IWBAACTWITOS Chapter 34

"All three of you got perfect scores again today."

Althe, the mathematics teacher who'd graded our homework and quiz, said that one line and sighed.

"However, Lady Thaleia, please write out your work process next time. If you don't, I'll consider it copied and assign it again."

Looking at Thaleia's test results, there was no reason to suspect copying. Althe, who'd come to teach not just Rayan but also Thaleia and Aegis, knew Thaleia was the most outstanding student of the three. Through the test he'd given in the first lesson and his observations since, Althe knew Thaleia's comprehension and application abilities were close to adult level.

Simply put, she was a genius. Chancellor Julian was famous for being a genius, but he hadn't known such things were hereditary.

But what good was being outstanding when her attitude was the worst? Althe thought she felt this way because she was bored by lessons that didn't match her level.

'It would be better if I could just teach the Lady separately.'

"I got the test all right, so isn't that enough?"

At Thaleia's defiant answer, Althe firmly replied that it wasn't. Though Thaleia looked displeased, she obediently answered that she'd do it properly next time.

"There's no homework today."

At the news of no homework, Aegis and Rayan's faces lit up. When Althe then declared the lesson over, Aegis grabbed Rayan's hand and rushed out. Normally Thaleia would have led the charge, but today she was oddly calm. Having organized even Aegis and Rayan's books, Thaleia spoke to Althe.

"Teacher, I have a question."

"Yes, Lady Thaleia. Please speak."

At first he thought it surprising to hear "question," but soon Althe felt proud and waited for Thaleia's question. However, Thaleia's question wasn't about the lesson.

"Has anything happened at the annex lately?"

"No. Nothing special."

"The atmosphere seems strange?"

"Has something strange happened?"

"No. Not like that."

Though she'd brushed it off as nothing, Thaleia's unease infected Althe. If something happened at the annex, Althe as the supervisor would face consequences. Though rare, he knew well that a child's intuition could be extremely sensitive and shouldn't be ignored.

"Lady Thaleia. If you tell me what's wrong, I'll help you."

"...It's nothing."

"Lady Thaleia, if you don't tell me, I'll have no choice but to report to the Duke."

Then the uneasy smile Thaleia had been wearing crumbled. She looked up at Althe with her purple eyes raised, then let out a deep sigh.

"How will you help?"

"First you need to tell me what's wrong so I can find a way to help."

"...Matilda is acting strange."

"Matilda... you mean Count Erind, the Prince's nanny?"

"If you mean that scrawny woman, yes."

"Well. She's been holed up in her room lately, but there's been nothing particularly strange."

He'd answered honestly, but Thaleia looked disappointed at getting nowhere. She picked up her books as if there was nothing more to see and stood up.

"Lady Thaleia."

"Do you have more to say?"

"If anything happens, please tell me."

"...Why should I?"

"Lady Thaleia, you're still a young child. When there's danger, you should naturally receive an adult's help. Didn't you start talking to me because you needed help?"

At those words, Thaleia burst out laughing as if it were absurd.

"Surveillance is your job, Teacher. You're reacting this sensitively because you'd be most troubled if something dangerous happened."

Thaleia's words struck precisely at Althe's uncomfortable point. Having stabbed without hesitation, she immediately threw him medicine in a gentle voice.

"Still, you're much better than Daniel in terms of listening to a child's words."

"Daniel... you mean Tutor Holton who teaches Common Language?"

"Yes, Danny."

When Thaleia called the teacher quite familiarly, Althe spoke in a stern voice.

"Lady Thaleia, there is certainly a difference in status, but he's still your teacher, so it would be proper to respect him."

"Do you think I look down on him because of status?"

"..."

"Well, I did use status and position when threatening him. But I have a different reason for not respecting him."

"What reason is that?"

When Althe demanded the reason, Thaleia gestured for him to come closer. Since they were alone in the study anyway, the reason for telling him in a whisper was to absolutely not tell anyone else.

"Because he's a petty person who sympathizes with child abusers."

"Some people have no choice but to follow along."

"So execution was too much?"

At the word "execution," Althe's eyes widened. Even in the annex, only a very few knew he'd been executed. The Duke or Count wouldn't have told their five-year-old daughter that someone had died.

