Chapter 1

Chapter 1

A sudden commotion erupted outside. Olivia shot up in bed like she’d touched a hot stove. Her mother’s fever hadn’t broken until evening, and she’d only managed to lie down near midnight.

The light filtering through the window was still dim. She’d panicked, thinking she’d overslept, but relief quickly washed over her. The racket outside hadn’t stopped, though. She rubbed her eyes and climbed out of bed.

Her body ached all over. She’d been working and running around all day without a proper break. It was a familiar, dull ache, though. She didn’t even wince as she opened the window.

Damp, cool air drifted in, carrying the scent of grass and the quiet rustle of the wind. Beneath it all was a chaotic mix of voices and clattering. Olivia leaned out the window. She traced the noise to its source and let out a soft ah.

The master of the villa is here.

Last spring, an outsider had bought up a massive, abandoned plot of land near the coast. Everyone in the village knew about it. A foundation was laid shortly after the sale, and within three months, a magnificent mansion stood in its place.

A dozen or so people lived there. They all wore matching uniforms, making it obvious they were staff. But they were a haughty, aloof bunch who refused to mingle with the locals.

Their arrogance rubbed everyone the wrong way. Still, no one dared complain openly. The folks who had sold the land had quietly spread rumors that the mansion’s owner was someone incredibly important.

People still gossiped behind their backs, of course, but even that didn’t last long. Word got around that this strange, out-of-place mansion, which clashed so harshly with the rustic village, was actually a noble family’s villa.

The rumor had started with a merchant who supplied the estate’s groceries. Plus, the carriages coming and going bore a distinct noble crest. No one doubted it.

Eventually, the villagers stopped going anywhere near the property. They didn’t want any trouble. They kept a strict eye on their children, too, making sure they didn’t cause a ruckus nearby. Country folk might be thick-skinned, but no one wanted to cross a noble and end up bleeding for it.

Olivia, however, had managed to strike up an acquaintance with these supposedly arrogant, difficult staff members. They were on greeting terms.

She was naturally cheerful and outgoing. She smiled and said hello to everyone she crossed paths with out of pure habit. That went for the villagers, whose names, ages, and family trees she knew by heart, as well as any outsiders passing through for farm work.

Naturally, she beamed and waved at the villa staff whenever she walked past the estate. It didn’t matter if they ignored her.

With her sun-darkened face and dry hair tied up in messy pigtails, she was always covered in sweat. Her clothes were nothing short of rags.

The high-and-mighty staff had ignored the shabby little girl at first. But they weren’t completely heartless. When she kept smiling and greeting them every single day without fail, they eventually started saying hello back.

Their attitudes shifted completely once they learned her situation. She was only twelve years old, living alone with a severely ill mother, and managing the entire household by herself.

They started giving her simple errands or having her sweep up around the villa just to slip her some pocket money. They were hard to get close to, but they weren’t bad people.

Olivia had actually known for a while that the master of the empty villa would be arriving soon.

She loved to chat, but she wasn’t a gossip. She didn’t go around blabbing about things that were none of her business. She hadn’t told a soul, and honestly, she’d practically forgotten about it herself.

I wonder how long he’s staying.

Fully awake now, Olivia stood on her tiptoes and peered toward the estate.

Merlin, the maid who had tipped her off about the master’s arrival, had sighed and complained that their easy days were over.

She hadn’t gone into detail, but Olivia figured the master had to be incredibly demanding or difficult to deal with.

The rest of the staff were always complaining about how quiet and boring Maresa was compared to the Capital. Merlin was the only one who smiled and said the peaceful, cozy atmosphere wasn’t so bad.

If even Merlin was grumbling, Olivia naturally didn’t have the best impression of the mansion’s owner.

The eastern sky began to lighten. Olivia closed the window. She had another full day of work ahead of her; her curiosity would have to wait.

She quickly tied her hair up with a frayed string and hurried into her mother’s room. She stepped up to the bed and gently pressed a hand to her mother’s forehead. A sigh of relief escaped her lips.

