A Place To Belong?

The estate was as imposing as she remembered from the novel—its tall, dark towers piercing the sky. The black iron gates creaked open as they approached, revealing a courtyard paved with pristine stone and lined with neatly trimmed hedges. Despite its grandeur, the place exuded a chill that made Luzia shiver.

Ramiro, noticing her discomfort, glanced down. "Cold?" he asked softly, his voice laced with concern.

Luzia hesitated before nodding slightly. She wasn't sure if it was the chill in the air or the sheer weight of the situation that made her feel this way. 'I'm entering the den of a villain... Everyone in this household is bound to be as cold as this place, just like in the novel,' she thought grimly.

Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted when Ramiro adjusted his cloak and wrapped it around her small frame, shielding her from the cold as he carried her toward the front entrance.

The gesture caught her off guard.

As the massive doors opened, they were greeted by the staff, all lined up in neat rows. Aurelio, the butler, stepped forward first, his sharp features composed as always. Behind him stood Beatriz, the head maid, and several others.

"Welcome home, my Lord," Aurelio intoned, his smooth voice carrying across the hall.

Ramiro nodded briefly, then shifted Luzia slightly in his arms. "This is Luzia, my daughter."

Gasps rippled through the staff.

Luzia raised an eyebrow, her gaze sweeping over the gathered servants. Their eyes glimmered with relief, joy, even quiet murmurs of awe. Some clasped their hands to their chests, others exchanged incredulous glances, and a few even looked on the verge of tears.

Her brow furrowed as a sense of unease crept over her. 'Why do they all seem so glad? This never happened in the novel.'

In the story she remembered, the household had been cold, distant, and indifferent toward Luzia's arrival. These people reaction right now felt entirely out of place.

'Did I misremember? Or… is something different this time?' she wondered.

Beatriz stepped forward, her eyes wide with astonishment. For a moment, she seemed unable to speak, her hands clasped tightly before her. 'I can't believe it. He actually found her… 'she thought, her heart racing. ' If only the duchess were alive to witness this day…'

Ramiro's gaze softened as he addressed Beatriz. "Please take care of her and assign the best maid to be her personal attendant."

Beatriz, her voice trembling slightly, bowed deeply. "Yes, my lord. It will be done."

Without hesitation, Ramiro handed Luzia to Beatriz, who accepted the girl with surprising gentleness. "Welcome home, young lady," Beatriz said, her voice soft yet steady as she glanced down at Luzia.

Luzia stared back, unsure how to respond. The warmth in Beatriz's gaze caught her off guard, but she quickly masked her emotions.

"Beatriz," Ramiro said firmly, drawing her attention back to him, "see to it that she is given everything she needs. She is to be treated with the utmost care."

"Of course, my lord," Beatriz replied, her resolve firm. She turned and gestured to one of the younger maids. "Prepare a bath and bring fresh linens to the room we prepared for the lady. I'll accompany Lady Luzia myself."

As Beatriz began to lead Luzia away, Ramiro watched them for a moment before Aurelio stepped closer to Ramiro and bowed before speaking.

"My lord, I apologize for interrupting" Aurelio began, his voice smooth and respectful, " but while you were away a letter arrived for you, delivered from Duke Alejandro de Castillo . It appears to be important, and I thought it best to bring it to your immediate attention."

Ramiro's expression darkened slightly at the mention of the letter, but he nodded in acknowledgment. "Thank you, Aurelio. I will take a look at it shortly."

Aurelio handed the letter to Ramiro with a subtle bow. As the butler withdrew, Ramiro glanced at the seal, noting the emblem of the Castillo family—a family renowned for their political ambitions and deep ties to the crown, thanks to the duke's marriage to the emperor's sister.

Ramiro's fingers traced the edges of the envelope, a sense of unease settling in. He wasn't sure whether to be intrigued or cautious about what the letter contained, but one thing was certain—it was somehow related to Luzia.

Ramiro's eyes narrowed as he stared at the letter, a low chuckle escaped him before he muttered with a sneer, "How annoying."

---

As Beatriz walked down the grand hallway, Luzia replayed the scene from earlier.

She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. The reactions of the staff, their joy, the odd sense of familiarity in the air—it didn't fit with the memory she had of the novel. Had I imagined it all? Did I misread the novel? Luzia questioned herself, the unease growing in her chest.

