"Look, here comes the half-penny of the Aswell family." The ridicule and scorn were palpable. Although the remark was clearly intentional, the one called half-penny, Elaina, did not show much reaction. Despite the torrent of mockery, Elaina walked silently, seemingly indifferent to the nobles giggling and gossiping about her, or perhaps resigned to the fact that no response would be useful. "Coming back from the bookstore again? You have a book in your hands." "Reading is all she knows how to do. But it’s strange, isn’t it? How well she walks with those legs." "She must be used to it. It’s been over ten years since she became a cripple." Elaina had two nicknames. The Aswell family's half-penny. The other was, Limping Elaina. The latter nickname stuck naturally because it was physically apparent, but the former was a bit different. "Hello, Elaina." A young man, reeking of nobility and luxury, blocked her path. "Where are you coming from?" Elaina did not answer. She simply gripped the book in her hand, standing still. "Shall I guess where you’ve been and what you’ve been doing?" The man smirked slightly, his voice taking on a secretive tone. "I heard from Layla. You've been looking for new work these days." Layla. Her half-sister’s name. "You wander around with your crippled body, and what do you do? Meeting men? In the port area where gypsies and the poor gather." "..." "So you’re selling your body." The man’s words, no, Layla's words were an outright lie. Elaina had never even been close to the harbor. It was too far a distance for her injured leg. She had never sold herself to gypsies or the poor. She did not want to be that broken. Unlike Elaina, who was treated delicately as she grew up, Layla had made up such unbelievable stories to oppress her. "It’s a shame. With that face, with that figure, to be reduced to cheap prostitution." Because she was too beautiful. Unbefittingly so. "Typical of the uneducated… disgusting…" A few noble ladies openly grimaced and cursed as they listened to the man. "Is that the book you bought with that money?" Regardless, the man laughed, looking at the book in Elaina’s hand. "It’s a used book." "..." "Well, that figures. What significant income could you possibly get by selling yourself to gypsies and the poor?" Seeing no response from her, the man, either annoyed or infuriated, slightly furrowed his brows and fumbled in his pocket. "Is this enough?" He then ostentatiously jangled a few gold coins. "If you’d be with me, you could even afford new books." Sunlight glinted off the gold coins above Elaina’s vacant blue eyes. But that was all. Elaina made no reply, no action. She did not slap the man’s face in indignation, nor did she yell at him. She simply stood, hoping this whole ordeal would end soon. Her eyes devoid of focus, like those of a dead fish. "..." Even after such mockery, when no response came, it was rather the man who felt awkward. He swore under his breath, then awkwardly moved away, glancing at the watching crowd of nobles. "See, Lello." Apparently knowing each other, one of the group opened his lips in sympathy. "Our Elaina has unique tastes, and no matter what you do, she won’t fall for it." Soon, a snicker settled down the narrow alley. With a slightly reddened face, the man finally put the coins back in his pocket. "Damn, no fun, half-penny wretch." And then, rather spitefully, he shoved Elaina’s shoulder with all his might as he headed towards the group. Left alone, Elaina finally began to move, as if nothing had happened. ...Elaina had two nicknames. Limping Elaina. And the Aswell family's half-penny. No matter what anyone said, she took no action, not even when slapped or hair-pulled. Just quietly enduring. As the Aswell family's half-penny struggled to leave the scene, the pitiful sound of her limping steps filled the empty alley. *** Elaina arrived at the Aswell house in the evening. As she stepped into the mansion, the delicious smell of food wafted through. It was indeed dinner time. After walking all day, she was hungry. Elaina slowly followed the smell of food towards the dining room, where a happy family was already eating. Her father, Earl Melvin Aswell.

Layla, her half-sister, and even Countess Melissa were at the table, but none of them paid any attention to Elaina. As if she didn't exist from the start, they just conversed and ate among themselves. "It seems the servants have been careless with the food lately. How can they grill meat like this?" Earl Melvin grumbled as he sliced through a steak, its juices seeping out. Accustomed to the disdain, Elaina moved toward the inner part of the dining room and received a small envelope from a maid pulling a tray filled with all kinds of delicacies. Inside the naturally handed envelope were a few pieces of dry, twisted bread—her designated meal.

"Dear, we should fire the current chef and hire a new one. Maybe it's because he's from common stock, but the food doesn't suit my palate at all." "I agree, Mother. It feels so cheap." Still, the bread wasn't too bad; at least it wasn't moldy. Elaina thought to herself while listening to her family's conversation.

