"That's... Damian. About the tutor. I'm really sorry but I'd prefer if Lucy was at least over 10 for that part. I don't want to corrupt an expanding child's mind. Also, please be a bit more careful with your words in front of her."
"My words?"
Ariel glanced at Damian and spoke with narrowed eyes.
"Comments like asking me to come to your bedroom, or saying Lucy doesn't have a brain. And..."
Ariel closed her lips for a moment and quietly opened her eyes.
The freshly bathed Damian with a languid expression didn't seem to be really listening to Ariel's words. Walking to the sofa, he nodded for her to go on.
"Please don't treat me like property in front of Lucy. Your words may not be wrong, but regardless of the truth, they aren't good for a child's emotional state."
"...Your duty is to come to my bedroom, and Lucy can be raised by a nanny. Moreover, speaking of property is simply stating a fact."
"I'm asking you to refrain from that in front of the child. It's fine now that she's young, but there's no need to go out of your way."
Damian frowned at Ariel's words, as if questioning why he had to be considerate about such things.
As the silence dragged on, Ariel rose from the bed and approached him.
Pouring water into an empty glass on the table, Damian accepted it from her.
"Ariel. Come here."
Taking a sip of water, Damian gestured for Ariel to join him.
Ariel carefully sat beside him, the area surrounded by the fresh scent of Damian's recent shower.
Setting down the emptied glass, Damian's hand slowly moved towards Ariel's face.
"Damian...?"
Grabbing her hands, Damian pushed his calloused palms before her.
"Prayer."
"...Pardon? Prayer?"
Ariel stared at Damian's thick hands in confusion.
He called this prayer? Those rough, completely irreligious hands moved before her eyes.
"Yes. You mentioned prayer, did you not? If I wish to summon you to my bedchamber, I should call it prayer?"
"Ah..."
Ariel's face flushed red as she gulped and rolled her eyes.
"That's..."
As Ariel averted her gaze, Damian quickly added:
"Lucy was worried. What if her father doesn't pray with her mother? So you should meet Lucy's expectations. She seems to have rather high hopes for you."
"Ah, well. Damian..."
Unable to find the right words as Damian took Ariel's hand.
"Lucy wants it."
Damian invoked Lucy's name once more.
Seeing Ariel still hesitant, Damian made a suggestion.
"We’ll talk about the handling of property later when Lucy grows older. So, shall we pray together now?"
Property...treatment?
Ariel's eyes widened.
"...No. I don't have the faith for prayer today."
*
It was Ariel's first return to the imperial palace in years since Damian's arrival, leaving her quite busy from the morning.
As a result, she had no time to properly tend to Lucy.
Finally facing her daughter before entering the banquet hall, Ariel knelt to adjust Lucy's outfit.
"Lucy, is your dress uncomfortable at all?"
It was merely a preliminary fitting. But clothes comfortable at home could feel awkward at the palace.
Ariel checked Lucy's outfit one last time in case, lest she face any inconvenience.
"No, not at all uncomfortable."
Lucy swished her skirt as she curtsied slightly.
Ariel beamed at the sight of the ribbon atop Lucy's golden hair. How adorably pretty with such lovely demeanor.
Her own daughter though she may be, Ariel couldn't help but feel she was an angel sent from heaven.
"Oh? Mother is also wearing an aquamarine necklace today."
Lucy pointed to the necklace hanging from Ariel's neck.
Then stroking the large aquamarine embedded in the center of her own ribbon, Lucy smiled brightly.
Ariel had specially ordered the matching aquamarines for Lucy's ribbon.
"Yes, I coordinated with your aquamarine this time. How does it look?"
"So pretty. My mother is the best!"
Lucy's thumbs up was utterly adorable, causing Ariel to momentarily forget they were at the palace as she pinched her daughter's cheeks.
"...Ahem. Duchess Genova."
It was then that someone approached from the side, stopping in the hallway.
