“Haha, I hate to boast, but our young lady has already mastered reading and is now learning Classical Imperial.”

“…Haha, is that so? As expected, the young lady of Bluewell is truly exceptional.”

Alain forced a smile as he listened to Sebastian, the Bluewell family butler, proudly brag about the remarkable intellect of his young mistress. He found it unbearable.

‘Ah, our young lady is currently studying Imperial dance and etiquette. What might the young lady of Somerset be learning?’

At Sebastian’s question, Alain found himself momentarily breathless and unable to respond.

—Our young lady spends most of her days playing in the forest. Just recently, she knocked down some ruffians from a neighboring territory with a single punch.

In truth, Ada’s routine would only invite ridicule if he shared it. Both her father, the Earl, and her brother, Rupert, were happy as long as she was healthy, and Alain felt the same way. He quickly regretted not emphasizing more conventional lessons, as noble young ladies typically did.

While the two butlers engaged in their unspoken competition, the situation among the children was quite different.

“Shh! That’s not how you make that sound!”

“Wow! How do you punch so fast, big sister?”

“Because Ada is Hansel, the one who defeats the witch!”

Evelyn watched in awe as Ada threw an impossibly swift punch. Ada stood proudly, hands on her hips, basking in the admiration.

“I read Hansel and Gretel too!”

“My brother was the first to show it to me.”

Ada pulled a book from her ever-present bag, holding it up with pride. It was a special, limited edition of Hansel and Gretel, with Rupert portrayed as Hansel and Ada as Gretel. Although Rupert no longer created personalized books, he still made exceptions for Ada, so this was a cherished item.

Though Ada treasured it, she decided to share it with Evelyn, who watched her with eager eyes.

And so, the two girls read the story together, their friendship having blossomed thanks to Amelia. Rupert had reached out to Amelia to arrange a visit to thank Duke Bluewell.

‘Professor, I would love to meet your sister. I have a younger sister of my own, and it would be wonderful if they could become friends.’

Responding to Amelia’s request, Rupert brought Ada along to the Duke’s estate. While Rupert thanked the Duke, Ada took charge of Evelyn, displaying the leadership skills she’d honed back at their estate.

“Let me make you Gretel, Evelyn!”

“Really?”

“Yep! I’ll be Hansel, and you can be my little sister, Gretel!”

Ada laid a hand on Evelyn’s shoulder as if bestowing a great honor, and Evelyn’s face lit up with joy. Amelia, observing them, couldn’t help but recall her first encounter with Rupert.

At first, he had been so distant, but then he’d shown a warm smile, stepping in to cover her mistakes. Amelia’s heart had never quite recovered from the moments they’d shared.

“Ah, there you are, Lady Amelia.”

“Did the conversation go well?”

“Yes, thanks to you, I was able to express my gratitude to the Duke.”

Seeing Rupert standing there, Amelia felt her heart race. She’d never felt this way about anyone, and she didn’t understand why meeting Rupert’s gaze made her heart beat so fast and her cheeks flush.

Normally, Amelia was confident and direct, but she found herself tongue-tied and overly cautious in Rupert’s presence, a stark contrast to their first meeting.

“I always seem to be indebted to you, Lady Amelia.”

“Indebted? It’s nothing…”

“Oh, I almost forgot—I have a gift for you.”

“A gift?”

Rupert called Alain, who promptly brought over a long cylinder. Rupert retrieved two sheets of paper from it.

“What…is this?”

“It’s the best I could offer—I made portraits of you and your sister.”

Rupert presented her with the portraits, drawn with the precision of a photograph. Amelia marveled at how much it looked like her.

“Wow! Evelyn’s trapped in the paper!”

“Sebastian, we need a frame for this!”

Evelyn was thrilled, jumping up and down with Ada, urging Sebastian to find a frame for the drawings.

Despite the commotion, Amelia couldn’t take her eyes off the portrait.

‘Does she not like it?’ Rupert wondered, growing uneasy.

He had chosen the gift after consulting with Esteban, thinking it would please the Duke, who adored his daughters. Rather than offering jewelry or clothes, he had decided on a personal and heartfelt gift, something only he could create.

Evelyn seemed delighted, but Amelia’s reaction left Rupert second-guessing himself.

‘Should I have chosen jewelry instead of a portrait, given her age?’

As Rupert fretted over his choice, Amelia finally spoke.

“…Thank you. This is a gift I will cherish for life.”

“I’m grateful to hear that.”

There was something in her voice that seemed almost tearful, which troubled Rupert, though she appeared to appreciate the gift.

“Ada, would you stay here with Evelyn for a bit?”

“Okay!”

Rupert asked Ada to remain with Evelyn so he could speak with Amelia alone.

“Would you care to take a walk with me, Lady Amelia?”

“The Bluewell garden is truly beautiful.”

“Yes, I find peace here and often come for a stroll.”

The garden was an oasis of greenery, with trees that blended together harmoniously, creating the feeling of a forest. In the center lay a small lake surrounded by squirrels and birds, evoking the sense of stepping into a fairy tale.

“Is something troubling you, Lady Amelia?”

“Pardon?”

“I only ask because you seemed a bit preoccupied earlier.”

Now that they were alone, Rupert decided to inquire directly. Ordinarily, he wouldn’t be so concerned, but Amelia’s presence in the original story made him particularly mindful of her well-being.

“Professor, or rather, may I call you Rupert?”

“Of course. Feel free to speak informally; we’re not at the Academy.”

“Rupert, do you have someone you love?”

Her question struck Rupert as oddly familiar, reminding him of the Duke’s earlier query on the same subject.

“And why do you ask?”

“I do.”

Rupert was taken aback. He hadn’t noticed anything during their club meetings, so he wondered if she’d perhaps developed a crush recently.

Assuming she was referring to the Third Prince, as in the original story, he figured that by now their relationship had begun to shift from rivals to something more.

“Aren’t you curious about who it is?”

“I’ve already guessed.”

Though he had no idea, Rupert replied as if he were privy to her secret. Assuming she was talking about the Prince, his calm response only made Amelia’s eyes widen.

“You knew…? But how?”

“I thought it best to keep it to myself.”

Rupert had no intention of meddling in someone else’s romantic affairs, thinking it could only lead to trouble.

“How can you just ignore it? I find it so difficult.”

“It’s not easy for me either, Lady Amelia, but I do my best not to show it.”

They say the things you can’t hide are a cough, poverty, and love. Rupert understood her predicament well.

“Then, tell me what you think.”

After some contemplation, Rupert replied.

“Lady Amelia, are you prepared to give up everything to attain what you desire?”

“Ada! I have a little sister now!”

“Really? So you’re a big sister now?”

“Yes! And I gave her a name too—Evelyn Gretel!”

On the carriage ride back to the Somerset estate, Ada enthusiastically recounted how well she had treated her new little sister. Rupert listened with a smile, his mind drifting back to his recent conversation with Amelia.

‘I advised her that the path she’s chosen might demand significant sacrifices.’

—Steeling herself would be essential.

In the original story, Amelia and the Third Prince had struggled to be together, with the Emperor opposing their union due to the Prince’s royal status. Even now, Rupert knew that if the Third Prince sought to marry Amelia, they would face many obstacles.

To overcome these challenges, Rupert had advised her to be resolute, and Amelia had seemed determined, as if she had made up her mind.

“And to think she made something like this…”

Rupert absentmindedly handled the pen Amelia had given him as a parting gift.