Benjamin was left alone again today, waiting for his father. Carol glanced at the clock and let out a shallow sigh.
‘Fortunately, I set the appointment time a bit late.’
Carol comforted Benjamin, whose shoulders were slumped, and read him a fairy tale.
Just as she finished reading and closed the book, Benjamin tightly grasped Carol’s hand.
“Teacher.”
“Yes?”
Carol held Benjamin’s hand back and spoke kindly.
“When is Father coming?”
“He’ll be here soon. You must miss your father.”
At Carol’s words, Benjamin weakly shook his head.
“…I just like being with you, Teacher.”
Since his father wasn’t someone anyone would consider good, Carol couldn’t say anything.
“I like being with you too, Benjamin.”
A response to Carol’s kind voice came. Not from Benjamin, nor from Bianca.
“Carol!”
Knock knock.
The voice calling Carol’s name came from too close to be from the door.
“…Noah?”
It was Noah, knocking on the window, almost plastered to it. Noah was staring intensely at Benjamin.
His expression was resentful, as if his place had been taken.
Carol, with a startled face, first let Noah in.
Slam.
“Noah?”
Noah detached his face from the window and greeted with a nonchalant expression.
“Hello, Carol.”
“Weren’t we supposed to meet at the agreed place?”
Although today was the day she was supposed to have dinner with the Duke and Noah, they had agreed to meet at the appointed place because the Duke said he had some business to attend to.
Noah nodded obediently, as if confirming what Carol knew.
“That’s right. I was just curious about where Carol teaches, so I came to see. Also to pick you up.”
“…I see.”
As Carol looked around unnecessarily, Noah wrinkled his nose and whispered quietly so only Carol could hear.
“I came alone.”
“…Okay. Ah, come in for now.”
Carol’s face reddened, feeling as if her thoughts had been exposed. Come to think of it, since leaving the Duke’s townhouse, they had been exchanging greetings through letters, but this was the first time seeing Noah in person.
“Isn’t it time for class to be over?”
“Not yet.”
It was already well past the time it should have ended.
Bianca, who had been watching this situation from afar, asked with a slightly confused look after seeing Noah’s brilliant silver hair and red eyes.
“Teacher, who is this?”
“…He’s a former student and now a friend.”
At Carol’s explanation, Bianca narrowed her eyes slightly and tilted her head.
“He… looks a lot like the person who visited before, doesn’t he?”
“Ah. They’re distant relatives.”
Noah hadn’t yet become the official heir. Carol didn’t mention that he was a child from a branch family and that the Duke had taken him in.
Noah’s eyes widened at the calm answer without even a moment’s hesitation.
“I see!”
Bianca clapped her hands and smiled, saying it was fortunate. This would be a normal reaction.
Noah sat down on Carol’s other side. At first, he seemed jealous of Benjamin monopolizing Carol, but that didn’t last long.
Only after getting closer did Noah seem to notice that Benjamin couldn’t see. With a softened expression, he asked, “May I say hello?”
Noah looked at Carol as if seeking permission, and Carol nodded slightly.
Remembering his time with the Duke, Noah carefully extended his hand and placed it on the back of Benjamin’s hand.
“What’s your name? I’m Noah.”
“…Benjamin.”
Benjamin flinched at first but soon realized Noah’s intention and answered readily.
“How old are you?”
“I’m nine years old.”
“That makes me your big brother.”
Noah seemed to like being the older brother, placing his hands on his hips and speaking solemnly.
Noah enjoyed the role of the mature older brother, and Benjamin liked being the cared-for younger brother. The two quickly became close.
“Carol, can I go to the bathroom with Benjamin?”
“Sure.”
Carol watched the two fondly.
“Teacher Carol, didn’t you have an appointment? I can stay with Benjamin.”
“We still have time.”
“Is that so?”
Carol politely declined Bianca’s offer, seeing Benjamin’s brightened expression.
“We should tell Mr. Bain to send someone else if he can’t pick him up on time…”
Bianca said it wasn’t fair to accommodate just one person like this. Carol agreed but awkwardly laughed it off since Benjamin was within earshot.
Bianca seemed to notice Carol’s discomfort and came closer.
“Are you sure you’re okay with this?”
“Mr. Bain has been flirting with you a bit, Teacher Carol.”
Carol smiled subtly at Bianca’s whisper.
“He’s been doing that less lately.”
Instead of flirting, he had been glaring at her scarily lately. Sometimes his gaze felt frightening, but Carol answered without showing it.
“Then I’ll be going now.”
“Take care.”
Carol bid farewell to the worried Bianca, reassuring her.
Not long after, Benjamin’s father knocked on the door of the tutoring center.
