Brias City was the heart of Broissco territory, home to the Duke's manor. It was separated by a river from Dragul and Ganno City, with the manor itself nestled against the mountain, surrounded by both natural and man-made forests. With the Duke's expertise in defensive magic, people felt secure within these barriers.
The day of the disaster came to be known as Wrecked Autumn. Though there were casualties, they were fewer than expected, considering the damages. The royal family remained wary of the Duke's private soldiers, but people saw things differently. In their eyes, these troops had been the first to respond, swiftly protecting and aiding those in need.
Not only had the Duke deployed his forces, but he also provided financial aid for rebuilding the villages. Because of this, the people under the Broissco family had little to complain about. When the Duke later established additional defensive stations, they welcomed the decision wholeheartedly.
Perhaps this was why the royal government resented the Broissco family. They were wealthy, powerful, and entirely self-sufficient—never once needing the kingdom's support. If anything, it was always the kingdom that needed them.
And now, with Cassandra Broissco's death, that resentment only deepened. Whoever responssibled for this loss, it would be a normal thing if the Duke starting to wary.
Of course the people wouldn't think deeply about that. They remembered differently. They remembered how the Duke's son-in-law had fought to protect them, even when his wife had been gravely ill. They mourned for Cassandra—not just as the Duke's daughter, but as a bright force in their land, gone too soon
With Cassandra gone, the next focus naturally shifted to the youngest daughter—the Third Young Miss. But no one placed much hope in her. She hadn't even been given an official name.
Rumors spread like wildfire. Some speculated that she was an illegitimate child. Others recalled that the Duchess had indeed been pregnant seven years ago, but they assumed this daughter must have been born weak, stupid, or deformed—hence her complete absence from noble society.
After a week of careful nourishment, Jean finally decided that Sierra was already strong enough. The Duke remained occupied, inspecting and reinforcing the barrier stations across Broissco's territory. He was too busy to look for this daughter he had never met before.
Meanwhile, the so-called Third Young Miss spent her time indulging in gossip, listening to every whispered theory about herself.
Sierra, however, was far more interested in something else—her newly healed left hand. With great satisfaction, she was learning to use it for daily tasks. It was better than having no arm at all. What others thought of her? That was irrelevant. The opinions of outsiders meant nothing, and even the thoughts of her own parents barely registered in her mind.
Jean sighed, breaking the news. "The official report claims the culprit was half-human."
Sierra tilted her head. "Half-human?"
Jean nodded. "At least, that's what they're saying. You know how people treat half-humans already. It's bad enough as it is, but after this? Once the news spreads, it'll only get worse."
Sierra snorted. "That sounds suspicious. Blaming half-humans is the easiest way to cover up a conspiracy."
"Yeah, I think so too." Jean exhaled. "Are you ready?"
Sierra nodded, her expression set with determination. She bit down on a handkerchief, bracing herself for the pain.
Jean focused, scanning Sierra's body from head to toe. Carefully, she began extracting mana-infused cells, weaving them together to reconstruct what was lost. Her magic converted mana into raw physical energy, forcing Sierra's body to recall its original form.
Sierra trembled, sweat beading on her skin. But the sharp pain she had expected never came. Instead, her energy drained at an alarming rate. Her limbs turned numb, her vision blurred, and nausea churned in her stomach. Before she could even groan, darkness swallowed her whole.
"Miss Fio, you're incredible!" Tera Reshal, another healer, caught Jean as she slumped from exhaustion.
Jean barely managed a weak smile. "I'm not… She is." Her gaze locked onto Sierra's new right hand—pale, intact, yet eerily lifeless.
Tera shook her head in disbelief. "You did it alone. I couldn't have done this without at least two assistants."
Jean forced herself to stand, moving closer. She pressed her fingers against Sierra's new hand—it was cold, unmoving.
"Did it fail?" Tera asked, frowning. "It's already been a week since she lost the limb. Usually, regeneration has to happen immediately."
Jean sighed. "She was too weak back then. I expected this result." She withdrew her hand and straightened. "It'll take at least two years for her to fully regain function. Unless…" Her expression darkened slightly. "If we could bring in the royal healer… he might have a way to speed up the process."
