Chapter 15: 15

“…That soon?”

 

Leonier stopped scooping up the mixture of chopped bacon, mashed potatoes, and vegetables. He said they’d depart after the snowstorm ended, but she hadn’t expected it to be decided so quickly.

 

Felio also said that it was a late start. If he wanted to go today, they had to leave right now.

 

“Your tutor will pay you a visit.”

 

“Tutor?” 

 

Oh, something popped into Leonier’s mind. Felio often said that Leonier had so much to learn and needed a teacher. Leonier herself admitted that she lacked the knowledge a noblewoman should have because she’s only ever lived in an orphanage.

 

“Your tutor will arrive this afternoon and will only be able to see your face. The full class begins tomorrow.”

 

“You must tell me ahead of time so I can prepare.”

 

“All of the preparations are arranged there and brought with you.”

 

“What in the world…” Leonier’s hand, which had come to a halt, began to move again. The mashed potatoes that barely fit into her mouth, were salty and delicious.

 

After the meal, the two of them went on a walk in the garden to continue discussing the tutor. In that short time, the servants carefully cleaned up the sparkling white snow that had piled up to the height of an adult. Leonier’s steps were followed by the sound of footsteps.

 

“But what am I learning?”

 

“Etiquette and History.” 

 

Felio followed the child’s footsteps with his gaze. He moved at his own pace to keep up with Leonier’s speedy strides. Small and thin footprints were imprinted beside large and wide footprints.

 

“Only two?”

 

A white cloud of air came out of the mouth of the child who asked. 

 

“You’ve already learned to read.”

 

When she was in the orphanage, Connie gathered the children and taught them to read and write without the Director’s knowledge. She had heard that kids needed to be literate so that they wouldn’t be ignored and would be treated as human beings even if they were to leave the orphanage later.

 

“Don’t complain later because two is difficult.”

 

“Hng, I’m afraid I’m going to mess up.” 

 

“You can act as you usually do,” Felio said, fixing Leonier’s cardigan button by hand. The second button was distorted because it was inserted into the wrong hole. Leonier stood there calmly watching the indifferent and kind touch.

 

“But when did you find a tutor?”

 

Felio had been lazing around with Leonier every day because it had been snowing and he was unable to work. Even so, she couldn’t see his face except for meals until a few days before he was about to go out monster hunting.

 

“The day after you came here.” 

 

Leonier’s eyes widened in shock. “That early?” she exclaimed.

 

“I’ve been calling people from the studio to decorate your room and buy clothes, and I’ve also hired tutors.”

 

“Uncle…” 

 

Felio has done everything he could for the child since then. Leonier’s heart ached once more. She felt a shameful pain in her heart every time she discovered he was so nice to her and cared about her, which confused Leonier.

 

It’s still difficult for me to call him Daddy because it’s awkward. 

 

Felio, who had not yet recognized his daughter’s feelings, placed his hand over her head. “So  study hard while I’m away.” 

 

‘Don’t cry because you miss me,’ Felio cracked a mischievous joke.

 

“……”

 

But there was no reply back. 

 

‘Is Uncle stupid? I’m not gonna cry you know!’ 

 

Felio, who was about to react since he expected a rebellious response, stared at Leonier, surprised.

 

The child, who was always chattering, was so quiet that he even got scared.

 

“…I’ll do my best,” Leonier softly muttered.

 

Felio was unfamiliar with the child that just timidly responded and asked just in case, “…Are you sick?”

 

“I’m not sick!” 

 

  

Fortunately, her loud barking sound quickly responded to his question. Felio assumed she wasn’t sick and got ready to stretch his arm out to hold the kid in his arms as usual.

 

“Ugh.” 

 

Leonier, who had always been hugged, shook her head.

 

Instead, she held out her hand.

 

“Here!”

 

Felio looked at her for a while before pulling out candy from his pocket.

 

“Not that.”

 

Leonier grasped Felio’s hand, who couldn’t see it. Three big calloused fingers were grasped in the soft, warm, small palms.

 

Felio’s sharp eyes opened wide. 

 

“Let’s hold hands and go.”

 

“…=.”

 

“You don’t like it?”

 

“…That’s not it.”

 

He was just surprised, but Felio couldn’t release his hand. Leonier then moved her legs again, as if everything was fine. However, Felio’s stride was so large and fast that Leonier was being dragged along by him.

 

Felio had no idea who was catching whom. The child’s pace was frustratingly slow. Even if she was in good health, she was still smaller than her age.

 

The child’s steps were naturally slower than those of an adult, which was why Felio frequently carried Leonier in his arms. It was, after all, his first time walking side by side holding hands like this.

 

“…”

 

Felio gradually slowed down before he realized it. The child’s walking gradually returned to its original speed.

 

“I’ll study hard, so come home as soon as possible.”

 

Leonier’s ears flushed red when spoke up. It didn’t appear to be due to the cold.

 

‘This is a little—’

 

He thought it was frustrating at first because it was slow and would be easier to just carry the child than walking. But when he walked side by side with her, none of that popped into his head.

