Chapter 6
Eliana clapped her hands once and closed the window.
The cold was one thing, but if Meli found out that she had left the window open, she would definitely receive a storm of nagging.
It had already happened once before. Eliana had spaced out while admiring the scenery outside, and Meli had found her when she came in to wake her up. After that, she had been scolded for a long time, saying things like how dangerous it was for her to do something that might harm her health again.
‘Today, I should ask her to make me look a little more impressive.’
Eliana clenched her fist.
Nothing was better than this for making people feel intimidated.
To decorate herself as beautifully and splendidly as possible, while still not looking ridiculous.
One’s outward appearance was such a cunning yet useful tool.
Appearance had a great influence on people. Whether that influence was good or bad.
If someone asked whether that was truly right and desirable, she could not confidently say yes. However, it was already a common fact that a person’s first impression was decided by their appearance and clothing, and that people judged and treated others based on that.
Her goal was simple.
Find weaknesses in the teachers, find reasons to cut them down, and receive authority from Baron Arenta to become involved in the children’s education.
She had already made the plan fairly detailed. She had even prepared Plans B through D in case things did not go as she wanted.
None of this would have been possible if the knowledge and values that the original ‘Eliana’ had accumulated throughout her life had not remained in her mind.
A brilliant young lady who was once called a genius and could have become the first Grand Duchess in Winter’s history.
When that Eliana became bedridden, the people of Winter and her retainers, who had hoped she would become the Grand Duchess, could not hide their disappointment.
She had used the knowledge, education, and values of the intelligent Eliana to create her plan.
Now it was time to properly use the knowledge inside her head.
The thought of swinging these things as both weapons and shields and making those people pay properly made her heart race.
‘Ah, I shouldn’t be enjoying this much when I’m planning how to torment someone.’
She had only been hiding it well through self-control and socialization, but her natural temperament had not disappeared.
Otherwise, how could her heart be beating so excitedly?
Eliana walked behind the bed and pulled the calling bell.
A little while later, Meli opened the door and entered.
“Greetings, Lady Eliana. Did you sleep peacefully last night?”
“Yes, Meli. Today, could you put a little more effort into dressing me up? Not extremely flashy, but still impressive.”
“Pardon? Suddenly?”
Meli raised her head in surprise at the unusual request from her master.
For a moment, Meli thought:
So my lady can make this kind of expression too.
It was the face of a child planning a very wicked prank.
“Yes. There is someone I personally need to meet. I cannot appear looking shabby.”
Although Eliana’s personality was somewhat difficult, she had worked in customer service in her previous life and disliked pointless arguments or troublesome situations.
She simply found it annoying to make problems bigger and then deal with the aftermath. Most of the time, she endured things and let them pass.
It was not that she lacked intelligence.
She simply was not diligent enough to use that intelligence to plan and cause various things.
She also had no interest.
But now it was different.
The one who had touched the temper she had worked so hard to suppress through socialization was Baron Arenta.
How dare an adult hurt a child through undisciplined and careless “education”?
She had no intention of holding back against such an adult.
An adult who did not act or speak like an adult, yet expected to be treated like one.
An adult who used their position and age as a weapon to hurt a child.
That was nonsense.
Of course, this also applied to the teachers who had given Hestin excessive and unreasonable discipline while hiding behind Baron Arenta.
“Yes. I understand. May I ask who you are planning to meet?”
Meli asked carefully, still surprised by this unfamiliar side of her lady.
Since even she, the closest maid, did not know about this, it seemed like Eliana had decided this suddenly.
Of course, Lady Eliana was known for her wisdom, so there would likely be no problems.
Still, as her closest maid, she needed to know about her master’s schedule.
“Hmm. First, could you tell my uncle that if he is available, I would like to have dinner with him? If you tell Benton, he will handle the arrangements.”
“The Baron…?”
Meli asked in surprise.
Ever since Eliana entered the Grand Duke’s estate, she had never once called for Baron Arenta first.
“Yes.”
“May I ask what this is about…?”
Meli asked while rolling her eyes slightly.
She had an uneasy feeling.
Of course, she had heard what happened yesterday, and she had also seen how angry Lady Eliana became afterward.
“I have something important to request regarding the children’s education. Do not worry too much.”
Eliana smiled brightly.
Under that warm smile, Meli somehow felt a cold, sharp chill like frozen blades.
But she did not ask anything more.
Wellan, the teacher of Hestin, the publicly known heir of the Grand Duke’s family, could not understand the situation happening before him.
When he entered the room where he always taught the young master, he saw the young lady sitting behind him and doubted his own eyes.
The moment he saw Eliana sitting there with a relaxed posture, he wondered whether he was dreaming.
Or perhaps he had unknowingly drunk heavily and come to teach while still drunk.
A few days ago, he had heard that Lady Eliana had finally awakened.
But he had not thought much of it.
After all, was she not the lady who was already promised to the Imperial Prince?
