It was after Jessica and Bruno returned from the duke’s mansion.

“What did they say was the reason for not hiring a tutor?”

When Bruno asked Jessica the reason, she bit her lip and lowered her gaze.

“Well… It’s just…”

“Hah… really. Not helpful at all… Right, it was my mistake to expect that from you.”

Bruno turned his head away sharply.

“But darling. Why… Why a tutor in the first place?”

Bruno glanced at Jessica, then stared into space and smirked.

“We’ll place one of our people as the tutor. Since a simple recommendation won’t work, we need to accurately understand the reason. Then we can insert the right person…”

Seeing Bruno’s smirking face, Jessica added anxiously:

“What if Eriel makes a fuss if something happens to Lucy?”

“What can that woman do even if she makes a fuss? …With such a small liver! How can you make Derek a duke?”

When her husband thundered, Jessica had no choice but to nod, but when she turned away, she bit her nails.

Of course, there were some things she acknowledged.

No matter how much of a fuss she made, Eriel hardly reacted.

It was because of her personality that disliked conflicts.

However… Those types of people often have clear lines that shouldn’t be crossed.

And it wasn’t hard to guess what that was.

It was clearly her daughter. It seemed best not to mess with Lucy.

*

“Madam says she will soon invite a tutor.”

“Ah, I see.”

Damian nodded at the butler’s words.

“If I may be so bold, it seems the young lady has already read more than half of the book given by the duke. Without a tutor.”

Damian chuckled at the butler’s words. The butler then expressed his thoughts.

“I think it would be better if this information didn’t spread outside. Wouldn’t it be better to hide the young lady’s exceptional abilities a bit? If we hire a tutor, words will surely spread.”

“No. It’s fine. Even if words spread.”

Damian cut off the butler’s words. The butler was, after all, a person of the duke’s household.

It was understandable to worry that if the young lady’s academic excellence became known, unfavorable attention might follow. But when Damian gave her that book, he wasn’t thinking about such things.

“I apologize for my presumption. Then, I shall take my leave.”

As the butler withdrew, Damian briefly recalled Lucy’s visit a few days ago. The butler had come to him first then as well.

“The young lady says she has something important to tell the duke.”

Damian put down the map he was holding at the butler’s visit.

“Lucy? Tell her to come in.”

As the butler withdrew, Lucy entered the study with a triumphant look, clutching a thick book tightly in both arms.

A children’s storybook couldn’t be that thick.

Damian raised an eyebrow slightly as he checked the book’s cover.

He slowly turned his head and scanned the large bookshelf at the back of the study. One spot on the shelf was noticeably empty.

“I’ve come to return the book I borrowed.”

Lucy grinned as she placed the large book on the table.

“It’s a history book of the Eastern Continent.”

“I was worried you might go as an envoy, so I looked into it in advance.”

The child subtly flaunted the sharpness hidden within her words.

She definitely didn’t come to apologize for secretly borrowing the book.

Damian, who had somewhat figured out his daughter, stood up from his seat.

“You said you had something to say. What is it?”

Damian picked up the book placed on the center table and shifted his gaze to Lucy.

“Unlike mother, I don’t have trust in you, father.”

Damian let out a chuckle at the child’s bold words.

“It seems you don’t yet know that when continuous threats without persuasion are made, the cornered person bites back.”

“I think you misunderstand, father. The one cornered is me, not you.”

“…I’ve never cornered you.”

“Don’t play innocent. Because you’re threatening my position, I have no choice. I won’t bestow upon you the grace of getting angry gently like mother does.”

Damian frowned as he met Lucy’s gaze.

“Father. You’ve been too complacent.”

“Complacent?”

It was the first time Damian had heard such a thing. Complacent, huh.

However, intrigued by the child’s assessment, Damian sat on the sofa.

“Sometimes, when people’s lives become too peaceful, they act complacently. It’s well documented in history books. Cases where fatal mistakes are made due to being drunk on consecutive victories. There are often instances of losing despite overwhelming differences in numbers and resources.”

Damian was surprised by Lucy’s words, which were smarter than he expected.

He had thought she was acting cunningly, but he had never considered that Lucy might be intelligent, as Eriel had said.

“I know that all of this you’re bestowing upon me now is your leniency. Without your leniency, I wouldn’t be able to say these things.”

