Chains of devotion:

CHAPTER 5:First visit

I'm not a great cook. That much is true.

But I do know how.

And more than anything, I want to make Sera happy.

A small smile tugged at my lips as I rolled up my sleeves. My hands trembled slightly—not from fear, but from excitement. For the first time in my life, I was cooking for someone who mattered to me.

After an hour, I finally finished.

"Huff…" I exhaled, staring at the meal in front of me. It had carrots, beets, and other ingredients—but none of that mattered. Because more than anything, I had put my love into it.

I cradled the plate close to my chest.

"Hehe."

With no idea how to find my way back, I sat down.

And without realizing it, I drifted off to sleep…

"Wake up."

A voice—low but firm—pierced through my dreams.

My breath hitched.

Father…!?

Before I could think, my body moved on instinct—I fell to my knees.

"I'm sorry! Father, forgive me!!"

My eyes squeezed shut. Don't look at him. Don't look at him.

If I dared to meet his gaze, I knew what would happen.

Pain.

Burning, stinging, never-ending pain.

Memories of his beatings crashed over me like waves. My chest felt tight—like I couldn't breathe.

I clenched my teeth so hard my jaw ached. Don't cry. Don't cry.

But I failed.

Like always.

And then—

Warmth.

Soft arms wrapped around me, pulling me into an embrace. A gentle hand stroked my head, guiding it to rest against a familiar shoulder.

A scent of fresh linen and something faintly sweet filled my senses.

Sera.

"That man will never return," her voice whispered against my hair.

Her arms tightened around me, grounding me in the present. She was real. This warmth was real.

I wasn't back there. I wasn't in his house.

I was here.

Safe.

Tears I didn't even realize were still falling soaked into her dress.

I gripped her tightly. "I… I'm such a crybaby…"

"Sometimes, crying is the only way to let your fears out." She pulled away just enough to meet my eyes, her smile soft, her gaze full of something I wasn't used to—gentleness. "And I'll be the one who helps you fly away from those fears."

Her words…

They weren't just words.

They were a promise.

Something warm bloomed in my chest—something unfamiliar but… comforting.

And then—

"Ahh!" I yelped as she suddenly lifted me off the ground.

"Sera!! I—I'm not a baby!!"

She smirked. "You're only twelve. That's not much different from a baby."

I squirmed in protest, but she only laughed, holding me like I weighed nothing.

Flustered beyond belief, I jumped off her lap and bolted to the kitchen.

And that's when I noticed.

The sky outside had darkened. The world was bathed in the cool glow of the moon.

"…Huh?" My voice came out small.

It's already night?

Did I sleep that long…?

Shaking off the thought, I turned my attention to what mattered.

I lifted the plate I had carefully covered and clutched it tightly. This wasn't just food. This was for her.

With determination, I ran back to the living hall.

"Sera!"

She turned to me, blinking in confusion. "Hmm?"

I hid the plate behind my back and took a deep breath.

"It has a lot of ingredients, but the main one is my love for you!"

The words left my lips in a rush, but I meant every single one.

For a moment, she was silent. Her expression was unreadable—happiness, surprise… and something else. Something sad?

Did she… already make food for me?

A flicker of guilt crossed her face, but it disappeared just as fast.

"Have you eaten?" she asked instead.

I hesitated. "No… I wanted to eat with you."

Saying it out loud made my face heat up. Ugh, why am I embarrassed!?

Sera's eyes softened, and she smiled—a real, radiant smile.

"Then let's not delay any longer!"

We sat together and ate.

For the first time in my life, I had a warm, happy meal in a place I could call home.

After we finished eating, we washed the dishes together, our hands moving in sync as the warm water splashed between us.

Once we were done, Sera suddenly knelt down in front of me, her gaze steady.

"Flora, do you want to come with me to the Duke's residence?"

Huh?

I blinked, taken aback by the unexpected question.

Before I could ask why, she continued, "I have a night shift there. You can stay here, which I'm not a fan of, or you can stay at the maids' residence with a few others."

I froze.

The Duke's residence?

My mouth fell open slightly as my mind immediately pictured the enormous estate—the towering walls, the elegant windows, the kind of grand beauty I had only seen from afar.

"D-Duke's residence?!"

It was so grand just from the outside!

To actually go inside...?

Excitement bubbled up in me, and I could barely contain it.

"Surely! I would love to!!"

Then, as if realizing how eager I sounded, I quickly added, "I mean… who wouldn't want to?!"

Sera chuckled, ruffling my hair. "Then get ready. We'll leave soon."

I was beyond excited!

I was about to step inside a real-life palace!

I had heard the inside looked like a vast, endless sea, with chandeliers made of diamonds—an unimaginable sight!

"You seem so happy, young lady," Sera teased, a smile on her lips as she braided my hair.

"Mhm!!" I nodded enthusiastically.

When we arrived at the Duke's residence, I finally stood before it—towering, elegant, magnificent.

Sera knelt to my level, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Flora, be a good girl, okay? There are a lot of places you cannot go."

I nodded quickly, still overwhelmed by excitement.

And so, we stepped inside.

—

"Oh my god…" I whispered in awe.

Even though I had never seen the ocean before, I knew it had to feel just like this—vast, endless, breathtaking.

Even the vases were made of costly stones! I could tell just by looking at them—

"Flora?" Sera's voice pulled me back.

"Sera! Sera!" I tugged at her sleeve.

"Hm? What is it?"

"What are those stones?" I pointed eagerly at a flower vase.

"Oh, those? Those are rubies," she answered casually.

"Are they costlier than diamonds?"

"Generally, no, Flora. You seem really interested?"

I frowned. "But diamonds are just white, right? Ruby is so much more beautiful! It deserves to cost more!"

Sera laughed. "Well, you could say that, but diamonds are harder to find. The rarer and more difficult something is to obtain, the more valuable it becomes."

"Oh…" I mumbled to myself.

She patted my head and led me toward a garden in the center of the mansion.

"You are to stay here, okay? I'll be back soon."

"Yes, ma'am!" I gave a little salute as she walked off to begin her night shift.

—

The Duke's residence?

It should be called the Garden's residence.

There were so many extravagant gardens here!

The fountains, the benches—everything looked like a dream.

As I admired the beauty around me, something shiny caught my eye near the fountain.

Curious, I stepped closer—

Bzzzzzz…!!

A gust of icy wind hit me.

I shivered, pulling my coat tighter. It's so cold…

Ignoring it, I moved toward the fountain and saw the source of the glimmer.

A brooch.

I hesitated. I-It's… the Young Duke's…!

I stiffened.

Should I just leave it here?

But… it looked expensive. What if he was looking for it?

Maybe… if I returned it, he would forgive me for stepping into the garden earlier…?

After a long moment, I took it and carefully tucked it into my coat pocket.

Bzzzzz… Achoo!

I sneezed.

It would take a while for Sera to return. Should I go inside?

No!

I had already caused enough trouble for her.

Maybe she was working overtime because of me…?

…It's not like I hadn't spent nights on the streets before.

Back then, I barely had anything to cover me.

Just because I could endure the cold didn't mean I should abuse it.

"Yes, I better stay here—Achoo!!" I sneezed again.

Then—

A voice from behind the fountain.

A familiar voice.

"Don't tell me… you're planning to stay out here all night?"

Huh?

I shot up from the bench, heart pounding.

The figure behind the fountain stepped forward.

I immediately bowed.

"Y-Your Grace…!"