I used to be a noble.
As the eldest son of the Judanig family, I was naturally named heir to the house. From the day I could walk, my life was dictated by grand banquets, rigid lessons, and relentless training under the finest masters in the Capital.
But none of it brought me joy.
Only suffocation.
"Mr. Rag, your schedule today is as follows:6:30 a.m. – Breakfast with freshly baked bread and premium fruit jam imported from the Rala Plateau.7:00 a.m. – A private lecture on the history of His Majesty, the Esteemed King.11:00 a.m. – Luncheon featuring Mosca salmon fillet and Wagyu beef with Mosca caviar.Afternoon – Intensive full-time study with Mr. Kaps."
Every day passed exactly like that. A perfect, suffocating routine.
"You will be the next head of the family after me. Don't disappoint me."
My father repeated those words like a curse—engraving them into my soul.
I was just ten years old. But I carried burdens far beyond my years.
I thought my entire life would be a long, straight road. Predictable. Loveless. Unchanging.
Until that day—
The sound of a piano echoed softly through the great hall.
My fingers brushed the keys. I didn't follow any sheet music. I let the notes flow on their own—freely, without restraint.
"Is that The Deserted Garden by Stecko?"
A bright voice rang out behind me.
I turned around.
She stood in the light.
Short, soft pink hair shimmered under the gentle sunlight. Not just any pink—a vivid, delicate hue, like a Bernadette Lafont flower in full bloom.
Her eyes sparkled with curiosity, full of life.
She was two years younger than me, the eldest daughter of the Larase family.
"Uh… yeah. That's right."
"That's amazing! I love that piece! Can you play it again?"
Her smile was so bright it caught me off guard. For a moment, I hesitated under her gaze—so genuine, so open.
And then, for reasons I couldn't explain, I placed my fingers back on the keys.
The notes rang out once more.
"This is incredible! It's the first time I've heard a piano played live!"
She clapped her hands with excitement, her eyes glowing.
And for the first time in my life—
I felt free.
"You play beautifully. I love how your hands dance over the keys, like every note is alive."
And I loved her hair.
"My name is Mia Larase. And you?"
"I'm... Rag Judanig."
For the first time in my life, I had a real friend.
Mia was like a breeze—cool, unexpected, and refreshing—drifting into the rigid, suffocating routine that was my life. She was bright, full of life, and never hesitated to speak her mind.
As days went by, we saw each other more and more. At first, it was just short chats after long study hours. But then, I started finding excuses—any excuse—to slip away from the mansion, to the back garden where she would be waiting.
"Hey, Rag! I have something for you!"Mia held out a small laurel wreath, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
I took it, turning it over in my hands. Each leaf had been carefully woven together."Wow… what is this?"
"A laurel wreath! I made it myself! In my hometown, people give these to the person they love most!"
I chuckled and gently placed it on my head."It's beautiful. Thank you, Mia."
Before I knew it, she had become a part of me.
But my father didn't like it.It wasn't long before he noticed how much time I was spending with her.
"Rag, you are the heir of House Judanig. Do not let a girl distract you from your path."
I had heard that same sentence a hundred times.But it didn't matter anymore.She was all I could think about.
One evening, after finishing a long and grueling training session, I went to find Mia.
"Hey… what do you think about getting married?"I asked it out of nowhere.
She blinked, caught off guard."Huh? What kind of question is that?"
"Because I want to marry you."
She stared at me in disbelief… then burst into laughter."Are you serious?"
"I've never been more serious."
"Well then... try convincing your father."
I knew it wouldn't be easy. But for her, I was willing to try.I pleaded. I argued. I reasoned. I fought for her, day after day.Trying to prove that Mia—sweet, free-spirited Mia—was worthy of the Judanig name.
And finally, after relentless persistence, my father relented.
That day, I ran to her with joy burning in my chest.
"Mia! He said yes! My father agreed! We can be together!"
She went quiet for a moment. Something flickered in her eyes—uncertainty? sadness?But then she smiled brightly."Really?! That's amazing!"
I grabbed her hand, my heart brimming with hope.
We were married in a lavish ceremony."Eldest son Rag Judanig and Miss Mia Larase, please seal your vows with a kiss."
I believed that from then on, I would be happy.
I no longer cared about the endless schedules, the suffocating weight of legacy.Every day, I worked hard just to finish early and spend time with her.
