Innate power with naturally acquired dignity. Striking looks and a well-trained body. A prosperous domain and inexhaustible wealth. Loyal retainers who followed him.

He was dutiful as a Grand Duke, but if there was one duty he failed to fulfill, it was the obligation of producing an heir.

“Your Grace, you must produce an heir soon!”

“You cannot keep avoiding this matter. Please heed our faithful counsel!”

“Your Grace! For the glory of Bertmuller!”

“For the glory!”

Simon suffered headaches from his retainers urging him to produce an heir. He had absolutely no interest in the production of an heir—that is, meeting a woman and having a child.

Though he maintained an indifferent attitude, women were far from indifferent to him.

Smoothly carved cheeks and chin. Eyes that drew in gazes beneath hair like black silk. He even have dedicated followers in social circles, captivated by his golden eyes that sparkled like a river of gold dust.

However, he himself had no interest in women. And Simon was someone who absolutely refused to do anything he had no interest in.

So he had discovered a child from a collateral line whose existence no one knew about, and promptly placed him in the position of young duke.

“He is my adopted son, Simon Johannes Bertmuller has taken him in. This child will serve as Bertmuller’s heir.”

But he had not realized how delicate children are as living beings. How much care it takes to raise one into a proper adult.

Jonas, who had become a young duke overnight, was timid by nature. And to hide this timidity, he instead became temperamental.

The more he grew accustomed to his power as the precious young duke, the more Jonas began to act as he pleased.

This had recently become Simon’s greatest concern: how to educate his arrogant young duke.

Although he had adopted Jonas, sufficient education was necessary before publicly announcing him as heir. But Simon had no idea how to handle Jonas, who refused to cooperate.

It was then that he had witnessed her—a woman who was not intimidated by the authority of a Grand Duke.

‘If it’s secret, then that’s a lady’s weapon.’

Simon was a person with an extraordinary memory. Seeing the Count’s vivid coloring with her calm demeanor, he remembered.

The young lady who had gently scolded her brother, who was already a head taller than her, while repeatedly hitting his arm with a fan.

‘Hattleton. Did you sell my things again?’

‘Ah, Sister! That hurts! Ah! No, those guys kept begging me. They even said they dream about you.’

‘Why are they dreaming about me as they please?’

‘Come now, can one control their dreams?’

‘Sometimes people commit sins even without being conscious of them.’

That last remark had stopped the young Simon, not yet fully grown, in his tracks.

Even without intention, sometimes victims emerge. And so there was a boy who couldn’t move, hidden in a wardrobe on a summer afternoon.

Suddenly feeling as if he could smell the musty dust, Simon frowned and stopped, overhearing the conversation between the siblings who were unaware of his presence.

‘If my friends knew this side of you, Sister, they wouldn’t even dream about you.’

‘What side?’

‘The way you hit me like this……’

‘When did I ever?’

At that emotionless voice, Simon turned his head.

Two red heads stood out in the green garden. The clear voice belonged to the sister with the composed expression.

‘Are you going to deny it now?!’

‘Secrecy is a lady’s weapon.’

As she covered her mouth with her fan and turned her head, that young lady suddenly met Simon’s eyes.

With her face half-hidden behind the fan, she gave him a light bow and then resolutely left.

Simon had thought then that he was curious about the face behind the fan with those indifferent eyes.

So when he encountered that same gaze again, Simon did not let her go.

“I found your educational methods quite interesting when I overheard them previously.”

At his words, Tantania’s knife, which had been cutting the salmon in front of her, paused momentarily.

Yes. Simon had invited her to the grand ducal residence precisely because he found Tantania’s teaching methods interesting.

His nature was to be endlessly indifferent to subjects that didn’t interest him.

Conversely, this meant that Simon was an explorer who would dig deeply into subjects that did interest him, until his curiosity was satisfied.

“Count, do you condone violence if it’s kept secret?”

“……I’m not sure what you mean.”

Tantania covered her expression by pretending to wipe her mouth with a napkin. Simon picked up his wine glass, seeming to allow her to change the subject.

With his perpetually smooth face, he put the rim of the wine glass to his lips and spoke softly.

“Ah, I don’t mean to reproach you. It’s just.”

