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Don’t Pull the Sleeping Dragon’s Scales (2)
Translated by Wook
Edited by Wook
Father, Duke Yusis Peresca, did not lose the dignity of the nobility despite the absurd declaration of his 10-year-old daughter to teach her older brother.
He just let out a cautious moan with a slightly serious expression.
Of course, the permission was not quickly granted. No matter how many times he has experienced my extraordinaryness, he can’t trust a 10-year-old girl who has never held a sword before.
It had been a week since I declared that I would teach Leonard. My father called me into his study.
“Helena.”
“Yes, Father.”
“In fact, I sent someone to find out about the swordsman you fired.”
I hurried my father’s words with a light nod.
After a short sigh, as if in disbelief, he continued.
“I sent someone to the school where he graduated, and the people there said he had to be delayed several times because of poor grades.”
“Oh, dear.”
It wasn’t very surprising information, but I added a short exclamation for my embarrassed father.
“The acquaintance who introduced me to that person also apologized several times. He believed in the reputation and splendid teaching history of the school he graduated from, and we almost had to add a line to that mere rĂ©sumĂ©.”
“I see. It is fortunate we fired him early.”
Peresca is not an unmanned family in the first place. As for the teacher, Father must have completely trusted the introduction of his acquaintance.
Of course, even if I wasn’t involved, if the number of days of class had been extended, someone might have stepped in in some way in the end.
“If you dare to call me and tell me about that, do you mean that you will give me a chance to teach my brother?”
Father’s eyebrows shrugged at the bold question of his 10-year-old daughter.
“Half yes, half not.”
“Oh, dear.”
A little bit of emotion may have been mixed with my exclamation this time around.
“Of course our family knows you’re not a child who talks nonsense. But in common sense
”
“I understand. It’s hard to trust a 10-year-old girl who has never touched a sword to teach others.”
“That’s what I’m saying.”
My father strongly affirmed my words.
“But it was hard to ignore what you, who were seldom motivated by anything, said you wanted to do first after a long time.”
“Then what do you want me to do?”
“Next week, a guest will come to our estate.”
“A guest?”
I tilted my head and asked back.
“Yes. Prince Caesar will stay in our estate for a season this summer.”
“What?!”
A prince’s visit is so out of the blue, isn’t it?! 
is what I thought.
As I thought about it, I seemed to know what the reason was.
‘Come to think of it, the empress died last winter.’
“The prince seems to be very heartbroken because he lost his mother a while ago. It would be His Majesty’s consideration to let him stay in the Duchy during the summer and soothe his mind.”
I nodded in agreement with my father.
Because my father’s opinion was not wrong. At least, on the surface.
The true meaning of this summer vacation must be different.
‘Now that the empress is dead, there will be no power in the Imperial Castle to protect the young prince. In other words, he is going to have him take refuge this way.’
One season would be enough time to sort out the power battles within the Imperial Castle.
“But what does the prince coming to our estate have to do with my intention to teach my brother?”
“Prince Caesar is a person who studied Caesareanism at the Imperial Castle. He, of course, has been trained in swordsmanship. He first started wielding a sword when he was 10, and it could be said he was quite skilled.”
[T/N: Caesareanism is an autocratic system of government. I put in the literal word because it seems funny that Caesar studies Caesarianism]
I listened up to that, and made a sneaky guess as to what Father might want.
“Do you want me to teach Brother so that he can win against the prince?”
“That’s right.”
“Do you think it is possible? The prince must have been educated by the best educators over there, and the years they learned are different.”
Without realizing it, my tone became sharp.
I don’t know if he’s trusting me too much or if he wants me to fail quickly and give up without any regrets.
“Of course, I don’t expect a victory. I just want you to prove your skills.”
Father said firmly.
“Teach your brother during the season when the prince stays at the Duchy. It is up to yourself whether Leonard can be entrusted to you or not.”
At those words that sounded like a provocation, I felt my stomach boiling.
