Chapter 51. Luck Itself
“I saw someone following after her last time.”
Mary answered Enoch’s question about whether she’d seen anyone suspicious from the Leroy household following Leticia.
At the time, she thought it was just a coincidence. Now she wondered why someone from that household was following Leticia when she was already excommunicated.
“Do you know who it was?”
“Yes, it’s the butler who works directly for the Third Young Master.
“Third Young Master…”
“It’s Master Emil Leroy.”
Even before Mary was done talking, the memory of a listless voice was heard in his ears.
[I don’t know who spread the rumor, but I think it was someone from my family.]
He’d hoped that she was wrong, but Leticia’s guess was correct.
Enoch nodded with a complicated sigh.
“I see, thank you for telling me.”
“Was it Master Emil who spread the rumor?”
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Mary gasped with an incredulous look on her face.
There might be another reason for it, but Enoch smiled bitterly.
“There’s a good chance of that.”
There was no hard evidence, but the circumstances pointed to it being the work of Leticia’s younger brother, Emil.
“How could he do that…”
Mary was having trouble getting over the shock after Enoch’s matter-of-fact answer. She did her best to calm herself and said.
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
She looked determined to do anything she could to aid Leticia.
Enoch felt relieved by the sight of her hands clasped tightly together. It was a great comfort to know that there was someone by Leticia’s side who cared for her.
“You just have to take care of her like you do now. I’ll deal with the rest.”
Enoch spoke quietly and clenched his fist.
Now it was his turn to confront the person who returned Leticia’s good will with venom.
***
“There is only one sword, so I think it’s best if one of you yields.”
The weapons merchant was watching the two people who had no intention of backing down and looked around for help.
He wanted one of them to back off, but Leticia and Xavier just kept glaring at each other.
“Then can I just pay more for it?”
“What?”
“Tell me how much, I’ll give you what you want.”
“That…”
Xavier acted as if the amount was irrelevant, the merchant glanced at Leticia, but soon turned back to Xavier.
“The more you put on, the better for me.”
“You can’t say that, I picked it up first.”
Leticia had been watching quietly, when she piped up with a frown on her face.
Her words were not wrong, and the merchant sighed with a troubled expression.
Then Xavier took a step closer to Leticia.
“Please understand the reality.”
“What?”
“You won’t even be able to lift this sword.”
Leticia bit her lip at his blatant disregard.
“I chose it as a gift.”
“I don’t know if that person is worth having this sword. If you’re going to give this to someone worthy, it obviously should go to me.”
Leticia’s expression hardened as he casually looked down on someone else.
She could always handle when she was ridiculed, but she could not stand for anyone to speak poorly of Enoch.
“Come now, Xavier Leroy. How great can you be? There’s a limit to how far you can cross the line.”
“What if I don’t care?”
Elle began to shout before Leticia could say anything more.
“Oh I see,I see! Did your family never give you a proper education at home?”
“What?”
“Can’t you hear me? I don’t think your family is very well educated! I can see your dirty personality on display!”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m saying it in plain language too.”
Elle really couldn’t understand how all the words he said were so offensive to other people’s feelings.
At the same time, it was amazing that a good person like Leticia came from such a family.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t want to talk to you.”
Unlike his apology, Xavier’s expression was very unpleasant. Leticia clenched her fists, knowing that he still believed that the Achilles family was unlucky.
Just as she was about to say something, the store bell over the door rang. She turned her head in that direction, and a familiar person stood there with a curious look.
Leticia recognized her first and her eyes widened in surprise.
“How can you be here?”
“That’s what I was going to say. I’m a regular here.”
As soon as they made eye contact, Keena expressed her surprise as well.
She soon noticed the heavy mood and looked around.
“What’s going on here? The atmosphere is a bit like that, isn’t it?
“It’s… umm…”
The weapons merchant belatedly noticed Keena. He quickly approached her and explained the situation.
Keena was listening quietly, she nodded slightly and slowly spoke up.
“Then let’s make it fair, and the winner of the Swordsmanship tournament gets to buy it. I’ll fight for Leticia.”
“What?”
“Didn’t you hear that there’s a tournament being hosted by the Empire soon?”
Unlike Leticia, who had never heard of the swordsmanship tournament, Xavier stood there with his arms crossed, as if he already knew about it.
“What a waste of time. Stop being petty and just give up.”
Keena stepped forward and looked down her nose at him, as if she was being considerate for the last time.
“You’re not confident? Well it happens, I understand.”
As she nodded with a generous expression, like she’d figured it all out, Xavier’s temper rose.
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“You don’t know how to take an opportunity when it’s given to you.”
His oldest sister was still gifted at doing useless things.
