Chapter 21 - It’s Time To Let Go

“I don’t think you’re going to succeed with anything like that.”

Diana began to smile as Leticia spoke.

Leticia never backed down, she meant what she said.

Pitiful and more pitiful, a blank smile spread across Diana’s face.

“It would be faster for you to wake up. No, it might be faster to succeed with that?”

Either way, it would take the same amount of time.

Or maybe she won’t accomplish anything.

‘It’s hard enough to even look at you.’

Diana shook her head, while holding her tongue. It was obvious they still didn’t understand reality.

‘It’s not funny at all.’

She had been complaining to Leticia for a while now.

“Sister, let’s go.”

“But…”

Emil, who had come to the ceremony with Diana, wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

“You don’t have to lower yourself to their level.”

Leticia clenched her fists at his disdainful glare and scornful words. Elle, who was standing beside her, raised her eyes and approached Emil.

“Excuse me? Who’s lowering themselves?”

It made her angry just thinking about it, Elle’s voice rose as she became angrier.

“Don’t you think we’re the ones who should say that?”

“Elle.”

“That peacock… listen to what he’s saying!”

How could they not be angry after what they heard?

Elle looked at Ian, who stopped her with just a look. He shook his head as if to say no to her.

“It’s no good making a fuss anymore.”

“But…!”

Leticia said gently, stopping Elle who was clenching her teeth.

“I’ll apologize.”

“What?”

“If you succeed with that childish and crude bracelet you mentioned, I’ll apologize to Miss Achilles.”

“… I’ll prove it’s worthwhile to people, and Emil.”

Leticia had been staring at Diana while talking to her, then slowly turned her gaze towards Emil.

“Don’t cut in and stay quiet because you’re just making yourself look bad.”

Emil frowned slightly at Leticia’s cold way of speaking that he’d never heard before. Emil tried to contradict Leticia, but Diana was one step faster.

“Okay, I’ll apologize.”

Surprised by her willingness to apologize, Leticia’s face hardened at the words that followed shortly after.

“But what if you screw up?”

“What?”

“What if you fail?”

Leticia bit her lips at Diana’s attitude that her failure was a foregone conclusion.

She looked elated and like she wanted to say more.

“What do you want me to do?”

“Well, nothing much.”

Diana lightly shrugged her shoulders like it was nothing.

“Apologize, like you asked of me.”

“Yes, fine.”

“Instead.”

“….?”

“Kneel and apologize.”

Everyone in the room stopped talking at those words.

Elle murmured as if she was amazed by the chilly atmosphere.

“She’s out of her mind.”

Diana pressed on regardless of the atmosphere.

“It’s not fun to just apologize and end it.”

“….”

Leticia clenched her hands and raised her chin.

Of course she was angry at her attitude that she deserved to fail, but she was more upset that Diana wanted to see her groveling and apologizing.

‘What the hell…”

Why did she love such a child?

Leticia gently lowered her eyes with a bitter smile.

Unlike Leticia, who wanted to cherish and protect her family, her younger sister wanted to see her humbled and humiliated.

But she felt fortunate.

‘I’m now…’

It’s time to let go.

This relationship ends when she also lets go.

After being silent for a while, Leticia slowly opened her mouth.

“All right.”

“Miss Leticia.”

“No, don’t do it.”

Elle and Ian simultaneously grabbed Leticia’s arm, but Leticia gently smiled and shook her head.

‘It’s okay.’

Leticia was confident that she wouldn’t regret it if she failed and had to apologize to Diana.

Thanks to them, she was able to break away from this meaningless family connection without regret.

There was no longer any hesitation left for those who had already severed the family ties.

“If I succeed, you will kneel and apologize instead.”

“What? Why me?”

Leticia said it in a casual way.

“It’s only fair.”

“….”

“Why? Are you not confident?”

Diana laughed bitterly as she nodded her head with a self-assured expression.

“Who doesn’t have confidence?”

Diana was overwhelmed by her provocation being used against her.

“All right. Let’s work hard. The result will be obvious anyway.”

At the end of that, Diana took Emil and turned around with a furious noise.

Leticia sighed as she watched Diana walk away.

‘Was I too reckless?’

She was beginning to worry that she might have caused trouble for Elle by her actions. Just as she was trying to sneak a glance at Elle’s face, Leticia was caught in a warm embrace.

When she looked down in surprise, Elle was staring after Diana and Emil while hugging Leticia tightly.

“Whoa, what a rude way to treat your sister.”

“Miss Elle…”

Elle felt Leticia’s gaze, she looked up and shook her hands.

“I’m sorry! I don’t mean to speak ill of your family.”

“Actually… I criticized the Leroy family as well.”

Leticia smiled softly at Elle’s pitiful look, how could she not swear at someone who acted like that?

“I’m just grateful.”

She couldn’t blame Elle for needing a hug after this difficult moment. She didn’t want to be alone and needed to be closer.

Leticia smiled more broadly as she thanked her, and Elle hugged her harder with a distressed face.

“What’s wrong with her? She’s so petty.”

“It’s okay because I have Miss Elle to take care of me.”

“Miss Leticia.”

With a heavy voice, Elle unwrapped her arms from around Leticia. Elle looked at her with a serious expression.

“I’ll do my best so you don’t have to kneel in front of your spoiled younger sister.”

“Miss Elle…”

“Trust me.”

Leticia replied with a gentle smile to her grim nod.

“I do. I believe Miss Elle will do well.”

