[SCHEDULE OF THE ASTREA TUTOR]
06:30: Morning meal (In the tutor's quarters)
08:00 – 11:00: Instruction of Lord Lucius (General Studies).
12:00: Midday Meal (In the tutor's quarters)
13:00 – 15:00: Instruction of Lord Lucius (Etiquette and History).
16:00: Personal Time (Restricted to the West Wing and Garden).
19:00: Evening Meal (In the tutor's quarters)
It was very clear they were trying to keep him away from interacting with the Young Lord more than he needed to and from crossing paths with the Duke.
Julian felt he could make do with this, but wasn't sure if it would work out the way he planned. He had wanted to spend more time with the young Lord to get familiar with him but this schedule does not allow it.
'I can't change this schedule but I don't think it's the same for the Young Lord. That means I have to make a great first impression to get him to want to spend more time with me,' he thought, as he made his way down the grand, desolate hall.
He was on his way to their first session.
Then, he stopped at the door, the little piece of advice he saw at the bottom of the note.
*"The child is not a toy. Do not attempt to break the silence. If he does not speak, you are not to force him."*
After all, who was it that wrote his schedule? Was it really the butler? Or was it the Duke?
Unaware of the cold dynamics between the father and child, Julian thought it might have been the Duke's addition as a father with concerns.
Julian pushed the door open and was greeted by the spacious study with large bookshelves all filled, and in front were two desks.
One belonged to the little boy who was resting his head on and the other was at the forefront, belonging to Julian, right in front of the board.
Julian walked in, his heart beating a Frenzy as he looked forward to meeting his first student in this world.
As soon as he got to the front, he placed down his leather satchel and beamed, greeting with a calm and smooth voice that no one could consider to be noise-making.
"Good morning, Lord Lucius. I am your new tutor, Julian Von Astrea. I look forward to our time together."
His voice was such a steady rhythm that it caught Lucius's attention.
He lifted his head, and as soon as he did, Julian finally got to her a close look at the features of this child.
His blond hair tied into a small pigtail resting on his shoulder, his tanned skin that looked like it was glowing, and then those big crystal blue eyes.
He had all the rare features to make him absolutely breathtaking, and it was irresponsible that Julian was taken aback for a second.
He was... An adorable child, but... There was no light in his eyes.
Julian didn't need the System to tell him that Lucius wasn't a typical child.
And then he noticed something.
For a while, those blue eyes remained locked on Julian's own, drifting between the unusual contrast of his one purple eye and one blue eye.
He looked curious, though subtly. But that little curiosity sparked a moment of genuine connection, but it was fleeting.
As if remembering a script he had to follow, Lucius quickly averted his gaze, dropping his head to study the grain of the dark wood desk.
'He's not just shy,' Julian realized, his teacher's instincts sharpening. 'He's guarded. Too guarded.'
But Julian wasn't going to be discouraged just yet.
He took in a deep breath as he prepared to begin the lecture he had prepared for hours the previous night, but he didn't open a book.
Instead, he reached into the pocket of his coat and pulled out a strange, multicolored object he had purchased from the System Shop—a Rubik's Cube.
The plastic clicked rhythmically as Julian gave it a few twists, the vibrant colors swirling. He placed it on the desk, right in the center of Lucius's field of vision. It was an alien object in this part of the North, he was sure of it, and this was his answer to getting the Young Lords' attention.
"I'm not fond of boring lessons, Lord Lucius," Julian said, his voice dropping into a conspiratorial whisper. "And I suspect you aren't either. So, I have a proposition. We'll play a game of stakes."
Lucius didn't look up, but his shoulders eased a bit.
"This is a logic puzzle. If I can solve one side before you can count to sixty, you have to read the first chapter of this history book with me. But," Julian paused, leaning in, "if you can figure out how to get even three squares of the same color together on your first try... I'll do whatever you want for the next hour. I'll sit in silence, I'll leave the room—whatever you decide."
Julian pushed the cube closer to the boy.
"Are you okay with that?"
Slowly, Lucius lifted his head. His blue eyes scanned the cube, then flicked to Julian's face. There was no childish excitement—no light in his eyes—but there was a deep, intense curiosity. He gave a single, slow nod and this set Julian on his course.
"Great, let's begin."
*Ding*
> [Target: Young Lord Lucius — Affection: 1%(Curious / Wary)]
Julian paused, surprised. It looked like showing an interesting toy was enough to score points with him, even if it was just one percent affection.
This made Julian confident. This might work out better than he imagined.
As Lucius reached out a pale, trembling hand to touch the smooth plastic, Julian felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. He was being watched.