Chapter 2….

Myr Renat

At Ophelia’s sharp gaze, Samuel flinched without realizing it.

But almost immediately, perhaps angry at himself for feeling even a moment of fear toward that “foolish girl,” he raised his voice.

“Without the master’s permission, you absolutely cannot leave Naris. I, Samuel, will not allow it.”

At the butler’s objection, Nea spoke anxiously, afraid Ophelia might take back her promise.

“Father said if we don’t leave now, the situation will only get worse. Before it becomes more dangerous, we plan to hire several mercenaries and leave.”

“Even so, it’s impossible. Without the master’s permission, no one is leaving.”

In her previous life, the butler had used the exact same excuse, insisting they wait.

Once all of Nea’s acquaintances had left Naris, there would be no one left in the city who could help Ophelia.

Samuel was clearly waiting for that moment so he could seize what little remained of the baron’s wealth.

The same excuse again in this life.

Ophelia sneered inwardly.

Just as Nea was about to speak, Ophelia’s voice cut in first.

“Butler. No matter how insignificant this border barony may be, I am still a noblewoman. And commoners are expected to show proper respect to nobles.”

The butler, who had been scolding Ophelia just moments ago, stiffened.

“Did you forget that you are supposed to knock before entering a room? Do I need to have you retrained like a new servant? Go outside this instant, knock again, and enter only after I give permission.”

Her firm tone made Samuel’s face twist.

But no matter how minor her rank, a noble was still a noble.

Samuel bit down on his lip.

If he openly defied Ophelia in front of Nea, his plans might fall apart.

With a rigid face, he turned around, stepped outside, closed the door, and knocked again.

Ophelia did not answer immediately.

She deliberately kept him waiting for a long moment before speaking.

“Come in.”

This time the butler lowered his head and waited respectfully for her words.

“Father and my brother must have arrived in the capital long ago. They probably couldn’t contact us because circumstances didn’t allow it. If we delay any longer, it will only become harder to escape Naris. We are going to the capital, where Father is.”

“I apologize, Miss. Without the master’s orders, we cannot leave. I obey only the master.”

At Samuel’s words, Ophelia clasped her trembling hands tightly together and forced herself to sound calm.

“Is that so? Fine. Then I’ll leave first with Nea. You stay here and guard the house until Father’s message arrives. Once you receive his orders, come to the capital and join us.”

“Miss!”

“If you dislike that, then come along quietly. I will tolerate no further objections.”

Samuel pressed his lips together and bowed even deeper.

Nea could only stare blankly at Ophelia, astonished by how resolute she looked.

Perhaps because her father was illegitimate, Ophelia had always seemed timid somehow.

She had never been good at forcefully asserting her own will.

She was more accustomed to accepting others’ opinions or compromising.

But today’s Ophelia felt different.

A little different—no, much more impressive.

Soon Samuel stormed out, roughly flinging open the door.

It slammed shut with a loud bang.

“Hahaha, Ria! That was so satisfying.”

Nea continued excitedly.

“Honestly, I’ve always hated how Samuel treats you like a child. It was as if he forgot his place. But since you treated him like family, I couldn’t really say anything. Do you know how frustrating that was?”

“Was it?”

“Yes! You were really amazing just now. You looked every bit the noble lady.”

“Really? Hehe… thank you, Nea.”

Ophelia took Nea’s hand tightly.

“But Nea… I think I need your help again today.”

“Of course. Tell me.”

“Lend me one of your family’s knights. I think they’ll make their move tonight.”

“Make their move? Who?”

Nea’s eyes sparkled as she stared at Ophelia.

“I’ll tell you after it’s over.”

Ophelia smiled meaningfully.

“Alright. I’ll tell Father. Don’t worry.”

After Nea returned home, Ophelia called for Bisha.

“Bisha. In two days, we’re leaving Naris.”

Shock and sorrow crossed Bisha’s face.

“Miss… I don’t know if I should say this, but… could you please take us with you? I know I’m being presumptuous, but for the sake of all the years I’ve looked after you… If not both of us, at least take Jonathan. I beg you…”

As Bisha wept, memories of her previous life overlapped.

Back then, Ophelia had been unable to grant Bisha’s request.

Samuel’s fierce opposition had ultimately forced her to give in.

Ophelia had first met Bisha when she was six years old.

She had been leaving a tailor’s shop with her mother after getting winter clothes when they saw a ragged little boy in the street, clutching a collapsed woman and crying.

It was young Jonathan and his mother, Bisha.

“Please save my mother! Help us, please!”

People had deliberately ignored the boy’s desperate cries as they passed by.

Then Ophelia’s mother had extended her hand to Jonathan.

Because of the baroness, Bisha had not frozen to death on the street and had recovered.

Pitying the widow struggling to survive with her young son, Ophelia’s mother allowed Bisha to work at the baron’s house, helping with cleaning and cooking.

Jonathan was two years older than Ophelia.

He became close not only with her, but also with her brother, Leo.

On the night Father and Leo were executed, when even tears had dried up inside Ophelia, Jonathan—who had been absent for years—appeared before her, dropped to his knees, and wept bitterly.

“I heard about the master and young master far too late. I hurried as fast as I could… but in the end I was still too late. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Miss…”

Ophelia had held Jonathan, who cried like a child, and silently wept through the night.

“Miss, come with me. Mother has been worried about you too.”

Jonathan had said he had joined a bandit group just to survive.

