Chapter 1 Part 1: Their Childhood

Rosa Anencia, the only daughter of Count Anencia, was born frail.

That was simply the setting.

Perhaps it was for the author’s convenience, since she was an extra who needed to be disposed of quickly, but thanks to this, she had to live at the villa for several days each month.

It had been this way since she was young, so even if she didn’t want to go, she had no choice.

‘Actually, I don’t dislike it…’

If anything, she rather liked it.

It was quite a distance from the Anencia estate.

After half a day’s carriage ride from the mansion, the scenery of a village came into view.

Eckshire, an adjective meaning cozy.

That was the name of the small rural village.

Inside the low, rounded stone walls were gathered about twenty houses.

Wheat fields, almost golden in color, swayed in the gentle breeze.

Whoa-

The sound of children playing could be heard from afar.

Smoke curled from the earthen chimneys as they prepared dinner.

“We’ll be arriving soon.”

Hearing the coachman’s words, Rosa opened the carriage window.

The oak forest to the north of the village came into view.

Near a small lake in the heart of the forest was the count’s private villa, a rather grand affair.

“Welcome, Miss.”

A gray-haired butler greeted her.

Three or four maids scurried forward and set up a step-stool at the carriage door.

“Oh, Ed. It’s been a while.”

Rosa greeted him as she stepped down from the carriage.

Her movements were somewhat awkward.

The way she clumsily descended the steps, her rather informal tone.

Last time, she had tripped over her skirt, embarrassing both him and the maids.

Butler Ed asked with a gentle smile, “It’s been a while. Miss, would you like to dine first?”

“No.”

The girl shook her head quickly.

“Could I go to the back lot first…?”

She seemed to be seeking his permission, almost nervously.

Ed quietly clasped his hands behind his back and stepped aside.

“Of course, as you wish, Miss.”

“Thanks.”

The “back lot” was literally just the area behind the mansion.

Rosa clutched her unfamiliar skirt and hurried along.

As expected, a boy was sitting on the swing.

A worn brown tunic, dusty trousers.

Clothes typical of a commoner or a boy from a poor noble family.

Rosa’s expression brightened for a moment and she called out, “Hey-!”

At her cheerful call, the boy with jet-black hair turned his head.

“You said your name was Caron, right? I was about to get bored, so this is perfect timing. How did you know I’d be here?”

At her question, the boy hesitated for a moment before answering.

“..You told me to come again. You said you always come around this time.”

Thinking back, she definitely had such a memory.

“Oh, that’s right.”

Rosa grinned and sat next to the boy. Her ruby-like red eyes darted around like she’d discovered a new toy.

“How’s your body? Are you feeling better?”

Her words were kind, but they felt somewhat perfunctory.

“I’m much better now.”

“Good. Let me see.”

Rosa reached for Caron’s shirt without hesitation, as if to lift it.

Caron, startled, swatted her hand away.

Slap-

“..What are you doing?”

The girl didn’t mind the suddenly cold atmosphere.

“What do you mean? I’m trying to see your wounds.”

“Who are you to do that?”

“Is that how you talk to your lifesaver?”

He couldn’t respond to her words.

Rosa clicked her tongue and lifted the boy’s shirt.

“It’s just your back. Why are you so fussy like a girl?”

The fact that his back stiffened in disbelief was definitely not Rosa’s imagination.

It had already been last winter.

“Who do you think found you collapsed in the forest? I fed you, clothed you, and nursed you back to health for days.”

It was all true.

She had been so surprised.

Bored of being cooped up in the villa, she had gone outside and found someone collapsed in the forest behind the mansion, bleeding.

His breathing was ragged, his whole body burning with fever.

[Someone, help-! ]

At her cry, the servants had rushed over.

With their help, they brought the boy into the villa, and his condition was truly a sight to behold.

The boy’s bare chest was covered in scars. Deep wounds, as if from whipping, marked his back.

After several days of care, Caron had finally regained consciousness.

“Wait.”

Suddenly, Caron raised his hand. His finger pointed at Rosa.

“You, you nursed me back to health…?”

“Yeah. This big brother even spoon-fed you.”

“Big brother..?”

He had no memory of it, and her words were even more baffling.

Rosa gently stroked Caron’s stunned head.

“Caron. Listen to me.”

“What are you…”

He tried to flare up, but his body wouldn’t move. Unlike her perfunctory question earlier, this time she spoke with a truly worried expression.

“I told you last time, if you’re okay with it-“

Of course, Caron knew what would follow.

“..Don’t give me that crap.”

He had already heard it once before.

Where do you live, who are you?

The words he finally managed to stammer out were something about domestic violence.

And finally…

Her advice that he should leave that kind of home, that she would take responsibility for him.

“I don’t need it. Any of it.”

The cold reaction she expected.

Rosa sighed deeply and said, “I’m saying this for your own good.”

In her previous life, or rather, his previous life, he had been a youth counselor.

So even though his words were light, he was genuinely worried about the young boy.

“..It’s not a family issue.”

As if sensing her sincerity, Caron averted his gaze awkwardly and said, “And, it seems like you’re the one in a more serious condition.”

How could she be his older brother? No matter how he looked at it, she was just a pretty girl of the same age.

“Me? I’m not as sick as you think.”

“Not that. I’m talking about how you address me.”

“Ah-“

Rosa gasped as if she finally realized.

“Why? Do you want me to call you ‘older brother’?”

“For the record, I’m a year older than you.”

That was right.

Rosa was twelve, and Caron was thirteen.

‘This little brat…’

Rosa was dumbfounded, but…

“Alright.”

She smiled brightly.

Children with suspected abuse required a more careful approach.

“Then Caron, let me ask you one thing. You completely ignored what I said. So why did you come here again?”

She intended to make him realize it himself.

“..I don’t know.”

Caron replied. As she expected, his expression was somewhat confused.

“You don’t know…?”

“..Yeah.”

‘He really is just a kid.’

Thinking so, Rosa smiled.

“Well, I’m a bit hungry now. How about we have dinner together?”

Starting small.

“Okay.”

Caron nodded.

That was their second encounter.

The next month, and the month after that. And the month after that. The boy and girl continued to meet.

Before they knew it, the hot summer had arrived. People’s sleeves shortened, and the sound of cicadas chirped day and night.

In the relatively cool evenings, children would gather one by one with their weapons. Their weapons were nothing more than crudely bundled straw, but the debate over who would play the villain was always serious.

“John, you were the hero last time. So it’s our turn to be the heroes this time.”

“No. Duran. You guys were the heroes twice in a row last week.”

The fifteen children, who had been chattering excitedly, all fell silent at once.

“Oh, Rosa and Caron are here!”

“Shh! My mom told me to call her Miss.”

“Hi everyone!”

The children stared, entranced, at the silver-haired girl as she approached, waving. Even though their parents had strictly instructed them, they didn’t really understand how significant the title “Miss” was.

They only knew that the status of a noble was something they couldn’t approach, which was evident even now as Rosa’s escorts watched them from a distance.

“Um, Rosa. Should we call you Miss? That’s what the adults told us to do.”

At the children’s hesitant question, the girl readily shook her head.

“No, you don’t have to. Caron and I are just here to play with you.”

“Then Rosa can be the princess, and Caron can be the hero!”

Someone shouted, and the children’s faces instantly brightened. They were the two who fit those roles best.

Rosa was a pretty noble girl they had never seen before, and Caron, at a glance, seemed to be from a different world than them.

But Rosa tilted her head.

“What are you talking about? Why should I be the princess?”

She genuinely looked like she didn’t understand why she should play that role.