Chapter 40
Something is coming (1)
Luke’s eyebrow twitched at the sudden, contextless question. He looked down at Aria with an incredulous expression.
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“I just noticed you kept looking at Bonita’s hand. I thought maybe you wanted to hold hands and walk together too.”
“…….”
Luke averted his gaze, having been struck right on point. Aria thought to herself.
‘Still can’t lie, huh?’
Though his intimidating appearance overshadowed it, Luke was a rational and honest person.
The titles like “Ruler of the South” and “Dark Sorcerer” were all just rumors.
…Or so Aria, who was once Elodie, believed.
Aria tapped Luke’s waist as he continued to stare at Bonita and Catherine holding hands.
“If you want to hold hands, you should just go ask Bonita yourself.”
“That’s…”
Luke’s gaze wandered into the air.
But the silence didn’t last long.
Soon, he spoke in a calm tone.
“Aren’t I already holding my mother’s hand?”
“Oh my. Bonita has two hands, you know? The other one is empty.”
At Aria’s words, which carried an obviousness as if he should have realized it himself, Luke fell silent again.
‘Is he embarrassed?’
Watching Luke out of the corner of her eye, Aria’s lips twitched.
Well, he had always been like this when it came to romance.
Back then, it had been painfully obvious that he desperately wanted to hold Elodie’s hand, to touch her even just a little. Yet, he could never bring himself to say it first.
How clueless could one man be?
Of course, after their first night together, he had clung to her obsessively as if trying to make up for all the time he had held back.
Recalling those innocent days, Aria chuckled softly. A mischievous smile, almost boyish, spread across her face.
“Or… should I hold your hand instead? In Bonita’s place.”
“…Don’t say nonsense.”
Luke’s face twisted in open displeasure as he took a step away from her.
His expression was fierce.
But considering he had already threatened to kill her when they first reunited, it was too late for her to feel intimidated now.
‘Still… he’s keeping pace with me.’
Aria was tall for a woman, but compared to Luke, who was nearly two heads taller than most grown men, there was a huge difference.
Yet, she didn’t have to walk any faster to keep up with him.
Luke had adjusted his strides to match hers.
Even though his crimson eyes never turned to her, Aria could tell he was subtly mindful of her.
‘He’s… improved a little, I guess.’
At least compared to how overbearing he had been in the beginning.
Of course, he was nothing like the Luke from her days as Elodie. Back then, he was so sweet and devoted that his nickname in high society, marshmallow soaked in sugar water, fit him perfectly.
“So.”
As they continued walking slowly behind Bonita and Catherine, Luke was the one to break the silence first.
Still staring straight ahead, he asked,
“What was it you said you needed to talk about earlier?”
“Ah.”
Aria let out a small sigh.
“Well… It’s about Bonita’s talent.”
“Talent?”
This time, Luke turned his head. His red eyes locked onto Aria, carrying a hint of curiosity.
“Yes. I think Bonita has a talent for drawing.”
“A talent for drawing, huh.”
Repeating her words like a parrot, Luke’s lips curled into a strangely satisfied smile.
“Of course she does.”
“…Huh? Do you also have a talent for drawing, Your Grace?”
Aria, who had never once seen Luke draw during their time together—either in courtship or marriage—asked in surprise.
But he looked at her as if wondering what nonsense she was spouting.
“I’ve never drawn before.”
“Then why say ‘of course’…?”
“Because it’s obvious.”
“…….”
Aria was so dumbfounded that she momentarily lost her words.
A thought drifted through her mind.
“You know, most parents think their child is a genius.”
It was a joke she had heard among noblewomen just the other day.
‘Well, Bonita is a genius, though.’
Aria briefly worried that she might be one of those parents, but no matter how she looked at it, Bonita was indeed a genius.
Objectively speaking, she was.
It was absolutely not just parental bias!
“Still, hmm. If she enjoys drawing, it might be a good idea to get her an art tutor.”
Not knowing the extent of Bonita’s artistic skill, Luke spoke in a composed tone.
“At seven, most noble families start hiring tutors for etiquette and arithmetic anyway.”
He wasn’t wrong.
Aria considered correcting his assumption but decided it might be more fun to let him be surprised later.
After all, being ridiculously good at drawing wasn’t exactly a bad thing.
Many nobles pursued painting or music as a hobby, and Bonita’s talent would only add more color to her life.
Besides, she seemed to genuinely enjoy drawing.
That was enough.
There was no need to force her talent to develop. It wasn’t necessary.
And when Luke mentioned hiring a tutor, she was sure he only meant to do so if Bonita wanted one.
