Having left the Academy, Leonhart had no choice but to build his network through other means.

But in a state where he couldn’t even steady his own body due to asthma, how could he have forged such connections?

And with rumors circulating that he wouldn’t live much longer, even fewer nobles would have been willing to support him.

Of course, once he became healthy and defeated the Demon King, power would have begun to gather around him.

Even so, because the influence of the other Imperial Princes was already solidified, he was bound to be at a disadvantage.

This was precisely why Leonhart had not been selected as the Crown Prince and was instead competing on equal footing with the other princes.

‘I thought that was a problem that could be solved if I just supported him…’

There was no way Leonhart would join hands with me. Unless he was insane, who would accept the help of a stalker?

‘Didn’t he join the expedition to avoid marrying Adrianne?’

I had wondered why Leonhart, whose swordsmanship was weak, had volunteered for the expedition.

At the time, I thought he had been pushed by pressure because he was the powerless Third Prince, but to think he volunteered because he hated the idea of marrying Adrianne more than death.

There was no answer to this. My only option was to do my best to avoid Leonhart from now on.

‘Anyway, the protagonist of this world is Fiache. I just need to focus on her.’

Fiache’s learning progress was slower than the other children’s, and her speech was clumsy. Would she be able to adapt well?

‘I wish I could at least get a feel for the atmosphere of the Academy in advance.’

Just then, an instruction appeared.

[Level 3: (Pressing the space between your brows as if tired) Apply to observe classes at the Academy.]

Since when does the hack author do something helpful? I read the command in a daze.

“Apply to observe classes at the Academy.”

“Do you… intend to observe the classes personally, Master?”

[Level 2: (Slamming the table) Then are you suggesting we entrust House Ivrante’s ward to just anyone? We don’t even know what kind of education they’re providing!]

“Then are you suggesting we entrust House Ivrante’s ward to just anyone? We don’t even know what kind of education they’re providing!”

“Ah… my apologies. I wasn’t thinking. If you’ll tell me which classes interest you, I’ll check whether observation is possible.”

Of course, I didn’t know what classes were available. There was no way this lousy author would tell me.

[Level 2: (Glaring at the butler with a look that says ‘how can someone be this stupid’) If you tell them which classes, they’ll just prepare in advance!]

This lousy author is quite cooperative today.

It certainly wasn’t because they felt guilty about dragging me into a childcare novel.

‘The Academy must be incredibly important for the plot progression.’

I deliberately furrowed my brows.

“If you tell them which classes, they’ll just prepare in advance!”

“Ah, I see.”

There was no point in specifying a class. I wasn’t interested in the lesson content, after all.

What would I even understand by listening to them?

“Find a way to observe without specifying a particular class.”

“I will let you know the results as quickly as possible. Would you like more tea?”

“No, that’s enough.”

It would be best to tell Fiache in advance, right?

She needs time to prepare herself mentally.

[Level 3: (With a stern gaze) Has Fiache eaten breakfast?]

“Has Fiache eaten breakfast?”

“She seemed quite lethargic all morning, and I heard she skipped her meal.”

Because we had been eating separately until this morning, I hadn’t even realized Fiache was starving.

‘Why is she lethargic? And if she wasn’t feeling well, why wasn’t she fed? Did you call a doctor?’

I couldn’t ask any of that.

Adrianne is the kind of person who wouldn’t blink an eye even if Fiache starved for days.

And…

[Level 2: (Roughly setting down the empty teacup) She dares refuse a meal?! Where did she learn such disgraceful behavior?!]

I had to follow the instructions.

Swallowing a sigh, I set the empty teacup down noisily.

“She dares to refuse a meal?!”

“My apolog-”

“Why? Is she ill?”

“…I received a report that she has a high fever.”

[Level 1: (In a sharp voice) Acting out just because of a little fever? Has the child become spoiled because the butler pampers her!]

“I assume a doctor has been called?”

“Pardon? Ah, yes. The doctor hasn’t arrived yet.”

[Level 3: (Averting gaze from the butler) Tell her to come down to the dining room. Immediately!]

‘For heaven’s sake, let’s just leave the sick child alone!’

I rubbed a hand over my face, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over me.

“Tell her to come down to the dining room. Immediately!”

“…Yes, Master.”

But Fiache never appeared in the dining room..

Her fever was too high for her to get out of bed.

***

“Haa, haa.”

“And so the prince and princess… My lady, shall we stop reading for now?”

“Yes…”

The maid closed the storybook.

Fiache’s head felt hazy. Sounds echoed as if she were underwater.

The maid put the book down and touched Fiache’s forehead. Her hand, which was usually warm, felt cold today.

“My lady, the ice packs have completely melted. Let me replace them for you.”

The ice packs tucked under both armpits were replaced with new ones. The cold was so intense that Fiache’s teeth began chattering.

“C-cold, it’s cold…”

“It’s because your fever is too high. I’ll take them out later, so please bear with it until then. You can do it, right?”

