The slowly moving carriage came to a gentle halt at the gate of the townhouse. Anna ,Livia's personal maid who had accompanied her on the journey, was the first to open the door and step out. She promptly turned to to assist Livia in disembarking.
As Livia slowly stepped out of the carriage , Marisa—a maid waiting by the entrance—hurried over them , her footsteps quick and purposeful.
"Welcome back miss , allow me to take your coat"
Marisa removed the stained coat from Livia's shoulder and neatly gather it in her arms.
"Ah, thank you"
Livia who had been watching Marisa's graceful movement suddenly blurted out .
"Huh?…"
Anna and Marisa both of whom had worn indifferent expressions until that moment, immediately looked up, alerted.
It was then that Livia realized her mistake.
She had unconsciously expressed her gratitude because those words were the words that would have never came out of "Livia Maren's" mouth.
"Mi-Miss…Are you alright?"
Anna asked with deep concerned in her voice.
'She's…thanking us!?'
Anna and Marisa who had taken care of Livia since she was a child ,knew better than anyone she was not the type to thank some commoner or anyone.
Reading their thoughts—clearly written all over their faces, Livia gave a wry smile.
"Ah… yes. Why wouldn't I be…?"
Their reactions said everything about how 'Livia Maren' had lived until now. A girl without any gratitude.
"Ahem… ahem. Anyway, I want to rest. Let's go inside, quickly."
"Ah..Yes…What about dinner ,Miss?"
"I will skip it tonight."
"….."
"No,It's…really fine. I'm not hungry tonight,I'm not feeling that well"
She mumbled those words to hide her true way of speaking but Anna and Marisa
had no choice but to take them at face value.
'Just how unwell she is, to speak us with this much politely?'
—Such was the unspoken question written plainly on their faces.
With that, the awkward moment come to close and Livia stepped inside the townhouse.
The townhouse where Livia lived was relatively small, and the number of guards and servants was noticeably fewer than what one would expect of a noble household.
She lived alone in the townhouse. She had run away from her family home after a huge argument with her parents five years ago.
The most astonishing part?
She was currently only 17 years old —and her birthday hadn't even passed yet.
In other words, she had robbed her family's safe and fled the estate when she was just 12.
'Crazy Woman…!' she thought to herself.
After bathing and changing out of the strange uniform into her usual clothes, Sue collapsed onto the bed, her frail, emaciated body sinking into the mattress.
"Argh!"
At that moment, a sharp, piercing pain shot through her entire body—
as if punishing her for the mistake of letting her guard down.
She let out a strange yelp and twisted instinctively, her body flinching in protest.
Tears welled up in her eyes.
"Arah…Ow!"
Overwhelmed by drowsiness, she had completely forgotten the condition she was in.
Her body, battered and bruised, wasn't ready to rest just yet.
Finally coming to her senses, Livia rolled up the sleeve of her pajamas.
Beneath the fabric were countless cuts and bruises. Some were caked with dried blood; others—on her wrists, thighs, and waist—had been wrapped in bandages.
She hadn't been able to get a proper look at herself back in the infirmary, hidden beneath that strange uniform.
But while bathing earlier, she'd been horrified by what she saw in the mirror.
What unsettled her even more, however, was how the maids who assisted her hadn't reacted at all.
Not a gasp. Not a flicker of concern. Nothing.
As if this was normal.
As if they were used to seeing her like this—every single day.
There were new wounds—and old ones.
Some still raw and angry. Others faded into pale lines, long since healed over.
She was not bullied in the Academy ,but from the fragmented memories that had returned Livia knew the source of every scar, every bruise, every aching part of her body came from just one person.
"Madline Faliste"