on the changes brought about by compound tariffs on the tariff rate system.¡¯ Although the words were clearly written in Heidven, the only words she could understand were, ¡®change¡¯ and ¡®study¡¯. Isaac¡¯s eyes, which had been scanning the book, stopped at a certain paragraph. Isaac rubbed the book¡¯s corner with his index finger and glanced up in the air with a face of puzzlement. ¡°¡­I heard that bringing about tax reform in this manner is only used to retrieve additional profits. How about reviewing the areas where compound tariffs are suitable with the legislative staff first? And after, you can ascertain whether the other territories can handle the burden of such a tariff rate with an insider.¡± The Duke, who was listening quietly, asked a few questions. Isaac continued his answer while staring in the air. Ever since then, questions like how to utilize the insider, what to do if there¡¯s a problem with the tax rate, and how to raise an objection for this issue kept the discussion flowing. Dahlia stood behind the table, quietly listening to the sound of the father and son¡¯s speaking. When the conversation ended, the tea poured into the teacup had already cooled. The Duke beckoned at Dahlia with a light face. ¡°I should return to the mansion. You. Can you follow me with these books and the parchment?¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Dahlia, who was standing idly, picked up books and parchment that were lying on the chess table, and gave Isaac a greeting with her eyes. Isaac, who stood there with an indifferent look, moved his lips with a voice that was almost inaudible. At his words to return safely, Dahlia left with a bright smile, following behind the Duke with light footsteps. The sun in the sky started to set, causing the surrounding to become yellow. The only thing that disturbed the silence of the forest was the footsteps of Dahlia and the Duke. With a face in deep contemplation, the Duke remained silent. Then, just as the forest path was about to end, he spoke to Dahlia. ¡°So you¡¯re the maid that Isaac cherishes these days. Well, what thoughts do you have watching from the side?¡± Not realizing that it was a question directed at her, Dahlia looked at their surroundings, before answering belatedly. ¡°If you¡¯re talking about the Young Master¡­ he¡¯s kind and wise, and his attitude and appearance are both cultured, so he¡¯s a flawless Young Master.¡± The Duke shook his head with a subtle smile. From his expression, Dahlia realized that the answer the Duke wanted was not such a pretentious speech, so she quickly changed her tune. ¡°Can I¡­ can I be honest?¡± ¡°As much as you want.¡± As Dahlia hesitated while she touched her lips, she looked at the Duke¡¯s calm expression and summoned up her courage. ¡°It may be rude of me to say something like this to the Master, but the rumors amongst the servants about the Young Master aren¡¯t very pleasant. So, I was quite worried when I met him for the first time.¡± The ghost of the annex. Filthy b*stard child. The Young Master, who was known for his bad reputation rather than his name, was not very welcome to Dahlia. However, contrary to such rumors, her experience with the Young Master told her that he was a very beautiful and noble man. ¡°In reality, the Young Master I¡¯ve observed was a friendly and caring person. He was willing to reach out to a servant like me, and even asked after me¡­ there¡¯s a lot of things that can be learnt from him as a person.¡± ¡°Many things to learn¡­quite so. Even an old man like me learns from him often, but a child like you will benefit more.¡± The Duke grinned as used his hand to scatter the dried leaves hanging on the crevices of the branches. ¡°Whatever becomes of the Eufgenschult¡¯s bloodline, Isaac is such an outstanding kid that it¡¯s a pity that he¡¯s not the legitimate eldest son. If he had been born first, this family wouldn¡¯t have been in such a mess¡­it¡¯s a bit bitter, isn¡¯t it?¡± The Duke¡¯s true intentions were revealed in his words that flowed out. Dahlia asked unsurely. ¡°¡­Master. You must care a lot for the Young Master.¡± ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Chapter 24 ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ She was under the impression that the whole family didn¡¯t like Isaac, but the Duke¡¯s words made her wonder if she misunderstood. The Duke did not take offence to the young maid¡¯s daring question and burst out laughing. ¡°How can I not care for such an intelligent child? When he was brought to the mansion, he seemed like an idiot, but he had managed to go beyond the Royal Grammar course in less than a year, surprising everyone with his talent. Even if you put the heads of the Duke¡¯s vassals together, they still won¡¯t be able to reach the feet of that boy.¡± His deep voice made his pride for his son evident. The Duke sat at the base of a tree¡¯s trunk and looked towards the sky with squinted eyes. ¡°If only Isaac was born as the eldest¡­ No, if only he had a good enough friendship with Max so that he would be willing to assist him.¡± The light of the setting sun shone through entangled branches and turned the Duke¡¯s face yellow. As if he was intoxicated with speaking, the Duke continued to lament to himself. ¡°If he was raised in the mansion from the beginning, would it have been a little better? If so, the boy¡¯s mother left behind her son and disappeared. If Rene was here, he might have a little more will to live.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the Young Master¡¯s mother¡­ deceased?¡± ¡°Yes. I had planned to bring Isaac here first and when the family is stable, I will fetch his mother and let her stay in the annex¡­ Apparently she disappeared soon after giving birth.¡± While holding his forehead, the Duke lowered his head in anguish. ¡°What¡¯s the use of being something like a Duke? I¡¯m a fool that can¡¯t even protect a woman that¡¯s pregnant with my child properly. Just the thought of Isaac living in the gutter alone without his mother makes me unable to sleep from the guilt. Rene too¡­ I promised to fetch her when I knew that she was with child. I acted in a way I shouldn¡¯t have towards both of them¡­¡± His soliloquizing, like a mumbled confession, was filled with topics too heavy and sensitive to be heard by servants like Dahlia. ¡®How should I react? Should I stay put, or should I reply to him?¡¯ Dahlia approached the Duke with a look of awkwardness and offered her condolences. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Master was in a situation where he didn¡¯t have a choice. Then the Young Master will be understanding of everything. He must have stayed in the annex quietly as he understood, and he wouldn¡¯t express it even if he liked his father.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± ¡°Of course. The Young Master is very thoughtful. Besides, he said some rather regrettable things about the other members of this family, but he didn¡¯t say such things about you, Master.¡± At her kind consolation, the Duke could only let out an undignified snort with a bitter face. ¡°Hah, that can¡¯t be. He probably doesn¡¯t have enough interest to make it into a conversational topic.¡± ¡°No, the Master is his father. Although I didn¡¯t get along with my parents, I still love them both, as they had me and raised me.¡± The Duke looked upwards at Dahlia with damp eyes, before wiping the corners of his eyes with a bitter smile. ¡°I heard from the head maid that you lost your parents during the war. Is that the truth?¡± Dahlia hesitated for a moment, worried that if she answered in affirmative, a prejudiced gaze would appear, but in the end she closed her mouth and nodded her head. She can¡¯t breath around the bush with him anyways. The Duke¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, accepting her awkwardness and shyness. ¡°What you say is convincing. Since you¡¯ve lost your family and are living alone¡­ Perhaps the reason Isaac is close to you is because you both are of the same kind.¡± The Duke sighed deeply and looked at Dahlia calmly. Dahlia drew back her neck and looked at him composedly. There was a slight sense of incongruity in the changed atmosphere. ¡°Child, I have a request, will you listen to it?¡± Although he said that it was a request, there was a clear pressure that made her unable to refuse. His emotional appearance washed away, and the authority as the head of the family hovered around him. Dahlia nodded her head politely. ¡°Yes, Master. Please speak freely.¡± ¡°I want to atone for what I¡¯ve done to that child. That child¡­ he won¡¯t be able to carry on the title, but at the very least I hope that he can build his position and live the rest of his life comfortably under the family. For that to happen¡­¡± His thick eyebrows were almost touching each other. The Duke continued to speak as he stared at the forest sharply. ¡°I hope that you¡¯ll stay by his side and encourage him. Isaac needs someone that he can trust.¡± She had thought it would be some extraordinary request, but the words he spoke were like chasing waterfalls. Dahlia¡¯s eyes widened and she waved her hand. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the Master be better suited for that? What kind of encouragement can a person like me give him?¡± ¡°I heard from both Thelma and Hoover that the only maid Isaac calls for is you, delivering the books he borrowed and drinking tea, you both spend a lot of time together.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ the Young Master was just killing time.¡± ¡°You both also went to town together not too long ago. How could Isaac, who hated crowded places¡­ oh, right. Last year the secretary went in and was speechless in surprise when he came out.¡± Dahlia pursed her lips and remained silent. She had originally thought that she was being as careful as possible when she was with Isaac, but it was useless to make any excuses before the master of the mansion, who had everyone as his eyes and ears, ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice anything strange when you were beside Isaac?¡± Something strange? The sudden question made Dahlia turn around with a surprised expression. The Duke looked at her once with a frown on his face, before staring into the distance and his answer flowed out from his mouth. ¡°That child doesn¡¯t have the will to live.¡± As Dahlia blinked her eyes dazedly, she opened her mouth slightly and let out a sigh. Isaac has always expressed his emotions dully, whether it was happiness or sadness. His breaths were like sighs, and he always spent his day seated by the window. Whether it was Max getting angry or getting beaten by the Duchess, he just shrugs his shoulders helplessly. Although it was odd, indescribable images of him flashed through Dahlia¡¯s mind quickly. The conflicting emotions that she had felt up until now became unified into a single sentence. ¡°Whether it¡¯s because he had a difficult childhood, or it¡¯s because he wasn¡¯t given concern by another. If he had lived in that brothel village without his mother, it would have been enough to make him like this. In any case, when Isaac came to the mansion, he didn¡¯t open up his heart to anyone. All except for you.¡± ¡°That child, who always answered questions, and stayed in the annex, came to the Right Wing to ask for a favour. What kind of request do you think it is?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure. What kind of request was it?¡± ¡°He asked me to protect you from Irmina, so that she can¡¯t harm you.¡± Irmina? For a moment, she struggled to remember where she had heard of that name, before widening her eyes in realisation of the name¡¯s owner, and stared at the Duke. Irmina Eufgenschult. The Lady of the mansion that bore plenty of hatred towards Isaac, the Duchess of Eufgenschult. ¡°I heard that he had gone out and was severely scolded by Irmina, but the day he was being lectured, he was on the edge in worry that she might harm you. I was aware of your existence before then, but I came to a realisation upon hearing his request. Someone that could break his shell has finally appeared.