The Dispute Begins Here

In the afternoon, the temperature wasn't particularly high for the season, so riding was possible even then. Through the window, Duke Wisdom could see Fatenai and Theretine in black riding outfits from his study.

The nobles of the Kingdom of Luther learned to ride from a young age, and Fatenai was no exception. Her lessons in swordsmanship and riding were unexpectedly much better than her other subjects, though she had never failed any of them.

Theretine's composure, on the other hand, was surprising.

"The Arrenieu Family has learned the noble way of life quite quickly. It seems they've put considerable effort into it." Duke Wisdom narrowed his blue-violet eyes, his meaning impossible to discern. "What do you think the Arrenieu Family hopes to gain by currying favor with us?"

Duke Wisdom knew far more than Fatenai did. He was well aware that the Arrenieu Family wouldn't even send their children to study professional knightly courses. Learning to ride was as important to the Wisdom Family as commerce was to the Arrenieu Family, yet in other families, those two things were as incompatible as fire and water.

So Fatenai's earlier confusion hadn't been without reason. Even for wealth and status, the Arrenieu Family shouldn't have chosen the Wisdom Family.

Duke Wisdom spoke very bluntly, yet the only butler in the study showed no surprise at all. "My lord, I think that for them, simply becoming connected to our family would accomplish their goal. The young lady cannot inherit the estate, but she does have a very substantial dowry."

"Then Arrenieu has indeed gained something quite generous... His Majesty is worried as well. He had someone send me a letter yesterday... Heh, he has noticed the struggle between the two factions after all..." Duke Wisdom said slowly, the contents of his words instinctively making one feel that they were dangerous.

Fitch stood quietly and did not pursue the subject.

This was his master's business. As a servant, he wouldn't be the one to continue it.

Duke Wisdom fell silent for a while, then looked down again. Fatenai and Theretine were merely proceeding slowly, chatting as usual. There was neither eagerness between them nor any coldness. "If it weren't for those eyes, I wouldn't dare be certain Fatenai was my daughter... Gene said just a few days ago that his son had the same habit as him—he'd take a book back to his bedroom and forget to bring it out the next day. But Fatenai is nothing like me or Adele in temperament. What do you think, Fitch?"

"The young lady is different from other children, but Miss Fatenai is indeed as calm as you are, my lord," Fitch said.

"She has always had her own ideas... but this time, she has no choice." After saying that, Duke Wisdom turned toward his chair and no longer remained by the window.

Fatenai was completely unaware of her father's scrutiny. She rode side-saddle, speaking with Theretine. Setting aside all the complicated factors, she thought he was quite a good person. At the very least, he was more knowledgeable than the nouveau riche the nobles spoke of, and though his family lacked a solid foundation, he gave the impression of having worked hard enough.

"You know so much... Have you been to many places? I've never left Caine. The farthest I've gone is the village ahead." Riding alongside him and chatting casually, Fatenai couldn't help saying it when she thought of how Theretine's vast knowledge came from having visited so many places.

She had once seen mountains, rivers, and seas too, but she had never seen them here.

"Yes, I've been to many places... If you'd like, I can tell you about them slowly." Theretine failed to notice the emotion hidden beneath Fatenai's words and spoke in a half-comforting tone. Then he felt that what he had said was inappropriate at the moment and asked instead, "Are you very busy?"

Fatenai gave a light laugh. "Every morning, I get up for history lessons and etiquette lessons, sometimes piano or dance lessons. In the afternoon, I'm required to study swordsmanship and riding... At night, I'm assigned a book to read, and my father takes time every week to check on it. That is how I've lived in the past, aside from the occasional exception... I suppose the arrangements would be about the same no matter where I went?"

She hadn't yet entered the social season, but her "precocity" had made her understand that becoming a lady was far busier than being a young miss.

That was also why Theretine had said he would "tell her slowly" rather than take her there.

Only then did Fatenai become certain that this boy still understood the meaning of this marriage.

"You work very hard, Miss Fatenai." Perhaps Fatenai had been too blunt just now, for Theretine thought for a moment before speaking. "You remind me of my sister. You are very alike... Tutors came and went from our castle every day, all to teach her many things even my father didn't know very well, until she married somewhere far away."

"...And then? Your sister married far away. Did you ask whether she was happy there?" Fatenai hadn't expected him to be able to continue the conversation, so she asked.

"I didn't... She never liked the west," Theretine said with a smile. "She once said she had married profit, not love. I didn't understand it then."

