🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 14
In the original work This Time, I Won’t Put You to Sleep, Calib’s childhood was almost never shown.
TTIWPS is a regression-and-childcare story centered on the female lead, so naturally, most of the childhood focus was on her.
Even the male lead’s younger years only appeared much later, and since Calib was the “final boss,” it wasn’t as if he received much attention.
Still, there were a few short episodes.
And one of them involved Jeril.
Calib’s maternal uncle, Renald, had tried to arrange a marriage between his daughter Jeril and Cedric.
Since Cedric was adopted, there was no blood relation, even though technically they were cousins.
So there was no legal problem under imperial law.
Well, after all, this was a world that borrowed from an era where even close-kin marriages were common for the sake of preserving noble houses.
A couple of strange laws here and there made sense.
In any case, Jeril often meddled in the precious moments between the brothers.
“Oh my, Sir Cedric. You’re here. Young Lord, the adults have important matters to discuss, so would you leave us for a while?”
Whenever the brothers tried to spend time together, Jeril would swoop in, making sure to drive Calib away.
“Ah, what a tragedy! Once Sir Cedric becomes the Grand Duke, the Indigentia family will thrive again, and the curse will surely be lifted…”
Just when Calib would steel his heart to follow Cedric’s wishes and accept the title, Jeril would say things like that out loud.
“It’s not like this is the first time Sir Cedric’s been on death’s door. I never imagined today would truly be the end though.”
In the end, even when Cedric was moments away from being completely consumed by the curse, Jeril forced Calib to continue his lessons.
Because of that, Calib never even got the chance to say a last farewell.
Looking back, Jeril was nothing short of a first-class lunatic.
But then, when I thought carefully about it, something didn’t quite add up.
Why did the Babylon family, the first vassal house, hate Calib so much?
Sure, I knew that during Calib’s return, Renald’s sister—the Grand Duchess—had died.
But wouldn’t that normally make them feel even more affectionate toward their nephew?
And if Cedric had married Jeril, wouldn’t he also have gained access to the Sanctum of Knowledge?
So why didn’t Cedric marry Jeril?
While these soft, rising questions bubbled in my mind, Calib spoke.
“Since Teacher is so capable, Elia, you’ll be able to keep up with the lessons easily.”
Calib smiled at me kindly.
He even went so far as to defend someone who had abused him.
Should I call him kind? Or simply too naïve, given he was still only a boy—even if destined to be the future mastermind?
I smiled back at him and replied.
“Yes. I’ll work hard too.”
…Work hard at your revenge, that is.
Such a good child—yet that woman did such unspeakable things to him?
In the original, Jeril’s cruelty was always highlighted, but how she treated Calib in daily lessons was never actually described.
What’s more, Calib didn’t even realize he was being abused.
Which only meant there had to have been much more mistreatment and torment behind the scenes.
What did she mean by ‘crushing him’ anyway?
That brazen face of hers—I’ll grind it against a washboard if I have to!
Just then, someone knocked at the door.
“Oh, that must be her,” Calib said, turning his gaze to the entrance.
At the same moment, a maid’s voice came from outside.
“Young Lord, Lady Elia, Lady Jeril Babylon has arrived.”
Gulp. Without meaning to, I swallowed hard.
Finally, my enemy had arrived.
I steeled my expression, and Calib answered,
“Let her in.”
The door swung open.
The first strike in any battle is always the most important.
I rose from my seat, ready to use even force if necessary, and looked straight at Jeril.
How venomous would she be?
Despite myself, I felt a little tense—only to be blindsided.
“Greetings, Lady Elia. I am Jeril Babylon, and starting today, I will be instructing you in noble etiquette.”
She curtsied gracefully, lowering her skirts with elegant refinement.
And she even addressed me, a commoner, with honorific speech!
“I am lacking in many ways, but I humbly ask for your guidance in the days ahead.”
Her soft blond hair and intelligent green eyes were matched by the friendly smile she offered me.
Bewildered, I awkwardly followed her lead.
“Ah… hello. I’m Elia.”
“Oh my, such a refined posture already. You’ll learn in no time.”
Hohoho. Jeril let out a genteel laugh, praising me.
I grew even more stunned.
According to the original, Jeril fully believed in the social hierarchy of nobility, looking down on anyone beneath her.
I’d expected her to sneer at me as a “lowborn,” but instead… this kindness?
What on earth was going on?
