Chapter 53

Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi

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Chapter 53

Finally, the conversation was over.

“Thank you so much for taking the time today. It has helped me in many ways.”

The Duchess greeted warmly.

“No. I’m the teacher of young Master Elliot.”

“Then, please take good care of our Elliot from now on.”

She smiled brightly.

The teacher, who bowed his head, gathered his steps and ran out of the parlor.

“….”

Just before closing the door, the teacher glanced back without realizing it. There, the Duchess stood close to the window, watching Young Master Elliot train. She had a face that was deeply troubled.

The teacher, who watched her, the elegant side of her, could not hide his subtle expression.

‘She wasn’t that authoritative…as I think.’

In fact, the Duchess, according to the teacher, was a polite and smiling lady. As expected, are the rumors exaggerated?

But, to think Viscountess Ivan’s family has been shattered so easily…

The teacher tilted his head and left the townhouse.

***

Anriche has been taking a close look at Elliot recently.

‘Why… Is he training so hard?’

Looking at him, she narrowed her brow.

At the end of her gaze, there was Elliot, who was in full swing in swordsmanship training. The training ground where the dusk landed was so dark that it was difficult to distinguish objects.

‘…Elliot, he seems to be overdoing it.’

Not surprisingly, it was around two in the afternoon when Elliot first got down to the training ground. It was as if he had been locked up in the training ground for almost five or six hours. Even Liliana, who was greedy for swordsmanship, didn’t train too much.

Thinking he was going to dry up like that, Anriche set her feet on the training ground.

“Elliot!”

“…Mom?”

Elliot looked back at Anriche, sweating like rain.

Oh my god, what if you get dehydrated like that?

Anriche wiped Elliot’s sweat with a worried expression.

“Isn’t it too late? Are you going to skip dinner, too?”

“No, it’s not…”

Still, Elliot didn’t want to let go of the wooden sword with ease.

Gazing at such a child, she could not hide her subtle expression.

‘Why do you look so anxious…?’

It’s like being chased by something…

“It’s good to train hard, but should it harm your health?”

After hearing those words, he nodded his head with a sullen expression. She watched Elliot tidy up the wooden sword.

Suddenly.

“El, Elliot?!”

A scream-like voice erupted from Anriche’s lips.

Elliot looked like he was going to stumble, but he just flopped on the floor.

***

“The fainting was due to overwork.”

The attending doctor, who had thoroughly examined Elliot, declared with a firm voice.

Anriche couldn’t close her open mouth.

No, she was worried that he might be seriously ill.

He just collapsed because of overwork…?!

“If he rests well, he’ll be fine.”

“Yes, Thank you.”

At his words, she nodded her head.

As soon as the doctor got out, Liliana rushed into the room.

“Mother.”

Liliana looked up at Anriche with a tearful face and asked, “Elliot, is he okay?”

“…Of course, it’s fine.”

Then, they heard a voice.

It was Elliot.

Although his face was pale, the characteristic playful expression was still alive.

Liliana, clinging to Elliot’s bed, glanced at him with a worried look on her face.

“Are you really okay?”

“Sure, of course.”

Elliot smirked at her.

Liliana puffed up her cheeks and gave a small whimper.

“You should get well soon, I want to train with Elliot.”

For a moment, Elliot’s expression hardened slightly.

‘What…?’

Anriche’s eyes widened slightly. But, in the next moment, Elliot played a prank on Liliana with a mischievous voice.

“Do you really want to train with me?”

“Sure!”

“Hmm, if Liliana even said that…”

The two children burst into laughter.

As usual, they were friendly.

Anriche, who was watching, narrowed her brows lightly as she peered quietly at them.

“…Did I get it wrong?”

After talking for a while, Liliana jumped out of the bed.

“Good night, Elliot.”

“You sleep well, too.”

Elliot saw Liliana off with a smiling face.

And so, Liliana left the room.

