Stepmothers Are Not Always Evil

After that, I tried on five more dresses and the fashion show was over.

I put on my last dress and stepped out in front of Helios.

“Which one do you like best?”

“The first one.”

“It was like an angel!”

The two men who shouted the same thing at the same time looked at each other.

“Looks like you have the same eyes.”

Puff. I said, holding back the burst of laughter.

“Give me that.”

“Pay for everything she has worn.”

“You said the first dress was the best?”

“It’s the prettiest, but the rest didn’t say the rest was bad. Buy everything.”

“Helios.”

“I see.”

Floren, who grabbed the point, quickly intercepted the answer.

I was making excuses because I wanted to buy Escal clothes, but if that’s the case, I guess I was greedy for clothes.

It was unfair in my heart, but I kept my mouth shut, thinking that there was nothing I could do for Escal.

“I will change my clothes and go out. Escal, you come in too.”

“Me?”

The child with a lot of walnut crumbs on his lips asked the question with his eyes wide open.

“Yes. I will also buy Escal’s clothes.”

“My clothes?”

Escal blinked with an incredible face.

When I beckoned for him to come, the child threw away his outer clothes and rushed to me.

“I’ll be back.”

I smiled at the disgruntled Helios and went into the fitting room with Escal.

The staff rushed in again and changed their clothes.

“Uh, hey, I can take my clothes off by myself.”

“We have to measure your size, so stay still, Master.”

Escal, dressed in underwear, covered her face with both hands.

What was so embarrassing was that the tips of his ears turned red.

“You have to show your handsome face, Escal.”

“But it’s so embarrassing…”

“What is embarrassing? I did too.”

“Huh.”

Escal looked up at me through the crevice of his fingers and lowered his hand.

The staff employee who was measuring the size smiled at the appearance.

“The master has long arms and legs. You’ll grow taller later.”

“You look like the Duke, so you have a very outstanding personality.”

It’s true that children’s compliments are better to hear than mine.

I looked at Escal and smiled happily.

“Achoo!”

“Oh, I’ll bring you some clothes.”

An employee who had been praising ran and brought a pair of clothes.

It was the perfect set, from an easy-to-move shirt to pumpkin pants with suspenders to a casual jacket.

“The pants are a bit baggy, but if you fasten them with suspenders, you’ll be fine. How what’s it?”

It’s like a doll in this outfit. I have to leave this image for a long time.

Camera, why doesn’t this world have cameras? Ugh, should I call a painter and draw him?

“Don’t you like it?”

“No. I like it. What about you, Escal?”

“I like it too.”

Escal smiled broadly and shook his head vigorously.

He’s not a kid who says he doesn’t like anything, but he really liked the way he was fiddling with the suspenders.

“Yiu have to show it to your father.”

I took Escal’s hand and left the fitting room.

Helios, who was sipping tea with a bored face, shifted his gaze from me to Escal.

“How about it? Doesn’t it fit well?”

“Yeah.”

Compared to when he looked at my dress, it’s a remarkably insincere answer, but still, it’s a great development.

Instead of the blunt Helios, I widened the corners of my eyes and smiled at the child.

“Let’s go with this.”

****

After a finished shopping, we left the store.

Changed into new clothes, Escal was remarkably tall.

Whose son he is, he looks so good.

I straightened the flipped collar and asked kindly.

“We’re going to the academy now. When we get there and meet the teacher, you should say hello.”

“Yes.”

Escal, who answered with a sharp smile, smirked.

It was an innocent smile that I could not have imagined the first day I saw the child.

Tears welled up in my eyes and I looked out the window.

The carriage that had left Kingston was running in the middle of an unfamiliar street.

Unlike the bustling Kingston, the street that caught my eye was dirty and gloomy.

The appearance of the people walking on the street was shabby, and the gaze at the carriage was terrifying.

“Helios, where are we?”

“Huh? Oh, it’s already South Dunn. We just have to go a little further.”

Is there an academy where Escal will attend?

I put up the curtains so that the child wouldn’t see it.

The carriage stopped after running for another twenty minutes.

“It’s all here. Get down with caution.”

First, Helios got off the carriage and escorted me.

Escal followed me and jumped out of the carriage.

“This is Dillua Academy.”

Several buildings stood in the middle of a large site. The building was old but relatively clean.

I grabbed Escal’s hand and headed inside.

Some children playing in the open space that looked like a playground, looked at us.

I whispered to Helios because my heart was cold with eyes similar to those he had witnessed on the way.

“Helios, where are we going?”

“We were supposed to meet in the  office—”

“Are you here, sir?”

