Chapter 9

Of course, if Diane only thought about Waltz and Gale, it was obvious she should accept the offer.

But if the two of them moved into the Wale Corporation staff housing, Diane was immediately at a loss as to where she herself would live.

She couldn’t ask the two of them to rent a place just for her.

Once the cheap house she currently lived in at Center Shire was demolished, it would be difficult to even find a two-bedroom house within Rettrang, so how could she ask them to give up the housing being offered so openly?

Of course, she knew the two truly loved her and treated her like family, but no matter how much, she wasn’t really their daughter or sister.

She couldn’t become an obstacle to the opportunity given to Waltz Tertz and Gale, who had cared for her for 15 years despite having no blood relation.

After considering all these things, Diane finally made up her mind and spoke calmly.

“Thank you so much for such a generous offer. If you leave the contract, I’ll pass it on to Uncle and Gale.”

Even if Waltz and Gale hesitated because of her, Diane thought she absolutely must persuade them to sign the contract.

Just being together until she was twenty-three was more than she could ever ask for.

Maybe this opportunity came so she wouldn’t be a burden to them anymore.

“Miss Diane Lina, since the three of you ran the newspaper together, I’m very sorry to make a scout offer to only two of you.”

“Not at all. I’m grateful you’re making such an offer to them.”

“So, I’d like to make another proposal to you, Miss Diane Lina.”

“What?”

A proposal for her?

James was saying something completely unexpected again.

“There is a young master in the Wale Ducal family. His name is Leon Wale. He’s six years old.”

Diane frowned and tilted her head, unable to understand what James was talking about.

“The young master will receive home education at the main residence until he goes to boarding school at eight. He’ll need a home tutor until then.”

“……?”

“Of course, there are subject-specific professional teachers. But we need one more teacher.”

“A teacher?”

“Yes, a reading education teacher.”

A reading education teacher?

Well, it was the Wale Duchy, the most famous in the kingdom, so there must be things Diane couldn’t imagine.

It seemed noble children even had separate reading instructors.

“The reading education teacher selects, purchases, and reads books for the young master.”

“Ah, I see……”

‘Could he be offering this to me…?’

“Could you do that for us, Miss Diane Lina?”

“Ah……”

Diane was stunned as James actually made the offer to her.

“He’s still a young child, but since he’s the Wale Ducal heir, it’s hard to hire just anyone. If someone capable like you, who even writes articles herself, could take charge, it would be perfect.”

“But I’ve never taught children before.”

James shook his head and smiled.

“No, it’s not teaching. You just select, purchase, and read books to him. All you’ll do is handle his reading.”

“I’m not sure I could……”

“You’ll receive the same terms as the other two joining Wale Daily. The same salary and housing will be provided. The house given after ten years of service isn’t included, though……”

“That’s just……”

She swallowed the words ‘That’s impossible.’

To Diane, the offer she’d just received was even harder to believe than the scout offer to Wale Daily.

To get paid that much just for reading to a child.

And with housing provided, her housing worries after the Tertz family found jobs would be solved.

“There’s a contract prepared for you as well, Miss Diane Lina.”

James took another contract from his bag.

Watching him act so naturally, Diane suddenly felt a jolt of fear.

No matter how she thought about it, this was too generous an offer.

She didn’t have any qualifications in education.

“I think I need to think about it. It’s such a sudden offer, and I’m not sure I can meet expectations. Oh! Of course, Uncle and Gale are fully capable, but I’ve never done anything like this. The compensation seems too much for the job.”

Seeing Diane’s hesitant attitude, James smiled confidently.

From now on, he had to reel her in even more naturally.

“Yes, I understand. Honestly, it’s much more generous than usual.”

“Yes, it really is. I’ve never taught before.”

“Actually, the President said that if you are willing, Miss Lina, he’d like to add one more clause.”

“……?”

“In your free time outside the young master’s education, could you also work as the President’s reading assistant?”

“A reading assistant?”

“Well, it’s just a title. When the President occasionally visits the main residence, you’d select books for him and prepare them in the library. By the way, the President rarely visits the main house.”

“Ah!”

