Chapter 37

Chapter 37

I was afraid they’d be ashamed of me…because I was just a commoner and I felt like I wanted to hide myself.

So I wanted to study harder and become the perfect lady.

When I discovered the greed that I had hidden in my heart, I became a little sadder.

“Shushu, why the hell did you come to think of that? Go ahead and tell me.”

The Grand Duke seemed to have felt something firmly wrong with my question.

At his question, I cried in my heart, biting the insides of my lip.

“Teacher Rima…”

After talking there, I blinked my eyes for a moment because I couldn’t figure out what to do with it.

‘Teacher Rima didn’t directly say that I don’t belong in this house.’

She just made me feel embarrassed by saying something I feel sensitive about.

“Appa, am I a disgrace in the family? Because I’m an orphan?”

“What?”

“Is it natural to be ashamed that I was an orphan? Am I perfect without any minor flaws?”

“Who said that? Was it your teacher?”

“If it’s like what the teacher said, then I’m really a disgrace inside the Grand Duke’s family. Am I not good enough?”

The Grand Duke’s body trembled at my words. I heard him grunt. He was also mad and I could feel his anger intensifying.

“Lucy, go right now and bring the teacher in front of me.”

The Grand Duke ordered in the coldest voice I’ve ever heard from him.

‘Uh… Will this be okay?’

I just wanted to complain and say it discreetly, but his reaction was more intense than I thought.

“She dared… .”

“I will kill you! Shushu is my perfect little sister!”

Not only the Grand Duke, but also my brothers and the nearby employees were infuriated!

As the brothers stomped their feet with furious faces, the nearby employees shuddered and shouted, ‘How could she say that to the lady…’.

I’m guilty of being insensitive, but I’m still unsure if I did it on purpose!

I screamed inside and was moved to the parlor in the arms of the Grand Duke.

It was only a moment later that Teacher Rima appeared.

She appeared without a hint of nervousness at all, even though the Grand Duke himself called her.

The Grand Duke, and my two brothers consequently gazed at her darkly, sitting on the sofa in the living room, me doing the same.

“I heard you called me, Your Grace.”

“I called because I had something to check.”

“Please do ask.”

The Grand Duke was colder than ever. I wasn’t scared to be in his arms, but I could see Teacher Rima’s body shivering slightly.

“I heard about what you said to my daughter.”

“How would I dare to chastise the Grand Princess?”

“But why did you bring shame on her?”

At the end of his words, Teacher Rima’s skinny face had a subtle fear.

At the same time, she was clenching her fists as if it’s strange that she couldn’t control her fear. Like she was trying to win a battle.

She looked sick, but seemed to somehow find her calm composure.

‘Because you are from the Imperial Palace, you probably have no experience in receiving the wrath of the Grand Duke in such close proximity.’

Honestly, even though she might stumble like that, her appearance of holding on was somehow surprising.

“Did the Grand Princess say that? There was a problem with my class?”

“My daughter is only six years old, but she suddenly asked me if she is a disgrace?”

“Ugh…”

Perhaps it was difficult to withstand the strong hostile aura, and Teacher Rima’s face became a little stiff.

“Answer. Why was my daughter suddenly asking why she should be ashamed of her past?”

“At this time, we’re only at the stage of getting to know each other, therefore there’s nothing to talk about but her past. However, it seems that I made her feel embarrassed because of it.”

“My daughter doesn’t have to be ashamed of her past.”

“The princess must understand her own shortcomings. Only when you realize your shortcomings can you develop further. It was a process that many people go through.”

It was an incredibly smooth excuse.

‘Was it really a coincidence? Or do you hate me?’

There was such a subtle tone to her words that only the victim can recognize.

‘Ah, her? Of course she’s cute. Yes, that child is so cute.’

She said I was cute but strangely, it felt like she’s trying to hide her dislike towards me.

‘This kid is nice, I just had a hard time getting close to her.’

It looks like a compliment, but for me, it was a form of rejection.

Only the person who gets bullied will say, ‘Huh? Did I mishear you?’ That subtle way of insulting the victim is what makes you doubt yourself.

I thought Teacher Rima’s class was the worst.

It made me doubt whether there was malicious intent directed towards me or not, and whether or not I was actually harmed.

“Your Grace, it’s easy to say what you feel about the child.”

The Grand Duke’s eyebrows wriggled slightly. Teacher Rima flinched a little and spoke firmly.

“It was always important to evaluate familiarity over various topics in education. The Grand Princess isn’t even remotely on the same level of the ladies her age in the Imperial capital when it comes to familiarity with noble rules and etiquette.”

“Uh… .”

I bit my lips. Then, from behind, Wyndert reached out and covered my ears slightly with his palms.

Teacher Rima explained in a voice that sounded like a very competent teacher.

‘What should I do if everyone becomes bewitched at this rate.’

I was worried about how long the words were continuing on.

I looked anxiously at the Grand Duke and Teacher Rima alternatively.

“As long as I’m in charge of the Grand Princess, I will do my best to make her the most perfect lady, so that the Grand Duke’s house will shine and….”

“Wait.”

“Yes?”

When I thought that Teacher Rima would keep on talking like this, the Grand Duke suddenly stopped her remarks.

“Shushu, who are you?”

“Yes, I’m the one and only dearest Grand Princess of the Grand Duke of Vaillot.”

The Grand Duke, who seemed satisfied with my answer, patted my head lightly for a moment, then turned his head to stare at Teacher Rima.

“There’s no reason to compare my daughter with those other girls in the Imperial capital.”

