Using the excuse of the recent incident to take a break, Duke Levi is already on the second day without receiving lessons. Since he had actually been bedridden for three days the last time something similar happened, people seemed to accept it without question.
“You don’t have a fever, are you really sick!”
“Y-yes! How many times have you asked already!”
“But you look perfectly fine…”
Ilya said with a puzzled expression. She had been anxiously watching, but Duke Levi was truly healthy without any symptoms of sickness.
“Does my nanny wish to see me truly sick?”
“Your Highness, that’s not what I meant! It’s just that it was worse this time, and I’m worried that you might suffer more later…”
But Duke Levi sat up from the bed and spoke.
“I’m hungry. Let’s have dinner a little earlier tonight.”
Ilya’s face lit up with a smile, as she had been worried about the duke’s short temper. Strangely, she had been thinking that the duke’s appetite seemed more vigorous than usual these past few days.
Duke Levi, who had come down to the first floor to go to the dining hall, stopped in his tracks.
“Ah…!”
Because he came down earlier than usual, the time overlapped with his theological class. Seeing Elena sitting in the reception room, drinking tea after descending the corridor, the duke casually passed by with a slight smirk, as if nothing had happened. But Ilya couldn’t do the same.
Eventually, after waiting for the duke to finish his meal to some extent, Ilya cautiously spoke up.
“Your Highness, um, tomorrow, why not try attending a theological class…?”
“What?”
As expected, Duke Levi looked at Ilya with piercing eyes. But this time, Ilya herself steeled her heart.
“When the duke collapsed last time, it was Sister Elena, who healed you.”
“Not His Holiness the Pope as usual?”
“Yes. His Holiness the Pope arrived later, and she helped us in the woods.”
Duke Levi doubted Ilya with suspicious eyes as if telling her not to lie. But she earnestly implored him.
“It’s not a lie. If it weren’t for Sister Elena, we would have been in big trouble. But you treat her so poorly, and it makes me uneasy…”
It had already been ten days. The sight of her guarding the reception room all alone weighed heavily on Ilya’s heart every day. It was even more so after receiving Elena’s help a few days ago.
Upon hearing Ilya’s words, Duke Levi seemed to feel something and lowered his gaze, diverting his attention.
“Ah, I’m full.”
“Oh, Your Highness, please don’t pretend not to know.”
“Well, what do you want me to do?”
“Just attend the class once.”
As Duke Levi, was about to firmly refuse with a disapproving expression, Ilya interjected.
“I don’t want to…”
“They say the Emperor has heard of this matter.”
“What did you say?”
With a startled look, Duke Levi, who had been poking at the vegetables with the tip of his fork while eating steak, turned to Ilya.
“A while ago, Lady Francis reported to Lord Hugo, so His Majesty probably knows by now.”
“Tch…”
If Duke Levi had a single weakness, it would be his younger brother, Emperor Vakran I. He was his only blood relative left, and because of a chronic illness, he was terrified to meet him. Even though he would avoid eye contact and tense up in fear, he was still family.
Duke Levi didn’t want to disappoint Emperor Vakran I, and this was also something Ilya occasionally used as a last resort.
“Besides, people are gossiping, Your Highness. Most of the servants who see her sitting alone in the reception room everyday pity Elena.”
“Do I look like I care what those lower class say? Just bring me cake.”
“But, Your Highness…”
“Quickly!”
When talking about Emperor Vakran I, it seemed to have some effect, but it was only temporary. Ilya sighed deeply as he looked at Duke Levi, who turned his head.
The next day.
Duke Levi, who had been rolling around in bed all day, claiming not to feel well, glanced at the time.
Rosaline was informed in advance that there were no classes today, but he skipped the lessons with Elena without notifying her every time. So Elena must have been guarding the reception room alone today as well.
Jumping off the big bed that was spacious and high enough for an adult to sleep comfortably, Duke Levi headed out.
“Your Highness, where are you going?”
Standing next to Duke Levi, Ilya was startled and followed him. The dignified figure leading the way without a word left a strong impression. At first, Ilya had been somewhat skeptical of the Duke’s behavior, but as they got closer to the reception room, her expression brightened.
“Your Highness! You thought well! Oh well, of course!”
“I’m not doing this because of my brother.”
Ilya suppressed the urge to burst out laughing at Duke Levi’s adorable words and nodded repeatedly.
“Yes, yes, yes. Miss Elena will be waiting for Your Highness again today…… Huh?”
Finally arriving at the reception room, Duke Levi’s eyebrows twitched for a moment. The seat where Elena always sat was empty. He checked the inside of the reception room and there was no sign of her, just a vacant space.
“Uh, where did Miss Elena go?”
Puzzled, Ilya searched all around the reception room, which was clearly visible at a glance, looking for Elena. Meanwhile, Duke Levi, who was left behind, felt very uncomfortable.
I came once because she was so pitiful waiting here every day!
Duke Levi puffed up his cheek, saying it would have been better not to attend theological classes. At that moment, the voices of young children could be heard from afar.
“What happened next? What happened next, Miss Elena?”
“Please tell us quickly!”
“We’re so curious!”
Their chattering voices were as cheerful as the singing of birds. Following their curious faces, Duke Levi saw several children of his age sitting in a circle.
“Then…? What happened next, Miss Elena?”
“It came closer step by step from the darkness, a huge and scary wolf.”
“Oh no, what did you do?”
“I’m scared, I’m scared.”
As Elena imitated the sound of the wolf’s footsteps so realistically that it seemed as if she had become a wolf herself, the children covered their faces with tiny hands and blocked their ears, waiting for the next story. Duke Levi was the same. Because Elena’s storytelling was so vivid, he found himself widening his eyes and listening intently.
