22. September 2025

First love 1

Chapter 1. Prologue

***

Lalit Brown.

Adrian couldn't tear his eyes away from the name at the top of the document.

Lalit... Lalit Brown.

He thought it was a name he could bury deep in his memories long ago, yet one he'd likely never forget for the rest of his life.

But he could guarantee he never expected to encounter it like this.

"Your... Your Grace. Just in case you didn't know..."

The aide's hesitant voice mingled with the dizzying swirl of thoughts.

"It is indeed that same Lalit Brown who once worked at the Duke's residence."

“….”

"It appears she graduated with honors from the Academy's medical department after leaving the Duke's residence eight years ago."

Adrian sighed deeply, feeling a headache coming on for no apparent reason.

He carelessly tossed aside the <List of Recommended Physicians> he had been holding. The wind from the throw sent the pile of letters from noble young ladies stacked on his desk tumbling to the floor.

The name 'Lalit Brown' he encountered after so long.

Her life story, which he had tried so hard to ignore until now.

Even trying not to think about it, those few letters kept circling in his mind like printed characters.

'Damn it.'

In the end, the thought that finally popped out was a curse he barely swallowed.

It all began when Eleonor Pertiano, the elderly lady of the Pertiano Duke's residence and Adrian's grandmother, collapsed.

Eleanor had lost her husband in her youth. Then, her only son and daughter-in-law also died young, leaving only the infant Adrian behind.

Thus, for nearly forty years, Eleonor had single-handedly guided the House of Pertiano.

She was the woman who steadfastly protected the House of Pertiano through several rebellions that shook the empire, and she was Adrian's strict guardian after he lost his parents early.

Eleanor was neither gentle nor kind; she was, in fact, a cold-hearted person. Yet no one could dispute that she was the Iron Lady who had protected the House of Pertiano through crises.

From birth, Adrian carried the stigma of his mother's humble origins. Despite pressure from numerous collateral relatives, Eleanor raised him to be an outstanding heir. She handed over the ducal title to him immediately after he graduated from the military academy as an adult.

Shortly thereafter, with the words, "Once your engagement is settled, I'll finally be able to rest...," she collapsed unconscious within a month.

For his fallen grandmother, Adrian mobilized not only the duke's personal physician but also every renowned doctor in the vicinity and priests capable of wielding sacred power.

But no one could cure Eleanor. In fact, they couldn't even restore her consciousness, let alone cure her.

Thus, Adrian's next course of action was clear. He would summon every renowned physician in the empire to treat Eleanor.

Though their relationship wasn't particularly warm, Eleanor was Adrian's sole parent and guardian.

But he never expected to encounter the name 'Lalit Brown' in the process.

The neat handwriting he had last seen in his old memories from when he was fourteen swirled dizzyingly in his mind.

Eight years ago.

"Yes, yes, your name, Lalit Brown, right? Uh, um…”

It couldn't have been anywhere else but the Duke Pertiano's residence. A maid working there surely couldn't have been unaware of the name of the sole heir.

How much had Lalit mocked him inwardly back then?

"Th-that... m-my, m-my heart... it just feels so peaceful and good when I'm with you... s-so, s-so, s-so..."

In the end, it was the clumsily expressed truth.

"I, I, I like you, Lalit... Yes, I like you."

It took years before he could even begin to guess how much that boy's innocent, pure heart had burdened her.

Because the moment she heard his confession that wasn't quite a confession, Lalit simply walked out of the duke's mansion.

The only thing she left behind was a short letter.

[Young Master, I pray you become a great duke.

I will never return to this place.

I swear it on my father's honor.

So please do not search for me.]

Well.

When an employer you absolutely never wanted to get entangled with romantically showed interest, the only thing a servant could do was leave.

'I was certainly a bit of a fool back then.'

Adrian didn't blame Lalit.

Instead, he glanced sideways at the mirror near the wall.

A handsome man with shiny blond hair and blue eyes sat there, his confident posture completely commanding the atmosphere of the office.

