“Are you saying I lack talent and therefore lack qualifications?”
“You understand well.”
“Even so, there’s no rule saying I can’t use the training grounds, is there?”
“…What?”
“It’s not like I’m asking to be taught by you, Sir. So there’s no reason I shouldn’t use the grounds.”
“That is…”
He had nothing to say.
“If you’ve nothing more, keep teaching what you were teaching—teach Liriel, and stop minding me.”
Niblemore looked at Leona with a confused gaze.
Leona ignored him and took up a practice wooden sword from the rack.
Then Liriel grabbed Leona’s arm.
“Are you crazy?”
“Don’t speak so rudely to your older sister, Liriel.”
“Who’s your sister?”
“You’re one year younger than me, so that makes me your older sister.”
“Did you eat something bad?”
“They bring me rotten food every day, so yes, I ate something bad. And let’s not stoop to petty discrimination over meals.”
Liriel stared at Leona, dumbfounded.
“If you’ve nothing to say, step aside. I need to train.”
“Why should I? This is my training ground.”
At that, Leona pretended to ponder, then spoke.
“Since when did the count family’s private training grounds become yours? Did Father tell you to use it alone? Then the household knights can’t train here anymore?”
“That’s not what I meant…”
“Then what?”
Liriel tried to find a rebuttal, but none came.
“Since you have no answer, you lied to me.”
“Th-that’s…”
Liriel hemmed and hawed.
“If it were me, I’d spend that time training instead of lying. Look at you. You’re wasting precious lesson time. Time is gold. Today’s lesson won’t come back tomorrow.”
Listening to Leona rattle on, Liriel was at a loss for words.
Everything she said made sense, which only made Liriel feel worse.
“J-just you wait.”
Childish words were all she could muster.
Grinding her teeth, Liriel turned away.
Leona ignored her and swung the wooden sword.
After a few light swings, it fit her wrist perfectly.
‘It’s definitely different.’
She felt strength.
When she first awoke in Leona’s body, it had undergone many changes.
With Yuliana’s soul and power dwelling within, the former body had been completely remade into something new.
A shedding of skin, so to speak.
The reason was the divine power seated in her dantian.
Yuliana had been a knight imbued with powerful holy force.
That power remained in the soul, and when the soul entered Leona’s body, the power settled as well.
In that process, changes occurred to make the body capable of accepting that power.
It was a miracle brought by Yuliana’s soul. Leona was no longer talentless, but overflowing with talent.
‘The divine power has fully settled.’
The small, original vessel had shattered, and her entire body had become the vessel.
A measure to use the divine power perfectly.
‘I should harden the body further with physical training.’
Although Yuliana’s power had pushed the body beyond its former limits, consistent training would only temper the new vessel further.
Leona returned the wooden sword to its place and began basic conditioning.
Watching this, Liriel first looked incredulous—then her eyes gleamed.
She walked over to Sir Niblemore.
“Captain, let’s spar.”
Sensing Liriel’s intent, Niblemore nodded.
“A good idea.”
Soon the two began their bout.
Liriel feinted at the captain while moving toward where Leona stood.
Then, pretending it was a mistake, she swung her wooden sword at Leona.
Liriel’s wooden blade targeted Leona’s leg.
Leona chuckled and easily dodged, then hooked Liriel’s leg and toppled her.
“Argh!”
“Ah, my mistake. Why were you standing there?”
Eyes wide, Liriel shot Sir Niblemore a look.
Catching it, Niblemore curled his lip, pretended to attack Liriel, then changed his sword’s line toward Leona’s waist.
It was a swift, efficient motion.
But—
Leona seized the nape of Liriel’s neck and pulled her in as a shield.
Startled, Niblemore hastily diverted his strike.
His blade barely missed Liriel. Shocked, Liriel hurled a glare of fury at Leona.
“You—what do you think you’re doing!”
Leona tapped the floor lightly with her foot.
“Right, why were you there?”
“Because you—!”
Leona cut her off.
“Will you keep interfering? Or shall we continue? In that case, only the talented one—meaning you—will be humiliated.”
