“I see. What about the tutor?”

“We’re still searching, but finding someone who meets Your Grace’s criteria is proving difficult,” Hans admitted hesitantly.

“Find a tutor well-versed in various fields, unbound by family ties, discreet enough to disappear for months without raising suspicion, and, most importantly, tight-lipped.”

The sudden command Eustace had given last night was a challenging task, even for Hans, who prided himself on his wide network.

“No suitable candidates?”

“To be honest, it’s like trying to pluck a star from the sky. Perhaps we could select someone from among our own people or recruit volunteers instead?”

“Hmm,” Eustace mused thoughtfully.

At Hans’s suggestion, Eustace fell into thought. After discussing with Emma, he had decided to assign Lila a tutor who would not only teach her basic etiquette and general knowledge but also provide instruction in culture, history, theology, politics, and other fields.

Having received neither proper care nor royal education, and having been confined to the palace for a long time, Lila was essentially a blank slate. Eustace believed she needed to learn many things before she could spread her wings and soar into the world.

“Should I just teach her myself?”

“It wouldn’t be a bad idea, Your Grace, but the efficiency of her studies might suffer,” Hans replied carefully, knowing full well the Grand Duke’s fondness for the raven.

Eustace, unable to refute Hans’s logic, reluctantly closed his mouth.

“Fine, keep looking for now. If we can’t find anyone suitable, we’ll select one of the mages affiliated with our household.”

“Understood.”

While the Grand Duke and Hans continued their conversation, Elvin, who had finished drafting the reply to the emperor, raised his head.

“Your Grace, I’ve written the reply. Would you like to review it?”

“No need. Just send it; I trust you’ve written it well.”

“Then please seal it with your signet.”

Even sealing the letter seemed a chore to Eustace. With little effort, he affixed his seal to the envelope and handed it to Hans.

“Go and send it quickly. I don’t want the emperor’s lackey breathing the same air as us for even a second longer.”

“Yes, Your Grace,” Hans replied, accepting the letter politely before leaving the office in silence.

“…Why are you standing up, Your Grace?”

“Huh?”

Caught standing after Hans left, Eustace laughed awkwardly at Elvin’s sharp question.

“I thought I’d go upstairs for a moment. It seems Lila is exploring the manor.”

“Didn’t you say Emma would be attending to the Raven? There’s no reason for you to go personally.”

“Well, Emma is taking care of her, but I should at least oversee—”

“No. Do your work.”

Faced with Elvin’s firm refusal, the Grand Duke sat back down with a dejected expression.

“…I suppose it’s time to put out a notice for a third secretary.”

“Didn’t you say yesterday that it’s hard to find trustworthy people?”

“Circumstances change,” Eustace replied shamelessly, grinning.

Elvin gripped his pen tightly, fighting the urge to either throw his documents at the Grand Duke or upend an ink bottle over his smug face.

“Regardless, you can’t leave now. There’s a mountain of papers to review and seal by the end of the day.”

“Hmm.”

After a moment’s thought, Eustace tapped his signet lightly. The signet glowed faintly.

“What did you just do?”

Suspicious, Elvin narrowed his eyes at the Grand Duke. His bad premonition was confirmed when Eustace smiled sweetly and explained.

“I’ve cast a spell allowing you to use the Eustace family’s signet in my absence.”

“Your Grace!”

“I just thought of something I could do for Lila before the tailor arrives. It won’t take long, I promise. I’ll be back in no time.”

“Wait! Your Grace! Grand Duke!”

With a cheery smile, Eustace left the office before Elvin could stop him.

“…Ugh! Seriously! Ugh! Infuriating!”

Left alone, Elvin vented his frustration.

***

“The Grand Duke’s manor has five floors, divided into two wings centered around the main hall. The hall is primarily used for banquets or investitures. The first floor comprises reception rooms, dining areas, and the grand gallery, with facilities like the knights’ hall, mages’ division, and lounges at either end,” Emma explained as they entered the gallery.

“Mm-hmm.”

“Behind the hall or gallery are the annex and the greenhouse in the rear garden. To the east is the knights’ training ground, and to the west is the mage division’s research tower.”

Emma continued her explanation as they moved through the space.

“The entire second floor belongs to the Grand Duke, housing his office, bedroom, bathroom, study, and private library. The third floor is for the Grand Duchess, with a layout similar to the second floor.”

“…? But I’m staying on the third floor,” Lila said, blinking in confusion as she quietly listened to Emma.

“Since there is currently no Grand Duchess, the third floor is used as a guest area for esteemed visitors. The room you are staying in is a guest chamber.”

“I see.”

At last, Lila felt somewhat relieved as she began admiring the paintings hanging in the gallery. Along the long corridor, portraits of successive Grand Dukes and Duchesses of Eustace were displayed in order, nestled between elegant decorations.

“Oh.”

