n

n

nAfter shedding tears in the arms of the man, I still couldn’t raise my head even after I stopped crying.

n‘I must be crazy…’

nI didn’t know why I suddenly cried while being hugged by a man I met for the first time, but I was so embarrassed after I stopped crying.

nThoughts and actions often played separately, perhaps because my body was young.

nMaybe that’s why there’s a lot of emotional change.

n

n

n“Ugh…”

nWhen I opened my eyes, I could see my tears and runny nose buried in the black robe. What a terrible sight it was.

nI was startled and carefully wiped my face with my sleeves, then I heard a low laughter.

n“Are you crying?”

nErita buried her stiff body in his big arms again and just nodded.

nI’m screwed…

n“Then should we get off the carriage now?”

n“Yes…”

nAs I nodded, the man who stroked my head slowly moved.

n‘Crazy, really… I’ve been crying all this time?’

nIf I were in bed right now, I could kick the blanket a hundred times and punch my pillow.

nBury my head in the face of a flurry embarrassment.

nThud~

nAfter a while, I heard the sound of the door closing.

nI carefully lifted my head and looked around, and saw the inside of the carriage which was wider than I thought.

nThe carriage, which began to run slowly, remained steady.

n‘Where are we going now?’

nHow long have I been fiddling with my fingers inside the carriage, glancing at the man who wouldn’t take his robe off?

nThen, the man lowered the hood of his robe, as if he had read my mind.

n“…!”

nAnd I opened my mouth wide when the man exposed his face.

nRed eyes, straight nose bridge like that of a painting, and gorgeous lips that showed off the best appearance among all the people I have ever seen.

nBut what surprised me more than his handsome face, was the man’s hair.

n“Black hair…?”

nHis pitch black hair was revealed, black like mine.

nIt was a very common color in my previous life, but I’ve never seen black hair before in this world.

nIn my bewildered words, the man looked down at me and smiled a little.

n“Yes, the same color as yours.”

nAs he said those words, the man seemed to contemplate while hugging me, and then slowly continued.

n“I had a very pretty daughter. She was a lovely child who looked just like my wife.”

nSomehow, in the soft atmosphere, my body stiffened.

nHe has a daughter, so why was he adopting me?

nHolding back the rising anxiety, I still listened to the man quietly.

n“When that child was born, I felt like I had received all the blessings in the world. The smile on her face looking at me was so pretty.”

nThe man’s face softened as he spoke. His low voice was filled with affection that he couldn’t hide.

n…That child was really loved. Somehow I felt a tingling sensation in my chest.

nI envied the child a little, maybe a little too much.

n“So I made a promise. No matter what happens, I would protect my daughter, my lovely child.”

n“…”

n“But there was an unexpected accident seven years ago that I couldn’t stop from happening.”

nThe man’s jaw closed firmly. As if talking about a painful fact, the voice that came out again sounded broken with regret and remorse.

n“Then, I lost my wife and my daughter.”

n“…”

n“But unlike my wife, whom I could be with at the last minute, my young daughter disappeared without a trace. I searched everywhere, but I couldn’t find her.”

nIt felt like my heart was pounding at the heavy story that I had never thought of.

nIt wasn’t just a story about a lovely daughter.

nThe feeling of losing his wife and daughter in an instant, I just couldn’t figure out what he meant.

n‘…The lost daughter.’

nBesides, wasn’t it too harsh to not even know if his daughter was alive or dead?

nAt the same time I thought that the man’s face looked so sad, my body moved on its own.

nWhen I came to my senses, I was hugging the man’s neck tightly. The man who stayed still for a while smiled quietly and continued, gently stroking my head in his arms.

n“My wife missed her until the moment she closed her eyes, so did I.”

nAt the man’s blunt words, tears that stopped felt like it was to burst again.

nIt was so sad even though it wasn’t my story.

n“I spent the next few years searching. I just couldn’t think and give up that the child was dead.”

n“…”

n“So I went to all the places where the black-haired girl was… but it mustn’t have been this far.

nIt was then that I found out why the man came to me.

nNo matter how small and closed Lysen was, even so, black hair wasn’t common.

nThat’s how I caught the man’s eyes.

n“But I don’t think I am…”

nErita let go of the arms that hugged the man.

n‘Because I am not the child that the man was looking for.’

n“Why do you think so?”

nWhen I left the orphanage, my heart, which was pounding with expectations, had long since swelled again.

nI bit my lips for a moment and spoke slowly.

n“I-I’m a child of a slave.”

n“…Did the director say that before?”

nErita nodded slowly.

nThe Empire abolished slavery, but it was evidently. And in this world I was a child of a runaway slave.

nAnd I’m not the original owner of this body, I didn’t have any memories of it.

nSo, I had no choice but to agree to the words of the director, since I didn’t know whether it was true or not.

n“…Count” Erita called the man and slowly continued,

n“So, I’m not your daughter.”

nAfter I finished talking, I lowered my gaze and stared at the floor.

nThe high expectations turned into resignation and faded. As I shut my mouth, there was a quiet silence.

n“That damn thing…”

nWith my eyes closed, I heard a man’s small whisper over my head.

nBut the sound was so low that I didn’t understand, so I raised my head.

nThe man who looked at me frowned as if he was holding back something, and then he sighed.

nI trembled wondering if it was my fault, and the man hugged me again.

n“Erita.”

