Private Tutor to the Duke's Daughter (Japanese: 公女殿下の家庭教師, Hepburn: Kōjo Denka no Kateikyōshi) is a Japanese light novel series written by Riku Nanano. The series originated on the Kakuyomu website in October 2017 before being published in print by Fujimi Shobo with illustrations by Cura, beginning in December 2018. A manga adaptation, illustrated by Tamura Mutō, began serialization on the Shōnen Ace Plus website in September 2019. An anime television series adaptation produced by Studio Blanc premiered in July 2025.
Written by Riku Nanano, the series began publication on the novel posting website Kakuyomu on October 6, 2017.[10] The series was later acquired by Fujimi Shobo, who began publishing the series in print with illustrations by Cura on December 20, 2018.[11] As of July 2025, 20 volumes and a prequel volume have been released.[12]
In September 2021, J-Novel Club announced that they licensed the series for English publication.[13]
Volumes
No.
Title
Original release date
English release date
1
Starting Magic Lessons with a Few Modest Tricks 謙虚チートな魔法授業をはじめます
A manga adaptation, illustrated by Tamura Mutō, began serialization on Kadokawa Shoten's Shōnen Ace Plus website on September 13, 2019.[34] As of July 2025, the series' individual chapters have been collected into five tankōbon volumes.[35]
At Anime Expo 2024, J-Novel Club announced that they also licensed the manga adaptation for English publication.[36]
On October 14, 2023, during the "Fantasia Bunko Daikanshasai Online 2023" livestream event, an anime adaptation was announced.[42] It was later confirmed to be a television series that is produced by Studio Blanc and directed by Nobuyoshi Nagayama, with assistant direction by Kazuya Ishiguri, scripts written by Megumi Shimizu, characters designed by Akiko Toyoda, and music composed by Kei Haneoka.[3] The series premiered on July 6, 2025, on Tokyo MX and other networks.[43][44][a] The opening theme song is "Wish for You", performed by Ami Maeshima, while the ending theme song is "Shōjo no Susume" (少女のすゝめ; "A Girl's Advice"), performed by Miho Okasaki.[5][6]Crunchyroll is streaming the series.[46]Muse Communication licensed the series in Southeast Asia.[47]
"The Duke's Magically Impaired Daughter" Transliteration: "Mahō ga Tsukae nai Kōjo Denka" (Japanese: 魔法が使えない公女殿下)
Kazuya Ishiguri
Megumi Shimizu
Nobuyoshi Nagayama
July 6, 2025 (2025-07-06)
Having failed his court sorcerer exam, Allen accepts a job from Duke Walter Howard to tutor his daughter Tina. Allen meets head butler Graham and maid Ellie, though he quickly deduces Ellie is Tina in disguise. The real Ellie is also overwhelmed to meet Allen. Walter soon tells Allen was secretly hired to prevent Tina attending the Royal Academy, explaining his family may soon lose their position as his eldest daughter Stella, already an Academy student, is too weak in magic to master their Supreme Spell, while Tina cannot cast spells at all. As such, he wants Tina to continue her botanical research instead. Allen asks Walter to let Tina apply to the Academy if he can raise her magical ability. Walter agrees as long as Allen also tutors Ellie, Graham's granddaughter. Allen introduces everyone to his familiar, the black cat Anko. Tina reveals it is her dream to master a Great Spell. Watching Tina try to light a candle, Allen deduces she has an adequate mana but something stops her spells activating. He decides to discover the cause and demonstrates he is capable of lighting eight candles at once with each of the eight elements.
2
"That Which Rejects" Transliteration: "Kyozetsu Suru Mono" (Japanese: 拒絶するモノ)
Ayako Sugi
Megumi Shimizu
Kazuya Ishiguri
July 13, 2025 (2025-07-13)
Allen explains in the last two centuries, the number of sorcerers being born has increased, but the power of each individual has shrunk. It is Allen's theory that magic is only possible thanks to spirits. Allen meets head maid Shelley, Graham's wife, who implores him not to abandon Tina like so many tutors have beforehand. Allen receives a letter from Lydia, scolding him for not coming to her if he needed a job. She also reminds him she will be there on the day of Tina's academy entrance exam. Tina makes some tiny progress; while her spell still fails, some ice flakes are left behind, proving the magic is there. Having failed with the modern magical theory, Allen looks to the past for answers. He also deduces Ellie is held back by lack of confidence, so he enlists Graham and Shelley's help to ensure she knows she is supported. Walter decides that unless Tina uses magic soon, Allen must stop her from enrolling at the academy. Upset, Tina tearfully admits to feeling unworthy and jealous of Ellie, whose magic has continued to improve. Her outburst causes an explosion of ice that freezes the library.
