TPOVF 01

Chapter 01

It was cold.

Yurenia quietly clenched her fist in the silence. Her fingertips were so cold from the chill that they felt frozen solid.

This was the office of Chester Grayson Valerio, the head of the Valerio Duchy, which boasted the highest power in the empire.

The office was as neatly arranged as it had been four months ago, when Yurenia first met him.

A fire burned gently in the fireplace, and the warm autumn sunlight streamed in through the large windows.

So it should have been warm.

But oddly enough, Yurenia felt the icy chill of midwinter.

“……”

Because of the man with the cold, expressionless face who had been maintaining a heavy silence for some time.

The man’s cold face, with his black hair swept back without a single strand out of place, betrayed no emotion.

‘Did something upset him?’

Yurenia pursed her lips and studied the Duke carefully.

But his eyes were calm, not angry. There was no movement in his sharp, upturned eyes.

The only thing that moved were his gleaming dark blue irises.

‘Come to think of it, he really does look like a statue.’

Yurenia thought, looking at the Duke’s full lips, from which not even a breath escaped.

A terrifyingly handsome man.

Her impression of him hadn’t changed since the first time she saw him.

But Chester’s appearance wasn’t her concern. Chester Valerio was Yurenia’s employer.

Her employer, who was even higher than the Lord, no less.

And a most generous and gracious employer who paid five times the market rate…

“All A’s.”

A low, heavy bass voice resonated through the quiet stillness.

As her gracious employer finally spoke, Yurenia straightened her posture.

Our lord has finally finished reviewing his nephew’s report card.

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Yurenia spoke gently, smiling warmly.

“Young Master Kailus has a much quicker grasp of things than other children his age. So I plan to switch his textbook to ‘Understanding Imperial History’ soon.”

“‘Understanding Imperial History’? Isn’t that a book for children?”

Chester’s eyes narrowed sharply upon hearing the title of the textbook.

A sharp gaze that would have made his aide immediately cower was fixed on Yurenia.

But she remained composed.

If she were intimidated by this much, she wouldn’t have lasted four months in this fearsome ducal residence.

“You’re absolutely right.”

Yurenia recited her prepared answer skillfully.

“From Your Grace’s perspective, it may seem that way. But Young Master Kailus is only seven years old. Moreover, ‘Understanding Imperial History’ is a textbook for second-year intermediate students at the Academy.”

“Second year.”

“Yes, so the pace is quite fast. He’s four years ahead of the Academy curriculum.”

“…Hmm.”

Chester put down the report card and stroked his sharp jawline.

Yurenia maintained her smile throughout. But inwardly, she was anxious about her employer’s indifferent reaction.

‘Couldn’t you at least praise him a little?’

To react that way to his nephew’s excellent grades. Even if the child were present, it was clear he wouldn’t offer a single word of praise, not even a glance.

Truly indifferent, as always.

No wonder Kailus was growing up to be such a twisted young man.

‘Still, it’s much better than in the original work.’

Yurenia wore a proud expression as she thought of her beloved student, Kailus.

Unlike the devastated male lead of the original story, the boy was growing up bright and cheerful.

Perfectly desirable.

Because in the original, Kailus would have become a madman.

‘Obsessive Bondage.’

This novel, with its ominous title from the very beginning, was the high-steam romance fantasy into which Yurenia had been reincarnated.

The original work was a notoriously dark, high-steam 19+ romance fantasy, so intense it was famous for its ‘mala’* flavor.

*T/N: ‘Mala’ refers to the spicy, numbing flavor of Sichuan cuisine, used here metaphorically to describe the intense, overwhelming nature of the original story.

The male lead of the novel was none other than Chester’s nephew, Kailus Valerio.

Yes, the very Kailus that Yurenia was now teaching.

According to the original story, he was left by his mother at age seven and entrusted to his uncle, Duke Chester Valerio. And he grew up lonely amidst utter neglect.

The novel didn’t mention Duke Chester much. Because he was a cold caretaker.

The Duke didn’t even show the child the minimum amount of attention.

He didn’t even bother to wonder why Kailus kept throwing tantrums and asking for new tutors.

He simply changed the tutor without question.

Eventually, the tutor position became vacant, but he didn’t hire a replacement.

He had simply forgotten about his nephew’s existence.

As a result, Kailus grew up lonely for a very long time without anyone to care for him.

And the result…

‘Kail became a walking disaster.’

