Chapter 45
45
Princess Teacher
“Um, is that your father, Teacher?”
A young boy who had been blinking his eyes muttered in a voice thick with tension.
“No way! He doesn’t look anything like our teacher!”
The girl, a bit smaller than the boy, was on the verge of tears. The reactions of the other children huddled behind Leila were much the same. When Bill Lemmer appeared, they jumped in fright, their eyes widening, before shrinking back behind Leila in fear.
It was a familiar reaction, so Bill took it in stride. He absolutely despised noisy, squirming children, but Leila had asked him for a special favor. Just for today, he was to guide the schoolchildren on their field trip through the forests of Arbis. It didn’t look like it would go smoothly, though.
“Kids, Uncle Bill is a good man.”
Leila soothed them with a smiling face. Bill bared his teeth in a grin. The little scaredy-cat girl from moments ago burst into tears at the sight.
“Damn it! What the hell did I even do…….”
“Uncle!”
Leila quickly cut off Bill’s rather rough lament and knelt down in front of the crying child. Bill, unable to laugh or scowl, wore an awkward expression as he eyed the little ones warily.
“Uncle Bill is a really good man, and he’s going to show us the forest.”
Once the child in her arms stopped sobbing, Leila continued her earnest explanation.
“We’re going to learn about the flowers and trees that live in the forest with Uncle. Doesn’t that sound fun?”
The children looked utterly unconvinced by their teacher’s words but nodded reluctantly anyway.
What a bunch of annoying little brats.
Shaking his head, Bill took the lead and started walking. Leila and the children soon followed.
“You know, the first time I saw you, you were about their size.”
A sudden memory from the past softened Bill’s mouth.
“No, Uncle. These kids are all at least ten years younger.”
Leila wrinkled her nose in rebuttal.
“I was eleven then, and I was about to turn twelve soon.”
He’d thought it was a joke, but her tone and expression were quite serious. Just like that child from back then, who would stand on tiptoe while insisting on her age.
Heh heh heh.
Bill simply laughed, just as he had that day. Gazing at his Leila, who had grown from that tiny child who hated being called small into a young lady.
Matthias returned to the estate a little after one o’clock.
The carriage carrying Duke Herhardt sped past the manor toward the annexe by the river. The driver and attendant were taken aback by the unusual order, but considering it was the day the village school children were on a field trip, it made sense. Such charitable outings were usually the lady of the house’s domain, but that didn’t mean the duke couldn’t get involved.
As the carriage passed through the forest path and reached the riverbank, sunlight poured in once more. The vividly colored autumn leaves in the woods and the sparkling river stretched out on either side of the road. Arbis boasted breathtaking scenery year-round, but the most splendid beauty settled in during autumn, without a doubt.
Matthias gazed at the estate’s landscapes flashing by the carriage window with a touch of unfamiliarity.
The Arbis he knew was wrapped in verdant summer greenery or quietly blanketed in winter snow. In the spring at age twelve, his father passed away, leaving him the title. By summer’s end that year, he had entered school in the capital. Afterward, spring and autumn were spent in Ratz, summer and winter in Karlsvar—a life divided between the two cities.
“It’s been a long time since you’ve seen Karlsvar’s autumn, hasn’t it, Your Grace?”
The driver ventured cautiously, watching the duke peer out the window.
“Yes. It has.”
Matthias replied with a smile as warm as the autumn sun.
He thought back to the autumn when he was eleven. Even after so many long years, his life then didn’t feel much different from now.
Matthias had been raised as the family heir from the moment he was born. And as raised, he became Duke Herhardt. Aside from the timing coming sooner than planned, it had simply followed the predetermined path. It would continue that way, and the life of the next Duke Herhardt he and Claudine would have would be no different—just as his life was no different from his father’s.
Matthias withdrew his gaze from the autumn scenery that felt both unfamiliar and familiar unfolding beyond the carriage window. The carriage soon came to a stop at the pier where the annexe stood. As the driver opened the rear door, the sound of children laughing and chattering drifted over.
Stepping out of the carriage, Matthias turned toward the noise. The children from that morning were walking along the riverbank.
His gaze passed over the gardener following behind them and stopped on Leila—her face radiant with a smile like the afternoon autumn sunlight. She spotted him soon after. Leila was dressed in a blouse adorned with a wide lace collar and a skirt as red as the maple leaves. It was an outfit befitting a teacher. Of course, everything else was still rather clumsy.
Buttoning his jacket, Matthias strode forth into the autumn sunlight.
“Oh my. Is that Duke Herhardt?”
Teacher Grever, who was also the mother of two of the children and in charge of the upper class, asked in surprise upon seeing him approach.
“It’s my first time seeing him this close up! He’s so much more handsome than in the newspapers!”
Before Leila could respond, she whispered excitedly. At Teacher Grever’s reaction, Leila was struck anew by Duke Herhardt’s fame. His photo appeared in the papers constantly, and he was the object of admiration and respect from everyone in the city. To Leila, he was just that utterly madman of a man, but objectively speaking, Matthias von Herhardt certainly was.
