“Hoho. Of course. Since the young lady has finished her meal… Duke Spencer, please leave the room for a moment.”

Susanna requested Teishar to leave the room as she needed to bathe Lorencia.

“Do I have to leave? This is my room.”

“Yes. While you’re out, please visit His Highness Adrian’s office.”

Teishar pouted at being told to leave. The mere thought of being separated from the young tree made his heart ache.

“Do I really have to leave, Susanna?”

He hated the idea of parting.

“Yes.”

Susanna let out a small sigh. Then she approached Teishar and whispered softly.

“The young lady’s head is covered in blood. I need to wash her.”

“Then when should I come back?”

“Please return in about 2 hours.”

“That’s too late. I’ll give you 30 minutes.”

“Duke Spencer. 30 minutes is not enough.”

“Then I’ll give you 1 hour.”

“1 hour is still not enough.”

“I have no choice then. I’ll leave it to you, Susanna.”

Teishar approached Lorencia.

“Lady Lorencia. I’ll return shortly.”

“Yes, Duke Spencer.”

Having successfully sent Teishar out, Susanna took Lorencia to the bathroom.

“Young lady. I’ll wash your body.”

“Me? It’s fine. I can wash myself.”

Susanna felt pity watching Lorencia, who kept bowing her head and insisting she was fine.

Thinking it was a young girl’s shyness, Susanna playfully spoke while skillfully removing Lorencia’s robe, who was fidgeting and clutching the front of her gown. As soon as the robe came off, Lorencia sat down on the spot. She tried to cover her body with her bony hands and arms, but it was futile.

She had heard rumors, but the rumors were just the tip of the iceberg. Lorencia’s body was in worse condition than expected.

Susanna was angered by Lorencia’s body, which was so emaciated it looked like it might break at any moment. She was furious at the people of Count Pol Heredian’s household who had starved and abused her to this extent. Susanna carefully examined Lorencia’s body. Then she gently placed Lorencia in the bathtub.

“Is the water temperature okay?”

“Yes…”

“But aren’t you going to take off the amethyst necklace you’re wearing?”

“No. I don’t want to take it off.”

“I understand.”

Susanna gently embraced Lorencia and began washing her carefully, as if giving a massage.

“It doesn’t hurt, does it?”

“No.”

After washing Lorencia, Susanna carefully dried her off. Lorencia was flustered and embarrassed, having never received such attentive care before.

“You’ll need to get used to receiving this kind of treatment from now on.”

Susanna began drying and combing Lorencia’s red hair. The vivid red hair was beautifully revealed. However, Susanna felt upset seeing how damaged the hair was.

“Would you mind waiting here for a moment? I’ll bring a dress for you to wear.”

Susanna had to bring an even smaller dress than the one she had initially prepared, as Lorencia’s body was thinner than expected.

When Susanna returned, she had a light pink dress in her hands. Lorencia blinked her eyes. Susanna helped Lorencia put on the dress. Although there were many loose parts, she skillfully tightened the dress and added layers of fabric.

“Now, take a look in the mirror. Do you like it? You look so cute.”

Lorencia’s cheeks turned red as she saw her unfamiliar reflection in the mirror.

“Thank you for the compliment.”

“It’s good to thank those below you, but you should refrain from doing it too much, Lady Lorencia.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t say you’re sorry, young lady.”

“But I’m just an illegitimate child, worse than a dog or a pig.”

Seeing how casually Lorencia referred to herself as an illegitimate child, Susanna could imagine how she had been treated even by the maids at the Pol Heredian estate.

“No. Lady Lorencia, you are a young lady of a noble family.”

“But…”

“From now on, instead of saying sorry or thank you, please say ‘well done.’ That’s the best compliment for those beneath you to hear.”

“I’ll try.”

Lorencia nodded with reddened cheeks.

“I’ll trim your hair a little.”

“Okay.”

“You’re really cute, Lady Lorencia.”

After finishing her grooming, Lorencia looked at herself in the mirror. It was so unfamiliar that she lowered her gaze.

Susanna’s continued compliments didn’t register in her ears at all. Lorencia clutched her amethyst necklace with an anxious heart. She felt stifled and uneasy. That she was changing the future.

For the man she loved, she had trampled countless lives. Now, conversely, she could save those lives. So even if the amethyst necklace no longer showed the future, she had to steel her resolve. Hadn’t she decided?

She had sworn to herself that she would become a monster to those who had sneered and pointed fingers at her, calling her a monster.

Lorencia moistened her dry lips and looked at herself in the mirror. This is where it really begins.

As much as she had thoroughly twisted the future, Ruans’ future.

‘I will twist it.’

