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Chapter 4
‘What is it?’
I couldn’t figure out his intention at all. I had expected him to be offended and call me rude, but instead, he was smiling with deep amusement as if he had just seen something entertaining.
“So. What do you want to learn?”
‘Yes!’
Luckily, my boldness didn’t seem to have displeased him. Taking a risk like this had paid off.
Before Heinox could change his mind, I quickly answered.
“Letters!”
“That’s all?”
I paused for a moment at Heinox’s words. Was it enough to ask for more when I couldn’t even write my own name yet? Maybe I should learn to read and write first before asking for anything else.
But I soon shook my head.
There was no guarantee he would grant my request later.
I began listing the things I thought I would need for my future plans.
“History too. Geography as well, and I also want to learn music instruments, and, um, also….”
Heinox watched me as I counted on my fingers, looking at me with a strange expression. Worried that I might be asking for too much, I slowly folded one finger back.
“W-well, if that’s too much, I can drop the instruments….”
But even after my timid suggestion, Heinox just kept looking at me silently.
“G-geography too might not be necessary….”
My plan was to take control of things the original heroine would later use for business.
The first target among them was the ‘Harken Mine.’
The reason I needed to move first was because it was the only event mentioned before the heroine appeared in the original story.
The Harken Mine, which contained massive amounts of iron ore, was essential for House Tanceric to defend against invasions from neighboring nations.
‘But in the original story, it exploded because of an attack from the principality.’
It also said that the surrounding territory suffered enormous damage.
Since I didn’t know exactly when the principality’s invasion would happen, I planned to study geography so I could find the place myself.
‘If this works out, my position will become much more secure.’
If the mine became Tanceric property, it would naturally block attacks from the principality.
After all, House Tanceric had the strongest military power in the empire.
‘Depending on what I do, Heinox will change too.’
So I had to succeed in this and earn his recognition.
If I could obtain ownership of the mine through his acknowledgment, then even if Heinox eventually cast me aside, I would still have a stable source of income.
I looked up at him earnestly.
“P-please….”
Ah, pathetic. Even I think I look pathetic. Who could refuse a child like this, with teary eyes and a trembling voice?
“…Do as you wish.”
Of course. Even Heinox couldn’t resist that. He wasn’t emotionless—just good at hiding it.
“T-thank you, Your Grace!”
When I smiled brightly, Heinox frowned slightly.
Tch. It wouldn’t kill him to smile back.
I felt a bit annoyed for a moment, but it was still a good result, so I stood up lightly.
“You must be busy, right? I’ll be going now. Goodbye.”
Just as I was about to leave after properly greeting him, Heinox called my name in a low voice from behind.
“Roxina Tanceric.”
“Yes?”
I blinked, standing at the door.
‘Does he have something else to say?’
He asked in a calm voice.
“You will not skip your lessons, will you?”
“Pardon?”
‘Skip lessons?’
I tilted my head.
‘Why would I?’
I had asked for lessons because I wanted them. If I intended to secretly skip them and sleep somewhere else, I wouldn’t have requested them in the first place.
“That won’t happen.”
“How can I be sure of that?”
“B-be sure?”
Heinox must have sensed my hesitation, because he pressed further.
“I do not invest in uncertain things.”
Invest? That was unexpected.
“What do you want from me…?”
If he was being this strict, I needed to prove something.
But I didn’t have anything in my possession.
Jewelry and dresses were all bought with Tanceric’s money, so selling them would mean nothing.
In other words, I had nothing I could “pay” him with.
‘So this is what he means by investment. He really doesn’t want to support me, huh.’
At this point, it almost felt like it wasn’t just dislike toward Roxina, but toward me personally—like I was the one who killed his beloved wife.
The people of this household really are all the same as Renzard.
Just as I was losing hope in my education plan, he spoke again.
“Summarize your lessons every day.”
“Pardon?”
“Bring me a summary of what you learned each day and report it to me.”
“But….”
If I attended lessons under his condition, the instructors would already report everything to him properly.
So why make me come personally?
“It is only to confirm whether you are truly putting effort in. If that is too burdensome, then you may abandon—”
“I will do it!”
Haha. Duke, you really are strict.
“I’ll come every day! Right after class!”
“Good. Do not be late.”
“Yes….”
Before leaving the room, I glanced back slightly.
Heinox was definitely smiling.
“It feels… it feels like I’ve been tricked….”
I muttered as I walked down the hallway, replaying what just happened.
“He was smiling….”
