TPOVF 21

Chapter 21

Yurenia gripped the railing of the fence and opened her mouth.

“Would it be possible for Your Grace the Duke to teach magic to Young Master Kyle?”

“Me?”

“Yes!”

Her cherry-blossom-colored eyes sparkled brightly as she looked at Chester.

He was the head of the Valerio family, considered the most noble among the empire’s aristocratic houses. There was no one more suitable to teach magic to his heir, Kyle, as Kyle’s magical power was strong.

With Chester’s help, Kyle would be able to control his mana well.

“Aha! So that’s why you came!”

Just then, Kiernan, who had come out after getting dressed, spoke heartily. He must have even showered in the meantime, as droplets of water were dripping from the tips of his crimson hair.

“And me? What request do you have for me?”

“Swordsmanship and horsemanship. Would you be able to teach them to Young Master Kyle?”

“Absolutely possible.”

Kiernan grinned and said.

“When would you like the young master’s lessons to be? Just say the word.”

“Thank you so much, Sir Kiernan!”

“Ahahaha! Don’t mention it! Just call me Kiernan comfortably!”

“……Enzo is looking for you, Kiernan.”

Chester, who had been silently listening to Yurenia and Kiernan’s conversation, suddenly spoke. At the unexpected remark, Kiernan frowned and retorted.

“Huh? I don’t hear anything.”

“No, he’s looking for you right now.”

Chester said flatly and stared fixedly at Kiernan.

“Go.”

“…….”

“Hurry.”

“……Understood.”

Kiernan, who seemed to have a lot to say as his mouth opened and closed, bowed his head. He stuck out his lower lip and headed toward the mansion.

“Enzo! Sorry, sorry!”

Shouting the apology he had made earlier over and over.

‘Why is he like that?’

Yurenia tilted her head and gazed blankly at Kiernan’s retreating back. She didn’t know much, but Kiernan seemed like quite an eccentric person.

‘He looks normal enough…….’

“So. Have you set the schedule?”

A gentle voice reached Yurenia, who had been staring at the back of Kiernan’s head. She turned her eyes and answered.

“Not yet. I was going to tell Young Master Kyle that his magic, swordsmanship, and horsemanship teachers have been decided, and then set the schedule.”

Her heart pounded with anticipation as she answered Chester.

How happy Kyle would be when he heard this news.

The young child was still only taking indoor lessons with Yurenia. This was especially true recently, as he had been focusing on learning to read and write.

Within books are hundreds, thousands of worlds. Learning letters becomes the key to encountering that many worlds.

But there are also things that cannot be learned solely by reading books.

Things that can only be learned through direct experience.

And Kyle was also beginning to feel stifled by studying only inside his room. Though he focused well in class, he liked to run around and play actively like other children his age.

It was the perfect timing to receive help from Chester and Kiernan.

Now Kyle would be able to learn about a wider world.

After learning magic from the head of the Valerio family and swordsmanship and horsemanship from the knight commander, the child would grow another span.

“Speaking of which, I should go tell the young master this good news.”

Yurenia said with a bright smile. She let go of the railing she had been holding and was about to bow to the Duke, when he stepped forward and stopped her.

“I’ll go with you.”

“Will you?”

Yurenia’s eyes widened at the welcome suggestion.

The more time a parent spends with their child, the better—especially for a child like Kyle, who craves affection.

She had been wanting to ask the Duke to spend more time with the child anyway.

It was a relief that he was taking the initiative to approach the child.

“If Your Grace personally says he will teach magic, Young Master Kyle will be truly delighted.”

Yurenia said with genuine feeling and smiled. Her pink eyes, wearing a bright and fresh smile more dazzling than the morning sunlight, created a beautiful contrast with her green dress.

Chester, watching her, quietly clenched his fist.

As if trying to grasp something intangible.

“Really?”

Kyle asked, his eyes wide.

“Really, Uncle is going to teach me magic?”

“Yes.”

At Chester’s calm answer, Kyle’s heart pounded wildly.

He had wanted to learn magic for a long time. He often felt mana surging up willfully inside his body, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to restrain the mana from moving on its own.

It was frustrating.

He felt like he could do well if he only knew the method, but unfortunately, he couldn’t figure out that method.

But he couldn’t bring himself to ask the adults to teach him magic.

From the time Kyle’s memories began, the place where he lived was filled with sorrow, like a funeral parlor.

His father passed away, and not long after, Lillian suddenly fell ill.

Even before that, his mother, who had been preoccupied with his father’s illness, completely entrusted him to a nanny from that point on and shut herself in Lillian’s room.

One time, unable to sleep, he had snuck to his mother’s bedroom.

When he first walked down the long hallway toward his mother’s room, the young boy’s heart pounded with anticipation and excitement.

He thought he might finally be held in his mother’s arms, something he hadn’t felt in a long time.

But when he gently opened the bedroom door.

The boy realized just how immature he had been.

Through the crack in the door, along with faint light, his mother’s sobs leaked out.

His mother was praying fervently to someone.

Please, don’t take away any more precious people. If my life can be taken instead, I will give it—please watch over Lillian.

That night.

The boy ultimately couldn’t approach his mother.

Kyle quietly closed the door and shuffled back to his room.

He was ashamed.

Here he was, about to complain that he couldn’t sleep, while his little sister was fighting for her life.

Kyle curled his small body even smaller and forced himself to sleep.

And after that day, the boy stopped voicing what he wanted.

He tried his best to stay quiet and well-behaved, so as not to hurt his mother’s heart any further.

So naturally, he couldn’t utter such a leisurely wish as wanting to learn magic.

It was the same after coming here.

He was wary, afraid that his uncle might abandon him too, just as his mother had abandoned him here.

Especially since his uncle acted as if Kyle didn’t exist—keeping him in a place far from his own room and ignoring him.

So even though it was hard and lonely, he didn’t show it.

The mischief he played on his tutors was also a small desire for his uncle’s attention.

But no matter how many times he drove them away, his uncle remained indifferent.

Until Teacher Yurenia came.

“Thank you, Teacher.”

Kyle, overwhelmed with emotion, hugged Yurenia tightly.

Warm and cozy arms, just like his mother’s embrace—which he could barely remember now—held him.

“You should thank your uncle too, Kyle.”

“Thank you, Uncle.”

Kyle pulled away from his teacher’s embrace and approached Chester. The man lowered himself to meet Kyle’s eyes and gave him a faint smile.

“I’m strict, unlike your teacher. Can you keep up?”

“Yes!”

“Kyle is such an excellent student. Don’t worry.”

As Kyle answered vigorously, Yurenia chimed in from the side.

Chester, watching the heartwarming scene of his niece and nephew exchanging glances and laughing, asked sharply.

“But since when did you start calling Kyle so familiarly?”

“Ah, that’s…….”

“I told her to! Yo…….”

Chester stared intently at his nephew, who was shouting while stepping in front of Yurenia protectively.

The tiny thing, barely reaching his waist, was stepping forward to protect his teacher.

It was both audacious and admirable.