“There’s nothing to worry about, madam.”
The Duchess tightly clenched her trembling hands at the head maid’s words, who followed her with an umbrella.
And although her breath was still heavily labored, she urged her steps forward.
She couldn’t even see the Duke and Lucio, who had already gone ahead.
Unable to hide her anxious heart, the restless Duchess breathed a sigh of relief upon arriving at the lodging.
Perhaps due to the rain, there was no smoke or visible signs of a fire on the exterior.
It must have been a small fire. Feeling relieved, she climbed the stairs herself to directly see Lia’s face and confirm her safety. But then she stopped.
In the distant corridor, she saw the Duke and Lucio frozen in fear, their faces grim. Smoke filled the area near them.
“Darling?”
For some reason, the Duchess felt her heart sink as she quickly approached them and turned her head towards where the Duke’s gaze was fixed.
“…!”
At the same time, unbelievably, she saw a little child standing amidst the flames, clutching her dress.
That’s when Lia shouted with fiery determination in her eyes.
“I could have left at any time. I could have gone anywhere!”
* * *
“Fire! It’s a fire!”
“Aaaah!”
People began to panic and run frantically, accompanied by screams of terror.
Of course.
Since flames suddenly erupted inside the room.
The maidservants who were holding me from both sides quickly let go in the face of the unidentifiable fire.
Whoosh!
However, while those who had filled the front of the door fled, the ones inside my room couldn’t move at all.
It was because I had created a barrier of fire at the door.
The flames that had suddenly appeared spread rapidly.
Amidst the intense heat and thick smoke, they were pushed further into the interior of the room, where the fire had not yet reached.
Eyes filled with fear appeared, as if they might be trapped in the flames at any moment.
At the end of their gaze, there was me.
I slowly bent down, picking up Bianca’s letter and dress, holding them close to my chest.
Every time my anger trembled, the flames surged higher.
But instinctively, I knew.
‘Those flames can’t harm me.’
Instead, my body felt hotter than the fire itself.
It was so difficult to breathe, and as I gasped for air, a panicked voice came out.
“P-please, save me!”
I turned my head.
A face filled with terror came into view.
The previous confidence and ridicule had disappeared completely, making them look ridiculous.
As I sneered, the maid’s face twisted in frustration, and then she screamed.
“You, you devilish woman!”
A devil? Yes, perhaps that’s accurate.
I had no divine power, and in my anger, I was committing irrational acts.
I chuckled coldly and asked.
“If I’m a devil, then what are you?”
“….”
Seeing their resolute silence, anger welled up within me once again.
“I didn’t come here to be tormented by someone like you.”
I said dismissively.
“I didn’t come back here to be harassed by you!”
The more I shouted, the stronger the flames grew.
I began to scream as if venting the raging fire in my chest.
“If it’s not here, then there’s nowhere else to go? I’ve lived in the worst possible place all this time. What difference does it make if it’s somewhere else? I could have left anytime. I could have gone anywhere!”
There were many guilds that had scouted me multiple times.
I could go to the Kingdom of Belus, or to Bianca.
The memories of my current life and past life intertwined, and even I shouted without knowing what I was saying.
But the anger didn’t subside, instead, a profound loneliness consumed me.
Even if I screamed until my throat bled, there was no echo, and I felt like I was fighting alone in a place where no one would return.
That’s when it happened.
“Lia.”
A calm yet angry voice reached my ears.
When I turned my head, Duke Elad stood in front of the door, exhaling tremendous energy. Lucio was with him.
They looked at me with cold, unyielding faces.
Suddenly, my eyes grew warm.
Even though there was no reason for it, tears seemed about to fall.
I hurriedly swallowed my sobs and, amidst my anger, I thought:
Am I angry?
Did I set their house on fire?
Am I going to be abandoned now?
But I wasn’t afraid.
I just felt a little, no, a lot sad that I couldn’t even bid Diana a proper farewell before leaving.
When I couldn’t hold back my tears any longer and lowered my head, that’s when it happened.
“Lia, come here.”
I raised my head in surprise.
“It’s dangerous. Come quickly.”
The Duchess, with a worried expression, gestured to me with a pleading face.
In her eyes, which were no different from usual, and her gentle voice, tears welled up again.
I hastily wiped my reddened eyes and smoothed out my disheveled hair.
I didn’t want to show a pitiful appearance.
