🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 11
“Lady Liersha, why is your hair undone? And why are your eyes so red?”
“…Sona.”
As soon as Liersha returned to her room, she buried herself in Sona’s arms.
Sona gently patted her back, already guessing what must have happened.
Her expression hardened as she knelt down and cupped Liersha’s cheeks.
“My lady, pardon me for a moment.”
After checking Liersha’s body from head to toe, Sona finally relaxed a little when she confirmed there were no injuries.
But her voice was still tense.
“Did one of the branch family brats say something to you?”
“Nuh-uh, they didn’t.”
When Liersha shook her head with a gloomy expression, Sona’s eyes only grew more resolute.
It was clear she was worried Liersha was hiding something to avoid causing trouble.
“Lady Liersha, please tell me the truth. This isn’t something we can just overlook—it could be serious.”
“……”
“Are you worried you’ll get scolded if the Duke finds out?”
“……”
“Lady Liersha.”
“…I don’t have a guardian.”
At Liersha’s downcast murmur, Sona was struck speechless.
“What do you mean, you don’t have a guardian—”
“Uuuh…”
Eventually, Liersha lifted her head, eyes brimming with tears.
Just thinking about what might happen if a disciplinary hearing was held filled her with dread.
“I made Ebil mad.”
“Ebil… You mean the heir of House Crender?”
“Grandfather won’t take my side.”
The head of a ducal family had to remain neutral.
No matter how beloved a granddaughter she was, favoritism was unacceptable.
Especially now, when rumors were already spreading that Liersha was being given special treatment.
Knowing this, Liersha realized she had no choice but to face everything alone.
But it was far too heavy a burden for a child to bear.
“Don’t say that, my lady. You have the Duke, and the young lord as well.”
Sona spoke gently as she tidied Liersha’s tangled hair.
But those words brought her no comfort.
No one had ever stayed by her side.
Not even her other siblings had ever come to see her.
She couldn’t visit them either—areas reserved for heirs were strictly off limits.
Even though she was now living in the main estate instead of the outer castle, she never once felt welcome.
“What happens if there really is a disciplinary hearing…?”
“That’ll never happen, Lady Liersha. You didn’t do anything wrong—why would there be one?”
“…Really?”
“Of course.”
Sona nodded confidently, as if to reassure her.
Then she pointed to the snacks she’d prepared ahead of Liersha’s return.
“Let’s eat something sweet and shake it off, my lady. Everything will turn out fine, you’ll see.”
“…Mhm.”
Just thinking about the sweet cake lifted Liersha’s spirits a little.
She was still anxious, but it was some comfort at least.
So she didn’t notice—
—the fleeting chill in Sona’s eyes, sharp and gleaming.
A few days later, a letter arrived for Liersha.
A summons to attend the disciplinary committee.
“The disciplinary committee will now come to order. Ebil Crender and Liersha Aracrene, please move to your designated seats.”
Liersha flinched as she stood in the large hall that resembled a courtroom.
Ebil stuck his tongue out at her, smug and mocking.
By his side stood his father, Marquis Crender, acting as his guardian.
Liersha, on the other hand, had no one beside her.
Sona, being only a knight, was not permitted to attend.
“Thank you all for taking the time to gather here despite your busy schedules.”
Marquis Crender glanced down at Liersha and smirked.
There wasn’t a single empty seat among the noble jurors—clearly, he had gone out of his way to summon an audience.
Liersha realized this wasn’t just a meeting to judge children’s misbehavior.
No noble would waste their time on something so trivial.
Marquis Crender looked around and cleared his throat.
“Ahem. Normally, adults wouldn’t interfere in children’s quarrels, but sometimes, to set a proper precedent, we must step in.”
“Indeed, quite right.”
Someone echoed his words.
The marquis’s lips curled upward in satisfaction.
“Especially when one of the children involved holds higher rank—we must ensure no injustice befalls the other.”
“Absolutely true.”
“As parents who’ve entrusted your children’s education to the main estate, I’m sure you all share my concern.”
Marquis Crender smiled broadly, clearly pleased with himself.
Ebil puffed out his chest, proud and confident beside him.
Meanwhile, Liersha could only look down at the floor in growing unease.
After a deliberate pause, the marquis spoke again, clearly and slowly.
“That is why His Grace the Duke himself has kindly chosen to attend this hearing. We are deeply honored by your presence.”
He emphasized again and again how necessary this session supposedly was, then bowed exaggeratedly toward Archmond.
At the mention of her grandfather, Liersha’s head snapped up.
Far away, she saw Archmond watching from the highest seat.
He observed the proceedings silently, brows slightly furrowed as his gaze brushed over Liersha.
“Continue.”
At his signal, Marquis Crender raised Ebil’s hand for everyone to see.
“Everyone, please take a look. This injury was caused when Lady Liersha pushed my son Ebil a few days ago.”
Ebil proudly showed his palm.
A murmur of disapproval rippled through the assembled nobles.
“A noble injured by another noble—what greater disgrace could there be? And this wound, caused when Lady Liersha pushed him, left poor Ebil defenseless! And yet, I hear she walked away without so much as an apology.”
The whispering grew louder.
Liersha clenched her fists tightly.
“Ebil tripped me first! And he pulled my hair—”
“You mustn’t lie in the presence of the Duke, my lady. Several other children have already testified that you pushed Ebil first.”
Marquis Crender shook his head in feigned disappointment, though his eyes glittered with satisfaction.
He pointed toward Liersha’s clenched fists.
“Look at her—still clenching her fists even now. Not a hint of remorse.”
“That’s not true! And Ebil did pull my hair first!”
“Still refusing to admit your wrongdoing? Your Grace, as you know, children must learn early to acknowledge their mistakes. Only then can they grow into good adults.”
Liersha looked around.
Every noble present was clearly siding with the marquis.
No one would listen to her, no matter how she spoke the truth.
Realizing that, she fell silent.
Ebil’s smirk stretched wide across his face.
“Now then, Lady Liersha, please offer Ebil a sincere apology.”
“…No.”
“Even though His Grace is watching?”
Liersha bit her lip and glanced toward Archmond.
But he didn’t so much as glance back.
“If you apologize, we’ll let this matter quietly end here, Lady Liersha.”
Marquis Crender’s tone softened, as though he were being merciful.
But Liersha only glared at Ebil—
and kept her mouth shut.
