Chapter 5

「How bad is it?」  

「Well, I got the contract. Lessons start next week.」  

「Congratulations! You worked so hard for this; you must feel relieved.」  

The day Amelie returned from her interview at the Duke’s estate, Nina, who had a pin in her mouth while fitting lingerie, greeted her warmly.  

「But isn’t the Duke of Estricen unmarried?」  

「…Huh? Yes, I think so.」  

「I’ve heard he’s handsome, tall, and well-mannered. Is that true?」  

Though the question seemed a bit out of the blue, Amelie earnestly recalled her impressions.  

Kailo von Estricen was, objectively speaking, a flawless man. At first glance, he was so striking that she had been momentarily stunned.  

「Yes.」  

「Oh, I see…」  

Although Amelie had merely stated a fact, Nina’s expression turned mischievous, as if she were entertaining some amusing thought.  

From that point on, Nina began dressing Amelie in increasingly eccentric lingerie every time she went to work. While “eccentric” was a polite way to describe it, the pieces were so scandalous that being caught wearing them by anyone else would have been disastrous.  

In response, Amelie made every effort to find modest outerwear. She layered thick clothing to ensure none of the flashy embellishments peeked through and lengthened her skirts for good measure.  

「Amelie, are you rebelling against me?」  

「What… are you talking about?」  

This mysterious battle of wills continued up until that very morning.  

「Amelie, you’re wearing a white shirt today?」  

「What’s wrong with that?」  

Nina had given her a knowing smile and dressed her in lingerie made entirely of black straps and lace. However, Amelie had remained unfazed.  

Having grown accustomed to Nina’s antics, she had long since prepared a thick, opaque shirt to ensure nothing would show through.  

But she had never anticipated being doused with water like this.  

“Ah…”  

The wet fabric clung to her skin, revealing her pale complexion underneath. The black straps and lace that barely covered her ample chest were now clearly visible, accentuating her curves.  

Amelie lowered her head in silence, unable to utter a single word. A dreadful silence hung between them.  

“Well, you see, this is…”  

Her cheeks flushed bright red.  

Had she been wearing ordinary undergarments, she might have felt less embarrassed. But the fact that she was wearing lingerie designed for “special purposes” made her feel an overwhelming need to explain herself.  

Yet, despite her usual eloquence when discussing Ethan’s education, her lips now refused to move. 

Her heart pounded loudly in her chest, and Amelie finally buried her face in her hands.  

‘What should I do? What will His Grace think of me?’  

Would he see her as an indecent woman or someone who had entered his estate with the intent to seduce him? Either way, it would disqualify her from being the young master’s tutor.  

In truth, lingerie was just lingerie, and if Amelie had handled the situation naturally, it could have been smoothed over. However, her own self-consciousness about the lingerie made her feel utterly mortified.  

While she agonized in silence, unable to meet his gaze, Kailo continued to watch her intently. As always, his piercing blue eyes observed her like a hawk sizing up its prey.  

“Come this way.”  

“…Pardon?”  

“You’ll need to dry your clothes. I’ll have fresh ones brought to you.”  

Her face turned even redder as her eyes widened in surprise. The Duke made no mention of the lingerie. He simply responded in the most gentlemanly manner possible to an unexpected mishap.  

Amelie cautiously raised her gaze. The Duke’s face, seen properly for the first time, was as composed as ever. His handsome features, marked by striking straight lines, carried an expression that hovered between indifference and boredom.  

His piercing blue eyes deliberately avoided hers, fixed instead on the empty space just below. Soon, he was the first to rise.  

“Follow me. Be careful not to step on the broken glass.”  

Amelie carefully placed her feet as instructed by Kailo and stood up.  

Fortunately, the wide corridor they walked through was empty. Still, she felt a strange sense of relief as she followed the broad back of the man in front of her, as if using it to shield herself.  

Before long, they arrived at a cozy room. A cool breeze entered through an open window, perhaps left ajar for ventilation.  

“Leave your clothes wherever is convenient. The servants will clean and return them to you.”  

“Yes… Yes, thank you.”  

The relief she had felt while walking down the corridor melted away without a trace. The Duke was rummaging through a wardrobe in one corner of the room, seemingly looking for something suitable for her to wear temporarily.  

‘He’s personally taking care of this… He really is a kind person.’  