The medicine had worked. The raging fever was gone, and her mother’s breathing was steady, free of the usual rattling coughs. Olivia beamed with pride at the quilt she’d painstakingly stitched together from hoarded goose down and cotton, then tiptoed out of the room.

She bustled into the kitchen. Crouching in front of the hearth, she quickly swept out the old ashes and stacked fresh twigs. She struck a spark into a bed of dry leaves, fanned the budding flames with a wide wooden board, and fed thick logs into the fire. It took only moments.

The decades-old house was worn and falling apart, but to Olivia, every creak and draft was deeply familiar.

Crack, snap. The dry wood caught, radiating a cozy heat. Olivia dusted the ash from her hands onto her skirt and stood up.

Now the real rush began. She hung yesterday’s leftover soup over the hearth. While it heated, she drew water from the well and set it to boil. She dunked a chunk of stale bread into the hot soup, wolfing it down just to take the edge off her hunger, then washed her face and brushed her teeth.

By the time she finished, the sun was fully up. She finally started on her mother’s breakfast: a fresh stew of chicken, beans, and potatoes, simmered until tender. She arranged the bowl, a spoon, and a cup of water on a handmade wooden tray and carried it back to the bedroom.

As she carefully approached the bed, her mother opened her eyes.

“Sweetheart.”

Olivia mirrored her mother’s smile. She set the tray on the nightstand and leaned in.

“Good morning, mom. How are you feeling? Any headaches? Is your throat sore?”

“No, nothing hurts. I’m alright.”

“Thank goodness. I made some stew. Let it cool a bit and eat it slowly, okay? There’s more in the pot if you’re still hungry.”

“What about you?”

“I already ate.”

Olivia puffed out her stomach and patted it with a laugh. She helped her mother sit up against the headboard.

“Make sure you wash your face and brush your teeth after you eat. I left some hot water for you. Don’t use the cold water, okay? Only the warm.”

“Alright, I will.”

“And absolutely no walks today. You had a fever last night. If you push it, you’ll just get sick again this evening.”

Olivia put on her sternest face. Her mother mirrored the serious expression and nodded.

A “walk” just meant pacing around their empty dirt yard, but her mother was so frail that they couldn’t take any chances.

Olivia rattled off a few more instructions, then gave her a bright smile.

“I’m heading off to the farm now, mom. I’ll be back in time for lunch. Get some rest!”

“Alright. Have a good day. Be careful. Come back soon.”

“I will.”

Olivia grinned and dashed for the front door. She grabbed her satchel off the hook, jammed a straw hat onto her head, and hurried outside.

It was already October. The harvest was in full swing at every farm in the area. Maresa sat right on the coast, but the rocky shoreline had no room for a pier, so the village had never developed a fishing trade. Instead, every family made their living in the fields and orchards. This time of year was always frantic.

Farms that were short on hands hired day laborers. Olivia was a hard worker with boundless energy, so she earned a full adult’s wage.

Of course, the generous pay was partly out of pity. Everyone knew she was just a little girl struggling to survive with a frail, mentally fragile mother.

But winter would bring an end to the farm work, and the cold always made her mother sicker. Olivia had to work as hard as she possibly could during the autumn rush.

Her brisk pace slowed as she neared the villa. The commotion was still going strong. A quick glance revealed over twenty carriages parked outside. It was a miracle they’d all managed to navigate the narrow dirt roads.

The master must have brought a mountain of luggage. Staff were still rushing back and forth, hauling trunks and crates. Olivia spotted a few familiar faces, but they were far too busy for greetings. She kept her head down and hurried past.

Not long after she disappeared down the road, the door of the grandest carriage, the only one with its windows completely blacked out by curtains, swung open.

Rodney, the villa’s butler, rushed forward and offered a hand.

“I will escort you inside, Young Mas—”

“Get lost.”

“Yes, sir.”

His temper hasn’t changed a bit. Rodney withdrew his hand, bowed even deeper, and shot a look at the footmen.

A waiting footman immediately dropped to one knee and set down a stepping stool. With a sturdy foothold in place, the boy inside the carriage finally stepped out.