It seemed truly wealthy nobles hired all sorts of teachers and assistants.

Or perhaps the Wale Duchy placed great importance on books.

Selecting and preparing books.

It sounded a bit vague, but if she could understand the President’s reading preferences, it didn’t seem too difficult.

In fact, it seemed more respectable than just reading to a child.

It wasn’t a command, but a request, so Diane felt not the slightest resistance—she even thought, ‘Of course I should do that.’

“And one more thing, as noted in the contract, the housing for the young master’s home tutor is within the Wale Duchy’s Rettrang mansion. Tutors can choose to live in or commute, as they prefer. That’s up to you, Miss Diane Lina.”

“Ah, I see……”

Nothing new there.

Diane knew that live-in tutors were common in noble families.

Naturally, if she signed the contract, she’d have to choose to live in.

“Yes. I understand. I’ll think about the contract. Could you give me some time?”

“Of course you should think it over. It’s a sudden offer, so it’s only right to decide after careful consideration.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

James’s kindness made Diane feel more and more at ease.

“However, Wale Daily needs staff right away. We strongly want two people with experience running an independent newspaper, but we can’t wait forever. When can you give us your answer?”

James, making it clear they wouldn’t wait indefinitely, began to put the contracts back in his bag.

“Wait!”

He stopped and looked at her.

“I’ll decide by the day after tomorrow at the latest. You can leave the contracts with me.”

“Oh, really? Then shall I leave the contracts?”

James asked, looking surprised.

“Yes!”

Diane quickly answered, staring intently at the contracts James was about to put away.

Her eyes were now full of anxiety and longing.

James smiled contentedly and handed Diane the contracts.

“Then I’ll expect your answer by the day after tomorrow and take my leave. Please explain everything to Mr. Tertz.”

After James left the office, the Tertz family returned within minutes, as if they’d been waiting downstairs.

Seeing them, Diane, still excited, delivered James’s offer in a joyful voice that left no room for refusal.

But Gale responded unexpectedly.

“Family should live together. If we just give up Rettrang, we could all live together, so why should you move into someone else’s house?”

“Gale, what are you talking about! We’ll never get an opportunity like this anywhere else. And family isn’t about living together—if we love each other, we’re family no matter where we are. We’re not kids who need looking after anymore.”

“Love… each other?”

Gale hesitated, repeating the words.

“Of course. To me, family is just you and Uncle. Why does living together matter? It’s not like we’ll be far apart—we’ll all be in Rettrang and can meet anytime. And in ten years, we’ll get a house where we can live together.”

Diane added, highlighting the positive side.

But as Gale’s expression softened, it stiffened again.

“Ten years?”

“If we work for ten years, we get a house. We’ve lived together for fourteen years—how quickly did that pass? Ten years will go by even faster.”

“Anne! In ten years, you’ll be thirty-three, and I’ll be thirty-five!”

“So what?”

“How can we…!”

Suddenly, Gale trailed off.

At that moment, Walt Tertz, who had been silently listening, got up and began tidying up the office again before leaving.

Diane, distracted by his departure, forgot the topic for a moment, then came back to herself and asked again.

“How can we what?”

“I mean! How can we live apart…?”

Diane was frustrated by Gale’s repeated pauses.

“You mean, ‘How can we live apart until then?’”

“Yes! Exactly. How can we live apart until then!”

Diane burst out laughing.

“Gale, what kind of brother are you? Are you a child? Why can’t we live apart? Besides, as a tutor at the Duchy, I won’t be there for more than two years. When the young master goes to boarding school, I can’t stay there. So, in two years, we can live together again. If we save up.”

“…….”

“Even if we try to find a house together in two years, we need to save money first, right?”

Gale didn’t answer.

“We’re signing the contract! This is truly a heaven-sent opportunity! There’s no reason to miss it!”

Diane finally handed the contract to Gale, who had no more arguments.

“We shouldn’t wait two days—we should sign quickly. The President of Wale might change his mind. We can’t miss this!”

As Gale slumped and took the contract, Uncle Walt Tertz approached again.

In the end, the three of them filled in the blanks in the contracts right then and there.