Several rooms had been prepared on the upper floor of the Lorin Dress Shop. Each room was furnished not only with a bed, but also with various amenities—making it feel almost like a hotel.

Breti’s room was located at the very end of the hall.

“Young lady…”

Bagi called out to Breti, her voice full of worry.

“Don’t worry about me, Bagi. You should go now.”

At Breti’s words, Bagi hesitated, then finally forced herself to leave the room.

“Phew.”

After Bagi left, Breti let out a deep sigh. She had gone downstairs to the dress shop to change out of her travel-stained clothes, but she overheard the young noble ladies gossiping. This had ruined Breti’s mood.

‘I’m worried I might end up tarnishing the House of White’s reputation.’

That comment was the one that echoed relentlessly in her mind. For those born into nobility, such manners and behaviors came naturally, but Breti had spent the past month learning everything from scratch. Of course, she couldn’t feel confident about doing it better than any of them.

She was lost in these anxious thoughts, sighing again and again, when—

Knock, knock.

There was a soft knock at the door, and Bagi appeared once more.

“Young lady.”

But Bagi wasn’t the only one.

“My dear.”

At the sound of someone calling her “my dear,” Breti’s whole body went rigid.

‘That woman…’

Even without being told, Breti knew instinctively—this was Meliover, Laterna and Karsten’s mother.

Meliover approached Breti with long, purposeful strides. Breti took a step back without thinking, but Meliover closed the distance in a heartbeat and gazed at her with a look full of sorrow and longing.

“Oh, my poor darling…”

With a face tight with held-back tears, Meliover pulled Breti into her arms.

“My precious child, Laterna… Oh, heavens…”

Suddenly swept into Meliover’s embrace, Breti felt utterly bewildered.

In Meliover’s frail embrace, Breti could feel just how thin and weak she truly was. For a moment, Karsten’s words from when he first asked her to act as the young lady’s stand-in flashed through her mind:
“You won’t have to do anything special. Just become Laterna and keep my bedridden mother company.”

When Breti first heard that Meliover was bedridden, she hadn’t realised how serious the illness was. But holding her like this now, she could see just how serious her condition was. As Breti felt her thin bones, she was overwhelmed by a mix of pity and guilt.

Just then, the door swung open.

Startled, Breti looked towards the door and saw Karsten standing there, his expression contorted with anxiety.

“Mother…!”

Karsten’s gaze shifted to his mother, who was still holding Breti, and a complex, conflicted look crossed his face.

“My son.”

A bright smile appeared on Meliover’s face as she saw Karsten. She released Breti and reached out to gently touch her son’s face.

“My dear, you’re home?”

“…Yes, Mother.”

“I heard you were badly hurt in the south. Are you all right?”

“I’m fine, Mother.”

Looking delighted, Meliover took Breti’s hand.

“Now that our family is all together, let’s return to the ducal residence.”

“M-Mother, please wait—”

Meliover was about to leave when Karsten hurriedly stopped her.

“What is it, Karsten?”

She tilted her head in confusion, searching her son’s face for an answer. After a long, troubled pause, Karsten finally managed to speak.

“Mother, right now all eyes are on the House of White.”

“So what?”

“And… Laterna has no memories of her childhood.”

“What? How could that be…?”

At the mention that her daughter had no memories, Meliover turned to Breti with a look of dismay.

“That’s exactly why we need to be cautious. So—”

“What’s there to be cautious about, just to bring my daughter home?”

Meliover cut him off sharply, clearly unwilling to listen to any more.

“Mother…”

“I don’t care what people think. I’m not going to worry about anyone’s opinion when it comes to bringing my daughter home. None of that matters.”

With Meliover’s unwavering tone, Karsten was left at a loss for words.

Gently holding both of Breti’s shoulders, Meliover spoke to Karsten again.

“What matters is that our Laterna is my daughter, and your sister. Isn’t that enough?”

Karsten had no response.

“As for her memories—we can always make new ones together, can’t we?”

“…Mother.”

It was clear Meliover was ready to take Breti home to the ducal residence right away.

Breti, glancing at Karsten, quietly took Meliover’s hand.

“I think it’s best if we do as my brother says.”

Breti, who had been silent until now, finally spoke, drawing Meliover’s gaze.

Meliover gently stroked Breti’s hair.

“What do you mean, Laterna?”

“I think it would be best to stay here for a little while first, before moving to the ducal residence.”

After saying this, Breti hesitated for a moment before finally forcing out,

“M-Mother.”

Both Karsten and Meliover turned to look at her.

“Yes, yes.”

Overwhelmed with emotion at hearing the word “Mother,” Meliover pulled Breti into a tight embrace. As Meliover gently patted her back, Breti glanced nervously at Karsten.

“That’s right, my dear. I’m your mother. My precious Laterna.”

“……”

“My Delia. No matter what anyone says, don’t listen to them, my child.”

Meliover’s touch was so gentle and warm as she soothed Breti’s back. Even though she wasn’t the real Laterna, Breti felt an incredible sense of comfort, as if she truly belonged.

“No matter what anyone says, you are my daughter and the blood of the House of White. That will never change. And…”

“……”

“You are my most precious daughter.”

Hearing those words, Breti was suddenly reminded of her own mother.

“My beautiful girl.”

Whenever her mother called her, she would always add a sweet phrase—beautiful girl, angelic girl, good girl, and so on. Every time Breti heard those words as a child, it filled her with joy. She’d always tried her best to be just the good, pretty, and angelic daughter her mother saw her as.

As Breti gently hugged Meliover in return, Meliover suddenly collapsed in her arms.

“M-Mother?”

“Mother!”

Karsten’s sharp voice rang out through the room.

💙💙💙 💙💙💙

Shortly after Meliover collapsed, the physician from the House of White hurried to the Lorin Dress Shop. After a long examination, he shook his head slightly as he approached Karsten.

“How is my mother’s condition?”

“She’s not showing any real signs of improvement.”

The physician replied, his voice reaching even Breti’s ears.

“Her heart was already weak, but after losing her daughter, she’s also suffered from emotional distress these past ten years. The impact has been severe.”

As the physician continued, Breti began to understand why Karsten had gone to such lengths—risking so much—to find someone to stand in as Laterna. He must have believed that if Meliover’s emotional pain could be eased, her illness might improve as well.

But—

“At this rate, she may not live out the year.”

At those words, Karsten’s eyes wavered ever so slightly. Breti, watching him, noticed that tiny change and felt a pang in her chest.

“…I see.”

“I’m sorry, Your Highness.”

“You may go now.”

With Karsten’s quiet dismissal, the physician bowed silently and left the room.

Karsten, seeming to forget Breti was even there, let his devastated expression show. He clung to his sleeping mother’s hand, pressing his face to the back of it.

“Mother…”

Seeing Karsten like that, Breti’s heart ached for him.