ITHTJ 11

Chapter : 11

I’ll Sign a Lifetime Contract (7

‘No matter that I’m the protagonist, that crossed the line.’

If someone were to arbitrarily mix up the materials I had prepared with blood, sweat, and tears…

‘Forgive them? Never. Do you know how hard I worked on this!’

But what if the person who mixed them up was a high-ranking noble?

Not just any noble, but His Grace the Grand Duke’s one and only younger sister?

‘Hmm, I guess I could forgive them a little… not much, but about 95 percent?’

Just imagining it made me feel petty.

‘Of course I should forgive you. If a mere commoner like me doesn’t forgive a noble young lady, what could I possibly do?’

As I was imagining something that hadn’t even happened and sliding the materials back onto the bookshelf—

The door flew open, and I heard someone’s footsteps.

‘They’re finally here!’

I turned around eagerly and faced Lynette. I was about to say something to her when—

“Huh?”

Instead of the student I had been longing for, her guardian was standing there.

“Grand Duke… Your Grace?”

“It seems Lynette hasn’t arrived yet.”

Eclipse replied calmly to my confused question.

“Let’s talk briefly about the lesson, Bloomhire.”

Startled, I stared at him with wide eyes.

‘A guardian requesting a meeting on the very first day of class!’

I hadn’t expected this at all!

“……”
“……”

Before I knew it, I was left alone with Eclipse.

The training room was so quiet that, to break the awkwardness, I deliberately cleared my throat.

“Ahem. Ahem.”

Why was it awkward?

Because Eclipse was looking through the lesson materials I had prepared.

‘It feels like I’m getting my homework checked…’

Your Grace, don’t you think our roles are reversed?

No matter what, I’m the teacher and you’re the guardian…!

“I heard you read every single book on magic in the study.”

“Yes! That’s correct, Your Grace.”

But you’re also my employer. Loyalty, loyalty!

After mentally prostrating myself, I answered.

“Thanks to that, it was a huge help in preparing the lessons. They were all high-quality books. Ah! Come to think of it—”

I clapped my hands and continued.

“Some of them seem easy enough even for a beginner like Her Holiness the Saintess to understand, so I plan to use those as the main textbooks at first.”

“I see.”

Eclipse replied briefly, then fell silent again.

‘He said we should talk, but he’s just looking at that. Well… now that I think about it, this might be better.’

To me, Eclipse was an incredibly intimidating person.

After all, I had once tried—and failed—to swindle him.

Facing him alone made me feel my lips drying out in real time.

“Ahem.”

If this silence continued, I felt like I’d shrivel up from the awkwardness.

I cleared my throat again and started rambling about things he hadn’t even asked.

“Today, I plan to first assess how much magical power Her Holiness possesses, and how she should handle it.”

“……”
“It’s extremely rare to possess both divine power and magical power. It’s hard enough to have even one, but Her Holiness has both at the same time. And on top of that, her capacity is enormous.”

Mixing the original setting with information from the books I’d read over the past few days, I kept talking nonstop.

Please look, Your Grace. I’m working this hard! So please, give me a lifetime contract. I beg you!

‘If a lifetime contract is too much, then at least extend my current one!’

Had I ever been this desperate in my life?

No matter how many times I thought about it, the answer was no.

“She truly is an outstanding talent. It’s unfortunate that her divine power hasn’t fully awakened yet, but soon she’ll spread her wings wide—”

At that moment, Eclipse turned toward me with a deeply shocked expression.

It was the most emotional expression I’d ever seen on his face.

Equally startled, I cut myself off with a gasp.

‘Huh? Did I say something wrong?’

No, I hadn’t. I’d carefully chosen only the most pleasant-sounding words.

Then why was he reacting like that all of a sudden?

‘Don’t tell me he didn’t like the lesson plan?’

I forced my wildly darting pupils to calm down and thought—

‘If you don’t like my lesson plan, I’ll overhaul it immediately, Your Grace. Just say the word!’

I stood stiffly, waiting for him to speak.

Like a fox waiting for the Little Prince.

After a long silence, Eclipse finally spoke in a low voice.

“I see. So that’s how it is.”

His voice was flat, as usual.

His expression had also returned to its usual impassive look.

‘Thank goodness. I must’ve just been overthinking.’

Only then did I feel relieved.

But watching him carefully go through each page of my materials made my mouth dry again.

‘Ugh, if I’d known he’d look this closely, I would’ve organized them more neatly.’

They were notes I’d put together for personal use, so the handwriting was messy and the contents all jumbled.

I kept glancing sideways at Eclipse once every second, full of anxiety.

“Bloomhire.”

“Yes!”

“Come to my room after the lesson is over. And of course—”

Turning toward me, Eclipse tapped the stack of papers in his hand with a finger.

“Bring these materials with you.”

“Yes! …Huh?”

I was bewildered by his unexpected words.

Unable to ask for the reason, I just rolled my eyes around, when Eclipse drove the final nail in.

“There are many things I’d like to ask you.”

“Ah……”

In an instant, my vision went white.

‘W-What is he going to ask?’

Did he dislike my teaching methods?

No, if that were the case, he could’ve said it just now.

Then what is it? What’s the problem?!

“Yes, understood.”

Forcing myself to sound calm, I watched blankly as Eclipse turned and left.

A moment ago, the world had been full of color, but now it felt as though everything had been washed in gray.

‘What the heck… this is scary.’

What are you planning to say to me, Your Grace?

I’m so scared I don’t think I can focus on the lesson—what should I do?

As I trembled in fear of the unknown, the one who approached me was none other than Lynette.

“Elsie!”

“Ah, Saintess!”

The cold look in Lynette’s eyes softened the moment she saw me.

“What did you two talk about?”

“Pardon? Ah, well…”

As I was wondering how to explain what had just happened, Lynette waved her hand dismissively.

“It’s fine. I think I can guess even without hearing it. You probably only talked about the lesson. That’s my brother’s specialty—half-scaring new tutors when they first arrive.”

“Gasp.”

Half-scaring them? What—Eclipse, were you that kind of person?

When I covered my mouth with both hands and sucked in a sharp breath, Lynette let out a light laugh.

“I’m joking. There’s no way our Grand Duke would do that. He’s very interested in my education, so he asks a lot of questions, but he’s absolutely not the type to bully people or disadvantage them for personal reasons.”

“I see… That’s such a relief.”

I let out a sigh of relief, patting my chest.

Watching me, Lynette’s eyes looked oddly full of mischief.

“Still, most people do come back completely deflated after meeting my brother. I guess it’s because he’s so demanding.”

…That was a joke, right?

“Well then, please take your seat. We’ll begin the lesson now.”

I turned toward the bookshelf, trying hard to calm my unease.

I needed to gather the materials I hadn’t had time to organize because of the sudden guardian meeting.

Just then, I heard the sound of heels behind me.

“Saintess, if you could wait just a moment—”

I tried to turn back to face Lynette. I really did.

“Stop. Don’t move any further.”

At the same time as the warning, something thin, hard, and sharp pressed against my back.

My nape tingled, and every hair on my body stood on end.

‘What is this? It feels like something that should never touch me just did.’

I froze stiff on the spot.

“Saintess…?”

What now? What is it this time?

This is a joke too, right? …It is, right?

“This kind of joke is a bit… cruel.”

“Whether it’s a joke or not, you’ll find out soon enough.”

Lynette spoke in a low voice, completely different from before.

In an instant, the warm, springlike atmosphere turned icy cold.

Swallowing hard, I began to tremble.

“You… are you really Elsie Bloomhire?”