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Chapter 3
Today marks one week since I entered this novel.
For the first few days, I stayed tense, wondering if Lenzard would come again to pick a fight. But thankfully, he never showed up again.
‘Ah, peaceful.’
I decided I’d take my time making plans and, for now, simply enjoy this comfortable life.
A cool breeze slipped through the slightly open window, along with warm sunlight. There were tasty snacks and interesting books.
Well, I hadn’t actually opened the book yet.
‘Alright, time to read!’
I shoved a small cookie into my mouth in one bite and brushed the crumbs off my hands. Then I placed the book I had chosen—because of its pretty cover—on my lap and began to read.
“…Hmm. I have no idea what this says.”
In most possession stories, wouldn’t you naturally be able to read the language?
That brief thought quickly disappeared as I remembered Roxina’s treatment in this house.
She was only four years old, yet as a princess of the Empire, she was still old enough that she should not be completely illiterate.
And most likely, no one had any intention of teaching Roxina at all.
“Ugh, seriously.”
No matter how much they had basically abandoned her, not teaching basic knowledge to a living person was too much.
At least she could speak, I guess—that was something.
During the past week, I learned that only one person, a maid named Ann, took care of Roxina closely.
Thanks to that, I was able to adjust to Roxina’s life without much trouble, but anything outside of that was completely out of reach.
Because Lenzard was watching her like a hawk, the servants in the mansion didn’t seem pleased whenever Roxina left her room.
That’s why even meals had to be taken inside her room.
Ann looked at me with pity, but she didn’t seem to have any real solution.
This can’t continue.
If I think long-term, I need to expand my range of action now.
Because I need to get into Heinox’s attention.
After thinking for a week, I came to a conclusion: I have to survive using the information I already know.
The information I have mostly comes from after the main story begins, so the timing is still far away—but I need to prepare now.
And the first step is learning how to read.
“Hmm…”
Now that the busy Duke is back in the mansion, this is the perfect timing to request education.
Right. No matter how uninterested he is in his daughter, he probably won’t object to her learning how to read.
But before asking, there was one problem.
‘If I go to meet the Duke like this, I’ll run into Lenzard again.’
A small issue—but the biggest restriction on my movements for the past week.
Still, if I want to live properly, I’ll have to face it once.
“Alright!”
“Miss?”
Ann looked at me in confusion as I clenched my fist like I had made a decision.
“Do you need something…?”
“Take me to da Duke.”
“Y-yes?”
I urged her on, stretching out my arms toward her.
“Hurry.”
“Is that…?”
“Isn’t that Lady Roxina?”
“What is she doing here…?”
“I heard she hasn’t been going out much because of Lord Lenzard’s pressure.”
The servants murmured as I appeared unexpectedly.
Because of that, they tilted their heads in confusion.
“But right now…”
“Is she being carried?”
That’s right. I was currently being carried in Ann’s arms.
Despite my confident exit, the attention from everyone made me feel embarrassed, and I buried my face into Ann’s chest.
I had assumed that since the head of the house ignored her, the servants would ignore her too. That’s what the novel implied—she was lonely in this mansion.
The only person I met in my room was Ann, but I thought her kindness was just her nature.
‘Why is everyone looking at me so much…’
With so many eyes on me, I started to regret how boldly I had asked to be carried.
“N-now put me down…”
“Huh? But we’re almost there.”
“Quickly…”
Ann knelt down to set me down, and I immediately stepped onto the floor.
‘This is not it.’
Maybe my mind is becoming childish because I’m in a child’s body.
“Focus!”
I slapped both of my cheeks with my hands as a way to scold myself.
Smack—
“Miss!”
Ann shouted in shock.
“Why did you do that?!”
It stung quite a bit. I didn’t mean to hit myself that hard. This body is hard to control now that I’ve become younger.
“Ow…”
As I rubbed my burning cheek, Ann placed her hand over mine.
“This must be because the Duke hasn’t been visiting you… sob!”
‘Huh?’
It seemed she had completely misunderstood.
Something like… me hurting myself because I wanted my father’s attention.
