22 - Adopted by the Villainous Noble Family

Novelpia - A World of Dreams Through Web Novels! - I Was Adopted by a Dark Family "Do as you wish. But make sure Sierra is always by your side." The situation was unfolding much more smoothly than I had anticipated. I'd worried that Roseria might become possessive and try to monopolize the supplies, but fortunately, the worst-case scenario didn't come to pass. Roseria agreed to my business proposal with one simple condition: that Sierra must always accompany me. Since it wasn't a particularly demanding request, I accepted it without hesitation. "This means I can start making money again." Now, I just needed to secure a vault in the Imperial Bank. For the time being, my room was spacious enough to store the money, but I couldn't keep stacking it there forever. I planned to propose the idea again to Roseria when the time was right. In any case, it seemed I could move forward toward re-enrolling in the academy. Whistling a tune in my excitement, I stepped into my bedroom. And there, unexpectedly, I encountered someone. "You look like you've seen a ghost." A pair of eyes, glowing softly like amethyst, were staring intently at me. It was Camilla. She was sitting leisurely on the edge of my bed, her gaze still distant as always. "Do you need something?" "The herbs, I tried them." Camilla jumped off the bed and approached me, holding the remnants of a burned-out bundle of herbs. "Magic?" Camilla asked. "Magic? What do you mean?" "With these ingredients, you shouldn't be able to achieve such a strong sleeping effect." It seemed she had thoroughly inspected the bundle of herbs. Furthermore, she appeared to have quite an extensive knowledge of herbs. "What did you do?" Her eyes, filled with subtle pressure, silently demanded an answer. "...It's a trade secret." Finding it difficult to meet Camilla's hollow stare, I averted my eyes and added carefully, "And we agreed not to bother each other." "......" "I won't trouble you in the future. So, please don't worry." Camilla, who had been observing me silently for a while, slowly stepped forward, placing her hand gently on top of my head. Her small and soft fingers lightly tousled my hair. Her actions, whose intent I couldn't discern, left me staring at her in puzzlement. "What are you doing?" "......" Instead of responding, Camilla frowned slightly and walked past me, heading out of the room. "Mother said we should all have dinner together tonight." After delivering this brief message, she disappeared. As I absentmindedly touched my hair, where her fingers had briefly grazed, I muttered softly to myself, "...What was that?" --- In the dining room of the Raheltani household, the gentle clatter of tableware echoed softly. Four people, including the guest countess, were having a meal together. "Ah~ Come on, dear." As usual, Roseria approached with a fork, waiting for me to open my mouth with a bright smile. "Are you shy because your sister is watching?" Embarrassed by her teasing, I quickly opened my mouth and took the meat from the fork. Roseria, satisfied, pretended to stroke my head gently. Meanwhile, Camilla was giving me a cold stare for some unknown reason. "Want a bite too, Camilla?" Perhaps feeling Camilla's gaze, Roseria teased, resting her chin in her hand with a playful smile. "No, I'm fine." Camilla immediately turned her head away and firmly refused. "I know you don't like things like this." "...That's right." With that, both Roseria and Camilla quietly returned to their meals. Was it just my imagination? An awkward atmosphere seemed to hang in the air. Despite knowing each other far longer than I did, a peculiar sense of distance lingered between them. "How are your lessons going?" At Roseria's question, Camilla gave a brief nod. "Yes, I'm learning a lot." "You're doing well. That's commendable." "......" Once again, the conversation halted abruptly. Even I, who was eating nearby, felt a strange sense of discomfort. The faux countess, as if not interested in playing the father role, was silently cutting the meat on his plate. I felt like I might get indigestion. "Are there... lessons here?" I cautiously broke the heavy silence with my question. Thankfully, Roseria nodded and answered. "Magic, history, swordsmanship, noble etiquette. We have various instructors who visit." "Really?" Very aristocratic. While commoners toil in labor, nobles entrap themselves within the confines of academia, they'd say. "If you want, Bella, I could arrange tutors for you as well." An unexpected proposal. And honestly, quite tempting. Acquiring skills could certainly aid me in my future academy life. While other subjects seemed a bit unexciting, I was particularly interested in learning magic and swordsmanship. I fully recognized my lack of natural talent in both areas. But