Chapter 14

That day, Raven Manor seemed to take on a mysteriously knowing appearance as if it knew it would become tumultuous. For the first time since the new master arrived, the shadow of an unfamiliar visitor fell across its entrance.

The first person to meet this visitor was butler Clayton.

Knock knock—

When the sound of knocking echoed from the heavy door knocker that usually just hung there unused except a few times a week, Clayton happened to be passing by. As if urging Clayton, whose thick eyebrows drew together and who looked at the front door as if hearing an unprecedented sound, a voice came along with the knocking.

Knock knock—

“Hello there~ Is anyone home? Hello? Is anyone there?”

The occasional visiting lawyer came on appointed days, and the village messengers who sometimes came with urgent news, wandering merchants, or travelers asking for directions almost always used the manor’s back door even when they did come to the manor.

Clayton, flustered at such an unfamiliar visitor arriving so boldly, opened the front door. The person standing there seemed to have been neatly dressed but was now in quite a mess.

“Oh, hello. This is Raven Manor, correct?”

Setting aside his thick glasses and golden hair that seemed to have been properly combed but was now disheveled from the wind, his travel outfit was reasonably neat, but below his trouser cuffs was a mess of mud. Perhaps because of this, his shoes, which looked like he’d emerged from falling into a quagmire, were taken off entirely and held along with a large travel bag.

“…Yes. This is Raven Manor. Who might you be…?”

The visitor, who had been wiggling his toes in socks that were unrecognizable, hurriedly began rummaging through his travel bag and inside his clothes at the formal, calm question from the neatly dressed Clayton. After searching for quite a while, he finally thrust a letter envelope right in front of Clayton’s nose.

“I’m the tutor who’s supposed to work here.”

At these first-time words, Clayton raised his eyebrows. When he accepted the thrust envelope, the visitor smiled brightly and said:

“Excuse me, but could I get some water to wash up briefly? If I go in like this…”

It was a valid point. If he entered as he was, there would be muddy footprints wherever he went, and Eri, the maid in charge of part of the first floor, would sigh endlessly.

Clayton bowed his head slightly to the visitor before him, then straightened and said:

“I’ll call someone, so please wait a moment. After you wash up and enter, I’ll guide you to a room to prepare in before you meet the master.”

“That would be wonderful. I was at a loss about meeting him in this state!”

Leaving behind his bright smile and words, Clayton headed quickly toward where Ian would be. Since it was some time after lunch, he headed toward the back door and crossed the room where silverware was stored, meeting a servant who was polishing dishes with cloth.

“Bring washing water to the person at the front door and have them wait in the reception room for now.”

Passing the hurriedly bowing servant with quick steps, he exited through the back door and crossed the garden to reach a space he usually didn’t approach. The scent of hay mixed with the distinctive smell of animals brushed his nose.

The manor’s master, wearing long boots and light clothing while brushing a horse’s back, turned at the sound of footsteps.

“Clayton, what’s the matter…?”

Though he lacked the gravitas to be the master of a venerable manor and his current appearance suited him better, he was still a young man with a comfortable and kind impression.

“I never thought you would hire someone without consulting me.”

Looking at the letter envelope Clayton thrust forward without warning, the young master Ian blinked, placed his brush on the horse’s back, and accepted the letter. Ian, who had broken the seal and quickly read through it, sighed quietly after finishing the letter.

Then he smiled with his characteristic good-natured expression and drooped his eyebrows.

“No, I asked if he knew anyone he could recommend as a teacher. I didn’t ask him to send someone… This has become troublesome…”

“……”

“I should have consulted you first. I’m sorry.”

At the expressionless face that showed his excuses weren’t working at all, Ian somehow found himself straightening his posture and folding his hands as if speaking to a superior from his past.

“Ahem, sorry? That’s completely inappropriate to say. This old man was just being unnecessarily hurt, so please don’t mind it too much.”

Though he seemed somewhat appeased by the apology, his tone was still cold. Cold sweat ran down Ian’s back.

‘I really didn’t expect him to send someone so immediately. This has become troublesome.’

Ever since having that dream, it had always bothered him that he’d never contacted Jason, so he’d picked up his pen. While writing about simple daily life, Ash’s education came to mind.

Though he’d only given a little attention, Ian was privately troubled by how frighteningly fast the child was growing. He’d reconsidered sending him to school, but since he’d said he’d leave that choice to Ash, he couldn’t change his words again.

But thinking he couldn’t just leave Ash unattended like this, he’d casually asked Jason in passing if he knew any tutors. Jason, who was originally meddlesome and hasty by nature, had just sent someone without warning.

Ian sighed lightly and put the letter he was holding into his chest.

“Well, shall we go meet the new teacher?”

