31.
Holding a sword in one hand and a book that appears to be a textbook in the other, those icy cold blue eyes examined the stunned little girl from head to toe.
Laiya felt like she had been plunged into ice water.
“…Older brother, hello.”
Laiya managed to stammer, trying to break the unsettling silence.
However, even with a greeting, Kyle kept his mouth tightly closed, his penetrating gaze fixed upon her.
He didn’t seem to be concerned with the awkward silence that built.
“Are you so weak that you can’t even walk on your own?”
Kyle’s voice pierced her delicate heart like a sharp edged arrow, causing Laiya’s hands to shake involuntarily.
She wondered if everyone had seen her being supported by Rainante earlier and overheard their conversation.
A bead of cold sweat broke out on her brow, desperately feeling the instinctive urge to use her magic, but she couldn’t reveal her abilities just yet.
She had to keep them hidden… For now.
With great effort, she managed to calm the agitated snowman, Ice, and slowly raised her head.
Kyle BlackWinter.
A genius and one of the most prominent figures in this novel.
Someone who would eventually pose a threat to my existence.
…But does that mean I had to live in fear forever?
Laiya bit her lip and straightened her shoulders, giving off an air of confidence, despite her visibly trembling hands.
“Yes, I am weak. So what? Can’t someone depend on others?”
She finally responded, prompting a slight but evident frown from Kyle.
“Being weak here doesn’t mean it’s not worth living.”
Her words echoed with a line from a novel she had once read, Laiya couldn’t help but recall that Kyle, who would later become a villain, had said something similar and caused great harm.
Moistening her dry lips, she asked the question that had been on her mind since she realized she had been reborn in this world.
“Are you going to kill me for my uselessness, brother?”
His eyes, deep and unfathomable for someone so young, turned toward her.
Laiya had always found her eldest brother’s eyes more intimidating than her father’s.
“I don’t know why you’re asking such a pointless question, but only the necessary things will survive in this mansion. I’ll make sure of it.”
Kyle replied firmly as he passed her by.
Laiya bit her lip, her white hands trembling with nervousness, but despite her fears, the little girl couldn’t help but smile as she watched her brother walk away.
“So, are you really going to kill me someday?”
She wondered silently.
The day he would become the head of the family and eliminate things he no longer needed was a long time away.
Laiya’s smile grew even brighter as she contemplated the events that lay ahead.
Kyle Blackwinter, my first brother, you will only become a threat if you became the ‘head of the family.’
* * *
Several days passed, and the day when the Imperial family would visit their home was quickly approaching.
“So soon? Three days from now?”
“Yes, miss. They say the Imperial family has changed the schedule, so the maids are busy rearranging things.”
Lipe, her new maid, replied in a friendly manner.
Despite being from a different family, Lipe maintained good relations with the other maids in the mansion, even though she had become Laiya’s exclusive maid.
Laiya found it quite impressive.
She’d heard that both Yuri and Lipe had briefly worked in positions other than as maids when they were part of the WoodTail family.
Yuri had worked in the intelligence department.
Laiya couldn’t help but wonder what could have happened in WoodTail to lead to the dismissal of talented individuals like Yuri and the smart and capable Lipe.
But I decided not to dwell on it right now… I’ll ask them later.
“I heard our family is prepared for their arrival. They must have rushed to get everything ready in time.”
Laiya remarked thoughtfully.
“Yes, that’s what I’ve heard. Oh, but there’s talk of potential variables.”
Yuri, who was tying a ribbon in Laiya’s hair as she chimed in.
“Variables?”
Yuri explained in detail.
“I’ve heard that on rare occasions, the Imperial family acts on a whim, arriving earlier or later than the scheduled date. Sometimes only important members of the imperial family arrive first.”
“It would be quite embarrassing for everyone if that happened.”
Laiya commented softly.
This unpredictability might make the imperial family seem somewhat nasty, but considering the dynamics between the imperial family and the six noble families, it wasn’t entirely surprising.
In a world where martial arts prowess was highly valued, the imperial family was naturally cautious about another powerful military family like theirs, especially the BlackWinter family, which was subjected to numerous checks.
However, this didn’t mean that the imperial family was benevolent in this novel.
If BlackWinter was considered Villain one, perhaps they could be Villain two.
In the novel, it appeared they had plans to exploit the protagonist but wouldn’t tolerate any challenge to their authority.
This made them quite the antagonists.
Such complex and often negative characters were not uncommon in novels.
