"Have you heard? They say that Izadel has declared war against Laydel..."

"What?! Are they idiots? They've been trying to invade for six years now, and have failed each time. Do they really think they can win this?"

"I highly doubt they'd be able to. After all, we have Duke Cherliann on our side..."

It seems the talks of war are finally starting... Irene thought, as she hid behind the wall of the corridor to listen to the maids talking. Their conversations were always a reliable source of information, as long as she listened from a safe distance.

A few months passed, and the winter cold had started to give way for spring. Irene was currently on her way to her next lesson, with a teacher hired recently by Rudien to educate her about the world. However, because she herself was the one who orchestrated the entire novel and empire of Laydel, there wasn't much for her to learn. Irene already knew all there was to know about the nation, and even it's history.

I went really in-depth with the world building, back when I plotted the story...

Still, she had to pretend to be as oblivious as any five-year-old child was. But since her teacher saw through her inner genius, he probably wouldn't have been surprised if she did come in to lesson knowing everything he wanted to teach.

Once the maids had walked on, Irene made her way toward the door of her study room - which had recently been prepared as her mother requested. Since the Duke was hardly at home these days, always occupied with the military and oncoming preparations for war, he left all the ducal matters to his wife. And Sarah had proven a very adept leader as she managed the house and servants.

Irene entered the study, smiling at her teacher as she closed the door behind her. "I apologise for the lateness, Sir River." She bowed politely, as she faced the long-haired man leaning against the desk with a book between his fingers.

"That's alright, Milady," he said, his expression unsmiling and nonchalant, as usual. He then shut the book in his lean and delicate hands, setting it aside as Irene got into her seat. "Then, let us begin today's lesson."

Irene's teacher, River Alvenicht was a talented and handsome young man that had been handpicked by Rudien himself, to educate the young miss of Cherliann. Despite the fact that he was only seventeen, the male was praised as a prodigy. Since he unlocked a strong affinity for magic from a young age, he studied under the tower of magic in Laydel, as a mage in training.

But River was already so far ahead in his classes, that he was permitted to do his own research and even sought after as a teacher by many nobleman for their children.

This individual was actually an important figure in the original novel. He was the third son of Marquess Alvenicht - a close supporter and distant relative of Duke Atlan, as well as Isabella's magic teacher when she entered House Einfred. Irene never imagined he would be hired here, but she was more than happy to have him. River was the kind of character that was trustworthy, skilled and reliable - an asset to have around.

Not to mention, he's eye candy!

As Irene watched him write out a mathematical equation on the chalk board, she noticed his long, slick black hair was tied up into a ponytail today, held in place by a thin ribbon. The silver frames of his glasses glinted in the light, before he turned around to face her with a pair of inky black eyes. The little beauty spot adoring his left cheek became concealed by his long bangs, as he gently tilted his head and crossed his slender arms.

He's beautiful today too... Irene happily thought to herself, but the look on her face made her cogitations appear far too obvious.

River sighed, adjusting his glasses. After spending four months as her teacher, this was nothing new to him. She was the type to display her thoughts on her face rather easily. "So, Miss Irene. Can you tell me what the answer to this-"

"A is qual to Fourty-six. And B is eight."

Her bold answer was anything short of wrong. River glanced at the board, then back at her. He then heaved a sigh, and cleaned the writing off with the brush.

"I don't know why you want me to keep it a secret that you're an intellect, Milady," he told her, his raspy yet soothing voice resounding through the room. "There's really not much for me to teach you since you already know more than you should."

That was true. Even when she lived as a regular person, because Hanna had no social life, a lot of her days as a student were spent through studying. It had gotten to the point where she exceeded by far, everyone in her class, and was ostracised because she was a 'show off' somehow.

Even the few people she did manage to talk to back then, were envious of her and tried to use her brain to help themselves.

"It's nothing special," she said, shaking her head in attempt to cast aside those bitter memories. "I would just like to live normally, without people expecting things from me because I'm clever."

River surveyed her for a while, but didn't question it. Unlike her, he used his knowledge to make a name for himself, opening all his doors to opportunity and granting himself freedom. Although Irene reminded him of himself in a way, her desire to stay unnoticed did feel rather unusual.

In a world like this, nobles will try to show off anything they have. I guess the Cherlianns are different...

River set down the brush and walked around his desk, his long cloak swaying behind him. He took a seat at the table's surface, facing his student.

"Well then, is there anything you're interested in you'd like to learn more about?" He asked her, crossing his arms. His expression as unchanging and blank as ever.

Irene considered his question for a moment, her golden eyes gazing upwards in thought. It was then a rather absurd question had risen in her mind, but it was a good opportunity to find an answer to it.

"Sir River... You're an Alvenicht, right? Meaning you're related to house Atlan, who are related to the princes... Do you happen to know how they are doing?" She asked, a sheepish smile upon her face.

Her question was, of course, an odd one. Although the empire was aware that the princes were alive and being raised in hiding, it was considered discourteous to bring them up in conversation like this - before they had even shown their faces to society, and were still children. Especially considering the blasphemous way their parents had died, six years ago.

However, since Irene was an immature and curious child, it wasn't that unexpected for her to take interest in the princes. Especially since they were around the same age, and would definitely come into contact in their lives many times.

"I'm afraid I don't know the answer to that," he replied, in his usual, toneless manner. "As you may not know, the princes have both been kept in hiding for a long time in order to protect their royal blood. The only ones who know of their location, are the four dukes of Laydel."

"Since it's possible that the late emperor and his queens were assassinated by an outsider, the perpetrator could be out for the princes too." He explained, raising a hand. "The empire cannot risk losing the only heirs, that is why their whereabouts have been kept a secret."

Normally, explaining something like this to a five year old child wouldn't be so easy. Children were not quick on the uptake, and the concept of assassination and protecting the princes would have seemed like gibberish to them.

However, for Irene, this did not apply. As she listened to his words and appeared to be in thought, she looked like someone with greater intellect than a mere child. River had noticed this early on, and found himself interested in this student of his. A small smile on his face formed as he watched her think about it with such a serious expression, even though she was still so young.

She is someone with great potential, albeit odd. Maybe I should stay and watch how she grows.

"I see, that makes sense," Irene then spoke, before facing her teacher sheepishly. "I was curious about them, but I guess there's plenty of time till they'll make their appearances."

Curious was one way to put it. Irene had been anticipating the appearances of Daniel and Mikael for five years now. Of course, she wasn't going to be meeting either of them just yet. There were still three years until she would first meet Mikael. As for Daniel? She had no idea. It was a meeting she never really planned or wrote about in her novel.

In her original story, Mikael came to live at the Cherliann duchy when he was nine, because Rudien had been asked by the other dukes to take him in. Of course, since Rudien wasn't fussed about the fact that Mikael was the son of a scorned concubine, he didn't mind accepting the second prince under his guidance.

But Irene and Rayvis mistreated him, growing up; the duke was a man who showed him indifference, just as he did his own children. And even the servants would treat the prince as though he were the lowest of humans.

However, Irene was sure that as long as she could somehow form a close friendship with the prince, the people around him would also come to accept him. If she could stop him from growing up to become a villain, there would be no tragedy for either her, or Mikael.

As for prince Daniel, she just needed to avoid him. He and Isabella would naturally come to meet and fall in love anyway, and Irene herself didn't want to involve herself in their relationship whatsoever. As long as the two fell in love, and she could befriend Isabella in the future — and rather than being a villainess, Irene would be the "supportive female friend" instead.

Right... I'm the author of this story, after all. Irene smiled. I'll be the one to change its course.