I’m the Youngest Daughter of the Serpent Family
Chapter 25
At that, stifled snickers broke out all around. The vassals were doing everything they could to hold back their laughter.
Some stared into the far distance, while others let out long, deep sighs.
Just then, someone strode over to my side.
It was Durias, whom I had run into in front of the dining hall not long ago. Covering his mouth with a gloved hand, he composed his expression and met my eyes. His golden gaze sparkled with mischief.
"My word. Weren't you just talking about being a baby bird repaying a debt of gratitude? It looks to me like the young lady is trying to wash her hands of it right away."
"Iwin isn't doing dat!"
"Well, that's a relief then."
Smirking, Durias feigned a sigh of relief.
Kaid, who had been carrying me through the corridor for a long time, came to a halt. Before I knew it, we had arrived outside my room on the second floor.
Setting me down from his arms, Kaid stared at me quietly before flicking my forehead lightly without hurting me.
Ouch.
"I have no idea what goes on inside that little head of yours. You don't need to pay me back, so just figure out what you're going to spend your next allowance on."
My eyes widened round.
Did that mean he was going to give me an allowance again next time?
* * *
"Wosawia! Iwin is back!"
When I excitedly opened the door and stepped inside, Rosaria was talking to someone I had never seen before.
Who is that?
Rosaria, who had been conversing seriously, greeted me warmly and gestured for me to come over.
I pattered over to Rosaria's side.
"Lady Irene, did you have fun?"
"Ung. I was with Papa and den came back."
While dutifully answering Rosaria's question, I examined the woman seated across from us.
"This must be the young lady, Lady Irene, whom I will be teaching from now on."
"Yes. Lady Irene, say hello. This is Teacher Casana, who will be conducting your foundational education from now on."
Teacher?
I looked at Casana with curious eyes. Carrying a calm impression, she had laid out a piece of paper that looked like a schedule.
I hadn't learned how to read yet, so I couldn't read the text, but seeing it divided into multiple boxes made it look just like one.
"Iwin is gonna study?"
"Yes. You're looking forward to it, aren't you? Young Master Seth and Young Master Arvan are taking lessons as well. Now you'll be doing it too, Lady Irene."
Hearing that Seth and Arvan were doing it too instantly caught my interest.
"What kind of study are we doing?"
"We will be conducting it through simple play-based education."
"Togedder with oppas?"
"Your curriculum is different from the two young masters, my lady. There was a special instruction from the head of the family."
I was disappointed to hear that I couldn't take lessons with the two of them, but my head snapped up at the mention of Kaid's special instruction.
Casana set down her teacup and began to explain.
"Originally, heir education requires everyone to undergo the exact same curriculum without exception. However, considering the young lady is still very young, it was determined that the lessons the two young masters are receiving would be too difficult for you. They are a bit... rough, you see."
Just what kind of lessons were they taking for them to be called rough?
Recalling Arvan entering and leaping out through the window last time, I had a rough idea of what kind of lessons they were receiving.
"It seems that matter weighed heavily on his mind. The head of the family requested an overhaul of the entire curriculum."
What a relief. It would have been troublesome if they took me to the forest and told me to rip a whole tree out by its roots.
Casana seemed relieved when I showed an attitude of acceptance.
She must have been worried about what to do if I threw a tantrum demanding to receive the same lessons.
"Now that your curiosity has been satisfied, I shall take my leave for today. The lessons will begin every day at two in the afternoon, so please see to it, Lady Rosaria."
"I will do so."
"Then I will see you again tomorrow, Lady Irene. You may feel free to call me Casa."
Casana rose from her seat. Having missed the timing to say goodbye, I hurriedly reached out and grasped Casana's finger firmly.
"Casa, bye-bye. Good nightie."
"My goodness, Lady Irene is so polite."
Having her finger caught, Casana flinched and looked back at me. She seemed not to have expected me to run up and take her hand.
"Iwin will study vewy hard. To be smawt."
"I see. I'll look forward to a fun lesson tomorrow."
Casana left the room with a faint smile on her face.
* * *
Beneath the darkened sky.
Black-hooded figures appeared before the mansion.
An overwhelming pheromone surged around them. It was a presence that showed precisely what it meant to be intimidating just by existing.
