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~Chapter 4~
After hearing what the Baroness had said to her before leaving for the capital with her husband and Elizabeth, Sharmel was utterly horrified.
Technically, they were Elenoa’s memories, not mine.
But now that I was Elenoa…
They were my memories too.
“Is… is that truly what happened?” Sharmel gasped, her face pale with shock. “Is that why Miss—why you, who had never once been sick before, suddenly became so ill?”
“Mm.”
The one who had suffered was the original Elenoa, before I entered this body.
But now?
I was Elenoa.
So the distinction hardly mattered.
“How could they do something so cruel to you…?”
Honestly, I was just as shocked.
How could they treat one twin so differently from the other?
“So… that’s why you packed your things and left?”
“Mm. Once they return, they’ll deal with everything swiftly. I had to leave before that happened.”
I looked at her seriously.
“You understand, don’t you, Sharmel?”
Sharmel bit her lip.
“But, Miss… you don’t even have money.”
“This.”
I pulled out the small pouch of jewels I had carefully packed in my bag and showed it to her.
“I’ll sell these. Then I can get money.”
“Miss.”
Her expression darkened.
“You are a lady. Traveling alone without attendants or guards is far too dangerous.”
“That’s why I’m wearing men’s clothes and hiding all my hair under this hood.”
Sharmel smiled.
And for some reason…
That smile was terrifying.
“Even so,” she said sweetly, “that does not make you a man.”
…Why is her smile so scary?
I didn’t know why, but a chill ran down my spine.
Cold sweat prickled at my skin.
“…So,” she continued, still smiling, “you truly do not intend to return to the barony?”
“U-Uh… no.”
“Very well.”
Her answer came immediately.
“But absolutely not alone. I’m coming too.”
I blinked.
“Sharmel too?”
“Of course.”
Then she gestured behind her.
“And Sir Ranster will accompany us as well.”
I turned.
Standing there was a hooded figure with a longsword strapped to their waist.
The figure pulled back the hood—
And revealed a female knight.
She had orange hair, with short bangs framing her forehead, side locks brushing her shoulders, and the rest cascading all the way to her waist. Her amber eyes were sharp and steady.
“My name is Tiana Ranster, Miss.”
“…Um.”
I hesitated.
“You’re not planning to contact the barony… right?”
“Do not worry,” Sharmel answered before Tiana could. “Sir Ranster is not that kind of person.”
Then she tilted her head.
“So… where exactly are we going?”
“…I don’t know.”
Because unlike Elenoa, I knew absolutely nothing about this world.
“You left without deciding that first?”
“What was I supposed to do? It was urgent! Besides… as long as it wasn’t the barony, I didn’t care.”
I just had to get far away before the Baron and Baroness returned.
“Then… the capital?”
“No.”
My answer was immediate.
Too immediate.
“The capital is absolutely not an option.”
The imperial palace was there.
The Emperor was there.
No matter what happened—
I was never going there.
“Then where?”
“That’s the problem…”
I fidgeted awkwardly with my fingers.
“I thought maybe… I could try finding my brother.”
Not that I couldn’t remember him.
More like…
I had no memory of him at all.
“I even considered going to the Academy to ask… since we’re family, maybe someone would know where he is…”
My voice grew quieter.
“But… they might not believe me. And even if I do find him…”
I lowered my head.
“…What if he doesn’t welcome me?”
“Miss.”
Sharmel’s voice softened instantly.
“You’re mistaken.”
I looked up.
“Young Master would absolutely welcome you.”
…Really?
Seeing my gloomy expression, Sharmel quickly changed the subject.
“Then… how about the Grand Duchy of Astrian?”
“Astrian?”
“Yes. I’ve only heard stories, but…”
She stepped out briefly, then returned with a blank white sheet of paper.
Placing it on the table, she drew a large circle.
Inside it, she drew a smaller circle.
Then she divided the space between them into four sections.
It looked almost like a wheel.
“Apparently, it’s structured like this.”
She pointed to the outer ring.
“This massive outer circle is the grand outer wall.”
Then the center.
“And this is Atlantica—the capital of the Grand Duchy of Astrian.”
She pointed to the four divided sections around it.
“These are the four territories: Lumania, Bastard, Winterfencer, and Elasion.”
I stared.
“…Wait.”
I blinked.
“So all five territories are inside one giant wall?”
“Exactly.”
Sharmel nodded enthusiastically.
“I heard it’s so enormous that it’s the size of an entire kingdom.”
…What?
How huge does a wall have to be to surround something that large?!
I must have looked stunned because Sharmel laughed softly.
“My friend visited once. She said the outer wall is so high it makes ordinary castle walls look laughable by comparison.”
I stared at the crude drawing.
And suddenly—
I wanted to see it.
Really see it.
“…Let’s go there.”
“To Astrian?”
“Yes.”
If I had to start over as Elenoa…
Then I wanted to go somewhere completely unknown.
Somewhere far away.
“Then you should sleep early,” Sharmel said. “We’ll leave the moment the gates open.”
