Chapter 20 - You’ll See, I’m Sure It’ll Be Successful

‘Whose brother is that? He looks so cool!’

Elle looked at the well-dressed Enoch, and clapped her hands excitedly.

He had no financial resources and was ignored by the nobility, but his appearance was so overwhelming that he could not be ridiculed.

Elle wondered if Ian had the same idea as her. She turned her head a little bit and made eye contact with Ian, who looked at her with a similar expression. The siblings looked at each other and grinned. As she looked at Enoch again, Elle noticed that his gaze had turned to them.

Elle was about to wave with a happy expression on her face.

She thought they made eye contact, but then his gaze shifted slightly.

‘….?’

She went in the direction of his gaze and found Leticia standing right next to her.

Leticia smiled gently and clapped her hands as soon as she made eye contact with Enoch.

‘Hmm….’

Elle was alternating between Enoch and Leticia, she glanced at Ian with a questioning look. Maybe it was because they’re twins, but they could get a sense of what the other was thinking without having to say anything.

‘There seems to be something going on between the two.’

They even looked a little lonely.

What was even more surprising was the fact that the two of them looked better together than she had expected.

Ian nodded with the same expression as Elle.

It was time for the Achilles twins to begin their surreptitious plans without Enoch and Letisha knowing.

“I guess she’s not ashamed of being excommunicated.”

“If you were ashamed, would you come out to see your ex-fiancé’s face?”

“I’m embarrassed just seeing her.”

There was whispered gossip three paces behind them, Elle and Ian’s faces hardened.

Just as they were about to turn around to face the gossipers.

“Don’t let your face turn sour on such a good day, okay?”

Leticia smiled slightly with a calm expression, apparently the two of them weren’t the only ones who heard it.

Seeing her act as if this was no big deal, Ian asked cautiously.

“Did you know?”

She knew that she would be subjected to this kind of backbiting at the ceremony.

The words didn’t come out, but they were enough for Leticia to squirm and stare straight ahead.

“I expected a little bit.”

Leticia knew it would happen someday, and she didn’t want to avoid it.

Besides, it was a good day for Enoch as he became a member of the Imperial knights. She wanted to celebrate and share the joy with him.

“I’m sorry I asked you to come with me…”

“I’m sorry I didn’t know and I was happy you came too…”

They bowed their heads as Ian and Elle gripped Leticia’s sleeves tightly on either side of her.

Leticia shook her hand in embarrassment at their dejected faces.

“Don’t say that, I’m glad I came with you.”

She was grateful that they thought of her as someone to share such a happy day with.

But Elle and Ian still didn’t lift their heads. They looked like drooping puppies, Leticia let out an involuntary chuckle.

“Then shall we make dessert together after the investiture ceremony?”

Leticia wanted to have a pleasant ending to the day with a sweet cake to celebrate this joyous occasion.

As their feelings had been heard, Elle and Ian raised their heads and nodded excitedly.

“Okay! Let’s make it together!”

“Elle, what you make is tasteless…”

“Be quiet.”

It was at the moment that Leticia tried to stop them from arguing that a familiar person caught her eye from across the crowd.

‘Huh?’

Leticia immediately recognized him, and quickly grabbed Elle’s arm and said.

“Miss Elle, isn’t that him?”

“What? Who?”

“The one you bumped into last time.”

Elle turned her head in the direction Leticia pointed.

“Huh? Yes, that’s him!”

Elle had been planning to look for him in the square after the investiture ceremony, but hadn’t expected to find him here.

She smiled brightly and said to Leticia.

“I’ll be right back!”

“Yes, go…”

Elle had already left before she could say goodbye.

Leticia couldn’t help but laugh out loud at the cute little figure running quickly, afraid that she might lose her prey.

Ian shook his head as if he had no answer.

“It’s crazy, isn’t it?”

“Not at all. It’s just cute.”

She was energetic and full of life. Leticia was envious that Elle could be so passionate about something.

After the ceremony, Leticia and Ian were about to go find Elle when an uninvited guest arrived.

***

“Hey!”

Elle called out to the man, but she was buried among so many people that she could barely be heard.

She quickly passed people and once again called out loudly.

“Brown-haired man, stop right there!”

She shouted as if it was her last chance, and the man who had been some distance away turned around. The moment their eyes met, he pointed his finger at Elle. He immediately rushed over happily.

“I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“You remember me?”

“Of course! I’ve been looking for you for a long time.”

Elle had seen the man’s happy expression, and handed him the envelope in her hand.

“I think it’s important, here take it.”

“Thank you. I happened to bring yours as well.”

Strangely enough, the man seemed to have brought her envelope as well. So they were able to return each other’s things.

‘Phew, that’s a relief.’

Just in case, Elle checked the picture in her envelope. Fortunately, her drawing was still intact.

“Then I’ll go first…”

“Wait a minute!”

Just as she was about to leave to find Leticia and Ian, the man hurriedly called out to Elle.

When she looked back, wondering what he wanted, the man bowed slightly.

“I’m late in introducing myself, my name is *Hugo. I work at the top level of the Pegasus Company.”

“If you’re at the top of the Multinational Pegasus company…”

It was an emerging top company these days.

She’d heard in passing that it’s a company frequented by high-ranking nobles, bringing mainly perfumes and high-quality spices from neighboring countries.

“Is that so?”

“My boss told me that he really wanted to meet you.”

“Me?”

“I was told he really wanted to start a line of products with your jewelry designs.”

“Eh…?”

Is this real?

