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Chapter 16
Ha, who would have thought the day would come when I’d say “I’m a genius” with my own mouth.
It was embarrassing because it wasn’t true, and I felt awkward because they took it seriously, but I had decided to be brazen about it.
After all, if this is roughly my third life, I should at least come across as a semi-genius.
‘Right.’
“So Lesha knows everything.”
I raised my head confidently.
Grandfather, for some reason, had a look that seemed proud,
Philip still had an expression that said he found me cute.
And Paul had a face full of indecision, wondering whether to believe this or not.
But Paul would try an experiment exactly as I said the moment he returned home. And after that, he’d probably trust me absolutely.
Originally, scholars like him are quick to convert once you plant just one level of trust.
I turned my head, recalling the saying that experts are the very groups swindlers find easy to fool.
“So, Grandfather, trust me.”
“……”
“You have to quit your job.”
I stared straight into his eyes.
It was a gaze that said, ‘Listen carefully, Grandfather. I’m now showing you the path to your retirement.’
Since he was retiring due to illness, there was no room for the Emperor to raise an issue.
The Emperor would probably be disappointed because he can no longer shift the blame by claiming Grandfather made the decision in a fit of anger.
And could he possibly place someone who retired due to illness under house arrest?
If he did, public opinion would turn even worse than it is now, right?
How many people in this Teparoah Empire aren’t connected to the Essier?
Even something as simple as the salt commoners use is an item imported by Essier.
So, if the imperial family doesn’t lift the house arrest even after Grandfather retires, it would be a burden for them too.
Therefore, after his retirement, the confinement order will probably be lifted, and later, after he goes down to the estate and fully recovers his health,
Peluoana War, bam!
Grandfather’s appearance, bam!
My dad appears and wraps it all up, bam, bam!
Ha, perfect.
It was such a perfectly beautiful imagination.
The day before the nobles’ assembly, Mago Essier submitted his resignation.
It was due to the worsening of his illness.
“I had no idea you would let him go so easily.”
Noblewomen, holding teacups in a famous tea cafe, made Mago Essier their topic of conversation, making a fuss.
“That’s what I’m saying. And of all people, Mago Essier! You wouldn’t believe how shocked I was. I wondered if today was April Fool’s Day!”
“Do you think he has some other scheme? Like planning to pressure His Majesty?”
“Who gives up power to apply pressure? There’s more than one or two people aiming for that position; it doesn’t make sense.”
One lady shaking her head wagged her finger.
Seeing this, the lady who had brought it up wrinkled her freckled nose bridge awkwardly and gave an embarrassed laugh.
“Well, it is the position of Chairman of the Nobles’ Assembly.”
“It’s almost like the imperial family abdicating the throne.”
“The other four ducal houses must be busy.”
A lady who quickly changed the subject smiled gratefully towards the woman who had wrinkled her nose bridge.
“Who will take over?”
“Wouldn’t it be the Netua Ducal House?”
“That’s the Second Prince’s maternal family, right?”
“Indeed. Her Majesty the Empress wouldn’t miss this golden opportunity.”
“But the Ruania Ducal House is no pushover either.”
“It’s going to be a busy time, indeed.”
While curiosity ran high among people wondering who would fill Mago Essier’s void, one noblewoman added,
“Then, who will inherit the Essier title?”
“Oh my, that’s another matter altogether!”
“Shouldn’t it be Andrea Essier?”
“In terms of ability, it should be Lady Sharié…”
While the nobles gathered in their respective groups discussing the Essier Ducal House, a woman who had taken a bite of a cream pie with her fork wiped her mouth and stood up from her seat a good distance away.
“Hmm, interesting.”
Her attitude suggested she had heard all she needed to hear.
“Starting today, I am Kormo, and I will be in charge of the Empire Language lessons for the direct descendants of the third generation.”
“And I am Harrison, for Geography.”
Unlike the tumultuous outside world stirred by Mago’s retirement announcement, the Essier Ducal House seemed very peaceful.
Yes, it seemed that way.
But everyone among the direct descendants gathered here knew that this peace wasn’t real.
A subtle tension could be felt between Chandler and Jason, and Liliana, the daughter of the Pottern Count family, who already seemed to sense the uncomfortable atmosphere, had an expression that grew even stiffer and colder.
