The streets in the dead of night were unfamiliar and dark, with strange shadows wrapping around her at every turn.
Ria’s thin dress was insufficient to ward off the biting chill of the early spring night air.
Yet, Ria did not stop.
Clutching the pendant tightly to her chest, she wandered the streets all night, walking toward the Imperial Palace.
The cool night air coiled around her body.
Ria pulled her flimsy clothes closer and took another step forward.
Fearing that the Marquess’s estate might notice her disappearance and send men after her, she deliberately ducked into the back alleys. The paths were narrow and dark, giving off an ominous vibe, but she had no choice.
Ria felt the streets were even darker, relying only on the faint light of the streetlamps.
The journey was far more arduous than she had imagined before leaving the estate. Her legs grew heavier, and the cold dawn wind brushed against her clothes, making her shiver even more.
She was hungry, and her eyes kept closing from exhaustion.
Still, Ria gritted her teeth and pushed forward, one step at a time.
As she walked, the stars in the night sky began to vanish one by one, and the dawn slowly started to break. Ria sat down on the cold pavement for a moment and took a deep breath. She was so tired now that her body refused to listen to her.
Her already worn-out clothes were covered in dust from falling down several times, and her hair had long since become a mess, whipped about by the wind.
But Ria held on, fueled by the single thought that she had to overcome all of this.
If the Crown Prince’s words were true, perhaps her mother really was related to the Duke’s family.
It wasn’t that she hadn’t considered the possibility of being turned away at the door, but wherever she ended up, it would surely be more comfortable than living at the Marquess’s estate.
At least, in her heart.
If the Duke’s family wouldn’t take her in…
Well, she would think about that when the time came.
Ria shook her head lightly to shake off the negative thoughts.
It was quite ironic that she had endured and held on at the Marquess’s estate for her mother’s sake, only to be driven away from that very place because of her.
As the morning brightened, people slowly began to appear on the streets.
Ria looked disheveled, her face stained with dust and her clothes in tatters. People glanced at her as they passed, but Ria paid them no mind, looking around to find the Duke’s estate.
Once she cleared the back alleys, the Imperial Palace was right before her eyes.
With one more step, she could leave the dark alleyway and emerge onto a bright, wide street.
The Imperial Palace was massive and glittering.
She had always thought the Marquess’s estate was the most magnificent place, but having stepped outside, she realized the world was much larger and more incredible than she had ever imagined.
They said it was to the west of the Imperial Palace, right?
Ria looked up, briefly gazing in the direction where the sun was rising. Then, she turned her body and began to walk in the opposite direction.
++
Finally, a large mansion with black outer walls came into view. The grand gate and high walls were imposing.
However, a faint sense of excitement bloomed in Ria’s chest.
As she approached the Duke’s estate, she took out the pendant to look at it. Seeing that the crest engraved on the pendant matched the one on the gate, she realized she had finally reached her destination.
Ria approached the gate with difficulty. Her messy clothes, disheveled hair, and dust-covered appearance clearly showed how grueling her journey had been.
She caught her breath in front of the gate and gripped the pendant inside her bag tightly.
“This is it….”
Ria whispered, staring at the gate. Fear and anticipation were intertwined.
Summoning her courage, she took one more step toward the gate. Her appearance was ragged, but her eyes were resolute.
Just as she was about to knock, a guard spotted her and approached first. He looked at her, seemingly startled by her haggard appearance.
“What are you doing here, little one?”
The guard asked, scanning her from head to toe. His voice was filled with wariness.
Ria tried to show him the pendant, but the guard didn’t listen to her; he shook his head and waved his hand dismissively.
“This is no place for beggars. Go around to the back gate and ask for some food. You cannot enter through here.”
Flustered, Ria stepped forward, holding out the pendant.
“No, I… I didn’t come here to beg for food….”
The guard ignored her, waving his hand to tell her to back away from the gate.
“Look, it’s not that I don’t understand your situation, but this is where high-ranking nobles live. It’s not a place for children like you to enter. If you go to the back gate, they will provide food even for children like you. You must be hungry, so go and get something to eat.”
Ria’s face flushed at the guard’s words, and she gripped the pendant even tighter with both hands. She was certain that this place was connected to her mother, but seeing her own disheveled state, she couldn’t bring herself to argue with what the guard was saying.
However, she couldn’t back down now.
She had to meet someone from the Duke’s family and ask about her mother.
“Please, look at this. This is the Duke’s crest, isn’t it? I… I came to ask about my mother.”
At Ria’s words, the guard paused and looked at the pendant. His expression stiffened as he confirmed the crest engraved upon it. He stared back and forth between the pendant and Ria for a long moment.
“This is… indeed the Duke’s crest. But….”
The guard looked at Ria again, unable to hide his bewilderment.
