Chapter 12

Cedric, with one eyebrow raised, muttered as if dissatisfied.

Then, like a graceful swan, he straightened his back and left, exuding coldness as if seeing a stranger.

Armand and the knights followed Cedric as if it was only natural.

Alicia watched them walk away, stunned, then finally snapped out of it.

Just moments ago, Cedric’s punishment of Celia felt like a scene from a movie.

It didn’t feel like something that had happened to her, but like a scene from another world.

‘What was that?’

Alicia was dumbfounded by Cedric’s behavior.

She wondered if he was really the same person who had stared at her.

Everything had happened so quickly, Alicia could only watch Cedric leave in a daze.

Once Cedric disappeared, Alicia quickly checked on Mikael in her arms.

‘He’s still trembling.’

Mikael peeked out, watching the people around him nervously.

Alicia gently patted his back and spoke calmly to reassure him,

“It’s all right, Young Master. His Grace just left.”

Hearing her, Mikael finally relaxed and let out a long sigh.

Then, the trembling in the child’s body gradually subsided, and the pounding of his heart slowly quieted.

‘He’s okay now. Thank goodness.’

Whenever Mikael met Cedric, he froze like ice, so Alicia always had to keep an eye on his condition.

He had told her before that Cedric was scary.

Well, Cedric’s presence alone was intimidating even to Alicia, so how much scarier must he be for a child?

Moreover, Cedric didn’t even fulfill his role as a father, so Mikael must feel even more distant from him.

Alicia fully understood Mikael’s reaction.

That made her care for him all the more.

Mikael, feeling more at ease, looked up at Alicia.

She smiled gently and asked,

“Young Master, are you hurt anywhere?”

“Uh-huh. I’m fine.”

Alicia let out a sigh of relief.

As long as he wasn’t hurt, that was enough.

Above all, the child’s safety was most important.

Alicia took Mikael’s hand and stood up together.

She checked his expression.

He seemed better after Cedric left, but still a bit uneasy.

He glanced around nervously.

His hand in hers was still tightly clenched.

“Young Master, are you still uncomfortable?”

She asked calmly, and Mikael flinched.

He looked up at Alicia, startled as if she’d caught his true feelings.

“…Yeah.”

Alicia knelt to meet Mikael’s eye level.

“Are you worried the Duke will come back and scold you?”

“…Uh-huh.”

The child’s head drooped.

He fidgeted with his hands, glanced at Alicia, then looked down again.

Alicia squeezed his fidgeting hand and smiled warmly.

“Was the Duke scary earlier?”

“Yeah. He was scary. Like a really, really scary dragon.”

Mikael’s honest answer made Alicia laugh.

“Haha. Actually, I thought the same as you, Young Master.”

“R-Really?!”

“Yes, really.”

When Alicia smiled brightly, Mikael’s tense face slowly relaxed.

She put on a pouty face and told Mikael,

“But that scary dragon protected us, didn’t he? Maybe, deep down, he’s a kind dragon.”

Mikael, still frowning, nodded.

“Uh-huh. He’s a kind dragon.”

“So, is the Duke a bad dragon or a kind dragon?”

“A kind dragon.”

“I think so too. Then, is a kind dragon scary?”

Mikael shook his head.

“No, not scary.”

“Then there’s no need to be afraid of the Duke. Because he’s a kind dragon.”

Mikael thought about Alicia’s words, then nodded.

“If you ever see the Duke again and feel scared, I’ll protect you again.”

“Yeah. Thank you, Teacher….”

“So don’t think the Duke is scary because he wants to scold you. He does it to protect you.”

“Uh-huh. I get it.”

Before long, Mikael’s expression brightened.

Alicia didn’t know Cedric’s intentions, but hoped Mikael’s feelings toward him would improve through this conversation.

Leaving a good impression of his father was part of a teacher’s job, Alicia believed.

When Mikael met Cedric next time, maybe he’d be less afraid.

