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Well, that wasn't a very important story anyway.
"So, back to the main point... Are there any areas we should be careful about before planning this event?"
When I brought up work, Michael's eyes suddenly turned serious.
The shy, youthful young man from a moment ago was nowhere to be seen.
"There's nothing particularly you should be careful about, and I think the Lady is probably more aware of it than I am... But there is one thing that might be helpful to know."
"What is it?"
"This year's charity bazaar proceeds will be used to teach children in orphanages within the system how to read and write."
That was the first time I'd heard about it.
Before I became the Duchess, I wasn't the heiress of a family influential enough to attend the bazaar.
And after I became the Duchess, the bazaar itself was suspended due to Her Majesty the Empress's health issues, so I never fully participated.
As if sensing my situation from my reaction, Michael quickly added an explanation.
"The reason why the Imperial Family is supporting this project is to improve the overall living environment of the people."
"Hmm, well, yes. Just being able to read and write will widen the range of job options."
Most commoners couldn't read or write.
Newspapers were widespread, but this was also a culture of the nobility.
Recently, commoners who had amassed wealth had also started learning to read, but even that was limited to the wealthy.
Poor commoners couldn't afford to learn to read.
It was more important to make a living for today.
"Yes, that's right. So, as a result of teaching children for about two years, one of our children got a job at a newspaper company."
Michael looked very proud as he told that story. As if he were talking about his own sibling.
"You know a lot about the orphanage's situation?"
"Ah, that's... because it's a project I started."
"You started it?"
Surprised, I asked, and Michael scratched his cheek as if embarrassed and replied.
"Yes. I used to go to meet the children at the orphanage with my mother since I was young, and I started this project because I thought it would be good to teach them how to read."
"Ah, I see."
"I didn't have the resources to teach many children, but thankfully, Her Majesty the Empress has been personally supporting it since two years ago."
The fact that he had been helping the orphanage children even before Her Majesty the Empress started supporting them meant that he had conceived and implemented this project before he entered the administrative office, that is, before he became an adult.
"It's still a very grand idea, but I think that if more people learn to read, more talented people will emerge, which will eventually help the empire's national power."
The embarrassed look from earlier was nowhere to be found on Michael's face as he revealed his thoughts.
Seeing Michael pursuing his ideals, I could understand the hearts of the young ladies who admired him.
"If the Lady is okay with it, I think it would be good to visit the orphanage. Knowing how the project is progressing might help you figure out how to promote our project at the bazaar."
"Wonderful."
Michael seemed to pause for a moment at the sudden compliment.
"I only thought about filling the bellies of starving children through this charity bazaar, but I didn't think about giving them the ability to buy food themselves."
"Ah, no. Filling their bellies right now is also important. That's the only way those children can learn to read."
Michael was embarrassed by my compliment, but he still respected my work as important.
Seeing that, I felt sorry for treating him like a naive boy until just now.
He was now a much better and more wonderful adult than I was.
"The Hildes family ancestors must be proud that you are the heir to their family. You are truly walking the path of a scholar."
Of course, he blushed again at the more blatant praise.
'Cute.'
I smiled and offered the answer he had been waiting for.
"Then, when should I visit the orphanage?"
"At this rate, we'll be conducting a test flight soon, and we'll probably be able to start full-scale operation by the fall."
Idris listened to Heather's explanation while looking at the huge airship in front of him.
The project progressed rapidly after he started receiving magic stones from Leticia's mine.
The airship and magic stone operation technology were already almost complete, so all that was needed was to secure the supply of magic stones.
Seeing the almost completed airship, he remembered a story he had shared with Aria, or rather, Leticia, someday.
"The butterfly is lucky. It has pretty wings, and it can fly far away."
"What's so good about that? It won't even live for a year."
"Tch, don't you have any childlike innocence?"
"...Then, where would you want to go if you had wings?"
"Anywhere is fine."
"Anywhere?"
"Yeah. The neighboring country is fine, and even the continent across the sea far away is fine."
My world is so stifling that I sometimes want to run away...
Idris felt a bitterness in Aria's muttering voice.
The shadow on the other side of the child, who was always bright, was so unfamiliar yet familiar at the same time.
Because that shadow was lurking within him as well.
He was sometimes so tired of the shadow that followed him like a nightmare that he was jealous of Aria, who smiled without knowing anything.
But when he saw his own image in Aria, he was suddenly afraid.
He didn't want her to have such a shadow, even if he never understood her for the rest of his life. He didn't want her to resemble him at all.
The airship project started from that memory.
To give Aria, who had no wings, wings someday.
So now, he was truly one step away from making his and Leticia's dream come true.
'What kind of expression will she make when she hears this news?'
Idris came to the boutique with the intention of sharing this news with Leticia first.
But Leticia was already out in front of the boutique.
With a strange man.
'...Who is he?'
Idris's brow furrowed as he spotted the man with a fairly handsome face.
"Then, see you tomorrow."
As Leticia even gave the man a greeting, Idris's gaze at the two of them turned coldly.
'She's seeing him again tomorrow?'
Besides...
"Ah... Yes, I'll see you tomorrow!"
The man's gaze at Leticia, the spreading smile, and even the reddened tips of his ears.
It was the look of a man in love for anyone to see.
It didn't seem like Leticia noticed it.
The thought of watching the situation for a while disappeared the moment he read the man's feelings.
Idris strode towards the two people who were exchanging friendly greetings.
"Leticia."
"Idris?"
Leticia looked at him with a slightly surprised look at his sudden appearance.
"What brings you here?"
"What brings me here. Of course, I came to pick up my lover. But..."
Idris put his arm around Leticia's shoulder and looked at the man in front of him.
"Who are you?"
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