The only one in that room who wasn’t stiff and remained sunny was me.
“Hello, Teacher Harrison!”
I even raised my hand, welcoming the teachers with a bright, laughing smile. I could visibly see the teachers’ favorability towards me change.
It seemed I really was cute-looking.
Well, even in my past life, whenever I appeared in high society, everyone would look only at me.
It was the same in Isha.
At the start of the semester, I was somewhat popular for being pretty.
Of course, the moment they found out I was from an orphanage, all that attention turned into animosity.
‘She’s from an orphanage.’
‘No wonder she’s kinda pretty.’
‘If she’s from an orphanage, she’s just a slut, right?’
‘But why is she so good at studying? That crazy bitch is so annoying.’
‘She’s vicious.’
If you were just from an orphanage and somewhat pretty, you’d simply be called a slut, but add being good at studying, and ‘crazy bitch’ and ‘vicious’ got tacked on as well.
It wasn’t my fault I became an orphan.
Did they think I, who should be a social outsider, was stealing their place?
‘They should have studied during that time instead.’
Recalling their twisted inferiority complex, I clicked my tongue inwardly and raised my head.
“And I am Kiet, for Philosophy.”
‘I dislike you.’
The voice that seeped into my mind simultaneously with Teacher Kiet’s greeting was honestly hard to understand.
Why did he act like that towards me?
I heard kids that age are usually weak to cute ones.
‘Hmm.’
Remembering my neighbor cousin from my past life who intensely disliked me and ultimately ended up with a hatred for women, I scrutinized my reflection in the window.
‘Stay away!’
The small, thin boy who would yell at me with contempt.
Lian, no, Crown Prince Callian.
My neighbor cousin from my past life, with whom I was connected by a terrible fate, and in this life, my key connection—the Empire’s youngest Sword Master, the prince destined to become Emperor.
And also!
The setting was that due to a girl who tormented him terribly during his commoner days—namely, me, who lived next door—he developed a hatred for women.
‘I dislike you.’
My neighbor cousin who despised me.
More precisely,
Callian Yulias Pino Constantanu Beate Von Somomet.
Of course, that long name was one he acquired later, after he became a Sword Master and was acknowledged by his biological father, the current Emperor; it wasn’t his name now.
So what is it now, you ask?
Right now, he was just a commoner orphan boy called Lian.
In the Empire, only nobles and royals could use and read surnames, and most commoners were content with having a name they could be called by.
But how am I supposed to become friends with him?
I will be nice to him, but what if the novel’s setting is that the character simply dislikes me?
Then no matter what I do, won’t he dislike me?
I probably can’t break the setting.
Suddenly feeling frustrated as I thought about the novel’s plot, my chest felt tight.
‘But if I can just gain his favor…’
While tapping my chubby cheek with a fingertip, I suddenly looked up.
Through the clean window, lush green foliage was thriving.
I paused the hand tapping my cheek for a moment, captivated by the vibrant green, a result of the gardener’s hard work.
‘Wait a minute.’
I feel like I’ve missed something just now.
The greenery and my own complacency felt somehow dissonant.
The verdant green seemed to be telling me I shouldn’t be this complacent. I blinked twice at it.
‘Could it be… summer?’
And in that moment, as the memories of the novel and my past life tangled rapidly in my head, I felt like I couldn’t breathe and shot up from my seat.
Summer!
The summer I’m six years old!
The sword that Crown Prince Callian in the novel desperately searched for and finally obtained.
That sword was said to have appeared one day at the Oné auction house during the summer I was six, and it drifted around the capital.
That’s it!
Gaining the favor of Crown Prince Callian, my key connection in this life, would be a piece of cake.
The favor of a future power holder.
For some reason, I felt a villainous laugh coming on, so I covered my mouth with my small hand and giggled quietly.
Now the problem was how to get out and buy it.
The novel said it went unsold, unsold, and unsold again, drifting around auction houses all summer.
‘I should be able to buy it for a pittance, right?’
“Lady Laetitia?”
I raised my head, still tapping my chin, to find all the teachers standing before me staring intently.
And at that moment, my face flushed bright red.
‘Ah, what do I do?’
