Third P.o.V.
A few weeks had passed before Leine fully recovered from the sprain she got from jumping from the third floor. She did not know how she managed to run afterwards but she just did and everything gave in when she reached the garden at that time.
The weeks that Leine spent on her bed mainly reading books made a certain young maid bitter from the sight of the swollen foot. It was her fault, she admit and nobody denied it for those who learned what happened. It does not make her relieve that the girl she treated like her younger sister only received a sprain and not a bone fracture or something else worst because it does not change the fact that it was her that made it so. She did her best to tend Leine from the breaks she can get from her work.
Being a maid at the Weissburg Palace is very demanding. Maintaining cleanliness is not difficult but tiresome to do in a gigantic place. The time she can spend with her recent family is very limited for they are also fulfilling their own duties in the palace.
"Marie, meet me after your work is done for the day." The professor who had treated her like his real daughter told her after passing her by the halls while she replaced the withered flowers into fresh ones.
"I will do my all to finish today's duties early." She bowed at the royal tutor. The man nodded before continuing on his path and followed by him was Lannie who she also thought of as her own older sister. The two ladies only glances at each other and Marie felt the grudge Lannie had in those eyes.
"I did something unforgivable to our sweet Leine. Heine Sensei and Lannie must have hated me for it. The talk later will possibly be my removal from this family." She conversed in her mind. Even though her blank expression can be describe as collective and calm but in actuality, she is trembling of the possibility she created by herself.
She moved from her place to throw out the dead flowers. On her way, she encountered the snow haired prince. She should felt in debted towards this prince for he does not only came to Leine's recue but she also used him in other matters. What she feel right now towards the innocent prince was hatred for she believed he was the root of the conflict of her recent family. She curtsy the prince and said nothing intending not to get involve in a conversation but Kai think otherwise.
"Marie... may I ask... how is your little sister...?" The prince asked completely forgetting that the maid is supposed to be the cousin, not the sister. "Everyone... is worried..."
"Then, I supposed about Leine being fully recovered and can start again as the tutor's assistant tomorrow is a good news for everyone." Marie told Kai which result him to pat her on the head as she bow.
"Marie... is similar to me... not good at expressions...You... actually are happy for the news..." The young man said before releasing his hand from the head. This made the girl grew bitter inside for letting her understand she is joyful. She hated him more, he reminded her the feeling she believe she do not deserve to feel.
"Me... not being good at communications... often make misunderstandings... but my family did not... no matter how scary I am to other people... my family always believes me... I also... trust them to understand me..." Kai said before excusing himself.
Believing and trusting her family. These are the things she wanted to do but could not do so. Believing and trusting were also the reason for the disappearance of her previous family. For her recent one, she cannot do so, she could not afford their disappearance. Although, she does not believe and trust in them, she asks of these from them.
"Eviction is maybe better than disappearance." With this, she prepared herself to be removed from the Wittgenstein family.
Finally, Marie is done as a maid for today. Like she promised, she did finished earlier than usual. She quietly knocked on the royal tutor's door. Her presence were expected that is why it did not take long for someone to let her in. Heine and Lannie were the only ones inside other than Marie. Lannie who is standing behind the professor was holding a box that Leine never knew the contents.
"I am getting wary of your attitude in the palace. Is there something you wish to tell us?" Heine asked the maid.
"I understand that this is about locking Leine. I am sincerely sorry for what I have committed and will accept any punishment I deserve." Marie responded already giving up her spot in the family.
"No punishment is happening. Leine understood what you did and already she have forgiven you." The professor talk on behalf of his youngest daughter but hearing this Marie bit her bottom lips. "Marie, can you describe a trusting person?" The lady got confused from a random question.
"I think it is a person you can tell secrets with because you believe that the person will never tell anyone." She answered but after this, Lannie opened the box that she's been holding. She passed the opened box to the royal tutor.
"The contents of this box is a secret that only his majesty, Lannie and I knew." Heine stated before pulling out a letter from the box. He extended it towards Marie. With agitated hands, the girl accepted it and read the contents. Her eyes widened from what she learned.