nI blinked at a name that seemed to be my own.

nIt was similar to my name, but different.

n“Erita.”

nAgain, I replied quietly to the man who looked at me and called me by another name.

n“I’m Rita, but…”

nThe man with his tongue dissatisfied with my words lifted me up and pulled me in.

nWith the man’s face coming in front of me in an instant, my heart pounded wildly.

n“My wife has violet eyes as vivid as a flower. My daughter also looks just like her eyes.”

nMy eyes were also purple when he said that… No, that couldn’t be?

n“In the light of the day, only my family had black hair.”

nMy hair was completely black, too.

n“…”

n“And the magical power that was definitely instilled in you. That’s nothing more than proof that you’re my daughter.”

nMy eyes trembled slightly at the confident words of the man who gently stroked my head.

nRather than the unfamiliar word about magic, the word ‘family with black hair’ was stuck in my ears.

nSomething came to my mind. The man who saw me said sweetly and firmly.

n“Your name wasn’t Rita.”

n“Huh?”

n“Erita Krovachatz. That’s your name.”

nIt was incredible. My name was Erita Krovachatz, what?

nAs I slowly recalled the name, the moment I had forgotten flashed through my mind.

nAt the same time, the man said.

n“And the one and only daughter of Aslan Krovachatz.”

n“…”

n“I’m your father, Erita.”

n‘Aslan Krovachatz.’

nThe founder of the Hellsion Empire and the Grand Duke of Krovachatz, who stood shoulder to shoulder with the imperial family.

nAnd the villain in “Lovely Isla”.

nWhat? I’m the lost daughter of that man? I frowned at the situation I hadn’t thought of.

nRather than that this man in front of me was the villain of the original novel, the words he whispered to me were more deeply rooted in my ears.

n“Father…?”

nAlthough the words sounded to question the incredible fact, a happy smile appeared on the man’s face.

n“Yes, Erita.”

nIt was as if he was looking at her lovely daughter, so I bit my lip.

nI don’t know what’s going on here.

nI don’t know, but if I really have a family…

n“Really, do I have a family too?”

nAt the sound of my cracked voice, he hugged me tightly and whispered softly.

n“Yes, I’m your family. I’m sorry to have kept you waiting so long, my daughter.”

n“…Huh.”

nNow that my wishes have come true, I couldn’t help but weep in my father’s arms.

nThat’s it.

n✿

nAslan carefully grabbed Erita’s hair, who had fallen asleep after crying for a while.

nA black hair just like mine.

nGrand Duke Krovachatz inherited black hair from generations.

nIt was also true to some extent that there were demons if you trace their blood ancestry.

nNow, no one knows, but it remains a legend.

nThe sound of cursed-color was useless in front of their families.

nDisgrace and contempt have lost its meaning in the face of fear from overwhelming force.

nBut Erita, his daughter, who had recovered in seven years, was being criticized for it and was living a life worse than a commoner.

nAslan couldn’t forget the misery he felt when he met his child again.

nAlmost ragged clothes and chapped hands.

nCowering and intimidated as if used in abusive language.

n‘Thinking about the time when Erita arrived, my anger soared to the point that I wanted to wipe it all out right away.’ (Aslan)

nAslan’s eyes sank sullenly, as he watched her fall asleep with shallow breath, he gently kissed Erita’s forehead.

n“Now, I’m here to protect you.”

nThe director was the first person to have paid the price.

nI ordered Fern to lock him up.

nAslan slowly embraced her small body, hoping that Erita wouldn’t be offended.

n“…You have to gain weight first.”

nShe couldn’t eat well at the orphanage, so she was skinny and too light.

nAslan left the carriage with Erita in his arms and strode into the large mansion.

nAs they entered the open door, a gray-haired middle-aged man bowed his head.

nHe was the only one to greet the owner who hated the hassle.

n“Hello, my lord.”

n“What about the room?”

nHe was short, but Terban, who had been by his side since childhood, was a competent butler.

n“I have it ready on the second floor.”

n“Well, let’s go. Did you put him under lockdown?”

n“Yes, you don’t have to worry about it, as the maid was chosen as a trustworthy child.”

nNodding his head at Terban’s words, Aslan climbed the stairs.

nThe room was neat and tidy even though he didn’t have enough time to prepare it last night.

n“This wasn’t a house for a long stay, so it’s not decorated.”

n“Yes. You’ll be returning to the Grand Duke’s Mansion soon.”

nAslan nodded and Terban bowed down before leaving the room.

nAt that moment, Aslan carefully laid Erita, who was sleeping in his arms, on the soft bed.

n“Yes…”

nAs the child tossed and turned, perhaps feeling the warmth of his arms disappeared, Aslan reached out and held a much smaller hand.

n“You’ll be home soon. Please wait a little longer.”

nA small smile appeared on Erita’s face at Aslan’s whisper.

nA child wriggling with her small rough hands.

n“My beloved daughter, Erita.”

nHe looked reverent as he gently kissed her with her callus-covered hands, not like that of a child.

n“I won’t let go of this hand again.”

n

n

n“…”

n“I couldn’t protect Serbia, but now I promise I will protect you.”

nAslan’s eyes gleamed with determination next to Erita, who was in deep sleep.

nAs soon as the missing youngest daughter of Grand Duke Krovachatz returned,

nIt was the first step in which the original was twisted.

n