“… .”

“If I have to think about it, it would be better for others to imitate Shushu.”

“It wasn’t like that. I just wanted to give her some strong motivation from observing an ordinary noble young lady.”

Teacher Rima’s mouth, while trying to make excuses to account for the Grand Duke’s words, trembled slightly.

As the Grand Duke refused to respond and continued to stare with an expressionless face, Teacher Rima’s body began to tremble.

‘…Good. You’ll be a little careful now because of my dad, right?’

I felt strange for some reason, ever since that time the teacher tormented me.

‘It’s a pity you’re not a good student.’

So I’m not a good student. But doing this just made me feel better.

Teacher Rima glanced at me. It looked like she was asking me to stop him (Grand Duke).

I turned my head and buried my face in the arms of the Grand Duke.

“My daughter is so cute. That’s why I swore that I wouldn’t let tears fall from her eyes.”

“…Is that so?”

Her eyes widened at the sudden words of the Grand Duke. Teacher Rima also seemed a little embarrassed that her answer came out so delayed.

“So you’re fired.”

“… Pardon? Wait, there was only a slight misunderstanding……!”

“You’re fired anyway.”

The voice of the Grand Duke was cold, as if trying to show off his determination.

‘No, what are you talking about!’

I was startled and jumped off the Grand Duke’s lap. Then I looked alternately between the Grand Duke and Teacher Rima.

“Then what happens to my teacher?”

If she has a bad personality, you can just fire her. However, if she’s a person who came here with hidden intentions, then you should get evidence out of her!

“T-that’s difficult! I must be in charge of the Young Lady’s education……! If I go back like this, my reputation will be ruined!”

“Yes, Appa! It’s true that I was disappointed with my teacher, but what would happen if you fire her right away?!”

Uhm? I think I heard something weird. I hurriedly stood up in front of the Grand Duke, between him and Teacher Rima.

I clenched my fists and tried to somehow stop the discussion at this line.

“But, Shushu. You don’t have to learn from a bad teacher.”

“By making you sad, she committed such a great sin!”

My brothers chimed in to persuade me, their eyes shining like this was a golden opportunity to be rid of her.

I looked up at the Grand Duke. He nodded slightly, agreeing with the two brothers’ opinions.

“You just need to learn from a more famous and great teacher. Wouldn’t it be better if they can teach even better and be a kind teacher as well.”

I glanced at Teacher Rima. I could see her eyes glowing at the words ‘famous and great teacher’ coming out of the Grand Duke.

“I, I can do it well!”

“I think my daughter was already disappointed with your efforts.”

The teacher desperately expressed enthusiasm, but it cooled down when pushed by the stern words of the Grand Duke.

“People who are really good don’t even get into accidents in the first place!”

“To make a little child cry so quickly, it doesn’t seem like she has qualities that match a teacher .”

My brothers on both sides of the Grand Duke were also contributing to the continuous change of the atmosphere.

The atmosphere was getting colder, and the three men of Vaillot, who were seething out of anger, were staring at her as if killing her was an increasingly more tempting option.

Very few people could withstand the frigid mood in the room.

‘I think it’s going to be finished like this.’

My heart beat with urgency. It was true I wanted the teacher to be scolded a little bit.

‘This wasn’t an action that someone who is very concerned about their reputation would do. There must be someone who ordered her to do it.’

As I clenched my fists, I thought for a moment about how to overcome this challenge.

However, the will of the Grand Duke and my brothers was stronger than expected.

“Our young lady is of course a kind lady…”

Lucy, who was looking defensively proud of me, muttered behind me, saying that because the teacher was hopeful while looking at me who was trying to help her even though she (teacher) made me cry. It was very touching.

Uh, this is going nowhere. There was no good answer.

To let the Grand Duke know what I wanted, I felt like I was just going to have to shout it in one shot.

We’ve opened this game of cards with a bunch of hands, so let’s end it without a hitch!

“Dad, I want to learn from my teacher!”

I blinked twinkling eyes, screaming at the Grand Duke. Then, the Grand Duke’s eyes blinked in confusion.

“But….”

“Will you accept my request?”

I have to stop all talks about firing her before he can persuade me!

I held my hands together in a pleading gesture and tilted my head sideways slightly. Then I looked up at the Grand Duke with an expression that said, ‘Will you?’

“It’s your first…… request, so I can’t ignore it.”

The Grand Duke lightly clicked his tongue, pulling me up and holding me in his lap.

“My daughter is so kind. She has such a soft heart.”

“… “

“If once again, I see tears falling from my daughter’s eyes… it’s over.”

Wow, he really felt like a villain if you see him this way. Actually, this attitude is just for the sake of his daughter instead of ‘all about money’, but if you just change the way he says the lines, there’s no more villain.

As soon as he said it’s over, Deleign pulled the sword on his waist in and out of its sheath in a subtle gesture.

I will slit your throat! The same kind of cold expression on his face was a bonus.

‘Because of this, these people look like villains!’

I was thinking about how I should improve my Dad’s image so he can be praised as the Good Grand Duke!

I put my hands together and put them over my lips to cover my face.

“I will absolutely keep it in mind!”

Teacher Rima cried out in an adamant voice. There isn’t an expression that could be more desperate than hers right now.

The Grand Duke looked down at the teacher with an expressionless face and waved his hand in dismissal.

It meant that he’ll see just how much she means that declaration, and to get out of his sight.

As if she was afraid that he would change his mind, the teacher hurried out of the parlor with the fastest steps I had ever seen.

“…You said you would take care of me earlier….?”