Chapter 6

“You can’t just sell this house like that! This is my home—and the Farrington barony is mine too! You can’t sell any of it without my permission!”

Once the tears began, they wouldn’t stop. Everything I had relied on was crashing down around me.

It wasn’t just grief.

It was injustice.

It was rage.

Overwhelming emotions rose like a tide in my chest, too powerful to suppress.

The maid rolled her eyes with an irritated sigh.
“If you’ve got something to say, don’t shout it here—go argue with your family.”

“I will. And I will take this up with them. But right now, you—you need to leave my house. This is my home.”

She scoffed, staring at me like I’d lost my mind.
“Unbelievable. What a lunatic.”

She turned away and called out into the estate.

“Bern! Bern!”

A moment later, a large, broad-shouldered man came walking out. Judging by his attire, he was a servant here—probably the butler or a guard.

It was clear what they planned to do. They were going to drag me out by force.

But I couldn’t back down.

If I let go now, I felt like I would lose everything I had left. No—maybe I’d already lost it all.

“…This is mine,” I sobbed.

My legs gave out, and I dropped to the ground. But I clung tightly to the gate, refusing to let go.

I had nowhere else to go.

The only belongings I had were the few items I’d packed for the academy interview.

“Mom…”

I missed her so much. I wanted to cry in her arms and tell her how my sisters had betrayed me.

But there was no one left. No one to listen. No one to hold me.

“Bern,” the maid called. “Get rid of her before the lady comes back.”

“Who is she?”

“No idea. Some crazy woman.”

“Got it.”

Bern strode toward me and reached out to grab my shoulder, ready to yank me away from the gate—

But just before he could touch me, a voice called out from behind.

“That’s far enough.”

Everyone, myself included, turned toward the sound.

A man stood a short distance away, the hem of his white lab coat fluttering in the breeze.

It was the alchemy professor from Kamar Academy—the one who had called me a valuable test subject.

“Don’t lay a finger on my precious experiment.”

The servant blinked in confusion.
“Who the hell are you?”

“Me? I’m a professor of alchemy at Kamar Academy.”

The man frowned, unimpressed. “Yeah? Mind your own business and keep moving—”

“What if I said I’m Marquis Fredov?”

“…!”

Everyone froze.

Even I stared at him, stunned by the name he had just dropped.

The Fredov Marquisate was a prestigious household—an honored founding family of the Valkanos Empire. Rumor had it their current head was a bit eccentric… but I had no idea he was working as a professor at the academy.

“So let me say it again,” he repeated, casually. “Don’t touch what’s mine.”

It was the same warning—but now that we knew who he was, the weight behind it had changed completely.

The man called Bern backed off, taking several steps away from me.

I just sat there, stunned, unable to wipe the tears from my face. I stared at him, dazed.

Then he turned to me and smiled.

But it wasn’t comforting. For some reason, that smile felt like the kind that tempts you with sweet words… while dragging you straight into ruin.

“My offer still stands,” he said smoothly. “Help with my research, and your debt is gone. I’ll even give you the assistant alchemist position.”

I had already heard this offer before. But now, it felt completely different.

Given the circumstances, there was no way I could go to Medina or Claire now.

If they learned I had become young again… there was no telling what they’d try to do.

They had already sold off the Farrington estate the moment our mother died. They’d tried to marry me off or even send me to a convent just to get rid of me.

If they saw me now—how I looked—what would they do?

The truth was simple:

I had nowhere to go.

That realization hit harder than anything else.

It was a deep, cutting pain—one that made everything else blur.

But now, I had no more choices to weigh.

This wasn’t a negotiation. For me, his offer had become the only option.

“…Does it come with room and board?”

For the first time, he smiled brightly—clearly understanding that I had accepted the deal.

“Of course it does,” he said, voice light with amusement. “The name’s Jer Ivan Fredov. But if you’re not sure what to call me, just stick with ‘Professor.’”

✦ ✦ ✦

Jer made arrangements for Belia to stay in a modest residence near Kamar Academy, then returned to his lab wearing a pleased expression.

