CHAPTER 19…………………………………

“I don’t understand why Enzo is acting like this today. Did he eat something bad?”

The first to regain his composure was Chester. He reached for the teacup the servant had brought and spoke.

“So? Is that all you came for?”

“No, actually…”

Eugenia chose her words carefully, feeling nervous. She took a deep breath and lifted her gaze.

“Could I hear in detail how you handled the governess?”

“I thought you weren’t interested.”

“I heard that she was dismissed. I was just wondering if there were any other punishments.”

“That’s impossible.”

Chester let out a small laugh and brought the teacup to his lips. After sipping the warm tea, he spoke leisurely.

“I’ve been busy with her since this morning. The court has delivered its final verdict. Embezzlement, child abuse, deceiving the nobility… they piled it all together and sentenced her to seven years.”

“Seven years…?”

Eugenia was surprised at the severity of the punishment.

She had asked, fearing it might be a slap on the wrist—but this was a full-blown hammer of justice.

“Your sister-in-law had her influence. She dared to touch the Emperor’s aide, so seven years is actually lenient.”

“I see…”

“Why are you asking all of a sudden?”

“Well…”

Eugenia glanced around in response to Chester’s question. Enzo had taken all the servants out, so no one could overhear, but she still felt cautious.

“Duke, do you know everything the governess has done so far?”

“Mostly.”

Eugenia lowered her gaze and fell into thought. She needed to report the child’s condition to the Duke. After all, he was Kyler’s guardian.

But her tongue felt heavy, and the words wouldn’t come easily.

“Is there something I don’t know?”

“Did you know the governess never taught Your Grace any letters at all?”

As soon as Eugenia finished speaking, Chester’s gentle expression twisted fiercely. He set down the teacup and pressed the summon bell forcefully.

“Expel the entire family of Malenda Margo from the capital, including all relatives. Submit a petition to the court arguing that seven years is too lenient for her.”

To Enzo, who had hurried over, Chester gave a cold order.

Enzo seemed momentarily taken aback, but quickly responded sharply.

“Yes, sir.”

“Valerio gives the order. Carry it out without delay.”

“Yes, Duke.”

As Enzo left, Chester ground his teeth and gulped down the hot tea.

“I should have killed her.”

He muttered through clenched jaws. If left alone, he looked ready to draw his sword and march straight to the prison where Malenda was held.

“I had no idea. I thought she would have taught him letters, of course. How dare that woman….”

“The governess had been with Kyler even before he came to the Duke’s household. It’s not your fault, Duke.”

Eugenia’s calm words ruffled Chester’s hair. With a troubled expression, he spoke.

“It’s not your sister-in-law’s fault either. After losing her husband and now almost her daughter to the same illness, would she have had the time to care for another child? All she could do was hire a trustworthy governess.”

Hearing Chester’s explanation, Eugenia understood a little why Kyler’s mother had neglected him. The effort to make Malenda face harsh punishment also showed she was a loving mother.

She simply didn’t have the luxury to express that love.

“Kyler’s sibling had the same illness as his father…”

A story not in the original.

“That’s why the Valerio family went down a dark path.”

Eugenia nodded quietly.

Having lost two key members of the household to the same illness, they must have sought a path beyond medicine and conventional magic. Black magic, which demands the blood of many, became their final choice.

She understood the desperation, but it was not a good choice.

Kyler’s mother would wither quickly the moment she touched black magic. And likely, Kyler too…

“Is there nothing I can do?”

She was confident in raising Kyler well—he was naturally kind and gentle.

But she couldn’t think of a proper way to prevent the Valerio family from falling into black magic.

To avoid tragedy, there was only one solution: Kyler’s sibling must survive and recover.

But how?

Given that Kyler’s father had the same illness and died, there was no clear cure or remedy in this world. That’s why the Valerio family succumbed to madness.

“Why medicine of all things?”

Her head ached.

Medicine in this world was closely intertwined with magic. With her negative mana, Eugenia had little hope of being helpful.

“So, what’s Kyler doing?”

Eugenia looked up at Chester’s question, hiding her unease with a bright expression.

“He said he wants to learn letters from me. He’s very motivated. He wants to learn quickly so he can write a letter to his mother.”

“So that explains why Kyler chased away all the tutors until now. He didn’t want anyone to know he couldn’t read. And I, unaware, treated him as a nuisance.”

“Now he doesn’t do that.”

“Exactly.”

Chester smiled bitterly. Had he not met Kyler’s tutor, he would have left the boy misunderstood and neglected. The thought alone sent shivers down his spine.

“If you need anything to teach Kyler, ask for it. I’ll cooperate.”

“I will. Thank you.”

“I’m the one who should thank you.”

Chester pushed back his falling hair and said,

“I’m glad you’re the tutor. Thank you.”

His deep blue eyes, like the early dawn sky, fixed on Eugenia.

Her heart raced at the intensity of his gaze, as if she could fall into them if she looked too long.

‘Why am I like this?’

Flustered by her pounding heart, Eugenia hurriedly drank her tea.

Perhaps it was a side effect from thinking too much.

Anyway, the Valerio family’s problem wasn’t something that could be solved overnight. She would think it through gradually, Eugenia resolved, pressing down on her restless heart.

Two weeks later.

Malenda Margo, the Valerio family’s former governess, was sentenced to ten years.

For daring to deceive and betray the Valerio family, her name topped the imperial social blacklist.

Anyone associated with her would not even cast a shadow in the capital.

Even after dealing with her decisively, Eugenia was troubled.

It wasn’t because of Kyler, nor the Duke.

Kyler, unlike the child who had replaced tutors one after another, followed lessons diligently.

He even did homework he wasn’t asked to do, showing incredible enthusiasm.

Being naturally clever, he learned all the letters in two days.

After mastering basic grammar, he quickly moved to intermediate and advanced levels. Her daily astonishment at his learning ability never ceased.

The guardian Duke was also extremely cooperative.

He provided all the top-quality teaching materials Eugenia requested and tried to spend time conversing with Kyler as much as possible.

Even before leaving for the palace, he would accompany Eugenia and Kyler on walks.

Thanks to this, uncle and nephew even began playing lighthearted tricks on each other.

So then, what was Eugenia worried about?

‘Another letter came back.’

The envelope bore a return stamp.

That was the source of her worry.

Eugenia was looking for a way to help Liliane’s illness.

She intended to seek advice from highly respected experts in both medicine and magic to find a cure.

For medicine, the palace physician was unmatched; for magic, the master of the Tower of Magic was the best.

Unfortunately, as a mere tutor, she had no way to reach the palace physician. So, she first contacted the empire’s top magician.

Rex, the master of the Tower of Magic and head of the magic department at the Imperial Academy.

He had been her teacher at the academy.

She sent him letters, but each one was returned.

At first, the academy returned it, saying he was on sabbatical. Then the Tower returned it, claiming he was away on a journey.

‘Where could he have gone?’

Eugenia put the returned letters into her pocket, pressing her lips into a line, unsure of what to do.