That kind of ridiculous misunderstanding.
“N-no, Ann. That’s not it. I just—”
I tried to explain, but she wasn’t listening.
“You’re doing this so I won’t worry, right? Ahh, our poor sweet lady!”
“No, I really jus—”
“What are you doing in front of my office?”
“D-Duke!”
A voice I heard again after one week.
When I turned my head, I saw Heinox standing there with an expressionless face.
“I asked what you are doing.”
“Th-this is…”
Ann stammered under his pressure.
If someone saw her like this, they would think she was about to be severely punished.
‘No choice.’
I had to speak myself. If not now, I didn’t know when I’d get another chance.
‘What should I call him…?’
In the original story, adult Roxina called Heinox “Father.” But there was no mention of what she called him as a child.
‘Whatever. I’ll just go with my instinct.’
“Duke-nim.”
He didn’t respond, only raised one eyebrow.
He seemed unfamiliar with his daughter speaking at all.
After a brief pause, he tilted his chin slightly as if telling me to continue.
“I want a techer!”
“…A teacher?”
Heinox smiled slightly, as if amused, and glanced around.
“There are many eyes watching.”
With that single sentence, the servants quickly averted their gaze.
“Come in.”
I followed him into the office with a determined expression.
“Roxina Tanzelrick.”
“Y-yes!”
I jumped in surprise and hurried over when Heinox called me.
He motioned to the sofa beside him.
“Sit there.”
“…Uh.”
But I just stared at it.
The sofa was too high.
It looked like it was made for someone as tall as Heinox, not a four-year-old child.
“Hmm.”
Heinox seemed to notice as well, let out a small hum, then said indifferently,
“If you can’t climb up, you may stand.”
‘That guy…’
My father is watching me struggle and not even helping.
I could just stand since this wasn’t a long conversation, but it felt like I’d be losing.
“No, I can get up there.”
After several tries, I finally managed to climb onto the sofa.
Sitting on the soft surface, I gave him a proud look.
Heinox said nothing for a moment.
“Duke-nim?”
“Ah, right.”
He finally came back to himself and met my eyes.
“You want a teacher?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Becuz I don’t know how to read.”
He fell silent.
Was he really just finding out now?
Even though he is this indifferent…
“You don’t know how to read?”
He finally seemed to realize the seriousness of the situation and rested his hand on his chin.
“Who is your assigned maid?”
“Ann. But Ann didn’t do anything wrong.”
That was true. At least during the week since I possessed this body, it had been like that.
She fed me properly, and even braided my hair every morning.
“She did nothing wrong? Then what do you call letting her master grow up to be a fool who can’t read by age five?”
I’m four, not five.
I sighed internally at how he didn’t even know his own daughter’s age.
This situation is more serious than I thought.
He didn’t seem to realize that the one he was blaming… was himself.
Putting responsibility for education on a maid.
Does he even see himself as a father?
I chose not to think about that part.
“Ann just… doesn’t know what to do.”
Of course, Ann was a low-ranking noble maid, so she likely knew basic reading and etiquette.
But teaching me was another matter.
It was improper for a servant without formal education authority to teach the master.
“I see.”
‘Yes. Just admit your mistake and give me a teacher already.’
I grew excited as I watched him nod.
A wealthy duke’s household—surely I could learn everything I never had in my previous life.
‘First reading, then imperial history, then etiquette…’
While I was happily imagining this, swinging my short legs that couldn’t reach the floor—
“By the way, why are you suddenly asking for a teacher?”
“…Huh?”
“You said nothing until now. There must be a reason.”
His eyes sharpened slightly.
‘A reason?’
I almost laughed out loud.
Nothing until now?
Did he even care whether his daughter wanted to learn anything while he stayed away for four years after she was born?
Of course not.
I barely held back my irritation and answered casually.
“There isn’t one.”
“No reason?”
“I just… want to learn.”
I didn’t avoid his deep blue gaze. Our eyes met in the air.
A heavy silence filled the office.
Surprisingly, Heinox was the first to look away.
“How interesting. Very interesting.”
