Episode 28
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“Celine…!”
Even when she called the name, the woman didn’t react. People brushed past her shoulders as she pushed forward, chasing only the woman’s back in desperation. Then, a young boy ran up to the woman with a bright smile and threw his arms around her.
“Mom!”
Ranié stopped in her tracks. When the woman embraced the child tightly, her face became visible. It wasn’t Celine—it was someone entirely different.
Of course it was. Celine couldn’t possibly be here. Ranié knew that in her head, but her body kept moving anyway… what a fool she was.
It had happened several times before. At some point, whenever she went to crowded places, she would reflexively chase after any woman with long black hair and a slender figure.
‘I really am hopeless. It’s been years already. She must have fled far away by now.’
Ranié turned back with a bitter expression.
It had already been two years since Celine Grewell had left, and Ranié was still waiting for her to return.
The southern region was known for its frequent rain. During the short winter, it rained less, but the rest of the year was marked by sudden showers.
Today was no different. The sky had been clear when she left, but by the time she neared the village, thin streaks of rain had begun to fall.
Riding back on a cheap rented carriage, Ranié hurriedly asked the coachman to stop.
“Mister, I’ll get off here.”
“Huh? We’re not even at the village yet, and it’s raining.”
“If the rain gets worse, it’ll be hard for you to return home. I’ll be fine from here. And with bandits still around, you should head back before sunset.”
After paying the fare, Ranié ran through the rain. The new dress her grandmother had given her was quickly getting soaked.
At the village entrance—where no one should’ve been standing—someone was there holding an umbrella.
Because of the umbrella, she couldn’t see the person’s face, so she walked closer. When the figure noticed her presence, he lifted the umbrella, and their eyes met.
“…Lord Herdian ?”
Herdian stepped closer and held the umbrella over her. It wasn’t large, so she had to be half-pulled into his arms to stay dry.
Even if it was because of the rain… wasn’t this a little too close? Ranié awkwardly shifted her gaze.
“My lord, why are you here?”
“I was waiting. You weren’t coming back even though it was getting late.”
Hadn’t their last meeting ended badly?
Ranié fidgeted with the damp ends of her hair, feeling the awkwardness rise. The memory of their previous conversation made it worse.
Herdian , reading the emotion flickering in her eyes, exhaled quietly through his lips. Then he asked a question he didn’t want to but couldn’t stop himself from asking—one that sat uncomfortably on his tongue.
“How was the arranged meeting?”
“…How did you know about that?”
Ranié’s eyes widened. Even she hadn’t known she was going to the meeting until she got there—so how did he?
She was about to ask where he’d heard it when she felt his arm around her waist tighten slightly.
“If you’re that curious how I know, answer my question first.”
There was an edge to his tone.
Ranié couldn’t understand why he was angry this time. He hadn’t been such a difficult man before.
Back then, though he couldn’t speak much, at least his expressions had been easier to read. Now, he felt like a completely different person.
“My lord, I can understand that you might be curious about my private affairs. Curiosity can’t be helped.”
She took a small breath.
“But acting like it’s your right to demand an answer from me—that’s not fair, is it? If it’s a command from my lord, then I’ll have no choice but to answer, but otherwise…”
“Ranié.”
“I don’t want to talk with you right now.”
Her mood wasn’t any better than his.
She already had too much on her mind, and now Herdian was adding to her frustration. Her nerves were frayed.
“I’ll be going.”
“Take this with you.”
“No. You should use it, my lord—”
Her voice trailed off.
Herdian pressed the umbrella into her hands and turned away first.
Before she could even think to stop him, he was already walking off.
Watching his figure disappear, Ranié gripped the umbrella tightly.
‘…You’d think he’d give up after being pushed away this much.’
If his concern was just because he’d saved her two years ago, it was far too much. He had already given her a reward and even helped the village—more than enough repayment.
Ranié stood there blankly until he was completely out of sight, then finally headed home.
“Ranié!”
As she reached the front door, Hilde approached hurriedly, holding an umbrella. Her next words made Ranié’s fingers go slack—the umbrella dropped to the ground with a dull sound.
“…Lilia’s gone missing?”
At that moment, Lilia was sheltering from the rain inside a forest cave.
She was trembling from the cold, hugging her knees tightly.
On her way to the neighboring village, she had lost her way. Then the rain came, trapping her there.
Even so, she hadn’t lost her stuffed rabbit.
She stroked its head gently and held it close.
Originally, she had planned to wait for her mother at home—until she overheard that her mother had gone to meet a strange man in the next village.
She had learned that by secretly listening to Hilde and Mrs. Lawson chatting in the house.
After that, she’d slipped out of the house unnoticed.
She had to stop her mother from meeting that strange man, no matter what.
‘What if Mom gets married? What if she doesn’t need me anymore?’
Lilia, who normally remembered paths well, fell into panic.
Just the thought of her mother possibly marrying was enough to throw her into confusion.
Ever since her last name had changed, Lilia had never brought up any talk about her real parents—neither her birth mother and father nor any mention of a new father.
It was as if those words were forbidden.
Marriage. Siblings. Those words too were avoided.
Lilia had a better memory than most children her age, and that memory often worked against her.
“Sniff… hic…”
She never told anyone that the only image she remembered of her real mother was of her crying.
She didn’t want to make Ranié sad.
She remembered a frail woman lying on an old bed, sobbing and whispering someone’s name.
The words were too faint to catch, but Lilia had sensed it was her father’s name.
She hated her father—for making her mother cry.
And with time, she realized something: a father wasn’t necessary.
As long as she had her mother, she was happy.
“…You said you’d always stay with me.”
Would Ranié abandon her too?
What if she got hurt because of a man, like before?
Her small head was filled with tangled thoughts.
Lately, she hadn’t been sleeping well—ever since the new lord had arrived in the village.
That was when Ranié began sighing often, staying up late, lost in thought.
The perceptive child quickly realized the lord must be bothering her mother.
So she decided to confirm it herself—and if it was true, she would make sure to get rid of him.
Two days ago, she had pretended to sleep and secretly followed her mother to work.
From an old break room, she’d overheard their conversation.
‘Is Mom dumb? It’s obvious that man’s hitting on her.’
Seven-year-old Lilia was far too perceptive for her age.
To her, Herdian wasn’t “the lord” anymore—he was just “that jerk.”
Any man who flirted with her mother was automatically a jerk.
Of course, this was a secret from her mom.
If Ranié found out, she’d scold her for using such bad words.
But Lilia had seen enough.
Now all that was left was to figure out how to drive that jerk away from her mother.
Her quick little mind was busy forming a plan when—
‘So it was you staring at me so intently earlier…’
‘Eek.’
Lilia froze. She’d been caught by Herdian .
‘It’s not proper for a young lady to follow strange men around.’
‘…I-I wasn’t following you, mister jerk!’
‘Mister… jerk?’
Herdian looked baffled, but Lilia didn’t care.
Her small hands trembled.
What if Mom found out?
What if she got angry and stopped loving her?
Those thoughts raced through her head.
‘…You’re going to tell Mom, aren’t you?’
‘I don’t plan to. But if you keep following me dangerously, I might have to.’
‘Go ahead! I’ll just pretend I don’t know anything! Mom will believe me more anyway!’
For someone claiming not to care, she looked terrified.
Still, she stared straight at Herdian and said,
‘And don’t you dare mess with my mom.’
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