"I don't deserve to know this." She tremble realizing the heaviness the weight of the secret.
"I believe that you can keep the content a secret." Lannie finally spoke at Marie. "Look, you don't trust us. We know and we felt that it is also our fault for you to feel that way. However, that does not mean we feel the same for you so Heine and I decided to entrust you with that secret."
"Apologies but that does not make any sense to me."
"Marie, you realize how sad Leine will feel if she learn this right?" Lannie asked and Marie nodded in agreement. "But we never told her and she did not bother to ask for she believed in the decisions of her family. With you, you first need to feel trusted before you trust and we figured out your description of trust so this is what happened."
"Your fear of our disappearance will never happen, Marie. As long as I am here, I will never make that happen." Heine patted the girl both on her shoulders. "I am now your father, believe me when I say that there's nothing you should be afraid of because no matter what it is, we'll be there for you, your family."
"The secret. You can trust me with it."
"We know." Heine said giving the girl one last pat. "Change of subject, starting tomorrow, Leonhard-ouji will have extra lessons with Leine alone. She already took the exam and passed giving her the position of a tutor." He announced to both Lannie and Marie. "The two of you never liked the highnesses. I hope you'll let Leine pursue her passion for teaching."
"We know that Leine is intellegent but I did not know that she has passion for teaching." Lannie muttered.
"If it is for her own good. I will see it as Leine developing her skills for her dream. I promise not to interpret it into something else." Marie swore to the professor. Heine smiled fadely and got mesmerized from the rare sight.
"Let's have dinner together tonight." The royal tutor announced and the ladies nodded happily at him. "I'll tell Leine about it, I will leave everything else to the both of you."
Everyone left the professor's room and do what is left for them to do. Heine walk towards where he believes his youngest daughter is. Upon strolling the halls he heard the energetic bonding of the princes over their little princess, the tutor never intended to intervine but was dragged by his arm by the three year old princess of Granzreich.
"Heine-sensei, join us for tea!" Adele invited with glimming eyes.
"Sishou, I apologize for Adele's rude gesture." Bruno said as he tries to seperate his little sister from the little professor. But every pull of the mocha haired big brother, the grip of the golden haired little sister only tightens.
"It is my honor to be able to join your highnesses if you pardon my intrusion." Heine humbly accept the invitation.
"Heine-sensei will be joining us!" The little princess happily announced to her brothers.
"Is it really alright for us to disturb your time, Sishou?" The self proclaimed apprentice fidget from being overwhelm by the presence his self proclaimed master.
"Why are you acting so concious, Brunie? Sensei will be happy to join. Having tea is a relaxation considering his load of duties increased with his siblings around." Licht stated pulling his brother back to his seat.
"I have you know, Licht-ouji that the purpose of their presence is to lighten my workload and they have been fulfilling it without fail." Heine defended his pretend sisters as he sit between Adele who is clinging unto his right arm and Kai who is pressing his left hand. Not the most comfortable seat, he said in his mind.
"Heine, how is Leine? Is she able to start tomorrow?" Leonhard stopped his hand with a spoonful of his favorite torte to ask.
"We are true to our words, your highness. I have also secured that Lannie and Marie would not interrupt your time with Leine." The professor reported. This delighted the prince as he believe that the other girls were terrifying.
"Pardon but I think I have not been inform of what activity is going to happen." Bruno asked.
"Dearest Brother, I am going to be learning more because starting tomorrow Leine will also help me aside from Heine. But I will always prefer Dearest Brother." Leonhard happily answered his most beloved brother's question.
"This is may be my first sight of Leonie so eager to study." Licht teased the fourth prince.
"It's not studying, it's learning. Besides, Leine promised that I will enjoy it." Leonhard denied.
"Yeah sure." Licht snickered before taking a sip from his self brewed coffee.
"I did not know that your sister were also a tutor, Sishou." Bruno stated in interest. "I've never heard about her before." He mumbled to himself.
"Both of my younger sisters have only taught children from the church. Marie also does. They are not that much excellent to be heard by everyone but regarding to Leine's skill, I can recommend her to be a professional tutor." Heine said to assure anymore suspicions.
