Chapter 56
There are days when luck simply isn’t on your side.
Eleanor glanced at the man sitting beside her.
Deep-set eyes, a prominent nose, a sharp jawline, and a neck like a sheer cliff.
Crown Prince Leopold.
Even in the dim room, his jet-black hair and iris-colored eyes beneath a smooth forehead stood out clearly.
The arrogance that radiated from the way he crossed his legs only added to his charm. And here he was, sitting right next to her.
In other words, the most likely male protagonist was sitting beside the extra older sister of the female lead.
Truly, this was a day cursed by misfortune.
Tracing the root of this unfortunate luck led back to this afternoon—it all began today.
“Big sister, let’s go out just the two of us today!”
At breakfast, Lydia’s eyes sparkled as she said this. Eleanor had no real reason to refuse, so she agreed without hesitation.
Lydia suggested stopping by a jewelry shop before going to see the opera. Eleanor agreed to that as well. There was nothing in the plan she could dislike.
The reason for visiting the jewelry shop was to check a set of necklace and earrings that Lydia intended to wear to the ball.
“I said I didn’t need them, but Vincent insisted on buying them for me.”
On the way to District 7 in Bairn, where the shops and dressmakers were located, Lydia explained the situation.
“So I paid him back with my own money.”
“Your money?”
Vincent was one of the five wealthiest men in the Empire. The fortune he had amassed from selling magical gems was staggering.
If he had given them, the jewelry must have been expensive. Eleanor briefly worried if her sister even had that kind of money.
“You really had that much? Are you okay?”
“Yep! I recently got a gem mine myself.”
Ah, that explained it.
Eleanor neatly set her worries aside. She didn’t ask how Lydia had gotten the mine; as the female lead, she would naturally find a way.
While Eleanor celebrated acquiring a small gold mine after three failed engagements, Lydia had succeeded in business or lucked into a gem mine in various ways.
This was how the world adored the female lead—by placing the rarest, most precious things in her hands and giving her the ability to possess them.
“Today, if you see anything you like, just tell me. I’ll buy it all for you!”
It felt like a child showing off after getting pocket money, promising to buy delicious treats for her mother.
Eleanor smiled faintly and gave a polite thank you. She was satisfied with her current jewelry. She had no interest in trying to impress the Crown Prince with flashy accessories.
“Ah, I should tell Lydia about the Crown Prince, too.”
Leopold would, of course, guard the information, but it felt a bit selfish to keep it to herself.
When Eleanor briefly told Lydia what she had heard from Stella, Lydia nodded knowingly.
“I heard it from the others.”
Eleanor understood immediately. The men, all equally powerful in the Empire, had gathered information to warn her in advance.
“Big sister, you have to be careful.”
Lydia held Eleanor’s hand seriously, warning her. Eleanor chuckled slightly—coming from someone who should be most cautious, the warning felt a bit ironic.
“You be careful too, alright?”
“Got it.”
After hearing the cheerful response, they arrived at the jewelry shop. The shop where Lydia coordinated her jewelry sets was well-known in District 7.
Sapino Jewelry.
A store run by a master jeweler who studied under craftsmen famous for gem refining in the Southern Empire for decades.
It was said that even royals had to wait long to be served because of its popularity.
Seeing Lydia get her jewelry there confirmed her wealth—significantly more than a typical countess’s daughter.
‘I’m no good at making money.’
Eleanor had once tried earning money independently, but lacking business sense, she only managed to break even and eventually gave up. Fortunately, managing the Oclama estate went smoothly. Without talent, even Vanessa’s help wouldn’t have sufficed.
As Eleanor got out of the carriage, she raised an eyebrow at the scene in front of her: two knights standing guard outside the jewelry shop.
“What’s going on?”
Lydia tilted her head in confusion as well.
As they approached to inquire, a man who had been nervously hovering near the knights came up to them.
“Uh, customers, I’m sorry, but you can’t enter right now.”
The jewelry clerk held out his arms, shaking with fear. Eleanor glanced at the knight with a sword at his waist and the timid clerk in turn, raising an eyebrow.
“Why can’t we go in?”
“There’s a small commotion inside…”
“Commotion?”
“Someone is monopolizing the shop.”