Because of her injury, the engagement ceremony that had been planned as soon as the prince became an adult had been postponed indefinitely.
As the period of her unconsciousness passed six months, many people expected that she would never wake up and would eventually die.
Wellan had been one of them.
But now, Lady Eliana had appeared perfectly dressed and entered the lesson with her younger brother.
She said she simply wished to observe her cousin’s lesson.
It was well known that Lady Eliana cared deeply for her younger siblings.
People once said that because she loved her younger siblings, she also loved the people of Winter, and they wished for her to become the Grand Duchess.
Those stories disappeared after it became certain that her poor health prevented her from inheriting the title, and after the Grand Duke adopted Hestin as his successor.
“Do not feel too pressured.”
Eliana spoke to Wellan with a kind voice.
Her eyes curved gently downward, and her elegant smile created the face of a completely harmless and benevolent noble lady.
“I heard that while I was bedridden because of my poor health, you taught my younger siblings wonderfully. I only wished to see that teaching with my own eyes. Pretend I am not here and continue as usual.”
Hestin turned around and looked at her sitting some distance behind him.
Eliana gave him her usual beautiful smile and lightly waved her hand.
“……It is my honor.”
Wellan barely managed to gather his thoughts and answer.
Although Lady Eliana was known to be gentler and more merciful than many nobles, she was still a noble.
She seemed unaware that words like that from someone who had spent her entire life above others were actually more burdensome.
‘Please, let me not make any mistakes.’
Wellan prayed silently to himself and to Erlates.
He hoped this time with Lady Eliana observing would pass without any problems.
“I shall begin. What Young Master Hestin will learn today is…”
Eliana quietly observed Wellan teaching Hestin.
Although he tried hard to maintain his composure, she could easily notice that something was wrong, as if one of his gears was missing.
It was proof that he was extremely uncomfortable with the current situation.
Every minute, he would accidentally meet her eyes and quickly look away.
He was clearly very conscious of her.
In truth, Eliana knew that telling him to pretend she was not there and act comfortably as usual would only make him feel more pressured.
That was why she had rejected Hestin’s visit in the morning and asked Meli to dress her properly.
She wanted him to feel the pressure.
And seeing that it was working made her satisfied.
‘When people feel pressured and become anxious, they are more likely to make mistakes.’
Wellan was desperately pretending to remain calm while continuing the lesson, but his mind must have been in chaos.
A lady who had been famous for her intelligence since childhood had come to observe his lesson.
Was it not similar to having a superior follow you around while watching you work?
Eliana knew exactly how uncomfortable and terrible that feeling was.
So she used it.
Although the successor had not been officially announced yet, it was widely known that Hestin, the only male descendant carrying Winter’s blood, would become the heir.
However, there was something they overlooked.
Even if the Grand Duke died.
Or even if he abdicated and Hestin became the Grand Duke.
As long as she was alive, in this Grand Duke’s family without a Grand Duchess, excluding the Grand Duke who had already withdrawn from public life, the highest-ranking elder of Winter was Eliana.
The Grand Duke’s legitimate daughter and eldest child.
Nothing could replace that position.
According to the pact between the first Emperor and Winter’s founder, the first child of the Grand Duke could possess the right of succession to the Imperial throne.
Therefore, her position was not only important within Winter.
Even in the central government, excluding the Emperor, Empress, and the Empress’s children, her succession rank was higher than that of the Emperor’s illegitimate children.
So it was safe to say that there was no one more noble and respected than her.
Wellan was five years older than Eliana, but that was what status meant.
Although she had lived in a world where people claimed everyone was equal, even her old world had invisible social classes.
Having lived while feeling those differences, she knew that one should use the status given to them.
And she knew even better that it was more effective here, where social classes were strict and the difference between nobility and commoners was obvious.
‘Everything that can be used should be used.’
The corners of Eliana’s lips rose slightly.
There was a reason she chose Wellan first.
It was because of what Meli had told her before.
“Especially Sir Wellan’s lessons seemed difficult for Young Master Hestin. After every lesson with Sir Wellan, he always went to talk with Baron Arenta.”
“Really? Who recommended him as Hestin’s teacher?”
“Th-that would be… Baron Arenta.”
“Ah, I see.”
Remembering her conversation with Meli, Eliana clenched her teeth.
So the man currently teaching Hestin either shared Baron Arenta’s views or had become Hestin’s teacher because of his orders.
There was no way Baron Arenta simply told him to teach his nephew well.
‘Just give me a reason.’
Eliana’s eyes shone dangerously.
Hestin also seemed unable to focus fully on the lesson and turned around.
Eliana waved at him and gestured for him to concentrate on his teacher’s lesson.
Hestin looked slightly troubled before turning back.
Eliana watched him with satisfaction.
She felt as if she had come to observe her child’s class as a parent.
Of course, she had no intention of simply watching quietly and leaving.