“Noah, let’s leave right away.”
“Okay. Is that Benjamin’s father who just arrived?”
“Yes.”
At the sound of knocking, Carol took Benjamin’s hand from Noah. Noah’s expression looked disgruntled, but time was tight.
If they had stayed a bit longer, they would have been late for their appointment. Carol checked the clock as she opened the door.
Was it a problem that she greeted him with a brighter face than usual?
“Mr. Bain, you’re here.”
Bain, who keenly noticed Carol’s slightly excited demeanor, scanned the interior of the tutoring center over Carol’s shoulder.
“It’s been hard to see your face lately, Teacher Carol?”
“Pardon?”
“There’s Teacher Bianca now, isn’t there?”
Although the overt flirting had disappeared, Benjamin’s father had taken to staring intently at Carol. Feeling somewhat uncomfortable, Carol lowered her head.
“Ah… yes. Do you have something to say to Teacher Bianca?”
“No. By the way, Teacher Carol.”
“Yes?”
The man’s expression hardened as he saw Noah, who had approached behind Carol.
“…Hah… You’re not alone.”
“Pardon?”
Tension spread across Carol’s face at the meaningful words.
“It’s nothing. Let’s go!”
Swish.
But instead of saying anything more, he nervously snatched Benjamin’s arm.
Swish!
“Goodbye.”
Carol softly replied “See you tomorrow” to Benjamin’s words.
She knew she should tell to come early next time, but seeing Benjamin’s dejected face, she just couldn’t bring herself to say it.
Click.
“Carol.”
Noah, who had closed the door, stopped Carol with a stern face.
“Yes?”
“Is that man Benjamin’s father?”
A troubled expression flashed across Carol’s face. That alone was answer enough, so Noah didn’t press for a verbal response.
“Why do you suddenly ask that?”
Noah hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should say this. But it was an issue he couldn’t pretend not to have seen.
“When we went to the bathroom earlier…”
“Yes?”
Noah spoke with difficulty. Realizing this wasn’t light conversation, Carol calmly waited for Noah’s answer.
“How is Benjamin’s family situation?”
It didn’t seem like he was asking out of mere curiosity.
“…I think he lives alone with his father.”
At Carol’s words, Noah spoke with a trembling voice.
“I think Benjamin is being abused by that man.”
****
The dinner didn’t go as pleasantly as the three had hoped.
Seeing Carol and Noah’s troubled faces, the Duke asked for the reason, and Noah, who hadn’t been told it was a secret, burst into tears and revealed the truth.
After hearing the series of events, the Duke was speechless for a moment.
“Your eyes will swell if you cry like that.”
“I’m, I’m sorry… hiccup”
As Noah apologized while wiping his eyes, the Duke shook his head.
“…I didn’t mean for you to apologize.”
The Duke awkwardly patted the crying Noah’s back.
Carol, since it had come to this, wanted to seek advice and asked the Duke.
“I knew Mr. Bain wasn’t a good caretaker, but…”
“Such types usually pretend to be harmonious family men on the outside.”
“Isn’t there any way? If we report to the knights… couldn’t something be done?”
“That would only provoke him more.”
The Duke said coldly. Even if the knights went, unless something serious had happened, there was nothing they could do.
It was uncomfortable, but that was the current state of the law.
“…The child’s condition seems serious.”
Carol said in a gloomy voice, moistening her parched lips with tea.
Benjamin seemed unaware of how many wounds were on his body.
“That’s right. We need to separate them, even by force if necessary.”
At Noah’s outcry, the Duke shook his head heavily.
“Then we’d become excellent kidnappers.”
“I suppose so?”
Carol muttered in a pained voice, rubbing her dry face.
Children are different from adults. Children have the right to protection and consideration. Especially from their guardians.
Carol recalled her unhappy childhood before her possession. A child’s world is much smaller than one might think, and family occupies the largest part of that small world.
The Duke took Carol’s troubled hand.
“It’s probably not the first time, so he likely chose areas that wouldn’t be visible under clothing.”
His voice showed no doubt that Carol had done her best.
“…I suppose so.”
Carol nodded at the Duke’s firm words.
“Is there really no way?”
It was a better option to inform the Duke rather than Carol trying to solve it herself, but even the Duke didn’t have much he could do.
The empire’s laws were mostly established based on privileged adult males.
“The most realistic solution would be adoption by someone from the same family.”
Just as the Duke had done for Noah.
Another option was if something happened to the current guardian, and if no other family members were willing to take care of the child, they could go to an orphanage. But the Duke deliberately didn’t mention this second option.
“Thank you. I’ll look into whatever I can as much as possible.”
