The Harvest Mouse Exits the Fairytale Together with Cinderella

Did he still think he could control Sera however he pleased?
The Count, who was ordering her around as usual, looked bewildered when he saw her.

"You’re saying that your youngest daughter prevented the complete extinction of the Bluewood family’s bloodline, aren’t you?"
He blinked dumbly, clearly not understanding for a moment.
"Don’t you appreciate that?"

Then, after a delayed reaction, his face flushed bright red as he shouted angrily.
"What kind of crazy nonsense is that?"
"Oh, so you’re not grateful?"

Sera exaggerated her disappointment, putting on a look of feigned sorrow.
She placed a hand on her chest and sighed deeply, as though she were about to change her mind.
"If my kindness is not needed to that extent, then I suppose I’ll have to inform the Ratson family of your father’s wishes..."

"That... that can’t be! Of course, I’m grateful! I’m very grateful!"
"Right?"
The Count gritted his teeth, but Sera didn’t even flinch at his menacing demeanor.

It wasn’t because she had rapidly grown in just a few days.
Rather, it was...
"I’ve finally realized that I wasn’t enduring all this time because I’m some kind of fool who is overly kind or because I have great patience."

Finally, she had a desperate desire to show the Count her true intentions.
She had boldly asked Duke Valkyrisen to support her, after all.
There was no reason for her to be afraid or cowed by this insignificant Count.

Well done, well done!
Elodie smiled contentedly behind her, silently cheering her on with her arms crossed.
Now that there was a stepping stone, the only thing left was to leap.
Meanwhile, Sera walked past the Count and approached the Countess.

"Stepmother, I found out about two weeks ago that my name isn’t on the Bluewood family’s genealogy."
"...."
Names are typically added to the genealogy right after birth.

No matter how much the Count had treated his daughter like a servant, he wouldn’t have done that from the very beginning.
If it had been from the start, Sera’s biological mother wouldn’t have stayed silent.
The Count had married her mother and had a daughter, but then the daughter became a servant, unable even to leave her name in the family’s records?

After such madness, Sera’s mother would have surely brought the matter to court.
"Isn’t that strange? I’m the only direct daughter of the Bluewood family, so why isn’t my name on the genealogy?"
The Kingdom of Silvaria had a law different from most other countries.

If a family only had daughters, the eldest daughter would inherit the title.
Unlike most countries, where titles would pass to relatives if only daughters were born.
This law was created to prevent a former king, who had only a daughter, from passing his throne and the empire’s legacy to someone without direct royal blood.

If the eldest child was a daughter and the second was a son, the title would always pass to the son.
"Could it be because I’m the only direct descendant? Did someone deliberately erase my name later on?"
"...."

"If not, there’s no way my existence could have been erased."
If Sera’s name was missing from the genealogy, the culprit was obvious.
Bluewood. The Countess.

Claire Bluewood.
Sera looked down at the woman kneeling at a distance and asked,
"It was a mistake, wasn’t it, Stepmother?"

"...."
"If it was a mistake, would you kindly help ensure my name is added to the family’s genealogy?"
Though it seemed like she was giving her a chance, it was really a final warning and order.

Unlike the Count, who still couldn’t grasp the situation, the Countess could read the room.
Her facial muscles twitched uncontrollably, but she at least had the sense to accept the warning.
Claire, realizing the gravity of the situation, quickly nodded before making any excuses.

"Of course, of course. I’ll speak to the Count right away and make sure there are no issues for you."
"Mother!"
Rose, unable to hold it in anymore, raised her voice.

"I don’t know what you think you can do, but you're still Cinderella, right?"
"Be quiet."
"Why are you letting some kitchen maid intimidate you... Ugh!"

Rose, who had been glaring and baring her teeth as if to charge, suddenly had her hair yanked hard.
The one who subdued her wasn’t anyone else but the Countess, Claire.
"Mom! Mom, are you crazy?!"

Rose screamed in fury.
Regardless, Claire, still holding onto her first daughter’s red hair, forced her to bow her head.
"I’m sorry. This child grew up spoiled, so she still doesn’t know her manners."

Sera twisted her mouth into a small smile.
‘Still,’ huh?
She had been subjected to ridiculous standards and punishments from a much younger age.

The times she had been locked in the storage room and punished for minor things...
But Sera didn’t bring up these memories or vent her frustrations here.
She didn’t feel it was worth it.

Grievances only linger when there are expectations.
Now, Rose didn’t even look like the same person anymore, and there was no need to waste energy on exchanging words.
It was a waste of time.

Sera spoke with an emotionless expression.
"But you know, it’s hard to trust someone who’s already made such a big mistake."
"What should I do to make you trust me?"

"I heard that my late mother left me some keepsakes..."
At those words, Claire’s eyes twitched slightly.
"You’ll need to return them all before I can trust you."

The former Countess of Bluewood, a noblewoman of the Wiltshire Marquis family.
The keepsakes she had left for Sera were nothing but precious items, including jewels that even the Queen had coveted.
And Claire, of course, had taken all of them and kept them carefully, sometimes showing them off to others.

"They were mine from the start, so I’m sure you won’t have any complaints, right?"
"Mother! No, you promised me that when I grew up, they’d be passed down to me!"
"...There’s no way I’d have any complaints."

Sera looked down at Rose, who was still struggling, seemingly unable to accept being forced to bow her head.
"And I think the eldest sister hasn’t received proper etiquette training, considering she sees stealing as something normal."
"How dare you call me a thief..."

Slash—
That was the sound that echoed as Rose’s head was twisted completely in the opposite direction.
She froze, stunned, and touched her red cheek, as if she couldn’t believe what had happened.

Claire, without hesitation, slapped Rose’s cheek and forced her to apologize again before speaking.
"Yes, that’s more like it. I’ll make sure to give you proper etiquette training so you never cause trouble again."
"...."

Sera gave a cold smile as she watched her stepmother’s attitude change as quickly as flipping a coin.
"I hope you stay quietly in the background while I work for the family’s sake."
For the family’s sake.

That meant holding the family’s weaknesses and telling them not to even think about rebelling.
"...Of course."
"Where did you put my mother’s keepsakes?"

"You don’t need to worry about that. I’ve kept them safely in the treasure vault."
"No, I’m afraid you might try some trick if I ask you to send them later. Would you lead the way?"
"...."

The wicked woman.
Rose muttered quietly.
The second daughter, Daisy, remained silent, her expression unreadable.

Sera gave the order to guide them to the treasure vault and turned without a second thought.
She had gotten everything she needed.
And the moment she saw Elodie waiting behind, her dark expression melted away.

It was like a miracle, instantly freeing her from the negative emotions that had been eating away at her.
Sera smiled like the sunlight of spring.
"Shall we go together?"

"Mm."
Elodie, curious about the treasure vault, nodded eagerly.
Having seen every corner of the Bluewood mansion, the treasure vault was the only place that had overly strict security, so she had never entered before.

"You’re the best, Elodie."
"All of a sudden?"
"Hmm, so cute."

"I didn’t do anything..."
She asked, with a confused look, but Sera gave her a kiss on the cheek and they headed toward the treasure vault.