He took a sip of wine and swallowed. In the quiet banquet hall, even that sound seemed loud.

“I thought it was a novel educational method. And not a bad one at that.”

“I’m grateful that Your Grace thinks well of it, but it was merely the words of a foolish person. Please don’t take them to heart.”

Tantania finally put down her fork. Even at this moment, her attention was entirely focused on what was happening outside the door.

He had clearly invited both her and Cecilia to the grand ducal residence, but now only the Grand Duke and herself were present. This was because he had ordered Jonas to dine alone with Cecilia under the pretext of reconciliation.

As a result, the children had been separated to the second banquet hall. Tantania was troubled by the memory of Cecilia’s eyes, which had looked back at her until the very end.

Unable to check on the children with her own eyes, Tantania grew increasingly anxious. She picked up her wine glass and took a sip, as if to rinse away a sigh.

“It was too impressive not to remember.”

Simon liked Tantania more and more as they dined together.

Of course, he didn’t mean he liked her personally. Rather, the more he saw of her, the more she seemed to perfectly fit the purpose for which he had invited her to his mansion.

“I won’t mince words, Count. I like your educational style.”

Those eyes, for instance. Those eyes that deliberately suppressed any sign of discomfort with this situation.

No matter how well one might hide such discomfort with etiquette, it was not easily concealed. Simon felt genuinely cheerful in front of a woman for the first time in a long while.

He was curious how the Count would react if he revealed his purpose for inviting her.

“Please take charge of the young duke’s education.”

“……I’m taken aback, Your Grace.”

Tantania slowly blinked at his proposal.

As she lowered her eyes, her gently falling eyelashes fluttered, hiding her expression. Her characteristic mild and languid aura emanated softly.

“It seems too great a request for someone like me.”

“Count, you seem to underestimate yourself.”

“Well, perhaps I simply know my place.”

Her calm voice carried a certain degree of perplexity. Indeed, Tantania was opposed to forming any connection with the grand ducal family.

She loved the peace in her life. Getting closer to the center of power would only be troublesome for her.

“……I know little about education. I’ve never had children of my own.”

“But you are sponsoring a child, are you not? I’m not asking for extensive education. I would like you to take charge of the young duke’s upbringing, just as you do with your ward.”

Tantania was silent for a moment. Her sponsorship of that child, Cecilia, had a purpose.

The strange story that had invaded her mind. Sadly, to avert the ending of what seemed almost like a book of prophecy.

She had accepted this invitation to erase the bad first impression between Cecilia and the young duke.

If she could just establish a good foundation between those two, perhaps the future destruction would recede once more. All Tantania wanted was to return to her mansion as soon as possible and regain her daily routine.

“I believe there are many teachers more excellent than myself.”

“But those supposedly excellent ones have not impressed me.”

She had values that still appealed to him, and she was a woman who did not falter even in front of her male sibling.

He calculated that she could surely handle one child well. So Simon had no intention of letting her go.

While their verbal sparring continued, dessert was served on the table where the main course had ended.

It was a tart topped with raspberry mousse. Looking at the mint leaf delicately placed on top of the pink dome, Tantania strangely thought of Cecilia.

‘Cecilia, I wonder if you’re getting along well with the young duke……’

Tantania was beginning to tire of this unproductive conversation, wondering how long she would have to continue it.

Her eyes, which had been half-closing with fatigue, suddenly flew open.

“Your Grace, I apologize, but……”

“Hey!! Let go of that!!!”

“Aaaaah!!!”

The commotion from outside the door interrupted Tantania’s voice. All eyes in the room turned toward the door.

When the embarrassed servants opened the door at the Grand Duke’s gesture, Cecilia and Jonas tumbled in, entangled with each other.

At the sight of the children, Tantania unconsciously jumped to her feet.

“Count!! He insulted you!!”

“How petty, telling on me to an adult? Ugh!”

“Apologize!”

“Why should I apologize to a kid like you!!”

The children’s shouting voices poured into the banquet hall.

Cecilia’s neatly braided hair was now a mess. From the looks of it, Jonas had pulled her hair.

And Cecilia…… was firmly gripping his hair in return.

“……What is this……”

Tantania stood dumbfounded as she watched the bickering children.

These two children…… are supposed to fall in love with each other?