3
"In The Wake of Tears, Flowers Bloom" Transliteration: "Namida no Ato ni Saku Hana" (Japanese: 涙の後に咲く花)
Allen makes the unpleasant decision to link his mana to Tina's, temporarily taking control of it. As he does, he senses the amount of mana she possesses is unheard of, but he manages to stop the spell with help from a frozen bird within Tina's subconscious. Having damaged the library, Allen is forced to move their lessons. However, when Tina tries again, she produces so much ice she destroys the roof. Allen suspects the creature used to be blocking her magic but has now stopped. While doing research, Allen starts to worry he has not heard from Lydia recently. He then notices a lot of the books he reads concerning Tina's ice magic seem to have been placed in the library by the same person. Walter eventually summons Allen to inform him Tina is forbidden from taking the academy entrance exam. Allen refutes this and reveals the books on ice magic all belonged to Tina’s mother Rosa, who clearly intended for Tina to attend the academy. Walter agrees Tina can take the entrance exam, but only if she passes one more test, a duel against a skilled sorcerer of his choosing.
4
"The Final Exam" Transliteration: "Saishū Shiken" (Japanese: 最終試験)
Musashi Seki
Rie Kojika
Kōki Tomari
July 27, 2025 (2025-07-27)
Allen begins teaching Tina and Ellie to fight with magic. Allen reveals if they get into the Academy, his older sister Caren will be their senior. The girls eventually improve enough to beat Allen in a practice duel. Allen continues researching but still learns nothing about the creature in Tina's mind. Unable to sleep, Tina ends up telling Allen about the stories her mother used to read. Allen decides to show Tina her mother's books, making her happy. For their duel, Tina is given her mother's staff. The sorcerer arrives wearing a mask to hide his identity with magic. After a lengthy duel, the sorcerer casts the Howard family's Supreme Spell, Blizzard Wolf. He also refuses to let the duel end unless Tina casts her own Supreme Spell. With Allen inspiring her and Ellie's help, Tina casts such a powerful spell the frozen bird appears before them, obliterates Blizzard Wolf and tears the roof off the building. With his mask broken, the sorcerer is revealed to be Walter. He admits Tina is almost as powerful as her mother and allows her to travel to the capital for the entrance exam with Ellie and Allen.
4.5
"Recap: A Look Back"
N/A
N/A
N/A
August 3, 2025 (2025-08-03)
A recap episode where Yūto Uemura (Allen) and Hime Sawada [ja] (Tina) look back at the first four episodes.
5
"The Royal Academy at Last, Part 1" Transliteration: "Akogare no Ōritsu Gakkō Zenpen" (Japanese: 憧れの王立学校 前編)
Takanori Yano
Megumi Shimizu
Mashami Watanabe
August 10, 2025 (2025-08-10)
Allen meets Lydia and congratulates her for passing her court sorcerer exam. Lydia reveals her sister Lynne is taking the same exam as Tina. A week later, Walter proudly announces Ellie and Tina both passed. As such, Allen decides to quit as Tina's tutor. Walter asks if it is because of his court sorcerer exam, revealing that after Allen defeated his examiner Prince Gerard in a mock duel, Gerard gave him a failing grade. Tina is upset Allen is leaving and impulsively kisses him. Allen's former professor sees this and is able to blackmail Allen into remaining Tina's tutor. Tina is later reunited with her older sister Stella, the student council president. During the entrance ceremony, Allen encounters Lynne as well as her and Lydia's mother, Lisa. With the highest exam score, Tina is asked to give a speech. Allen soon spots his adoptive sister Caren, a wolf-girl of the Wolf Clan who is also on the student council. Tina gives a speech acknowledging her past struggles and her intention to one day surpass Allen. Stella also gives a speech for the incoming students to try their hardest. Word then reaches Allen that Lydia caused a fight.
Reception
Rebecca Silverman of Anime News Network praised the characters and aspects of the plot, while criticizing the "near-loli scenes". Silverman concluded her review stating "[the series is] not bad, it's [just] not all that good either".[50] Sean Gaffney of A Case Suitable for Treatment praised the story, though Gaffney also felt its harem elements were "awkward".[1]
In BookWalker's Next Big Light Novels poll, the series ranked fifth on the bunkobon list in 2019.[51] The series has 200,000 copies in circulation.[52]
Notes
^ abTokyo MX and BS11 listed the series premiere on July 5, 2025, at 25:30, which is effectively July 6 at 1:30 a.m. JST.[45]
^ abcProduction staff information is taken from the ending credits of each episode.
