Chapter 2

“…Is there something you need?”

Leticia pointedly avoided using the term “Brother.” Whenever she used that word, it acted like a trigger, causing the three brothers to lash out at her in a frenzy.

“Something I need? Do I really have to explain why I bothered to come out just to see your disgusting face?”

It was the Lyon family attendants who were shocked by Godfrey’s verbal abuse. Molly stared in horror at Godfrey and then at the shrinking Leticia, while the other escorts stood dazed. Judging by Leticia’s reaction, such vitriol was a daily occurrence for her.

‘It’s okay. It’s not that I’m not embarrassed, but… they already know I wasn’t loved in that house.’

He was the one who should be ashamed for spitting out such words, not Leticia. Yet, her face burned uncontrollably, and she felt a surge of humiliating tears stinging her eyes.

“Can’t you just… leave me alone now?”

“You little—! You obviously don’t understand when people are being nice, so I’ll only say this once. Don’t you dare crawl out with that hideous face of yours! Your very existence is a blight, so how dare you filthily set foot in the Imperial Palace….”

“Young Lord! You go too far!”

Of those stunned by Godfrey’s tirade, Molly was the first to snap back to reality. She gritted her teeth and stepped in front of Leticia, shielding the girl’s small frame.

“And what is this supposed to be?”

Godfrey looked Molly up and down with a sneer, but he wasn’t entirely foolish; he knew making a scene wouldn’t end well. Behind Leticia stood the Duke of Lyon. While the Duke’s son might be a lost cause due to the curse, as long as Carlyle was alive, the Lyon family remained a force to be reckoned with.

“I’m talking to my family’s mutt right now, see?”

“Mind your tongue! This Lady is a daughter of the Tesseia Duchy and the fiancée of the Young Duke of Lyon!!”

“Who’s a Tesseia Lady?!”

Though only sixteen, Godfrey had the build of a grown man. Since he was significantly taller than Molly, the escort knights stepped in to block his path.

“Why, you…!”

“You seem overly agitated. Perhaps you should calm yourself,” one of the knights said. They hadn’t drawn their swords, but they were mentally prepared for the worst.

Standing behind Molly, Leticia clutched the book she had borrowed from the library, staring anxiously at the backs of those protecting her. Being only twelve, she was completely obscured from Godfrey’s view, but his thunderous voice rang in her ears, making it clear just how furious he was.

‘Why is he doing this to me?’

This wasn’t the Tesseia estate. She had left that house, and as long as they didn’t actively seek each other out, they would never have to cross paths. The Imperial Library wasn’t the kind of place Godfrey would ever frequent.

Beside Godfrey were several noble boys he associated with and their own attendants. They intended to intervene only if Godfrey went too far, but since scaring people was his specialty, they didn’t think much of it.

‘It hasn’t even been a year since that incident; surely he won’t use violence.’

Godfrey hated the way the Lyon people were hovering over Leticia. If she had become a monster’s fiancée, she was supposed to live a life as miserable as her partner. Yet here she was, without a veil to hide her hair, wearing clothes finer than anything she’d had at the Tesseia mansion, with a healthy complexion and a bright expression.

‘How can you be happy?’

After taking their mother from them and barging into their lives to ruin everything!

He had no memory of his biological mother, but he couldn’t hate her. He had always been curious about her, and according to what he’d pried out of nannies and servants, she had been a wonderful person. But because of Leticia, his father had ordered every trace of her erased. Not a single portrait remained; he couldn’t even see his mother’s face in his own home.

Godfrey believed all their misery and pain stemmed from Leticia. If she hadn’t existed, if she hadn’t been born, their mother wouldn’t have died, and the affair would never have been exposed. His older brother and father wouldn’t have forbidden any mention of her… and they might have been a happy, normal noble family.

‘You took everything from me. And you think you get to be happy? Do you think I’ll let that happen?’

“…Are you threatening our Young Lord? This is the second son of the Tesseia family! You are the ones being disrespectful. Step aside!”

As Godfrey’s own knights stepped forward, the commotion grew. Behind the escorts, Molly signaled to the other maids and servants. To have a brawl on the library steps was a bad idea.

“Get the Lady to the carriage….”

“Yes!”

At Molly’s instruction, a maid and an attendant tried to shield Leticia and move her to the side. But in his rage, Godfrey spotted them instantly.

“Where do you think you’re going?!”

“Ah!”

“Godfrey!”

Godfrey’s shadow swept over Leticia as he lunged past the group. He roughly shoved the attendant blocking his way, and his hand struck Leticia’s shoulder.

“Aah… My Lady!!!”

A piercing scream echoed in front of the Imperial Library. The attendant Godfrey pushed only stumbled onto the steps, but Leticia, hit squarely on the shoulder, was sent flying backward. She tumbled down the long, stone staircase.

Even Godfrey was stunned; he hadn’t intended for this to happen. When he used violence on Leticia in the past, he thought he was “regulating” his strength. He never slapped her face like Cesare did; he usually just tripped her, kicked her knees, or shoved her shoulder. Usually, she would just fall on her backside.

The problem was that he hadn’t shoved her since the incident six months ago when the servants set the hounds on her. He had forgotten to gauge his strength. In those six months, he had continued to grow, and he hadn’t realized that a twelve-year-old girl would be sent flying that far.

“Aaaaah!”

“What is going on?”

Hearing the screams, Imperial knights and soldiers came rushing out.

Leticia lay at the bottom of the stairs, blood pooling from a gash on her head. The book she had been clutching so tightly lay beside her, and her limbs looked mangled. Molly and the other maids were screaming hysterically, calling for a priest. Godfrey stood frozen, his face ashen.

“Godfrey! What did you do? Are you insane?” one of his friends shouted, pulling at his arm.

“I… I didn’t think this would happen…,” Godfrey stammered, his face turning pale.

The maid who had failed to catch Leticia was sobbing. She had felt the lace of Leticia’s dress at her fingertips but had failed to grip it.

“Please, someone save our Lady!”

The small, broken body of the child was lifted and carried into a nearby room in the library. Given the urgency, they were going to call for an Imperial physician.

“Young Lord. Follow us.”

Once Leticia was moved, Imperial knights surrounded Godfrey. This was no longer an internal Tesseia family matter. While the Imperial Library was open to high nobility, it was still located within the palace grounds. To harm someone here was a crime that could not be overlooked.

Godfrey followed the Imperial knights with a hollow face, while his attendants, pale with terror, raced back to the Tesseia estate.

***

“I knew something like this would happen! This is why I opposed Duke Tesseia raising that child!”

Having heard the news six months ago that Lady Tesseia was severely injured by hounds, the Empress had suspected it wasn’t an accident. While she publicly opposed affairs and illegitimate children, she knew the child was innocent. Back when Teresa had died and rumors swirled about what Duke Tesseia would do with the green-haired baby, she had summoned the Duke.

“It won’t be good for your sons to have that child in your house, Duke. Are you not busy enough with your boys and the family affairs? Entrust her to me, and I will find a suitable family to adopt her.”

The affairs of high noble houses were important to the Imperial family, so the Empress had made the offer. However, Duke Tesseia had replied with a stiff face, “I appreciate the offer, but I will handle it myself.”

Since it was an internal matter of the Tesseia house, she couldn’t intervene further. But as time passed, she heard nothing but unsettling news. Though the Duke kept a tight lid on things, she knew the child wasn’t being treated well.

‘It is not normal for a child to only visit the temple and have no friends her own age.’

Even if she was a bastard, she should have associated with lower-ranking noble girls. Eventually, she could have been engaged to a suitable house and sent away.

‘And yet, Duke Tesseia insisted on keeping her.’

When Aaron refused to let Leticia go, the Empress had suspected he wanted to take out his revenge against the late Teresa on the child. Having cared for Teresa herself, she had been deeply shocked by the incident. She might resent the dead Teresa, but she couldn’t bring herself to hate the surviving child.