“By the way, Teacher Llewellyn…….”
Just as Teacher Grever was about to say something, the duke stopped in front of them.
“Hello, Your Grace.”
Bill, who had been tussling with the children, hurried over to bow, and Teacher Grever followed suit. Leila, still stewing over the humiliation from last weekend, bowed late.
I should have thrown that bulb at him.
On the way back from the greenhouse that day, Leila had been filled with bitter regret. Even if she could turn back time, she couldn’t imagine committing such an outrageous act, but entertaining the thought at least soothed her wounded feelings.
“Would you introduce her, Miss Llewellyn?”
As their eyes met when she raised her head, Matthias made the polite request. His refined and courteous demeanor left Leila dumbfounded. It felt like she was looking at an entirely different man.
Is this how Duke Herhardt appears to everyone else’s eyes?
The thought made her even more exasperated.
“L-Leila?”
The flustered Bill tapped her back lightly, like knocking.
“Y-Yes? Oh…… yes. Your Grace.”
Snapping to her senses, Leila clasped her stiff hands tightly below her navel.
The indignation from that weekend afternoon, when she couldn’t bring herself to throw the bulb, revived as a firm resolve not to yield. She needed to show that Leila Llewellyn was now a proper adult, no longer some forest child the duke could torment at will.
Leila tried to maintain a mature expression and tone as she introduced Teacher Grever to the duke. She also gently explained to the wide-eyed, curious children who Duke Herhardt was. Most of it was things she couldn’t agree with, but since it was the accepted truth, she went along with it. Speaking her honest mind would mean using words harmful to the students.
“Thank you so much for allowing our autumn field trip, Your Grace.”
Buoyed by the confidence of having done well, Leila met the duke’s eyes with rather bold gaze. She lifted her chin just enough not to be rude and squared her shoulders.
“Thanks to you, the children are having a wonderful time.”
Leila put soft emphasis on ‘children’ to remind him of her position as their teacher.
“Hmm.”
The corner of Matthias’s mouth, who had been listening silently, quirked up slightly.
“It seems Miss Llewellyn is the one having the enjoyable time.”
“……Pardon?”
Leila countered in disbelief, but Matthias offered no reply. He merely looked at her for a moment before letting out a short chuckle—that was all. In stark contrast to that brief crooked attitude, he was elegant and courteous as he greeted Teacher Grever and the children.
Once the duke departed, his attendant and driver turned to leave as well. Leila stared thoughtfully at their retreating backs heading toward the riverside annexe. Unable to grasp the meaning of the duke’s words, it was unexpectedly Teacher Grever who provided the answer.
“Um, Teacher Llewellyn.”
“Yes!”
“Your hair…….”
“Pardon?”
Teacher Grever’s awkward gaze pointed above Leila’s head.
“My hair? What about my hair…….”
Leila, with a puzzled expression, touched her head, and her face froze in an instant. Her fingertips felt soft flower petals and blades of grass.
The flower crown!
Leila finally realized she was wearing a flower crown. Monica, the youngest student and the one who followed Leila most devotedly, had picked wildflowers Uncle Bill taught them about and made it for her.
“I was going to tell you earlier, but then the duke arrived so suddenly.”
Teacher Grever added apologetically. Leila, stunned like someone who had lost her wits, could only blink.
So I strutted around pretending to be all grown up looking like this.
Recalling that fact nearly brought on one of Uncle Bill’s favorite rough laments. If it weren’t for the children, she surely would have let it slip.
“It’s fine, Teacher.”
Monica, the culprit who had given her the flower crown, beamed proudly.
“You look pretty! Like a princess.”
Emboldened by Monica’s conviction, the other children nodded along.
Heh heh heh heh.
Leila now perfectly understood why Uncle Bill laughed like that when he was flabbergasted. If shame could kill, Leila Llewellyn might have breathed her last that beautiful autumn afternoon.
“No need to be so embarrassed.”
Bill chuckled heartily and patted her shoulder affectionately.
“It’s a bit embarrassing, sure, but you haven’t committed any crime, have you?”
His words offered no comfort whatsoever, and Leila’s cheeks flushed red as a ripe apple. Then, a greater and crueler trial arrived.
“Mr. Lemmer! Miss Llewellyn!”
Mark Evers, the attendant who had left with the duke, returned with a cheerful smile.
“His Grace invites the children on the field trip to the annexe. He’d like to have tea together. Of course, both teachers and Mr. Lemmer as well.”
Waaaaah!
The children’s ecstatic cheers rang out clearly. Teacher Grever was grinning from ear to ear, and even Uncle Bill didn’t look displeased.
Amid everyone’s joy, Leila clutched her flower-crowned head and gazed up at the sky.
Even if shame couldn’t kill, it would be nice if it could at least make her faint.
She wished desperately, but Leila’s mind remained as clear and bright as that blue autumn sky.