¡± The Duke got up from his seat and took a step closer to Dahlia. There was a desperate light within the eyes that was similar to Isaac¡¯s. ¡°I won¡¯t ask for much. All I hope for is to make that child into a member of the Eufgenschult.¡± ¡°Even if you say that¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t figure out what she could do for him. Understanding her meaning even without hearing the following words, the Duke stretched out a palm and interrupted Dahlia. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you how to proceed, so all you have to do is encourage him at the side from time to time. You only have to stick to your role as his friend.¡± She vaguely understood what he was trying to say. He probably meant for her to be a source of motivation for Isaac. She recalled how Isaac talked to the former Duke earlier. His appearance then was dignified and acutely intelligent, a stark difference from his hazy expression when playing chess usually. This gave a very fresh shock to Dahlia. She had somewhat guessed that the Young Master couldn¡¯t have been a normal person, but the way he recited foreign languages ??and theories seemed really smart and cool. If he could show others such a side of him¡­ It would be great. It¡¯s quite regrettable to see his talents rot without being displayed. For Dahlia, who had a thirst for knowledge, but couldn¡¯t even attempt to carry out her thoughts due to her situation, her position was all the more similar. ¡­No. Aside from his talents, just being acknowledged as a member of the Ducal family when he was an illegitimate child¡­ That alone was well worth it. Children like Isaac, who had grown up with difficulty, deserved to be happier. ¡°Alright, Master. I will try as best as I can.¡± As she spoke determinedly with her fists clenched, the Duke¡¯s mouth slowly drew an arc. It wasn¡¯t a smile of the head of the family, but a warm smile characteristic of an old father. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ The sound of crackling firewood broke the eerie silence. The Duke placed the wine glass he was holding down onto the table and looked at the light beyond the wine glass. A faint shadow appeared in the flickering light. As always, the illusion reflected by the shadow was Rene. Her. Gehern Eufgenschult first met Rene at the Opera House in the capital more than twenty years ago. At that time, Gehern was troubled over the matter of succession to the Dukedom. He came to the Opera House to cool his head, but the presence of an unknown woman seated in the family¡¯s assigned seat made him bewildered. Of course, his feelings of puzzlement were fleeting. Fascinated by the woman¡¯s face and alluring figure, Gehern had instantly become her captive. Just like that, Rene, who sold her body in back alleys, became the mistress of the Republic¡¯s most prestigious man. No one knew how much love was between them, or if it was even true love. Only that their love ignited the wrath of Irmina, who was preparing to become the next Duchess of Eufgenschult. ¡°The succession ceremony of the Ducal title is just around the corner, yet you intend to view that cheap prostitute as a courtesan? Are you insane?¡¯ Irmina, who has always viewed elegance as the best virtue, was truly angered and hit the table. Of course, it wasn¡¯t because she loved Gehern. The reason for her anger was due to the high society and gossip reporters comparing herself with that lowly woman. As the daughter of the Marquis of Solvon, the richest man in the northwest, and had a lifestyle that was comparable to a queen, her pride wouldn¡¯t allow her to be placed within the same line as a cheap woman that sold her body on the streets. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Chapter 25 ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ But Gehern believed Irmina¡¯s wrath would not last long. It was because he thought that it was a noble thing to be educated in not showing interest in those of lower rank than herself. Since she was born, she had been a pure-blooded aristocrat, so he expected that she would forget Rene soon. However, such expectations were splendidly missed. As soon as he was distracted by the succession of his title, Irmina sent a private soldier to get rid of Renee. Fortunately, the murder was only a failure, but Renee¡¯s whereabouts have been unknown since that day. ¡®Do you still want to find that woman? Please keep your dignity. Are you not worried about the name of Eufgenschult?¡¯ ¡®Whoever sees you will think you¡¯re a Duke. When you have such a good family, you need to take care of them!¡¯ ¡®If I could do it, I would have done it before! The only thing you have is that blood running inside of you¡­! Do you think Eufgenschult would fit a man like you? It wasn¡¯t you, but me who supported your father from a long time ago!¡¯ Eufgenschult , Eufgenschult , Eufgenschult !! What do you mean, wife? There was no other ghost that was possessed by the ghost of the ancestors. Is it just her? No. This was the case for everyone hovering around Gehern. However, Gehern also enjoyed a life of brilliance due to the name Eufgenschult. His demeaning attitude towards his family was based on a humble rebellion that sarcastically sneers at him. As Irmina said, all he had was the blood of Eufgenschult. ¡®¡­Renee.¡¯ Renee didn¡¯t see him as an Eufgenschult. One¡¯s own destiny that exudes an attractive scent. She was the only one who loved the man named Gehern regardless of the family. The beautiful face that faced him with a surprised face at the opera house had no other way but to explain that it was fate. Of course, Gehern could not have known that all of that was Renee¡¯s plan. For him, Renee was only a resting place and a woman he loved sincerely, a fate to be by his side forever. Therefore, as soon as Ren¨¦ heard the news that she was found in Ankhsi, which is notorious for being a br*thel, he fell into despair that his fate was rotting away in that br*thel, and she wasn¡¯t able to make a decent living. ¡°¡­If I had moved a little faster then.¡± If only he had gone to pick up Renee right away when he heard the news. Sadly, only Isaac was found by Karla, but her traces had already disappeared. Neither Karla nor Isaac had her whereabouts known, and even after that, he tried to find her everywhere, but he couldn¡¯t find Renee. ¡®Renee¡­¡¯ ¡®Are you somewhere alive?¡¯ With her fragile body, she gave birth to and raised a child by herself¡­ How hard must it have been for her? There was no way for her to reach him if she was worried. The only way he could atone for it was to take good care of the bloodline Renee had left behind. From a beautiful appearance that catches the eye by itself, the habit of touching the index finger at every difficult moment, and the languid eyes that loosen when you are engrossed in it. The child, who left Renee out, spent each day helplessly, unlike his mother, who was ridiculously full of lively charm. That was really unfortunate. ¡°What are you thinking so deeply about?¡± Gehern, who was staring at the glass of wine, heard a voice and looked all over the place. His daughter was reflected in the black eyes that were wet with his memories. ¡°¡­Karla. What brings you to the study?¡± ¡°I heard you went to the annex. I¡¯m curious what you were talking about.¡± Perhaps she was ready to sleep, Karla approached him in a thin chemise with her long black hair hanging down. Frowned at her unquiet outfit, Gehern picked up the shawl hanging on the sofa and handed it over to his daughter. ¡°Nothing happened. I want to ask you how you are these days. I heard that the luncheon will be held the day after tomorrow. How is the preparation going?¡± ¡°What do I have to prepare? Since Confucius Norte said he would attend, mother would take care of it.¡± Gehern let out a terrifying sigh in a gloomy tone. Even in Gehern¡¯s eyes, Confucius of Norte, who was a distracted figure, did not find any place he liked very much other than his family. However, the support of the Marquis of Norte was needed to build the railway in the east. Instead of marrying his daughter, he could expand trade routes in the East. Although Gehern, her father, was completely dissatisfied with the proposal, Gehern, as the lord of Helman, was in an unavoidable condition. ¡°It seems you still don¡¯t like Confucius.¡± ¡°Is my opinion important to my marriage? If mother and father like him, that¡¯s all that matters.¡± Carla, wearing a shawl and enjoying the fire in front of the fireplace, looked back at Gehern with a sour face. Contrary to her saying that she probably liked it, her face was full of dissatisfaction with her parents¡¯ decision. ¡°I can¡¯t say it to my mother, so I will tell my father. Engagement is always fine. However, the wedding¡­ Please delay the wedding by at least five years.¡± ¡°I was wondering what you were saying¡­ It¡¯s a marriage to do anyway, but even if you delay it, you¡¯ll only have an affair. Stop talking like a child and follow your mother¡¯s will.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you because I believe you¡¯ll understand.¡± Karla, who knelt next to her chair, looked up at Gehern with an earnest expression on her face. ¡°Can you swear that you love each other, father and mother? After all, for people like us, marriage is just a union with the families. Is it that difficult to enjoy freedom for just 5 years?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying I won¡¯t get married. I¡¯m asking for more room and time to accept it. And father. I¡¯m the only one in the house who can soothe Max anyway, and my father will be in trouble when I leave the house.¡± ¡°¡­You have a point, though. I hope you don¡¯t think this father doesn¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking.¡± Gehern lowered his voice, holding his only daughter¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°Hey. If you¡¯re going to be possessed by a strange guy and play with fire, you¡¯d better put it aside early. I heard that you go out through the forest every dawn on weekends, but who are you meeting? ¡° Her smile escaped from her lips, which had faded away in an instant. Gehern continued his advice with a merciful face to Karla, who was unable to continue her words. ¡°This father has a criminal record, so I won¡¯t blame you. If you want¡­ Okay, I¡¯ll do what you want. But it¡¯s up to you to persuade your mother.¡± ¡°¡­Father.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a child anymore, so I believe you¡¯ll behave well on your own. Stop going out there.¡± Contemplating whether she should be delighted that her offer was accepted, or whether she should be astonished that her father knew her secret, Karla made no choice but stood up from her seat quietly. Good night, after a formal greeting, a very small voice passed Gehern¡¯s ear. Gehern said a word as if grumbling with a crooked mouth. ¡°A daring girl.¡± ¡°You must keep it a secret.¡± Gehern burst into a bitter smile at her voice, at the cute voice that was not like a daughter, but could be used as a daughter. *** After a long winter, spring has finally arrived. With the fresh scent of new shoots and the sound of chirping birds, the annex was full of noise, like the dreary air of winter. Among them, most of the time it was definitely Dahlia who made the noise. ¡°Master, you said you were going to take management lessons?¡± Dahlia, who finished her work early and ran to the annex, suddenly opened the door and spoke. Isaac, who was reading a geology book with the stones hanging down, pushed the book he was reading with a bewildered expression on his face. ¡°Who did you hear that from?¡± ¡°Thelma told me. The instructor was supposed to come next week, and she told me to clean the annex with Mr. Hoover.¡± Dalia raised her head sideways with an ambiguous feeling of whether to laugh or not. ¡°Are you really going to take lessons?¡± ¡°Your Excellency asked so earnestly that I had no choice but to do it.¡± Dahlia gave a stern expression to the reckless reply. ¡°Why are you so weak? I hope that you will do your best to learn and receive lessons!