Chapter 3 (3/141) - The Lady of the Asher Dukedom

Heir Eligibility Review.

On the surface, it was a day to invite the family's tutors to discuss the potential of the Asher third generations as heirs, but in my previous life, this day was more like a [Leticia Stoning Festival].

And it didn't change much from that past life.

"Lady Leticia does not have the qualifications to be an heir."

'It's not just similar; it's exactly the same.'

I sighed inwardly.

"Neither divine power nor magic can be felt from her, and intellectually, she is so far behind that one might doubt if she is truly an Asher. No matter how much we teach her, her learning ability is the worst I have ever seen in a noble young lady. My lord."

Ouch.

'That hurts.'

I lifted my head to look at Sylvia.

Sylvia, with her black hair tied up in a tight bun and her posture straight, never once looked at me.

"Mathematics, history, the imperial language, ancient language, art, and music—she is lacking in all of these."

Counting on her fingers, Lady Sylvia shook her head.

"Her etiquette is also far below standard."

"......"

"The bigger problem is that she does not even try. When I assign homework, she has never once completed it properly."

'Ha. This is a bit unfair.'

The reason I couldn't complete the homework was that Sylvia gave me tasks that were completely inappropriate for my age.

How could a 6-year-old Leticia solve advanced mathematics or write in ancient language?

But Sylvia, ignoring this fact, only spoke ill of Leticia's laziness, just like in my previous life.

'For that reason, Lady Leticia does not have the qualifications to be an heir, my lord.'

'No! I said it was difficult! Sylvia said it was difficult! If it's difficult, you don't have to do it! She said it was just a preview!'

'For heaven's sake, now she's even lying.'

I had screamed as if the world was collapsing, crying out to Sylvia, who had comforted me with kind words that I was fine but then told my grandfather that I lacked the qualifications to be an heir and even called me a liar.

But no one stood up for me.

Instead, they all looked at me with condemning eyes, as if I were a bad child who was lying. No one listened to what I had to say.

In that situation, all I could do was cry out about my injustice without holding back.

Hoping that someone would believe me.

'I wasn't lazy! I did my best in class!'

'Why don't we conduct the eligibility review right here and now?'

And at that moment, Sylvia, as if she had been waiting for me to say that, caught my words with a gleam in her eyes.

Yes, it was right to say she caught them.

Because she used those words to corner me.

With a fair expression, she said that since Lady Leticia was feeling wronged, it would be best to conduct the eligibility review right here and now.

'And then she only asked questions that she knew I couldn't answer.'

The questions themselves were not difficult.

Since it was in front of my grandfather, Sylvia naturally started the review with content that children of Leticia's age could solve.

The problem was that I had never learned this content.

To show that the test was fair, she even had some of my cousins of the same age take the test together.

And the conclusion was obvious.

While the cousins could answer everything, Leticia couldn't even open her mouth.

With tears welling up in her eyes, Leticia, who couldn't answer a single question, turned to face her grandfather and Aunt Asher, whose blue eyes met hers.

'Leticia doesn't need to go to Onne.'

Leticia was cast out.

She was officially stripped of her heir qualifications without any chance to recover from the disappointed and disapproving looks directed at her.

"Phew."

Thinking about it makes me angry.

Why did they go to such lengths to drive me away? I shook my head, pondering.

What's the point of thinking about it now?

This time, I will make things different.

'I will definitely make it so.'

As she took a deep breath to steady her resolve, Sylvia glanced at her.

"......"

That look seemed to say, 'Why are you so quiet? You should be jumping around in anger and feeling wronged.'

But I had already lived through my previous life and retained my memories as a Korean.

'I won't let it go so easily.'

She lowered her head, her eyes filled with tears, as if she had been deeply hurt by Sylvia's words.

Her wheat-colored hair, tied in two braids, swayed gently from her shoulders.

Her hands, tightly gripping the hem of her dress, were white-knuckled, and her hunched posture made her look pitiful.

"Poor thing."

Yes, she was just a 6-year-old child!

People's hearts were touched by the sight of a small child enduring sharp words alone in a place where no one was on her side.

The eyes that had been condemning her as shameless were now gone.

But Sylvia, seemingly unaware of the subtle change in the room's atmosphere, cleared her throat and lifted her head to wrap up the situation.

"The discussion about Lady Leticia's heir qualifications is not the issue here."

"Then what is?"

Surprised that Aunt Asher would speak, Sylvia looked up at her.

"What should we discuss about Leticia?"

Aunt Asher, with her deep, heavy voice, stared intently at Sylvia.

"That is......"

Sylvia, momentarily stiffening under Aunt Asher's piercing blue gaze, which seemed to look into the depths of her soul, soon composed herself and straightened her chest.

Seeing this, Aunt Asher, who had been leaning on the armrest with her elbow and chin resting on her hand, shifted to the other side and lifted her head.

"My question is not difficult, teacher."

"Y-Yes, my lord. No, it is not."

Under Aunt Asher's urging, Sylvia cleared her throat and straightened her back.

"First, we should check if Lady Leticia has the ability to participate in the direct line's classes. Whether her skills are at a level that would hinder the other third generations......"

"How?"

Interrupting Sylvia, Aunt Asher asked, and Sylvia, who had been about to relax, lifted her chin as if she had been waiting for this.

"Perhaps we should conduct a test here and now."

The other teachers present nodded in agreement with Sylvia's suggestion.

And Aunt Asher's gaze turned to the small head that had been bowed low in a corner.

And then—

'One, two, three—'

"Prepare the test, Leticia."

Before I could count to three in my head, Aunt Asher's order came.

"Yes, Grandfather."

And immediately—

"But there's a condition!"

A bold voice followed.

My condition was to take the test with my cousins.

Sylvia looked down at me with a mocking face.

"Is that alright? The other direct lines are at a different level from you. Perhaps it would be better to call the collateral lines?"

Are you sure you want to highlight your own stupidity? I smiled and nodded.

"It's fine."

"If Lady Leticia is fine with it......, let's do it that way, my lord."

Nodding, Sylvia looked up at my grandfather with a triumphant side profile, and I also looked at my grandfather.

"I think I can do well if I take the test with my smart older brothers! I've been sad because I haven't had the chance to study with them recently."

"......"

My grandfather's gaze turned to me at my cheerful words.

His piercing blue eyes, which had never been kind to me, made me swallow hard.

'Don't be scared.'

There was no need to be nervous.

My grandfather was a meritocrat, and in my past life, I had been ignored by him because I lacked the ability.

The ability to capture his attention, like Dad and Shari.

I just needed to show him that one thing.

'And I need to go to Onne.'

To settle the bad karma from my previous life and lay the foundation, I had to.

So I smiled, my eyes forming a crescent.

I looked up at my grandfather innocently, as if I didn't know anything—

"Bennett."

"Yes, my lord."

My grandfather, who had been looking at me, turned to his adjutant Bennett and called for my cousins.

"Bring all the third generations who have studied with Leticia."