The Failed and Useless Noble Lady Will Be Reborn into Overwhelming Love!? - 01. A girl loved by all, the spitting image of a saint... and the love-starved girl who took her in—that’s me.

I, Lutzia Liestella, was a child who wasn’t loved.

“Why would you say something so cruel!? You don’t like me that much, do you, Lutzia!?”

“Eh?”

Startled by her unexpected reaction, I stumbled over my words.

While I was still in shock, I heard her—Lizette’s—voice as she started crying, and my parents hurried over. They tried to coax out the details from Lizette, who was still sobbing.

But I was stunned by what Lizette said.

“L-Lutzia said that I’m just a hindrance… that she’ll never accept me as family.”

What!? I never said that!

All I did was envy Lizette, who was loved and treasured,

“Yeah, Lizette’s lucky, being loved. I’m part of the family, but I’m just a hindrance.”

I just said that out of a bit of self-pity…

Apparently, Lizette misunderstood what I said.

Wait, did she think I said,

“I’m part of the family, but (Lizette is) a hindrance”?

Could that be what she heard!?

I’ve always been bad at speaking, and despite trying to be careful, Lizette often misunderstood me, so maybe I said something wrong again.

But before I could say anything, my father glared at me fiercely.

“How could you…! Lutzia, to think you could have such a vile nature…! How dare you say such terrible things to Lizette!”

“U-um…”

“How could you have grown into such a child? Lizette is such a kind-hearted girl.”

“B-but…”

I wanted to say it wasn’t true, but the more I tried to, the more my words failed me.

Because, no matter what I said, my father and mother never believed me.

Before I could explain myself, my father shot at me:

“Why are you always like this? I’m ashamed of you! I almost want to throw you out right now!”

I had heard those words many times before.

But at that moment, in my mind, I heard something snap.

“Oh, my sweet Lizette. No matter what anyone says, Lizette is our daughter.”

Though Lizette had been crying, she was now in my mother’s arms, smiling.

I couldn’t remember much of what happened after that. My mind went blank. When I came to, I was alone in my room.

Slowly coming back to my senses, I got up and took two pieces of paper from a drawer.

“I guess this paper and those words… they really want me to leave, don’t they…”

The papers were documents to remove me from the Liestella family’s registry. Even worse, my father’s name and the necessary details were already filled in. All that was left was for me to write my name.

The other paper was, in short, a contract to sell me to the “Magic Tower.”

The Magic Tower was a mysterious, special place where powerful magic users resided.

The first time I saw this paper, I was shaking. Sure, I had suspected I wasn’t loved, but I never thought they were already preparing to remove me from the family and sell me like this. I never thought I’d be so despised. I didn’t want to believe it.

But this was reality…

This document had been given to me by Lizette. After I made her cry, she brought it to me, crying.

“I want to be friends with Lutzia, so I convinced my parents to give me this paper! So they wouldn’t send you away somewhere. Why, Lutzia, why are you always so cruel to me?”

I was shocked by that fact, and ever since then, I’d been spending more time in my room.

The memory of my parents glaring at me stuck in my mind.

When my mother said, “Lizette is our daughter,” I couldn’t help but feel like she was saying, “Lutzia isn’t someone we can acknowledge as our daughter.”

And… I thought that maybe that wasn’t too far from the truth.

✳︎ ✳︎ ✳︎

When Lizette was little, she lost her parents in a carriage accident and was taken in by our family. Lizette’s real father was a friend of my parents.

Lizette’s mother had special abilities and was known as a “Saint.” She was a beautiful woman, loved by everyone.

My parents had been particularly devoted followers of Lizette’s mother.

Many people were devoted to Lizette’s mother, and many families wanted to take in Lizette, who was left alone, but it took a large sum of money to bring her into the Liestella family.

With her beautiful silver hair and orange eyes, Lizette was a mystical child, angelic and cute. She quickly became the favorite in our house. My parents and the servants, who had paid attention to me just yesterday, were all completely smitten with her.

Moreover, Lizette had inherited a special ability from her mother, known as a saint’s magic.

She could heal wounds and illnesses with her divine magic.

I remember the day we both received magical evaluations at the temple when Lizette was five. I can’t forget it. That was the day I learned Lizette had special abilities, while I… found out I had none.

After that, Lizette was taught by the best tutors, while I only received the bare minimum.

Though it wasn’t about being loved or not, it was only natural… After all, there was no point in giving me the same education as Lizette when I had no abilities.

I, who actually liked studying, spent most of my free time alone, reading old books my grandfather had collected. Even if it seemed pointless, learning was still enjoyable.

“Ha…”

I stopped reflecting on the past and sighed softly. Yeah… I’ve given up. As long as I’m here, I’ll always expect to be loved. And that’s the most exhausting part.

No matter where I go, I’ll always be unloved and alone. So, isn’t it better if I just disappear, as my family wishes? That way, maybe someone else will be happier.

I thought this as I sat at my desk, picking up a pen.

I signed the paper to remove me from the Liestella family registry, and the paper glowed before disappearing. It seemed to be a high-level magical contract.

I felt a little down, realizing how badly they wanted me gone.

I quickly signed the contract for the Magic Tower.

Not wanting to hesitate and risk second-guessing myself, I did it all at once.

As soon as I signed, my name glowed gold and floated up, the light flying out the window.

What was that? Was it some kind of magic?

I was momentarily captivated by the strange sight, but I soon snapped out of it. I couldn’t waste any more time. I left a simple note and grabbed a small bag, sneaking out of the mansion.

Since the day Lizette had confronted me with the harsh reality, I had secretly been preparing for this.

No one cared about me anyway, and if I stayed locked in my room, it was common not to see anyone for days, so it shouldn’t be a problem. Before anyone noticed I was gone, the letter confirming my removal from the family would surely arrive, and that would be a happy ending for everyone in the Liestella family.

The face of the only person who had ever been kind to me, my brother, crossed my mind. But at the same time, I remembered something I had overheard him say.

“We can’t marry if we’re siblings…”

When I overheard that mutter from my brother, I understood. That’s why my parents never made Lizette a formal adopted child, no matter how much they loved her. My brother didn’t want Lizette to become a formal adoptive child because he wanted to marry her.

And then I heard more.

“I don’t want to be kind to that person. But pretending to care is the best thing for now.”

That “person” was me. I quickly realized that. My brother had been talking to his friends, the ones who always criticized me and praised Lizette.

I hadn’t heard their voices, but I knew they must’ve teased my brother for being nice to me.

Yeah, if I disappear, my brother won’t have to pretend to be nice to me anymore. I’m sure he’ll be happy about that.

I thought this as I continued walking.

Lizette, loved by everyone. Me, loved by no one.

Today, I’ll end these days of envy and pain…