Chapter 2
“Baron Pezzeto may be a bit older, but he’s such a respectable man.”
“He does have a good reputation…”
Still, it was hard to call it “respectable” when a man over sixty took interest in a girl who hadn’t even reached adulthood.
Evelyn’s expression made no difference. Judy, the village pharmacist who had suddenly taken up matchmaking as a side job, was determined to hear a yes, this time and wouldn’t stop talking.
“Do you know how rare it is for a commoner to become a noble’s companion? You’d be marrying up—that’s a huge opportunity.”
Judy had been dropping hints about this for a while now. Evelyn had always avoided giving a clear answer, but it seemed Judy had run out of patience.
And truthfully, this wasn’t something Evelyn could keep dodging forever.
“I’m not interested in marriage at all. I don’t want to be a noble. I just want to keep living here quietly with the children.”
Count Bayardo and his wife—who had sold her without hesitation—were nobles.
The ones who bought children for the sake of power were the House of Luisa.
If either of those families found out she was still alive, Evelyn didn’t even want to imagine what would happen.
But more than that, she simply couldn’t stand the idea of being tangled in the filth of nobility again.
“What if he promises to take care of the children too?”
“…What do you mean?”
“Exactly what I said. What if Baron Pezzeto offers to cover the nun’s medical expenses, the cost of her medicine, and even supports the five children at the monastery until they become adults?”
Evelyn blinked, wide-eyed. She hadn’t even considered such a possibility.
“The baron seems to have truly taken a liking to you. After hearing about your circumstances, he said he admired your kind heart—and that he wanted to share your burden.”
“…Oh.”
“It’s rare to find someone willing to do so much for someone who isn’t even family. Besides, the baron already has grown children, so there’s no concern about heirs.”
“How old is his son again?”
“Hmm… I think he’s about thirty-five.”
Evelyn let out a dry, incredulous laugh.
A husband forty years older… and a stepson fifteen years older than her?
Even Judy seemed embarrassed after saying it out loud and finally went quiet.
“All you’d have to do is live quietly in his estate. I don’t see what’s so difficult about that.”
Evelyn knew this came from a place of concern, but Judy had clearly crossed a line.
Still, Evelyn couldn’t afford to show anger—not when she depended on her for medicine.
Forcing a smile, Evelyn hid her discomfort.
“I should get going now.”
“Evelyn, please think about it again! You won’t get another proposal like this!”
She hurried to leave, too drained to keep arguing, but even as she walked away, Judy’s voice chased her down the road.
And truth be told—nothing Judy had said was wrong.
Sister Lasagna’s health would continue to decline.
The children would keep growing.
They would need more money.
And Evelyn couldn’t carry all of that on her own forever.
Do I really have to marry someone like that…?
At first, it had sounded like an absurd suggestion. But now that she’d heard the full offer, it didn’t seem like such a bad deal.
It was, by all accounts, the most secure way to protect Sister Lasagna and the children.
And if she disappeared into a quiet estate somewhere, maybe neither House Luisa nor Bayardo would ever find her.
What would Sister Lasagna say if I told her I was marrying a man forty years older than me?
She’d be horrified.
And Evelyn herself hated the idea. It disgusted her.
But if it was the only way to protect the people she loved, maybe it was something she could endure.
If I think of it as saving my family, maybe… it’s not that bad.
She looked up as she reached the base of the mountain path. The sky was clear, the weather surprisingly mild.
And yet, perhaps because of that…
Her life, which felt like it was teetering at the edge of a cliff, seemed even more pathetic in the gentle sunshine.
Evelyn shook herself from the thoughts. She had work to do. Winter preparations had to continue.
She couldn’t just stand there feeling bitter.
With that, she began the slow climb up the mountain.
But the sigh she’d been holding in finally escaped the moment she reached the monastery.
A man was collapsed at the front gate. Evelyn stared at him and placed a hand on her forehead, sighing.
Was it because of that dream this morning?
Everything about today felt wrong.
An unconscious man was lying right outside the monastery. He looked suspicious—no doubt about it.
Just as she was wondering what to do, the man groaned softly.
“Ughh…”
Startled, Evelyn stepped back. But the man didn’t move again.
Should I help him?
But she couldn’t just bring a complete stranger—whose identity she couldn’t even confirm—into the monastery.
Especially not when he was dressed in tattered, thin clothing, looked like he hadn’t eaten in days, and had clearly lost a dangerous amount of weight.
What if he’s a criminal?
Aside from Lasagna and herself, the rest of the monastery was filled with children. She had to be extremely cautious.
And right now, Lasagna was bedridden.
Every decision—every risk—was Evelyn’s alone to take.
The responsibility weighed heavy on her shoulders.