“And then it revealed its sharp fangs and said, ‘If you give me just one cake, I won’t eat you!'”
Elena was making full use of her ability to tell stories that felt real, which she had acquired during her long stay at the orphanage.
Instead of Duke Levi, whom she had expected not to come today as well, what she discovered today were the young children working at the Palace of Dawn.
These children did simple tasks such as working in the stables and kitchen or running errands. But since there weren’t many tasks suitable for young children, they would gather and play together when the day’s work was almost done.
Looking at these children, whose heads barely reach her waistline, reminded her of the younger siblings she took care of when she was an orphan. So, she asked the kitchen for a few candies and called the children who were running around outside, gathering them together to tell them old stories.
“The siblings’ mother quickly took a cake out of the basket and gave it to the wolf, who ate it up and disappeared into the woods.”
“Wow, thank goodness.”
“But that was only for a moment. The wolf appeared again!”
The children widened their eyes as if the wolf had appeared right in front of them, looking scared.
“The wolf said again. If you give me one more cake, I won’t eat you! So the siblings’ mother took out another piece of cake from the basket. The third and fourth wolves that appeared continuously said the same thing. If you give me one cake, I won’t eat you! And when there was only one house where the young siblings were waiting, the wolf appeared again. The mother quickly reached into the basket to take out one cake, but what happened? The basket was suddenly empty!”
“What do we do, what do we do!”
The children’s feet started shuffling. Their adorable appearance made her want to pinch their cheeks.
“Realizing that there were no more cakes, the wolf…”
Elena, who had raised both arms above her head to imitate the running wolf, glanced absentmindedly beside her. And Duke Levi, who was so absorbed in the story that he stood there blankly, coincidentally locked eyes with Elena.
“Y-Y-Your Highness.”
At that moment, Elena quickly stood up from her seat, and the children who were huddled together also quickly stood up and politely bowed to the Duke before swiftly running away into the distance.
Seeing the children fleeing in the distance, Duke Levi grew irritated. Frowning at Elena, who was slowly approaching her, he was full of dissatisfaction.
“What were you doing?”
Although he had been listening to Elena’s story just moments ago, Duke Levi pretended not to know and spoke.
“That… I was telling the children a story.”
Elena was taken aback. She had been diligently attending to her duties in the reception room but had taken a brief break to watch the children playing outside. Of all days, why did the Duke have to show up today?
“Isn’t it time for my class?”
As expected, Duke Levi glared at Elena with a stern gaze.
“Do you think it’s appropriate for the hired theological teacher to be mingling and chattering with these lower class during this time?”
“Well, but…”
You didn’t come to class!
As much as she wanted to grab the brat by the shoulders, shake him, and tell him that a hundred times, it was just a fantasy. If she wanted to stay in the palace, it was most important not to go against Duke Levi’s feelings. In that case, it was unfortunate luck.
“It wasn’t idle chatter. I was telling the children a story about Rahan.”
Elena said, stuttering.
“A story about Rahan?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
It was nothing more than a version they had adapted of the well-known Korean children’s song ‘The Sun and the Moon,’ but Elena still shamelessly said it.
“It’s an impressive story about Rahan, who sympathizes with the vulnerable siblings and gives them a rope of light before the wicked wolf reaches them. The part where the wolf eats the siblings’ mother before approaching them is what you heard, Your Grace.”
“I have never read such a story in the holy scriptures.”
Of course, it wouldn’t be there. But Elena concealed her surprise.
“In Rahan’s teachings, there are quite a few stories that have been passed down orally rather than being compiled into books.”
But despite Elena’s efforts, Duke Levi’s expression showed no sign of softening. He was the same age as the children who had been listening to Elena’s story with wide-eyed wonder, but right now with his glaring eyes and arms crossed, the duke did not appear to be the same age as those children.
Gulp. Elena swallowed nervously. Will I be fired after all?
In the original book, the duke’s theology teacher was dismissed early on, and the female protagonist, Rosaline, took her place. So in a way, Elena was nothing more than an impurity. If there was a kind of ‘flow’ that the story was trying to follow according to the contents of this book, no matter how hard she tried not to upset the duke’s feelings, it might have been of no use.
“Is there another story like that just now?”
“S-sure, there are other stories, not just Rahan’s, to teach the faithful a lesson, I swear!”
Elena added hastily, her voice tingling.
“Really?”
“Yes!”
“Then you can tell those stories during theology class.”
“Okay! So, from now on… huh?”
Did I mishear? Elena asked, poking her ear with a finger.
“I’m talking about your theology class. You could use that time to tell me those stories.”
“But… you dislike theology class, Your Grace.”
“That’s correct.”
“But then why…?”
“Because I think your theology class might be worth listening to.”
Contrary to the mundane phrase ‘worth listening to,’ Duke Levi’s eyes sparkled with anticipation. Elena felt burdened and couldn’t respond, causing Duke Levi to furrow his eyebrows.
“Do you dislike it?”
“…I wouldn’t say that.”
If she’s going to provoke, then she should provoke. She had no choice.
“Now, quickly, let’s go inside and continue the rest of the story you were talking about earlier.”
“Um, please don’t push me…”
“Come on, come on.”
Duke Levi’s small hands pushed Elena’s back towards the drawing room.
“So, the wolf ate the siblings’ mother, right? What happened to the siblings then?”
“Oh, well…”
As Elena was pushed in by Duke Levi, she made a strange expression.
She had surpassed the critical point where she would be eliminated by the flow of the book. Should she be happy or not?
Duke Levi, who used to tremble during theology class, suddenly changed his attitude, which confused Elena. It seemed that the time for idling around while having a cup of tea every day was over.
It was already bothersome.
