Chapter 15
Krovi quickly stood up and returned to his seat. With one hand, he carefully held the hand that had just shaken mine.
I cleared my throat once and pretended to eat my soup while bringing up the main topic.
“Abudi. A-kka Kongson Baekjakka-eseo saram on geo ana?
(Father, do you know someone came from the Count Colson family earlier?)”
“Huh?”
“Why should I know that?”
Krovi asked as if he didn’t understand, and Leo responded in his usual annoyed tone.
The Duke Shablin and I had been running around all day to clean up the mess he caused, but he clearly had no interest in it.
I forced a smile and clapped my hands happily.
“Gyeyak gyesokhanda! Harabeodi gippeuda!
(The Count Colson family said they will continue the business contract.)”
“…I see.”
“….”
My father’s indifferent reaction made my expression fall a little. Keeping the same face, I spoke again as if showing off my effort.
“Ersha, naj-e harabeodi-rang gachi Kongson Baekjakka gat-eotda.
(Ersha went to the Colson Count family with grandfather today.)”
“You met Father?”
“Ung.”
I nodded once. Leo looked unhappy hearing that I met the Duke.
I sighed softly as if feeling sad.
“Ersha ma-eum apeuda. Harabeodi gyesok meori sugyo-sseo. Baekjakka-e mian-e, mian-e hamyeo jjugguri doetta.
(Ersha’s heart hurts. Grandfather kept bowing his head and apologizing to the count family.)”
“……”
“Ersha soksanghae.
(Ersha feels upset.)”
So?
Don’t you feel at least a little guilty?
Because of his reckless son, the great Duke Shablin had to bow his head to a weak count family!
I slightly lifted my head to check his reaction.
But the one who reacted was not Leo.
It was Krovi.
“This time he only bowed his head?”
“Hung?”
“It reminds me of the time he knelt at the Grand Temple.”
“….”
“There was no greater humiliation than that. At least it was in front of the High Priest, so the Duke was less embarrassed. After all, everyone becomes humble in front of the High Priest.”
“….”
So something like that happened too…
What exactly did you do at the Grand Temple?
I looked at Leo with an even colder gaze than before. But he calmly continued eating as if nothing had happened.
Seeing that, under the table I sharpened my tiny steamed-bun-like fingers as much as I could. My rice-grain-sized nails sparkled.
Full of the desire to scratch him!
A few days passed.
On a bright afternoon, after I had somewhat adapted to this world, I finally met someone.
I sat across from him with the happiest smile in the world.
Hehehe…
Messy blond hair and orange eyes.
A handsome man in his mid-twenties sat in front of me, blinking his eyes. He wore thick horn-rimmed glasses that covered half his face.
The thick lenses made his eyes look as small as buttons.
Can he even see properly?
Blond hair was often seen as a sign of stupidity.
Orange eyes too.
But who cares?
Teacher.
Finally, a teacher!
Today was the historic day when Ersha got her very first private tutor.
Of course, I didn’t really need to learn anything. But if I wanted to survive under my grandfather’s watch, I had to at least pretend to study seriously.
What should I say I want to learn?
Quadratic formulas? Finding the diameter of a circle? Solving equations like x(x−7)=18?
The man nervously pushed up his thick glasses.
“N-nice to meet you. My name is Limerick Bray. From today, I will be your private tutor, young lady.”
“Hehehe… bangapda. (Nice to meet you.)”
I smiled brightly, but Limerick avoided my gaze and turned his head slightly.
“S-since today is the first day, let’s start with introductions. Have you heard of ‘100 Questions, 100 Answers’?”
“What?”
“You answer one hundred questions about yourself.”
“Ersha gongbuneun? (What about studying?)”
“Learning about yourself is also an important kind of study.”
“….”
Hmm.
This was completely different from the class I expected.
I rolled my eyes.
I might get kicked out at any time. I couldn’t waste my days like this. If we only do this silly questionnaire, when will my genius reach grandfather’s ears?
Carefully, I spoke.
“Nanun na-e daehae jal aneunde. Baek gae anigo cheon gae, man gaedo anda. Geureonikka dareun deo eoryeoun geo aryeo jul su itna?
(I know myself very well. Not just 100 things, but 1,000 or even 10,000. So can you teach me something harder?)”
“Pardon?”
“Other Shablins already memorize multiplication tables, right? I want to try too!”
“Th-today’s lesson is introductions…”
“Then can we change it?”
“That would be difficult. For now, please complete the 100 questions I prepared as homework. If you do that, I will prepare a harder lesson next time.”
“….”
Hmm.
Something smells suspicious.
I looked at Limerick with doubt while swinging my short legs under the table. He wiped cold sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.
Well… I was only five years old.
And today was my first time having a tutor. Maybe it made sense for him to first learn about his student.
“Umm… okay. I understand. Tomorrow teach me something really hard.”
“T-tomorrow? The next lesson is next week…”
“What? Next week?”
I couldn’t hide my shock.
Do we only have class once a week?
“When do we have class?”
“Once a week.”
“!”
No way!
Only one class per week, and we waste it on something this useless?
I tried to stay calm.
“Teacher, actually my life depends on this study. Ersha will study with her life on the line. Can you teach me every day?”
“Pardon?”
If I want grandfather to acknowledge me, I must study.
I looked at Limerick with desperate eyes.
But he lowered his head even more and avoided my gaze.
“Th-that must be discussed with Marquis Shablin…”
“….”
That useless Marquis Shablin.
I had no choice but to shrink my shoulders and make a pitiful face.
“Nimerik… Ersha harabeodi-wa yeolsimhi gongbu-hagiro yaksokhaetta.
(Ersha promised grandfather she would study hard.)”
It was more like a one-sided declaration, but I continued sadly.
“Ersha eomma-do eopgo, abaneun mangnani-da.
(Ersha has no mother, and her father is a scoundrel.)
So I must study hard… please help me, teacher…”
Finally, I grabbed my hands together and looked at him with teary eyes.
My sincerity was real.
So real that my eyes almost filled with tears.
Limerick looked very flustered. His tiny eyes trembled.
“I-I can’t…”
“Please…”
I stared at him without blinking.
It was like a staring contest.
In the end, Limerick looked away awkwardly.
“…Alright. I will come again tomorrow for now. I will slowly discuss it with the Marquis.”
“Really? Thank you!”
After the class ended, I waited excitedly for tomorrow.
Tomorrow I would finally study something difficult.
My heart was full of anticipation.
The next day finally arrived.
But strangely, Limerick kept looking around nervously.
“H-have you ever played hide-and-seek?”
“What?”
Why was he acting like that?
He looked restless, like someone who must not be seen.
“Y-young lady will be the seeker and try to find me. It’s like a light warm-up exercise before class.”
“Really?”
At that moment, a bad feeling crossed my mind.
It felt like the teacher was about to run away.
“If you find me, we will start the lesson. Then… start!”
“W-wait! Teacher!”
Limerick suddenly ran away.
I quickly chased him, but with a child’s body it was impossible to catch up to a grown man.
Still, I ran with all my strength and finally saw the edge of his clothes far ahead.
I shouted loudly.
“Teacher! Found you!”
“Huh?!”
Limerick looked back at me in shock.
Then he immediately ran away again.
You little—!
