Chapter 69

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Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: The Temporary Tutor
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“I came because I have something to say.”

“Yes.”

“Sir Gerald suggested that I take on the role of temporary tutor for Lady Rubiana Adria and Young Lord Perido Adria.”

“I see. I had clearly told Aide Olive that we didn’t need one. I can take care of the children.”

She could sense the faint anger underlying Dia’s cool voice.

Her parents had probably passed away, leaving her unable to trust anyone.

Marin hid her pity and nodded.

“I heard that too. But it’ll be hard for you to manage alone, my lady.”

“No. I can do it by myself.”

Dia refused firmly.

Marin took a deep breath and said what she had prepared.

“I heard that Young Lord Perido isn’t sleeping well. How much sleep has he been getting?”

Dia’s face, which had been impassive like she was wearing a mask, cracked slightly with worry.

“What does that have to do with a tutor?”

“I can help.”

“No, we don’t need any help...”

Marin gently cut Dia off mid-sentence.

“I can see how much you care for your siblings, my lady. I even understand why you can’t trust outsiders. But sleep is important. And I can really get him to sleep. So, can you trust me just once?”

Dia stared fixedly at the duke’s fiancée sitting in front of her. Her sprout-like pale green eyes were shining softly.

Trust her? Trust what? Who?

The duke’s fiancée was asking for exactly what she couldn’t do right now.

As she said, Perido was very ill.

He was frustrated because he couldn’t speak, he cried often, and skipping meals was routine. He was getting more irritable and sensitive, probably from lack of sleep. The sleeping pills prescribed had been ineffective and thrown away long ago.

He especially couldn’t sleep at all without his sisters around, so she and Ganet took turns putting him to bed at night.

Even so, with Perido lying awake all night, they couldn’t sleep either.

Of course she knew sleep was important.

Dia hesitated, neither affirming nor denying the duke’s fiancée’s plea to trust her, before slowly opening her mouth.

“If you mean sleeping pills, they didn’t work.”

The duke’s fiancée shook her head slightly.

“It’s not sleeping pills. You’re Sir Gerald’s family, so I’ll tell you.”

Family? Are we really the duke’s family?

A cold sneer formed at the corner of Dia’s mouth.

She had trusted the duke she saw in the south and come all the way to the distant west. But on the day of their arrival, what she saw was a grand party.

Our parents hadn’t even been gone long. How could they do that?

Even if the party had been planned long ago, it was only natural to cancel or postpone it if family was in mourning.

Dia clenched her hands tightly in her lap. She could feel her nails digging into her skin.

Just like Ganet had shouted there, she wanted to pour out her resentment too.

“I have the ability to put people to sleep.”

“...Pardon?”

Startled, Dia blinked slowly, unsure what to say.

If that was true, was it okay to tell just anyone?

“You think I’m loose-lipped now, don’t you?”

The duke’s fiancée smiled brightly, casually seeing right through her thoughts.

“Yes.”

***

“Wow, you’re so honest. Thank you.”

“I don’t understand what you’re thanking me for.”

“For being honest with me.”

Dia opened her mouth again with an incredulous expression.

“I’ve never heard of... an ability like that.”

“It’s hard to believe, sure. But nothing ventured, nothing gained, right? Will you give me a chance to put Young Lord Perido to sleep?”

Why was the duke’s fiancée trying so hard to help them?

She could just ignore us. Why bother?

We’re not even related.

“...Why? Why go this far?”

A question arose in Dia’s deep green eyes.

The duke’s fiancée parted her lips slowly, as if choosing her words.

“You were honest with me, my lady, so I’ll be honest too. First off, Sir Gerald promised to pay me if I tutored you. But more than that, I want to help Perido. Not sleeping is just too painful.”

Dia stared at the duke’s fiancée, unable to hide her bewildered look. Her eyes were utterly sincere.

Greedy for money? Did the duke’s fiancée need money?

She’d heard the duke’s wealth was immense.

So the second reason must be true—why offer such help to us, who were practically strangers?

What did she want from us?

Dia gazed at the duke’s fiancée with confused eyes.

In the old days, she would have trusted easily instead of doubting endlessly. She would have already grabbed her hand and begged for help.

“Please stay with us while I put Perido to sleep, my lady. You can bring the second lady too.”

Dia lowered her eyes silently.

Even as she agonized, the duke’s fiancée waited quietly.

“...Please.”

Dia looked up and whispered softly. She still couldn’t fully trust her, but she didn’t want to miss even the slightest chance.

“Yes!”

The duke’s fiancée met her eyes and smiled radiantly.

* * *

Marin followed Dia to the room next door.

Inside, Ganet and Perido were drawing pictures together.

“Sis! Why’d you bring her here?”

Marin smiled brightly back at Ganet, who was glaring primly at her.

“Hello, my lady.”

“Hmph.”

“Ganet, this is His Grace the Duke’s fiancée. Behave properly.”

Dia scolded her with a stern face.

Ganet jumped to her feet, looking betrayed that her sister was suddenly taking the woman’s side.

“Properly? They were the ones who weren’t proper first. How could they throw a party on the day we arrived? I told you—I don’t want to talk to the duke or her!”

“Ganet!”

“Ugh...”

As the sisters raised their voices, Perido, who had been drawing on the floor, covered his ears and let out a groan.

Ganet quickly sat back down and hugged Perido.

“It’s okay, Perido. It’s okay. We’re not fighting.”

Perido pushed Ganet away and slipped out of her arms into the folds of Dia’s skirt.

Ganet watched Perido’s back, squinting as if holding back tears.

Meanwhile, Marin stepped forward to Dia, lowering herself to her knees to meet Perido’s eye level.

Dia looked down at her in surprise.

“Hello, Young Lord Adria. I’m Marin Schwenz. We’ve met a few times, haven’t we?”

***

At Marin’s calm greeting, Perido peeked out from behind Dia’s skirt.

Up close, Perido looked even more sickly. His eyes were hollow underneath, and his cheeks were sunken in.

*Yes. We’ve met. I’m Perido. Perido.*

“Yes. We’ve met. I’m Perido. Perido.”

Marin mimicked the shape of Perido’s lips exactly.

Perido’s eyes widened like a startled rabbit. Dia and Ganet were just as shocked.

“Yes, I’ll call you Perido.”

Marin continued calmly, responding to Perido.

Dia asked incredulously at the sight.

“You can read lips?”

“Yes.”

In her previous life, she had learned it while working as a narration voice actress.

In the meantime, Perido, beaming with excitement, emerged from Dia’s dress and took a step toward Marin. His black bead-like eyes sparkled for the first time in ages.

*You really know what I’m saying?*

“‘You really know what I’m saying?’ Yes.”

Marin kindly repeated the child’s words and answered.

A small smile bloomed on Perido’s face.

Dia and Ganet stared blankly at Perido’s face, speechless. It had been so long since they’d seen him smile.