Chapter 71. The Reality Of The Misfortune
“You’re saying something that makes no sense. Other people would have fainted too.”
Leticia said this with a calm expression, after getting over her bewilderment.
The wishing bracelets were a popular accessory, not only for aristocrats but commoners as well. If they were really the problem, then ordinary citizens would have been fainting too, but she hadn’t heard such news yet.
Leticia looked at her as if she was going to say more, but Diana only shrugged her shoulders.
“It’ll be revealed soon, because I don’t go anywhere unlucky.”
Leticia’s hands trembled when Diana blamed her for still being unlucky. Despite the glare she received, Diana smiled and said cheekily.
“Yeah, take care of your image.”
Leticia smiled wryly at her spiteful advice.
“Then why don’t you take care of your fiancé?”
“What?”
“Didn’t you know that your would-be fiancé is bothering me?”
Knowing that it was a disgraceful act, Leticia mentioned Levion, something that Diana was really sensitive about. They were still words filled with sincerity.
“It’s quite troubling, so either manage it properly or get engaged quickly.”
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Leticia said this while sighing uncomfortably.
The last party made the nobles aware of the engagement between Leticia and Enoch, but there were still some who had questions about the relationship between Levion and her.
She frowned a little because she was displeased just by thinking about it, Diana pressed her lips together and glared at Leticia.
“Don’t make the mistake of thinking I care about you, I just said that because I’m compassionate.”
“You say the strangest things.”
Did an affectionate person ignore people like that and act like they’re pathetic?
“You should get engaged already, I don’t want my fiancé to misunderstand.”
“No way, are you really engaged to that unlucky duke?”
As she said this in disbelief, Diana stepped back with a contemplative face. It was as if she was worried that misfortune would spread if she was too close to Leticia.
Leticia responded indifferently, she was so used to it that it didn’t even make her feel bad anymore.
“Take good care of your fiancé before rumors spread that he has lingering feelings for me.”
“I’m speechless. You don’t really think he still has feelings for you, do you?”
Diana raised her chin and looked down at Leticia like she was insignificant, while her face distorted severely. It was the most disgusted expression she’d ever seen on her.
Leticia, however, smiled softly.
“Don’t you know that he’s still seeking me out, even though we’ve broken off our engagement?”
Leticia knew better than anyone else that there were no lingering feelings. To Levion, she was nothing more than a toy that he’d discarded and was now trying to retrieve.
“I’m just saying this out of sadness.”
Leticia said this while taking a step closer to Diana, who was staring at her fiercely.
“What do you know how to do?”
“What?”
It wasn’t a tone of criticism, it sounded like sincere curiosity.
“How long will the good things that happened thanks to you last? What will you do after the good will fades?”
“That can’t be true.”
“What will you do if something good doesn’t happen?”
“….”
Diana’s face turned pale and she tensed up at the unexpected words. Seeing that, Leticia could not hide her pitying expression.
Her younger siblings all had different personalities and appearances. Everyone knew that family was a family, but they didn’t. Even though Leticia knew where she stood, they didn’t even consider what responsibility their actions would entail.
Diana was no exception.
“If I was kicked out, shouldn’t something better be happening?”
It had been a long time since she was excommunicated, so she didn’t know the exact atmosphere in the mansion. However, it was easy to see that it became more abnormal after she left.
She now knew that the family’s situation had improved due to her ability, not Diana’s. She didn’t want to brag about it, she just wanted her to know the reality of her situation.
“Wake up, Diana.”
Leticia said this to Diana with a worried look.
“From the looks of it, it’s your turn to be kicked out.”
***
Leaving Diana, who was shocked and unable to say anything, Leticia went to the Aster mansion. Count Aster greeted Leticia with a friendly smile, even though he might have been inconvenienced by her sudden visit. With what had happened recently, his expression looked a little dark.
Leticia lightly greeted him, and asked Count Aster.
“How are things going?”
Even if she asked Enoch, he wouldn’t give her a clear answer. She was more worried because he kept saying that it was okay and to not worry.
When Leticia looked at him anxiously for answers, Count Aster sighed and began to speak.
“I’m fixing it, but I don’t think it’ll calm down anytime soon.”
The problem, which at first was thought to be a fluke accident, suddenly emerged as a fatal rumor against the Achilles family. It was later discovered that all the nobles that had collapsed owned wishing bracelets.
It was difficult to escape people’s doubts because it happened at a party at the Achilles mansion.
“What do you think, Count?”
“Of course it’s nonsense! If it was the wishing bracelets, then my wife would still be lying in bed.”
“Count…”
“As you know, my wife’s body is weak.”
To be exact, the rumors circulating were claiming it was because of the pink diamonds on the wishing bracelets.
“If it was really because of pink diamonds, the problem would have been discovered years ago.”
It was something you would quickly realize if you used your brain a little bit. Unexpectedly, people began to believe the nonsense was real. As a result, the demand for the wishing bracelets had decreased significantly.