With a troubled expression, he told Ria to wait a moment before hurrying inside the mansion.
A short while later, the gate opened again, and a man appeared. He was a butler with a calm demeanor, neat attire, and sharp eyes. Wearing a monocle, he seemed to have rushed out after hearing the guard’s report; he scanned Ria once before examining the pendant.
The butler remained calm, unfazed by Ria’s haggard appearance.
“Young Lady, would you care to follow me?”
Ria felt a sense of trust in the butler’s attitude and nodded cautiously. Noticing her exhaustion, the butler guided her into the mansion gently and slowly.
She was led to the drawing room.
Sitting in a comfortable chair, Ria found herself looking around the mansion without realizing it.
The Duke’s estate was vast and magnificent.
As the ornate paintings on the walls and the luxurious decorations caught her eye, Ria began to worry about how she must look. Seeing her dust-stained clothes and messy hair, she felt she didn’t belong here.
Just as Ria began to feel dejected, the butler returned.
He looked at her with a warm gaze and spoke calmly.
“The Duke wishes to see you himself.”
Ria nodded slowly at the butler’s words. As she was led deeper into the mansion, she couldn’t hide her nervous heart. Every time she walked down the long, wide corridors of the Duke’s estate, fear and anticipation swirled within her.
Finally, the butler stopped in front of a large door. The door was carved with dignified decorations, and the Duke’s crest shone clearly upon it. The butler knocked quietly and then spoke to Ria in a calm voice.
“Please wait here for a moment, Young Lady.”
The butler opened the door and went inside, and a moment later, a blunt, low voice was heard.
“Enter.”
The butler opened the door wide and ushered Ria inside. Ria took a deep breath, straightened her shoulders, and stepped into the Duke’s room, whispering to herself.
Don’t be intimidated.
The room was filled with a grand and heavy atmosphere. Ria’s eyes fell upon the large bookshelves, the opulent decorations, and the Duke Ignis standing before the cold fireplace. The Duke was watching her with a calm gaze.
“So this is the child….”
The Duke continued slowly as he looked at Ria. His gaze was intense, and the emotions hidden within it were not easily read.
Ria stood before the Duke with a tense face. Conscious of her disheveled appearance, she kept her eyes lowered, clutching the pendant in her hand.
The Duke Ignis remained silent for a moment before turning his head toward the butler.
“What did you say this child brought with her?”
The butler calmly explained to the Duke how Ria had arrived at the estate. After listening to the butler’s explanation, the Duke turned his gaze back to Ria.
“What is your name?”
The Duke asked in a voice that was gentle yet authoritative.
Ria hesitated for a moment before answering quietly.
“Ria.”
She did not mention her surname. She was afraid that if she did, she might be sent back to the Marquess’s estate.
The Duke Ignis nodded slowly at Ria’s answer.
“That pendant… is it something you brought with you?”
Ria nodded firmly at the Duke’s question.
“Yes, it is my mother’s. Since the Duke’s crest is engraved on it, I came to ask if you might know my mother….”
The Duke stared into Ria’s eyes for a moment. He took a step toward her and spoke quietly.
“Show it to me closely. I wish to hear your story. How you came to be here.”
Ria opened her mouth cautiously and began her story, careful not to mention the name of the Marquess’s estate.
As the Duke Ignis listened to Ria’s story, he examined her appearance in detail. The moment Ria began to trace her memories of her mother, the Duke’s gaze met her eyes.
He felt as if his heart had stopped for a moment. Ria’s eyes were a mysterious shade of gray, deep and enigmatic, like a silver pond in a mist-covered forest. The Duke held his breath and peered deeper into her eyes.
These eyes—they were so familiar.
The image of his lost daughter, Leila, surfaced in his mind. Leila, too, had possessed eyes just like Ria’s. Mysterious and soft gray eyes.
However, he was reminded of how many times he had been deceived by countless false testimonies and fake bloodlines from those chasing the reward money while he struggled to find his long-lost daughter.
It was not difficult to obtain magical potions that could alter parts of one’s appearance, such as the eyes or hair.
Only a few months ago, there had been a boy who came to the Duke’s estate claiming to be the son of the Young Lady of the Duke.
With an appearance that resembled Leila’s so closely, there had been no room for doubt. He had lived at the estate for nearly half a year, and just before they were about to formally accept him as family, they had conducted a bloodline test at the temple out of an abundance of caution.
The result was devastating.
The boy was revealed to be a fraud who had used magical potions to change his appearance and gain access.
The shock to the people of the ducal household from that incident had been immense.
Now, having gone through such a major upheaval, a child had appeared carrying his daughter’s pendant.
Should he dare to pin his hopes on this, too?
The Duke let out a low groan.
Just then, accompanied by hurried footsteps, the door to the Duke’s office was flung open violently.
0 Comments