Doria Swiften had lost track of how long she’d been running.

Since the chaos erupted, Trell’s civil officials had brazenly targeted every noble house.

They claimed to purge traitors, but their true aim was stripping neutral—even loyal—Uler Empire nobles of their wealth before vanishing with the spoils.

The king?

Who cared anymore.

Uler Empire’s decline was undeniable.

Those officials, now utterly ruthless, had turned on House Swiften.

Doria escaped under her servants’ cover.

She loathed those corrupt ministers—and the nation she once loved.

Along the road, the sheltered noblewoman witnessed tragedies she’d only heard of in her manor, tragedies she’d never truly heeded.

Tears slid down her breathtakingly beautiful face.

Guilt gnawed at her.

Exhaustion weighed on body and soul.

Endless running. Constant hunger.

She’d never known such hardship.

She’d even sobbed while gnawing tree bark.

Blood streaked her small, bare feet—unnoticed.

Her hand brushed her cheek.

*Are there scars?* Girls cared about such things.

Leaning against a tree, her eyes slowly, slowly closed.

Silence swallowed her world.

---

A week had passed since I left Baha Balm. Leahdon was less than a day away.

The carriage halted.

A guard reported, "My lord, someone’s collapsed ahead."

"Take me."

Following him, I found a girl slumped against a tree.

Rags barely clung to her, revealing pale skin beneath the tears.

The fabric’s quality was unmistakable—this was a fallen noble.

Dirt caked her face, hiding her features.

Her delicate bare feet were raw with wounds.

My chest tightened. She looked my age. What suffering. Not long ago, she might’ve been a sheltered young lady.

I handed my cane to the guard and lifted her into the carriage myself. One extra passenger was no trouble.

*Why carry her personally?*

*Are you kidding? Chance to hold a soft girl? Never pass that up.*

I shamelessly admitted my lecherous little thought.

Seeing her smile in her sleep, I smiled back.

*What sweet dream is this grubby girl having?*

Half a day later—

"Mmm~"

Her eyelids fluttered open.

Alertness sharpened her gaze at the unfamiliar surroundings.

"Awake? Drink this." I offered my waterskin.

"Mmm... thank you."

Hesitating, she finally drank—thirst and hunger won.

"Here’s bread too." I called for some to be brought in.

"Thank you."

Her cheeks flushed. *How does he know what I need? Am I that obvious?*

She kept her head down, avoiding my eyes.

This wasn’t the girl who once stood her ground without flinching in royal courts, debating vile nobles.

Her heart churned with complex emotions...

"My lord, the bread you requested."

A servant entered, then froze at the sight of the filthy girl.

*[So this is the type he likes...]*

Catching his expression, she suspected something on her face and scrubbed it with her sleeve.

But the ragged cloth only smeared the grime further.

"U-um... is there something on my face?"

"Lots of things."

"Huh?"

Her confused look was almost funny.

Sighing, I used my own sleeve to wipe her cheek.

"W-wait! What are you—?!" She flustered.

"Your face was too dirty to see."

"Oh... like that."

"Yep. So, grubby girl—what’s your name?"

"Doria Swiften, sir."

The moment she answered, her posture shifted. Noble etiquette demanded composure.

Watching her transform into a poised, icy beauty, I couldn’t help but marvel.

Such breeding. Which great house was she from?

With a slightly cleaner face, she was genuinely captivating.

"Ahem. Pleasure to meet you, Lady Doria. I’m Sass Vies—a forgotten noble."

The dignified Doria froze at my name. Her eyes widened.

"Eh?! Brother Sath?!"