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"He introduced himself as your new teacher."
"Huh!" he stood there stupefied at the sudden words of the servant.
He did not remember having another teaching when he was 5!
He had got three new teachers of combat and sword wielding, music and dance and accountancy and financial strategies at the age of six and seven consequently.
But at the age of five he only had one teacher that introduced him to the history and heritage of his empire and the political relation of the empire with other nations and that was marquis Lotteshire.
Could it be that his mother had thought that he had too much leisure time in his hands and could be a hurdle in her plans so she asked for more teachers to teach him in advance?
He knew that he should be more wary of his mother!
Taking a deep breath, he walked towards the room followed by his maid of honor who looked at him with worried eyes.
A man with silver beard and slumped back and crow feet eyes, white hair but still a bright smile on his wrinkled face was waiting for him in the room.
When he opened the door, the man placed the cup back on the table and stood up to welcome him.
"Welcome, my lord." The man was new to him. He tried to remember the man but could not get it.
The man was too old to teach him fighting and the generation gap could not teach him correct methods of socializing with young lords of his age. Then could he be some genius in accounts?
But wasn't he too young to dab his hands in the financial matters of the palace. Len had only started to take part in them last year. Who would let a 5 year old run the empire?
With calculative eyes, he entered the room since nothing seemed to fit the old man who had a cheery personality. His pearly smile was blinding him. Who smiles so innocently at that age!
Shouldn't his smile be calculating and shrewd that have a bit of flattery and rest mystery to gain the attention of a prince.
"My lord, I have never thought that I would get a chance to serve you by sharing my meager experience with you! It is an honor." he bowed his head but the smile on his face did not falter.
"Thank you for your humble words. But may I know the specific reason for you coming here?" Luci sat on the sofa and signaled the man to follow him who finally sat down and looked into his eyes with a smile.
Luci noticed that though he looked like a naive lamb with a leg already in his grave. He had remarkable confidence and a joyful attitude.
"Pardon! Oh! Look at me. I forgot to introduce myself." The man touched his head and laughed with full heart, making Luci shift on his seat.
He did not know why but he is feeling irritated by that smile of his.
"I thought that her majesty had told you about me before appointing me for you. And when I saw such a cute baby.. I forgot my aim to come here in the first place." Luci nodded when the old man apologized to him,
'Of course, you look like that kind of person that did not have any aim in his life, even if he had, he would forget about it easily. But who are you calling a baby!
Though I am younger than you, I still have two decades of experience.'
"I am Rudiger Lambford! I used to be.."
"Hahahaha!" The man blinked and halted in his introduction when he saw the kid laughing while looking at him.
But instead of feeling apprehensive, he felt relieved. Such a young boy that should be playing in the garden was standing here like an ice sculpture with no emotions and talking in such a poised manner that even his son that was in his 30's never behaved so cold or calm.
He liked the boy who knew how to laugh when needed. The baby fat on his cheeks create two dimples on his face that make him look adorable.
"Your smile looks just like her majesty." Rudiger had a nostalgic look on his face when he saw Luci's face turning red while laughing, as if blood would drip out of it while a tear started to form in the corner of his eyes.
"......" the smile that had already reached his eyes vanished in an instant as if it was never there in the first place.
"Cough, cough! As i was saying, i am appointed as your new teacher by her majesty. When I received her offer letter yesterday, I could not explain how joyous I was.
I must say it caught me off guard since everyone knew that marquis is teaching you personally.
I was a bit reluctant since I did not want to be a blow to the ego of the young man, but who would have thought that he had resigned personally and asked her majesty to look for another teacher for you.
I accepted the offer instantly and though she told me to take my own sweet time before meeting you and start teaching you, I could not control myself.
You look so cute in all those portraits that I have wanted to see you since you took birth. Then how could I let go of this offer." the man shook his head again as he giggled like a young teenager who had met her crush!
Was he really a man and an old one at that? But wait! Marquis resigned? Since when? He was teaching him just a few minutes ago!
Wait! The letter! What was its content that the evil mother was sure that he would resign!
``What are you planning to do now, mother?"