Jessica, with her hands on her chest and her eyes downcast, bowed to Ariel and Lucy in her greeting. She was the wife of her husband's younger brother, Bruno.
"Good day, Duchess. And hello, Lucy."
Beside her, Jessica's son Derek also greeted Lucy.
"Good day, my lady. And you too, Derek."
Rising from her curtsy, Ariel returned their greetings.
Not the most welcome relatives.
Though unintentional on Jessica's part, whenever she gathered with other nobles, she tended to bring up unpleasant rumors about Ariel.
Surely she didn't mean ill towards close family, and was simply careless with her words. Nevertheless, it was uncomfortable.
Swallowing a sigh, Ariel smiled and greeted her in-laws, tightly holding Lucy's hand.
At the resounding call of the herald, Ariel distanced herself by entering first.
This was Damian's first return to the palace - best to avoid Jessica today and prevent any unpleasantness.
"...I was outraged that such a rumor was spread, but you seem so serene, Duchess Ariel. Truly admirable."
However, contrary to Ariel's resolve, Jessica did not leave her be.
She brought up the topic of Lucy's tutor once more, speaking loudly as she led her group.
Those around, already curious, lit up as if granted a boon.
The ladies who had subtly spread malicious gossip about the Genova household hid behind fans, their eyes demanding explanation from Ariel.
Ariel tried her best to smile and interrupt Jessica, but to no avail.
Her frequent slip-ups were compounded by a complete lack of tact.
"The notion that the Genova household is in financial trouble is simply absurd. Just the gifts Lord Genova received are immense. The lady never indulges in luxury, so there's no way. She's quite frugal. So perhaps... those rumors stem from the young lady Lucy being unwell somehow..."
Jessica's eyes that were obscuring her words became pitiful.
Strength entered Ariel's right hand gripping the fan.
From Ariel's perspective, this part seemed to require a clear correction.
She didn't want to disclose her views on a child's education, but since it was related to Lucy, she had to correct it.
Just as Ariel was about to open her mouth,
"Mother."
Lucy, walking gracefully, greeted Ariel with perfect manners while spreading her skirt wide.
"Lucy?"
Since it was rare for Lucy to come find her unless it was a big deal, Ariel glanced over to where the children had been staying with a surprised look.
"I'm sorry to approach you while you're in the middle of a conversation. But I felt I should speak to you, Mother. In a way, it is a big deal."
The words "big deal" came out of Lucy's mouth.
At the same time, Derek, who had burst into tears behind Lucy, ran towards Jessica.
Lucy lowered her eyes with a pitiful look.
Behind Derek, the children followed one by one, each walking towards their mother.
Jessica's voice rose.
"Derek! What's the matter? Son! What's going on!"
Even after Jessica quickly picked up Derek and asked him over and over, he didn't answer and just cried, so her head turned towards Lucy.
Lucy stepped forward and brought her hands in front of her chest.
Looking up at Derek with a pitiful expression, Lucy showed a concerned face.
"It seems there is a big problem with Older brother Derek's home tutor."
At those words, Jessica's eyes widened, and Ariel was also surprised by Lucy's sudden remark.
However, Ariel waited for Lucy to finish speaking.
"What do you mean by that! Miss Lucy! Such a slander..."
"Madam, Lucy has not finished speaking yet."
When Ariel stopped Jessica, Lucy slightly bowed her head to Ariel to show her gratitude and opened her mouth.
"Older brother Derek challenged me to a match, but it seems there is a problem with his home tutor. He couldn't answer any of the history questions. But the smart Older brother Derek couldn't possibly be like that."
"History...?"
"Yes. Older brother Derek definitely said he wouldn't lose to me since he even has a home tutor. I thought so too. But the one who lost... it seems to be a problem with the home tutor."
Lucy looked up at Ariel with an expression that seemed genuinely concerned.
"Oh!"
Then Lucy clapped her hands and tilted her head.
"Could it be that you taught me better than Older brother Derek’s home tutor, Mother?"
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