1.

“Extra! Extra!!”

A boy wearing a pressed-down hat raised his voice. Under the dark sky that seemed ready to pour rain at any moment, newspapers fluttered ceaselessly.

“A fire broke out at Pemlington’s summer villa!”

Summer villa, fire.

Only after hearing those two words did Stella’s footsteps finally stop. Looking around, she saw groups of three or four people gathered around newspapers here and there along the street.

“A fire broke out at the summer villa?”

When an old woman asked a man who was reading the newspaper, he nodded heavily.

“Yes. It seems the fire was quite large. It says here that even the forest behind the summer villa was engulfed in flames.”

“Good heavens! The summer villa is where the princes go every year, isn’t it? The princes are safe, aren’t they?”

Despite the old woman’s earnest voice, the expression of the man reading the newspaper was darker than the ashen sky.

“The only survivors are one old stable keeper and a few servants.”

“……!!”

As soon as the man finished speaking, the murmuring of the gathered people grew louder.

What was the cause; they said the fire started from a fireplace left burning to dry their bodies after swimming in the lake; defective coal; how did the survivors; the royal succession; the future of this country……

The voices of people worried about an uncertain future seeped thickly into the uneven stone streets.

However, Stella’s footsteps as she left that place were not much different from before.

‘What should I do?’

No, they had become heavier, but for an entirely different reason.

‘Since the princes have passed away, the shop will surely close.’

While it was regrettable that the princes, who were beloved by the people, had perished in the flames, unfortunately Stella didn’t have the luxury to feel grief.

Not just one but two had passed away, so the mourning period would surely be long as well.

‘……Did I call the doctor for nothing?’

It had been only a few days since she had called a doctor after much deliberation when her mother’s coughing illness had worsened.

At that time, she had scraped together every coin in the house to pay for it.

The tea tin at the very back of the cupboard didn’t hold enough money to get through the shop’s temporary closure, let alone pay for tomorrow’s bread.

‘No.’

Stella shook her head. Hadn’t the weather been continuously dark and humid lately, as if rain would pour down at any moment?

Stella knew well from her childhood experience that if one wasn’t careful during such times, a small cold could become a serious illness.

‘But what can I do?’

The shop wouldn’t stay closed for the entire mourning period, but still, being unable to work even for a day was a significant blow when she had to worry about tomorrow’s bread.

Moreover, she hadn’t even paid the doctor in full, which made her feel even more anxious.

‘Is there anywhere else I could work?’

Which shops would stay open even during the mourning period? Surely bread shops would be open, and places selling herbs would probably be open too.

But there were already people who had been working there for a long time, so it would be difficult for me to get in.

Or those shops in the back alley would probably be open……

“……”

Stella, who had unconsciously been staring at the back alley, barely managed to turn her gaze away.

She might have to go there someday, but she wanted to hold out as long as possible.

Stella deliberately ignored the street and quickened her pace, soon arriving in front of a shabby house.

“I’m back.”

“Sister!”

As soon as she opened the old, worn door, a child with neatly tied golden hair rushed out and clung to Stella as if hanging on her.

“You’re back?”

The small warmth and bright smile of her young sister calmed her anxious heart. Stella smiled softly.

“I’m back safe and sound. Did you guard the house well? Nothing happened, right?”

“Yes!”

Mary smiled brightly.

“Father and Mother are sleeping! Father said he was tired after meeting someone!”

“Father met someone?”

Who?

Just as she was about to ask that, Stella closed her mouth. Mary’s gaze was focused on the basket she had brought.

“Sister bought delicious bread today. Remember the bakery on 3rd Street? I bought bread from there.”

“Wow!!”

Mary’s eyes, who had made do with leftover bread from this morning, sparkled.

“Can I eat a whole loaf?”

“……Sure.”

Considering that work would be cut off for a while, eating a whole loaf of bread in one meal was a luxury, but seeing her innocent sister’s face, she couldn’t bring herself to say no.

I’ll just eat a little less.

“But where’s Sanderson?”

Stella asked as she placed the bread basket on the dining table.

“Where did he go?”

The house, small enough to survey entirely with a single glance, was unusually quiet.

“Don’t tell me, again.”

“No!”

The back door burst open. A boy wearing a vest more worn than the newspaper-selling boy from earlier and a hat rushed inside.

“I’m here, sister! I was playing with the kids in the alley!”

It was suspicious that he started making excuses without anyone saying anything. When Stella silently looked at her younger brother, Sanderson’s words began to come faster.