Beatriz led her to a spacious guest room with large windows overlooking a lush garden that seemed to stretch on forever. The room was cozy yet opulent in its simplicity. Beatriz motioned for Luzia to sit in the plush velvet chair by the fireplace.

"Please make yourself comfortable, Lady Luzia. I'll go see if your bath is ready right away," Beatriz said, offering a kind smile.

Luzia nodded absently, still lost in thought. As Beatriz went into the bathchamber of the bedroom, Luzia felt the weight of the day's events pressing down on her. The warmth, the reactions, the joy—it all felt wrong.

'Could this really be the same household from the novel?'

She wasn't sure yet. But one thing was clear: Things weren't going to unfold as she remembered.

'Then does that mean Ivan won't try to kill me?'

Beatriz emerged from the bathchamber with a warm, composed smile and gestured to Luzia. "The bath is ready, my lady. Let us get you cleaned up."

Luzia followed her hesitantly, entering the spacious room filled with steam and the faint scent of lavender.

Two maids stood by the tub—a large, ornate basin carved from polished stone. One of the maids, a young woman with curly brown hair and bright eyes, smiled warmly at Luzia, while the other, had dark hair with dark eyes and more stoic as she kept her expression neutral as she adjusted the water.

"This is Cecilia," Beatriz said, motioning to the smiling maid. "And this is Elena," motioning to the stoic one.

Luzia nodded politely, feeling self-conscious under their gazes. She stood awkwardly as Beatriz knelt to unfasten the ties of her dress.

"You don't have to—" Luzia started, but Beatriz silenced her gently. "It's my honor, my lady."

The dress slipped from Luzia's shoulders, pooling at her feet. The room fell silent as Beatriz froze, her eyes widening in horror. Cecilia, too, raised a hand to her mouth, while Elena's expression turned cold and hard.

Bruises of varying colors sprawled across Luzia's small frame, along with faint scars and abrasions. It was a tapestry of suffering that spoke of long-term neglect and cruelty.

Beatriz's chest tightened as she clenched her fists, forcing herself to remain calm. 'How could they do this to a child?' she thought, her heart aching as she turned to Cecilia and Elena.

"Cecilia, Elena, let's begin the bath," Beatriz said, her voice firm but trembling slightly.

Cecilia nodded quickly, lowering her hand from her lips, while Elena's neutral mask slipped back into place. Together, they guided Luzia to the warm water and began washing her with careful, almost reverent hands.

Luzia flinched at their touch, her gaze lowering. It was clear the body wasn't accustomed to gentle care. Beatriz noticed and softened her tone. "You're safe now, my lady. No one would dare harm the duke's daughter."

'I've experienced luxury and gentle care as Princess Benedicta, but I understand why this body reacts like this...' Luzia thought. 'This body has been abused.'

"And we will take care of you," Cecilia added.

Luzia looked at Cecilia and furrowed her brows slightly. 'She seems kind, but something makes me feel like I should be wary of her... ' She glanced down briefly, trying to recall anything about her. ' I don't remember much of her from the novel, aside from her being Luzia's personal maid...'

As they worked, Cecilia's hands paused at the nape of Luzia's neck. Her brow furrowed as her fingertips brushed over a strange mark—a faint, scale-like pattern etched into Luzia's skin. The design resembled an ancient sigil with curling lines that shimmered under the water.

"Uh…" Cecilia tilted her head, trying to make sense of it. "What is this?"

Beatriz looked over, her eyes narrowing in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Cecilia pointed delicately. "Here, at the back of her neck. My lady, did the orphanage mark you or something?"

Luzia stiffened. 'A mark?' she thought.

Beatriz leaned in to examine the mark. The pattern was unlike anything she had seen before. It didn't resemble a brand or tattoo—it looked natural, as though it had always been part of Luzia's skin.

"It's… unusual," Beatriz murmured, her voice low. She exchanged a glance with Cecilia, whose earlier cheerfulness had been replaced by quiet uncertainty.

Elena, who had remained silent throughout, finally spoke, her tone sharp. "It's just a birthmark. Let's finish quickly."

Luzia, confused and overwhelmed, lowered her head again. 'What is happening?' she wondered. ' A mark? Luzia never had one...'