Elle felt touched by what she said as if it were obvious. She didn’t know why Diana was being so mean to her sister who speaks so beautifully.

‘I will make them kneel for sure.’

Ian approached Leticia at that moment with determination.

“Miss Leticia.”

“Yes?”

“The brother I just met.”

“Ah… Emil?”

“Yes. I heard that he’s preparing for the Imperial civil service, right?”

Ian stared at Leticia as if it was an important matter. She hesitated and nodded.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Hmm…”

“….?”

Just as she was about to ask why, Ian murmured while stroking his chin with a dry expression.

“It’s been a while since I’ve felt so motivated.”

“….?”

It sounded dark, Leticia cocked her head in confusion, but Ian smiled as if nothing had happened.

***

“We’ll see each other more often in the future, so let’s keep up the good work.”

A knight smiled broadly with a particularly good-natured look.

As the knight exchanged casual greetings with the new members, he spotted Enoch and Levion standing awkwardly beside each other. The man recognized them immediately and approached them with a booming voice.

“I’ve heard a lot about the two of you. You’re the most anticipated members of the Imperial Knights.”

When he offered a handshake as a welcome gesture, Enoch clasped hands in greeting. He then held out his hand to Levion, who glanced at it and crossed his arms.

The knight looked embarrassed at the blatant disregard, then he looked at them both in turn and spoke.

“You two seem to know each other.”

“I’ve only seen his face a few times.”

Enoch drew a clear line between them, Levion turned his face away. He glanced at Enoch again and froze when he noticed where Enoch’s gaze had turned.

“….”

His expression was cool and calm, but the way he looked at Leticia was warm. His lips naturally parted as he felt the need to rush to her immediately.

Levion had gone to Leticia once before to gain her attention. Even after he left, it? bothered him that he kept looking at her. What irritated him even more was Enoch’s fixed gaze, as if he had a place at Leticia’s side.

It felt uncomfortable, as if he was intruding on something private.

‘Who are you to her?”

He felt like he just figured it out.

Levion clenched his fist.

He wanted to block Enoch from seeing Leticia if he could.

He was about to make his decisive move. Strangely, Leticia and the surrounding area seemed to be in an unusual mood.

‘What’s this?’

Feeling uneasy for some reason, Levion was about to go to Leticia.

I’m sorry, but I have something to do. So I’ll be leaving first.”

“Yes, get home safely Lord Achilles.”

Enoch said a polite farewell and quickly turned away.

He immediately headed towards Leticia.

.

.

.

“Are you alright? Is everything alright?”

Leticia turned around at the sound of a voice coming from right behind her. Her eyes met Enoch’s, who was standing there with a worried expression on his face.

Before she could tell Enoch she was okay, he quickly approached her.

“Are you done greeting the other knights? Everything is fine here…”

She tried to say nothing happened because she was afraid he’d worry, but Enoch raised his eyebrows. Leticia avoided eye contact with him.

“It’s fine, I had Miss Elle and Master Ian with me.”

“….”

“I’m telling you, it’s fine.”

Behind Leticia, Ian waved Elle over to speak to her in secret.

“The woman from before.”

“Huh?”

“You want to deal with her?”

Elle didn’t understand for a moment, and looked puzzled. As soon as she realized that he was referring to Diana, she smiled.

“Of course.”

The thrill that came from crushing the ego of such a cocky person. Ian nodded slowly and Elle smiled broadly, the mere thought of it excited them.

“Yeah, that’s right.”

Ian had decided to deal with the brother.

‘Emil Leroy…’

Ian slanted up the corners of his mouth and stared at Emil’s back, who was now a small figure in the distance.

It was very easy for him to deal with someone who looks down on others.

‘If you’re going to curse at me for being low.’

He’ll raise his standings and make it so they’ll never dare to say such things ever again.

This was when the twins promised each other to take care of Diana and Emil.

“Leticia.”

Leticia’s face gradually hardened as she replied to Enoch that if anything happened to her, she should tell him.

Levion was looking at her, while biting his lips, when he arrived.

He had a lot to say, but he looked lost on what to say. In the past, she would’ve made excuses for him, and asked what’s wrong.

She didn’t feel that way anymore.

It made her realize what she had forgotten.

‘A relationship I should have broken off.’

There was one more.

For Leticia, Levion was closer and more comfortable than her own family.

But now, the relationship was more pointless and useless than anything else.

Both were dependent on each other when they didn’t have abilities. After Levion’s? awakening, he often looked at her with pity for not awakening her abilities, and he never respected her as fiancée.

Leticia kept this loveless relationship going out of friendship and duty.

What he gave back to her was a blasé attitude and casually mentioning breaking up, as if their time together was nothing. She was even disappointed with his attitude when he came to Achilles’ mansion and tried to take her away from there without asking her thoughts.

In reality, their relationship had deteriorated a long time ago. Even though she knew it, Leticia couldn’t bear to let go. So she held onto the thin string by herself.

“Let’s go.”

Leticia grabbed Enoch’s sleeve and walked one step, then two steps towards Levion.

The moment when the distance was close enough to reach out.

“….”

“….!”

She walked straight past.

Her eyes met with Levion, who’s purple eyes widened in surprise.

“Leticia!”

A desperate and tearful voice called out to her, and a strong gaze stabbed hard into her back.

She knew without looking back.

She was sure his gaze was begging her to come back.

But Leticia didn’t look back.

Instead, she only moved farther away from Levion as she turned a blind eye to it.