He could’ve brought her to the Fredov estate, but keeping her close to the lab was much more convenient.

Just the thought of what experiments he might run on her filled him with anticipation.

He had followed her that day just to apply a little pressure—but to stumble on a scene like that?

It was sheer luck.

He hummed cheerfully as he scribbled notes for his upcoming research plan.

Then—

Knock, knock.

A quiet knock came from the door.

Jer glanced up and said softly, “Come in.”

“You don’t get to decide to sell this house! This is my home, and the Farrington barony is mine. You can’t sell any of it without my consent!”

Once the tears started, they wouldn’t stop.

Everything I had believed in, everything I had relied on… collapsed in an instant.

It was unbearable.

It was infuriating.

A storm of emotion surged from deep within me—raw, impossible to contain.

The maid scowled, still unmoved.
“If you’ve got complaints, go take them up with your sisters instead of making a scene here.”

“Oh, I will. I’ll deal with them. But in the meantime, you need to get out of my house. This is my home!”

“Tch. What kind of crazy woman…?” she muttered, turning toward the estate.

Then she shouted, “Bern! Bern!”

From inside, a large man emerged—probably a servant, judging by his uniform. One glance made it clear: they intended to remove me by force.

But I couldn’t let go.

If I gave up now, I’d lose everything. Maybe I had already lost everything.

“…It’s mine,” I sobbed, collapsing to my knees as my legs gave out. Still, I clung to the gate with trembling hands.

I had nowhere else to go.

Everything I owned was in a small bag I’d packed for my academy interview.

“…Mom.”

I missed her more than anything. I wanted to cry in her lap like I used to, complain about how unfair my sisters were being.

But there was no one to comfort me. No hand to reach out. No voice to tell me everything would be okay.

“She’s crazy,” the maid said with a sneer. “Get rid of her before the lady gets back.”

“Who is she?”

“No idea. Just some lunatic.”

“Got it.”

The man called Bern started walking toward me. As he reached for my shoulder to force me up—

A sudden voice rang out behind us.

“That’s far enough.”

Startled, we all turned to see who had spoken.

There he stood, a white lab coat fluttering behind him—the alchemy professor from Kamar Academy.

“Don’t touch my precious test subject.”

Bern hesitated. “Who are you?”

“Who, me? I’m the alchemy professor at Kamar Academy.”

The man scowled. “Then maybe you should keep walking—this isn’t your business—”

“What if I told you I’m Jer Ivan Fredov?”

“…!”

Everyone froze.

Even I was speechless.

The name Fredov was not unknown. The Marquis of Fredov belonged to one of the Empire’s founding noble families. I’d heard the current head was eccentric—but I never imagined he was this man.

Jer repeated calmly, “I’ll say it one more time: don’t touch what’s mine.”

Now that we knew who he was, the atmosphere completely shifted.

Bern immediately backed away from me.

I sat there stunned, too overwhelmed to even wipe the tears from my cheeks, staring up at Jer in disbelief.

Then, as if amused by it all, he smiled down at me. But it wasn’t a comforting smile.

It felt like the kind of smile that sweetly beckons you—while dragging you straight to ruin.

“My offer still stands,” he said. “Help with my research, and your debt is gone. I’ll even give you that assistant position.”

I’d already heard him say that once—but this time, it felt entirely different.

Now… I couldn’t go back to Medina or Claire. If they found out what had happened to me—that I’d become young again—I didn’t know what they’d do.

They had already sold off our estate the moment our mother died. They’d tried to marry me off, even send me to a convent.

If they saw me now, I had no doubt they’d try to use me all over again.

The truth was painfully clear:

I had nowhere to go.

And that realization broke me all over again.

But I didn’t have the luxury to hesitate anymore.

At this point, what Jer was offering wasn’t a choice. It was the only option I had left.

“…Will room and board be provided?”

At my quiet question, Jer smiled broadly. He clearly understood what I meant—and what I had just accepted.

“Of course,” he replied cheerfully. “Jer Ivan Fredov. But if that’s too long, just call me ‘Professor.’”