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to learn anything¡­¡± Isaac buried his face between the books and let out a long sigh. Dahlia began to appease him in a tone that seemed to be taunted by her blatant attitude. ¡°Little master. Do you hate studying so much? You¡¯re much smarter than others, so you¡¯ll learn anything quickly.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t like having other people in my space.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t say anything to me.¡± ¡°Dahlia is fine. Other than her, I hate it.¡± In an unresponsive manner, Isaac rubbed his face at the book. The little boy buried his face like that for a long time, and when Dahlia didn¡¯t answer, he quietly raised his chin. Dahlia, with her chin resting on the table with a smile in her eyes like a moonless night, was reflected. In her gentle smile there was the ease of an elder, as if he were looking at his younger brother. Dahlia, who couldn¡¯t even tell if he was seeing a kitten or a tiger cub eating her, was so cute again, Isaac laughed. ¡°Does Dahlia want me to study?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Despite the curious answer, Dahlia swallowed the words while muttering. As she was, she couldn¡¯t honestly say ¡®because the master told me to encourage little master¡¯. Dahlia desperately squeezed out a witty answer. ¡°I want the master to become a great person, so that he can be proudly recognized as a member of the duke family.¡± The twinkling light in his black eyes faded, and then a sullen expression appeared on Isaac¡¯s face. Dahlia continued, ¡°No, that¡¯s it.¡± ¡°Why the¡­ like the master. Everywhere he goes, people bow their heads while he is walking proudly¡­ Even people they don¡¯t know are surprised when they hear his name¡­ That¡¯s so cool. Of course, the little master is cool too, but he really is a figure that everyone can admire.¡± ¡°Does Dahlia yearn for that too? Do you want people to bow their heads and support me?¡± Dahlia nodded her head as she pondered which answer was the correct answer at his brooding tone. ¡°Yes. I would have no regrets if you grew up so nicely and took me to a ball or something.¡± Dahlia licked her lips as she smiled, gently rolling the corners of her eyes. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Chapter 26 ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Although it was a joke, it was also half sincere. The dresses that were out of season piled up in Karla¡¯s dressing room after wearing them once. Dressed in such clothes, and dancing with a handsome boy like Isaac underneath an extravagant chandelier, was a romantic dream that girls of Dahlia¡¯s age would dream of. In any case, it was a dream that wouldn¡¯t come true, so she could joke about it like right now. Unlike Dahlia, who was smiling, Isaac raised his head with a serious expression. ¡°Do you really want to do that?¡± ¡°Yes, dressed in such a full dress, and climbing up the marble stairs while holding the Young Master¡¯s hand.¡± Excited to see Isaac¡¯s serious expression, Dahlia started deluding in earnest with her eyes closed. ¡°A fluttering dress with layers of white ribbons to make it look as full as possible. And a pair of velvet shoes¡­ Oh, I¡¯ve never worn high heels before, so I wouldn¡¯t know how tall I could become. And the dance¡­ Right. Nobles wouldn¡¯t dance something lively like Polka at an aristocratic ball, right? Like this, holding hands. Quickly get up, Young Master.¡± Hehe, with a slightly frivolous smile, Dahlia pulled on Isaac¡¯s hand. Inadvertently standing up from his seat, Isaac stood at the center of the room under Dahlia¡¯s lead. ¡°Wasn¡¯t there a picnic not long ago at the mansion? Young Lady Karla danced like this then¡­ Here, please put your hand on my waist. And then, take a step to the side, and another to the side.¡± Dahlia grabbed Isaac¡¯s hand and started stepping out clumsily. Isaac was following her rhythm with an expressionless face, but when she continued to step on his foot, he burst into laughter, before holding Dahlia¡¯s hand. ¡°Dahlia, don¡¯t move and place your feet on mine.¡± ¡°Hmm? Feet¡­? Like this?¡± ¡°Yes, just relax like that. And like this¡­¡± With a hand holding Dahlia¡¯s tightly and another firmly around her waist, Isaac began to move his feet along the steps of a dance slowly. ¡°Young Master! Your shoes are going to get dirty¡­¡± ¡°I have other pairs, so it¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°I know that too!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the shoes and focus on my steps. One, two. One, two, three. This is the basic steps of the waltz. It¡¯s easy, right? ¡°No, that¡¯s! It¡­ It is easy.¡± Dahlia pretended that she couldn¡¯t win against Isaac, and placed the hand that was waving in the air onto Isaac¡¯s shoulder. Underneath the rough palm was his firm shoulder muscles. Feeling ashamed for some reason, Dahlia lowered her head to the floor and whispered. ¡°When did you learn to dance? Young Master is very talented, and there¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t do¡­¡± ¡°When I first came to the mansion, I forced myself to learn basic manners. After learning all that I should know, I thought that there wasn¡¯t anything else that I needed to learn¡­¡± As Isaac quietly moved his feet, he tightened his grip and pressed tightly with Dahlia. Staring at her round green eyes, Isaac whispered softly. ¡°¡­If Dahlia wants me to, I¡¯ll take lessons. I¡¯ll become someone necessary to the family and definitely take Dahlia to the ball.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± Isaac affirmed with a languid smile. ¡°In that case, Dahlia should also practice waltz in advance. Right?¡± Instead of speaking, Dahlia gave a faint smile. Feeling more comfortable, she began to move personally in accordance with his steps and followed the beat. ¡°Young Master, do you know what my dream is?¡± One, two. One, two, three. As Dahlia recited the beat, her previously spoken words suddenly became a conversational topic. Linking their fingers, Isaac gave a questioning look instead of responding. ¡°I¡¯ve told you before that my hometown is in the South, right?¡± ¡°Yes, there was a civil war¡­¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s Ubrang. To be more exact, it¡¯s a small seaside town located at the southernmost tip of Ubrang.¡± Before the civil war occurred, Ubrang was known for being the most beautiful resort in the South. Dahlia stared at the ceiling with clouded eyes and the scene of Ubrang unfolded in her head. ¡°Aren¡¯t Helman¡¯s flowers expensive? There¡¯s also many flower shops. But there are barely any flower shops in Ubrang. Do you know why is that so?¡± ¡°Is it because it¡¯s the South?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s always warm there, so flowers can be found everywhere. No matter where you go, it¡¯s rich in flowers and trees, so selling flowers wouldn¡¯t earn much. So a majority of flower farmers would sell their flowers to other regions through merchant groups.¡± As Isaac listened to Dahlia with a serious expression, he let out an exclamation, ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°So all those imported flowers actually came from the South. As flowers are common there, the price would also be cheap¡­ There are also a lot of gorgeous flowers. I see. The North is cold, and the flowers¡¯ flowering time is very short¡­¡± At the Young Master that was insightful and able to understand way beyond what was taught, Dahlia smiled broadly and nodded at his remark. ¡°If you teach one, you know ten.¡± ¡°However, the place that I lived at had multiple accommodations and expensive villas, so there was more demand. As such, when I was young, I picked flowers early in the morning and sold them at either the plaza or the entrance to the market.¡± ¡°Did it sell well?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. As my hands were small, the most I could sell was one basket before returning. But it was enough for bread when added with my pocket money.¡± When she recalled those times, it felt like the scent of sea and flowers brushed against the tip of her nose. With her eyes half closed, Dahlia looked up at Isaac and continued in a slow tone. ¡°My dream is¡­ to go back to Ubrang and set up a flower shop. It has been a long time since the civil war ended, so Ubrang should have returned to its previous state. I want to build a house near where I used to live¡­make a tombstone for my parents so I can tidy it every morning¡­ Of course, I wouldn¡¯t be able to find their bodies anymore, but it should be alright to place a tombstone.¡± Her half-opened eyelids soon closed completely. Within the eyes that reopened was filled with sparkling light that¡¯s unique to a dreamer. ¡°When Laurel grows up and becomes healthy, we can go back down to Ubrang together. I heard it usually requires around 5 gold to open a store, and I¡¯ve currently collected 1 gold and 22 silver. If I keep my finances tight, I think I can collect 1 gold a year, so as long as I work hard for four more years, I can finish collecting them all!¡± As she continued speaking, Isaac¡¯s expression gradually hardened. He stopped moving and tightened his grip on their joined hands. ¡°Are you planning to quit your job after five years? What about me? What am I going to do? ¡°¡­Oh.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you wanted me to be recognized here? You had just said that you¡¯ll go to a ball with me¡­ Are you going to leave me after giving me hope like this? How can you do that?¡± Bewildered by his unexpectedly violent reaction, Dahlia grabbed Isaac¡¯s shoulder and met his gaze. ¡°Young Master, please hear me out.¡± ¡°Traitor¡­¡± ¡°No! Four years isn¡¯t a short time. And four years is based on the assumption that nothing special happens. Five to six years seems like a more likely time frame. In the meantime, the Young Master will become an adult, and thus you can be self-reliant.¡± ¡°¡­So?¡± ¡°After that, if you¡¯re willing to, let¡¯s go to Ubrang together. The Young Master also has a share.¡± ¡°Share? ¡°Out of the 1 gold and 22 silver that I¡¯ve collected so far, 1 gold is from the Young Master. The Young Master owns 20% of the D&L florist.¡± Still quietly blinking, Isaac let out a smile that was like a sigh, and tilted his head to the side. Dahlia closed her mouth and made a solemn expression, before snorting as she found herself amusing. As Dahlia¡¯s shoulders trembled, a husky voice brushed past her ear. ¡°That¡¯s not bad. If it¡¯s D&L, does it mean Dahlia and Laurel?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like it? ¡­Shall we use D&L&I?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound that nice as it¡¯s longer. Leave my name out.¡± With a calm smile, Isaac arranged the hair around Dahlia¡¯s ears. ¡°So Dahlia¡¯s dream is to become the boss of a flower shop. I don¡¯t know anything about flowers¡­ I don¡¯t know whether I can do anything even if I follow along.¡± ¡°The Young Master is an investor, so it¡¯s fine even if you don¡¯t do anything. Also, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that hard to support a Young Master?¡± Dahlia raised her fist and shouted resolutely, ¡°Trust me.¡± It seemed that she was trying to portray her determination, but in Isaac¡¯s eyes, she just looked cute. Dahlia, who kept waving her fist, seemed to feel embarrassed, and brushed against the back of her neck, before turning her gaze to the window. Her eyes, which were green like grass, gazed at the greenery that was of a lighter colour. The eyes facing the forest were so pretty that Isaac reached out without his realisation, but Dahlia moved towards the window. ¡°There¡¯s a lilac scent.¡± Reaching out of the window, Dahlia brought a branch of purple flowers to her nose. The scent of lilac flowers permeated with the passing breeze. Dahlia gazed at the flowers and spoke in a lively voice. ¡°It¡¯s already halfway through this year. I still have a long way to go to accumulate 2 gold¡­ I have to pull myself together.