To the Love Born in the Lowest Place

“Of course, please come in! We’ll guide you to the reception room!”

Saying that, the Countess gave Liv a light wink. Seeing the Countess showing a completely different attitude from before, Liv felt bewildered. When they arrived at the reception room, they even left Liv and Emmett alone. They had previously told Liv that a man and woman being alone together should be avoided at all costs!

Liv looked at Emmett with a puzzled face and said.

“The Count and Countess seem to really like you, Emmett.”

“That’s probably…”

Emmett tried to explain something, but then he glanced at Liv as if scrutinizing her, sighed, and closed his mouth.

“No, it’s still too early.”

“What?”

“I’ll tell you next time.”

Liv was still curious about the reason, but since there were many things that people didn’t talk about among themselves, she didn’t pry further. As Liv sat obediently with her hands clasped, Emmett brought up a topic as if changing the subject.

“By the way, I’d like to know more about you, Miss Liv.”

“Me?”

“Yes, looking back, I realized that I knew less about you than I thought. For example, there was that time you were afraid of the sea. I’m worried that you might end up doing something uncomfortable without me knowing. I want to know more about you, Miss Liv.”

“Hmm…”

“If it’s not rude, may I know what you’re afraid of, Miss Liv?”

“Yes, of course.”

Answering like that, Liv pondered. What was she afraid of? She didn’t have many fears…

“Ah.”

Remembering something, Liv twirled her hair with one hand as if trying to overcome her gloom and answered.

“I don’t like being trapped in dark places. Just being in the dark is fine, but I’m afraid of being trapped.”

“I see. I think I would also find that situation scary.”

“And I don’t like being alone. I really don’t. That’s why I enjoy going to banquets.”

“I see, I’ll keep that in mind.”

As if he genuinely wanted to know more about Liv, he continued to ask her about her likes, hobbies, and such. Each time, Liv tried her best to come up with an answer. In the process, Liv was surprised to realize that she had developed more preferences than she thought in this noble society.

After enough time had passed to finish a cup of tea, he looked at the clock on the wall and opened his mouth.

“I think it’s time for me to leave now. Then I’ll see you next time, Liv.”

“Goodbye…”

Liv went out to the main gate to see him off. Until the carriage disappeared into the distance, Liv poked her head out, holding onto the iron pillar of the gate.

When the carriage was out of sight and Liv was about to head to her room feeling longing, the Hamelsvoort couple, looking strangely excited, followed behind Liv. They didn’t seem angry at all about Liv sneaking out of the house.

“Liv.”

“Yes?”

“It’s clear that Duke Lartman really likes you!”

“…Didn’t you say it wasn’t the case last time?”

It was natural for Liv not to have any false hopes that he loved her when she was scolded so much after being rejected for the engagement. As Liv made a face that seemed to confuse them, the Hamelsvoort couple brought up the conversation as if trying to persuade Liv.

“Liv, Duke Lartman has never opened his heart to anyone. We’ve never seen him hanging out with other young noble ladies.”

“But he’s different only to you! Even though you were so rude in front of His Majesty the Emperor, he forgave you!”

“Is that because he likes me?”

As if thinking they had caught on, Countess Hamelsvoort tightly grasped Liv’s hand.

“Liv, do you like Duke Lartman?”

“Yes, that much is certain.”

“Don’t you want to marry him?”

“…I don’t have the desire to marry him out of greed, but if I have to marry someone, I’d like it to be him.”

“Then it’s not difficult. If you do well, you can marry him.”

“But he rejected the engagement…”

“That was because you were too young. If you maintain the same relationship with him as you do now while spending time, marrying him isn’t a dream!”

She definitely shouldn’t be greedy. But…

“What should I do well?”

As Liv raised her head and said that, her face held a precarious hope that seemed like it could collapse at any moment.

“Just do as you are now. Maintain a close relationship with him as you are now. Oh, and don’t act like that in front of His Majesty the Emperor anymore. Duke Lartman is the most loyal subject to the imperial family.”

However, not being loyal to ‘His Majesty the Emperor’ wasn’t Liv’s will. Even now, the gods were shouting not to mention that dirty person’s name in front of Liv, but Liv obediently nodded her head.

“Yes, I’ll do that.”

Emmett, whom she loved with all her heart, was far more important to her than the gods who had been annoyingly by her side since the moment she was born.

* * *

The next day, Liv arrived at the banquet held at the Arendt family’s mansion, unable to contain her excitement and unconsciously clenching the hem of her dress.

