From that day onwards, I've been friends with the pri—I mean, Luca. Yes, I shouldn't be addressing to him as the prince anymore. It's just "Luca". Forget his title~!
He's the first friend of the same age that I've ever made and stayed in touch with.
The more time I spent with him, the more I know that he's such a prideful little one, as he has hard times admitting things like defeat—and he even had a hard time when I told him to apologize to all the maids and others that fell into his pranks.
Yes, this is what happened. I could still feel the frustration from remembering this particular event.
"Excuse me, but Luca wants to say something to you," I half-dragged Luca by his shirt. He seemed quite reluctant to follow through with my suggestion.
But he has to apologize, at all cost!
It's bad if he is not used to admit his mistakes and apologize!!
In front of me, there was the young maid we teased the other day.
"Y-yes, what is it?" The maid pondered.
"For the other day, I'm really sorry for the prank. Also...," I shifted my eyes towards Luca who was standing behind me.
"Hey, come on, say it, too!"
"...," Luca faced away in response.
"Hello, this is not our deal!"
Luca timidly glanced at the young maid, who was attentively looking at the prince, worrying over what might the prince want to tell her.
"...that... the other day... you didn't get sick, right?"
Luca finally opened his mouth, but boy, that's not what I expected to hear!
"Oh, the water prank the other day? I'm okay," the young maid exhaled in relief.
"Then, all is good," Luca started to walk away.
...WAIT WHAT?!
BUT!! THAT!! IS NO WAY A PROPER APOLOGY!
I quickly grabbed his shirt again.
"All is good, what?! You need to properly apologize!! Say s-o-r-r-y, at least!"
"Uuuugh...," his ears were getting red again.
"Ahaha, it's okay, it's okay, I get it," the young maid smiled, after seeing Luca's reaction.
"See? She already got it!" Luca argued.
There is no need to say what she's already understood, so he thought.
"Arrggghhhhh!!" I was left speechless.
Well, but I think his apology got across, so it's okay, at the end of the day.
This... can be counted as an improvement... right?
Haha...
Ahaha...
From that day too, he has never skipped any of his private education and training. He stopped his mischief in exchange of my companion.
(Well, I did threat him that I would not see him anymore if he continued all his mischief!)
He also tried to get along with the other kids around—such as the maids' kids who are now wary of him, and I usually would encourage them to not be that cautious around us.
(The result is not that good, but oh well)
Luca has gotten closer to his sister, and now he's starting to accept and understand his role as a big brother. Instead of pouting in jealousy when his mother needs to tend to his sister, he'd even assist his mother nowadays, as I suggested to him.
(To my surprise, he listened to others' advices quite earnestly!!)
He was unwilling to assist his mother in anything involving Leti before this, but thankfully he's started opening up for Leti.
Even Leti seems to develop an attachment to Luca. Like how she seems to be smiling whenever Luca comes to see her. Perhaps developing their bonds as siblings also helped in mending his loneliness.
Thankfully, he doesn't become a doting brother that has a sis-con, despite how cute Leti is. Perhaps it has something to do with his own natural predisposition, as he has hard times in being honest.
***
Besides just playing with Luca, I was also squeezed into his education or training from time to time! Nobody seemed to object my participation, and Luca was glad—I mean motivated, to have a rival!
Eh?
What about my own "noble" education?? Shouldn't it also start, just as how Luca's started on his education?
For your information, Altaire would often have his private noble education with a tutor Dad hired for him, starting when he was four, especially during when my parents were busy enough that at times, they couldn't spare enough time to privately educate Altaire.
The private sessions are reduced when Alt-nii started to enter school, as he'd have education on morals and etiquette in school, as well. He may need to have some courses on other things such as dancing or leading his partner in a dance—but that will be for when he's older.
As for me...
Well, needless to say that I've long passed that stage (in my past incarnation).
But obviously, the matter regarding my education is finally being talked out.
It's about time.
I have expected it to come!
"Hey, Lyra, what kind of teacher do you like? What about the ones you've met during when you accompanied Luca?"
My mom was considering on the tutor she'd hire for me, and she is aware that I sometimes accompanied Luca on his private education.
"Hmmm, all of them are okay, Mom!" I answered honestly, as I don't have any favorite among them.
They are all good teachers.
"Is that so? Well... I guess I should go and talk to them, then."
And that's how Mom finds out that I showed a remarkable attitude and result during my sessions with Luca and his tutors.
(Luca was really taken aback by this and as competitive as he is, vows that he will defeat me if he tries hard enough).
The tutors talked about this with my mom and they agreed on testing me before my mom decided on educating me.
Truthfully, after years and years of education, especially the queen's training, the correct etiquette and attitude's been drilled to my head. Now I'm in dilemma.
If I were to show all that I can do and know, they will surely wonder on how can I grasp all that despite not having been educated all this time?
But, if I were to deliberately make mistakes and limit my abilities to a normal 4 year-old's, I'd be doomed to repeat all I've been through.
Between the two of them... I finally decided.
I'd just go all out and show them what I'm capable of!!
So that I can have more free time!!
No way in hell I'm going to invest my time in something that I've been learning all my life (yes, all my life, literally, during my past incarnation).
It is certainly not a safe thing to do, but I don't want to waste my second life.
I will come up with excuses for how can I do that...
Like, intuition, or from shows I've seen, or story books, or learning from other people's behavior that I observed, things like that. They are now under the impression that I'm a fast learner—an absurdly fast one.
Or I was just born gifted to be a noble.
Oh, whatever, let's just face it head-on, after the deed's done.
...Wait, since when have I become this daring?