‘…Though, until now, I hadn’t even seen her face.’

The Empress was seeing Leticia’s face for the first time today. To her surprise, the girl looked remarkably like the Duke. Despite the green hair, her features were almost identical to Sebastian, the Duke’s third son.

“She has passed the critical point, but she will need a long period of recovery,” the Imperial physician said after finishing the emergency treatment. Her skull was fractured, and her arms, legs, and ribs were broken. Fortunately, the broken ribs hadn’t punctured any organs.

Following the physician, a high-ranking priest and priestess from the Great Temple arrived. The Empress let out a sigh as she watched them work.

‘I cannot let Teresa’s daughter die.’

She still found it hard to believe that that Teresa had committed adultery. With such visible evidence, there was no choice but to believe it, yet it felt fundamentally wrong. It didn’t fit her character.

‘But then again, who can ever truly know another person perfectly?’

The Empress had been Teresa’s friend, not her lover, husband, or sister. Recalling the late Teresa, she gazed silently at Leticia, who had yet to regain consciousness.

***

When the news broke, Carlyle was at the Lyon estate. Terdis, having heard the report, desperately wanted to go to the palace with his father. But Carlyle stopped him with a stern expression.

“You stay at home.”

“Father!”

“I will bring Leticia back myself! She is a Tesseia; the Imperial family would never let her die.”

Carlyle assumed they would exert every effort for the sake of Godfrey as well—they couldn’t allow the second son of the Tesseia family to become a kinslayer. He departed for the palace with his secretary and attendants, his face trembling with suppressed rage. He ignored Terdis’ agonized expression.

Now was not the time to soothe his son’s feelings. For the second son of Tesseia to attack Leticia…

‘Did my selfishness kill that child? No matter how much I care for my son, this is a truth that should not have been hidden.’

He even felt as if the late Duchess Tesseia, whom he had met only a few times, would resent him. He couldn’t understand this situation. It was common for children to hate an illegitimate sibling, but…

‘This is an insult to our family!’

Carlyle knew people feared him while mocking Terdis behind his back. But for Godfrey to dare treat Leticia like that within the Imperial Palace…

‘It must mean such behavior was commonplace and unremarkable at home.’

Only now did he fully understand why Leticia said she was terrified to go back. He no longer wanted to send her back, and it wasn’t just because of his son’s marriage prospects. Was Godfrey not old enough to realize that even if he believed she was a bastard, half the same blood flowed in her veins? And even putting that aside, Leticia was a twelve-year-old girl, and Godfrey was sixteen—a sturdy youth taller than most knights.

To aim to be a knight and yet casually wield violence against a young girl…

He urged the coachman to hurry, thinking about how this would play out. In the end, this incident would likely be swept under the rug, and Godfrey would become an Imperial knight without issue. That was simply the way of the world.

‘I don’t know what I can do for you.’

Carlyle gritted his teeth as he thought of Leticia. Now was not the time for heartache. Since no one else would step forward, he had to be the one to fight for her.

***

Upon hearing the news of Godfrey’s “accident,” Aaron rushed home, prepared himself to meet the Emperor and Empress, and climbed back into his carriage.

Sebastian was away at the Magic Tower for training—having lost all the servants he was close to after the hound incident—and Cesare was already at the Palace serving the Crown Prince. Aaron assumed Cesare had been notified.

‘I thought I’d never have to hear about her again after sending her to that house.’

He had expected the next news to be of her wedding once she came of age. For appearance’s sake, he would have attended the ceremony, but he had planned for that to be the end of it. He knew the Empress would condemn him; she had been vocal about her disapproval of him raising Leticia, believing he could never treat his late wife’s illegitimate child well.

But at the time, Aaron’s nerves had been frayed by his inability to find Teresa’s lover. Because the Empress had been Teresa’s friend, he suspected she intended to send Leticia to her biological father. Aaron could not allow that. He couldn’t live without getting revenge on the man who had stolen Teresa from him and fathered a child with her.

Yet, as the Empress said, the child was innocent. Thus, he had provided everything necessary for her to grow up as a Lady of Tesseia. He hired people and allocated a monthly budget for her care, even placing monitors to ensure no one embezzled the funds.

‘It isn’t good for the Young Lords…’

He had dismissed the Empress’s warning as nonsense then. But when Leticia nearly died from the hounds, he realized the Empress had been right. That was why, when Carlyle made his request, Aaron had accepted without much thought. It served as a form of revenge against both Teresa and that man.

“…How is Godfrey faring?”

“I heard he is currently confined in a side room of the Imperial Palace, My Lord.”

“I see.”

Even if Godfrey had injured a Lady of another house, the power of the Tesseia Duchy could usually suppress the scandal. But in this case, the injured party was a child known to be his own daughter.

Therefore…

‘It cannot be helped. That child will just have to resent her father and mother.’

Aaron stared out the window with a cold, detached expression.

***

The first to arrive at the Imperial Library was Duke Carlyle Lyon, Because the patient was too critical to move to another palace, a bed had been brought into a spacious room within the library, where Leticia now lay.

Carlyle was profoundly shocked by the sight of her. He knew she was hurt, but he hadn’t imagined it would be this severe. Despite the treatment from the high-priests, dark bruises were vivid across her body.

“…After emergency aid and the priests’ intervention, there will be no permanent scarring,” the Imperial physician reported. Carlyle covered his mouth with a pale hand. Even in this moment, he wrestled with whether or not to reveal the truth.

“Duke. The Lady is gravely injured, but her life is no longer in danger.”

The Empress spoke, and Carlyle offered his respects despite his distress.

“I shall never forget the Grace of the Imperial Family, Your Majesty. Thank you for saving my son’s fiancée.”

“The bloodline of Tesseia must not be allowed to fall within the Palace walls.”

She spoke formally, but Carlyle bit his lip because he knew her concern was genuine.

“What do you intend to do? I have already ordered a palace near the library to be cleared for her.”

For an Empress who loathed illegitimacy, she was being exceptionally accommodating. It was likely a gesture to save face for both the Tesseia and Lyon houses.

“I am…”

“Duke Aaron de Tesseia has arrived.”

At the attendant’s announcement, Carlyle’s face hardened into a mask of fury. Watching him, the Empress felt a pang of pity.

‘I heard she was a quiet child, but it seems she has truly won the Duke of Lyon’s heart.’

If not for the curse, this engagement would have been seen as a match beyond Leticia’s station. From the Imperial perspective, the Lyon bloodline had to continue, though the engagement was harsh for a young girl. The Empress had even planned to persuade the Emperor to accept a commoner girl for the Lyon heir, but…

‘To think it was Teresa’s daughter. Duke Tesseia is truly cruel.’

“I greet Her Imperial Majesty. I apologize for disturbing the peace of the Palace and Your Majesty’s heart with this unsavory matter.”

As Aaron entered and spoke with a chillingly calm voice, Carlyle felt his temper reaching a breaking point. Leticia was lying right there—visible the moment one turned their head—but Aaron didn’t even look at her.

“Duke Lyon.”

“Aaron.”

The Empress sensed a massive confrontation brewing. Carlyle was generally a righteous man, though he acted selfishly regarding his son. Aaron, too, was a man of sound judgment, except when it came to his late wife and Leticia.

“I apologize for how things turned out. …That child has always had a knack for provoking Godfrey’s temper.”

“What?”

The statement pinned the entire blame on Leticia. The Empress was momentary speechless, and Carlyle was instantly consumed by rage.

“What on earth are you saying! Are you suggesting that a little girl… deliberately provoked your son?”

“Don’t judge based solely on the result. My son is approaching a vital time in his life. He is not so foolish as to do this without reason.”

Aaron was becoming annoyed. It had only been a few months since Leticia left; he wondered what Carlyle had seen in her to defend her so fiercely. Regardless of his feelings, Aaron was the legal father of Leticia.

