~Chapter 16~
Though I spoke vaguely… I felt certain that Livia Arfin wouldn’t remember those years.
It was a hope — almost a faithless certainty — that Vessia would never grant her such a blessing.
Perhaps it was only a desperate guess, so I pressed my furrowed brow to endure it.
“I’ve gathered quite a bit of information. I’ll give you the documents to look over. Once you read them… you may be able to tell whether Livia Arfin shares your memories.”
“…So… she really restarted the business.”
“…Yes.”
Those businesses were among the first things I’d tried to dismantle when I lived as Livia Arfin.
They were cruel, horrific legacies of her sins.
I thought I had finally uprooted them… But now, five years of my efforts felt like they’d been scattered into dust.
Marquis Valandier, himself a victim of those businesses, slowly relaxed his stiff shoulders and spoke.
“At least… you don’t have to worry about leaving again, right?”
“Yeah.”
I had no lingering attachments to that other world now.
My physical body itself had crossed over completely; there was no going back.
No one told me, but I could feel it — my ties to that world had been severed completely.
Vessia… would never send me back.
If that were her intention, she wouldn’t have brought me here at all.
I nodded firmly with certainty, and Marquis Valandier’s lips curled into a gentle smile.
It was his first smile since we began this conversation.
“Then you’ll need a suitable identity here, a house to live in, and funds for your daily life.”
“I know it’s shameless… but please, I want to ask for your help.”
“Shameless? It’s thanks to you that I’m here today. This is nothing.”
To the wealthiest man in the Empire, that was probably true.
Part of me wanted to ask for an identity that could approach Livia Arfin or even meet Crown Prince Khalid… but that felt too brazen.
For that, I would need a noble status, and forging nobility wasn’t easy, even for the Marquis.
‘…Maybe I should ask to be a low-ranking noble at least?’
I thought about it, but couldn’t bring myself to say it.
I was already asking for so much; my remaining pride sealed my lips.
As I fidgeted awkwardly, Marquis Valandier burst into hearty laughter.
“That won’t be difficult.”
“…Thank you.”
“Then I’ll prepare everything right away. Actually, Serel needed an older sister too.”
“…Huh?”
He spoke casually, as if he’d planned this from the start.
“You wouldn’t mind… becoming my daughter, would you?”
Had I said my shameless thoughts out loud?
His proposal was so generous that the last shred of my pride curled up and hid away before it.
I didn’t refuse Marquis Valandier’s kindness.
An outstretched hand of goodwill isn’t something to reject. Especially when I was desperate for everything.
The first thing I did after accepting his help was to secure my new identity.
It was about fifteen days after I began staying at his mansion.
“Marquis… isn’t this age a little strange?”
“Hm? What’s strange about it?”
“Here… it says I’m twenty-three… Isn’t that wrong?”
After agreeing to become his adopted daughter, he truly became my ‘father’ on paper.
Since I couldn’t call him ‘Marquis’ and speak informally, I decided to use honorifics, and he, though still awkward, agreed to speak casually to me.
I was no longer the Saintess, so this form of address felt more natural.
We were still awkward, sometimes slipping into old speech, but with time, we’d grow used to it.
I had already given him brief details of my life as Kim Ji-young, so I thought my identification would reflect that.
But the papers he handed me were quite different from what we’d discussed.
“Was twenty-three too young?”
“Too young? Marquis, did you forget… my real age…”
Even though I had secured a foundation to settle in this world, a small discomfort gnawed at me.
“Ah, you mean you were twenty-eight in your world?”
“Yeah. And if you add the five years here… I’m well over thirty.”
“But no matter how I look at you, you only seem like someone who just reached adulthood… I couldn’t help it.”
He spoke so earnestly, as if it was unfair to him.
I put down the papers and glanced at his face, filled with indignation.
He seemed genuine.
Feeling like I was committing fraud, I reluctantly nodded, though my lips pouted.
“Still, twenty-three is a bit much.”
“Actually, people will be surprised it’s that high, given how young you look.”
“People in my world often look young for their age.”
“I’ve been to countries with people like you… but never saw anyone quite like you.”
Having traveled across the continent, Marquis Valandier said this seriously.
Knowing he wouldn’t budge, I sighed and looked away.
The papers were already issued; it wasn’t something I could change now.
“And… are you really okay with this name?”
“Yeah. It’s easy to pronounce, and it sounds nice.”
The name at the top of my certificate, “Erdia,” would be my name in this world.
It was made by taking a few letters from “Livia Arfin.”
Those five years I spent as her were mine. I didn’t plan to take what was hers, but I wanted to reclaim that time at least.
The name ‘Erdia’ carried that resolve.
Memories tied to that name flickered through my mind, but they were painful, so I shook my head to chase them away.
“Thank you, Marquis.”
“Haha, you’ll need to get used to calling me ‘Father’ now.”
“…That will take some time. But you also need to speak casually with me. Fathers don’t use honorifics with their daughters.”
“Hm… yes, that will take some getting used to.”
He chuckled deeply, stroking his moustache.
Taking in an adult daughter was not uncommon in this world.
Usually, it was for political marriages or to maintain the family line.
Some nobles adopted adult children to inherit businesses, but most kept it a formality.
But Marquis Valandier was different.
He had lost his wife and raised his only daughter alone.
He never let outsiders into his family.
That he adopted me formally, giving me his name and status, proved this wasn’t just for appearances or strategy.
“I don’t know how to repay this grace…”
“Grace? I’m just finally repaying my debt to you.”
“Debt…?”
“I’ve waited so long to return your kindness… and I’m relieved to finally do it this way.”
He said it was repaying the kindness I’d once shown by saving his daughter.
Knowing he understood everything yet still said such words… filled me with gratitude.
Having someone I could rely on in this unfamiliar world was an immense comfort.
He would become my greatest ally here, as my father.
That was why I had to declare my resolve now.
“…Marquis Valandier.”
Looking at his smiling face, I clenched my fists and spoke.
“I will… take back what is mine.”
“Yes.”
“Those were my bonds… my happiness that I built.”
“Yes.”
“If he was still happy, still smiling… I planned to just watch quietly from afar.”
“Yes.”
“But that’s not the case, is it.”
I bit down hard on my lips.
