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Chapter: 36
“Next is your personality.”
“But my personality is…”
“I can guess. You were probably criticized a lot for being weak, shy, and not bold enough.”
“How did you know?”
Of course.
Holding back the boiling anger I felt toward Carlisle, I spoke.
“Nell. Instead of forcing yourself to be good at what you’re bad at, it’s more important to raise your strengths as much as possible.”
Nathaniel nodded seriously. It was cute.
“But I—”
Before Nathaniel, whose face quickly filled with worry, could say ‘But I don’t have any strengths,’ I cut him off.
“You’re more delicate and kinder than anyone else.”
“W-What? Me?”
I nodded.
“And the most important thing is that you’re smart.”
Delicate. Kind. Smart.
Words he had never heard before. Nathaniel’s eyes widened.
Soon, tears filled those big eyes again.
“Since it’s you saying it, Roshia… I can believe it, right?”
“Of course. Of course.”
Maybe it was because the first case I solved at the Bellas family left a strong impression.
For someone I’d only met a few times, he seemed overly obedient to me.
Well, it wasn’t a bad thing.
[QUEST: Comfort the discouraged male lead ‘Nathaniel’. (2/30)]
As I gently stroked Nathaniel’s soft hair, I thought.
Everyone living in the Blanc Empire knew that the Stuart family valued intellect above all else.
Of course, some physical training was necessary, so exercise wouldn’t be ignored. But Nathaniel’s education should mainly focus on knowledge that would let him someday perform the duties of a prime minister.
But recently, the Nathaniel I saw was training in swordsmanship until his palms were completely raw.
Even crushing the self-esteem of their precious heir.
Something doesn’t add up.
This strange situation probably existed because of that man benefiting in the middle—Carlisle.
But who does Carlisle think he is? What right does he have?
“Nell.”
First, I needed to find out more about this.
“Yes, Roshia.”
“Have you always taken this many swordsmanship classes?”
“No.”
Nathaniel shook his head and fell into thought.
“Swordsmanship and physical training increased a little after Aunt Ashley and Brother Carlisle entered the Stuart household.”
As expected.
“Who used to plan your curriculum?”
“My private tutor.”
“Did the tutor change?”
“No. It’s the same one as before.”
Hmm.
Since the lessons clearly didn’t suit Nathaniel, I suspected that tutor was also involved.
I’d need to investigate more to know for sure.
“Can we find the textbooks you used before in the marquis family library?”
“Yes.”
As a family of prime ministers and patrons of knowledge who even founded a scholarship foundation, the Stuart family had a huge library inside their estate.
“Then I want to go look at them now. Is that okay?”
“Of course, Roshia.”
So we left Nathaniel’s room and headed toward the Stuart library.
When we were almost there—
“Hey, Nathaniel.”
“…Brother Carlisle.”
I witnessed something unbelievable.
Nathaniel, who had regained a bit of confidence after our calm conversation, instantly wilted like boiled spinach the moment Carlisle appeared.
At that instant, anger swallowed me.
I already knew that the reason novel-Nathaniel was ruined, and the reason I eventually died, was because of that man.
Who does he think he is, crushing my kid’s spirit like that?
Just like the last time I saw him, Carlisle’s shoulders were uselessly puffed up.
I quietly listened, my eyes burning, to what he was about to say this time.
“Going to the library again? Planning to waste time reading books all day instead of practicing swordsmanship?”
When his gaze landed on me standing beside Nathaniel, Carlisle mocked even louder.
“Since you can’t gain recognition through swordsmanship, are you trying to get a girl’s attention with worthless bits of knowledge?”
“……”
“But remember this, Nathaniel. What the world recognizes is a more important kind of ability.”
Looking closely, I noticed a man I hadn’t seen before standing next to Carlisle.
He looked about the same age or slightly older than Carlisle, with blond hair and brown eyes.
His face felt strangely familiar.
While I stood there blankly, not knowing who he was, Nathaniel bowed politely first.
“Your Highness, the First Prince.”
The First Prince?
A royal was here?
Judging from the familiar atmosphere between them, Carlisle and the First Prince seemed to associate often.
Though it was obvious Carlisle was the one bowing and scraping.
Now that I looked carefully, the First Prince resembled the Empress. That was why his face felt familiar.
“Especially strength—the power to protect the Empire and stay loyal to the imperial family—is important. Isn’t that right, Your Highness?”
Carlisle spouted nonsense to gain the First Prince’s agreement.
