Chapter 3

“She’s… smiling?”

The moment Aaron saw the faint smile of mockery on Levy’s face, unbearable humiliation washed over him.

A worthless defective of House Heron—so frail she could drop dead at any moment—dares to make a fool of me?

His anger, however, lasted only a heartbeat.

Hummm—

Levy slowly raised a hand toward Aaron, who was about to throw a punch.

The killing intent she had been unconsciously releasing instantly grew denser.

“Ghk…!”

“You won’t be able to hit me, Uncle.”

Her voice was calm.

“Members of House Heron who did not inherit the Blessing are compelled to submit to those who did.”

The word Blessing drained all the color from Aaron’s face.

The instant he heard it, it felt as though invisible hands were squeezing his throat.

His limbs trembled uncontrollably.

“Haa… ngh…”

Collapsing to the floor with his forehead pressed against it, Aaron gasped for air as he looked up at Levy.

What… what is happening?

The girl before him was no longer the ignorant niece who had always clung to him.

Her expression clearly declared that she knew exactly who she was.

The future head of House Heron.

“Take him away.”

Levy’s icy command echoed through the room.

Barely a few minutes had passed, yet Aaron had already become too weak to support his own body.

The servants dragged him away like a sack of grain.

Levy glanced down.

The area between his legs was soaked.

Apparently, fear had overwhelmed him.

Ugh…

Suppressing a frown at the smell of urine, she lowered the hand she had held out toward him.

The First Ancestor’s Blessing is surprisingly powerful…

But it drains my stamina too much. I won’t be able to use it often.

She had actually been waiting for a chance to test her power on another person.

If she understood her abilities accurately, she could stay calm when genuine danger arrived.

That was why, when Aaron had lost his mind and charged at her…

She had unconsciously smiled.

I hope everyone doesn’t mistake me for a psychopath…

Contrary to her worries, the servants of House Heron weren’t horrified.

They were doing everything they could to suppress their admiration.

Where did our usually soft-hearted young lady find such resolve?

She personally expelled Aaron… She truly understands that she’s the future head of the family now.

Until now, none of the retainers had been able to ask their young mistress to shoulder such heavy responsibilities.

She had spent nearly all her time recuperating inside the estate, knowing little of the outside world.

She had been born so frail that even leaving the mansion had often been forbidden.

She had lost her mother at an early age.

Her father was constantly dispatched to distant borders.

Given such circumstances, Aaron—her blood-related uncle—must have held special meaning for her.

That was why the retainers had endured in silence.

Even after noticing Aaron’s greed for House Heron’s wealth and authority, they had waited patiently until undeniable evidence appeared.

Yet today…

Their young lady had personally driven him out.

Everyone present felt as though they had witnessed a historic turning point.

“My Lady…”

One elderly retainer stepped forward with tears welling in his eyes.

“When I next send my report to the Master, I shall describe today’s events in detail.”

“He’ll be overjoyed.”

Head Butler Baron, equally moved, nodded enthusiastically.

“The next letter is scheduled to be sent in one month’s time.”

“If I devote one page each day to describing today’s accomplishments—”

“Head Butler,” another servant interrupted seriously.

“I don’t believe such an important matter should be summarized so briefly in a letter.”

“This is a major event in House Heron’s history.”

“Wouldn’t two pages a day be more appropriate?”

The servants immediately launched into a spirited discussion about how best to record today’s historic events for their absent master.

Levy quietly avoided the sparkling eyes of these history-obsessed people.

Are they trying to write something like an official royal chronicle?

No one had ever looked at her with such pride in her previous life.

The warmth in their eyes made her feel strangely embarrassed.

At the same time…

She felt guilty for ever suspecting them.

Wasn’t discovering corrupt servants by investigating the accounting books practically a cliché in romance fantasy novels?

Expecting the worst, she had inspected the ledgers herself.

The result had been astonishing.

They don’t even have spreadsheets in this world… so how are these accounting records this meticulous?

House Heron’s retainers managed everything flawlessly.

There wasn’t the slightest sign of embezzlement or accounting fraud.

More importantly…

Every quarter, they faithfully reported everything to the family head through detailed letters.

Realizing she had so many trustworthy allies within House Heron warmed Levy’s heart.

She was deeply grateful that, despite her previous indifference toward family affairs, they had continued supporting and trusting her without hesitation.

Feeling all those warm gazes upon her…

Levy’s chest tightened.

Naturally, she came to realize one thing.

This life will be very different from my previous one…

A life where every effort went unnoticed and I was always alone.

“Thank you, everyone.”

She smiled gently.

“For protecting me all this time.”

“And for helping me remove Aaron today.”

“My Lady…”

“From now on, I’ll do my best as acting head of the family.”

“I won’t make any of you worry anymore.”

Still smiling, Levy turned and headed toward her office, where all the stolen property had already been delivered.

Being surrounded by so much genuine kindness…

Somehow made her feel shy.

Watching her retreating figure, Head Butler Baron unconsciously remembered the day Count Elbert Heron had first inherited the title and walked toward the family office.

