11 - Another Grueling Day for the Aristocratic Kindergarten Teacher
Maylin Hildebon's death was the reason.
Of course, my brother's death wasn't the only reason he became the mastermind.
To be precise, it was the imperial royal guard who stirred up the Grand Duchy Territory while investigating Black magic. He dies because of them.
The novel's plot was that Banteid, who turned his back on the empire because of the incident, becomes the mastermind.
It must be written the same in the book.
"No..."
Ephna slammed the book shut and picked it up. This was a problem.
It was surprising enough that she appeared as a villain, but she was also the cause of Banteid becoming the mastermind.
'I don't know why I'm becoming a villain, but first of all, it's better for neither me nor Banteid to set foot in the Grand Duchy Territory.'
What about enrolling Banteid in Loendel Kindergarten? Except for vacations, he has to go to school every day, so he'll only be in the capital.
'Not bad?'
She ran out of the teacher's on-call room and into the faculty room.
"Teacher Rel!"
"Yes?"
"There's one spot open in the five-year-old class, right?"
"Yes, that's right. Hilperina withdrew last week due to personal reasons."
That's it. This is it. She hurriedly took out a pen.
"I'm sorry, but could you bring me an application form?"
"Yes!"
The new teacher answered cheerfully and handed over the form.
Ephna carefully put the book and the application form in her bag. Then, on her sweet holiday, she headed to Duke Hildebon's residence.
To enroll Banteid in Loendel Kindergarten.
She glanced at Kaiden, who was sitting with his legs crossed as if showing off his superior height. A smooth voice flowed from his mouth.
"Occupation: Kindergarten teacher."
"Yes..."
"Hobby: Treason."
"Absolutely not! I, I don't know why that's in there, but it's really not!"
I want to cry. Ephna's gaze turned to the paper on the table. It read:
<Dreaming of Treason After Regression.>
That was the title of the novel.
There are romance novels in this world too. I wrote down the title to buy it someday, but why is it in Duke Hildebon's hands?
Ephna, with her hands neatly gathered, swallowed hard.
"That's a pure literature title. It must have been a mistake, a mistake when I gave you the request for a visit. Really."
It's a novel about purely taking revenge, so it's not wrong.
At Ephna's words, he met her gaze. Beneath his black hair, his leisurely yet sharp eyes were reminiscent of a black panther.
"Teacher, do you know what my job is?"
"You are Duke Hildebon."
"Before that."
Duke Hildebon's job, according to the high society information she had scraped together, was...
"...Commander of the former Naval Headquarters of the allied kingdom of Lydes."
He was a soldier. He specialized in taking the heads of rebels!
It was a unique worldview. It wasn't a modern era with developed cars, but there were soldiers. It was just a title, and the essence was closer to a mercenary.
"If you sent me this knowing that, it's intriguing."
"It's a mistake. Really!"
I'm screwed. To put it more strongly, I'm fucked. I made a misunderstanding with someone I shouldn't have misunderstood.
She desperately clung to Kaiden with a serious face.
"Every morning at six o'clock, I start my day with prayers for the peace of the empire. I also pray that the rebels stub their little toes on the doorsteps."
That's a lie. I'm too busy praying that a natural disaster will happen so I can't go to work.
"I said intriguing, not a trigger."
You don't have to explain it like that.
Ephna glanced at his waist. The well-made revolver was enough to make her heart flutter.
Noticing her gaze, he took the revolver out of his waist and threw it down casually.
"Is that enough? I'm unarmed now. So don't tremble, and if you have any plans for treason, tell me anytime. So, you said you had something to say about Banteid today."
Before he changed his mind and picked up the revolver again, she quickly nodded.
"Ah, yes! That's right."
"By the way, I haven't forgotten the advice you gave me last time. Not to leave the child alone."
Did he feel offended because a mediocre kindergarten teacher gave him advice? He's holding a grudge.
Ahem. Ephna cleared her throat once and replied.
"That's a relief. Ah! How is Banteid doing?"
"Yes. He's sobbing because he can't eat chocolate."
"Oh dear..."
Banteid is having a tough fight. The man sitting in front of me must have banned chocolate. This devil Duke.
He opened his mouth with a peaceful face, unlike a devil.
"Feel free to speak."
"Then I'll get straight to the point."
The man, who was holding a teacup in a relaxed manner, looked up at her. Ephna spread out the documents in front of him and smiled brightly.
"I came here today because of this."
Loendel Kindergarten Admission Guide. Loendel Kindergarten Parent Guide. Loendel Kindergarten Curriculum...
She pointed to the elaborately spread-out documents. Confidently.
"I would like to recommend Banteid's admission to Loendel Kindergarten."
I have to keep the child from becoming the mastermind by staying by his side.
"In that case, I'm sorry, but it seems difficult."
"The admission process is..., what?"
I thought it was an acceptance because he said it in such a natural tone.
Ephna calmly asked, hiding her embarrassment.
"May I ask why?"
"Because it's not necessary."
Kaiden hurt Ephna's career with a harmless tone. But Ephna was more shocked that the man had rejected Loendel Kindergarten.
"Our kindergarten has a professional curriculum to educate children. It will definitely be helpful to Banteid."
"We have enough professional education now."
"It's also important to broaden your horizons by spending time with other children."
For the first time, he paused slightly.
'That's it.'
Yes, if you're family, there's nothing more worrying than your sibling's friendships. People living, in the end, it's all the same.
A relaxed smile appeared on her lips for the first time.
"I know Banteid is five years old this year. If he enrolls, he will probably be assigned to the class I'm in charge of. All the children in our Sunshine Class are very lively and get along well."
It wasn't a lie. From the beginning, fighting was how the Sunshine Class got along.
She just twisted it a little, just a little.
At Ephna's sweet temptation, Kaiden unbuttoned the first button of his shirt.
"That's certainly a good offer."
What is this lewd act? The temptation I made wasn't that kind of temptation.
"But teacher, I don't want Banteid to be bullied because he's a bastard."
A bastard?
'Ah, that's right.'
Banteid Hildebon. The child was a bastard born outside by the late Grand Duke.
The current Duke Hildebon and Banteid were half-brothers. Just like Lilien and Ephna in the old days.
Then it was understandable that he didn't want to send him to a kindergarten where all kinds of aristocratic children gathered. Lilien was also ignored in high society several times because she was the daughter of a mistress.
But that was Lilien's situation. The Sunshine Class, which Ephna controlled, was different.
She said with a kind smile.
"Don't worry about that."
The children in our class don't care about origin or title and are busy biting each other every day. They are the next generation of egalitarians.
Ephna handed a bundle of letters to Duke Hildebon.
"What is this? Teacher."
"These are letters written by the children in our class to welcome Banteid's admission. Open them."
She smiled brightly. Kaiden, who tilted his eyebrows languidly, opened one of the envelopes in front of him.
Maylin's letter had a pink background and yellow forsythia flowers.
The light reflected off the thin paper, and the large letters were visible to Ephna, who was sitting on the opposite side.
'It must start with a cute and cheerful greeting. Enough to make you want to enroll Banteid.'
She smiled secretly and peeked at the letter.
The first line was written in crooked handwriting.
To Park Tent.
'Is there something wrong with my eyes?'
I rub my eyes. She read each letter again.
To Park Tent.
It was the same. The female protagonist renamed the mastermind Park Tent.
"That's a great greeting."
Duke Hildebon said, tilting his head. For some reason, I had a feeling.
Banteid's chances of admission seem to have decreased slightly.
