***

The first monthly meeting held after Belinda completed her succession ceremony and officially became the head of the family was conducted in a very solemn atmosphere.

The heads of the three vassal families serving the Blanche family secretly marveled at how Belinda had developed such an imposing presence befitting a family head in just one month.

As they reported on the progress of their assigned businesses and reviewed plans for new ventures, the three vassal family heads were in the midst of evaluating their new master’s business capabilities and giving her quite high marks.

Belinda, who had shown no signs of fatigue despite this being her first meeting, opened her mouth in a tone heavier than at any other time.

“There’s one thing I’d like to ask everyone’s opinion about.”

The meeting atmosphere, which had become somewhat relaxed as it showed signs of concluding, became tense again at those words.

The family heads exchanged glances with each other.

They instinctively sensed that just as they had been evaluating Belinda, she would now be evaluating them.

“Please speak.”

Viscount Silvio took the lead, rubbing his beard.

Belinda looked around at everyone before continuing.

“If your children were trying to hide something from you… what would you do?”

“…Pardon?”

“To explain metaphorically, let’s say, for example, that your child got into an argument with a classmate at the academy.”

Despite adding the qualifier “for example,” Belinda’s voice began to grow increasingly agitated as if she were actually facing such a situation.

“But they absolutely refuse to say who they argued with or why. Given that they’re a tender-hearted child who always considers others’ perspectives, the other party must have started the trouble. What’s worse, they keep coming home from school with disheveled uniforms, suggesting they might be continuously bullied…”

Scratch. Belinda’s fingernails menacingly scraped the armrest of her chair.

“How far would it be justified to punish someone else’s child who is bullying mine?”

Seeing Belinda’s eyes flash with murderous intent, Head Silvio swallowed hard.

As a father with grown children, he carefully answered, presenting his educational philosophy.

“Understanding the situation should be the first step. You should ask the young master what happened.”

“What if he absolutely refuses to talk? Even when I threatened him with a week’s ban on cleaning, he wouldn’t say a word.”

“A ban on cleaning?”

“Consider it a punishment as terrible as being grounded.”

“…Then you should press him and scold him with even harsher punishments until you find out.”

“But what if that wounds the child’s pride? Perhaps the child doesn’t want me to intervene.”

“Well… then perhaps it’s best to let the children resolve it among themselves?”

“But how can I leave it alone when my child might be getting ostracized!”

“Yes, that’s right. Of course, that’s true.”

Baron Rechel, who immediately backed down at Belinda’s words, sensed that this discussion would go on longer than any previous agenda item.

As the meeting dragged on, as he had predicted, Viscount Silvio turned to Count Dukoff, who had remained silent throughout, and asked.

“Count Dukoff, what do you think?”

She was the most decisive and rational person among those present.

After confirming that everyone’s attention was now on her, the Count calmly began to speak.

“I have two things to say.”

Tap, tap. After gathering her stack of documents and tapping them on the table a few times, the Count continued as if she had been waiting for this moment.

“Your Ladyship, I would advise you to refrain from personal purchases of magic stones. Since you’ve been accumulating them without consuming or selling them, the Magic Tower has begun to suspect that you might be hoarding them to drive up prices. It would be unwise to displease the Magic Tower, so I recommend gradually releasing some of your stock.”

“….”

“….”

“….”

“Finally, please refrain from personal matters during monthly meetings.”

“…I see. Please inform the Magic Tower that they need not worry, as I am selling small quantities through acquaintances.”

“Yes.”

At that moment, Baron Rechel, who had thought of a good idea, pounded his chest confidently and said.

“Don’t worry, Your Ladyship! My son commutes to and from school with the young master. I’ll subtly question my son without him noticing and find out what happened.”

At those words, Belinda’s eyes finally lit up.

Why hadn’t she thought of that!

As Baron Rechel said, Ian might know something about this matter.

Besides, unlike their previously distant relationship, the two had been spending a lot of time together lately.

Belinda looked at the Baron with more trust in her eyes than ever before and said.

“I’m counting on you, Baron.”

“Yes, leave it to me!”

***

“…That’s what my father consulted me about, and it seems her Ladyship is misunderstanding, thinking you might be getting beaten up somewhere.”

“….”

At Ian’s explanation, Leo could only cover his face with both hands, unable to say anything.

The reason Leo couldn’t be honest with Belinda wasn’t because he was isolated at the academy and bullied by his classmates, as she thought.

‘I should have pretended nothing was wrong back then.’

While in Belinda’s eyes, Leo was the softest and most fragile child in the world, the reality was different.

‘Lady Belinda told me to make lots of friends.’

How could he tell her the truth?

That on his first day of school, he had unintentionally conquered the Bilhern Academy’s Swordsmanship Department.

