Chapter 2

Elizabeth Alexandra Villiers was the second child of the Villiers Marquess family, born to her father Richard and mother Ophelia. She had an older brother, Charles, who was three years her senior. However, Charles was born with a weak constitution and spent most of his time at a villa on the estate, so they had little interaction.

The Villiers Marquess family owned one of the wealthiest estates in the Kingdom of Winston and possessed substantial wealth. They also had significant influence in the kingdom, and her father Richard was highly trusted by the king.

Her parents, who epitomized the aristocracy, did not directly involve themselves in Elizabeth's upbringing. Despite living together in the townhouse in the capital, they only saw each other once or twice a month, maintaining a rather distant relationship.

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"Mmm! The food is warm! Delicious! The best!"

The servants were taken aback as Elizabeth, who was eating alone in the dining room, exclaimed with gratitude. The young lady, who had a strong aversion to certain foods and would throw tantrums if even a small amount of something she disliked was included, was now eating with joy!

"Please tell the chef that it was delicious, especially the lamb in wine," Elizabeth said after finishing her meal. The servants were so shocked that they trembled, wondering if this was a sign of an impending natural disaster.

--- Still, this is such a luxury. To serve this meal to just one little girl. I couldn't eat anything but water for the past few days. My meals until recently were moldy, hard bread and soups made from spoiled vegetable scraps.

Wiping her mouth with a napkin, Elizabeth looked around again. The servants were unable to hide their surprise.

--- Of course they're surprised. A spoiled, temperamental girl is eating without complaint and devouring her meal.

Elizabeth smiled at the servants and left the dining room.

--- When I think about it, it's strange to let a little girl eat alone. How did I feel about it back then?

Elizabeth remembered a prostitute with a child. Her name was Anna, and she had a son. They occasionally spoke because their working areas overlapped. Anna was the first person to speak to Elizabeth, who had burn scars all over her body and was disfigured.

Most of their conversations were about Anna's son, who was eight years old.

"Look, my son gave this to me."

She showed Elizabeth a misshapen hair ornament. After looking at it with gentle eyes, Anna carefully put it in her pocket.

"A kind and proud son. Because of him, I can keep going."

Even in such a fallen state, Anna looked happy, which Elizabeth couldn't understand.

"You look so ugly, and you can't even speak. It must be hard to get customers, poor thing."

Anna sympathized with Elizabeth. Having never been sympathized with before, Elizabeth was so angry she felt like she would explode. How dare you look down on me! She wanted to grab and hit her, to curse her. But the curse prevented her from doing anything.

I can't understand why she seems so happy in such a lowly life. Is a child that important?

After a while, Anna disappeared. It had been exactly half a year since Elizabeth had fallen from her former life.

According to rumors, she had died of pneumonia after catching a cold.

Elizabeth wondered what had happened to Anna's child.

It was the first time she had worried about someone, even though she had never met the child.

Half a year had passed since her life had changed, and it had been nothing but unbearable. She was treated like an object by smelly, dirty men. Everyone looked at her as if she were a monster. No one spoke to her.

Among all this, Anna spoke to her. Even though she was angry at being pitied, Anna still treated her as a human being.

Thinking of Anna, who had died leaving behind her beloved child, made Elizabeth cry.

It was the first time she had cried for someone's death, even though she wasn't particularly close to Anna.

--- At that moment, I learned to consider things from another person's perspective. But from then on, I was tormented by my own sins. I finally understood how wicked I had been.

Indeed, it's strange for a little girl to eat alone at every meal.

Maybe I was lonely back then.

And because it was normal, I didn't even realize I was lonely.

Well, no matter the reason, it's not right to take it out on the servants.

For now, I need to change this situation.