“I’m glad you understand that.”

“But don’t lose something precious by being intoxicated with your own leniency.”

The green eyes within the sharp gaze were like those of a knight before battle.

The child’s determination could be felt.

“The moment mother gets hurt in your complacency, I won’t stay still.”

Damian briefly closed his mouth at Lucy’s words, which seemed to imply she knew everything. Come to think of it, Lucy’s wish had always been for a younger brother.

“You’re acting as if I’ve hurt Eriel.”

“You’ve already hurt mother. I have no intention of stopping mother from being gentle with you. Mother doesn’t know how to get angry at family, whether it’s me or you.”

“I understand your explanation about Eriel, but I don’t know how I’ve hurt her.”

Lucy furrowed her brow.

Her eyes rolled, and she pulled one corner of her mouth particularly high.

“If it were possible to take your existence away from mother, what would you do?”

Threats and inexplicable anger flickered in the child’s eyes.

Unlike Eriel, Lucy didn’t hide her feelings or expressions at all.

It was because Eriel hadn’t taught her to do so.

Whether this would be beneficial or not was uncertain, but Damian steadily gazed into the green eyes flickering with anger.

Perhaps the anger and hurt feelings that Eriel didn’t show him could be projected onto the child.

“Both your warning and threat are excellent.”

With that, Damian rose from his seat.

The child, still unskilled at controlling her emotions, clenched her small hands and trembled.

Lightly passing by that sight, Damian took two books from the bookshelf.

“This is an introduction to political science. Eriel mentioned a tutor anyway, so if it’s difficult, ask the teacher and learn to think for yourself.”

“…An introduction to political science?”

Lucy’s face crumpled as Damian placed the books on the table.

“I read it when I was 8. As you said, don’t be satisfied with that peaceful life, break out of your shell and try. Since you’re already enjoying a lot through Eriel’s love, you should be able to read this much.”

*

“Oh my, Lucy!”

Eriel raised her voice as she grabbed Lucy’s shoulders.

“Have you not been sleeping well lately? Why are your dark circles so pronounced?”

“…It’s fine. I’ve been reading books lately.”

“Books? Other than the Eastern Continent history book? What book are you reading so much? Maybe…”

“No. I. Really. Like. That. Book.”

The child’s face, speaking with sharp pauses, was burning with some kind of indescribable competitiveness.

“The book must be quite difficult.”

“Yes… But I want to read it all.”

Seeing the child speak with dark circles under her eyes, Eriel thought she should find a tutor quickly.

“Alright, mommy will quickly sort through tutors to help our Lucy.”

After spending several nights like that, Eriel organized a list of dozens of tutors and called the first one.

She had selected someone who would pay special attention to Lucy’s academics.

“I’ve invited you as a teacher to educate the child in academics. You don’t need to act like tutors in other noble households.”

Eriel cautioned the tutor and then let them meet Lucy.

“No, Young Lady, regarding this part…”

“Young Lady, you should think about it this way. Because…”

However, from the first lesson, Eriel judged that it would be quite difficult to choose tutors going forward.

The tutor not only didn’t wait for the child’s thoughts but also continuously said that as an imperial princess, she should naturally think in certain ways.

Sighing and touching her forehead, Eriel temporarily halted the lesson.

“I think it’s best we stop here for today.”

It wasn’t that the tutor’s teaching was wrong or problematic.

In a way, it wasn’t incorrect.

However, this wasn’t the kind of teaching Eriel wanted. So she sent the first tutor back.

The second tutor visited the duke’s mansion. Eriel decided to give a more detailed explanation than with the first tutor.

“I would like you to give the child plenty of time to think. Even if the answer doesn’t seek proper principles, I’d like her to discuss and think as much as she wants.”

“Ah…! I see. I understand what you mean.”

The second tutor nodded as if understanding Eriel’s words and began the lesson.

She felt a bit more hopeful, but again, the chronic problem remained unchanged.

“Young Lady, you don’t need to think about this part. Rather, the part you should focus more on is…”

Eriel touched her forehead again.

“This is my answer, but that’s a matter for knights to discuss. Young Lady, you should…”

“I think it’s best we stop here for today.”

It seemed she would have to make a new list of tutors.