CH 3

Chapter 3 – Being Taken Away

Maria, aka Bianca, was the eldest daughter of a ducal family, according to her brother Satias. He added that her mother’s name was Irene. She did not truly feel like the daughter of such a prominent noble family, despite being assured that she was. She felt far from elated; she was simply terrified.

Bianca was a student at the Royal Academy of Magical Arts, as revealed by her brother. Her brother was two grades above her. She had no clue what she was learning there.

No tie to aristocracy or magic existed in the seaside town.

Although her brother was composed, her mother had been fidgeting since a few minutes ago. Bianca did not know how to deal with them.

As soon as the conversation ended in the director’s office, Bianca was taken outside by them.

A magnificent four-horse carriage halted in front of the monastery’s slightly dilapidated gateway, bringing Bianca out of her wits. It was unlike anything she had ever seen in this neighborhood. She was already in the mood to return to the monastery.

Her mother quickly turned down the director’s hospitality to wait until morning, and they set out that evening.

Bianca, an apprentice nun, obviously carried no personal belongings. Nothing was on her body when she left the monastery.

As the carriage started moving, Bianca sat next to her mother, Irene, and grew tense.

“Bianca, let’s stop at a town on the way and buy some clothes. Your outfit gives off a shabby impression.”

All of a sudden, Irene started to speak up.

“Mother, Father has instructed us to return at once and without stopping when we have located Bianca.”

The nonchalant tone of Bianca’s brother elicited an overblown response from her mother.

“You mean to tell me that you are letting her enter the mansion dressed like this? She looks like a commoner from the countryside. It would be inappropriate for her to be seen by the servants in this way. Hey, Bianca, what do you think?”

Even if she asked me what I thought of… Bianca looked at her attire. It was given to her at the monastery. She was wearing a skirt, a simple shirt, and a thin cloak, which was standard in the city. What could she possibly say was lacking?

“For me, this is enough.”

Irene remarked with wonder, “Well, I wonder whether the loss of memory alters one’s personality.”

“I don’t know what kind of person I was before.”

Bianca lowered her eyebrows in distress. She had doubts about this woman, who identified herself as her mother. On top of that, her brother, sitting across from her, has been expressionless since earlier. Bianca could not tell whether he was in a foul mood or if this was his true nature.

“Um, I’ve been wondering since a while ago: am I indeed your daughter? Both the color of our eyes and hair vary.”

Anxiety threatened to overwhelm her, and an honest question involuntarily escaped her mouth. Irene possessed golden-brown hair and eyes.

“Oh my, I don’t think so. We share similar facial features. Our hair color is only slightly different,” said Irene defensively, as if pushing off. When Bianca cast a glance at Satias, he remained impassive. Evidently, he had no intention of interrupting. Was he a reserved one?

“Your eye color is very rare and unique to the Kesler family. Therefore, you are a Kesler daughter.”

Bianca’s eyes were vermilion, the exact colour of sunsets.