Chapter 9
I Will Become the Tyrant’s Private Tutor
Before he knew it, darkness had fallen. Rein closed the book he had been reading. It was about time to return to his room.
He disliked the dark. In a world he could see only in black and white, darkness was like a prison where one could not see even an inch ahead.
So he had to return to his room before the darkness could blind him.
Just as Rein reached to open the study door, an unusually loud noise seeped through the crack.
“What’s all this commotion?”
When he opened the study door, the loud sounds poured into his ears all at once. Rein frowned.
“Ugh! Truly uncanny!”
“Right? Prim knows everything, doesn’t she?”
The maids surrounding Prim clapped like seals. They looked almost like worshippers devoted to her.
“So, what should I do in this situation? I even sent a letter asking to meet first, but there was no reply. She was the one who showed interest first!”
Prim clicked her tongue and shook her head.
“That person is hopeless from the start. Not someone worth associating with.”
“But she was the one who—”
“Sure, she started it, but if you rush forward saying you like her, then the game is over. No matter how much you like her, you can’t show it—that’s the kind of person she is.”
“Really?”
“From today, do exactly as I say. Even if she passes by, never glance her way. Treat her like an invisible person—that’s the answer.”
“But…”
“I know how you feel, but it must be done. That kind of person responds only to this method. If you don’t look, she’ll think, ‘Huh? Why is she like this?’ and then run back to you.”
Prim’s confident explanation made the other maids nod in agreement.
“I think so too. Louis likes to be acknowledged, right?”
“Exactly. The more Laila gets worked up, the more pleased he’ll be.”
The maid called Laila nodded seriously at this.
Prim, standing in the middle, nodded with a proud expression.
“You all are experts now. We can wrap up.”
Rein, who had been listening to the maids without realizing it, let out a nervous, hollow laugh. What on earth is going on here?
“Seems like you still have some time, huh?”
Rein asked sharply. The maids flinched at his cold voice, suddenly noticing his presence, and stepped back.
“Ah! You finally came out!”
Only Prim remained unfazed.
“You came out sooner than expected?”
“What exactly are you doing?”
He asked with a frown.
“I was giving some tips. Advanced skills you won’t find in books.”
Rein was speechless at her genuine pride.
“I didn’t ask about that…”
Trailing off, he soon decided to stay silent. He instinctively realized that even if he spoke further, he couldn’t win against her.
The maids couldn’t hide their surprise at how skillfully she handled the prince. They had never seen a painter like her.
“…I should get going.”
Muttering as if tired, Rein prompted Prim to rise as well.
“I’ll go with you.”
“Why are you coming again?”
“We couldn’t have our lesson today.”
“It’s over. No lesson.”
“I’m the teacher! Why are you ending my lesson on your own?”
“Quiet. I don’t want to hear it.”
“You’re too harsh!”
They bickered as they walked away, and the maids watching from behind muttered in awe.
“Maybe Prim really is a master.”
That day, the brief love advice Prim had given the maids outside the study seemed to have made quite an impression.
Through the maids, rumors about Prim were spreading rapidly.
More people were seeking her out—specifically, people wanting advice on their troubles.
At the same time, the times Prim came to see Rein were getting later and later.
Rein glanced at the sun, now high in the sky—it was already past lunchtime.
He silently chuckled, appreciating the absence of the morning noise that usually signaled the day’s start.
“Prim’s been really busy lately.”
Marianne, changing the sheets, murmured to herself.
Hearing her name, Rein glanced at her.
“…Well, she’s always running around, so it makes sense. She’s number one at doing pointless things.”
He couldn’t help but reply gruffly. Marianne smiled.
“Still, it’s not entirely useless. People say she’s very precise in her advice.”
“Still useless, in my opinion.”
“No, not really. Thanks to Prim, the rumors about the prince have calmed down. At least in this palace.”
A few days ago, Marianne had shared this conversation with Rein.
“Since Prim arrived, the prince’s demeanor has changed a lot.”
“Yes. Speaking of which, remember the painter who gave up because he couldn’t see the eyes? I ran into him a few days ago—he was painting just fine.”
“I thought so. I could tell he was faking it.”
More people were starting to trust Rein. All thanks to Prim.
‘And though he may not know it himself, perhaps even the prince…’
Smiling silently, Marianne left the room.
