Chapter 59
“Well, she was always like that from the beginning.”
Seraphina first met Laura in the slums.
At the time, she was just one of many common beggar children in the slums.
No one paid attention to her. She herself believed there was no way out.
She thought she was destined to wither away and die in that hopeless, dreamless place.
Until—
“…Hi.”
You appeared with a short, gentle greeting.
“So, um, your name is Seraphina?”
For the first time, someone didn’t call her “hey” or “you,” but used her actual name.
“Wait, this is really the Saintess?”
“No way. Look how filthy she is… Hey, miss. She’s all scratched up. How can someone like this be a Saintess?”
“That’s not for you to judge. If you don’t want to help, leave. I’ll do it.”
Only you touched her dirty body without hesitation. You washed her, fed her.
“I’m Laura. Laura Luweiz. You can call me Lady Laura, or just Laura.”
From the start, you were kind. And even after she became a Saintess, you never changed.
“Seraphina, you’re here?”
“Yeah… I just felt like coming…”
“Good timing. Esha brought cookies. Want some?”
People said she’d made it—rising from an orphan in the slums to become a Saintess. And Seraphina partly agreed. At least she didn’t have to worry about starving anymore.
But still, her heart often felt empty. The more people praised her, the lonelier she felt inside.
The only reason she didn’t collapse…
Was because you were always there.
You were her anchor. Her center.
With you by her side, she was able to adapt to this new life.
She managed to learn the teachings, endure the strict routines of a Saintess.
There were times she wanted to run away from it all.
Sometimes, she even whined to you.
And you would always respond:
“That happens.”
“Still, it’s impressive you didn’t give up.”
You accepted her complaints—sometimes with bluntness, sometimes with warmth.
You never once said she was ungrateful.
Even when she cursed at God, you just listened quietly.
“As if everything I said was natural…”
You made her feel both secure and anxious. What if she became a burden to you?
She wanted to be your family.
Someone you could rely on without hesitation.
She wanted you to lean on her too.
Just as she vented to you, she wanted you to do the same.
To become a relationship where you could support each other.
But she never said it out loud. You might hate being vulnerable.
Still…
She always…
“Hey.”
“…?”
“Hey. Saintess!”
Her thoughts were broken.
Seraphina opened her eyes.
Through the slightly open door of the playroom, she saw navy-blue hair.
Dindin.
He was smiling like he’d figured something out.
Seraphina realized she had slipped—but couldn’t ignore his hand motioning her over.
‘I really don’t like this guy.’
As soon as he entered the room, he sat in the corner and spoke:
“I knew it. You remember everything, don’t you?”
“What’s it to you?”
Just having her weakness exposed already annoyed her, so Seraphina responded sharply.
Which only made Dindin more excited.
“You sure you wanna talk to me like that? What if I tell everyone?”
“…What do you want?”
Seraphina frowned—a rare expression these days.
“Not much.”
Knowing he had the upper hand, Dindin sat up straighter.
“Just… let me hold your hand.”
Of course, Dindin had no intention of exposing Seraphina’s secret hobby. It was more convenient to use her like this.
“I know you swiped two gold coins. But I’ll pretend I didn’t.”
Seraphina’s shoulder twitched.
She flinched and looked around, as if worried someone might hear. Then she whispered:
“What do you want me to do?”
“Just help me get along with Laura. That’s all. I’m not asking for anything big.”
There were plenty of excuses she could use—
“You miss the merchant,” or “you’re curious about the gold…”
“Tons of reasons you could use.”
But—
“Why should I?”
Seraphina had no desire to let this guy stay near Laura.
He was too shallow, too reckless. His careless words made him enemies.
And Seraphina didn’t know how that might harm Laura.
“Why not?”
Dindin scoffed.
“Or what—are you going to snitch?”
He threw her own words back at her—the same ones she’d used in front of Asel.
“Think about it. If I were your sister, I’d be creeped out too. I thought I was cuddling a baby on my lap, but turns out she’s a full-grown adult? I’d kick you out.”
Seraphina’s lips trembled.
But she didn’t say, “Laura would never abandon me.”
Instead of panicking, she steadied her breathing.
“So what? Who would believe you?”
She straightened her back. Now was the time to act bold.
“And I never lied.”
It was true—she had become younger, and she had lost her memory.
She just hadn’t mentioned that 63% of her memories had returned.
The same percentage as Laura’s curse weakening.
“What? That’s criminal logic…”
“And you’re not the only one who can snitch.”
Seraphina knew how to survive—and win.
She survived in the slums until adulthood without parents because she learned to bite first.
She took a deep breath—
“Moooom!!”
—and ran outside.
The quiet Luweiz mansion erupted with the sound of a child crying.
Servants froze. Geppetto, who had stepped out for air, jumped in surprise.
“What the—what happened?!”
Seraphina changed her target.
“Unccllleee!”
She ran to Geppetto, wrapped her chubby arms around his leg, and pointed at Dindin.
“That man… he said…”
She filled her eyes with tears and dragged out her words for full dramatic effect.
“He said I was born without a dad…”
“…What?”
Geppetto’s face twisted in a scowl. Dindin froze.
Even with all his life experience, Dindin had never been hit with a false accusation like this.
“He said… Mom thinks I’m disgusting. That she wants to kick me out.”
Seraphina wiped tears and snot on Geppetto’s leg for maximum effect.
Then she finished it off—
“Am I… a kid who should never have been born? A kid who only makes Mom miserable?”
Geppetto flinched.
He’d heard words like that every day—from the Marquess.
Now, he pulled Seraphina into a hug and glared at Dindin.
“Hey. What the hell did you just say?”
“Wait, I didn’t say that—I mean, maybe, but not in that way—”
“Get out.”
Geppetto shouted.
Normally, Dindin wouldn’t take someone like Geppetto seriously.
But while he’d been unconscious, Laura and Geppetto had become close again. Laura even entrusted him with part of the family estate.
Now, Geppetto might become family—maybe even a brother-in-law.
He couldn’t ignore that.
As Dindin hesitated, Geppetto picked up a nearby rock.
“Get out!”
“Wait, listen to m—”
“GET OUT! WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE?!”
“Saintess! You better—WHA—OW!”
In the end, Dindin couldn’t fight back. He ran away.
Seraphina looked up at Geppetto with sparkling eyes.
“You’re so strong! Coolest uncle ever! The best!”
Geppetto, who rarely heard praise in his life, puffed up and flexed his arm proudly.
“Wowww!”
Seraphina gasped in admiration.
‘Told you. He’s easy.’
Just in a different way.