Despite traveling from the border all night without rest, they showed no signs of fatigue.
"We've finally arrived."
"Whoa, coming back from the wasteland really makes it feel like returning home, doesn't it?"
The man who spoke energetically took a deep breath. The familiar air awakened sensations he had forgotten in the meantime.
"I know it's a special feeling, but don't act rashly. From now on, I will inform you of the precautions."
The man standing at the very front warned them as he pulled a sheet of paper marked 'Precautions' from his pocket.
It was something Rosaria had sent in advance.
The items marked with red stars were the highest-priority rules to observe. Scanning the precautions with a grave expression, he began to read aloud in order from the very first line.
"First, suppress your pheromones as much as possible in front of Lady Irene."
At that, the distinct pheromones that had been surging wildly fell silent, as if holding their breath.
"Second, escort her without taking your eyes off her for even a moment, as if hunting prey."
"I'm confident in that, of course."
"By the way, I don't really get the concept of escorting. Can someone explain it to me?"
Since the moment they cracked out of their eggs, receiving protection had been entirely foreign to them, so even pronouncing the word felt utterly awkward rolling off their tongues.
A brief silence fell, and someone spoke up in an unsure voice.
"...Isn't it just watching her, and if there's someone bothersome, dragging them off to deal with them? That's usually how we handled things that came near our prey."
"Huh? That's how I understood it too. That's probably about right, isn't it?"
Chatter broke out as trivial banter went back and forth.
Casting a pathetic look their way, the man continued reading the remaining precautions.
"Third, prioritize defense over attack in unavoidable situations."
"Okay."
"Fourth, Lady Irene is frail, so handle her more gently than handling downy feathers. Lastly..."
Three stars were drawn beside it, marking it as the most important.
Thinking it was childish beyond belief, he mechanically read through the final item.
"Do not reveal yourselves unless it is an emergency."
As they were already infamous at the border as the gatekeepers of the South, if it became known that they had gathered to coincide with the banquet, the surrounding factions would take issue with it regardless of their intentions.
Once the precautions were fully understood, the black figures vanished from the spot in an instant.
It had been a mere two days since Kaid's recall order had been issued.
* * *
Today was the day of my very first lesson with Casana.
With an excited heart, I drew pictures in my sketchbook while waiting eagerly for the time to come.
As I drew colorful clouds and a large house while waiting for the lesson hour, a knock sounded at precisely two o'clock.
Knock, knock.
Rosaria, who had been preparing simple refreshments for the lesson, approached.
"The teacher seems to have arrived, Lady Irene!"
"Iwin will go!"
"Shall we open it quickly so the teacher doesn't have to wait?"
"Ung!"
The crayon I hastily set down rolled across the floor.
Having been sprawled on the carpeted floor, I sprang to my feet. Then, sprinting toward the door, I shouted.
"Iwin is comin' out!"
Reaching the door, I pulled the doorknob down, and Casana came into view through the gap.
Holding lesson materials, Casana had her pale red hair tied up in a single ponytail and was dressed in a formal suit just like yesterday.
Beaming brightly, I grasped Casana's hand and led her inside.
"Iwin was waitin' for Casa!"
"Is that so? Shall we put away what you were doing to one side?"
"Yes!"
I neatly put away the toys scattered messily on the floor, returning them one by one to where they belonged.
Watching me do so, Casana praised me lightly.
"You are very good at tidying up."
"Did Iwin do good?"
"Yes. I shall give you a praise sticker."
Casana took out a sheet of paper with a drawing of grapes on it. A single green caterpillar sticker was placed onto an empty space.
When I couldn't take my eyes off it, Casana handed the paper to me.
"This is yours from now on, Lady Irene."
"Iwin's?"
"Yes. Lady Irene will be managing it from now on. When you've filled it all up, please let me know. I will give you a present."
"Waah!"
Suddenly, the grape drawing looked like a bundle of presents.
Besides, I get to manage this all by myself!
Grabbing the paper, I hurriedly ran over to the treasure chest where I stored my snacks.
Inside, along with snacks, were filled with items I usually treasured dearly.
I should keep it in here.
Folding the paper into quarters, I placed it inside the box and carefully closed the lid.
"Is that where you keep your precious belongings, Lady Irene?"
"Yes. It's Iwin's tweasure."
