Translator: Nox

Chapter 1

Chapter 001.

One morning, Mom, still not fully awake, leaned in close to me with a flushed face and declared,

“Honey, Mom’s decided to get married.”

“Oh, really?”

‘Remarried, I guess.’

Listening to Mom’s excited voice, I poked at the food on my plate with my fork.

It was sudden, but not surprising.

I could accept marriage easily enough.

It was just strange that she was announcing such a major event as marriage at such an important time for me, right before my advancement exam for early admission.

‘I’m pretty sure I told her I was preparing for the exam.’

She’d probably forgotten all about it.

Well, even if she remembered, it wouldn’t have made a difference.

‘I thought it was just a long-lasting romance. Marriage, huh.’

It had only been half a year since she’d stamped the divorce papers and declared, “I’m never doing this again.”

‘So, it’s come to this after all.’

I knew she’d started dating.

A sparkling face, a sweeter voice, frequent shopping trips and outings.

Macha and the Mailman, who had been visiting the house often recently, and Mom’s bright smile.

Her sparkling eyes curved into crescents as she looked at me.

“What do you think? Huh?”

“Well, if you’re thinking about marriage, I’m sure your partner is a good person.”

Since it was already decided, I wanted to say what she wanted to hear.

She was so happy; there was no need to spoil her mood.

I quietly picked up a napkin and wiped my mouth.

“I think we should have the ceremony soon. He wants to be together as soon as possible.”

Even so, it had only been two months since it started to show, and already marriage.

Her partner must be quite impatient.

I didn’t mind Mom’s remarriage itself, but I was a little concerned about the impact this remarriage would have on me.

Her previous marriage partner was someone who was really into family gatherings, and he used to call me to every family event.

Because of that, I was dragged around here and there against my will and suffered, so I learned that a family-oriented man isn’t always a good thing.

For a while, it was easier to wander around the balls like a migratory bird flying in search of a warm place.

Unfortunately, it seems she has found a nest to settle in once again.

“He’s going to take care of the preparations.”

“That’s good. He must be a kind person.”

At least the person involved is happy, so that’s a relief.

“I’m going to introduce him to you today, so keep your afternoon free.”

“Okay.”

I had a study group meeting scheduled with my friends this afternoon, but I decided to give it up.

Satisfied with my answer, she went straight to the dressing room.

Dana, who was attending to her, sighed.

“Madam is too much. She should have told you earlier, Miss…”

“It’s not like she made a promise in advance; she just decided on a whim.”

She tended to make decisions based on her momentary feelings.

She probably decided on today’s meeting on the spur of the moment while talking, saying, ‘Let’s meet while we’re at it.’

“It’s not intentional.”

“That’s what’s even more amazing.”

Dana sighed deeply and cleared the table.

‘But she’s not a bad person.’

It’s just that she was a person with a lot of love.

Always loving someone, accustomed to being loved, and investing her life in it.

Even so, she had never let go of my hand in the name of that love.

Dana pouted at my words.

“If you’re going to get married for the third time, you should just do it quietly now.”

“Our Mom has definite tastes.”

Mom enjoys showing off and flaunting her happiness to the fullest.

She also liked to capture images of herself being loved.

She is someone who doesn’t hesitate to do what she wants because of someone else’s gaze.

However, I hoped that her current partner would be a more ordinary person.

“I just hope he’s not an artist.”

Dana shuddered and muttered.

“The person who used to do chicken meditation, saying that art needs inspiration, was really…”

“Ah, that person. He was amazing.”

Dana sighed as I nodded in agreement.

She urged me, who was still not changing clothes and was dawdling.

“Wash up and get ready quickly. It’s a sudden appointment, but you shouldn’t look unprepared.”

“Anyway, if I’m next to Mom, it’ll be similar no matter what I wear.”

Dana frowned.

Even she wouldn’t be able to argue with that.

I took advantage of Dana’s hesitation and went up to my room.

Madam Tetiana.

Also known as Madam Titi.

She was originally an opera singer from a rural province.

Not only was she talented, but she was also so beautiful that many people wanted to sponsor her.

Mom, who was gradually making a name for herself and attracting attention in social circles, suddenly disappeared from people’s sight one day.

No one knew where she had gone, even if they tried to find out.

Lady Tetiana, who had been almost forgotten in people’s memories, appeared one day as Madam Tetiana, holding a child in her arms.

The child born out of wedlock was the talk of the town, but she was confident.

‘My child may not have a father, but she has a mother who can do more than that, so it’s enough.’

She always brought new gossip, regardless of the cold eyes, contempt, or neglect around her.

