LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 8 - It's a Given that Things Get Twisted from the Start
EP.8 It’s a Given that Things Get Twisted from the Start
“Lady Elga! Lady Elga!”
“Nanny? Why all of a sudden?”
“Have you heard the news?”
“What news?”
“His Grace, the Second Young Master, is returning to the main house due to an injury!”
The moment the words of my second brother returning home reached my ears from the nanny’s lips,
a thought of ‘Could it be?’ sprouted deep within Elga’s heart.
Already, my eldest brother had been eliminated from the succession dispute after causing all sorts of trouble.
Now, the only opponent left was my second brother, who was not to be underestimated.
I heard that he boasted his abilities while excellent grade at the academy.
It won’t be long before Elga herself enters the Imperial Academy.
It would be troublesome if my second brother monopolized all of Littorio’s expectations.
‘But why would that person return home because of an injury?’
Just how badly injured was he to give up on the academy and return home?
The curiosity about that was soon to be satisfied.
“Uh, uh… How, how could someone do such a thing….”
My second brother’s physical condition was actually much better than expected.
The problem lay in his strangely broken mental state.
The doctors’ diagnosis was that he had suffered a major shock.
The cause was an incident in an academy classroom involving a female student that had happened before.
There was an opinion that the family responsible should be held accountable immediately.
However, he hadn’t suffered any visible injuries, just seemed frightened and trembling.
Above all, it turned out that one of the culprits who had instigated the incident was none other than Littorio’s second son.
As a member of the Ducal House, he had gone so far as to speak lowly words.
Merely mentioning that incident could tarnish the family’s honor.
“…..”
The distorted succession structure that ousted the eldest brother is already in place.
And Littorio’s patriach, Aias Mentain de Littorio, is a thorough meritocrat.
He had no intention whatsoever of relinquishing the ducal seat for the firstborn or anyone else.
With the situation having reached this point, it was only natural for him to have other concerns.
“Elga.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Enter the academy. And prove yourself.”
“Do you mean…?”
“I mean you should create reasons why I should choose you.”
Upon the Duke’s words, Elga barely suppressed her rising excitement.
She had finally been given an opportunity as well.
To prove herself worthy of leading this vast ducal house!
‘The first and last chance.’
With half expectation and half worry, Elga spent that night wide awake.
Will she be able to do well? Will she be able to meet Father’s expectations?
Suddenly, she also felt curious about the Baron Jonathan who had created this opportunity.
It might happen someday, or perhaps there might never be such an opportunity at all.
Still, if she ever met someone from Jonathan, she wanted to tell them.
Because of you, I was able to seize this opportunity.
And much faster than expected.
Elga could meet the person to whom she would say those words.
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“Thanks to you, I seized the opportunity.”
‘…What on earth is this? What opportunity did I seize?’
I need to say something understandable, whether they nod in agreement or not.
If I keep going on like this aimlessly, what am I supposed to do?
“Ah. Yes. Congratulations, Lady Elga. But what opportunity did you seize?”
Asking this, Elga approached a little closer, smiling coyly.
“You don’t need to know.”
“…Excuse me?”
“Are you curious?”
Of course, I’m curious. How can I not be curious?
Whatever it is, I want to know the details.
“If you’re curious, I could tell you.”
She came so close that even the fuzz on her face was visible.
They say she’s the belle of society, and indeed, she’s quite beautiful.
But why does she keep getting closer and closer? It’s getting uncomfortable.
Suddenly, Kyle felt a strange feeling and scrutinized Elga in front of him.
‘…What’s going on here?’
It seemed odd for her to be so forward with a guy she just met.
Even though they were having a conversation, she was subtly glancing behind me.
And standing behind me was Lady Elga’s childhood friend, Leto.
‘What’s this? A jealousy-inducing operation? Or an attention-seeking tactic?’
It’s a rule of childhood friends, even if one side sees the other romantically, the other only sees them as a friend.
To overcome this, sometimes they deliberately provoke competition.
As this realization dawned on me, my expression involuntarily hardened.
The woman in front of me, Lady Elga, was using me.
If it were some other matter, I might just overlook it.
But she’s dragging me into a romantic venture? That’s crossing the line. Damn it.
