The Sleeping Devil

A few weeks had passed since their first time going out into the garden.

Didier would take Sheriel out to the garden almost every day. They would learn to read while looking at books, and occasionally he would give her a tour of the castle.

And now, finally, the study time has come.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Sheriel. I am Margot, in charge of Didier-sama's social interactions and public relations."

"Nice to meet you too, Margot-sensei. I am Sheriel."

She bowed her head politely.

Margot appeared to be in her fifties. She had an elegant presence, but there was an intimidating atmosphere about her. The teacher who tried to kill Sheriel in her dream was a man, but simply being a teacher made her slightly wary.

"Nobles should not bow their heads. That is the gesture of commoners."

"I apologize."

"That is also a commoner's response. And please refrain from casually apologizing to lower-ranking nobles."

"U-Understood."

"Is your lack of manners due to your upbringing?"

Even though Sheriel hadn't even taken her seat yet, Margot immediately started correcting her every move.

Eek... I'm only three years old...

"Now, before acquiring general knowledge, you will learn about the Beriard family. As the young lady already possesses a sense of self, it will serve as a confirmation as well."

With a deep sigh, Margot took her place at the table, and the lesson began immediately.

"You are aware that the Beriard family is a special lineage, aren't you?"

"Yes."

Margot took a sip of tea and continued speaking. For now, no paper or pen had been provided, so everything would be conveyed orally.

"There is something called the 'curse' of the Beriard's. It is said to have existed even before the Beriard lineage was established, and it took several hundred years to finally tame that curse. My family has been assisting with it for generations, and today, my daughter is here as the teacher for the next generation."

In front of them stood a woman in her mid-twenties. The only resemblance she had to Margot was her olive-green hair, but the daughter had a gentle and soft impression.

"How much do you know about the curse?"

"That they are geniuses who are smarter than others and can do anything. And that they have an exceptional talent and obsession in something. Also, that they are cold-hearted, insane without guilt or emotions..."

Perhaps my choice of words was poor, as Margot flinched for a moment, then reluctantly nodded with a pained expression.

"Well, that's enough. Occasionally, there are individuals among the nobles who are called geniuses. However, the geniuses of the Beriard family are not ordinary geniuses. They have an extraordinary obsession in a particular field and exhibit talents that can move the entire country in relation to that obsession."

Perhaps it means that if you love something, you'll excel at it.

Though I don't think I'm an ordinary genius.

Well, it's not surprising that amazing things can happen when a genius who can do anything focuses their abilities in one field.

"Do all of them lack guilt and emotions?"

"All those with talents do. Therefore, in the Beriard family, before reaching adulthood, they learn about human hearts, how to behave and act, and constantly seal their tendencies for cruelty by always seeking peace and affection."

"Um... About that tendency for cruelty, can it really be suppressed?"

"Yes, at least they won't derive pleasure from meaninglessly killing or hurting others. It's important for them to not experience strong anger or fear during their early childhood. They should learn love and compassion, which should naturally develop, as a field of study and receive educational guidance to prevent them from developing obsessions in the wrong direction."

In essence, it means to spend the formative years as happily and peacefully as possible, ensuring that no antisocial ideologies develop. However, a question suddenly arose.

...Hmm? The dream version of Didier had quite a sadistic nature, right? Oh, maybe it's because his parents died before he reached adulthood...?

"Um, what about Didier?"

As soon as Didier's name was mentioned, Margot's expression brightened.

"Didier is a genius among geniuses. Initially, we didn't know which field he would become obsessed with. Perhaps due to his exceptional ability to read people's hearts, he became interested in that aspect, and there was a slight sadistic streak. But now, he no longer harms people recklessly."

Is she lying? He spilled tea on Mary...

It seems Margot is biased towards Didier. I hope she realizes his lack of education soon.

"On that note, I've heard that you, Miss Sheriel, have had a difficult upbringing. Have you ever felt anger or fear?"

"N-Not particularly. There was no abuse, and since I was just a child, there wasn't much I could do besides sleep."

"I see. Then, have you felt a longing for the people who took care of you?"

"Um, not really. Sometimes I recall some memories, though."

