The banquet lasted for another two hours before the nobles left the Duke's mansion slightly intoxicated.

Osen's servants were cleaning up the dining hall when his shoulder was tapped.

"Osen, come with me to the study. I have something to discuss with you," said Lucius as he headed upstairs.

...

In the study, Lucius sat while Osen stood respectfully in front of the desk.

"Osen, how old are you this year?" Lucius casually asked as he flipped through a book.

"Father, I am eighteen this year," Osen replied.

"Eighteen, eighteen, it's a good age..." Lucius sighed. "Time flies, it's been eighteen years without us even realizing it."

"Why did you call me here, Father?" Osen asked with a hint of confusion, slightly bowing.

"Osen, how do you view Liter?" Lucius asked suddenly.

"There are only the two of us here, no need to hide anything. Speak freely," he continued.

"..." Osen considered for a moment and then answered, "In my opinion, Liter is a good child. At least, he is kind and considerate of others' emotions."

"A good child." Lucius couldn't help but laugh at Osen's comment. "You speak as if you are a generation older than Liter. In reality, both of you are the same age."

"I am asking you, do you think Liter has the ability to inherit my position?" Lucius changed the topic, staring at Osen with intense gaze.

"Yes, he does," Osen answered without hesitation. "Liter absolutely has the ability to continue his father's legacy."

Osen firmly believed in this point. After all, the protagonist aura was there, and in the original story, Liter did manage the territory efficiently after inheriting the Duke's position.

"Oh?" Lucius was somewhat surprised by Osen's immediate response.

He expected Osen to say this, but he didn't expect Osen to say it so confidently, as if he was absolutely certain of Liter's ability.

"Tell me why? Liter's performance today was not satisfactory, and you know that," Lucius continued.

"In that case, I will tell you," Osen smiled and continued, "Even if a young phoenix falls into a flock of chickens, its inherent qualities won't change."

"Liter has been living in the countryside for years, receiving a very backward education. Under these circumstances, what do you think his attitude would be after entering the family? Most people would have a nouveau riche mentality, but not Liter. He still maintains enough composure and calmness."

"Furthermore, I believe I have a keen eye for judging people. Though Liter doesn't know anything now, given time, his achievements will definitely surpass mine."

"Surpass mine..." Lucius fell into deep thought as he listened to Osen's words.

His non-blood-related son was already recognized as the strongest young individual in The Empire. And now, Osen was boldly claiming that Liter would surpass even him in the future?

Lucius found it hard to believe.

"Do you truly mean what you say, Osen?"

"I have no reason to deceive you, Father."

"Very well," Lucius nodded.

Since Osen, who had no blood relation with Liter and even had a rivalry with him, held such a high opinion of him, as a father, Lucius couldn't treat Liter unfairly.

The first thing to do was to find a good teacher for Liter, responsible for guiding him in noble etiquette, culture, as well as combat and magic.

"In that case, Osen, I am going to find a teacher for Liter. Someone who can guide him in noble etiquette, culture, combat, and magic. Do you have any recommendations?" Lucius looked at Osen with a faint smile.

"A teacher?" Osen paused for a moment, searching his memory for anyone suitable in this world.

The conclusion was none.In the original work, Liter's growth can be summarized in four words: self-taught and successful. As long as relevant resources are provided, Liter's monstrous talent can speed up his learning by several times, dozens of times, or even hundreds of times compared to an average person.

Then, Osen shook his head. "I'm sorry, father, but if we're talking about just one teacher, I can't find such a versatile person."

"Really?" Lucius smiled. "Hehe, the person you described as versatile is right in front of me."

"Ah?" Osen was confused. "What do you mean, father?"

"Since you value Liter so much and understand him so well, I think only you can personally guide him down the right path."

"Moreover, you and him are brothers, close in age, and you've been so close to him since day one. The most suitable teacher, the one he's most likely to accept, is you, isn't it?"

Upon hearing Lucius' words, Osen paused and then remembered. In the original work, Osen and Liter didn't appear as close on the first day, so Lucius arranged a different teacher for Liter. This teacher was a well-known professor in the area, known for being fair and just. Under this person's influence, Liter's character gradually transitioned from weakness to strength.

Later on, the teacher was dismissed for offending Osen, and a new teacher recommended by Mary was brought in. Even though Liter studied even harder, the new teacher continued to report small problems to Lucius, deceiving him by saying that Liter was playful and neglecting his studies.

Did I change the course of the plot?

The more difficult Liter's life becomes, the deeper his hatred for the family and for himself will grow, making it easier for the awakened protagonist halo of Liter to strike me.

And indeed, there is no one more suitable than myself, who knows the course of the plot, to cultivate Liter.

Hmph, one good turn deserves another. I must constantly instill this concept in him when I teach Liter in the future.

Thinking this, Osen nodded. "I understand, Father. I will do my best to educate Liter."

"Good. With your words, I can rest assured," Lucius said, standing up from his chair and patting Osen's shoulder.

His palm was firm and powerful, hitting Osen's shoulder, giving him a sense of responsibility for the entrusted task.

Lucius and Osen locked eyes, and after a few seconds, Lucius nodded in satisfaction.

"Alright, go rest. You've had a long day. Start teaching Liter from tomorrow, and try to make sure he passes the test before entering the Imperial College."

"Alright." Osen nodded.

As he reached the door, Osen suddenly remembered something and turned back to look at Lucius.

"By the way, Father, when I was sending Liter back today, the servants said that his room hadn't been cleaned yet. Do you know what's going on? Didn't you already know that Liter was coming back?"

"Is that so?" Lucius frowned upon hearing this. "I had your mother take care of this, she must have forgotten. Where is Liter now?"

"I had him rest in my room for now."

"Okay, I'll talk to Mary later. You can go back first." Lucius nodded.

"Yeah." Osen nodded, then pushed open the door and walked out.