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Episode 19
“Ha… in the end.”
Lloyd exhaled quietly and muttered,
“So he doesn’t care if he dies…?”
At his low murmur, the architect beside him flinched, while Vincent curved his eyes with amusement and chuckled.
Lloyd immediately headed for the main palace.
He intended to confront the Grand Duke—because it seemed the old man had finally lost his mind.
“What do you plan to do?”
“If he’s truly gone mad, then as his son, it’s my duty to make sure he rests comfortably forever.”
Vincent laughed carelessly and followed Lloyd’s brisk steps with an easy gait.
“I’ll go with you, brother.”
“Get lost.”
Even at the cold insult, Vincent pretended not to hear and kept smiling.
At the entrance of the main palace were “pens”:
a wolf pen and a jaguar pen.
They served as the first line of defense against intruders—one had to pass through the enclosures to enter the palace.
Without hesitation, Lloyd opened the jaguar pen’s gate.
Instead of a cage-like space, a vast blue meadow spread out—completely mismatched with the word “pen.”
It was an artificial habitat with a flowing river and herbivores roaming freely as prey for the jaguars.
“No matter how many times I pass through here, I never get used to it,” Vincent muttered, frowning at the dirt on his shoes.
“I still don’t understand why we have to move through such an inefficient route just to enter the palace.”
He clicked his tongue lightly, then lifted his gaze—
And froze.
Lloyd, who Vincent thought had gone on ahead, was standing still, staring at something.
‘Hmm?’
Vincent followed his line of sight—
And witnessed a sight he had never seen in his life.
“What in the world is that…?”
A rabbit, a deer, a skylark, and a squirrel were gathered together.
With a jaguar.
The jaguars, though surrounded by prey, were sprawled lazily on the grass, purring.
At the center of it all was a child—
A girl sleeping peacefully, leaning against a jaguar’s back, breathing softly.
Good heavens.
It was a breathtaking scene.
Morning sunlight poured in through the glass ceiling, filling the space. Golden motes of dust floated in the air, shimmering in the beams that fell upon the sleeping girl’s hair.
Like a forest fairy… This doesn’t feel real.
It was like an illustration torn out of a fairytale.
A species that disrupts the ecosystem.
A siren.
Almost nothing was known about their race. The Count of Cortez had sold the siren’s daughter so cheaply that everyone assumed she was worthless.
But now—
Is this a natural-born trait? But even for a siren, this is…
This wasn’t something achievable by human ability. It was something a mythical woodland nymph might do.
Truly a legendary race.
To wield power capable of destroying an ecosystem—it stirred Vincent’s scholarly curiosity immensely.
He stared openly at Aria, not bothering to hide his fascination.
She tames beasts that serve no one but their master… and even the infamous demon Grand Duke. Her abilities are impressive.
Maybe her power lay in taming beasts, and since the Valentine bloodline was more beast than human in nature, it made taming them easy—
A convincing hypothesis.
One he’d never dare speak aloud, unless he wanted Lloyd to cut off his head on the spot.
Jaguars, the Grand Duke… what’s next?
Vincent’s gaze shifted to Lloyd.
What will happen now?
Lloyd stared at the sleeping girl without moving. Vincent couldn’t see his expression, but for the first time, he wondered—
What kind of face does this emotionless brother make when he looks at her?
That afternoon, lunch was butter-scented herring cooked to perfection.
Wow…
Aria was amazed.
Lemon slices bordered the dish like waves, and remoulade sauce flowed like the sea. Gold leaf shimmered like sunset on the ocean’s surface.
As expected of Valentine. Even the chef creates art.
Aria took a bite—
Fragrant, tender, chewy.
The mild fish paired with the refreshing sauce was divine.
Thisisdelicious.
“What does it taste like?” Baker asked with a pleased smile.
Aria thought hard, then wrote:
Thetasteofthesea.
Though she’d never been there, her mother, Sophia, had once spoken of Atlantis—
Once a small kingdom, later absorbed into the Fineta Empire and faded into legend.
The homeland of Sirens.
“Perfect,” Baker beamed, asking if he could keep the card.
Why does everyone want the cards I write lately?
Curious but unconcerned, Aria handed it over. Baker tucked it away like a precious treasure.
“Excellent work, miss,” Dana said, wiping Aria’s lips and smiling.
Seeing the young lady eating more than soup filled Dana with relief—like clearing a century-old weight from her chest.
My admirable lady!
Aria poked her stomach.
I’ve gained weight.
Where ribs had once jutted out, there was flesh. Her socks no longer slipped down her legs. Her cheeks were fuller.
Still not enough.
Though healthier, she still couldn’t sing the Song of Healing or the Song of Ruin.
The Song of Healing could cure any illness short of raising the dead.
The Song of Ruin could destroy any chosen part of body or mind.
It was the song even the emperor coveted—and the one Aria needed most.
I didn’t sing either song until I turned fourteen.
Four years later— after the Valentine Tragedy.
She had to awaken the songs sooner.
Iwantmore.
“Milady…!” Dana teared up.
Baker rushed out another dish—roasted turkey dripping in brown gravy.
Aria skillfully cut a piece—
“Have you been trained in table etiquette?” Dana asked.
Aria froze mid-motion.
In course meals, etiquette was impossible to hide.
After becoming a siren, her father had drilled every noble custom into her—until they became instinct.
She had let her guard down.
The fork and knife dropped from her hands. She lowered her head and held up a card:
I’mtoohungry.Nostrength.
Ridiculous excuse. Yet—
“I’ll cut it for you!”
“No, me!”
“Move! I’m best with meat!”
“I have an official carving certification!”
The kitchen staff argued, hands raised—until the head chef spoke solemnly,
“I am the best.”
Silence.
Their hands dropped.
But Aria looked straight at Dana.
“Oh my, shall I cut it for you?”
Aria nodded.
Dana, smiling sweetly, carved a fresh turkey just for her.
“Aah, open wide.”
“Ah—”
Aria chewed happily while the staff stared with envy at Dana.
Dana dressed Aria in a new indoor gown—
a soft pale yellow dress, bright and lovable, layered with lace embroidered with tiny flowers.
“I knew pastel colors would suit you perfectly.”
Aria looked into the mirror—
Her gaze paused.
The velvet waist ribbon had a cute cat pendant—
eyes made of obsidian, just like Lloyd’s.
It looks like him.
As she touched it, Dana peeked out the window and casually asked,
“The young master returned yesterday… should I guide you to him?”
Aria quickly shook her head.
He’ll kick me out saying I’m healed already.
Best to avoid provoking the Grand Duchess.
Aria fled toward the library—perfect for practicing her songs thanks to its soundproof studies.
The Grand Duke thought she was a bookworm, so no one questioned her presence there.
Or so she thought—until someone interrupted her.
“Hello, sister-in-law.”
Sister-in-law?