“Nggh!”
Liriel ground her teeth.
“You—you!”
She was so angry her tongue felt numb. Liriel went to Sir Niblemore.
“That’s enough for today.”
She was too furious to continue.
“Understood.”
When Liriel spun on her heel, Sir Niblemore also withdrew with the knights.
The training grounds were now wholly Leona’s.
“Finally, some peace and quiet.”
Liriel, on the verge of tears, entered Lady Greta’s room.
“Mother!”
She threw herself into Greta’s arms, wiping her eyes.
Startled, Greta soothed her.
“Oh, my dear. What happened? Why are you crying?”
Liriel recounted what had happened in the training grounds.
“Well, Leona…”
“What?”
Greta frowned.
“You’re saying Leona did that to you?”
“I’m telling you! Do you know how humiliated I was in front of the knights? Hngh, hngh.”
“Don’t cry.”
Seething, Liriel burrowed into Greta’s embrace.
Greta, patting her, bit her lip hard.
“Leave it to me. I’ll correct that thing’s behavior properly.”
“Mm, Mother. Please do.”
Cradled in Greta’s arms, Liriel smiled with satisfaction.
Soon, Leona would learn who the real master of this count’s house was.
After a round of training, Leona headed back to her room—only to face an unexpected situation.
Her door was locked. Leona immediately called a maid to ask,
“Why is my door locked?”
“M-my lady, they said your room will be elsewhere from now on.”
“And where is that…?”
The maid hesitated.
“Speak.”
“P-please follow me.”
The room she was shown was the attic, used as a storage room in the mansion.
Leona’s clothes and belongings had been moved there.
“This is my room now?”
“Yes, the lady said so.”
Ah, so that’s how you want to play it?
Originally, she’d planned to bide her time, then make a clean declaration of independence and leave.
To do that, she intended to meet Viscount Loim and liquidate her mother’s remaining estate.
Viscount Loim was a vassal of the count’s family who managed their assets.
Until then, she needed some time and thus had to linger under the count’s roof.
But that wouldn’t be easy—not with Greta’s tyranny.
If it were the old Leona, she would have suffered in silence. But now, there was no need.
The old Leona was already dead and gone; the present Leona was someone entirely new.
‘I won’t live being trampled.’
That didn’t suit Yuliana’s character, either.
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
‘In that case, I won’t sit still on my side, either.’
The internal household affairs of the count’s mansion were run by Greta, the mistress.
Count Caliban did not involve himself in domestic management at all.
Once she took over the household, Greta erased the traces of Leona’s mother.
She dismissed the butler who had served her mother, as well as the nanny and maids who had cared for Leona, and replaced them with her own people—
All to isolate Leona completely.
Thus Leona was thoroughly neglected. Even her own father, Count Caliban, turned his back on her.
That neglect had impoverished Leona’s spirit and driven her to despair.
But that was the past.
Leona looked at the maid.
“You. Take me to Liriel’s room.”
“P-pardon? Y-yes.”
“Hurry.”
“Ah, yes.”
Guided by the maid, Leona headed to Liriel’s room.
She flung the door open and entered, taking in the spacious, pleasant interior.
A wall-spanning window with elegant sofa and table before it. To the left, a large bedroom and even a dressing room for Liriel.
It was a world apart from the room Leona had been using.
Liriel stared at the sudden intruder, bewildered.
“Why did you come into my room without permission? Get out. Now.”
Ignoring her, Leona looked around.
“Spacious. Nice.”
“What?”
Leona looked to the maid.
“You, go bring my things. Now.”
“…What?”
The maid stared at Leona, astonished.
“This is my room from now on.”
At that, Liriel’s face twisted.
“How is this your room? Yours is up there.”
It was obvious what she meant—the attic used for storage.
Leona leaned back on the sofa.
“This used to be my mother’s room. That alone gives me ample claim.”
“Don’t be ridiculous…”
“What are you waiting for? Bring my luggage. Now.”
Caught between Liriel and Leona, the maid froze, not knowing what to do.
“If you so much as bring it, you’re fired on the spot.”
Next