Never mind the royal healer— even the ordinary healers in this place were overwhelmed. They had been sent to aid villages with no healers of their own. Since the Third Young Miss had been brought here, not a single soul from the Duke's mansion had come to visit or even inquired about her.
The child herself seemed used to it. She knew no one in that house cared for her. The realization was heartbreaking.
"Um… excuse me," a timid voice came from the doorway.
Tera turned to see a young woman standing there. "And who might you be?" she asked, raising a brow.
"I am Aning. I was assigned as the new maid to attend to the Third Young Miss," the girl introduced herself. Her eyes flickered past the two healers and landed on the frail figure resting on the bed.
"Only you?" Jean frowned. "Even a merchant's daughter has at least two maids serving her."
Aning gave an awkward smile. "Ah… many servants in the mansion died. They're still recruiting replacements. But don't worry, Miss, I passed the maid qualification test."
"There's a qualification test for maids?" Tera asked, surprised.
Jean shook her head. "Come here. I'll teach you how to massage her properly." She patted the chair beside her.
Aning stepped forward eagerly, her expression serious. She watched and listened attentively as Jean demonstrated. Not once did Jean find fault in her technique.
"She learns fast," Jean murmured approvingly.
Tera nodded. "I'll teach you how to apply the medicinal balm as well."
Aning knelt beside the bed, absorbing their instructions with quiet focus. At the very least, Sierra wouldn't be entirely alone.
Two days later, Sierra finally woke up. The moment she saw her right hand—whole once again—her face lit up with joy. She had been told it would take at least two years to fully recover, but she didn't mind. Just having her arm back was already a miracle.
"Young Miss… I will be heading to the capital to see my master," Jean informed her.
Sierra nodded. "En."
Jean smiled slightly. "There's a famous healer in the capital— a genius, even the royals respect him. Who knows? Maybe he has a way to speed up your recovery."
"Okay."
Jean's expression turned stern. "In the meantime, you need to keep stimulating your hand. Do you hear me?"
"Yes, ma'am. Loud and clear." Sierra gave a salute with her left hand.
Jean sighed. "And… can you be a little nicer to your maid? She's trying her best. You should appreciate that."
Sierra frowned in confusion. "Why do you even care? No one cares."
"I care," Jean said firmly. "I'm older than you, so you should listen to me. I know you don't like having a maid, but you have to accept her either way. Besides, she's being paid, so don't make things harder for yourself."
"I let her serve my food. I even let her help me bathe. What else do you want me to do?" Sierra asked, clearly not understanding the issue.
"Talk to her. She's not a stone, Young Miss. Treat her like a person."
Sierra hesitated for a moment before saying, "My name is Sierra. You don't have to call me 'Young Miss.'"
Jean's eyes softened. "Sierra… it's a good name. Then, in private, I'll call you by your name. Okay?"
Sierra tilted her head. "Then, can I call you Sister Jean?"
Jean laughed. "Alright, but only in private."
"Sister, how old are you?"
"Fifteen."
Sierra blinked in surprise. "You're so young… and you're already a doctor? I mean… a full-fledged healer?"
Jean chuckled. "Well, I have a knack for mana control. I don't have enormous mana veins like you. I don't come from a powerful family that can provide me with resources, so I had to focus on what I could do best."
"Hm."
Jean narrowed her eyes. "Why? Are you thinking of learning healing magic?"
"I want to at least be able to heal myself when I'm hurt. Healing others… I'm not interested."
"Self-healing magic is useful, too," Jean agreed. Then, as if remembering something, she asked, "By the way, when are you going home?"
Sierra hesitated. "Umm… after you leave for the capital."
Jean sighed. "I really don't know what to say about your family relationships. But… it's always better to have a good relationship with them."
"They hate me," Sierra stated flatly.
Jean hesitated. "The Duchess… hm, she's strange. As for the Duke, I don't know him that well. But I don't think he can be that bad. He's a good leader to his people. At the very least, he wouldn't hate you without a reason. As long as you don't make a fatal mistake, he won't treat you badly."
Sierra was in daze. This new mom and dad were fated to die anyway. She didn't want to care about them.