The Duckling Girl Lux

The next day, an early-rising Lux wore a black and white dress to attend her uncle's funeral.

In the Hall of Valor, along with countless other nobles, she watched as her uncle's body was sealed in a coffin and buried in the noble cemetery.

Her mother had said that the family had already sent envoys to Whitecliff City to invite a master sculptor from the Durand family to carve a tombstone for her uncle.

On the tombstone, the Durand family's master would record her uncle's outstanding contributions to Demacia during his service in the Ranger corps in the form of a bas-relief.

Lux clearly couldn't understand the meaning behind these merits and contributions yet, but she could at least clearly feel that her uncle was indeed respected by the Demacians—because in addition to nobles, many soldiers, citizens, and farmers had come to the funeral.

In the past, Lux had heard her uncle tell many stories about them.

And here, she also heard them tell many stories about her uncle.

It turned out that her uncle was not only good at telling stories but also good at many other things.

"He was a hero of Demacia," Karya commented in a calm tone after the ceremony. "So, don't let him rest too long, young girl. Get to work!"

"No problem," Lux gripped the hilt of her sword. "Now tell me, what should I do?"

"Listen to my lecture," Karya paused, then continued, "I'll talk, you listen. Remember to control the flow of Magic Power at all times. Don't even think about slacking off. If your concentration wavers, I'll notice it immediately."

"Listen to a lecture..." Although she was determined to study magic well, Lux couldn't help but frown upon hearing that she had to attend lectures. "Is it like when the governess taught noble etiquette?"

"The format is somewhat similar, but the content is completely different," Karya seemed quite disdainful of the noble etiquette Lux had just mentioned. "What I'm teaching you are Arcane truths and Elemental Laws, which cannot be compared to mere formalities. Now, find a place to read, and then find any book about etiquette and quickly skim through it."

"Wait, why do I need to find books on etiquette?" Lux was a little confused. "Didn't you say you were going to teach me Arcane truths and Elemental Laws?"

"The books on etiquette are just a cover," Karya appeared to have expected this. "I'll help you memorize them quickly, and then I'll help you maintain these troublesome formalities when needed. You just listen obediently and remember the knowledge I impart. That way, if anyone asks what you're doing, you can say you're cultivating etiquette."

Blinking, Lux understood what Karya meant.

How to put it...

In Lux's opinion, this behavior seemed a bit cunning.

But if you set aside the lying aspect, it seemed to be something that benefited everyone.

Lux wouldn't have to memorize those headache-inducing etiquettes, her mother wouldn't have to spend a lot of money hiring a governess to watch her, and she wouldn't have to worry about being impolite at future banquets. Everyone would have a bright future.

After thinking for a while, Lux couldn't find any specific harm in this behavior.

The only question was, could Karya really handle both recording the etiquette and lecturing her at the same time?

"Don't worry about me, young girl," Karya said cheerfully, seemingly guessing Lux's thoughts. "My memory is beyond that of mortals, and Demacian etiquette itself is a mix of Noxian, Ionian, and Shuriman traditions. No one is more adept at this than I am."

Karya seemed to be in a good mood when he brought up this topic, and Lux even felt an instinctive urge for him to spread his hands as if playing an accordion.

(Is Mr. Karya proficient in memory and etiquette? Such talent is truly enviable—also, what does this gesture mean, indicating he knows a lot?)

"Then, it's settled!"

The sun set, and dusk approached.

After Ogesha personally saw off the last visitor and then severely whipped Garen with a belt when he once again proposed joining the army, the exhausted matriarch of the Crown Guard family finally had a moment of peace.

Different people viewed things from different perspectives.

During these two days of funeral rites, apart from the soldiers, citizens, and farmers who came spontaneously with feelings of reverence, in Ogesha's eyes, most of the visiting nobles had clear objectives.

They would be tolerant of a young girl like Lux, but when facing Ogesha, they would reveal their noble side.

After all... the one lying in the coffin was the Ranger General of Demacia, and his departure represented a vacancy in a part of the military's power.

Therefore, many people intentionally or unintentionally expressed that their fathers/husbands/sons or even nephews and grandnephews had always held the Ranger General who died for the country in high esteem, and that the deceased was gone, and they would follow in the footsteps of their predecessors.

In essence, they were saying they hoped to join the Ranger corps.

According to them, even though they were not part of the Crown Guard family, after joining the Ranger corps, they would still uphold the interests and power of the Crown Guard family, and the lady could consider supporting them. Even though everyone knew that Ogesha was not the decision-maker in such matters, that was how politics worked.

Of course, the words were not so direct, but that was the implication.

As the mistress of the house, Ogesha clearly understood these people's true intentions, and her reply was naturally flawless—she came from a noble family herself. Although she was from Whitecliff City and not a native of the Imperial Capital, she was not an idiot who forgot her status after a sudden rise to prominence.

These probes, compliments, and flattery were just for listening. Ogesha was no longer a little girl who blushed when praised!

All afternoon, Ogesha maintained impeccable etiquette, dealing with the ladies and young ladies from various families. By the end, her face was stiff.

So, even though she knew corporal punishment was not good, when Ogesha heard Garen still clamoring about joining the army, she couldn't help but pull a belt out of the cabinet.

After a series of crackles, Garen, wincing, retreated to his room, and the whole world fell silent.

However, fighting and whipping aside, the matter still needed to be resolved.

Ogesha planned to discuss Garen's situation with her husband Peter tomorrow—although Garen finally shut up after being beaten, as a mother, she knew her son's stubbornness all too well.

She had to find a way to make him settle down, otherwise, he might really leave without saying goodbye!

After all, the Noxians had been restless lately. Peter had been summoned to Dawn Castle after the farewell ceremony to attend a noble military meeting convened by Jiawen III and had not returned yet.

