The World Has Become Kinder to Her

The voice that called out belonged to Frederick, drawing everyone’s attention. Yet, his gaze was fixed solely on one person.

“This is outrageous. All the appetizers are things Lotus doesn’t like,” he declared.

The Marquis and Marchioness, along with Hession, glanced at Lotus, startled. But no one was more surprised than Lotus herself, though she struggled to maintain a composed expression.

*How does he know I dislike this kind of food?*

A fleeting, unnecessary thought crossed her mind—could Frederick, who seemed to know her so well, also be someone who had experienced a rebirth like herself?

However, as Frederick continued to speak, Lotus quickly dismissed the notion.

“She’s never been able to eat this well.”

*This man! It’s only been five minutes since we started!*

Clenching her fist under the table so no one could see, Lotus cursed him silently.

*And here I thought…*

For a moment, she had foolishly entertained the idea that perhaps Frederick remembered from their past life that she had never been fond of these dishes. But the truth was far more mundane. In the past, she had naively asked Frederick why she no longer enjoyed seafood as she once had, and his response had been a memorable one:

––*Compared to the seafood dishes from the coastal city of Retre, the capital’s seafood feels like it was cooked by someone who should have their hands chopped off. But I’m merciful, so I don’t eat it.*

Retre was a coastal city famous for its abundant seafood and refined culinary techniques. Naturally, the dishes there were superior to those in the capital, where fresh ingredients weren’t as readily available.

Looking back, how ridiculous it was that she had expected anything different from him.

“…Lotus, is this true?” Hession asked, his expression full of concern.

Answering honestly and admitting she disliked the food felt uncomfortable, but lying and saying she liked it would only force her to eat it. She didn’t want to go through either scenario.

“I neither like nor dislike it,” she replied, opting for the safest, most neutral answer.

Despite her response, the uneasy expression remained on Hession’s face, and Frederick’s skeptical gaze didn’t waver.

“Well, fine. I’ll take your word for it. But I’m a magician who can change the situation at will,” Frederick said with a sly smile.

Without warning, he muttered something under his breath and moved his fingers. The Marquis and Hession exchanged puzzled glances, not sure what he was doing. But Lotus and Kenneth immediately recognized the gesture.

*Summoning magic!*

Frederick, with his mastery over all forms of magic, particularly excelled in wind, movement, and summoning spells due to his strong affinity for wind. Suddenly, five dishes appeared on the table in front of Lotus, landing with precision and grace, without a single sound or slip.

Bowls of soups and stews now adorned the table, perfectly aligned before Lotus. It was an impressive display of magic, if not slightly overwhelming.

“What is the meaning of this, Lord Abran?” The Marquis of Estelle spoke, his voice a mix of surprise and irritation.

After all, it was rather rude for a guest to summon outside food without permission, especially during a formal meal hosted by the family. Frederick’s actions, though impressive, overstepped his bounds as a guest.

But Frederick, who had once summoned wine from outside the Empire during a meal with the Crown Prince himself, saw no issue with his actions. The Marquis of Estelle was not above the Crown Prince, after all.

“I simply brought some soups and stews that I know Lotus would prefer. She looks so thin—it’s only right that she should be well-fed.”

For a moment, the Marquis was rendered speechless by Frederick’s audacity.

Frederick’s tone and actions were brash and arrogant, yet it stung even more because it seemed as though an outsider like him cared more for Lotus than her own family. The Marquis and Hession, both caught off guard, exchanged glances before looking back at Lotus, who was trying hard to maintain her composure.

Lotus was the most shocked of all, though she managed to hide it well.

*How does he even know I dislike this kind of food?*

Once again, an irrational thought crossed her mind: could Frederick, who seemed to know her so well, also have been reborn like her? 

But as Frederick continued to speak, Lotus quickly dismissed that thought.

“She can barely eat like this,” Frederick added, oblivious to the fact that the meal had only just begun.

Lotus clenched her fist under the table, annoyed beyond measure.

*And here I thought…*

For a moment, she had foolishly hoped he remembered something meaningful from the past. But then she recalled his past insensitivity when she once asked why he didn’t eat seafood as often anymore. His flippant response had been:

––*Compared to the seafood from Retre, the capital’s seafood makes you want to cut off the chef’s hands. But I’m merciful, so I just don’t eat it.*

What had she even expected from someone like him?

*This man does whatever he wants,* she thought, her frustration bubbling up inside her. While her family was paralyzed by guilt, unsure how to respond, Lotus was overwhelmed by anger.

*Who asked him to care about what I eat?* she seethed. *I told him I was fine, but he still decided to overstep.*

*If I were the true daughter of the Marquis of Estelle, would he dare act like this?* 

Frederick’s audacity stemmed from the fact that he knew he could get away with such behavior. If she had been someone of real power, he wouldn’t have acted so boldly.