The male lead of the original novel, Kailus, was the so-called ‘trash male lead.’

Whenever Kailus hurt the heroine, Emilia, with harsh words, the comment section was flooded with furious comments asking if the male lead had a rag stuffed in his mouth.

└ Male lead, just don’t talk.

└ Male lead and heroine, please talk. No, please don’t talk.

Such sarcastic remarks appeared in every single chapter.

But!

‘Now that I’ve possessed this body, that kind of tragedy won’t happen anymore.’

Yurenia’s eyes shimmered with a peculiar light.

She had always felt frustrated whenever people criticized the male lead.

Kailus was just bad at expressing his emotions. He had a kind face and an even kinder heart.

If the problem was that he was neglected as a child, then all she had to do was take good care of him so he wouldn’t be neglected.

All he needed was a little attention.

So Yurenia became Kailus’s tutor. And she showered him with warm love and attention.

Thanks to Yurenia’s efforts, the child was growing up right. It was only a matter of time before Kailus became a gentle male lead.

If only this man wouldn’t keep interfering.

“It seems there’s a misunderstanding. I didn’t call you here because of a report card like this.”

“Then?”

Yurenia looked flustered at the Duke, who casually dropped the report card.

What other reason could a parent have for calling a tutor besides grades?

“Are you asking because you don’t know?”

Duke Chester stared at her intently, one corner of his mouth quirking up. As Yurenia blinked blankly, he let out a soft sigh.

“I forgot. You’re only interested in your student, aren’t you?”

He spoke in a languid tone and rose from his seat.

As the tall man straightened up, Yurenia’s gaze shot upward.

“It’s rather disappointing, you know.”

“…Pardon?”

She tilted her head back, straining her neck as she looked up.

There was a gap of over two spans* in their heights. So she had no choice but to look up this way.

*T/N: A ‘span’ is an old unit of measurement, roughly the distance between the tip of the thumb and the tip of the little finger when the hand is fully stretched, about 9 inches or 23 centimeters.

His sleek, high-quality custom-made shoes trod across the rug, and his long, straight legs moved slowly toward Yurenia.

“I called you because I wanted to hear your answer.”

Yurenia.

His low voice, added like a whisper, tickled her ear.

They drew close enough to hear each other’s breath, and Chester Valerio lowered his gaze. He stared intently at his slender tutor.

Hair the color of milky tea with a hint of beige.

Beneath the simple hair tie that held it tightly in place, thick curls cascaded down.

Chester quietly moved his eyes. His blue eyes gleamed sharply, as if stalking prey.

“So, answer me. Have you decided, Tutor?”

“Ah, if that’s what you mean…”

Yurenia’s milk-white skin flushed red under his intense gaze.

Just as Chester was gazing at her delicate features, mesmerized…

“I’m sorry.”

A clear voice caught his attention.

“My decision hasn’t changed.”

“……”

“Though I am deeply honored and grateful, I must decline Your Grace’s proposal.”

Decline?

At the respectful but firm refusal, Chester’s thick eyebrows twitched.

His broad chest expanded slowly as he inhaled, and his eyes, looking down at the tutor, flashed.

“It seems there’s a misunderstanding. What I said last time wasn’t a simple proposal.”

Chester took a step closer to Yurenia. And he lowered his head, bringing his lips to her ear.

“What I said was…”

BANG!

“Uncle!”

Just as the tense Yurenia drew in a breath.

The heavy door to the office swung wide open, and a black-haired boy who looked just like Duke Chester appeared.

A miniature version of the Duke at first glance, but a much more lovable and cute boy flashed his sharp, emerald-green eyes.

“See! I knew this would happen!”

“…Tch.”

Chester clicked his tongue softly at his nephew’s appearance and turned his head.

Kailus stomped over angrily, planting himself between the two adults. And he glared at his uncle, whose build was easily twice his size.

“Uncle, did you propose to my tutor again?”

“Kail!”

Yurenia was shocked by the outrageous words that came out of Kailus’s mouth. But the boy ignored her and shouted.

“You can’t have her! Wake up from your dream!”

Kailus crossed his arms, making an X shape to emphasize his point, and glared at his uncle.

Watching her student, who was proclaiming with his entire body that he opposed this marriage, Yurenia swallowed a groan.

How did things end up like this?

She had only intended to raise Kailus, the original male lead, properly.

She had gotten entangled with the original male lead’s uncle.

And quite disastrously at that!