“Your Majesty. I do not wish for my son to be punished for this. I am her father, so my word should suffice.”

“Duke.”

“She is your daughter too!!!”

At Carlyle’s outburst, the Empress frowned and glanced at the bed, only to startle. The blanket that had covered the girl to her neck was now pulled up to the bridge of her nose. The child was awake. A Sword Master like Duke Tesseia could not have failed to notice this.

“She will heal. If Godfrey is punished, it will be a permanent stain on his career as a knight. I am simply making a choice for my son. Shouldn’t you do the same?”

His tone held a veiled threat—he could revoke the engagement to Terdis. The Empress massaged her temples.

“Duke Tesseia. The matter has become too large to be dismissed as a family dispute. The Lady is now the fiancée of Young Duke Lyon, and this occurred within the Imperial Palace. She nearly died here; surely you understand the Imperial Family cannot overlook this?”

“…I trust Your Majesty understands my family’s position. It is not something even Leticia would want—to ruin Godfrey’s future because of this.”

Aaron’s lips curled into a slight twist. “Is Godfrey not her brother?”

“Does that mean he should go unpunished?! Your son nearly killed her!”

Leticia had only survived by pure luck. The physician had called it a miracle, and even with divine healing, she wouldn’t be able to leave her bed for months and would require years of convalescence.

“What do you think, Leticia? You tell us.”

“Duke!”

At Aaron’s words, Carlyle turned toward the bed in shock, and the Empress gritted her teeth. Even if they weren’t blood-related, it was agonizing to watch a legal father treat a twelve-year-old child this way.

“…Should your brother be punished?”

He looked at her with eyes devoid of any warmth. As Leticia struggled to push herself up, the physician and priestess tried to stop her.

“You must not move yet.”

“It must be so painful…”

As they said, even a small movement made her bones and muscles scream in agony. Leticia sat up, drenched in a cold sweat. The Empress found the sight both admirable and chilling. The child’s eyes were cold and hollow.

‘Even if they aren’t related… how can she look so much like Duke Tesseia?’

“I do not care if Godfrey… Brother is punished, on one condition.”

Aaron’s brow furrowed at the girl daring to set terms, but the Empress stepped forward protectively before he could silence her.

“What is it?”

“Whether it be legally or practically, change my guardian to the Duke of Lyon, who is standing right here.”

Leticia’s voice was thin and small due to her injuries, but her tone was absolute. The Empress realized Leticia was far more intelligent than her peers. And quite shrewd.

‘This child does not fear the engagement to the Young Duke of Lyon.’

“Leticia…”

Carlyle knelt by the bed, looking up at her face. His handsome features were filled with compassion—a sight Aaron found loathsome.

“Are you truly alright with just that?”

Leticia spoke in a detached voice. Her eyes were filled with a weariness and futility far beyond her years.

“It is enough for me that he is no longer my father. If he is no longer my father, I won’t have to face such dangers again.”

It was an insulting statement, but one that pierced the core of the issue. Godfrey’s actions were only possible because of the tacit approval of his father. If Aaron didn’t feel shame now, he was a fool. Aaron gritted his teeth, but Carlyle ignored him.

Carlyle felt only pity and a desire to comfort her. While the others in the room didn’t know, Leticia and Carlyle knew that Duke Tesseia was her biological father.

“…This is not a discussion for the Lady’s presence. Let us step outside. You all, ensure the Lady rests.”

At the Empress’s command, the maids moved. Carlyle lingered in distress, while Aaron glared at Leticia in resentment.

“You two. You shouldn’t need me to call you twice.”

The Empress walked toward the door, and Aaron followed with a displeased face. Carlyle took Leticia’s hand gently before standing up to follow. As they left, the attendant quietly closed the door. The Empress cast a sorrowful look at the closed door before turning a sharp gaze on Aaron.

“The Duke said he wanted this resolved without a public scandal. Duke Lyon, conversely, wanted punishment.”

Aaron cut in before she could continue. “Surely you aren’t considering the child’s request. Your Majesty knows the complexities of my household.”

Empress Grace’s expression went cold. “I warned you, Duke. I warned you that things could end up like this. You ignored every omen.”

“I cannot accept this. That girl…” He grimaced, as if even mentioning her was a humiliation. “She is registered as my daughter. All rights regarding her are mine. Even Your Majesty cannot interfere with that.”

Grace wanted to handle this without antagonizing one of the few Ducal houses. Making an enemy of Tesseia was not beneficial, especially since the heir served the Crown Prince.

“What do you actually want, Duke? Aside from the fact that she is a bastard, she is just a twelve-year-old girl! A child!! Your son nearly killed a child! Is that normal to you?”

Aaron, consumed by his deep-seated grudge, flinched. Grace continued relentlessly.

“You not only fail to protect her, you are ruining your three sons! Six months ago, the third son incited servants to attack her with hounds, and now it’s the second. What are you waiting for? Do you want your son to eventually become a kinslayer?”

“That… I know the rumors were exaggerated…”

“Do you take the Imperial Family for fools?! Duke, wake up! The object of your revenge should not be that little girl!!”

Aaron’s gaze wavered. Grace felt a sense of self-loathing for having stayed her hand until things reached this point.

“Duke Tesseia. You just said you are the father of your second son. Let me ask you: In that room, have you ever once been Leticia’s guardian?”

Her freezing voice demanded the truth. Aaron couldn’t deny what both Carlyle and the Empress already knew. The tragedy was too great for stubbornness.

“I have… never been.”

“Revenge and resentment make many men foolish. I want to believe you are wise. If you won’t make a choice for that child, then make one for your sons.”

The mention of his three sons silenced Aaron. To blame Leticia was one thing, but the means to completely cut her out of his family was right in front of him.

“You did not protect her, and you know you are unfit to be her guardian. Duke Lyon.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Carlyle was more polite than ever. The Empress was making every point he had wanted to make.

“The Lady has named you as her guardian. Are you prepared to accept this responsibility?”

“I would be… honored.”

The Empress’s eyebrows shot up at his exaggerated tone. Aaron glared at Carlyle, feeling mocked. Grace looked at Carlyle with a skeptical eye.

“…I will be watching to ensure that child grows up safely. Will your heart remain unchanged even then?”

It was a warning that she wouldn’t tolerate Leticia being forced into a marriage against her will. Carlyle felt a twinge of guilt, but he answered quickly, hoping the children’s bond would naturally lead to a happy ending.

“I will do my utmost to cause no concern.”

“Duke Tesseia… there is no need to prolong this and agitate your heart further. You need to be free of this burden as well.”

“…….”

“Imperial lawyers will visit the Tesseia estate to handle the guardianship. You agree to this, do you not?”

Aaron gritted his teeth. He hated Leticia, yet he felt a strange resistance to casting her out of the family, even though he had already sent her away to be a “monster’s bride.”

“I… agree.”

The Empress felt a wave of relief. She had feared Aaron would remain stubborn to the end.

“Then I shall not make the second son’s actions a matter of public record.”

Carlyle tried to interject, but the Empress raised a hand to stop him. She looked at Aaron.

“However, to have no punishment at all would be to completely ruin the second son’s life.”

“Your Majesty.”

“Your son dared to harm someone within the Imperial Palace, tarnishing our authority. He attacked a young girl, proving he lacks the character of a knight. If I allowed him to take the qualification exam after this, the world would mock the Imperial Family.”

Aaron bowed his head in silence. This was an issue that went beyond Leticia’s status. For Aaron, who had pulled many strings to let Godfrey take the exam early, it was a painful blow.

“Therefore, I forbid the second son from taking the Imperial Knight qualification exam for two years. During those two years, I command that he undergo training as a squire to temper his mind.”

Carlyle knew that compared to the crime, this was an incredibly light punishment. But he also knew a heavier one was unlikely to be granted. He bowed to the Empress in bitter gratitude.