As she stood frozen, unsure what to do, the man groaned again.
Behind the collapsed man were faint drag marks in the dirt, as though he had crawled his way here. He lay unconscious, one arm outstretched toward the monastery.
He had clearly come here seeking help—clinging to life just enough to reach this place.
Once Evelyn took it in, she found it hard to look away.
With a quiet sigh, she stepped forward.
Sister Lasagna wouldn’t have just left someone in need like this.
It didn’t matter whether this man was a criminal or not. If he was someone who needed help, Sister Lasagna would’ve extended her hand without hesitation.
Evelyn herself had been saved by that kindness.
“Why did you save me? Why? Why didn’t you just let me die?”
She had screamed those words as a bitter, broken child.
But Sister Lasagna had simply smiled and said, “Because I wanted to help someone who needed it.”
That was her belief—and it was something Evelyn, who had grown up under her care, had come to share.
Not just Evelyn, but also her other found family: Susan, Lize, Remo, Allen, and Jerry—each of them had been saved by Sister Lasagna’s compassion.
If I leave him out here, I’ll just keep worrying about him anyway. I might as well do the right thing and help.
This monastery was a sacred place—a sanctuary that welcomed all who needed it.
Yes. Helping him… it was the right decision.
“Excuse me… can you hear me?”
“Ugh… nnngh…”
She called out a few times, but the man didn’t respond beyond a faint groan.
If he had been conscious, she could’ve helped him walk. But now, she would have to carry him on her own.
I can do this.
She needed to move him to the guest room before the children saw him, and lock the door from the outside just in case—better to be cautious.
Clenching her fists with determination, Evelyn took a deep breath.
It was time to smile again and carry on.
**
“Ugh, I’m exhausted.”
The day, which had felt endless, was finally coming to a close.
After moving the man to a guest room and working on the winter preparations, the entire day had flown by.
No—this might just be the beginning.
Evelyn stood in front of Sister Lasagna’s door and took a deep breath.
She had made her choice. Now it was time to report it.
I should’ve told her during dinner… but the sudden downpour completely threw me off.
Now that she was standing at the door, her legs felt stiff with tension. Still, she couldn’t avoid it forever.
But today, it seemed fate had other plans.
“Evelyn! We’ve got a visitor!”
A second unexpected guest had arrived at the monastery.
At this hour?
Evelyn’s thoughts spun in confusion as Allen came bounding up the stairs with a flushed face. He looked more excited than worried.
“Hey, he’s really handsome! I’ve never seen anyone that good-looking before. His voice is nice too—super cool!”
“…Really?”
“He didn’t seem scary or anything, so I told him to come in. He wasn’t angry or weird. He seemed okay!”
Evelyn’s frown must have shown, because Allen quickly lowered his voice and glanced up at her anxiously.
He was the oldest of the children—but still only ten years old.
Even so, the way he had stepped up and greeted a guest made Evelyn feel proud.
She smiled warmly and patted his head.
“You did well. He came because he needed help, right?”
Allen’s face lit up with relief as he nodded.
“What about the others?”
“They just finished washing up! I told them to stay in their rooms since we have a visitor.”
“You’re amazing. I’ll go meet our guest. But listen—there’s someone else here too, a patient. Make sure no one goes into that room, okay? We don’t know if it’s something contagious.”
“Okay, Evelyn!”
“Thank you, Allen. Since I’ll be busy greeting our guest, I’ll say goodnight now. Sweet dreams.”
Evelyn hugged him tightly and placed a soft kiss on his cheek.
Allen giggled and skipped up to the third floor.
Downstairs, standing at the entrance to the monastery, was a man Evelyn had never seen before.
He was massive—tall enough to block most of the doorway—and his presence was intimidating even from a distance. Evelyn swallowed nervously.
At least he doesn’t look like a thief, she thought.
Like Allen said, he didn’t seem threatening. He just stood there quietly, waiting to be guided in. Evelyn’s tension began to ease— until the man turned his head.
Their eyes met.
Evelyn froze mid-step.
The flickering hallway light fell across the man’s face.
And just as Allen had described, he was beautiful.
Flawless pale skin, jet-black hair, sharp eyes with a slightly fierce gaze, a well-defined nose, a faint red hue on his lips, and a jawline chiseled to perfection.
He didn’t have the ruggedness typically associated with masculinity. No—his beauty was the kind that drew the eye and refused to let go.
But Evelyn couldn’t afford to stand there admiring his face.
Her lips trembled slightly with tension.
She knew this man.
She had seen him before—at the Luisa family’s trial grounds.
Chaser Luisa.
Unlike Evelyn, who had been cast out, he had passed the trial and officially earned the name of Luisa.
He was a character from the game—Garden of Luisa.
