“Still, she said having no choice is a sad thing.”

“Who said that?”

“Louelle.”

Hearing those words, Fazel felt something boil up inside his chest.

A life without choices.

It truly was miserable and difficult.

A noble lady who grew up sheltered spoke like she understood this. Fazel’s head went blank, like he’d been struck by something.

“You have to be a tutor no matter what. This is a letter my daughter wrote.”

The sound of a letter being taken out could be heard.

“The young lady is truly sincere.”

“She’s not a child who does things as a joke.”

“Still, if I accept this punishment, the salary is decent. If I save for a few years, I’ll be able to send my son to the academy.”

“I’ll do it.”

His mother’s voice sounded like she was about to cry.

“Thank you so much.”

“Give your thanks to my daughter. It’s half the salary. I’ll give it in advance. You’ll be my daughter’s teacher, so I’ll treat you accordingly. And your son will study together too.”

Esran left those words and went outside. The moment the door closed, Fazel jumped up and approached Suran.

“Fazel, were you listening?”

“Yes.”

“The young lady has shown us mercy.”

“She said I’d study together too. She’s probably hiring me as a whipping boy.”

Fazel spoke cynically. Suran’s eyes widened.

“She didn’t say anything like that.”

“It’s obvious. She’ll pretend I can’t do things and have me beaten a lot to torment me to death.”

At Fazel’s sharp words, Suran spoke firmly.

“Fazel. I told you not to talk like that about things that haven’t been confirmed yet.”

At Suran’s attitude, Fazel sighed. The things he experienced at the duke’s house came to mind, and these words came out without him realizing it.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine if you understand.”

Still, he couldn’t shake the thought that Louelle definitely had some ulterior motive. Her intention was probably to keep him by her side while tormenting him.

Right, it was a bouquet she worked hard to make, so she’ll torment me until her anger subsides.

Fazel bit his lip.

But he had no choice either. Since he’d committed a wrong, there was no way to avoid Louelle. Besides, he also had to learn from his mother to go to the academy.

Asking to be taught after work while she worked as a tutor was impossible considering his mother’s stamina.

It was better to learn together when Louelle learned, so he couldn’t refuse even more.

“I’m afraid of what the young lady will do.”

Fazel’s hands trembled. If what he experienced at the duke’s house happened here too, he had no confidence he could endure anymore.

“She won’t do that.”

Suran shook her head. But Fazel’s expression remained dark.

Sunlight came through the window. Even though it was a warm spring day, Fazel’s heart was in the cold winter. Spring arriving didn’t feel real.

Last spring spent at the duke’s house was so harsh that he couldn’t even feel a new spring had come.

If he received contempt and treatment worse than human here too, his barely recovered heart would collapse again.

That’s why Fazel was afraid of lessons with Louelle.

“Want to see the letter?”

Suran showed him the stationery. Fazel took the letter and began reading it. Polite content asking Suran to teach was written there.

“Someone who writes letters like this wouldn’t do such things, right?”

“I understand.”

Fazel returned the letter and smiled slightly so Suran, who was comforting him, wouldn’t worry.

If he showed anxiety, his mother would have a hard time. Fazel knew this better than anyone.

Wasn’t she the one who threw away the foundation she’d built in the capital and came all the way here? 

The one who put down even what she’d achieved because she couldn’t just watch her son break down.

He didn’t want her to sacrifice anymore.

“You need to apologize to the young lady.”

“Yes, I know.”

“If you don’t apologize, we become the same as them. From the young lady’s perspective, your behavior won’t make sense.”

Right.

When normal people receive flowers, they put them in a vase—who throws them in the trash?

Fazel understood what Suran meant.

“Have you thought of how to apologize?”

“For now, yes.”

Fazel swept back his hair.

“Since I caused this incident, I’ll handle it with my allowance. I have some money saved up, so I’ll manage somehow.”

Suran’s eyes widened.

“What will you do?”

“I’ll make her a bouquet.”

While Suran worked in the capital, Fazel learned various things. Flower arranging and making bouquets were classes he enjoyed.

“I’ll show off my skills for the first time in a while.”

At Fazel’s words, Suran smiled slightly. Relieved that his mother’s expression softened, Fazel relaxed.

He was sick of flowers, but he still had to apologize.

And whatever awaited him, he was in the wrong. No matter how much he was bullied at the duke’s house and had trauma about flowers, throwing away Louelle’s flowers was wrong.

“I hope the young lady receives the bouquet and doesn’t throw it away.”

Recalling Nertian, who threw away everything he made saying an illegitimate child’s son made it, Fazel shrugged his shoulders.

Since he was the one who threw Louelle’s bouquet in the trash, he had nothing to say even if she threw away flowers the same way.

Hoping that wouldn’t happen, Fazel pondered what kind of bouquet to make.

He planned to make the bouquet as pretty as possible so his apologetic heart would be conveyed well.

“Fazel, it’ll be okay.”

Suran’s voice trembled too.

“Mom will apologize together, so don’t worry.”

His mother knew too.

That if he collapsed here, he’d have no strength left to stand up again.

* * *

I looked at the stationery. It was rough-feeling stationery. It was something commonly seen anywhere, but sincerity was evident in the writing on it.

It was a letter Suran sent.

“Thank you for providing this opportunity.”

After reading the letter Suran wrote, I grinned broadly. Now Fazel had to take lessons with me. This was the punishment I gave, and he absolutely couldn’t refuse. I would definitely make his dream of wanting to go to the academy come true.

I poured tea from a teapot into a teacup with a round cat drawn on it. While drinking tea, I looked at the documents Father left and began calculating taxes.

Checking whether they were paying taxes properly or not was also the lord’s job.