Left alone, Rein reflected on her words. It was hard to believe that positive talk about him was circulating among the maids.
The Veles Palace was generally isolated from outsiders.
As the residence of the “Eighth Prince of Prophecy,” interaction with the outside was minimal.
Since the prince rejected the outside world, the staff also avoided going out unless absolutely necessary.
Anything stagnant inside the palace would inevitably rot. The darkened master would surely darken the hearts of the staff as well.
Yet since Prim’s arrival, the palace’s atmosphere had changed.
The somber, monochrome faces of the servants had started to brighten, smiles slowly appearing.
Watching this, Rein was genuinely surprised. Or rather, surprised that he could even be surprised.
From the window came the sound of laughter. He turned his gaze toward it.
Prim was sitting in the palace garden, talking with the maids.
Among the monochrome maids, her red hair stood out vividly.
‘How long is she going to stay out there?’
She laughed loudly at something, her exaggerated expressions catching attention.
‘That is…’
Rein blinked in surprise.
The color on Prim’s cheeks was changing, subtly tinted.
He had never seen such a hue before.
‘Is that… red too?’
No, was it really “blood red”?
It was too faint to be called blood red.
Rubbing his eyes, he tried to confirm what he saw—but before he could, Prim rose from her seat.
The color on her cheeks had vanished completely.
‘Did I imagine it?’
He watched her silently.
Though the maids said something in disappointment, Prim shook her head and waved.
Leaving them behind, she headed toward the palace.
Rein unconsciously followed her gaze toward the door.
Soon, the sound of footsteps ascending the stairs reached him.
Thump. Thump. Thump. After the footsteps ended…
Knock. Knock. Knock.
The orderly knocking sounded urgent, like a beast responding to a signal, and he anticipated what would follow.
Before he could even answer to come in, the door opened. And…
In the monochrome world, her face appeared vividly.
Thinking of Prim’s face made his chest tighten.
Why did it make him feel that way? Rein quickly diverted his gaze back to his book.
“Hello, Rein!”
Her familiar voice broke the room’s silence.
“Sorry I’m late today.”
Prim smiled nonchalantly and approached him.
“My popularity shows no signs of slowing. Seems the advice I gave in front of the study worked well. So many people are coming to see me, it’s exhausting. Young people these days are really spirited.”
Rein looked up from his book, as if waiting for this.
“So you were busy with such useless things?”
“Useless? It’s exciting and fun! Prince, would you like to hear some too?”
“…….”
He expected her to dismiss such pointless chatter, but Rein was unusually calm.
‘Good. That flowed naturally!’
Actually, Prim had brought up this topic to gauge what “beautiful” meant to him.
Finding the destined woman in this vast empire was not easy.
By understanding Rein’s ideal type, it would be easier to find the heroine.
“Prince, may I ask… what is your ideal type?”
Prim asked cautiously.
“There isn’t one.”
A firm answer came. Though expected, it still deflated her excitement.
For someone who had only lived in the palace, the question itself was meaningless. How could he meet anyone to have an ideal type?
Prim accepted this quickly.
“Don’t worry, Beast. I’ll find a beauty for you.”
“There’s no need. And who allowed you to call me ‘Beast’? Don’t just make up names.”
As he spoke, Rein’s sharp gaze landed on her.
But Prim just smiled mischievously.
“Eventually it will happen. Even if I look like this, I have the ability to see the future. That’s why the maids call me ‘Precise Prim’.”
“Mind reading and foresight… quite versatile.”
“That’s me.”
Though Rein spoke sarcastically, Prim just grinned.
Thinking she was babbling nonsense again, Rein returned his gaze to the book.
But he couldn’t focus. Her persistent gaze beside him kept distracting him.
Eventually, he had no choice but to look up. Her eyes were locked onto him.
“Feeling a bit curious?”
Prim asked, her eyes sparkling. But there was no curiosity.
“…….”
Yet strangely, he felt like he wanted to go along with her, at least once.
No, honestly, he didn’t mind engaging in such trivial conversation with her.
‘Why am I thinking this?’
As he faced his own change, Prim interpreted his silence as consent.
“Shall I try mind reading?”
“…….”
“Of course, just kidding…”
“Go ahead.”
“Huh?”
“I said, go ahead.”
So Rein quietly fixed his gaze on Prim.
