Chapter 19

In the central square, a play is held every year during the “Festival of Rest,” telling the story of the first Emperor of the Valerius Empire and the founders of the five great ducal families.

Three hundred years ago, the northern regions of the continent suffered helplessly against the monsters that came over from the “Black Mountain Range” every winter.  

Six brave warriors stepped forward to fight against the monsters, but it was incredibly difficult to overcome the monsters possessing unknown powers emerging from the devil’s gate.  

The six warriors’ bodies became damaged from the continuous battles, and they grew increasingly weary.  

On the night before they went to fight the monsters with all their might for the last time, the goddess of magic, Hecate, who was said to have left the human world long ago, appeared in their dreams.  

The goddess, impressed by their courage, bestowed upon them a blessing called “mana,” which was necessary to defeat the monsters.  

Receiving the “mana,” the six warriors achieved their first victory against the monsters.  

However, they couldn’t fully rejoice.  

The numerous defeats prior had left the country in ruins.  

The King had fled long ago.  

The six warriors gathered people and began rebuilding the nation before winter arrived.  

People enthusiastically followed the warriors who obtained mana and bravely defeated the monsters, and many cities regained their former appearances.  

They established a new nation on the continent that had regained peace and stability.  

They appointed the warrior “Valerius,” who possessed the most suitable character and abilities to govern, as the first Emperor.  

The play’s title, “The Story of the Goddess Hecate and the Six Warriors,” was designed to be intuitive yet thrilling, making it enjoyable for audiences of all ages.  

“Mommy, Mommy! This seems like the story from a fairy tale book!”  

“Indeed, I only read it in books, but now it’s a play.”  

Lia, led by Rafaella to a suitable spot, looked at the stage with eyes full of anticipation, finding the play fascinating.  

Johann sat beside them, watching the delighted mother and daughter enjoy the small play.  

‘…Could it be that enjoyable?’  

If I had memories, would I have enjoyed it as much as they did?  

He suddenly wondered.  

Thinking it was foolish, he quickly dismissed the thought from his mind.  

Soon, a member of the troupe came on stage and announced that the play was about to begin.  

When the curtain rose, even the noisy children and the adults quarrelling over seats fell silent.  

Everyone there watched in admiration at the actors’ realistic performances.  

When the thrilling play ended, everyone stood up and applauded the actors with cheers.  

“Reading it in a fairy tale book is different, right, Rafaella?”  

“Yes! Especially Blumhart was the coolest!”  

Rafaella imitated the actor who played Blumhart, moving her hands around.  

Though she didn’t have a sword in hand, her posture was quite convincing.  

“Wasn’t Goldscheider remarkable too? Despite receiving only a small amount of mana, he created a magical potion to heal the injured warriors.”  

“Yes, yes, I was worried he might get hurt by the monsters because he was the smallest, but he dodged them well.”  

The two chatted about the play as they reached the carriage with Johann.  

“Oh, right!”  

As Rafaella was about to get into the carriage with Johann’s escort, she exclaimed as if remembering something.  

“Mommy, this is a gift for you.”  

Rafaella took out something beautifully wrapped from a small bag and handed it to Lia.  

“Oh my, what is this?”  

“I saw it at the festival earlier and wanted to buy it for you.”  

Rafaella, feeling shy, fiddled with her hair slightly.  

Touched by the gift her daughter had prepared, Lia opened the wrapping.  

“A beautiful bracelet! Raffy, thank you so much for the gift.”  

She immediately wore the bracelet Rafaella had given her.  

The thread’s color matched Lia’s white wrist perfectly.  

She hugged Rafaella joyfully and kissed the child’s forehead.  

Rafaella, perhaps tired, fell asleep shortly after the carriage started moving.  

Lia looked at her sleeping daughter beside her and then glanced at Johann sitting across from her.  

He was looking at his sleeping daughter with eyes that seemed slightly more expressive than before.  

‘Is it because we spent the day together?’  

“Let me carry her.”  

Arriving at the Blumhart Ducal residence, Johann stopped Lia from carrying the sleeping Rafaella.  

“You just carry those leather shoes.”  

He nodded towards the shoes in Lia’s hand while carrying his daughter.  

Though both Johann and Madame Evelyn had suggested discarding them, Lia had insisted on keeping the leather shoes.  

‘These are essential for when I return to the cabin.’  

Nothing was as well-worn for climbing the mountain to her village as these leather shoes.  

She watched her husband, who was carrying Rafaella and walking ahead, with a broad back.  

She felt happy, thinking that the father-daughter relationship would improve even more by the time she left.  

‘Though Raffy hasn’t called him “dad” yet.’  

I should try to make that happen before I leave.  

* * *

Carolina was in a foul mood today because of what the head maid had told her that morning.  

The high-end clothing store that once dealt with the Blumhart family had sent clothes, and the recipient’s name was marked as “Lia.”  

“To think Johann gifted clothes to that commoner….”  

She was angry about that, and she also worried about what nonsense the salon’s owner might have said upon seeing the dress Rafaella wore.  

