“There is no but. From now on, I will hinder you, Elodie. So you cannot poison anything.”

Themis’s unthinkable words, telling her not to use her powers, made her forget everything that had been said before.

Themis asked with a smile,

“Do you think you can handle me?”

Chatter chatter…….

Elodie shook her head, drained.

‘I can’t handle the Duchess.’

But a ban on powers, a ban on powers……!

Seeing Elodie’s face full of words she wanted to say, Themis drove the point home.

“If you take poison again, I’ll tell your father.”

Crash……. It felt like lightning struck above her head.

‘The Duchess is hindering my independence.’

As she was pondering how to convince the Duchess, Themis looked at Elodie seriously.

“Elodie. Can I ask you something?”

“Yes, please.”

“I wonder why you need the money.”

Elodie had already thought up an excuse for this question. Therefore, Elodie’s answer was virtually decided.

But she did not want to remain consistently silent or dishonest.

So, somewhat impulsively, Elodie blurted out,

“……To become independent.”

“…….”

Uncomfortable silence flowed.

The Duchess looked down at Elodie with an unreadable face.

‘Independence…’

Themis’s mind became confused.

Independence, the word made all of Elodie’s strange behaviors understood.

Suddenly quitting her tantrums and settling in the annex.

Being indifferent no matter how Yansi and Carlot behaved.

Approaching first, speaking without hesitation.

Refusing her husband’s proposal to come into the main house.

Desperately making an antidote to gather money.

Everyone thought Elodie had changed for the better, but no.

When she first told Themis about the awakening of her powers, Elodie said calmly,

“I’m good at understanding my subject, you know.”

Understanding well her subject of being a bastard.

“I don’t want to be misunderstood for nothing.”

“So you don’t have to worry.”

She would not bother Yansi and Carlot, so no need to worry.

‘Was it from then?’

Elodie had given up on fitting into Ferdia.

She was preparing to leave.

Since there was nothing left to wish for, there was no need to get angry.

After realizing all these facts, Themis could not bear to look at Elodie’s face.

Because her part in making Elodie give up was not small.
Temis knew that Elodie was afraid of her, but she had never tried to approach her first.

When Elodie first came to this mansion, it was because she had made some kind of promise with her husband.

Among those conditions, there was something related to Elodie.

So, Temis had no right.

The right to act as a mother in place of her vanished biological mother.

‘You must be tired. You must have been lonely.’

Elodie’s already small frame looked even more fragile today.

But Temis couldn’t hold her.

Instead, she spoke as if announcing, with the somewhat arrogant face of the Duchess as usual.

“Yes, ……independence. I won’t stop you from declaring independence. You’ll be an adult once the adulthood ceremony is over, and Elodie, you must have thought about it too. But I can’t cooperate with this method.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you in advance.”

Elodie apologized to Temis with a shiver.

Watching her observant face, Temis suddenly opened her mouth.

“I heard you refused your father’s request to come back to the main house.”

“Yes, I did.”

“Is it because of me?”

Elodie’s eyes trembled unreservedly at the direct question.

“No, no, it’s not. If I go back now, everyone will be uncomfortable[—].”

Interrupting Elodie’s words, Temis asked again.

“I’m asking for your opinion, Elodie.”

Elodie, who hesitated for a moment, nodded slightly.

“……It’s not entirely comfortable.”

Temis nodded lightly with a faint smile. She got the honest answer she wanted.

“Then, I’ll make you comfortable…….”

Elodie tilted her head and asked, not having heard the quietly muttered words properly.

“What did you just say?”

“It’s nothing. Now, we should go home, right?”

“Yes, just a moment……!”

Temis waited for Elodie, who began to collect poison and antidote bottles, and made various plans in her head.

‘It’s been a while since my blood boiled.’

The plan to sabotage Elodie’s independence, that is.

(This is a time delimiter.)

I lost my job.

‘No, in this case, should I say I lost my client?’

I lost it anyway…….

Since I can’t make antidotes anymore, I can’t earn money, so I can’t save for independence, and if the day comes when it’s revealed that I’m not Duke Ferdia’s real daughter while groveling in the annex…….

“I’ll die…….”

Now all I can trust is the money invested in Mage Elbie, namely Magetower Isis.

How can I turn that into big money within 3 years?

At that moment, when I was about to lose myself in various thoughts[—].

“What’s dying?”

“Aaagh!”

I was startled and turned around at the sudden voice from beside me.

Carlot was perched right next to the balcony on a tree.

He seemed to be in a good mood for some reason.

“What are you doing at home today? Every single day, you’re playing with that bird, no, that guy, who is either Ian or a mercenary king.”

His tone was sarcastic, but why was he smiling?

Instead of answering Carlot’s question, I pointed out his method of visiting.

“Carl, doors aren’t decorations.”

“This is also a door, sister. A window.”

He answered with a smile.

‘Ah, he’s mischievous.’

I’m still not used to Carlot’s openly flattering appearance.

When I frowned and subtly pulled back, Carlot landed on the balcony and came in.

“That’s not the problem, sister. There’s a big problem.”

“Why? What’s the matter?”

“Today is family dinner day.”

I had already been notified through the butler yesterday, so I nodded.

“Why is that a big problem?”

It’s a big problem from my point of view since I don’t want to go to the dinner table.

Carlot, still grinning, opened his mouth, saying it was a big problem.

“Mother said we should eat out.”

“……!”

I was so surprised that I almost fell backward.

Eating out?

‘With the Ferdia people……?!’