“…During his training, two monitors sent by the Palace will accompany him. Do not think of taking this lightly. Do you agree?”

“I agree. Thank you for your merciful judgment, Your Majesty.”

Normally, if Leticia had been a Lady of any other Ducal house, Godfrey would have been barred from knighthood forever and faced over five years in prison. Aaron didn’t rage because he knew he had avoided the worst.

“Duke Lyon, please inform the Lady of our discussion to ease her mind. Duke Tesseia, you may go to your son. An attendant will guide you.”

Aaron offered his respects and turned to leave. Seeing him leave without a single word of concern for Leticia, Carlyle clenched his fist but ultimately turned away. Leticia was right. It was better to keep the truth from them.

***

Back inside the library room, Carlyle was flustered to find Leticia weeping. Even with the priestess and imperial maids trying their best to comfort her, the tears wouldn’t stop.

“I… I don’t usually cry much…. But the tears… just keep coming….”

She had spoken up boldly before the Empress and the Duke, but it was impossible not to be wounded by the coldness Duke Tesseia had displayed.

“Leticia….”

“The crying… it won’t stop…. I’m, I’m so sorry.”

Carlyle sat on the edge of the bed and reached out, carefully pulling Leticia into his arms. She buried her face in his chest and sobbed. Feeling his shirt grow damp with her tears, Carlyle looked toward the imperial physician. He decided that instead of staying at the Palace, taking her back to his estate—surrounded by people who actually cherished her—would be better for her recovery.

“When can I take Leticia home?”

“It is safer for her to remain bedridden for a few weeks, but…”

“I want to go back to the Lyon estate,” Leticia pleaded through her tears.

Carlyle turned back to the physician, who looked troubled. “My Lady, it is best not to move in your current state.”

“But here… other people might come to visit….”

Leticia was worried that if the Empress, out of a desire to help, moved her into the inner palace, the truth about the curse might be discovered. Currently, this was just a spare room in the library being used as a bedroom; they wouldn’t keep the Lady of the Tesseia family and the Lyon’s fiancée here forever.

Carlyle, unaware of the original novel’s mechanics, didn’t follow her line of thought. Most nobles knew the imperial magic circles disrupted mana, but they didn’t realize the extent of their influence on curses. Seeing Leticia’s frightened face, Carlyle assumed she was wary of the other Tesseia sons.

“Can we not bring a priestess and a healer along? We can drive the carriage very slowly.”

“If you insist… I will allow it. A patient’s peace of mind often heals wounds faster than medicine.”

Leticia felt a wave of relief. Carlyle watched as she drifted off to sleep in his arms, wishing he could carry her away that very second. He patted her back gently to ensure she stayed in a deep sleep while listening to the physician’s instructions for the journey.

***

Godfrey was confined to a room with high windows. It wasn’t a dungeon, but it was clearly a room designed for detaining high nobility. He had been separated from his servants and knights, and being alone, he had no way of knowing what was happening outside.

‘There was so much blood.’

He had always thought he wanted Leticia to just disappear or die, but now that it had happened by his own hand, he was terrified. No matter how much he hated to admit it, she was still his half-sister.

‘Is she dead? Did she die? No one will tell me anything….’

Godfrey paced the room like a madman. The room was spacious and well-furnished with sofas, but he couldn’t stop shaking.

‘I didn’t mean for that to happen. I just wanted to push her a little, to scare her….’

He hadn’t expected her to fall so easily. Her small body had tumbled down, landing in the empty space at the bottom of the stairs alongside her books. And the blood. So much blood. It wasn’t the first time he’d seen blood, but he felt a sickening wave of fear.

He knew Leticia was small and light; girls her age were supposed to be. He had always been “conscious” of that whenever he “scared” her.

‘Why does she make such a big deal out of it? It’s not like it hurts that much.’

Every time he used violence, Leticia would turn pale and beg for mercy. Seeing her cower had always made him feel relieved. When he heard the door open, Godfrey snapped his head up. He feared it would be his father, but to his relief—and dread—it was Cesare. Cesare’s refined face was full of undisguised contempt.

“Brother….”

Slap!

A ruthless strike sent Godfrey’s head reeling. Despite the stinging pain, he didn’t even cover his cheek; he simply lowered his head.

“You moron!”

Cesare turned a fierce glare toward the imperial attendant, who quickly took the hint and stepped outside, closing the door. Cesare turned back to Godfrey.

“How many times have I told you not to get involved with that bastard?!”

“I’m sorry.”

Seeing Godfrey’s slumped shoulders only irritated Cesare more. He knew Godfrey’s volatile temper and had even instructed some of his friends to keep an eye on him.

“Father isn’t coming,” Cesare said coldly.

“Is Father… very disappointed?” Godfrey’s voice held the nervous tension of a small child.

Cesare sighed and glared at him. “No one knows what’s Father’s heart is like. …Her Majesty the Empress has decided not to make this a formal criminal matter.”

The Knight Qualification Exam. The thought finally struck Godfrey, and his face tensed. Even if there were no formal charges, the Imperial Family wouldn’t let this go.

“You are banned from the knight exams for two years. And for those two years, you must leave on a knight’s pilgrimage—with imperial monitors attached to you.”

“……”

It was a remarkably generous punishment. From this, Godfrey could guess that Leticia hadn’t died. If she had died on those steps, the Imperial Family would have been forced to hold him accountable to save face.

‘She’s alive.’

Relief washed over him, but a faint, creeping resentment began to surface as well. It was his own fault, but his future had been derailed because of her.

“Did the Lyon family take something in exchange for her being hurt? They wouldn’t have just stayed quiet.”

Cesare hesitated. Regardless of how his father felt, he personally thought it was for the best that the role of Leticia’s guardian had been completely transferred to the Lyon family.

“As of this incident, Duke Lyon has become her legal guardian. All rights regarding her now belong to the Lyon house first.”

“Ha! They demanded that? He really has gone crazy for his son!”

It had been Leticia’s own demand, but neither Cesare nor Godfrey knew that yet.

“You know how cold the Empress is about these things,” Cesare said. “This time, you crossed the line. It was behavior unbecoming of a knight.”

“……”

“The Imperial Family will hold you in custody until the legal documents for Leticia’s guardianship are finalized.”

Cesare had no intention of helping him further. He knew this level of punishment was lucky, and to ask for more would be inviting disaster.

“How… how badly is she hurt?” Godfrey finally asked the question he had been putting off. He felt it was ridiculous to ask if she was okay now.

Cesare looked at him for a long moment. “I heard she survived by pure luck. If it hadn’t happened in the Palace, she would be dead. The Empress sent people from the Great Temple to treat her, but they say we’ll have to wait and see if there’s permanent damage.”

Since the Duke of Lyon reportedly cherished that bastard so much, Cesare figured they would handle it. He frowned as he saw Godfrey turn pale.

“Are you regretting it now?”

“I… I didn’t know it would turn out like this.”

The weak words were likely the truth. Cesare couldn’t shake the thought that Godfrey was simply a fool.

“Just because you hate her doesn’t change the fact that she is a child.”

It was a thought Cesare had repeated to himself many times. Leticia was a presence that grated on his nerves just by existing. That was why he tried to avoid her.

“It was never going to be a good relationship anyway. Perhaps she’ll even be grateful to you, since this incident finally got her out of our house. Forget about it.”

Cesare spoke dismissively, but Godfrey didn’t look convinced. Cesare viewed his emotion as a hollow guilt of a perpetrator and found it pathetic.

‘It’s not like you’re actually going to apologize to that bastard anyway.’

“Don’t make me come here twice, Godfrey. Eat your meals properly.”

He patted Godfrey on the shoulder and turned away. Godfrey watched his brother’s retreating back before dropping his gaze to the floor.

