TBCPA 09

Chapter 9

‘She looks upset that I got hurt… but that must be my imagination.’

That was just my self-consciousness.

I shook my head internally and smiled brightly on purpose.

“Actually, what I wanted to brag about is related to that incident.”

“Hm?”

“His Highness the Crown Prince saved me when I was about to fall.”

How is it? Doesn’t it seem like we’ve gotten a little closer?

I said it while bouncing slightly on my feet, full of that hopeful feeling.

A faint smile appeared on the Emperor’s face.

“Seems like the boy lost control of his strength.”

He seemed to have mistaken Count Duval’s actions for injuries caused by Kadelos saving me.

I didn’t correct the misunderstanding and continued explaining.

“Today I went to see His Highness the Crown Prince, and—”

But as soon as I started speaking, the Emperor slightly curled the corner of his lips and asked,

“How many times is this now?”

“Huh?”

“Have you not failed every time you tried to propose and returned? I was wondering if today was any different.”

As expected of the Emperor, who didn’t need to read the room at all, he casually stabbed right into my sore spot.

I puffed out my cheeks and looked down at the floor. I knew he wouldn’t actually get angry over this.

“Alright then. Go on. What were you saying?”

“I went to see him and he was studying. I was just watching him absentmindedly and then I fell—but he caught me.”

“If it’s that boy, he probably noticed you approaching long before that.”

At his unexpected words, I blinked in surprise.

He noticed me approaching from far away?

“We have heightened senses. If we focus, we can hear everything happening inside the palace. He could probably even hear your heartbeat.”

That kind of superhuman ability? There was no such thing—ah. Right, they had the blessing of dragons.

I suddenly felt so embarrassed my face turned bright red.

So he heard me struggling and grunting too!

How ridiculous must I have looked?

‘No wonder he saved me at such perfect timing…’

He had been watching me from the beginning.

Then did he also hear what Count Duval said to me?

I bit my lip slightly and thought about Kadelos. He really wasn’t paying attention in class—such a bad student.

‘No, that kind of class is better not to listen to anyway.’

I pushed that thought aside and returned to my purpose.

“I met his instructor there. How did the two of them become teacher and student? I was thinking of getting a tutor myself and studying.”

The Emperor thought for a moment, as if searching his memory.

“I’ll be honest with you since it’s you. Unfortunately, no one wanted to educate my cursed son.”

His words were quite shocking.

The young prince had reached nearly six years old without receiving any formal education.

No one had volunteered to become his teacher.

“Why should we educate a Crown Prince who is going to die anyway?”

That was the absurd response from academy professors.

They said basic education like a nanny or governess might be fine, but anything beyond that was unnecessary.

Some even suggested—though they were punished for treason—that it would be better to remarry the Empress and produce a new Crown Prince.

‘They told him to abandon Kadelos?’

I was so shocked I covered my mouth.

The Emperor continued calmly.

Of course, defying imperial orders was unthinkable.

But the Academy held immense influence, with many of its students entering politics.

So punishing them by force risked political conflict with the entire nobility.

Because of that, Kadelos was left to teach himself, slowly learning language and palace knowledge with his extraordinary intelligence.

“Then Count Duval appeared. He said that as a human born, one has the right to die as a human—and that he would educate Kadel.”

A Crown Prince destined to fall into eternal sleep at twenty.

But his words about ensuring he could at least “die as a human” must have moved the Emperor deeply.

‘Wow… that’s actually a relief.’

If I had burst into tears demanding Duval be removed, things could have gone badly.

That would have backfired on me.

‘Something like that did happen before…’

A memory from my first life resurfaced.

I once tried to report a bully teacher, only for that student to accuse me—a poor orphan—of stealing his money.

My middle school years became a nightmare.

I resolved not to act impulsively.

“So you must trust Count Duval quite a lot.”

I clapped my hands and smiled innocently.

The Emperor nodded slightly.

‘Alright, dealing with adults directly is going to be difficult. I’ll have to find another way to screw him over.’

While I was thinking that, the Emperor suddenly asked,

“Do you want to study under Count Duval?”

Excuse me? You want me to go into that guy’s mouth?

I started to say “Ah, no—” but suddenly stopped.

‘If I get closer, I can find something.’

And at the very least, if I’m there, he’ll be less likely to say those things in front of Kadelos.

I could always skip lessons anyway.

“Yes! I want to learn!”

“Then I’ll allow you to study in Kadel’s palace.”

The Emperor said with a faint smile, as if granting me a great favor.

I immediately bowed my head.

“Thank you very much!”

“And… may I ask one more thing?”

Then I leaned in and whispered my real request into his ear.

Later — Kadelos’s Palace

Today I came early for class.

Count Duval hadn’t arrived yet, and Kadelos was sprawled lazily on the sofa.

‘Is he in pain?’

If he’s currently suffering, I should be careful.

I approached and looked down at him.

I waved my hand in front of his face.

Whoosh, whoosh.

“Sleeping?”

Annoyed by the breeze, Kadelos suddenly grabbed my wrist.

“Eek.”

He slowly opened his eyes.

“What.”

“You weren’t sleeping?”

“I wasn’t.”

I handed him a handkerchief folded like a rose.

“A gift for today.”

“Stop bringing useless things.”

“I won’t anymore.”

I nodded, saying I had already planned to stop.

Something flickered in Kadelos’s ruby eyes—hesitation, perhaps.

‘No way.’

I continued.

“If I don’t bring gifts, I won’t have a reason to come here. But now I’m attending classes with you, so I won’t bring them anymore.”

His throat moved slightly.

“Why are you taking this class?”

“I want to get closer to you.”

I smiled innocently.

Kadelos frowned.

“No. Don’t.”

Maybe it was my imagination, but he seemed worried about me.

‘So he does recognize that Duval is saying harmful things.’

Given his abilities, he wasn’t being deceived.

‘Then why is he quietly listening?’

The Emperor clearly trusted Kadelos, so if he asked for Duval to be removed, it would be easy.

“How is the class? Is it interesting?”

I asked carefully.

“I don’t know.”

“It’s my first time receiving formal education, so I’m excited! And it’ll be more fun with you.”

“Hm…”

Kadelos let out a vague sound.

“Wouldn’t it be better to find another teacher?”

“Huh? Why? Wouldn’t I learn better from your instructor?”

“That’s—”

Before he could finish, the classroom door opened.

Count Duval entered holding a long scroll.

“Can you not prepare yourselves properly before class?”

He frowned at both of us.

The class hadn’t even started yet, but he was already nitpicking.

We sat down.

Kadelos beside me, me at my assigned desk.

“Today we will study military history.”

Military history… on my first day?

‘I have a bad feeling about this.’

And just as expected, the class went terribly.

“Lady Ferdinand, what is the name of the battle that took place in August of Imperial Year 117?”

How am I supposed to know that?

“I don’t know. I haven’t learned it yet.”

“It is the Hantar Battle. Even if you haven’t learned it, pre-study is a student’s duty. Your attitude is poor.”

So he’s targeting me today.

The questions kept coming, and Kadelos was completely ignored.

“Isn’t it enough that this is her first class and she has no prior education?”

Kadelos tried to intervene.

“This is a necessary process to assess ability.”

Duval shut him down smoothly.

He unrolled the map.

“The Hantar Battle took place in the Hantar Valley. The enemy approached from here. How do you think the Imperial Army won?”

How am I supposed to know that?!

I looked at the map—

And then…

‘Huh?’

I think… I know this?