A young duke with sculpted features that always drew attention, excellent social skills that earned him a good reputation among the nobility, a cheerful disposition that kept people around him, yet precise in his work and sharp in his business sense.

He was also accustomed to drawing laughter and admiring glances from many women with his somewhat lighthearted words and actions.

But fourteen-year-old Adrian was completely different from who he was now. He was skinny, habitually bit his nails, and hid half his face under his bangs. Not only did he struggle to get along with his peers, but he also stuttered badly. Even if Adrian had been that era's Lalit, he would have been repulsive.

He understood why she fled before things got terribly tangled. After all, wasn't it that shock that made him who he was today?

"Lalit Brown, you say."

The aide rolled his eyes and continued his report.

"She is considered one of the most skilled physicians within the Empire. She graduated at the top of her class, has actually cured numerous patients with incurable diseases, and is a talent who continues to receive offers from the Imperial Palace. Particularly, half a year ago, she managed to get the second son of the Bernst family, who exhibited symptoms similar to Lady Eleonor’s, back on his feet... she can be considered the most suitable candidate."

"She cured someone half a year ago?"

Adrian's tightly closed lips slowly parted.

"Then why is she still at the Bernst family estate?"

"She insisted there was no need for her to stay any longer and wanted to leave, but it seems the family held her back. After all, the young master was in a coma for over a year, so they must be anxious he might slip back into that state."

"Then offering her a job transfer would be pointless."

The aide tilted his head at Adrian's words.

"Wouldn't she come if we offered her a lot of money? She's staying at the Bernst family's place now because they're paying her well."

The aide swiftly pointed to a section of the document. Adrian reread the phrase he’d seen countless times.

To honor her final request, 'Do not search for me,' he hadn't even tracked her life since then. Yet here he was, confronting eight years of his life. It was mind-boggling.

[Lalit Brown, age 23.

Entered the Capital Academy at age 15, skipped grades repeatedly, and graduated from medical school at 19.

Gained experience at the academy's affiliated medical center before graduation, demonstrating outstanding results, then employed as a physician to an aristocratic family.

It is said she chose the path of noble family physician solely for the salary.]

Salary……………?

Something seemed off about this investigation.

The Lalit in his memory was absolutely not someone who could be swayed by money.

If she were someone who could be swayed by money, wouldn't she have done his utmost to lure away the trembling 14 year old boy clinging to her skirt?

The Adrian of that time would have readily handed over the duke's family heirloom if Lalit had demanded it.

But Lalit demanded nothing of him. She simply left the duke's residence abruptly, as if she had never existed from the start.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, that's correct. They say she was notorious for being a miser even back at the academy."

Given how Adrian was now known in society circles as the 'perfect young duke since childhood,' rumors weren't exactly reliable.

Nevertheless, there wasn't really any other way, so Adrian said half-heartedly.

"First, double the salary she's receiving from the Count's household."

That unsavory past connection was already eight years old, and right now, doing everything possible to save Eleonor was the most important thing. So even if it seemed hopeless, he had to try.

"If she shows any hesitation, make it triple."

Even as he spoke, he knew Larit would never come here. She was the one who had personally left a letter vowing never to return.

The Lalit he knew wasn't the kind of woman who would flip her final declaration like turning over a palm just for such an arrogant, indifferent proposal. It wasn't for nothing that his younger self hadn't even considered searching for her and clinging to her.

"If she cures Grandmother, I'll pay her ten years' worth of salary as a performance bonus, immediately."

Adrian finished his order as if tossing it aside.

"Contact every doctor on the next list, one by one."

After all, she was the type to be clear-cut in her dealings. She would undoubtedly reject him outright without even properly hearing the terms.

***

But a few days later, in Adrian's office.

"Good day, Your Grace."

Adrian couldn't believe the scene unfolding before him.

"The terms you proposed remain unchanged, correct? Naturally, lodging and meals must be included, and I would appreciate it if the contract explicitly states that you will cover the full cost of any necessary medications."

His failed first love sat stiffly before him, her face expressionless.

"If you've changed your mind, I would appreciate it if you could cover my transportation costs back to the Bernst estate."