And I tried to speak.
“I’m fine, madam.”
But at that moment when I was about to say those words, my heart suddenly pounded.
As I clenched my chest where my heart was, my vision blurred and my breath became shallow.
Without realizing it, my fingertips began to tremble.
A fierce heat surged throughout my body, intense enough to make my hair stand on end.
I couldn’t bear this heat.
“Lia!”
I don’t know with what kind of consciousness, but I threw myself out of the open window.
I heard the Duchess calling me from behind, but I didn’t turn back.
All I had in mind was to cool down my heart and body, which were emitting heat as if going mad.
Splish, splash.
The raindrops that were falling steadily suddenly grew thicker, pouring down fiercely as if piercing through the sky.
I leaped into the pouring rain.
My whole body became soaked and shivering, but I didn’t care at all.
I stood there in the rain, hoping for this pain to subside.
It felt like a mist was swirling around me.
The sound of rain filled the surroundings.
As I stood there, enjoying the scent of rain, sad memories resurfaced.
It was when I lived as a street urchin near the academy.
The ragged group I belonged to often targeted the students of the academy, stealing their belongings or money.
Most of them were from noble backgrounds, and I heard them whispering among themselves, saying it’s best not to worry too much even if they run out of money, as compared to the restaurant owners.
And they even forced kids like me, who were just beggars, to steal.
But I endured it steadfastly.
Not because of any beliefs or conscience, I simply didn’t feel like doing it.
There were times when the temptation to steal bread became too strong due to hunger, but I resisted it firmly.
And then, one day.
<How dare this beggar girl steal from me? Do you know how much this is worth?>
<Oh, no! I didn’t steal it. It fell on the ground, and I wanted to pick it up…>
Thwack!
The boy grabbed my collar, as if he touched something dirty, and threw me to the ground.
Of all days, it was raining lightly, and the ground was dirty and damp.
The boy continued to shout at me, calling me a thief.
But it wasn’t true.
I saw the boy drop a fountain pen from his pocket as he passed by the shops.
Although I hesitated, knowing that he was someone who often scared beggars and swore at them, I was more worried about how sad he would be to lose his belongings.
But as soon as I ran towards him and offered him the pen, he started yelling that I had stolen his belongings.
I couldn’t understand.
If I intended to steal, why would I bother catching him?
Moreover, it happened right in front of the main gate of the academy, where many students were looking for shops.
I hope someone would help me, so I looked around while being beaten, but the orphanage children and the street beggars who used to be with me had already run away a long time ago, seeing me in trouble.
Other people just surrounded me and watched.
Engulfed in sadness and fear, I suddenly thought of someone.
But I quickly shook my head.
There was no reason for him to stand up for me, and I didn’t want to show myself in this state.
If that person also thought of me as a thief and a liar, I wouldn’t be able to bear it.
But the sky completely ignored my desperate plea.
“Ah…”
When I met those deep, cold blue eyes filled with intense hatred.
I experienced the world crumbling down.
In that moment, for some reason, I pushed the boy away and stood up from my spot.
And I started running.
I didn’t know where I was going, but I just kept running forward.
Slipping on the slippery ground soaked by the pouring rain, I fell on the ground multiple times, but I got up and kept running again.
And then, I collapsed on a street.
Blinking my blurred vision, I thought to myself.
‘I hope tomorrow never comes…’
And a moment later.
I weakly smiled.
It was because I suddenly felt relieved.
If my parents were still alive, they would have surely been saddened to see me like this.
My older brother, younger brother, or sister, they might have been deeply upset as well.
But I had no one.
It was truly fortunate.
And the one who saved me from the brink of death was none other than the Master.
Following him into the Information Guild, I went through a lot of hardships.
But in the end, I died in despair.
‘But why now?’
Why is that blue-eyed gaze I saw in my moment of death shaking messily and looking at me?
Feeling anger and sadness faintly from Lucio’s gaze, I looked at him in confusion and then opened my mouth.
‘In truth, there were many things I wanted to ask you when I met you.’
How did I recognize him?
Did he really remember me?
My name… I never taught him my name, so how does he know it?
Looking at his trembling eyes, I let out a small laugh.
—————————————————————
Translator Note:
This chapter was translated by Bree.
If you like my work please support us in Patreon. Next post will be released on October, 21.
Want to read more?
