Chapter 190
Chapter 190
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Home Tutor
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"A new home tutor?"
Afternoon at the mansion.
At the hour when the mansion's servants were bustling about, a maid who had been wiping windows with her colleagues froze in surprise and turned to the brown-haired maid beside her.
It wasn't just her.
All the maids sweeping the corridors or dusting the walls and furniture nearby turned their gazes toward the brown-haired maid.
This was the mansion prepared for the Bollard Family's temporary stay in Bondalles.
The hottest topic in the mansion had just come from her lips.
"Hehe."
The brown-haired maid, still polishing the window, curved her lips into a smug smile.
Am I the star of today's gossip?
Savoring the smug superiority only the center of attention could feel, she spoke up.
"Yeah. I just passed by the corridor and ran into Miss Catherine. She was with a man I'd never seen before."
Butler Catherine.
Originally from the Bollard Family's main estate, she was now the de facto head responsible for all major and minor affairs at the Bollard annex.
The types of guests she personally greeted fell into two main categories.
One was a power broker from Bondalles visiting the Bollard Family.
The other was a home tutor assigned to instruct Lady Charlotte.
"What kind of man was he?"
One maid asked, her eyes sparkling.
Most of the maids handling the mansion's chores were locals hired by the Bollards in Bondalles—
daughters of families with some influence, if not quite nobility.
Your typical young ladies in their prime, so to speak.
Tales of young men coming and going from a great noble house were bound to pique their interest.
"What's with that reaction? What if he's a balding, fat merchant?"
The brown-haired maid teased with a mischievous grin.
"Eww~"
That drew groans and replies in return.
"If he was, you wouldn't be so excited telling us about it."
"No way. Am I that easy to read?"
Laughter like chirping birds echoed through the corridor.
"Stop stalling and spill it. What was he like?"
"Well, he was super young. The youngest of all the tutors who've come so far!"
"How young? Early thirties?"
The brown-haired maid wagged her raised index finger emphatically among the maids.
"Around our age, I think?"
No way!
The maids cried out in unison.
"Someone that young is Lady Charlotte's home tutor!?"
Late teens to early twenties.
At their age, it was normal to be learning something and building social status.
They were the ones being taught, not teaching.
In fact, among all past tutors, even those in their forties were considered young.
To meet a great house's requirements for a tutor, one naturally needed that much experience in their field.
But someone their age?
The maids couldn't easily accept the disconnect.
"What does he even teach? Not swordsmanship or magic, right?"
Everyone nodded at her words.
Few fields demanded as much time and seasoned expertise as magic or swordsmanship.
"Wait! That's not the point right now! A new home tutor our age—and a man, no less—"
Then one maid chimed in.
—So what is the point?
Drawing all eyes, she said gravely,
"Was he handsome?"
Mm.
True.
That's important too.
No, that's the most important.
They fixed their most serious expressions yet on the brown-haired maid.
"Well—he seemed like a noble."
"Ah."
Everyone reacted with subtle disappointment.
A nobleman their age!
He was an object of envy, but even more so of avoidance.
They lived in a world adjacent to nobles as children of the upper-middle class, but were not nobles themselves.
Through countless experiences, they knew all too well.
How insufferable young nobles could be!
Each could write a book titled The Atrocities of Young Nobles I've Witnessed if they wanted.
That signature I'm the best in the world vibe!
The feeling of Can't you see this wall between us?!
Just thinking about it made their heads spin.
"I could tell right away. That refined aura! He's a noble—and a high-ranking one at that!"
Yet she was excitedly continuing her story.
Even though her thoughts shouldn't differ much from theirs.
"Did something happen with him?"
A perceptive maid asked slyly.
The response?
Finally, someone asks!
Her lips curled up high.
She gushed excitedly,
"Our eyes met, and get this—get this! You know how he smiled at me?"
She demonstrated a smile as soft as a blooming flower.
"What do you think!?"
"Kinda creepy."
"No, no! Totally different! I've never seen a noble who looked so—so... like a good-natured puppy? In my life!"
"Ooh..."
Her enthusiasm sparked interest on the other maids' faces.
It was blatant hype, but—
If she's saying that much, maybe there's something to it?
"So—what did he seem to teach? What was his vibe like?"
"Hm... probably something in the arts? Dance, singing, painting—he struck me as a total pro at that stuff!"
"Ah."
Everyone nodded.
The arts.
Compared to swordsmanship or magic, they could be started young and talent bloom quickly.
That made sense for becoming a tutor at such a young age.
"Young... good-natured puppy vibe... handsome... noble artist...?"
As someone summed up the info, the maids' faces lit up.
Expressions spreading wings of imagination.
But only for a moment.
"...Sigh. What's the point."
