Episode 124

Three Years Later
I had finally reached the age of eight—the same age I had been in my past life when I first arrived at the Duke’s estate.

“Lady Belze, I’ve brought the item you requested.”

After finishing Joshua’s healing session, I returned to my room, where the butler was waiting for me.

“I explained to the craftsman to follow your specifications as closely as possible. Would you like to take a look?”

With that, the butler placed an elegant box on the table.

I peeked inside and my eyes widened in amazement.

“Wow.”

Resting on a plush cushion was a pair of adorable sky-blue sneakers.

The butler, seeing my reaction, gave a satisfied smile.

“Do they meet your expectations, my lady?”

“Yes! They’re so cute!”

I nodded enthusiastically.

Joshua’s birthday was approaching.

Because of his frail health, his birthdays had always been quiet, small affairs.

For that reason, the Duke and Edwin had never hosted a grand celebration for him.

They had been considerate, fearing that an extravagant party might make the sickly child feel even more isolated.

But in my past life, even after Joshua passed away, that sentiment had lingered—leaving the entire estate in a grim, joyless state.

I had forgotten about it for a while.

But suddenly, memories of the cold, silent halls of the Duke’s residence flashed through my mind—a place that, until its downfall, had been devoid of even a single echo of laughter.

“…My lady?”

A voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

I looked up to see the butler watching me with a puzzled expression.

“Is there something you dislike about the shoes?”

He must have found it odd that I had suddenly gone silent after smiling just moments ago.

“No.”

I quietly shook my head and repeated to myself—

Stop thinking about the past. This life is different.

This time, Joshua hadn’t died.

Far from it—he was getting healthier with each passing day.

There was no longer a suffocating atmosphere in the estate, no need to walk on eggshells, no Duke or Edwin consumed by sorrow.

That alone was enough for me to bow my head in gratitude to the goddess.

“Butler, did you know?”

“Know what, my lady?”

“Grandpa Gordon finally gave Joshua permission to go outside.”

Not just within the estate gardens—but beyond the manor walls.

Joshua could now start experiencing a normal life.

The butler’s eyes widened in shock—he hadn’t attended today’s healing session since I had sent him on an errand.

“Is that… really true?”

“Yes.”

The orange energy in Joshua’s chest had shrunk to the size of my fist.

He still had to be careful with injuries and external triggers, but at this rate, he wouldn’t have to live in constant fear of illness much longer.

“So that’s why you chose this gift…”

The butler, his expression full of emotion, looked down at the box with teary eyes.

In this world, sneakers didn’t exist.

Nobles wore comfortable handcrafted shoes, but even tailored footwear wasn’t designed for running and jumping.

That’s why I had decided to design sneakers myself, using elements from military boots as inspiration.

After numerous trials and errors, I had finally managed to create shoes that closely resembled modern sneakers.

But… would Joshua even like them?

‘Maybe I should have just given him jewelry instead?’

So far, the gifts I had given Joshua for his birthdays had been simple things.

As a young master who already had everything, there weren’t many gifts I could give him that would feel meaningful.

I had always bought the prettiest accessories I could afford, but I had never been sure if they truly made him happy.

But this year, with a grand birthday party finally happening, I wanted to give him something truly special.

‘I hope he likes them.’

I stared at the sneakers, which felt so plain compared to glittering gemstones.

“…Ever since you arrived, my lady, it feels like nothing but good fortune has come to this household.”

The butler’s voice suddenly pulled me from my thoughts.

I looked up to find him still gazing at the shoes, his eyes wet with emotion.

“Just as His Grace said… perhaps you truly are the blessing sent by the goddess.”

“…You think so?”

“Without a doubt, my lady.”

His words were touching—but they felt too much for me.

How could I be called a blessing, when in my past life, I had been the cause of this family’s downfall?

I didn’t know the answer.

I was simply trying to repay the kindness and debts I owed to this house.

“…Thank you, Butler.”

And so, I could only offer him a quiet smile in return.

* * *

Today was Joshua’s birthday.

From what I heard, this was the first proper celebration ever held for him.

Until now, Joshua had been too sick to even leave his room, let alone attend a party.

Perhaps because of that, the entire household had been on edge for days, thoroughly cleaning and decorating the estate.

While everyone else was busy, I found myself oddly detached from it all.

And when the day finally arrived, I was dragged out of bed at dawn and scrubbed clean by Tara and the five maids assigned to me.

“It’s not even my birthday. Do we really need to go this far?”

“What are you saying, Lady Belze—no, Princess! Do you have any idea how many guests are coming today?!”

I tried to protest, but it was pointless.

By the time they were done, I was decked out in a white dress covered in frills and ribbons, high-heeled shoes, and sparkling jewelry.

I looked exactly like the daughter of some nouveau riche.

