Chapter 2

Half a year has passed since then, but during that time, no one has come to this cottage.

Eleana and Liam, who is in the form of a boy, share the household chores; Eleana cleans the room, and Liam does the laundry outside.

Liam is very capable and can do anything. It’s a piece of cake for him to steal fruits and sweets from the dining hall.

That’s why even after Sophia left, Eleana’s life hasn’t changed much.

“Sigh, no one has come at all.”

To be honest, she didn’t expect to be left alone like this.

Jessica, her stepmother, must know that there’s no one to take care of Eleana.

When Eleana was banished to this cottage, she was forbidden from entering the main house.

Yet, not even a visiting maid or someone to deliver necessities like food has come.

Eleana is still alive thanks to Liam’s efforts.

“Is my stepmother really just a nuisance to her?”

“Hey, you’re just figuring that out now? You’re really slow.”

When Eleana muttered this, Liam, who had just finished the laundry, replied.

“Well, I had a vague idea, but I didn’t think I wouldn’t even get food. Or is it better that I’m not being hit?”

“You’re quite carefree. People die without food, you know? But if you keep getting hit, your spirit dies. Whether your body dies or your spirit dies... well, neither is good.”

“So, I’m going to die either way?”

“Well, what’s clear is that your father didn’t have a good eye for people.”

“That’s true.”

Eleana agrees that her father didn’t have a good eye for people. She hadn’t realized how much of a nuisance she was, so she naturally slumped her shoulders.

To begin with, why is Eleana, the next head of the family with a blessing, being mistreated? It’s probably because of her father’s remarriage.

When Eleana was eight, her mother died of illness, and her father, Clark, became the acting head of the baronial family. This was a temporary measure until Eleana, the next generation, came of age.

However, three years ago, when Eleana was ten, Clark had to go to war to quell a tribal conflict near the western border.

Since a long war was expected, a woman was needed to take care of the baronial family and the household in Clark’s absence. Jessica, a viscount’s daughter and a relative of Clark’s family, was hastily brought in. She had a daughter, Marietta, who was eight years old.

Clark, following his relatives’ advice, held a nominal wedding a few days before his departure, signed the marriage certificate, and left the estate in a hurry.

“Please take care of the house.”

To him, this meant “take care of my daughter,” but his choice of words was poor. For a family with a blessing, taking care of the house means protecting the successor.

The Barley family, which has no particular achievements, was granted the baronial title by the royal family to ensure the continuation of the “Rain” blessing.

When the royal family’s “Fertility” blessing is weak, the “Sunny” and “Rain” blessing holders must support it. In other words, if Eleana were lost, the Barley family would lose its reason for existence as nobility.

Jessica didn’t know any of this.

To her, “the house” meant the Barley baronial family and her family. Her family consisted of her husband, Clark, and her daughter, Marietta. Eleana, her stepdaughter, was just a nuisance.

As she gradually replaced the servants and took control of the house, Eleana’s treatment became increasingly careless.

Taking advantage of Eleana’s exclusion from society, she dismissed the governess and cut off all external contact. She shifted the budget allocated for Eleana to her daughter, Marietta, and gave Eleana cheap dresses instead of fine ones.

She found reasons to move Eleana to a shabby cottage away from the main house and forced the head butler, Harris, to retire on health grounds. With Harris gone, Jessica had complete control.

After firing Eleana’s maid, Sophia, and a few other maids, no servants who knew Eleana, the next head, remained.

Thus, Eleana’s existence was forgotten by both society and the baronial family.

“Well, your father probably thought Harris would be enough. He was old, and he couldn’t stand up to a legal wife. Eleana, cheer up. I’ll bring you a snack.”

Liam disappeared with a puff like smoke and quickly returned with a tray. On the tray were a steaming cup of tea and a pound cake.

“Oh! It looks delicious.”

Eleana, recalling Sophia’s ladylike education, elegantly picked up the teacup with proper manners. No one was watching, but she always tried to remember what she had learned.

“Still, if Liam can do all this, why didn’t he do anything when Sophia was here? I wanted to give her such delicious cake too.”

Liam started working hard the day after Sophia left. Before that, he was just a regular gecko, napping on Eleana’s shoulder or going for walks.

“You, you. If you do everything for someone, they won’t grow. They’ll become lazy and spoiled, just like your stepsister, Marietta.”

Liam is also skilled at gathering information.

According to his findings, Marietta, who was spoiled, has a terrible attitude.

She complains to the servants about her hairstyle, dresses, and even the carrots served at meals. She doesn’t take her lessons seriously, and her studies don’t progress. When the governess criticizes her, she cries to her mother, Jessica. Many teachers have quit, and none have lasted long.

“Wow, that’s something.”

“So, when I help a lot, it means you’re in a tight spot.”

Eleana understood Liam’s explanation. However, she felt happy with the sweet pound cake in her mouth and didn’t feel like she was in a tight spot.

“I’m sure it’s all thanks to Liam.”

“Yeah, I’m excellent.”

“Thank you.”

When she thanked him, Liam looked embarrassed and then took the empty dishes and disappeared.

“I thought I could hold on until Father comes back...”

Eleana muttered to herself.

Liam doesn’t say it, but Eleana has noticed.

The jewels that were her mother’s keepsake, which were in her room in the main house, are now with her stepmother. The sapphire necklace her father gave her for her birthday is also gone.

Eleana took out a gold pocket watch from her pouch. It bore the family crest of the dragon and was a symbol of the Barley family head, passed down to those with the dragon god’s “Rain” blessing, and it was also her mother’s keepsake.

(I have this, and that’s enough!)

Eleana gently stroked the dragon crest engraved on the outside of the lid and put it back in her pouch.