Episode 10
Kailas still remembered the day he was left at the Valerio Dukedom.
It was the twelfth day of April.
That day was unusually hot for spring.
During dinner, his mother’s face looked tense and sad. Of course, she had been crying almost every day because Lillian was sick. That part wasn’t new.
What was strange was the Lilliany.
After dinner, the nanny gave Kailas a cup of hot chocolate. Normally, she never let him drink it, saying it was bad for his teeth.
Even though Kailas said it was too hot and he didn’t want it, she forced him to drink the steaming chocolate.
“You must drink this so you can sleep early,” she said.
When she warned that she would tell his mother if he refused, he got scared and drank it all, even though he didn’t want to.
After that, he fell into a deep sleep.
When he opened his eyes again, he was in the Valerio Dukedom. His eyelids were so heavy he could barely open them, but he could still tell where he was.
His family’s house didn’t have such a big, soft bed.
He heard his mother’s voice through his hazy thoughts.
“Please, Chester. Take care of Kailas.”
She was crying. Usually, she tried to hide it, but now she doesn’t.
Maybe something had happened to .
Kailas wanted to open his eyes, but he was too scared. Then he heard her whispering to someone.
“If only I were stronger… then I could take care of both Kailas and Lillian.”
“It’s not your fault, sister-in-law. Don’t say that. This is the best choice for everyone. Kailas must not meet Lillian. At least until…”
That voice— it was his uncle, Duke Chester Grayson Valerio.
At that moment, Kailas understood where he was.
But… what were they talking about?
He wanted to listen more, but his body grew heavy. Sleep came crashing down again.
He should never have drunk that hot chocolate.
The next morning, when he woke up, his mother and sister were gone.
His uncle came and said coldly,
“Your mother and Lillian went to the Imperial Palace. You’ll stay here for a while.”
Kailas couldn’t ask anything. His uncle’s face looked just as painful as his mother’s.
From then on, the only person he could talk to was the nanny.
But every word she spoke cut like a knife.
“Why did your mother leave only you behind? Because you’re a bad boy. She couldn’t handle you, so she left you here. If you behave, she’ll come back for you. Understand?”
“Really? Is it because I’m bad?”
He wasn’t bad. He tried to be good. He didn’t cry or whine, even though he was sad and lonely.
He just obeyed quietly, believing that if he behaved, his mother would come back with Lillian.
But one day passed. Then two. A week, a month. Seasons changed.
And no one came for him.
Even his uncle stopped visiting.
He was left alone in a big, dark room.
That was when Kailas finally understood what lonely truly meant.
I’m lonely. I’m so lonely.
He cried and cried, but no one came. No one held him.
When he got tired of crying, a strict-looking man appeared.
He was Kailas’s first tutor—someone said to be a great scholar.
“Young Master Kailas is quiet, uncooperative, and difficult to handle.”
What do you know about me?
He already knew he was unwanted—bad enough to be abandoned.
Why rub salt in the wound?
He didn’t need a tutor. He wanted him gone.
Kailas used his magic in anger, and the man ran away in fear.
After that, it was always the same.
Every tutor sided with the nanny and ignored him.
They all said the same things—
that he was a troublemaker, that he was difficult, that he was the problem.
At first, he was angry at his mother, at Lillian, at his uncle.
But eventually, he began to hate himself.
Maybe the nanny was right.
Maybe he really was too bad to be near Lillian.
Too awful to be loved.
“Everyone hates me.”
“No!”
A bright, gentle voice broke through his thoughts.
Warm arms wrapped around him.
“It’s not your fault, Young Master Kailas!”
Kailas slowly looked up in shock.
“Really…?”
In front of him stood a woman with soft beige hair and clear skin—Eurenia. She smiled like sunlight.
“Of course!”
Tears filled his green eyes.
It was the first time someone had ever taken his side without knowing him.
When Malenda had introduced the new tutor, she had insulted him as usual, but Eurenia didn’t agree.
“Malenda, please don’t say such things. What if Young Master Kailas hears and gets hurt?”
She didn’t join in the gossip. She defended him.
Kailas still didn’t trust her fully. His heart had been twisted for too long.
So he poured milk on her and shouted.
But Eurenia didn’t get angry.
She comforted him instead.
“You don’t have to trust me. And if you want me fired, that’s fine—Duke Chester won’t hear about this. So please don’t worry.”
He was stunned. Adults always hated him. Always.
“It’s not your fault, Young Master. You don’t need to apologize to me.”
Eurenia was different. She was like—
an angel.
Just like the ones he’d seen in the chapel murals, surrounded by little cherubs.
Kailas hugged Eurenia tightly and buried his face in her neck.
Her gentle hand patting his back felt like peace itself.
“Teacher…”
“Yes, Young Master Kailas?”
“What if… you get sick because of me?”
“What do you mean?”
“Lillian got sick because of me. Maybe you’ll get sick too…”
“What?”
“Who told you that?”
The half-closed door suddenly swung open.
And there stood Duke Chester Grayson Valerio, his face twisted in fury.
“Who dares to say such nonsense!”
Chester’s roar filled the room.
Startled, Kailas flinched in Eurenia’s arms.
“Who told you that?” the Duke demanded. His eyes burned with anger as he knelt to meet the boy’s gaze.
“Answer me, Kailas!”
“……”
“Kailas Valerio!”
His shout made the boy tremble even harder. Kailas clung desperately to Eurenia, hiding his face against her chest.
“Say it, Kailas!”
Chester’s voice grew even sharper, but that only made the boy more frightened.
Eurenia could feel her clothes getting damp from his tears.
She held him tighter.
This can’t go on like this.
Raising her other hand, she reached out toward the furious Duke.