The clerk timidly explained with a glance at the knights. Someone inside the shop was using the knights to prevent anyone from entering.
Earlier, when people had been sent to check, there had been no such incident. It couldn’t be the royal family—they weren’t wearing royal guard uniforms. The knights seemed to belong to a noble family.
“I don’t recall hearing anything about this beforehand.”
Eleanor’s deliberately blunt tone made the clerk shrink further.
“I’m sorry. It happened suddenly…”
“You didn’t coordinate with them to monopolize the shop, did you?”
“No…”
Eleanor turned her attention to the knights. Whoever they belonged to, their discipline was evident.
‘The owner must have a bad temper.’
No one would normally close a shop like Sapino Jewelry just to use it alone. Arriving without notice and acting like this made sense.
The knights’ discipline seemed rooted in fear rather than loyalty.
“Which family do these knights belong to?”
Eleanor lifted her chin and spoke in a low voice. The knights straightened and bowed their heads.
“Count Grace’s household.”
Eleanor furrowed her brows at the familiar name. Count Grace’s household—the family of the girl who had a crush on Ernst and had tormented Lydia.
A powerful family, stronger than the Stikovs, even though they were both counts.
Eleanor knew exactly who would act so recklessly: Rena Grace.
Second daughter of the Grace family, attending the academy, who had harassed Lydia throughout.
“I am Eleanor Stikov of the Stikov family. Who sent you here?”
“…Miss Rena Grace.”
The knight hesitated, confirming Eleanor’s expectation. She let out a silent sigh.
Lydia, glancing at Eleanor, didn’t look very happy. She had suffered greatly under Rena Grace’s schemes.
Eleanor paused to think. If they turned back now, they’d have to return later. But she was too lazy for that, and with the ball approaching, it was better to check the items today.
Alright, decision made.
“Move aside.”
There was no legitimate reason to prevent them from entering.
“No.”
The Grace family knight blocked their path. Eleanor looked at him coldly, without a trace of a smile.
“Move.”
“…No.”
“Fine, then. I’ll just go in.”
Ignoring the knight, Eleanor grabbed the door handle. Just as the knight prepared to grab her wrist, she said:
“Grab it if you’re sure you can handle the consequences.”
“….”
“I don’t think Miss Rena Grace would cover for your mistake.”
Eleanor smiled faintly.
“Will you be able to bear the consequences of grabbing my wrist without permission?”
“….”
“Or just step aside quietly.”
The knight hesitated and stepped back. No one could handle touching a countess’s daughter without consequences.
Eleanor took the handle and glanced at Lydia, who quickly sidled up and linked arms.
“Is it okay if we go in?”
“Yeah! Let’s hurry.”
With Lydia’s approval, there was nothing holding them back. They pushed the door open and entered the shop.
The clear chime announced their arrival.
Inside, the Sapino master looked displeased, and Rena Grace scowled.
Rena Grace’s sharp gaze fell on Eleanor and Lydia.
“Long time no see, Miss Stikovs.”
Rena Grace spread her fan and smiled sharply.
“But haven’t you heard? I’ve booked this shop exclusively from the outside.”
“I heard.”
Eleanor’s simple reply left Rena momentarily flustered.
“You heard, but you still commit such rudeness? Interfering with someone else’s shopping—how outrageous…”
“Master Sapino, did Miss Grace pay to rent the shop?”
Ignoring Rena Grace, Eleanor looked at the jeweler, who shook his head tiredly. She realized Rena had monopolized the shop without paying.
Eleanor smiled politely at the red-faced Rena.
“Tough times lately, Miss Grace?”
“W-what?”
“But no matter how tough, you shouldn’t come to a jewelry shop without money. The thought of you leaning on your knights with empty pockets nearly makes me cry.”
Turning the insult about her brute force into an elegant comment, Eleanor feigned a pitying expression.
“I have money!”
Rena Grace, suddenly treated like a clueless pauper, screamed.
Eleanor, trained in Oclama, wasn’t fazed by the tantrum. Rena’s father would have known about the embarrassment anyway.
“Now, apologize to Master Sapino and leave quickly. Using knights costs money—you should spend even a single coin on the jewelry you like.”
“Are you calling me a beggar?”
“Oh, when did I? I only spoke like an elder sister, considering the Grace-Stikov relationship.”