She would no longer live being pointed at as his villainess.

“Are you alright, Lady Lorencia?”

“Yes. It’s just my first time being escorted.”

Lorencia, who had never received a proper escort before, shrank a little in embarrassment, but Teishar extended his hand with a gentle smile.

After hesitating, Lorencia carefully placed her hand on his, and Teishar smiled brightly.

“Well done, Lady Lorencia.”

“What did I do well?”

“You gracefully placed your hand on my palm.”

Lorencia felt very shy at his excessive praise for what seemed like such a small thing.

Her face felt hot, and her ears and nape seemed to have turned bright red. She realized for the first time how embarrassing it could be to receive praise from others for something so trivial.

“Lady Lorencia. Your face is red. If you’re pushing yourself, I’d appreciate it if you’d let me know.”

“No. I’m fine.”

“There’s no need to push yourself to see Princess Charlotte. You can see her later.”

Suddenly, Teishar lowered his waist and face to her eye level and asked, bringing his face close. Lorencia shook her head left and right with her reddened face.

“I’m fine.”

“You seem to have a fever. If you feel even slightly unwell, you must tell me.”

Lorencia looked up at the unrealistically handsome Teishar.

“I will slowly match my pace to yours, my lady.”

“Thank you, Duke Spencer.”

“And…”

Teishar’s voice was low and gentle. She listened attentively to what he was saying. Thanks to this, she felt her tension easing a little.

“Thank you for being so considerate in various ways, Duke Spencer.”

“I will continue to take care of you, Lady Lorencia.”

Teishar had recognized her as a child of Goddess Ella at first glance and approached her. She wondered if it was still the same now. She couldn’t relax at the thought that he might be kind to her because she was a child of Goddess Ella.

Perhaps the power she possessed had something to do with being a child of Goddess Ella. Maybe Teishar was treating her kindly because he knew she had power. But she couldn’t understand why she felt so warm from Teishar, who was gazing at her intently. Strangely, she felt protected.

“You don’t need to be nervous. I’ll stay by your side.”

“Thank you.”

Teishar smiled leisurely as he looked at the trees visible behind Lorencia. He kept smiling at the sight of new branches sprouting or buds emerging from the broken branches. If he could let this young tree grow unharmed by his side like this, beautiful flowers might bloom and luscious fruits might bear.

His heart trembled with a sense of achievement just thinking about it. Whenever he had such thoughts, he realized that protecting this young tree was not a duty but an instinct.

“But Duke Spencer. Can I really not return to the count’s residence?”

“As I said earlier, I have no intention of sending you back, Lady Lorencia.”

Lorencia tilted her head and looked curious. But Teishar just kept smiling. Teishar was filled with thoughts of how nice it would be if he could take Lorencia to the Polroid Empire like this.

The two of them walked down the long corridor, conversing. Soon they arrived at Adrian’s personal office and reception room.

“Hello. I am Lorencia of the Pol Heredian Count family. I greet Your Highness the Crown Prince and the Princess of the Polroid Empire.”

Lorencia greeted as Susanna had instructed, but she was so nervous that she wasn’t sure if she had done it properly. Judging by the expressions of others, it seemed she hadn’t made a mistake, and she inwardly sighed with relief.

“It’s nice to meet you, Lady Lorencia.”

Lorencia flinched involuntarily at the sight of Charlotte approaching so warmly.

In the future she had seen before, Charlotte was the one she had killed along with Adrian. At that time, Charlotte had been an obstacle to Ruans. So she had seen a future where Charlotte could die naturally, and that’s how she had let Charlotte die.

It wasn’t just Charlotte. She had killed Adrian and Lanslon with her own hands as well.

Ruans had been pleased. She had been happy to live as a woman who fulfilled the wishes of the man she loved.

“Lady Lorencia. You don’t look well.”

At Charlotte’s words, Teishar quickly approached Lorencia, placed both hands on her cheeks, and examined her face from side to side.

“This won’t do. Princess. I will take Lady Lorencia back to her room.”

“I’m fine, Duke Spencer. Could you please take your hands off my face?”

“I need to examine your complexion further, so I’ll remove my hands in a moment.”

“Has my complexion worsened that much?”

“It’s not good. I think you need to eat a little more and sleep more. Are you cold? If you’re cold, I’ll take off my cloak and give it to you.”

Charlotte was slightly surprised by the amount of words Teishar was uttering. It was the same for Adrian. They had never heard him speak this much before. He was definitely not someone who liked either speaking or listening.

But.

“Lady Lorencia. You can sit over here.”

At this moment, what was felt from Teishar was not intimidation, but affection towards Lorencia.