“Mm, yes, Fi-Fiache can, can do it…”

“Our lady is truly brave.”

At the maid’s praise, a blush bloomed on Fiache’s face.

However, it wasn’t visible at all on her already flushed face.

“My lady, you must eat if you want to take your medicine.”

“I… I don’t want to eat…”

The head chef made crab soup especially for you. At least have a little for his sake.”

Contrary to what the maid said, the head chef wasn’t the sort of person who would prepare food for Fiache out of kindness.

He often complained that an orphan of unknown origin was eating the food he made.

He had even subtly hinted that Fiache should just eat whatever was given.

Of course, Fiache told no one.

IIf anything, she felt guilty toward the head chef.

“…T-then, just a little.”

“A little is fine. They’re probably bringing it up right now.”

“Yes…”

Fiache answered obediently and slowly closed her eyes.

She lacked the strength to keep them open.

***

When she was even younger, Fiache was the prettiest baby in the orphanage.

Cotton-candy pink hair and blue eyes that reflected her gentle personality.

Since she rarely cried and only beamed with smiles, it was impossible not to adore her.

Nobles wishing to adopt showed interest in Fiache first.

Some nobles even began donating to the orphanage for Fiache’s sake.

The greedy orphanage director refused to let Piace go.

It was because the donations would decrease if Fiache were adopted.

In the end, Fiache wasn’t adopted until she turned three, when a couple who had donated the largest amount to the orphanage took her in.

They were a Marquis and Marchioness with very refined appearances. As they placed Fiache in a luxurious carriage, they said:

“What a beautiful child, just like a doll. Please be a lovely younger sister to our daughter.”

However, the Marquis and Marchioness returned Fiache after one year. Their reason was that Fiache had scratched their daughter’s forehead.

Upon returning to the orphanage, Fiache could no longer speak properly.

She would wake up in terror from her sleep, and if someone touched her from behind, she would go into a panic.

She even had accidents in bed.

Her personality became extremely timid.

Instead of trying to impress the nobles who wanted to adopt, she only huddled in the corner.

It wasn’t until another year had passed that she slowly began speaking again.

She stuttered heavily, and her pronunciation was so poor that most people could barely understand her.

It was a consequence of developing selective mutism during the very years when she should have been learning to speak.

Around that time, a noble visited the orphanage. She arrived in a carriage so magnificent it made one’s jaw drop.

The orphanage director made a fuss, announcing that the Duchess had graced them with a visit.

Fiache peeked at the Duchess from a distance.

The Duchess looked a little frightening. Her expressionless face was pale.

Because of that, she seemed sad. Or perhaps ill.

Maybe it’s because she never smiles.

For the first time, Fiache thought she wanted to see someone smile.

Then, the Duchess walked straight toward Fiache.

Without even glancing at the other children.

“Do you want to come with me?”

“I… I, I can’t, can’t sp-sp-speak well. I d-don’t know how to r-r-read… Is t-that okay?”

The orphanage director broke into a cold sweat at the answer that was completely unintelligible.

He quickly introduced another child to divert the Duchess’s attention.

The nobles who had visited the orphanage until now were all similar.

They would take an interest in Fiache’s appearance, but as soon as she spoke, they would make a disgusted face and turn their attention to another child.

Fiache lowered her head deeply.

Strangely, she felt like she would be upset if the Duchess spoke to another child.

It wasn’t as if she hadn’t experienced this once or twice.

She had been fine until now, but she didn’t know why she felt this way.

The Duchess spoke to Fiache, who was looking down at the ground in disappointment.

“It doesn’t matter if you can’t speak very well. I never expected you to know how to read or write, either.”

“…!”

Fiache was truly surprised.

The Duchess had understood the words that no one else had!

“Will you come with me, or will you stay in this filthy place?”

“….”

“You choose.”

Fiache chose the Duchess.

After riding in the carriage for several hours, they arrived at a house that was staggeringly large.

It was dozens of times larger than the house of the Marquis who had adopted her.

She was so surprised that she asked if this was the Imperial Palace, and the butler told her with a smile:

“Welcome to the Ivrante Mansion, Lady Fiache.”

Thus, Fiache became an official Ward of the Ducal Family.

The Duchess was a very strict person. In particular, she had very little tolerance for behavior that lacked dignity or decorum.

Fiache had to learn everything, starting from how to eat.

At first, she couldn’t even eat her fill because she was too busy reading the room. Her body, tense all day, ached, and the bedroom where she slept alone was so wide that it was scary.

Being alone in an unfamiliar place was lonely enough as it was, yet the Duchess never offered a single comforting word.

In fact, they rarely encountered each other because the Duchess hardly ever left her bedroom.

But Fiache worked hard.

She never did anything the Duchess disliked, and she practiced dining etiquette until her hands hurt.

That’s how much she loved the Ivrante Estate.

She liked the blunt butler, and she liked the kind maids.

Above all, she liked the Duchess.

The Duchess, who scolded her for everything else but never once criticized her way of speaking…

Fiache truly loved her.

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