*I didn’t even want to attend this dinner in the first place.*

She had only come because she was still accustomed to reading the room and trying to avoid trouble. Her plan had been to quietly attend, maybe convince Frederick and Kenneth to leave, or simply endure until the meal was over.

But this—this was too much.

If Frederick dared to claim he was doing it all for her, Lotus would have words for him. His actions were not for her benefit—they were for his own satisfaction, to see her react.

With icy resolve, she slammed her spoon down on the table. The sound echoed through the room, drawing every eye back to her.

“Lotus?” Frederick asked, his voice suddenly cautious as their eyes met.

In her green eyes, Frederick saw a swirl of emotions—resentment, sorrow, and anger—that made his heart drop.

“You say you’re doing this for me?” Lotus’s voice was sharp, her words laced with thorns. “Just how far will you go to exhaust me, to humiliate me?”

Her voice, filled with frustration and bitterness, shocked everyone at the table—especially Frederick and Kenneth, who knew her well from their past. Even her family was taken aback.

“L-Lotus, calm down. Why would I want to make you tired or humiliated?” Frederick stammered, clearly rattled.

“I told you I neither liked nor disliked the food. I never asked for different soups or stews, nor did I want them,” she said coldly.

“I just felt bad seeing you not eat, so I thought I’d help…” Frederick started.

“For me?” Lotus cut him off. “No, you should be honest. You did it for yourself, for your own satisfaction.”

Her words, though directed at Frederick, stung the others as well. 

The Marquis remembered how he had insisted on escorting her at the debutante despite her reluctance. The Marchioness thought of how she had redecorated Lotus’s room with expensive furniture without consulting her preferences, just to ease her own conscience.

Hession reflected on how he had tried to approach Lotus suddenly as a caring brother, never once offering a proper apology for the past.

Each of them realized, in that moment, that their actions had been more about their own comfort than Lotus’s wishes.

Kenneth reflected on his impulsive proposal to Lotus, made in a rush to “save” her from this hellish place, without considering her true desires. Meanwhile, Frederick, who had committed such offenses time and time again, stood there, his face drained of color.

Lotus’s words cut deep, not just for Frederick, but for everyone present.

“I’m supposed to be grateful, aren’t I? Grateful that you don’t ignore or mistreat me, and even more so because you show me kindness—because I’m just the daughter of a mere marquis, and not even a proper one at that,” Lotus said, her voice filled with scorn.

“Lotus!”  

“Lotus!”  

“Lotus!”  

“Lady Estelle!”

The voices of the Marquis, Hession, Frederick, and Kenneth overlapped, all calling out her name at once. 

But Lotus only felt a wave of exhaustion and anger wash over her. Her pale cheeks flushed with the intensity of her emotions.

“You don’t need to call my name—I’m well aware of my cursed existence,” she spat, her voice tinged with bitterness.

The name *Lotus Estelle* was a constant reminder of the life she wanted to erase from the world, as though it was etched into her very blood.

“…”

“How far do you plan to push me? You watch me under the guise of some flimsy excuse, you try to force food on me that I never asked for. Will it only be when I’m dead and gone that you stop making my life miserable?” 

Frederick, who had been silent, was visibly shaken. His silver eyes widened, and for the first time, he seemed truly lost for words. His gaze trembled, as though struck by a sudden, horrifying realization.

*Did she want to die because of me?* he wondered. *Is that why she was pushed to the brink?*

All Frederick had ever wanted—both in the past and now—was to see Lotus alive and well. To see her simply breathing and moving, nothing more.

“Lotus, I… I made a mistake,” he stammered, his voice trembling. 

The image of her lifeless body, soaked in river water, pale and cold, flashed vividly in his mind. He could still feel the icy chill of her skin from that fateful day, and it made his heart ache. His eyes burned as he struggled to remain composed, but his voice kept faltering, and his chest tightened painfully.

“I’m sorry. I… I never intended to—” 

As sorrowful as his words sounded, Frederick knew she might not believe him. He would have given her his heart, his very life force, if it would save her from the pain he had unknowingly caused.

His throat constricted, making it hard to breathe. Finally, a tear slipped from his silver eyes, trailing down his cheek.

Every person in the dining hall, including Lotus, stared in disbelief at the sight of Frederick—a man who had always been the epitome of pride—shedding tears.

But the shock didn’t end there.

Frederick, the eldest son of a prestigious duke, a man brimming with magical talent and arrogance, slowly sank to his knees before her.

*What is happening?* Lotus thought, her hand instinctively covering her mouth as she stared at the unbelievable scene unfolding in front of her.

“I’ve been wrong about everything. But please, don’t say you want to die. Don’t say that, I beg you…”

Frederick, the arrogant mage who had never bowed to anyone—not even to the Emperor—was now kneeling before the woman everyone had dismissed as nothing. 

Had the Emperor witnessed this, he would have been riddled with self-doubt. If the servants of the Duke’s estate saw it, they would have been in complete shock. And if the mages of the Tower had been there, they would have collectively assumed they were hallucinating and rushed to drink restorative tonics.