Chapter 2
Back at the Herelda Marquis’ house, my sister always let me trail after her.
When I was next to her, the maids didn’t dare say “how dare you” to me.
Even the scary eldest young master would sneak away whenever he saw her.
To me, she looked like a truly impressive adult—like a real noble lady. I wanted to be just like her.
Even while we were “running away at night,” she reminded me firmly:
“Stay with me at all times, Bell.”
“Yes!”
“At least you answer well. Ugh, why are you so light? A tree branch might be stronger than you.”
“I-I’ll grow f-faster!”
She snorted softly.
“Fine, you can grow fast later. Right now we’re buying clothes. Your nose is bright red.”
Her own cheeks and nose were pink, too.
But unlike me—who, no matter what I wore, still looked like a street kid in stolen clothes—her rosy nose and cheeks looked lovely against her pale skin.
She seemed… lively.
Her blushing cheeks were like roses, and the red tip of her nose looked like a shy flower bud.
I’ve never seen anyone more beautiful than my sister.
Everyone said the same: it would be rare to see a “flower of society” like her again.
As soon as we reached the dress shop, my sister said just one thing:
“From here to there, bring everything that suits her.”
And that was just the start. She kept my hand in hers and even stopped by a blacksmith.
“The farther north you go, the better the iron,” she said mysteriously, and bought a set of daggers.
That was something we could never do at the Herelda house—
though to be fair, my sister already had a big, gorgeous sword.
After buying so much, we set out again.
And until we finally reached the North, we never once heard a rumor that the Herelda young lady had “eloped at night.”
***
And now—
With the iron gate flying off like a sheet of paper, I peeked out from under my skirt hem, my eyes shining as I looked up at my sister.
Her violet hair fluttered, and she smiled like a dahlia.
“You hid so nicely and quietly. Good girl, Bell.”
“Hee…”
Back then, I didn’t know.
That everything I knew was about to change.
BOOM—!
I stared at the iron gate that had landed far away and stuck in the ground, then snapped my head up.
I couldn’t hold back the grin tugging at my face.
“…I knew it!”
“Knew what?”
“You’re the best, Sister!”
While I kicked my feet under my skirt, she lifted me up with one arm.
“See? The way’s open. Let’s go.”
She hopped lightly onto the driver’s seat, tossed some coins to the dazed coachman, and said,
“From here, I’ll drive. You can turn back.”
“Y-yes, ma’am!”
As the coachman scrambled down, she sat me beside her and took the reins herself.
Clop, clop.
The carriage started moving smoothly under her skilled hands.
How did she even know how to do this?
She was so cool. So amazing.
I snuggled close beside her for a while, and then—
“Achoo!”
“I told you to sit inside the carriage.”
“I c-can’t… lose you…”
When I finally managed to answer, she opened her cloak.
I dove into it without hesitation.
It was warm.
So warm that even the knights riding hard toward us from up ahead didn’t scare me.
…Knights?!
“Halt there.”
The one who seemed to be their captain called out to us.
I glanced at my sister’s face—she looked as terrifying as when a maid messed up her orders.
W-what should we do?
Afraid she might draw her sword again, I quickly grabbed her hand tightly.
“It’s okay,” she said, as if she felt my fear, and patted my head.
Then, frowning at my extra-messy hair, she muttered,
“I really do need to feed you well and let you sleep properly…”
While she murmured to herself, the knights slammed their spear butts into the ground—thud, thud!
“Eek!”
I pressed closer to my sister, and she wrapped her arms around me.
Ah—right.
I shouldn’t do this.
I’m a maid; I should be the one protecting the “legitimate young lady.”
Peeking out just a little, I saw weapons flashing even in the dark.
“….”
Those sharp, gleaming spears were scary.
Funny, isn’t it? My sister with a sword looked so cool—but when someone else held a weapon, my heart pounded with fear.
“Can’t you see we’ve stopped? You’re scaring the child. Are all Creatore knights nothing but thugs?”
“Who are you calling thugs—!”
“Watch your tongue!”
Their voices rose.
My sister chuckled and murmured, “Ah, is that so?”
“You charged at us with weapons like colts with their tails on fire.”
“That’s because you forced your way into the Grand Duchy—!”
“Which is why you should’ve opened the gate quickly.”
She blew on her nails lazily. Even the white puff of her breath looked like something from a fairy tale.
“Your hospitality is terrible. The one who needs something should be the one to bend.”
The knights exchanged looks—like they were thinking, “Who’s bending here?”
“Creatore is not receiving guests. We received no notice, and anyone who forces entry like this is not a guest but an enemy.”
“…An enemy?”
I poked my head out of her arms.
The knights on the other side murmured among themselves.
“What’s that?”
“Small.”
“Was that there the whole time?”
“She said we scared a kid. That must be the kid.”
T-too much attention!
No—this is my chance.
A chance to act like a proper maid serving her lady!
I couldn’t waste it. I jumped to my feet.
Maybe because of the cold, my lips were stiff and my words slipped out wrong.
“Th-this is the H-Herelda Marqui— Marqui—”
Mar… What was it?
Brave start, but the words wouldn’t come.
While I struggled, even the scary knights began to look puzzled.
“What’s she trying to say?”
“Do you know?”
“How would I know? She’s small, I’m big.”
What should I do? I have to introduce her properly…
As I shivered, my sister whispered, “Geum-ji-ok-yeop.” (an honorific meaning “precious noble daughter”)
“Ah! This is Lady Kallia Herelda, the precious daughter of the Herelda Marquis!”
“Sigh…”
“Good grief…”
I heard big sighs from the knights—and from right above my head.
“Did I say it wrong?”
“You’re a lady now too, and you forgot to introduce yourself.”
“Ah!”
I stared up at her.
She smiled elegantly and patted my head.
“Just don’t forget next time.”
Then, still holding me, she stepped down from the carriage.
“You heard her. I’m Kallia Herelda. This is Veronica Herelda. My sister.”
Short and clear. The knights’ mouths fell open.
Even the scary one at the front who’d been threatening us stared, stunned.
And my mouth fell open too.
Veronica Herelda.
That last name felt too grand for me, a “bastard child,” not a “legitimate” daughter.
But before I could be shocked any longer, a knight muttered,
“So you’re the Marquis’ young ladies.”
“Yes. And my girl is about to freeze to death, so we need to go somewhere warm right now.”
“S-sister, it’s c-cold…”
I hunched into myself right on cue.
“See? She’s cold.”
Her voice grew even more confident. I felt oddly proud.
I helped!
The captain-like knight let out a long sigh.
“Please get back in the carriage. We’ll escort you.”
“There’s no coachman.”
“Ah.”
“I drove here myself and left the coachman at the gate.”
***
Escorted by the knights, Kallia entered the Grand Duke’s castle and let out a small sigh.
With a thousand years of history, the castle was enormous—and imposing.