She really hoped so.

Alicia stood up and offered her hand to Mikael.

He tilted his head, not sure what it meant, looking so cute that Alicia felt even more affectionate.

She smiled brightly and said,

“We need to finish our walk from earlier.”

Mikael remembered and grabbed her hand with a cheerful smile.

With a higher-pitched voice, he said,

“Yeah! Let’s go!”

* * *

That evening.

After the walk in the park with Mikael, Alicia’s work for the day was done.

To relieve the fatigue of the day, she took a bath and then sat at her vanity, looking in the mirror.

Even with her bare face, she looked fresh and somehow more beautiful.

She brushed her nearly dry hair, recalling the walk with Mikael earlier.

They enjoyed the vibrant flowers, breathed fresh air, and had a wonderful time together.

Mikael, holding her hand tightly, walked excitedly.

He even introduced his favorite flower.

The rose, so beautifully red, was Mikael’s favorite.

It was a mature choice for a child.

Curious, Alicia asked Mikael why he liked roses.

“Because they suit you, Teacher….”

His face blushed like a ripe apricot, and he fidgeted with his fingers, speaking in a tiny voice.

He was so shy he couldn’t even meet her eyes.

His voice trembled, just like a teenage boy confessing his first love.

Thinking back, Alicia found Mikael so cute she could barely stand it.

She wanted to pinch his cheeks, but he was a Young Master of higher status, so she held back.

It had only been about a month since they met, and he already expressed himself like this.

It was a miracle.

Alicia had expected it to take at least a year.

Mikael opened up much more quickly than she thought.

Why had the previous tutors quit or been fired so soon?

They said they left because Mikael cried every day, but he didn’t cry all the time.

If you understood Mikael’s feelings, he quickly stopped crying.

He was actually just like any other child.

If he’d truly been closed off, Alicia believed it would have taken at least a year.

But since he was slowly opening up, he wasn’t that difficult.

Mikael’s answer today was a good sign for Alicia.

She resolved to treat him even better and avoid any fatal flags.

Humming happily, she continued brushing her hair.

Then, suddenly, a phrase came to mind.

“Truly irritating.”

Why was that man’s voice coming to her now?

Alicia stopped brushing and frowned, feeling annoyed.

“Jerk.”

She was enjoying happy memories—why did he have to intrude?

She bit her lip and resumed brushing.

His words and his expression kept coming to mind.

That unpleasant look, showing his displeasure.

She even worried that Cedric might have marked her.

It was scary at the time, her heart pounding, but now it just felt bad.

“Tch! Staring right at me.”

Yeah, that was the worst part.

If it had been just the two of them, Alicia could have let it go, thinking she’d done something wrong.

But with other maids and knights around, there was no reason for him to stare so intently.

Now, thinking about everyone else’s gaze, her cheeks flushed.

Whatever the reason, remembering his rude behavior made Alicia feel grumpy.

“Arrogant jerk. Hope you stub your toe on a corner.”

Alicia muttered curses at Cedric.

Yet, strangely, she wondered if he was just naturally that way.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t always throw out such rude remarks.

If there were people like Alicia, there were people like Cedric in the world.

Still, Alicia didn’t want to work under someone like Cedric.

She was sick of trying to please him.

Other servants seemed content, but Alicia had complaints.

It was a dream job in terms of salary and benefits.

But she didn’t want to stay long.

If she avoided any fatal flags, she’d quit right away and buy a building with her savings and severance pay.

As a landlord, she’d never worry about money again.

And even if an extra like her disappeared, it wouldn’t affect the main characters’ lives.

“Yeah. Just three more years.”

Maybe a better tutor would come after three years.

‘I just need to hold out until then.’

Alicia finished brushing and approached her desk.

There were still documents to wrap up, including today’s report.

She checked her pocket watch on the desk.

9:31.

Plenty of time to finish her paperwork.

She resolved to finish quickly and sleep before midnight.

She dipped her pen in ink.