About halfway down the corridor, Lila stopped as she spotted a familiar face. Two individuals, both bearing a strong resemblance to Grand Duke Eustace, stood side by side, smiling serenely. Even without asking Emma, Lila immediately knew who they were.

“These are…”

“Yes, they are the late Grand Duke Eustace, Lord Elaine, and the former Grand Duchess, Countess Lucia.”

The man had soft features with light blond hair and blue eyes, while the woman possessed striking golden hair and eyes. Both were so beautiful that they naturally brought Grand Duke Eustace to mind.

“It’s as if he inherited only the best traits from both of them.”

“Everyone says that,” Emma replied with a slight smile.

Lila gazed at the portraits, overcome by a peculiar feeling. The Grand Duke’s hair and eyes resembled those of the late Grand Duke, while his facial features were more like the late Grand Duchess’s.

Lila’s gaze lingered on the portrait of the Grand Duchess. Perhaps it was because Emma had mentioned earlier that the Grand Duchess often visited the cold palace, but staring at the painting made her chest feel tight.

“The Grand Duke… looks like such a baby here.”

The portrait of Grand Duke Eustace hung right next to theirs. In the painting, he appeared much younger than he did now, staring straight ahead with a stern expression devoid of a smile. It must have been painted shortly after he assumed the title.

“This was painted right after he became the Grand Duke. He was fifteen at the time,” Emma explained.

“He’s adorable.”

Lila candidly shared her thoughts. Although he wasn’t smiling, the Grand Duke at fifteen looked truly adorable and as delicate as a blooming flower.

Her eyes couldn’t leave the soft, round features of the young Eustace, so different from the man he had become.

“He should have a new portrait hung now that he’s an adult, but he’s been so busy that there hasn’t been time,” Emma said with a sigh.

It was a long-standing tradition among nobles to commission a new portrait at the start of each year from a renowned artist. However, sitting or standing in the same pose for an entire day was more arduous and time-consuming than it seemed.

Recently, many younger nobles had started replacing traditional portraits with magical stones that could capture their likeness as moving images. Despite this, portraits remained popular.

Most nobles preferred portraits because they could be passed down through generations and served as a symbol of their wealth and status. Additionally, magical stones were expensive and required a mage to activate, making them less practical.

“Doesn’t the Grand Duke have a court painter?”

Recalling how the emperor and crown prince always had court painters at their beck and call, Lila tilted her head curiously.

Wealthy high-ranking nobles often employed their own painters to record daily life or significant events such as coming-of-age ceremonies.

“Of course he does—he has three,” Emma replied with an exasperated sigh.

The Eustace family was one of the most prestigious in the Esteban Empire, so naturally, they employed three painters. However, Grand Duke Eustace loathed sitting for portraits.

“The Grand Duke absolutely detests having his portrait painted.”

“Why?”

“He says he doesn’t like being stared at for hours,” Emma said, looking disheartened.

“Huh?”

“He also complains that staying in one position is exhausting and that it’s a waste of time.”

Emma sighed again, her expression downcast. She had tried for years to convince the Grand Duke to have his portrait painted but had failed each time.

“Your Grace, you must have your portrait done this year.”

“I’m busy.”

“Please, just sit for a few hours. Or at least let the painter sketch while following you—”

“Having someone tailing me feels like being watched, and I hate it.”

“As the head of the Eustace family, you have an obligation to cooperate. The painters have been idle for five years.”

“That’s why I’ve left plenty of recordings in magical stones, haven’t I? They can just paint based on those.”

That was as far as Eustace was willing to compromise. In the end, Emma had to instruct the family’s mages to create magical recordings of the Grand Duke during formal events, which the painters could use as references.

But even though they could create paintings this way, there was a clear difference between rushed work and the care that went into a proper sitting. Emma couldn’t help but feel regret.

“It must be a difficult task.”

“Creating a portrait usually takes three days, sometimes up to a week. It’s not easy work, as it requires daily time commitment.”

“I see. I’ve never done it before, so I didn’t know.”

“Oh.”

Emma suddenly froze, her face showing a moment of panic, but Lila remained unbothered, gazing nonchalantly at the long hallway they had walked through.

“The palace had a corridor like this too,” Lila murmured.

The gallery in the imperial palace, filled with portraits of past royalty, was located on the way to the crown prince’s office. Despite the irritation he caused her, the crown prince summoned her more often than the emperor did.

As a result, Lila frequently passed through that corridor, often forced to see the portraits of those two individuals. Unsurprisingly, her mother’s and her own portraits were nowhere to be found.

“Lady Lila…”

Emma called her name with a look of sympathy, as if regretting something she had said.

“Then, is this the only painting of the Grand Duke?”

Lila slowly closed her eyes, opened them again, and pushed away the thoughts cluttering her mind. She asked the question casually, her tone light. Emma, who had been fidgeting nervously, looked visibly relieved.

“No, there are others from his childhood and a few done in an abbreviated style. They’re stored in the archive on the fifth floor. Would you like to see them?”

“I would.”