~Chapter 18~

“A younger brother?”

Lovelace was shocked. She always thought she was a complete orphan, but now she had family…

“Yes. You don’t remember at all?”

Lovelace shook her head.

“You might remember if you see him.”

“Is he here? How old is he?”

“Seven years old. A boy. He isn’t here.”

Her heart stirred strangely. Before entering this body, when she had lived in Korea as In-a, she too had a younger brother. Their mother had died giving birth to him, so In-a raised him herself.

‘Iro… is he doing well?’

Thinking of her little brother, tears welled up and fell. Larvihan stepped closer and wiped them gently from her cheek.

“If knowing you have a brother brings you painful memories, then maybe it’s better you don’t meet him.”

Lovelace flustered.

“No, it’s not that! I’m just… happy, that’s all…”

Of course, she couldn’t explain she had remembered her brother back in Korea. So she said whatever excuse came to mind.

Larvihan stared into her face for a long time, trying to see if her words were true. Then he sighed.

He had planned to let her settle slowly, then introduce her to the boy later. But if she wanted it so badly that she cried, he would bring the boy right away.

“…Do you want to meet him?”

“Am I really Count Harmelda’s daughter?”

“Yes. The only daughter. Until your brother was born, you were their only child.”

Lovelace fell deep into thought. Was being Count Harmelda’s daughter really a good thing for her?

Her eyes grew dim.

“That’s… a lot to take in.”

“If it’s too overwhelming, you don’t have to meet him right away. Take time to process it first.”

Larvihan understood her confusion.

She thought she was a poor girl from the slums, but in truth she was the daughter of a Count. Her parents were dead. And now she had a seven-year-old little brother.

Normally, Larvihan didn’t consider other people’s feelings. Yet strangely, he found himself understanding hers—maybe because she had swallowed his power orb, maybe not. He wasn’t sure.

But he tried hard to understand her feelings. If not with his heart, then at least with his mind. Even now.

“Where is he?”

“At a mountain villa, with the old head servant of the Harmelda family.”

“And is he being cared for properly?”

She wasn’t sure. Without parents, how well could a child be raised in a villa like that?

“I don’t know. I haven’t checked that far.”

“…I want to meet him.”

Lovelace sighed heavily. She thought of how lonely and frightened a child must be, left all alone.

Even if she was only Lovelace on the outside, her presence would still bring comfort to that boy.

“Alright. Then rest tonight. Tomorrow morning, I’ll take you to him.”

His warm voice and gentle eyes soothed her shaken heart.

“Thank you.”

Her voice trembled as she barely managed to reply. Then she stepped out into the hallway. Closing the door behind her, Lovelace let out a long sigh.

‘Me, Count Harmelda’s daughter…’

It still didn’t feel real. No—it was something she didn’t even want to believe.

In the novel, Count Harmelda had been tied to Larvihan. The story never spoke much about Harmelda’s daughter, but it clearly said the family once helped him greatly when he was young.

And for that, they had suffered the hatred of both Arwen and the former Emperor.

Now, not only was she entangled with Larvihan, but she would also draw Arwen’s hatred.

“What a hopeless life.”

Lovelace slumped her shoulders and dragged her feet as she walked.

So Count Harmelda was dead…

She offered him a short prayer. Her soul wasn’t truly Lovelace’s, but her body was—so it was only right to show respect.

And she prayed also for her little brother, that pitiful child she had not yet seen.

Then she started walking again, trying to recall what the novel had said about Count Harmelda’s end. Sadly, nothing came to mind.

What should she do now?

Her worries became realistic. She was in a worse situation than when she had been just a nameless orphan.

The Empire strictly controlled noble titles. Being a noble brought many benefits, and without control, families would spread unlawfully.

That meant disappearing like the wind was now impossible. Wherever she went, traces would remain, and Larvihan would find her.

And not just Larvihan—Arwen too would surely come after her.

Arwen was as persistent as Larvihan.

And what if she left? What about the boy?

She hadn’t even seen him yet, but something in her blood—or maybe just her memories of the brother she left behind—made her heart heavy.

“It is certain. We found the old steward of the family who was in hiding. We showed him a recent portrait of Lady Lovelace, and he confirmed it was her. Also, in the slum where Lady Lovelace had lived, we discovered a noble emblem she likely carried.”

Larvihan recalled what Maxmuel had told him. What had he done after hearing that?

Did he kill the man in the slum who had been keeping Lovelace, even after knowing she was noble?

No, he hadn’t killed him.

Because Lovelace told him not to kill.

Instead, he only made the man’s life unbearably difficult. His name was Bangs, wasn’t it? The man had been beaten senseless, not even knowing why.

But Larvihan had shown him the emblem before leaving. When Bangs saw it, his face turned pale, full of regret.

“I was going to send her home! How could I have known the family was destroyed?!”

Strange.

He had brought her to use her for bad purposes, but when that failed, he claimed he had been “protecting” the homeless Lovelace. Larvihan couldn’t understand such twisted logic.

So he made sure Bangs would live uncomfortably from then on.

“Still, I didn’t kill him.”

Larvihan muttered as he looked down at the sleeping Lovelace. He needed to find a way to restore what she had lost. There was only one way—recognition and approval from the Emperor.

For that, he had no choice but to go to Arwen.

“You honor this poor place with your presence,” Arwen said with a bright smile when Larvihan came.

Her smile suggested she thought she had won. It stung his pride, but Larvihan had to bow his head.

In return, he secured Arwen’s promise: if Lovelace’s identity was confirmed, her family name, estate, and wealth recorded in the noble registry would all be restored. Of course, there were conditions.

Damn it.

Larvihan swallowed the curses rising in his throat.

He didn’t want to disturb Lovelace’s peaceful sleep. She smiled brightly as if having a good dream. The sight reminded him strongly of the Lovelace from childhood.

“You grew up pretty, confusing people now.”

Feeling guilty for not recognizing her earlier, Larvihan tapped her nose lightly with his finger. She frowned in her sleep.

She looked much like her younger self, yet somehow different. But did that really matter?

“Back then, Count Harmelda tried to betroth us.”

Larvihan had refused immediately. At that time, young Lovelace was not the least bit cute.

But now he regretted dismissing Count Harmelda’s idea as nonsense.

If he had promised marriage back then, would he have been able to protect Count Harmelda and Lovelace? Would she have been spared the filth and hunger of the slums?

“You’re driving me crazy, Rey. Because of you.”

Regret and what-ifs. Words Larvihan should never allow into his life.

Because the moment he thought what if, countless regrets, missed choices, and guilt for those he hadn’t saved would crush him.

“What should I do with you, Rey?”

His lowered voice sounded almost sorrowful. He gently stroked her hair, then let it fall from his hand.

His instincts warned him—Lovelace was danger. She was someone who would bring a storm into his life.

What should he do with her?

Larvihan spent the night unable to sleep.