***

There was a reason the physician had hesitated. Despite the carriage being driven as slowly as possible, Leticia fainted the moment they arrived at the Lyon estate. She suffered from a high fever for three straight days, making Carlyle regret granting her request. He poured a massive donation into the Great Temple to summon a High Priest who had been in another region just to examine her.

Thanks to that, Leticia recovered to a point where no permanent disability would remain.

Meanwhile, imperial lawyers swarmed the Tesseia estate. They made Aaron sign numerous documents transferring legal guardianship and then visited the Lyon estate. It took ten days for Carlyle to sign everything, for the papers to be sent back to the Administrative Palace for the Emperor’s approval, and for the formal process to be completed.

During those ten days, Leticia’s fever broke, but she remained bedridden, unable to move without help. The capital was abuzz with rumors about Lady Tesseia. Her status as a bastard was an open secret, so everyone understood why Godfrey had attacked her. When news spread that Duke Tesseia had given up his guardianship, people whispered that he was essentially admitting to abuse.

“…Duke Tesseia has suffered quite a humiliation.”

“Pretending to be so noble while abusing the Lady behind the scenes.”

They mocked Leticia while pretending to pity her, noting that her “escape” from her brothers was simply to become the bride of a monster.

“She’s still a child; how can she endure such things?”

“I heard a Count’s daughter who once met the Lyon heir still has fits whenever she sees a reptile.”

Most nobles pitied her, saying the Lyon wealth didn’t matter if she had to face such a fiancé.

“When does the second Tesseia son leave?”

“A knight’s pilgrimage in this day and age…”

“He got lucky. The Empress basically let him off!”

The nobles assumed Godfrey would spend two years living in luxury while traveling. It was a pro-Emperor noble who countered them: “The Empress attached monitors, so it won’t be like that.”

***

Leticia hadn’t realized how difficult it would be to even sit up. Needing help just to go to the bathroom made her feel miserable.

‘At least the pain is mostly gone.’

The High Priest said a few more divine treatments and some rest would return her to health. She wanted to believe him. What bothered her was the High Priest’s unusually kind attitude.

‘This was our first time meeting.’

Perhaps he was just that kind of person, or it meant Carlyle had donated a truly astronomical sum.

‘I’m just a burden to the Duke and Terdis.’

She had found a clue about his curse, but the book she brought that day had been returned to the Imperial Library. No one had been in a state to worry about a book during the chaos, and palace staff had returned it. Since part of the book was stained with blood, it had been sent to the restoration room. It would take weeks to be restored.

‘It would be better to show him the book than to just explain it.’

When she asked Molly to tell the Duke or Terdis about it, Molly burst into tears.

“Is that what you’re worried about right now, My Lady? The Duke and the Young Lord were so worried you were going to die! Neither of them slept a wink until your fever broke.”

Leticia had felt touched, but she insisted on checking the book’s status. Molly eventually confirmed that the library promised to send the book to the Lyon estate first as soon as it was restored.

Leticia rested easy after that. The book contained a vital clue: the reason the soul of Pashanoi was clinging to Terdis was because he wasn’t safe.

‘Does that mean… there is someone near Terdis who wants to harm him?’

If it could be proven that Carlyle’s younger brother planned the assassination that killed the Duchess, Terdis might finally regain his true form.

“But where is Terdis?” she asked.

Usually, Terdis would seek her out as soon as his lessons and training were over. He would stay by her side, acting like a spoiled child. It was strange that he hadn’t appeared.

“I’m not sure. He should have been here by now,” the maid said, offering to send someone to check. Leticia shook her head.

‘Maybe his swordsmanship training isn’t going well, or he has another schedule with Carlyle.’

Thinking that, she felt a small twinge of loneliness.

‘I’m being greedy. I know he’s destined for the heroine, yet I’m starting to want his attention….’

She decided not to harbor such impossible greed and looked out the window. Thinking of Godfrey having to leave on a pilgrimage in the dead of winter brought a small smile to her face.

‘Wait. No. Surely not.’

Godfrey was leaving tomorrow at dawn. If someone wanted to confront him, today was the last chance. Carlyle and Terdis “mistakenly” assumed Godfrey would visit the Lyon estate to apologize—not because it was promised, but because it was the human thing to do.

But Leticia knew better. They saw her as less than human. She had accepted it, but Terdis’ feelings might be different.

‘No, right? It wasn’t in the original story….’

Realizing the potential deviation, she felt a chill. His only friend and fiancée had been nearly killed.

“Mo-Molly. Please check if Terdis is in the house.”

“My Lady? The Young Lord never leaves the house.”

“I know, but just in case.”

At Leticia’s anxious request, Molly left the room. Leticia tried to stand up to look for him herself, but she couldn’t even manage that. She settled for sitting on the sofa, praying Terdis hadn’t gone to the Tesseia mansion.

***

Terdis wore gloves and wrapped his face in bandages. With a long hooded cloak covering him down to his hands, he looked suspicious to anyone who saw him. He risked being stopped by the guards, but he had no choice.

‘I know I should have brought a knight or a servant! But if I did, Father would have found out and told me not to go!’

He had waited all day for Godfrey to come and apologize to Leticia. Not so he could shout at him, but so he could simply be there for Leticia when it happened. But even after news of Godfrey’s release spread, no one came. Not an apology, not a letter, not a single flower. Not from Godfrey, nor the Duke, nor the other sons.

‘How can they call themselves human?!’

Terdis decided he would go and demand an answer. No one else was doing it. Even the Empress had essentially set him free under the guise of a “pilgrimage.” A pilgrimage! Some nobles chose that for training; it was hardly a punishment. How was Leticia’s suffering being redressed?

What pained him most was that he had been able to do nothing while Leticia hovered between life and death. He couldn’t fight for her, and because of his appearance, he couldn’t even visit her in the Palace. He had stayed at home, waiting endlessly until his father brought her back.

‘…I will make him apologize to Leticia!’

He marched toward the Tesseia mansion, his face set in a look of cold fury. He had hired a coachman to get near the district, so the journey had been manageable. When a boy in such suspicious attire reached the main gate of the Tesseia estate, the gatekeepers watched him warily.

“Who are you?”

“I am Terdis de Lyon of the Lyon Duchy. I am here to see Godfrey de Tesseia.”

When he showed the family crest, the gatekeepers exchanged baffled looks. Terdis was tall for his age, but he was clearly still a child. They whispered among themselves.

“It is the Lyon crest, but…”

“He came alone without a family carriage?”

As gatekeepers for a Duke, they knew the rumors. The Young Lord of Lyon was said to be a hideous monster due to a curse, so they didn’t chase him away immediately. They told him to wait and sent a runner to the main building. He was a Young Lord, and more importantly, he was the fiancé of Leticia, the lady of this house.

‘Showing up like this without an appointment….’

In fact, the Tesseia mansion was currently hosting a small banquet. Since Godfrey wouldn’t be home for a while, the family had invited only close friends for a meal. Even the third son, who was away at the Magic Tower, had returned, making the atmosphere quite lively.

‘It’s always a good atmosphere as long as the bastard youngest lady isn’t around.’

The messenger soon returned to the gate, gasping for breath. “He says to let him in!”

The gatekeepers opened the gate, and Terdis stepped inside.

***

“The Young Lord went where?!”

The butler was aghast at the servant’s report. Terdis was someone who refused to step foot outside even when offered a full escort of knights and attendants. To think he would head to the Tesseia estate—alone—on the very day the Duke was away, having been invited by the High Priest!

“What in the world are we to do…!”

“…Are you certain Terdis isn’t in the house?”

The butler jumped at the sight of Leticia, who had emerged into the hall leaning on a maid for support. She was in no condition to leave her bedchamber.

“Oh, My Lady! Please, if you overexert yourself, the Duke will have my head!”

“Where is Terdis?”

When she asked again, the butler spoke with a distressed face. “I’ve had the entire mansion and gardens searched. He is nowhere to be found.”

Leticia’s face drained of color. The attendant who had first suggested Terdis’ destination spoke up again.