“How do you plan to find a tutor?”
“I’ll start by seeking recommendations.”
“Do you know someone who can recommend one?”
“I was thinking of contacting the Imperial Academy…”
Luke trailed off mid-sentence.
The Imperial Academy’s graduates…
They were fine words, but such high-caliber individuals were few and far between each year.
The Academy’s annual enrollment limit was 200 students for the Swordsmanship Department, 100 for the Magic Department, and 30 for the Politics Department—a total of only 330 students.
And since it wasn’t an option to assign Bonita a tutor specializing in swordsmanship or magic, that left only about thirty candidates.
Even fewer, if one accounted for dropouts.
If the young lady were a teenager preparing to enter the Academy, it would be one thing, but finding a graduate willing to tutor a seven-year-old child was rare. Especially considering that most Politics Department students were imperial nobles destined to inherit their family titles.
On top of these already challenging conditions, there was another hurdle: Luke wanted Bonita’s tutor to be from the Kingdom of Aleph, not the Empire.
The Empire and the Kingdom had different languages and cultures. While they shared the same written characters, their methods of reading them were entirely distinct.
Since this wasn’t a matter of finding a swordsmanship instructor for a boy but rather someone to teach etiquette and general education, it was only natural that the tutor be from the Kingdom.
It would also help Bonita adapt better.
“Is it troubling you?”
“Hmm…”
Luke thought back to his own childhood. His memories were vague, but most of his tutors had been noblewomen or the younger sons of aristocratic families who hadn’t inherited titles.
The only tutor he recalled from the Academy’s swordsmanship department had been his fencing instructor.
“Normally… people find tutors through personal connections?”
“Most likely.”
“…….”
Luke pondered.
Aria nudged his side again.
“What are you doing?”
“Right here.”
“What is?”
“A candidate for Bonita’s tutor!”
At Aria’s exclamation, Luke slowly blinked.
It was a candidate he had never even considered.
“That’s ridiculous.”
“Why is it ridiculous?”
“Because, obviously—”
Luke started to give a reason but then stopped himself.
…Come to think of it, there wasn’t really a reason why not. Aria Hilton was also a noblewoman.
Her dining etiquette and tea manners suggested that noble decorum was second nature to her. She had likely been educated in the history of the Kingdom, basic arithmetic, and at least some foreign languages.
Besides, Bonita liked Aria.
By all accounts, she was perfectly suited to teach a seven-year-old.
Even his initial opposition now seemed meaningless.
‘Got him!’
Seeing Luke’s rapidly shifting expression, Aria clenched her fist triumphantly.
At this point, he was as good as convinced.
“Fine, that works.”
As expected.
Though he seemed slightly reluctant, Luke ultimately gave his approval.
“At the very least, you can teach her etiquette.”
In truth, most noble children learned etiquette simply by observing their parents. Since they spent the most time together, it was inevitable.
If Bonita had been a boy, Luke would have taught her himself.
But etiquette for men and women was entirely different. And entrusting Bonita’s education to the ever-finicky Catherine felt too risky.
In the end, the best candidate was standing right in front of him—this strangely exasperating woman.
“Still, we should find a proper teacher for the rest. From what I’ve gathered, the first priority should be teaching her how to read.”
Even if one overlooked other subjects, literacy was a fundamental skill for the nobility.
Even among commoners working for aristocratic households, the ability to read was a significant advantage.
Most noble children learned to recognize letters by the age of five, so at seven, Bonita was somewhat behind.
Since she shared his view, Aria asked,
“Should we ask the Marchioness of Hyacinth?”
The Marquess’ family had three children, so they likely knew of a suitable tutor.
Luke considered it for a moment before shaking his head.
“No. I plan to ask Oliver.”
Aria’s smile faded.
Oliver Delphinium.
With his gentle face and cheerful personality, he was Luke’s younger brother.
If Bonita hadn’t existed, he would have been next in line for the duchy.
And he was also the most likely person to have orchestrated the real Aria’s demise.
Aria opened her mouth, intending to dissuade Luke. But she couldn’t find a good excuse.
“Your brother faked your daughter’s death and kidnapped her?”
With what proof?
She would be lucky if she wasn’t dismissed as insane.
Aria bit down hard on the inside of her cheek. The taste of iron spread across her tongue. Her face twisted for a moment.
Luke, who was looking ahead, didn’t notice. He simply spoke to the now-silent Aria in his usual calm tone.
“Come to think of it, Oliver is Bonita’s uncle. It might be good to invite him to the duchy while we ask about tutors.”
