CH 9

‘I wonder how long I’ve been resting my mind.’

Feeling full, Livia put down the tableware and let out a sigh of satisfaction. Honestly, it was such a shame that she was already full.

Chelsea, who came just in time, cleared the trolley.

In the meantime, Livia brushed her hair and changed into her activity clothes.

“The butler is waiting for you.”

“Can I go out?” Livia asked, her eyes wide open at Chelsea’s words. She was referring to the detention order received from Winston yesterday.

Chelsea nodded.

“Yes, the knights will soon be gone.”

So that meant the doubt was also gone.

Livia swallowed a sigh of relief.

She didn’t do anything to Vincent, so of course she would be exonerated, but she had still felt anxious.

Soon she was escorted by Chelsea to Winston’s room.

The Mercedes mansion that she saw on a clear morning felt markedly different from yesterday.

Yesterday there was a more severe and intimidating atmosphere, one that truly felt like a villain’s house.

However, the duke’s mansion under the warm sunlight felt a little warmer and more mysterious.

Livia had heard once that usually a house resembles its owner. She thought of Cardien, whom she had met the previous night.

Silver gray hair and white skin that seemed to have absorbed only the dark parts of the moonlight, and….

Purple eyes void of any human emotions….

Recalling those eyes made her shudder. They would be better suited for a doll or a corpse.

She recalled that he was much more humane to the heroine. But, was humane the right word?

Whatever it was, he was obsessed with her and clung to her, so one could say he was emotional.

Somehow, Livia couldn’t quite imagine that.

There was a big difference between reading a description in a book and what she actually saw.

Meanwhile, Chelsea’s footsteps stopped.

“This is the place.”

Then she knocked on the door.

“Butler, I brought the tutor.”

Then instead of answering, the door opened slowly. Winston greeted Livia with a welcoming look.

“Welcome, Tutor. Did you have a good night?”

It was as if nothing happened last night.

Livia felt a little unfair, but she also answered with a smile as if nothing had happened.

“Yes, thanks to you. The breakfast was also very delicious.”

This culinary sincerity multiplied her sincerity, automatically.

Then Winston smiled happily and guided her inside.

“Come in. The other tutor was here first.”

“Aha.”

Livia braced herself and thought, ‘Finally meeting the original tutor.’

Passing Winston into the room, she could immediately find the back of an orange head sitting on the sofa.

But the back of the head….was it just her?

That head looked…familiar?

Winston introduced Livia to the woman as she stared blankly in confusion.

“Tutor, this is the new tutor I told you about.”

Then a woman with curly orange hair stood up and looked back at Livia.

The moment she saw her face, she froze on the spot.

‘Anna Lever?’

‘Why are you here?’

***

Anna Lever.

To explain her relationship with Anna Lever, Livia had to go back many years. However, it was also a relationship that could be dismissed in a short sentence.

The daughter of the creditor and debtor.

Furthermore.

The main culprit who made Livia’s life a nightmare.

Anna’s cat-like eyes opened wide, probably because she was as surprised as Livia was.

“Livia Pellington?”

Livia looked at Anna with a cold gaze as she said her name.

At that moment, Winston asked with a surprised expression.

“Do you two know each other?”

Without leaving her chance to respond to those words, Anna jumped out of the sofa and hugged the reluctant Livia in an instant.

“Livia! I never expect to see you here!”

“……….!”

Did she eat something wrong?

Livia could only roll her eyes and look down at the carrot-like top of Anna’s head as she buried her face in her arms.

Anna, who finally fell from Livia, looked at her with shaky eyes and said to Winston.

“Livia and I have been friends since childhood. We went to the same academy.”

“Oh, as expected. If there is such a coincidence, it must be fate.”

“I know, really…..”

Anna looked at Livia, blurring the end of her sentence.

Contrary to her saying that she was a friend, there were only negative emotions in her scarlet eyes. Livia was not foolish enough to miss them. 

Anna forced the corners of her mouth and smiled.

“It’s a tough relationship. Right, Livia?”

That cunning smile that only her acquaintances knew.

Knowing that smile better than anyone else, Livia held her breath for a moment, then responded with a smile in kind.

“I know. It’s a really tough relationship.”

To the point of disgust.

