Chapter 23

Since it was requested to see the story from Kishutaria's perspective, here it is.

Albertina is generally strong in her outward appearance, with a one-hit killing power that is outstanding. She launches a special attack on her first love.

However, inside, she is a foolish and broken child, but she is honest and kind to her family.

Kishutaria was a child from a noble family that was only a name, a family that could be considered at the bottom. His father, who was promiscuous with women, had forcibly made his beautiful mother a mistress, and Kishutaria was born as a bastard son. He was shunned by the legitimate wife and her sons. He received little education, was not allowed to live in the main house, and was given a small shed to live in. His father, a man who was promiscuous with women, never even glanced at Kishutaria. However, he did not allow Kishutaria or his mother, Latine, to leave. He did not protect Latine or Kishutaria from the legitimate wife's anger, but it seemed that he still had lingering feelings for his beautiful mistress. Kishutaria hated the way his father's lecherous, bloodshot eyes would lick his mother.

Living in a place that could hardly be called a house, Kishutaria would sweat profusely in the summer and freeze in the winter. He ate thin, salty, cheap bean and vegetable soup and hard, sour black bread. When he had eggs or scraps of meat, it was a feast. There were fewer times when he could eat his fill, and he always lived in tattered clothes, hudding with his mother.

Just by being there, he was subjected to insidious bullying by the legitimate wife and her children. His already few clothes were dirtied and torn. His windows were broken, and rain and wind often came in. When Kishutaria was found, he was chased, hit, and kicked. His mother, Latine, tried to do odd jobs to help make ends meet. Kishutaria hated the legitimate wife who would come to mock and interfere with her work.

The servants also treated Kishutaria and his mother coldly. He had no friends. After all, he was the son of a mistress, not allowed to call the head of the household "father," and not allowed to call his half-brothers "brothers."

One day, one of the legitimate wife's sons began to look at Kishutaria's mother with eyes full of desire, much like the head of the household. At first, he would peek at her, but gradually he would approach her and give her the shameless command to become his mistress, not his father's. Naturally, his mother refused. Enraged by this, the man became violent and tried to toy with or perhaps even kill his mother.

The moment Kishutaria saw this, the anger that had been building up inside him like sediment exploded.

He had little memory of it. When he came to, the trees in the garden were broken, the brick walls surrounding the property had collapsed, and the mansion was half-destroyed. His father, the man, and the legitimate wife, who always looked at him with disdain, and his brothers, who looked at him with sadistic eyes, were staring at him as if he were a terrifying creature. He heard voices saying, "Monster, don't come near us."

Somehow, he understood that he was going to be kicked out of here. He thought he might finally be able to leave.

The power that Kishutaria had unleashed was magic. It was discovered that Kishutaria possessed a vast amount of magical power. Not long after, the man, who was his father, came with an unusually cheerful smile—different from his usual lecherous one, but still lecherous.

There was an offer to take Kishutaria in. It was from a prestigious family, the main branch of this family, and a very high-ranking noble family. Though they were distant relatives, they were connected. It was a very wealthy family that would fully develop Kishutaria's magical power and take him in as an adopted son. They even said that they might let him inherit the title in the future.

Even though Kishutaria was young, he thought the offer was too good to be true, but his blood-related father seemed to take it seriously. He felt something was fishy, but he had already touched the advance money, and it was impossible to refuse. The family, which had fallen and was only a name, had latched onto the large sum of money that had rolled in front of them.

Kishutaria accepted it with a sense of resignation. It might be better than here.

The dilapidated shack and the patched clothes. The days of sharing thin soup and hard bread to stave off hunger. The lowly blood, the family and servants who treated him like a monster. He was tired of it all.

He wanted to protect his mother. To Kishutaria, his mother was the only one. He thought he had to protect her, even as a child.

The man who came to take Kishutaria in was the Duke of Latitche.

He was a beautiful man.

His ash-brown hair, which had a hint of silver, was a lustrous color that was completely different from the dull brown that Kishutaria was often mocked for. His sharp, slanted eyes under his intelligent eyebrows held a blue gem-like gaze. His straight nose and slightly thin lips were set in a smile that was hard to read.

He looked slender but had broad shoulders, and he was dressed in fine clothes. He wore a white shirt and a dark blue vest. The jacket, with its intricate pattern woven with silver thread, gave off a sense of refinement depending on the light. His light gray trousers were worn, and his crossed legs were surprisingly long. His shoes were spotless, without a single scratch. How many years of living expenses for this family would one pair of shoes or one piece of clothing cost?

This must be what a chilling beauty is. Kishutaria's mother was beautiful, but this man was on a different level. His beauty was that of a different creature.

Just by being there, he exuded an overwhelming presence.

Feeling a vague sense of dread, Kishutaria looked at the Duke of Latitche, who would become his stepfather.

His overwhelming aura and beauty left not only the legitimate wife but also his blood-related father and brothers speechless.

When Kishutaria looked at him, the Duke's eyes narrowed slightly. He was smiling, but if you looked closely, his eyes were not.

"Nice to meet you, Kishutaria, right?"

"Yes..."

"My name is Grail von Latitche. I believe you've heard, but I am the head of the ducal family. My family has no son, only one daughter. However, due to certain circumstances, it is difficult for her to become the head of the family or to take a husband. Therefore, I would like to adopt you."

His voice was calm and easy to understand, rich and soothing. However, Kishutaria's instincts were sounding an alarm. His demeanor was calm, and he looked very distinguished. His tone was soft, and he showed consideration by meeting the eyes of the young Kishutaria, making him seem like a very capable person.

"I have one condition. I have a request."

"What is it?"

"Please take my mother with me. You don't have to welcome her as a lady, but please allow me to take her with me."

If he stayed here, his mother would undoubtedly become the target of the family's ill will. The people here were not exactly pleasant. They were more like ruffians.

The Duke of Latitche seemed to think for a moment and then smiled, saying, "That's fine."

He looked kind. Beautiful, but still seemed artificial and frightening.

The lecherous man seemed reluctant to let go of his beautiful mistress, but when the butler of the Latitche family handed him a bag of gold coins, saying that Kishutaria would take his mother with him, he quickly changed his tune. It was a bought adoption.

Kishutaria and his mother were taken away in a carriage. The Duke, who glanced at them, ordered the butler,

"This won't do to show to Albert. Clean them up and discipline them to a presentable level."

"Yes, sir."

Kishutaria was a little disappointed but understood. The Duke seemed to have no interest in his mother, which was a relief