¡± Dark brown hair that swayed, with a fluttering head cap above it. As if enjoying the breeze, the brown eyelashes that surrounded her beautiful eyes lifted and closed again. The pale sunlight that descended through the leaves reflected brightly on her white face. Although the strong light blinded her eyes, Dahlia wasn¡¯t bothered and closed her eyes quietly while enjoying the breeze. The heady scent of the forest, the scent of lilac. Her scent, that seemed as if it was about to be buried, yet gently enveloping the surroundings. Such an image of Dahlia made her seem like a spring fairy that had accidentally landed by the window during her journey, making Isaac unable to take his eyes off her with a gaping mouth. Spring has arrived. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Helman¡¯s mountain range, which formed a light green wave, turned into a deep green, welcoming the arrival of summer. As summer passed, autumn came along with autumn foliage, and seemed like a sunset frozen in time momentarily, before passing by quickly. Perhaps due to the frequent rain, Helman¡¯s winter that made a reappearance, wasn¡¯t as cold as it was the previous year. Although the busy situation due to winter was the same, all of the servants in the mansion looked much better than last year as incidents where their hands become numb from the cold didn¡¯t occur. ¡°Dahlia, it¡¯s a letter from your younger sister.¡± Edina, who returned to the dormitory late at night, held out an envelope while speaking. As such, Dahlia, who was sewing while seated on the bed, received the letter with a puzzled expression. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Chapter 27 ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Written in familiar letters on the envelope was ¡®Sent by: Laurel Beroch¡¯. Edina pouted and laid next to Dahlia with a look of envy on her face. ¡°You and Laurel are very close. You¡¯d always send a letter once every ten days. My younger brothers probably don¡¯t even know that I¡¯m the one paying for their tuition.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Your relationship with your younger siblings is even better than mine. Wasn¡¯t it written ten times in each letter to you that they wanted to see you?¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°During the previous vacation, my youngest brother told me not to go and cried for a long time while holding onto my skirt. Laurel doesn¡¯t behave like a spoiled child with you, so seeing that makes me a little envious.¡± As Edina rolled around on the bed with an embarrassed face, she picked up the blanket and rubbed her face on it lightly. Contrary to her sassy personality, her face looked cute when she was embarrassed even to a female, but Edina would berate Dahlia if she smiled, asking why she was smiling again, so Dahlia bit her lower lip to prevent her laughter from leaking out. ¡°Speaking of vacations, Dahlia, are you going to the poverty centre again at the end of this year?¡± ¡°If nothing happens? But isn¡¯t there a long way to go before it¡¯s time for a vacation.¡± ¡°What do you mean a long way to go? The day after tomorrow is already December.¡± Was it already that time? Surprised, Dahlia checked the postmark on the envelope. After seeing the postmark stamped in the capital Aretschelman, and the words ¡®November 28¡¯, did she feel the sense of reality of the date. ¡°Time goes by quickly¡­ But why are you asking about vacation?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t have anywhere to go, would you like to go to my house together with me? My younger siblings wanted to meet you, so they told me that I must bring you along. If it¡¯s alright, I¡¯d like to invite Laurel too. Although it wouldn¡¯t be that comfortable as the house is small, but¡­¡± Edina¡¯s home, which was united with familial love, seemed to be a very noisy and harmonious place based on the stories she had heard. ¡®It would be fun to go.¡¯ Dahlia lifted her eyebrows to soothe her disappointment. ¡°Thank you, but I will have to decline. Laurel¡¯s asthma always gets worse in the winter, so I have to be careful. Besides, she has been saying that she has a low fever these days, so this time I¡¯ll have to take her to the doctor¡¯s office.¡± ¡°Oh dear¡­ didn¡¯t you say that she had a fever around Thanksgiving? In that case, hasn¡¯t it been over a month already?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s lasting for a particularly long time this time.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing I can do¡­ I hope that she gets well before your vacation.¡± Edina sighed with a worried look on her face. As she hated gloomy atmospheres, Dahlia tried her best to give a faint smile. Winter has always been like this. Whether it¡¯s spring that¡¯s filled with life, that brings warmth and allows flowers to bloom, or summer, that increases the remnants of vitality that spring brought, and even autumn, that leaves behind evidence of growth with condensed vitality, were foundations that allowed Laurel to grow. But winter was different. Like the northern wind that takes everything away, winter robbed Laurel¡¯s health little by little, perhaps because the life that¡¯s present on the field wasn¡¯t enough. Although she has already gotten used to winter, getting used to it and her worries were two separate matters. Dahlia clutched the envelope and prayed inwardly. ¡®I just hope nothing happens this year.¡¯ ¡®May Laurel survive the winter safely.¡¯ ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ ¡°Dahlia, are you going to the poverty centre again this year?¡± Isaac, who was in the midst of transcribing a book, suddenly raised his head and asked a question. The same question was already asked for the fifth time. However, Dahlia didn¡¯t show any sign of irritation, instead nodded with an expressionless face. ¡°Yes, since I don¡¯t have anywhere to go, and I want to see my sister. I might leave a day earlier than last year.¡± ¡°I want to go too¡­ Can¡¯t I follow along?¡± Instead of berating him for being ridiculous, Dahlia shrugged her shoulders like she was telling him to be serious. ¡°While it doesn¡¯t matter to me, I heard that the Young Master will be going on a border inspection with the Master.¡± Isaac¡¯s shoulders drooped with a sullen look. Noting the ink dripping from the pen he was holding, Dahlia exclaimed while picking up the rag. ¡°Of all things, a trip with His Grace. It¡¯s terrible just thinking about it.¡± Isaac grimaced and wiped away the ink that had accumulated on the tip of his pen with a velvet cloth. After checking that there weren¡¯t any stains left, Dahlia got up. ¡°You¡¯re saying negative things again. You participated in a hunting competition together previously, and even inspected the railway bridge together. Do you still feel uncomfortable with the Master?¡± ¡°I feel uncomfortable with everyone but Dahlia.¡± To Isaac, it was words spoken sincerely, but Dahlia had only laughed softly. ¡°I know that the Young Master is uncomfortable, but the Master seems quite happy. It seems that he must enjoy spending his leisure time with you.¡± ¡°Since he has finally found a docile and obedient companion, so from an elderly¡¯s point of view, it must seem very fun to bring it along.¡± Despite his impudent tone, Dahlia had only criticised him slightly with a ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Now that I look at it, the Master¡¯s reaction isn¡¯t the only good thing. I¡¯ve been hearing a lot of talk about the Young Master in the mansion these days. The Young Master is so handsome, his manners are excellent, and he is muscular even at such a young age!¡± ¡°Take out the part about young age.¡± ¡°¡­He¡¯s muscular! They¡¯re all compliments. Even I felt proud for no reason.¡± As Isaac looked at Dahlia with a silently smiling face, he returned his gaze to the books and documents again. ¡°The Duchess¡¯ complexion is slowly getting worse. While His Grace trying to uplift me is fine, but I¡¯m worried about her anger rising in vain. Especially¡­what will happen when Max returns to the mansion.¡± ¡°Well, I heard that he¡¯s going to stay at the school until he graduates. And the Duchess is very busy with other matters these days, so she wouldn¡¯t be able to harm the Young Master.¡± He said that as he was afraid that Dahlia, and not him, would be harmed, but he was encouraged again. Isaac placed his chin in a hand and let out a light exhale. ¡°What matters is she busily settling?¡± ¡°Did the Young Master not hear about it? Young Lady Karla¡¯s engagement date has finally been set.¡± ¡°Karla¡­? And when will that be?¡± ¡°I heard it¡¯s in mid-March next year.¡± There was a slight wrinkle present between his straight eyebrows. In order to prevent Dahlia from noticing, Isaac pressed on his forehead tightly and closed his mouth. Karla, who stuck to her position as a bystander, was neither an ally nor an enemy, had threatened him to not do anything useless, and suddenly started to use Dahlia to show her affection for Isaac. It wasn¡¯t that Isaac couldn¡¯t read her shallow moves, but after ascertaining that her intentions were clearly on the positive side, he continued to try his best to prevent damage to Karla when he acted. And he closed an eye to her nightly outings from the same meaning. ¡®¡­Karla is engaged.¡¯ Even though she had someone she liked, he couldn¡¯t believe that she still thought of getting engaged to someone that didn¡¯t have her heart. He found it amazing, and yet extremely vicious. At the same time, as he watched the maid before him, he was overcome with a strange feeling. ¡­Engagement¡­ Marriage¡­ Marriage. It¡¯s a promise to be with someone for the rest of your life. Someone¡­ with someone you like¡­ ¡°Apparently, they started making her engagement dress two months ago. They¡¯re running out of time though¡­ I helped the Young Lady try on the new dress, and you don¡¯t know how gorgeous her dress is.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. I can¡¯t count the number of laces used to make the dress. Besides, there are pearl decorations on each frill, but it¡¯s not overdone at all, and just looks pretty.¡± Dahlia recalled the dress as she stared at the ceiling with dreamy eyes. The senior maid had mentioned that the cost of the engagement dress would easily reach Dahlia¡¯s goal of 5 gold, no, double of it. As soon as she heard the price, her hands trembled, and Dahlia was sternly rebuked by the maid standing beside her that assisted in dressing. ¡°How does it feel to wear a dress that¡¯s as expensive as a house? Just imagining it is really¡­¡± ¡°Are you envious?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m envious! To be engaged to a person you like while wearing a dress like that. It must be every woman¡¯s dream.¡± Isaac¡¯s hand, which was laid on the table, fiddled with the edge of the opened book lightly. Although he thought that it was absurd just thinking about it to himself, Dahlia¡¯s words sounded like she was proposing to him. ¡°Getting engaged to a person you like in that dress. Every woman¡¯s dream.¡± Was that really a dream that only women had? To vow to be by your side for an eternity while smiling in a tuxedo. He was dreaming of this, but it wasn¡¯t because he¡¯s a woman. A self-deprecating smile formed on his lips, before it disappeared in a flash. Isaac only moved his eyes and gazed at Dahlia. ¡°In that case, Dahlia¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°If I let you wear a dress like that, would you be engaged to me?¡± Isaac asked, pretending to be calm. If the only blemish to this perfect pretense had to be pointed out, it would be that his index finger that was brushing against the corners of the book was trembling slightly. ¡°Engagement?¡± Blink, blink. The rapidly moving green eyes reflected his emotionless face. His gloomy appearance being reflected in her lively eyes was both amusing and pitiful, so Isaac raised a corner of his mouth. ¡°What about it?¡± In a joking atmosphere, he spoke like he was cracking a joke. Of course, she¡¯ll take it as a joke. She¡¯d laugh and say, ¡°Is that so,¡± or she¡¯d speak laughingly, ¡°What kind of joke is this?