“Miss Hilton, is it?”

While looking at Luke’s calm expression, Oliver hid his inner nervousness.

‘It’s almost done.’

His brother is only interested in his dead wife and her daughter.

Even if that woman brought his daughter, that would be it. He keeps her around only because he’s a sensible person who cares for his child.

“Actually, I had a bit of an acquaintance with her. You know, before—”

“An acquaintance?”

However, a sharper question than expected came back.

“Uh, brother?”

“What kind of acquaintance could you have with Elodie’s maid?”

Red eyes that seemed displeased stared at Oliver.

“As far as I know, that’s not possible.”

“Ah…”

He wondered why he was reacting so sensitively, but that was the trigger.

‘Fortunately, it seems that woman hasn’t been discovered.’

If Luke had known who switched the child, that woman would no longer have her head attached by now.

Oliver, who had been anxious thinking he might have noticed, inwardly sighed in relief and smiled awkwardly.

“I just had conversations with her occasionally when I visited here before.”

“You don’t have any ulterior motives, do you?”

He asked in a still sharp tone. At that point, even Oliver had to tilt his head.

‘Why is he so sensitive?’

Did he notice something?

Or…

‘Does he want me to be faithful to my family?’

Unlike most high nobles who secretly keep mistresses, his brother was famous for his passionate devotion to one love.

Men intoxicated by their own love tend to demand high morality from others as well.

Oliver didn’t even consider for a moment that Luke might have romantic interest in Aria.

That might be the most common and ordinary reason, but at least for Luke, it wouldn’t be the case.

“Haha, come on brother. How could I be interested in another woman when I have a wife? I’m just intellectually intrigued by her intelligence.”

“…Is she intelligent?”

“Well, for a low-ranking noble lady who couldn’t even attend the academy.”

It was actually true.

The reason he chose Aria in the past was not only because she was easy to manipulate, but basically because she was smart.

That’s why she was able to do such a bold thing and escape the duke’s mansion undetected.

‘I can roughly guess why she didn’t kill as I ordered…’

Oliver traced his memories from 7 years ago.

The events of that time were still vivid.

“Give me back my daughter now, you damn b*tch!”

The face contorted with anger, grabbing his collar and shouting, was clear.

So was what he said while smiling as his collar was grabbed.

“Ah… What a shame.”

“What!”

“Actually, I brought her, but she died after three days. Perhaps she had a defect from birth.”

“…What?”

As soon as she heard those words, her blue eyes wavered like a tidal wave.

Cracks appeared on her fine and neat face.

Watching that, he thought it was quite enjoyable.

“It’s unfortunate. But you did the job I assigned well, so I won’t report you.”

“Wh-what are you saying? You’re the one who ordered…”

“Hm? What do you mean, Miss Hilton.”

Looking at the woman who was at a loss for words, he smiled deeply.

“You’re the one who switched the duchess’s baby with a doll, took her away, and killed her. Of course, I’m mercifully overlooking your crime.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Do you think you’d be fine if I confess? Such absurd sophistry…!”

“Then go ahead and tell.”

If you can.

Adding that, he cast a spell on Aria.

So that she could not utter the truth.

Ending it to that extent without killing her was his own way of showing consideration and apology.

The more black magic is used, the more burden it places on the caster. In his own way, he had shown great sincerity.

He never imagined that consideration would come back as such a dagger.

Irritation surged.

Oliver skillfully hid such feelings inside and said casually.

“Who would have thought she’d return to the duke’s mansion after 7 years. And with the young lady…”

“…”

“Doesn’t anything seem odd to you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Miss Hilton.”

Oliver turned his head.

“It’s strange, isn’t it? If she had been raising Bonita all this time, why didn’t she return to the duke’s mansion?”

“…”

“Even if she wanted to become the young lady’s nanny out of past connection, it’s strange. If so, it would have been much better to just raise her boldly in the duke’s mansion.”

“…”

“You would have considered Miss Hilton, who was the duchess’s maid, as a priority over finding a new nanny. Isn’t that right?”

Luke was still looking at Oliver with an expression that was impossible to read.

His tightly closed lips, after keeping silent for a while, slowly opened.

“Oliver.”

“Yes, brother?”

“Don’t meddle unnecessarily.”

Oliver flinched at the unexpected words.

The tone was calm, but it was clearly drawing a line.

‘Ugh.’

Overwhelmed by the momentum for a moment, Oliver raised his head. His eyebrows were artificially drooping.

“Unnecessary meddling? I’m just worried about my niece…”

“Do you think I haven’t thought of what you’ve thought?”

Oliver finally closed his mouth.