“Really! Ask Tomason. I didn’t even go near the back alley this time!”

“Really?”

“Really!”

“Alright, I’ll believe you.”

When Stella patted his head, Sanderson finally seemed relieved and took a deep breath.

“But, sister. Did you hear that news? About the princes dying at the summer villa!”

“The prince died?”

At Sanderson’s words, Mary’s head shot up. She must have secretly taken a bite of bread, as her mouth was covered with breadcrumbs.

“Did Prince Radny die?”

“No, you fool!”

Sanderson looked at Mary with sharp eyes.

“Prince Radny is at the royal palace! It’s his two younger brothers who died!”

“But they’re still princes! Then shouldn’t we go to the royal palace too?”

“Are you stupid? How could we go there!”

“Why can’t we go! We’re nobles too, so we can go! House Ambrose!!”

“Both of you, stop.”

Before their voices could get louder, Stella stepped between the two children.

“Sanderson. Didn’t I tell you not to call your sister names like stupid?”

“But……”

“Mary, you too. You shouldn’t shout loudly when Mom and Dad are both sleeping. I told you not to eat bread secretly, didn’t I?”

“You did……”

Sanderson and Mary simultaneously hung their heads dejectedly. Looking at the round heads of her young siblings made her want to laugh rather than get angry.

“Well, don’t do that anymore, both of you. Understood?”

“Understood.”

“Mm-hmm!”

After adding a word unnecessarily and turning around, Sanderson followed her closely.

“Sister, did you also hear that news?”

“What news?”

As she wiped a plate with an old cloth, Sanderson grinned. It was the kind of smile that would have mischief dripping from fingertips if it could be touched.

“They say Duke Rochester is coming up to the capital because of this accident?”

Her busy hands stopped. When she turned around in surprise, Sanderson’s mischievous smile deepened.

“Sister’s first love!!”

⁕⁕⁕

[ The Tragedy of Pemlington Summer Villa! ]

“Damn.”

The newspaper was mercilessly crumpled under a military boot. Low-quality laughter mixed with acrid cigar smoke scattered throughout the barracks.

“Is it okay to do that?”

The man sitting across asked, putting a half-burned cigar in his mouth.

“It’s sad news, isn’t it?”

“And your dear cousin at that.”

“Shut up.”

Kalian chewed the end of his cigar and trampled the newspaper once more with his boot.

‘Dear’ cousin, how nice that sound.

Such a modifier could only have been attached when he was still in his mother’s womb and his gender hadn’t been determined yet.

As long as he was born with sturdy equipment, there was no way he could be friendly with that greedy uncle.

Unless one of them died—either his uncle or himself.

Therefore, the news from that distant resort was more like a warning that things would become very troublesome from now on, rather than sad news for Kalian.

“What will you do now? Discharge? Or you could keep rubbing your butt here.”

“Would rubbing my butt here be possible?”

Hiss, someone extinguished their cigar with a laugh.

“Two people above have kicked the bucket. Now Duke Rochester here has become second in line of succession. Could you keep your noble butt here?”

“He was already quite high up before, but he still enlisted.”

“That’s……”

Kalian suddenly interrupted.

Whether from holding guns and swords for a long time, or if it had always been that way, his hand with protruding veins picked up a glass half-filled with alcohol.

“Thanks to His Majesty graciously allowing the enlistment himself.”

Kalian downed all the alcohol. The remaining ice clinked against the glass with a refreshing sound.

“Have you decided?”

Someone asked abruptly again. Kalian wiped his mouth with his thumb and nodded slowly.

“I have to go.”

His blue gaze fixed on one spot.

As if looking at the emperor sitting in the highest place in the capital, which could only be reached after crossing several bridges beyond the wall, climbing mountains, and riding for days even after that.

“I hate troublesome things, but I’m not stupid enough to struggle trying to avoid what can’t be avoided.”

If there was no way to avoid it anyway, the only method was to face it head-on.

Give up what needs to be given up appropriately, and scrape up everything that can be taken.

Kalian swept his disheveled golden hair back. His clear-cut features were fully revealed under the candlelight.

“Ah!”

One guy who had been sprawled out drunk until now suddenly sat up as if having a seizure and snapped his fingers.

“When you return to the capital, can you confirm whether that rumor is true?”

His vulgar giggling while showing yellow teeth suggested it wasn’t a proper rumor.

The wrinkle that formed in Kalian’s previously straight brow was due to the name that came out next.

“The rumor about the famous Miss Stella Ambrose.”

⁕⁕⁕