CHAPTER 40:…………………………………….
Parent-Teacher Meeting (1)
“Thank you so much! Then we’ll be waiting for your call. Our child will really want to see Young-ae too.”
“…That’s… really kind of you.”
Marquis Malotte, satisfied, smiled warmly and finally let me go.
I quickly bowed my head toward him in greeting.
“Well then….”
Then I hurriedly ran off and climbed into the carriage.
I called out to the driver.
“Hurry, hurry! To Crimson Mansion, please!”
“Yes, sir!”
Inside the rattling carriage as it began rolling toward Crimson Mansion, I exhaled deeply and shook out my wrist.
“Phew…”
What strength…
The wrist he had grabbed still throbbed painfully.
Even though I’d mastered hiding pain while teaching Enrique, pain is still pain.
As I rubbed my wrist and absentmindedly stared out the carriage window as it whizzed past, I suddenly recalled the family tree written beneath Marquis Malotte’s portrait.
Now that I thought about it…
“…Huh?”
I flinched without realizing it, leaning back from the seat.
That man… didn’t have any children, did he?
Then what child was he talking about?
A chill ran down my spine.
It was a rare day off.
Normally, I would have spent the whole day lying in bed, eating Ella’s dessert experiments full of butter and sugar, enjoying a peaceful time—but today, I had a delightful appointment.
I entered the room with a bright smile.
“Silvia. Logan. It’s been a while. What did you call me here for?”
It was an invitation from Silvia.
“Teacher!”
“It’s been a while since we last met.”
In a fully reserved, ultra-special luxury room of the dessert shop run by the Vice Guild, Silvia and Logan were already seated.
As I greeted them warmly and sat down across from them, Silvia, cheeks flushed, immediately pressed me.
“Teacher, teacher, teacher!! Listen quickly!”
“All right, all right.”
Excited, she looked like a beagle with a toy in its mouth.
What could have made her this excited?
“Is it something good?” I asked.
“Yes!! My parents said that when I turn eighteen, I’ll be allowed to participate fully in the guild’s work! They told me the day before yesterday!”
“…Really?”
I almost jumped out of my chair without realizing it.
“Yes!!”
Silvia nodded enthusiastically, her face glowing with joy.
“Until then, they said I’ll handle the guild’s accounting work!”
“That’s great news. Getting hands-on experience will be invaluable.”
It was an achievement after six months of teaching Silvia.
“Silvia, congratulations from the bottom of my heart!”
I couldn’t hide my excitement either and grabbed her hands firmly.
As far as I knew, except for her eldest brother, who traveled abroad for trade, no siblings had been officially involved in the guild’s work yet.
So, Silvia would be the only one participating in guild management.
This could definitely be seen as a sign that the Vice Guild Master was considering Silvia as a successor.
Silvia shyly added while keeping her hands in mine.
“Yes. That’s why… I wanted you to be the first to congratulate me.”
“Silvia…”
“I’m glad it’s your day off too!”
Goodness. How thoughtful…
“Even if it wasn’t a day off, I would have made time if you called. I feel like I should give you a gift. Is there anything you’d like?”
“Hehe. A gift isn’t necessary. But…”
Tilting her head, Silvia made a cute expression.
I understood what she wanted, and quickly reached out to stroke her hair.
Why is she so adorable…
At that moment, Logan, sitting quietly beside her, asked casually.
“Silvia, congratulations. But if you wanted to tell the teacher first, can I listen too?”
Silvia, letting me hold her soft, red hair, nodded shamelessly at him and glared playfully.
“Of course. That’s why I called you! Now, you hurry and congratulate me too. Oh, and give a gift as well.”
“Got it. And congratulations, sincerely.”
Silvia confidently took the gift from Logan, who nodded calmly as if used to it.
What a self-willed little princess…
“……”
I finished tidying Silvia’s messy hair and withdrew my hands.
Last time, I had hidden behind a pillar to watch Logan’s date request, hoping Silvia and Logan would develop some sort of relationship.
Their relationship, however, was progressing in a slightly strange direction for love.
Silvia, naturally born to lead the guild, shamelessly demanded things from Logan, who was weak against her, and Logan couldn’t refuse.
I sometimes felt guilty for arranging a relationship where Logan was always on the receiving end.
“……”
I sipped my tea, watching Logan’s faint smile toward Silvia.
…He seemed satisfied, so maybe it was fine.
Even though their first meeting had been such a disaster, it was already impressive that they had come this far.
It would be sad if my beloved students didn’t get along.
Good, good. Let’s keep it this way.
Raising my glass of iced tea, I watched Silvia and Logan chatting quietly.
“……Ugh.”
At that moment, a sharp pain shot through my arm holding the cup.
“……”
I slowly put the cup down and glanced at my arm—my wrist was red and swollen.
It was from a few days ago when some person, Pelican Marquis or something, had grabbed my wrist tightly.
It lasted longer than expected.
As I habitually rubbed my wrist, Silvia and Logan’s conversation reached my ears.
“I heard there’s someone similar to His Highness.”
“Yeah. Apparently, it’s Marquis Malotte’s hidden illegitimate child. We haven’t included it in the newsletter yet—uncertain information.”
Ah, it wasn’t Pelican Marquis—it was Marquis Malotte.
…But wait?
“Hold on. What did you say?”
I couldn’t ignore this conversation.
I joined in, and Silvia asked seriously.
“Ah, teacher! Do you know about Foreign Minister Marquis Malotte?”
“I met him last time. Why?”
“Well, there’s a rumor that he has a hidden illegitimate child. The child is supposed to be quite old—do you think it’s true?”
“Illegitimate child…”
I muttered along with her words.
Where did a child come from?
Ah, if it’s an illegitimate child, it makes sense why he was looking for me. But…
“What else did they say?” I asked.
Silvia and Logan looked at each other, then spoke.
“That the child is similar to His Highness the Crown Prince?”
“Yeah. That’s it.”
Goodness. Do such people really exist?
Then Silvia asked subtly.
“Teacher. Do you know anything about this? I want to include it in the newsletter along with my guild management debut, to show the flow of succession. But the information isn’t certain.”
“…Hmm.”
I pondered for a moment and then spoke slowly for Silvia’s sake.
“The part about the illegitimate child is probably true.”
“Wow.”
“That’s why he was urgently looking for a private tutor.”
“Ah… …Really?”
Silvia nodded and was about to jot it down in her notebook, then looked up at me.
“What… do you mean by that?”
“Marquis Malotte asked me to teach his child.”
“Absolutely not!!”
Silvia almost reflexively shouted, slamming her notebook onto the table.
“Yikes.”
Logan, with practiced ease, moved his cup away from the table. Only Silvia’s tea spilled.
Silvia shouted, pouting.
“Refuse him!”
“Why?”
“Why? We couldn’t disobey His Highness the Crown Prince, but you originally agreed to teach only me and Logan Eleanor!”
That’s right. We made that promise.
Logan, nodding naturally, handed me back the cup he had saved.
“This time, you’d really become a liar, teacher.”
“Hmm……”
What should I do with my students’ obsession…
Of course, I planned to refuse Marquis Malotte’s request.
“……”
At least, until I heard this story just now.
“…I’m more concerned than I expected about him resembling Enrique.”
How much could they really resemble each other?
