Damien could only press on with a soft smile, the corners of his mouth twitching as he fought to maintain composure. "You can tell, teacher?"
His mind scrambled for a plausible excuse. The silence stretched.
Come on, come on... say something remotely believable!
Then it hit him; he quickly blurted out, "I... I was recently praised by my art instructor."
I mean… it's technically true, he added silently. If you count my past life...
The tutor didn't seem convinced, but a faint smile curved across his sharp, elegant features.
"Oh, what a nice surprise, young master." He said smoothly, already turning back to prepare the projector for the lesson. As always, composed, deliberate, and slightly mysterious.
Damien sat straight as he studied the man—tall, calm, with a quiet energy that filled the room without ever drawing attention to itself. His movements were practiced and a little too precise for someone just teaching the basics.
Hey, system. Who is this man, really?
System: [He is Emerson Blackwell, the tutor for Damien and Lukas, specializing in sciences and mathematics. He holds a doctorate in applied mathematics and a master's in theoretical physics. Before becoming a educator, he worked for a famous space agency. But ever since the Hertz family hired him, he has served exclusively as a tutor for nearly eleven years. He is very qualified, host.]
Wait. He left working with rockets to teach us algebra and basic math? Damien's jaw slackened for a moment. He traded studying the universe to teach me that the mitochondria is the power house of the cell?
The system hovered helpfully at his side, circling around him with what felt like amusement.
System: [Maybe the Hertz family offered him a very compelling contract.]
Or maybe something more... Damien couldn't help make a guess. Afterall, leaving such a good job to teach kids addition and multiplication sounded unbelievable.
"Shall we continue where we left off on Monday, young master Damien?" Emerson asked, glancing at him, his voice as smooth and deep.
Damien shivered under that sharp gaze and could only nod, feeling akin to being led to the guillotine.
"Alright..."
...
The lesson dragged.
And dragged.
And dragged.
The lesson continued for hours which bored Damien to death. He had learned basic math a long time ago, and now found himself staring blankly at the digits displayed on the tablet as if they were ancient runes. Emerson was absolutely relentless, waking up the heavy-lidded Damien by asking him questions, not allowing him to slack off. Hours passed in a haze and Damien's battle with the clock on the wall had turned into some kind of psychological warfare.
By the time the lesson ended, Damien was half-asleep with his eyes open.
"Thank you for today's lesson, teacher." He managed, rising from his seat like he was recovering from a hangover.
He walked towards the door, his pace quickening with every step. He was just about to make his escape from the study—hand on the doorknob, freedom just within reach—when a familiar figure appeared like a final boss before the exit screen.
The butler.
The same goddamn butler from earlier, posture perfect, expression polite.
"Young master," he said with a small bow, "I'm here to escort you to your next class."
Damien stared at him.
Then blinked.
Before he knew it, he was already being dragged to another room.
He cursed inwardly.
Are you f*cking kidding me?
The rest of the day blurred into one long, unrelenting parade of lessons and training. From mathematics and sciences to history, politics, economic, literature, and learning different languages, Damien trudged through subjects with difficulty.
But it didn't stop there.
There was etiquette—posture drills and social cues; art—though familiar and calming, still formalized; piano—his hands cramping from hours of practice; opera—his diaphragm and throat sore from singing; martial arts—where he nearly got thrown by a man twice his size. And, the most challenging of all...
Ballet.
As soon as he reach his room, he stared at his bed for a few seconds.
"Damn... I miss you."
Damien muttered between exhausted breaths. He couldn't help but tear up, finally collapsing on his enormous bed, face planted into soft silk sheets.
"Just seeing my bed makes me feel so emotional. System, tell me why the hell I'm busier than my last life."
System: [Don't worry, host! There are always plenty of chances to rest and recover!]
"That's easy for you to say," Damien groaned into the blanket. "You're not the one running around, being dragged off to do who knows what ridiculous thing."
System: [Correction, host. Technically, I was dragged with you, as I was with you the whole day.]
Damien rolled over, sighed, and stared the ceiling. Multiple questions started to form inside his mind. "...Why the hell am I even learning ballet and opera? It's not I'll be needing these skills in the future, right?"
System: [...Well, you never know, host! You might need it someday!]
He squinted. That was a suspicious pause...
The system fizzled. Suspiciously.
He mulled it over again, before speaking, "It's probably because of Damien's mom, isn't it? Wasn't she a ballerina?"
System: [Host is correct! Yuri adored the arts. She once said she hoped one of her children would shine on the stage she could no longer grace.]
"How poetic..." Damien said softly.
The ache in his limbs didn't matter as much as it did before. Somehow, it made him want to try—just a little harder. Not for Yuri. But for the little boy who tried so hard to live up to her hopes.
"Still… this kid had it rough." He exhaled, sinking deeper into the bed, arms limp at his sides. "And I didn't even get the chance to check on Lukas…"
System: [Don't worry, host. There's always tomorrow! Sunday's are usually free days since there are no classes scheduled. Damien often spent them in the library or the study.]
He pulled a blanket over his shoulder and turned onto his side. His lashes fluttered once, twice… then stilled.
"Alright," he whispered into the quiet room. "I'll talk to Lukas tomorrow… Just let me sleep first…"
And then silence.
The System dimmed.
[Host has entered sleep mode.]
[System sleep mode activated…]