I rubbed my eyes in disbelief, a gesture that earned a soft laugh from the girl. She remained perfectly poised, a picture of sweetness.

"Is something the matter, Mr. Harrie?" she asked, her voice light and friendly. 

"Is something strange? Or are you perhaps feeling guilty for being fifteen minutes late to our agreed time?" She chuckled again, her fingers tapping the cover of one of the books.

"I—I—"

"I am joking, sir. I made a point to arrive early so that I would not be late myself" She gestured toward the room. 

"Well, what are you doing standing in the doorway? Come in" I stepped into the room with hesitation, pulling the wooden door shut behind me. My mind raced. This sudden shift in her behavior felt staged, hollow, and entirely unconvincing. 

Sitting across from her, I found it difficult to focus. Her amber eyes followed my every move with an intensity that was deeply unsettling. I took a breath, wondering if the words I had spoken the night before had actually managed to sink in.

"First, I must apologize for my tardiness.

 I did not expect you to be here so early today" I offered a thin smile and opened a thick, red-covered volume on the history of the Empire, alongside several texts detailing the origins of the Dominique line.

"To begin, have you ever studied the history of the Gloria Empire?"

Claire shook her head slowly. "I haven't. Is it necessary?"

"It is" I replied with a firm nod. 

"Particularly because the history of the Dominique family is inextricably linked to the founding of the Empire itself"

Her brow furrowed, her eyebrows knitting together. Her amber eyes searched mine, seemingly waiting for me to read and explain every detail.

I turned my attention to the book. Page by page, I read to her, speaking clearly and slowly. I explained how the Gloria Empire was forged, detailing the power struggles and the succession wars that had claimed the lives of countless innocents caught in the crossfire of sibling rivalry.

I covered every vital historical turning point. Yet, when I finished, she looked at me blankly. "So, how was the Gloria Empire created?"

The question floored me. 'Was my pronunciation that poor?' 'Had she not heard a word I said?' "As I just explained" I said, leaning in.

 "The Gloria Empire was born from a civil war that split the land into two territories, the Gloria Empire and the Lumina Empire"

"A civil war? Were the Lumina and Gloria Empires related?"

I exhaled slowly. My patience was starting to fray at the edges. "Yes. Because the first ruler of the Gloria Empire was the younger brother of the ruler of the Lumina Empire"

"Then why did they build separate empires? Why not just make one together?" I rubbed my face with my right hand.

"Because, as I mentioned, they were divided by a war over the throne. The Emperor eventually decided to split the territory into two. One part for the eldest son, which became the Lumina Empire, and one for the youngest son, which is what we now know as the Gloria Empire"

"So, the current Kings of Gloria and Lumina are brothers?" That question shifted my frustration into genuine bewilderment. 

"Forgive me, but have you ever studied a family tree before?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like—"

I stopped, seeing the look of utter, vacant confusion on her face. I let out a long sigh and searched the room for a visual aid, eventually finding a blank sheet of paper in the desk drawer. I took the paper and drew a simple diagram, mapping out names and lineage with clear lines.

When I was finished, I showed it to Claire, pointing to the Dominique family tree with the pen still gripped tightly in my fingers.

"Let us start with the lineage of Duke Dominique himself"

I tapped several names and began to explain in detail. "The Dominique family was not originally part of the nobility. They were successful merchants who eventually married the youngest daughter of the first Gloria Emperor"

"Due to their impeccable reputation and their contributions to the Empire, they were granted the title of Duke. This elevated the family’s status even further. They expanded their business into jewelry, textiles, and high fashion, trends that remain popular among the nobility to this day"

"The business has been passed down through their descendants until it reached the current head of the house, Duke Eric Dominique" I looked at her.

 "Do you understand now?"

Instead of nodding, Claire shook her head. My patience finally snapped. "I’m sorry, I don't understand what the Dominique family has to do with the Lumina or Gloria Empires" she said. 

"Is the Duke’s family related to the other two?"

I let out a breath that was longer and heavier than any before it. I could not comprehend how her mind wasn't grasping this, even after such a clear, simplified breakdown. 

That innocent, uncomprehending stare was becoming infuriating. "The point is" I snapped, "the story I just told has nothing to do with being brothers with Lumina or Gloria!"

"It is simply how the Dominique family began!"

"Then what is the connection to the Glo—"

"THERE IS NONE!"

"THE DOMINIQUE FAMILY IS NOT RELATED TO THE OTHER EMPIRES!" My voice rang out, sharp and loud in the small room. I had completely lost my temper.

I froze, looking at her. Her amber eyes were wide, shimmering with sudden fear. Her pupils trembled as our eyes met.

"I... I am sorry. I did not mean to shout at you"

"I just—"

"I’m sorry" she whispered, her voice trembling. "I didn't mean to make you angry"

"I just didn't understand. But I made you angry anyway"

"I’m sorry"

That small, shaking voice made my heart sink. A wave of guilt washed over me, a feeling so heavy it was difficult to put into words.

I let out a shaky breath. "Forgive me. May I be excused for a moment?"

Without waiting for her answer, I hurried toward the door and shut it tight behind me. My breath was coming in short gasps, as if I had been running. My face burned with heat. I leaned my head down, trying to regain control of my breathing.

This wasn't what I wanted. This wasn't who I was. A teacher is supposed to be patient, just as the Countess had said. I had ruined it. I felt unworthy. I felt like a failure.

Her voice echoed in my head, over and over, until I could hardly bear the thought of looking at her again.

Even when I finally forced myself back into the room, I saw her flinch. She kept her eyes averted, her face pale with lingering fear.

"Damn it"