That Piece Of Trash Was Me - Chapter 26

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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 26

“The exam paper…? Ah, I understand.”

Lilius hurriedly went over and received the bundle of papers.

He began reading aloud the characters written on them in a somewhat frantic manner, before even properly grasping what was written on the exam paper.

“To Marquis Aster Frazier.”

“…!”

“Marquis Aster. Are you in good health? Since you do not like me calling you father, I cannot find the courage even in letters…”

Lilius’s voice began to tremble more and more.

“Please, with your generous understanding, this… understanding…”

Lilius’s hands, gripping the exam paper—no, the paper of the same material as the exam paper—were already shaking terribly.

To Lilius, who could not read any further, a cold voice fell.

“To the end. Read every single character without omission. Viscount Lilius Frazier.”

That single statement was as heavy as a blade of judgment.

A command from Assis Grand Duke Frazier that no one who set foot in the Grand Duchy could disobey.

“The, the winter weather is equally harsh to all people… please, please…”

Lilius’s voice shook more severely than a swing swaying in a strong wind, and finally he read the last line.

“To, today as well, I dare not… send this letter, so I must end it here… Your daughter… Tu, Tulia Frazier, respectfully…”

He hurriedly looked through all the papers that followed, but they all contained the same content.

Worrying about Marquis Aster Frazier’s health and expressing regret about letters that could not be sent.

They were nothing but touching letters filled with content that would truly move the hearts of ‘noble adults.’

Lilius wore a dazed expression.

Born as the youngest son of the renowned Grand Ducal House, had he ever been cornered like this by someone?

It was definitely a first.

Viscount Lilius Frazier looked at Tulia in a daze, as if bewitched by something.

She was covering her mouth with one hand, wearing an aggrieved and melancholy expression.

Not a trace of a victorious smile or triumphant look could be found.

But Lilius clearly felt it.

He had been completely outplayed.

Cold sweat ran down Lilius’s spine.

* * *

“I never expected it to be this pathetic.”

The Grand Duke’s voice broke the heavy silence that had settled.

Everyone seated in the meeting hall felt their hair stand on end.

The seasoned Assis Grand Duke Frazier’s anger was not raw like a young person’s passion.

It was closer to fear, like an endlessly surging tsunami. A massive natural disaster that instantly stripped away the fighting spirit of the masses and overwhelmed them.

“Ruk Kelfosher.”

Ruk Kelfosher, who had been standing quietly the entire time, immediately responded.

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“We will resume the ceremony in 5 minutes.”

“I will arrange it immediately.”

At those words, the servants began moving in perfect unison. It felt like stagnant air was beginning to flow again.

They drew back the curtains that had been hanging to create a solemn atmosphere.

Bright cream-colored ribbons were tied into abundant flower shapes, and the closed windows were opened to ventilate the stuffy atmosphere.

The lighting was made brighter than before. The orchestra’s melody that had stopped resumed. A sweeter, more lovely selection.

The retainers had served Grand Duke Frazier for a long time and were perfect nobles.

They properly understood how to avoid displeasing their master’s mood right now.

As if what had just happened never occurred, but occasionally casting warm, sympathetic glances toward Tulia who stood quietly.

Though Tulia Frazier stood alone without family unlike Tedrick Frazier, she no longer felt ‘alone.’

Most of those casting gentle looks her way were sincere.

“She must have been so lonely all this time.”

“They say the more empty a child feels, the more they act out with luxury and misbehavior.”

“Hasn’t she changed quite a bit? Just looking at her outfit today, it’s so proper…”

Not a single person showed interest in Lilius, Aubrey, and Tedrick.

There wasn’t a single retainer trying to make an impression on them or get in their good graces as usual.

Though they could have been angry at being treated like complete invisible people, the Lilius couple was facing an even greater trial right now.

Assis Grand Duke Frazier had not imposed any punishment ‘immediately.’

In a public setting, Tedrick had ‘falsely accused’ Tulia.

Out of jealousy toward his cousin.

It was the behavior that Assis Grand Duke Frazier disliked most—no, detested. They couldn’t even begin to imagine what punishment would befall Tedrick.

Their heads felt like they would go bald trying to gauge Assis Grand Duke Frazier’s thoughts.

Dancing barefoot on a forest path bristling with thorns would probably be less agonizing than this.

While everyone’s circumstances were so different.

Ruk Kelfosher checked the pocket watch he carried.

Exactly 5 minutes had passed.

