episode_0053

A black aura slowly rises from Elin.

“I don’t really like alcohol, so I will politely decline.”

Before Ellen’s tightly clenched hand crumbled.

He came forward first and put things into clear words.

“Hmm? If not alcohol, I’d like some food.”

“I don’t think you understand, so I’ll get straight to the point.”

Luke lowered his voice and spoke clearly.

“I don’t like it.”

“Oh my.”

Clavel’s eyes widened and she covered her mouth with one hand.

I’ve never been treated like this in my life.

He didn’t seem to care at all.

“… This makes me want to hang on even more.”

Rather, he says something strange.

“You have strange tastes.”

“Isn’t it so great that you changed my taste?”

Clavel, who accepted it with a smile and clung tenaciously.

I’ve never once thought that developing spatial magic was a mistake.

This is the first time I regret it.

“Actually, alcohol and food aren’t important~ If you could just give us some time to talk ‘just the two of us’… … .”

He said this while looking at Elin secretly with his arms crossed.

Stop.

I heard a sound.

Luckily, Luke’s hand wasn’t broken.

“Stop it, sis.”

It was the sound of Elin’s reason breaking.

Thinking back, I realized that it wasn’t a good thing, so I hurriedly turned my head away.

The black energy that seemed to have subsided a little was now rising up.

Elin, who holds a poisonous aura that could distort space at any moment.

“Huh? What do you mean stop?”

Clavel raised the corners of her mouth as if she had finally gotten the reaction she wanted.

As expected, she really was a woman with bad taste.

“Get away from the teacher. Don’t be a brat.”

“… You’re being a jerk. Is that a habit you have for your older sister?”

Clavel, who had been smiling, wiggled her eyebrows.

“Why am I being so angry at my older sister whom I haven’t seen in a long time? I’m not trying to steal you away from my senior, I’m just happy to see you and want to talk to you.”

A disturbing way of speaking that leaves an opportunity for escape and then casts the line, “You’re weird for overreacting.”

“Does your senior own you?”

At those words, Ellin’s trembling body suddenly stopped.

“Yeah, teacher is mine.”

The image of a cornered animal disappeared in an instant.

All that remains are blue eyes shining with confidence.

“Right?”

A confident declaration made while looking straight at Luke.

It was a little embarrassing.

“That’s right. I signed a contract to be the princess’s tutor.”

“Ah, aha. That’s what it was? What did I say again… .”

Clavel let out a laugh at Luke’s answer.

“… Teacher?”

Elin shook her stupid hair dissatisfiedly.

I quickly added, as I didn’t necessarily intend to hurt Elin’s feelings.

“That’s why I’m the princess’s person. I will never change my tutor.”

Only then did Elin’s foolish movements change into gentle movements.

“Hmm… Really~?”

Clavel, who had been talking for a long time, nodded briefly.

“Well, thoughts can change at any time.”

Clavel, with the corners of her lips curled up, waved her hand gently.

“See you later, senior?”

As Clavel quietly leaves, only Elin, Luke, and Anne remain.

That’s no different from saying that the return ceremony has ended.

“Tsk, anyway, she’s a dirty, strong bitch.”

Thud thud.

Anne swore as she unbuttoned three buttons at the same time.

“You don’t even pretend to know me until the end? Is it because I’m a commoner who is too dirty to even look at?”

A commoner who is too dirty to even look at.

That was actually what Clavel said.

“It seems more credible that he pretended not to know because he was afraid of getting hit.”

That was the reason why he was caught by Anne who was passing by and beaten like a dog.

This was something that Clavel, who placed great importance on her reputation, could not tell anyone.

“Anyway, if I can just sneak a peek, then just… .”

“Calm down. Just ignore it.”

“I ignored him after that too. We were in different grades and he didn’t even touch my close friends.”

Anne, who seemed to have calmed down for a moment, suddenly became angry again.

“But things are different now!? Why is my employer’s older sister such a bitch? .”

