Oh! My Empress

The moment she was reminded of how her sister had told her that life was becoming too hard and she wanted to give up, Kim Su Won could not bear it anymore. Her tears fell freely, as if a dam had been broken. This… this was what she needed exactly.

"I…," she choked on her tears. She had to convince herself to control her emotions but they were overwhelming her intention. She quietly wiped her tears with her right hand and cleared her throat.

"I just wanted to surprise the duchess. I know I have been a bad kid and I have made you two very sad with my tantrums. I really want to improve and contribute to the family. It is sad that no other miss of the house is of appropriate age to be crown princess. I have realized my mistakes and just want Whittemores to progress more. Can I not do that, my lord?" she implied that opposing her efforts was also hindering the family's growth, something which Harold Whittemore would not allow. How could Audrey forget that her daughter's age was her trump card? She was the only qualified lady of the house who could compete in crown princess race and very obviously, each ducal family wanted to have familial bond with the imperial family.

It was not a household issue anymore, it related to the health of the family's prowess. With just one sentence, she had changed the whole argument. Isaac Laurent took special note of this. Was this kid always this eloquent? From what he had seen and heard, this kid was worse than country bumpkins in temperament. But here she had convinced the duke to take decision in her favor. This kid was worth teaching. It would be foolish on duke's part to say no at this moment.

"Alright, I will arrange for the instructors. But it will be up to you to convince them to teach that kid and you. I will not take responsibility for that," Harold Whittemore finally nodded, glancing at Isaac who subtly agreed with his lord's decision.

"But, my lord-" Audrey tried to interrupt but Harold raised his hand to stop her. He had made his decision but had left enough leeway for his wife to do whatever she wanted to handle the situation.

"Your mother will get to choose the teachers too. You cannot complain there," he further spoke, giving almost full authority to his wife. Now, she could even not contact anyone and say the people refused to show up.

Audrey finally smiled, she realized the intent of her husband's decision. As expected, he cared about her the most.

"My lord, if I may…," Isaac Laurent interrupted the two. He could not understand why his lord would not let the girl have a chance. As his right hand man, it was his duty to know each and every affair of Whittemore household. Thus, he was naturally acquainted with Audrey Lazarus's ways and Emmeline Whittemore's neglect.

In front of everyone, Audrey showed that she really cared about Emmeline and was grooming her hard to be a great crown princess candidate. But reality was something else. She only wanted an obedient puppet which Cecilia Whittemore was and a kid who could take over the family which Ivan was more than capable of. Although she came from a noble family herself, her thought process was very narrow minded. She did not see beyond the right to the ducal family and having someone who could really fulfill her own desires in her childhood. She did not care about her kid being a crown princess candidate.

"You have something to say Isaac?" Harold's ears perked up. His aide was a man of few words. The fact that he chose to speak at this moment meant he had made a grave mistake. But how could he go against his wife? She was already gnashing her teeth.

"My lord, my lady, how about letting me handle the teachers? I know duchess is quite busy with the summer banquet and fall hunting competition. I could test young master Christopher and check his aptitude before we decide if we really want to bring in the teachers?" Isaac Laurent proposed, his red eyes staring at the girl still kneeling on the floor without producing even slight noise.

Kim Su Won really had no idea what was going on. Once her father announced his decision, she really had lost all hope. She had the same thought as the duke, Audrey would never let teachers come here. Her mind had already started making plan B but thankfully this scary man interrupted on her behalf.

She tried jogging her memory of the contribution of this man in the novel. She did not think he had been mentioned much apart from introducing him once or twice as duke's aide. Why was he suddenly helping her?

"But Earl Laurent, I have always been in-charge of the kids," Audrey protested. Her veins were popping on her forehead. Who was this lowly man to meddle in her affairs? And what was the relation between this old man and that kid that he was helping her?

"I understand my lady. But you know how important this year's summer banquet is, right? It is also 50th birthday of his majesty, so we cannot make any mistakes," Isaac reasoned. Now Audrey could not say anything against this.

Kim Su Won was shocked. Plot armor was the best in the novels, right? Should she take it as her good luck as the protagonist of the novel? She was not sure, she only knew she was that drowning person who needed to catch at straws. And this Earl Isaac Laurent was her straw.

"I think we could agree on that dear wife. What do you think? I am sure Isaac's tests are not going to be easy," Harold Whittemore's lips burst into a charming smile. As expected of his aide, he solved his problem at once.

Now, this kid who could actually use some arguments, would probably get a chance to learn and his wife would not be able to complain. He really wanted to see what his youngest daughter would blossom into.

"Fine, I concur. I cannot win against you two anyway. However, I would like Cecilia and Ivan to be part of judging the two kids. I am sure the two elder kids would learn through the experience too.. After all, Sir Isaac has always refused to instruct them," Audrey put forward her condition, with seething rage that was getting hard to control.