Luke’s attitude was so stern that he was at a loss for words.

He thought to himself that the attitude towards Elodie’s maid seemed more sensitive than expected.

“Anyway. Since you’re here, stay the night and leave around lunch tomorrow.”

“Wait a minute!”

But he couldn’t let it go like this.

From the circumstances, it seemed Bentley hadn’t even gotten close to Bonita.

If it goes on like this, there won’t be a chance to do anything until he creates another excuse to visit. Moreover, the opportunity to naturally contact Aria will also disappear.

Before that, he had to somehow push someone into the duke’s family.

“Weren’t you curious about the child’s education? From what I heard earlier, it doesn’t seem like you’ve brought in any live-in tutors or nannies to the mansion.”

As the topic of Bonita came up, Luke’s footsteps, which were about to turn away, stopped.

“Yes, I was actually going to ask you about that.”

“Right?”

Oliver inwardly rejoiced.

“We already have two children in our house. Of course, Bonita is a girl so some specific subjects might be a bit different from Bentley or Morgan, but anyway, the basic content is all similar, isn’t it?”

Luke nodded.

Language, mathematics, foreign languages, and history and various cultural subjects weren’t particularly important in terms of gender.

They were essential things that young nobles of the kingdom should learn.

“I’ll introduce you to a good tutor. He’s not from the Imperial Academy, but he’s a graduate of a decent royal university and of noble birth, so he should be able to guide Bonita well.”

“…Is that so.”

Coincidentally, it exactly matched the conditions of the desired tutor.

A nobleman from the Kingdom of Aleph. A university graduate. And even introduced by an acquaintance.

However, there was still one thing to check.

“Is it a woman?”

“Ah, the person I was going to introduce first is a man…”

Upon hearing it was a man, the interest rapidly faded from Luke’s face.

Oliver hurriedly held him back.

“But he’s really a good teacher! It’s not like he’s a live-in tutor anyway, and he’s not an etiquette teacher, right? There shouldn’t be much problem even if it’s a male teacher!”

“I’m not comfortable with it.”

“It’s not uncomfortable at all! He’s a person with outstanding skills, I’m telling you.”

“…Alright.”

Luke reluctantly nodded at the continued persuasion.

“Bonita’s opinion is the most important anyway.”

He was thinking of having a few short lessons first to judge whether the child and the teacher were compatible.

After that, Bonita herself will make the decision. If she doesn’t want it, they can find another tutor.

Throughout his stay at the duke’s mansion, Oliver couldn’t meet Aria until the end.

It was because she didn’t take a single step out of the room.

Even with a bathroom and toilet attached to the room, she literally barely opened the door. Anyway, a grown man couldn’t just barge into a room where a lady and a child were staying.

“He’s finally leaving.”

Aria muttered, looking out the window.

The carriage with the Delphinium viscounty’s seal stopped at the main gate of the duke’s mansion, crossed the garden, and passed through the main gate.

She could breathe a sigh of relief for now.

Having come once, he probably wouldn’t return for a while.

Aria, after confirming that the carriage had completely left, got up.

Her footsteps were light as she opened the door and went out. The sound of two people’s footsteps overlapped in her ears.

It was Luke and Bonita.

“Aria! Are you all better now?”

Bonita, who had been completely fooled by the lie about being sick, ran over with a worried face.

Meanwhile, Luke thought, ‘I knew it,’ as he saw her perfectly fine face.

“Your complexion looks very good for someone who was sick. Was it just a pretense?”

“Of course not. I guess the rest was just effective.”

Aria smiled with a brazen face.

“It’s a shame I couldn’t greet Viscount Delphinium when he came, as I happened to be sick.”

“…Is there a reason you should have greeted him?”

Hm?

She was just playing dumb, but Aria was puzzled to see Luke’s furrowed brow.

Even in that brief moment, the red eyes were staring at Aria as if demanding an explanation.

‘But what am I explaining?’

When she hadn’t done anything wrong.

However, it was also difficult to ignore his intense gaze, so Aria scratched her cheek awkwardly and made an excuse.

“Well… there’s no harm in greeting, is there? He is ‘for now’ Bonita’s uncle…”

“Not because you have an acquaintance with him?”

“An acquaintance?”

Aria’s eyes widened.

Luke, whatever he interpreted from that, clicked his tongue. The sound was quite loud, as if he meant for her to hear it clearly.

“Never mind. I really don’t know what your intentions are.”

“Pardon? What intentions?”

“Of course, it’s…”

Luke, who was about to continue speaking, stopped at the touch of Bonita tugging at his trouser leg.

Bonita exclaimed.

“No bad words!”