TKWTSSST CHAPTER 5

Leona’s cold, downward gaze—her golden eyes—flashed like those of a predator.
She looked ready to tear them apart at any moment.

“I-I’ll do it.”

“Mother…”

Liriel shook her head, but Greta judged that they had to back down here.

Greta called a maid.

“Open the locked room. There—are you satisfied now?”

“No. I’ve changed my mind. Prepare a room larger than the one I used before. Furnish it with new furniture.”

“Your greed is excessive.”

“I consider it a fair request. Besides, I didn’t ask for expensive pieces. Or shall I keep going here?”

“…Very well. I will do as you ask.”

Greta ordered the maid to prepare a new room with new furniture.

“Are you satisfied now?”

Leona smirked.

“Let’s avoid giving each other reasons to get heated from now on.”

“Don’t think this is over. I will surely—”

“Repay it?”

Leona cut her off, and Greta’s eyes widened.

Leona continued,

“That line—villains always say it. And villains always get what’s coming to them.”

Greta was so taken aback she forgot what to say.

Leona tossed the sword in her hand onto the floor and sauntered out of Liriel’s room.

As the door closed, Liriel’s shriek burst from within.

Leona dug at one ear with her pinky as she walked away.

“So noisy. Did she boil and eat a pig’s heart?”

After that exorcism of a scene, she had a spacious new room and new furniture.

A satisfying result.

After a brief rest, Leona went to see Viscount Loim.

He was working in the vassals’ private office within the count’s estate.

Leona arrived there.

Knock, knock.

When she knocked at the door, a polite voice from inside said, “Please, come in.”

Leona opened the door and entered.

“Hello, Viscount Loim.”

At her visit, a glint came into Loim’s eyes.

He adjusted his monocle, rose, and offered her a seat.

“Please sit.”

Leona took the seat he indicated, and he sat across from her.

“Will you take tea?”

“No. You seem busy, so I’ll stick to my business.”

“Please, go ahead.”

His tone was very businesslike.

“I came to ask that you liquidate the inheritance my mother left me.”

“You mean the former countess’s estate?”

“Yes. I’m an adult now and can exercise my rights concerning the inheritance, can’t I?”

“That is true, but—”

“Please liquidate it. As quickly as possible.”

“May I ask the reason?”

Leona answered as if it were obvious.

“I’m going independent. There’s no point staying at the count’s house when I’m not treated like a person. Better to live on my own, don’t you think?”

At Leona’s blunt words, Viscount Loim wore a bitter look.

“Understood. I will do as you wish.”

“Thank you, Viscount. I’ll take my leave, then.”

After she left the office, Viscount Loim sighed and stared into space.

Just as Leona had said, staying in the count’s household would only further diminish her.

So, as she said, it was better to become independent.

Returning to his desk, Viscount Loim sought out and reviewed the documents concerning the estate left by Leona’s mother.

She had asked for a quick liquidation—he intended to oblige.

Early in the morning, Leona washed up and confidently headed to the dining hall.

When she opened the door and entered, there was no one there but the staff.

Leona looked over the places already set and sat where she liked.

She didn’t know whose seat it was; she simply chose one of the prepared places.

The staff looked at her in surprise—

Because the place she chose was Liriel’s seat.

One of the staff stepped forward to inform her.

“M-my lady. That is Lady Liriel’s seat. We’ll bring your meal over, so perhaps you could stand and—”

“I said I’ll be dining in the hall, too. Didn’t you hear?”

They had—just hadn’t expected her to actually come.

And soon the count and his family would arrive.

They had to move Leona before the count grew angry.

“If you stay, the count will be displeased.”

Leona’s lip curled.

“So Father’s anger is frightening, but mine isn’t, is that it?”

“P-pardon?”

“Why should I avoid Father and eat separately?”

“Th-that is…”

“Enough talk. Bring the food. They’ll be here any moment.”

The maid bit her lip hard and withdrew.

Right then, the dining hall doors opened and Greta, Liriel, and Count Caliban entered.