From the sound of it, he had risen fairly high.

Ophelia had hesitated at his offer, but in the end she had not gone with him.

Even until the very last moment, she could not let go of her lingering feelings for Albus and had decided to give him one last chance.

After that, she never learned what became of Jonathan and Bisha.

Since he had joined bandits, the ending could not have been good.

Looking now at Bisha, weeping in front of her, Ophelia finally spoke the words she had never said in her previous life.

“Of course you’re coming with us. You and Jonathan are family.”

“Ah… Miss, thank you. Thank you so much.”

Bisha wiped her eyes with rough hands and bowed over and over.

“We leave in two days. Tell Jonathan to come home immediately today. I may need his help tonight.”

Tension suddenly flickered across Bisha’s tear-stained face.

“I’ll fetch Jonathan right away. Miss, don’t worry. No matter what happens, my son and I will protect you.”

“Thank you, Bisha.”

As she watched Bisha hurry out, warmth spread through Ophelia’s heart.

So I had this many people on my side.

I really was a fool.

The love I was searching for had been this close all along.

In this life, I’ll protect everyone. No matter what.

“Father! Father!”

The quiet house of Count Dace suddenly grew noisy with Nea’s arrival.

Hearing his daughter’s voice booming from afar, Count Dace cleared his throat in mild annoyance.

Then he glanced at the young silver-haired man seated opposite him, a man who looked to be in his early twenties.

“My daughter is rather unruly… My apologies, Your Highness.”

A faint smile curved the lips of the young man, whose deep blue eyes resembled a tranquil lake, and whose face could only be called flawlessly beautiful.

“Let us not use ‘Your Highness’ here.”

His voice, flowing from perfectly sculpted lips, was as gentle as a spring breeze.

“I would prefer that no one besides the count knows my identity.”

“Understood.”

His face naturally put others at ease, but Count Dace did not lower his guard.

Still, in accordance with Myr’s wish to hide his status, he made sure not to appear overly formal.

It was Crown Prince Myr Renat of the Apollos Empire.

Despite being born to a lowborn commoner mother, he had surpassed the empress’s second prince and risen to become crown prince.

At the age of three, he could already read.

At four, he composed poetry.

At fifteen, he accompanied the emperor on an inspection of the battlefield and proposed a strategy that turned the tide of war, securing a great victory for the Apollos Empire.

Perhaps it had started then.

That was when people began to adore the first prince, Myr, despite his common-born mother.

Even among the noble faction led by the empress, the younger nobles abandoned the empress’s second prince and completely shifted their support to the first prince.

People praised Myr as a once-in-a-generation genius sent by the gods to bless the Apollos Empire.

The door suddenly flew open.

“Father! Guess what? Ria said she’ll come with us! Isn’t that wonderful?”

Count Dace clicked his tongue quietly as Nea burst in, flushed with excitement.

But then her lively voice abruptly died away.

The drawing room fell silent.

It was because of the breathtakingly handsome man seated beside her father.

Myr frowned faintly under Nea’s stare.

He still found the gaze of others unpleasant.

“Nea! What kind of rudeness is this in front of a guest?”

Count Dace usually overlooked his daughter’s impulsive behavior.

His rare scolding snapped Nea back to her senses.

“M-my apologies. I’m Nea Renat.”

She gracefully spread her skirt and greeted him first.

“Rude Wells. A pleasure to meet you.”

“Rude?”

For a moment Nea’s eyes sparkled, and she instantly returned to her usual self.

“You mean the crown prince’s cousin? The empire’s greatest womaniz—”

She clamped a hand over her mouth in horror.

“Ah! I’m sorry!”

Nea turned miserably toward Count Dace.

Outwardly, the count remained calm, but his hands were damp with cold sweat.

He secretly studied the expression of Rude—or rather, Crown Prince Myr Renat.

Myr’s expression did not change.

No one knows what lies behind the crown prince’s gentle and beautiful face.

The reason Myr, born of a commoner mother, had been able to become crown prince was not simply because of his brilliance.

The second prince had been thrown from his horse during a hunting tournament and badly injured his left arm, leaving him permanently disabled.

Only a handful of people knew that Myr himself had orchestrated that accident.

He had not done it merely to seize the crown prince’s position.

It had been a cruel act of revenge against the empress—the woman who had driven his mother to death.

The imperial family had to remain perfect and superior.

A cripple unable to lead armies on the battlefield could never become emperor.

And so Myr Renat became crown prince of the Apollos Empire.

“Count Rude, I apologize. Please forgive my daughter’s rashness and her careless words.”

“Hahaha, not at all. I’ve already heard rumors about Lady Nea’s frank nature. I was only surprised that she said such a thing directly to my face. More importantly, didn’t you have something to tell the count? Please, don’t mind me. Continue your conversation.”

Nea glanced at her father.

Strictly speaking, it might be rude for a third party to listen in on family matters.

But Count Dace nodded, signaling her to continue.

Since her father accepted the situation as perfectly natural, Nea resumed.

“Father, I’m saying it again—Ophelia has agreed to leave with us.”

“Yes, that is excellent news. If she comes with us, the journey to the capital will be much safer.”

“But Ophelia asked if we could send one knight.”

“A knight? Of course. That can be arranged. By the way… Ophelia’s father and brother are staying with the Lares family right now, aren’t they?”

The Lares family?

Crown Prince Myr, who had been listening absentmindedly to the conversation between father and daughter, slowly raised an eyebrow.