“Well, that’s true.”
The First Prince answered casually, glancing sideways at Nathaniel.
His gaze looked as if he were staring at something pitiful and worthless.
What is that supposed to mean? Just because you’re royalty?
Under their mockery and contempt, Nathaniel’s face turned pale—then lifelessly dark.
Just as I was about to speak up, unable to endure it anymore, I felt someone tightly grab my sleeve.
It was Nathaniel.
“Please, Roshia… stop.”
“Why?”
I couldn’t accept it, but seeing Nathaniel’s expression—like he was barely holding himself together—I had no choice but to step back.
If I pushed him too much and increased his darkening rate, that would be bad.
Damn it…!
When we stayed silent, Carlisle turned away with a satisfied expression.
The First Prince, arms crossed, looked Nathaniel up and down with even more contempt than before.
“People said you were incompetent, but seeing you like this… it’s worse than I thought.”
“……”
“To stay quiet while being humiliated right in front of you. Someone like that could never be prime minister material.”
“……”
“It’s only natural that you’ll lose the heir position to Carlisle.”
What do you know, you damn prince?!
My fist clenched on its own, but because Nathaniel was trembling and holding my sleeve, I couldn’t do anything.
Soon, the prince slowly followed Carlisle away.
Once they were far enough, I asked Nathaniel, still fuming,
“Why is that prince here instead of staying in the palace?”
“He’s been visiting Brother Carlisle often lately.”
Nathaniel added weakly,
“Of course… Brother Carlisle is capable. That’s probably why he was able to build connections with royalty.”
“Enough about Carlisle!”
I shouted in frustration.
“What exactly is he, acting like the master of the marquis household? Is there some reason?”
“Well…”
Nathaniel, completely dejected, began to explain.
“Brother Carlisle’s father—my uncle—died in a carriage accident over ten years ago.”
“A carriage accident?”
“Because he protected my father with his own body, my father survived.”
“Ah…”
I could roughly guess the rest.
Someone who sacrifices their life to save their younger brother can’t be a bad person.
Unfortunately, his wife and son didn’t seem to share that character.
“A few years ago, Lady Ashley—my aunt—came and said this.”
Nathaniel’s face darkened further, just as I expected.
“She said Father survived and became prime minister entirely thanks to Uncle.”
“So she said the Stuart family should repay that debt with everything they have?”
Nathaniel nodded.
“She moved into the main house that very day with Brother Carlisle.”
“……”
“Father, feeling weak when thinking of his older brother, accepted most of her demands.”
“……”
What made me the angriest came next.
“Aunt Ashley insisted, and soon Father plans to adopt Brother Carlisle.”
“What… what did you say?”
“Well, of course. Compared to Brother Carlisle, I’m not good at anything.”
“That’s not true!”
“The person more suitable to be the Stuart heir might be—”
I grabbed my throbbing forehead.
For Nathaniel, whose self-esteem had already been crushed, regaining confidence was far too difficult.
Ashley and Carlisle, always saying ‘Do you know who you owe your title and position to?’
Because Marquis Stuart—the family head and prime minister—allowed it, even Lady Stuart and the entire household had no choice but to go along with their tyranny.
On top of that, Lady Stuart, who should have firmly controlled the household, seemed gentle by nature and seriously ill.
She probably spent most of her time lying in bed.
What kind of rotten situation is this?
To be exploited like this by family—his selfless sacrifice had long since lost its light.
Carlisle becoming the heir instead of Nathaniel.
And eventually becoming the next prime minister.
That was clearly their goal.
And that wicked plan was probably close to succeeding.
Even Melisandra, now rotting in prison, knew Carlisle—not Nathaniel—as the Stuart heir.
But strangely, in the original story’s timeline, the name Carlisle doesn’t exist.
The one who rightfully took the position of prime minister and marquis was our male lead, Nathaniel.
Yet even then, his dazzling name hid a self-esteem already completely shattered.
So in the end, the reason I get killed is because of them!
Now that I’d found the true cause of my foretold death, there was no way I’d let it slide.
At that moment—
─Ding!
[SYSTEM: Sudden quest triggered!!]
[QUEST: Crush the nose of the cousin who is destroying ‘Nathaniel’s’ self-esteem.]
[TIME LIMIT: 09:59:58]
Another sudden quest appeared.
Something that can flatten Carlisle’s nose, huh.
As I quickly thought it through, a natural idea came to mind.
Alright.
