Prologue

Chaos erupted everywhere. The grand hall that had hosted the coming-of-age ceremony for the Grand Duke’s son transformed into pandemonium in an instant. Through the panicked crowd, a black-haired man pushed against the flow.

He rushed up to the third floor and violently broke open a locked door. But the room was completely empty.

“Where are you?”

The man slammed the door shut and began frantically searching the entire mansion, opening every door he could find, but the person he sought was nowhere to be found. 

Suddenly, his eyes caught sight of a tall spire through a window. Following a strange intuition, he dashed to the tower and climbed to the very top in one breath.

Gasping for air, he finally found the person he was looking for.

“Lesia…!”

Hearing her name, the white-haired woman precariously balanced on the railing turned her head. Unlike the man’s turbulent red eyes, her lake-blue eyes showed not even the slightest ripple of emotion.

A fierce gust threatened to push her fragile body off the tower. The man anxiously extended his hand.

“Come here, please.”

Despite his pleading voice, the emotionless woman’s expression remained unchanged. She showed no attachment to life whatsoever, which made the man even more desperate. Just as he took a step toward her—

“Don’t come closer.”

She finally broke her silence. If only her first words hadn’t been meant to push him away.

Unable to approach or retreat, Cesar gazed at Lesia with desperate eyes. But she never once responded to his anguished look.

Cesar didn’t expect that much. He only wished for her to come down from that dangerous place.

“Lesia, please…”

As Cesar begged with a dying voice—

“Cesar.”

Her voice brushed past his ears like a cold breeze. When he finally got a response, a glimmer of hope flickered in his eyes. But it was short-lived.

“Just as your existence became a curse to me, I hope my existence remains a curse to you.”

With those final words, she threw herself off the tower without hesitation, instantly disappearing from view.

Cesar screamed and lunged forward, but Lesia ignored his hand that almost reached her.

Falling like a flower petal, Lesia recalled memories flashing before her eyes. The villagers who were like family. Cake made with castella. Laughter. Warmth.

The burning village. The broken bridge. And people being murdered, including her mother.

“Aaaaargh!”

Leaving Cesar’s agonized screams behind, Lesia closed her eyes.

How did it come to this? For the past ten years, Lesia had lived with regret. She recalled the beginning of the tragedy.

If only I hadn’t attended that banquet that day. If only I hadn’t met you. Would this tragic ending have been avoided?

Cesar Velius, who took everything from me, I…

Thud!

Chapter 1

“Lesia!”

Lesia’s eyes snapped open at the voice that woke her like a bolt of lightning. She immediately winced at the sunlight assaulting her eyes.

Long, slender fingers reached out and gently smoothed the wrinkles between her brows.

“That tickles.”

When Lesia grumbled softly, the woman who had been smoothing her furrowed brow spoke with mock sternness.

“I told you frowning causes wrinkles. Do you want to be all wrinkled like your mother?”

At those words, Lesia sat up.

She opened her eyes wide, examining her mother’s face carefully before saying in a serious tone, “Mom. If you talk like that, Grandma Lulu will hit you with her cane. She says not to talk about wrinkles in front of caterpillars.”

Grandma Lulu was a nearly 90-year-old resident of the same village. Though her hair was white and her face, neck, hands, and feet were covered in wrinkles, she had the strength of a young man. 

Anyone who mentioned “age” or “wrinkles” in front of her would immediately get beaten with her flying cane.

In Flora Village of the Velius Grand Duke’s territory where Lesia lived, only the people of the Velius Grand Duke family and Lesia had never been hit by Grandma Lulu’s cane. Grandma Lulu was especially fond of Lesia, and among many reasons, the biggest was that they shared the same white hair color. 

Of course, Grandma Lulu’s white hair came from aging, while Lesia had been born with white hair, but such distinctions didn’t matter.

Lesia was quick-witted, sociable, and well-mannered, so everyone in Flora Village cherished and loved her. Even though Flora Village was abandoned by the Velius Grand Duke family, the villagers were content living together harmoniously without interference from the ducal family. 

Perhaps because of this, Flora Village had exceptional cooperation and community spirit compared to other villages.

Above all, since Lesia was the only child in the village, she was practically a daughter to all the villagers. Thanks to this, despite being a single mother, Lesia’s mother Juliana could raise Lesia without difficulties with the help of the villagers.

“Lesia, would you take these flowers to Grandma Lulu?”

When Juliana handed Lesia a bouquet of campanula flowers, Lesia took it.

“Is it Grandma Lulu’s birthday today?”

Flora Village had a special tradition of sending gifts from each household when someone celebrated a birthday. Lesia’s family ran a flower shop, so they always gave bouquets as birthday gifts. This was how she immediately knew it was Grandma Lulu’s birthday.

“Yes, please do.”

Just then, something crossed Lesia’s mind and the corners of her mouth turned up.

Lesia quickly changed her clothes and beat her chest enthusiastically as she exclaimed, “Of course, don’t worry!”

Then she dashed out of the house before anyone could catch her.

Lesia strolled down the street, humming a tune while holding a bouquet almost as big as her face. People who recognized her waved and greeted her wherever she went.

When she had almost reached Grandma Lulu’s house, Chalson, who was just coming out, spotted Lesia and approached her with delight. Chalson was the villager who adored Lesia the most after Grandma Lulu.

Chalson glanced at the bouquet and said, “Lesia, are you on your way to give Grandma Lulu a gift?”

Lesia answered energetically, “Yes!”

“Ho ho, such a good girl doing errands so well.”

Lesia looked up at Chalson as he patted her head. Though not as deep as Grandma Lulu’s, Chalson’s face also had deep wrinkles.

Chalson wasn’t born in Flora Village. He originally came from another village but arrived here with suicidal thoughts after losing his wife and child in a fire. He wasn’t the only one.

Flora Village was known to outsiders as the “Village of the Abandoned.” Located at the outermost edge of the Grand Duke’s territory, Flora Village was surrounded by cliffs on all sides except for an old bridge connecting it to the central area. 

It was difficult to access, lacked abundant resources, and received no attention from the Grand Duke’s family. As a result, Flora Village naturally became isolated from the outside world, and this isolation attracted those who had been cast aside by society.

Juliana, Lesia’s mother, was one of them.

Anyway, whenever Chalson looked at Lesia, he seemed to remember his deceased child and showed a tender expression. It was an expression reserved only for Lesia.

Suddenly, Chalson grinned.

“You’re in luck, Lesia. I was just on my way back from giving Grandma Lulu a carrot cake.”

At those words, Lesia’s eyes lit up. Her blue eyes filled with stars.

“I need to hurry to Grandma Lulu before these flowers wilt!”

Though they both knew the flowers wouldn’t wilt in such a short time, Lesia rushed past Chalson.

Watching Lesia’s quickly retreating back, Chalson chuckled and continued on his way.

The door to Grandma Lulu’s house was open. As Lesia peeked her face in, an eerie voice came from behind her.

“Who is this little kitten sneaking peeks into someone else’s house?”

Startled by the voice, Lesia whirled around. There stood an elderly woman with abundant white hair.

As soon as she saw her, Lesia’s face brightened, and she held out the campanula bouquet.