GDT | Chapter 1.6

Yurkia said as he pinned the brooch to Ruberteo’s chest. To think he said such precious words often—he’s even gotten better at lying. Grumbling softly about not hearing it again, Yurkia was surprised when Ruberteo’s hand touched his ear, fixing the flower that had slipped down.

“The flower suits you.”

“……”

I should say thank you. I should teach him to express himself like this when he meets the woman he loves someday. But when their eyes met up close, Yurkia’s throat closed up.

‘…No way.’

That strange feeling in the carriage. The way his toes tingled and his neck felt hot—what do you call that again? As Yurkia blinked blankly, Ruberteo spoke.

“You said you wanted to see the fireworks.”

“……”

“Aren’t you coming?”

“Huh? Oh… yeah, let’s go!”

With awkward steps, Yurkia walked ahead. No way. There’s no way Ruberteo sees me like that. Watching him, Ruberteo rubbed the fingers that had touched Yurkia’s ear.

“Was that too fast…?”

I thought it was just right. Maybe it’s still too soon. Thinking that, he started walking. After that, he couldn’t really remember what happened.

Yurkia felt too awkward to look at Ruberteo’s face, so he just made even more noise as they wandered around, while Ruberteo quietly followed.

“Ah, it was really pretty, right?”

“……”

Only after watching the fireworks did the two get back in the carriage to return to the mansion. Yurkia chatted away to get rid of the awkwardness from earlier, and Ruberteo listened as he took off the scarf Yurkia had given him.

‘See, I was just overthinking it.’

There’s no way Teo would see me like that. Yurkia decided once again that it was just his imagination and got out of the stopped carriage first.

“Let’s start tomorrow’s lesson a bit late. You must be tired from walking around all day.”

“Okay.”

As they entered the annex, Yurkia stopped in front of his room while talking about tomorrow’s schedule. He should say goodnight, but after that weird misunderstanding, even something so simple felt a bit hard.

‘Yuri, you really don’t deserve to be called a teacher.’

Cursing himself, Yurkia grabbed the doorknob and turned around.

“Well, good night, see you tomor—”

Suddenly, a hand reached out. In a situation just like before, Yurkia reflexively swatted it away, and the scarf Ruberteo was handing him fell limply to the floor.

“Ah, no… I… uh—”

“I was just trying to return your scarf.”

“…R-right… uh… sorry.”

“…Are you okay?”

The hand reached out again. And through the hair that had returned to its original color, Yurkia saw Ruberteo’s eyes—and his blood ran cold.

‘No.’

All he could think was no. He couldn’t let those eyes fall on him. Seeing Yurkia go pale, Ruberteo’s hand stopped in midair.

“……”

“……”

Silence fell between them, and it was Yurkia who broke it. Without even saying goodnight, he fled into his room.

Left alone in the hallway, Ruberteo carefully picked up the scarf from the floor. He stared at the firmly closed door for a long time before slowly turning and disappearing inside.

“……”

Inside his room, Yurkia was sitting on the floor, covering his mouth.

No way. This can’t be. Absolutely not. He’d thought it was just his imagination, but it wasn’t.

“How could you… look at me… like that…”

His gaze twisted in pain as he bit his lip hard.

“You’re not even teaching your lessons, what are you doing?”

“I-I didn’t do anything. I was just teaching—”

“You’re not teaching, you’re corrupting our innocent child… what a filthy human!”

“No… really, I didn’t!!”

They said he’d messed with much younger students—was it true? Even if it was! Didn’t you hear he got slapped and kicked out of a baron’s house not long ago?

The whispers grew louder, pressing in on Yurkia. Surrounded by people, he felt like he was going crazy from the injustice. He really hadn’t done anything. Why—

“Why… won’t anyone believe me…”

I just… wanted to help the students. As he cried in frustration, a child approached from behind. The hem of a fancy dress, showing she was a noble’s daughter, entered his view. Then, above his head, the child’s voice rang out.

“Teacher, I love you.”

Gasping, Yurkia shot up and looked around with trembling eyes. After checking that there was no one else, he let out a deep sigh.

“It was a dream…”

Yeah. Of course it was a dream. That incident was cleared up as a misunderstanding. He slowly got up. There was a bowl of water ready for him to wash up.

As he washed his face in the warm water, he saw his reflection in the rippling surface. And beyond that, the image of Ruberteo from last night.

“…I have to keep my distance.”

He couldn’t let the same thing happen again. This time, it was even more dangerous. The other person wasn’t just any noble, but someone with imperial blood.

“Was I too close?”

He should have just taught and helped him socialize. He’d felt sorry for Ruberteo, living alone in this big annex, so he’d gotten closer—and now this had happened.

‘After what happened last time…’

I never learn. Shaking his head, he dried off and changed clothes before leaving the room.

