Chapter 17 - Imposter Within Us..

Leonardo Amory Winter was a great knight who fought alongside the previous emperor in the war. He was known far and wide for his bravery and swordsmanship.

Many ladies at that time admired him but he fell in love with the simple-minded lady of a fallen count family.

Even though some people opposed the marriage of the empire best knight with a lady with no special background, they still got married and had 5 kids.

Out of which 3 were sons and 2 were daughters.

Many would think that they lived happily ever after but not every story have a happy ending. As his death came nearer he announced that he would choose a new head for the winter family,

but the only one who fitted that position was the 2sd son Raymond who was a creative and artistic person and the 3rd son Benjamin who was known for his intelligence.

But right before the day of finally choosing the next successor his 3rd son died due to some unknown reason and the 2sd son gave up the succession.

In the end, he didn't find anyone who deserved to be the head of the family, so he handed that power into the hands of Lilith the younger sister of his wife.

This decision wasn't welcomed by every member of the family so they asked to divide the property. Lilith agreed to it and divided the property into 6 parts out of which she got the biggest part as she was the head of the family.

"This doesn't clear my questions," I said as I closed the book.

"Mine too, even though the book is so heavy only little information is written about our other family members."Ash Said.

"But why did grandfather choose only his younger sons as the candidate, leaving the older ones? And what happened at the day before the succession ceremony?" I said as I looked at the book.

"Grandfather was such a great knight I never heard of it before I thought we always dealt with crafts only," Ash said.

"Ha, this book only rose more questions!!" I said irritatingly.

"True, but Sister since uncle Leal gave us this book, Don't you think he wanted these questions to arise in our mind?" Ash said as he looked towards me.

According to Leal personality it's possible cuz no matter how modest he looks he is too sharp, maybe this was a test he set up for us. I guess he wanted to see if we are mature enough to figure out these things or not.

"I guess you are right. Then let's visit uncle Leal tomorrow shall we!!" I asked Ash.

"Okay!!" Ash said as he nodded his head.

The Next Day

We escaped the house saying that we are going to a gathering, because if we said we are going to uncle Leal, Mother would even ask us what we are going to do there.

And if she knew that we are trying to find out about our other family members who knows if she will allow it or not.

"Sister I heard the other day Crown Prince bought you home, and that too you were sleeping," Ash said in a worried tone.

"OH, that yeah I was really tired that day and the crown prince was nearby so he just offered me a lift but I was so tired that I slept right there," I said as I looked outside hoping that he wouldn't notice my lie.

"Is that it!" Ash asked.

"Yeah it's just like that, so stop worrying!" I said as I poked his cheeks.

"Okay if you say so~," He said as he shrugged.

After travelling for half an hour we finally reached Uncle Leal mansion it was located quite far from the main capital city.

I looked at his mansion and it looked like the carbon copy of uncle Leal with its walls painted in Grey and its mysterious aura.

Our carriage entered the mansion. But there were no signs of servants there as Uncle Leal stood there alone to welcome us.

"Uncle Leal thanks for granting us permission to visit you," I said as I bowed.

"It's nothing big and even if I didn't allow you, you guys would have still come right!" Leal said as he ruffled Ash's hair.

"Hehe, uncle what are you talking about!!" I said with a hollow laugh. Why is he so sharp!!

"Enough with the jokes let's go inside!" Uncle Leal said as he patted my head.

"Okay," both of us said as we followed him inside.

The inside of his house looked a lot more warm and cosy than compared to the outside but does he live alone here where are his servants?

"Uncle, don't you have any servants here?" I asked him.

"Well, there is no one who wants to work for me." He said as he brewed 3 cups of teas.

"Why is that so?? Do you bully them!!" Ash asked.

Which made uncle laugh.

"It's not like that, you see even though I am adopted by the winter family my blood is still that of a commoner which is why no one wants to work under me." He said without hesitation.

"Oh," both ash and me said in unison, now I feel bad for asking him that. it's too awkward and it may even sound as if we are mocking him.

"Uncle, what's that?"Ash said as he pointed towards a sword kept nicely inside a glass box.

"That's a sword," Uncle said as he rose from his seat and went towards the sword. he opened the box and bought the sword for us.

I don't know why but that sword has quite a strong aura around it. It felt as if "....it's calling us." Ash said as he looked at the sword his eyes looked different from usual.

"What did you say?" I asked Ash.

"I said that this sword feels familiar as if it's calling me towards it," Ash said as he looked at the sword that uncle kept on the table.

"I guess you are truly the winter decedent's, this sword belonged to Leonardo Amory Winter I.e your grandfather." He said as he removed its cover and inside it was a sharp and shiny sword without even a single sign of rust or broken parts it's handle was covered with a golden colour with our family emblem in it.