‘Elle is going to be upset.”
Leticia was already feeling heartbroken, because she could clearly see that it would trouble her.
She bowed her head with a pained look, Count Aster carefully said.
“Stay close by and look after him well. The drought these days will make it harder for the duke.”
“Drought?”
Leticia opened her eyes wide at his unexpected remark.
It didn’t rain exceptionally well this year, so the land was dry. The drought seemed to have occurred nationwide.
‘Is that why he came home to the mansion so late?’
Leticia’s heart ached as she remembered his face, he looked particularly tired and down.
‘Is there anything I can do for him?’
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She was worried about Enoch because of the bad things that kept happening after the nobles had fallen ill at the last party.
“Thank you for your concern, Count.”
She barely managed to smile and say this, while her heart continued to sink.
***
“Ha…”
As soon as she left the Aster mansion, Leticia let out the sigh she’d been holding in.
At the party, where she had hoped to create one of her happiest memories, she was hit by something unexpectedly bitter and complicated.
Leticia bit her lip and touched the ring she shared with Enoch. It made her feel even worse to think that Enoch, of all people, was in trouble at this moment.
‘First, I need to go back to the Achilles’ mansion.’
She decided it would be best to return quickly.
Leticia’s body wobbled as she suddenly bumped into a passerby hurrying the other way. Fortunately, the person she bumped into caught Leticia quickly as she was about to fall.
“Thank y…”
“Shh!”
Even before she finished thanking the person, a hand was roughly placed over her mouth. She was surprised and her eyes widened, but she was doubly surprised by the face of the person who was covering her mouth.
‘Keena…?’
However, Keena put her index finger on her lips and made a gesture to be quiet. Something was out of the ordinary. Leticia immediately understood and nodded calmly, Keena smiled in satisfaction.
At that moment, she felt the presence of someone nearby. Because they were hidden in a secluded alley, the men in black cloaks could not find them and hurried past.
Once they were out of sight, Leticia pushed Keena’s hand away from her mouth.
“What was that just now?”
“What?”
“I think you’re being chased by someone.”
She made sure no one was around when she asked this. Keena just shrugged her shoulders and didn’t answer.
“Do I look like someone who’s being chased?”
“Yes.”
“….”
“….”
The heavy silence that fell lasted for a while, and Keena turned around with a shameless look.
“Come to think of it, you don’t look good. Is it because of me?”
“It’s not like that, so don’t worry.”
When Leticia witnessed with her own eyes that Keena was being chased, she knew there was nothing good about getting tangled up with her. Seeing her pretending to be innocent made it abundantly clear that she didn’t need any help.
Leticia tried to leave in a hurry, but Keena was being uselessly persistent.
“Is it because of the rumor that’s going around these days?”
“Don’t ask if you already know.”
She had a personality that would never get better.
Leticia didn’t want to deal with her anymore, so she turned her head with a huff and began to walk away. Even though she knew this, Keena calmly walked side by side with Leticia.
She ignored her and stared straight ahead, when it seemed obvious that Keena planned to follow her, Leticia coldly said.
“You don’t need me anymore. You’re on your way now, right?”
“I was going to help you, but you’re being mean.”
“I don’t need your help.”
Leticia turned around again, she didn’t want to get involved with her needlessly.
“I know why the nobles collapsed at the party.”
At that, Leticia stopped in place without realizing it.
“What…”
“It’s all because of your father.”
“….?”
She didn’t understand why she was bringing up Marquis Leroy.
Leticia quietly blinked without a word, when Keena began slowly speaking again.
“This is a secret.”
Even though she knew there was no one around them, she lowered her voice to the point where only Leticia could hear her.
“Some miners have collapsed at the Rose Velvet mine.”
Leticia frowned, it was hard to believe and asked her to clarify.
“How do you know that?”
“I’m interested in your family.”
“Does that mean it’s related to what’s happening now?”
“Maybe not, but we should be suspicious.”
“….”
“The symptoms are similar. They suddenly fainted and suffered from a high fever.”
The difference was that the miners were still bedridden, but the nobles who collapsed at the party were okay.
“Why are you telling me this?”
It would be a lie if she said she didn’t feel grateful, but it was hard to believe in her after all of the things she’d done.
Keena had a pained expression at the doubtful look on Leticia’s face.
“Well.”
“Is it because you want to be rewarded again?
“Just because.”
“….”
“It bothers me.”
There was no other answer forthcoming other than.
Keena smiled casually as Leticia stared at her with a dumbfounded expression.
“Let’s just say that I’m helping out because I’m sorry for taking the book last time.”
After that, Keena left as if she had nothing more to say.
Leticia was left alone, and stared blankly as she walked away. She reflected on what Keena had told her.
‘Rose Velvet mine…’
Marquis Leroy had one of the most thriving businesses. She’d never heard of miners collapsing at his mine.
‘I don’t think she’s just saying this.’
It would be best to discover if what she said was true first.
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