Chapter 2
2
Khadien is the head of the most prominent noble family that supports the Empire.
He is not someone that a fallen noble like me can meet just because I want to.
‘Besides, Khadien doesn’t trust people, so he doesn’t keep many around him.’
I remember reading in a book that he is always burdened with excessive work because he has to be involved in every little detail himself.
Approaching him was not as easy as I thought.
‘Wait, come to think of it…….’
A piece of information quickly flashed through my mind as I pondered.
‘I think I vaguely heard that the Mercedes Ducal Family was looking for a live-in tutor recently?’
My father had received an offer a few days before he passed away.
Not only Mercedes Manor, but countless families had sent scouting offers, but I rejected them all.
‘Being a tutor doesn’t pay as well as being a merchant…….’
It would be a great honor to have guided a young ruler who will lead the Empire in the future, but what was important to me was not honor, but money.
Anyway, the important thing is that the Mercedes Ducal Family was looking for a live-in tutor.
The problem is…….
‘That was two weeks ago, though.’
Two weeks is enough time for them to have already found a new tutor.
‘But…….’
I had no other options.
My worry didn't last long.
I immediately hailed a carriage. And I shouted to the coachman who asked for my destination.
“Please take me to Mercedes Manor!”
The carriage quickly departed.
I engraved the information about the mastermind in my head while taking in the passing scenery.
Wait for me, mastermind. I'm coming.
* * *
Winston, the head butler of the Mercedes Ducal Family, was lost in thought as he looked at the sky full of dark clouds.
His heart, which would have been merely troubled in the past, felt a little different today.
‘I’m so relieved that a teacher has been found.’
It was because they had recently found a live-in tutor, whom they had been struggling to find for a while.
‘This teacher seems particularly motivated.’
A smile appeared on Winston’s face, but it turned downward the moment he thought of someone.
‘I wonder how long Young master will refuse to go to Academy.’
Vincent Mercedes, who is ten years old this year, should have been attending Academy right now.
However, for some reason, Vincent refused to go to Academy, and Winston, unable to simply abandon his education, recruited tutors.
Since Khadien, Vincent’s adoptive father, had given Winston all authority over education, Winston immediately brought in renowned elites to the Mercedes Manor.
Until then, Winston didn’t take it too seriously.
Rather, he thought it would be more efficient to organize classes with carefully selected elites.
That is, until Vincent kicked out the first tutor.
‘Huh?’
Following the first tutor, who ran away saying he couldn’t handle the Young master, the second tutor ran away in less than four days.
‘I don’t think I have the ability to teach the Young master!’
After that, as if they had planned it, every time they brought in a new tutor, they all ran out of the Mercedes Manor in tears before even a month had passed.
By then, Winston couldn’t help but admit it.
‘Young master is kicking out the tutors!’
According to one tutor he barely managed to hold onto, Vincent not only refused to attend classes but also used all sorts of malicious methods to drive out the tutors.
Those who were born in so-called prestigious families and raised like hothouse flowers on a stable path could not endure Vincent’s bullying.
To make matters worse, rumors about the ‘Devil Young master of the Mercedes Ducal Family’ spread, and no more applicants came.
It was obvious that if Academy was on hiatus and even home schooling was suspended, he would fall behind his peers.
Winston was increasingly sleepless with worry over the fact that the sole heir who would carry on the next generation of the Mercedes Ducal Family was not receiving any education.
‘Fortunately, we have a new teacher.’
The woman who came after seeing the advertisement he had posted with a desperate heart was a talented individual who graduated from the Imperial Academy with good grades.
Although her specs were a little lacking compared to the elites he had hired so far, Winston was simply glad that she had come to teach the ‘Devil Young master’ whom everyone avoided.
Winston hoped that this teacher would last a long time, but at that moment, as he was about to turn away.
“Butler!”
A servant rushed over.
Winston frowned at his reckless behavior and asked coldly.
“What is it?”
“T, that is.”
The servant, who was stammering, noticed Winston’s cold gaze and immediately lowered his head and said.
“W, we have a guest.”
“A guest?”
Winston tried to recall if he had any guests scheduled to come today.
But there was no such person. In other words, it was not a scheduled guest.
“The master will be returning soon, and you’re making a fuss over such a thing!”
