Chapter 1
The Hudson Viscounty was the symbol of fallen nobility.
During the rapid industrialization of the Kingdom of Reden, the Hudson family consistently chose to fall behind. Their arrogance ruined everything. The pride they once had in the title personally granted by the king blinded their eyes and deafened their ears. As a result, Charles Hudson, the 10th Viscount Hudson, relied solely on his tiny estate and the small amount of wealth his father had deposited in the bank.
“Damn you, Liam!”
But the world changed faster than their assumptions or convictions. Iron bridges began connecting cities across rivers, gunpowder and firearms advanced rapidly, and machines drastically increased the productivity of the textile industry.
Even the tenants who once rented land and farmed to make ends meet abandoned the estate and moved to nearby cities, leaving the land desolate.
“That bastard took all my money again today!”
Charles Hudson’s arrogance as a noble crumbled powerlessly before the newfound dominance of capital. Left with nothing but debt and farmland after his thoughtless spending, he had no choice but to sell even that small piece of land.
“Eleanor! Eleanor Hudson!”
If only he had sold the land when he was offered a generous price, he could’ve at least secured some capital. But Charles, burdened by mounting debts, hastily sold the land for a pittance to someone who promised to pay them off immediately. The buyer? A nouveau riche capitalist he once despised and scorned.
“That damned girl! Her father’s home and she doesn’t even come out to greet me—where the hell did she go?”
Charles kicked the leg of the table in frustration. The breadbasket on the table shook slightly from the impact. The bread inside was a little stale.
“I’m here.”
Just as Charles glared at the bread and, unable to contain his anger, was about to throw it on the floor, Eleanor came down the stairs from the second floor.
“I called you several times—only now you come crawling out?”
“I was reviewing my lessons.”
“Are you a teacher now? You should be looking for a suitable marriage match to lighten my burden, not fussing over schoolwork…”
Eleanor let out a small sigh and picked up the fallen pieces of bread from the floor.
“I’ve become the governess of Lady Olivia Clavern, the Duke’s daughter.”
Did this senseless man even know that bread cost money? Certainly not.
“What? Become what?”
“The governess of Lady Olivia Clavern.”
She was sick of it all. The crumbling old house, Charles’ frequent drunken rampages, and the gambling debts that seemed to grow every morning she woke up. She just wanted to run away.
“A governess? That’s something commoners do!”
Charles screamed, his face red with rage.
“Do you have any idea how prestigious the Hudson Viscounty is? How I’ve preserved our name!”
“…”
“A governess? You’ve disgraced our noble house!”
He raised his hand to strike. Eleanor calmly placed the bread back on the table and looked up. Their eyes met directly, and Charles, startled by her unflinching gaze, blinked in surprise. Eleanor had always been a gentle daughter.
“Don’t they tell the truth about the Hudsons at the gambling halls?”
It was painful to speak ill of her own family, but Eleanor continued in a calm, biting tone.
“The Hudsons? Oh, that ancient, noble family.”
“…”
“And what are they doing now?”
“…”
“Which Hudson family are you talking about? The one that went bankrupt and became beggars? Whose lord spends his days gambling? I wonder if he even begs for food.”
Charles’ large hand finally struck Eleanor across the cheek. She barely held her ground, using strength in her legs to avoid collapsing.
“You wretched girl. There’s a limit to how much you can insult your family.”
“What use is a title lower than a commoner when this is the reality?”
Eleanor lifted her chin. Her skin was so clear and pale that the red handprint stood out vividly on her delicate cheek. Of course it hurt, but she refused to show weakness in front of Charles.
“I gave you food and a roof, and this is how you repay me?”
“…”
“You’re not even worthy of staying in this house. Pack your things and leave!”
He pointed to the door, shouting at the top of his lungs.
“I was planning to.”
Eleanor responded as if she had been waiting for those words. She climbed to the second floor and brought down a bag she had packed beforehand. Charles stared at her, dumbfounded.
“Take care.”
“I’ll be just fine once you’re gone—now get lost!”
Eleanor gave him a deep bow and opened the front door. Behind her, Charles screamed curses—wretched girl, shameless wench—but they were swallowed up as the shoddy door shut behind her.
That this was her final memory of home left her feeling bitter.