who could resist the allure of swordsmanship and magic in a fantasy world? Just the sight of mana flowing before my eyes was thrilling; I could only imagine how exhilarating it would be to actually take magic lessons. "Do you want an education?" "No, it's okay. I have to start my business again tomorrow." Despite the temptation, I shook my head. Lessons here would essentially be private tutoring, which would undoubtedly come with a hefty price tag. I wouldn't mind if I could afford it myself, but I wasn't comfortable accepting the countess's support without giving anything in return. "Regardless, it would be too much." Surprisingly, it wasn't Roseria who responded but Camilla. Her gaze pierced into me as she quietly spoke. "Your body can't learn magic." Her voice was firm as she continued. "Nor is it suitable for swordsmanship." "Camilla." Roseria called her name with a hint of sternness, prompting Camilla to fall silent. Roseria gave me a gentle smile and spoke softly. "If you wish to learn, you can say so. I must fulfill my duties as a parent, after all." "No, it's really okay." For some reason, her words from Camilla, who was younger than me, pricked my pride, despite having no reason to let them bother me. Her statement left a lingering impression, as if she were labeling me as useless. "She's right." "Bella." Roseria called my name cautiously and I slowly turned my gaze to Camilla, who continued her meal beside Roseria. "But I don't think a lack of talent is reason enough not to try." Roseria's eyes widened in surprise, while Camilla slightly furrowed her brows. "You don't always need talent to take on challenges." "......" Camilla stared at me without a word. Her gaze felt a bit intimidating, yet I no longer felt frightened by it as before. During my time here, I had come to understand something: Camilla never defies Roseria's words. Whether she fears Roseria or not, she always follows her instructions without question. And Roseria desperately needs my supplies. As long as that condition holds, Camilla will not mistreat me. "......" Camilla, who had been watching me in silence, suddenly snapped her fingers lightly. With a soft crack, a black flame flickered at her fingertips. "You can't even summon this flame." Her whispered words pierced me like a taunt. "That's the limit of your talent. Needless stubbornness isn't good for you." Although it seemed like ridicule, Camilla's eyes were as emotionless as ever. "Camilla, what do you think you're doing?" Roseria's icy voice chilled the room. Camilla flinched and, with a sheepish glance at Roseria, spoke softly. "It's better to know one's limits when it comes to magic, Mother." "......" "You've seen many fall into despair when hitting a wall, haven't you?" Roseria silently watched Camilla. Despite not voicing agreement, her silence suggested that she understood Camilla's point. "This isn't a suitable topic for the dinner table. Apologize to your sister." Under Roseria's stern insistence, Camilla reluctantly turned to me and bowed her head. "I'm sorry, sister." An apology given without feeling. Camilla probably had no idea that what she said was exactly the kind of thing I hated hearing most. Being told I'm talentless, to just give up because it's not going to work. How many times have I heard this in my past life? [You should give up, don't you think?] [What? Studying? With your background?] [Give it up, you can't even afford tuition.] [You can't help it; after all, you're an orphan.] Anger simmered as voices from the past echoed in my head, and I clenched my fist. "...What if I manage to do it?" I muttered as if talking to myself. But that small, thin voice inevitably reached both Roseria's and Camilla's ears. "Bella." Ignoring Roseria's attempt to stop me, I fixed my gaze squarely on Camilla. "What if I manage to create that flame? Then what will you say?" Camilla smirked. It was the most emotion she'd shown since we met. Unfortunately, that emotion was ridicule. "If you manage it, I'll truly treat you like a sister." I would prove it. This life would be different from the previous one, as I had vowed countless times. I would show them with pride. That I am someone who can achieve what I set my mind to. --- *Author's Note* Thank you, 'Dancing Whale,' for your support! A big thank you for the generous support...! The contest period is nearing its end. While I'm not expecting any prizes, I do hope that this contest helps make the Yuri genre more widely appreciated. Thanks again for the support, and have a great weekend, dear readers! ⌯˃ ᵕ ˂⌯ಣ [To our anonymous supporter, thank you for your support] I'm truly grateful that you're enjoying the story! I'll keep working hard to make sure you continue to enjoy it even more. Please look forward to the rest of the story! Read the Next Chapter