Half-hearted attempt

POV: Serena Laratje

"Am I supposed to be happy about such a dress?"

With a more than irritated expression I looked in the direction of the door, which was closed only a few breaths ago.

"It was probably meant to charme your eyes, princess.", Isabelle tried a feeble attempt to cheer me up, however, it was completely unnecessary.

"Hardly."

A thin smile inevitably formed on my lips.

It was clear that this dress was not for me. On the contrary.

"It was gray-silver, Isabelle.", I continued after a few seconds of silence, causing the brunette to lower her head a little.

She had noticed the color too, of course.

It was indeed matched the iris, but not mine.

"Mother had lighter eyes than I do. Mine are not silver but ashen.", I continued mercilessly after a period of silence.

Isabelle continued to be ironically quiet.

"I wonder, however, why I received this sudden... gift."

In fact, I knew only one answer to that, but I deliberately concealed it from the older one.

I was much more impressed how quickly an appropriate response followed, however the attempt was more than half-hearted.

Serena's father showed me again very clearly that he saw his wife Odett and not his daughter Serena in me.

Above all a gray dress, no matter how much it was decorated and ornamented, was now just a gray dress.

The color hardly flattered anyone and was really not typical for a young girl in general. Especially not for someone like Serena with her unique hair.

While I preferred to wear darker colors, precisely because some bright colors were incompatible with the hair of Serena, I had taste despite that.

"Was it wise to send the dress back?"

Because of Isabelle's question, I now had to smile genuinely.

She wasn't asking if it was right, but wise.

"Why should I accept pittance? Nothing is given for free and you always have to pay a price in the end.", I replied without hesitation.

"I'm not willing to lift a finger for such a shabby dress.", I specified my words after two more breaths before heading back towards the lounge chair where I had been sitting in peace until a moment ago.

"Will you please bring us some new tea, Isabelle?"

Because of my request, the older girl almost dashed out of the room, causing me to look after her, more or less impressed.

Apparently she still worried that this insensitive gift would bother me.

A meaningless thought, however, I really appreciated her worries.

"Perhaps I should start my plans a little earlier?"

Only quietly did these words escape me in the room that was deserted except for me.

In fact, the obvious disinterest of the Laratje family and also the ignorance of most of the servants did not concern me.

In spite of this, however, I did not necessarily have to stay in this estate for this reason.

Since I would soon become 16 years old, I was in the tenth, in my case eleventh grade.

Thus, it would take another three years for me to successfully complete school.

However, due to my lack of lessons, I didn't officially possess the necessary knowledge for my age.

Therefore, it was necessary for me to get permission from Reuben Laratje to take the entrance examination of Forgé Boarding School.

Then Isabelle and I could live in peace for the next three years far away from the Laratje family and leave them directly afterwards.

Inevitably, we could even travel abroad or actually move if nothing kept us here.

Surely, provided we mastered the language and culture beforehand, we could gain a foothold there as well.

I honestly imagined it to be at least not so frightening after my unwanted journey into a fictional story.

With a deep sigh, I leaned my head back on the backrest.

Actually, I had intended to wait a few more weeks. First, I wanted to shake the Laratje family awake and startle them before I approached them.

However, I was different from the classic heroines in these Isekai stories. I had neither a more than cunning plan, nor special abilities. But the deciding factor was, of course... that I had no patience for elaborate, elegant strategies.

I just want to get away from this ignorant family, to finally enjoy my right for education.

After all, I could really throw a tantrum this time thinking about another hour of embroidery.

What additional value did embroidering a swan on a piece of fabric have for me as a human being?

I also couldn't understand how that would increase my value in the marketplace as a bride, which moreover wasn't even up for debate.

A marriage and even the initiation to one was not a one-way street.

I would certainly not lower myself to nonsensical values in order to then look after the children as a well-behaved housewife. While my supposed husband can be satisfied without any limitation, because he was born as a man into this world. He could do everything he wanted. Including keeping a mistress.

Marriage was because of this out of the question for me. Besides, I wouldn't get any additional value out of it from the beginning, only the Laratje family.

So why should I sacrifice myself for this family?

Only this body formed a link with the Laratjes, who have punished Serena with ignorance and half-heartedness for years.

I can and will, when they had no more use for me, turn my back on them without hesitation and disappear along with Isabelle.

After all, half-hearted affection or even appreciation, whatever the reason for it in the first place, could sometimes be more painful than any hurtful word or even insult.

The proof was Serena, who in her delusion had almost euphorically planned her own suicide just to be sure of her family's attention at least once.

She had been really, really pitiful and I will not repeat her mistakes.