Margot paused for a moment, seeming lost in thought.

Come to think of it, what did I really think about those people? I didn't feel as close to Mary as I do now, probably because I thought of her as a caretaker who raised me like a slave.

"Do you have someone important to you, Miss Sheriel? Someone you want by your side, someone you wish happiness for, not as a possession, but as a person?"

"Huh?"

"Someone whom you want to feel at ease with, someone you want to be happy."

"I feel reassured when Mary is by my side, and I want her to be happy. I can't feel at ease with Didier, but I don't dislike him either. I also wish for my father and stepmother to be happy."

As I glanced up at Mary, who was standing nearby, I noticed that her eyes were bloodshot and her lips were tightly pressed together. Her face seemed to be in quite a state, but I wondered if she was alright.

"What do you think when you see someone crying?"

"I become worried."

"Even if it's a servant or a stranger?"

"Even if it's a stranger, I would be curious about the reason."

After a short pause, Margot placed her teacup down, and it seemed like the furrow between her eyebrows had relaxed.

"Beriard doesn't experience emotional fluctuations or empathy towards others. However, nobles must possess a spirit of kindness and protection towards those beneath them, especially commoners. In recent years, there have been fewer nobles with such a spirit, but Beriard is not allowed to lack this spirit. Do you understand the reason why?"

"Because they would become capable of committing massacres... is that it?"

"Massacres...?" Margot's eyebrows jumped up in surprise. She couldn't bring herself to say, "Well, Didier might be capable of that."

"Yes, in the past, during a time when the true nature of the curse was uncertain, there were actually individuals like that. The point is to prevent sacrificing the people for personal gain or for the sake of one's own desires. Let's start by discussing the obligations of nobility."

Although there were many difficult words being used, I could somewhat follow Margot's speech based on the context and nuances of her words. It seemed like she had forgotten that I was a three-year-old child.

I hope she can at least remember that.

"In ancient times, people created 'impurities' through conflicts and desires, which resulted in incessant calamities, plagues, and wars. It is said that in that chaotic world, the gods descended and bestowed blessings upon some individuals. Thus, humans with magical powers came to govern the land as nobles..."

Hmm, I see. Nobles protect the commoners from the "impurities" and fallen magical beasts. The commoners, in turn, cultivate the land and contribute to the nobles.

It's a mutually beneficial relationship.

"I see, I see. The nobles protect the commoners from 'impurities' and corrupted magical beasts. The commoners cultivate the land while being protected by the nobles and contribute to them in return. It seems to be a symbiotic relationship."

"Professor Margot, what exactly are these 'impurities'?"

"They are like the sediment of the soul produced by those who possess magical powers. Fear, anger, and especially hatred and guilt give rise to impurities, and accumulated impurities drive people mad. These impurities are also released outward, and when they accumulate, they turn into plagues and calamities that befall people."

"I don't quite understand. Is it some sort of spiritual negativity?"

"No, it could be a miasma. If there's magic, it must be the usual thing."

"I see, I understand now, that makes sense. Do animals and commoners not generate impurities?"

"Only humans generate impurities. However, those beings also possess a small amount of magic power, even if they cannot wield magic. They are susceptible to impurities from the outside, and even commoners can generate impurities when gathered in groups."

"I see...?"

"Can you continue?"

"Yes."

"The impurities of those who possess magical powers further attract impurities and cause them to go mad, transforming into beings that have fallen into darkness, known as 'monsters.' However, Beriards possess resistance to impurities. They lack a sense of guilt, making it difficult for them to generate impurities. It would be more accurate to say that they have an untainted heart. ...It is this characteristic that has maintained Beriard's position."

"They are a clan that would become dangerous criminals if left unchecked, but because they have high abilities and a low risk of falling into darkness, they are tolerated. That's the kind of feeling I get."

"And so, magical beasts and monsters are completely different. Magical animals possess magical power, while the nobles represent the human faction. I have never seen a monster directly, so I don't understand its terror, but honestly, I find Beriards more frightening."

Afterwards, the intricate conversation continued earnestly, and as drowsiness set in, there was finally a sense of the discussion coming to an end.

