Chapter 1. I was abandoned by my family
***
‘Because I’m good at it…’
If she asked the people around her, like Enoch, Elle and Ian, what they were good at, they would have an answer right away, but she couldn’t think of anything she was good at.
‘I’m sure I’m good at something too.’
However, she couldn’t find it alone, so she eventually decided to ask for help from someone else.
“What are you good at?”
“Yes, or any strengths.”
She decided to ask Keena, who visited regularly even though she was always busy. Keena seemed to agonize over it for a while, then gave a more casual answer than she expected.
“You’re nice?”
“….”
Obviously, Leticia should thank her for saying something nice, but she didn’t feel happy about it at all.
“I don’t think being nice is a good thing.”
Leticia drooped her shoulders with a sullen face. Keena turned her head to look at her.
“Why?”
“Well…”
Leticia sighed in the middle of speaking.
She always thought she should live as a good person. She’d lived for her family, and believed that one day she’d be happy. However, all that came back was the neglect, and disregard of her family.
The reality was that her family never forced her to sacrifice herself. She decided to allow herself to be slowly eaten away.
“Leticia.”
Keena was somehow able to read what she was thinking, and said Leticia’s name in a firm voice.
“It may seem that you were hurt and lost the most, but in reality the people who hurt you have lost more.”
“Keena…”
“Because they threw you away.”
Keena continued to speak, more seriously than ever.
“Being nice is neither a fault, nor a weakness. It’s just that some people are stupid, and don’t recognize your good points.”
“….”
“You did a great job, and they ignored you. You can ignore them in the same way. There’s nothing hard to think about.”
After saying that, Keena lightly shrugged her shoulders. It was an attitude that said she was wondering why Leticia was so concerned over an easy problem.
“So, don’t think of your strengths as a disadvantage because of them.”
At Keena’s sincere words, Leticia felt choked up.
“Thank you, I feel much better. Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Kiena said it was obvious, and drank her tea. As Leticia watched her, a thought occurred to her.
“Is there anything you want to do now?”
“No?”
“Why?”
“Because there’s nothing I want to do.”
“Then aren’t you nervous?”
Leticia felt that she was stuck in place for a long time. Enoch, Ian, and Elle quietly kept walking forward in search of their own paths, while she was still wandering because she couldn’t find what she really wanted to do.
At first, she consoled herself by saying that it was okay, but the longer she wandered, the harder it became to hide her frustration.
Keena just looked at Leticia as if she didn’t understand.
“There might be nothing you want to do, or maybe it will happen later.”
Leticia gasped when she acted like it was all insignificant. It was surprising, and amazing that she could think that way.
Keena was watching Leticia, and then asked.
“Then what do you want to do?”
“Actually, I don’t know. I’m just…”
Leticia hadn’t expected to be asked this question, hesitated for a while, and then slowly spoke up.
“I don’t want others to live like I used to.”
She knew well that the answer didn’t fit the question, but it was the best answer she could give right now.
Leticia kept speaking before Keena could ask what it meant to live like her.
“I hope they’ll cherish themselves, and others.”
“Then deliver your heart.”
“How?”
“You’ve already done it.”
Leticia blinked her blue eyes because she couldn’t figure out what she meant. Keena frowned slightly in frustration.
“Like the lucky cookies you make, and seemed to have forgotten about.”
Keena stopped talking for a while, gave a small sigh, then continued to speak.
“Your ability is luck. Your existence itself is luck.”
“Ah…”
“So be confident.”
Leticia burst into laughter, she’d forgotten about it because she wasn’t aware of her ability for such a long time.
“But I don’t know how to start.”
“There’s nothing grandiose about it. Thinking about it now is also a starting point.”
Keena slowly got up from her seat, and lightly tapped Leticia’s cheek with her fingertip before saying.
“You’re good at everything, but sometimes you wimp out before you even start.”
“….”
“Nothing good happens if you don’t even start.”
It was a friendly voice, but it sank heavily into her heart.
When Leticia nodded slowly, Keena smiled in satisfaction, and left first after saying she’d see her again soon. Leticia was left alone, and muttered what Keena had said.
“If you don’t even start…”
Nothing happens.
Somehow the words stuck in her heart, and lingered for a long time.
***
“I heard you’re interested in charity parties these days.”
As soon as she arrived at the tea party that Melony was throwing for the first time in a long time, the young lady and the other young women were interested in what Leticia had been doing lately. At first she didn’t like this kind of attention, but now that she was used to it, she was able to smile naturally.
“Yes, it reminds me of my childhood, so I really want to participate.”
“You’re doing a good job.”
“That’s right. There are rumors that the charity parties involving Miss Aster will end successfully.”
Upon hearing that rumor for the first time, Leticia opened her eyes wide for a moment, then sighed with relief.
At the time she attended the party, there wasn’t anyone there, and she was worried about how well it would turn out. However, when she asked around, it seemed that people arbitrarily decided to donate later on.
It took a while to ask each of them how they’ve been, and before she knew it, Melony brought up a different topic.
“Right, did you hear the news?”
“What news?”
“The 4th volume of ‘The Knight and I’ came out!”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes, my uncle is the editor-in-chief, so I got an advance copy.”
When she said that to everyone, the young ladies gasped, and loudly asked to see it.
On the other hand, Leticia, who’d never read a romance novel before, stayed still and listened to their conversations. Melony immediately noticed, and gave Leticia an explanation.
“It’s the most famous romance novel these days.”
“Romance novels?”