"But didn’t you attend the gathering today? The ladies were all abuzz." "Abuzz?" "Sinclair Butler is back, that mad prince." Sinclair Butler. Even Elaina, who barely had the luxury to care about worldly affairs, knew of him. The reckless Sinclair, a former imperial prince, was stripped of his rank after he beat a favored concubine to death in broad daylight, right in the middle of the imperial palace.

"I thought he’d be killed this time for sure, but surviving time after time must be a skill in itself." Once demoted to a mere prince, the emperor had driven Sinclair mad, sending him only to wars where victory seemed impossible. Yet, as Melvin just mentioned, Sinclair kept returning alive. "That’s what makes him even scarier. They say he’s a madman, not only for beating that concubine to death." "Right. I’ve heard the same. Prince Dorel told me that he leads the charge on the battlefield, killing like he’s possessed."

"But what’s the problem with Sinclair returning? He'll just be sent to the battlefield again." "Why, Mrs. Yona from the gathering has royal relatives, right?" "And?" "I heard from her that Sinclair dared to set a condition before going to this war." Melissa murmured, her expression chilling. "If he returns victorious, he wishes for a favor."

"..." "Given it was a war that broke out in enemy territory, and they even reduced the number of soldiers accompanying him from the palace on the day of deployment. Everyone’s discreetly saying that the emperor was desperate." The reckless prince, driven to death by his own father’s hand. What could he have thought each time he went to war? Perhaps, like me, he thought nothing at all. It was all too familiar.

Elaina blinked quietly, clutching the envelope in her hand. "But since he won, he’ll make a wish, right? The emperor has promised, so he can’t refuse." "Isn’t he just going to throw a tantrum for his prince’s title back?" "Layla, no matter how victorious Sinclair returns, that won’t happen. Prince Hister is the prince now." Hister. The son of the concubine Sinclair had killed. What wish might Sinclair have? Curious as it was, it had nothing to do with her.

Thus, Elaina left the dining room without any attachment, or rather, attempted to leave. That was until a piece of cold, uneaten meat flew at her. "Eat, Elaina." Layla, having thrown the meat, said with a laugh. "Just eating bread will harm your health. This should suit your taste."

Elaina bent down slowly, picked up the piece of meat rolling on the floor, and placed it in the envelope with the bread. "Thank you, sister." She responded impassively, looking at Layla. "I'll take good care of my health." That was the end of their conversation. Elaina began to limp away, and Layla, displeased by her reaction, muttered with irritation. "That deficient half-penny... it's creepy and bizarre just to watch her limp." "No matter what, don’t mar her face." Melvin stated firmly. It wasn’t out of concern for Elaina. "There are several who fancy Elaina. I’m about to send her off to a suitable one, and if there’s a blemish on her face, they might change their minds." It was merely about trading her to an old nobleman for a hefty dowry. "At least it's good that her face is still decent. If the limping girl were ugly as well, no one would take her." "What's so decent about that girl?" Layla scowled, but the earl couple didn’t mind; they were used to her hysterics. Soon, the earl couple started calculating which noble would benefit them most to send Elaina to, while Layla stuffed her mouth with well-grilled cake.

How much longer could she stay here? When would her father sell her off? And to whom? The duke rumored to have recently beaten his wife to death? The viscount who was furious at yet another daughter born to his mistress last week? Or the elderly duke, as old as her grandfather but wealthy? Elaina knew all too well why Melvin had not thrown her out yet. And she also knew that despite this knowledge, there was nothing she could do about it.

Elaina glanced sadly at her feet, peeking out from under the blanket. There had been a time when she had dreams, when she harbored great hopes of escaping the Aswell family and living her own life. But that hope had shattered the moment her foot was ruined. The broken shards of hope turned into daggers, mercilessly tearing everything about her apart. Lying quietly, Elaina managed a bitter smile.

...I should prepare my mother's keepsakes tomorrow. From the looks of it, it seems he might sell me off any day now. She no longer had the strength to struggle or to mourn. That kind of strength had disappeared the day her leg was ruined. Poor Elaina slowly closed her eyes. But she did not know. She would not be sold to the duke who beat his wife to death, nor to the viscount angry over daughters, nor to the elderly duke.

*** It was early morning, earlier than usual. She was not one to sleep in, but she woke up feeling unusually tired and groggy. But there was no helping it. "You! What have you been up to?" Melvin, furious, grabbed her by the collar and glared into her eyes. What was this about? Elaina looked up at Melvin with puzzled eyes. And then...

"Sinclair has come from the imperial palace!" Melvin spat out angrily. "And he’s brought a proposal of marriage!"