Chapter 15

The next day, Lia received the herbs and other materials needed to make the toothache remedy from the head maid.  

Carolina came to see Lia less than an hour after she had received the materials.  

She insisted that her pain had worsened and demanded that Lia make the potion by the next day.  

Unable to bear Carolina’s sharp, irritated voice, worsened by her already prickly personality and the added toothache, Lia reluctantly sent her away, saying she would do it.  

‘Listening to that piercing voice for so long is pure t*rture.’  

She stayed up all night in the small side room, making the potion for Carolina.  

‘If I go through all this effort to make it, maybe her attitude toward Raffy will change a bit?’  

Although Carolina was difficult to deal with, Lia hoped that her effort might improve their relationship.  

Rubbing her darkened eyes from the sleepless night, she slumped against the chair.  

She had dozed off for a moment when Rafaella’s voice startled her awake.  

“Sorry, Raffy. Mommy fell asleep for a bit in the side room.”  

She comforted Rafaella, who had been worried, thinking her mother had disappeared.  

Then, when the maid brought breakfast, Lia handed her the potion and a note detailing the dosage instructions for Carolina.  

‘I’m exhausted from not sleeping properly, and I’d rather not deal with my husband’s aunt first thing in the morning.’  

If Carolina took the potion immediately, the effects should show around lunchtime.  

Lia spent the morning teaching Rafaella.  

“Mommy, can we go outside?”  

After lunch, Rafaella opened the door and stepped onto the terrace.  

Perhaps because the weather was warming up, the cold breeze brushing past her carried a hint of spring.  

Lia approached Rafaella. Stepping out onto the terrace, the view of the duke’s residence came into full view.  

Though it was just the beginning of spring and the scenery wasn’t yet vibrant, the open space gave her a refreshing sense of freedom.  

“Alright. Let’s go outside.”  

Although she wanted to take a nap, she couldn’t ignore the eager sparkle in Rafaella’s eyes.  

Having been cooped up inside the mansion all winter, she also wanted to go out.  

Since it was still cold despite the spring air, she dressed Rafaella warmly before heading down to the central entrance.  

‘I’ve come outside, but where should we go? I heard there’s a garden.’  

While she was contemplating where to go, Rafaella grabbed her hand and walked toward a large fountain visible ahead.  

“Did you want to see the fountain?”  

“Yes!”  

The fountain featured a statue of a young warrior, presumed to be the first Grand Duke of Blumhart, standing proudly with a sword raised high.  

Lia and Rafaella walked around the fountain.  

Rafaella giggled with delight as she caught a few droplets of water from the fountain.  

“Oh my, there you are! I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”  

Suddenly, Carolina’s voice rang out. Lia turned her head.  

“…Yes. Were you looking for me?”  

Seeing Carolina, Rafaella moved closer to Lia and hid in the folds of her skirt.  

“You do have some talent, don’t you?”  

For once, Carolina overlooked Rafaella’s lack of greeting and spoke.  

While she did let it slide, she still couldn’t resist making a comment without any charm.  

“…Did it work for you?”  

“Work for me? Of course, it did! Lunch today was the first time in ages I could eat comfortably without pain, hmph.”  

Realizing she had responded too enthusiastically, Carolina cleared her throat and adjusted her tone.  

“I’m glad to hear it worked.”  

If it was that effective, Lia hoped Carolina would be a bit more lenient toward Rafaella.  

That was the only thing she wished for through the potion.  

“…So I came to personally reward you, but you were nowhere to be found.”  

“…A reward?”  

Carolina signaled to the head maid with her eyes.  

The head maid pulled a small pouch from her pocket and handed it to Lia. Inside was a gemstone about the size of a thumbnail, radiating a transparent blue light.  

“This is one of my cherished gems, but I’m giving it to you specially.”  

Carolina gave a lengthy explanation about the gem, but Lia, unfamiliar with gemstones, barely understood most of it.  

Her attitude in giving the gem was condescending, as if she were bestowing charity upon a subordinate.  

Still, Lia felt pleased to receive the gem, which could buy her several outfits.  

‘I’ll take this to the jeweler, exchange it for money, and buy discounted clothes during the Festival of Rest.’  

She planned to save the remaining money for emergencies.  

Looking at the gem in her hand, she thought, ‘It was worth the trouble of staying up all night.’  

“You shamelessly accept it without hesitation. This is why commoners are….”  

Carolina glanced at Lia with disdain before walking away without so much as a farewell, as if her business was done.  

It seemed moving Carolina’s heart with the potion was too much to hope for.  

* * *

Johann was spending the day trying to bond with Rafaella.  

Though his efforts were somewhat formal, they were an improvement from the previous time when his ignorance had upset his daughter.  

