After putting Kian to bed and returning to my room, I couldn’t fall asleep at all. The thought of the weight of guilt that little child must be carrying made my heart ache, and tears poured down uncontrollably.

While I was sobbing loudly, Sikar Blake entered, wearing pajamas and looking exhausted.

“Stop crying. Vika Lamberst says he can’t sleep at all because of you.”

“Then just install soundproofing magic in my room too. Hweeeng….”

“Why on earth are you crying like this?”

“It’s because little Kian is so pitiful. Sniff.”

“Just for that? You’re making such a tearful fuss?”

“J-J-Just?! How much pain must that child have felt for it to manifest physically like that? You heartless, tearless…”

Ah, right, he really is a heartless, tearless guy.

“You really cry way too much for no reason.”

“This isn’t meaningless crying… no… what are you doing…?”

Sikar’s face looked strange as he stomped toward me, so I instinctively stepped back to avoid him.

His cheeks were slightly flushed—an uncharacteristically shy look for him.

Just as I wondered why he was approaching me with that expression, Sikar shoved my face into his chest.

In other words, he embraced me. Then he patted my back gently.

Though his movements were mechanical, he was clearly doing something he didn’t normally do.

Startled, my tears abruptly stopped.

“What… what are you doing?”

“Whenever the children cry, you hug them like this and they instantly stop. So I tried it. Seems effective.”

Sikar pulled me away from his chest, straightened his rumpled clothes, and stood up.

“If you cry again, I’ll do this again. It’s a convenient method.”

‘Is he really applying what I do to comfort the children?’

That thought sent chills down my spine.

I remembered that after comforting the children and getting them to stop crying, I always kissed them on the forehead.

‘Surely he’s not going to kiss my forehead?’

Just in case, I covered my forehead with my hand.

Fortunately, Sikar stood up as if he’d finished his task, and I lowered my hand with a sigh of relief.

‘Right. He doesn’t copy everything. Sikar’s goal isn’t to comfort me—just to make me stop crying.’

But then, just as he turned to leave, Sikar came back.

“Oh. I forgot one thing.”

My heart suddenly dropped with a thud.

Could it be? As that thought crossed my mind, he pressed his lips to my forehead with an expressionless face.

“So the finishing touch is kissing the forehead. That’s how you keep children from crying again, I suppose?”

Then he stood up as if nothing had happened.

“Consider it an honor. Even our Happy has never received a kiss from me. Of course, Happy doesn’t cry like you do. Well, I’ll be off now. Sleep well.”

Sikar was about to leave the room with a satisfied look, having resolved the matter neatly, so I grabbed his arm.

“Wait.”

“What?”

“Earlier… are you okay with that injury…?”

Sikar wiggled his fingers near my cheek as if trying to pinch it, so I said, dumbfounded,

“What are you doing…?”

“From what I recall, humans where you’re from pinch cheeks when someone is cute. Since you’re worrying about me even now, I’m returning the favor.”

“Let go of me.”

Sikar chuckled and shrugged his shoulders as if to say he was perfectly fine.

“Don’t worry. This level of injury is nothing. More importantly, I won’t let something like this make you cry again. Now go to sleep.”

Without even looking back, Sikar waved and slipped out of the room.

How many times must I say it—I cried from surprise, not worry.

But the more I heard that, the more I started to wonder—was I really crying from surprise, or was I crying because I was worried about Sikar?

A few days later, after much of the snow had melted, Reidox came to visit the Duke’s manor.

Durion asked whether he should go slit Reidox’s throat for showing up again, but Sikar ordered him to bring Reidox alive.

Muttering to myself, “Since the Duke said not to kill him, I guess I’ll have Durion drag him around just enough to keep him alive,” I followed Durion out and called him back.

“Madam. What is it?”

“I have a request for you, Master Durion.”

“Anything the Madam requests, I must grant. What is your wish?”

“Please show proper manners toward the Marquis as well.”

“I’ve actually been showing very proper manners lately, Madam.”

Huh? Does he think not killing someone equals showing manners? Now I see—he thinks like Sikar.

“Master Durion. Please don’t drag the Marquis in like last time. Treat him respectfully, as you treat me.”

Durion stared at me incredulously. Given how hostile their relationship was—practically sworn enemies—his reaction was completely normal.

But since they’d soon be on the same side, I couldn’t just leave things as they were.

“The Marquis will be of great help to us. Especially since he’ll become our young master’s tutor.”

“That butter-like fellow is going to be our young master’s tutor?!”

Durion often called Reidox “butter-like” as a metaphor for his gentle, docile nature. Now, Durion spoke with a stubborn expression I’d never seen before.

“If that butter-like fellow becomes our noble young master’s tutor, our young master might turn into a butter-like person too. Therefore, I object.”

“It’s the Duke’s decision, Durion.”

Durion looked at me as if to confirm this was true, and I nodded.

“I thought it was strange that you’ve been visiting Reidox’s house so often lately—but now you’re even considering him as the young master’s tutor? Why on earth would the Duke do this?”

“Master Durion. Do you remember why the Duke allied with His Majesty the King?”