The determined eyes.

The unwavering resolve.

Every head of House Heron he had ever served had worn that same expression the moment they chose to change.

“For the Master’s sake…”

Baron smiled softly.

“I suppose today’s report will have to be an entire book.”

“He’ll certainly be delighted.”

A Short While Later

Inside Levy’s office lay the bags of gold coins and wooden chests Aaron had hidden beneath the secret staircase.

One chest contained stacks of papers covered in Aaron’s handwriting.

Taking her seat, Levy carefully began reading through them.

Every page contained plans for how he intended to make House Heron his own.

One particular sentence immediately caught her attention.

Levy Heron can no longer postpone enrolling in the Academy. Submit the application on her behalf without telling her, then convince her to stay at the villa near the Academy under the pretext that commuting from the estate is too exhausting.

Every noble in the Empire was required to enroll in the Imperial Academy upon reaching adulthood and study there for two years.

It had been the will of the First Emperor.

Whether one became an imperial official or managed a noble territory, everyone needed a minimum level of education and refinement.

Calling it “studying” was generous.

Since it catered exclusively to nobles, it was practically a giant social gathering.

In any case…

Levy had come of age the previous year.

Under normal circumstances, she should already have been attending.

But because of her health, her enrollment had been postponed again and again.

Now…

It could no longer be delayed.

Aaron definitely didn’t submit my application out of concern for my health.

His goal had simply been to separate her from House Heron.

Once she moved into the villa near the Academy…

He could freely ruin the family’s finances.

But Aaron had no idea.

The scheme he’d devised to get rid of his troublesome niece…

Had actually helped her immensely.

“I have to attend the Academy eventually.”

“I might as well complete the enrollment process immediately.”

The Academy wasn’t merely a school.

It was where nobles of the same generation built relationships.

For someone like Levy—who had missed every social gathering because of poor health—it was essential.

Besides…

Thanks to the servants’ attentive care, her body had recovered enough that attending classes was no longer impossible.

More importantly…

The sooner I enter the Academy, the sooner I can meet the original story’s major characters.

Ironically…

Aaron’s little trick during the application period had saved her a great deal of time.

“My Lady…”

Head Butler Baron looked worried.

“Are you truly certain? Shouldn’t we consult your physician first…?”

He wasn’t wrong.

Her body remained weak.

But Levy knew a fundamental way to strengthen it.

“I’m fine.”

“Don’t worry.”

“Since I’ll also be handling affairs as acting head of the family, I’ll commute from the estate by carriage.”

“And I’d like to receive the daily reports every morning.”

Baron’s expression softened with emotion once again.

“The Master always received morning reports as well.”

“We’ll make sure everything is prepared for your convenience.”

“Thank you.”

“As for Aaron’s trial…”

“Leave it to the family’s lawyers.”

“Also, explain the situation to the orphanages and the slums that received inferior donations, and replace everything with proper supplies.”

“It shall be done.”

“Oh.”

“And make sure the court also addresses how our dear uncle spent the money he embezzled chasing after married women.”

Baron blinked in surprise.

“…You knew about that as well?”

Judging by his reaction, the retainers had already suspected Aaron’s behavior.

Although they lacked hard evidence, they’d clearly noticed enough to be suspicious.

But because Lady Levy had always seemed concerned for Aaron’s well-being…

They had continued gathering proof.

Now, however…

Levy had no intention of overlooking him any longer.

“Grandfather expelled him for exactly the same reason before.”

“I simply assumed someone like Aaron wouldn’t have changed.”

“So I investigated.”

Naturally…

She had actually learned that from the novel.

But there was no need to explain that.

With overwhelming evidence of embezzlement already secured…

Aaron would spend a very long time in prison.

And once word spread that a disgraced former noble had been using stolen money to pursue three or four married women at the same time…

Being sent to a monastery would become inevitable.

“Please make sure the judges and lawyers supported by House Heron are assigned to the case.”

“Understood, My Lady.”

“Given his prior offenses…”

“He won’t be leaving that monastery until the day he dies.”

May he spend the rest of his life living in repentance…

Supporting himself through labor while purifying that immoral body of his.

A small parting gift…

For the uncle who had, quite unintentionally, saved her a great deal of time.

Two Weeks Later

“Please take care on your journey, My Lady.”

About two weeks after driving Aaron out…

Having completed all the necessary preparations, Levy boarded her carriage for the Academy’s entrance ceremony.

Seeing the butlers and servants lined up together to see her off made her heart feel both warm and strangely ticklish.

Those peaceful thoughts, however…

Lasted only until the carriage passed through the estate gates.

Now… the real challenge begins.

She was heading toward the Academy.

The place where both the protagonists…

And the villains…

Were gathered.

As the destination drew closer, her mind began working at full speed.

By the time the Academy came into view, she had already organized everything she needed to accomplish.

First priority: Stay away from Damian, the final villain of the story.

Just as she silently repeated that ironclad rule to herself and stepped down from the carriage—

A luxurious carriage bearing the crest of the Imperial Family came to a stop directly in front of her.