Leticia Leroy was ordinary. Her face was neither pretty or ugly, her height neither tall nor short, nothing she could do or couldn't do particularly well, she was just nice... However, Leticia was the "naughty girl" and "apple of the eye" of the Marquis Leroy family. And if that wasn't enough, she was the object of comparison with her siblings everywhere she went. Sadly, it was all too common. She was not as pretty as her second sister Diana, not as smart as her third brother Emil, and not as good with a sword as her fourth brother Xavier, and she wasn't as talented for magic as her youngest sister Irene.
But Leticia never once felt jealous or envious of her siblings. In fact, she was proud of them. And yet, she never knew that her family was ashamed of her. That was, until the moment her family abandoned her.
***
"That's how I told you to go meet people."
Leticia's shoulders slumped at the sharp look and cold voice. Unable to look at him properly, she lowered her head, he shouted even more harshly.
"I told you to stay away from the Duke of Achilles!"
"But he's really nice..."
"Look how your sister got hurt when you hung out with the Duke of Achilles!"
Leticia raised her head in surprise at Marquis Leroy's words.
"Diana, what's wrong.....?"
There was a bandage around Diana's wrist that wasn't there yesterday. Before Leticia could approach Diana out of concern, Marquis Leroy stood in front of her. It was as if he was trying to protect Diana from something inauspicious.
"Are you trying to bring misfortune to us by tangling with that ill-fated family?"
[Misfortune is contagious.]
So stay away from the unlucky and the unhappy. That was what Marquis Leroy always told Leticia. She had to be more careful because she was unlucky. But she didn't know why those words came to her mind now.
It was then.
"Leticia Leroy."
Leticia stiffened at the sound of the voice calling her name.
It was just a name call. But why was her heart beating so fast and she felt suffocating?
The moment she locked gazes with the Marquis, thinking it was her imagination, Leticia seemed to be driven off the cliff. Her lips trembled at the somewhat ominous premonition.
"You're expelled from the Leroy family."
She felt a thud under her feet along with the sound of something large falling on her head.
"Father..."
She felt suffocated as she spoke, barely able to keep her voice together. She hoped the Marquis would tell her it was a lie, but there was no pity in his gaze.
Leticia squeezed her trembling hands and turned to her family. She wished with all her heart that anyone would help her. But there was no one. It was as if they had been waiting for this day to come. It was then that Leticia realized that her family was always looking for an opportunity to get rid of her. This was just an excuse to kick her out.
My family is abandoning me.'
In the end, the tears she was holding back flowed down her cheeks.
In fact, she faintly knew that such a day would come. Her family always thought of her as a troublemaker, or something they wanted to get rid of quickly.
But when she actually faced them in front of her, there was nothing she could say. Her family was everything to Leticia. She loved them even though she knew they looked down on her and ignored her. But what came back was contempt and coldness. Marquis Leroy turned away sharply as he spoke.
"From this day on, you are no longer my daughter, and do not even think of taking another step in this place."
Leticia sank helplessly. Soon the Marquise and her siblings walked past her. She wept unceasingly at their cold appearance, not even looking back. That was how Leticia was abandoned by her family.
"I feel better now that we have finally gotten rid of this unlucky child."
The Marquis's mouth rose gently as he watched Leticia walk out of the mansion.
"Diana won't get hurt any more, and only good things will happen now."
Now that Leticia, who was associated with the ill-fated family was gone, only good things would happen in the future. However, on the same day that Leticia was exiled, the bronze shield with the Leroy family's emblem suddenly fell and broke.
***
For generations, the three children of the Helios Empire were born with special abilities. First, the House of El had abilities related to academics and knowledge, which were now perishable; second, the House of Erebos had abilities in swordsmanship and martial arts; and finally, the House of Leroy had abilities in various fields. However, the eldest daughter, Leticia, had not yet awakened any abilities, as if she was a stranger with no relation to them.
"I think it's your child."
Marquis Leroy looked at Leticia with a disgruntled look on his face. Next to him, his wife comforted the Marquis.
"But I'm glad there are other children."
"I'm sorry, Father, Mother...."
Whenever they said this, Leticia couldn't look her parents in the eyes, as if she had become a sinner. As she bowed her head deeply, the Marquis' deep voice descended from above her head.
"Are you sure there is none? Not even something useless?"
"I'm sorry...."
"Can you stop saying sorry?"
"Honey, calm down."
"It is frustrating to look at the ashes. Frustrating!"
Leticia didn't know how she came to be inferior to her siblings.
"Please be patient for tomorrow."
His wife gently wrapped her arms around him, and he nodded with a more relaxed look on his face.
"My wife is right. Our second daughter's birthday is coming up soon, so we have to be patient."
Marquis Leroy and his wife loved Diana the most, even though her abilities were far more unsightly than those of their other children. It was because as soon as Diana was born, everything mysteriously fell into place at a time when they were poor and went through hardship that they had to lower their titles.
"I'm going to go see if everything is ready for the party."
"I'll come with you"
When his wife rose from her seat and the Marquis naturally followed her. Leticia, who was left alone, could only stare silently at their backs.
"My birthday has passed and yet..."
her on her birthday. Not only that, they forgot about it every year and looked at her pitifully when she told them
already to
Beside him, her mother didn't complain, but she didn't say anything, as if she felt the same way as her
"A disaster...."
she stopped expecting any gifts. She just wanted to hear them say
luxury. If her ability had awakened, her parents wouldn't have disapproved of her, nor would her siblings have ignored her. So this was all
you please move out
"Huh?"
know you're blocking the
stepped aside with
sorry. I didn't mean
didn't even pretend to hear her. Suddenly, Diana stopped abruptly and approached Leticia again. Before Leticia could
long are you
"What?"
know how embarrassed we are because of
"Diana...."
should live
only stain on the prestigious Leroy family,
the other children were, the incompetent Leticia Leroy always dragged the family
ability did not awaken. Rumors circulated that she was an illegitimate child, a mutant, or
really
"I...."
"You're pathetic."
Leticia, walked away as if
a moment, Leticia trudged back to
"Huu······"
down on the bed. She just wanted to fall asleep, but the words she
not capable
sure the party
long are you going to
as she was about to cover her ears, she
"Come in."
drooping voice, the door opened
"Miss."
the soft voice. There stood Mary, looking at
near the bed,
want to go
wanted to forget it if she fell asleep. As Leticia turned to her side again, Mary gently sat on the edge
"Did something happen, Miss?"
kept silent and closed her
she was trying to ignore stuck
[Pathetic.]
[Pathetic.]
her face deep in the pillow. But it didn't stop her from
"Mary."
"Yes, Miss."
don't I
"Miss...."
even my youngest sister, Irene. Why am I the only
the only one without the ability? Why, of all
"Diana said I'm pathetic."
she
I couldn't say
"Miss..."
Leticia gently on her shoulder, but her deeply submerged mind was hardly
"I'm pathetic too."
"..."
was born this way not because I wanted to... I couldn't choose to be
say anything because she felt like she was to blame
"Yes, It's my fault."
If I had the ability, none of this would
was watching her from behind,
it, Miss. Maybe you just
"You think so?"
"Well, I mean..."
her to think that far, and Mary gave her a troubled
is your brother,
"Oh, he...."
for a moment, answered with a bitter look on her