"Your comprehension and conversational skills are slightly better than Didier-sama's. However, unlike Didier-sama, who learned language from scratch as a noble, Miss, you require correction. I will instruct you to correct your language during other lessons as well, so please keep that in mind."

"Yes..."

"However, it seems you don't hold much ill will towards me. Despite your rather disrespectful attitude, why is that?"

Certainly, there were parts that seemed questionable, but Margot didn't think there was anything strange about it in the context of a teacher-student relationship.

Margot was a middle-ranking noble, but she had heard from Sergio that in social etiquette classes, she would also learn manners towards higher-ranking nobles, essentially putting her in an equal position.

"It's natural for a teacher to be strict. Well, the language felt a bit difficult, but it's educational."

Margot widened her eyes and covered her mouth. As expected of a social etiquette teacher, even her way of expressing surprise was elegant.

"If you're insensitive to people's ill will, it can be dangerous for you as a noble."

"Could it be because there was no real ill will from Margot-sensei? I didn't feel such a dislike."

This time, Margot smiled like a lady, without hiding her mouth.

"Lady Sheriel, I apologize for saying you lacked refinement. As expected of the Beriard family's young lady."

It didn't bother her too much since she was used to it, but perhaps there was a purpose to it. It seemed Margot had intentionally played the role of a mean and strict teacher.

Well, if she would be treated kindly from now on, it would be cause for celebration!

"From the next lesson, it seems I can be a bit stricter."

"Eh...!"

So, being strict was her true nature...

And so, the days of worrying about free time became so nostalgic as Sheriel found herself packed with classes almost every day.

Zimon, the teacher of language and history, was a kind old man who always had a smile on his face, in stark contrast to Margot.

His specialty seemed to be the study of ancient languages, but due to Didier causing the resignation of the history teacher, he now taught history and foreign languages together.

"Hohoho, no matter how many children of the Beriard family I teach, they never cease to amaze me."

After finishing reciting the test text written in the ancient language they had learned the previous day, Teacher Zimon praised Sheriel.

"Has Teacher Zimon been teaching at the Beriard family for a long time?"

"Since the time of Sergio-sama. During periods when there were no children, I studied languages while teaching at the academy."

"It's amazing that you've been studying for so long."

The word "academy" momentarily stirred Sheriel's heart, but her uneasiness quickly settled in the calm atmosphere he exuded.

"Today, let's read a book from the neighboring country."

In foreign language studies, researchers either write everything in their own handwriting or use transcriptions of history books from that country. In cases of self-made works, they usually list words like a dictionary or translate textbooks into foreign languages.

It seemed they would be using a history book from the neighboring country, Taria, today.

Sheriel immediately started reading from the first page. Since it was a neighboring country, the characters were the same, with only slight differences in words and spelling, so it seemed surprisingly readable.

Moreover, her mind worked far better than in her previous life, beyond comparison.

She diligently recorded, organized, searched, took notes, rearranged, and classified the information entering her mind like using Excel, so she seemed to excel at reading comprehension and analysis.

"How is it? If there's anything you don't understand, feel free to ask anytime."

"I think I can understand most of it, but I don't know how to pronounce the words."

"Oh, you've already grasped the understanding! How about I teach you how to read them? Didier-sama apparently memorizes every word, but since this is a history book, I thought it would be difficult."

He seemed a little unsure of how to explain it.

"Since the words are similar, we look for patterns in grammar. For example, here... '侯爵' and '領地.' These are titles, right? Then the preceding and following words are likely verbs, and this commonly used word is probably the subject."

"I see, it's similar to the research methods we have been using for years. Miss, you might have an aptitude for language studies."

"It's because it's a similar language. It would be difficult with completely unfamiliar characters, I think."

If her mind continued to grow at the rate of a supercomputer, it might be possible, but for now, she was barely able to analyze things like solving puzzles.

Besides, using her brain made her crave sweets. Moreover, she would suddenly become sleepy, as if her battery had run out.

She prayed that the cramming education wouldn't accelerate, but she continued to learn diligently without holding back, driven by the joy of knowledge and a sense of achievement.