“Your Grace. The time has come.”

When Ruk Kelfosher formally announced this, the Grand Duke, who had been lost in thought with an expressionless face throughout, rose from his seat.

“Tulia Frazier. Come forward.”

Tulia’s eyes lit up as she immediately walked forward.

* * *

‘Ha. That was long and drawn out.’

Lilius, Aubrey, Tedrick.

At most, they probably just assumed I would make the exam paper disappear and pretend it never happened, right?

‘If you strike first, naturally you have to get it back twice as hard.’

Looking at the current atmosphere, it seems I didn’t give them back twice the trouble but twenty times as much.

I just smiled brightly without restraint, pretending to be happy about finally receiving the Direct Lineage Necklace.

“This ‘Glory’ has exceptionally fine craftsmanship.”

Assis Grand Duke Frazier said as he took out the Direct Lineage Necklace from the golden box.

‘Wow, Glory.’

A name that also appeared in . It was the name for the Frazier Direct Lineage Necklace.

‘Come to think of it, Coriko is the female lead after all.’

There’s even a route where she receives that Glory despite being neither direct lineage nor blood relative.

The hurdle for her to receive it was incredibly low too.

I had to go through all kinds of dangers and hardships to receive this!

But fruit is always sweet.

I knelt on one knee and received the Glory with both hands, following the etiquette I had learned from Ruk in advance.

The pendant felt heavy on my gloved hands.

When I lowered my gaze to confirm the Glory with my own eyes, my heart began pounding wildly.

‘It really is decorated with light green and pink jewels.’

Glory was a necklace bestowed for only one Frazier.

So everything was handmade and customized.

Jewels resembling the eye color and hair color of the Frazier who would be the owner were set into a golden pendant, but I had never seen Tulia’s Glory before.

‘I never particularly saw it in The Secret Bread either.’

The fact that all these jewels were colored diamonds made me even more excited.

Pink diamonds and green diamonds.

Wasn’t it a fantastic combination?

“Tulia Frazier.”

Soon, Assis Grand Duke Frazier briefly spoke about the dignity as a Frazier that should be maintained going forward, following proper etiquette order.

“Now, try putting it on.”

The ceremony would end with me personally hanging this Glory around my neck.

‘Now I can go see the Male Leads.’

I’d be running in earnest to achieve A-grade.

The moment I lifted the gold chain with the pendant hanging from it with an excited heart.

Suddenly my hand slipped and Glory fell to the floor.

No, it almost fell.

I barely managed to catch it.

“….”

A moment of silence passed, but soon warm laughter flowed.

“Miss Tulia seems quite nervous.”

“It’s understandable that all the strength would drain from her hands. She just went through such… an incident.”

“Besides, Glory is quite heavy. Haha.”

Fortunately, the retainers who had become favorable toward me due to today’s events provided a bloody shield.

I smiled awkwardly and lifted Glory again.

To make up for my earlier mistake, I carefully brought the necklace up again as cautiously as possible.

Slip, thud.

“….”

“….”

“….”

This time, an even deeper silence than before flowed.

Glory, this damn Direct Lineage Necklace, had fallen to the floor again.

No, depending on the angle, it looked like I had thrown Glory to the ground.

“…Miss Tulia…?”

Even Ruk called my name quietly in a troubled and flustered voice.

“Miss. When you receive ‘Glory’, you must carefully and cautiously put it around your neck properly. It’s a ceremony that signifies truly accepting the honor and history of the Frazier family.”

That’s right, just a while ago, Ruk had taught me this in such a serious voice.

“This would never happen, but if you fail to put it around your neck properly… it would be interpreted as an act of insulting the founding patriarch’s blessing and the glory of the Frazier Family, so you must put it around your neck carefully, and carefully again.”

Carefully.

And carefully again….

Cold sweat began to flow all over my body.

Even the retainers who had been making excuses for my behavior with quite gentle attitudes earlier were now just rolling their eyes.

A mistake?

Strength draining from her hands?

Nervous?

A rather heavy necklace?

Even so, could this happen twice?

Unless she intended to insult this sacred occasion of receiving the Frazier necklace!

And a beat late, I realized the cause of this strange situation.

‘N-no way. This isn’t a penalty, is it…?’

As if praising my realization, or like a robot that must perform its due task, colorful text appeared before my eyes.

(!Warning: Your skill level is too low to perform the current action.)

(!Warning: If you don’t raise your skill stats, your reputation with those around you will drop to the minimum!)

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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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