Chapter 6

Eleanor boldly discarded all lessons related to social etiquette and female refinement. There were three reasons for this. First, Cindy had no interest in Olivia’s education, so it seemed she wouldn’t notice. Second, Olivia appeared to have no interest in it. And lastly, Eleanor wanted to help Olivia build her cultural knowledge as a human and find something she was interested in.

“What is it?”

Olivia’s gaze turned to the item in Eleanor’s hand. It was paper and colored pencils purchased with Cindy’s permission. When Olivia asked, Eleanor placed the paper and colored pencils on the wide table and sat down.

“It’s paper and colored pencils. Have a seat.”

Olivia approached cautiously, like a curious cat, and sat in the chair. Eleanor opened the box containing the colored pencils and showed the vibrant colors. Olivia was so excited that she squirmed in her seat.

“There are so many!”

Olivia’s eyes darted between Eleanor and the colored pencils. Though they weren’t expensive enough to be unaffordable for the Duchy, her eyes sparkled as if seeing them for the first time.

“Can you count how many colored pencils there are?”

At Eleanor’s question, Olivia blinked. Her blue eyes, like her brother’s, sparkled like jewels in the light, then dimmed with faint disappointment.

“I don’t know…”

Her voice was somewhere between dejected and tense. Although Olivia was eight years old, she was developmentally delayed compared to her peers. But this seemed less about Olivia having a disability and more about her not having learned.

Considering how she had been frightened into wetting herself when her mother shouted, it was no surprise. Cindy scolded Olivia for not understanding basic education, and Olivia shrank before her mother, eventually becoming terrified. The end result was likely corporal punishment.

“How about just this?”

“One.”

Eleanor was very familiar with such situations, which was why she wasn’t surprised by Olivia’s underdeveloped level.

“That’s enough. Today, we’re going to draw, so let’s learn numbers gradually.”

Olivia looked at Eleanor with a puzzled face. From her limited experience, she expected to have to learn numbers next. It was natural for her to be confused by the different situation.

But Olivia soon became excited. She preferred being allowed to mess up the paper rather than memorizing boring numbers.

“Look at this!”

Olivia eagerly took out colored pencils and spread them across the table, drawing various things on the paper. The subject changed from the sky to the garden, flowers, and finally a cat crouching beside the wall.

“Is it the mansion?”

When Eleanor asked, Olivia nodded. She smiled and affirmed.

“The colors are nice.”

The drawing was closer to an abstract than a still life, and Eleanor, who wasn’t well-versed in art, found it ambiguous. But the combination of colors was pleasing.

“The house is pretty.”

“Yes, the garden is beautiful.”

“Olive likes this.”

Olivia pointed to a part of the drawing with her finger. It was a red rose.

“Is that why you were in the garden that day?”

At Eleanor’s question, Olivia nodded. With no attention from her mother Cindy and no interest from the mansion’s staff, Olivia felt bored and lonely. She went out to the garden and missed Logan, who always hugged her warmly. It made her cry.

Then Olivia noticed Eleanor moving as if looking for something. She remembered Cindy’s command to stay in the room. She was scared she’d get in trouble for sneaking out, which made her cry more.

“I see.”

Fortunately, she met Logan afterward and wasn’t scolded by Cindy. Eleanor had protected her from Cindy before and now let Olivia do what she wanted. Olivia suddenly realized that since meeting Eleanor, only good things had happened.

Olivia thought that perhaps Eleanor might be an angel.

“Olive isn’t a bad kid.”

Logan had said that if one lived well, one goes to heaven later. And since angels come from heaven, meeting Eleanor meant Olivia wasn’t a bad child.

“That’s right. Olivia, you aren’t a bad child.”

When Eleanor agreed, Olivia’s face lit up with a bright smile. Though it had only been a few days, it was a face Eleanor hadn’t seen before. It meant Olivia had so few allies that she wanted to rely on someone she barely knew.

Plants growing in soil without proper nourishment develop abnormally and eventually wither. Eleanor never wanted to witness such a situation again.

“Tell Logan!”

At that moment, Olivia jumped up and shouted.

“Olivia, that’s for later…”

Wasn’t it uncertain if Logan was even in the mansion? 

But before Eleanor could persuade her, Olivia opened the door and dashed outside. Eleanor quickly grabbed her skirt and hurriedly followed.