***
At the beginning of summer, Caesar visited the duke’s residence as Father had predicted.
All the family members of the duke’s residence were aligned in the hall on the first floor to meet Caesar. Me and Leonard stood at the very edge of the row, greeted from the entrance, and observed Caesar approaching slowly.
“Can you see what color the prince’s eyes are, Helena?”
“I can’t see it from here. Why?”
“All members of the Gray family all have red eyes. Isn’t it special?”
Red eyes? Is that so?
I recalled a time 500 years ago when I declared that I would hand over the throne to Erez Gray, my close friend and duke.
Certainly, the awe-inspiring eyes that looked at me at that time were red, close to purple.
Ah, I see. At that time, I just felt that it was a “pretty color”, but that seems to be the family’s unique gene.
“By the way, his face doesn’t look good.”
I said looking at Caesar, who didn’t smile at all.
“Maybe he’s nervous.”
“No, I think it’s just a personality problem.”
If you were to be taken care of by someone else’s house for a season or so, it wouldn’t be bad to smile and act softly. But what’s wrong with him that he looks like he chewed bugs like that?
As our turn drew closer, the two of us finally faced Caesar.
“I’m Leonard Peresca. It is an honor to have met Your Highness.”
Leonard bowed his head first and greeted him. Subsequently, I bowed and stretched my knees slightly.
“My name is Helena Peresca, Your Highness. We welcome you wholeheartedly.”
It’s a lie, though.
‘In any case.’
I slowly moved my eyes to look at Caesar.
Black hair and dark red eyes. It may be because of its intense color that gives off a sharp atmosphere even at a young age.
As far as I know, he is only a year older than Leonard, but he seemed much more mature because he had no expression.
And surprisingly, he resembles Erez.
‘Well, since he is Erez’s descendant, it is natural for them to resemble each other.’
Of course, the score of this guy I saw for the first time today doesn’t go up just because he looks a bit like my old friend.
“Enough of the friendly greeting.”
Caesar quickly avoided my gaze and moved to the side, muttering.
His personality is so arrogant. Of course, he was right, it was a friendly greeting.
“What kind of greeting did you want?”
Normally I would pretend I didn’t hear it, but I added the words. Perhaps it was because Caesar resembled my close friend.
Caesar frowned at my words and looked at me again.
“What?”
“If you don’t like friendly greetings, I asked you what kind of greeting you wanted.”
I tilted my head and asked.
“Would you be satisfied with this kind of greeting?”
I held out my right hand as if I were asking for a handshake. Everyone around me turned pale at my actions.
“Are you teasing me?”
“How could that be possible? But if you say you don’t like this as well, then what kind of greeting should I say?”
“What? How dare you
!”
“Ohhh, Your Highness. Isn’t it a relief that the princess is already so close to you?”
Caesar’s aide, Viscount Hamilton Noct, was quick to intervene and make fuss. He was about to cry in tears as he tried to somehow prevent unsavory things.
At Hamilton’s words, Caesar snapped and clicked his tongue.
Caesar, who was frowning, soon snorted and held my hand.
“Well, okay. It’s a few months, but let’s get along, Princess.”
Huh? What? Why did you suddenly become pure? What are you up to
?
‘
 Ouch.’
Oh-ho. Do you want to press my hand with force?
I felt Caesar grabbing my hand tightly. He knew how to use a sword, and he was definitely stronger.
However, you can’t just hold the other’s hand with your strength to the point of pain when shaking hands. What matters is the grip position and the arrangement of the joints.
Just like this.
“
 Agh!”
When I held Caesar’s hand with strength according to the standard, Caesar let go of his hand with a scream at once.
Kya-ha! Serves you right! How are you, baby boy? This is what it feels like eating on one’s own prank.
“W-What’s wrong, Your Highness?!”
Hamilton exclaimed in surprise.
“I-It’s nothing.”
“What? But
!”
“No need to make a fuss. It’s not a big deal.”