In the late afternoons, I would play the guitar, and she would lean on my shoulder, humming softly with the melody.
"I love you, Rag," she used to whisper, her eyes gentle and warm.
I believed her.
I believed in those peaceful years.
But peace never lasts.
Time passed, and Mia still didn't get pregnant.
My father began to frown.
One day, he summoned me to his study.
"Rag, do you know why I've called you?"
I clenched my fists."Yes, Father. We've tried many times… but still, she shows no signs of pregnancy."
His expression hardened."You understand how important it is that our house has an heir."
"Yes!"
The next day, he brought in one of the most renowned doctors in the Capital to examine me.
I had no idea that what he would say… would shatter my world.
"You are sick."
I froze."What? What do you mean?"
The doctor let out a slow sigh."I'm sorry… but you are infertile. Permanently. There is no cure."
It felt like the ground had been pulled from beneath me.Everything blurred.
"No… that can't be…"
I waited, praying for the doctor to take it back. For him to say he had made a mistake.But he didn't.He never did.
My father couldn't hide his rage.
"You are a disgrace to the Judanig name!"
The whispers began.
Servants stopped meeting my eyes. The nobles who once praised me now looked away with scorn.
I became the joke of the house.The shame of a legacy built on power and bloodlines.
But the one who hurt me the most… was Mia.
I thought she would stand by me.But she didn't.
"Mia… I'm sorry!" I grabbed her hand, my voice breaking.She yanked it away, her eyes burning with hatred.
"Damn it! Shut up!"
I stood frozen.
"Why would I ever love a pathetic man like you?"
I shook my head, unable to believe what I was hearing."Mia?"
She laughed—cold and cruel.
"What did you think? That I loved you? Ridiculous.""I only wanted your family's wealth. Once the baby was born, I was going to find a way to get rid of you—so everything your father left behind would go to our child. And then, to me."
Her words were like knives, slicing through my chest.I stood there, motionless, every syllable echoing in my head.My hands trembled. My chest ached.
All this time…All this time I had loved her with everything I had.And it was all just an act.
"But you're just a loser!"
I once thought I was the luckiest man alive to have her.I believed in our love.In her.
But it was all a lie.
I lost everything.My family.My honor.My love.
I had nothing left.
From that day on, I left.No goodbyes. No regrets. No turning back.
I severed every tie to the past.The Judanig name. My father. Mia.They became nothing more than fading shadows in the corners of my memory.
I wandered far and wide, drifting through foreign cities, crossing lonely roads, passing through forgotten villages—always searching for a place where I could begin again.
Eventually, I arrived at Komo—a quiet, peaceful village nestled in the embrace of green mountains.
There, I opened a sword school. I taught my own techniques, forged from everything I had learned and suffered through.
I called the school "Juda."I removed the "-nig" from my surname.A way of rejecting the old me, and embracing someone new.
At first, no one believed in me.A stranger from nowhere, claiming to teach swordsmanship?
But time proved my worth.
The "Juda" sword school grew—slowly at first, then steadily.People began to come from neighboring towns and even distant regions—not just for my techniques, but for my reputation as a formidable duelist.
Years passed.
I fell in love again.A few times.
There were women who made me believe I might find happiness once more.
But one by one… they left.
When they learned I couldn't have children, they grew distant.Some left quietly. Others confronted me—hurt, disappointed, angry.
"You should've told me from the beginning.""If we can't have children… then what future do we even have?"
They never had to say it outright.
To them, I was always… broken.Incomplete.
A man without legacy.
I had no answer.
And so, once again, I found myself alone.
Until one night.
A sudden pounding on the door ripped through the silence.Knock! Knock! Knock!
"Uncle Rag! Please, we need your help!"
I bolted upright. Threw on a coat. Opened the door.
The moon hung high above.In the pale silver light stood Mrs. Alish—an elderly woman from the village. Her face was drawn tight with worry.
"Mrs. Alish? What's wrong?"
"Do you know old Tena?"
I frowned."Yes. He used to bring me vegetables."
Her shoulders slumped. Her voice dropped.
"He… passed away."
I was speechless.
Tena was one of the first in Komo to treat me kindly.Despite her age, she always had a warm smile.She was like a grandmother to everyone.
