Chapter 10
The old lady furrowed her brow, startled by my sudden action.
“…Young Lady, this is serious. If you had drunk that, you might have died.”
“No, Madam! Roti isn’t bad!”
Roti, holding the edge of my skirt, slowly looked up.
“M-Miss…”
It’s not because I think you’re cute—especially not when your nose is running.
‘I can’t leave this house, so I need someone to help me.’
Roti wasn’t exactly the best option, but if I had no spoon, I’d use my hands. I had no choice.
I would just have to fix this cheeky maid somehow.
Careful not to get her snot on me, I stepped slightly aside and continued.
“Roti probably wanted to give me something delicious but couldn’t. The old nanny before her used to cast special magic spells so I could dream of tasty food when I cried. She said Mother didn’t like it when I cried because it made her sad.”
“Goodness…”
The noble guests gasped and stared blankly at me.
“Izana Rohia!”
Yudis screamed, shocked by how my words subtly blamed the mother who abandoned her daughter.
But I didn’t stop there.
“At least Roti brought me milk tea, so I’m sure she was trying to make me happy! The nanny before her never gave me milk tea no matter how much I begged. Maybe she knew something bad would happen if she did. So it’s all my fault, Madam! If someone must be punished, punish me!”
I hugged Roti tightly, trying not to touch her runny nose.
I felt Roti blankly looking up at me.
Avoiding her gaze, I looked at the old lady with pleading eyes. Her expression wavered slightly.
“Young Lady…”
Hmm, Roti was still in danger.
After all, even if I’m illegitimate, I’m still officially registered in the family records. Giving someone like me a dangerous drink was a big issue.
I had no choice—I bit the inside of my cheek hard.
‘Ouch, that really hurts.’
The sharp pain made my eyes tear up.
I grabbed the edge of the old lady’s skirt and cried loudly.
“Please ask Mother to forgive my only friend… I can’t live without Roti. She just wanted to comfort me when she heard Mother was in pain. Huuuh…”
“Heard I was in pain? What do you mean by that?”
“Roti said having a baby hurts a lot. So I was sad… because it meant Mother was hurting. Please, Madam, save Roti. Mother, please don’t let her die!”
Then I pretended to cry harder, covering my face.
A warm scent, like sunlight, suddenly surrounded me.
“My daughter…”
Gentle arms hugged my messy body.
The hand I once desperately wished for caressed my head, and a light voice whispered in my ear.
“I’ll do as you wish and spare ‘her.’ Just be quiet for now.”
I slightly pulled away from her and saw pink eyes—probably the same as mine.
I had never seen a clear mirror here, but I knew her hair and my eyes shared the same color.
That thought made me pause and stare at her. Her face changed slightly, as if she felt the same.
Her expression turned cold, and I watched her trembling lashes.
Then I whispered the thing I needed most right now.
“Will you give me a new room and buy me new clothes too?”
Yudis’s breath stopped.
“…Fine. Later. I’ll do it later.”
Barely squeezing out her words, she agreed. I nodded firmly.
“Thank you, Mother. Then I’ll stop crying later too.”
“You!”
Yudis snapped without thinking.
“That’s enough, Duchess. Don’t forget we have many eyes watching.”
Marchioness Ersha’s voice grew sharp too.
I peeked out from Yudis’s arms and smiled.
“Mother said she’ll spare Roti!”
But Ersha’s face didn’t soften.
I added with a trembling, emotional voice,
“She’ll buy me new clothes too. Maybe today’s my birthday.”
In the heavy silence,
Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the little girl who clasped her hands over her chest.
***
Marchioness Ersha and Yudis gathered in the parlor for a serious talk.
“I’ll be brief.”
After putting down her teacup, Ersha spoke with a stern expression.
“Send Izana Rohia to me. I’ll make sure she lives quietly, away from everyone’s attention.”
Ersha had clearly seen the child’s condition and how she’d been treated.
She knew they called her mentally slow to hide her and even tried to make her that way through isolation.
“What happened today is a misunderstanding. I would never—”
“I don’t care.”
Ersha cut her off.
Her deep red eyes pierced Yudis.
“There are rumors that [Igrio] has gone mad.”
Ersha couldn’t make this public or scold Yudis too harshly.
Because Yudis Rohia had given birth to the continent’s savior.
If Yudis’s position weakened, it would negatively affect Yubel Rohia, who was still just a baby.
To protect the baby, Yudis had to remain untouchable.
Not just for the Western Empire—but for the whole continent.
No one fully understood what the ‘unrecordable crisis’ was.
All they had were the three saviors said to be born during such times.
“Fifteen years since [Igrio] was born. Twelve years since the star of [Ampelos] appeared… and we still can’t find [Ampelos]’s location. You know this well, Duchess.”
The previous crises had been similar, but this time felt different.
The state of the guardians who were meant to save the world was unclear.
“There are rumors about the Northern Duke of the Empire who recently went missing. Some say he was burned by [Igrio].”
Winter Orsheus, the White Dragon Duke and [Igrio].
Except for the missing [Ampelos] and newborn [Materia], he was the only guardian the continent could rely on.
[Igrio], a being born with great power, was rumored to be violent and cruel.
“They say he’s been strange since he was a baby—cold, eerie, and that people kept dying around him. Emperor Glass is trying hard to stop the rumors, but even after ten years, [Igrio] hasn’t changed.”
That’s why the role of Rohia had become even more important.
“The only reliable one left is [Materia]. We must raise Yubel Rohia to be a true savior and a noble person!”
Frustrated, Ersha raised her voice.
The room was filled with tense breaths.
Yudis looked at her calmly and slowly spoke.
“I understand what you’re saying, Marchioness.”
Ersha smiled in relief—but it faded with Yudis’s next words.
“But I still can’t send Izana to you.”
Bang!
Ersha slammed the table with her fist.
“Duchess!”
Her angry voice echoed through the room.
Bloodshot eyes glared at Yudis, who straightened her back and shook her head firmly.
“You misunderstand. I cherish Izana with all my heart, as a mother would.”
Ersha’s hand slowly relaxed.
“Ha…”
She gave a bitter laugh.
“I wasn’t going to say this, but…”
“…”
“[Materia] must grow up in a peaceful, stable home. Not with a cruel mother who treats her illegitimate daughter worse than a stray, or with badly behaved siblings!”
Yudis’s eyes turned sharp. She argued back.
“Badly behaved? That’s going too far! Boris is just a playful young boy. How can you insult a child who was nearly in critical condition?”
“If you can’t fully accept Izana as family and raise Yubel without confusion, then give her up! Why are you being so stubborn?”
Unable to hold back, Yudis stood up and walked toward the door.
Ersha stared at her, shocked by her rudeness.
Yudis grabbed the doorknob and spoke coldly.
“If you’re done, I’ll see you out.”
“You—”
“Izana—”
Yudis, eyes glistening with tears, snapped.
“—is my daughter. I will raise her myself!”
‘Anyone watching would think you were a loving mother.’
And Ersha would look like the villain trying to take her child away.
Realizing she couldn’t change Yudis’s mind, Ersha slowly stood.
The air between them was colder than a winter storm.
As she passed Yudis, Ersha paused one last time.
“I will not forget today. You’d do well to remember my words, Duchess.”
Yudis stared ahead and replied,
“How could I forget a noble who insulted my poor child.”
“I will report this to His Majesty myself.”
