The words still echoed in Yeon's ears.
Big brother.
Even after the noblewoman left the room, even after Aeris had laughed and pulled him toward her toys, the weight of that title clung to him. He wasn't sure whether it was heavy or warm. Perhaps it was both.
But there was no time to linger in that thought. Soon after, the noblewoman called for her maids.
"Prepare him," she ordered calmly.
At her word, two women stepped forward, bowing lightly before guiding Yeon out of Aeris's room. Their movements were smooth and precise, as if rehearsed a hundred times. Yeon followed in silence, his bare feet whispering against the polished floor.
The corridors stretched endlessly, lined with portraits of men and women who carried the same sharp eyes and proud bearing as the noblewoman. Yeon kept his head down. He didn't belong here. He couldn't even imagine what punishment awaited him if he dirtied the floor.
Finally, the maids led him into a room filled with steam. Yeon froze at the sight.
A large wooden tub stood in the center, brimming with warm water that glimmered in the candlelight. Steam curled into the air, carrying with it the faint scent of herbs.
Yeon's breath caught. Never in his life had he seen so much clean water in one place. In the village, water was precious. His foster parents would scold him for using even a single cup too carelessly.
"Undress," one of the maids said softly.
Yeon flinched. His thin fingers clutched the collar of his ragged shirt, hesitation weighing him down. His body bore the marks of hunger and neglect—faded bruises, scars left by ropes, and the pale outline of ribs pressing against skin. He didn't want anyone to see.
But the maids waited patiently, their expressions unchanged. With trembling hands, Yeon obeyed.
The moment his body touched the water, he sucked in a sharp breath. Warmth wrapped around him, so unlike the cold rivers he used to sneak into during summer. The heat seeped into his bones, easing the tightness in his chest.
The maids worked in silence. They scrubbed his skin with cloths dipped in fragrant water, rinsed his hair until it clung softly to his face, and carefully trimmed his nails. Their hands were practiced, efficient, but distant.
Not once did they speak to him.
To them, he was not a guest. Not even a child. Only a task, to be washed and dressed as their lady commanded.
Yeon lowered his head. Shame burned inside him. Yet at the same time, he couldn't stop his heart from trembling at the sensation of being clean for the first time in years.
When the bath ended, the maids handed him a fresh set of clothes. They weren't as fine as the noblewoman's silks, but the fabric was soft and smooth, unlike the rough scraps he once wore. A plain white shirt, dark trousers, and a vest embroidered with simple patterns—clothes fit for a household servant, perhaps, yet still far beyond what Yeon had ever known.
He touched the sleeve cautiously, afraid it would vanish like a dream.
Once dressed, the maids led him through another set of hallways. His bare feet were now covered with soft slippers, muffling his steps. He felt like an intruder, walking among gold-framed mirrors and polished floors.
Then the doors opened, and Yeon's breath caught again.
The dining hall was enormous—larger than the common house he once lived in, larger even than the village square. A long table stretched nearly the entire room, its surface gleaming under the glow of a chandelier filled with dozens of candles. Silverware shone in the light, and the scent of roasted meat, warm bread, and sweet fruits filled the air.
Yeon stood frozen at the entrance.
The noblewoman was already seated at the head of the table, her back straight and her expression calm. Aeris sat beside her, kicking her legs happily as she waited.
"Come," the noblewoman said, her voice carrying effortlessly across the hall.
Yeon hesitated. The table was filled with dishes more elegant and beautiful than anything he had ever seen—golden roasts glazed with honey, vegetables cut into neat shapes, bread so soft it seemed to glow under the light, and fruits arranged in patterns like jewels.
His hands clenched. He didn't belong here.
Still, at her command, he forced his feet forward and sat down carefully on the chair across from Aeris. The wood felt smooth and polished beneath him, so different from the rough stools of his old village.
For a while, Yeon simply stared at the food.
His stomach growled, but his hands didn't move. It all seemed untouchable, as if a single bite would shatter something sacred. Since being sold to the slave broker, he hadn't tasted a proper meal. Even before that, his foster parents never gave him more than scraps.
"Eat," the noblewoman said simply.
Her calm tone was enough to break his hesitation.
Yeon picked up a piece of bread. The moment it touched his tongue, warmth spread through him, and his restraint crumbled. He devoured the food with shaking hands, each bite disappearing almost as quickly as he picked it up. His throat burned as he swallowed too fast, but he couldn't stop.
It was as though he hadn't eaten in days—because truly, he hadn't.
Aeris blinked at him, wide-eyed. Then she giggled and stuffed a piece of bread into her own mouth, puffing her cheeks as though trying to copy him.
"Slow down, Brother!" she said, her words muffled.
Yeon froze, bread halfway to his lips. The word Brother hit him again, sharper this time.
