Chapter 4

***

At Lestia’s request for her parents’ story, Joel agonized for a moment but answered as he knew it was impossible to decline.

“Yes. Let’s do that. But it’s very late now. And I think it would be better to talk about it when the whole family is here, don’t you?”

Lestia nodded quietly, and Joel finally began to release her from his arms.

However, it was just Lestia’s illusion.

Joel didn’t put her down, instead he just handed her over to Lysian.

“What is it?”

Lysian asked Joel as he cautiously accepted Lestia.

“Lysian, please take care of Lestia for a while. I have to be away from home for a while.”

“What ……?”

Lestia was startled by the unexpected words.

Of the two brothers she met so far, Joel was the one who had shown her the most affection.

The news that Joel would be away for a while seemed to make her eyes darken.

“Joel, where are you going?”

It was not only Lestia who was troubled, but also Lysian, who asked with a frown.

“I’m going to find the third child who ran away from home. Big brother instructed that he wanted all the younger brothers and sisters home when he’s back to the mansion.”

“Oh my, he’s suddenly full of love for his family, isn’t he?”

Joel lightly ignored Lysian’s sarcasm.

“I’ll introduce you to our third brother, Mathias, soon.”

The third brother.

What would that man be like?

Lestia tried her best to use her imagination, but it was hard to picture in her mind what he was like.

“I’m going to buy you a souvenir on the way back. What would you like, my dear sister?”

Joel whispered softly.

However, Lestia couldn’t think of a single thing she wanted.

“Souvenir….. It’s okay.”

Lestia shook her head.

A gift in a situation where everything was in doubt. It was just too much to bear.

Joel nodded, as if he had already thought about what to get for her.

“I’m sure, you’d like a surprise.”

He then patted Lestia on the head and climbed back into the carriage.

“Lysian, be good to your sister.”

Those were the only words left.

Eventually, Lestia was left alone with Lysian.

Lysian glanced at Lestia with a troubled look, then said.

“It’s late, let’s go wash up and get some sleep. Your ankle needs to be fixed too.”

“Yes….”

Lestia nodded meekly.

At that moment, however, a clock began to tick in her stomach.

It was the rumbling sound of hunger, as she hadn’t eaten a thing all day.

“What? You must be hungry.”

Lysian’s golden eyes were fixed on Lestia.

Lestia couldn’t help but blush in embarrassment.

“I’m not hungry.”

“Yes, you are. That’s the sound of hunger.”

Lysian was a considerate person even though he didn’t sound like that sometimes.

“Let’s wash up first and then we’ll eat. Halo, please get ready.”

At Lysian’s instruction, Halo bowed and motioned toward the servants.

Immediately, a maid came in front of Lestia.

She looked much older than Lestia, with fluffy red hair that was beautifully braided.

“Hello, young lady! My name is Dora. I’ll start taking care of you today.”

“Taking care of me…?”

Lestia couldn’t understand what she was saying.

It had never occurred to her that someone would take care of her other than herself.

“Yes, My Lady. Please make yourself comfortable. I’ll show you to the bathroom first.”

Dora approached Lestia skillfully. When Lysian didn’t put Lestia down from his arms, she asked doubtfully.

“Master, are you going to follow me to the bath?”

“What?…!” he said, his face slightly reddening in embarrassment.

“Lestia is injured and can’t walk. Please prepare some medicine for her.”

“Ah, yes. I understand!”

Restia hurriedly told Lysian.

“I can walk on my own.”

“Not until you’re healed.” Lysian spoke firmly.

In the end, Lestia was helplessly carried by Lysian to the bathroom.

However, as soon as they got there, Lysian hurried out of the bathroom before Lestia could even say thank you.

“Young Master is really…. Now, young lady, I’ll treat your ankle first.”

Dora opened the lid of a small bottle and applied the rainbow-colored liquid to Lestia’s ankle.

Then, to her surprise, the severe pain quickly subsided.

“It’s not completely healed, but I think you’ll be able to move slowly after your bath.”

Lestia blinked at the strange experience.

“I will help you undress.”

After the healing medicine soaked into her skin, Dora came up to help Lestia undress.

“Uhm………. wait a minute!”

Lestia did not want to show her scarred body.

However, the loose, thin clothes that Lestia was wearing slipped off easily as soon as Dora tugged on the waistband.

Soon the scars that covered Lestia’s emaciated body were visible.

Not only the bruises on her arms, but the traces of the wounds were made from shards of broken bottles.

“Huh….”

Dora gulped as if a little startled.

“It’s …… this, you see…..”

Lestia hesitated, trying to explain as she remembered her uncle said that if anyone sees the wounds, tell them she fell and hurt herself.

