Nothing is more frightening than unearned kindness when you can’t trust the other party.
If I were handsome and appeared trustworthy, maybe it wouldn't matter.
But as I am now—looking like Aslan—no one could possibly see me as anything but suspicious.
So, attempting to act kindly would only backfire.

In that case, wouldn’t it be better to make them pay a price for any favor?
Even if they don’t trust Aslan as a person, they’ll at least trust the balance of transactions.
I don’t need them to trust me completely; I’m not aiming for that.
As long as I avoid being hated enough to be killed, that’ll be good enough.

"Young master! Charlotte and Yulia are finished with their breakfast. Shall I bring them in now?" "Yes, go ahead. Thank you for your hard work." "Goodness… Young master, you’ve really changed." "…!"

Her offhand comment caught me off guard.
Was it that obvious?
I thought I could rely on that passive skill to handle things.
But I forgot that while it might change the atmosphere around me, it wouldn’t actually alter my behavior.

"Changed, you say?" "Well, you know how it is. They say love changes a person! Some think it’s too early for you, but I’m just happy to see the estate coming alive. I’m rooting for you, young master!" "…?"

The maid left with a strange remark.
Thinking back, I don’t recall seeing a single smile from the staff on the day I first arrived.
Yet lately, they’ve been all smiles, especially around Charlotte and Yulia.

"Are the children the source of their joy?"

This estate used to be a dreary place with a sinister master, so it was likely a terrible place to work.
But now, with children around, there was life here again.

The door creaked open, and two tentative footsteps shuffled in.

"Come in. What do you need?" "Um… uh…" "We’ve come to work!"

Charlotte stepped in with a confident grin, while Yulia hid behind her, looking sheepish.
But there was something off about their outfits.
Were they dressed as maids? These seemed to be custom-fitted. Did they have those made just for them?

"You… you told us to work! To earn money! So… here we are." "Yeah! We don’t want to just take from you. We want to earn our keep." "And what do you plan on doing in those outfits?" "Anything! Cleaning, cooking, whatever it takes!" "Doing odd jobs like that will never earn you the kind of money you need. What I have in mind will bring in far greater sums. Go change and come back when you’re ready."

Charlotte looked down, clearly disappointed, while Yulia glared at me, eyes brimming with anger before they left in silence.

"Maybe that was a bit harsh."

The annoyance had gotten to me, and I scolded them too harshly.
These two were born to be the center of attention, and treating them like regular maids was an oversight on my part.
It was the maids who should’ve known better than to put them in such clothes.

[Sylvia’s Affinity decreased by 5.]

"And what are you scheming this time…?" "Good to see you again, Sylvia."

She had appeared behind me without a sound, a habit I was starting to get used to.
She always seemed to despise me, but I wondered what new imaginary crime she was punishing me for today.

"How could you make those children work like that? Do you even have a shred of humanity?" "And what exactly do you think I’m making them do?" "Ten billion Larque. There’s only one way for them to earn that much, and it’s disgusting… vile… how can you call yourself human!" "What do you mean?" "Do you expect me to say it out loud? You are a disgrace." "Fine. Say it." "You’re making them… you’re making them sell themselves at night!" "…" "…" "Are you kidding?"

Now I was the one surprised.
Her assumption was too much, even for me.
When I shot her a withering glare, Sylvia took a step back, realizing her mistake.

"My apologies, young master. I know you’re a villain, but I also know you’d never stoop that low. You’re a piece of trash who dabbles in all kinds of evildoing, but you’re not that kind of monster. I overstepped." "I’ll let it go this time, but you’re getting another 50% pay cut." "…"

[Sylvia’s Affinity increased by 6.]

She really is a masochist, isn’t she? This wasn’t just a guess anymore—it was fact.

"We’re back, changed!" "Humph." "I told you to wear something comfortable." "The maids recommended this outfit to us." "Whatever."

I’d hoped they’d come back in something practical, but Charlotte and Yulia had changed into elegant dresses, like they were attending a party.
Despite being orphans, they looked surprisingly aristocratic, poised and dignified.

"So, what’s this big money-making job you’re going to have us do?" "Nothing of the sort. There’s no way children like you can earn that kind of money. If it were that easy, everyone would be rich." "So, you tricked us! I knew it! I’m such an idiot for believing you for even a second!" "That’s why you’re going to have to study." "Huh…?" "That’s right. You’re going to fill those empty heads with knowledge and become people of learning. You’ll need an education to become valuable workers capable of making real money."

These two were destined to be great in the future.
As such, they must have immense talent, even if they’re commoners.
If I could nurture that talent, they’d surely make up for my investment in no time.

"Here’s a set of classic literature. Essential for building vocabulary and culture. This is a history book to fill in the gaps in your basic knowledge. And finally, an introductory magic text. I expect you to finish all of these by the end of the month." "How are we supposed to read all these books in a month? It’s impossible!" "This is just the basics." "Have you even read any of these, young master? Ow!"

I nudged Sylvia with my elbow before she could spout any more nonsense.
These books were all new, of course.
Aslan had never finished any of them.

He was a man who had given up on diligence, probably abandoning each one a few pages in.
Even the magic book only had notes scribbled on the first few pages, starting with "Why can’t I do this?" and ending with "Magic is for cowards! I’m destined for something greater!" before he’d given up entirely.

Yulia seems interested, but Charlotte can’t focus at all.

I kept an eye on them as I pretended to read a book.
While Yulia was settled and absorbed in her reading, Charlotte kept fidgeting, shifting positions and stealing glances around the room.
She had the classic signs of a kid with no interest in studying.

She has talent, but I’ll need to force her to focus.

Nobody actually enjoys studying, after all. Most people only do it because they have to.
Success comes to those who push through despite their dislike for it.
But—wait, do I really have to make her study?

"Damn, why does it have to be studying?"

I was getting tunnel vision.
Why was I assuming talent equaled magic talent?
Some kids are born with natural gifts outside of magic, like in the arts or athletics.
Is it right to force them into a one-size-fits-all education?

I almost made a huge mistake.

Charlotte might make a decent mage with enough training, but I’d be wasting her real potential.
She’s meant for something more.
I put on the gentlest smile I could manage, approached, and took Charlotte’s hand.

"You’re not focusing at all. Come with me. I have something else to teach you." "Uh, uh…?" "…?"

And suddenly, Charlotte started sobbing, big tears rolling down her cheeks.

"U-um, I’m sorry… I’ll focus, I promise! I won’t get distracted again. I’ll study hard… I’ll do my best…" Ah, no… that’s not what I meant.