Luke’s eyebrow twitched at the question without context. He looked down at Aria with an exasperated face.

“What are you suddenly talking about?”

“You keep looking at Bonita’s hand. I wondered if you also wanted to hold hands and walk together.”

“……”

Luke, caught off guard, averted his gaze. Aria thought to herself.

‘He still can’t lie.’

Though hidden behind his intimidating appearance, Luke was a sensible and honest person.

All those titles like ruler of the South and dark mage were just rumors.

……At least, that’s what Aria, who used to be Elodie, thought.

Aria patted Luke’s waist, who was still looking at Bonita and Catherine’s hands.

“If you want to hold hands, go ask Bonita directly.”

“That’s……”

Luke’s gaze wandered aimlessly.

However, the silence didn’t last long.

He soon opened his mouth calmly.

“Isn’t she already holding hands with my mother?”

“Oh my. Bonita has two hands, doesn’t she? The other side is empty.”

At Aria’s words, as if saying ‘don’t you know that?’, he closed his mouth again.

‘Is he embarrassed?’

The corner of Aria’s mouth twitched as she walked glancing at Luke.

Well, Luke was like that during their romance too.

It was clear he wanted to hold Elodie’s hand somehow, wanted to touch her even a little, but he was fidgeting. Yet he could never bring himself to speak first.

Just how much of a dullard was he?

After they slept together once, he clung to her obsessively as if trying to make up for everything he couldn’t do until then.

Aria smiled slightly, recalling those innocent days. A mischievous smile like a young boy’s soon appeared on her face.

“Or should I hold your hand instead? In place of Bonita.”

“……Nonsense.”

Luke openly showed an unpleasant expression and stepped away from her.

His expression was fierce.

But she had already received death threats when they first reunited. If she hadn’t been afraid then, there was no reason to be scared now.

‘Still, he’s matching my walking pace.’

Though Aria was tall for a woman, she was still much shorter than Luke, who was a head or two taller than even adult men.

Yet Aria didn’t need to walk quickly to keep up with him.

Luke had adjusted his stride to match hers.

Though his red eyes never looked towards Aria, she noticed that he was subtly being considerate of her.

‘Has he… improved a bit?’

Compared to that dogmatic attitude at first, much better.

Of course, it couldn’t compare to when she was Elodie. Back then, Luke was like a marshmallow soaked in sugar syrup, soft and pliable, just as his nickname in high society suggested.

“So.”

As they slowly walked following Bonita and Catherine, Luke spoke first.

He asked, still looking straight ahead.

“What was it you wanted to say earlier?”

“Ah.”

Aria let out a small sigh.

“It’s about… Bonita’s talent.”

“Talent?”

This time, Luke’s head turned. His red eyes looked at Aria with a hint of curiosity.

“Yes. I think Bonita has a talent for drawing.”

“A talent for drawing.”

Repeating Aria’s words like a parrot, he smiled with odd satisfaction.

“Of course she would.”

“……Pardon? Do you have a talent for drawing too, Duke?”

Aria, who had never seen Luke draw during their dating or married life, asked in surprise.

However, he had an expression that said ‘what on earth are you talking about?’

“I’ve never drawn before though?”

“Then why did you say ‘of course’……”

“Because it’s only natural.”

“……”

Aria was so dumbfounded that she was at a loss for words.

A certain phrase floated around in her head.

“You know what? They say most parents believe their child is a genius.”

It was a joke she had heard among the ladies yesterday.

‘Well, she is a genius though.’

Aria wondered if she might be one of those parents, but no matter how she thought about it, Bonita was indeed a genius.

She was a genius even from an objective perspective.

It definitely wasn’t rose-colored glasses!

“But, hmm. If she likes drawing, it might be good to get her an art teacher.”

Luke, unaware of Bonita’s level of drawing skill, continued in a calm tone.

“Anyway, at seven years old, other noble families would start calling in tutors to teach etiquette and arithmetic around this time.”

He wasn’t wrong.

Aria thought about correcting Luke’s assumption, but decided to leave it for a later surprise.

After all, being extraordinarily good at drawing wasn’t a bad thing, was it?

There were countless nobles who drew or played instruments as a hobby at home, so Bonita’s talent would enrich the child’s life.

Besides, Bonita seemed to enjoy drawing.

That was enough.

There was no intention to forcibly develop her talent. There was no need to.

