Chapter 9

8.

It felt like her breath was about to be taken away.

‘Liz’ is eight years old.

But the child in her arms looked no more than seven, even if one were to be generous.

“……”

Rachel hugged the child with her trembling hands.

Humans are truly fragile and pitiful.

The way they struggle to live, trying to satisfy their various desires, is so trivial and endearing.

Liz's heart churned with magic, fueled by anger.

Maiden. Yet, why is everything so easy for you?

Why can you easily possess everything without the ugly and revolting yearnings I have?

That warm affection I have never experienced.

That peace I have never felt in my life.

Rachel gently placed the child down from her embrace and slowly knelt to meet her gaze.

The deep blue eyes, like a forest shrouded in shadows, were silent and empty.

Just like that man.

Like Duke Lexebill.

...What kind of time have you endured here?

She felt a chill in her heart and opened her trembling lips.

“H...ello?”

The child responded slowly, as if waking from a deep sleep.

“I... and the same...”

Is it strange?

Liz, with her delicate hand, grabbed her own hair and quickly let go.

“Yeah. You have the same silver hair.”

She once again placed her hair in the child’s hand.

“My hands are dirty...”

“It’s okay. Feel free to touch it.”

Your hands are not dirty.

The ones who are dirty are the adults who forced you into this life.

“Just try to crawl back into my house! I won’t let you!”

The well-built woman huffed and threw something outside.

Thud!

What fell to the ground were a few old, tattered clothes.

The woman, who had been heaving with anger, turned pale upon seeing Rachel and the knights surrounding her.

“W-Who are you?”

“...Me?”

Rachel slowly stood up.

And with a cold, rigid expression, she spoke.

“Liz’s sister.”

***

8 years ago, a spring night.

A baby, wrapped in a thick, cozy blanket, was abandoned in front of a house.

Inside the blanket was a bundle of money and a small note.

The baby’s name is Liz.

The note contained a request to raise the baby healthily, with a promise to send money regularly.

The amount of money in the baby’s arms was more than Anz could earn in a month of hard work.

Blinded by the money, she raised Liz diligently for 8 years.

Thinking it was the illegitimate child of a wealthy family, though she didn’t know whose child it was.

But the amount of money sent regularly had been decreasing for half a year.

And it had been two months since the last payment.

Anz thought she no longer had any reason to take care of that ‘annoying child.’

But...

***

“Liz’s sister.”

A woman who looked exactly like Liz, if she were to grow up, suddenly appeared.

And she was accompanied by knights in shiny armor.

Anz’s mouth went dry.

Not just a child from a wealthy family.

This is not an ordinary child.

Even if she were ignorant and uneducated, the status of someone who could bring knights with her was obvious!

“...I was going to thank you for taking care of Liz all this time.”

Rachel’s voice was lower than ever.

She knew it hadn’t been an easy life.

But, author.

Making Liz a victim of tragic pornography was too much, wasn’t it?

“Hahaha. S-Sorry, but are you really Liz’s sister? You see, I’ve been scolding Liz because she keeps causing trouble...”

“Enough. I don’t want to hear it.”

Rachel cut off the insincere excuse.

The child causing trouble?

It wasn’t a matter of discipline.

Liz looked neglected and dirty, and unlike the plump woman, she was emaciated.

“Marcus. Didn’t I clearly tell you? That I’ve been sending regular child support?”

“Yes. After the previous Duke passed away, I continued to send it from my own funds. However, I’ve been busy for the past two months...”

“And yet, this is the result...”

Her throat churned like a beast roaring.

How could she handle this surging anger?

As her eyes, sharp with anger, turned to Rupert,

“Your Highness. Please give the order.”

He stepped forward, gripping his sword.

But I can’t let my child see this.

She turned around and gently grabbed Liz’s shoulder.

“Liz. Do you want to come with me?”

“...Are you really Liz’s sister?”

“Yeah.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Look. We have the same color. Hair and eyes.”

“Ah...”

She looked at Liz, who was touching her own hair in disbelief, with a gentle gaze.

That warm affection.

I will give it to you.

