🔊 TTS Settings
CHAPTER 10
After quitting the academy, Leonhardt had no choice but to build his network another way.
But how could he form meaningful connections when he could barely move due to his asthma?
And if rumors were spreading that he was on the verge of death, no noble would dare support him.
Of course, once he recovered and defeated the Demon King, supporters began to rally behind him.
Even so, by then, the other princes’ factions had already solidified, leaving him at a disadvantage.
This was precisely why Leonhardt was unable to secure the crown prince’s position and instead had to compete evenly with the other princes.
‘I thought I could just support him and that would solve the problem…’
Leonhardt would never team up with me. Who in their right mind would accept help from a stalker?
‘Didn’t he join the expedition just to avoid marrying Adrian?’
No wonder it seemed odd that a weak swordsman like Leonhardt volunteered for the expedition.
At the time, I thought the powerless third prince had been pressured into it, but it turns out he’d rather risk his life than marry Adrian.
There was no hope. From now on, all I could do was try my best to avoid him.
‘Anyway, the main character of this world is Piace. I should just focus on her.’
Piace was slower than the other kids in learning and also had trouble speaking. Would she be able to adjust well?
‘I wish I could get a feel for the academy’s atmosphere beforehand.’
Just then, an instruction appeared.
[Stage 3: (Pressing the space between your brows as if tired) Apply to observe classes at the academy.]
What’s with the author being unusually helpful? I blinked at the message, bewildered.
“Apply to observe classes at the academy.”
“You, my lady… you intend to observe them yourself?”
[Stage 2: (Slamming the table) Then are you suggesting we leave the Ivrante family’s ward in just anyone’s hands? Do you even know what kind of education she’ll be getting?!]
“Are you suggesting we entrust the Ivrante family’s ward to just anyone? Do you even know what kind of education she’ll receive?!”
“Ah… That was careless of me. Please let me know which class you’d like to observe, and I’ll check if it’s possible.”
Of course, I had no idea what classes were offered. As if the damn author would tell me?
[Stage 2: (Glaring at the butler like he’s an idiot) If I told you in advance, wouldn’t you have prepared already?!]
The author’s being surprisingly cooperative today.
It’s probably not because they feel guilty for dragging me into a child-rearing story.
‘The academy must be really important to the main storyline.’
I furrowed my brows as instructed.
“If I told you in advance, wouldn’t you have prepared already?!”
“Ah, you’re right.”
There was no point picking a specific class—I wasn’t interested in the content anyway.
Even if I did listen, it’s not like I’d understand anything.
“Just find out if I can observe without specifying a class.”
“I’ll get you an answer as soon as possible. Would you like more tea?”
“No, that’s enough.”
I should probably let Piace know in advance.
She should have some time to mentally prepare herself.
[Stage 3: (With a stern gaze) Has Piace eaten breakfast?]
“Has Piace eaten breakfast?”
“I heard she seemed listless all morning and skipped her meal.”
I didn’t even realize she hadn’t eaten—probably because we’ve been eating separately.
‘Why is she feeling unwell? Still, not feeding her just because she looks tired? Was a doctor called?’
I couldn’t ask anything.
Adrian wouldn’t bat an eye even if Piace starved for days.
And then…
[Stage 2: (Slamming the empty teacup down) Refusing food?! What kind of ill-mannered behavior is that?!]
I had to follow the script.
Suppressing a sigh, I slammed my teacup down with a loud clatter.
“You dare refuse food?!”
“I-I’m sorry…”
“What’s the reason? Is she sick?”
“…They reported she has a high fever.”
[Stage 1: (With a sharp voice) Acting spoiled just because she has a bit of a fever? The butler’s coddling has made her spoiled!]
“You called a doctor, right?”
“Eh? Ah, yes. Not yet arrived, though.”
[Stage 3: (Looking away from the butler) Tell her to come down to the dining room. Right now!]
‘Come on, she’s sick! Can’t we let her rest like a decent human being?’
I felt fatigue wash over me. I ran a hand down my face.
“Tell her to come down to the dining room. Right now!”
“…Yes, my lady.”
But Piace didn’t show up in the dining room.
She was too feverish to even get out of bed.
“Haa, haa…”
“And then the prince and princess… Miss, shall I stop reading?”
“Y-yes…”
The maid closed the storybook.
Her head felt hazy, and everything sounded muffled, like she was underwater.
The maid placed a hand on Piace’s forehead.
Her hand, usually warm, felt cold today.
