3.

It had been two days since Landers Tartien visited Lumiere’s estate.

Although Landers acted as if he would invite her immediately, fortunately, he did not.

Of course, he did send a few gifts afterward.

Fragrant bath salts filled with floral petals, luxurious flower teas, and tea sets.

They were undoubtedly precious and good, but she felt strangely uneasy.

After examining the gifts, she immediately put them out of sight.

Besides, her surroundings were quite chaotic, so she didn’t have the mental energy to deal with them.

‘Everyone is busy except me.’

Cindy, the head maid who managed this large estate, was always busy.

The estate had grown, and the number of employees had increased, but it was still small compared to its size.

Managing the household with such a small staff must have been quite a tough job.

So, Tamia had become Lumiere’s personal maid in place of Cindy.

Even now, she was soothing herself with the fragrant herbal tea Tamia had brought.

Tamia’s tea was earthy, as if mixed with grains, and refreshing, making it easy to drink.

Lumiere had asked Tamia several times what kind of tea it was, but she always responded that it was her secret recipe and didn’t tell her.

‘The twins are oddly busy too.’

The twins, who looked like leading actors in a theater, were in charge of miscellaneous tasks unrelated to their appearance.

Arwin and Darwin were strong enough to carry three 20kg sacks of flour at once.

They also repaired chandeliers, maintained water pipes, managed flower beds, and even cooked.

Despite being called here and there, they never forgot to greet Lumiere.

‘Did you sleep well, Master?’

‘Did you have good dreams, Master?’

‘I hope you regain your memories tomorrow, Master! Sleep well!’

‘If you can’t sleep, call us. We have dozens of tricks to entertain you, Master!’

At first, she wondered what they were doing, but the more she got to know them, the more she liked them. They were kind and had many endearing qualities.

Even though everyone in the estate was busy, Lumiere was the only one with free time.

Everyone advised her not to overdo it, and she could hardly move due to the headaches that came whenever she tried to recall her memories through counseling.

Still, her life was generally comfortable.

‘But…’

She placed her hand gently on her chest.

‘Why do I feel so uneasy?’

Her heart raced irregularly at all hours.

It felt like she had left something important behind and went on a journey. She constantly felt anxious and looked back for no reason.

‘It must be because of my memory. Will I ever regain my memory?’

Maybe she would have to live like this forever.

In her current state, she had no particular reason to regain her memory. The headaches were unbearable.

‘But what if I’ve forgotten something really important?’

Like the identity of the painting she was obsessively working on, or the real reason she parted ways with that man, Karl Winger.

Lumiere suddenly recalled the golden eyes that quietly watched her.

The strange man who still hadn’t contacted her, who looked at her with eyes full of deep and persistent obsession, as if he would never let her go.

Even though she couldn’t remember anything clearly about him, she kept thinking about him to the point of distress.

“…Why am I thinking about that man again?”

A man who means nothing to me without my memory.

Lumiere brushed her hair with the comb she was holding, as if to shake off the futile thoughts.

Her hair was so fine that it tangled easily if not brushed for a long time.

After brushing her hair thoroughly, she tied it neatly and poured tea from the hot kettle Tamia had brought.

The well-steeped tea’s aroma made her mind feel much calmer.

‘Let’s visit the opera house tomorrow.’

She found Elina Buick’s portrait in the studio.

It seemed she hadn’t delivered it yet, as the oil paint smell was still strong.

Elina was the most seasoned opera actress in Karlei.

She was the only actress over fifty still remaining in the opera scene.

Some people mocked her as an old, ugly fox, but Lumiere liked her.

She always wore bright red lipstick, kept her nails pointed, and enjoyed wearing shiny green dresses. Despite this flashy appearance, Lumiere thought she was more elegant than anyone.

[Elina Buick, is the aging goddess finally walking the path of downfall?]
[The fall of the old actress in the green dress.]
[Doesn’t she know that no one wants to hear an old voice?]

The press are always eager for her downfall.

Elina never raised her voice at them.

She would glance at them disdainfully, step on the newspapers that used her name for headlines, and walk past.

And she always sang magnificently on stage, as if to spite the reporters.

That was her revenge.

‘No matter how much you try to bring me down, my voice will not die.’

So how could one not like this wonderful woman?

The thought of meeting Elina after a long time made her feel happy.

Lumiere, holding the now lukewarm teacup in her hand, approached the window.

A foggy night with smog.

The light from the gas lamps was obscured by the hazy fog, creating an eerie atmosphere.

She stared blankly at the gas lamp shining in the courtyard, then her gaze suddenly shifted beyond the fog.

Her eyes, squinting to focus on a point, widened in surprise.

Clatter!

She hastily placed the teacup on the floor and rushed out of the bedroom.

A black carriage was approaching Lashantia’s estate through the fog.

* * *

If Chris Gunther assisted Karl Winger outside the castle, inside the castle was Fuego Loterode.

Fuego was the chief attendant to the king and the head administrator, and he had a special relationship with Chris.

Chris, the youngest son of a rural blacksmith, had seven siblings.

Five brothers and two sisters.

The first and second brothers followed in their father’s footsteps, and the third, who had been frail since childhood, married a relatively wealthy merchant’s daughter early on and moved out.

The fifth brother, interested in jewelry crafting, left for the city and never returned, while the sisters helped their mother with paid work until they found suitable spouses and became independent.

Most of the siblings were ordinary.

Except for two, the fourth, Rody, and the youngest, Chris.

Rody and Chris had a particularly close relationship among the many siblings.

The brothers loved books and enjoyed discussing what they saw, heard, and read.

They were distinctly different from their other siblings, who were constantly making and breaking things.

Chris believed Rody was the only one who understood him.

So when Rody was adopted into another family, Chris was deeply shocked.

A relative who had settled in a country across the sea, lacking an heir, had scoured the family lineage and found the Gunther family.

At that time, their parents refused the old man’s adoption proposal.

But the fourth, Rody Gunther, volunteered, saying he wanted to be adopted.

His determination was so strong that their parents couldn’t stop him.

‘Why are you going, brother?’

‘Chris, I don’t want to live and die in this countryside. I want to go to a bigger place. I want to feel and enjoy more!’

‘Even if it means abandoning your family?’

‘I love our family. I will never forget them until I die. But apart from that, I… I love myself more, Chris.’

Rody’s decision at that time was a significant shock to Chris.

‘Chris, you’re a smart kid. Very smart. I’ve never seen anyone smarter than you. So think carefully. Is this place good enough for your future? And if you ever get another choice, grab it without hesitation. That’s my last request, kid.’

At that time, Rody was twelve, and Chris was seven.

Years later, as Rody had said, an opportunity came to Chris.

‘Would you be a friend to my grandson? He has lost his beloved family and is very heartbroken. It would be nice if you could be his companion.’

Chris seized that opportunity without hesitation.

Thus, he came into a larger world and, as if by fate, met his brother again in Levania.

His brother, now known as Fuego Loterode.

‘…Chris Gunther?’

As soon as he met Chris again, Fuego was momentarily surprised, then chuckled.

As if he had expected it, he tightly grasped the hand of the brother he hadn’t seen in over twenty years.

‘We serve the same lord now, kid.’

From that firm handshake, Chris could immediately tell that his brother was living the life he had wanted.

And as he said, the brothers served the same master.

The king of Levania, known as Laedro Stings, and the businessman from Berhe, Karl Winger.