Chapter 5

After her bath, Olivia entered her bedroom with a much clearer complexion, though her eyes were still slightly red. Eleanor, who had been waiting for Olivia in a chair, stood up.

“You can leave; I’ll take care of it.”

Eleanor naturally took the towel from the maid that was wrapped around Olivia’s hair. The maid left without objection, seemingly glad to be relieved of the task.

“Hello, Olivia.”

Olivia glanced at Eleanor’s unfamiliar face through the mirror. She seemed to think she was being stealthy, but her blue eyes, resembling Logan’s, were constantly observing Eleanor.

“From today, I’m your teacher, Olivia.”

“…”

“My name is Eleanor Hudson. You can call me Eleanor.”

Eleanor gently dried Olivia’s hair. As the towel absorbed the moisture and became damp, Olivia’s lips subtly moved. She seemed to want to say something but was hesitant. Eleanor waited patiently without urging her.

Even as her hair was nearly dry, Olivia remained silent. Her eyes held a subtle suspicion as she looked at Eleanor.

“You’re probably tired today, so instead of a lesson, shall we just introduce ourselves?”

Olivia nodded slightly.

“Let me introduce myself again. My name is Eleanor Hudson, and starting today, or rather, from tomorrow, I’ll be having lessons with you, Olivia.”

Eleanor calmly reintroduced herself.

“…Ellie?”

“Yes, you can call me that. Would you like to introduce yourself to me, Olivia?”

Olivia slowly opened her mouth at Eleanor’s gentle voice.

“Ol, Olivia Claven…”

“How old are you?”

“Eight.”

She seemed unaccustomed to conversation, hesitating with each sentence. Eleanor thought she might not know many words. She looked at Olivia, who had grown up in a neglectful environment, with a complex feeling.

“Today, I’ll just observe how you are doing. Tomorrow, let’s do something you like. What would you like to do?”

At Eleanor’s question, Olivia blinked her blue eyes, which seemed to be filled with unshed tears.

“Is there nothing you want to do?”

“…I don’t know.”

Olivia muttered with a tearful face. It was clear she only heard what not to do, so she didn’t know what she wanted. Despite growing up in a good home, Olivia was like a bird trapped in a cage. Cindy didn’t plan to let Olivia out beyond the walls, or even outside the bedroom door.

Of course, Logan seemed to care for Olivia. But no matter how much Logan cared, he couldn’t be with Olivia all day. Moreover, he couldn’t interfere in family matters, especially those concerning Cindy’s daughter, Olivia.

“Tomorrow, let’s find out together what you want to do, Olivia.”

Olivia narrowed her eyes in suspicion at Eleanor’s suggestion. Eleanor briefly thought of Logan. The way Logan spoke to her, gauging her intentions with a peculiar look, was exactly like that.

“Lie.”

“I’m serious.”

Despite being only eight, Olivia’s words were filled with distrust, as if she had lived being deceived. Eleanor couldn’t help but chuckle at the absurdity.

* * *

“There wasn’t anything special at the port. The power struggles between the two countries have always been there.”

Usher tossed a shiny apple into the air a few times as he spoke. Logan, leaning against the window, placed the cigar he was holding between his fingers and exhaled slowly.

“The movement of military supplies has increased. It’s not something to ignore.”

The movement of military supplies had increased, yet it was more peaceful than ever, which was suspicious. The two things couldn’t coexist.

“I’ve told them to keep an eye on it, so they’ll watch.”

Usher answered indifferently and offered the red apple to Logan.

“What are you doing?”

“An apology for returning without any gains.”

Logan chuckled at the playful gesture. He took the apple Usher handed him while pushing the end of the cigar back between his lips.

“I’ll accept it.”

“Be grateful.”

Usher responded sarcastically to Logan’s cheerful acceptance. But then, he tilted his head with an ambiguous expression.

“No. Is it really something to be thankful for?”

He looked foolishly confused. Logan raised an eyebrow as he watched Usher’s nonsensical talk.

“I stopped by Kent to rest while coming up from Dover.”

Was he thanking me for letting him rest? 

Logan decided to listen without much expectation.

“Anyway, there’s that.”