“The other day, she was rude in front of His Majesty the Emperor…”

“How can she still act so shamelessly? It’s embarrassing to have someone like her in noble society.”

“Shouldn’t she have been kicked out the moment she was identified as a fake Saintess?”

Due to Liv leaving her seat and walking out in front of the Emperor last time, people’s opinions about Liv had become even worse, but truly, none of those words reached her ears.

‘Can I really marry the Duke?’

That thought was the only thing filling Liv’s mind right now.

Liv looked around for Emmett and saw him heading to the balcony with another man.

‘I should wait.’

Hoping for him to come out, Liv stood right in front of the balcony. Due to the thick purple curtain, the inside wasn’t visible, but the sound could be heard vividly.

“So do you have feelings for that fake Saintess?”

The moment she heard someone’s voice from beyond the balcony, Liv flinched like someone who had been burned. If she hadn’t misheard, Emmett was definitely talking about her with someone else right now.

When it came to stories about herself, curiosity naturally arose, which was an unavoidable thing as a human. Even though Liv thought she shouldn’t do this, she leaned closer to the balcony and listened.

“No, I don’t like her.”

The moment Emmett’s stiff voice was heard, Liv held her breath.

“You seem to be misunderstanding something, it’s not like that. I don’t know why everyone is misunderstanding.”

“But there’s no lady you’ve been so close with, Your Grace…”

“We’re just friends.”

“…Then how about getting engaged to our family’s daughter? As you know, my daughter is not only clever but also has a good heart and does volunteer work diligently…”

She definitely thought she hadn’t held any expectations. Yes, so she thought there was no reason to be disappointed…

‘He really has no feelings for me after all.’

Unable to bear the feeling of nausea welling up inside her, Liv quickly left the spot in front of the balcony.

The Hamelsvoort couple’s words were wrong. He doesn’t love Liv!

Don’t trust humans, Liv.

As if scolding Liv, who had been foolishly excited, the voices of the gods were heard one after another.

You only have us.

Humans are foolish beings.

“I know, I know that well too…”

Liv muttered in a voice mixed with tears. She knew well enough that humans could never love her, but still, when faced with reality like this, the pain in her heart was inevitable.

Her already weak body trembled from the shock, and in the end, Liv returned home.

Unlike usual, when Liv returned early from the banquet, the Hamelsvoort couple seemed puzzled. They asked Liv, who had returned without Hildegard, the reason, and Liv answered in a listless voice.

“The Duke said he doesn’t love me…”

“Did you directly ask him that? Men usually say that in front of others!”

“No, that’s not it…”

Liv shook her head as if wanting to protest against them.

“I heard him talking to someone else…”

They had clearly said that Emmett would love Liv, giving her hope and then letting her fall. Even though she knew his heart had nothing to do with them, she still wanted to blame them.

But the ones who actually got angry seemed to be the Hamelsvoort couple. Count Hamelsvoort looked at Liv with fury in his eyes.

“How can you not know how to do anything properly!”

“That’s right, tsk tsk. If you’re lucky enough to be treated as a noble, you should at least do your part well.”

“…What is my part?”

The moment she was identified as a ‘Fake Saintess’, Liv thought there was no role for her to play in this noble society. As if shattering Liv’s expectations, Countess Hamelsvoort shouted:

“That’s obviously marrying into a good family!”

“Ah.”

“If not, why do you think we’re keeping you in the mansion even though it’s been a long time since you were revealed to be a fake Saintess? Do you think we really consider you our daughter?”

“No…”

“Then please do your part properly! Your job is to at least bring a proper man!”

Leaving those words behind, Countess Hamelsvoort went into her room, slamming the door so loudly it made a bang.

“Sigh, tsk tsk… Where did we bring such a half-wit from…”

Count Hamelsvoort also left, clicking his tongue.

Liv stood there alone, feeling gloomy. It was something she already knew and was obvious, but hearing it directly like this made her heart feel cold and uncomfortable, as if frost had settled in. As expected, the Hamelsvoort couple didn’t consider Liv as their daughter.

They only thought of marrying Liv off to a good family to gain benefits. Unlike Hildegard, Liv, who wasn’t a Saintess, was useless to them.

Child, don’t expect anything from humans.

“Yes, I won’t expect anything.”

Liv answered in a dark voice. The history of humans turning their backs on gods and committing sins was long. She had heard it from numerous gods and knew it all, but…

‘But it’s not an easy thing to do.’

That was how the human heart was. Inevitably, when someone treated them even a little better, they kept having expectations. Humans had always failed to overcome their emotions and made foolish mistakes, and that was what made humans human.