Chapter 2:
“I’ll go get some people—no, a doctor. You have to keep your eyes tightly shut.”
Tinya’s voice trembled. Tami, who was bringing snacks to the training ground, stopped abruptly, sensing the strange atmosphere.
“Young master!!!”
Tami shouted loudly, startled after spotting the red blood.
“Tami!!! Call Jackson!!”
Evelyn cried out in a pained voice. She wanted to push Tinya aside and run to her older brother.
But she had to be careful not to disturb him. Evelyn burst into tears.
“P-please, make sure my brother is safe.”
The image of the injured Eil wouldn’t leave Evelyn’s mind.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Eil! You know it’s not like that! I’m not like that!”
Eil! No, anyone—please save my brother!
“Hoo. Huh.”
A bitter taste spilled from her mouth.
Evelyn, soaked in sweat, brushed the hair stuck to her forehead aside.
“Miss, here.”
Tinya, who had been waiting nearby, handed her a towel.
“We just got word that the political science teacher is sick. They canceled classes for today.”
“Really?”
Evelyn’s lips tightened slightly. Again, trouble.
“What’s wrong with him?”
“He suddenly developed a high fever a few days ago.”
Tinya’s hesitant voice made Evelyn sigh but hold it back.
“Does that mean he’s quitting?”
“The duke doesn’t seem to want to give up yet.”
No matter how sick, the poor scholar duke wouldn’t want to give up his tuition fees.
“So no other afternoon schedule? Since I’ll be at the training ground all day, I don’t have to worry.”
“Then I’ll come pick you up in time for dinner.”
Tinya bowed deeply and stepped back.
‘More bad rumors might spread again.’
Evelyn bitterly smiled as she struck her sword down. If the duke quit because he was afraid of dying, that would be the twentieth teacher change already.
They could learn swordsmanship within the family, but not the other subjects.
Although she thought this shouldn’t be happening, she had no choice but to receive heir education in place of her brother.
But every time she was the only one being taught, either the teacher got sick or some problem arose nearby, so no one wanted to come.
Even with the maximum money the family could provide, there were no applicants, and it was a frustrating situation.
‘Maybe this is for the best.’
She had already achieved enough. No more studying was necessary.
It had been fifteen years since Leonel, her older brother, collapsed.
Her family was staggering under the weight of spending all their fortune just to keep him alive, but her parents refused to give up on him.
However, even keeping him alive was becoming increasingly difficult.
That wasn’t the only thing her parents had worked hard for.
For years after her brother collapsed, they struggled to find legendary medicinal herbs that only grew in the northern snow mountains.
People who ate that herb were cured of serious illness, so they mobilized all the resources of the count’s house.
The beginning of any family with a sick member was similar: sending people north, facing despair, and failure.
The Barrett count family was no different.
The well-prepared exploration team barely made it back alive, without even finding the herb.
But now, things were different.
‘This time, I’ll go north myself and get the herbs.’
She gripped her sword tighter.
She hadn’t told her parents yet, but recently she had reached the Sword Master level.
At this level, she could find the herbs in the snowy mountains and come back alive.
If only that could happen…
‘Brother will be able to wake up.’
Evelyn shook her head sharply to clear the lingering thoughts, then focused on swinging her sword.
She didn’t want any other thoughts when holding the sword.
Until Tinya came back to announce dinner time, Evelyn forced herself to shake off the accumulating worries and concentrated on her sword.
“Evelyn. I heard the political science teacher is finally quitting, is that true?”
As soon as dinner began, her uncle, Baron Quartz, laughed loudly and asked.
Tinya never said anything about having an uncle.
Evelyn nodded expressionlessly, then reached diagonally to pick up some salad. Her cousin Haint almost touched the same piece and froze.
He glared at Evelyn.
Evelyn kept her lips tightly shut and ignored him.
“Tsk, teachers these days lack passion.”
“Brother, really! Is passion enough to make it work?”
Baron Barrett smiled crookedly at her words.
“What isn’t possible with passion?”
“They also lack perseverance. They ran away over a mere fever.”
At her husband’s words, Baroness Barrett nodded and handed Evelyn a large chunk of meat.
“No one can stand illness. He wouldn’t want to die either. Haint, eat more meat, it’s very tasty.”
“Yes, Father.”
Haint grinned and took half the meat on the table.
“Brother, don’t you think it’s time to consider the heir of the count family?”
“I intend to wait until Leonel wakes up or until Evelyn is qualified.”
Baron Barrett said bluntly. He also knew his younger brother was quietly eyeing the family’s position.
“And I have the right to appoint the heir of the count family.”
“Oh, I know. Evelyn is of age now, she should marry soon! Or just appoint an heir quickly.”
The baron stabbed the meat with his fork as if it wasn’t worth listening further. Baron Quartz continued regardless.
“I’m not wrong, am I? It’s been fifteen years since Leonel collapsed, are you just going to leave it like this? How do you think other families see the Barretts?”
“They don’t care about us one bit. Everyone’s too busy chasing their own greed.”
Evelyn suppressed the bitter smile that wanted to form at her father’s answer.
From the outside, the count family was probably seen as a family declining due to the heir’s collapse.
So it was no wonder no one cared.
“Are you going to leave the Barretts like this?!”
Bang!
“Warren Quartz, that’s none of your concern.”
Baron Barrett put his fork down harshly as he spoke. Baron Quartz retorted.
“Brother! I can’t stand to see the family collapse in my generation! Just marry Evelyn off to another family and make Haint the heir.”
“You beast! How dare you say that to your nephews!”
“Why not?! Haint may become a Sword Master soon. He’ll achieve more than you!”
Baron Quartz said triumphantly. Haint smiled slyly.
“You think the family head is made by swordsmanship skill?”
Baron Barrett sneered at his brother. He was always proud that as a child, his skill was better than his.
The head of the family was not decided by swordsmanship alone. That’s why their father gave the count title to Barrett, even though his sword skills were slightly inferior.
And the talents Barrett lacked went to the children. Contrary to his brother’s words, Barrett’s sword was unbreakable.
“In any case, neither Leonel nor Evelyn will inherit the count family.”
Baron Quartz said confidently.
Leonel wouldn’t wake up anyway, and Evelyn was a cursed, ominous girl, so the idea of her inheriting the family was absurd.
So openly ignoring Evelyn, his brother couldn’t do anything about it.
In the end, only his son Haint could succeed the Barrett count family.
Baron Quartz smiled indulgently and said generously,
“I’ll find a suitable match for Evelyn.”
“Warren Quartz, one more word and I’ll cut your useless body to pieces.”
“If you continue to resist, I’ll gather the retainers too. They might have different opinions.”
The rare dinner turned into a mess.
“If the succession issue isn’t settled within this month, I’ll call a family meeting to push for Evelyn’s marriage. Ahem.”
Baron Quartz said arrogantly after saying that.
“Brother, think carefully about what will really help the count family. Neither the unconscious Leonel nor the cursed Evelyn can save it.”
After finishing his words, Baron Quartz stood up.
“Uncle.”
Evelyn called quietly after him. Originally, she planned to tell only her parents and then go to the snowy mountains.
But now that he threatened her brother’s position, she couldn’t stay silent. She didn’t like how her brother’s standing was further weakened because of her, but she had no choice.