Xavier clicked his tongue and turned to the weapons merchant.
“Merchant, I’ll leave my deposit and see you soon.”
He was acting like he’d already won.
After his remark, Xavier passed Leticia as if it was all decided. He didn’t forget to glare at Leticia as he passed by her.
Leticia watched him leave without avoiding his gaze, then she asked Keena.
“Why did you do that?”
“What?”
“I don’t think you know, but Xavier’s ability is Swordsmanship.”
She said this because Keena seemed to be the only one who didn’t know.
Keena shrugged her shoulders without a worry.
“Oh, really? That’s a big deal.”
Unlike her surprised expression, Keena’s tone was awkward, like she was playacting.
“I’m a little confident in using my body.
She tapped her chest with a trust me grin on her face.
Leticia laughed at the sight, and asked curiously.
“Why are you helping me?”
“Didn’t I tell you? I want to look good in front of you.”
“….”
Elle, who had been looking at Keena suspiciously, stepped close to Leticia and asked.
“Are you a friend?”
“Huh? No, not a friend…”
“We’ll be the closest of friends in the future.”
Leticia tried to correct Elle’s assumption, but Keena casually cut her off.
“We just know each other a little bit.”
“If you say it like that, I’m a little hurt hearing that.”
Keena was approaching her with a hurt look, then she slowly looked Leticia up and down. When Leticia was about to ask what was wrong.
“Come to think of it, you look better. I thought the rumor would last a long time.”
“Did you spread it?”
Elle reacted sensitively to the mention of the rumor and quickly hid Leticia behind her. She immediately stared fiercely at Keena without hiding her hostility.
“You can’t keep spreading false rumors like that! I’ve had so many good things happen to me since I met my sister.”
“Yeah…?”
“Of course! My sister is a lucky charm, no, a living blessing.”
“Hmm…”
“So don’t say that to a person’s face.”
When she was done speaking, Elle hugged Leticia protectively. The sight reminded Keena of a mother hen protecting her chick from a ferocious predator.
She pouted her lips in discontent at the wary way Elle looked at her.
“What did you hear me say? I want to look good in front of the lady.”
Keena turned her sad eyes towards Leticia at the injustice of the accusation.
“So what do you think?”
“Yes?”
“Do you think you bring a lot of good luck?”
Her playful attitude made the heavy atmosphere from earlier fall away like it never happened.
Leticia noticed the change and asked with an uncertain expression.
“What do you mean by that?”
“I’m curious, and it’s important to me.”
Keena began to approach Leticia in hopes of a quick answer, but Elle blocked her way.
“Why does it matter if she does or not?”
“Elle.”
“My sister is a precious person in her own way.”
Elle knew why Leticia was expelled from the Leroy family. She wanted to take care of her and protect her from harm.
When people made a fuss about Leticia’s ability in her vicinity, Elle naturally became angry.
“Oh, my. I must have offended you.”
“Yes, so don’t pretend to be close to my sister from now on.”
“Why?”
“Because your intentions seem impure.”
“Even though I’m going to fight for Leticia in the Swordsmanship tournament?”
“Who asked you to do that? It’s not like you’re doing it purely to help her.”
“That’s true.”
Unlike Elle, who had her guard up and was quite vocal about it, Keena was still relaxed.
It was hard to believe that she wasn’t even trying to hide her ulterior motives, which made the situation all the more unbelievable. Everytime she came to her rescue with that mysterious smile, she couldn’t help but say thank you.
Leticia let out a shallow sigh at Keena’s skill.
***
Seios was in the midst of researching about the Erebos family in the magic tower when he came across an old text. It was a book that told the story of the three families who inherited their abilities from God during the early days of the Helios Empire.
‘I wonder if there’s a story similar to Leticia’s.’
It was possible that she had an ability that was not as obvious as those of her other siblings. Seios still had no doubt that Leticia had a superior ability.
Then a phrase caught his eye.
‘A giver of good fortune?’
[The energy was warm and cozy, as if the sunshine had wrapped all around my body. Sometimes it shone brighter and more dazzling than the sun.]
They can’t bring good luck to themselves, but have the benevolent ability to spread it to those around them.
‘The sun… wait, the sun?’
It was in that moment that he remembered the day when he went to see Marquis Leroy after such a long time. He remembered the Marquis introduced Leticia first, and then Diana second, at the birthday party.
He saw Leticia and felt an energy as strong and brilliant as the sun.
Seos really wanted to help her because she had a special energy compared to Diana, but she was ignored by her family because she had no ability.
“No way…”
Something only given to the most beloved by God, ‘Luck’.
Leticia’s ability was ‘luck’ itself.
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