Chapter 2
After that day, Tericia remained bedridden for several days.
She believed it was because she had returned to the past,
but to everyone else, her condition seemed inexplicable, and they were at a loss.
According to Mandy, she had suffered from a fever and nightmares.
But Tericia herself remembered none of it.
All she knew was that she felt as if she’d come down with a severe, burning flu.
Just when people began to wonder if her condition would turn truly serious, Tericia finally began to recover.
Once she had regained enough strength, the Duchess of Hespelt summoned her daughter to her room.
“They say you made quite a spectacle of yourself.”
Tericia watched as her mother, the Duchess of Hespelt, gracefully lifted her teacup and took a sip.
Everything about Katrina Boren Hespelt, often referred to simply as Lady Boren, was as elegant and composed as ever.
From the way she held the cup, savored the tea, and set it back down—it was all perfect.
Her chestnut hair, swept up to highlight her slender neck, had a few delicate strands intentionally left to fall, giving her a frail, delicate look.
She looked just as Tericia remembered her—poised and flawless.
“…It wasn’t anything that terrible, Mother.”
“Tericia.”
Her voice was cold as she called her daughter’s name.
“There were more than a few people who saw you running barefoot before dawn.”
“……”
“If that’s not a disgrace, then what is?”
But what truly bothered her mother, Tericia knew,
was the fact that she had run to Rashid’s room.
“I’m sorry. I had a terrible nightmare…”
“If it involved that child, then it could only have been a nightmare.”
The Duchess’s malice was still the same. Though she never showed it in front of others,
there were times—like now—when her sharp words were laced with unmistakable hatred.
If words could kill, her mother would have murdered Rashid a thousand times over.
Tericia lowered her gaze to hide the bitterness on her face.
But that only seemed to annoy the Duchess more, who clicked her tongue quietly.
“Tericia, you are the Lady of House Hespelt. No matter what you may think, that fact does not change.”
“……”
“As the only daughter of this noble house, I hope you’ll remember to carry yourself with proper dignity.”
“…Yes, Mother. I will.”
She didn’t seem pleased with the response, but Lady Boren said nothing more.
“If there’s nothing else you wish to say, may I be excused?”
“Go on.”
Tericia offered a polite nod and stood to leave. But just as she reached the door—
“Tericia.”
Her mother called out to her.
“You haven’t forgotten what happened in the past, have you?”
“…No, Mother.”
“I trust you won’t entertain foolish thoughts. I am the Duchess of Hespelt, and the rights to this house belong to me.”
They weren’t yours to begin with, Mother. Tericia bit her tongue and swallowed the words.
If she defied her mother now, Rashid would be the one to pay the price—not her.
Without a word, she bent her knees in a slight bow and left the room.
A long sigh escaped her lips.
The rights to House Hespelt… Since when had they belonged to her mother?
No. Hespelt belonged to Rashid.
She could no longer let her mother steal that from him without remorse.
She would help Rashid claim what was rightfully his.
And to do that…
Her steps, which had momentarily paused, began to move again.
I have to protect him.
I won’t let him die again.
“I won’t let go of your hand this time.”
Reaching the grand central staircase, Tericia whispered quietly as she looked down.
At the very end of the long stairs, the entrance hall came into view.
That was where she had first met Rashid.
＊＊＊
Tericia became the Lady of House Hespelt because of her mother’s marriage to Duke Jester Hespelt.
They said the wedding had been extravagant, but Tericia hadn’t been there to see it—so she had no idea just how lavish it really was.
All she knew was that when she arrived at the Duke’s mansion after the ceremony, she found herself wondering whether the wedding had been as dazzling as this place.
The estate was overwhelming in its size— larger and grander than anywhere she had ever been.
“This is Tericia,” her mother said, lightly pressing her daughter’s shoulder forward.
It felt like she was urging her to make a good impression—to appeal to the Duke.
“It’s… it’s an honor to meet you, Fath— I mean… Duke.”
The moment she felt her mother’s hand press down firmly, the word “Father” had slipped out before she could stop it.
The Duke’s brows twitched slightly at the word, but he didn’t react otherwise.
“Act like a proper lady.”
That was all he said.
In that moment, what caught Tericia’s eye was a boy standing behind the Duke—a small boy who looked a little younger than her.
“Rashid.”
When the Duke called his name without even turning around, the boy hesitantly stepped forward.
His thick, black hair hung slightly over his eyes, casting a shadow over his expression.
“She’s your sister. Get along.”
With just that, the Duke turned and walked away.
Her mother glanced at Tericia with a picture-perfect smile, then followed after him.
The boy’s dry gaze lingered on the two adults as they disappeared,
but neither of them looked back.
Even after they were gone, the boy didn’t move.
Tericia didn’t know what to do.
She couldn’t just stand there, but walking off alone didn’t feel right either.
In the end, she was the one to speak first.
“Hi… I’m Tericia. And you are?”
“…Rashid.”
And then—nothing more.
The boy gave her a glance, then turned his eyes back toward the direction the Duke and Lady Boren had gone.
His gaze clung to the empty space they left behind, heavy with unspoken longing. Eventually, his expression hardened, as if surrendering to the inevitable.
Tap. Tap. Step-step. Step-step.
