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"𝐖𝐇𝐘?" Leo was the first one to speak, his bright red eyes filled with surprise and hurt. "Didn't you say you'd stay here with us? You said you would help me-"
"I think you're forgetting who I am. I am the first child of the Eisenberg family. Yet the title was passed to you. Do you know how to become the duke? Do you know how hard it is? For a long time, it was I who studied for the title. And then you were born, and I was no longer the first child, but the only daughter." Here, Victoria's icy eyes turned towards her so called father's. Albert looked down in shame. "I will not babysit and watch as the dukedom, for which I worked so hard to receive, is passed down to a boy who isn't even confident enough to call himself the heir."
It was harsh, she knew. But for the sake of her happiness, she would cut ties willingly. After all, it was them who gave up the chance to receive her love, for favor of publicity and tradition. They abandoned her first, so why couldn't she?
"So now, I, reborn as a lady who will follow her own path, will go to the Academy to study medicine and magic. Because during the long period until now, in which you turned your back to me, I have been spending days and nights studying, reading, and practicing in the library. Oh yes. I discovered that I have quite the talent for magic and medicine." Obviously, Victoria didn't spend days in nights in the library. She died and was reborn into this body only yesterday. But they didn't know that, because they never paid any fucking attention.
Victoria stood up in the silence, straightening her skirt elegantly and turning to leave. "I have no care for the duchy anymore. You can have it, boy. But you better be a thousand times better than the duke I would've been."
"And Cyril, dear child, follow me." Victoria added, sliding her eyes towards the young teen of 14. He was the only one who stayed with her, although he couldn't do anything. In her memories, the youngest always held his older sister's hand as she cried. Now Victoria was 17, and Leo was 15. Each of them were born from different mothers, and Cyril wasn't even related to Albert. He was the child of Albert's mistress, and the man had adopted Cyril into the Eisenberg family.
Before, the original Victoria was bitter. Another boy who further blocked her path to power, to freedom. Another obstacle, another enemy. The current Lia, who possessed the original Victoria's body, would've definitely felt the same.
But then Cyril had stumbled across Victoria as she read in the garden, and he, then 6, simply sat next to the 9 year old girl. For awhile, Victoria ignored the kid. What an annoying brat, she had thought. But then after that day, he came to sit next to her every day, brining along a snack for them both and a book for himself to read.
And Victoria grudgingly admitted that the boy was determined, and so she gave him a fairytale from her collection. That was the start of their strong friendship.
"Cyril. I know that you believe you could be a better duke than that fool, Leo. Better than that so called father of ours, Albert." The lady bent down to the child's height, putting her hands on his shoulders. "I agree. If it is you, I am willing to easily give up the dukedom. I told both of the useless males that I had no care for the duchy, but that is false. I still desire power. But you, my dear, can be better than even I. You only need to work hard. It will be even more tiring, because of your lack of blood ties. But I know you can do it." Victoria smiled, ruffling the boy's blond hair.
This was the only thing she would do for her younger brother. It was obvious that at the moment, Cyril was inferior to her in every way, be it swordsmanship, magic, wisdom or knowledge. So the best thing she could give him, was a strong, harsh incentive for him to be better, for him to grow greater.
The boy studied his sister with big, sparkling eyes. She, who spoke so wisely, so confidently. She, who seemed to hold a new glint in her eyes.
