A little girl, about 7 years old, stood quietly by herself while dressed all in black. The weather was chilly and cold, and the rain made it worse. Thankfully, the magical umbrella she held kept her warm as well.

Janet's soft appearance was uncomfortable to others. Her entire family had somehow died of unfortunate causes, due to an assassin of unknown origins. She was the only one alive, but she wasn’t confused, sad, or hurt.

Instead, she stood silently, her face devoid of any expression. Her straight black hair made her look like some sort of foreign doll, but her features were strong and pronounced, like other westerners. In fact, her stoic look seemed much more mature than many of the other young adults here.

Many of the passing nobles kept offering her possible adoptions and better conditions, but she calmly refused them all, claiming she would take care of it. Most of the adults scoffed or ridiculed her when they were far enough away, but she could still hear them. Only one person remained by her side, and they were but a simple maid.

This was Abigail, the maid that watched over Janet for the past six years since she was fifteen. Essentially, she was more of a sister to the little girl.

She either kept apologizing to Janet, or outright sobbing and expressing her concern. To be honest, it seemed that Abigail was the only one crying today. By the time the last person left the graveyard, Janet finally approached the place where her family was buried.

Her father, Baron Victor. Died by strangulation.

Her mother, Baroness Clio. Died by repeated knife wounds to chest.

Her brother, Sullivan. Died by drowning in the bath. The only bath he had taken in two months.

Her sister, Tanya. Died by head injury from falling downstairs.

These were her family members. Abigail had stepped away, so Janet thought she was alone. Something like relief washed over her as she dropped her guard. She sighed softly, exhaling the turbid air from her body.

However, a voice interjected.

“Heh, yeah. Good riddance.”

“Hey!”

Before Janet could be surprised by the suddenly present gritty young adult, Abigail rushed forward to protect Janet with her body. The young man in question shrugged before justifying himself.

“What? They were all garbage. It would be best to tell her now so she isn’t corrupted by their trashy way of life.”

Inwardly, Abigail agreed, but this was a little girl! Her short brown hair bounced as she took a strong pose, both hands on her hips. Her dress was covered in moisture from the run, so it slightly clung to her body. But this did little to dissuade her from admonishing the young man before her.

“You can’t just say it is a good thing that a girl’s family died!”

Not taking kindly to being scolded, the young man argued back, a scowl building on his face.

“Yes I can. Otherwise, she would have ended up dead as well.”

Fed up with this man’s ugly remarks, Abigail lost her cool and stepped forward to slap him.

“Who the hell do you think you are?!”

“General?”

Janet’s sudden interruption stopped Abigail in her tracks. THE General? The only one she could think of that had blood red hair was the mad man, Ivan the Nightmare! This was General Ivan?! The sole survivor of the ambush by the combined efforts of three kingdoms?! And he still lived through it after killing all of the enemies!

Abigail felt that she might end up in one of these coffins today!

Ignoring the frozen maid, Ivan scoffed in reply.

“EX-general.”

Not daunted by the individual before her, Janet just expressionlessly said what was on her mind.

“I don’t think it was your fault.”

The young man just sighed and threw his hands in the air as he gave up.

“Che, I am done explaining things. If I say I was the one who did it, no one can argue! I was the only one who came back! That means what I say goes.”

He huffed, sending his breath outwards in a fog. He was wearing dirty military fatigues and had no care for the rain, though he wasn’t even wet. In his hand was a bottle of wine. He popped the cork with one smooth motion, before downing all of the contents into his mouth, spilling some of it on himself.

Abigail sniffed in disgust, reaching for Janet.

“Let’s go.”

“Huh? Go?”

Abigail was confused and surprised by the disgusting man’s sudden words. Go? Where? But he once again ignored the silly maid and spoke to Janet.

“To the Brittoli Mansion, where else? What, you have other business?”

“I have to see my mother and father again. Then I will take Janet to the family she wishes to be with.”

Janet remained silent, but the sodded man scowled at the annoying servant girl, even though she was older than he was.

“Doesn’t look to me that she wants to go anywhere. Come along.”

Janet softly removed Abigail’s hands from her shoulders and walked towards the man. For some reason, her lips were slightly raised upwards.

“Janet?!”

“Go home. I wish you luck.”

Janet said some soft words before taking Ivan’s hand. She put up her umbrella then he hefted her up and sat her on his back.

“Keep your head, hands, and feet behind me at all times. Close your mouth, ears, eyes, and nose. Whatever you do, don’t move.”

He patiently waited for Janet to get situated, her entire body somehow hiding behind his back.

Then, without warning, he disappeared. No, a sudden gust of wind moved about, shaking the water away, causing Abigail’s dress to fly about, though with its length, nothing important was seen. She gasped in awe and admiration, but then remembered where she was. She gathered herself and went home in a daze and soaked completely through.