WDIHTVYB Chapter 34

* * *

Arthur feigned calm as he opened his mouth to speak.

“I heard… you recommended me as Young Master Shane’s tutor.”

“Yes.”

Raizen’s response was refreshingly straightforward.

“You know the boy’s secret. One day, he’ll have to return to his family and become its heir. And you’re an excellent teacher, after all.”

There was no trace of ulterior motives in Raizen’s demeanor.

It was so clean-cut that Arthur couldn’t help but smile calmly in return.

“I still have a lot to learn.”

“And yet, you’re humble on top of that.”

‘Should I end this charade here?’

Raizen was growing tired of this subtle back-and-forth.

Initially, entrusting Sean to Arthur Sothes had several motivations.

Beyond his experiments, Raizen had been curious about how someone as renowned as Arthur would perceive Sean’s divine power.

He wanted proof.

And when it was confirmed to be divine power, he was eager to see how Arthur and his parents would respond.

‘If anyone in the family told him about my curse, it would’ve been Arthur Sothes.’

Raizen had also considered passing the task of researching how to best use Sean’s divine power onto Arthur, should the situation arise.

But after receiving a birthday gift from Sean, those thoughts disappeared like a lie.

The moment he held the pocket watch imbued with warm, comforting energy, Raizen was astonished—not only by the tangible results but also by the fact that Sean had come up with the idea on his own.

‘So now, I don’t even need to involve others…’

At that realization, Raizen’s mood soured.

Normally, the old Raizen would’ve been pleased—relieved, even—at the prospect of fewer unpleasant interactions with people.

The knowledge that divine power could be contained in objects also expanded his range of options.

So why did it feel so irritating?

After a moment of thought, Raizen pinpointed the reason.

‘It’s all happening too fast.’

Sean’s growth, and the results he produced, exceeded every expectation Raizen had set.

On top of that, Sean, who was supposed to follow Raizen’s lead, had abruptly deviated from the script, throwing his plans into disarray.

The carefully laid strategy to gently coax Sean along and keep him bound to his side for as long as possible?

Completely disrupted.

‘I even forgot to tell him to keep all this a secret.’

This flawed result was what had left Raizen feeling so irritable.

That much was clear.

And as that realization struck, Raizen found himself bristling at the thought of anyone else discovering Sean’s power.

But by this point, removing Arthur Sothes from Sean’s side would raise too many questions.

So now, Raizen wanted only one thing from Arthur: to teach Sean well.

‘Proof, my parents’ reactions—none of that matters anymore.’

For the time being, Raizen decided to focus solely on keeping Sean and his power under control.

With his thoughts settled, Raizen flashed Arthur a bright smile.

“So, please take good care of our Sean.”

---

The phrase “out of the frying pan, into the fire” existed for moments like this.

“Hello. I’m Arthur Sothes, the new tutor tasked with overseeing all aspects of Young Master Shane’s education.”

Standing before me was a man with long brown hair tied neatly behind him.

Even with glasses, his sharp, chilling gaze couldn’t be concealed.

‘He’s strikingly handsome, but…’

This was clearly not someone to be underestimated.

Arthur Sothes.

In the novel ‘From Transmigration to Hero’, his role was minor but unforgettable.

He was Raizen’s tutor, a member of the Pantheon family, and—more importantly—the first to uncover Raizen’s schemes and attempt to thwart them, only to be killed for his efforts.

‘Technically, he’s a victim of Raizen, just like me…’

But he was better known by other titles: a peculiar genius, a rare prodigy… and ‘the Dreaded Orator.’

He was infamous for his lack of patience with anyone he deemed incapable of keeping up with his intellect.

Conversations with such individuals were, to him, a form of torture.

‘And now… this person is my tutor?’

This development wasn’t in the novel.

Then again, there was no reason for it to be.

Even if Arthur had briefly been assigned to Sean, it wouldn’t have warranted mention—after all, Sean was already dead by the time the novel’s events unfolded.

Still, in the book, Arthur Sothes had been Raizen’s tutor from start to finish!

‘What were the Duke and Duchess thinking, assigning Arthur to me instead of Raizen?’

Would Raizen misunderstand?

Would he think his parents were choosing me as the heir instead of him?

If so, the small amount of goodwill I’d painstakingly built with him would crumble in no time.

‘This isn’t the stock market—why do I have to worry about it plummeting?’

