I Won't Go Back To My Family Who Abandon Me novel Chapter 4

***

"Diana, how did you spend your time today?"

At the dinner table. Marquis Leroy asked, setting a finely chopped steak down in front of Diana. Diana glanced at Leticia and smiled broadly.

"I had a chat with brother Levion over tea."

Leticia, who was silently eating, paused. Even though she was in the mansion, she didn't know Levion came. It meant that Levion came to see only Diana, and not her.

Pretending not to see Leticia, who was frozen and still, Marquis Leroy continued asking Diana.

"Young Master Elle?"

"Yes. He even gave me a present saying he was sorry he couldn't come to my birthday party."

The Leroy and the Elle family were close since childhood and were comfortable calling each other informally.

Diana held out her wrist, bragging about how Levion had given her a ruby bracelet.

"Isn't it beautiful?"

"It looks good on you, dear. Do you like it?"

"Yes! I've been wearing this bracelet for a while now."

She even waved it deliberately to show it to Leticia as if Leticia couldn't already see it.

Leticia, however, just ate quietly. It was then when Diana lost interest and turned away with a sour face.

Somehow, Leticia felt her throat burning, she took a sip of water and sighed.

˜He came to give Diana a present.'

She tried to pretend to be fine, but she couldn't help but have mixed feelings inside.

The reason Levion came to the mansion was not because of her, but because of Diana.

There was something else she was upset about.

˜You didn't celebrate my birthday. You said it's a joke.'

They didn't get engaged because they loved each other, but they still spent some time together, so she thought there was at least a hint of affection and minimal interest.

But now, almost three years after they got engaged, Leticia was not so sure.

As Leticia continued to nibble, the Marquis asked Emil.

"Emil, how is life at the Academy these days? Are your preparations for the Imperial Civil Service going well?"

"Yes, I'm working hard, so trust me."

Emil, the third son of the Leroy family, was smart to enter the academy, where only one in a hundred could get in, and the professors had high hopes for him.

Later, the Marquis asked his fourth son, Xavier, if he should become a member of the Imperial Knights, and gave his fifth daughter, Irene, a worried look, wondering if it would be too hard for her to study at the Academy of Magic.

"..."

Watching the scene, Leticia tried to swallow a bitter smile.

The Marquis expressed his concerns for his children in a gentle voice, but he did not give Leticia even a single glance. It was as if he didn't need her.

She felt like she was alone again. No, it was the moment when she realized once again that she was alone all along.

"I'm sorry, but may I be excused? I'm a little tired."

Leticia asked cautiously, after all, she just couldn't get the food down her throat. The Marquis nodded insincerely and continued to whisper to the other children.

As soon as Leticia was out of the way, the Marquis called Diana as if he had been waiting for this moment.

"Diana."

"Yes, father."

"What do you think of Young Master Elle?"

"Brother Levion?"

Diana didn't know what the Marquis intended to ask, and instead of replying, she tilted her head. Soon the Marquis said a bit more precisely.

"As a marriage partner."

"What?"

The family, who had been eating quietly, looked up at the Marquis in surprise.

"I'm going to talk to Marquis Elle about canceling the engagement between Leticia and Young Master Elle, and suggest an engagement with you."

Seeing Diana touching her lips, unable to answer immediately, the Marquis asked again.

"What do you think?"

***

It had been a few days since then. Somehow, today was the only day Leticia felt strange.

˜What is this uneasy feeling...'

She couldn't figure out what caused it, so with the thought ˜it's probably nothing' in her mind, and left the room.

Today was the day she had promised to have tea time at Elle's mansion with Levion.

Not wanting to ruin the pleasant mood, Leticia was determined to let go of the strange feelings. However, a short time later, she ran into Diana in the hallway. As soon as Diana saw Leticia, she frowned and asked,

"Where are you going?"

"I have an appointment with brother Levion."

"Haha."

"...?"

Diana quickly covered her mouth, but the laughter had already flown out. Then she nervously waved her hand as Leticia stared at her suspiciously.

"No, it's nothing."

"What is it? Why are you laughing?"

"Nothing, really."

"Nothing at all?"

Contrary to Diana's words, something felt strange.

The moment Leticia turned away, Diana walked up to her. Then she whispered quietly.

"I feel sorry for you."

"What.....?"

Before she could ask what the hell that meant, Diana's mouth twitched up in a grin.

"Please have a good time."

More than ever, Leticia was hardened at Diana's bright smile.

***

˜What did she mean...?'

On the way to Elle's mansion, Diana's words lingered over and over in Leticia's ears.

It was as if that moment would be their last.

Leticia wondered for a long time what Diana's intention was in saying such a thing. But before she had time to think deeply about it, the horseman announced their arrival at Elle's mansion.

Cautiously getting off the carriage, Leticia was led by the butler of the Elle mansion to the reception room.

Levion was already there waiting.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

"Yes. How are you?"

"I'm always the same."

Levion answered indifferently and took a sip of tea.

In fact, the moment she saw Levion, the words she was holding back came up to her throat.

˜Why did you only go to see Diana that day? Didn't you want to see me?'

She was disappointed, but she didn't want to ruin this moment that they were sharing together after a long time, so she deliberately kept her composure.

"Brother, is the training hard?"

Leticia asked with a worried look on her face, but Levion was still looking at Leticia with the same miserable look he had when they met in the training hall.

"You're still carefree, aren't you?"

"What?"

"Do you know what is being said at home?"

Leticia's expression hardened as Levion stared at her coldly.

She didn't know exactly what they said, but she could easily guess that it was not good.

"There's some talk going around..........?"

Leticia asked, squeezing the hem of her dress in a somewhat anxious manner. A deep sigh came out of Levion's mouth as he looked at Leticia indifferently.

"They are talking about canceling our engagement."

"What?" Leticia asked.

In disbelief, Leticia looked at Levion blankly. However, Levion laughed briefly and raised the corners of his mouth.

"You really don't know anything, do you?"

Letisha's mouth closed spontaneously at the sound of his voice, which was devoid of any emotion.

Levion was the only person who was able to help and comfort her among her family members who ignored her when her ability was never awakened.

At some point, she knew very well that Levion was not happy with her, but his indifferent attitude that he wouldn't care if the engagement was canceled made her eyes burn.

All she could do was to try her best to keep it from falling apart.

However, Levion's eyes as he watched Leticia grew colder by the minute. Soon he sighed in frustration and got up. Then he walked past Leticia. No, he tried to walk past her.

"How about brother?"