The One Who Won't Be Abandoned - Chapter 1

My mother was born into a lower-ranking noble family and, as soon as she came of age, served as the closest lady-in-waiting to the daughter of a distinguished household. True to her diligent and loyal nature, my mother devoted herself wholeheartedly to her mistress and even followed her when she married into another noble family. It was a major decision that required breaking off an engagement arranged by her own family, but my mother, guided solely by her unwavering loyalty, accompanied her mistress to the Kaiman Estate, located on the outskirts of the capital.

It was there that my mother met her match—a commoner who worked as the stable master at the Kaiman Estate. They ignored the barrier of social class and, after a passionate romance, successfully married.

Their love was so fervent that even years after my father’s death, the long-serving staff of the Kaiman household still fondly recounted stories of those times whenever they spoke to me.

“Drunk out of his mind, Mark climbed a tall tree out in the backfield, saying he had to pluck a star from the night sky for Scarlett. Then he fell asleep on a branch! Can you imagine how dangerous that was? He climbed so high no one could go after him. We had to grab a thick blanket and wait under the tree for an hour, just in case he fell. That rascal.”

My father, lacking status or wealth but overflowing with confidence and boldness, pursued my mother relentlessly for nearly half a year.

“So, Father won Mother over with his persistence?”

“No. With his looks.”

“….”

“Mark had a face worth looking at, you know.”

Naturally, my maternal family—though of minor nobility—vehemently opposed their marriage. But by the time they discovered that my mother was in a relationship with a commoner, it was already too late. A new life had begun to grow within her: me, Jeanne.

Even after my birth, my father continued to work as a stable master, and my mother remained a lady-in-waiting. From as far back as I can remember, I grew up running around the Kaiman Estate. As I grew older, I naturally took on tasks like a maid—helping the older servants with laundry and cleaning, assisting my father in bathing the horses, and preparing their feed.

To me, the Kaiman Estate was both my home and my entire world.

* * *

“Please, spare me! I beg you, spare me!”

“Aaargh…!”

A storm of blood and chaos swept through the prestigious Kaiman Estate. The once-loyal Kaiman family, who had served the royal family for generations, had been accused of treason.

The moment that unthinkable news reached the estate, royal knights and soldiers stormed in, mercilessly cutting down anyone they encountered.

Amid the sudden and brutal slaughter, I frantically ran up to the third floor, desperate to find my mother, the only family I had left. From below, another scream of anguish tore through the air—someone else struck down by a blade.

“Mother!”

Reaching the mistress’s bedroom door, I pushed it open with all my might, unbothered by the lack of permission. Yet, the spacious room was empty.

I needed to think, to figure out where my mother, the mistress’s devoted lady-in-waiting, might have gone. But the memory of the bloodied corpses and familiar faces I’d passed downstairs clouded my mind, leaving me unable to focus.

At that moment, someone grabbed my arm tightly, spinning me around.

“Jeanne!”

“Mother!”

The woman standing before me, her neatly tied dark brown hair mirroring my own, was my mother.

“I’ve been searching everywhere for you. Quickly, come with me!”

She didn’t wait for a reply, urgently pulling me along as if every second mattered. I quickened my pace, determined not to slow her down.

Yet, it was no easy task to keep up with her as she abandoned all decorum, running through the corridors. Worse, she doubled back repeatedly, trying to avoid crossing paths with the intruders rampaging through the estate.

Finally, after evading countless dangers, we made it to the estate’s deepest underground cellar. My mother opened the heavy storage room door and pushed me inside.

Lit by a single candle, the room revealed an unexpected sight: the mistress of the house, clutching her only child, twelve-year-old Andre Kaiman, tightly to her chest.

The mistress was whispering endlessly to her son, her voice urgent yet steady. Andre, cradled in her arms, turned his gaze to me as I entered. His face was as pale as his golden hair, and even from across the room, I could see the fear trembling in his deep blue eyes.

My mother moved a small table to block the locked door and turned to me with a resolute expression on her face.

“Listen carefully to what I’m about to say. From this moment on, the young master is under your care. You will serve him. Do you understand? And under no circumstances must anyone discover his true identity.”

Despite her firm expression, her voice trembled uncontrollably with fear as she gave her instructions. Seeing my mother so frightened—a side of her I’d never witnessed before—terrified me to the core.

“What are you saying, Mother?”

“You must protect the young master. That is the duty you were born into as my child. Nothing must threaten his safety. You must—absolutely must—keep him safe. Do you understand?”

“Mother…”

“Do you understand?”

She gripped my shoulders with such strength it hurt, but what pained me even more was the fragile look on her face, as if she might collapse at any moment.

“Promise me! Promise me you’ll protect the young master and survive!”

Choking back my sobs, I nodded and made that promise.

By then, tears were streaming down my cheeks, soaking them completely. My mother was crying too, though she seemed unconcerned about her own tears, focusing only on gently wiping mine away with trembling hands.

“No matter where you go or what treatment you face, never lose your confidence. Hold your head high. You are the precious daughter of Mark and me. You’re the child we love more than life itself. Never forget how special and important you are. Live knowing that, always. I believe in you. I believe you’ll do well. Please, take care of the young master.”

“Why… why are you saying this? Why does it sound like a farewell?”

“Scarlett, we must hurry.”

“…Yes, my lady.”

At the mistress’s urging, my mother gazed at my face for a brief moment, as if trying to commit it to memory. Then, she pulled something from her pocket and pressed it into my hand—a heavy pouch. She warned me sternly never to show it to anyone or let it be taken from me.

