Chapter 353 – #77_Tutor(3)
#351
1.
The Levana Grand Bathhouse is so luxurious that there’s a saying, “Until you’ve been to the Grand Bathhouse, you’ve only experienced half of Gehenna’s abundance.”
Even Siwoo, recalling his visit, remembered it being as splendid as a legendary resort.
The morning after receiving the tutor offer from Count Yesod.
Siwoo, who had arrived at the Yesod estate early in the morning, was impressed.
Not only was the facility, located right next to the Grand Bathhouse, exceptionally well-equipped, but it also exuded a different atmosphere from the twins’ mansion.
The refined atmosphere of the Jemernai mansion comes from the contrast of light and shadow.
First, the interior is darkened by using red carpets and deeply saturated wallpaper throughout the mansion.
Then, luxurious candelabras and chandeliers create a dazzling and brilliant atmosphere with contrasting bright lights.
On the other hand, the overall atmosphere of the Yesod family’s mansion was very bright.
Characterized by dome-shaped and arched architectural structures, round pillars and lavish murals that are not at all tacky line the walls.
It’s hard to say definitively since Gehenna itself employs a unique architectural style…
But if the Jemernai family’s style is rooted in British or French styles, this place feels more like Rome or Italy.
It felt more open, yet no less luxurious, making you feel like a prince visiting a neighboring country’s palace just by walking through the hallway.
Well, in reality, I’m just a contract tutor.
“Then Diana, you must listen to your teacher, okay?”
“…Yes.”
“Have fun all day for the time being.”
“…Yes.”
“Please take good care of our Diana, teacher.”
“I will do my best.”
“Then, I’ll see you tonight~”
With those words, Count Yesod disappeared into the distance.
It was some kind of new harassment, barely managing to dissuade him from forcing me to wear rimless glasses, but Siwoo felt a little heavy-hearted just from the neat butler’s uniform and greasy slicked-back hair that the Count had requested.
Who exactly am I supposed to look good for like this…?
Looking to the side, Diana was standing there blankly, already seeming to feel intense confusion.
Judging by her reaction from the first meeting, it seems she hadn’t heard any mention of a tutor.
I guess it’s just my imagination that I feel like I’ve been handed a ticking time bomb.
“It’s nice to see you again like this.”
Anyway, there’s a goal.
To borrow the Count’s words, it’s to make Diana, who’s as inactive as a hibernating rabbit, play diligently.
He’ll provide unlimited funds, so whatever it is, ‘make her play with motivation!’ was the order.
In exchange for that, I was promised magic studies and research assistance, so I’d have to show some decent results for next week’s contract renewal.
“I’m not happy to see you at all. And use honorifics.”
I tried to greet her with some enthusiasm, but a curt reply came back.
Her soft-looking lips were pouting out, and her healthy-looking cheeks were puffed up with dissatisfaction.
It was expected, but she didn’t seem to like this situation.
“I’m your tutor now. Count Yesod said so too, didn’t he?”
Diana is naturally stubborn.
Moreover, she has been spoiled as the precious daughter of a Count’s family, and she has a promising future as a witch.
To gain even a little control over Diana, it was necessary to establish a teacher-student relationship, and the first step to show that was the mutual use of titles.
Of course, not only titles but also the authority to scold her appropriately ‘if possible’ was confirmed.
It seems the Count was trying to sort things out in his own way…
“Mom’s gone, and it’s just the two of us, so it doesn’t matter. And could you please not act so familiar?”
Judging by Diana’s reaction, it doesn’t seem to have been very useful.
Diana, showing an unusually sharp reaction, began to walk somewhere aimlessly.
“Where are you going?”
“To take a nap. Don’t follow me.”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can do that.”
It seems that if I just believe the Count’s words and talk back to her casually, I won’t get anywhere.
To avoid offending Diana as much as possible, I changed to using honorifics first and followed her.
“First of all, I’m in a position where I have to show results too. I feel like I have to do something…”
“No matter how much you follow me, I’m going to sleep.”
“I’ll still follow you to the end.”
“Do as you please.”
It’s a bit pathetic, but there’s no other way.
Count Yesod’s help is essential for controlling the Red Branch.
For that, I need the cooperation of this young lady, who is even more unpredictable than the twins.
I couldn’t help but sigh.
If there were clearly defined activities like math tutoring, it would be one thing.
But being told to ‘do anything’ with a young lady who seems to dislike everything was quite a headache.
-Tap tap tap
-Step step step
After that, a slightly funny scene unfolded.
Diana, walking around the hallway as if to shake off Siwoo.
Siwoo, following closely behind her.
“The weather’s nice, shall we go fishing outside?”
“……”
“How about shopping at the Malkuth Gallery?”
“……”
“Would you like to try magic shooting? I’ve never done it myself, but it looks quite fun.”
“……”
Siwoo had done some research in advance for this difficult tutoring job, which was a first for him.
He had thoroughly researched the things to do and leisure activities in Gehenna and had even prepared a course like a concierge.
The problem was that no matter how luxurious the course was, it was all for naught if the person in question didn’t even listen.
If I don’t do anything like this, the Count will fire me without hesitation in a week.
I want to avoid that at all costs.
“Or would you like to go see a performance at the theater?”