“They’re trying to catch the main character and exploit their talents, right?”
Laiya mused, the imperial family was essentially a group of people who wanted to use the protagonist’s abilities but also wished to maintain control over them.
This reminded her of historical figures who were envious of Admiral Yi Sun-sin in Korean history.
Of course, there were some individuals in the imperial family who were more neutral.
The crown prince was supposed to be the rival of the main character, although not as skilled as Kyle BlackWinter, he was still a formidable swordsman.
“In any case, it’s said that both immediate and extended family members have almost arrived.”
Lipe informed her mistress of the whispered gossip she’d picked up on the way.
…I found the thought of my cousins who had followed my uncles and aunts quite bothersome.
Although I didn’t recall my reincarnation until last year, things were different now.
“This year, I think even my relatives will participate in a communal dinner together.”
“Yes?”
Laiya glanced at Yuri and Lipe in the mirror.
“I think I’ll be in a lot of pain today too, yes?”
Laiya added.
The two remained silent.
“It might be a good idea to call the doctor the day after tomorrow and tell him I’m sick.”
Laiya suggested, she didn’t want to go through the pains of the future now that she’d remembered her past life.
“Yes, miss.”
Yuri nodded, as Lipe also smiled brightly.
“If you’re feeling unwell, you should rest. The dining hall is too far to go in such a state. I’ll prepare porridge and pajamas in advance.”
Lipe offered helpfully, she wanted her Young Lady to remain safe and away from her dangerous family members.
[Ice is concerned about the owner’s health. Ice will conduct a check!]
No, no, Ice. I’m not sick, I just said I was going to pretend to be sick.
[The Guardian is convinced?]
Laiya pretended to scratch her cheek as she thought of a way to calm the worried snowman as she gently rubbed Ice’s head that was brushing against her cheek.
“Are you ready?”
“Yes, then good afternoon, miss.”
Leaving the boudoir, Laiya saw Rainante waiting promptly, as usual.
This knight is never late.
“Are you heading straight to the library again today?”
Rainante inquired as he fell into step behind the Young Lady.
“No, not today. My third brother is going to the training ground, I’m going to support him.”
Laiya reached out and halted Reinante from reaching out to carry her.
“Now that all my relatives have arrived, there will be many prying eyes over the next few days. You understand, yes?”
“Yes, I do”
“Great! And please guide me to a path as far away from people as possible. I don’t mind making a detour.”
“As you command.”
Laiya didn’t want to encounter any retainers or relatives who were wandering about, especially because they’d all be like hyenas, aiming for any scraps of weakness in her armor. Nonetheless, Laiya was the only one in the family who couldn’t fight back.
She clicked her tongue, recalling how petty they had been.
Fortunately, due to the specific instructions given to Rainante, they managed to reach Roy without encountering anyone.
“Brother!”
The little girl hurried to reach Roy, but halfway there, Laiya stopped.
Roy, who should have been focusing on training as usual, looked different.
He looks… Dirty…?
“Brother?”
As Roy turned his back on her as if to run away, Laiya’s eyes widened.
The remaining distance between them closed in an instant.
“Someone hit you!”
Laiya exclaimed in a panic.
“Huh?”
“Who hit you? Which one? Which brat did this to my precious brother?”
Laiya exclaimed, inspecting the dirt on his shirt.
These stains look more like footprints than something from training.
“Ruben!”
Laiya called, turning her head toward Ruben, who bowed to her in greeting.
Her voice caused him to quickly straighten his back.
He seemed uncertain, as he had never seen the little girl this angry before.
“How did this happen? What’s wrong with my brother’s shirt? It should be training time by now, yes? I know I didn’t send him to get hit. You need to explain how this happened!”
“Wait a moment, Princess!”
Ruben began to stutter.
“The culprit is gone!”
He suddenly blurted out.
“Huh?”
Laiya appeared baffled by his outburst.
She clenched her teeth, giving him a stern look.
You better confess right now, Ruben!
“Alright, here’s the situation.”
Ruben began, explaining that training had been peaceful until that morning.
However, it had taken a turn when Ruben offered Roy a snack from home.
After the meal, Roy’s wooden sword had been broken, and they’d gone to get a sword better suited for Roy’s larger arm length.
“Did you encounter Roman and Charon?”
Laiya inquired.
“Yes…”
Ruben confirmed her suspicions.
Roman and Charon were her uncle’s children.
The very children Laiya wanted to avoid.