The mistress, in turn, handed a small box to Andre.

“Focus only on survival. Revenge can come afterward,” she said.

“Yes,” Andre replied, his voice faint but steady.

“Now go.”

At the mistress’s signal, my mother moved to the wall where a large cabinet stood. With effort, she tugged it aside, revealing a hidden stone staircase leading downward.

As I stared into the dark, unlit passage, the mistress spoke to me.

“Jeanne, follow these stairs all the way down. They’ll lead you outside the estate. You and Andre must survive. I’m entrusting him to you.”

“Why can’t you and Mother come with us?” I asked, my voice trembling with tears.

The mistress shook her head sadly.

“The cabinet can’t be closed from the inside.”

With that, the mistress pushed gently on our backs, urging us down the staircase.

I descended a few steps but couldn’t stop myself from turning back. My gaze met my mother’s as she clung to the cabinet. I shook my head, the tears streaming down my face breaking free, and she smiled at me—a bittersweet smile that tore at my heart.

“Survive, Jeanne.”

“Survive, Andre.”

With those final words, the two women pushed the cabinet with all their strength, sealing the passage. Before it closed completely, they both looked at us one last time through the narrowing gap, and then the cabinet thudded into place, plunging the staircase into darkness.

In the pitch-blackness, my shaky breaths echoed unevenly as I tried to stifle my sobs.

After a moment, I reached out and found Andre’s hand. It was as cold and trembling as mine. We gripped each other tightly, clinging to that fragile sense of solidarity.

Step by cautious step, we began descending again. But then, from beyond the thick cabinet, a deafening crash rang out, followed by the shouts of men.

We froze in terror, unable to move.

A sharp, gut-wrenching scream ripped through the air—it was my mother. The mistress’s anguished cry calling my mother’s name followed, echoing loudly.

Then, a booming voice called out, yelling Andre’s name as though searching for him.

In the dark, narrow staircase, Andre and I could only listen helplessly to what was unfolding beyond the cabinet.

The last thing I heard from my mother was that scream—one that made it clear it would be her final sound. Gripping Andre’s trembling hand even tighter, I whispered softly, “Let’s go, young master.”

But before I could even take a step, another scream pierced the air. This time, it was the mistress. Her cry was sharp, cut short, and then… nothing. Like my mother, she fell silent.

Andre’s body swayed unsteadily. I quickly moved to support him, carefully pulling him into my arms.

“Let’s go… we have to go…” I murmured.

I instinctively knew we couldn’t afford to linger in grief, and every fiber of my being screamed to get as far from this place as possible. Thankfully, Andre followed my lead without resistance.

The staircase leading downward wasn’t very long, but the darkness made it treacherous. At one point, I misjudged the end of the stairs, slipping and nearly falling. Andre’s quick reflexes saved me, his grip steadying me just in time.

After that, we continued down the seemingly endless dark path. It wasn’t long before the descent turned into a steep uphill climb. The incline stretched on for what felt like an eternity, the strain burning through my calves and the soles of my feet.

At some point, my fingers, which had been brushing against cold stone walls, began to touch the earth instead. I knew Andre must have noticed it too, but neither of us said a word. We simply kept moving forward in silence.

Finally, after what felt like hours, I saw it—a faint light far ahead in the distance.

“Young master, look. There’s the end.”

Breaking the silence after what felt like an eternity, my voice came out hoarse and raw. At my words, I could sense Andre behind me, shifting to look over my shoulder toward the faint glimmers of light ahead. Tiny pinpoints sparkled in the distance, like scattered stars.

We quickened our pace, eager to reach the end of the path.

At the end, we found an old, rotting wooden door, faint light seeping through its gaps. With no visible handle, I pushed the door experimentally, trying both sides. Thankfully, when I pressed on the bottom-right corner, it creaked open.

The rusty hinges groaned loudly as the door swung outward, revealing dense vines and leaves that blocked the way. Pushing them aside, we emerged into a forest, thick with towering trees.

But what shocked me wasn’t the forest itself—it was the time of day. The sky outside was painted in hues of red, the sun setting into darkness. When the knights had stormed the estate, it had been just past midday. Only now did I realize that Andre and I had been walking for hours.

As we stood near the door, looking around uncertainly, the sun quickly disappeared, and night fell in an instant. Fortunately, the clear sky and bright moonlight offered some visibility.

After trudging through the pitch-black passage beneath the estate, I was deeply grateful for even the faint illumination of the moon.

Scanning the area, I noticed that Andre had wandered some distance away from me. Worried, I hurried to his side. Even as I approached, he didn’t turn to look at me, his gaze fixed on something far off in the distance.

“Young master, where do you think we are?” I asked.

“…Kayaal Mountain,” he replied softly.

Kayaal Mountain was one of the ranges behind the Kaiman Estate. Known for its untouched wilderness, it was devoid of trails or human presence and served as a haven for wild animals.

“How did you know right away—”

My question trailed off the moment I followed Andre’s line of sight.

Through the gaps in the trees, far below the mountain, the Kaiman Estate was visible. Or what remained of it. The grand mansion was engulfed in roaring flames, the inferno illuminating the night sky with a fiery glow.

The massive fire lit up the forest around us as well, its reflection flickering in both Andre’s and my tear-filled eyes.

My home… the place where my mother had been… was crumbling and burning within the searing flames.

A tidal wave of grief struck me, stabbing through my chest with unbearable pain. My knees buckled, and I collapsed to the ground, utterly overwhelmed.

* * *