MY LITTLE PRINCESS

Chuu-ta??

In the midst of the garden stood a big tree giving shade to a great part of the center garden. Under that shade was a table with varieties of biscuits, cakes, and cookies with some cute tea sets.

And on one of the chair, was something sitting.

"Is that a doll I see? A big doll looking like Loralei?" Albert asked Sebastian who is walking behind him.

"Maybe it's one of the surprise of the little miss." Sebastian replied.

As they approach, and Albert is about to touch the doll, she opened her eyes.

"Papa! I missed you!" Lory said with open arms and hugged her father.

"L-Loralei?" Her father said as like confirming something.

"Yes! It's me, Lory." Her eyes are beaming in gladness. Albert cleared his throat as he escape from the kid's grasps.

"So, what is this all about?" Albert asked as he is about to sit on the other side of the table.

"A tea party! For you, and for Lory, for Sebastian and for Lucy!" She said as she points out each person included in the party.

"Oh! That explains the leaves inside the cup!" Sebastian said in a matter of  fact. Albert just glared at him.

"That reminds me, why didn't you just write a proper note instead of using drawings?" Albert asked Lory. Sebastian is now preparing the tea for Albert and a separate tea for Lory.

"I don't know how to write properly. So I draw instead." She answered in all honesty as she eat a piece of biscuit.

"Do you want to learn to read and write?" Albert asked again.

"Yes! Can I?"

"I'll arrange some tutors to teach you by next week. Learn what you can as much as you can."

"Hm! Thank you papa!"

As Loralei eat and drink her tea, Albert just watch her and observes her very keenly. And although a bit awkward, Lory just continue with eating.

"Do you have any prior education, Ms. Loralei? Did you enter school?" Sebastian asked out of the blue.

"No. But I know numbers and some letters and I can read a bit." Lory answered before biting another brownie.

"Where did you learn those?" Sebastian asked again.

"From school." Sebastian looked at his master who is just listening to their conversation.

"Did you study in the school?"

"No." Sebastian's brows meet together in confusion.

"I thought you have no prior education?" He confirms to Lorelei.

"I don't." Lory answered in a matter of fact. Hearing her answer, the two men's forehead curved more in confusion.

"Then, why did you say you learn those things from school?" Sebastian asked in a more straight approach.

"I watch them at school. I am peeking from the window." Lory sit up properly and faced her father.

"Papa, do you know that in the morning, the kids my age learn how to read letters and words? They have their own papers and pencil to help them write. I only watched them read then I go back to the house before mama wakes up. When she go out for work in the afternoon, I go back to school and watch the bigger kids do numbers!" Lory excitedly tell her story to her papa.

"And how do you watch them? They did not see you from the window?" Albert asked as he sit more comfortably. He wants to know more about her, as Sebastian suggested few days ago.

"I bring my little chair to the window and I climb it so I can see them. At first the teachers would scold me but then sometimes, they give me food and let me listen to them. I wonder why?"

"Maybe they got tired of scolding a little kid who doesn't even listen to them." Albert sarcastically said to her.

"But learning new things is very fun! When I made the drawing for you, I am so happy to finally see a paper and colorful sticks so close and even use them because I can only draw on the ground using a rock when mama let me out the house." She defended.

Albert just nodded as he grabs the tea and drink it and continue to stare to Lorelei again.

"You seems to be having fun, little miss." Sebastian added before the silent treatment of his master starts.

"I am! And I am excited to learn more. Hehehe." Lory said as she giggled. Excitement shows greatly on her face.

"Sebastian, find a capable tutor for her and teach the basics." Albert instructed.

"Uhm, I have a question, papa."

"What is it?" Albert asked. He is still adjusting at her calling him papa, but it's tolerable now unlike the first time.

"What is a chuuu-ta?" She asked. It bugs her for a while now since Albert first spoke of the word.

"It's tutor. Not chuu-ta." He just replied. Now he wonders if his accent is not clear enough for a kid. She just stares at him wondering.

"Tutor means your teacher. A special teacher just for you." Sebastian explained.

"Then, I am also going to school and with the other kids?" She asked Sebastian.

"No. You will study alone here in the mansion. Your teacher will go to the room assign for your study and you will study there with him. He will be focusing only on you so that you can learn more efficiently." Sebastian explained simply.

"Ohh... Okay. I will do my best." She closed her fist and determination shows on her sparkly blue eyes.

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