The full story of the incident, as witnessed by the only observer, Ian Rechel, went like this:

***

The luckiest boy in the world.

That’s what people called the ten-year-old orphan boy who had been adopted into the Blanche family.

“I heard that the child is so pretty that the Marchioness Blanche is keeping him like a pet.”

“Really? I heard he was a faithful servant who helped in every way to eliminate Sybel.”

“My guess is that he’s an illegitimate child from a great family.”

Because Belinda kept everything about the child tightly concealed, all sorts of false rumors were rampant, most of which were not very favorable toward Leo.

In these rumors filled with jealousy and malice, Leo was nothing more than a stupid and arrogant commoner child who neither deserved nor had the ability to handle such tremendous luck.

‘Would it have been better if he were arrogant as the rumors suggested?’

Ian swallowed a sigh as he sluggishly followed Leo, who was busy exploring every corner of the academy like a curious puppy.

To his eyes, Leo was no different from a strange monkey that had suddenly appeared before a peaceful troop of monkeys.

And one dressed in enviable silk clothes at that.

If only he were arrogant or mean enough to intimidate his classmates, it would be better, but with such an innocent face, bustling around the campus…

“Hey, aren’t you an orphan?”

Naturally, he was bound to be provoked.

What foolish monkey would dare antagonize the Blanche family?

With the thought of seeing what kind of stupid face this person had, Ian looked at the other party and soon couldn’t hide his dismay.

The figure commanding the sons of some of the most powerful families in the royal capital, like servants, was none other than the undisputed leader of the monkey troop—the third son of Duke Hereos, who owned the vast granary region in the south, and the second-highest scoring entrant to the Swordsmanship Department.

Ian remembered that this blue-haired monkey named Asili Hereos, with his somewhat feminine name, had a simple temperament and enjoyed tests of strength.

He had vaguely anticipated something like this from the moment his father asked him to commute with Leo.

Ian anxiously observed Leo.

If he made a stupid response here…

‘I’ll cut ties immediately.’

Regardless of his father’s request, Ian’s own safety was his top priority.

Leo turned to face the other party and opened his mouth.

“Yes, that’s right. But not anymore.”

Leo’s nonchalant answer momentarily seemed to leave Asili speechless.

The duke’s son, who had been hesitantly shaking his deep sea-blue hair, raised his voice again in an even more spiteful tone than before.

“Hmph! Once an orphan, always an orphan. What do you mean ‘not anymore’?!”

‘It’s over.’

Ian closed his eyes, bidding farewell to a peaceful academy life.

No matter how gentle Leo was, he wouldn’t laugh off such blatant mockery.

However, contrary to Ian’s imagination, Leo still answered with a clear, innocent face, enunciating each word.

“Being an orphan is something said about a young child. Since young children eventually grow up to become adults, it’s impossible to be an orphan forever.”

Oh? Would you look at that?

Ian turned to Leo with a surprised expression.

Despite looking so gentle that he might burst into tears at the slightest taunt, he unexpectedly had the fortitude not to be intimidated by ordinary insults.

“W-what are you talking about? Do you think I’ll back down just because you act smart?”

Asili’s face immediately reddened as he fumed, then abruptly snatched the paper schedule Leo was holding.

“You, you’re taking the same classes as me! This is the perfect opportunity to clearly show who’s superior…”

Asili’s voice gradually diminished as he examined the schedule.

There was something strange about Leo’s schedule.

“Why on earth are you taking magic classes?”

“I was curious about what the academy’s magic classes are like. If, if you’re interested in magic… would you like to take them together?”

At Leo’s innocent question, Asili shouted loudly.

“Is this guy an idiot? Magic classes are only for those with magical power of at least Tier 1.”

“Well, I can only handle Tier 1 magic so far, but I thought the classes might help with Tier 2 magic.”

Leo smiled sheepishly, and Asili was dumbfounded.

Magic? He’s the top entrant in the Swordsmanship Department and he can also use magic?

“This… losing to someone who isn’t even serious about swordsmanship…”

While Asili was in a daze, the boys who had been following him like attendants began to speak up one by one.

“Asili, don’t believe him! It’s definitely just boasting.”

“I bet he bought the top spot with money!”

“How could someone so scrawny be the top entrant!”

Taking advantage of their chatter, Ian quickly grabbed Leo’s shoulder and turned him around.

“Don’t pay attention to such talk.”

“It’s okay, I’m fine.”

“You did well. It’s best to ignore such comments.”

It was then.

“Marquis Blanche must have something wrong with her head. Otherwise, how could she take in such an orphan…”

The moment someone muttered those words, a gust of wind blew beside Ian.

Whoosh.

‘Whoosh…?’

By the time Ian blinked once, Leo had already disappeared.