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Chapter 05: A Grand Duke of the North Lives in Our House!

Episode 32

Two months had passed since the Grand Duke's birthday party, and during that time, two changes had come to the manor.

The first was that Adrian now had a tutor.

His handwriting was still crooked and slow due to weak grip strength, but having received a fairly solid education in the North, the Grand Duke's level far exceeded that of his peers. He was proficient in reading and writing, and his knowledge of history and other general subjects was said to surprise even his tutor. However, due to his quick-tempered nature, he often disregarded etiquette despite knowing it, so he needed to cultivate patience.

The second change was that several children who had attended the birthday party now occasionally visited the manor.

The children Adrian met most often were, unexpectedly, Max Dylan, the second son of Viscount Dylan, and Leonor Alfredo, the heir of Count Alfredo. Since he refused to mingle with the annex children, I'd assumed he'd mainly associate with children of higher-ranking nobles. And since the two were different in both age and temperament, I often found myself tilting my head, wondering what his criteria were.

In any case, after the birthday party, Marianne's workload had noticeably decreased. With a tutor now instructing both children, there was no need for her to stay glued to their sides. But being naturally industrious, she never spent her free time idly.

"This is basil, this is mini sunflower, and this is pea, right?"

"Hoho, you said you were a novice with plants, but you know them well."

The gardener replied with a pleased laugh. Marianne had never grown plants before, but she was familiar with sunflower seeds and peas, so she could distinguish them easily.

"Can I plant them now? The weather is getting cooler..."

"Since you'll be growing them indoors, it's fine. But that soil looks rather heavy—can you carry it?"

"Of course I can."

Caring for children required strength, after all. Besides, the gardener was a middle-aged woman, so Marianne felt confident she could manage at least this much. But...

"...Huff."

The bag of soil was... heavier than expected.

"Tsk, I told you it was heavy. What if a young thing like you throws out your back?"

The gardener clicked her tongue, then lifted the bag of soil and a flowerpot and led the way.

"Where did you say you were taking them?"

"To the playroom, please..."

Marianne rubbed her back awkwardly and followed.

---

"What's with the flowerpots?"

I'd finished my lesson early and come to the playroom, only to stare wide-eyed at the pots and soil. Marianne smiled brightly and pulled out the seeds from an envelope—one was a bean, one a sunflower, and one... an unknown seed.

"Peas, mini sunflowers, and basil. They said these were the easiest to grow from the seeds they had."

"Wow."

"They're also planning to prepare a flower bed for you and the young master to use come spring."

It seemed more educational than recreational. Had some parenting book said growing plants was good for children's emotional development? I couldn quite picture Adrian tending to plants, but... he'd figure it out.

"Should I fill the pots with soil now?"

"We'll need to leave as soon as the young master arrives. We can do it together when we get back."

"Okay!"

I nodded and sat down. I noticed the nanny rubbing her back.

"Nanny, are you hurt?"

"Ah, I just strained my back a little earlier. It'll get better on its own."

Oh no, a bad back at her age? I stared wide-eyed, but the nanny, unbothered, began tidying the playroom. She didn't look like she was in pain.

"...Want me to help?"

"Oh, thank you, but you can just sit still, my lady."

The nanny smiled cheerfully and patted my head. Just then—

"Leticia."

At the sudden voice, I turned around and stared in surprise.

"Oh, Daddy?"

Father stood in the doorway, a cake box in one hand and Adrian's hand in the other. I jumped up from my chair.

"Are you coming with us?"

"I'd like to, but I have work to finish by today. I'll see you at dinner. Share this with the children."

Father handed the cake box to the nanny and kissed my forehead. His kisses had become quite familiar now.

"Have fun."

"Yes!"

"And..."

Hesitating, Father looked a little awkward as he kissed Adrian's forehead as well.

"You too, Rian."

"..."

As his lips touched and left the small forehead, Adrian stared up at Father in disbelief. Anyone could see he was repulsed, but Father simply patted his head and left the room.

---

The picnic was held by a nearby lake. The nanny spread a mat under a tree and secured it with a picnic basket to keep it from blowing away. The children helped by pressing down the corners with books or stones.

"Haha, it feels refreshing to come on a picnic together like this."

Leonor, pushing up his glasses, spoke. He'd brought four classic literature books, including The Secrets of the Randerk Mansion and Sounds of the Seasons—judging by their thickness and volume, half of it was for show.

"Wow, you read things like this, Young Master Alfredo?"

"Haha, I am the heir of Count Alfredo, after all. Such cultivation is basic."

As Leticia admired him, Leonor puffed up and adjusted his glasses. Leonor Alfredo had been adopted from a collateral branch by the childless Count and Countess. In the future Adrian knew, he'd be pushed out of the succession by a late-born child and, after a period of wandering, would become Adrian's subordinate.

Even now, Leonor kept boasting about being the heir to House Alfredo—clearly, he was always conscious of not being the Count's biological child. Whenever Adrian saw that, he felt strangely uncomfortable, even though he'd never taken much interest in his subordinates' personal lives.

"So are you going to read instead of playing, Young Master Alfredo?"

Leticia asked, testing him. Her smiling face annoyed him again—was she teasing him now? She must know Leonor wouldn't become the heir.

"Since we're here, let's play together. Okay?"

"Haha, at six years old, such playfulness...!"

Though he sounded troubled, Leonor's lips were already curving upward beyond control. He set down his books and stood.

"I suppose I have no choice. I'll have to play with you. What shall we play today? Zombie game? Brave Puppy? Eagle dancing? Hmm... I could even oblige with cat's cradle if necessary..."

For someone who always talked about study and cultivation, Leonor was deeply committed to play. Not just the zombie game he'd improvised at Adrian's birthday party, but sandwich games and chair monsters—he invented all sorts of strange games. Adrian turned away from his excited voice. The nanny looked their way.

"Oh, today I was thinking of making flower crowns."

She pointed to the autumn flowers blooming by the lake. The children instantly perked up.

"Me, me! Flower crown!"

"I want to make one too!"

"I've done it before!"

"Then those who want to make flower crowns, go pick your favorite flowers. Those who want to play something else, stay here..."

At Marianne's words, the children scattered, taking their nannies or maids to pick flowers. Adrian was about to follow them when he glanced back at Leonor. The once-excited boy was now staring at the ground with slumped shoulders. Adrian watched him, then looked at the children laughing in the flower field, and finally spoke heavily.

"Hey."

"Yes?"

"...What games can just the two of us play?"

It was a question asked with the intent of looking after his future subordinate. Leonor's eyes went wide in surprise—seemed he was touched. Well, it was a bit tiring, but this much was nothing...

"Haha, Young Grand Duke. Did you enjoy playing with me that much?"

Instead of nodding, Leonor pushed up his glasses with a smug look.

"I'm truly grateful, but... in play, it's also important to follow the majority's opinion. So I was just conceptualizing the flower combination for my own crown."

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