Episode 1
I was on my way back from grocery shopping, checking the list my teacher wrote for me.
“Kate, are you buying things for dinner?”
“Yes. My father is making braised meat tonight.”
“Oh my, Mr. James’s braised meat is always wonderful.”
The lady from next door greeted me cheerfully as she walked into the market.
Kate.
I have heard that name for a whole year, but I still cannot get used to it.
Everyone calls me Kate, but my real name is Chloe.
Chloe Rehaven.
Until a year ago, I used to be the adopted daughter of the Rehaven Duke family, the most powerful noble house in the empire.
Well, I was never officially recorded in the family register, so maybe I was like a servant.
Or closer to being a playmate for the young master.
Actually, let me correct that. I think I was basically used as a living battery.
Anyway, I escaped that hell by a hair and lived for a year under the new name Kate.
Life here is poorer than life in the duke’s mansion, but it is more than enough because I have a new family.
“Huff, this is heavy.”
I carried both arms full of groceries and headed home. It was tiring, but I hummed to myself because I was excited to eat my favorite dish tonight.
I left the market and was approaching the village when I noticed a tall man stepping out of the village square.
“Was there someone that tall in our village?”
His tall height and strong figure caught my attention.
His face was hidden because he had pulled his hood deep over his head, but his silhouette alone looked like that of a very handsome man.
But right now, braised meat was my top priority.
I turned away with little interest and kept walking.
Then I stopped.
A scent brushed past me, deeply familiar.
That man could not possibly be the owner of that scent.
There was no way.
My heart trembled as I slowly turned around.
The robed man also stopped at the same time and looked straight at me.
As our eyes met, a breeze carrying the bitter scent of grass and trees blew past us.
His robe fluttered, and I saw a glimpse of silver-gray hair hidden underneath.
No way.
That hair looked so much like the hair of someone whose hair was darker than the night sky and shone brighter than the stars.
It could not be.
There was no way that child would be here.
But I still felt shaken.
I instinctively took one step back.
He immediately stepped forward to match the distance.
I stepped back twice.
He took three long strides forward.
When I stepped back again, he closed the distance completely with his large steps.
“You.”
His broad chest filled my view.
When I lifted my head, I finally saw the face hidden inside the robe.
Golden eyes like sunlight.
Even though the person reflected in those eyes looked nothing like the me he used to know, he recognized me instantly.
“So you left me and tried to hide in a place like this.”
His voice hit my ears coldly.
“If you planned to deceive me, you should have been ready to leave the empire.”
His hand grabbed my wrist tightly, yet it felt strangely warm.
“Sis.”
As if he would never, ever let me go again.
My long connection with him goes back ten years.
Back then, he was the young master of the great Rehaven Duke family, and I was just an ordinary girl from a countryside village.
An elite noble heir and a dirt-covered country girl who stepped on weeds while working in the fields.
The fact that we ended up connected was surprising but also strangely inevitable.
It started on a day when I went to the market to buy groceries because my father asked me.
“Wow, how expensive must that carriage be!”
A luxurious carriage stood right outside the village entrance.
I was fascinated and walked around it, peeking at the outside and the inside through the window.
“Chloe!”
My dad’s loud voice echoed from far away.
I jumped in surprise and acted like nothing happened.
If Dad found out I was late because I was busy staring at a carriage, he would give me a thirty-minute lecture, and that was pure torture.
Of course, Dad was already charging toward me aggressively.
“Dad, wait, I can explain!”
I tried to come up with an excuse because I did not want to stare at the floor for the next thirty minutes.
Dad lifted his arm as if he was about to smack my back but instead…
“Important guests have come to see you!”
“Huh?”
Instead of a scolding, he hugged me tightly.
Inside the house, several people in luxurious clothes were standing in a neat line in the living room.
When they saw Dad walking in with me, they smiled warmly.
“So this is Chloe?”
“Yes, this is her.”
“My goodness, she is such a lovely child. Her posture is as elegant as a noble lady fresh from her debut.”
“Hehe…”
“May I touch her hand? Oh my, her hands are soft like a noblewoman’s!”
They knelt down politely and acted like I was some important person.
But in reality, my walking was not elegant at all.
I had a stupid nickname because I tripped every three steps.
And my hands were rough like wood from all the chores I did.
Their flattery was obviously lies.
Suspicious lies.
As I looked at them with cautious eyes, someone finally said it.
“She is absolutely perfect to become the adopted daughter of the Rehaven Duke family.”
Adopted daughter.
Me?
You want me to join the duke’s household?
“What?”
I never had a proper education, but even I knew one thing.
Rehaven Duke family was practically the ruling head of the empire.
Shocked, I tugged Dad’s sleeve and begged with my eyes for an explanation.
But Dad looked even more surprised than I was.
“Is that really true? My daughter will become the adopted daughter of the duke?”
When the man nodded, Dad’s jaw dropped.
The story sounded like something from a dream, so we could not believe it easily.
Dad became suspicious and asked for more details.
Then we learned the reason.
The duke saw one of my drawings and was deeply moved.
He originally intended to sponsor me, but after hearing our sad family story, he decided to take me into the family as an adopted daughter.
It was not rare for noble families to adopt talented commoners.
So Dad slowly understood.
“Please give us some time alone.”
Dad asked the guests to step outside for a moment.
They left without showing any concern, as if they were certain I would join them.
When the door closed, Dad and I faced each other.
“You heard them, Chloe. They want to adopt you into the duke’s family.”
“Yes, I heard.”
“What do you think?”
“I do not know. But… I do not want to be apart from you, Dad…”
The moment I said that, Dad’s eyes became teary.
He bit his lower lip hard, trying to stop himself from crying.
“I do not want to be apart from my daughter either.”
“Dad…”
“But I want you to have a better life. My pretty and lovely daughter should live like a real princess. I want you to do what you want, not farm work.”
Dad bent his knees so our eyes were level.
“If you go to the duke’s family, you can draw as much as you want. You will always have delicious food and pretty clothes.”
“What you could not have because of your useless father… the duke’s family is offering to give it to you.”
“Dad…”
“Chloe, what do you think? Will you go live a new life there?”
Dad tightened his hands on my shoulders, as if hoping for a yes.
In the end, I could not resist his trembling eyes and nodded.
“Thank you, Chloe.”
“Thank you for giving me the chance to be a real father to you…”
He hugged me tightly.
He was always gentle when hugging me, afraid of hurting me, but right now he held me with enough strength to almost crush me.
Daughter, I am not abandoning you.
I just want to give you a better life.
I am sorry for forcing you into this because of my selfish wish.
My precious daughter Chloe, I love you.
I thought I could faintly hear him whisper that.
Even though I was terrified of leaving Dad, I could not take back my decision.