Before he could finish answering, a man with a heavy stature ran over us.

“Welcome, I am Baron Rockefeller, Dean of the Dillua Academy.”

“Helios Anthemion. The butler should have informed you.”

Helios, ignoring the outstretched hand, said arrogantly.

Baron Rockefeller raised his hand without a sign of remorse.

“Even so, you don’t know how surprised I was to receive the message. It is an infinite honor to have you personally walk in this shabby place…”

“Should I stand and listen?”

“Ah, I was so happy to see such a precious person that I had been disrespectful. Come in and talk.”

The Baron muffled his words and led him to the dean’s room.

The inside of the dean’s office was more luxurious than it looked from the outside.

Expensive vases, artwork, gold candlesticks, and high furniture were packed into the spacious space.

“Sit down.”

The Baron suggested a seat and put his buttocks on the sofa. His grinning face gave me goosebumps.

It’s not the face of an educator.

“Is this the child you were talking about?”

“Yes.”

“Hello. I’m Escalium Anthemion.”

Remembering my request to say hello, Escal jumped up and bowed his head.

“You look very smart.”

“I want to get Escal into this academy.”

Without any time to prepare his mind, Helios brought up the main topic.

The Baron smiled, revealing his yellow teeth.

“It’s an excellent decision. I’ll make sure that I raise your son as a person who will represent the empire….”

“Before that, I have a question for you.”

The Baron, who was speechless, looked at me with a displeased look.

As if all the sublime appearance he had shown to Helios was acting, his fingertips were wrapped around his face that became ferocious in an instant.

“You can say it.”

“I heard that all children attending this academy have to live in dormitories.”

“That’s right. It is my educational philosophy to increase the effectiveness of education through group life.”

I like educational philosophy. It must be the intention to isolate the children from the outside and wield them at will.

“Our Escal is only six years old, so I’m nervous to leave him alone in an unfamiliar place. Does he have to stay in the dormitory?”

If I couldn’t stop Helios’ insistence on sending him to the Academy, I wanted to stop him from sending him to the dormitory.

But the Baron’s attitude was stubborn.

“Just as there are things to be learned through education, there are things to be learned in everyday life. No matter how well you study, wouldn’t it be difficult if you don’t have social skills?”

As if he had prepared for my question in advance, the Baron’s answer was uninterrupted.

I don’t think I should leave Escal to this man.

I can’t tell from first impressions alone, but it’s rare to feel this kind of discomfort to someone you’ve seen for the first time.

I’m trying to figure out if there’s anything I can do to get things going, but the Baron quickly added.

“Dillua Academy is heavily supported by the imperial family. Your Majesty’s trust in me as the dean is very strong.”

“…….”

“The public denigrates it as a place where the commoners go, but by the time Escalium graduates, they will know how excellent this academy is.”

The Baron poured out his words like a honey.

When the story was over, Helios said to Escal.

“Escal, get out of here for a second.”

“Yes.”

Escal, who had been dazed by the stiff atmosphere, quickly left the dean’s office.

After the sound of the child’s footsteps faded away, Helios opened his mouth.

“I’m not going to send my kids away because I like this academy.”

Helios took my hand lightly.

“I came here because my wife is weak and it is difficult to take care of the child, but there is no place that allows six-year-olds to attend academy.”

“I see.”

“I have heard that there is no precedent for nobles entering this academy until now.”

“Isn’t the liturgy supposed to be broken? I believe that Escalium will enhance the reputation of the Dillua Academy.”

“We must not forget that Escal inherited the Duke Anthemion.”

“Is there any possibility?”

The story ended with that.

Helios is always considerate to me, but this time he did not yield.

“I wish you could tell me the date of admission as soon as possible. The donation will be sent after a date is set.”

“I will do as you say. Your Excellency.”

“The business is over, so stop and get up.”

As soon as Helios’ words fell, he jumped up from his seat.

I didn’t want to be in the same room with the Baron anymore.

As I left the dean’s office with a complicated mind, the Baron caught Helios.

“Sir, I have something to tell you, but…”

“I’ll go out first.”

I left Helios behind and left the dean’s office.

“Ha….”

My eyes were dizzy.

How do I tell Escal that he’ll be staying here in the future?

I went to Escal with a broken heart.

“Escal, where are you?”

But after waiting for a long time, there was no answer. I searched all around the dean’s office, but I couldn’t find Escal.

Where did he go?

Earlier, the eyes of those children were  serious.

Worried that something might have happened, I hurried out of the building.

“Waa!”

As soon as I left the building, a loud shout was heard.

On one side of the playground, children gathered in a circle.

“What did you say now!”