Chapter 9 - Lock Her Up Or Kick Her Out
Rumors spread faster than an epidemic, and the more people talked about them, the further from the truth they became.
Rumors of Leticia’s ability to make different people have bad luck became an established fact.
“No luck is the first lady’s ability.”
“She even makes other people feel bad?”
“So stay away from her.”
“Try not to be seen by her.”
Because of the rumors, Leticia had to live in confinement for several days, never stepping out of her room.
Today, she came out, thinking it was finally over. But after a while, she heard a commotion of maids in the hallway. As soon as she heard them, Leticia hid herself behind a pillar.
“Don’t you think we should tell her?”
“Don’t interfere and stay still.”
“Yeah, she’ll find out soon enough anyway.”
The maidservants passed by, fussing and feeling sorry for the maid in charge of Leticia. Leticia, who heard the whole story from behind her pillar, lowered her head.
It was only when their footsteps faded that Leticia stepped out.
‘Why is everyone….?’
Leticia walked back to her room, covering her face with her hands.
The only people she saw were the maidservants, who often whispered about me, and her siblings, who were busy avoiding her…
She had been having trouble breathing lately, as if her chest was full of water.
‘I’m not capable of that.’
Leticia still wasn’t sure what her ability was, but it certainly wasn’t to make other people have bad luck. No, she wanted to believe that.
As soon as she entered the room helplessly, she heard a knock at the door. She quickly opened it and saw Seos standing there.
“What brings you here…………….”
Leticia’s eyes widened, unable to hide the confused look on her face at the unexpected visit.
“I need to talk to you for a moment. Do you have time?”
“Of course. Please come in.”
She asked Mary to prepare the tea and she showed Seos to his seat.
She glanced at him to see if he looked uncomfortable to be with her, but Seos still had a nice smile on his face.
As soon as Leticia looked up a little again, their eyes met.
“I’m sorry to have come so suddenly.”
No, I was just surprised.
The hot tea was served immediately, but Leticia only held her hands that was placed on her lap.
Seos began to speak slowly to Leticia, who was looking nervous.
“It’s hard with all the strange rumors.”
“I’m fine….”
Somehow, Seos felt pity for her as she made an effort to say she was fine when she wasn’t.
“What do you think about the rumors?”
“Huh?”
“Do you really think you have the ability to cause misfortune?”
“I…….”
Not knowing what kind of intentions of the question, Leticia kept her mouth shut.
Already others, including her family, were avoiding her, believing that she would bring them misfortune. It made her think she really did have such ability.
But …….
“No.”
Leticia raised her head and looked at Seos again.
“My ability is not meant to make people have bad luck.”
She was worried about how Seos would react as she said that, but she still believed that he would hear her out.
However, for a while, the two of them stared at each other in silence. It was a strange silence, and Leticia decided to say something, but Seos was a step ahead of her.
“That’s good.”
“What?”
“I don’t believe in such ridiculous rumors either.”
“Master Seos…”
“That’s why I’m going to find out what you’re capable of to correct the wrong rumors.”
His words choked her heart and she couldn’t speak properly. Leticia bit her lip, feeling like she was about to burst into tears.
“Thank you, Master Seos………”
“So there’s no need to live like a sinner. The weather is nice, why don’t you get some fresh air outside?”
Seos left the room, and Leticia’s eyes quiver once more.
Leticia, who was left alone, placed her hand on her chest and let out a long sigh.
She couldn’t believe there was someone to tell me otherwise. Her heart was overwhelmed that she couldn’t help but smiled.
“Mary.”
“Yes, Miss.”
“Can you help me get ready to go out?”
Thanks to Seos, Leticia gained the confidence to go out again.
Leticia asked with a brighter face, and Mary nodded with a smile.
***
As soon as Leticia left the house, she went to the library in the square. From what she heard, unique and rare books were available here.
She wanted to find out what her ability was, but she didn’t really know how to find it yet.
At one point, she thought she could find the answer in the academic and knowledge fields, like Levion, and that it might be related to the abilities her siblings had, but she still didn’t know what her ability was.
Eventually, Leticia sighed shallowly and put the book back.
‘I’m suffocating….’
Everyone avoided her. Seeing that they were still whispering, it was clear that they had been talking about it for some time.
‘If father knows about this…………’
As soon as Leticia went crazy at the thought, she became scared, and she held her arms tightly.
It was obvious that her father, who was very sensitive to misfortune, wouldn’t let it end with a scolding. Moreover, he even warned her not to associate with the Achilles family.
This made her even more anxious and scared.
Just as she was about to leave the library, tried to calm herself down, she spotted a familiar face. As soon as she saw him, Leticia’s eyes widened.
“Long time no see. How have you been?”