The ‘getting an art teacher’ Luke mentioned would only happen if Bonita wanted it.

“How are you thinking of finding a tutor?”

“I’ll have to get recommendations first.”

“Do you have someone in mind to ask?”

“I’ll contact the Imperial Academy……”

Luke stopped mid-sentence.

A graduate of the Imperial Academy.

It sounded good, but they were high-quality personnel, only a few each year.

The Academy’s annual enrollment was limited to 200 in the Swordsmanship Department, 100 in the Magic Department, and 30 in the Political Science Department. Only 330 in total.

Moreover, they couldn’t assign a swordsmanship or magic major as Bonita’s tutor, so only about thirty remained.

Even fewer when excluding dropouts.

Unless it was for a teenage princess about to enter the academy, it was rare for someone who had graduated from the academy to volunteer as a tutor for a seven-year-old child. Especially since most Political Science Department entrants were imperial nobles destined to be heirs to their families.

On top of these challenging conditions, there was another difficulty: Luke wanted a tutor from the Aleph Kingdom, not the Empire.

The Empire and the Kingdom had different languages and cultures. They shared the same characters, but the reading methods were completely different.

It wasn’t a swordsmanship instructor for a boy; the person in charge of the child’s overall etiquette and learning should naturally be a native.

It would be better for Bonita’s adaptation as well.

“Are you worried?”

“Hmm……”

Luke recalled his own childhood. He didn’t remember well, but his tutors were mostly noble ladies or second sons and below who couldn’t inherit titles.

Perhaps only the swordsmanship instructor was an imperial graduate from the Academy’s Swordsmanship Department.

“Usually… do people get recommendations through connections?”

“I suppose so.”

“……”

Luke pondered.

Aria poked his side again.

“What are you doing?”

“There’s someone right here.”

“What?”

“A candidate for Bonita’s tutor!”

At Aria’s exclamation, Luke slowly closed and opened his eyes.

It was a candidate he had never considered.

“Nonsense.”

“Why is it nonsense?”

“Because, obviously.”

Luke was about to explain but soon closed his mouth.

……Come to think of it, there was no particular reason why it couldn’t work. Aria Hilton was also a noble lady.

Judging from her behavior in the dining room and during tea time, noble etiquette seemed ingrained in her. She probably learned the kingdom’s history, basic arithmetic, and some foreign languages as part of her education.

Moreover, Bonita liked Aria.

At this point, she was a sufficient teacher for a seven-year-old child. Despite his initial opposition.

‘Got it!’

Seeing Luke’s expression change moment by moment, Aria clenched her fist.

That reaction was as good as agreeing.

“Alright, fine.”

As expected.

Though Luke seemed a bit uneasy, he gave his permission nonetheless.

“At least you can teach her etiquette.”

In fact, in many noble families, children learn etiquette by observing their parents, knowingly or unknowingly. It was inevitable since they spent the most time together.

If Bonita had been a son, Luke would have taught the child himself.

However, etiquette for women and men was completely different. And entrusting Bonita to the fussy Catherine made him anxious.

In the end, the only suitable person was this… oddly annoying woman in front of him.

“But for the rest, it would be better to find an appropriate teacher. When I asked before, they said it’s best to start with teaching writing.”

While cultural subjects were optional, learning to write was essential in noble society.

Even commoners working in noble households were judged by their literacy.

Especially since most noble children could read a little by age five, Bonita was quite late at seven years old.

Aria, sharing a similar opinion with Luke, asked.

“Shall we ask Lady Hyacinth?”

The Marquis’s family had three children, so they surely knew some tutors.

Luke considered for a moment before shaking his head.

“No. I’m planning to ask Oliver.”

Aria’s smile faded at his words.

Oliver Delphinium.

The man with a gentle face and cheerful personality was Luke’s brother.

He would have been the next Duke if not for Bonita.

He was also the person most likely to have instigated the real Aria’s crime.

Aria opened her mouth to dissuade him. But she couldn’t find an appropriate excuse.

Your brother made your daughter appear dead and spirited her away?

On what grounds?

She’d be lucky not to be treated like a madwoman.

Aria bit the inside of her mouth hard. She tasted blood. Her face contorted for a moment.

Luke, looking ahead, didn’t notice her expression. He spoke calmly to the quiet Aria.

“Come to think of it, Oliver would be Bonita’s uncle. It might be good to invite him to the duchy, to ask about tutors while we’re at it.”