The men glared at her, B*tch, why are you looking at us like that? All alone in the dirty alleyway, she fell deep beneath the sea of her memories. She recalled the moment when Laritte was born.

Uwah! Uwah!

The babys cries echoed throughout the region. Back then, she hated seeing the child which was born with the help of her sister.

My life is over. How can I dance with a child in Iassa?

Hey, dont say that. Give her a hug. She resembles you, sister.

Olivia remembered what she had said back then, throwing the brown cloth that covered her body.

Get that child away from me!

It was a misfortune for both Olivia and Laritte that Laritte was born to her. That was the start of their miserable life. The love child ate up Olivias money and time like a hungry hippopotamus. Even if Olivia was a renowned dancer, she couldnt raise enough money.

In Iassa, dancers needed to make a living, but without a foundation or family, women with pretty faces were chosen. When Laritte was born, Olivia was forced to spend all the pennies she had saved up. Eventually, Olivia moved to a shabby house in the back alley, with only four things in her possession.

A newborn baby wrapped in her discarded cloth, a broken body, and fatigue from insufficient nutrition. And the postpartum depression that stemmed from her despair. Olivias depression didnt subside until her newborn child, Laritte, began to toddle on the floor of her house crawling with cockroaches. Alas, her heart was filled with evilness. When Laritte vomited all that she fed her, she could not contain her anger.

I had to work hours to buy that grain!

Olivia had no choice but to lose her job as a dancer. Every morning, she used to search for stores to do their chores and after sunset, she used to go to a brothel. Her despair never left her mind.

Why dont you do anything to help!

Inside the choking house under the cracked oil lamp, Olivia kept hitting Laritte in the back. While young Laritte wept silently.

How did my life turn out like this? This is hell. Should I give up Laritte? Or are we both going to die?

While other children learned to speak, Laritte was sent to gather herbs from the mountains. But Olivia wasnt the only one who hated Laritte for eight years.

One day, she received an expensive guest at the brothel. She remembered him being the third son of a wealthy trading family. The man who owned the brothel used to steal the money of working women from the middle. However, the owner smoked an expensive cigar that was traded across the water.

Olivia was paid quite a bit of money because he was in a good mood that day. She smiled after a while as she walked down the dark morning road. It was time to buy some black rice and bread for Laritte and herself. Her eyes landed on a fruit cart that came out early in the morning. The sweet pink berries inside magically drew her attention. It was peach.

It was something she had never seen before. After a conflict, Olivia chose to starve herself and buy a peach, hiding it under her skirt. I will get something for myself if I work at a store..

The house where they lived was occasionally invaded by drunkards. Therefore, she had to wake Laritte and urge her to eat in a hurry. Watching the little skinny girl munching on the peach in a hurry brought a soft smile to Olivias face. This was how she raised Laritte even in her hell. But she had an incident that Olivia couldnt stand.

One morning when Laritte was eight, the rotten door to their shabby house was opened. Olivia, who had fallen from exhaustion, woke up late to Larittes screams. On the floor crawling with rats and bugs stood a drunken man. Laritte cried out in horror.

Mom! Mom!

Shut up!

There was lust in the monsters eyes. Olivia frantically grabbed a glass bottle. The scene happened in a flash. The man was slammed to death by the bottle but Olivia injured one of her ankles from his kick.

Mom..

Olivia clasped Laritte on the shoulders with fear. The little girl was getting more and more beautiful like Olivia. Why do you look like me! Why! She was struck with the fear of not being able to protect Laritte next time. Along with her depression, Olivia went insane.

This caused her to leave Laritte at the County. Even if the little girl was ignored by people, she would be safer in the mansion than being with Olivia. The first few days she didnt have Laritte, she wasnt very sad. But as time passed, she remembered the touch that woke her up in the morning. A small voice, cautiously saying that she had harvested this much herb. Olivia longed for the feeling of Laritte covering the only blanket on her at dawn.

She returned to the Counts mansion. Give back my daughter., but all she received were kicks from the knights. Give me back my daughter! Shes my daughter!

She sobbed while praying. However, she did not see Laritte until her leg injury became chronic and she became limp for the rest of her life.

Please return my daughter I was wrong..

Eventually, Olivia lost her only daughter and left the region. Becoming a nobody, she roamed the country with empty hands and limp feet. She grew older, but she was still alive to this date. Olivias thoughts came to an end as her mind returned to the cold alleyway.

Why dont you say anything? First, give us all your belongings. Do you want to be beaten like that again?

Duncan chuckled, Be careful. What if she has her daughters support, who is the Duchess now?

Are you joking? Who would look after a mother who abandoned her daughter?

The former knights thought they lost their jobs at the Brumayer family because of Laritte. This was why they hated Laritte, and since Olivia looked like Laritte, they enjoyed bullying her. Besides, she would have been wearing a better outfit than this

Without hesitation, they began to pull Olivias hair. Olivia stood still, exhausted from the sudden remembrance of her past. She wanted to see Laritte. She only had memories of hitting Laritte. She used to scold Laritte, but she never expected Larittes forgiveness. She only wanted to see if she lived well. Her heart was filled with love and hatred. But it was also a pitiful love of one peach.

Why isnt she doing anything? The man shoved her toward the cold ground. Hey. But looking at her again, she looks exactly like that w*nch, Laritte. Except shes older..

Why are you in the Duchy? Are you here to get your daughter back again?

It was when one of them grabbed Olivias chin to make her look at them,

Do you know me?

Two new figures stood on the opposite side of the alley.

Looks like you know my name as well.

Olivia and her oppressors turned toward the source of the voice. Larittes head was lowered to the compass she held in her hand. The compass needle pointed exactly at Olivia.

Laritte and Ian walked into the alleyway. Ian glared at the men with terrifying eyes, as if they were saying, You dare call Laritte a w*nch? If you dare run away, I will kill you all. Meanwhile, Laritte repeated her question to the men frozen like a stone statue.

I asked, do you know me? Then Ians eyes changed again, I will also kill those who do not answer! When the men were at a loss for what to do, Laritte let out a light sigh. Her breath disappeared into the cold air.

I see. Your appearance has become worse than last time, knights. Ians eyes became more ferocious. If it were the knights of the Brumayer family, they were the ones among many who used to torment Laritte. Ian approached them,

Are you going to speak or. His voice was colder than the weather.

P-Please have mercy!

Aaahhh!

As Ian approached the thugs, Laritte reached out to Olivia, Dont sit on rat poop, get up, Olivia. Only then did Larittes compass needle lose its vigor. At least it showed the way for them to talk to each other. No matter what Laritte felt or answered.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep