Chapter 54
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At Helen’s words, everyone’s gaze turned toward her, and I also looked at her.
“Of course, that doesn’t mean I don’t believe what Letitia said. But wouldn’t Chandler and Jason be the ones who could best explain the situation just now?”
Although she started with ‘that doesn’t mean I don’t believe,’ Helen, clearly indicating she wouldn’t trust her, smiled and looked at Bellia.
“Frankly, I can’t believe that Chandler bullied Jason.”
“That’s right. Our Chady isn’t that kind of kid.”
Seeing Bellia’s fluttering gaze turn toward me again so soon, I let out a short sigh. I felt Pierce’s body move slightly, as if to shield me.
And Hail standing behind me, and Lilliana next to him.
Feeling all three of them move as if to protect me, confronting my aunt, made my nose sting.
Maybe this life is going to turn out well after all.
In my previous life, there was no one on my side; I had to fight tooth and nail all alone to gain anything. But in this life, even without doing that, there are people who can protect me.
It’s strange how, even though it’s exactly the same situation as before with seemingly nothing changed, just their actions alone make confidence well up inside me.
Even if it was just baseless confidence, in that moment when I felt like I could do anything, I lifted my head and saw my grandfather.
“That’s right, Helen is correct.”
‘Wow.’
Is my life really paved with flowers?
I thought it would be perfect if only Grandfather would come, and like a ghost, he appeared right on cue.
It’s amazing, truly amazing, how smoothly things are unfolding. As I blinked in wonder, Grandfather, who didn’t even glance at me, looked at the servants.
“Bring Jason. If Chandler is in good condition, bring him too.”
“Yes, understood.”
* * *
Hic, hic.
Jason hiccupped continuously, his shoulders shaking.
It was because he found himself standing before his grandfather, whom he saw maybe once a year, for the second time already within a month.
“Now, explain what happened.”
On top of that, with everyone’s attention on him.
His whole body trembled, his teeth chattered as if they would clatter, and poor Jason twisted his hands in distress.
“Jason.”
With a completely cowed expression, he stole a glance at Grandfather, then glanced sideways at Helen. What should he say? His mother hadn’t told him.
His mind was a mess, wondering if he should even speak honestly. But under the grandfather’s tiger-like gaze, he couldn’t think of anything else.
He might get scolded if he said something he didn’t understand.
And his mother always urged him, ‘Jay, just be honest. Then they won’t scold you.’
And frankly, he was really sick of Chandler, who kept bullying him. Chandler would just pass it off as a joke if he got angry, and it was useless to tell his mother, and even if he told his dad, he’d just say, ‘You should endure it.’
‘If I tell Grandfather, won’t he scold Chady hyung?’
He didn’t want Chandler to get scolded, but Jason, who desperately wished he would just stop bullying him, swallowed dryly and lifted his head.
“I was playing a prank with Chady hyung and I almost fell into the water—no, my body went in up to here, my chest—when suddenly a really bright light appeared and saved me.”
“A light?”
At Grandfather’s question, Jason nodded.
“Yes. Letitia said, ‘Jason! Pull the reins!’ so I pulled the reins hard, and then there was a ‘poof’ like a light, and after that, I was falling into the water but I didn’t fall.”
As Jason spoke honestly, albeit clumsily, to the best of his knowledge, not only Bellia but Helen also looked at him with a bewildered expression.
“Jay, you must have seen wrong.”
“No, Mom. This isn’t something I saw, it’s something I experienced.”
Jason shook his head at Helen’s words, trying to downplay the situation.
Margo, who had been staring intently at Jason, looked at Helen and Bellia in turn, then finally back at Jason.
“So, you almost fell because of Chandler, and Letitia saved you.”
“Yes.”
“Is it an Ability?”
At Jason’s nod, Margo turned to Olga standing beside him.
“Yes, it seems to have manifested.”
“……”
Even at the words that an Ability had manifested, Margo’s expression showed no sign of joy. On the contrary, seeming to be in a very complicated state of mind, Margo took a deep breath and—
“Then, why didn’t you save Chandler?”
Bellia turned to Letitia, questioning her as if demanding an explanation.
As if reprimanding her for not doing what she should have done, Bellia’s question made Letitia blink.
Margo also seemed curious about the question, and as he stared at her, Letitia, with wide blue eyes, shrugged her shoulders.
“I wasn’t capable enough.”
* * *
What could be done if she wasn’t capable?
“After saving Jason oppa, it felt like all the strength drained from my body. I guess it’s because I’m still young.”
And honestly, that statement was also true.
What my Ability had shown me was Jason, and I had no time to even recognize that I had saved him before the Ability manifested. I didn’t even know what I had done, so I couldn’t do more than that.
Of course, I couldn’t be sure what I would have done if there had been an option to save him.
But regardless of whether my Ability is altruistic or whatever.
I didn’t want to save Chandler.
“So I couldn’t save him. I’m sorry, Aunt.”
At my words, Bellia’s face flushed red. But what could she do?
Grandfather was watching.
She couldn’t very well press me to stop lying. She reluctantly nodded.
“W-well. Alright.”
But—
“Aunt, then you should apologize to Lesha.”
“Huh?”
Lilliana pointedly said, looking at Bellia.
“Aunt misunderstood and almost hit Letitia. And Aunt Helen kept telling Letitia to apologize even though she didn’t do anything wrong. Mom said even adults should apologize and say sorry when they’re wrong.”
Whose daughter is she, really?
At the sharp words of the clever Lilliana, I looked up at Bellia. Just then, Chandler was walking over, supported by a servant.
‘Perfect timing.’
It seemed like good timing for a scolding.
And sure enough.
“Chandler, are you alright?”
“No, Grandfather. It hurts so much. I think I fell into the water because of Letitia. I really don’t know what happened…”
How could it be that they made the same claim without ever having coordinated? At Chandler’s words, Margo stared directly at Bellia. Under that cold gaze, Bellia, reluctantly, bent her knee slightly and met Chandler’s eyes.
“Chady, did you bully Jason?”
“No.”
Chandler shook his head before the words even finished.
“I was just playing a prank with Jason.”
“Your prank almost made Jason fall into the water, didn’t it?”
“But I didn’t make him fall, Grandfather.”
As if he didn’t understand, Chandler tilted his head.
“I’m the one who fell into the water, right?”
His astonishing logic—that almost making someone fall wasn’t a problem at all—and that innocent face made Grandfather narrow his eyes.
Chandler really was the same as ever.
“You’ve failed in raising your child.”
“Father!”
At that terribly inconsiderate disregard for others’ feelings, Margo turned his head away.
“As punishment for bullying his younger brother, Chandler shall copy the 8 volumes of history in the Esshere study for a week, excluding sleeping hours. In a week, he should be able to copy them 16 times.”
“Mom!”
“Father, Chandler is too youn——.”
“I am very disappointed, Bellia Esshere.”
Grandfather turned his head, his cold gaze fixed on Bellia, who was flaring up.
Under that chilly gaze, Aunt Bellia could say no more and gnashed her teeth. She looked utterly ashamed and at a loss, humiliated before so many servants.
And behind Aunt Bellia, Aunt Helen stood as if a mouse had died, tightly hugging Jason, holding her breath. Her posture seemed to beg that no one pay attention to her. With an expression that seemed to wish she could disappear into the ground, I also turned my head, pretending not to notice.
‘She’s just as hateful, but Aunt Helen shouldn’t incur Grandfather’s displeasure here.’
After all, for balance and checks, Aunt Helen must take over part of Aunt Bellia’s power.
Both of them falling shouldn’t happen until after I’ve grown up. Until then, they must tear at and fight each other, so that neither can monopolize the Esshere family.
So today, Grandfather’s disappointment should be directed only at Bellia.
And along with pity for me.
“Grandfather.”
With my eyebrows drooping, I called out to Grandfather and turned my head.
And then.
‘Attack.’
Beyond Grandfather’s cold expression directed at me, a panorama unfolded before my eyes—warriors in Pelluana attire charging toward me.
‘It’s war.’
Then followed Pelluana attacking the castle walls and the Imperial army engaged in siege warfare. Between them, burning walls, people, knights, and—
‘We must abandon the castle and block the passage.’
Dad?
‘Why is Dad there?’
The moment I turned my gaze, following Dad’s figure who had appeared at the outset of the Pelluana War,
‘Letitia?’
“Letitia!”
The moment I saw Dad, whose eyes met mine so intensely it felt like an illusion, and simultaneously, a surge of bloody taste welled up in my throat, and I gasped for breath.
Letitia!
