***

Time passed cruelly quickly, whether it knew how unsettled Seria’s heart was or not.

The streets were far noisier than usual.

The clamor of harried laborers and tangled carriages could be heard from afar.

At the entrance to Alkutar, a long line of dusty wagons stood waiting, some of them loaded with cargo crates bearing the imperial crest.

“They say all those are caravans from the empire, right?”

“Tsk. Weren’t they the ones acting appalled and calling us savages not long ago…?”

“They really are filthy, two-faced creatures.”

Imperial merchant caravans arrived, their wagons stacked high with luxurious goods from the Empire. It was as if they had never looked down on the Kuth tribe.

There were crates wrapped in silk, glass bottles releasing faint threads of fragrance, and carefully covered wooden chests. They passed in an unending procession down the streets.

The Kuth people wore open expressions of distaste at the merchants’ arrogance, yet they could not entirely hide their curiosity.

The air in Alkutar had begun to shift in an odd, unmistakable way.

Dust and spice mingled together, and an unfamiliar yet strangely familiar scent drifted on the wind.

Because of this, the imperial goods that Seria knew well were slowly taking root here as well: teas, dresses, jewelry, perfumes and more besides.

People imitating imperial fashion had already begun to appear on the streets.

Even within Kashan’s household, the change was visible.

Among the younger maids in particular, imperial perfumes and embroidered hair ribbons were becoming the latest trend.

Seria turned her head and looked out of the window.

The metal wagon wheels glinted in the sunlight.

Then, a familiar crest came into view: The seal of House Luzent.

There was no mistaking it: carriages bearing the Luzent emblem were streaming into the city in a long line.

A dull tightness gripped Seria’s chest. An emotion she couldn’t quite name closed around her.

‘No. Enough. Don’t think about it.’

Seria turned her gaze away and drew the curtains shut at once.

The room, moments ago flooded with sunlight, darkened instantly.

‘But… what if… what if Father didn’t truly abandon me?’

She knew it was a ridiculous thought.

Even so, Seria’s mind continued to wander on its own.

‘What if there was some kind of misunderstanding…?’

As confusion stirred inside her, a familiar voice sounded from behind.

“Seria.”

It was Kashan.

He should have been working at this time of night.

Startled by his sudden appearance, Seria turned towards him, her eyes wide.

Judging by his appearance, he had found out about the House of Luzent’s arrival too.

His disheveled appearance, so unlike him, made that clear.

He strode across the room and pulled Seria straight into his arms.

“Kashan…”

“Are you all right? If it bothers you, I can have this entire road closed off—restrict all passage—”

“No, you don’t need to go that far. I’m really fine. It just… feels strange, that’s all…”

“Yes, I can see why.”

Held tightly in Kashan’s embrace, Seria believed everything would pass without incident.

She never imagined that she had underestimated her shameless father.

***

Recently, the city had been in a constant state of bustle due to the influx of merchant caravans from the Empire.

In the hope of securing contracts before their rivals did, the imperial merchants frequently hosted lavish banquets and presented the Kuth merchants with extravagant imperial goods.

“Savages. What outrageous nonsense that was! Ha! Pathetic imperial fools. I swear, I have never once thought of the Kuth tribe that way.”

Among them was Count Luzent.

“They say his only daughter married into the Kuth tribe. Didn’t she?”

“I heard the rumor myself. And from what I gather, it’s not a recent marriage, it seems it’s been quite some time… It appears the count truly held no prejudice against the Kuth tribe.”

“Why wouldn’t he? You’ve seen her, the blond young woman who often walks the streets with Lord Kashan. I’m certain she’s the count’s daughter.”

It was difficult to gauge how much he had revealed.

But rumors about Seria spread quickly among the Kuth merchant caravans.

“If we must choose which caravan to partner with, Count Luzent certainly seems ideal. His daughter already married a member of the Kuth tribe and is living here in Alkutar, after all.”

“I agree completely.”

“Then let’s begin by granting Count Luzent the exclusive rights to distribution, and after that…”

And so, the rumors about Count Luzent eventually reached Kashan. However, he still had no intention of taking action at that point.

Seria did not want him to.

She just wanted to stay on the estate and wait for the situation to blow over.

“Seria! My dear, Mother is here—hm?”

This occurred prior to them forcibly entering Kashan’s estate.

It happened without warning.

How did they know that Seria was here?

How did they know exactly when Kashan would be away?

While he was away, the Count’s carriage charged through the estate gates.

It was piled high with Seria’s belongings: necklaces, shoes, earrings, dresses that she had often worn in the Empire and what appeared to be the latest products from her favorite designer.

“My dear! My baby!”

Once the Count and Countess of Luzent had announced Seria’s name, it became almost impossible for the household servants to stop them.

Some of them were busy unloading luggage.

“My dear, we missed you so much. Look how thin your face has gotten.”

Amidst the chaos, Seria froze, unable to move a muscle. Then the Countess gently slipped an arm around her waist.

“My child, you can’t imagine how your poor mother’s heart shattered… To part after such terrible words… It weighed on me all my life, like a burden on my soul.”

Her voice softened, nothing like the eyes that once looked at Seria with contempt. Even the hand rubbing Seria’s back was tender.

After standing frozen for a long time, Seria finally managed to speak.

“What is the meaning of this sudden intrusion, Countess Luzent?”

Seria pushed the Countess away and took a step back.

By stressing the title, she created distance between them, drawing a clear line and making it clear that they were no longer family.

The Countess was not someone who would miss that.

Catching on immediately, she gave a wounded smile and naturally slipped her arm around Seria’s shoulders.

Then, as though she were the mistress of the estate, she swept Seria along and guided her inside.

“Seria, your mother is truly sorry. I had no idea your father would do such a thing… If I’d known, I would have divorced that man and protected you…”

At this, Seria’s gaze wavered slightly.

Words that suggested she knew nothing at all.

Then, tears began to fall from the Countess’s eyes.

She gazed at Seria for a long, painful moment, then pulled her into her arms once more without hesitation.

“Seria, I’m so grateful we can meet again like this.”

It felt strange.

It was as if she had stepped back in time, and everything had fallen back into place.

Seria knew she should push her mother away.

But she couldn’t.

With bewildered eyes, she simply let herself sink into the familiar embrace.

“Still, don’t resent your father too much.”

The countess pulled Seria tighter and whispered.

“If you think about it, it’s thanks to him that you were able to marry into the Kuth tribe. Isn’t that right?”

“What? What do you mean by that?”

“Oh, haven’t you held the ceremony yet?” My dear, you simply don’t know. These days, young ladies in the capital are obsessed with Kuth goods. From food and spices to jewels, everyone wants things from there.”

Confusion began to spread across Seria’s face.