“Pull yourself together, Eleanor Hudson.”
But she quickly came to her senses. She loved the land where she was born and raised, but she didn’t want to live like this. She had to do something—anything—to preserve the memories she shared with her mother.
The early summer sun was harsh, even under the brim of her wide hat. The rustling of green leaves in the wind sounded like tickling noise.
Eleanor stepped forward with a determined face. Her steps, heavy at first, turned into something close to a run as the train station came into view.
“One third-class ticket to Southern, please.”
The station worker, slightly out of breath, handed her an old ticket. With the ticket in hand, Eleanor headed to the platform.
Kent, her hometown, was a rural area. The station was quiet, with few people waiting. Eleanor sat on a creaky wooden bench and waited for the train.
“Excuse me. Has the train to Southern departed yet?”
Eleanor turned slightly, her red cheeks still flushed. A handsome man with soft blond hair and violet eyes smiled brightly as he leaned down toward her.
“No, not yet. I’m waiting too.”
“Ah, that’s a relief. I ran here thinking I missed it.”
Perhaps due to the heat, the man’s loose shirt fluttered in the breeze, but instead of sweat, he smelled of fresh soap. His casual demeanor might have seemed inappropriate, but oddly enough, it didn’t feel that way.
“Are you headed to Southern for work?”
“Yes.”
Even his abrupt questions didn’t feel unpleasant. There was no trace of sleaze or malice in his tone.
“Well, it’s a great place to work. Southern’s developed a lot.”
He nodded as he spoke warmly about the duchy.
Eleanor had heard of Logan Clavern, the Duke of the territory. Though he was often described as a man with a commanding presence beyond his years, he was actually only twenty-four—just one year older than Eleanor—and had become the head of his house at the age of nineteen. He was also her new employer.
“There’s even a private security force aside from the police, so it’s safe.”
“You seem to know a lot about Southern.”
He smiled at her comment.
“I live there.”
“You came quite a long way, then.”
It took two full days by train to get from Southern to Kent. Considering Kent was a town with nothing of note, his visit seemed rather unusual.
“Actually, I was visiting Dove. I’m only stopping in Kent because I was exhausted.”
Dove was a coastal city located at the edge of the Reden Kingdom—known for its ports, navy, and alcohol.
“You’re a soldier, then?”
“Sharp guess. May I sit here?”
He pointed to the empty seat beside her. Judging him a decent person from their short conversation, Eleanor gladly nodded.
“Going straight from Dove to Southern would take five days. I couldn’t bear the thought. My butt would’ve gone numb.”
She nodded in agreement.
“So I decided to rest in Kent for a day.”
“A good idea—aside from the fact there’s nothing to see here.”
“Which made it perfect for resting.”
The man’s every response was light and cheerful.
“The train’s arriving.”
Clack, clack. The sound of wheels on the tracks and the thick smoke signaled the train’s arrival. Eleanor stood and waited for it to stop, then gave the man a polite bow.
“I’m in third class, so I’ll be heading that way.”
“Oh, okay. It was nice meeting you.”
He widened his eyes and nodded. Eleanor turned without hesitation and began walking toward the third-class car.
“My name is Usher Fitzman.”
Before she could reach her destination, her path was blocked. Eleanor looked up, startled, to see Usher standing in front of her again.
“Call me by name if we meet again.”
His violet eyes sparkled like amethyst in the sunlight. It was hard to believe a man’s eyes could look so beautiful. Eleanor nodded as if mesmerized.
“The train will be departing shortly. Please board now!”
The station bell chimed, and the station worker urged everyone aboard. Eleanor, snapping back to her senses, hurried toward the train. Usher didn’t try to stop her.
Once on board, Eleanor impulsively looked back.
“Wait a sec—I’ll be right there!”
Usher grinned mischievously at her, then jogged off with long strides to find his seat.
What a charming man, Eleanor thought, entering the third-class car and squeezing into her cramped seat just before the train began moving.
Outside the dusty window, the green fields of Kent faded away. But even as she left her hometown, she didn’t feel especially sad. Instead, she found herself thinking about him whenever she recalled the cheerful ringing of the departure bell.
Don’t mind me while I giggle to myself at the names. I’m just easily amused.