All three fixed their eyes on Leona.

Leona greeted them with a bright smile.

“Good morning.”

“You.”

“What are you doing here first thing in the morning—!”

Greta and Liriel glanced at the count, flustered.

“Leona, what do you think you’re doing.”

Count Caliban looked at Leona with a cold face—like he was seeing something very displeasing.

Leona studied the father who had sired her.

Pomaded reddish-brown hair, sharp eyes, stubborn lips. Neither tall nor short, with a solid build—he exuded the dignity of the head of a count’s house.

In the past, whenever she looked at him, Leona had always shrunk, unable to speak properly.

Especially his cold gaze had terrified her.

But that was the old Leona. The reborn Leona could meet that cold gaze and smile.

“I came to dine together as well.”

“Who told you to eat in the dining hall?”

Even at his cold rebuke, Leona answered with a smile.

“Let’s not discriminate over something like that.”

“What?”

“Petty discrimination over food—it’s childish, isn’t it? I’m tired of eating what you, Madam, and Liriel leave behind, every time.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Count Caliban’s gaze shifted to the staff. Their faces turned white.

“Oh—so you didn’t know.”

Leona continued smoothly, smiling.

“I’m glad you know now. I’m the count’s eldest daughter in name, and if people hear I grew up eating others’ leftovers, what will they think of you, Father? Don’t you agree?”

“You…”

“Are you going to stand there forever? I’m hungry.”

Count Caliban frowned, then went to his seat and sat.

Greta, giving Leona a displeased look, sat beside him.

And Liriel—

“That’s my seat.”

She stood pointing at the place where Leona sat.

“I came first. Sit somewhere else. There are plenty of chairs.”

Along the long table were twenty chairs.

“Hah!”

“Liriel, stop making a fuss and sit.”

At the count’s words, Liriel swallowed her anger and took another seat.

The maids quickly set the place for her there.

Soon, the meal arrived.

Salad topped with thin slices of salmon, corn cream soup, sirloin steak with roasted vegetables.

All freshly prepared, steaming hot—and all of it went into Leona’s stomach.

“Bring dessert. I’d like something sweet—mango pudding.”

“Th-that…”

Mango pudding was Liriel’s favorite dessert.

“You’re not about to say there’s only one because Liriel will eat it, are you?”

“W-well…”

“Wow, seriously?”

“I-I’ll bring something else.”

“What else? Stale garlic bread?”

Whenever Leona asked for a snack, the staff had brought her hard garlic bread.

Leona had been grateful even for that—but no longer.

“I want mango pudding. Bring it to me.”

“That’s mine.”

Unable to bear it, Liriel spoke up, and Leona’s mouth twisted into a crooked smile.

“I asked for it first. So you can eat something else.”

“What did you say?”

“Well? Why aren’t you bringing it?”

The staff looked to the count.

Count Caliban regarded Leona with a cold face.

“Leona, mind your manners. The mango pudding is Liriel’s.”

A clear line drawn—as if to say she was not allowed what she wanted.

It was laughable.

Leona barely suppressed a chuckle.

Wasn’t this ridiculous behavior?

Before the mango pudding being served could land on Liriel’s plate, Leona rose, snatched the dessert—

—and dropped it to the floor.

“Oh, my mistake. My hand slipped.”

“You did that on purpose!”

Liriel exploded.

Count Caliban knit his brows.

Leona’s lip curled.

“Leona, such rudeness—what do you think you’re doing.”

“Eating should be fair. Some getting to eat while others don’t—that’s not right.”

“Leona!”

Count Caliban snapped.

“Please don’t lose your temper. I’m barely holding mine.”

“What?”

“You seem to think only you get to be angry. I can get angry, too.”

Count Caliban stared at her in disbelief.

“You’ve clearly taken leave of your senses.”

“That’s why I’m saying—don’t discriminate over food. Then none of us would have reasons to be angry like this.”

“You have no manners.”

“It’s natural I have none. I never received proper instruction.”

Next—