She and Anna were smiling at each other, but there was a strange atmosphere.

Eventually, following Winston’s guidance, Livia and Anna sat side by side on the sofa.

He got straight to the point.

“I would like to divide the class into three hours in the morning and three hours in the afternoon.”

Livia nodded. A three-hour class with a lunch break in between would be the most efficient.

“Then I’ll…..”

It was then.

“By the way, butler. I’m worried.”

Anna suddenly made a captivating sound and put on a worried expression.

Winston asked with a puzzled look, “Tutor Lever, what are you worried about?” 

“No ~ as the butler knows, the young master has a strong hostility toward his tutors. Because of that, I haven’t been able to conduct a proper class yet.”

Livia’s ears perked up. ‘Oh my?’

It may not have been Anna’s intention, but the information that she hadn’t had a proper class yet was good news among the misfortunes.

Winston’s expression darkened as he recalled the hardships he had been facing.

“Yes, that is the case.”

“I, who moved in first, haven’t gotten close to the young master yet….”

Suddenly, Anna’s gaze passed me once. A triumphant smile hung on her lips.

Livia could clearly see what she was thinking, and she was going to intervene, but stopped.

Because Anna wouldn’t get the result she wanted anyway.

“I’m worried about whether the young master will be able to accept a new tutor. I know very well how good Livia is, but the reality is not so easy.”

Anna covered her lips and put on a sad expression.

Looking at Anna’s energetic expression that seemed to say “This is the end of you”, Livia smiled accommodatingly.

“…….?”

Just as Anna was feeling a sense of wonder at her appearance, Winston said.

“You don’t have to worry about that.”

“…….What?”

Anna blinked blankly at Winston’s unexpected answer.

Winston’s eyes rested on Livia for a moment. There was a strange feeling in his eyes.

Soon, his gaze turned back to Anna.

“Young master Vincent already knows Tutor Pellington.”

“Knowing and accepting are…….”

“He has accepted her.”

“……..!!”

This time, Anna’s eyes widened as if they were bursting.

“Uh, what do you mean…..”

Her shaking eyes demanded an explanation, but Winston said no more about it.

At the opportune moment, Livia interrupted, taking advantage of Anna’s stupidity.

“As Tutor Lever said, there is a class method that Tutor Lever and the young master have been conducting, so I think it would be good to take the afternoon class in the form of joining naturally.”

“What? Now, wait!”

Anna, who came to her senses belatedly, tried to object to Livia’s suggestion, but Winston was already nodding.

“Yes, I agree with Tutor Pellington. Tutor Lever are you alright with that?”

At Winston’s question, Livia turned to Anna.

Having lost her pace, the conniving girl’s face was red and blue, but she quickly regained her composure and nodded reluctantly with a smile.

“I agree with you; I think so too, butler.”

“All right. Then Tutor Lever will take care of the morning class and Tutor Pellington will take care of the afternoon class.”

‘Great..!’ Livia celebrated inwardly with joy.

Afternoon classes had many benefits.

Morning classes were not only distracting from concentration but were also difficult to create free time in, under pressure from lunch time.

On the other hand, afternoon classes didn’t have a fixed schedule afterwards, so it was possible to make some free time.

Of course, it was similar to the morning classes in that it could be difficult to concentrate on the class because it felt drowsy after lunch.

And, most importantly, Livia could avoid Anna’s manipulation. She knew Anna would try to separate Vincent from her no matter what.

But if Livia was in charge of the afternoon class, it was possible to check the atmosphere, and possibly figure out and break through whatever tricks Anna had been up to in the morning.

It was advantageous in many ways.

She glanced at Anna.

Even though Anna was good at managing her facial expression, she seemed to be biting her lower lip as if it was difficult to hide her true feelings this time.

Livia looked at Anna’s face with a strange gaze, then turned her head away.

After that, the group decided on the course, subject, class progress report cycle, and reached the final stage.

“Classes will start the day after tomorrow.”

And they were given plenty of time to prepare for the class.

After the meeting, Livia was about to leave Winston’s room when Winston suddenly called.

“Tutor Pellington, would you spare me a moment?”

Anna, who was leaving the room, responded to the comment first. Anna’s head jerked back at Winston’s request for Livia to make time for him.

Her eyes were in a state of panic.