✦ ✦ ✦

Jer arranged a room for me at Kamar Academy and returned to his lab in high spirits.

He could’ve brought me to the Fredov estate, but it was more efficient to keep me nearby—especially with the lab just across campus.

The thought of beginning experiments thrilled him.

He hadn’t expected to find me in such a dramatic state when he went to pressure me again—but it had turned out perfectly. Fortune was clearly on his side.

He hummed softly to himself as he drafted his experimental plans.

Just then, there was a soft knock at the door.

Jer glanced up and said with a smirk, “Come in.”

✦ ✦ ✦

The assistant Jer had assigned led me back to Kamar Academy.

I didn’t say a word along the way. I didn’t have the energy.

I was doing all I could just to keep the tears from spilling again.

The assistant, always a few steps ahead of me, finally stopped.

“We’re here.”

I looked up to see a small, tidy room. Several identical doors lined the hallway—it was clearly employee housing.

Compared to Teansis’s luxurious quarters, it was modest. But it had everything—bedroom, kitchenette, bathroom—and that was enough.

It wasn’t what most nobles would consider suitable. But I wasn’t just any noble—I was the daughter of a baron who’d lived a humble life. This was fine.

More than anything, I was just… grateful to have a roof over my head.

“You’ll be staying here from now on,” the assistant said, handing me a key labeled Room 201.

I nodded silently.

Sensing my mood, he kept it brief.

“The marquis said you should rest today and start work tomorrow. Report to the lab by 9 a.m. He’ll explain everything in person.”

“…Understood.”

With that, he closed the door behind him.

Now, I was alone in a place I had never seen before.

And oddly enough… being alone felt like a relief.

Because now, finally, I could cry freely.

“…Hic.”

I collapsed onto the cold floor, tears spilling once more.

I felt like I’d been thrown away by the world.

Like I was trash—unwanted and forgotten.

No one needed me.

No one loved me.

I kept thinking I’d wake up and find myself still nursing my mother—but she was gone. And before I could even grieve her loss properly, my sisters had abandoned me too.

It didn’t feel real. None of it did.

Clutching my chest, I sobbed until the tears wouldn’t come anymore.

The ache in my chest deepened as memories of my mother rushed back.

People always said, “Be good to your parents while they’re still alive.” And I thought I had been. But now, I wasn’t so sure.

I should’ve said “I love you” more.

I should’ve done more—been more.

But I had been so tired. So consumed by the weight of daily life, chores, caregiving… that I never made time for those simple, precious words.

Now it was too late.

And I missed her with everything I had.

The world without her was too cold.

Eventually, I cried until my body had nothing left to give.

Too tired to move, I lay on the floor and stared at the ceiling. The daylight had faded—gray wallpaper stretched above me, blank and unfamiliar.

“…This too shall pass.”

It was something my mother used to say. That joy and pain alike would eventually pass.

In my thirty-eight years of life, I had learned at least that much:
Everything ends eventually.

Even twenty years of caregiving had ended, just like that.

I slowly sat up and went to the sink. Cold water splashed over my face, and the shock helped clear my mind.

When I looked up, I saw my reflection again—that unfamiliar, youthful face staring back.

It still didn’t feel real.

Smack.

I slapped my cheeks with both hands.

I’d cried.

I’d grieved.

The anger, the sadness, the betrayal—they were all still there. But I couldn’t just sit around and do nothing.

As long as I was alive, I had to move forward.

I had to find a way to survive—starting from where I stood now.

I stared hard at the mirror, slowly reaching up to touch my cheek.

The skin was firm. Youthful.

“…Maybe this is a chance,” I whispered. “Maybe there’s something I can still do.”

My youth had vanished before I knew what to do with it—and once it was gone, I learned it never comes back.

But now, at thirty-eight… I had been given that chance again.

If I had still been in my original body, maybe it would’ve been too late to learn something new or start over. But now?

Now, even though I had lost my home, my title, my inheritance…

I still had one thing left.

A new beginning.

It didn’t feel real. Not yet. But it was here.

And there had to be something I could do with it.

“…Let’s try.”

Without realizing it, I clenched my fists tightly.