Chapter 2

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Aris was born as the eldest daughter of the Costa Viscount family, who resided in a remote area of the Highland Empire. She had only one sibling, her twin brother, Dean.

The Costa Viscount family, though a viscount family, owned only a small piece of land, no bigger than a cat's forehead. Originally, they were just a knight family, but a few ancestors had achieved great feats in wars, gradually elevating their status to the current position.

Her father was a tall, strong man, typical of the Costa family, and usually worked in the capital as the commander of the Royal Guard. He always had a stern expression, with furrowed brows, and even Aris rarely saw him smile.

In contrast, her mother was a bright and cheerful person, always smiling.

Aris often thought that if she could add the two of them together and divide by two, it would be just right.

"Big sister, let's have a match."

"Nothing I would like more."

This challenge came while she was, as usual, practicing swordsmanship with Dean.

When Aris was young, her main pastime was practicing swordsmanship with her brother, Dean. As the future head of the Costa Viscount family, Dean had been trained rigorously in swordsmanship since childhood, and Aris, who found it boring to wait alone, always practiced with him.

Actually, the boredom was a pretext; in truth, she didn't want to lose to her brother in swordsmanship, as she was the older sister.

"Mom, I won again today!"

"Oh, Dean! You don't need to report that!"

Aris chased after her brother, Dean, who ran to their mother with a smile, gripping his practice sword. However, she stopped in her tracks when she noticed that her mother, who usually watched them with a gentle smile, was not smiling.

Her mother stopped, bent down slightly, and met Aris and Dean's eyes.

"Listen carefully. A coup attempt has occurred in the capital. Your father's Royal Guard did their best to protect the royal family, but the numbers were vastly different—"

—Your father has passed away.

Her mother's words felt like they were from another world, lacking a sense of reality.

However, changes in their lives came quickly.

The servants were reduced to a minimum, and her mother began working as a governess at a merchant's house a short distance away. Although the Costa family received a large compensation from the state for her father's death in the line of duty, it was still difficult to maintain the large estate.

Moreover, Aris and Dean were only eleven years old at the time.

—Why does misfortune continue like this?

When Aris turned fourteen, the carriage her mother was riding in to go to her governess job had a wheel come off and overturned. Despite the doctor's best efforts, her mother did not survive the accident.

Aris and Dean were left alone in the large house.

The only ones who remained were a few servants who had served the Costa Viscount family for generations.

One day, a man appeared.

While studying with Dean in the room, she heard a slightly angry voice. She cautiously went downstairs and saw the butler, Richard, facing a man she didn't know.

"Who is he?"

The man, noticing Aris and Dean watching, immediately softened his expression.

"Hello, I've been wanting to meet you, dear children. I am your uncle, Sylar, your father's brother."

Sylar, who had been yelling at Richard, smiled warmly at Aris and Dean and opened his arms.

Even though he was their father's brother, it didn't quite register. His burnt sienna hair and eyes were indeed the same as their father's, but otherwise, he bore no resemblance.

While their father had been a lean and dignified man, Sylar's belly protruded like that of a pregnant woman, and Aris wondered what could be inside it.

"Isn't it hard for the two of you alone? Now that your uncle is here, everything will be fine. I will help as your guardian, so you can rest assured."

Aris didn't fully understand what a guardian was, but she understood that he would assist Dean, who had become the temporary viscount after their parents' death.

—If Uncle is here, everything will be fine, right?

Aris squeezed Dean's hand, who was looking at Sylar with unease, to reassure him.

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—But what is this?

Aris looked at the documents in her hand and sighed.

The ledger showing the financial status of the Costa Viscount family was filled with numbers indicating large expenditures. The itemized bills included expensive men's clothing, dresses, jewelry, alcohol, ...

None of these were familiar to Aris.

Surely, no one in the house would recognize them either.

"Miss, Master Sylar has arrived."

Reila, one of the few remaining servants in the house, peeked into the room. Aris placed the ledger on the table.

"Perfect timing. I have something I want to ask Uncle."

She stood up and headed to the parlor where her uncle, Sylar, was waiting.

When Aris arrived at the parlor, Sylar was complaining to the butler, Richard.