All-around teacher at the magic academy

"What's wrong? Emma, ​​why do you look so unhappy?" Duke Chloe walked into the courtyard and saw his daughter sitting alone on a bench, her eyes vacant and her lips downturned, clearly in a bad mood. He asked her with concern.

“No!” Emma’s reply was tinged with impatience, and she deliberately turned her head away from him.

Duke Chloe smiled, not angry. He knew that his daughter always behaved politely and sensibly in front of strangers, but only in front of her closest family would she let down her guard and show her true emotions.

“Tell your father what’s bothering you,” Duke Chloe said softly, sitting down beside Emma.

His hand gently stroked Emma's hair, his eyes filled with boundless love. As a father, he poured almost all his love into his only daughter.

It is said that a daughter is her father's little cotton-padded jacket. Duke Chloe did not believe this saying before, but it was not until Emma came that he truly experienced this special warmth and happiness.

He was willing to listen to Emma's every worry and help her solve her problems. Even just sitting here with her could give her the security and support she needed.

“You wouldn’t understand even if I told you.” Emma’s voice carried a hint of defiance; she believed her father couldn’t possibly understand her troubles.

“How am I supposed to understand if you don’t tell me?” Duke Chloe responded patiently and gently, his eyes full of understanding and tolerance.

“You should understand even if I don’t say it!” Emma’s tone was slightly coquettish, hoping that her father could see through her thoughts and understand her troubles without saying a word.

"Alright, alright, it was Dad's fault." Duke Chloe apologized immediately, willing to set aside his fatherly airs just to appease his daughter's displeasure. "Then let Dad guess, is it because of what happened at the academy?"

"How did you know?" Emma looked up in surprise, her eyes sparkling with curiosity and astonishment. She hadn't expected her father to be able to guess what was on her mind.

“I guessed.” Duke Chloe smiled mysteriously, a hint of smugness flashing in his eyes, after all, he knew his daughter quite well.

"There's nothing we can do even if we guessed it," Emma sighed, her tone revealing helplessness.

Duke Chloe felt a pang of heartache as he looked at his daughter's dejected expression; Emma had always been very sensible.

"Is it because you can't participate in the competition?" Duke Chloe asked cautiously, his voice full of concern.

“Yes.” Emma’s voice was low, her frustration evident.

"What's the big deal? Our Emma is only in first grade. If it doesn't work this time, there's always next time," Duke Chloe gently comforted her, trying to cheer up his daughter.

“But…” Emma hesitated, her brows furrowed, as if there were some things she found difficult to say. “Never mind… I won’t say it.”

"But what?" Duke Chloe looked at his daughter's hesitant expression, his eyes full of encouragement, hoping that she would open her heart.

"Why did Hansen get selected? Am I really that stupid?" Emma finally couldn't help but ask, her eyes filled with confusion and self-doubt.

“How could my daughter be stupid?” Duke Chloe gently patted her head, his eyes filled with affection and affirmation. “You have many of your own strengths. Hansen has his strengths, and you have your own unique characteristics.”

"Then why is it that everyone is a first-year student, but Hansen is so good while I'm not?" Emma's voice carried a hint of resentment.

“You can’t compare yourself to him. Look, Princess Aurora didn’t make the cut either,” Duke Chloe tried to comfort his daughter by citing other examples. “Everyone has their own pace of growth; the important thing is to find your own path.”

“But I just can’t accept it!” Emma complained, still feeling somewhat down.

"Alright, alright, let's go, Daddy will take you to get something good to eat. Don't think about it anymore." Duke Chloe smiled and changed the subject, knowing that sometimes good food is the best medicine for healing one's mood.

“Alright then.” Emma finally smiled slightly. She decided to stop dwelling on it. At least for now, she was willing to enjoy a nice dinner with her father.

...

"Your Grace, did you want to see me?" The butler cautiously entered the study, his voice respectful. He always maintained a humble demeanor in front of Duke Chloe.

"How are the preparations going?" Duke Chloe's voice was cold and hard, his eyes focused and serious, a stark contrast to the gentleness he had shown towards his daughter before.

“It’s all ready over there,” the butler replied succinctly, knowing the Duke disliked unnecessary chatter.

“Tell them to wait until after the match,” Duke Chloe commanded, his tone carrying an unquestionable authority. “Keep an eye on them; I don’t trust them.”

"Yes," the butler replied. He knew the Duke was cautious and shrewd, and never relaxed his control over these details.

"What about the law enforcement?" Duke Chloe's gaze sharpened as he turned to ask another important question.

“Max has been busy with the game and shouldn’t have been noticed.” The butler quickly reported the current situation, his words revealing his grasp of the situation.

"Yes, we still need to be careful," Duke Chloe said thoughtfully, a hint of worry in his eyes. "We can't afford any mistakes. If we're discovered by the law enforcement, the consequences will be unimaginable."

"Yes," the butler replied again. He knew that the Duke's concerns were not unfounded. The power of the law enforcers should not be underestimated, and any negligence could lead to the failure of the plan.

Duke Chloe rubbed his temples, feeling a touch of weariness. He mentally reviewed the details of each plan, trying to ensure nothing was overlooked. The butler stood silently by, not daring to disturb the Duke's thoughts.

"There's one more thing. Let's also take action with the academy, so as not to leave any hidden dangers." Duke Chloe suddenly spoke up. Although his voice was deep, the decisiveness in it was unquestionable.

"Yes." The butler nodded and quickly noted down the Duke's instructions.

"That's all, you can go now." The Duke waved his hand, his eyes revealing deep weariness. A busy day of thinking had left him feeling quite exhausted.

"Yes," the butler replied. He glanced at the Duke, a hint of concern flashing in his eyes, but quickly regained his composure. Then, he respectfully withdrew, gently closing the study door, leaving the Duke to rest alone.

After the butler left, Duke Chloe leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.

He must maintain a clear mind and a firm will; after a short rest, he will throw himself back into the intense preparations.