To the Love Born in the Lowest Place

“What? She’s afraid of the sea?”

At those words, Hildegard’s gaze finally fell on Liv’s face, which was a mess with tears.

“I had no idea… I only thought sister was sick…”

“I see. It seems Miss Hamelsvoort was greatly shocked, so I was helping her.”

“Thank you. I’ll take care of sister from now on.”

“…Yes, please do.”

Duke Lartman looked straight into Hildegard’s eyes.

“It seems you’re the only one in your family who cares about Miss Hamelsvoort. For her sake, I would be grateful if you could help Miss Hamelsvoort.”

“I-I can’t accept your gratitude… It’s only natural.”

Hildegard was overwhelmed by Duke Lartman, and Duke Lartman lightly bowed his head towards Liv.

“Miss Hamelsvoort, then let’s see each other next time.”

“Ah! This coat…”

“It would be nice if you could return it next time.”

With those words, he left, and Hildegard took Liv to the Hamelsvoort family’s carriage with a somewhat excited face.

“Sister, are you feeling better now?”

“Mm… I think I’ll be fine if I get away from the sea…”

“If that’s the case, it would be best to leave early. By the way…”

Hildegard glanced at the spot where Duke Lartman had left.

“How were you with Duke Lartman?”

“I was walking while feeling sick, and the Duke helped me.”

“Oh my…”

Hildegard’s face turned bright red. Liv had never seen Hildegard make such an expression, but she couldn’t ask Hildegard why she had that face while excitedly flapping her hands this way and that.

“I thought it was sister’s unrequited love and tried to stop you, but now it doesn’t seem like it.”

“Huh?”

“Even if it’s not that, Duke Lartman is a dangerous person… Though, in fact, there are many people who secretly admire him. If you don’t be rude to His Majesty the Emperor, he’s kinder than anyone else.”

As Liv became puzzled, unable to understand what Hildegard was saying to herself, Hildegard explained.

“He draped his coat over you and told you to return it next time! Don’t you know what that means?”

“What does it mean?”

“Oh, dear! He naturally set up the next date!”

“Is that so?”

However, to Liv, who still couldn’t feel the meaning of it, Hildegard asked further.

“Sister, do you really want things to work out with Duke Lartman?”

“Yeah.”

“There’s no way sister would be rude to His Majesty the Emperor, so it should be fine. Alright, then…”

Hildegard seemed to be immersed in Liv and Duke Lartman’s relationship, with a blissful face.

“Sister, I’ll help you from now on!”

“With what?”

“You should go beautifully from now on! I’ll help you get along well with Duke Lartman!”

“Really? Is that possible?”

“Of course. Sister is pretty and cute, so it won’t be difficult!”

In fact, what Hildegard said wasn’t bad either, but what made Liv feel good was the fact that Hildegard was showing friendliness to her. With different intentions, Liv and Hildegard smiled at each other.

* * *

A few days later, Liv, who attended the banquet, leaned against the wall and discreetly looked around.

Thanks to Hildegard telling her to pay attention to the banquets from now on, she dressed up more brightly than usual, but Liv still had no friends. Hildegard was already surrounded by other noble ladies.

As Liv was fiddling with her hair tied on both sides, a group of noble ladies who spotted her approached. Even though it was clear they were approaching her, Liv had a face that felt no emotion. Marquis Zibel’s daughter, Count Genchen’s daughter, and other noble ladies following them…

They looked at Liv in front of them with appraising eyes as if she had become a decorative piece in an art gallery, and then opened their mouths, led by lady Zibel.

“My goodness, don’t you know it’s impolite to use too much white and gold decoration?”

“Why?”

“That’s the color of the imperial family or the Saintess, and you don’t belong to either of them!”

Of course, she didn’t feel embarrassed or flustered by those words. If what they said was true, then the Hamelsvoort maids who dressed Liv up like this were the problem. If not, they were just making up nonsense to find fault with her. Either way, it was something Liv couldn’t understand.

“My goodness, why don’t you know the banquet etiquette…”

As Liv remained silent, they began to pounce on her as if they thought they had caught on.

“Ha, as expected, lowly blood can’t be hidden.”

“Hey, Hildegard is adapting so well. It’s definitely a problem on this side.”

“Right, I learned that we shouldn’t discriminate based on lowly blood, hoho! This is a personal issue.”

‘Where did Hildegard say she was going tomorrow?’

In fact, Liv wasn’t even paying attention to their words and continued to have other thoughts in her mind. Nevertheless, the reason she didn’t leave her seat was because their chattering voices were better than silence. Well, anyway, it was good to have someone to talk to.

At that moment, feeling someone’s presence behind her, Liv, who sensed something, hurriedly looked back. And she called his name in a bright voice.

