If I Were Reborn, I Wouldn’t Marry You - Chapter 16

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 17

‘Hmm, what should I do?’

It was still too weak a reaction to become a proper handle.

So I thought I’d need to provoke Lady Kate a few more times, but that wasn’t necessary.

She had already developed enough malice toward me from just that one incident.

Even someone supposedly so cautious gradually began to show her hostility toward me quite openly.

‘It seems Lady Kate’s child abuse stems from her inferiority complex toward students who enjoy the noble life she lost, and her own pessimism about herself.’

It seemed she couldn’t suppress the inferiority she felt toward me, the youngest Young Lady of House Roderick, and it kept showing.

Above all, my act of pretending to be a sheltered flower, insensitive to malice and tender-hearted, seemed to have worked perfectly.

Moreover, the direction in which she expressed her malice was quite insidious.

‘Just today, for instance.’

“Lady Kate, I’ve finished writing all the answers to the problems you gave me.”

These were problems that made me wonder if she really expected a six-year-old to solve them.

‘Of course I know all the answers, but a typical six-year-old child wouldn’t have gotten even half of half correct, right?’

Since I’d been doing this for a while, I deliberately wrote wrong answers for about one-third of them.

Though I was holding back, this was still an excellent performance.

However, Lady Kate’s expression as she looked over my answer sheet was nothing but serious.

“Hmm.”

At her deliberate sighing for me to hear, I pretended to be discouraged and asked.

“Did I get a lot wrong?”

Lady Kate forced her lips into a smile and answered.

“A little.”

“Hiiing.”

When I drooped my eyebrows and made a tearful face, Lady Kate comforted me as if feeding me.

“Actually, among the students I’ve taught, Young Lady is somewhat, well, just a little behind. But you’ll gradually improve. I’m here for you. If you trust me and follow along, you’ll be able to become a wonderful lady.”

It was an absurd put-down.

‘How ridiculous. If I’m behind, then all the noble young ladies in the empire must have regressed a dozen times each.’

Moreover, telling me to trust only her while boasting seemed like a ploy to make me dependent on her.

‘She’s completely targeted me, it seems.’

Lady Kate’s cunning abuse methods that I’d heard about in the first round were unfolding exactly as before.

While it might work on young ladies whose egos were still immature, it had no effect on me.

‘Is the target really me? Or is it her?’

I hid my true thoughts and continued pretending to be dejected.

Until Lady Kate became completely complacent and looked down on me.

After a few more lessons of pretending to be swayed by Lady Kate’s manipulations, situations began to emerge that even someone unaware of her misdeeds would clearly see as crossing the line.

‘Perfect.’

Now it was time to take the next step.

House Roderick had a custom where all family members would gather for breakfast together at least once a week, no matter how busy they were.

This custom, which had been maintained even during times when family members of previous generations had turned against each other, had evolved in this particularly harmonious generation into spending entire Sunday mornings together as a family.

Like any other Sunday morning, today we finished our warm breakfast and moved to the family drawing room.

The family members sat in their favorite spots and had tea time.

“Here, tea for you, Lionel, and Lester, and milk for Miela.”

Father personally brewed the tea with practiced movements.

Lester’s tea, who disliked bitter things, was loaded with milk and sugar.

‘That’s basically milk with sugar and a tiny amount of tea leaves.’

At eleven years old, he was at the age where he wanted to imitate adults.

This was Father’s affection for Lester, who secretly envied Lionel for quickly switching to real tea since he didn’t particularly like sweet things.

‘I want to drink tea too.’

I sipped my milk while looking enviously at my family’s teacups.

However, parents who only allowed eleven-year-old Lionel tea that was tea in name only wouldn’t let me, five years younger, drink real tea.

‘Milk and juice are fine too, but I miss that sensation of drinking strong tea when tired and feeling completely awakened and alert.’

Of course, I’m not saying I want to be tired.

A child’s life with guaranteed nap time and playtime is the best.

Perhaps noticing my gaze, Lionel smiled brightly and asked teasingly.

“Does Miela want to drink some too?”

“Yes!”

When I answered with all my heart, Lionel savored his portion of tea, then made a regretful expression and said.

“But you can’t. If you drink tea too early, you won’t grow tall. Once Miela grows a little more, our family can have real tea time together, so let’s wait about 5 years.”

“Hiiing. You’re mean.”

His affectionate teasing felt even meaner.

When I pouted and grumbled, Lester chuckled and offered me his teacup.

“Here, one sip should be okay.”

However, I gently refused Lester’s kindness as he gestured for me to drink quickly before our parents could stop me.

I’d rather just drink milk than drink that.

“No, Miela wants to grow tall, so I’ll drink it when I turn eleven.”

Lester, taken in by my kind lie, ruffled my hair as if I were admirable.

“Ow! That hurts! And you’re messing up my hair!”

I slapped his hands with the back of mine in protest against the teenage boy’s rough handling, and Lester awkwardly withdrew his hands.

“I was being gentle though…”

I ignored Lester’s excuse and scurried over to Mother.

“Please tie it again.”

When I pointed to my sticking-out hair and made a tearful face, Mother laughed and kissed my cheek.

“Oh my, our daughter is pretty even with messy hair.”

Father nodded vigorously in agreement and made a silly face.

A maid who had been waiting outside to avoid disturbing family time brought a brush and hand mirror.

As the men of House Roderick watched Mother concentrate intently on brushing and tying my hair, they began chatting quietly among themselves.

“By the way, Father.”

“What is it, Lionel.”

“I’d like to learn geometry.”

Specifically, Lionel and Father were talking.

“Geometry?”

“Yes, during estate management lessons, I lightly studied land surveying and learned the basics of geometry, and it was interesting.”

“Ugh.”

Lester, who disliked all math-related subjects, grimaced and jeered.

Quietly enough that our parents wouldn’t hear, of course.

But loud enough for Lionel, sitting right next to him, to hear.

Lionel shot Lester a sharp glare.

Lester pretended to drink his tea with an innocent expression as if he’d done nothing.

Lionel seemed to prioritize getting Father’s permission for geometry lessons over getting back at the annoying Lester, so he left Lester alone for now.

This was because Father, who was infinitely generous with his family and easily granted most of what we siblings wanted, was taking unusually long to consider this.

“I know it’s not advisable to add lessons purely out of interest when I’m already busy with heir education. But I’ll make sure it doesn’t interfere with what I need to do.”

Seeing Lionel speak almost pleadingly, which was rare, Father’s expression softened as he smiled.

“It’s another new subject, but I have no intention of stopping you from doing what you want. Learning geometry isn’t something parents should forbid.”

Lionel’s expression brightened at the words that were close to permission.

“However.”

But Father added a condition with a firm face.

“You’re already overworking yourself. If you’re going to add geometry lessons, it would be better to reduce the hours for either estate management or foreign language classes.”

Lionel’s busy schedule wasn’t just due to a sense of duty.

‘Lionel has as much of a workaholic tendency as Leon.’

After briefly considering with apparent regret, Lionel obediently nodded.

When Father and Lionel’s conversation ended, it was Lester’s turn next.

“I want to learn archery!”

“Father, what about me!”

I also raised my hand high and jumped in.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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