Chapter 85: The Teacher from the Magic Tower (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 85: The Teacher from the Magic Tower (1)
However, Veronica remained unfazed and shot back a question.
“What of it?”
“What did you say?”
Cedric looked as if he had misheard her. Frowning, he looked down at Veronica with a slanted gaze.
“Isn't it better that things are clear? If you're pretending to love me because you need Winston’s power, then you’ll keep up the act as long as Winston stands behind me.”
Unlike someone else.
Veronica looked Cedric up and down as if she were saying those very words. Under her scrutiny, Cedric’s face flushed a deep red.
“I am not joking, Veronica.”
“Neither am I.”
Their gazes clashed sharply. A murderous aura swirled around them, making them seem like a bomb on the verge of exploding.
“Whew. I gave you a clear warning. If you insist on walking that path, it is by your own will.”
“I’m glad you understood me so well.”
Veronica spoke with a hardened expression. Cedric’s gaze remained unpleasant.
“And if you touch my child again, I won’t let it slide.”
“…….”
Cedric didn't offer a response to her warning.
He simply stared at Veronica with cold eyes before noticing Dantalion approaching rapidly from a distance. He turned around and walked away.
“Berry, are you okay?”
“Your Maj—... Brother.”
“Did that man do anything to you?”
Veronica gave a bright smile to the worried Dantalion. I also let out a sigh of relief when I saw Dantalion arrive at just the right time.
“Ah.”
Glancing to the side, I saw that Marianne seemed quite shocked by the scene she had just witnessed.
Since Cedric likely never showed his true colors to Marianne, she probably didn't know what a total scumbag her biological father was.
I looked at the dejected Marianne and reached out my hand.
“It’s okay.”
“……Little Lady.”
“Everything’s okay.”
Marianne stared at me for a moment as I patted her, then she finally managed to curl the corners of her mouth into a smile. At the same time, I pushed myself up.
“Mama!”
“Dia!”
Only then did Veronica notice me and hurry over. I willingly reached out and fell into her arms.
“Have you been playing well? Mama was worried because you were so late.”
“Yeah! The Saintess and Lucy said they’d come over to play later.”
“Lucy?”
Veronica looked puzzled by my words, then remembered the boy who had dropped the tray in the Queen’s Garden. Naturally, her gaze shifted to Luciano behind me.
“Um, Dia, that’s……”
“Lucy knows lots of fun games. And the Saintess is gonna play too!”
“Ah……”
Veronica looked troubled by my excited words and turned to Dantalion.
Fortunately, Dantalion didn't seem flustered and simply nodded.
“Thank you for being friends with our Dia, Saintess.”
“Ah, no. That is…… I’m sorry.”
Marianne fumbled with her words and bowed her head low. Veronica watched her with a bittersweet expression before speaking.
“It’s all right, Saintess.”
“Ah……”
“Please continue to be a good friend to our Dia.”
“……!”
Marianne’s eyes widened at those kind words. Meeting those gentle red eyes, Marianne’s own eyes trembled.
“Yes……!”
Soon, Marianne wore a smile brighter than anyone else's.
*
After that, the Empress’s Chambers were always bustling with people.
Demia and Sophia were usually by my side to protect me, and Nathaniel was always with me whenever he wasn't in training.
Abel visited occasionally, though he seemed busy with something. Every time he came, he strangely glared at Marianne, which made her constantly walk on eggshells around him.
“Did you not miss your grandpa, my little Dia?”
“Mmm-hmm, I missed you.”
I gave a half-hearted answer as I looked indifferently at Duke Winston, who visited almost every day.
Duke Winston and Vincent, who were among the most frequent visitors to the Empress’s Chambers, arrived carrying a mountain of gifts for me.
“It hasn't been long since you came to the palace, but you seem to have grown already.”
“Mmm, I don’t know.”
I shook my head while unwrapping the gift bundles. However, the Duke’s powers of observation were sharp.
In fact, my body was growing rapidly. Since coming to the palace, my sleeves had been getting shorter little by little, so new clothes were being made every day.
Do children usually grow this fast?