“Okay.”
I lay down, my heart pounding.
Astrian…
Why does that name feel familiar somehow?
…No.
Must be my imagination.
Still…
Why did I feel so uneasy?
A sliver of light spilled through the slightly opened door.
Outside, Selena—golden-haired and violet-eyed—stood silently, holding her breath as she listened.
“Still no sign of them?”
“…Yes. My apologies.”
A deep sigh followed.
“Haah… Truly remarkable, my mother.”
Inside the room, a chair slowly turned.
Allenwalker’s silver-white hair shimmered under the candlelight, his bright blue eyes cold.
“How does one relocate without even informing her own child?”
He gave a dry, humorless laugh.
Back then, when he had returned home from the Academy only to find the house empty—
He had been so dumbfounded he could only laugh.
Not because it was amusing.
But because it was absurd.
He had never been particularly fond of his mother.
And he had intended to leave that house eventually.
But he had never imagined she would disappear first.
Without a word.
Without a trace.
His mother had always demanded perfection.
And from him—her only son—
She demanded even more.
Mistakes were unacceptable.
Failure was unforgivable.
And his stepfather…
Allenwalker’s gaze darkened.
That man had never looked kindly upon a child who wasn’t his blood.
Sometimes, his fists had spoken louder than words.
His mother had once pretended to intervene.
Later…
She hadn’t cared whether he was beaten or not.
So when he had entered the Academy, he had thought—
Good riddance.
[This is all your fault! Because of you, my life was ruined!]
He remembered it clearly.
Even before marrying Baron Ricardo—
Whenever she drank—
There had been curses.
Violence.
[If only I’d had you, I could’ve lived comfortably in that house forever! That wealth should’ve been mine! All of this is because of you! Philemon! Philemon! I’ll make them kneel before me one day!]
[You will become perfect. You will become the heir to House Philemon. You will take everything from them and avenge me!]
Allenwalker smiled bitterly.
And now…
By her own ambition—
He had indeed entered House Philemon.
Just as she wished.
So where was she now?
She had gotten what she wanted.
And then vanished.
But there was one thing he couldn’t forget.
His younger twin sister.
The reckless little troublemaker who climbed trees, snuck out, and constantly got herself into accidents…
Not because she was foolish.
But because she wanted attention.
Because she wanted someone—
Anyone—
To worry about her.
But Baron Ricardo and his wife never had.
Their anger had never been concern.
Only annoyance.
“Haah…”
He had promised Elenoa.
Promised he would come for her.
But then his mother and the Baron disappeared—
And that promise had become impossible to keep.
“That little troublemaker… she must be seventeen now.”
A faint smile touched his lips.
“I wonder… has she finally become a proper lady?”
CLATTER!
His expression instantly hardened.
“Who’s there?!”
The door burst open—
And standing there, frozen in terror, was Selena.
Her hands covered her mouth, her eyes wide with tears.
“…Selena?”
“My lady?! Why are you here at this hour?”
Allenwalker frowned.
“Why are you outside my office?”
“I-I just… saw the light…”
“Selena.”
His voice was calm.
“You would not ‘just happen’ to pass my office. Your room is in the opposite direction.”
“Th-That’s…”
“Do not worry.”
He cut her off gently.
“I’m not leaving.”
Selena’s eyes widened.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Relief flooded her face.
“I thought… because you were searching for your family… you might leave…”
Allenwalker’s expression softened.
“That would be disrespectful to the mother who truly raised me.”
Selena’s shoulders relaxed.
Then Allenwalker asked quietly—
“Selena… if I find my siblings… can I trust that you’ll treat them as I treat you?”
“Of course!”
Her answer was immediate.
“Absolutely.”
“…Good.”
He smiled faintly.
“Then go back to bed. You’ve only just recovered from your fever.”
“Yes, Brother.”
After she left—
Lycan, the green-haired knight, hesitated.
“My lord… the Baroness…”
“She is not my mother.”
Allenwalker’s answer was ice-cold.
“My mother is the Duchess of Philemon.”
At that moment—
Tap tap.
Something pecked at the window.
Allenwalker turned.
“…Pel?”
A young hawk tapped urgently at the glass.
“Did Ren really send you? He must be desperate if he sent someone as young as you.”
He opened the window.
The hawk hopped onto his arm.
Allenwalker removed the message tube from its leg, unfolded the note—
And frowned deeply.
“…Lycan.”
His voice sharpened instantly.
“Gather every knight who can move immediately.”
“What happened?”
“The Emperor has gone missing.”
“…What?!”
“Near the Crentica Forest outside Winterfencer.”
His eyes narrowed dangerously.
“That land belongs to Astrian.”
If anyone had attacked the Emperor there—
The one who would suffer most…
Would be Grand Duke Ainhardt.
“Understood!”
Lycan rushed out.
Allenwalker stared at the message, exhaling slowly.
“Ren must be furious…”
His gaze darkened.
“…But who in this world would dare attempt something so bold?”