‘Things like it’s out of fashion, or it’s similar to something they made years ago. If such things were said….’  

Carolina had used the clothing budget Johann allocated for Rafaella to tailor clothes for herself and Marco.  

The clothing store she dealt with had already visited the Ducal residence twice, last winter and earlier this year.  

Each time, the store’s staff went to Carolina’s room.  

It was possible because Johann had little interest in clothes and was oblivious to trends.  

But if someone commented on the dress Rafaella wore, it would be a different story.  

“Aaaaargh!”  

Carolina screamed hysterically, throwing a cushion from the reception room.  

The head maid, standing nearby, backed away, watching her warily.  

“Daria, bring me the young lady’s biological mother!”  

Her nephew, Johann, had an unexpectedly cold side, so to quell this anxiety, she needed to subtly probe Lia.  

The head maid soon brought Lia. Carolina quickly scanned her from head to toe as she entered the room.  

Unlike the shabby clothes she used to wear, Lia was now dressed in ready-made clothes made of soft satin.  

Moreover, the high-quality flats that looked brand new deepened the wrinkles on Carolina’s forehead.  

‘…Even though it’s ready-made, it looks different because it’s from a high-end boutique.’  

Lia, who once looked like a rustic mountain woman, now appeared like a well-off middle-class lady.  

The saying “clothes make the man” fit perfectly.  

‘Did Johann eat something wrong during the festival? He never cared about how that commoner dressed before!’  

What sudden wind blew him to gift clothes to that woman?  

Carolina, unable to grasp Johann’s thoughts, grew anxious.  

“I heard Johann gifted you clothes yesterday?” 

“Yes.”  

“Surely, you won’t start acting above your station just because of that.”  

“…….”  

Lia remained silent to the deliberately demeaning remark.  

“How dare you ignore my words…!”  

“More importantly, Lady Carolina.”  

Lia gently interrupted Carolina.  

“The jewel you gave me in return for the toothache medicine.”  

“What about that jewel?”  

“You said it was a good jewel, but it was worth only 1 gold.”  

“…What?”  

Carolina had been vain since childhood.  

She desired what others had and didn’t want to give even a grain of what she possessed to others.  

Even if someone made an effective toothache medicine for her, she felt the same.  

‘It’s not something to be given to the Emperor or Empress, so why bother.’  

She wanted to send a signal to Lia to keep making the toothache medicine by giving her something random.  

So she had instructed the head maid to fetch a cheap jewel.  

“You sold it already? You’re really money-hungry!”  

Carolina’s face showed no hint of apology.  

Instead, she brazenly raised her chin.  

“What does my being money-hungry have to do with the jewel being cheap?”  

Lia’s calm response infuriated Carolina.  

‘How dare a commoner talk back to me?’  

“How insolent! You should know a 1-gold jewel is precious at your level!”  

“So it wasn’t a mistake, after all.”  

For the first time, Lia, who had maintained a calm demeanor throughout, showed a look of disappointment.  

Carolina, displeased by that look, was about to add another remark when it happened.  

“As a human, my feelings are hurt, so I don’t think I can make the toothache medicine anymore.”  

Leaving a light bow, Lia turned and left immediately.  

Before Carolina could say anything.  

“…Aaaaargh!”  

Carolina screamed so loudly that it echoed down the corridor, having lost both the original reason for calling Lia and the toothache medicine.  

* * *

Listening to Carolina’s piercing scream as she stepped into the corridor, Lia sighed softly.  

‘I was foolish to think it might have been a mistake.’  

Carolina’s attitude towards Lia hadn’t changed, even with the toothache medicine that had practically saved her.  

Perhaps her nature of looking down on subordinates was something that couldn’t be changed.  

Though she said she wouldn’t make the toothache medicine anymore, she walked down the corridor feeling somewhat dejected.  

Then, she saw a butler escorting an exotic-looking middle-aged man.  

They seemed to be heading up to the fourth floor.  

“Oh, the person who came today is famous as a healer in the Kingdom of Krunia.”  

A maid passing by happened to inform her about the exotic man.  

“They say he came to treat Lady Penelope. I hope it works.”  

In the life of Rafaella she saw in her dreams, Penelope didn’t live past twenty.  

No person or miraculous medicine could cure Penelope.  

‘That healer probably won’t be able to cure her either.’  

Perhaps she could offer to try when she next met the Duchess Dowager.  

With that in mind, Lia returned to her room.  

“…Raffy?”  

Rafaella wasn’t in the room.  

Not in the dressing room, bedroom, bathroom, or even the adjoining room.  

‘I didn’t leave for that long, so where could she have gone?’  

Startled, she stepped back into the corridor.  

‘I should start by searching nearby.’  

“Raffy! Rafaella, where are you?”  

As Lia searched various rooms on the third floor, she finally reached near the central staircase.  

Just then, she saw Rafaella being led down from the fourth floor by the butler.  

“…Raffy!”  

Lia shouted in relief. But as she got closer, something seemed off.  

The butler’s expression was very stern, and tears were dripping from Rafaella’s reddened eyes.