Chapter 7
Lellia wanted to go to the mansion herself to see the situation with her own eyes.
If what Sara said was truly accurate…
‘What should I do?’
If it were her decision, she would have cut ties immediately. She must’ve already paid back everything they’d spent raising her, and then some.
But this was Lellia’s body. She couldn’t make such decisions on a whim. Even when Sara had been told everything, she had admitted that Lellia had wanted to get out of that household.
After a brief moment of thought, Lellia sought confirmation from Sara once again.
“Did I really want to get out of that house?”
Sara answered without a moment’s hesitation.
“Desperately.”
“But you said I hated being alone.”
“But, Lellia, you’re not alone anymore. More than that…”
Sara shut her mouth tightly.
Because of that lover, Lellia had thought being alone might be better and had wanted to escape.
She had family to support, but they were hopeless gamblers—awful people. The man who didn’t want to be dragged down had betrayed Lellia’s love and fled.
Once the man she had loved dearly abandoned her, Lellia had wanted to cut all ties with her family.
But she couldn’t. She had feared her stepfather and older brother.
She had always been mistreated, yet couldn’t bring herself to say she wanted to leave or stop giving them money, claiming she had done her part.
She was already conditioned to their abuse.
Even when Sara tried to help, Lellia had been too afraid of retaliation to do anything.
Because her stepfather constantly threatened her, warning he wouldn’t let her go if she ever stepped out of line.
“What more?”
Instead of answering directly, Sara changed the subject.
“Anyway, it’s true. You couldn’t escape because you were scared of your family.”
Lellia nodded. The original Lellia—wherever she had gone—was now gone. Someone else was now in her body, and thanks to that, the fear had faded.
Now that she had become Lellia, she hardened her expression, as if resolute after hearing Sara’s pitiful words.
‘Then I’ll do it for you, Lellia.’
I’ll get you out of that house.
If she could achieve what the real Lellia wanted, maybe the real Lellia would reappear. Then, she herself might return to her original world.
With a small spark of hope, she focused on gathering information from Sara before visiting the mansion on her day off.
Before going to the house, she even checked the family registry.
* * *
Lellia stood in front of the mansion. It wasn’t overly extravagant, but it was still what one would call a noble residence.
She hoped something might come to mind just from looking at it, but unlike the novels, no vivid memories surged back. Thankfully, Sara had briefed her in advance.
Lellia opened the door herself and stepped inside. In contrast to its grand exterior, the interior was shabby. The floor was uneven, the entryway was empty, and only two maids were present.
The moment they saw Lellia, the maids avoided her gaze and acted as if she didn’t exist.
Already aware of her status in the White Viscount’s household, Lellia didn’t pay them any mind and approached the nearest maid.
“Where is my room?”
“…”
The maid gave her a slight sneer and looked her up and down.
Then she brushed past Lellia coldly. The disrespect was obvious. When she tried to ask the other maid, both had already moved away and were whispering behind her back.
As she was wondering what to do, a middle-aged man descended the stairs on one side.
He bore no resemblance to Lellia whatsoever. As soon as he saw her, his face twisted instinctively.
The man approached and sneered.
“Forgot how to greet people?”
“No.”
The middle-aged man—her stepfather—exhaled sharply, and the stench of alcohol reeked from his breath. Lellia instinctively pinched her nose.
“You should be grateful we’re taking you back at all.”
He tapped her on the shoulder and staggered out the front door. Watching him leave, Lellia turned back to the maid.
“Please show me to my room.”
“…”
But the maid remained silent. Lellia had never learned what to do in this kind of situation.
She was contemplating whether to open every door until she found her room when the front door opened again, and a young man walked in.
“So you really did come back.”
His smug smile made Lellia frown at the dirty feeling crawling over her skin.
“You never came home even if you were dying, so what changed?”
From the familiarity in his tone, Lellia instinctively realized this man must be the Viscount’s son—Storm.
“Where’s my room?”
“Pfft!”
Storm burst out laughing. Not understanding the reason, Lellia stared at him blankly.
“You don’t have a room here. If you want to sleep, try the floor.”
“Pfft.”
The two maids struggled to stifle their laughter.
