“What is your school?”
“For commoners, the academy is a luxury.”
“You guys are not failures, you’re competing for 1st and 2nd place in the academy.”
Both of them were able to enter the academy with their talent in swordsmanship and the recommendation of the Elais and Deian families.
Then, they maintained their top positions as if they were determined not to miss the top spot in order to graduate early, despite their late admission.
Elais was a nobleman who lived among people as a beastman, and he even received a noble title with his swordsmanship.
As a beastman, he couldn’t live completely cut off from human interaction.
Beastmen sponsored outstanding beastmen to survive among humans, and those beastmen lived among humans, making it possible for other beastmen to come out into human society and become sponsors of other beastmen.
The younger siblings also entered the academy, promising to help the beastmen by mixing with people like Elias.
Elais had high expectations for them as they entered with the same talent. So, he couldn’t let them quit easily.
Kevin and Dylan knew the situation, but Carol, their family, was more important to them.
“You didn’t used to be like this, but since you came down from the capital, you haven’t even come down to the territory…We’re worried.”
The twin younger siblings could freely maintain or release their beastman form unlike her. If both of them helped the family, they would be able to make money quickly.
“No. The Duke is very kind, and I’m satisfied.”
“…Still!”
“Let’s not talk about this anymore.”
But Carol spoke firmly. It would be comfortable to find a job as it is, but she couldn’t when thinking about the future.
If the two of them hadn’t cared about their studies, they might have considered it, but the two of them were good at studying and liked it.
“But sister…!”
“There’s no reason to quit studying and work when the Duke pays well.”
“It’s unfair because only you are burdened.”
“We’re not going to stay for a year and separate, so why are you so impatient?”
“That’s…”
Dylan licked his lips, but Carol cut him off so that the same conversation wouldn’t continue.
“Was this what you wanted to talk about when you came in?”
When Carol changed the subject, the siblings lowered their heads weakly.
“No. We received a letter saying that our brother will stop by for a while.”
“Louis?”
Carol jumped up from her seat.
He was the second son of the Deian family, who knew the existence of beastmen and did not antagonize even the mixed-blood beastmen, and Carol’s only childhood friend.
‘I don’t see him often now that he’s gone to the capital…’
His environment completely changed after he went to the capital, but Carol believed that their friendship was still strong.
The last time she saw him was when she barely transformed into a human after running away from the Duke’s Mansion.
At that time, she couldn’t even properly thank him for the shock of suddenly breaking away from the Duke.
She sent a letter afterwards, but it’s been a year and a half since she last saw his face.
Knock knock.
At the sound of a polite knock, Carol realized it was time to go to the Duke’s Mansion. Carol hurriedly packed her bag and left.
“Oh, right.”
Only after Carol got on the carriage and the carriage started did she realize that she had forgotten to ask exactly when Louis was coming.
****
Today’s dinner menu was a ham sandwich.
Carol, who checked the amount of ham and butter generously put into the baguette, walked down the corridor with a slightly excited step.
“Mrs. Wells, good evening.”
While passing through the corridor, she ran into Mrs. Wells. When Carol, who was pulling the trolley, stopped, Mrs. Wells greeted her.
“Good evening. How is it so far?”
“Everyone is very considerate, so I’m very happy.”
At Carol’s words, Mrs. Wells was silent for a moment.
This little lady had only been in the Duke’s Mansion for just two months. The Duke’s Mansion, which was still overshadowed by gloomy clouds on the outside, Mrs. Wells knew, who was most involved in the Duke’s affairs both inside and outside.
Unlike the previous generation, how much courage the current Duke is taking to move forward.
‘She should stay here as long as possible.’
The weight of her words was different now than when she first came here with the same purpose.
She should have set the minimum contract period longer.
Mrs. Wells regretted and stopped Carol to tell her why.
“I’m glad. It’s not that, but the thing you asked for before, it’s okay from today.”
At Mrs. Wells’ words, Carol’s eyes widened.
“Really, ma’am?”