If the Duke of Estricen had simply called a servant to take over and disappeared, Amelie might have felt uneasy in a different way. There was the possibility that the Duke’s employees would gossip about the new tutor’s taste in underwear, not to mention the fear that the Duke might dismiss her under the pretext of resolving an inconvenience.  

But then again, undressing in a room with an adult man present was an entirely separate issue.  

‘Don’t overthink it. His Grace clearly doesn’t care.’  

Upon reflection, she realized that she was the only one startled, embarrassed, and fretting over this situation. The Duke’s reaction, on the other hand, was nothing but calm and composed. He was simply fulfilling his role as a host dealing with an unexpected situation.  

All she needed to do was accept his kindness with equal composure and maturity. Determined to maintain her composure, Amelie began to unbutton her shirt.  

“Achoo…!”  

“…”  

At that moment, the breeze from the open window seemed to tease her skin, sending a shiver down her spine.  

It was late spring, and while the weather was warm enough, her body temperature had dropped sharply from wearing clothes soaked in cold water.  

The Duke of Estricen, who had been rummaging through the wardrobe, turned to look at her. Their eyes met briefly, and Amelie drew in a small breath. Slowly lowering his gaze, the Duke closed the window and approached her with an unhurried stride.  

“Miss Amelie.”  

“Ah, yes… Your Grace.”  

Her usually cheerful voice came out in a faint whisper.  

The black straps crossed over her collarbone and descended to wrap around her ample chest, emphasizing her figure. The strap that disappeared between her br*asts pressed into her soft, full curves, accentuating their shape.  

Avoiding his gaze, Amelie clutched her arm with one hand. This caused her pale, soft skin to shift slightly, forming a deep cleavage. The black strap that ran between her br*asts was now completely obscured.  

Her ample chest was covered by an extremely thin and delicate black lace. Through the intricate patterns of the lace, her still-damp skin peeked through, pale and translucent. The lace, as light and sheer as a dragonfly’s wing, left much of her skin exposed. Upon closer inspection, even the subtle outline and faintly rosy color of her most private area were visible.  

“I believe you’ll need to remove your undergarments as well. They must be quite wet.”  

As he spoke of her wet clothes, Kailo’s gaze lingered on her chest for a moment longer than usual. However, it wasn’t enough to make Amelie feel uncomfortable.  

“Well, you see…”  

Once again, Amelie found herself facing a personal dilemma.  

The Duke of Estricen had kindly closed the window to keep her warm and even guided her to a private space to change. Draped over his arm was what appeared to be a robe for her to wear while her clothes dried.  

His suggestion to remove her undergarments was entirely practical. After all, if she continued to wear wet undergarments under her dried clothes, she could catch a cold, which might disrupt Ethan’s lessons. That would defeat the purpose of his efforts.  

‘Why am I being tested like this, Nina?!’  

Inwardly, Amelie shouted her friend’s name dozens of times. The lingerie Nina had gleefully dressed her in upon seeing her white shirt was impossible to remove without assistance.  

She couldn’t bring herself to ask someone else for help. The thought of anyone else seeing her in this state was unbearable. Having lived independently since moving to the capital, she also found it awkward to rely on others for such tasks.  

Given the circumstances, she decided to bite the bullet and ask the Duke for help.  

After all, judging by his expression, he didn’t seem to find the situation awkward or inappropriate.  

“Um, Your Grace.”  

“Yes?”  

“Could you… help me?”  

His piercing blue eyes glinted lazily, as if asking what the matter was. The look reminded her of a well-fed predator, and she instinctively tensed. At the same time, his composed demeanor reassured her.  

“This undergarment is difficult to remove on my own.”  

“…Ha.”  

A low sigh escaped him, as if he were exasperated. Amelie’s eyes widened. This reaction was entirely unlike the Duke’s usual calm and impeccably polite demeanor.  

But it was fleeting. Kailo’s lips curved into a faint smile, restoring his usual composure.  

“What should I do?”  

For a brief moment, she thought she saw a dangerous glimmer in his blue eyes. However, Amelie dismissed it as her imagination. The matter at hand was too pressing to dwell on fleeting impressions.  

Gathering her golden hair in one hand, she explained, 

“There’s a clasp at the back… Could you undo it for me?”