Chapter 38 - I Did My Best
Chapter 38: I Did My Best
For Leticia, Emil was the proudest and most reliable brother of all. No matter what happened, he wouldn’t panic. He would be rational and cool headed in all of his judgments and would find a wise solution.
Emil had been exceptionally precocious from an early age, and people around him secretly said that he wasn’t even human. Only one person didn’t think that, Leticia never felt that way about him. Rather, she thought he was great at reading situations calmly.
‘Yes, I used to think that.’
But not anymore.
No matter how clever and intelligent he was, it wasn’t right for him to ignore and disregard her on the grounds that she didn’t have an ability.
‘I expected to run into you here.’
She could no longer hold in her sigh and it spilled out of her mouth.
Leticia struggled to hide her emotions and looked back to Ian. He was staring at her with an expression that she couldn’t make out.
“Ian.”
Leticia quietly called to Ian while holding tightly to his hands.
“Do your best.”
She wanted to tell him to do well, but she didn’t want to add to the pressure he was feeling by saying something like ‘Try Harder’.
Actually, that was what she wanted to say to Emil the most.
It was always sad to see him being held down by the expectations of their family and Father without even realizing it.
‘I can’t say this right now.’
No, I didn’t want to do it any more.
All the family that was so important to her were out of her hands now.
She just wanted her sincerity to reach Ian now.
“Please do your best, Ian.”
“Sister.”
“I’ll be cheering you on.”
While she was worried that he might feel pressured while she was speaking to him, Ian held Leticia’s sleeve tightly with an expressionless face.
“Yes, I’ll do my best. I’ll try my best. I mean…”
Ian peeked up at her and gently smiled.
“Can’t you talk more comfortably when I come back?”
“What?”
“I’m your younger brother, but you still use polite speech.”
“Ah…”
“I’ll do my best to look good.”
An excited smile spread across his impassive face before she knew it.
Leticia nodded and smiled softly, as he seemed reluctant to release her sleeve.
“Alright. You should go in, Ian.”
No matter how hard she thought about it, it was amazing.
At first, it was unfamiliar and difficult to even call each other’s names, but now she can call his name comfortably. In addition, they were feeling close enough that Leticia could stroke Ian’s head.
“I’ll be rooting for you.”
“Then I’ll be back soon.”
She could still feel Emil’s gaze on them, but Leticia continued to still smile down at Ian without turning around.
***
“What? Ian? Isn’t that Ian Achilles?”
“I guess Ian Achilles is here for the test, too.”
“What’s the point? He’s going to fail anyway.”
Emil’s classmates murmured as they watched Ian.
They were all laughing at him for trying to become an Imperial Officer without attending the Scholastic Academy, which he couldn’t afford to attend.
“It’s a waste of money for him to take the exam.”
“I know, but the person next to him…”
A classmate who recognized Leticia standing next to Ian glanced at Emil and his words trailed off.
“Those two are walking around with each other.”
“I feel sorry for him.”
The whispers grew louder, but Emil only heard Leticia and Ian’s conversation.
“Do your best.”
“Please do your best, Ian.”
“I’ll be cheering you on.”
Emil felt increasingly strange at what she was saying while holding hands tightly with Ian.
Something was bothering him. No, that invasive feeling seemed to upset his stomach to the point where it felt constricted. The feeling of hitting rock bottom reached the climax at Ian’s words.
“Can’t you talk more comfortably when I come back? I’m your younger brother, but you still use polite speech.”
As soon as he heard that, Emil burst out laughing.
‘Younger brother?’
How long have you known each other? Are you trying to play house?
Leticia’s eyes opened wide in surprise and she looked somewhat embarrassed, so Emil felt a bit of satisfaction at that.
Leticia was a person who couldn’t let go of her family even if they abandoned her. It was unseemingly to ask such a person to speak comfortably with them because he was younger than her.
Emil looked at the pitiful Ian and tried to enter the exam room first.
At that moment.
“Alright. You should go in, Ian.”
Emil stopped walking without realizing it and looked back. Leticia was nodding her head with a smile. Strangely enough, she seemed pleased with Ian’s words. Emil couldn’t move a step from that spot.
“Huh…”
An annoyed exhale flowed out of him.
It’s obvious that she’s making a fool of herself, but she doesn’t know that and just keeps saying it’s fine.
‘I’m annoyed.’
He didn’t know why it bothered him so much either.
However, he hated the sight of the two standing together so much that he wanted to tear them apart right away.
Emil entered the examination hall while biting his lips furiously.
“I hope he fails the test, so I don’t have to see his face again.”
He really wanted Ian to be unable to face Leticia.
***
‘I didn’t expect to see you like that.’
It wasn’t until she lost sight of Ian inside the test site that Leticia let out a long sigh. She could still remember Emil’s gaze on them.
Cold frosty eyes.
‘I’m starting to get used to it.’
She still felt embarrassed and uncomfortable whenever she ran into her younger brothers. Fortunately, it wasn’t as difficult or as painful as it used to be.
It’s just annoying to look at.
‘I’m letting go.’
Whenever she realized this feeling, Leticia felt that she had given up on her family to some extent. She wasn’t too happy about it. She felt some bitterness and mixed feelings about it.
Leticia arrived at the square and looked around after struggling to calm down. Familiar bracelets were seen on the wrists of passers-by.
‘Wishing bracelets are still popular.’
She didn’t know that it would succeed like this.
When she saw people smiling happily about the bracelets, Leticia felt proud of Elle and herself.
‘Come to think of it, I haven’t visited Countess Aster yet.’
She suddenly remembered the day when she gave the wishing bracelet to Count Aster and wished the Countess to get well soon. She was so busy that she didn’t have time to meet with the Countess.
‘I’ll need to write a letter and send it off to her.’
The Count said that his wife had regained her health, but Leticia was still worried.
She began walking again when.
“Is that you Leticia?”
Leticia slowly turned towards the dulcet voice. There stood a noble lady with a startled face.
“Countess Aster…?”
“Oh, my God! It is you!”
As soon as Countess Aster realized it was Leticia, she stepped closer with a bright smile.
“I never thought you’d grow up this beautiful. I almost didn’t recognize you because you’re so pretty.”
“Thank you, Countess. How have you been?”
“Yes, I’ve been well.”
Countess Aster nodded in delight and gently clapped her hands.
“Let’s not do this here, let’s move somewhere else.”
.
.
.
“I’m sorry. I should have come to see you sooner.”
The place where Countess Aster chose was a café with a good atmosphere. Sitting side by side, Leticia bowed her head in shame.
“Oh don’t say that. I’m not disappointed.”
“But…”
“I’m just glad I was able to see you like this.”
Countess Aster firmly stopped her from apologizing.
Leticia lifted her head slowly with a small smile on her face.
“I heard what happened to you from my husband.”
Leticia didn’t understand what she was saying at first, then belatedly realized what she meant and sighed. It seemed she’d heard the truth about her being expelled from the Leroy family.
“I see…”
“Is there anything uncomfortable or difficult about staying at the Achilles’ mansion?”
She was ready to take her to Aster’s residence if she told her she was even slightly inconvenienced.
“Yes, everyone is so nice to me. Meeting such good people is the luckiest thing I’ve ever had happen in my life.”
“I’m so glad to hear that.”
“I’m so indebted that I really hope I can repay them someday.”
At that point, Countess Aster asked what she had been up to at the Achilles’ mansion.
Leticia smiled brightly and talked about the wishing bracelets she’d made with Elle that had become a huge success. That she had just seen Ian off for his Imperial Civil Service exam.
Finally, she talked about Enoch.
“At the last Hunting festival, Duke Enoch gave me the crown of laurels.”
“Oh, really?”
Countess Aster’s lips gently rose in a smile when she heard that Leticia had received the laurel crown that was given to the victor of the Hunting festival. Leticia continued with another story.
“I received a white rose too.”
“….”
“I know it doesn’t mean much, but still…”
‘I was so happy.’
As soon as she uttered her last words, Leticia shook her head to hide her blushing face.
Countess Aster looked at the cute face Leticia was making.
“You like Lord Achilles a lot.”
“What?”
“Then you don’t?”
“No, it’s, um, uh. I mean…”
As she tried to speak, Leticia opened and closed her mouth repeatedly. It didn’t seem right to deny that she was right.
She was unbearably mortified.
“Is it that obvious…?”
She gently bit her lip and fanned her cheeks with her hands. She could feel the warmth on her palms from her face flushing.
Countess Aster’s mouth never stopped smiling, for Leticia looked so lovely.
“I’m glad you’re doing well, Leticia.”
She was so worried when she heard that she was excommunicated. She’d heard from Count Aster that Leticia was living in the Achilles’ mansion, but she wanted to see for herself that she was really okay.
For the Count and Countess, Leticia was like a daughter that they wanted to cherish and love. This warm and affectionate child who comforted her when she was seriously ill and living day by day with great difficulty.
“If you need any help, feel free to come and see me.”
“Countess Aster…”
“You are precious to me and my husband. So don’t feel pressured.
“….”
“Nothing would bring us more joy and happiness than being able to help you.”
Her eyes were looking at Leticia full of sincerity without any lies. She could feel the Countess put her whole heart into her words, so Leticia was feeling emotional.
“Thank you, Countess.”
There were many people who valued her.
That fact made her heart tighten and feel warm.
“To me, the Countess and Count are precious people.”
She felt like she was about to cry at the fact that people who were precious to her valued her as well.
***
The Imperial Civil Service has a first and second round of exams.
Today, the results of the first exam that took place a few days ago were released.
Leticia quietly came to see the list of successful candidates with Ian.
“….”
“….”
She looked at it over and over again, just in case she missed it.
But by all accounts, Ian’s name was not on the list.
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