Her flushed cheeks were fresh like an apple. At her excited question, Mrs. Wells nodded once.
Knock knock.
“Come in, teacher.”
Thanks to his sharpened hearing, the Duke could distinguish people by the sound of their knock.
In the case of Carol, she knocked on the door more cheerfully and quickly than anyone else in the Duke’s house. When he heard her knock, which was different from her polite appearance, the Duke often found himself smiling without realizing it.
“Good evening.”
She, who greeted him in a calm tone, placed the trolley in front of the sofa, not next to the bed, as usual.
The Duke, who had been sitting in front of the table by the window, also approached the sofa without a word.
The Duke, who was completely familiar with the room structure, sat on the sofa as if he could see, without any collision.
The table by the window was for two people. The Duke didn’t want to accidentally brush his hand.
Carol placed a plate on the Duke’s lap.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Their relationship had developed a lot to the point where he could easily thank her for her consideration.
Normally, he would have to stuff his mouth full of food and chew it thoroughly with his blunt tone, but…
“Do you not like sandwiches?”
Carol was unusually rummaging through her bag without touching the food right away.
“I can’t eat one because I don’t have one… May I use the fire in the fireplace?”
Carol spoke in a flat voice. She had wondered whether to bring it today, and she thought it was a good idea.
“Use it.”
“Thank you.”
Although he wondered if there was any other use for the fireplace, the Duke gladly accepted Carol’s request. Carol made a rustling noise and approached the fireplace.
Thud.
And then he heard a heavy sound falling inside the fireplace.
“Are you trying to burn something?”
“No.”
“I heard something being thrown.”
“It’s a potato.”
“…Potato?”
It was one of the food ingredients that the poor mainly ate. Especially in the barren northern land where farming was difficult, it was a valuable food. But that was only as far as he knew as a lord, he had never eaten it himself.
In regions other than the north, potatoes were usually thrown to livestock as feed.
“Yes. It’s delicious when you roast it like this.”
“…To eat?”
“Isn’t it stranger to bring a potato all the way here just to burn it?”
“That’s true, but.”
The Duke spoke in a trembling voice.
“I wanted to try roasting a potato because the fire here is good.”
“…”
“Do you want to eat it?”
“…”
Despite the Duke’s silence, Carol added more words without thinking.
“For 50 silver.”
“…”
Although he didn’t intend to eat it, she thought she’s offering it out of kindness…
When the Duke was speechless at the price Carol called, Carol boldly cut the price thinking she might have called it too high.
“20 silver.”
“Suddenly it’s less than half the price. And with that much, you could buy a box of potatoes.”
When the Duke scolded her for the outrageous overcharge, Carol spoke as if surprised.
“I thought you didn’t know the value of things.”
“You are truly shameless.”
“The price I called includes the value of having a new experience.”
Carol spoke shamelessly without being intimidated.
Usually, if you hesitate in such a place, you are more likely to be taken advantage of.
The Duke laughed a hollow laugh as if he found it absurd. Carol pouted her lips.
What kind of monster speaks so politely?
He thought he resented the things that kept him in this small room a little, and then Carol suddenly started rummaging through her bag again.
“I’m thinking of having a special lesson today.”
“I haven’t even finished learning Braille yet.”
The Duke absorbed information like a sponge. The progress was much faster than expected. He was a very diligent student.
He spoke in a dissatisfied tone, burning his forgotten passion for learning again, that once he started something, he had to go all the way.
He could end up being neither here nor there if he tried to learn many things at once.
What on earth is she saying that she’s going to teach something new in the middle of a special lesson?
“We’re going outside.”
“…”
At the unexpected words, the Duke’s hand, which was eating a sandwich, stopped in mid-air.
“Even if I say outside, it’s just going to the garden.”
“I appreciate the teacher’s enthusiasm. But…”
The Duke’s voice sank darker than the night.
In the original work, he did not leave the room even after meeting the female lead. After his curse manifested, he only left the room once.
It was when he was killed by her sword.