He had looked extremely satisfied. Like a predator relaxed after a full meal….
“Miss!”
Thud!
“Ah!”
As Anne shouted, my head hit the wall.
“Ugh!”
It hit harder than expected—my whole head rang.
“Miss! There’s blood on your forehead…!”
‘Blood?’
As she said, red blood really was flowing from my forehead.
“I’m fin—”
“What is this?”
A familiar, unpleasant voice came from nearby.
“Why is she here?”
Looking up, I saw Renzard walking toward me, clearly annoyed.
“I clearly told you to stay in your room….”
‘Ah….’
My head suddenly started pounding as if it were splitting open. Anne’s face and the servants rushing around blurred strangely.
My dizzy vision made even my stomach churn.
“Ugh!”
“Miss!”
Renzard looked flustered for a moment, but I passed out right there.
“She should be waking up by now… why is she still….”
“Wait a little longer. She should wake up soon….”
Anne’s voice and a stranger’s voice echoed vaguely.
“U-ugh….”
“Miss!”
Anne rushed to my bedside as soon as she heard me groan.
“How is your head?”
“It hurts….”
It still hurt. But my vision was no longer shaking.
“Dr. Melepu, why is the young lady still in pain? You said she would be fine….”
“Miss. How many fingers do you see?”
Melepu held up two fingers.
“Two… ugh!”
“And this?”
This time he held up five fingers.
“Five….”
At my answer, Melepu nodded slightly, then patted Anne’s shoulder, who was anxiously fidgeting.
“It seems like a mild aftereffect. She’ll recover after a few days, so don’t worry too much.”
“Thank you, Dr. Melepu.”
Anne kept bowing as he left the room.
“Anne.”
“Yes, miss.”
“How long was I out?”
“About half a day.”
“I see….”
That was really stupid. To bump into a wall because I didn’t see it.
As embarrassment slowly crept in and I pulled the blanket up, voices came from outside the door.
“Hey! Stupid Roxina!”
“Renzard! Don’t talk like that!”
“Roxina. I heard from Melepu that you woke up. May I come in?”
What? Since when was he being polite?
But then I remembered Heinox’s smiling face earlier.
Maybe, since the original story hadn’t started yet and Roxina hadn’t become cruel yet, there was a chance things could become a bit closer.
Without me being constantly mistreated.
I nodded at Anne.
Anne opened the door, and Chedman entered along with Renzard.
“Roxina. Are you okay? I heard you hit the wall pretty hard.”
“Brother. It wasn’t just hard—it was a huge bang! She didn’t even see the wall right in front of her. Isn’t it hilarious?”
“Renzard.”
Despite Chedman’s warning, Renzard didn’t stop his mocking.
Ah. So my hope was pointless after all.
“She’s so stupid she can’t even walk properly!”
“Renzard!”
Chedman raised his voice, but I quietly shook my head.
“I’m okay. It’s true I didn’t see the wall.”
“See? She admitted it herself!”
Renzard grew even more smug.
“I can’t believe someone like you is a Tanceric.”
He looked me up and down and frowned.
“You don’t resemble Mother at all. Maybe Father just picked up some random child….”
At those words, something I had been holding in finally snapped.
“What? Picked up?”
There are things you can say and things you cannot.
As someone who grew up in an orphanage in my past life, those words tightened my nerves like a stretched wire.
“W-what?”
Even Renzard seemed flustered by my sudden change.
But I ignored him and continued.
“That insults not only the Duke, but also the Duchess who gave birth to me.”
Thankfully, my speech was still understandable enough. If I had started slurring like a child, it would’ve been humiliating.
“Don’t talk so carelessly.”
“W-what…!”
Renzard, flustered for a moment, soon shouted in frustration at being pushed back.
“What gives you the right to talk to me like that!”
His face was turning red.
“It’s your fault! All of it is your fault! Mother’s death was because of you…!”
Chedman stepped in and blocked Renzard before he crossed the line.
“I’m sorry, Roxina. You must be tired. Rest a bit.”
Then he dragged Renzard, who was still breathing heavily, out of the room.
“Ha….”
Anne, who had been quietly hiding in the corner the whole time, carefully approached me.
“Miss… are you okay?”
There was a hint of guilt in her eyes for not stepping in. But I had no intention of blaming her.
I knew very well she wasn’t in a position to intervene.
I forced a smile.
“Yes. Thank you for worrying about me.”
Anne also tried to lift the corners of her mouth in response, though it looked heavy.