Caesar’s face turned red, but he didn’t snitch. Well, he may have been embarrassed to be counterattacked by a girl four years younger than him.
“I am very much looking forward to spending the summer with you, Your Highness.”
I said with a bright smile.
The inner meaning was, ‘If you act up again, I will kill you.’ Seeing Caesar making a terrible face, it seems to have been delivered properly.
“Yeah, I’m looking forward to it too. It will be fun, for sure.”
Caesar smiled with one corner of his mouth trembling.
Hmm, the real meaning of the words he just said is, “We’ll see. I will definitely take revenge.’ I’m glad we can communicate.
Even if it wasn’t my father’s suggestion, this bastard needs to be pressed down somehow. Just thinking about this guy who will feel the most injustice after losing to me makes me thrilled and motivated.
‘I won’t be bored for a while.’
It’s a summer I’m really looking forward to.
***
I thought my first meeting with Caesar was quite successful, but the adults don’t seem to think so.
After the long greeting to the prince was over, I had to be dragged away by my mother to hear her nagging me.
“No matter how old His Highness is, you shouldn’t be too harsh. Do you understand?”
“Yes, I will keep that in mind.”
I got it. In the future, I have to drag him out of sight first.
“Be kind to him. It must be difficult for him to lose his mother.”
At the end, my mother said that and even teared up.
It wasn’t until about an hour later that I was barely free from my mother’s nagging.
When I left the room, unexpectedly, Caesar was standing in the hallway.
“Your Highness’ room is over there.”
I spoke to Caesar first with affection as my mother advised, but Caesar frowned despite my hard work.
“I know that much.”
“Ah, really? I thought you were lost again.”
“Did the lady scold you for what happened earlier?”
“She did, however
”
Why do you ask?
“Are you worried about me?”
“No.”
“In fact, I was whipped for confronting you.”
“R-Really?!”
Caesar’s eyes widened.
“I’m just kidding. She only told me to be more careful.”
“What? You scared me!”
“It is true that I was scolded for being reckless toward Your Highness.”
“Your attitude was a bit cocky, but I don’t mind that. There’s nothing to worry about.”
“Of course. I don’t care either, so no need to worry.”
“You should care! If you act like that to your superiors, you will be in big trouble!”
“Is His Highness my superior?”
“Of course! I am of the imperial bloodline!”
“Really? But without the duke, you’re in trouble, right?”
Caesar groaned in response to my rebuttal and took a step back.
Currently, he has fled to the duke’s arms for protection. In this situation, he cannot assert that he is “above” the duke.
‘Hmm, but was that too harsh just now’
Seeing Caesar lowering his head and biting his lower lip, I reflected a little.  I’m still a child, but it’s not right to push too hard.
“I
 I’ve been waiting for them to resolve the misunderstanding.”
After a while, Caesar lowered his head and spoke his words.
“There’s no way you’d be happy to see me. Accepting me means being an enemy with Valer.”
Valer? Duke Valer, the family of the 1st Consort?
“I know. I must be a burden to Peresca, an old nobility who has stepped down from the political front. So I meant that you don’t have to entertain me in a pretentious manner.”
Ah, err. Hold on.
The atmosphere is getting weird.
Why are you suddenly becoming a gentle sheep? Why are you acting pitiful all of a sudden?
If you do this, I’ll become a terrible human being.
“This is all I was trying to say. Well then.”
Leaving those words behind, Caesar hurriedly disappeared from the hallway.
I couldn’t hold him.
What was I going to say? It’s true that my welcome greeting was a lie, right? Of course, it wasn’t for that reason.
“I said he didn’t look good all the time
 Was it because of the burden?”
I feel like I’ve turned into a bully. Somehow, my conscience stings.
If I knew this would happen, I shouldn’t have bothered him.
I regretted it, but what can I do? It’s already spilled water.
I just had to stand looking far beyond the hallway where Caesar disappeared.