“Then what about my belongings…?”
“What’s with you today?”
As if this were the first time she’d asked such a question, Storm looked her over and replied.
“What belongings? You have nothing here.”
“My bankbook, maybe…”
“So that’s what this is about?”
Storm pushed Lellia against the wall. Her back hit the hard surface, and pain flared.
“What, you want it back now? Regret giving it up?”
“Yes.”
Storm froze for a moment, as if not expecting her to answer so shamelessly.
“Did you forget why you became a maid?”
“No. It was to avoid being sold off to some old noble.”
“Exactly. And you think just because you’re a palace maid now, we can’t sell you?”
“I was a minor back then.”
Lellia pulled a document from her bag and held it up.
“I’m an adult now. And I confirmed that I’m not even listed on your family registry.”
She hadn’t expected it, but even after marrying the woman he loved and bringing in her daughter, Viscount White hadn’t formally adopted her.
Lellia’s surname was still her biological father’s—Sylvester.
“In other words, we’re not family.”
“…”
“You might have controlled me when I was a minor, but now I have no ties to this household.”
She pushed Storm back the same way he had done to her. He staggered slightly.
“You say I have no belongings?”
“…”
“Well, that saves me the trouble of packing.”
Bankbook? She didn’t need it.
She had already transferred all the money into a new account. The only reason she’d come here was to see if there was any trace of hope.
But they had truly seen her as nothing more than a money source. Nothing more, nothing less.
“Wait… Lellia!”
Storm called her, flustered. Their lifestyle had been sustained by the money Lellia earned. If that stopped suddenly…
They had even used her name as collateral for loans!
He couldn’t let her go. But Lellia closed the carriage door firmly and gave her order.
“Take me to the Imperial Palace.”
Once she was back at the palace, Storm would never be able to follow her in.
“Lellia!”
She heard him chasing after her, but she didn’t look back.
* * *
In the Hernia Empire, power revolved more around the four great noble houses than the Imperial Family.
These four houses had played key roles in elevating the Hernia Kingdom to an empire, and thus held more power than the emperor.
Their talents and wealth were unparalleled, making it difficult for the Imperial Family to compete. In fact, it was the three patriarchs—led by Grand Duke Actilus—who had chosen the first emperor.
Each represented a noble rank: Grand Duke, Duke, Marquis, and Count.
The emperor hated that Grand Duke Actilus was the true apex of the pyramid. As explained earlier, it meant the Grand Duke could take the emperor’s seat any time.
It was an era where even the slightest provocation could lead to war.
Even if the reason was petty, it was deeply humiliating for the emperor.
So, out of spite, he approached Grand Duke Actilus’s daughter and pretended to love her.
After marrying her and making her empress, he blatantly neglected and mistreated her.
But the empress—Diana—loved him too much. She begged her father, Grand Duke Actilus, to do nothing.
And because of her plea, even her family abandoned her, leaving the empress’s palace in a miserable state.
And now, the current Grand Duke Actilus—Banteon—had come to visit that very palace.
“What’s this now? You told me never to meddle, no matter what. Why summon me?”
Diana gave a bitter smile at her twin brother’s sarcastic tone.
She knew Banteon would’ve stormed in and rescued her regardless of imperial law.
But she had stopped him—because she had loved Meian. She believed she could change his heart.
But after speaking with Lellia, she had realized that was hopeless.
“If you called me here to cry over that bastard, just shut your damn mouth.”
His crude words made Diana frown disapprovingly.
“That’s not it. I told you—watch your language. You’re a Grand Duke.”
“Then should I say, ‘Forgive me, Your Majesty’?”
“Stop being sarcastic.”
Banteon despised her current state. She had thrown herself into ruin for that man. She had ignored all his warnings and married into the Imperial Family—and yet, look at her now.
She was a mess.
Banteon didn’t bother hiding his irritation.
“So why’d you call me?”
Hesitating, Diana’s tears fell as she begged him.
“Help me…”
“…”
“I’m sorry for asking this now, but…”
“What do you need me to do?”
Diana looked up in surprise. Banteon, who had been watching her coldly, gave a faint smirk.