Being at the center of a noisy topic all the time, the title of ‘single mother’ had become insignificant among people.

‘It probably helped that she never talked about her daughter in front of others.’

I brushed my messy brown hair and looked in the mirror.

Unlike my Mom, who is a glamorous beauty, I saw a plain and ordinary-looking girl.

“What kind of person will he be?”

I hope he will make Mom happy for a long time.

Since there are many meetings, there are bound to be many partings, but every time that happens, Mom soothes the emptiness of parting with alcohol and intense one-night stands.

It’s amazing that she has the courage to start again even after experiencing so many breakups.

It’s great that she gets up again cheerfully even after being hurt, but on the other hand, I hoped that she would meet someone more mature than before.

* * *

While I was preparing, a maid came into the room and told me.

“Madam said she’s going out first to buy new jewelry. She said you can go straight to the meeting place.”

“Okay.”

She must already have several chests of jewelry in the warehouse.

I was once again impressed by her diligence in going out shopping.

She is someone who doesn’t waste even a spare moment when it comes to collecting things she likes.

“Madam already has too much jewelry in the house, but she should buy some for you, Miss.”

“I’m fine.”

I touched my ears, which I hadn’t even pierced yet, and shook my head at Dana, who was upset.

“It’s good, right? It’s easier to go alone.”

The words I said with a faint smile were sincere.

I’d rather rent a carriage and go alone than ride in Mom’s flashy Golden carriage and speed through the city.

“I should look through the textbook one more time before going out.”

“Miss, you haven’t done anything except decide on a dress and check the size.”

I shrugged at Dana’s serious expression.

“This is enough for me.”

As long as I don’t wear rags that are embarrassingly bad, Mom won’t care.

She does consider it very important for herself to shine in her place, but she is not the kind of person who forces others to match her level.

How ‘beautiful’ I look to others is not very important to me.

In that sense, we can say that we are a pretty good mother and daughter.

The moment I opened the textbook to use the remaining time, someone knocked on the door.

“Um, Miss. There’s a problem.”

A servant with a troubled face told me.

“There’s a carriage at the back gate.”

“At the back gate of our mansion?”

Who would park a carriage at the back gate of someone else’s mansion?

It was something that didn’t make sense logically.

Dana, who was next to me, carefully offered her opinion.

“Could it be that Madam sent a carriage for you, Miss?”

“Our Mom?”

She quietly closed her mouth as I asked back in disbelief.

I turned my head and said to the servant.

“First, please ask them to move the carriage.”

“That’s….”

Seeing the servant’s very troubled expression, I headed to the back gate and faced a scene that was hard to believe.

Indeed, as the servant said, there was a carriage in front of the back gate.

Knights in full uniform stood proudly on both sides of the dazzling Golden carriage.

An elaborate Wolf emblem was carved on all sides of the carriage, and red velvet from the open door was laid out to the back gate.

‘What day is it today?’

Mom declared her remarriage from the morning, set the meeting day for today, made me cancel my study session, and a Golden carriage greeted me at the back gate.

‘Am I dreaming?’

It was the moment when my hand went up to pinch my cheek.

A man of rare beauty got out of the wide-open carriage, holding a large bouquet of flowers in his arms.

The man with a dignified and orderly gait approached me step by step.

My heart was pounding with confusion over this creepy situation.

With each step closer, the fear and dread doubled.

‘Look at the brilliant insignia on his shoulder…!’

The shining platinum decoration intensely caught my eye.

Something flashed through my mind as I stepped back.

“Ah!”

It happens sometimes.

A man singing a serenade in the garden in the middle of the night, or a man waiting at the back gate because he desperately wants to meet me.

The man with brilliant blonde hair and blue eyes was as handsome as a prince in a fairy tale.

If there was a flaw, it would be that he looked somewhat young.

‘Well, at that age, they don’t know what they’re doing…’

I slowly approached him with a pitiful heart.

He looked at me and was delighted.

“Ah, are you an employee here? That’s good. Please deliver a message.”

“Before that, please listen to me first.”

“Hmm?”

I put my hands together and carefully opened my mouth, hoping not to hurt the other person’s feelings.

“Madam Tetiana has a meeting with her remarriage partner today.”

“I know.”

He knows, but why did he come?

“People all grow up experiencing the pain of unrequited love. You’re young and promising, and you have a great appearance, so you’ll be able to meet a better woman.”

I gave him my sincere comfort and cheered on his next love.

The man dropped the yellow bouquet he was holding in his arms with a thud.

The knights on both sides were also staring at me with blank faces.

‘Cheer up, young man.’

I clenched my fist slightly as a sign of encouragement.