Do you understand it now? Fatenai nearly asked, but held back. She raised her head to look at the sky, which was still somewhat dazzling, making her squint involuntarily.

"The sunlight is too harsh. Let's go back first." Fatenai said no more about the subject. Theretine noticed but offered no other opinion, smiling as he followed her back to Caine Castle.

For some time afterward, Fatenai remained so busy that she didn't even spare a thought for Theretine. She was busy making up for her court etiquette lessons, all for the audience Duchess Wisdom had been eagerly anticipating. Though there was no sign of improvement in her frail health, every time Fatenai spoke with her, she could sense the excitement in her words.

Noble young ladies in the Kingdom of Luther had to be presented to the king at court before they could participate in society or marry. To Fatenai, that was merely something superficial, yet she had no reason to refuse, whether because of etiquette or Lady Wisdom's excitement.

Cachey's lessons became stricter than ever. It was as if Fatenai had returned to the age of six, endlessly lectured on how to sit, stand, and walk. Among tableware arranged with distances measured to the finest degree, she repeated the motion of lifting a wineglass again and again, learning to tell which differently sized glass held water and which held white wine.

Beginning with etiquette lessons early in the morning, her lessons could continue until dinner. Fatenai felt those classes tested her stamina even more than swordsmanship lessons, and what felt even crueler was that Cachey never showed mercy to her student.

"Miss Fatenai!" After repeating the same routine day after day, Fatenai no longer knew how many days it had been. Then one morning, she was awakened by a voice filled with fury. She abruptly opened her eyes and sat up straight, only then realizing what a grave mistake she had made.

That morning's training concerned posture at the dining table. She should have sat upright in her chair for several hours, but because it was too early, she had fallen asleep. She had never been so disgraced before.

"Do you think the lessons these past few days have been too easy?" Cachey's rebuke rang in Fatenai's ears. "Perhaps you think I am not qualified enough to teach someone as noble as you?"

Fatenai felt as though her head were splitting. Cachey's words didn't make her feel guilty. Instead, the endlessly repeated lessons irritated her unbearably, and she blurted out, "Enough. Shut up, Miss Cachey!"

Cachey froze. After a brief silence, her eyes filled with shock. She clearly hadn't expected Fatenai to speak that way, but her anger quickly reignited. "What did you say...?"

"I said, shut up, Miss Cachey." Fatenai looked at her calmly. "Etiquette isn't something only you can teach. If you think you can find some pathetic sense of importance here, then you're sorely mistaken. I don't like your lessons at all! If you think I'm being too insolent, then please get out."

With that, Fatenai abruptly rose to her feet and strode out without looking back. She hurried all the way to her room and shut the door.

Then she sat in a chair and closed her eyes, her chest heaving violently.

"Huh? Why are you back already?" Hermes was extremely surprised to see Fatenai. Over the past few days, she hadn't returned to her room until after dinner. She simply hadn't had the time.

"I'm too sleepy," Fatenai answered honestly. Yet in truth, once she closed her eyes, she couldn't fall asleep at all. She knew what she had done, and her heart was full of unease.

She had lived through experiences far deeper than those of an aristocrat, making it impossible for her to become a true noble. Thus, she sometimes couldn't bear these rules.

"Who made you..." Hermes said, not understanding Fatenai's true thoughts.

"You said you could make medicine? What about poison?" Fatenai interrupted Hermes.

Hermes didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "My purpose is to help people live better lives, not to make things that harm others!"

In the environment you lived in, alchemy and poison-making weren't all that different... Fatenai ignored Hermes's attempted defense and said a few words to him. Hermes's expression immediately changed drastically.

"Are you really going to do this, Miss?" After his face changed, Hermes's expression turned into a helpless bitter smile. "Perhaps there is another way?"

"Who was the one who kept egging me on..." Fatenai said.

At that moment, there was a knock at the door, followed by Anna's voice from outside. "Miss, the duke wishes for you to go to his study."

That quickly?

Fatenai was somewhat surprised, but she soon understood. Recently, the Wisdom Family couldn't allow anything to fall outside the family's expectations. After all, that was far too trying. Yet what she had said to Cachey just now had indeed been shocking, and it could very well affect whether she would be able to marry into the Arrenieu Family. Nobles always liked to magnify unnecessary matters, even an argument between a young miss and a tutor.

"Alright," she replied. Taking a deep breath, she turned to glance at Hermes before leaving and said, "I also hope there is still room to make amends."