“……”
Siwoo followed her around, talking to her while she was looking for a place to take a nap.
Diana didn’t even turn around, ignoring him and not reacting.
But I could see that her head was already boiling over.
Actually, this was half a gamble.
It was like forcing a spoon in front of someone who doesn’t want to eat.
But Siwoo had already grasped some of Diana’s characteristics.
According to Count Yesod’s complaints, she has chronic lack of motivation and a lazy nature.
These two things combined make her so lazy that it’s beyond help.
However, Siwoo knew other aspects of Diana besides that.
Diana, who came to check the position board every morning without anyone noticing that she was such a lazy person.
Diana, who flew into a rage after losing.
Diana, who teased Siwoo with a broad smile after winning.
That’s right.
Diana may be a lazy person.
But more than that, a competitive spirit and a fiery temper that makes her pay back double when provoked are dormant beneath her lazy nature.
Moreover, people who hate being bothered can’t ignore someone who keeps bothering them and following them around.
“Ugh, seriously!”
Thirty minutes after starting his tutoring job, Diana turned to look at Siwoo for the first time.
Her languid-looking eyes were wide open, and her dissatisfied, twisted lips seemed to be shouting, ‘Leave me alone!’
Her hair color, eye color, and even her height were similar to the Count’s, but how could their atmospheres be so different?
Siwoo was surprised anew, but he also joked.
“You’re finally answering me.”
“Can’t you understand what people are saying? I don’t want to play with you at all, not even a little bit? Not even a little bit?”
Diana, who had been responding with a turtle strategy to Siwoo’s constant nagging, finally reached her limit.
In the end, Diana clenched her fists and huffed, venting her frustration.
“I’m not going to do anything with you anyway! I’m going to tell my mom to fire you tonight! You’re really bothering me!”
“……”
Diana breathed heavily after her outburst.
Shouting was extremely exhausting for Diana, who had little natural energy and had been having sleepless nights for the past few days.
“Well, there’s nothing I can do. I have to work diligently, at least for today.”
“You mean diligently bothering me… Do as you please. I’m going to ignore you.”
In fact, Diana was not happy with this situation at all.
He was someone she didn’t like very much to begin with.
Moreover, Diana’s mind was complicated with all sorts of thoughts these days.
She had no room in her mind to accept a new event called ‘surprise tutor’.
No matter what, Shin Siwoo was a ‘man’, wasn’t he?
In Diana’s mind, which remembered the beastly, unclean image of men in novels, a sense of rejection and disgust for the unfamiliar was growing.
And she was projecting that negative emotion onto Siwoo.
Just like the delivery man in the novel, she was thinking, ‘Isn’t this man looking at me with those dirty eyes too?’
The person she found uncomfortable even when she saw him at other times had become her tutor, following her around under her mother’s orders, so her patience was reaching its limit.
In the end, she ended up back in Diana’s room.
She was going to sleep while basking in the warm sunlight or floating on the lazy river, but.
Because of this man, everything was in vain.
But he wouldn’t be able to follow her here.
“…? What are you doing now?”
“Huh?”
“This is my room, you know?”
Ignoring Diana’s expectations, Siwoo stepped into Diana’s living room with ease.
As if it were his own home.
“I see.”
As if it were his own home.
“How dare you enter a lady’s room so carelessly? Where did you learn your manners…”
“I apologize, but I will prioritize Count Yesod’s instructions.”
Diana was rather bewildered by Siwoo’s outrageous behavior.
And then, belatedly, annoyance and anger surged.
“Do you think my words are a joke?”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you angry. But it’s my job.”
“Yes, fine. It’s a job you’ll lose tomorrow anyway. Do as you please. Just don’t ever follow me into my bedroom. I really won’t be able to stand it then.”
Diana grabbed the doorknob with a voice that was drained of energy.
Then, she heard Siwoo’s voice.
“If I’m really that bothersome, how about an activity that we can do while sitting down? Even if I’m just a tutor for a day, I can’t go back without doing anything, so I won’t be able to face the Count.”
“Hmph, that’s your problem.”
“That’s a shame, I thought Diana would be interested in this.”
“This?”
When she turned around slightly, she saw a familiar-looking sphere.
She had forgotten about it due to the intense shock she had received, but it was the crystal ball of the position board that had made Diana focus on her studies before she saw the demon delivery man.
“I think I was leading with a total score of 4 to 2, right?”
“So what?”
But even with Siwoo’s provocation, Diana’s reaction was lukewarm.
Emotions from minor events tend to be diluted by emotions from larger events.
If she hadn’t been worried about something else because of the demon delivery man, she would have gotten angry right away.
She would have fallen for the provocation of mentioning a total score of 4 to 2.
“Who would fall for such an obvious provocation? I’m not going to play with you, so go away. I won’t see you out.”
“Are you really not going to do it?”
“…Hmph.”
The position board was just a game anyway.
It was childish to get angry about losing one game to a scrawny man who she felt like she could beat in magic right now.
Diana, scoffing and grabbing the doorknob, thought so.
“I apologize for being presumptuous, but perhaps…”
Until she heard the impudent words that followed.
“…Are you… chicken…?”
“Let’s do it right now.”
3rd backdoor anhole incoming