Feeling thoroughly uncomfortable, I spoke in a cold voice.
“No.”
“…Excuse me?”
“Not at all. I’m not curious in the slightest.”
“Uh…?”
“There’s no benefit in knowing other people’s business.”
Perhaps it was an unexpected response, as Elga’s expression subtly changed.
“…You’re really not curious?”
“No. I’m not curious.”
With that, Elga approached me again.
This time, she didn’t even glance sideways, solely focusing her gaze on me.
“Are you really, truly not curious about what I have to say?”
“I’m really, truly not curious, Lady Elga.”
My response cut her off as if to say, let’s stop now.
Just as Elga seemed about to speak again without realizing it,
“Kyle! There you are!”
Tisha approached from behind, calling Kyle’s name.
“Tisha?”
“I was told you were leaving earlier but couldn’t find you. By the way, who is this…”
As Tisha spoke and approached Kyle’s side,
the eyes of the two women sharply intersected in the air.
If there were sound effects, surely there would have been a crackle!
And if there were special effects, there might have been a surge of blue currents.
“….”
“…..”
The inexplicable tension between the two women continued for a little longer.
Then, the first to retreat was Lady Elga.
“…Leto.”
“Yes, Lady Elga.”
“Let’s go. And I told you to drop the ‘Lady’ title, didn’t I? We’re just students here.”
“Oh, yes, my apologies. I should have been more attentive…”
With a swift turn, Elga passed by Leto and walked in the opposite direction.
“Well, then, until we meet again, everyone.”
After bidding farewell to me and Tisha, Leto followed her.
Then, the two of them disappeared from view as they rounded the corner of the building.
“…What’s with that strange woman? Why does she look at people with such disdain?”
“Elga Bless de Littorio.”
“Yes?”
“She’s the youngest daugther of the Littorio Ducal House. So, she’s a noble lady, you see. Tisha.”
After my explanation, Tisha remained silent for a while.
Then, she quickly looked around, as if checking if anyone was nearby.
It was only natural for her, who had only a letter of recommendation, to witness the enmity of the Imperial Ducal House’s daugther.
“Oh, uh, forget what I said earlier. About that strange woman. Got it?”
“What did Tisha say? I don’t remember anything.”
With my witty response, Tisha burst into laughter.
Indeed, she thought I was much better than Swordman named Ian.
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“…..”
Pausing on her way, Elga discreetly glanced back.
In the distance, Kyle, talking to a woman with purple hair, caught Elga’s eye.
At first, it was just to attract Leto’s attention to herself.
She hoped for even a hint of jealousy, any change at all.
But Leto remained oblivious, as usual.
Instead, amidst it all, that man named Kyle caught her interest.
‘Kyle Jonathan.’
Their first meeting wasn’t exactly pleasant. Her shoulder still tingled from the collision.
But his immediate acknowledgment of fault and polite apology made it bearable.
And above all, there were so many things she couldn’t see in Leto.
“No.”
“Not at all. I’m not curious in the slightest.”
“There’s no benefit in knowing other people’s business.”
A low, solemn voice from the man’s lips.
Deep, unwavering eyes behind them.
And a solid physique that even his clothes couldn’t hide.
As he seemed to distance himself from her interest, she felt a momentary frustration.
That emotion intensified suddenly when another woman approached.
It was clearly meant to provoke jealousy in Leto.
But why did that emotion arise within her?
‘…Am I going crazy? Why am I feeling like this all of a sudden?’
– Tap! –
She lightly tapped her own cheeks.
The person she liked right now was Leto, standing behind her.
Her childhood friend who had protected her since childhood.
However, recently, she had been feeling a bit tired, to be honest.
“Why, Lady… Elga. Is there a problem?”
Not knowing that? You’re the problem, Leto.
Your ridiculously dull emotions are the problem. It’s frustrating.
Elga felt an immediate urge to throttle Leto.
Even after giving him so many opportunities to step forward.
Leto remained nothing more than a friend, never crossing the line of protection.
Every time she saw him like that, her heart grew colder.
No matter how much I like someone, if they keep pushing me away.
Eventually, my feelings will break, and I’ll move on.
‘Idiot.’
With that thought, Elga remembered Kyle, whom she had just met.