“It’s a desperate love story between the male protagonist, who’s a knight, and a female protagonist, who’s a servant. I brought a book. Do you want to read it?”
Melony held out the book she’d brought with her, and handed it over. Leticia sat down, and looked through the book. What she was looking at was briefly forgotten when she saw the illustration on the page that she’d just flipped past.
“Um, um, there’s…”
Leticia was so surprised that she couldn’t even speak properly.
However, the young ladies that were with her began to laugh as if they had already expected that reaction.
“What do you think? It’s going to be popular, right?”
“But this is still too…”
It’s racy.
While speaking, Leticia lowered her voice, and looked at her surroundings. The young ladies’ laughter grew louder.
“It’s good because it’s racy.”
“I’ll lend one especially to you, Miss Aster.”
When Leticia tried to return it, Melony forced the book back into her hands, as if she was being generous. In the meantime, the young ladies began to talk about something else.
“The author said he wanted to write a deep love story, so he started this series.”
At that, Leticia unconsciously looked down at the book. Somehow, she felt like she’d found a light in an unexpected place.
The young ladies soon became preoccupied with their own private conversations.
“You’re a well-read person.”
“But it’s not dense, or sticky?”
“That’s why I like it.”
Time quickly flew by as they talked about romance stories. As the day began to darken, everyone looked disappointed, and promised to talk more at the next tea party.
“M-Miss Melony.”
Leticia approached Melony as the others were leaving in their carriages. Melony looked at her, and seemed to wonder what she wanted. Leticia hesitated for a while, and slowly brought up the subject.
“You said your uncle was the editor-in-chief?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Could you introduce me?”
“Are you going to get all four books?”
“It’s not like that!”
Leticia raised her voice in annoyance at her friend’s teasing, returned the book, and tried to leave without sulking. Melony, whose face turned red from stifled laughter, comforted Leticia by saying she’d arranged a meeting with her uncle.
As she returned home in the carriage, Leticia sighed with anticipation and nervousness.
‘I wonder if I will do well.’
It was always difficult to start, but now she knew what to do.
If you don’t start, nothing will happen.
***
“I heard that you really wanted to meet me.”
Cedric had already heard a lot about Leticia because she was all his niece Melony talked about wherever he saw her. Even though this was their first time meeting, he already felt close to Leticia.
“Actually, what I want to do is publish a book.”
“You want to write a novel?”
“I…”
After Keena left, Leticia seriously pondered once again about what she wanted to do.
She wanted to help others live so they wouldn’t get hurt like she was. Her ability was to give good luck, so she thought it wouldn’t be as difficult as she thought.
But it was practically impossible to help everyone.
She didn’t want to give up though. That was when the idea of a book came to mind.
“I want to publish a book with words of comfort to people.”
“When you say comforting words, you mean…”
“You don’t have to try too hard. You’re doing well enough right now.”
“….”
“Don’t sacrifice yourself because of other’s reputations. Your value is what you make it.”
While talking, Leticia somehow felt gloomy. Everything she’d said to her family was what she’d wanted to hear from them.
“I want to write that down.”
Leticia hoped that what she wanted to hear could be helpful to others.
However, Cedric looked at Leticia strangely.
“Don’t you think it’s too common? It’s something that anyone around you could say.”
Cedric’s words weren’t wrong, they were common words that could be heard anywhere.
But…
“It’s not every day you get someone to say something so mundane.”
Leticia smiled, hoping that her sincerity would be well conveyed to Cedric.
On that day, Cedric immediately wrote a contract. He didn’t hesitate in actively supporting, and cooperating in publishing Leticia’s book.
A few years later, the book aroused sensational interest, and was a positive influence on people.
***
“I have no intention of marrying your fiancée. I just kept drinking tea with her because I was curious about who she was.”
It was a drowsy afternoon. The Crown Prince, who pretended that he hadn’t given in to this audience, was complaining loudly that he was being wrongly accused.
Enoch, who was sitting across from him, didn’t seem to believe it at all. In the end, the Crown Prince reluctantly confessed his feelings.
“I’ve thought about using that valuable ability to do something big for the Empire.”
“Your Highness.”
“It would be a great blessing to the Empire to have such good fortune.”
Even her personality was more gentle, and friendly than he thought. According to the rumors he’d heard, she participated in charity parties, and helped with the Imperial relief work.
However, Enoch’s thoughts were different.
“If I may be so bold Your Highness, I’m not sure what makes you so different from her family.”
“….”
His greed meant that he was no different from the Leroy family.
“Even if you aren’t close, the Empire will be full of luck. Can’t you be satisfied with that?”
It was a soft tone, but his voice was more firm than ever.
“She thinks about other people more than herself.”
Leticia was someone who didn’t know how to love herself, but gave to others endlessly. Finally, she was eagerly looking for happiness, and he didn’t want anyone disturbing that.
“I only want to support what she wants to do.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that I will tell you not to do anything that she doesn’t like.”
Enoch was so adamant that it was obvious that he wouldn’t step back. The Crown Prince could only nod in understanding.
He was a man who moved forward without giving up, even in difficult and degrading circumstances. He didn’t dare to chuck aside a person who could be such a great asset to the Empire.
“I know exactly what you’re trying to say. I’m sure it won’t happen again, so you can relax.”
Enoch finally looked relieved after he’d received a definitive answer.
The Crown Prince was watching his expression closely, and clicked his tongue as he drank his tea.
Both Enoch and Leticia were people who couldn’t be underestimated. He just hoped that the two of them would get along, and the Empire would prosper.