¡± ¡®Even so, regardless of that. Even if it¡¯s a joke, if you¡­¡¯ ¡®¡­To get a positive response from you¡­¡¯ ¡®In that case¡­¡¯ ¡°If the other party is the Young Master, I can get engaged without wearing such a dress.¡± Dahlia looked at Isaac with narrowed and curved eyes, and the lips she was biting slightly were raised slowly. A playful tone with a pure smile. With both of her hands on the table and a mischievous expression, that face looked up at Isaac. ¡°Any woman will fall for a handsome and smart man like the Young Master, even if he proposes empty-handed.¡± The clear and melodic voice tickled his ears and burrowed deeply into his heart. The fingers that were fiddling with the corners of the book trembled so much that they became visible. Isaac lowered his hand carefully and grabbed his thigh tightly. He held on to his pretense desperately, as he forced down the emotion that rose like a fountain with difficulty. ¡°Such words¡­ it¡¯s an honour.¡± He barely managed to endure the trembling of his voice, However, he could gradually feel the limits that were restraining himself. Although his reason was shouting that it was just a joke, and it would be fine if he just laughed and let it pass, his instinct rashly prodded at Isaac to listen to more of such sweet words. ¡°¡­In that case.¡± After gritting his teeth for a long time, his molars were a little numb. Eventually, Isaac surrendered to his instincts. ¡°In that case¡­ I¡¯ll give you a dress. I¡¯ll definitely get you something that¡¯s more gorgeous than that¡­ Dahlia, be engaged to me.¡± He focused and stared straight at Dahlia¡¯s face with his shaky eyes. Dahlia¡¯s face, with her eyes widened, filled his black eyes. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Chapter 28 ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Dahlia looked at Isaac with eyes filled with surprise, before her lips moved and she burst into laughter. It was because the young master was so naive. Why was he trying so hard with such a bland face? The way he kept cracking jokes that weren¡¯t like jokes was both amusing and cute. How could he get engaged to a maid? The young master before her was a boy that was only grown in size, but has yet to mature mentally. Dahlia was already aware that the things craved the most during adolescence were an amiable attitude and kind words, so it was easy for a nosy person like her to be idolised. ¡°Very well.¡± A startled look slowly spread over Isaac¡¯s face, which didn¡¯t show any emotion. With a giggle, Dahlia added in with a secretive tone. ¡°Alright. In that case, the day the Young Master holds his coming-of-age ceremony. If you haven¡¯t changed your mind by then, please propose to me formally.¡± Dahlia stood up and raised her hand to touch Isaac¡¯s cheek gently. ¡°Perhaps the Young Master¡¯s mind would change when that time comes.¡± A fragrance resembling spring wafted from the palm that stroked his cheek. Isaac stared at her with a hazy gaze, and relaxed the hands that were clutching his thighs. The words she uttered in a playful tone filled his mind and clouded his consciousness. ¡°Then, Young Master, I¡¯m finished with the cleaning, so I¡¯ll leave.¡± Dahlia retracted her hand without hesitation and got up from her seat and picked up her box of tools for cleaning that was placed in front of the sofa table. After she disappeared through the door with a greeting, ¡°Please rest,¡± Isaac only remained seated in front of the desk A minute became ten, and ten minutes became an hour. Even with the passage of time, the soul that had flown out, couldn¡¯t resettle back into its original place. ¡°Please propose to me formally¡­¡± ¡°¡­Seriously¡­¡± Isaac, who was looking at the desk dazedly, picked up his pen once again and started to move his hand mechanically. With a scribbling sound, letters began to appear onto a piece of blank paper. ¡®Reinterpretation of utilitarianism¡¯. The densely packed sentences that filled the book were moved to a new location by thin fingers. Unlike the beautiful lettering, the pupils that were following the lines of text widened greatly, and were busily moving. [¡­To enhance the happiness of others by sacrificing one¡¯s own happiness, this proves society¡¯s imperfections] Isaac unconsciously substituted himself into the text. ¡®My sacrifice, your happiness. If you¡¯re still finding a way out of the depressing reality that none can tolerate you.¡¯ [But in such a society, one should not forget that their sacrifice is the best virtue in society.] ¡®In such a reality¡­ If I can give you happiness by sacrificing myself.¡¯ ¡®¡­If the reality of me loving you could be seen as a virtue.¡¯ ¡®Just like how a discontented man is more dignified than a satisfied pig. Perhaps a life of advancing towards you, even if I have to wander through the mud, would be much more dazzling than living like the dead in the shade of reality.¡¯ ¡®By your side, to be together forever.¡¯ ¡®¡­What should I do?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ve started to look forward to living.¡¯ ¡°Stupid Dahlia.¡± How could she thoughtlessly say something like ¡®please propose to me¡¯, without having the slightest knowledge of his desperation? While being ignorant of how persistent that young master really was, and not knowing how gloomy and twisted he was. To speak about liking so frivolously, and now¡­ ¡°Perhaps the Young Master¡¯s mind would change when that time comes.¡± A bitter smile couldn¡¯t help but form on his lips as that whisper reverberated in his head. That naive maid thought that he was an ordinary child. She talked about the engagement with a childish heart. She considered those words to be the passing words of an immature young master. ¡®What are you going to do?¡¯ ¡®You¡¯re the only one for me now.¡¯ ¡®Inside here, the empty space has already been tailored for you. There won¡¯t be anyone else that can enter, other than you.¡¯ ¡®Even so, you still talk about the future so easily.¡¯ ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just fly away when I could let you go?¡± He let out a forlorn sigh and rubbed his eyes. Liquid, the identity of which was unknown, whether it was tears, emotions, or both, welled up from inside his hot eyes, causing it to start stinging. It was nothing much. ¡­Even though he knew it was meaningless, he was still like this. No matter what, Isaac hated himself for being miserable because of a few sweet words. After barely managing to suppress his emotions, Isaac kept moving his hands with a languid face. The anguish that filled his mind gradually faded the more he moved his hand. Still, Dahlia¡¯s voice continued to reverberate like background noise in the corner of his mind. Isaac continued to write for a long while, and only came to his senses after his room was dyed with the light of the setting sun. The mystery of the setting sun wasn¡¯t the thing that awakened him out of his stupor, but an unexpected guest that appeared outside the door. ¡°I heard that you¡¯ll be going to the border with Father next week.¡± Karla approached the desk while flipping the white cape backwards gracefully, It had started snowing before he knew it, and snow that was lighter in colour than the white sable fur cape accumulated on her shoulders. ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°Why? It¡¯s because you kept doing things that are unlike you, so I¡¯d come to see what kind of insidious plan you¡¯re up to. Why are you so diligent these days?¡± ¡°Is being diligent weird?¡± ¡°Of course. If the fact that the boy, who has lived like the dead, was suddenly appearing all over the place wasn¡¯t odd, then what would be considered strange?¡± Isaac tapped the edge of the opened book with the tip of his pen, before opening his eyes slowly. ¡°Why? Were you asked by the Duchess to keep an eye on what I¡¯m doing?¡± He thought that Karla would suddenly become angry, or mumble and refrain from answering, but she just looked at him with a hazy gaze. ¡°Aren¡¯t you lucky. Mother doesn¡¯t have the time to take an interest in you right now.¡± The words she spoke listlessly were filled with misery. As Isaac recalled the Duchess¡¯ recent situation that Dahlia had told him about, his eyes slowly relaxed. ¡°I heard that you were busy preparing for your engagement, it seems that you¡¯re quite busy?¡± ¡°That is but a matter of course. There¡¯s only three months left. There¡¯s the greetings to the Privy Council and sending an invitation. It¡¯s our generation¡¯s first engagement ceremony, so the tables, tableware and cutlery has to be spick and span.¡± Karla looked at the bookshelf leisurely with her arms crossed. Upon seeing the aristocratic compendium that¡¯s inserted in a corner, she couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve read this book. Did you know that the family with the longest history in this book is the Eufgenschults?¡± Delicately manicured nails pressed on the back of the book firmly. Long fingernail marks appeared on the velvet-lined cover soon after. ¡°Since it¡¯s the engagement ceremony of an Eufgenschult, a noble amongst the nobles, there must be much to worry about. Mother was originally a person that values the family¡¯s reputation, you should be quite clear about that.¡± ¡°You talk about it like it¡¯s someone else¡¯s business, even though it¡¯s your own engagement ceremony.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because it doesn¡¯t feel like it¡¯s my business. The only thing that they need there isn¡¯t Karla, but Karla Eufgenschult. Instead, I won¡¯t be provoked for the next five years if I follow his instructions.¡± Isaac, who had his eyes trained on the book the entire time, raised his head with a curious look. ¡°So that was a condition?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are you thinking of getting engaged to a man you don¡¯t even like, just to enjoy that momentary freedom? Don¡¯t you have a person that you like?¡± Isaac got up from his seat and spoke in an indifferent tone. Karla stroked her tightly braided hair and watched as Isaac approached. ¡°It¡¯s because there¡¯s no other way. I thought I could earn at least five years¡­ I have done my best for my part.¡± As the only daughter of Eufgenschult, the cream of the Republic¡¯s aristocrats, Karla¡¯s value was unparalleled in gold. It was ridiculous that she would actually put aside distinguished noblemen in order to marry out of love. If Karla was an ordinary girl, she might have the romantic notion of escaping for love, but she was an Eufgenschult. Karla was unable to muster the courage, knowing that this name was too great to abandon. Both she and Isaac were well aware that in reality, compromising was the best choice. ¡°Karla.¡± At the quiet call, Karla moved her gaze towards Isaac. He took out the nail-marked aristocratic compendium and began to flip through it. ¡°Do you like your engagement dress?¡± ¡®Why are you talking about dresses all of a sudden?¡¯ Karla looked at her younger brother with a face filled with suspicion, before speaking as she moved to the sofa. ¡°It wasn¡¯t bad. It¡¯s a waste to show it to the piggish Young Lord.¡± ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± ¡°Why the dress all of a sudden?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just. I want your dress.¡± Just as she was about to take a seat on the sofa, Karla turned her head towards Isaac in a crouching position at his sudden words. Isaac didn¡¯t pay any mind to her questioning look, and continued to look only at the aristocratic compendium. Karla got up from her seat and openly asked her question. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just as I have mentioned.¡± ¡°You¡¯re that¡­ no, I¡¯ve never heard you have such tastes. I knew you weren¡¯t normal, but¡­you didn¡¯t awaken to that weird taste, did you?¡± Though her question was asked in seriousness, Isaac found something funny and burst out laughing to the point where he trembled while bending at his waist. The joyful appearance that she saw for the first time in a while caused another crease in Karla¡¯s brows. A smile was still present on Isaac¡¯s face, and he waved at Karla as if to ask her not to misunderstand. ¡°My words could have been misleading. That¡¯s not what I meant¡­ When we spoke of engagement, I thought about dresses.