“I have an elder sister! Why are you calling me your elder sister?”
“I didn’t say your elder sister, only ‘like an elder sister.’ And I also have a beloved younger sibling. Miss… you’re a bit…”
Lydia, the real female lead, was fed up with Rena Grace’s constant whining. Eleanor, familiar with Rena’s sister Melinda, was also tired of dealing with the Grace sisters.
Rena Grace’s eyes narrowed sharply, then she suddenly smiled coldly.
“Come to think of it, it’s been a while since I last saw Miss Eleanor Stikov.”
“Yes, it’s been a while.”
“Looks like you’ve recovered from the pain of your broken engagements.”
The usual line. Not surprising. Eleanor had heard this countless times whenever someone tried to attack her.
She smiled brightly.
“Of course. Ernst himself came to comfort me—it really helped.”
Placing her hand on her chest, she smiled broadly, intentionally mentioning Ernst to provoke Rena Grace, whose face turned bright red.
Fuming, her eyes almost about to tear, Rena shouted:
“You stole the man from my sister!”
Again, the familiar line—but this time Lydia was beside Eleanor, which was new.
Eleanor watched Lydia. Pale as snow, Lydia clenched her fists and stepped forward from behind her sister.
“Stop it, Rena!”
“Quiet! Lydia Stikov, what do you know?”
Rena’s tears glistened as she stomped her feet. Anyone watching might think the Stikov sisters were bullying the poor girl, which was absurd.
Her screaming was so intense that the knights guarding the door entered the shop.
“Miss, what seems to be the matter?”
“Ah, perfect timing. Drag them out, now!”
Rena Grace, losing all reason, pointed at the Stikov sisters and commanded. Clearly, she had already forgotten being expelled from the academy for such reckless behavior.
Eleanor sighed and held her forehead.
“Miss Grace, calm down. Do you realize what would happen if you forcibly dragged us out?”
It could escalate into a family feud. And unfortunately for Rena Grace, if Lydia was dragged out, four men would rush over.
Eleanor, out of human kindness, tried to prevent Rena Grace from making more mistakes.
But Rena completely ignored Eleanor’s last act of goodwill.
“What are you waiting for! Grab them and drag them out!”
“But harming a noble lady would lead to punishment…”
“I’ll take responsibility! I’ll take responsibility! If you don’t want punishment, do as I say!”
By now, the Grace knights must have felt pity for themselves. But seeing them turning toward their own, Eleanor’s expression hardened.
Even if she felt sorry, she wouldn’t allow them to be dragged out.
“Touch us even with a finger, and you won’t get away with it.”
Eleanor instinctively hid Lydia behind her and spoke coldly.
“…I apologize. Please leave peacefully.”
“Go take your mistress, then. We have no intention of leaving.”
“…If you persist, we can’t help it either.”
The knight’s threatening tone twisted his face. Eleanor couldn’t help but laugh.
“If you can’t help it, what exactly are you planning? Break my arm and throw us on the floor?”
It was unfortunate that such a vicious owner existed, but watching a man wielding a sword threaten two women was unbearable.
Their knights were waiting in the carriage. Eleanor considered retreating to the carriage.
But there was no need. The Empire’s strongest knight had just entered the shop.
The chime rang, and Eleanor instinctively looked. Seeing who it was, she quickly looked away.
‘Why of all people…’
Second on the list of awkward people to meet in Bairn, Sinclair Tess had spotted the Stikov sisters and approached.
“What are you doing here?”
“Sinclair!”
Lydia greeted him warmly. Eleanor twisted her head, lowering it, avoiding response.
She hesitated, unsure whether to lift her head to greet him.
Then a ridiculous question pierced her ear.
“Eleanor, are… you crying?”
What nonsense.
Eleanor froze at the absurd misunderstanding, making Sinclair more confused.
Her pale face framed by her hair seemed tragically sorrowful—a perfect scene for misunderstanding, though she didn’t notice it herself.
“What happened, Lydia? Why is Eleanor crying?”
“Ah, well…”
Eleanor expected Lydia to clarify. “It’s a misunderstanding, Sinclair. Big sister isn’t crying.”
But Lydia said,
“The Grace family knights threatened to break her arm and throw her on the floor.”
And there it was—a masterful fabrication.