The peace you have never felt.

I will make you feel it.

“So, come with me.”

“...Even if I’m a strange child?”

Liz’s blue eyes were filled with an unknown fear and wariness.

A strange child...

I don’t understand why you say that.

“It doesn’t matter. If you want to be by my side, I will make it happen.”

At those words, Liz extended her hand toward her.

It’s done.

I have received this child’s choice.

She firmly held the small hand extended toward her.

A wave of indescribable emotion washed over her.

It was the moment she had been waiting for so long.

“...Do you understand without me giving an order?”

Rupert nodded.

Marcus, Anz, and the knights.

They knew how much she had been looking forward to meeting this small child.

Rachel, without worrying about getting her clothes dirty, picked up Liz and carried her into the carriage.

And...

A storm swept through the mansion where Liz had been living in loneliness for a long time.

‘Finally, my favorite is by my side!’

Rachel looked at Liz, who was curiously looking around the mansion, with a warm gaze.

The driving force that kept her going, even when she wanted to give up everything.

It felt like a miracle that this small child was right in front of her.

Rumble.

The sound from Liz’s stomach reminded her that it was time for a meal.

She must have been very hungry after all the commotion since morning.

“Liz. Shall we clean up and have a meal?”

“...Yes.”

Liz, embarrassed by her dirty appearance, bowed her head and fidgeted.

Speaking of which, not just her clothes, but also the place where Liz would stay.

‘There’s a lot to prepare.’

She called Bella to her office.

“Bella. From now on, this child will be your new master.”

Bella, who had been receiving maid training for a few days, widened her eyes at the small, ragged child being her new master.

But only for a moment.

Bella, who had been trained to hide her surprise, bowed her head.

“Nice to meet you, Miss. Please call me Bella.”

Huh.

Liz, surprised, tugged at her dress.

“I’m not a miss...”

“You’ll get used to it soon, even if it feels strange now.”

She turned her gaze from Liz, who was blinking her large eyes in confusion, and said,

“Bella. Please take Liz to the bathroom. I have some preparations to make.”

“Yes, Miss. Please follow me.”

She gave Liz, who was glancing back at her, a reassuring smile.

“By the way, what about the clothes?”

She had forgotten to buy clothes for Liz in her hurry to bring her home.

The clothes Liz had been wearing were in such a state that there was nothing suitable to wear.

“I’ll have to get something from the storage.”

The nobles here cherished and preserved items they valued, such as fountain pens, clothes, and cherished toys from their childhood.

Not only did these items show the history of their family, but each one was valuable.

Naturally, the clothes Rachel wore as a child were also stored in the storage.

“Gasp!”

Rachel quickly covered her mouth.

‘So cute!’

She felt an internal cheer almost burst out.

Bella, who seemed to share the same sentiment, had a pleased smile on her face.

Liz, after a bath, looked so adorable that she seemed like a fairy.

Her cheeks were as white as glutinous rice cakes, and her lips were a rosy pink.

Even her silver hair, which had been covered in dirt, now shone.

But Liz’s eyes seemed strange.

Was she disappointed because the clothes were too old?

“The clothes are a bit old, right? They’re from when I was a child. I can’t get new clothes right away, but soon...”

“No, that’s not it!”

“Huh?”

“I’ve never worn such pretty clothes before.”

Liz, touching the lace on the sleeve, whispered in a small voice.

“...It’s like a princess’s dress.”

Shiver.

A princess’s dress!

Just look at how she describes it.

“Thank you, sister.”

And the polite bow.

How can she be so adorable?

This child, who can be happy and grateful for small things, will become a villain in the future.

She recalled the look in Liz’s eyes from a moment ago.

‘...I’m glad I brought her here before it was too late.’

The thought of Liz, with those empty eyes, endlessly waiting for the door to open, made her teeth grind.

Rachel, with a flushed face, said to Liz, who was touching the lace,

“I’ll get you lots of beautiful clothes that fit you soon. Got it?”

It doesn’t matter how much it costs.

To make up for what my child has never experienced, even a fortune would not be enough.

Oh.