One day earlier, at the Babylon Marquisate.
“Absolutely not!”
Jeril slammed down her utensils mid-meal and declared firmly.
“You want me to teach that lowborn?”
She glared across the table at her father, Renald, her sharp voice echoing.
Renald, who was always indulgent toward Jeril, merely dabbed his lips with a napkin and replied,
“Yes. We have no choice. For now, that brat Cedric’s word still carries the weight of law in the ducal estate.”
Even as he said it, there was the audible grind of his teeth—his pride clearly wounded.
Jeril didn’t back down.
“But Father!”
She shot to her feet, her chair clattering to the ground.
“Even if Lord Cedric said so, how could you deliver such an order to me?”
Her voice trembled with indignation.
“To tell me… me… to instruct a lowborn?”
Her shoulders shook as if she could not believe it.
Renald was famous for being a “daughter-fool,” doting on Jeril to no end.
And with good reason—Jeril resembled him more and more as she grew, not only in appearance but also in temperament and preferences.
To make such a beloved daughter shed tears—Renald’s heart cracked in pain.
“Sniff, sniff… I studied so hard at the academy, only to end up teaching a mere lowborn… huhu…”
Jeril’s sobs sounded pitiful, her shoulders trembling.
But instead of consoling her, Renald answered sternly,
“Jeril, remember—you are destined to be the Grand Duchess one day.”
“Sniff…”
“Did I not promise you? That I would push aside that wretched Calib and ensure Cedric takes the ducal seat. Then you shall become Grand Duchess.”
After Cedric was cursed, Renald’s plan was as follows:
First, enthrone Cedric as Grand Duke.
As the first vassal, Renald had the influence to sway the other retainers and control public opinion.
As for Calib—he could simply be accused, framed, and discarded.
Next, under Renald’s guidance, Cedric would marry Jeril. And when Cedric finally fell into complete slumber…
“Jeril, as Grand Duchess, will hold supreme power. And I, her father, will be the one pulling the strings behind the ducal house!”
If that came to pass, the Grand Duchy would effectively be Renald’s.
“Therefore, Cedric must fall into eternal sleep the very moment he ascends.”
But there was a new variable in Renald’s plan.
Elia.
“Who would’ve thought he’d bring a woman into this mess?”
Renald had assumed no lady would agree to marry Cedric, who had renounced succession and was burdened with a curse.
Sure, renouncing succession didn’t strip him of nobility.
But who would willingly marry a man with only a short time left to live?
Relieved by this logic, Renald hadn’t worried. But life had its surprises.
“Perhaps… should I have pushed Cedric into marrying Jeril earlier? No, no…”
Renald quickly shook off the thought.
“If they married too soon and Jeril entered the Sanctum of Knowledge, she might uncover Calib’s past and even break Cedric’s curse. That would ruin everything.”
If Cedric broke his curse, not only would Renald lose control, but Cedric might even restore Calib.
Renald gritted his teeth in resolve.
“No. My plan is sound. As long as I prevent their marriage, everything will go back on track.”
His mustache twitched as he sneered.
“No matter how exceptional Cedric’s magical ability may be, he’s still adopted. In noble society, I hold the advantage.”
Jeril, too, understood that her father had the power to sway the other vassals.
“In the end, the Indigentia ducal house’s power will fall into my hands. And my power… is your power, daughter.”
Jeril’s trembling shoulders slowly stilled.
Renald softened his voice, coaxing.
“So endure, just a little longer.”
“Is this the trial you always said I must face before reaching that happy future, Father?”
“Exactly. My daughter is so very clever.”
Renald nodded in satisfaction.
But Jeril still pouted.
“Still… with that lowborn around, I won’t be able to bully Calib anymore.”
“Hmm.”
“I was supposed to keep tormenting him until he gave up the position of heir and drifted away from Lord Cedric. But now that plan won’t work.”
Would that be alright?
When she gave him that look, Renald paused in thought.
Then, suddenly, his eyes gleamed with inspiration.
He beckoned Jeril closer, and the two whispered together.
By the time their conversation ended, Jeril’s face looked as light as if a heavy weight had been lifted.
Her smile gleamed with the satisfaction of someone who had discovered a brilliant scheme.
And that was why, in the present, Jeril greeted Elia so sweetly.
“Now then, shall we begin the lesson?”
Jeril walked past the bewildered pair, smiling radiantly, and moved toward the desk.