¡± Isaac drew closer to Karla, while rubbing the corners of his folded eyes with a hand. The slowly approaching face caused Karla to have a displeased expression. He may resemble the Duke, but his looks was more splendid without the frivolous feeling, which was probably inherited from his pr*stitute mother. As his appearance was overly genial, even a sense of alienation, there was an uneasy feeling in the corner of her chest every time she saw him. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t I need money to hold an engagement party that¡¯s as glamorous as yours? I, too, don¡¯t think that I can continue living like this.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Underneath the straight eyelashes, eyes that had shone brightly narrowed into curves as he gave a soft smile ¡°You¡¯d asked about why I was being so diligent these days. I, too, wanted to live properly.¡± ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Chapter 29 ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ The composure that lingered around Karla evaporated without a trace. As he faced his sister, who was looking at him warily, Isaac folded his arms leisurely. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. That doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to do something to this house. It¡¯s just¡­ I should, at the very least, occupy a seat of power before I depart from this mansion when I have come of age.¡± ¡°¡­ You¡¯re doing something absurd, Isaac.¡± The sonorous sound of chirping stopped at her chilly tone. ¡°Didn¡¯t you intend to stay in an annex until you died? I believe that that¡¯s what you said to me when we arrived at the mansion.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a foul to drag up events that had occured five years ago to this day. Humans are animals that are capable of change.¡± ¡°Are you going to contradict Max and Mother directly? Mother is currently developing a knife against Father.¡± ¡°I¡¯m also aware of that.¡± ¡°I had definitely made it clear that I would also be implicated if you¡¯re unruly. Did you forget about it?¡± Karla took a step closer and leaned her face closer to Isaac. ¡°I¡¯m trying to help your side as much as possible. But¡­ what are you¡­ You. Are you capable of handling what would happen to the maid?¡± ¡°Karla.¡± The relaxed hand grazed against Karla¡¯s arm and touched her neck. Above the pearl necklace, a hand whiter than that glanced against it and continued to wander as if it was touching something precious. Karla looked downwards at his hand, before slowly directing her gaze upwards. A pair of languid black eyes stared at her without wavering. She unwittingly began to feel the chilling power of her half-brother, who was almost at her height. ¡°It¡¯d be better for you to consider it carefully before opening your mouth. That¡¯s the first thing you taught me as soon as I entered the mansion. So, the maid? What are you planning on doing?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ever listen to instructions like a fool and get carried away by your emotions. Do you want to cause harm to me?¡± The hand that brushed past the necklace stroked Karla¡¯s jawline lightly. Karla didn¡¯t have the confidence to face him, so she gazed at the ceiling and moved her stiff jaw with difficulty to spill a few words. ¡°What in the world are you planning to do?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just as I¡¯ve mentioned previously. I¡¯ll humour your father adequately and leave the mansion with a Baron title. Don¡¯t I deserve this much, after putting up with two people that loathe my existence and their excessive fuss over an illegitimate child?¡± ¡°¡­Is that really everything?¡± ¡°Of course. Did you think that I¡¯d be after the position of duke?¡± Isaac couldn¡¯t help but laugh as he brushed against Karla¡¯s cheek with the back of his hand. ¡°That too isn¡¯t that bad, but not now.¡± Contrary to his sarcastic tone, each of his gestures were overflowing with dignity. ¡°I¡¯d disappear from your sight as soon as I have become an adult, I¡¯ll also remain silent about your love affairs. Instead, you¡¯ll have to help me before that happens. It¡¯s in your best interest to cooperate with me if you want to live a quiet life.¡± ¡°Is that an order?¡± ¡°No. How could someone like me dare to give orders to Young Lady Eufgenschult.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a cooperative relationship.¡± Isaac retracted his hand and stared at it blankly for a moment, before holding it out to Karla. At the gesture to shake hands, Karla slapped Isaac¡¯s hand away with a look of ridiculousness. ¡°I don¡¯t have the luxury of choice, so how can this be considered cooperation? Get rid of that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re cold-hearted, Sister.¡± At the word ¡®sister¡¯, Karla pushed Isaac away out of disgust. Despite that, Isaac wasn¡¯t offended and cracked a joke with a smiling face, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, so fiercely?¡± ¡®You want to live properly?¡¯ ¡®Would a twisted human like you be able to live properly after putting in so much effort?¡¯ Goosebumps rose unwittingly at the sight of liveliness in a person that had been living indifferently. As Karla wondered inwardly, she frowned and looked out of the window. Before she knew it, thick snow turned the forest white. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ As winter left, spring arrived and coloured Helman into a light green colour. The light green leaves became darker as summer passed, and the green leaves turned red, heralding the arrival of autumn. Spring, summer, fall, and winter. The seasons overlapped and just like that, three winters passed by. Another life sprouted in a place where life waned. Plants weren¡¯t the only things that grew amidst the cycle of seasons, but also people. Along with another layer of trees that wound around the mansion, as the youngest maid grew older, her appearance also matured. Instead of the girl that rushed about the hallway with a mop that¡¯s taller than her height, a young lady with soft curves walked with large strides and hurriedly swept and polished the mansion. Her curvy brown hair would ruffle at her slender waist with each of her movements. ¡°Dahlia, have you had lunch?¡± Edina, who had finished cleaning first, started a conversation with Dahlia with a bright face. Unlike Dahlia, who grew tall as soon as she became an adult, Edina¡¯s figure was still petite. Dahlia folded the rag she was holding and looked at Edina with a smile. ¡°I had just eaten. Today¡¯s food was quite fancy.¡± ¡°Right? Wasn¡¯t there a banquet for the Little Duke¡¯s graduation in the morning? It¡¯s all thanks to him.¡± ¡°There were so many guests, but there¡¯s enough for us to have some?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Madam prepare for the banquet elaborately? There was so much food remaining that it came to us. Seeing the chocolate cake being served as dessert, it¡¯s something worth living for.¡± Unlike Edina¡¯s blooming face, Dahlia smiled bitterly. This was because the moment she thought of Max, yesterday¡¯s incident would automatically come to mind. After announcing that he wouldn¡¯t return home until his graduation, Max stayed in the dormitory the entire time. Thanks to that, everyone in the mansion enjoyed days of peace. It was ironic that the reason why peace was especially sweet was because everyone knew that this grace period would end soon. As if to prove that thought right, as soon as he returned to Helman after his graduation ceremony, the ferocious attitude of Max¡¯s caused waves to ripple in the mansion that has enjoyed peace. Of course, the heart of it was his half-brother Isaac, whom he hated the most. Fatigued and annoyed, upon meeting Isaac in the main building, Max began to provoke Isaac with a ferocious tone like he has been waiting for this moment. ¡°Was there a change in successor during my absence? I never thought that I would see your face in, not the annex, but the main building.¡± Dahlia, who was serving the Little Duke with the other maids, glanced at the two of them anxiously. Max¡¯s hand twitched as if it was about to slap Isaac¡¯s cheek at any moment. ¡°I thought that I¡¯d repeatedly told you to never come out from your place in the woods. You must have been living pretty decently during this period of time, right? Seeing as to how you¡¯d forgotten such a simple piece of advice.¡± All the other maids had an ominous foreboding of the volatile situation. However, as if he was making a mockery of such a premonition, instead of avoiding or grovelling before his brother, Isaac bowed gracefully. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Maximilian.¡± The corners of Isaac¡¯s eyes curled gently as he approached Max. Isaac, who was much bigger than Max now, looked down at him and continued in a plain tone. ¡°So I¡¯ll be the one to say what I have to say first. I¡¯m sorry to say this, but it¡¯s a little surprising to see that your face is bright.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°To think that you managed to graduate with the lowest grades. I guess that you don¡¯t find it shameful to show your face around the mansion.¡± A low voice broke through the eerie silence and settled in the hall. The expression on the faces of the maids disappeared. Dahlia also stared at the two with a stiffened face. In a place where mask-like faces were lined up, only Max was expressing humanity with a reddish-blue expression. ¡°Don¡¯t babble on without¡ª¡± Max clenched his fists and let out a groan. Just as he was about to raise his fist because he couldn¡¯t stand the insult, Isaac reached his hand out first to stop Max. ¡°Are you planning on hitting me when there¡¯s so many eyes here?¡± ¡°You b*stard!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one that will succeed the family, so please behave in a civilised manner.¡± Max gritted his teeth at the sight of his caught wrist trembling slightly. He tried his best to shake Isaac off, but he couldn¡¯t even budge an inch as Isaac was so strong. Mrs. Prada, who was visiting the maids for the end of the evening, was the one that broke the impasse. Mrs. Prada realised the situation immediately, and skillfully intervened to appease Max. Isaac followed the head maid¡¯s intentions and left in a dignified manner. A low-pitched voice resounded between the faces of the two people, who had mingled feelings. ¡°We¡¯ll see each other often, now that you¡¯ve returned home. In any case, let¡¯s get along well. Max.¡± Isaac left his spot first after giving him a greeting with a soft voice. His composure made Max¡¯s miserable appearance even more prominent. Perhaps he had suffered a shock, Max remained dazed for a long while, before turning towards the right wing. That evening, the maids of the right-wing suffered insults as they served Max liquor, like it was to be expected. It was a dizzying situation even when Dahlia thought about it again. Max¡¯s eyes looked like yesterday looked exactly like he wanted to kill with his eyes, if looks could kill. Dahlia swept the back of her neck lightly as cold sweats seemed to be forming there. ¡°Oh¡­ The atmosphere at the main building was really gloomy yesterday. How was the banquet today?¡± Giving up on continuing her train of thought, Dahlia asked a question with a bitter tone. Edina then shrugged her shoulders and recalled with a troubled smile. ¡°The Little Duke drank a lot yesterday. He was grumpy throughout today¡¯s banquet due to a hangover, and left for the right wing after his temper flared up in the middle.¡± Dahlia covered her mouth with her hand and gasped. ¡°Isn¡¯t the main character of today¡¯s banquet the Little Duke? Can the main character leave?¡± ¡°Of course not. It just so happened that all the vassals were gathered there¡­ Master also left first with a displeased face, and only Young Lady Karla and Madam were busy taking care of the aftermath.