Someone let out a deep sigh.
A cynical, hollow mood settled over the group.
"He won't last a day anyway."
No one scolded her for killing the buzz.
It was an obvious fact to anyone.
"Montiun, Rasiela, Dolgan, Riviel..."
One maid began listing past tutors.
Names with towering reputations.
Even high noble houses would bow to have them as tutors.
Yet none lasted even a full day here.
They couldn't handle Lady Charlotte.
"What does Lady Charlotte even want...?"
"Maybe she doesn't want to learn anything, so she pushes them away?"
"Weird... At that point, wouldn't the family just give up?"
"We should ask the family what she wants to do."
"She is unusual."
"Unusual how?"
"Look at the tutors. Sometimes swordsmen, sometimes mages, sometimes priests—no consistency."
"Huh, now that you mention it—"
Normally, a family invests in a child's talents specifically.
But Lady Charlotte's tutors spanned every field.
"Like they're just throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks..."
"Oh! I think I've heard something like that! That our lady's some kind of genius—"
"A genius?"
"Remember that mage tutor? I overheard him convincing Butler Catherine while passing by. Said the lady has incredible talent and must learn magic, so please let him keep teaching—"
"What? Our lady's a magic genius? Then why doesn't the family focus on magic—?"
"Wait, that's not what I heard. I thought she was a swordsmanship genius?"
"What?"
"Remember that sword instructor? He said—"
Huh?
Wait?
Huh?
As the gossip continued, their confusion only grew.
"So... to sum up, our lady's a genius at everything?"
A wildly exaggerated conclusion.
Fitting for maids' chatter.
"Ah...!"
Suddenly, the gossip cut off.
They hurriedly focused on cleaning.
Because the stars of the story appeared at the far end of the corridor.
Lady Charlotte.
She was heading somewhere with the new tutor in tow.
'Already getting chased off by the lady!?'
The maids panicked inwardly, guessing the situation.
"Lady!"
Butler Catherine, who had been anxiously waiting nearby, spotted them and hurried over.
Her expression already filled with worry, mirroring the maids' thoughts.
The new tutor, Rishir.
Compared to past ones, "disappointing" fit him perfectly.
His name was unknown in Bondalles, unlike the continent-famous others.
And that age!
Youth was usually a plus, but he seemed far too young to teach.
However.
The recommendation letter he presented bore none other than the name of Eren Soum Palrag.
The name of that legendary, irascible grand mage.
So they'd hoped "maybe this time!"—
But the result was "as expected."
Butler Catherine eyed Lady Charlotte's expression.
A playful smile adorned the lady's elegant face.
Lady Charlotte's pranks on tutors followed a pattern.
If the tutor slipped up, she'd seize it to humiliate them.
It happened when she tried to assert dominance first.
And if the tutor didn't yield, it turned into a battle of wills.
"Lady—why already...?"
Dragging the tutor by the hair to the slaughterhouse?
Catherine knew, yet clung to hope as she addressed Charlotte.
"Hm? Oh—not that. The teacher said he'd demonstrate his swordsmanship."
Charlotte smiled with brimming anticipation.
"..."
The maids and butler stiffened at the smile.
They knew she wouldn't smile like that with pure intentions.
"Hey, Catherine. Our new teacher is amazing, right?"
Same with that.
She wouldn't say it innocently.
"W-well, yes—he's recommended by Lord Palrag himself. And from the Mastien family—"
"He's a mage from the Gray Tower, but when I said I wanted to learn swordsmanship, he happily agreed to teach me!"
Ah.
Ah!
The lady spoke as if grand mages and Mastien meant nothing.
Everyone inwardly sighed at her words.
They grasped the situation.
Having watched her crush countless tutors up close, the full picture formed in their minds.
—You're a Gray Tower mage?
—Then teach me swordsmanship.
It must've gone like that.
The tutor got swept up before he knew it.
"Oh! Perfect timing."
Clap.
Lady Charlotte clapped, scanning the onlookers.
"Everyone, come watch!"
"Lady? What—"
"Oh, Catherine. What's with the lukewarm reaction? A mage's swordsmanship—aren't you excited? It'd be a shame if I hogged the teacher's amazing skills all to myself."
Charlotte smiled sweetly at the maids.
"Right, everyone?"
"..."
It was pressure to join the humiliation.
They had no hobby of tormenting poor tutors like Lady Charlotte—
But sadly, no power to refuse.
The maids quietly set down their tools and clasped hands demurely.
Clap clap clap clap.
Satisfied, Lady Charlotte clapped.
Finally, she told the tutor Rishir,
"Shall we go?"
Afterward.
Lady Charlotte toured the mansion, gathering people.
Those who met her were delighted at first.