“My Lady, I fear the Young Lord has gone to confront Lord Godfrey. He was incredibly incensed that the man never came to offer you an apology.”

‘I knew it…’

She didn’t know whether to call it hero-like behavior or sheer recklessness. Knowing full well that Godfrey would never offer a sincere apology in his right mind, Leticia felt a weight of dread in her chest.

“Butler. Just in case, send the escort knights to the Tesseia estate immediately.”

“Do you truly believe he is there, My Lady?”

“I can’t think of anywhere else he would go…. And send a messenger to the Duke as well.”

Though she was only twelve, the butler obeyed her instructions without hesitation. In this crisis, he felt a strange sense of stability just having her there.

“You heard her! Go to the Tesseia estate and ask the gatekeepers! They’ll have no reason to hide the fact that a Young Lord arrived.”

The butler didn’t just send the escort knights; he dispatched a unit of the Lyon private guards. If a conflict had broken out, they had to rescue their Young Lord at all costs.

***

As a high-ranking noble and a Duke, Carlyle had crossed paths with the High Priest at various functions, but this was the first time he had received a formal invitation. The High Priest was a busy man, known for a certain coldness unless the Church stood to gain something, making Carlyle deeply suspicious.

‘Did he notice something while treating Leticia?’

It was a reasonable fear. Even the priest specializing in curses whom Carlyle planned to summon was ultimately a member of the Church. The High Priest himself possessed enough power to break at least mid-level curses.

“Is the tea not to your liking? Shall I have another brought out?”

“No, not at all. I simply struggle with drinks that are too hot.”

Carlyle smiled politely, pretending to check the temperature of the cup. The High Priest sat across from him, wearing a serene, hollow smile. Carlyle had always maintained good relations with the Church for Terdis’ sake. Even his younger brother, who traveled the continent gathering information on dragon curses, made periodic visits to the Holy Land to maintain ties with the Pope.

“I received word that you had urgent matters to discuss, though I wasn’t told the specifics.”

“Ah… it concerns the Lady of Tesseia, your son’s fiancée.”

‘Here it comes.’

Carlyle wanted to squeeze his eyes shut but forced himself to maintain a neutral expression. The High Priest’s smile deepened as he watched Carlyle. While treating Leticia, he had detected a strange curse on her body. The trace was so faint that even an experienced priest would have struggled to find it.

‘That is why it has gone unnoticed until now.’

In his eyes, Leticia’s curse was masterfully crafted and complex. Most would have assumed she was simply carrying a magic tool. Since the only effect was altering hair color, no one would have suspected a curse. During treatment, he had peeked behind the veil of the curse to see her true hair color.

‘It was a blonde so pale it was almost white.’

The implication was clear. The Tesseia Lady, rumored to be the product of the Duchess’s affair, was in fact the Duke’s biological child. The High Priest realized he should inform the Tesseia family, but another discovery stayed his hand. While Leticia hovered between life and death, the Tesseia family—under the pressure of the Imperial Palace—had signed away their guardianship. The legal protector was now Duke Lyon.

The High Priest decided it would be more beneficial for the Church if Duke Tesseia remained in the dark. He had waited until the rights were fully transferred.

“Is there a problem with Leticia’s health?” Carlyle asked, feigning ignorance. If the Church insisted on telling Tesseia the truth, he would have no way to stop them.

“The Lady will recover without issue. We will continue to send priests to aid her convalescence, so do not worry on that front.”

“Then…?”

“I discovered a curse on the Lady. Were you aware?”

Carlyle prepared to deny it, but the High Priest didn’t give him the chance.

“It is difficult to believe that a man who has researched curses so extensively for his son would be entirely unaware…”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Carlyle replied, swallowing his irritation.

“I understand your caution, Duke. Do not worry. The Church is prepared to stand with you on this matter.”

Carlyle frowned at the cryptic remark. The High Priest poured more tea into his own cup.

“While treating Her Ladyship, I noticed the curse, but I also discovered one other very important fact.”

‘Did he just refer to her as “Her Ladyship” with such reverence?’

The High Priest continued. “The Lady has not a single drop of mana in her. Her body is kept perfectly clean, maintained only by the most basic life-force mana.”

“What?! Is that not dangerous?” Carlyle’s voice rose in alarm.

“Ah, if you are referring to common Mana Deficiency Syndrome, this is different. Her body is simply expelling mana to maintain an optimal state for… something else.”

The High Priest couldn’t hide his grin. He was an old man, and he hadn’t expected to meet another person like her in his lifetime.

“I have served two Popes and three Saints. Twice, I had the honor of assisting them during their childhoods.”

Carlyle stared with confused eyes.

“Lady Leticia possesses the qualities of a Saint. Her body is already preparing to receive the power of the Goddess. Her awakening is imminent.”

***

Terdis’ brow furrowed as he followed the servant into the Tesseia mansion. The noise and lights made it clear that a small party or banquet was underway. Since there was no music, it likely wasn’t a full ball.

Seeing the carriages of other families in the garden, Terdis felt a wave of dizzying rage. Leticia still struggled to sit up in bed on her own. Yet here they were, raising glasses and hosting banquets without having offered a single word of apology. As if Leticia’s pain meant nothing.

‘I won’t let it stay this way.’

The servant tried to lead Terdis to the drawing room, per Aaron’s orders. But Terdis, seeing the light from the banquet hall, veered toward it. The servant jumped in front of him.

“Young Lord! This is not the way!”

“Move!”

The servant was a grown man, but he was sent reeling back by Terdis’ shove. Before he could even process the boy’s strength, Terdis was at the entrance of the banquet hall. By chance, the doors were unguarded.

SLAM!!!

The sound of the doors being thrown open silenced the room. Guests stared in shock at Terdis. His clothes were neat, but his face was entirely bandaged, leaving only his reptilian, golden eyes visible.

“What is that? How gross,” someone whispered.

Terdis didn’t shrink back. He pulled back his hood and shouted coldly, “I am looking for Godfrey. I know he is in this room.”

He understood why the servant had tried to lead him to a private room. They wanted to bribe or persuade him to leave quietly to avoid ruining the party.

‘And that man is Aaron de Tesseia.’

As a Sword Master, the Duke’s aura was unmistakable. Terdis could sense the power of two of the Tesseia sons in the room as well.

“Young Lord Lyon. You are being excessively rude,” a boy of about eighteen or nineteen said—likely Cesare, who was predicted to reach Sword Master status before thirty.

“Is the rudeness not started by this family? Point out where I am wrong if you can.”

“You monster brat! How dare you come here!”

A large boy burst forward, shaking off restraining hands. It was Godfrey. The Duke’s brow twitched. “Godfrey, do not act rashly.”

Terdis’ eyes tracked the boy. He was massive, built like a man.

‘A person like this… hit Leticia…’

Leticia was barely half his height. The thought of this brute using violence on her made Terdis’ vision go red. He marched into the room.

“What is this banquet for? Is it for the second son who leaves tomorrow?”

“My brother is leaving on a pilgrimage and won’t be home for two years! What’s wrong with a family meal to comfort him?” This was likely Sebastian, the third son—the one who set the hounds on her.

Terdis turned a freezing gaze on Sebastian, who flinched and fell silent. Despite being older and privileged, Sebastian felt a primal fear.

‘What is this? It feels like when Father glares at me…’

“One would think he was leaving by choice. Have you no shame…?”

Godfrey’s face flushed a deep crimson. Cesare looked annoyed, and Sebastian was already plotting how to humiliate Terdis. Aaron felt a surge of irritation, realizing how deeply Terdis had fallen for Leticia in just a few months.

“You monster!! Just because people treat you like a human, do you actually think you are one?!”

Godfrey could no longer contain his rage. He lunged forward and grabbed Terdis by the collar. This was exactly what Terdis wanted.

“I should ask you—do you think you’re a human just because you’re wearing a human’s skin?!”