“…And so, the goddess Hecate bestowed magical blessings upon the six warriors.”  

He was surprised to see Rafaella reading a fairy tale book with ease, despite having been at the duke’s residence for only a short time.  

“Did she already know how to read?”  

“No, I taught her after we arrived here.”  

The day after Lia had told Johann she would personally teach Rafaella, the butler had provided her with basic educational materials, including an alphabet chart and fairy tale books, and she had immediately begun teaching her daughter.  

“And she already knows how to read?”  

“She can even write, though not a lot.”  

Typically, noble children began their basic education at the age of five.  

By the time they turned seven, most could read and write to some extent.  

Exceptionally bright children could write difficult words and even start learning foreign languages.  

Rafaella had only received basic education, and that too from Lia, who was an amateur teacher, for about four months.  

Johann, though he had reluctantly agreed to Lia’s suggestion, hadn’t expected much from the education.  

“Raffy is a quick learner, and it’s thanks to having me, a capable mother, as her teacher.”  

“…I have no argument.”  

What she said was true.  

Rafaella, who seemed to have inherited her intelligence from someone, absorbed everything Lia taught her.  

Though Johann didn’t know it, Lia had received most of her education from her grandmother while living in the mountain village.  

Her grandmother had taught her everything from basic education to the core subjects taught at the Imperial Academy.  

So Rafaella’s progress was only natural.  

“You mentioned your grandmother taught you, right?”  

“Yes, though I don’t know the details, I think she graduated from the Imperial Academy.”  

Perhaps for that reason, all the villagers called her grandmother “Teacher.”  

It was likely because she was the only educated person in the village.  

Johann asked Rafaella to try reading other books.  

He even personally dictated words for her to write.  

“…There were some difficult words, but she got them all right.”  

“Raffy is exceptionally smart, isn’t she?”  

Lia smiled with pride at her daughter.  

“She’s not just smart; she’s incredibly intelligent. Early education would be a good idea.”  

“Pardon?”  

“If she’s this bright, it would be beneficial to hire a competent tutor for her early on….”  

“Right now, spending time with you, her father, is more important for Raffy than having a skilled tutor.”  

Lia cut him off firmly.  

Hiring a tutor could wait until Rafaella opened up to Johann.  

While there were many excellent tutors, there were just as many who abused children behind their employer’s back.  

“…I’d prefer for Raffy to start learning from a tutor only when she feels comfortable sharing her struggles with you, Your Grace.”  

“……”  

Though Johann thought Lia’s concerns were excessive, he couldn’t argue when her emerald-green eyes, slightly downcast beneath her lashes, looked so sorrowful.  

“…Alright. Let’s revisit this topic after some time.”  

‘Since she dislikes the idea so much, I’ll put off discussing tutors or education for now.’  

More importantly, there was another matter to address.  

“Do you know about the Festival of Rest?”  

“Yes, I heard about it recently.”  

“Regarding that festival….”  

Johann hesitated, uncharacteristically.  

“I’m thinking of taking Rafaella there.”  

“…Really?”  

Lia was so surprised by his suggestion that her eyes widened.  

She had thought he would only interact with Rafaella because she told him to, but for him to make such a proposal on his own….  

“It’s not that I’m taking her with any grand intentions.”  

In truth, Johann still lacked confidence.  

‘If I’m going to fulfill the terms of the contract, I might as well do it properly.’

He thought, though he had debated several times before visiting Rafaella’s room for playtime.  

He worried about whether he could enjoy the festival with his still-awkward and unfamiliar daughter.  

‘…Though awkwardness isn’t the only issue.’  

Having never been particularly close to his own father, he had no idea what it meant to bond with a child or how to go about it.  

When he had lost his memory and lived in the mountains, it seemed he had been an unusually doting parent.  

‘Did I lose my memory and injure my head as well?’  

How could he have been so fussy over a child like an ordinary villager?  

Born into a grand noble family, educated accordingly, and having maintained a certain distance even with his parents….  

“The fact that you’re thinking of taking Raffy to the festival makes me happy.”  

Lia smiled brightly.  

“…I’m only suggesting it because the awkwardness bothers me.”  

Seeing Lia’s unexpectedly enthusiastic reaction, Johann scratched the back of his head awkwardly.  

“Even so, Raffy will be thrilled.”  

“…Will she?”  

* * *

Thus, the morning of the Festival of Rest arrived.  

The servants bustled about from dawn, completing their essential tasks by the morning.  

Lia woke up earlier than usual and gently roused Rafaella.  

“Raffy, wake up. Today, you’re going to the festival with Daddy.”  

Kissing her daughter’s cheeks, a smile spread across her lips.