Ch#105
Duke Kailun looked at Ibi more closely in surprise.
As he did, he recalled the information he had heard about the child.
In fact, information about Ibi Alden had once circulated in the imperial palace.
To be precise, it was right after Clois approved the child's admission documents, and it spread among the ministers.
Once it became known that she was truly an orphan with no connections to Clois or any nobles, no one paid much attention anymore.
'No need to dwell long on a rural orphan.'
Then, after the commotion at Yeongjae Academy led to Clois continuing as her guardian, more detailed information was compiled and delivered than before.
'She was definitely from the Orphanage in Elam City.'
Elam City was a small town at the easternmost edge of the empire's coastline.
It was extremely far from Soleil Territory, where Clois and Lilian had once lived.
The ends of the empire, so to speak.
'No way she could be from such a place...'
Then the duke realized he was making an absurd assumption.
'Why did I think Princess Evebien might be alive?'
There were plenty of people who resembled her.
Among the young children presented before Clois over the years, there had even been one who astonishingly resembled Lilian.
Compared to that child, Ibi actually looked less similar.
Still, her smiling face somehow kept bringing her to mind.
The duke's expression hardened for a moment as he ordered the head butler.
“Summon Riden.”
“Understood. He'll grumble about having to come to the main building twice today.”
“Twice? He came and went earlier?”
Riden was a retainer entrusted with handling the duke's family secret matters.
Yet he had already come and gone?
“Young Master Arcel summoned him right upon arrival.”
“I see. Then I'll have to ask Arcel about that separately. Anyway, please handle it.”
As the butler withdrew, the door to the annex opened meanwhile, and his wife emerged.
She then ran toward the two children with a smile.
“Heavens.”
The duke was genuinely surprised once again.
His wife often sighed wondering whose personality Arcel had inherited, but he inwardly thought it resembled hers in many ways.
She smiled, but drew clear lines with everyone.
Especially after seeing how much Arcel suffered as a child, she rarely met other children directly and sent them away appropriately.
“Ibi, what if you run ahead like that!”
“Eek! That tickles!”
The wife who ran up scooped Ibi into her arms and tickled her lightly.
Watching the giggling child and his wife's face overflowing with adoration for her, the duke was flustered once more.
She doesn't laugh like that when I return home...
'Just what kind of child is she?'
Making not only Arcel but even his wife so utterly smitten.
The current Duke Kailun did not yet know.
A few days later, he would seriously ask Ibi if she would consider becoming his daughter.
* * *
After touring the library, Ibi and Arcel had entered the adjacent building.
It was the music classroom run by the duchess.
Before marriage, she had been the most renowned musician in high society.
But because her family held a low title from a distant provincial territory, she was constantly ridiculed in social circles.
“Miss Sylvia, we're hosting a ball at our house—could you come play? We'll of course pay generously. It might help your family's circumstances a bit.”
Once it became known that her family was in hardship and that she had come to the capital's social scene specifically for marriage, more people treated her rudely with sneers like that.
Then, Duke Kailun—who was five years younger than her at the time—fell in love with her playing the piano alone in an empty ballroom after everyone had left.
“Lady, will you accept my proposal?”
“...Who are you?”
His mad courtship from then on eventually led to a successful marriage, a tale still legendary in high society.
Everyone thought she would stop making music after becoming the Duchess Kailun.
In the empire, women's music was treated as a light hobby before marriage.
“The Duchess Kailun is holding a recital with tea time!”
“She's still performing? I was disappointed I couldn't hear her at the engagement party.”
But contrary to expectations, the duchess continued practicing various instruments, passionately pursuing music, and the duke enthusiastically supported his wife's endeavors.
Thus, under the duchess's patronage, a music classroom for women was established in the Kailun family estate.
In just about 15 years, it had produced numerous renowned musicians, including two chief conductors of the imperial palace orchestra.
It was a place everyone coveted, and the duchess selected students quite strictly.
So when Arcel asked, she thought simply letting them touch instruments a few times would suffice.
Entering the practice room filled with various instruments, Ibi couldn't close her mouth.
Music classes hadn't started at Yeongjae Academy yet, so this was her first time seeing such instruments up close.
“Wow... it's bigger than me!”
Next to the large harp, Ibi circled around in wonder.
Then piano, cello... When she finally saw the violin, she rejoiced that there was one smaller than her.
The duchess quietly watched Ibi excitedly darting about.
'She hasn't touched a thing.'
Of course, Ibi wasn't the first child to enter here.
When the classroom occasionally opened to the public, many ladies brought their children hoping to get in somehow.
Even at an age where they should know better, most children touched the instruments without permission, without even asking if it was okay.
Touching was tolerable at least.
“This makes a funny sound!”
Some yanked strings improperly, while others damaged percussion instruments by striking them wrongly.
If they had only apologized afterward, but.
“Just buy a new one, right?”
They lifted their chins defiantly, looking at Sylvia as if unfairly scolded for nothing.
It was an attitude that would have turned into arguing back if she weren't the duchess.
After that, too many such children came, so recently she only admitted those who passed interviews and recommendations...
Ibi looked at various instruments, approached the piano, and cautiously asked Sylvia.
“Duchess, may I touch the instruments?”
So politely and carefully did she ask.
“Of course. Would you like to sit and try playing?”
At those words, Arcel quickly stepped forward.
“Ibi, shall I lift you onto the chair?”
“Yes!”
Ibi unhesitatingly reached out to Arcel, who carefully picked her up and seated her on the piano bench.
“But how... where do I start? If I press wrong, won't the piano go 'ow'?”
The duchess nearly covered her mouth at the sparkling-eyed question.
Not only polite, but a child who thinks of instruments this way.
Then she noticed her son quietly gazing at her from beside Ibi.
She knew instantly from his eyes.
The duchess smiled brightly and said.
“Then, Arcel, would you show Ibi first how to play the piano?”
* * *
Soon, tinkling piano notes filled the classroom.
“From here: do, re, mi, fa...”
Arcel taught Ibi piano in his mother's place.
Ibi listened intently to his explanation, then cautiously pressed a key.
Ding!
“It made a sound!”
Overjoyed at her first 'do,' Ibi gleefully moved her hands as Arcel taught.
Her small fingers danced over the white and black keys.
Up to there, it was just a heartwarming time.
The duchess was stunned starting from what came next.
“This part should sound like this.”
Ibi hummed a note, then pressed the key. It matched perfectly.
“Ibi, how did you... know that?”
The duchess asked in a trembling voice.
“Just, since it goes up by this much each time to the side.”
Then Ibi guessed where the notes on the sheet music Sylvia had opened were and pressed them accordingly.
“Music is connected to math, but to grasp it this quickly...”
Muttering in disbelief, she scooped Ibi up and said in a serious voice.
“After graduating Yeongjae Academy, won't you join our family?”
Her brown eyes sparkled earnestly.