"It's incredible how a young female commoner became a private tutor of a prince in just two weeks." Licht speak out to see if the mysterious man in the room give any interesting reaction. The royal tutor did not satisfy the youngest prince.
"Clearly, that is because of the recommendation of an incredible man as Sishou." Bruno stated what he believe is obvious but to his youngest brother, this only made him an oblivious.
"Leine did receive special treatment since she also have Leonhard-ouji's recommendation and approval. Even so, she did not have it easy for she took a week worth of exam." Heine said as a declaration to the curious prince that there is nothing worth suspicion.
"If Miss Lannie also take that exam, can she become my teacher?" Adele asked with shining eyes awaiting a yes from the royal tutor.
"I would not let my little sister to be together with that scary Lannie." Leonhard immediately opposed.
"But Brother Leonhard, I want Miss Lannie to teach me more about foreign languages. She sometimes teach me how to speak foreign words." Adele reason out.
"Lannie... very good in... many foreign language... she said... she enjoy teaching Adele... so when we spend time... in garden... all together with Shadow... she brings foreign books..." Kai shared as a support to the testimony of the little princess.
"It all depends on your father, his majesty, Adele-hime." Heine answered the query of the princess.
What follows of the conversations were agruments of whether or not Adele should be under the care of Lannie. Other arguments were how rude they were talking about a girl and such. Arguments that Heine does not even bother himself to listen.
At night fall, exactly midnight, a reoccurring event for Heine happened. The personal steward of the beloved king of Granzreich visited him delivering a message that his majesty requested the presence of the royal tutor. Without asking any further details, Heine obeyed and let the steward escort him to the location. Just like what the professor already pictured in his mind, the King is waiting for him with a wineglass on his right hand and an expensive wine bottle on top of the table. As Heine bow to give respect, Viktor pop open the bottle and pour the liquid in the glass. When the door was closed, Heine took the wineglass from the King's hand.
"I see that you still have not forgiven me." Viktor said to Heine with a smile on his face when he felt that the professor took the glass quite agressive. Heine pout at him angrily.
"What you did is a huge threat for my daughters. In all three of them, you chose Leine who is likely to break from the secret." Heine questioned the decision of his friend as an old companion, not as a ruler.
"That is because you keep telling me that she will never be an embarrassment with her composure. She's dependable and receptive to everything. Her intellegence is an addidtional factor." Viktor give out the positive things he saw in his friend's youngest daughter. With an even wider smile, he added; "It's a compliment of how great of a parent you are."
"Unneccessary, your majesty." With this, Heine gave up. He walk over the king and poured a wine to the vacant glass on the table. "There will be a chance that Lannie can take the exam. She's stronger, I would prefer if you'll leave Leine if Lannie pass the exam." Heine pushed the glass towards his friend as a sign of a deal.
"I can accept any of your daughter, Heine. Wanna hear my positive view on Lannie." Viktor responded as he accepted the glass.
"I already know that she's wonderful. You don't have to because you will only tease me once again of how great of a parent I am."
"Will there also be a chance that Marie can take the exam and be-"
"She is too fragile, Viktor. Marie is taken over by fears. Until she learns to overcome them, I will protect her from doubtful decisions."
"I see." Viktor said before taking a taste of the wine poured by his friend. "My eldest son, Eins will visit the palace soon." He announced and witness his friend building his guard up.
"I'm going to make you pay if things fall apart for my daughters."
[A/N: I really have no idea what to name this chapter because so much is happening. I did not expect myself to resort to a pun.
Anyways, I keep rereading all chapters and I hope it's not obvious that my favorite OC is Leine. This chapter, she did not appear but is sure mention quite a lot of times.
Also, if you think that this fan fiction revolves a lot around the OCs, don't worry, I am bothered too as well. However, a part of me told me that their existence is what made the fan fiction and if there are no OCs then I might have written a Royal Tutor Fan Fiction that just basically copied the real plot but was only filtered by google translate.
I don't even know why I am talking about this. No one even complain. Except myself.
Thank you for reading and stay safe.]