The young boy’s sharp voice cut through the hall.

“How can you call yourself a person after doing something even a beast would be ashamed of? And you dare aspire to be a knight?! Everyone here knows what chivalry is!!!”

Cesare gritted his teeth. As nobles, they couldn’t deny the code.

“The root of chivalry is serving the Crown and protecting the weak! This man attacked his own young kin and left her on the brink of death! And to this day, he has not asked for forgiveness once!”

“Sh-Shut up!!”

“Tell me! Is there any monster more hideous than this man?! Any man less fit to be a knight…!”

“I SAID SHUT UP!!!”

Driven into a corner, Godfrey punched Terdis in the face. It was a heavy blow, but against the dragon scales hidden beneath the bandages, it didn’t even itch. Godfrey, shocked by the sensation of hitting solid iron, gasped.

Terdis’ eyes glowed with killing intent. “You struck first. This is self-defense.”

Terdis delivered a single strike to Godfrey’s chest.

“Gah!”

Godfrey let go of the collar and stumbled back, gasping for air. He had underestimated the “little brat.” As Godfrey rubbed his chest, Terdis stepped forward.

“Apologize to my fiancée.”

“What?” Godfrey glared back, teeth bared. “Why would I apologize to a bastard?! I did nothing wrong!”

“Then is my fiancée lying in a sickbed for no reason?!”

The sheer presence Terdis projected made Godfrey turn pale. “Apologize to Leticia! You piece of trash!!”

“ENOUGH!!!”

Aaron stepped between them. Terdis glared at him through gritted teeth. Cesare watched in fascination as the boy withstood the Duke’s aura—something even he and Godfrey struggled with.

‘He looks like a monster, but he’s a better man than my brothers,’ Cesare thought briefly.

“As you can see, there is no place for you at this table, Young Lord. Leave now before this escalates further. I have extended my hospitality as far as it will go.”

Terdis looked around the silent room.

“Very well.” His cold gaze landed on Godfrey. “…I wouldn’t want the stench of this man to rub off on me.”

“You—!”

“I won’t wish any of you a good night. Instead, I hope you all contemplate the ‘sinner’ leaving tomorrow to wash away his crimes. Though it seems he will never truly wake up to his own vileness.”

Terdis turned and walked away with his head held high. Godfrey looked down in shame, while Cesare and Aaron remained silent.

‘I can’t let him leave like this!’ Sebastian thought. He was the one who insisted on the banquet. He couldn’t let his brother be humiliated.

“You… you bastard!”

“Sebastian!!” Cesare shouted, but it was too late.

Sebastian hurled his wine glass from the table. It struck Terdis in the side of the head, drenching his shoulder in red liquid. Terdis stopped as the wine dripped down his cloak. He turned back. Sebastian hoped he looked pathetic, but Terdis’ expression was one of cold mockery.

“Ah, I see.”

He stared at the one who threw the glass. Sebastian froze under that reptilian gaze.

“Thank you for showing me the true level of the Tesseia family.”

“You… you monster!”

“Sebastian! Stay back!” Cesare barked, noticing his brother trying to manifest mana.

Terdis turned his back and walked out of the main hall. A butler tried to offer a towel, but Terdis ignored it.

‘I should have hit him more!’ he fumed. He wanted to challenge Godfrey to a duel and kill him. ‘But he is Leticia’s brother.’

He thought of Leticia, who had chosen the protection of the Lyon family over these people.

‘She has no family.’

These people weren’t her family. You couldn’t call people like that family.

‘I will be her family.’ he decided. ‘Because I’m the only one who can truly protect her.’

***

“Manifestation? Wh-what are you saying? High Priest, have you lost your mind?”

Carlyle was visibly shaken, but the High Priest remained composed. He had expected this shock.

“The timing varies from person to person, but I believe the wait will not be long. She will reveal her gifts within five years at the most. As such, it is only proper that the Church takes her into its care.”

“……”

This was a problem Carlyle had never anticipated. He had been so consumed with worry over Leticia’s curse that the possibility of her becoming a Saint had never crossed his mind.

‘Of all things…’

“You are a Duke; you know as well as I do,” the High Priest continued. “Your son, Young Lord Terdis, is no longer a fitting match for her. With her bloodline and the potential of a Saint, she would be more than a suitable bride for even the Crown Prince.”

He wasn’t wrong. Leticia was the undeniable legitimate daughter of Duke Tesseia. Her lineage alone was enough reason for others to try and snatch her away, but to have the qualities of a Saint on top of that!

“Rest assured. Our Church also has no desire for her to return to the Tesseia estate,” the High Priest added.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Carlyle no longer bothered to hide his hostility. It was clear the Church wanted to take Leticia for themselves.

“If Duke Tesseia were to learn the whole truth, he would likely reclaim her from the Lyon estate and force her into a mundane life rather than letting her be a Saint. The Imperial Family may side with House Lyon for now, but their attitude will shift once the truth of her bloodline is revealed.”

This was Carlyle’s greatest fear. If Leticia were proven to be the Duke’s biological daughter, the family’s stance would change, and the Imperial Family would prioritize blood over current legal guardianship.

“This would be a loss for the Church and the continent. If one receives such a blessing from the Goddess, it is a Saint’s duty to repay the world. Fulfilling that duty would be for her own good as well.”

Carlyle’s eyes narrowed. That was the Church’s perspective—forcing a role onto someone without considering their own will. Historically, many Saints from commoner backgrounds had been exploited by the Church, and even those from noble families weren’t truly protected unless they were of the highest rank.

“…If you tell Duke Tesseia, the Church won’t get what it wants either. Are you telling me to hand Leticia over in exchange for your silence?”

“Of course, that is not all. Duke, let us be honest. Is the reason you are so adamant about keeping her because you fear Young Lord Terdis will never break his curse and thus never find another spouse?”

“My family matters are no concern of yours, High Priest.”

“Hear me out. I have always found it strange that Your Grace never sought the help of His Holiness the Pope. I assumed it was because His Holiness does not move for the sake of a single individual.”

‘Wait.’

Carlyle looked at the High Priest with a strange expression. He looked that way because the High Priest’s words didn’t add up, but the excited priest failed to notice.

“Transfer the legal guardianship of the Lady—the future Saint—to the Church. If you do, I will inform His Holiness of the situation and have him personally treat the Young Lord.”

New shockwaves rippled through Carlyle’s already chaotic mind. He had sent his younger brother, Rupert, to persuade the Pope for two years now. Rupert sent letters once a month, detailing the gifts he gave the Pope, the greetings they exchanged, and how he had brought up Terdis’ condition.

Was the High Priest simply ignorant of the Pope’s affairs, or…

‘Impossible! Rupert… he wouldn’t lie to me!’

“I do not expect an immediate decision,” the High Priest said with a thin smile. “Take your time to think it over.”

***

Carlyle headed home with a heart full of turmoil. His younger brother, Rupert, was much younger than him. Their parents had been in an arranged marriage; once Carlyle was old enough, they divorced and handed him the Dukedom. Rupert was the child of his father’s second marriage.

Because Rupert was born long after the succession was settled, Carlyle had celebrated his birth and doted on him. After their father died, Carlyle became his guardian. Rupert’s current status as a Marquis was entirely thanks to Carlyle’s support. He had never once doubted him.

‘Perhaps the High Priest is simply out of the loop regarding the Pope’s inner circle!’

Before succumbing to suspicion, he needed to verify the facts. If he sent a trusted agent to the Holy Land to track Rupert’s movements, he would know the truth. But during the carriage ride, he couldn’t help but wonder who stood to gain the most if Terdis’ curse remained unbroken.

Carlyle had lost his wife at the Dragon’s Lake and had been rendered sterile by a potent poison. Terdis, due to the curse, was immune to the poison—the only thing Carlyle was ever grateful to the dragon for.