Elle blinked her eyes in disbelief. She even pinched her cheeks with both hands.

It didn’t change what was happening in front of her which meant it was real.

‘Will I be able to see the jewelry I designed made real?’

Elle’s heart began to overflow when she thought she was a step closer to her dream.

“Okay! I’ll come visit you.”

“No, we’ll meet you at your home. May I ask your name?”

“I’m Elle Achilles…”

She was about to introduce herself when she spotted Leticia and Ian standing some distance away from her.

A woman suddenly appeared and grabbed Leticia by the shoulder and started to shake her.

Elle’s eyes grew cold at the sight.

Elle spoke quickly without a second glance to Hugo.

“My name is Elle Achilles. You can meet me if you come to the Achilles’? mansion. Then I’ll be on my way.”

“She’s from a ducal family… Ah, Miss Achilles!”

Elle heard a voice calling to her from behind, but all she saw was Leticia swaying helplessly.

***

“Are you going to get revenge for being kicked out? How can you go out and cause so much trouble?”

“Please let me go…”

“Your existence itself is an unfortunate mess!”

Diana’s hands gripped her shoulders painfully while she shook Leticia violently. She tried to escape, only to be shaken even harder.

‘I’m dizzy.’

If Diana let go of her suddenly, she would fall backwards.

Leticia needed to close her eyes because she was getting dizzier just thinking about it.

“Stop it.”

Leticia slowly lifted her head at the touch of someone gently holding her. A frowning Enoch was looking at Diana with cold eyes.

Diana immediately recognized Enoch, she shuddered and muttered softly.

“Oh it’s true, how unlucky…”

As Diana stepped back, Leticia felt something moving in her heart.

She couldn’t help but know that Diana was stepping down because she was afraid of bad luck if she stayed close to Enoch.

“Brother, go back.”

There were many people watching them.

Ian was being cautious, he knew the situation had drawn a lot of attention. The people who came to the investiture ceremony were glancing towards them.

“But.”

“We’ll catch up. Go ahead.”

Elle, who arrived late, also urged Enoch to go.

It was tradition for the initiates to gather and greet the older members of the Imperial knights after the ceremony. It was clear if he didn’t go now, he would be reprimanded.

“I’m fine too.”

“….”

“Miss Elle and Master Ian are here, so don’t worry.”

Leticia was hoping to soothe his concern. Enoch nodded with a long sigh.

“I’ll be right back.”

As soon as Enoch’s back was out of sight, Diana grinned as if she’d been waiting for him to leave.

“Wow, you were really hanging out with each other. Are we dead to each other now?”

“That’s a bit harsh.”

Elle said as she stood within arm’s reach of Diana.

“You can’t be rude to your sister.”

“Sister? Who’s my sister?”

Diana tilted her head sideways, laughing as if she just heard the funniest thing.

“You’ll be able to find a lot of people who are not ashamed of what they’ve done.”

“Don’t talk like that.”

Diana’s expression became distorted when Ian stepped up.

“Get out of the way, I don’t need to see you.”

As soon as Diana tried to push Ian, Elle stepped in and stopped her.

“It’s ugly to be so clueless, stop it.”

“Get out of my way!”

Before she knew it, Elle and Diana began to struggle. Just as Leticia tried to stop them, Diana violently took Elle’s envelope away.

The wind pulled the sketch out of the envelope.

“Diana, you…!”

Leticia tried to quickly pick up the drawing while frowning at Diana, who threw Elle’s stuff recklessly.

It fell at Diana’s feet.

“A wishing bracelet?”

Diana picked it up first, burst into laughter and fluttered the drawing to show it off.

“How can you be so childish and crude?”

To grant a wish.

The fact that the girl had come up with such a ridiculous idea, she should be ashamed to show her face

“You decorate your jewelry with pink diamonds?”

She felt sorry for the little girl now, the idea showed that she really didn’t know too much about reality.

“Won’t that little pink diamond mine soon be in ruin?”

Leticia tried to snatch the drawing back from Diana’s hand, but Diana avoided her and glared back at her.

The aristocrats were quietly watching the scene, they spoke one by one.

“It’s been a while since the ore came out, hasn’t it?”

“Some came out, but they were poor quality.”

“You’re all talking too much. I’m sure they’re upset about it.”

“Don’t laugh. They might get hurt.”

They pretended to be concerned, but they were ignoring the impact of their words.

Leticia managed to steal Elle’s sketch from Diana’s hand, when she heard a sharp snap from somewhere in her head.

“….”

It was the same as back then. The day Diana destroyed her hair ribbon.

‘Childish and crude?’

Leticia bit her lip.

It wasn’t enough to mock and ignore other people’s precious dreams, she felt dizzied by the casualness of it.

‘I’m not going to let you.’

She will make sure Elle succeeds and show these people what she can do.

“I’ll keep you looking at that childish and crude bracelet.”

“What?”

She said while staring at Diana’s bewildered face.

“And the pink diamonds?”

Leticia approached Diana with a smile on her face.

Her mind was burning with anger, but her heart was unusually cold.

Even though there was no particular basis, Leticia’s mind was filled with strong conviction. The conviction that had never betrayed her before.

Not even once.

The moment they were close enough to see their reflections in each other’s eyes.

“It will never fail.”

Leticia smiled broadly, capturing Diana’s increasingly distorted expression in her eyes.

“You’ll see.”

We’ll be so successful that Diana can’t have it even if she wants it.

—————

I updated the assistant’s name from Suha to Hugo.