“As expected. You had forgotten. I mentioned that day that due to the hasty preparations, we couldn’t properly express our sincerity, so we wanted to show our true feelings again.”

At Kalon’s words, Ael’s eyes widened. Wasn’t that just a polite remark that had already been concluded?

But Kalon was speaking as if Ael had forgotten to contact him separately afterwards, as they had agreed.

The baroness, listening to their conversation, couldn’t hide her rising smile at the mention of expressing sincerity.

It seemed she had momentarily forgotten about Elize’s situation, elated at the thought of receiving another lavish gift after the previous one.

“And I’m not sure if the message was conveyed, but I came today with a request for Lady Aelfrida.”

“Yes, I heard. That you wanted me to teach you the ancient language…”

“That’s right. However, Baron Aradis informed me that it would be considered very rude in Denertum. So I dare not ask for more.”

At Kalon’s words of apparent resignation, Ael bit her lip.

If she offered to teach the ancient language, would she be able to go to Ash Company? Would she be able to see the bustling people again, like that time?

Walking through the busy streets every day, watching the ships that seemed ready to sail at any moment on the path where the sea breeze blows, imagining herself boarding one of those ships someday…

The moment her imagination reached that point, Ael shuddered. Then, without realizing it, she covered her mouth with her hand.

‘Goodness.’

She thought she had forgotten everything related to Ash Company since that day, but her mind was already filled with incredible imaginings.

Leaving this house, working among people, leaving this country…

As Ael was stunned by her own belated realization of her desires, Kalon’s voice was heard again from outside.

“Lady Aelfrida, anytime is fine. If there’s anything you want, please contact us.”

He spoke as if making a vow.

“We will grant whatever you wish.”

* * *

“We just wasted money and time.”

On the carriage ride back from the baron’s residence, Ino spoke glumly, resting his chin on his hand.

The visit to Baron Aradis’s house was a failure. They had only delivered the gifts they brought and failed to bring Aelfrida to Ash Company.

“Indeed.”

Kalon replied softly to Ino’s words. Hearing his voice, Ino suddenly straightened his posture and asked with a tense face.

“Did I do something wrong?”

“Huh?”

“If not, then why are you so angry?”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

Confused by the unexpected question, Kalon looked at Ino, who remained stiff as he answered.

“How many years have I been with you, Master Kalon? Of course I can recognize your angry voice. When the pitch differences decrease like now, it means you’re extremely angry. Last time, during the Tarin Republic’s bankruptcy…”

“Ino.”

At the low voice that spoke again, Ino closed his mouth.

The bankruptcy of the Tarin Republic was an operation led by Ash Company. More precisely, it was designed by Kalon.

It had been a wretched country. Behind the name of a republic, their illegal activities were countless.

Among them, the human trafficking ring and slave market operated under the assembly’s direction were what Kalon hated the most.

‘It was truly terrifying back then.’

Ino realized then that there was an even more perfect destruction than trampling with guns and swords.

The people of Tarin lost the name of their country and their future. He didn’t feel sorry for them.

Their wealth was all built by stealing the lives of others.

And Kalon’s voice at that time was similar to now.

‘Why on earth?’

Ino couldn’t understand what about that shabby baron’s house had made Kalon so angry.

Baron Aradis? A petty and materialistic man, but they had met countless people far worse than him.

So there was no reason for Kalon to be newly angered by someone like the baron…

At times like this, racking his brain wouldn’t solve anything. So Ino made the best choice he could.

‘I should just keep quiet.’

While Ino made his wise choice, Kalon was lost in thought.

‘There was someone else there.’

From the moment they were guided to what was said to be Ael’s room, Kalon noticed.

The fact that Ael wasn’t alone beyond the door.

Since he had seen all the servants he had met last time when entering, the person with her was probably the baroness or Elize, who hadn’t shown themselves.

Kalon also noticed that there was a faint tremor in the voice he heard. As if the person was being threatened.

At that moment, Kalon recalled the commotion at the tea party that Ino had told him about. He could guess why Ael couldn’t show herself.

They must have punished her for the tea party incident, leaving her in a state unfit to be seen by others.

So Kalon spoke emphatically. That he would grant whatever she wished.

Being an intelligent person, she must have found it strange that he said he would send more gifts, but soon understood his intention. That he could help even in this situation.

Of course, she couldn’t answer easily since she was with someone else.

But after today, if she still needed help, she would surely respond.

As the carriage arrived at Ash Company, Nisha, who had been waiting, ran out. Then she asked Kalon and Ino as they got off:

“Where is Lady Aelfrida?”

“Ah.”

At that moment, Kalon realized. From the moment he left the baron’s house until now, he hadn’t thought about the most important issue of the ancient language at all.

And three weeks later.

“Can you still help me?”

Kalon found himself facing Ael, who had come with a bruised face.

* * *

The night Kalon left, Ael was dragged away again and punished by Elize and the baron couple.

The next day, Jena, who secretly visited Ael’s room, cried and asked how they could do this to her daughter.

Ael’s condition was that terrible.

Bruises all over her body, split lips from being hit, and wounds.

The traces of one-sided violence painted a miserable picture on Ael’s body.

Still, she thought it was fortunate. Although her body ached, nothing was broken. Time would heal the bruises and swelling. As it always had.

But the problem didn’t end there.

Elize, unable to contain her anger, entered Ael’s room and discovered a book under the bed while rampaging.

“What’s this?”

Picking up the book that had rolled out, Elize’s eyes lit up at the Academy library mark inside, and she immediately ran to Baron Aradis.

The already furious baron exploded again. The baron gritted his teeth as he looked at the book brought out by the servant.

“How dare you do such a thing with my identification! Does it feel good to look down on people with knowledge gained through theft, you pathetic failure!”

Having been focused only on Elize and going out for a while, he hadn’t paid any attention to Ael at all.

That perfect indifference had actually allowed Ael to live quietly. But this incident made the baron remember his disappointment, despair, and anger from when Ael was born.

The baron threw the book in his hand ruthlessly towards Ael. The corner of the book hit her forehead and fell to the floor.

“…!”

Feeling intense pain, Ael touched the part where the book had hit. Her hand was covered in red blood.

At first, she cried out in pain, but when Ael soon endured the pain as if used to it, the baron couple and Elize became even more enraged.

They desperately wanted Ael to suffer and beg them on her knees.

Then Elize picked up one of the books Ael had borrowed and tore its pages.

“This trash!”

At that moment, Ael, who had been still, suddenly stood up and rushed at Elize to snatch the book.

“What are you doing! Stop it!”

Surprised by Ael’s sudden attack after being seemingly lifeless, Elize stepped back.

But soon Elize’s eyes flashed. She had realized what she needed to do to torment Ael.

Elize ordered Maya to hold Ael down, then deliberately tore the book in front of her.

Ael tried to stop her, but her pained body wouldn’t listen, and Maya held her arms so tightly that she couldn’t break free.

The baron, knowing that the book was borrowed from the library in his name, flinched for a moment, but when he saw Ael crying and begging them to stop, he too joined in tearing and trampling the book.

‘It’s just a book, how much could it cost?’

Even if it was a book brought from the Empire, it was still just a book.

He thought it was a cheap price to pay for seeing her suffer like this.