"W-What problem?" Esta, already enticed by the idea of Karl's support did not want to part with it.
Karl inwardly smirked at Esta's uneasy figure as he prepared to pull her even harder.
"Well... you know I am father's successor and will become the next family head and the next duke, right?"
Esta nodded at Karl's basic question, not understanding what the problem might be.
"So... a lot of people want my support. This is a very painful memory for me but I will tell you."
Esta swallowed as she saw Karl close his eyes with a sad face.
"This is a very secret matter which only a few know about. I once supported a maid but she.." Karl made a heartbroken face as he continued with a sad yet angry voice. "She was sent by the family's enemies to kill me. She even poisoned me, though I was saved."
Esta's eyes widened as she heard Karl's shocking story which unknown to her, was a white lie.
Esta was quick to understand the 'problem' Karl was talking about.
'So he can not trust me is what he is saying.'
"I would never try to harm you young master! I am also a member of the family! I would never betray the family!" Esta spoke, her voice conveying her sincerity.
Karl made a touched expression at her words, his mind thinking the opposite thing.
'Man, so trusting she is. Even naive. Well maybe because she doesn't think the possibility of me, a three year old, lying to her. I do not think there will be any problem with the next part.'
"Really?" Karl asked with a touched face, his acting putting even acting stars to shame.
"Yes young master! I will never betray!"
Esta repeated, trying to convey her sincerity.
"Esta do you have someone you love?"
Karl's sudden question caught Esta off guard as her eyes widened.
'Is he... in love with me?'
Esta's felt surprised but didn't show anything on the outside as she looked down, making a shy expression.
'Should I tell him that I am very old or rather he is too young... but what if that makes him change his mind... Wait if he falls in love with me-'
The possibility of becoming the next matriarch and the duchess was enough to prevent Esta from rethinking.
Esta's eyes shone as she made a cute expression as she got a bit closer to Karl.
"N-Never, young master!"
Esta's shaking eyes and shocked face would have made any young man fall heads over heels but Karl... He frowned.
'What the fuck? I wanted her to fall in love but is not that a bit too fast?'
As Karl was trying to understand where the miscalculation had happened, Esta's mind raced trying to decode Karl's reaction.
'What, doesn't he love me? Nah, no way! Then... Maybe he doesn't like the cute acting girls! Oh yeah, if he fell in love, it must be when I was scolding him.
So he is... that kind of boy huh. That is better, I won't have to act all cute and shy!'
The next moment, Esta's expression turned sour as she spoke.
"I do not young master."
Karl tilted his head at Esta's reaction as another thinking session started for both of them.
'Not a scornful personality? What does he want then?'
As Esta was trying to understand Karl's preferences, it did not take long before Karl understood where he had gone wrong.
'Is she trying to seduce me? Heh, I was the naive one to think one will fall in love with a three years old. But this is also good. She won't be as trustful but not like I was going to trust her blindly. That is why I made this plan.
Wait should I just go to the main part without this intermediate? Nah, I mean I don't dislike this first part and as she is so cunning, no way she will agree to the second part without following the first part.'
While Karl was thinking, Esta had reached to a very.... bad conclusion.
"Why are you not speaking?" Esta spoke arrogantly.
Karl's lips twitched as he saw Esta changing faces faster than a chameleon.
"Voice down. I love your shy side so please do not shout."
Karl finally broke the silence, back to his gentle voice.
'Oh, shit! I nearly messed it all up! But why did he frown the first time then? Well maybe I said yes too early.'
As soon as Esta understood Karl's words, she changed her expression back to a cute and shy face.
"M-my bad, young master."
Karl's eyes twitched as he saw Esta looking away like a shy girl.
'Let's just get this done with.'
Karl quickly made up his mind, as he took hold of Esta's chin, pulling her face closer.
"How do I trust that?" Karl spoke, his voice confused and untrusting.
'Damn, if he was not a child, I might have actually fallen for him. I feel bad playing with such a boy's feeling but not like I will ever let him find out.'
"I-I... won't ever betray master. Trust me." Esta's reply was cute and shy, one which would have made any boy trust her blindly.
Even Karl, seeing such a cute and sexy face for the first time could not help but become dazed.
Esta quickly understanding that, didn't waste any time as she bent forward, hugging Karl, which to an onlooker would have looked quite odd due to an adult hugging a child like a little girl.
But neither Esta nor Karl felt anything odd, their own calculations playing in their mind.
Karl smirked at Esta's try as he also hugged her back, pulling his face closer to her ears.
"Then prove it to me."
Esta became confused at Karl's question but did not leave her act.
"I will do anything for you, master." Esta spoke as she hugged Karl tighter.
Karl smirked at Esta's answer.
'Is she going to keep calling me master? I will soon actually become her master so no worries.'
"Then show me every part of your body. Naked."
Karl's unexpected words made Esta's mind crash.
It took her a few minutes to understand the meaning of Karl's words, making her mind rethink every thing she had thought about Karl.
'He is definitely not innocent like I thought. Is he even in love? Yeah, maybe he isn't even going to support me. Many nobles are like that. No wonder someone taught such things to him at a young age.'
As Karl saw Esta having double thoughts, he opened his mouth again.
"Brother had said that if a girl shows all her naked body to you, you can trust her."
Karl's whispers contained the innocence of a child, making Esta fall for it.
'Oh, so that is why. It does not work like that though. But of course a child like that will never know.
Just getting naked for trust, heh. He doesn't know that any girl would get naked for him if it gets his trust.'
As Esta concluded her thoughts, she whispered back in Karl's ears.
"Y-Young master, it is very embarrassing, but if it proves my innocence then I will do it."
As Esta tried to reach to the hem of her shirt, Karl quickly held her hand.
"Not right now. Father had asked me to visit him after the class so I need to go to him.
Also I do not want to watch it only once. Record a video of your naked body. Remember Esta, if I do not like it, there will be no reason for me to help you." Karl whispered.
As Karl said his share, he quickly stood up and got out of the classroom, not waiting to hear any excuse Esta might give.
As Karl walked out of the class, he was met with an empty hallway.
'All the kids left? Did I take that long? Well, I also feel very hungry and tired.
I was planning to roam around but I will do it sometime else. For now, I will get a nap after filling up my stomach.'
As Karl decided his next actions, he ran back to his home where Ercia was standing at the door, eagerly waiting for him.