 

It was a different sensation than walking in his arms.

 

Felio’s chest felt ticklish from the small warmth and tenderness of the fingertips that grasped his. “When we get back from the hunt, let’s go to the orphanage.”

 

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“Yes.”

 

“Don’t cry because you miss me while I’m gone.”

 

“I’m not going to cry.”

 

Felio secretly swallowed a laugh in response to Leonier’s more sullen response.

 

“Do you think you will miss me?”

 

“Well, a little.”

 

“You’re bad at being honest.”

 

“No, Uncle is the one that’s bad.”

 

The big and small steps taken side by side continued until the father and daughter’s conversation ended.

 

*******

 

In the afternoon, two carriages arrived at the Duke mansion.

 

“I’m Kerena Tedros. I teach etiquette.”

 

“Nice to meet you. I’m Ardea and I teach history.”

 

Two tutors stood in front of Duke Voreotti and his daughter. One was a beautiful lady, and the other was an old man with a thirst for knowledge and experience.

 

‘Pretty woman and sleeping pills,’ 

 

That was Leonier’s first impression of the tutors.

 

Countess Kerena Tedros, an etiquette teacher, was a young and beautiful woman. Leonier, who had expected an elderly person, was surprised to see the young Kerena.

 

Her gown was so beautiful that wrinkles formed between her eyes.

 

The history teacher, Ardea, on the other hand, gave her the impression of a nitpicker.

 

With the wrinkles and ragged hems of his clothes and on his face, she was astounded by the old man’s bravery in coming in shabby clothes to meet Duke Voreotti.

 

“Leonier.”

 

Felio tapped his silent daughter on the back.

 

“It’s nice to meet you. My name is Leonier Voreotti.”

 

Leonier made eye contact with the teachers after a belated greeting. Kerena smiled and Ardea looked at her with interest.

 

“Countess Tedros will pay a weekly visit, and Ardea will reside in the mansion.”

 

The tutors left after a brief introduction. Leonier, who had been watching the teachers’ carriages leave the mansion, dashed to Felio’s side and took his hand.

 

“Uncle.”

 

Felio lowered himself, holding her hands.

 

“Is there anything I need to be careful about?” she asked.

 

“Why do you need to be careful?”

 

Felio frowned. Perhaps she wanted to be cautious of the two or to ask about anything else. Felio insisted that the Young Lady of Duke Voreotti would never be required to do so in the north.

 

“Regardless of what you do wrong.”

 

“Even if it means killing people?”

 

“That’s an extreme example, but it doesn’t matter.”

 

Leonier laughed at Felio’s words, just as she did with orphanage visitors.

 

“As expected, a person must be born with power.”

 

“I’m sure you’re grateful towards me,” Felio teased.

 

“I know you’re grateful to me for putting up with Uncle’s personality.”

 

Leonier, on the other hand, was concerned about her first meeting with her tutor. Before taking the class, she honestly admitted that she wanted to know what kind of people they were.

 

“Ardea is very talented.”

 

“How so?”

 

“He was a member of the Imperial Academy as well as a professor there.”

 

The dark eyes of the child popped wide open. The academy was an academic research institute that included only the best geniuses in the Empire.

 

Members of the academy’s achievements can be found all over the Empire, also known as the Empire’s third power. The Academy was a large educational institution in the Capital, from which the vast majority of its members came.

 

Felio had also graduated from the Academy. She was concerned about his past as a professor.

 

“Is there really such a great man in the North?”

 

Felio agonized about it for a moment before looking at his child’s face.

 

“Uhm,” Leonier shrugged as he looked at her.

 

“What about Countess Tedros?”

 

It must be something difficult to say, so Leonier didn’t ask any further and redirected the conversation. Felio patted her head and grabbed strawberry milk candy.

 

“The woman was chasing me the other day.”

 

“Uncle!”

 

Leonier’s impression of her changed.

 

“Why would you hire a woman like that!?”

 

Leonier is now thought to be Felio’s illegitimate child. The fact that she was Regina’s daughter was kept a secret, and only Leonier, Felio, Kara, Loupe, and Mono were aware of it.

 

Mono called and found out about it the same day Felio and Leonier came to the training ground. When he discovered the truth, he spat out his beer. 

 

“Come to think of it, that auntie is also strange.”

 

Leonier can’t believe the countess will be teaching the illegitimate child of someone she liked. Leonier quickly drew a diagram of the three of them, including herself.

 

The woman liked the man, the man had a hidden daughter, and the woman became her home teacher, what a mess.

 

“Strange?”

 

Leonier’s eyes became as steep and cold as the heavy snow.

 

Felio looked at such a child in an odd, yet deeply moving way. His daughter must be the only person who dares to do that to him, a wild beast in the North. The cold stare, on the other hand, drew his attention.

 

“No one in the North has better aristocratic manners than that woman. Yes, she is well-known in both cult and religious circles. I’m not saying she’s a moron or ignorant.”

 

So Felio spoke as if he was making excuses for the lady without realizing it.

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