Lost in my thoughts, I glanced at Arthur Sothes.

When our eyes met, he gave me a warm smile.

“Haha, I must seem unfamiliar to you. Truthfully, I’m one of the Duke’s people. I’ve just been away for a while, which delayed my meeting with Young Master Shane”

‘..Huh?’

In the novel, he was ‘the Dreaded Orator.’

But now, the man standing before me seemed like a perfectly reasonable person.

Maybe even… kind?

‘Is this just another discrepancy between the novel and reality?’

However, brushing it off as a simple matter would be an underestimation.

Arthur Sothes was more influential than he seemed.

‘And what he just said—it’s strange.’

Normally, one would introduce themselves as a member of the Duke’s household in situations like this.

But Arthur Sothes referred to himself as someone serving the Duke, not the household.

For someone as intelligent and discerning as Arthur to phrase it that way, the implication was crystal clear.

‘I am not loyal to the Duke’s family. I am loyal to Duke Pantheon.’

Could it be that this man even knows I’m Sean Kreveta?

Unable to voice the suspicion outright, I settled for a polite bow.

“Ah, yes! I’ll be in your care, Professor!”

“The pleasure is mine,” Arthur Sothes replied, mirroring my bow.

His expression shifted in an instant, his gaze turning sharp.

“I won’t pretend the lessons will be easy. However, they’re essential knowledge and a critical process for you. It might be challenging, but I’d appreciate it if you endure. I’ll explain as clearly as possible, and if there’s anything you don’t understand, feel free to ask a hundred or even a thousand times. What matters most isn’t the pace but ensuring you grasp the content.”

Why did it sound like he was determined to make me understand every single thing, no matter what?

‘Wait, what kind of lessons are we talking about here?!’

I’ve had tutors before.

Thankfully, language was patched into this body, so I’ve already covered essential subjects like history.

As an adult, understanding wasn’t difficult, though it might’ve been a bit advanced for children my age.

I even pretended to struggle at times to avoid suspicion.

‘But why, out of nowhere, is Arthur Sothes assigned to me?!’

I wanted to rip my hair out in frustration, but that wasn’t an option.

The best I could do was offer an awkward smile, like a shy child meeting someone new.

‘It’s the only way to avoid exposing the fact that a grown man resides in this body.’

What worried me even more was that Arthur Sothes wasn’t just intelligent—he was perceptive.

Now, I had one more person to be cautious around.

…I have to survive this.

I’ll survive, inherit my share of the estate, and live freely, expressing my emotions without restraint!

Sure, the Kreveta family’s successor issue is still unresolved, but that’s not my problem.

“So, please feel free to relax around me.”

‘Yeah, that doesn’t seem possible.’

But my lips betrayed my thoughts.

“Yes, Professor!”

“You might find this overwhelming at first. But… I assure you, what you’ll learn from me will be invaluable for your future. No matter where or how you choose to live.”

A near-instinctual certainty gripped me.

‘He knows.’

Honestly, the whole situation was strange.

Assigning someone like Arthur Sothes as my tutor?

It couldn’t simply be for the sake of providing a quality education.

If word got out about this, the family’s internal dynamics would stir up all sorts of rumors.

Even if the branch families and vassals displayed loyalty, no one genuinely welcomed my presence.

I was a thorn in their side.

Hadn’t there been people at Raizen’s birthday party who looked at me with blatant wariness?

And now, they’re assigning Arthur Sothes to someone like me, a mere adopted commoner?

‘Could it be… they’re giving even this commoner a chance?’

How could that thought not cross their minds?

Excuses could easily be made.

Of course, a duke’s child deserves the best education.

Arthur Sothes isn’t involved in successor training, they’d say.

In fact, this could even serve as a way for Duke Pantheon to publicly announce his thoughts on the succession issue.

‘Whatever. That’s the Duke’s business.’

But what about me, suddenly dragged into Arthur Sothes’ lessons like a shrimp caught in a whale fight?

I desperately wanted to confirm my suspicions right away, but doing so would shatter the image I’d built as Sean Kreveta.

It’d be a complete breakdown of character.

‘Even if I ask someday, I’ll need to bide my time and gather information first.’

After all, overly perceptive children tend to make adults wary.

“Well then, shall we begin the lesson?”

Before that… let’s get through the first class.

* * *