LPPID 01

Chapter  1

 A Lonely Girl

Gong—

Gong—
Gong…

Under the dull, overcast sky, Rose’s coffin was being lowered into the graveyard.

“Uuuh… Mama… Mama…”

The cries of Safinia, dressed in mourning clothes, echoed as the priest’s words of prayer drifted over the scene.

Safinia was the only one attending Rose’s funeral.

“Mama… Mama…”

The poor girl sobbed with hiccups, but there was no one to comfort her.
As he prayed, the priest stole glances at Safinia.

(How pitiful… She’s only six years old. At an age when she needs her parents’ protection, yet not a single soul has even come to this funeral…)

The priest’s heart ached for her.

The news requesting that he conduct the funeral had come just the day before, brought by a footman. When the priest went with the footman to the estate, he found a tiny girl clinging to the body of a woman lying motionless on the bed, sobbing.

He had already been told what had happened while riding in the carriage.

—Three Days Earlier

Safinia had arrived at the estate, clutching a letter and crying.
When the footman read it, he found it was from Rose.
It was brief: she wrote that she didn’t have long left, and asked for Safinia to be looked after.

The story of Rose and Duke Estman was well known—every servant knew of their relationship.
When the butler and head maid hurried to the villa with a doctor, they found Rose had already passed away.

(The Duke of Estman is truly a cruel man. He violated a mere 17-year-old girl, left her pregnant, then banished mother and child to a villa… I’ve heard Rose gave birth alone, pushed herself to keep up with housework and childcare, and ruined her health because of it. Why did no one lend this mother and child a hand? Judging from this, the girl has likely never even received a proper education…)

Safinia hiccupped with sobs as she watched the gravediggers cover the coffin with earth.

“Mama… Mamaaa… Uuuh…”

Her cries were so pitiful that the priest could no longer bear to watch.

“Safinia. If you keep crying like this, your mother will worry about you and won’t be able to go to God. You must be strong…”

The priest knew that ahead of Safinia lay nothing but a thorny road.

“S-Strong…?”

Safinia lifted her tear-stained face.

“Yes, strong. But not just strong—being only strong isn’t enough. You must also be kind to others… and sometimes even sacrifice yourself to do good deeds. If you do that, I’m sure a wonderful path will open up before you.”

“If I do that… Mama will be at peace…?”

“Of course.”

“Okay… I’ll do my best for Mama…”

Her green eyes brimmed with tears as Safinia gave a firm nod.

Just then—

“Lady Safinia.”

A voice called from behind. Safinia and the priest turned to see an elderly maid standing there.

“Who are you?”

Rubbing her eyes, Safinia tilted her head.

“I am the head maid of the Estman household. By order of the master, I have come to fetch you.”

“The master?”

At Safinia’s question, the head maid clicked her tongue softly.

“Tch! Do you not even know that much? The master is your father, Lady Safinia.”

“Eh!? My papa?”

“Yes, that’s right. From now on, you will be living at the main estate. Now, let us be on our way.”

“No!”

Safinia shook her head.

“What do you mean, no?”

The maid’s irritated tone sharpened.

“Because… I haven’t said goodbye to Mama yet…”

Safinia wailed as she pleaded.

“The funeral is already over! Isn’t that right, Father?”

“No, not yet. As you can see, the coffin is still being buried.”

“What…!? Are you telling me I have to wait until then!? I have mountains of work to attend to! Even now, I took time out of my busy schedule to come fetch her. Do you intend to inconvenience me further?”

The head maid vented her frustration at the priest. Then—

“…I’m sorry… I finished saying goodbye to Mama… I’ll go to Papa’s place now.”

With tears still in her eyes, Safinia gave her answer.

“Safinia…!”

The priest looked at her in shock, but she turned to him.

“I mustn’t trouble people, right?”

“! T-That is…”

The priest was at a loss for words, but the head maid’s mood immediately improved.

“Yes, that’s right. Obedient children are well-liked. Now, let’s go.”

Turning on her heel, the head maid strode off, and Safinia hurried after her.

“Safinia! If you’re ever in trouble, come to me anytime!”

The priest called out to Safinia’s back and waved her off—