As a Tutor in the Grand Duke’s Household (1)

Creak—

With only a few steps left before we reached the second-floor office, Miguel stopped and turned to look back at me.”

“Hmm... Is something the matter?”

“Miss Kana, before you meet the young master, I’d like to say something in case you’re worried... Please don’t let the young master’s words hurt you too much. Though his words may be sharp, he’s an upright person.”

“Ah, if that’s all, I’ll be fine. I won’t lose heart over a few words like that. If I did, I wouldn’t be able to work here as a tutor in the first place.”

Truthfully, of all the things I could do without anyone knowing, this job was ultimately the one best suited to ensuring my own safety.

And if I was to do it perfectly, I was willing to endure any words or attacks thrown my way.

If my resolve could be broken so easily, it would have crumbled the moment I woke up here and realized I was fated to die.

Perhaps I was only fooling myself into thinking I’d grown stronger, when in truth I was flailing on the brink of collapse.

At the very least, I hadn’t taken on this role lightly.

“In that case... all this old man can do is trust you.”

Knock, knock—

With that, Miguel lightly knocked on the reception room door.

“I’m Hart Miguel, the head butler. Your Grace, are you inside?”

“Ah, is that the head butler? Come in.”

Creeeeak—

At the Grand Duke’s voice, Miguel opened the reception room door. Inside, I saw the blue-eyed Grand Duke I’d met earlier, along with a young boy with green eyes—Aiden.

“I’ve come to introduce the young master to Miss Kana. He’s usually here after his swordsmanship lessons, after all.”

“Ah, is that why? If that’s the reason you’ve come, you’re more than welcome. I was just telling my son that I’d found him a tutor.”

I took a careful breath, then leaned around the door to glance inside once more.

The reception room was furnished with antique wooden pieces, arranged efficiently and with care, and a small clock hung on the wall.

Kaide sat in the seat of honor, writing something on some documents, while Aiden sat beside him, staring intently at me.

Taking in the scene, I slowly stepped through the doorway.

“Hello. My name is Kana de Glaysia, and I’ll be your tutor. I look forward to working with you.”

“...Father, that person is my tutor?”

“Yes. I don’t know what you think of her, but after speaking with her, I found her quite kind. That’s why I chose her. So don’t be too unhappy about it.”

At Kaide’s words, Aiden’s expression shifted subtly.

He didn’t seem particularly pleased, but he also looked as if he knew he couldn’t overrule his father’s decision.

“...I’d like to speak with the young master for a bit, if that’s all right. Since we’re meeting for the first time, I’d hoped to make as good a first impression as possible, but that’s difficult if we don’t speak at all.”

“Hmm... That seems like a reasonable idea. What do you think, son?”

“...If it’s just talking, that’s fine.”

At his quiet assent, Kaide immediately rose from his seat.

“Son, would you rather go to your room? Or would the study I had prepared be better?”

Aiden seemed to think it over for a moment before making up his mind and looking at his father.

“My room would be better. It’s much more soundproof, and it has a call bell, at least, so I’d have a way to protect myself.”

“Ahaha... Do you really trust me that little?”

“Wouldn’t it be wiser to be suspicious than to foolishly trust a stranger you’ve just met?”

Of course, his sharp remark wasn’t wrong, so I could only nod awkwardly.

Even so, I hoped that sharpness would eventually fade.

I found myself wondering what I should say and how I should talk with him to help him become that way.

After all, it would take no small amount of time and effort for Aiden to become the person I considered ideal.

And there was no guarantee he’d become that ideal person, so I quietly got to my feet.

“Then... I’ll go have a little chat with him.”

Kaide nodded, apparently seeing no problem with what I’d said, while Aiden simply watched me in silence.

He was only a nine-year-old boy, but the look in his eyes made me realize the path I was about to take would be a difficult one.

So I watched Aiden get up, then rose as well, offering a brief farewell.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Click—

As the door slowly closed, Aiden looked at me with his characteristically sharp eyes.

Even the Aiden from the original story, who had such a kind personality, was later praised for his striking, sharp features—a charming contrast to his personality...

Now that I was facing an Aiden who was anything but friendly toward me, those already sharp features felt even colder.

“Sigh... First, I’d like to ask what you’re after by coming here.”

“It’s not that I’m after anything... I just wanted you to become kinder, so I came here to take on the role of your tutor.”

“...Don’t lie to me. You know better than anyone that you can’t hide your intentions when they’re so obvious.”

He seemed deeply suspicious of me, so I quietly sat down and looked at Aiden.

No matter what I said, I’d look suspicious to him right now.

Even during our first meeting, from his perspective, I’d shown him kindness for no reason. That kindness had amounted to not telling the guards where he was.

Well, I hadn’t met with the guards afterward anyway, so that conversation had come to nothing.

Still, I understood that, since Aiden didn’t know that, I must seem like a very suspicious person to him.

“Hmm... Then could you at least tell me what I could do to make you believe me? You’ll think whatever I say is nonsense anyway.”

“...No matter what you do, I won’t trust you. Of course, now that you’ve come to this estate as my tutor, I’ll respect your lessons and teaching methods.”

“I’m grateful even for that. We didn’t exactly make the best impression on each other when we first met, and I understand this may be very uncomfortable for you.”

No matter how sharply he’d spoken to me, Aiden had shown a maturity beyond his years by taking a step back and respecting and acknowledging both our positions.

So I simply smiled and thanked him in return.

“But if you’ve fooled my father and come here pretending to be innocent, only to set your sights on taking my mother’s place...”

“I-I have no intention of doing that. None at all! I’m really not interested in His Grace!”

As I waved my hands and said that, Aiden looked even more taken aback.

I’d been speaking calmly until the Grand Duke came up, then vehemently denied any such intention.

“...My father isn’t that bad a person, so it’s a little strange to see you react that way.”

“Hmm... Since you’re so suspicious, I’ll be clear. First, I absolutely did not come here hoping to form some sort of connection with His Grace, or anything of the kind.”

As I watched Aiden nod at my words, I continued.

For now, clearing up this misunderstanding and coming to understand each other’s positions was what mattered most.

“Second, it’s true that I came here to work as a tutor. And the reason is that I sensed some danger in the way you acted when you showed me something a few days ago.”

“...What do you mean, danger?”

Aiden stared at me as if he couldn’t understand what I meant at all. But he said nothing more, as though he was willing to hear me out, so I slowly began to speak.

“Kaide Kalinix, the current Grand Duke of Karts, makes astute decisions at just the right moments, yet he’s kind to those around him and to the people of his domain. I wanted him to remain that way.”

“And what does that have to do with you becoming my tutor?”

I smiled at Aiden’s question and quietly held a finger to my lips.

“I think you’ll naturally understand in time, after taking my lessons and going about your daily life.”

He stared blankly for a moment as he listened. Perhaps he was embarrassed that I’d pointed out something he didn’t know, or perhaps he was thrown off by the fact that he’d overlooked it himself.

Only he knew which it was, but he blushed and backed away from me.

“...N-never mind that. Go hear the rest of what you need to do from Father. Now, please leave my room.”

“Hmm... Are you dismissing me, then? All right, young master.”

As someone who’d come to this estate as his tutor, I had no intention of making things difficult for him.

“...And you can call me by my name, so don’t be so formal.”

I smiled warmly at the sound of his voice just before I left, then quietly stepped out.