¡± It was only then when Dahlia understood the reason for the fancy lunch. Since there were only a few main vassals that could enjoy the banquet with a ruined atmosphere, all the leftover food became delegated to the servants. For Dahlia, who knew how much painstaking effort that the Duchess had poured into preparing for the banquet, she could not imagine how dreary the atmosphere would have been. As she frowned, Edina continued with a knowing smile. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that messy. Since Count Newett was present.¡± ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Please support to save ROS. Your help is desperately needed. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Chapter 30 ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ The word Count Newett brightened Dahlia¡¯s face. Edina reprimanded her that she shouldn¡¯t display an appearance of favouring him too much, but Edina continued with a much brighter face than Dahlia. ¡°Luckily, the Count stepped up and led the mood. The atmosphere would have been very desolate without him. The Count explained that it was understable that the Little Duke would be sensitive as it¡¯s been a while since he returned home, so the vassals should be understanding.¡± Count Newett was the most promising amongst the vassals, even surpassing the Duke¡¯s right-hand man, Viscount Oubric. He was also a representative vassal that protected Isaac. His genial and well-mannered attitude was enough to win everyone¡¯s favour. Dahlia also held a positive view on him as he cared for Isaac. Even if she hadn¡¯t seen it, it felt as though she could understand how the Count appeased the situation. Well, it¡¯s different from the past. Dahlia was worried that Isaac would be harmed when she heard about Max¡¯s return, but she now thought that there wasn¡¯t a need for her to worry. Dahlia approached the window unconsciously. She could see the roof of the annex beyond the spotless window, surrounded by greenery. The blue roof underneath the lingering spring sunshine seemed especially peaceful today. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ During Max¡¯s absence, the mansion underwent various changes. Karla¡¯s engagement, a generational shift in the vassals. The most striking change was Isaac¡¯s position. In merely three years, Isaac, who was ostracised as an illegitimate child, was reborn as the family¡¯s assistant. The basis of his ability to stand on even grounds with Max was the Duke¡¯s backing and Count Newett¡¯s support. Whether it was due to Dahlia¡¯s support or a change in his mind, Isaac stopped living in seclusion and began to appear in public events. Isaac followed beside the Duke as his secretary, and has already solidified his position as the Duke¡¯s aide. ¡°Young Master, please take a look at this.¡± Dahlia arranged the boxes in her arms and opened the door to Isaac¡¯s room. However, the person that met Dahlia was someone unexpected. ¡°Isaac went to the main building due to Father¡¯s summons. What brings you here?¡± Karla, who was reading a book in an armchair, slotted in a gold foil bookmark and rose from her seat. From the looks of her evening dress, she seems to have come directly to the annex after meeting her fianc¨¦. She always had a graceful disposition. Dahlia was entranced by the dress that had embroidery of rose vine patterns at the hem, and came to her senses belatedly. ¡°Oh¡­yes, it isn¡¯t anything important. I was asked to check if this was satisfactory.¡± Karla looked at the layers of boxes, and began to open the box while saying that she¡¯ll examine the goods instead. ¡°What¡¯s this, cufflinks¡­ a brooch? There¡¯s even a watch chain on the necktie. What is all this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­Apparently the young master will be participating in a conference as an official aide. These are the items that the Master ordered.¡± Cufflinks with an inlaid family crest, a platinum watch chain, and a brooch made of emerald and platinum. Luxurious ornaments, the prices of which couldn¡¯t be estimated, decorated the tea table. These were all tailor-made for Isaac by Gehern. At the thought that it was a gift from the Master for his son, Dahlia had a proud look on her face, but Karla looked down at the accessories with a grimace. ¡°In any case, Father is seriously¡­ Are you still seeing Isaac as that woman¡¯s replacement?¡± At the sound of her murmur, Dahlia raised her head like she was about to ask a question. However, the door opened before her question came out and the person she had been waiting for appeared. ¡°Dahlia, you¡¯re early today.¡± A low voice that has passed puberty called his maid delightedly. Isaac entered the room with a bright face and couldn¡¯t conceal his smile at the sight of Karla standing in front of the table. Karla, who was staring at him, responded to him with a cynical smile. ¡°There¡¯s such a huge difference in temperature.¡± [E/N: ¡®temperature¡¯ as in Isaac is cold to Karla but warm to Dahlia.] ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you¡¯d be here. What¡¯s the occasion?¡± ¡°I was just passing by, and came over for a moment. Forget it, why don¡¯t you check out the bribe Father had personally prepared for you?¡± Karla picked up the brooch and placed it in Isaac¡¯s palm. She ignored her brother¡¯s puzzled gaze, and walked out of the room haughtily. The gaze that was looking at the brooch turned towards Dahlia. Dahlia, who had been fiddling with the watch chain, came over and gave an awkward smile. ¡°Erm, I brought it along as the Master told me to do so. Apparently you¡¯ll have a conference in a few days. You have clothes, but very little accessories¡­¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t need it.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily the case, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll look good if it¡¯s too extravagant.¡± Dahlia picked up the brooch that Isaac was holding. Dahlia stared at the black cravat he was wearing and threaded the brooch through the cravat clumsily. Isaac followed Dahlia¡¯s movements with a surprised gaze, before staring at the top of the dark brown head that was below his chin. Under the top of her head was slow flapping brown eyelashes, thin fingers fiddling with a brooch, and her scent that brushed against the tip of his nose. Everything was too close. Isaac swallowed nervously. ¡°It is quite flashy. Young Master¡¯s usual style is very simple, so it¡¯ll be alright even if you dress a little fancier. The black brooch suits you better.¡± As she replied in a cheerful voice, Dahlia raised her head and made eye contact. She didn¡¯t see the unsightly appearance of his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing thanks to that. Isaac let out a sigh of relief and gave a faint smile. ¡°It¡¯s fine with me if Dahlia¡¯s alright with it. Could you thank my father in my stead?¡± ¡°Yes, Master would be delighted.¡± Dahlia began to arrange the items on the table. Isaac watched her gather the watch chain, the cufflinks and chain quietly, and when she reached for the necktie, grabbed her wrist and glanced at the necktie. ¡°I really like this¡­ I want to try it on. Can you tie it for me, Dahlia?¡± At the innocent look and gleaming eyes, Dahlia couldn¡¯t help but smile and began to untie Isaac¡¯s cravat. Isaac bit his lower lip and looked down at the crown that was in close quarters to him softly. The passage of time changed even Isaac without reservations, and now the two were unable to share similar fields of vision. Isaac had grown up instantly, to the point where he could no longer be called a boy. Isaac was happy. He had looked forward to the day he could look down at her fervently. Perhaps it was because she had been tormented by society for a long time, Dahlia may seem naive, but she was actually quick-witted. She was always alert to the moods of those in her surroundings, and easily grasped the inner self that he was unaware about. As such, when their eye levels were similar, he always had to hide his expression. He had to pretend to be fine, to be pitiful, to be nonchalant. And also pretending that he wasn¡¯t greedy. While other emotions were easily hidden, in the end, it was a strenuous task to hide them all. It wasn¡¯t just because it was unfamiliar, but also because in the first place, there was none other than Dahlia that made him feel this way. He wanted to hug and kiss her whenever he saw her¡­ Just like an abandoned dog that has met its owner again, the desire to cling to her mindlessly was intolerable. In addition, as he grew older, his body also grew bigger, and his excitement couldn¡¯t be easily controlled. Therefore, Isaac was accustomed to grinding his molars and giving a calm smile on the surface. It¡¯s great that he didn¡¯t have to do that anymore. It¡¯s because all he had to do was observe her with a higher field of vision. It was really comfortable as he only had to hide his starved and beast-like expression when their gazes met. Isaac placed his hand on Dahlia¡¯s waist lightly with a languid smile. ¡°Dahlia, you haven¡¯t tied a necktie before, have you? Your hands are clumsy.¡± ¡°Yeah, because there¡¯s no one else I can tie it for, other than the Young Master. Besides, the Young Master doesn¡¯t like tying things around your neck. I have to do things often in order to be proficient, but I don¡¯t have any experience.¡± The moment he heard her words, Renee¡¯s hand flashed across Isaac¡¯s mind. Her pointy fingernails brushed against his neck, gripping it tightly. Though that amount of force wasn¡¯t much now, it was strong enough to be a threatening force in his childhood. ¡°I have some¡­ unpleasant memories. But it¡¯s fine now.¡± Those slender hands were completely different from the small and rough hands that were currently wandering near his neck. Isaac pretended that nothing was wrong and smiled softly, before pulling the hand that was on her waist towards his body. ¡°It¡¯s fine if you¡¯re not proficient. so take your time. I have a lot of time today.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to go out with the Master in the afternoon?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s fine if I¡¯m a little tardy.¡± ¡®I¡¯m not the one who¡¯s in a hurry anyway.¡¯ As he swallowed those words and smiled, Dahlia began to move her hands again with a relieved expression. Isaac placed his nose close to the crown of her head and carefully savoured her scent. Afterwards, it was similar to the usual. Dahlia admired Isaac¡¯s dressing with a pleased face, and arranged the room and his clothes familiarly. Just as she was about to return back to the mansion after an idle chat. ¡°Dahlia, I heard that you¡¯ll soon be promoted to a senior maid?¡± As soon as she heard the news that she had been secretly hiding from Isaac, Dahlia¡¯s eyes widened roundly and she raised her head. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°Thelma told me about it. Apparently, because she¡¯s advanced in years, she¡¯s going to promote Dahlia to a senior maid after this conference.¡± ¡°Oh, I was going to personally inform you after I got promoted. I¡¯m a little sad that you said it first.¡± ¡°Why? Did you want to surprise me?¡± Isaac asked with a smile. Dahlia affirmed it with a bashful expression. Isaac¡¯s smile faded and he opened his mouth with a regretful expression. ¡°Though getting promoted is something worth celebrating, you will be much busier than you are now when you¡¯ve become a senior maid. In that case, do you think we¡¯ll be able to see each other more often?¡± ¡°Young Master has also been busy these days. It wouldn¡¯t be once every two days, but once every three days.¡± ¡°¡­Even so.¡± Dahlia scratched her cheek with an embarrassed smile at his sullen reaction. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Please support to save ROS. Your help is desperately needed. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Chapter 31 ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Upon receiving the offer to be promoted, though she was very happy that her abilities were recognized, it was the increase in her salary that made Dahlia accept the offer without hesitation. Nineteen. She¡¯ll turn twenty soon. She should have collected 4 golds by now, if it went according to her plan. However, Dahlia was unable to achieve her target savings. This was because she spent most of the money she had saved because of her sister¡¯s illness during last winter. The 3 gold and 50 silver that she had saved was instantly reduced to 2 gold. It¡¯s a relief that Laurel stopped seizing, but her dream to open a flower shop after collecting five golds has drifted away. During such a situation, the offer for her promotion came, and it was an opportunity that Dahlia couldn¡¯t miss. ¡°Although I¡¯ll be busier than I am currently, nothing much will change. I¡¯ll come running whenever you call for my help. So don¡¯t be too upset, Young Master.¡± As she spoke soothingly, Isaac¡¯s furrowed brows eased slightly. His lips still remained in a pout. Even though his body has grown so big, she found it cute that there wasn¡¯t any change in how he acted. Dahlia comforted him with a light hug and then walked out of the room with a smile. As she went down the stairs to the hall, a familiar face gave her a knowing look. Dahlia bowed her head in greeting. ¡°Mr. Hoover, you must be very busy recently. I don¡¯t meet you in the annex oftenly.¡± Hoover, who also became busy as Isaac¡¯s work increased, exuded a sharper atmosphere than before. However, it wasn¡¯t to the extent of hate, and he unknowingly grew closer enough with Dahlia to exchange greetings every day. At the question of whether he has been very busy, Hoover sighed. From the way he didn¡¯t deny it, it seemed that he was up to his eyes in work. ¡°You aren¡¯t the only one that¡¯s cleaning up the Young Master¡¯s messes. I¡¯m so busy doing the work of an impractical informant. In any case, come over here for a moment.¡± Unlike his usual razor sharp countenance, Hoover seemed a little weary as he rummaged through his pockets. Soon after, a pair of white lace gloves appeared from his pocket, which he handed to Dahlia. ¡°You¡¯re going back to the mansion, right? Young Lady Karla left this behind, so deliver it to her.¡± ¡°Does this belong to the Young Lady? Why does Hoover have this?¡± ¡°She must have forgotten it.¡± His simple answer ignited her suspicion. He wasn¡¯t the petty sort that would steal things. Was he holding a candle for the young lady? It was as if he had secretly brought it along with him, and was returning it through another person because he felt uncomfortable¡­ As Dahlia tilted her head with a gaze of suspicion, Hoover couldn¡¯t help but click his tongue and tapped her head. ¡°Enough of that. Just go and deliver it to her.¡± He pushed the gloves into Dahlia¡¯s hand and turned without hesitation. The shaggy red hair flickered from her view like a small fire, before disappearing. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Whether it was due to symbolism or the high population density, most of the citizens of the Republic thought that the capital was the largest territory. The fact is that Helman, the northwestern province and oldest city, was the most extensive territory. In other words, from the term ¡®the most extensive territory¡¯, it was impossible for the Eufgenschults to rule over such a vast territory by themselves, no matter how great they were. Therefore, the ducal family divided the territory into 30 sections and gave mayoralty to their vassals to manage the territory efficiently. The biannual conference for the first half of the year was occurring today, whereby all the vassals would gather. It would also be the first conference where the Little Duke Max, and his half-brother Isaac would make an official appearance as the Lord¡¯s heir and the Lord¡¯s aide respectively. As if he was conscious of that fact, Max had been rebuking the maids temperamentally ever since morning, and was seated with a face of someone that couldn¡¯t shake off his nervousness. On the other hand, Isaac was staring straight ahead with his usual aloof face while being seated on Gerhern¡¯s left side. Dressed in a black suit and luxurious accessories, his half-brother had unknowingly shown the appearance of a mature young man. As he walked around with a white shirt, his dignified appearance made it hard for others to imagine him as a child, It¡¯s absurd. Everything was unbearable to Max, from the fact that an illegitimate child was openly seated at the table, the amicable gazes and the sound of aged voices making jokes awkwardly, to the pathetic thing that dared to sit by the Lord¡¯s left side. Max clenched his teeth to avoid biting his nails. ¡°¡­The test operation of the related sections has been successfully completed, and the opening ceremony of the railroad will occur in ten days. As such, now that the routes to the west section have been completed, we can expect a major improvement in distribution.¡± As soon as the final report ended, the elder Viscount Dittern looked back at Isaac with a joyful expression. ¡°It is all thanks to the aide that we can expand the routes so rapidly. Stability is also improved due to the replacement of the rails.¡± ¡°I¡¯m honoured.¡± ¡°Your advice also solved the problem of the canals, which I had been struggling with recently. Blood can¡¯t lie indeed. Your Grace deserves to be proud of yourself.¡± At Viscount Dittern¡¯s added words, Gehern smiled at him, saying that Isaac was different from him. The vassals beside him agreed and the sound of laughter and jokes spreaded across the table. Max was the only one who couldn¡¯t blend into such a friendly atmosphere. After his graduation, he was showing his face to officially begin taking successor classes. For Max, today¡¯s occasion was no different from a ladies¡¯ debutante. However, let alone attention, that sickening illegitimate brother had stolen all the attention. Max was aware of the fact that Isaac was steadily expanding his influence while he was away from the mansion. However, he never thought that the extent of the support from the vassals was to this degree. ¡®This b*stard and that b*stard are complete morons.¡¯ Railways? Canal problems? What¡¯s the use of that? Even if he¡¯s smart, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that he came out of the pr*stitute¡¯s womb. Though he tried his best to control his agitation, the anger within Max wasn¡¯t appeased. As he stared ferociously at his father while cursing him under his breath, Count Newett, who was seated on Gerhern¡¯s right, smiled and met Max¡¯s gaze. ¡°Come to think of it, everyone. Isn¡¯t today the Little Duke¡¯s first time attending the conference officially?¡± Count Newett rose from his seat with his eyes still fixated on Max. Only then did the vassals turn their attention to Max. A faint smile appeared on Max¡¯s stiffened lips. This atmosphere, this attention. He returned to the duchy for this. Though he was still feeling dissatisfied, Max¡¯s tightly tangled emotions had finally eased under the vassal¡¯s submissive gazes. ¡°You¡¯ve finally returned to your place after graduating. Have you learnt to your heart¡¯s content?¡± As if Viscount Dittern had been waiting for this, he asked a question with a benevolent face. It might have been a ritualistic question, but it felt like a question aiming at the heart of the matter to Max, who had graduated with the worst report card. Recognizing his bitter expression, the Viscount answered himself in a more generous tone. ¡°Whether it¡¯s then or now, the curriculum at the public school is as tricky as ever. It¡¯s already an impressive feat to have graduated.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honour to be a fellow alumnus with the Little Duke.¡± As if he was seeking for agreement, Viscount Dittern threw a glance at Count Newett. Count Newett smiled softly and nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. I sincerely hope that what you have learned so far will be the Little Duke¡¯s cornerstone, and be useful in managing this territory. While the Little Duke was away, Sergeant Eufgenschult was refining his knowledge in order to assist the Little Duke when he returned.¡± Sergeant was a term used to refer to commoner vassals that didn¡¯t have titles, while Eufgenschult was the surname of the noblest noble in this place. Max, who was puzzled by who Servant Eufgenschult was referring to, let out a bitter smile when he saw Count Newett¡¯s gaze move toward his half-brother. Eufgenschult. Sergeant Eufgenschult? He¡¯s doing all sorts of things. What the hell did he do to entice the vassals like this? It was so absurd that he was rendered speechless. Max, who was swearing under his breath, raised a few questions in a sarcastic tone. ¡°What do you mean, Sergeant Eufgenschult? Are you talking about Isaac?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. While you were devoted to your studies, he was learning the basics of assisting His Grace the Duke.¡± Max gritted his teeth and glared at Count Newett. Anger flared in the blue eyes. ¡°There are other labels to put on him, so how dare you put a Sergeant and Eufgenschult on that illegitimate b*stard?¡± The mild atmosphere quickly turned cold. Viscount Dittern, who was looking at Max in astonishment, opened his mouth stutteringly. ¡°Little Duke, it would be for the best if you¡¯re mindful of your words in front of the vassals.¡± ¡°Viscount Dittern, are you seriously saying that? Calling that half-blood a Eufgenschult in front of the real Eufgenschult? Are you senile?¡± ¡°Little Duke!¡± ¡°You are currently in a conference! Watch your language¡­!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Bang! All the vassals shut their mouths at the sound of a hit on the table. Gehern got up from his seat to stop his son, but Max was faster than him and grabbed Isaac¡¯s collar. Unlike Max, who glared at his half-brother with burning eyes, Isaac just endured his gaze with a face of indifference. After staring at his black eyes, Max belatedly realised Isaac¡¯s internal thoughts. ¡®If you¡¯re going to hit me, hit me.¡¯ ¡®I have nothing to lose.¡¯ Unlike his matured appearance which made him unrecognisable, those black eyes that seem to mock him were no different from when he was younger. Those eyes that seem to look down on things that were insignificant. Those eyes¡­! Max was also well aware that beating Isaac now wouldn¡¯t benefit him at all. Far from benefitting, he would instant be criticised as an immature successor while sympathy would be drawn to this d*mn illegitimate b*stard. ¡®You can¡¯t hit him.¡¯ ¡®You¡¯re well aware of it, right? Right. I know that I can¡¯t.¡¯ But his instincts rejected his reason and chose to raise his fist into the air. ¡°You insolent b*stard¡­!¡± Isaac¡¯s head turned sideways with the sound of a violent hit. At the same time, sighs and screams flowed from the vassals. ¡°Issac!¡± ¡°What are you doing, Little Duke!¡± Gehern intervened between the two belatedly. Either way, Max was immersed in his fury and kept shaking his fist. Unfortunately, the fist that was filled with emotions had only met the innocent air, due to the restraints of the vassals. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Isaac groaned slightly in his father¡¯s arms. Blood trickled down from his cracked lips. Gehern looked at him in surprise, and shouted for his attendants angrily. ¡°Drag Maximilian out of here in this instant! Right now!¡± ¡°There¡¯s other things that you can defend, but defending a child of a pr*stitute? Have you all gone insane? How dare you give that b*stard the name of Eufgenschult!¡± Max cursed hostilely. Along with his harsh voice, the cries of the vassals who were dissuading him, and the angry cries of Gehren were mixed, turning the place into a scene of chaos. Silence only returned to the conference room after the two guards pulled him out. There wasn¡¯t anyone that could easily speak up in the ensuing stagnant silence. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± Surprisingly, Isaac was the first to speak. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨ Please support to save ROS. Your help is desperately needed. ©¨©¨??©¨©¨