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"But before she died," Alish said, "she asked me to entrust a little girl to you."
She stepped aside.
And behind her stood a child.
A small girl, four or five years old.Thin.Wearing worn clothes.Her wide eyes shimmered with confusion.
But what stopped me cold—what made my breath catch—was her hair.
Red.
A deep, blood-red cascade beneath the moonlight.
My heart tightened.A strange feeling gripped me—part dread, part déjà vu.
This girl…Why did she feel so familiar?
"Who is she?" I asked, my voice hoarse.
"Old Tena found her in the woods, abandoned as a newborn," Mrs. Alish explained."She couldn't leave the poor thing there, so she took her in and raised her. For the last four years, they lived together."
"And now?"
"Before she died, she said: 'Take her to Rag. She'll have a better life with him.'"
I looked again at the girl.
Her red hair shimmered in the moonlight.Her deep black eyes stared up at me—unblinking, unreadable.She didn't cry. Didn't speak.
She just stood there.Watching me.
And in her silent gaze… I saw something.A reflection of myself, maybe.Or something I had long forgotten.
What was I supposed to do?
Adopt her?I—a man who had failed time and time again in love, a man cursed with the inability to father children—now stood before a child in need of protection.Could I truly bear that responsibility?
But her eyes…Those eyes, filled with the quiet pain of abandonment, reached deep into my soul.
"What's your name?" I asked gently, crouching to her level.
She hesitated for a moment, then whispered:"Lily."
My heart trembled.
A voice echoed faintly in the corners of my mind—a younger version of myself:"Yes, I really want to have a child."
And today…It felt like the gods had finally heard that wish.
I reached out and gently brushed my fingers through her red hair.
"Alright," I said softly."From now on, you'll live with me."
—Noah's POV—
"Lily!"My father suddenly shouted, his voice like thunder.Without hesitation, he grabbed the sword beside him and charged straight at the man who claimed to be captain of the royal guard.
"Calm down, Sir Rag," the captain said coldly, raising one arm with ease to block the attack."You shouldn't be so rash."
"Tch!"
A powerful kick landed squarely on my father's chest, launching him through the air.He crashed hard onto the ground.
"Father!"I panicked, rushing to move—but before I could take a single step, Lily's shrill scream cut through the air.
"This girl. Don't struggle."
"Let me go!" Lily shouted, twisting in his grip, but his iron-like hand didn't budge.
"What do you want with Lily?!" My father growled, struggling to rise.
"That's classified," the captain replied without emotion."If you all stay put, I'll leave quietly. No one has to die."
"You bastard! LET! ME! GO!"
Lily's voice cracked the silence—And then came the sharp whistle of wind through air.
Whoosh!
A blur of light. A sudden scream.
The captain staggered back, shrieking.
One of his ears dropped to the floor.
"AAARGH! WHAT THE HELL!?"
Lily broke free and ran straight into Father's arms.
"Father! Are you okay? Does it hurt?"
"I'm fine… What about you? Are you hurt?"
"No—"
Lily froze.A chill crept down her spine.
Clang!
My father twisted around just in time, blocking a sword strike aimed at Lily from behind.
"Didn't they tell you to capture her alive?" he gritted out, forcing the captain back.
The man tossed his sword aside, eyes gleaming with cruelty.
"Alive or dead—it doesn't matter. As long as I have her body."
My father's grip on his blade tightened.
"What… did you just say?"
There was no more talking.They charged.
The sound of steel meeting steel echoed violently.Each clash tore through the air like a storm of blades.
I stood frozen.
"Father… is losing?" I whispered, unable to believe it.Father—my father—was the strongest man I had ever known.
And yet…He was being pushed back.
"He's protecting us." Lily's voice trembled."That's why he's not dodging."
My eyes widened.
She was right.Father was standing firm, taking every blow—so none of them would reach us.
"He's… not avoiding any of the strikes." Lily's voice cracked.
My chest tightened. Tears filled my eyes.
I couldn't watch anymore.If Father fell… what would happen to us?
I gripped my sword, heart pounding, and charged toward the captain with everything I had.
"DIIEEE!!!"
But I wasn't fast enough.The captain saw me.His blade turned—A flash of silver, cutting straight for my head.
I had no time to dodge.
I shut my eyes tight, feeling the blade closing in.
"FATHER!!!"
Lily's scream ripped through the air.
I opened my eyes.
And there he was.
Father.Standing between me and death.The captain's blade embedded in his side.
Blood dripped…Falling onto the cold stone beneath us.
I froze.
"Father?"
—Back to Rag's Perspective—
Lily wasn't the only child I raised.Later, I welcomed a boy named Noah into our small family.
It was a hot day.The sun baked the earth until dust danced in the air.I had been walking outside, thinking about repairing the porch—
When suddenly, I stopped.
In the middle of the dusty road,A boy was trudging along, his clothes torn, his bare feet caked with mud.He looked fragile—like a single gust of wind could knock him down.
"Are you okay, little one?" I called out gently.
But the boy didn't respond.His eyes were blank… distant—like a cornered animal, too scared to even run.
Before I could reach him, his legs gave out.I rushed forward and caught him just in time, lifting him into my arms.
He was light—too light.His breathing was shallow.
Noah awoke the next morning on the old bed in my house.He glanced around cautiously, his brown eyes wide.But when he saw me, some of the tension in his face eased.
"My name is Noah," he said, his voice dry and small."...Yesterday… my parents… they were killed by a cruel slave owner."
His fingers clenched the blanket tightly. His lips trembled.
"They protected me until the very end. Mom held me close… and Dad… Dad fought them off. Before they…"His voice cracked."Before they died, Dad told me to run… to this village… And now, I have no one left."
I stared at the child before me.Only five years old… and already he'd lost everything.
The sight brought back memories—of a younger me, forced to abandon everything I knew.
I couldn't change the past.But I could protect this child's future.
I reached out, gently brushing my hand through his tangled hair.
"You don't have to be afraid anymore," I said softly."From now on… I will protect you."
Noah slowly raised his head.A flicker of hope sparked in his eyes—uncertain, hesitant, but there.
"R-Really…?"
I nodded firmly and smiled.
"Yes!" Noah cried, and before I could react, he leapt forward and hugged me tight."Thank you, Dad!"
I didn't know when it started—But somehow… a child's embrace had become the warmest thing I'd ever felt.
"Dad… Dad…" Lily sobbed softly beside me.Noah stood behind her, tears silently streaming down his cheeks.
"Noah… Lily…""Even though we didn't have much time together… I've never regretted a single moment.""Being your father… has been the greatest joy of my life."
My voice trembled as the memories washed over me.
"Noah… you're still young, but you've grown so much. Stronger than you think. Believe in yourself, my son."
"Dad…"
"And Lily… I know you've been looking out for Noah more lately. But don't ever think I love you any less.""You're strong, gifted, and brave. I'm proud of you, always. You've become so independent—but remember: you don't have to carry everything on your own."
I paused—struggling to hold back my tears.
"Both of you… thank you for coming into my life.""I'm happier than anyone else in the world because of you. But the road ahead is dangerous...""Noah, take care of Lily—she's hopeless at taking care of herself.""Lily, protect Noah—because you are stronger than anyone knows."
With those words, I spun around and slashed at the wall behind me.Debris flew everywhere, revealing a hidden escape route.
"Go! Run!" I barked."I'll hold them off."
"But… I can't leave you behind!" Lily screamed, her face soaked with tears.
"LISTEN TO ME!"For the first time, I raised my voice with absolute authority.
"I won't lose you two. I refuse!"
Noah bit his lip, grabbed Lily's hand, and pulled her toward the exit.
"NO! CHAAAA!!!"Lily cried out in anguish, her screams echoing behind them as they disappeared down the passage.
I watched them go, my heart heavy—but my soul praying for their safety.
A few soldiers chased after them. But I had faith in Lily—she was more than strong enough.
She had the power…To change the world.
That thought brought back a sudden image:The captain's severed ear.
"Was that… magic?" I whispered.My fingers trembled on the hilt of my sword.No… it couldn't be. Lily? But how…?
"Such a touching father-daughter moment," the captain's voice cut through the air, laced with mockery."But do you really think they'll get far? They'll be caught soon enough."
"Tch!"I growled, rage flaring in my chest.
"You underestimate the strength of my FAMILY."
I bared my teeth.
"Come here… and let me send you to hell."
With that, I charged—My sword gleaming with deadly intent.
Live… and become stronger than I ever was, you two foolish brats!