“Yes. Lady Leroy, how are you?”
“I’m good…”
As she smiled and greeted Enoch, Leticia looked around and asked,
“I don’t see your bother and sister.”
“I came alone today.”
“I see…”
Enoch, who was staring at Leticia, could not hide his curiosity.
“What’s wrong?”
“What?”
“You seem gloomy.”
“Oh, it’s ……”
Leticia gave a short sigh and grasped her hands with an awkward expression. The moment she glanced up, she met a pair of gray eyes that were looking at her with concern.
The warmth of his gaze made her feel like crying. Leticia clasped her hands tightly and spoke.
“Do you happen to know about my family’s abilities?”
“I know that it had extraordinary abilities.”
“Then you know I don’t have it?”
“I’ve heard rumors.”
Leticia said with a wry smile, trying to keep a cheerful expression on her face.
“In fact, that’s why my family is so worried about me.”
Leticia was well aware that was not true. They were jay ashamed of her.
“At first I thought I wasn’t capable, but now………….”
Leticia stopped speaking for a moment, as something hot rose in her chest as she spoke. Thankfully, Enoch didn’t ask anything, but quietly watching her.
Feeling encouraged, Leticia spoke slowly.
“I think I have a bad ability….”
“…”
“A bad ability?”
“Yes.”
Could she tell him?
Leticia hesitated a little, glancing at Enoch briefly. Enoch was still waiting for her with a smile. It seemed like he would accept whatever she said.
Buoyed by this, Leticia exhaled once and replied.
“My ability is to bring misfortune…”
As soon as she answered, a heavy silence fell over her.
She wished Enoch could tell her something, but all Enoch gave her was silence.
Leticia, nervous by his appearance, said quickly to correct herself.
“But no! My ability is not like that!”
“…”
“Oh, perhaps….”
Even as she spoke, she was unsure, and her voice in the end became sluggish, she began to worry about what to do if her ability really was something that caused misfortune, as the rumor suggested.
When Leticia lowered her head, unable to hide her nervousness, Enoch, who had been watching silently, smoothed out her collar, and immediately let out a long breath.
It was a sigh that somehow made Leticia feel suffocated.
“Lady Leroy.”
“Yes, yes…?”
“I don’t know the details, but I’ve heard that God was moved by the prayers of the Leroy family and gave them special abilities. Is that right?”
“Yes …..that’s right.”
Leticia blinked her blue eyes, unsure of his sudden intention to ask her this.
As soon as their eyes met, Enoch said.
“How could God give such a house a bad ability?”
“Lord Achilles…”
“I don’t believe you have the ability to make bad luck.”
Leticia could feel the sincerity in the way Enoch spoke with cool eyes without a single smile. The tears she had been holding back were about to come out, and Leticia gently lowered her eyes.
That’s what she wanted to hear the most. Nevertheless, they were the words she could not say to anyone.
The reason was simple. They would think she was pathetic.
Enoch’s words made her heart burned and her eyes welled up.
“Thank you very much.”
Those actually the words she wanted to hear most from her family, from her siblings.
Sadness arose, and Leticia covered her tearful face with her hands.
Right now, at this moment, she felt like crying out loud.
****
“Sister, did you hear?”
Diana was drinking tea leisurely, and Irene’s unexpected arrival surprised her, but Diana greeted her with a cheerful smile.
But somehow, Irene’s expression was gloomy.
“What are you talking about?”
“About first sister’s ability.”
Irene talked cautiously.
Deanna, who was watching her, shrugged lightly with an indifferent expression.
“I heard, of course.”
It was impossible not to know. Her maid was the first to tell her about it.
“What should we do?”
“You worry about trivial things.”
Diana, with her lips raised, leaned back in her chair with her arms crossed.
“I’m here.”
Diana was the symbol of good luck in the Leroy family. As such, she was not at all afraid of Leticia’s ability to bring misfortune.
But Irene looked worried.
“She’s still out walking around.”
Diana frowned when Irene brought up the meeting with Leticia a few days ago.
“Yeah….that’s a bit of a problem, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is. I don’t know what to do, Sister.”
Irene couldn’t leave her room because she was afraid that she would meet Leticia like that again, when she had to take the exam to join the imperial wizards.
“Doesn’t your father know yet?”
“Probably not. He’s been busy with his new business venture lately.”
“Then what are you going to do?”
“Don’t worry about it.”
Diana comforted Irene in a soft tone as if misfortune was about to come.
“I’ll speak to father often when he comes home.”
“Thank you, sister. But……………….”
“…?”
“What will he do if father finds out?”
Irene asked, tapping her fingers on the table. Diana chuckled and replied.
“He would either lock her up or kick her out.”
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