“You knew this and still applied, didn’t you?”

“Yeah! I thought it was okay back then! But seeing her scratching people like that makes me so mad. What should I do with that girl?”

Anne, who shows off her sharp shark teeth and looks ready to bite anything in sight.

“Take a deep breath and think about your salary.”

“Hoo… .”

At those words, I suddenly became calm.

The income she earns as Berthain’s personal maid is a great help in running the orphanage.

“Yeah, if you just hold on a little longer, how much is that… .”

It was called financial therapy.

But just because you calm down now doesn’t mean the stress will go away.

A more definitive proposal was made.

“If you find it difficult to endure, I will also give you additional allowance.”

“What?”

“No one takes better care of Elin than you, so I can personally support you.”

“Oh, what extra allowance is that? Okay, okay. I’ve already helped out a few times.”

For some reason Anne refused to give her money.

“If I take money from you, can I treat you as my friend anymore? You have two employers.”

“I was short-sighted.”

“Tsk, so that’s why rich kids are just… .”

A certain level of respect for one’s friends.

Luke, who almost crossed the line, bowed his head and apologized.

“Take care of your princess instead of worrying about me. Why were you so vague with your answer earlier?”

Let’s turn our heads at those words.

“Your Majesty?”

I faced Elin, whose lips were sticking out.

“… … Teacher, is it mine?”

Is that why you’re still doing this?

Instead of saying that a person cannot be owned by someone, Luke says:

“Of course. I will always be by your side, Princess.”

Ellen said something reassuring.

In this world, it was actually possible for people to own other people.

“No matter what happens, don’t worry, I will never fall for Clavel.”

I guess it’s because I couldn’t give Elin confidence.

“… … No, believe me.”

Elin, who had been fidgeting while holding Luke’s hand, raised her head.

“Because that’s what the teacher said.”

* * * * *

There were no major events after the brief return ceremony.

The duke immediately returned to his pending work.

Natia started the next class of the family with Gerald and Clavel.

“I’ll stop here. Thank you for your hard work today, my lady.”

“Yeah.”

Elin also conducted her spatial magic class as usual.

-Princess! I’m going in!

Anne, who arrived just after class was over, raised her voice.

Anne came in without knocking.

I was startled when I saw Ellen.

“No, what class did you take that made you sweat so much?”

Anne ran over quickly and wiped the sweat that had formed with a handkerchief.

It’s because the appearance is bad.

She was a dedicated maid who was always perfectly prepared.

“I didn’t do anything special. I just trained myself to take out 90% of my mana and put it back in.”

“What kind of crazy training is that, I’ve never heard of it before. Why did you do that?”

“You can think of it as a wider range of magic to use… … Even if I say more than that, people who haven’t learned spatial magic won’t understand.”

“That sounds right, but I’m so unlucky.”

I took a step back slightly, fearing a fist might fly.

Is it because I saw Clavel today?

I feel like Anne’s flashpoint has gotten lower.

“Anyway, that’s that. You have to get ready quickly, Your Highness.”

“… Ready?”

“Yes. The Duke said we should all eat dinner together tonight.”

“Ah.”

Elin shook her head with an indifferent expression.

“It’s okay. I’ve never been in ‘everyone’. Just eat it secretly in a place where no one can see you, like usual.”

How could such words come out of the mouth of the youngest princess?

The moment Luke sheds silent tears.

“Huh? But didn’t the Duke tell you to come too? And you too, Luke.”

“… … Why am I going there?”

Ellen, well, let’s say that’s possible.

Even though it was in the North.

You may have heard that he showed off his supernova-like skills at the promising young talent exchange meeting.

But why Luke?

“What kind of tutor is involved in family meals?”

“I don’t know, Inma. I just relayed what I heard.”

Anne shrugged as Luke raised a question mark.

Even if the two of you ask questions here, there will be no answer.

“I guess I’ll have to go there to find out.”

