Chapter 3.2

‘Oh, uh.’

Being speechless seems to be used at times like that. She was so surprised that she forgot that it was rude and she kept staring at Burns. No, Count Burns.

‘Oh my gosh. Count?’

It seems that her mother was also speechless for a moment. She paused and then said with a smile on her face.

“Oh my God, it’s a ramp. Which estate would you receive?”

Wisdom-hit. Not all nobles had estates. And not all titles could be passed on to children. However, if he was a count, he may also have estates and pass them on to his children like my father.

She held her breath watching the conversation between her mother and Burns, or Count Burns. Then, all of a sudden, she realized that it was a good thing. Reality was getting further and further away from her dreams. Because Burns in the dream treated her mother and Oliver like enemies. At that point, it didn’t look like Burns would kill her mother and brother.

“Probably Lambert.”

Count Burns spoke politely, and her mother nodded her head. ‘Where was Lambert?’ said Oliver as she recalled a geography class she had taken years ago.

“Welcome to this side, Count Burns.”

Count Burns smiled and nodded at Oliver. She guessed she should say something too. But she didn’t know what to say, so she opened and closed her mouth.

‘Congratulations? Are you okay?’ She had to say something so she said hurriedly.

“You will be making your debut in the social world.”

Count Burns’ gaze turned to her. He looked at her curiously and smiled.

‘Oh my god.’

That facial expression change was really, really awesome. As if turning on a light in a dark room, Count Burns’ face began to glow. He said, tilting his head.

“I don’t know social etiquette, so I’ll need some help.”

“In that case, our Eugenie can help.”

Oliver said before she could understand what Count Burns was saying. ‘Huh? What help?’ Her older brother said to her who was confused.

“When it comes to etiquette, no one knows it better than Eugenie. Isn’t it?”

She didn’t know if that was a joke or a compliment. Normally, it would have been a joke. Oliver always made fun of her for being inflexible. But he wouldn’t do the stupid thing of making fun of his sister in front of guests. Right?

As she looked at Oliver in silence and smiled, he said to Count Burns:

“Eugenie will be able to write you a decent list of teachers. A letter of introduction if you want.”

Oh, that was it. She internally let out a sigh of relief. As her older brother said, she had a list of etiquette teachers. That was all thanks to her mother, because she valued her daughter’s manners very much. Instead of attending an academy, she was taught by teachers handpicked by her mother. Among them, her mother paid the most attention to her etiquette education.

“I’ll write down a list of decent people.”

She said with a smile to Count Burns. Since Count Burns was an adult man, it would be good for the etiquette teacher to be a man of some age.

“Please. And if you don’t mind, there’s one more thing I’d like to ask of you.”

Count Burns, who had greeted her, turned to Oliver that said,

“Tell me anything. If I can help, I should help. You’re my junior ha ha ha.”

There it was, Oliver’s bravada.

She looked up at her mother and tried to roll her pupils. Of course she was just about to do it but didn’t actually do it.

A smile appeared on Count Burns’ face. But it felt a bit different than before. His face didn’t seem to glow or look soft.

“You know, I don’t know much about the social world. However, since I will receive a title, I will soon have something to invite guests to, and I will be able to receive visits from guests.”

That’s it. He was an upstart aristocrat who defeated the dragon and received a title. People will be interested in him. And if he was still single…

“Right. Count Burns, are you single? Maybe engaged?”

Oliver asked as if he had the same thoughts as her. When Count Burns said that he had no fiancé, her older brother grinned and said,

“There must be people who will go to you for reasons that are trivial. You should be able to politely decline it.”

A single man with a title was not very common. Besides, if he was even handsome like that, it’s almost at the level of a natural monument. She smirked at the thought of how many servants would come and go in Count Burns’ house. And when Count Burns’s eyes met her, she froze.

‘Oh, it must have been a strange face.’

It must have been a strange expression. It was because Count Burns had a funny expression on his face.

“I have to help. Don’t worry, Count Burns. I will be your guardian.”