“Logan!”

Was it luck or misfortune? Olivia, like a swift squirrel, ran down the central stairs and encountered Logan, who was just returning to the mansion. Logan easily embraced Olivia as she ran to him.

“Isn’t it class time now?”

Logan asked George. Eleanor, who hadn’t fully descended the stairs, bit her lip with a flustered face.

“Yes, I believe it’s class time…”

“Ellie said Olive isn’t bad!”

Excited, Olivia interrupted George. George faintly furrowed his brow.

“You were never bad.”

But instead of scolding, Logan spoke calmly to Olivia.

“So you should participate nicely in class.”

“I’m sorry, Your Grace.”

Eleanor descended the stairs and apologized. Ultimately, it was the tutor’s fault for not controlling the child.

“I already know she’s not a child who can be controlled immediately, so there’s no need to worry.”

Logan reassured Eleanor calmly. Olivia, seemingly delighted with her brother, snuggled against Logan’s neck like a cat and purred.

“It’s almost lunchtime; how about resuming class after a meal?”

During times like this, Olivia wouldn’t leave Logan’s side no matter what she did. Knowing this, Logan suggested Eleanor join them for lunch instead of trying to separate Olivia.

“It would be an honor.”

“There’s no need to be so formal every time.”

Logan casually tossed the words to Eleanor, who bowed deeply in greeting, and passed her by. Eleanor followed cautiously behind Logan.

“Miss Hudson, would you care for a drink?”

Seated at the long dining table, Logan gestured to the wine served as an aperitif and asked. Even with class in the afternoon, one glass wouldn’t be too much.

“Thank you, I’ll accept.”

Eleanor didn’t refuse. It was largely because facing her employer sober was uncomfortable, though Logan was unaware of this.

“Give Olive some too.”

“Children can’t have any.”

Logan firmly denied Olivia’s request. At the same time, a maid brought a wine glass to Eleanor’s place along with the soup. Eleanor tried to ease her tension by sipping the wine before putting any food in her stomach.

“Would it be alright if I changed seats?”

Sitting across from Olivia, who had started eating hastily, Eleanor watched for a moment, then moved to sit next to Olivia with Logan’s permission.

“Olivia. You should hold the spoon like this.”

“This is more comfortable!”

“But you spill so much.”

Eleanor pointed out the stains on the table and floor with a glance. Olivia pouted with a dissatisfied face.

“I’m not saying it’s wrong.”

Eleanor immediately comforted Olivia.

“If you spill like this, Olivia, others will have to clean it up, right? They’ll also have to wash your clothes carefully.”

“…Yes.”

“If you don’t spill, they won’t have to do that.”

At times like this, Cindy would scornfully look at Olivia and scold her as if she were a beggar. Even if Olivia did as told, she was reprimanded for not keeping another rule instead of being praised. Not listening to dining etiquette was a form of rebellion against that.

“Olivia, you are kind, so you don’t want others to struggle, right?”

Eleanor calmly took the spoon from Olivia’s hand and handed it back to her.

“Is spilling bad?”

“Mistakes aren’t bad. But knowing and doing it deliberately is bad.”

Eleanor patiently taught Olivia, despite it being potentially bothersome to answer endless questions and guide her through things she couldn’t naturally do.

Logan observed Eleanor closely. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, perhaps not very good at drinking.

“Olive doesn’t do it on purpose!”

“Right. You won’t do it on purpose in the future, will you?”

Olivia nodded her head vigorously. If Cindy had seen it, she would have frowned at the lack of decorum.

“If you eat quickly, it’s easy to spill, so try to go a little slower.”

Olivia alternated her gaze between the spoon in her hand and the soup, then resolutely scooped the soup. Perhaps tense about spilling even a drop, the end of the spoon trembled slightly.

Eleanor watched silently and laughed softly. Though Olivia was a child her mother couldn’t bear and wanted to discard, Eleanor found her unbearably adorable. Logan watched quietly.

She’s an intriguing woman.

“…”

As if sensing his gaze, Eleanor lifted her head. Her ash-gray eyes wavered, unable to find their bearings, as she met Logan’s gaze directly, appearing flustered.

Soon, Eleanor blushed and awkwardly smiled at Logan. The bright midday sunlight streamed through the large window, pouring brilliantly over Eleanor’s head.