“Hello, Professor Lothern.”

Aria greeted him with a bright smile.

As she had always laughed and socialized in high society, people remembered Elodie as a very pure and affectionate person.

More than half of it was true.

However, even if she had a pure and childlike side, she had been raised as the distinguished daughter of the wealthiest count in the kingdom since childhood, making her a noble from the inside out.

Penetrating someone’s intentions was also an area she was very confident in. When Elodie was loved by everyone, it was not a talent she had much use for, but now it was.

“Oh, yes. Hello.”

Hindley awkwardly replied. Aria continued to smile, bringing up the topic as if it were nothing.

“Bonita really enjoyed your lessons. It seems you are excellent, just as recommended by Delphinium.”

“Haha… It’s not much of a career. I just have a bit of talent for teaching children.”

Observing Hindley bragging as he received compliments, Aria made a judgment.

‘He seems to have a personality that does not deny flattery. Enjoys showcasing his own prestige…’

Typically, individuals of this type can be tempted by secular rewards such as money, power, and honor. Alternatively, they can be manipulated by grasping their weaknesses.

‘He brought up Oliver quite explicitly, but there is no noticeable discomfort or awkward reaction. Either that man is a great actor, or he is unaware that Oliver is skillfully deceiving and using him, one of the two.’

Aria decided to observe for now.

‘There’s no way he can physically harm Bonita within the aristocratic estate.’

Only a handful of servants were watching with squinted eyes.

Moreover, Bonita bathed with the help of maids every evening.

If a new injury occurred, the loyal servants of the count would immediately report it to the count.

“Then, I’ll leave Bonita in your care, Professor Lothern.”

“Of course. I always do my assigned tasks thoroughly. Haha!”

Hindley laughed proudly, and it seemed somewhat arrogant.

‘Hmm.’

Certainly, his attitude had become much more proactive than during the first class.

Rather than someone who came to gather information… it seemed more like an atmosphere of making a somewhat desperate effort to look good in the eyes of the count.

‘Did Oliver not pay him well?’

She didn’t notice it herself, but Aria came up with a thought that was close to the correct answer.

“Then, Miss Bonita, shall we go to the study room and check your homework?”

“Yes.”

Aria confirmed that the two went into the room, then went straight into the adjacent room.

“Today’s homework… uh… well… you have finished… the progress… um…”

Then Hindley’s voice began to be heard faintly.

‘To hear it better…’

Aria’s eyes turned to the glass jar in the room.
The glass cup was more conducive to transmitting sound compared to other materials.

Naturally, there was no better item for eavesdropping.

“Since you learned up to the alphabet L last time, today we will proceed with the same six.”

“In fact, it’s not six, but twelve, Teacher.”

“Hmm… Still, P and O look the same in both uppercase and lowercase. So, it’s less to memorize than usual.”

“Huh? Why do they look the same in uppercase and lowercase?”

“Like C last time, people made that promise.”

“People make strange promises…”

Then, a conversation between two people in the room was heard distinctly.

‘At least there’s no problem with the lesson itself.’

She worried that Delphinium might teach Bonita strange ideas or talk about Oliver, but the lecture turned out to be much more wholesome and normal than expected.

“This is P, and this is O, read it as weh and wey. Try writing it while reading once each.”

“Weh?”

“Good job. But you don’t need to write the letters so artistically. Later, you’ll learn cursive separately, so for now…”

“Huh? Is there something else to memorize besides the 52 uppercase and lowercase letters?”

“Originally, there’s no way to study writing without memorizing everything.”

“It’s such a dreadful study…”

When Bonita’s frustrated voice was heard, Aria, forgetting her original purpose, burst into laughter.

Then, a sudden feeling of self-loathing struck her.

‘What am I doing here?’

Of course, this was all part of a very important plan.

She needed to confirm if Hindley was a normal person and find out if he was not joining Oliver’s scheme or being deceived.

However, sitting crouched in the next room, eavesdropping with a glass cup while her daughter received private tutoring, she felt more like less of a person and more like an unfit mother.

No, maybe just overly obsessed.

‘But it can’t be helped.’

Come to think of it, her brothers were even more obsessed. How extreme were they? When she entered the academy, they came to the window to check if their sister was doing well as a graduate student. She wondered how shocked they were when they found out the truth later.

“…”

She didn’t know.

For now, Aria decided to continue listening to the lesson.

“Lothern, that damn child.”