The sound of footsteps echoed in overlapping pairs—every step seemingly repeated twice.
Rashid, walking quietly down the hall, suddenly stopped.
The footsteps stopped too.
It’s not just my imagination.
He spun around.
A white blur slipped behind a column. Or rather—it failed to completely disappear. The hem of a white dress peeked out from behind the pillar.
A ghost? he wondered at first. But then he remembered the girl who had arrived at the mansion not long ago.
Right. Father had remarried. Now that he thought about it, the sound of footsteps had started from that day.
He recalled the girl who had greeted the Duke alongside the Duchess. Relieved, Rashid let out a small breath.
He turned back around and resumed walking. If he didn’t hurry, he’d be late for his lessons.
Tap-tap. Tap-tap.
The doubled footsteps began again.
Strangely, this time, the sound didn’t bother him. If anything, it was… comforting.
It felt like the paired footsteps were quietly telling him— You’re not alone in this big, empty house.
Something tickled faintly near his chest. He didn’t know what to call it yet.
Without realizing that his pace had slightly slowed, Rashid walked on—listening to the sound that followed him.
It wasn’t until several days later that the owner of those footsteps finally appeared before Rashid’s eyes.
He had been reading in the library when something golden-brown flashed in front of him.
He looked up from his book, startled.
A pretty doll-like girl was smiling at him. Her violet-red eyes sparkled like gems.
As soon as their eyes met, she grinned.
“What are you doing?”
She talks, he thought in surprise.
Rashid stared at her as if studying something fascinating. When she realized he wasn’t going to chase her away, she sat down in front of him.
She had her golden-brown hair half-tied with a ribbon, and wore a crisp white dress.
Pretty, he thought absentmindedly as he stared at the girl.
“What are you doing?” she repeated.
“Reading,” he replied.
“Reading? Whoa, that book looks so thick. Why are you reading something like that?”
“Father told me to read all of it.”
“Huh? He didn’t say anything like that to me…”
“……”
Of course not. No one would ask a doll to do something like that.
“Rashid.”
Ah… she even knows my name.
Maybe it showed on his face, because the little doll-like girl smiled brightly.
“You taught me, remember? You even told me your name.”
“……”
Did I? Rashid didn’t answer, and the girl frowned slightly, as if frustrated.
Then she pointed at herself and said clearly:
“Tericia.”
“Te…ri…cia?”
His tongue stumbled over the syllables.
Rashid winced at the sting of biting his tongue, but the girl just smiled sweetly.
She seemed happy just to hear him say her name.
“Yup! Tericia.”
“…Your name’s hard.”
He muttered in complaint, convinced the problem wasn’t with him—but with how difficult her name was.
At some point, he had placed the book he was reading on his lap and completely lost interest in it.
“Then just call me Sister.”
“I don’t have one of those.”
“But I’m your sister. My mother married your father, so we’re siblings now.”
Rashid’s face twisted slightly at her words.
Something about them rubbed him the wrong way.
“I don’t want a sister.”
“Well, you don’t have a choice. Mother and Father got married.”
He didn’t like that answer.
“Tel… Ter…sha…”
He stubbornly tried to say her name again, but his tongue twisted once more.
He was old enough to pronounce names properly, yet hers kept tripping him up.
When he saw her giggling at him again, it made him feel even more irritated.
“If my name’s too hard, just call me Sister.”
“Sister…?”
Tericia beamed. Her violet-red eyes sparkled brightly.
“Yes. Sister. Call me that.”
She smiled like a blooming flower, radiant and warm.
And then, she laughed again.
As if something had made her genuinely happy—she just kept laughing.
She sparkled.
To Rashid, she looked dazzling.
“Rashid,”
Still smiling, Tericia lowered her voice and glanced around. Her golden-brown hair shimmered gently as it moved with the light.
“Want me to tell you a secret?”
“What is it?”
Tericia leaned in close and whispered softly.
She smelled sweet—like cookies. Or maybe cake.
“I’m scared of this place. It’s too big. It’s too big… too dark… it’s scary.”
That was true. The Duke’s mansion was enormous. It had been built by remodeling a stone fortress, so it always felt cold and unwelcoming.
Even he, who was born and raised here, sometimes found it frightening. So how scared must a small girl, living here for the first time, be?
“But I’m not scared when I’m with you.”
“…So that’s why you followed me?”
“Mm-hm.”
She nodded, and her hair swayed beautifully with the motion. Rashid found his eyes drawn to the color—it was such a lovely shade.
“Can I stay with you?”
She asked carefully, as if testing his mood.
“…Do whatever you want.”
The moment her face lit up, Rashid felt his own cheeks flush red.
“Rashid.”
Even her smile looks pretty—like a doll.
Rashid stared blankly at Tericia, lost in thought.
“My little brother.”
Tericia suddenly opened her arms and pulled Rashid into a hug. Caught off guard, he stiffened—awkwardly shifting back as if unsure whether to stay or pull away.
But Tericia hugged him tightly.
A hesitant boy being hugged, and a girl holding him close, both thought the warmth of the other felt nice.
“My precious little brother.”
Tericia squeezed just a little tighter. And maybe—just maybe—this enormous mansion wouldn’t feel quite so frightening anymore.