‘It’s not too late. I just need to keep my distance, and in four years, I’ll leave cleanly.’

He’s sixteen now, so in four years, when he turns twenty and has his coming-of-age ceremony, everything will be over. Until then, he’d keep his distance, teach what was left, and leave without a fuss.

Clenching his fist, he looked up at the air and declared,

“…Alright. Let’s do this!”

“For what?”

“Waaah!!”

Again. Startled by Ruberteo suddenly appearing behind him, Yurkia stepped back, trying to calm his pounding heart as he looked at him. Maybe he was the only one conscious of what happened last night, because Ruberteo seemed totally normal.

“Uh… no, nothing.”

He answered as usual, then quickly corrected himself. Nothing at all.

“Are you going to eat?”

“……”

“I need to prepare for today’s lesson… so you should go ahead.”

Distance. I have to keep my distance now. Yurkia bowed deeply to Ruberteo, using the perfect etiquette for someone of imperial blood.

“Well then, I’ll be going.”

As Yurkia hurried away, Ruberteo stood quietly in the hallway. Watching where Yurkia had disappeared, he pressed his tongue to the inside of his cheek in displeasure.

“Hoo…”

Yurkia, who had quickly run away without knowing anything, pouted in disappointment. Still, unlike the other kids, he’d grown attached to Teo from living together.

‘If I suddenly keep my distance, he’ll be sad…’

But he couldn’t let his name get caught up in weird rumors. Yurkia squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head.

Yeah. This is all for Teo.

“I’m sorry, Teo…!”

But I can’t let you feel the horrible stares I went through!

Holding back the tears that threatened to spill, he sniffled and went into the room where he taught Ruberteo. It would take a while for him to finish eating, so he’d use this time to pull himself together.

—

“You want to know… everything about Teacher Yurkia?”

Madam Ireunoa was briefly flustered when Ruberteo visited after her meal, but his question gave her a headache. What was he talking about, showing up like this?

“I don’t really understand why you’re giving such an order.”

“I don’t think your understanding is necessary.”

Sitting in her seat and sipping tea, Ruberteo answered quietly. He was right, but still, so sudden? Madam Ireunoa wondered if there was a problem between the two and spoke up.

“There’s no need for a separate investigation. We already looked into everything before hiring him.”

“Then show me that investigation. Is that possible?”

“…Alright.”

Unable to read his intentions, she pulled a stack of documents from the bottom drawer of her desk.

“These detail all his habits, so you should find what you’re looking for.”

“…Does it include which students he taught?”

“Yes. Look at the fourth page.”

Following Madam Ireunoa’s words, Ruberteo looked at the fourth page and frowned at the list of names and lessons.

“This is…”

“Oh, that’s the one who once started a strange rumor about Teacher. The baron’s second daughter, Sergio.”

The lesson was for Sergio’s older brother, so why was her name here?

When Ruberteo turned the page, he found the rumors attached to Yurkia.

“There was a bit of a commotion. Lady Sergio fell for Teacher Yurkia, got sick, and confessed her love.”

“……”

“Adults judged a fleeting child’s feelings however they wanted. That’s when the rumor started that Teacher Yurkia had violated a young girl.”

Sergio had grabbed Yurkia as he was leaving her brother’s lesson. It was a feeling kids often had for cool adults, one that faded quickly. Sergio confessed her love to Yurkia, and knowing it would pass, he gently turned her down and comforted her as she cried.

And then, Sergio’s parents saw that scene.

“Rumors are like snowballs. They grew and grew, until people said he only targeted children, boys or girls, and touched them however he wanted—completely absurd.”

It must have been painful. Even more so because he was a fallen noble. He got kicked out of all his lessons, and every time he passed by, people cursed at him.

“But the misunderstanding was cleared up quickly. Thankfully, Countess Moreuge, who knew his true character, helped him. Lady Sergio’s brother also spoke up.”

He explained that Sergio always confessed her love to people she’d just met, and that she’d even done it to a woman she met by the lake recently.

Countess Moreuge also defended him, saying someone who loved children so much could never do something so shameless, and asked if he’d ever laid a hand on a child’s body.

The misunderstanding faded, and he was able to work as a teacher again, but—

“Even if it was brief, it must have left scars. After that, he started keeping his distance from children.”

“……”

“Well, it seems to be different with you, Teo.”

She glanced at Ruberteo, who was silently reading the names of students and the people who spread the rumors. Seeing how unusually interested he was in Yurkia, Madam Ireunoa spoke cautiously.

“Just so you know, Teacher Yurkia is a fallen noble.”

“……”

“And after your coming-of-age ceremony, he’ll leave.”

Don’t get attached. She implied, then looked up at Ruberteo as he stood.

He used to be smaller than her, but when did he get so big? Swallowing nervously, Madam Ireunoa clasped her trembling hands as Ruberteo approached.

“I’ll handle it myself.”