“Miss, the ice packs under your arms have melted. I’ll change them.”
The coldness of the fresh ice packs made Piace’s teeth chatter uncontrollably.
“C-c-cold… It’s so cold…”
“You have a high fever. I’ll take them out soon, so hang in there, okay? You can do that, right?”
“Y-yes… P-Piace can do it…”
“You’re so brave, Miss.”
Her praise brought a faint blush to Piace’s face.
But with her already flushed cheeks, it didn’t show at all.
“Miss, you have to eat if you want to take your medicine.”
“I-I don’t want to eat…”
“But the chef made crab soup just for you. Please try a little, just for his sake.”
Despite what the maid said, the chef was not someone who’d cook just for Piace.
He often grumbled that an orphan of unknown origin was eating his food.
He even subtly pressured Piace to eat the leftovers.
Of course, Piace never told anyone.
Instead, she just felt sorry for the chef.
“…Th-then just a little…”
“Even a little is good. It should be here soon.”
“Okay…”
Piace replied quietly and gently closed her eyes.
She was so weak that keeping them open was exhausting.
When she was even younger, Piace had been the prettiest baby at the orphanage.
With her cotton-candy pink hair and gentle blue eyes, she looked like a doll.
She didn’t cry much and always smiled sweetly, making her impossible not to love.
Noble families seeking adoption always showed interest in her first.
Some even began donating to the orphanage for her sake.
But the greedy orphanage director never let her go.
If Piace got adopted, the donations would stop.
Eventually, when she turned three, she was adopted by a couple who had donated the most.
They were a marquis and marchioness with dignified appearances.
As they placed Piace in their elegant carriage, they said:
“You’re as beautiful as a doll. Be a lovely little sister to our daughter.”
But just a year later, the couple returned Piace, claiming she had scratched their daughter’s forehead.
Back at the orphanage, Piace stopped speaking.
She would wake up from nightmares, have panic attacks when touched unexpectedly, and sometimes wet the bed.
Her personality became extremely timid.
Instead of trying to impress nobles looking to adopt, she just cowered in the corners.
It wasn’t until a year later that she began to speak again.
But her stuttering and poor pronunciation made her hard to understand.
She had developed selective mutism during the crucial period when she should’ve been learning to talk.
Around that time, a noble visited the orphanage.
He arrived in a jaw-droppingly extravagant carriage.
The director was beside herself with excitement that a duke had come.
From a distance, Piace watched the duke secretly.
He looked intimidating. His expressionless pale face seemed both sad and sickly.
Maybe it was just because he never smiled.
For the first time, Piace wished to see someone smile.
Then, the duke walked straight over to her.
He didn’t even glance at the other children.
“Want to come with me?”
“I-I… I can’t… t-talk w-w-well… I… I don’t know h-how to r-read… I-is that o-okay…?”
The director broke into a cold sweat as she tried to distract the duke with another child.
Every noble who had visited so far had been the same.
They’d show interest in Piace’s appearance, then recoil at her speech and focus on another child.
Piace lowered her head in shame.
For some reason, she felt devastated at the thought of the duke turning away.
It wasn’t the first time this had happened—so why did it hurt this time?
She didn’t know.
As she stared at the ground, the duke said:
“I don’t care if you can’t talk well. I wasn’t expecting you to know how to read.”
“…!”
Piace was truly shocked.
No one had ever understood her mumbled speech before.
“Are you coming with me, or staying in this filthy place?”
“…”
“Choose for yourself.”
Piace chose to go with the duke.
After hours of riding in the carriage, they arrived at an enormous mansion.
It was dozens of times bigger than the marquis’s home where she’d once lived.
Amazed, she asked if this was the royal palace. The butler chuckled.
“Welcome to House Ivrante, Miss Piace.”
And so, Piace became the official ward of a duke’s household.
The duke was very strict—especially about etiquette and decorum.
Piace had to learn how to eat properly from scratch.
At first, she was too timid to eat enough. Her body ached from being tense all day, and the spacious room she had to sleep in alone was scary.
The unfamiliar surroundings were lonely, and the duke never said a single kind word.
In fact, she rarely saw him—he hardly ever left his room.
Still, Piace worked hard.
She avoided anything that might displease the duke and practiced table manners until her hands hurt.
That’s how much she liked living at House Ivrante.
She liked the stoic butler, the kind maids…
And most of all, she liked the duke.
Even if he scolded her about everything else, he never once criticized the way she spoke.
And that made Piace… truly happy.