It wasn’t until Kona’s voice rang out that I was finally freed from their clutches.

“Oh my! The ceremony must be starting soon! You should head down now, my lady!”

“Your gift! Don’t forget to bring your gift for the young master!”

Thanks to Tara’s help, I made sure to grab Joshua’s gift box before leaving my room.

As I made my way downstairs, the Duke’s estate felt strangely unfamiliar.

The line of carriages stretching outside the grand entrance.

The colorful drapery and lavish decorations covering every corner of the mansion.

The bustling servants hurrying around to tend to guests.

It was all so foreign to me.

It should have been a happy occasion.

And yet, the closer I got to the garden where the party was being held, the stranger I felt.

The birthday party was being held in the rear garden.

As soon as I arrived at the entrance—covered in climbing roses—a strong floral scent filled the air.

The garden, decorated more beautifully than ever, was already filled with a lively crowd.

At the center stood a massive penguin sculpture, likely built in honor of Joshua’s recent obsession with penguins.

A mountain of gift boxes was piled in front of it.

Elegant noblewomen and gentlemen gracefully moved to their assigned tables, following the guidance of the attendants.

Groups of children around my age ran about, laughing joyfully.

And in the middle of it all—

The Duke and Joshua, both dressed in matching white suits, stood together welcoming guests.

I didn’t see Edwin yet—perhaps he hadn’t arrived.

But that wasn’t what left me feeling so drained.

Ah…

As I stared at the grand sight of the Duke and Joshua standing side by side, I finally understood the source of the unease I had been feeling all morning.

It wasn’t just the unfamiliarity.

It was the overwhelming realization that—

I didn’t belong here.

Yes, I had played a major role in healing Joshua’s illness.

But at the end of the day, I was just a sponsored commoner orphan.

No matter how close I had become with them, I wasn’t truly part of their family.

No matter how expensive my dress or accessories were, to the nobles here, I would always be an outsider.

‘I should’ve pushed back harder when Tara and the maids dressed me up like this…’

I had seen Diana get mocked during last year’s charity event for wearing a dress that made her seem above her station.

Why didn’t I insist more?

Sure, Tara and the maids had been relentless, but still—

A cheerful voice suddenly rang through the garden, interrupting my thoughts.

“Wow! This is amazing! It’s a real penguin?!”

I looked up to see Joshua holding a golden gift box, a bright smile on his face.

Above the box, a holographic penguin flapped its wings as cheerful music played.

It was clearly a high-end magic artifact.

Suddenly, my own gift felt incredibly small in comparison.

‘I should’ve just bought something like that. I have money now…’

I had spent a fortune designing the perfect sneakers for him.

But looking at my gift now, I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was insignificant.

As I stared down at the gift box in my arms, feeling uncertain—

Thud!

“Hey, Lawrence! Wait up!”

Out of nowhere, someone shoved me hard.

“Ah!”

I stumbled, losing my grip on the gift box.

I barely managed to regain my balance, just barely avoiding a full-on fall.

‘Damn it, who—?!’

I turned, irritated, and locked eyes with a very familiar face.

Dylan Travis.

Edwin’s closest friend—and one of the many men who fell for Diana in this damned novel.

“…Sorry— Oh, wait. Whoa.”

Dylan had been about to apologize, but the moment he saw me, his expression twisted into a sneer.

Another boy, who had been running after him, also stopped in front of me.

Judging by his familiar face, he was probably another one of Edwin’s friends.

“Wait, Dylan, you know her?”

“Nope.”

“Then who is she? I’ve never seen her before.”

Hearing that, Dylan’s lips curled into a smirk.

“Oh, she’s that freeloader living in the Duke’s estate.”

“Ohh, that parasite.”

It had been so long since I last heard that word—

Parasite.

For a moment, my stomach dropped.

Maybe it was because I had already been feeling out of place.

Normally, I would have snapped back at them without hesitation.

But for some reason, I couldn’t say a word.

As if sensing my hesitation, the two boys continued their mocking conversation.

“Didn’t she used to be one of those Saintess candidates or something?”

“Oh yeah, but Diana’s about to be adopted into the Marquis of Barelotte’s family soon.”

The well-dressed noble boy looked me up and down.

It seemed he was close to Diana.

Not that it was surprising—Diana was always good at making people like her.

I silently crouched down to pick up the fallen gift box.

Maybe I really did look small and defeated, because Dylan brushed off his shoulder and muttered—

“Get out of the way, already. This isn’t a place for filthy commoners like you—”

“The one who should leave isn’t Belze—it’s you, Dylan Travis.”

A cold, sharp voice cut through the air.

Dylan flinched.

I looked up—

And saw golden eyes blazing like the summer sun.

“Who invited you? I don’t remember sending you an invitation.”