Ian gathered the brush he’d temporarily placed on the horse’s back and put it in its proper place. He patted the back of the horse that nickered as if asking where he was going, and headed to the manor with Clayton.

As they approached the manor, perhaps at Mrs. Gauner’s direction, a servant was waiting outside with a washbasin.

“Please call Ash to the study.”

Washing his hands while asking Clayton, he headed to the second floor. Going to his room to put on appropriate outer clothing and entering the study, the interior was as always impeccably neat. Just as he was settling into the armchair, there was a knock and Ash entered.

“You called for me?”

To Ash, who was breathing heavily with a flushed face as if he’d been running, Ian was indicating for him to sit in an appropriate spot when there was another knock at the door.

The person who eventually entered was an unfamiliar young man. This person, who appeared to be around Ian’s age in appearance, immediately exclaimed upon seeing the study as he entered.

“Wow! It’s really well decorated. Very impressive. It’s like a small library.”

Paying no attention to the two people waiting, he looked around before seeing the two pairs of eyes watching him and greeting them.

“Oh, hello! I’m Jeremy Shiller, here as a tutor. A friend recommended me, and this manor really is in a remote location.”

Perhaps due to his honest nature, Ian nodded at his unadorned words.

“You must have had a hard time getting here. I had some trouble when I came here too. Did you come straight here from the capital?”

“Yes, I arrived at a nearby village and stayed the night. It was a farmhouse with so many children they said they couldn’t remember names, and there really were ten children so it was completely chaotic. When they went to work in the morning, I caught a hay cart and got off partway, then walked from the middle, but there are many swamps around here.”

Jeremy, who had been chattering eloquently, quickly claimed a chair when Ian offered him a seat.

“I nearly died because I encountered a strange bird and chased after it to get a closer look. I’m very interested in biology too, haha. I’m not directly acquainted with Jason, but I heard my friend saying who would apply to be a tutor at a manor in a completely remote corner.”

While Jeremy was talking, feeling someone grab his hand, Ian looked beside him to see Ash watching the tutor with a very wary expression. It was a contrasting sight to Jeremy’s relaxed smile. It suddenly reminded him of when he first met Ash.

It was rather touching that the child who barely spoke at their first meeting was now firmly holding his hand with those fern-like fingers. When Ian patted Ash’s hand to help him relax, Jeremy’s story seemed to be gradually reaching its end.

“At that moment I felt it. This is work meant for someone like me! I needed work at the time. This story gets long anyway, so next time! Anyway, that’s how I came to volunteer. Please treat me well. By the way, is the person beside you the young master I’ll be teaching?”

Finally finished, Ian nodded at Jeremy’s words and reached out to pat Ash’s back.

“That’s right. Ash, you should stand up and greet him.”

At Ian’s words, Ash hesitantly stood and greeted Jeremy.

“I’m Ash Walton. Mr. Jeremy Shiller…”

Though it wasn’t a very loud voice, Ian nearly teared up for a moment. To think he would greet a stranger he was seeing for the first time at his words—it was truly remarkable progress.

“What a well-mannered young master. After seeing those snotty little kids yesterday, the contrast is incredible. Please just call me teacher or Teacher Jeremy.”

Ian carefully asked the cheerfully speaking Jeremy:

“Do you have experience teaching young children like Ash?”

“Yes, yes! I have previous experience as a live-in tutor. I’ve taught children around Ash’s age too. You can leave everything to me.”

At Jeremy’s confident response, Ian sighed with relief inwardly. Being such a clumsy guardian, if Jeremy had asked about detailed educational policies, he would have had nothing to say but “please handle it well yourself.”

With the part he’d been worried about resolved, Ian spoke comfortably:

“Clayton, who guided you earlier, will help with your lodging room.”

“Understood. And I believe you’re from the capital academy, Baron? Is that correct?”

While asking this unexpected question, Jeremy took off his glasses and wiped them with his clothes. With his glasses off, his gently curved eyes were clearly revealed, and Ian lightly nodded while meeting his gaze. Ash looked back and forth between the two at this first-time information.

“That’s correct. But I didn’t graduate. I suddenly had to come here recently. You seem to have heard about that too.”

Though it still bothered him that he’d dropped out midway, there had been no choice but to withdraw. He couldn’t stay trapped in the same repeating day forever… When Ian’s thoughts reached that point, he had a puzzled feeling.

‘I didn’t think about it when sending the letter, but is it okay for a tutor to come so naturally like this? Is it possible because of the free branch?’

Not noticing Ian’s complex thoughts, Jeremy smiled warmly and said:

“Yes, I’m also from the capital academy, so I just asked out of curiosity. Since we’re fellow alumni, let’s work well together.”

And a small system message appeared in the upper corner.

[System: Ash will remember this.]

At that phrase, Ian unconsciously looked at Ash. The child was watching him with a strange look in his eyes.