Chapter 2
And just like that, we became a family without even getting a chance to celebrate it. Despite Lucellai’s jet-black hair and my bright silver hair making us look nothing alike.
Well, I suppose you could say our eye colors are somewhat similar. Still, even though she’s not my birth mother, Lucellai gave birth to me with her heart and raised me with her wallet.
The problem is that my ability doesn’t awaken until I become an adult—and the time for that awakening was fast approaching. I was already on edge because of it.
It would’ve been nice to escape before then, but that was nearly impossible. After all, there was Mr. Schvalt, her loyal supporter, who would definitely track me down.
Mr. Schvalt was technically just an old acquaintance of my mother’s, but in truth, he was completely in love with her. And honestly, I couldn’t blame him—Lucellai was breathtakingly beautiful.
Her long black hair never tangled, even in the harshest winter winds. Her deep violet eyes, like perfectly ripened grapes, weren’t as red as mine, but still captivating.
Her sharply defined nose, her full lips set in a firm line—all of it gave her a slightly fierce, untouchable allure.
Maybe it was because we were in the North, but her skin looked so pale it was almost translucent, enhancing her striking features even more.
That arrogant and commanding gaze of hers, that unwavering confidence—every time she spoke sharply and decisively, like she was issuing an order, I couldn’t help but flinch.
With someone like Mr. Schvalt so deeply devoted to her, it would be a million times easier for him to find me than for me to escape. So I couldn’t make any reckless moves.
Besides, I kind of wanted to rehabilitate her if I could. Whether I loved her or hated her, she was still my mother. Even if it’s just because the piece of meat on my plate was half a palm bigger than the one on hers.
Lucellai Ludwig.
No matter how much I complain, she’s undoubtedly my one and only guardian.
“Carbella Ludwig.”
“Yes?”
“Don’t sit there grinning like an idiot at the dinner table.”
“…Okay.”
I’m serious.
Despite everything, she does care about me quite a bit.
Really.
“You’re done eating?”
“Finish your meal.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Even after setting down her knife and fork, Mother didn’t leave her seat. Because I hadn’t finished yet. Even though I was almost an adult, she never let me eat alone when she was around. Instead, she just kept sipping her wine until I was done.
Pretty much every day.
Sometimes she brought out her pipe, too.
The silence returned.
The only sounds in the dining room were my knife cutting through food and the occasional gusts of wind from outside.
Her gaze had long since drifted to the window, where winter stretched out in full view.
She rarely opened the window. There were too many things to be cautious of. But when she did open it, like now, her eyes always lingered there.
The silence lasted until I finished my meal.
As soon as I finished eating, I hurried to get ready to go out.
“Mother, I’m going outside for a bit.”
“It’s cold. Don’t go.”
I hadn’t even been asking for permission, but as soon as I brought it up, she shot me down immediately.
“The delivery guy’s late again. I have to go place an order for firewood. Otherwise, the stove’s going to go out. I need to give them a proper warning this time.”
The North was going through a particularly brutal winter.
We didn’t have any servants here, so I had to handle things myself sometimes. Firewood was one of those things. I placed the order ages ago, but it still hadn’t arrived.
Honestly, the delivery man was probably doing it on purpose.
Even when I warned him every time to be careful, he’d always “forget” and wouldn’t bring the firewood until I chased him down again.
It’s not like we were paying him poorly—we gave him a fair amount. But he still always came late. Simply because he didn’t like the sight of us.
We’ve never harmed or wronged anyone in the North. It’s all because of the rumors that followed us from the capital.
They say bad things happen when you get involved with a villainess or her daughter.
I tried to be kind to the locals—for my mother’s sake, if nothing else. Making more enemies here would only be exhausting.
But they just assumed I was even worse than she was.
They didn’t like my red eyes, or my silver hair. Oh! And the way the corners of my eyes tilted up. I even heard someone say something about my expression. That my unreadable face looked inhuman. That even my smile seemed fake. That everything about me seemed false.
They weren’t completely wrong… but I bet they’d still hate the road we walked on ten years ago.
Anyway, we had barely twenty logs left.
I should’ve reordered earlier. I knew this would happen but waited another week out of stubbornness—and now we were in trouble. Yet even with the window rattling in the snowstorm, Mother still refused to let me go out.