I placed blank paper next to the documents and swept back my hair with my hand while writing numbers and calculating.

I felt good that things were going as well as I thought.

Before possessing this world, my nickname was Stone. It was a nickname given because I didn’t have many facial expressions. But here it was different.

Did emotions naturally show because life was comfortable?

After pondering, I slurped the hot tea. Then Marlene, my maid standing beside me, smiled slightly and said.

“Shall I bring more tea?”

Marlene was a beautiful young lady with brown hair and brown eyes. She was also my cousin, and she served me only as her lady. Since I was used to that too, I spoke in a friendly voice.

“Yes, the tea Marlene makes is so delicious I want to keep drinking it.”

What kind of speech would Fazel like?

The female protagonist was someone who spoke very prettily and affectionately.

Thinking of her, I quietly shook my head.

Clumsily imitating the female protagonist would be poison to me. So it was better to just approach Fazel my own way and win him over.

To do that, the most important thing for now was tomorrow’s first lesson.

“Marlene, I need to go look at clothes.”

Marlene smiled brightly and cleared away the finished teacup and teapot.

“I need to go with you, so please wait a moment.”

While Marlene briefly went out, I thought of dresses that would suit me well.

Father bought me many dresses dripping with jewels. I mainly wore such things when going out too.

But for studying, comfortable clothes would be better than those things.

I held my head with both hands. Just then, Marlene came in and saw my behavior, covering her mouth with her hand as she laughed.

“Do you like him that much?”

“Who?”

“The person you’ll be taking lessons with, Fazel.”

At Marlene’s words, I regained my composure for a moment.

Oh my, I was too excited.

“Does it show that much?”

“Anyone who knows you would know, my lady.”

At her words, I smiled slightly. The corners of my mouth lifted, so my smile must be pretty. It was a smile I trained when working part-time before possessing this world.

“If it shows, Fazel will feel burdened.”

At my concern, Marlene approached and whispered quietly.

“Choose modest clothes. Not too flashy but pretty clothes.”

Marlene chose clothes well. Even in my eyes, she always styled her hair sophisticatedly and always shone even wearing maid clothes.

I wish I could become someone who shines like that too.

Seemingly noticing my gaze, Marlene grinned and took me to a shop in town.

Like that, I worked hard on one hand while enthusiastically preparing to welcome Fazel.

* * *

The day of the lesson arrived. In the room prepared for lessons, there were neatly two desks.

And I wore pretty clothes with ribbons that I bought from the shop. I hope I can capture Fazel’s heart with these clothes.

‘That won’t happen though.’

I grinned while waiting for Suran and Fazel to come. The door opened and neatly dressed Suran entered, with Fazel following behind her. He wore a t-shirt and pants like any other child.

I stood up and walked toward him.

“Welcome, Fazel.”

When I held out my hand, Fazel hesitated then took my hand. His fine hand and mine overlapped.

But his other hand held flowers. When I looked at the flowers, Fazel quickly held them out. The bouquet had a pretty ribbon attached.

Did the flower shop around here make such a sophisticated bouquet?

When I looked questioningly, Fazel spoke in a trembling voice.

“I was rude before. I’m truly sorry.”

It was a bouquet mixing yellow and pink flowers. Small white flowers subtly supported the bright flowers around them, making it look even more stylish.

I looked at the yellow flowers and murmured, “Seranne flowers.”

I looked at the flowers then back at him.

Seranne flowers were famous flowers in the empire. And the flower language of these flowers was ‘please forgive me.’

Fazel was asking me for forgiveness. To apologize for what he did to me.

“Thank you.”

People often gave flowers to be forgiven. I received the bouquet and smelled it. But the scent was stronger than usual.

“Is it magic?”

I looked at Fazel. When such a strong scent came out, magic was usually involved.

Suran nodded and explained to me.

“My son knows how to use a little magic.”

I knew well that Fazel used magic. He was an outstanding swordsman and mage. If the protagonist was an insanely talented swordsman, Fazel was good at both. Of course, that was still a story of the future that hadn’t happened yet.

First of all, being born with magical power was rare. It was a subtle yet pretty scent.

I took the flowers and went outside. Marlene was waiting outside the door. When I opened the door, Marlene saw me and smiled as always.

“My lady, what is it?”

“Put the bouquet in the vase in my room.”

“Yes, the flowers are very beautiful.”

Watching Marlene take the bouquet and walk away with quick steps, I turned my head to look at Fazel. Fazel’s gaze was also directed at me. I could feel him being tense.

“I’ll put the bouquet in my room. I like it because the flowers are pretty.”

With this, he must clearly know my intention to accept his apology. When I curved my eyes prettily, Fazel relaxed his shoulders that had been tensed up, looking relieved.

“Teacher Suran, what lesson will we have today?”

When I asked, Suran sat me and Fazel down and began explaining the curriculum she’d prepared in advance.

“As you know, my lady, I’ve sent several students to the academy.”

Suran spoke proudly and wrote on the blackboard about the curriculum she thought of.

Liberal arts subjects and required subjects—her opinion was that nothing should be neglected.

The amount to study was also tremendously large. Father said the hardship starts now so be prepared, and those weren’t empty words.

“Then let’s begin.”

Like that, Fazel and I took lessons.

I concentrated to follow the lessons. Since the content wasn’t very difficult, I nodded and listened to Suran’s voice.

It was difficult and the amount was tremendous, but I studied without being surprised.

I endured being a high school senior before possessing this world, so there’s no way I can’t handle this much.

Suran taught very well. She made analogies perfectly, and I understood everything clearly.

I tried to memorize important words by taking notes diligently.

I was so absorbed in the lesson that I didn’t know what expression Fazel was looking at me with from beside me.