Duke Astra strode quickly into his study.

The moment he sat down, the administrators who had followed him spoke up.

“I simply cannot understand what kind of miracle this is. A young lady barely three years old interpreting ancient language!”

The people of Astra did not believe that children could achieve results on the exam.

At the stunned comment, another spoke up.

“Perhaps the exam questions were leaked.”

“Leaked?”

“It means they might have known which sentences would appear and memorized them beforehand.”

Ancient language was still a script extremely difficult to decipher.

There was no key, and it was completely different from any existing language, making it hard to even guess.

The historical text excerpting the exam questions was still only partially deciphered.

Another administrator shook his head.

“The exam questions were finalized just before the main branch exam.”

“Yes. Besides, how could ‘Miss Erilot Astra’ have bribed the examiners?”

Her mother was a commoner.

Her father was the son most estranged from the Duke.

“Who in their right mind would dare leak exam questions for such a young lady?”

The administrators all nodded in understanding and sighed.

“But then, how did she do it?”

While everyone fell silent, one administrator said,

“Perhaps Miss Erilot Astra has awakened her Ability.”

“...!”

“...!”

Nobles in this world are born with special abilities.

Precognition.

Super strength.

Power to make plants grow rapidly.

They varied greatly.

These were called , and it was believed that one must be born with Gaho to be a noble.

“But Miss Erilot Astra was powerless.”

One administrator asked,

“Gaho manifests before the fontanelle closes on a baby’s head.”

“Yes, the lady’s fontanelle has long been closed.”

That was why she was sent to the Twelfth Tower where cadet branch children lived, as soon as the fontanelle closed.

The Duke, lost in thought, said,

“Bring Erilot here.”

His voice was terrifyingly low.

Arriving at grandfather’s study, I quietly looked around.

The room was packed with administrators, scholars, and even retainers.

They showed me a book.

“Please read.”

“...”

“From the second line on page 72. Here.”

I glanced at my grandfather and read the part the administrator pointed to.

“Cheomtabi anggongdatta. Gosae, gyeossiriyeotta.”

(The spire has been completed. It was the fruit of hardship.)

The scholars all took a deep breath.

“Th-that’s correct.”

The old man looked so shocked his eyes seemed to pop out.

He nodded at the administrators and looked at the Duke.

“It seems the has indeed manifested.”

‘It’s just Hangul.’

Since it was a Korean-written novel, it wasn’t strange for the ancient language to be Korean.

But it was within expectations that they would think so.

People of this world attributed ‘unusual situations’ mostly to Gaho.

The retainers’ expressions were subtle.

Gaho was like family property, so ‘just the ability to read ancient language’ was met with a lukewarm expression.

The retainers began discussing.

“At least it’s fortunate that she received Gaho...”

“Should we assign a priestess to develop her ability?”

“Yes. To develop the ‘ability to read ancient language’ and see what can be gained—”

While they talked, I kept looking at the book.

At one point, I hesitantly read aloud.

“Mirute, pyeoya, yoe ppyeo, maejanhayeo...”

(Mirten, plain, dragon bone, buried...)

“...!”

“...!”

All eyes suddenly turned to me.

A retainer, stiff-faced, asked,

“What did you say?”

“Miruten plain. There are bones. Here.”

Pointing at the sentence, the people gaped.

Dragon bones were extremely precious resources.

Their hardness surpassed iron, so weapons made from dragon bones boasted immense power.

But they were so rare that even with money, no one would sell them anymore.

It was like discovering a diamond mine.

“Map! Bring the map!”

An administrator hurriedly brought a map, and the adults gathered to check the location.

“This was the place called the Mirten Plain in ancient times.”

The retainers quickly handed the map to the Duke.

The Duke quietly gazed at it and said,

“Verify if this is true.”

The administrator dashed out.

I calmly looked at my grandfather.

‘It’s real.’

It was definitely written in that historical text.

‘Besides, it will be discovered soon.’