I looked over at the firewood again.
Mother was very sensitive to the cold. She hated winter. She said it wasn’t just cold here—it was painful. That’s why we always needed to stock up on firewood.
Anxiety crept in again. I didn’t want to freeze to death.
“If we use what we have today, we’ll have nothing left for tomorrow.”
“Then do it tomorrow.”
She tossed those words over her shoulder and pulled her shawl back over her shoulders as she disappeared into her room.
“……”
Her dismissive tone somehow made me feel even colder. Reluctantly, I pulled off my wool gloves.
If she said to wait until tomorrow, I had to wait. What choice did I have? If the delivery didn’t come by today, I’d definitely have to flip the place upside down.
I muttered that to myself as I was about to take off my coat when someone knocked on the door.
“No one was supposed to come today…”
Raising an eyebrow, I walked to the front door. Having no front yard meant anyone could knock straight on our door. That was one of the things I hated about this house. It never happened in the capital.
“Who is i—”
“Carbella! Uncle Schvalt is heeere!”
“……”
A booming voice rang from outside. It was familiar, and I let out a small sigh of relief.
So that’s why she told me not to go out. I felt another layer of dread settle over me—Mother still had me wrapped around her finger.
Schvalt, who was now well into his thirties, proudly called himself “uncle.”
“Trying to announce it to the whole neighborhood?”
I opened the door to greet him.
He was dressed in all black, looking down at me with a wide grin. Snow clung to his hat like old dust.
“Huh? Announce what?”
“That you’re in league with the infamous villainess mother-daughter duo. Come in.”
I opened the door wider to let him inside.
“If I could truly be on your side, I’d probably sell my soul.”
He must’ve gotten brain freeze from all the snow on his way over.
He nearly died saving us—and now he just throws around those kinds of lines like it’s nothing?
“If your soul is that cheap, that’s not good.”
“The price depends on the situation. So you’re saying there’s a chance?”
“I’d never sell mine, thank you very much.”
“Carbella, don’t say such heartbreaking things.”
He took off his hat, gave his coat a good shake, and stepped inside. His pale silver bangs were slightly tousled. Even though his hair was long enough to reach his waist, not a strand was out of place.
“What brings you here in this cold?”
I wasn’t exactly comfortable with his overly friendly attitude or how much of a risk he was as a person.
Still, I did think he was way cooler than the male lead, the Emperor—both in looks and in personality. And by personality, I meant the way he treated us, not by normal standards.
He’d probably look even better with glasses, but his eyesight was exceptional. He was faster than anyone and could see what others couldn’t. Yet, for some reason, he couldn’t seem to tear himself away from us.
Even risking his life, doing our dirty work like laundering money.
And plenty of other tasks.
If it weren’t for us, he probably could’ve lived a decent life. He was still young enough to get married and settle down normally.
Just my opinion.
“Why do you look so unexcited to see me?”
“I’m happy.”
“Doesn’t look like it.”
“This is my happiest face.”
I forced my lips into the tiniest upward curve.
He let out a hearty laugh and hung his coat on the hook next to the door. At the same time, he reached out and ruffled my hair until it was a complete mess.
My forced smile crumbled instantly.
“You look taller.”
“I stopped growing two years ago.”
“Really? You seem taller.”
“Maybe you shrank.”
“Wow—you really are Lucellai’s daughter.”
He chuckled to himself.
As I tried to fix my messed-up hair, I locked the door completely.
“Where’s Lu?”
“Don’t call me that.”
An elegant voice cut through his cheeriness like a knife.
Both of us turned our heads at once. Mother had come out of her room at the sound of company.
“Lucellai.”
His previously laughing eyes softened as he looked at her. I quietly decided to slip away.
“Don’t even think about going out in this wind.”
Just as I was about to head up the stairs, Mother gave me one last warning.
“I’m not going.”
She must’ve thought I was still planning to sneak out for firewood. But that wasn’t my intention anymore.
Whenever Mr. Schvalt came over, he always inspected the house for anything we were lacking. And he kept doing it until he left. Like it was second nature.
Since he was here, he’d probably fill the shed with firewood. And he’d make sure to give the delivery man a proper scolding.
Which meant I could kick back and be lazy for the next few days.