Anriche, who was looking at the sullen Elliot, suddenly asked a question. “Elliot, why are you pushing yourself this far?”

“Yes?”

“You’re putting aside classes related to the liberal arts and culture altogether and focusing only on classes like political science and swordsmanship.”

Politics, swordsmanship, military science, business administration…

These were essential subjects for the master who governed all the territories and families.

Instead, Elliot didn’t even care about the liberal arts subjects, such as painting and poetry, which he enjoyed listening to.

Elliot bit his lip.

“….”

Seeing that stubborn expression on his face, Anriche didn’t think he would give her an easy answer.

She gently opened her mouth.

“Is it because of Liliana?”

“Oh, it’s not like that!”

Elliot raised his voice without realizing it. However, sometimes, strong negativity is said to be strong positivity.

Anriche asked again.

“I think the time when you began to overdo it was from when Liliana joined the swordsmanship training.”

“What is that…”

“Is it really not?”

At that, Elliot clenched his fist tightly.

He gave it so much strength that the bones stood out white over the tiny fists.

“Li… Liliana has great qualities in swordsmanship, so I think she’s really great.”

His voice cracked a little, trying to suppress his anger. “It’s not that I hate Liliana. I really like Liliana. So, so…”

Elliot, who was holding his breath, buried his face in his hands.

“…I hate myself.”

“Elliot, but…”

“I’ve been learning swordsmanship years before Liliana.”

He continued in a harsh voice.

“Even so… I don’t seem to be able to keep up with Liliana.”

“Why do you think like that? It’s not like that…”

“I hate myself for not working hard so far, and I’m so disappointed.’

As he concluded his speech, Elliot’s shoulders were trembling slightly.

Anriche gazed down at her son quietly.

What should she tell him? Would it be better to comfort him saying that she understands? Liliana is a gifted swordsman, so it’s natural for the gap to widen…?

So, it can’t be helped… to feel inferior?

“….”

In a moment, she bit her lips.

There’s no such thing as that.

Elliot is Elliot, and Liliana is just Liliana. Even though he’s holding himself back, Elliot is a talented enough kid too…

“Then, should Liliana also be disappointed in herself?”

Anriche opened her mouth abruptly.

Hearing that, Elliot’s shoulders stiffened at the question. The child who lifted his head suddenly, asked her while showing a straight face.

“What do you mean? Why would Liliana?”

“Elliot, you’re feeling depressed right now because Liliana is more talented in swordsmanship than you.”

“Yes, that’s true.”

Elliot’s face turned red.

At his reply, she shrugged her shoulders lightly.

“At least to me, you seem to be a much better painter than Liliana.”

“…Yes?”

“Just the picture of the lily you drew before, didn’t it seem alive?”

Elliot blinked his eyes blankly at the answer that caught him off guard.

Anriche smiled brightly and added her words, “At first, I thought I was the only one who thought so, but it turned out that your teacher had the same opinion as me.”

“Teacher…?”

“Yes. Your teacher gave you a lot of praise for your natural talent for drawing.”

Saying so, Anriche looked at the sketchbook on the table. He wore it in his arms so much that the child’s sketchbook was full.

Then, she recalled the words from the teacher.

[ “If you look at young master Elliot’s sketchbook, you’ll know how much he likes to draw.” ]

[ “Is that so?” ]

[ “Yes. The sketchbook is full of sketches. It’s almost as if no paper is left behind.” ]

At that moment, Elliot’s voice broke Anriche’s thoughts.

“But, I’m the Young Lord of Valois. I have to inherit the family in the future.”

“Oh my God, does a child who thinks like that is so fussy during the class?”

Anriche made a joke.

As if he was stabbed in the right direction, Elliot couldn’t hide the piercing expression.

‘Despite such a sense of responsibility, Elliot had not been able to focus on the class until now…’

He must have been unable to grasp his heart because the responsibility on his shoulders was so heavy.

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