My Life Was Taken by My Charm-Wielding Sister—But It Ends Here (The Mind-Reading Noble Lady’s Journey to Happiness After Escaping Her Toxic Family) - Episode 5

The evening party venue was vast and dazzling. Under the soft glow of chandeliers, beautifully dressed nobles in colorful gowns conversed elegantly to the flow of gentle music. With so many people gathered, it was impossible to distinguish which were actual spoken words and which were the voices of their hearts.

(I was worried I might get crushed by the ‘voices,’ but…)

Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad if I kept my distance. If I treated them like background music, I could probably ignore most of them.

My eyes suddenly caught the vibrant array of food laid out. Though she’d had proper meals these past few days, Otilie—who had endured a life of hunger until recently couldn’t help but gulp.

“Ee…!”

[Have you already forgotten what I just told you?]

Iama’s high heel came down hard on Otilie’s toes. What she meant by ‘what I just told you’ apparently referred to ‘behavior that might make us seem provincial to others.’

“My apologies, sister,” Otilie whispered, her eyes welling up with tears.

“First, let’s greet Her Highness the Princess Consort. It seems she’s already arrived,” their father said, gliding through the venue without noticing their exchange. Otilie hurried after them to keep up. A short distance ahead, she noticed a particularly large crowd gathering. Though her height prevented her from seeing, the person at the center must be the Princess Consort.

“Pardon me. I wish to greet Her Highness the Princess Consort. Would you mind stepping aside?”

“A-Ah, Marquis Einhorn! …Of course.”

When their father addressed the surrounding people, they parted like ripples clearing a path. Then their inner voices came flooding into Otilie’s mind.

[There he is! Marquis Einhorn. Still as unpleasant as ever.]

[I haven’t even greeted her yet. But it’s better not to catch his attention.]

[Scary. Staying uninvolved is the safest bet.]

It seemed their father was quite feared among the nobility. Given his ability to read memories through mere touch, it made sense but that probably wasn’t the only reason. Learning she wasn’t the only one afraid of him brought Otilie a small measure of relief.

“Good evening, Your Highness.”

“Oh, Marquis Einhorn. You’ve come.”

A woman smiled as she spoke. She appeared to be a beautiful young woman in her twenties. Her striking purple eyes, the same shade as the Einhorn family’s particularly stood out, and Otilie found herself captivated.

“Are these two your daughters?”

“Yes. My eldest, Iama, and my second daughter, Otilie. Both of you, greet Her Highness.”

Urged by her father, Otilie gulped.

(What should I do? Will I be able to greet her properly?)

Her legs frozen with tension and anxiety, she stepped forward to stand beside Iama.

[You’re in the way, Otilie. Step back. I’ll greet her first.]

Hearing Iama’s voice, Otilie hastily retreated.

“A pleasure to meet you, Your Highness. I am Iama, daughter of Marquis Einhorn. I look forward to your continued acquaintance.”

Iama performed a deep, graceful curtsy as she spoke. Murmurs of admiration rose from the crowd at her beautiful gesture. Otilie had been watching intently, but meeting the Princess Consort’s eyes, she hurriedly followed her sister’s example.

“A pleasure to meet you, Your Highness. I am Otilie, the second daughter. Thank you for inviting us today.”

Her heart pounded loudly. Though she tried her best, Otilie’s voice trembled. This was her first time before such a large crowd, and she rarely spoke in daily life—so it was only natural. But that didn’t matter to those around her. Failing to greet properly left Otilie feeling crushed.

[As expected of Otilie. You’ve played the perfect foil for me. That clumsy curtsy and pathetic greeting—they must have made my flawless greeting stand out all the more.]

At that moment, she heard Iama’s delighted voice. Feeling her heart sink further, Otilie timidly raised her head. There, the Princess Consort smiled gently at her.

[Just as I thought. She’s a very lovely young lady.]

(Huh…?)

Was that thought really directed at her? …No, that couldn’t be, Otilie reconsidered, stepping back behind her sister once more.

“Thank you both for your wonderful greetings. You are most welcome. By the way, as daughters of the Einhorn family, were you both born with some special abilities?”

“Indeed! Iama actually possesses the power of fascination.”

Their father lowered his voice beside the Princess Consort. Iama’s ability was a family secret. A powerful, rare talent that could serve as a trump card in politics or war. If the nobility learned of it and grew wary, it would lose its value. From Iama’s perspective, once she met someone she wanted to charm, their wariness wouldn’t matter much.

“Oh my…! Are you sure you should be sharing such a secret with me?”

“Of course, Your Highness. I wish to devote my abilities entirely to serving our country. If I were to join the royal family, many things could be accomplished smoothly.”

Iama smiled confidently. The surrounding crowd grew restless.

[…I see. So, this is where she declares ‘I want to be my princess.’ What a bold woman.]

Just then, a voice echoed clearly in her mind, seemingly from nowhere. Though other inner voices buzzed around, this one was strangely loud and distinct as if spoken directly to her. As she wandered her gaze, she noticed a man staring straight at Otilie.

He had beautiful golden hair, intelligent brows, a well-shaped nose, and a tall, slender build that radiated a dazzling presence. But what caught Otilie’s eye most were his heterochromatic eyes: the left, the same purple as the Einhorn family, and the right, a vivid green.

(Pretty…)

They were like jewels. Though she knew it was rude to stare, she felt irresistibly drawn.

“And what ability does Otilie possess?”

Suddenly addressed by the Princess Consort, Otilie snapped to attention. Just as her father leaned in to whisper to the Princess Consort, Iama stepped boldly forward.

“Her ability is to read people’s minds without permission. Quite vulgar, don’t you think? I find it creepy. Your Highness would be wise not to think too much in front of her. She’ll peek into your heart without asking.”

At Iama’s words, the surrounding nobles reacted strongly. Otilie felt the blood drain from her face.

“She can read minds? Is that even possible?”

“So, we can’t hide anything around her?”

[As expected, the Einhorn family is terrifying. Best to keep our distance.]

Conversations and inner voices flew back and forth. She wanted to cover her ears, but couldn’t.

Not only the virtuous, but also those with something to hide began to withdraw all at once.

(So being able to read minds really is something creepy.)

Until now, she’d only known the reactions of those in the mansion. Being rejected like this made her realize anew how rare her ability was. Afraid to check how the Princess Consort felt, Otilie looked down and bit her lip. If she didn’t, she felt tears might fall.

[You can read inner voices. That’s great. Really great. I think it’s a wonderful ability.]

Then, someone else’s inner voice reached her; the same voice as the man from before. Slowly raising her head, she found the man standing right before her. Smiling gently at the startled Otilie, he spoke.

“It’s alright, Lady Otilie. We won’t think anything that would trouble you if you heard it. Right, Mother?”

“…Huh?”

Otilie and Iama’s voices harmonized perfectly.

[Mother? Then this must be Lord Varick?]

Iama’s voice couldn’t hide her excitement. Otilie alternated her gaze between the Princess Consort and the man.

The man kept his eyes on Otilie as he gently narrowed them.