“Duke Lartman.”

“Miss Hamelsvoort, would you dance with me?”

As soon as Duke Lartman appeared, the faces of the noble ladies who had been treating Liv like a toy turned pale. Meanwhile, Duke Lartman didn’t give even a bit of attention to the ladies surrounding Liv and extended his hand to her.

“Dance?”

Liv’s eyes widened. She didn’t know how to dance. She had been watching people dance as a wallflower in high society for a long time, but actually moving her body was a different matter.

“I don’t know how to dance…”

“…It’s alright. I said I would help you.”

Duke Lartman whispered the latter part of his words in a low voice as if considerate of her. Anyway, excited to do something with Duke Lartman, Liv placed her hand on top of his large hand. As soon as Liv held his hand, he took her to the center of the banquet hall.

A new music with an impressive slow melody and harmonies reminiscent of spring began to flow, and he wrapped one hand around Liv’s waist. And he made Liv’s other hand, which was awkwardly draped, rest on his shoulder.

“Just follow my lead.”

“Okay…”

Liv blushed, feeling embarrassed to see his face up close, but he had a calm expression.

As he said, dancing wasn’t really difficult. It was just a matter of moving her feet in sync with his. Perhaps it was because she had watched so many people all this time, or maybe he was good at leading.

“Miss Hamelsvoort.”

“Yes?”

“Did you go home well that day?”

“Yes. Ah, right, the coat…”

“You can give it back next time. And…”

He hesitated, then opened his mouth again, looking at Liv’s face.

“May I call you by your name from now on?”

At those words, Liv’s face brightened more than ever. That was what Liv had wanted since she first saw him in high society. She didn’t expect much from him, but perhaps if he kept calling her name…

“Yes, I’d like that.”

“Alright, Miss Liv. …Since there are two Miss Hamelsvoorts, I thought it would be more convenient to call you like this.”

“Yes, you’re finally calling me Liv.”

As Liv was smiling wistfully and dearly as if she had met a long-lost lover, he looked at Liv’s expression again and said.

“…You can call me Emmett too.”

“Emmett?”

Liv, who got to say his name for the first time, had an uncontrollably happy face. She loved the act of saying someone’s name. Ah, many people didn’t know how great the power of a name was, but at least Liv knew the meaning a name held. Although she was in a position where she couldn’t call any of the nobles by their name except for Hildegard.

“By the way, Miss Liv, may I ask you something?”

“Yes, anything.”

“Didn’t the Hamelsvoort family teach you how to dance?”

“No, I wasn’t good at learning. Just then, Hildegard came to our family… So my lessons were stopped.”

“…I see. You haven’t received any etiquette lessons at all since Miss Hamelsvoort appeared.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Can you read?”

“Yes, I learned. But I don’t know difficult words well. Writing is also hard.”

At those words, Emmett had an unbelievable expression. He blinked his mouth for a while, then managed to make a sound.

“…They didn’t even teach you how to write, Miss Liv? Have all your lessons really been suspended since Miss Hamelsvoort came?”

“Yes.”

“But… But do you know why the Count and Countess send you out to external banquets, Miss Liv? From my perspective, it’s hard to understand.”

Liv could clearly answer that question. It wasn’t the kind of thing she could proudly say, but she didn’t want to lie to him, so Liv finally answered with her eyes lowered.

“Ah, that’s probably because they don’t want to see me.”

Then Emmett’s face became even more serious than before. Now he looked like he didn’t know what to say either.

“I understand. Yes, I see… But it would be better for you to learn letters.”

“I’ll do that.”

She definitely had talent for learning languages, but letters were a different issue, so it was a bit difficult to study alone. However, she wanted to lead a life no different from other humans, and to do that, it was essential to learn letters as Emmett said.

“Emmett.”

“Yes.”

Liv stared at his face for a moment, then opened her mouth with a blissful face filled with an unfathomable depth of affection.

“I like you, Emmett.”

“…”

Emmett had a flustered face, but Liv continued.

“Really. You’re such a kind person, Emmett. That’s why I like you.”

“…I don’t think I’m a kind person though.”

“But you’ve always been warm to me.”

“That’s…”

Emmett also stared intently at Liv’s face.

“I’m only kind to you, Miss Liv.”

“What?”

As Emmett said that, his eyes seemed to hold a different emotion rather than sympathy or pity, so Liv was momentarily dumbfounded at the situation she had never dared to expect.

“I’m not as kind to others as I am to you, Miss Liv. I’m treating you specially.”

“Why is that?”

“Because you seem to need my help, Miss Liv. I can’t turn away from someone who needs help.”

He fell silent for a moment, then spoke again.

“…And for some reason, I want to do that too.”

“Really?”

“…Yes.”