"This is Grandfather's sword," I said.

"Yes, it is, with this sword he fought many wars alongside the previous emperor," Uncle said as he carefully put the cover in it.

"We read about it in the book but how come we never heard about it before??" Ash asked in confusion.

"That was because those were all covered by some nonsensical rumours." He said angrily.

"Nonsensical rumours??" Both of us said.

"Yes, since your grandmother died during giving birth to the youngest child, all the house responsibilities were on your Grandfather's shoulders but after his health started deteriorating, the winter family started to fall out slowly, your eldest uncle Became a gamble, your both the aunts eloped from the house, leaving only your father and your youngest uncle in the family.

Your Grandfather knew that he won't last for long so he declared that he would select a successor among both of them. Hearing that all your other uncles and aunts returned home and started to fight for the head seat.

Rumours about the crack in the winter family reached far and wide, people who once respected your grandfather for his bravery now laughed at him saying that he wasn't even able to unite his own family. " Uncle said as he sipped his tea.

"No wonder only father and late uncle were selected as a candidate for the succession.How much pain it must have been for grandfather to see his children fighting like that." I said as I looked at the sword.

"...Yeah but what happened after the succession was given to grandaunt..." Ash asked I am curious about that too, why was she looking for our business? Even though she is the head so she must have the biggest part of the winter family property.

"You must already know about the property distribution, Your grandaunt got the biggest part, and your other uncle and aunts got 1 half of what she got. And as for your father, he was given the least amount among all." Uncle Leal said.

"Least??? Why is that so shouldn't the property be divided equally among all!" Ash said.

"It must but your father just accepted whatever he got without raising a single question." Uncle Leal said.

"Is it because of what happened to our late uncle.." I asked. Hearing that uncle Leal just smiled towards me.

"So it's clear that father is the poorest among them, so why is grandaunt looking for our business now??" Ash asked as he raised one of his eyebrows. I want to know that too.

"There is a mistake in your sentence, your father isn't the poorest but the richest among them." uncle Leal said as he smiled.

"Richest???" We asked confused.

"Let me explain it you, after property distribution, your uncle and aunts used that money like water, in one hand where your father worked day and night with that little amount of money, on the other hand, the other winter siblings used that money in buying, houses, jewellery and alcohol. And when they used up all of their money they moved to the nearby villages located on the outskirts of the capital.

And as for your grandaunt, she used that money in investments but more than profit she only faced losses. hence in a simple sentence except for your father, all of them were on the verge of bankruptcy. So when they got the news of your father's business nurturing day by day. They weren't able to withstand it." Uncle Leal said.

"...So, they started blackmailing father for money in the name of the incident that happened years ago..." I said as I felt a shiver down my spine.

"As excepted you guys are indeed smart." Uncle Leal said.

This...Was this the reason behind winter family bankruptcy in the original novel...Father in the original novel must have been blackmailed too...no wonder the winter family with such background fell all of a sudden....because the imposter was among the family...all of them...I thought we would be a big happy family but turns out that....we were not even once a family...

"Ha...turns out our family is full of snakes.." Ash said I could feel anger in his voice.

"Now I understand why mom and Dad always told us to listen to everyone but trust no one...but that doesn't explain the thing as to why father is letting himself get blackmailed by them...Did he really kill his brother?" I asked looking downward.

"Sister..." Ash said as he put his hand above mine.

"I can't tell you that since it's something your father must tell you himself....but for now I can only say that have faith in your father." Uncle Leal said as he gently stroked both of our hair.

After that we slowly returned home, on the carriage, Ash asked me a question, "Sister why did no one followed grandfather footsteps and become a knight?"

"Maybe because no one had that potential in them which is needed to be a knight," I said.

"Potential..." He murmured and got lost in his thoughts.

I wonder why is asked that??

But I got its answer the next day.

"WHAT!! You want to become a knight!!" I said as I jumped up from my seat.

"Yes! I want to follow in Grandfather's footsteps...I want people to remember him again!" Ash said with determination in his eyes.

"But Ash your health..." I said.

"Sister don't worry I will become healthy when I go to the Royal Academy so please say yes!!" He said as he held my hands tightly.

I didn't even realize when my brother became so big that he started to have his own dreams.

"Okay!" I said with a smile. And ash jumped into the air happily.

"But what about mother and father did they accepted it?" I asked.

"About that Sister would you ask them for permission please!" He said as he smiled.

"What!! You!!" I said as he ran out of my room.

"Ha...this little devil....what do I do now??" I talked to myself as I sighed.