Chapter 103 – Lily and the Idiot Prince

“How about this one?”

“I’ll take that white lace one over there. And these, and this one too.”

Lily was happily selecting fabrics as the merchant showed them to her.

“Hey, Brid. After giving her a bath and dressing her up, she looks halfway decent now, doesn’t she?”

“Yes. But… were there really no problems?”

Brid shot me a look like I was garbage.

“I didn’t force her into anything, you know.”

“That’s not the issue…”

Brid turned to Lily with an exasperated expression.

More importantly, I wanted her to pick up proper speech and manners as soon as possible.

“Winter’s coming up, so do we need coats too?”

Lily and the merchant both looked at me with eager smiles.

I waved my hand dismissively—“Do whatever you want”—and left the room.

Women’s shopping is endless and boring.

“Any luck finding a tutor?”

“No. All the good ones are assigned to the third prince, so if we settle for someone second-rate…”

Brid gave me a look that screamed, What choice do we have?

“Can’t we share one?”

Brid snorted in derision.

Yeah, figured as much.

If I borrowed a tutor, Father would find out in no time.

I’d even arranged this annex room on the down-low so my brother wouldn’t catch wind of it.

“What if you tutored her, Brid?”

“My greatest masterpiece is you, Your Highness.”

Our eyes met, and we both pulled faces.

So that makes me Brid’s masterpiece, huh.

Yeah, no way that’d work.

“Find someone anyway. Oh, and I’ll take dinner here tonight too.”

“Understood.”

In the quiet annex dining room, the only sound was the clatter of utensils.

Right in front of me, Lily started chowing down, banging her dishes around.

Her face really is so similar…

I plastered on a smile while sighing inwardly.

“Ah, Lily. You don’t put your mouth directly on the plate.”

I hurriedly stopped her as she lifted the bowl to her lips with both hands to slurp the soup.

“Why not?”

She set the bowl down on the table and peered at me curiously.

“Didn’t your hands get hot? It’s better to use a spoon like this.”

I demonstrated sipping the soup, and Lily had the maid hand her a spoon. She mimicked me with intense focus.

After a few tries, she managed to drink it properly.

I nodded with a grin, and she beamed happily, draining the rest of her soup.

She’s not incapable at all…

“You cut the meat like this and eat it. Practice as much as you want.”

As Lily reached for it with her hands, the maid handed her a knife and fork, patiently showing her how to cut.

Of course, she couldn’t manage it right away and ended up spearing the maid-cut pieces with her fork to eat.

“You pick things up fast, Lily.”

“Ufufu. Rudy taught me a little bit before.”

I had no idea who Rudy was, but thanks, buddy.

Still, wish he’d taught her more.

But after this, I’d come to regret my own idiocy more than I ever wanted to.

Lily’s outrageous behavior only grew worse with each passing day.

“Your Highness, that matter…”

A few days later, heading back from outside to my office, I spotted Guard Captain Dazil trudging down the connecting corridor, arms full of luggage.

No way. Tell me that’s not what I think.

“Summon Brid to my room. Immediately!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Your Highness! What’s the emergency?!”

Brid burst into the office in a panic.

“It’s bad! I just saw Guard Captain Dazil walking around with all his stuff packed up!”

Brid hung his head with a knowing “Ahh.”

“Apparently… Lady Lily fired him.”

“What? Hurry up and bring him back!”

“I tried stopping him, but he said he couldn’t take it anymore…”

This was a disaster. She’d started firing the guards now too.

At this rate, I’d be out of subordinates entirely.

“And… she fired the tutor on her own again.”

“Hahaha!”

Not funny, but what else could I do but laugh?

Was my luck finally tapped out?

“If the next tutor quits, you’re up, Brid.”

“I’d be gone in seconds.”

This was the fifth one already.

If the next one bolted, I’d really have to beg Brid.

Leave her unchecked, and she might even “fire” Father.

Aaah. What a handful of a girl had I dragged home?

Screw table manners and speech at this point.

I had to rein in that runaway train somehow…

“Brid, keep Lily away from everyone.”

“If I could manage that, I’d be way higher up by now.”

Yeah, right.

“What does she do during the day, anyway?”

“She plays with the servants’ kids, but…”

Brid snapped his fingers with a eureka look.

“She can’t fire other kids!”

“That’s perfect! Enroll her in the manners class for the senior servants’ children.”

Brid nodded enthusiastically.

“Brilliant, Your Highness! As sharp as ever!”

“Ahaha. First time anyone’s said that to me.”

We shared a hollow laugh until we collapsed onto the sofa, exhausted.

I knew I was an idiot, but this time it really hit home.

What now?

“By the way, Your Highness. What exactly do you plan to do with her?”

“Yeah, I’ve been wondering the same thing.”

As expected of Brid. Right on the money.

“I brought her back on a whim because of our identical faces, but now I just feel like a creep. Hell, I’m even starting to feel guilty.”

“Glad you finally see yourself as the pervert you are.”

“Sorry about that.”

Brid piled on with a grin: “Business as usual.”

Couldn’t he have said something like, “No, you’re not”?

“At the very least, as some kind of atonement, let’s teach her basic manners and send her home.”

“Yes! The sooner, the better!”

Brid’s face lit up as he sprang to his feet.

“I’ll set up the manners class right away!”

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