It would be found during the temple construction process in a few months.

I chuckled inwardly.

‘Since it will be discovered anyway, my tip counts as credit.’

The Duke turned his gaze to me. From his narrow eyes came a chilling sensation down my spine.

The oppressive aura was enough to make a normal kid burst into tears.

I clutched my skirt tightly and smiled awkwardly.

‘I know my place.’

If they just feed me and don’t bully me, I’ll behave quietly.

—That was my silent plea.

The Duke’s eyebrows twitched faintly.

I felt completely drained as I got out of the carriage.

Thanks to the carriage the castle provided, my body was comfortable, but my mood was like I’d ridden a roller coaster ten times over.

‘Why do people have such fierce eyes?’

Not even criminals in movies have eyes like that.

Thinking that, I trudged into the Twelfth Tower.

Maybe because it was getting dark, the tower was quiet.

Voices came from the kids’ bedrooms.

“The main estate is so cool. Monsters guard every door!”

[You didn’t cry because you were scared?]

“Not at all.”

[Right. Our Dellen is brave.]

I heard a conversation with parents.

“I hate carrots. I hate the nanny.”

“Oh my. The nanny’s heart aches. For the lady I love to hate me.”

“No! That was a lie...”

“Then you’ll eat carrots, right?”

“Ugh... no...”

Sounds of a child acting spoiled with the nanny.

I stood silently in the dim hallway, listening to the affectionate sounds drifting from the rooms.

“...”

‘A child’s body is really inconvenient.’

If I were an adult, these things wouldn’t bother me at all.

I had no mother, and my father was far away at war.

‘And I don’t even have a nanny.’

Here, kids had nannies because even cadet branch nobles deserved them.

Until yesterday, I was a transparent person in the Astra family, with no one looking after me.

So I wasn’t given a nanny.

‘Though I sweet-talked the tower’s servants and teachers, so it’s not too uncomfortable...’

I rubbed my skirt with my palm and then suddenly lifted my head.

‘I should hurry and take a bath.’

Here, warm water flowed abundantly.

Unlike Yoo Hyemin’s tiny rented room, there was even a bathtub.

Soaking in warm water would make me feel better quickly.

‘No matter how bad I feel, will I be stuck like this forever?’

I walked the hallway bravely, planning for the future.

If dragon bones come from the place called Mirten Plain, my stock price will soar.

Then many benefits would come my way.

I’d use those benefits to plan my future.

‘Saving money and running away is best...’

Just as I thought that and approached a door—

“Ahk!”

Someone suddenly yanked my collar.

Startled, I looked up and saw a familiar face.

“Skinny...”

The kid who had to write ten apology letters because he tattled on me yesterday.

He dragged me deep into the corridor.

“Do you know how much trouble you caused me yesterday?”

‘That’s because you bullied me first.’

I thought that, but Skinny’s face twisted.

“What kind of traitor are you?”

“...”

“You cheated on today’s exam, right? That’s why you stayed at the main estate and got scolded.”

While I was at the main estate, the people in this tower must have guessed.

A three-year-old reading ancient language.

They had no explanation but cheating.

Skinny sneered maliciously.

“You’re hated by the Duke and now caught cheating, so you’ll be kicked out of this tower too.”

“...”

“Because of a traitor like you, I’ve been humiliated... Do you know who my father is? He’s a vassal lord with a territory!”

“...”

“Apologize to me. Kneel and beg!”

He shoved me hard and I fell flat on my butt.

“Ouch!”

It hurt so much tears welled up.

Even as I groaned in pain, Skinny kept yelling.

“Can’t you hear me?!”

Skinny raised his hand at me.

I don’t usually fight kids.

I normally told adults to resolve things.

It was easier, but mostly I was gentle because they were kids.

‘But violence is another matter.’

Not once, but several times.

“Kneel and beg right now... Aagh!”

I bit Skinny’s leg hard.

When he bent down to pull me away,

“Ack!”

I grabbed his hair firmly.