—Why does the lady look so happy!?
Then silent upon hearing why.
—Ah. That.
That was how everyone ended up in the courtyard now.
They watched the two with the gloom of attending an execution.
"Teacher~ Look. All these people gathered to see your swordsmanship."
"This is—quite the pressure. Everyone's busy, yet making time for me..."
"Oh, don't say that. Your swordsmanship is sure to amaze them. It's a mage's swordsmanship, after all."
Bluff.
That's how Charlotte read Rishir's attitude.
Mouth saying burdened, but his demeanor oozed leisure.
Perhaps it irked her—
A overt sadistic smile played on her lips.
"Is that so? Well, fine then! Let's live up to the hype."
Evidently, Tutor Rishir matched his innocent vibe with a pure soul.
Even here, he stayed positive.
Did he think Lady Charlotte would praise a mage's clumsy swordplay?
Some looked away, unable to watch.
Of course.
Not everyone.
"Cheston?"
"Yes, my lady."
Cheston, knight of the Bollard Family.
He stepped forward at her call.
He wasn't enjoying this—
But felt no particular aversion either.
His light impression seemed to say, "If it's the lady's whim..."
"Will you help my new 'swordsmanship' teacher show his skills?"
"Spar with Sir Rishir, you mean?"
"Yes. Oh, just in case—no holding back. That would insult our teacher. Right, teacher?"
"Haha, insult is a strong word—but I agree with the lady to an extent. A half-hearted spar shows little."
Huh.
Well spoken.
Cheston admired inwardly.
Not purely, though.
As a swordsman, he knew magic and swordsmanship couldn't fully coexist.
This young mage tutor knew it too.
Thinks he can pull it off somehow?
Cheston smirked inwardly.
No ill will toward him—
But he seemed too inept for the lady's tutor.
Whatever. She won't accept him anyway.
Cheston thought.
For his sake, end it quick.
"What to do. I'm so excited."
Charlotte murmured watching Rishir and Cheston face off.
Loud enough for Rishir to hear.
"Teacher! I have high hopes! Show us something incredible!"
"Haha..."
Burden finally showed on Rishir's face.
"Sir Cheston, was it?"
"Yes. Speak, Sir Rishir."
"Lady Charlotte has such high expectations—any advice for me?"
"..."
Tsk.
Cheston smacked his lips, averting eyes.
"The lady rarely shows interest. So if you're doing this, make it flashy."
"Flashy, huh..."
"Use magic if needed. You're from the Gray Tower, right?"
"Magic's allowed?"
"Yes. Save face too. As you heard, I can't go all out—don't get too hung up on pure swordplay."
"Not too hung up on swordplay..."
Rishir nodded.
"Well then—"
Charlotte glanced between them and prompted softly.
"Begin?"
It happened simultaneously.
Whoooosh!!!
A sudden sandstorm erupted, engulfing Cheston.
"Ngh...!"
Charlotte, watching with sadistic glee, pointed forward and stepped back.
When she lowered her hand—
The sandstorm had cleared.
And Rishir's sword rested at Cheston's throat.
"How was it? Magic swordsmanship—"
"..."
Right after the spar.
Charlotte reluctantly returned to the room with Rishir.
Her gaze on him brimmed with dissatisfaction.
The tutor she'd hoped to humiliate publicly now sat before her.
Smugly, at that.
—I asked for swordsmanship, didn't I?
She wanted to whine petulantly.
But.
Her pride wouldn't allow it now.
She expected a different reaction from him.
—Lady!!! How can you waste that talent—please reconsider...! Let me teach you!
She recalled past tutors' pleas after rejection.
Charlotte.
She knew her own genius well.
That was why the family and tutors wouldn't give up on her.
She understood, from a teacher's view, how painful it was to miss it.
Now, she hoped this smug man would beg like them.
"Magic swordsmanship... intriguing."
"Oh, really!?"
"Yes. If you're willing, teacher, will you teach it to me?"
Charlotte adopted a humble student's pose.
Familiar routine.
She'd master it instantly, astonish him, then lose interest.
A punishment for persistent annoyances.
"..."
Then. Rishir's ever-bright face finally twisted.
Charlotte covered her mouth with an "Oh," hiding her satisfaction.
"Is it too precious a technique to share with me—?"
"No, nothing like that. It's just—"
"Then?"
"It's quite difficult to master unless you have a special constitution."
"Ah."
Charlotte hid a smirk behind her hand.
Magic's no joke.
Swords aren't for casual dabbling.
For a moment, other tutors overlapped with Rishir.
She smiled leisurely.
"They all say that at first."
"Wow..."
Rishir let out an awed sigh at her confidence.
A single drop of blood trickled from his nose.
