19 – Cypress Mosaic

“Rojo.”

The ​teacher ​pronounced ​the ​short Spanish word.

As ​soon ​as ​she ​finished ​speaking, the child’s eyes ​quickly ​scanned the cards ​scattered across the ​table. ​Then, ​with ​a ​small ​hand, he picked ​one ​of ​them.

“Correct! Well done!”

As ​he chose the right ​card, the ​teacher followed ​up with ​appropriate praise ​and ​encouragement.

She ​looked over the ​cards again ​with a thoughtful expression.

“Lucas ​is getting them all ​right. Shall we try ​something a ​bit ​harder this time?”

The child’s tension-filled eyes ​stared intently up at ​the ​teacher’s ​lips. ​His ​gaze and expression ​reflected both ​an ​anticipation to have ​the ​contents of his diligent studies ​verified and ​an ​anxiety about not ​wanting ​to ​get ​a ​single thing ​wrong.

“Hmm… ​mesa!”

The moment ​the teacher spoke, the child’s brown eyes ​wandered frantically over ​the cards. Unlike ​before, when he had ​shown firm ​confidence, the child ​now ​seemed to hesitate.

Lucas ​was taking Spanish ​lessons in ​the ​study attached ​to ​his room.

Elian ​sat ​a short ​distance ​from ​the desk, observing ​the ​child’s reactions.

As ​a ​child ​of ​the Lockhart family, Lucas already had to handle several educational programs. Basic reading and comprehension, mathematics, basic natural sciences, geography, American and world history, foreign languages… In addition, chess and art activities were included as forms of play.

Among them, basic natural sciences and American and world history were classes added by Lorenz Lockhart after he moved into the mansion. It was preparation for admission to Ashford.

Break times, playtime, and even the daily snack menu. Lucas moved according to a fixed schedule. No matter how well the child seemed to be keeping up, it was an overwhelming schedule for an ordinary six-year-old.

Finally, Lucas very carefully picked a card. It was a card with a picture of a wooden table—the correct answer. However, as if lacking confidence, he crumpled the card in his hand. Then, the child swapped it for another card. Still unable to make up his mind, he bit his plump lower lip until it turned white.

“Lucas, it’s okay. This isn’t a test, it’s a game. You don’t have to be so nervous. You’ve already gotten so many right.”

The teacher encouraged him warmly, but it failed to calm the child’s anxiety. Lucas swapped the card once more. And after that, he returned to the card he had first chosen. It was a compulsive behavior. The child gripped the card tightly and hung his head low. Before long, droplets of tears fell onto his thighs. He could no longer handle the psychological pressure.

The teacher did not react loudly. As if this happened occasionally, she calmly and quietly held [Read on Read BL Novels]the child’s [stolen content]small shoulders and patted his back.

“It’s okay. It’s okay, Lucas. You’re doing well enough as it is. Teacher is proud of you.”

Pity flickered in Elian’s eyes as he watched the child.

After wiping away Lucas’s tears, the teacher tried to divert the child’s attention with a bright and cheerful tone.

“Then, shall we try picking something Lucas likes this time?”

However, the expression of the child, who had barely stopped crying, changed instantly.

He pressed his small lips tight and shook his head vigorously. He did not stop shaking his head.

The teacher looked at Elian with a bewildered face. Elian gave a small nod, signaling that she didn’t need to demand anything more from the child. This time, the teacher picked the child up and held him completely in her arms to soothe him.

“Yes, yes. You don’t have to. I was just suggesting it. It’s okay, Lucas. You don’t have to.”

With his arms wrapped tightly around the teacher’s neck and his face buried in her shoulder, the child did not lift his head for a long time.

Based on what he had observed so far, Lucas did not [stolen content]refuse his lessons. He generally [visit our site]had a strong intellectual curiosity, visit our siteand his desire for achievement seemed fine. But, of course, that wasn’t everything.

Not speaking.

Not wanting to leave his room.

—Lorenz Lockhart had spoken as if those two were Lucas’s only problems, but the situation was not that simple.

The child had a tendency to blame himself excessively whenever he faced a problem he didn’t know or got an answer wrong.

And one more thing: he showed an extreme aversion to expressing himself. To the point where he shrank back violently at a very simple question asking him to pick something he liked.

As a result of Elian’s observations since moving into the mansion, the child showed the same pattern in every class.

The tutors all agreed that while the child had always been quiet and shy, he had previously been quite fond of self-expression. They said that drawing, writing in a diary, and role-playing were the classes the child loved most.

Then, what on earth was silencing Lucas?

Elian looked at the child clinging to the teacher with a worried gaze.

The usual rabbit doll [visit our site]sat on the child’s desk. Like unauthorized copya guardian angel watching over him at all times.

After the lesson, while Lucas had snack time with his caregiver, Elian quietly left the room.

There was someone he needed to find, but he felt lost as to where to go in this vast mansion to meet her. However, based on his experience, he was bound to run into someone eventually somewhere in the house. And they always knew her location.

As expected, it was the same this time.

Before even heading downstairs, Elian encountered an employee on the second-floor landing.

As the man tried to pass by with a slight smile, Elian hurriedly stopped him.

“Excuse me, I’d like to see Ms. Fellow.”

“She should be in the first-floor living room right now.”

“Thank you.”

A mansion managed by many people busily coming and going all day.

Although there were only two residents, Lorenz Lockhart and Lucas, there were [visit our site]more than ten live-in employees. Thus, no matter where one was in the mansion, it unauthorized copywas inevitable to encounter someone soon.

Upon going downstairs, he saw Margaret, just as the employee had told him. She was giving instructions to an employee near the sofa. Elian, who had been waiting behind, approached Margaret after the employee left.

“Ms. Fellow.”

Margaret turned around while standing.

The area around her clear blue-gray eyes curved softly.

“Please call me Margaret.”

“Ah, then… would you call me Elian as well?”

“Shall I? Elian.”

Elian smiled back at her.

When he first met Margaret for the interview, he had been quite nervous due to her aura.

An unwavering, upright posture; a physique that [stolen content]felt solid and energetic despite Read on Read BL Novelsbeing lean; a distinct crease between her brows; and a firm set to her mouth.

Her attire was impeccably neat and elegant, showing no sign of waste.

She gave the impression of a typical high-society butler—meticulous, strict, and cold. Even her hair, streaked with silver, seemed to emphasize her authoritative image.

However, over the past ten days, his impression of her had changed.

She paid surprisingly meticulous attention to everything that happened within the mansion. This applied not only to Lorenz Lockhart’s schedule and condition but also to Lucas. Yet, she never showed any sign of being overwhelmed.

She was like a seasoned conductor, ensuring that blood flowed and warmth was maintained in this giant castle.

Furthermore, contrary to the cold first impression, she was someone who knew how to put others at ease with warm and gentle consideration.

“Is there something I can help you with… perhaps there is something uncomfortable about your stay?”

Elian shook his head.

“No. Thanks to you, I’m staying very comfortably. I have something to ask you regarding Lucas.”

Margaret tilted her head slightly toward Elian, signaling that she was ready to listen seriously.

With a heavy heart, Elian spoke carefully.

“You mentioned that Lucas had been returned twice before, right?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“I was wondering if I could see any related documents, if there are any.”

“I believe those have already been delivered…”

“The documents you gave me last time only had brief records of when he was adopted and returned. Are there any materials that describe the situations at the time in more detail?”

Margaret nodded.

“For those materials, you may request them from Lord Lorenz.”

“Ah… Mr. Lockhart has them?”

A look of distress appeared on Elian’s face.