Winston said sternly, and the servant looked aggrieved and replied.
“B, but they said they came to apply for the position of live-in tutor…….”
“Apply for the position of live-in tutor?”
He, who had been burning with anger, flinched.
Winston belatedly realized that he had not yet taken down the advertisement.
‘Oops.’
This was clearly his mistake.
‘I promised Young master that we would only hire one tutor.’
Vincent had kicked out so many tutors that they had promised to hire only one, but in return, he would no longer harass them.
Winston sighed.
It was clearly his fault for making someone take a pointless trip, so it was right for him to deal with it himself.
“Escort the guest to the drawing room and prepare some warm tea.”
The servant quickly returned.
Winston turned his steps towards the drawing room.
Wondering how to turn away the uninvited guest.
* * *
The drawing room, where I arrived with the servant’s guidance, was the epitome of splendor.
Everything that met the eye was an ultra-expensive item, as if trying to overwhelm me from the start.
Moreover, the management was so thorough that it was difficult to find even a tiny speck of dust on the snow-white marble floor.
‘This is Mercedes Manor.’
Even before I regained my memories, the prestige of the Mercedes Ducal Family was great.
As a joke, it was said that the current Empire was supported by the Imperial Family, the Temple, and the Mercedes Ducal Family.
The one and only family that dared to challenge the imperial power and the divine power. That was the Mercedes Ducal Family.
Even though I was quite familiar with the Mercedes Ducal Family, seeing its prestige in person was on a different level.
Suddenly, a sense of bitterness washed over me.
‘If I had this much wealth, wouldn’t my father still be alive?’
But I soon shook my head and cleared my thoughts.
Because there is nothing as meaningless as making meaningless assumptions and looking back on the past.
Instead.
‘He won’t die.’
I clenched my fist tightly.
Not long after the tea came out, someone came inside.
Graying hair with streaks of white, brown eyes that showed the depth of time, and a black butler’s uniform that was thoroughly tailored, unlike his gentle impression.
‘Head Butler Winston Gregory.’
I recognized him at once.
Head Butler Winston Gregory.
One of Khadien’s few closest aides in the original work and a key figure in managing the Ducal Family.
‘I expected it, but this man came out after all.’
I couldn’t help but feel nervous, but I greeted him with a natural smile.
“I apologize for making you wait. I am Winston Gregory, the head butler of Mercedes Manor.”
He greeted me with perfect etiquette.
I stared at him blankly for a moment.
Head Butler Winston Gregory.
Usually, when I say my name anywhere in the capital, including Winston, everyone makes a similar expression. Some even make openly embarrassed expressions.
‘There was such a big article about it.’
Baron Plington, who took his own life. The first discoverer was his only daughter.
The article, which was written in large letters and decorated the front page, was distributed throughout the Empire.
‘Still, he’s someone Khadien keeps by his side, so his expression management is thorough.’
Usually, they look at me with pity or suspicion.
Winston went straight to the point without any such signs.
“I have heard the purpose of your visit, Miss Plington.”
Winston looked embarrassed for a moment.
“However, I am sorry to say that we have already hired a new tutor. It is clearly my fault for not taking down the advertisement in advance, causing you to make a pointless trip.”
He stood up from his seat and bowed to me.
“I will definitely compensate you for making a wasted trip.”
He was very apologetic.
In other words, he had no intention of negotiating.
‘I was worried, but it ended up like this after all.’
I looked at Winston, who was bowing, and slowly got up from my seat.
Then, I smiled gently and shook my head.
“I should have come sooner, but the timing was off. I don’t need compensation.”
Winston’s eyes flashed with surprise for a moment when I readily agreed.
Why, did you think I would stick around and try to hold on somehow?
I looked at him with a face that showed I wasn’t disappointed at all.
Winston paused for a moment, then lowered his head and said.
“Thank you for understanding. I will escort you to the door.”
“Would you?
I passed Winston with a light step.
And the moment I was about to go out the door.
Thud.
Something fell from my bag.
Winston hurriedly bent down.
“I’ll pick it up for you…….”
However, Winston couldn’t continue speaking when he saw what I had dropped.
I smiled slightly as I looked at Winston’s eyes, which had widened as if they would burst.
What I dropped was the Ruby Certificate, which is awarded to only one top graduate per class at the Imperial Academy.