I had no choice but to go to the restaurant myself.

* * * * *

“I am honored to be invited to this special dinner. I am Luke Bucklin, tutor to Princess Elin.”

A restaurant where everyone is already seated and waiting.

As soon as I arrived, I bowed.

It seems that he was the last one to arrive because he was busy grooming Elin’s appearance.

“Sit down.”

After a short speech from the Duke, he found an empty seat and sat down.

“The time we started eating together went by faster than I thought?”

The empty seat happened to be next to Clavel.

“Do you have some time after your meal?”

As soon as she sits down, she starts winking and acting flirtatious.

“The Duke has summoned me.”

“Hmm… Really?”

“How dare you lie with your words, Duke?”

“Well, then I guess I can’t help it today.”

It neatly cuts off any further access.

“Then, enjoy your meal.”

Chef Bertain.

Ron bowed and stepped away.

A quiet meal began, with no one making a sound of dishes clinking.

Luke chews his food while keeping pace with his surroundings.

I observed the peacock carefully.

The same thing happened when I exchanged letters with Victor.

It’s the same thing Leo warned me about several times.

It’s clear something happened in the North.

In particular, Leo was determined to make sure that the Duke never found Elin.

It wasn’t as bad as I thought.

Just an ordinary… no, a ‘perfect’ family meal is taking place.

Rather, the Duke paid no attention to Elin, as if she was invisible.

“Me, Dad?”

Luke, who had been on edge, flinched.

I thought there was a rule that said you should never open your mouth while eating.

It was because Clavel called the Duke too confidently.

“Why is that?”

“Since we’re all here, I have something to tell you.”

Clavel with a fox-like smile.

The duke gestured as if to tell her to continue talking.

“Do we really have to fight for the next position?”

“What does it mean?”

“No~ I took a class with Gerald today. He was so hard.”

Gerald raised his head at the sudden mention of his own name.

“So, if it’s okay with Gerald, I was wondering if I could take the next class by myself.”

At first glance, it seems like a considerate remark towards Gerald.

But if you think about it a little, it’s easy to understand.

You won’t be able to hold out anyway. So hurry up and get out of here.

The explicit meaning was:

“I hope there won’t be any bloodshed between family members. Right, Gerald?”

“Huh, huh?”

How many times have I seen my sister’s creepy smiling face in my life?

But this time, instead of getting goosebumps, a bright smile came to my face.

If you nod here, it’s obvious how your father will react.

They looked down on him and called him a spineless guy.

From now on, I will treat you like a child who does not exist.

But the next class was tough enough to make it any better.

Didn’t we just memorize the entire 900-page history of Bertha today?

When you doubt whether a human can do this.

-I memorized it all, Mother.

Clavel showed an awe-inspiring gap.

Gerald wasn’t interested in Berthain’s history to begin with.

Since it’s a swordsmanship department, you don’t have to use your head as much.

There were excuses like this though.

No matter what, I couldn’t help but acknowledge Clavel’s overwhelming ability.

So, instead of sticking a knife in later, I can’t help but be thankful that you’re making a promise now.

“Of course. My sister is better than me after all… .”

Gerald thought this was the right time to pass the buck to Clavel.

“Even so, that doesn’t mean there will be no competition.”

Luke, who had been quiet, opened his mouth.

Everyone’s eyes were focused on Luke.

Luke knows too.

How dangerous is what you are about to do?

Didn’t Bertain warn Leo, who no one had found, by revealing that he was a member of the secret task force?

It would be best to never catch the Duke’s eye.

but.

“Clavel and Gerald aren’t the only ones who can succeed to the throne.”

To change this rotten, festering house.

To do that, you need to get to a position that no one can ignore.

For Elin to finally be happy.

Because it’s something that has to be done eventually.

“Why are you leaving out Princess Elin?”

Even Ellin, who everyone thought was naturally excluded.

I had to participate in the next competition for the throne.