Oliver? She tried not to roll her eyes. Guardianship was a pretty cumbersome position. Usually, it refers to a person who helps young aristocrats who have just made their debut in the social world. Of course, the guardian must introduce the person to the nobleman he had to take care of and accompany him to banquets and parties. Oliver and she were guarded by their parents, and since they were young, they learned social etiquette, so it wasn’t too difficult, but Count Burns was different.

Oliver had to teach and guide him from start to finish. But could her brother really do such a troublesome thing? The last time she attended the palace ball, her mother had to beg Oliver not to be late. But since Count Burns said thank you, she kept her mouth shut. She thought he picked the wrong person to ask. He was really pitiful.

“I will invite you to my house soon.”

After about an hour, Count Burns got up from his seat and said that. In the meantime, they heard that he was still staying at the palace and that he was looking for a place to live in the capital. Oliver and her mother advised him to throw a small party once he was crowned. Meanwhile, she compiled a list of etiquette teachers to be given to Count Burns.

“Here you go.”

She escorted him to the front door and handed him the paper she had written on. Among the most talented etiquette teachers in the capital, she wrote down the names and addresses of people who met the criteria. Of course, they were all men of a certain age.

“This is a list of etiquette teachers. You can just say that I introduced them to you.”

Count Burns had a look on his face as if  asking what that was, so she added quickly. Some of the people on the list have taught her and some not, but they know each other since they had exchanged opinions several times through letters regarding etiquette.

“Ah.”

Count Burns made an expression as if he had forgotten it, and then he grinned.

“Thank you, noble Lady Biscon.”

“I am not ‘noble’.”

She really needed to point that out. She spoke as softly as possible. A noble lady was a title given to a duke’s daughter or princess.

“My father is Countess Biscon, so I am Lady Biscon.”

Fortunately, Count Burns didn’t look upset. Well, if he was a person who accepts other people’s comments like that, it would have been okay if she had recommended Professor Currum, who she deliberately left out. Well, Professor Currum has a bit of a short temper.

“Okay. Thank you for teaching me, Lady Biscon.”

Count Burns said goodbye to her gently and took the paper in her hand. Then he got everything, including hers, into his hands. Because his hands were big she gently tried to remove her hand, but Count Burns asked, holding her hand.

“You could have given it next time.”

Her cheeks got a little hot when he asked why she was in such a hurry. To be honest, she still wanted to stay away from Count Burns. Even if he was very different from the dream, he had the same face as the murderer who killed her mother and brother in her dream. She couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable.

So she hurried and gave him the list now, that way there would be no reason to contact him again. But she couldn’t say that, so she made an appropriate excuse.

“You said you were planning to get a house soon and throw a little party. I think you need someone to help you.”

An etiquette teacher would be of great help to him. In particular, he’ld tell him that he shouldn’t hold the hand of a woman with whom he has nothing to do with his bare hands for so long.

“Excuse me.”

Fortunately, Count Burns apologized and let go of her hand, perhaps recognizing her gaze. It’s not that he was holding it too hard, but her hand was hot. She took a half step away from him and said.

“Well, I hope this helps.”

“Enough has been already done, Lady Biscon.”

Count Burns said that and smiled again. And he took one look at Oliver, who was standing behind her, and he said gleefully.

“Baron Biscon, I will receive a lot of your guidance in the future.”

Oliver must have liked the flattery words of Count Burns. Her older brother, who was standing behind her, smiled broadly, took a step forward, and spoke to Count Burns.

“Then. Don’t worry about the etiquette teacher. If you can’t find one, Eugenie will take responsibility and teach you.”

Who was that crazy brother? Startled, she stamped Oliver’s foot. Thanks to that, Oliver let out his moan, “Ugh,” and quickly backed away.

Who teaches who? She had no intention of hanging out with Count Burns any more. She turned her head, intending to tell him Oliver was just joking. And when she saw Count Burns’ expression, she hesitated involuntarily.

His eyes were shining. The cold blue eyes shone as if they were receiving light. But when she blinked, the light disappeared as if it had never been there.