He kept pushing—

“Ack!”

Calling me a traitor—

“Ack!”

Threatening and mocking me!

“Ack!”

Shaking his head up, down, left, and right, Skinny finally burst into tears.

“Ooh... Mom...!”

He cried so loudly people gathered around.

Suddenly the place became noisy.

Soon the teachers rushed over.

They parted the crowd and stared at us with stunned faces.

Skinny and I were dragged to a room.

I sat quietly clutching my skirt, while Skinny cried loudly.

Baron Moro, the overall manager of the Twelfth Tower, held his forehead.

“What on earth is going on?”

“That brat bit and hit me, wah...!”

At Skinny’s words, Moro glared at me.

I calmly tried to explain.

“Skinny started it—”

“Enough!”

Moro sharply interrupted.

Without letting me ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) say more, he scolded me.

“Attacking a classmate and making excuses.”

His gaze was ice-cold.

‘I knew he’d act like this, but this is too much.’

Other teachers liked me, but not Baron Moro.

He was a strict bloodline purist and opportunist.

When I was a baby,

“Why did such an idiot get this task? I’d rather be dead and at peace.”

He once ranted like that.

Of course, he probably thought I couldn’t understand.

But even now, his eyes looked at me like I was garbage.

That’s why I had tried to make at least some teachers my allies.

Because living is hard if the head is like that.

“Besides, I heard you cheated on the exam.”

‘So that’s what he was really angry about.’

He thought I stained his reputation by cheating at the castle.

Moro clicked his tongue.

“Punishment: stand holding a bucket every lunch break.”

After saying that, Moro turned to Skinny.

His gaze was dripping with honey.

“Stop crying now. How would your father feel?”

“Yes, Baron...”

“You had a hard time yesterday, didn’t you?”

“Because of that traitor—!”

Skinny glared at me defiantly.

Moro smiled softly.

“Don’t worry. Nothing will be recorded.”

“Really?”

“Yes. And please tell your father not to worry.”

Saying that, Moro called a servant to bring a bucket full of water.

Then he sent me out and handed me the bucket.

“Don’t try to slack off.”

He said firmly and went back inside with Skinny.

Laughter and cheerful voices floated from the room.

“Would you like some snacks?”

“Good.”

“By the way, what hobbies does your father have? Oh, horseback riding. I like it too.”

While Skinny chatted excitedly, I held the bucket.

‘At least hold it.’

The main estate had taken an interest in me for the first time.

If I messed up here, my initial image would be ruined.

While I was struggling, the kids I studied with approached.

“Why is the baby here?”

The kids at my table called me the youngest baby in the tower, probably because I called myself a baby.

“Bur bada.” (You’ll be punished.)

“Why?”

“Sesai da geuron goya.” (That’s just how the world is.)

“Oh, so the world is like that and we get punished.”

The kids nodded.

“Babies go to their rooms. Chueo.” (Babies go to their rooms. Shush.)

Unlike Skinny, those kids were low-ranking cadet branch.

If I stayed with them, strict Baron Moro might punish them too.

The kids said “Okay,” and left.

I had to be punished for quite a while.

Ten minutes.

Twenty minutes.

Thirty minutes.

No sign of the Baron.

‘How long do I have to do this?’

The longer it went on, the more my hands hurt.

My shoulders felt like they’d fall off.

As I groaned, Moro came out into the hallway.

“Hey. Don’t slack off.”

Then he struck the bucket.

“Hold it properly!”

“Ah!”

Already weak, I staggered under the weight and fell.

Splash!

Water spilled on the floor, and I looked like a drenched rat.

“You really are no different from a rat.”

Moro glared fiercely.

Then—

“Erilot.”

‘...!’

I whipped my head around at the impossible voice.

Moro and Skinny also quickly looked back.

A silhouette swallowed by the tower’s shadows stepped out of the darkness.

Leaning on a silver staff, looking at us—

“Gampa...”

It was Duke Astra.