As I wondered, Desmond’s voice echoed in my head.
[Actually, your body was growing slowly before. At this age, you should normally be this big.]
‘I was growing slowly?’
[Yes. Your body was so young that it was being crushed by the vast energy it couldn't handle.]
‘Hmm.’
Come to think of it, that was why Claudia’s body was so weak.
As the descendant of a Sword Master and the Winston bloodline, Claudia seemed to have been born with immense mana.
It was ironic that such power actually made a child’s body sickly.
[There is no need to worry now. Thanks to the contract with us, the mana that was weakening your body is being diverted to our side.]
‘Oho.’
[That’s right! As long as you’re with us, you’ll grow big and strong safely, Master!]
Desmond and Bibi reassured me. I nodded at their words.
Unlike the original story, my decision to contract with the demons instead of Veronica had actually saved my life.
“Haha, I see. So Dia likes it too?”
“Huh?”
What was he talking about? I had been letting the Duke’s words go in one ear and out the other, but I snapped back to attention and looked up.
“Father, Dia is still too young for boating.”
“I can just hold her while we ride.”
“Boating?”
My eyes went round at Vincent’s words.
“The view of the Imperial Palace lake is so beautiful this time of year. Dia should see it too, right?”
“Wow! I wanna see the lake!”
Excited, I flailed my arms. Duke Winston gave a satisfied smile.
“Grandpa is the best, isn't he?”
“Yes!”
“Then you’ll give me a kiss?”
“Ye— Yes.”
I flinched for a moment but reluctantly nodded. The Duke was visibly overjoyed.
I had no choice but to give the Duke a peck on his smooth cheek. The Duke, who had been pretending to be sickly because I had moved to the palace, looked instantly rejuvenated.
“But Dia’s friends have to come too.”
“Friends?”
The Duke frowned at my words. He was likely already aware of the people I had been hanging out with lately.
“Umm, Dia. That Saintess is……”
“The Saintess is Dia’s friend!”
“Uuugh.”
“The Saintess’s friend Lucy is Dia’s friend too!”
“…….”
When I insisted stubbornly, the Duke looked flustered. He looked at Veronica as if seeking help, but she simply shook her head, signaling there was nothing she could do.
“Whew, fine. I understand.”
“Yay! Grandpa is the best!”
“Haha, yes, yes.”
The Duke finally waved the white flag and shook his head.
“My little lady, it’s time for your lessons now.”
“Mmm.”
And finally, the long-awaited moment arrived.
After the Duke and Vincent left, I was left in the room with Sophia and Demia.
Starting today, I was to receive etiquette lessons from a tutor. I had expected this, but I couldn't help feeling nervous.
I wonder what kind of person they are.
First, I imagined an old man with a bushy beard.
That was the image I had of the tutors who taught royalty during the Joseon Dynasty.
Then, I also thought of a woman with a strict impression.
My stomach already hurt thinking about a woman with brown hair tied up in a perfect bun without a single stray strand, wearing glasses and pointing out every single one of my actions.
[Don't worry. If they bully you, I’ll give them a good bite.]
[That’s right! I’ll punish them!]
‘Yeah, thanks.’
The demons were also waiting for the teacher with fire in their eyes. Soon, someone entered the room.
“Hello, Little Lady!”
“……!”
The person who approached me was, surprisingly, a petite woman with a youthful face.
She had vibrant pink hair and clear sky-blue eyes. Her bobbed hair bounced just above her shoulders.
“I am Melissa Renid, and I’ll be teaching you starting today. Please call me Mel!”
“Ye— Yes. I’m Claudiaaa.”
Startled, I could only blink my eyes.
I had often flustered others by giving them nicknames, but this was the first time someone had asked me to call them by a nickname themselves.
The person who came to teach me etiquette was much brighter and more cheerful than I expected.
Is this person really sent by the Imperial Family? I scanned Melissa with suspicious eyes.
“Hehe, you really are as cute as the rumors say. I’m so happy to be teaching you, Little Lady!”
“Yes……”
This person is definitely an E. A capital E, at that.
I was already looking at Melissa with an exhausted expression.