But before Lestia could say it, Dora spoke first.

“You don’t have to explain anything to me, young lady,” Dora said, nonchalantly leading Lestia into the bathroom as if she didn’t see anything.

The white bathtub filled with warm water was blooming with steam, and rose petals were floating along the waves.

“Flower…..?”

Lestia opened her eyes wide and looked into the tub.

For years, she had sold flowers on street corners, but she didn’t know they would be used for baths.

She just vaguely thought they looked nice in the house.

And yet, she never knew it could be used in such a way… .

“It’s beautiful.”

So she spat out the exclamation in a small voice without thinking.

Dora took it to mean that Lestia liked flowers.

“You seem to like flowers, young lady. Then I think you’ll certainly like this one too!”

Dora spoke in a high-pitched voice and poured the liquid from the translucent glass bottle onto a thick sponge.

Immediately, a rich soapy lather fluffed up on the sponge with a thick lilac scent.

“What do you think? Doesn’t it smell good? Would you like to touch it?”

Lestia carefully touched the lather .

It was fluffy to the touch, similar to touching snow, but it wasn’t the least bit cold.

She had used soap before, but she had never seen a soap that lathered so well and smelled like flowers.

It all felt new and strange to her.

“Well, Miss, would you please step into the bathtub?”

Lestia, whose nerves had eased up a little thanks to Dora, meekly obeyed her.

“Is the water’s temperature appropriate?”

“Yes …….”

“Yes, Dora. You try it once.”

“Umm, yes, Dora.” Lestia repeated.

“Very good, My Lady. You can call me that.”

Dora washed Lestia’s body carefully with a soft sponge.

She felt bad that every time she applied soap, the once clear tub became dirty. It must be hard to see. It’s like those old shoes on the carpet of a fancy carriage.

But Dora didn’t show any sign of being uncomfortable. She just asked Lestia if she has any discomfort and if it’s okay to massage her scalp.

Thanks to this, Lestia was able to finish her bath in a relaxed atmosphere.

“Now the bath is over.”

Dora wiped the moisture from Lestia’s body with a large towel.

She then carefully applied the medicine that was used to treat her ankle to the wounds on Lestia’s body and said.

“I heard a few hours ago that the Young Lady was coming, so I couldn’t prepare many clothes. I know it’s inconvenient, but please wear this pajama first today.”

Dora brought out a pure white loungewear that was finely decorated with small laces.

At a quick glance, it was the kind of clothes aristocratic ladies would wear.

Lestia hesitated upon the sight of it .

Just bathing in hot water in the winter was a great luxury, but now she could really wear something like this?

Perhaps she didn’t know if she was really a Verchester. She couldn’t be sure of anything.

“Do you not like it?”

Dora asked with concern, as Lestia looked uncomfortable.

Lestia spoke frankly.

“……… I don’t know if I can wear something like this.”

Dora replied in a loud voice.

“Of course you can! Young Lady is the daughter of the Duke of Verchester. Tomorrow you’ll be wearing something even better than this.”

Lestia’s lips quivered. Tomorrow she may soon hear that these clothes did not belong to her.

That’s what she wanted to say. But Dora urged her on.

“Come on, come on, Miss. Master Lysian is waiting for you in the dining room.”

Lestia finally accepted the clothes when she heard that Lysian was waiting for her.

She knew that if she displeased Lysian, the hot flames might be directed at her.

After Lestia put on the pajamas, Dora immediately let out an exclamation.

“Oh, you look so cute!”

Lestia blinked, not knowing that the words were referring to her.

“You’re very cute, Young Lady. Your white hair and big eyes make you look like a little rabbit.”

How could she be cute?

It was the first time Lestia had heard that since she was born.

She has always been told that she was dirty, smelly, and pitiful.

“Now, it might be a little cold to only wear pajamas.”

Then, Dora took out a thick shawl and draped it over Lestia’s shoulders. She also brought out a pair of white slippers made of fluffy rabbit fur.

“Try it on, Miss.”

At Dora’s urging, Lestia dug her feet into the slippers.

She could feel the warm, soft fur between her toes and it felt good.

“What do you think? It’s warm, right?”

“Yes, It’s warm…”

Most of all, she was happy since she could take off her old shoes and wear new shoes to cover up her ugliness. And she was a little greedy for the happiness she had never felt before.

That was, until they told her she was not their sister.

She would get it then.

Until then, let’s spend some time like this.

Until then, she was Lestia Verchester.

“Oh, I’ve been forgetful, haven’t I? I’ll show you to the dining room right away.”

Dora laughed gaily as she led Lestia to the dining room, and

Lestia took her steps to follow.

Strangely enough, her sprained ankle was amazingly painless.