Aeris laughed and reached across the table, holding out a small piece of fruit. "Here! Try this, it's sweet!"
Yeon stared at her hand, uncertain. No one had ever offered him food before. Slowly, he reached out and took it. The fruit burst with juice the moment he bit down, sweetness spreading across his tongue.
Aeris clapped her hands happily. "See? It's good!"
Yeon lowered his gaze, unable to respond. His chest ached strangely.
For the first time, a meal wasn't just food—it was warmth.
It was… family.
──────── ✦ ────────
The hall grew quiet once Yeon's hunger began to settle.
He had eaten more than he thought possible, yet the table still seemed untouched. The noblewoman had only taken small bites, her posture never faltering. Aeris nibbled here and there, more interested in watching Yeon than finishing her own plate.
At last, the noblewoman set down her fork. Her calm eyes shifted to Yeon.
"Tell me," she said.
Yeon stiffened. "...Yes?"
"How did you come to be in that caravan?"
Her voice was steady, but there was weight behind the question. Yeon lowered his gaze to his half-empty plate, the food suddenly harder to swallow.
He forced the words out slowly. "…My… foster parents sold me."
The words tasted bitter, but he continued, haltingly. "The broker took me… put me with the others. We… walked for days. I don't know where."
His voice faded. That was all. That was his story—short, ugly, and meaningless.
The noblewoman studied him in silence. Aeris's smile had faded, her small hands gripping the edge of the table tightly.
"They sold you?" Aeris whispered, her green eyes wide with disbelief.
Yeon looked away. He didn't want to see pity in her face.
The noblewoman's calm expression didn't change, but her next words struck hard.
"'Yeon,' is it?" she said, repeating his name as though testing it. "That name does not suit this house."
Yeon froze.
The last piece of bread slipped from his hand. His chest tightened painfully, his throat closing.
She's going to take it away too…
He had nothing left—no parents, no home, no freedom. His name was the last thing that was his. If she stripped that away… what would remain?
The silence pressed on him like a heavy weight. He dared not lift his head.
Then the noblewoman continued, her tone softening just slightly.
"Long ago, I chose a name for the child I could never bear."
Yeon's breath caught.
"I thought that name would remain only in my heart," she said. "But fate has brought you here, and I will not ignore it."
Her gaze was steady, unyielding.
"From this day forward, you will bear that name in my stead."
She paused, her voice ringing clearly in the vast hall.
"Leonardo van Crom."
The name struck Yeon like a bell tolling in the distance, deep and unshakable.
Leonardo…?
Van Crom…?
His chest heaved, his breath shallow. That was not a slave's name. It was the name of someone who belonged here—someone tied to this house, this family.
His mind spun. Why him? Why bestow such a name on a boy who had nothing?
Aeris blinked, then her face lit up like the morning sun. "Leonardo!" she chirped, clapping her hands. "So now you're Brother Leonardo!"
Yeon raised his head slowly, unable to stop himself. Aeris's smile was wide and pure, her eyes glowing as though she had just received the greatest gift.
"Leonardo… Leonardo… Leonardo!" She tried the name over and over, her little tongue stumbling on the syllables until she laughed and shortened it. "Leo! Brother Leo!"
The noblewoman did not correct her. Instead, for the first time since Yeon had met her, the corners of her lips curved slightly. A faint smile, gone in a heartbeat.
Yeon's throat tightened.
"…Me?" His voice cracked, almost a whisper. "I… I'm Leonardo…?"
The noblewoman's gaze softened, though her tone remained calm. "Yes. That is your name now. Remember it well."
Yeon's hands trembled in his lap. He didn't deserve this. He didn't understand it. And yet…
Aeris reached across the table, her small hand grabbing his with surprising strength. "BrotherLeo!" she said again, her voice full of certainty.
Yeon stared at her hand, warm against his own. Slowly, he closed his fingers around hers.
Something shifted inside him.
For the first time since his parents abandoned him, since the caravan chains, since the endless road… he felt like someone.
Not Yeon, the unwanted child.
Not Yeon, the slave.
But Leonardo—Aeris's brother.
That night, after the meal ended and the servants led him to a room of his own, Yeon lay in a soft bed, staring up at the ceiling. The sheets smelled faintly of lavender, and the silence was peaceful instead of empty.
He whispered into the quiet.
"…Leonardo."
The word trembled on his tongue, strange but comforting.
"Leonardo van Crom."
A name chosen by fate. A name given by the noblewoman. A name embraced by a little sister who already called him "Brother."
His chest ached, but not from hunger.
From this day forward, he was Leonardo. And silently, deep in his heart, he made a vow.
No matter what it took, he would protect Aeris.
Because for the first time, luck had given him something worth keeping.