"Teacher, sympathizers and bystanders are different. You're a bystander at most, not a sympathizer. That's why I call you Teacher. So be teacher-like and don't make excuses for sympathizers by turning them into the victim. He was executed because he hit Yan in the end, right?"

At her pointing out, Althe remembered that he'd once pitied the executed tutor. But he hadn't thought the Prince Rayan was more pitiable than him.

"And shall I tell you one more thing? The Queen of Celis ordered them to monitor Rayan, but never ordered abuse."

Having hurriedly left the study while Althe was frozen in shock and speechless, I slumped down on the spot as tension released.

'Did I do the right thing?'

I don't know. Whether this is the right thing to do or not.

'I hope raiding Julian's confidential safe was worth it.'

He seemed to understand to some degree, so Althe would definitely monitor Matilda closely for a while. I planned to tell not just Althe the supervisor, but also Daniel who watched my mood, to keep a close eye on Matilda.

'And what else should I do? How should I do it?'

All I could do in this situation was lay down as much insurance as possible. Insurance to prevent Matilda from doing anything rash.

'Should I tell Julian or Roxana in advance? No. We have to leave for the Holy Land in a few days anyway. Matilda will probably target the gap when surveillance lessens as Yan goes to the Imperial Palace. If I say something, it might just provoke her unnecessarily.'

When I'd seen the classified document saying the Queen's side was reviewing Rayan's adoption positively, I understood why Matilda's eyes had gone mad. That woman had no more use to the Queen. The adoption talk that wasn't in the original might endanger Yan's life.

'This isn't a problem I can solve by being a bystander.'

It was comfortable when writing as an author. I knew all the settings and could control every situation. Extra villains were one of my tools for presenting small hardships to the protagonists while connecting the story's flow.

But who knew extra villains whose actions were unpredictable would feel this frightening?

"Haa..."

As I exhaled the sigh that escaped without restraint, I felt a gaze watching me. It was Asher, who hadn't fully hidden his honey-colored hair.

"Asher, where's Yan?"

"Yan's drawing in the playroom."

"Playroom? He's alone in the playroom?"

"No, he's with a maid. Tilly, are you done talking with the teacher?"

Just coming this far, Asher's help had been invaluable. He'd kept watch when I raided Julian's safe, and today he'd taken Yan away to clear the space.

"Yeah, all done, so let's hurry to Yan."

"Tilly, is something wrong? You've been acting strange for a few days."

"It's noth—"

I started to say it was nothing, then bit my lip hard and grabbed Asher's shoulders. Better to lay down one more layer of insurance.

"Asher, when I'm not here, you have to stay with Yan."

"...Why?"

"If something strange happens, just in case, find Yan first. Never look for him alone—take an adult with you."

"...Okay."

Though Asher looked at me with worried eyes, he agreed for now. I patted Asher's head and hurried toward the playroom. Whether he knew my worries or not, Yan was painting with paint smeared all over his hands.

"Tilly, Asher."

Unlike Asher's words, Yan was alone. But nothing major seemed to have happened, so I could finally smile.

"Yan, what are you drawing?"

"Yeah, Daddy Uncle."

Daddy Uncle was the strange title Rayan used to refer to Julian. As if he couldn't quite call him just Daddy, so he added Uncle after it.

In contrast, he still called Roxana "Count." When he'd first come to the ducal mansion, he'd seemed to rely more on Roxana, but lately he followed Julian more.

"I'm going to give it to Daddy Uncle as a present."

"...You're not giving one to the Count?"

At Asher's question, Yan pressed his lips shut. When I said Roxana would be hurt if he only gave one to Julian, Yan opened his mouth hesitantly.

"Actually I want to."

"But?"

"Then I think my mama in heaven will dislike it."

"...What about your father?"

"Papa doesn't matter."

"Why?"

"Because Papa is a liar and doesn't love me."

This time it was Asher and I who pressed our lips shut. Yan had never once mentioned his parents. As Yan kept drawing silently, he belatedly asked us to keep what he'd told only us a secret.

At Yan's request, Asher hugged him tightly as he drew.

"If you draw me a picture too, I'll be your older brother."

"Asher, an older brother?"

"Yeah, I was born first so I'm your older bro. And Tilly and Rona are our lil' sis."

At those words, Yan looked at me with sparkling eyes. Letting out a hollow laugh, I crossed my arms and spoke in a prim voice.

"Who's your lil' sis, you little brats?"