As expected, it was nonsense. Usher laughed alone like someone possessed, looking foolish.

“By the way, why did you suddenly hire a tutor for Olive? Wasn’t there a plan to send her to public school?”

“Because Cindy Clavern was so vehemently against it.”

Though he didn’t understand why the topic suddenly shifted, Logan answered willingly. There was no reason to hide anything from Usher, who already knew the situation.

“Olivia isn’t ready either.”

Though it seemed unlikely that anyone would bother the Claven Duchy’s members, it was impossible to know what might happen out of sight.

To Logan, Olivia was just a normal sister, but not to others. Cindy used that point to persuade Logan. Considering Cindy wanted to discard Olivia, it wasn’t out of concern that Olivia might be harmed or bullied.

A troublesome woman. Logan straightened up from where he had been leaning against the window and threw the cigar he had drawn once more into the ashtray.

“Are you finally giving up on sending her to school?”

“We’ll see. If Olivia can be prepared to attend school within a few years, I’ll pay eight years’ worth of wages at once and terminate the contract.”

Though he hadn’t told Eleanor, it was a generous offer she had no reason to refuse. She could take the money without doing all the work.

“By the way, how do you know Olivia’s tutor?”

Suddenly curious, Logan looked at Usher. He hadn’t mentioned Eleanor or the tutor to Usher.

“Olive caused a commotion earlier. I found her putting a white sheet over Eleanor’s head like a ghost.”

“…Eleanor?”

“I met her on the train coming to Southern.”

Usher chuckled as he explained how he knew Eleanor.

“…Why are you looking at me like that?”

But the next moment, Usher flinched at Logan’s expressionless gaze.

“Remember what I’ve always said.”

Logan had warned against getting involved with the mansion’s staff. It wasn’t a family he could connect with the Fitzman Earldom. Logan didn’t want any of the mansion’s staff to experience hurt because of Usher, even if he was a close friend and colleague.

“She’s not a maid.”

“Are you trying to play word games with me?”

Logan tilted his head and asked. Usher explained again with an innocent expression.

“She’s part of the Viscountcy.”

Indeed, Eleanor was different from the common staff. Though only her name and facade remained, the Hudson family was a Viscountcy directly titled by the King.

However, Eleanor, who had come to a foreign land to earn a living, didn’t seem like a good choice for Usher Fitzman. If she had a fiancé, she wouldn’t have ended up here, and it was unlikely Eleanor, who had lived under her father’s watch, was influenced by the idea of free love.

“Don’t stir things up unless you’re confident you can withstand everyone’s opposition.”

If she met someone now, she would naturally think about marriage. But Usher, who had just met Eleanor, was unlikely to have such feelings, and even if he did, the Fitzman Earldom wouldn’t welcome Eleanor with open arms.

“Excuse me, Duke Claven. Are you perhaps a hidden family member of Eleanor Hudson?”

“I’m just an employer with a duty to protect my employees.”

Logan dismissed the idea firmly. If it were a brief encounter, it might be different, but Eleanor had come to the mansion as Olivia’s tutor. He had a duty to protect her under his shadow, considering she would be there for at least a few years.

“It’s nonsense for an employer to interfere in the personal affairs of their employees.”

But Usher refuted, finding it absurd.

“Have you ever seen me recklessly get involved with the mansion’s staff? To this extent…”

“Alright.”

Judging by Usher’s reaction, he wasn’t likely to give up easily. Ultimately, the important thing wasn’t Logan’s or Usher’s opinion but Eleanor’s feelings. Logan sighed deeply and spoke.

“If Miss Hudson says no, back off without a word.”

“I’m not trashy enough to cling to a woman who says no. I don’t plan to be rude either.”

Usher answered willingly.

“But honestly, even if you were completely against it, I wouldn’t have cared.”

However, the playful words he added afterward contained defiance.

“I felt it was fate as soon as our eyes met.”

As Logan frowned, Usher muttered. The warm violet eyes held an unfamiliar intensity. Only then did Logan realize Usher had completely grown into a man, different from his memory.

The friend who had seemed like a naive boy even after graduating from the military academy had suddenly matured. Logan looked at his friend with unfamiliarity for a while.

It was the color of summer, of youth.