“That was to join forces to capture the mad, deposed king…”

“The Duke is now seeking to ally with the Marquis for the same reason—to oppose the current king by joining hands with the Marquis.”

Durion’s mouth fell open as if realizing the depth of this intention, then he suddenly wore a foolish expression and asked,

“But why did he suddenly change his mind?”

“Because His Majesty the King intends to kill the only person who can lift the Duke’s curse.”

“So… you’re saying that allying with Reidox will lift the Duke’s curse?”

“Yes. That’s the only way. If you don’t fully believe me, ask the Duke later. Feel free to tell him I said this.”

Durion didn’t know that Sikar could read people’s memories, but he did know that no one in the world could deceive Sikar—he’d learned that well enough from being caught every time he lied.

Therefore, Durion would never suspect I was making things up. After all, Sikar, who reviews my memories every night, would know this fact by tonight anyway.

Durion assumed a respectful posture, bowed his head toward me, and said,

“How could I possibly dare to doubt the Madam? I shall follow your instructions and show proper manners to Reidox.”

“Thank you, Durion. I ask that you bring the Marquis in respectfully, not dragging him like before.”

“Trust me.”

Durion marched out confidently.

The moment I reentered the living room, Sikar asked what I’d been talking about with Durion for so long, then grabbed my hand.

“You’ve told Durion everything I was planning to tell him soon. Not bad. But you’re expecting too much from Durion.”

“Huh?”

“Durion doesn’t understand what manners are. In a way, he’s the same breed as Vika. Can’t you tell from the fact that I never brought him to the palace? It’s even mentioned in the novel—Durion has no concept of manners.”

“But he seems quite polite when dealing with me?”

“That’s not manners. It’s just natural behavior stemming from affection.”

“Then why did he say he’d show manners if he doesn’t even know what they are?”

“Well, I don’t know either. I’ve never seen Durion show manners, so I’m curious how he’ll handle it.”

‘Please, just don’t drag Reidox in like last time.’

Shortly after, Durion appeared with Reidox.

Fortunately, Durion didn’t drag Reidox in as before—he merely nudged him forward with his scabbard. Sikar glanced at me as if to say, ‘See?’

“You should just give up.”

Only then did I realize Sikar had also tried—and failed—to teach Durion manners, which was why he’d never seen Durion behave politely.

Seriously, what kind of villains are these?!

Fortunately, Reidox, as before, didn’t seem to mind Durion’s rude behavior at all.

Worried that Vika might overhear, we went with Reidox to the reception room. Jeremi Iker had recently installed soundproofing magic in every room except my bedroom, the living room, and the kitchen.

“I didn’t expect we’d meet so often, but here I am visiting the Duke again.”

“Indeed. You came on your own today, uninvited. Sit down first.”

Reidox sat calmly and said,

“I heard about the orphanage affair. I understand the Duke handed that wicked director over to the capital guard. Such unexpected news—I could hardly believe it. The Duke I know doesn’t care about other people’s business.”

“Strictly speaking, it wasn’t my doing. It was Kian’s.”

“Kian… you mean His Royal Highness the Prince?”

“Yes. But why did you come to see me today? Unless you’re here to honor your promise to tutor Kian, I have no reason to see you.”

“That’s precisely why I came.”

Sikar, who had been leaning back on the sofa, leaned forward with interest.

“So you’re finally going to tutor our Kian in royal succession?”

Have you finally decided? Kian is going to be your future son-in-law! You should start teaching him as soon as possible.

“I haven’t decided yet, but I wanted to ask the Duchess. You said to bring His Royal Highness into our home to prevent Lucy from running away—but what exactly does that mean? What connection is there between His Royal Highness coming to our house and our Lucy?”

I nodded at Sikar, signaling I’d answer.

“Because every time Lucy runs away, Kian will follow her and bring her back.”

“But that doesn’t actually stop her from running away—it just means you’ll retrieve her.”

“Once Lucy learns that the current Duke isn’t Kian’s biological father, she’ll feel sympathy for him. That will make her stop running away.”

Reidox nodded slightly, seeming to find my reasoning somewhat convincing.

“Lucy is indeed soft-hearted like that. She feels sorry even for baby birds left alone in nests without their mother.”

“Also, I believe the Marquis clearly saw during the orphanage incident that Kian possesses ample qualities of a virtuous king. That day, I went with Kian to a toy store. It was his first outing in a while, so I wanted to buy toys children love. But what caught Kian’s eye weren’t the toys—it was the children outside, peering into the store because they wanted toys.”

Reidox seemed somewhat surprised by this.

Unlike most children, who fixate on toys and ignore their surroundings, our Kian—at only seven years old—noticed the poor children longing for toys outside the store.

“Isn’t it obvious to anyone that he’s fit to be king? Tutoring such a prince in royal succession would be a deeply meaningful task for the Marquis as well.”

He’s going to be your future son-in-law. So stop hesitating and just decide already!

As if hearing my inner thoughts, Reidox replied,

“Very well. Though I’m unworthy, I shall take on the responsibility of tutoring His Royal Highness the Prince.”