‘I am sterile, and Terdis… is not accepted by the vassals.’

Currently, Carlyle’s presence kept the vultures at bay, but if he were to fall, it would be difficult for Terdis to hold the title. Many would likely try to install Rupert as the Duke of Lyon. In fact, such voices had already been raised, and Rupert had reportedly been furious at the suggestion.

But what if that was all an act?

‘Rupert is nineteen years younger than me…’

Rupert was twenty-seven, old enough to be Carlyle’s eldest son.

‘Damn it! I must stop this. It’s just suspicion for now!’

When his carriage reached the estate, the sun had already set. It was usually the time Terdis and Leticia ate dinner, so he frowned when he saw people gathered outside the entrance.

“What is going on…? Leticia? Why are you out here?”

Carlyle jumped from the carriage, horrified to see Leticia leaning against a pillar, still pale and weak, supported by a maid.

“Your Grace.”

“Why are you out here in the cold? Where is Terdis? That boy should be looking after you…”

Carlyle stepped forward and scooped Leticia into his arms. She felt even lighter than before she was hurt, which pained his heart.

“Terdis isn’t in the house.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“Oh, My Lady! Master! There he is!”

Carlyle, who had been about to question Leticia further, turned at the butler’s shout. The family carriage was rolling into the courtyard. Leticia wiggled to be let down, and Carlyle carefully placed her on her feet as a maid supported her.

“Terdis!”

Terdis climbed out of the carriage, looking sheepish. Leticia’s face crumpled when she saw the vivid wine stain on his shoulder.

“Are you okay? What happened?”

“I-It was nothing. Why are you outside? You’re still sick.” Terdis hurried to her side, instinctively positioning himself so she would lean against his unstained shoulder.

“Nothing? Then what is that?”

Seeing Leticia on the verge of tears, the confident Terdis who had just stood his ground at the Tesseia mansion vanished, replaced by a flustered boy.

“It… it really wasn’t a big deal.”

“How is it not a big deal? You’re not the kind of person who should have to go through this…”

When she finally burst into tears, Terdis was at a complete loss. Meanwhile, Carlyle listened to the butler’s explanation. Terdis had gone to the Tesseia mansion alone to demand an apology, and the house had been in an uproar when his disappearance was discovered. Leticia had guessed where he went, so they had sent the guard and the carriage.

‘It seems nothing major happened. Terdis’ expression isn’t bad.’

Though the wine stain was concerning, Carlyle was satisfied by the look of newfound confidence on his son’s face. It reminded him of the Terdis before the curse—no, it was even more mature.

‘Leticia’s presence is making Terdis stronger.’

But… if the curse could be broken, Leticia wasn’t strictly necessary. If Terdis regained his true self, they could find another fiancée. Simply finding courage was not comparable to breaking the curse entirely.

‘And yet, how could I let go of that child’s hand?’

Carlyle watched the two children, hiding his agonizing conflict. When his son was first cursed, he had vowed to live his life for him, even if it meant doing something evil. But betraying Leticia’s trust felt impossible. Seeing how close the two children had become only made it harder.

Fortunately for him, his internal struggle didn’t have to last long.

***

The banquet at the Tesseia mansion was never the same after Young Lord Lyon left. While Cesare’s fiancée’s family and Godfrey’s closest friends remained, most of the other guests felt the Duke’s foul mood and slipped away one by one.

Unable to stand the wilting atmosphere, Godfrey stormed out, and the Duke finally declared the banquet over. Sebastian, the third son, gritted his teeth as he watched the last guests leave. He had never tasted such humiliation.

‘How dare he! A cursed monster like him!’

“Sebastian. Don’t think about doing anything stupid,” Cesare warned.

“But Brother! That monster broke into our party and made a mess of everything!”

The words We were the ones who started it rose to Cesare’s throat, but he couldn’t bring himself to say them. The victim was Leticia, after all—the bastard who should never have been born.

“Father doesn’t want any more conflict. Besides, the Empress showed us mercy by reducing Godfrey’s sentence.”

“……”

“You don’t want to cause a problem that actually prevents Godfrey from ever becoming an imperial knight, do you?”

Sebastian fell silent, his face full of resentment. Cesare frowned as he looked at him, realizing how much Sebastian’s face resembled Leticia’s. It was a maddening thought, especially since Sebastian was the one who most resembled their father.

‘Stupid thoughts.’

He blamed the Crown Prince for planting those seeds of doubt. Leticia’s hair color was vivid proof of her illegitimacy.

“…I hope you aren’t thinking that things are fine as long as you don’t get caught, Sebastian. Our opponent is the Lyon family.”

“I-I didn’t say I was going to do anything!”

“Neither Father nor I will look the other way a second time. An ‘accident’ like the one six months ago must never happen in this family again.”

Sebastian stiffened at the mention of that accident. The memory was far from pleasant. He looked at Cesare nervously.

“Do you understand?”

“I get it, Brother Cesare…” He answered reluctantly, pouting as soon as Cesare turned his back.

***

At dawn, as soon as the city gates opened, Godfrey set out with two imperial monitors, a guide, and a servant. He planned to head somewhere suitable for training. His pride had been severely wounded by the ten-year-old Terdis, who hadn’t flinched even though Godfrey was four years older and much larger.

Cesare and Sebastian saw him off at the gate, but Aaron didn’t show. Godfrey hadn’t expected his father to come, so he wasn’t even disappointed. He waved to his brothers and rode out of the city.

He had thought about Leticia throughout the night, but he convinced himself that apologizing would be like losing.

‘I didn’t do it on purpose! I didn’t know she’d get hurt that badly. I just… I just wanted to scare her.’

It wasn’t his fault the girl was unlucky. He had already been punished, so he told himself everything was settled. But a weight remained in his heart. He was bothered by the way everyone at the banquet had looked at him after the monster’s words.

‘Chivalry? I’m not fit to be a knight?’

He knew that simply being good with a sword didn’t make one a knight. It was how one used that power that determined their honor and value. Attacking Leticia was undeniably unknightly.

‘So what! She’s a bastard! She disgraced the Imperial Family and our house, so it was inevitable!’

Liar.

…You know that’s not true. You just hated hearing people talk about her. She was an eyesore, an annoyance… you wished she would just die.

‘It’s true I hated her enough to want her dead, but I didn’t intend to kill her with my own hands!’

But those were “thoughts” that would never reach anyone. Godfrey had no intention of ever apologizing to Leticia; he would rather die than do that.

‘It doesn’t matter if that girl is in pain! It’s all her own bad luck!’

Ignoring the knot of guilt in his chest, Godfrey straightened his back and looked forward. What he had done wasn’t exactly honorable, but he didn’t feel it was a great sin, either. Everyone made mistakes like that. He told himself he wasn’t a bad person.

Godfrey kept his chin up and spurred his horse forward, hoping his future would be as straight and wide as the plains unfolding before him.

***

Leticia knew exactly what day it was, but she didn’t let it weigh on her mind for a second. The legal matters were settled, and now, her only focus was Terdis.

‘I doubt they’ll try to use that kind of reckless violence against me ever again.’

Having survived two brushes with death, she felt she had endured enough. Choosing to push all thoughts of Godfrey and the rest of them aside, Leticia welcomed her maid.

The maid held out a book neatly wrapped in clean paper, explaining that it had arrived early that morning.

“It’s from the Imperial Library, My Lady. You’ve been waiting for this, haven’t you?”

“Truly?”

With the maid’s help, Leticia pushed herself up and hurried toward the table. Once she was seated, the maid handed her the book. Leticia unwrapped it with trembling hands and quickly scanned the pages.

There wasn’t a single bloodstain left on the paper. Rather than a chemical treatment, it looked as though a mage had been commissioned to lift the stains magically.

‘Thank goodness. This part is still intact.’

She pulled the book to her chest, her face lighting up with joy. This would be the wonderful news that Carlyle and Terdis so desperately needed.