Nobles only serve the kingdom and do not work to earn money.

That was an absolute, unwritten rule in the noble world.

However, Jeanne de Toulouse, the eldest daughter of the prestigious Count Toulouse family, was different.

It had been two years since she started working as a tutor for Young Master Mael, the son of His Majesty the King's mistress.

In the young master’s study, a book by an Enlightenment philosopher known for disrupting the order of the royal system was discovered, and she was immediately pointed out as the culprit.

The punishment handed down to her, despite proclaiming her innocence, was exile.

Furthermore, her place of exile was the Skadi Duchy, where the barbarians live, where the bitter wind blows.

It was a fief granted by the late King, who discovered hundreds of years ago—when barbarians from the frozen lands across the sea invaded right up to the capital's doorstep—that their purpose was simply to find land where they could survive.

Reaching this generation, the descendants of the chieftain family were recognized for their achievements in protecting the country from the barbarians and became dukes.

“Here, regardless of age, gender, or status, everyone works. It’s because the land is vast and there is much to do, but there are few people. The same goes for the exiles occasionally sent from the capital.”

The Duke of Skadi’s words meant that he was squeezing every drop of labor out of the exiles sent from the capital, whether they were nobles or ordinary criminals.

However, she was rather relieved by that statement.

“Then, when should I begin my duties?”

“You accept your situation quickly. You said you were a tutor. What did you teach him?”

“I taught other countries' languages, humanities, logic, rhetoric, and arithmetic.”

However, he did not drop his suspicious gaze and abruptly spoke in a foreign language.

She had thought that even if the duke was skilled in the ways of killing people, he would know nothing about the humanities.

Yet, his learning was abundant, and cold logic and reasoning could be glimpsed in his words.

“Let’s end our conversation here. I would like you to be the tutor for my child.”

Usually, the authority to find a nanny and tutor belonged to the lady of the household.

As if reading her question, the Duke of Skadi spoke.

“I have no wife. The child you will teach is my adopted daughter and niece. She was originally my older brother's child, but after he passed away, I took over her upbringing. She has turned thirteen this year. What do you think?”

Having grasped the turning tides of the situation, I beamed with a wide smile and said.

Although there was something a bit strange about what the duke was saying, there was no law saying she had to die.

“Yes! I will do it! As a tutor!”