Her brother had just been buried, and Peter had already started working, which showed how tense the situation was!

So, even if Garen were to train in the army, it couldn't be now!

But how could she dissuade this little rascal from his unrealistic idea?

Rubbing her temples, Ogesha thought of her precious daughter, Lux.

Even though Garen is a rascal, he always does whatever his sister tells him to. Perhaps Lux's words are more acceptable to Garen than those of his parents and elders?

Thinking of this, Ogesha suddenly realized she hadn't seen Lux all day.

The butler mentioned at noon that she had gone to the family's reading room?

Remembering this, Ogesha looked up at Lux's room on the top floor of the manor.

The lights were off.

She called a servant to prepare dinner and then turned towards the family's reading room.

By the time she arrived, the sky had completely darkened.

The crystal chandeliers in the reading room were all lit, and in the soft light, Lux was sitting in a corner with a thick, heavy tome spread open on the table before her.

Ogesha recognized it as The Grand Etiquette at a glance.

Lux is reading this thing?

Ogesha blinked in surprise. For a moment, she even wondered if she was too tired and her mind was fuzzy—her daughter hated all this etiquette!

And now she's reading The Grand Etiquette?

And from the looks of it, she's read quite a bit?

Quite surprised, Ogesha knocked on the door, then pulled over a chair and sat opposite Lux.

"Darling, are you hungry?" Ogesha, her heart full of questions, pretended to glance casually at the page number and then reached out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind Lux's ear. "I've already asked the kitchen to prepare dinner, meat congee, your favorite."

"I... I am a little hungry." Lux seemed about to say she wasn't hungry, but after a moment's hesitation, she nodded. "Thank you, Mother."

"I heard from the butler that you've been sitting here since lunch," Ogesha said, recalling parts of the book. "Darling, this isn't like you."

"I have to do something for uncle," Lux lowered her head, seemingly checking the page number, before slowly closing the heavy tome. "Everyone has their own responsibilities and missions."

"[Everyone has their own responsibilities and missions, and maintaining impeccable etiquette is one of the responsibilities of nobility], that's the opening line of the second volume. You're reading very quickly." Ogesha smiled with relief. "It makes me so relieved to know my darling thinks this way..."

As she spoke, a servant knocked on the reading room door. "Madam, dinner is ready."

"Let's go." Ogesha stood up. "Have something to eat with me. Now, I'll teach you another lesson—noble etiquette can't be rushed. Digging a well when you're thirsty is foolish. Let's go!"

From the reading room to the dining hall, Lux's expression and movements seemed a bit unnatural.

In Ogesha's eyes, her darling daughter seemed to have been reading too much and was a bit dizzy. She was clearly a beat slower in reacting most of the time—however, what comforted her was that Lux's every move was completely in line with noble etiquette, even if her movements were stiff and awkward, clearly a reaction after rote memorization.

"You don't need to be so tense, darling." While Ogesha was relieved, she also felt a little heartache. "Impeccable etiquette isn't achieved overnight. You can relax a little when it's just the two of us."

Hearing this, Lux looked as if she had been granted a great pardon, her whole body almost collapsing onto the chair.

Seeing this, Ogesha found it amusing.

"I wish your brother had this much dedication," Ogesha sighed, amused. "He's three years older than you, why can't he be as sensible as you?"

"Brother is the same," Lux mumbled indistinctly after scooping a large spoonful of congee into her mouth. "He's also trying his best in his own way!"

"That's not trying his best, that's causing trouble!" Ogesha snorted. "With your father and your aunt, the family doesn't need more people in the army. Your brother is just acting on impulse—you mustn't learn from him!"

"Mhm, mhm!" Lux nodded while scooping another spoonful. "I won't!"

"Eat slowly." Seeing the bowl in front of Lux quickly emptying, Ogesha simply pushed her own bowl in front of Lux. "This bowl is for you too. Don't rush, you'll get a stomachache!"

"Aren't you eating?" Lux looked up, blinking. "You haven't eaten either, have you, Mother?"

"Silly girl." A smile appeared on Ogesha's lips. "Now, I'll teach you another lesson. A good figure is also part of etiquette—of course, this doesn't apply to children who are still developing."

Then, to Lux's bewildered gaze, a servant knocked on the dining room door, bringing in a large bowl of salad.

After dinner, Lux and her mother took a short walk in the manor's garden. Only when the moon was rising high did she return to her bedroom, after assuring them many times that she would "immediately report if brother runs away from home."

Once the bedroom door was closed, Lux seemed to let go, throwing herself onto the bed.

It's finally over!

After a day of studying, Lux felt a bit dazed—later, when she met Ogesha, she had maintained noble etiquette meticulously according to Karya's reminders.

Imagine, answering her mother while simultaneously listening to Karya and making the appropriate etiquette gestures—this was too difficult for a nine-year-old child!

Now that everything was over, she could finally relax.

Then, just as Lux was feeling cheerful, Karya's voice echoed in her mind again.

"You can now lie down in a comfortable position," Karya's tone was not overly emotional but carried an undeniable authority. "Your body can rest, but your mind cannot stop—evening study has begun. We need to have a pop quiz to check your progress."

"Evening study?!" Lux had never heard such a strange term before. "I'm already in bed, it's time to rest now!"

"Heh." Karya let out a cold scoff. "Can you even sleep? If I were you, I wouldn't be able to sleep—in this afternoon's lessons, you were daydreaming for forty percent of the time, and you weren't fully focused for the remaining sixty percent!"

"..."

"I dare say, you'll remember less than thirty percent of what I painstakingly taught all afternoon!"

"..."

"What? Think I'm scaring you? I'm telling you, although I can't pry into your thoughts, I can clearly sense your state from your Magic Power fluctuations!"

"..."

You started by sitting by the window, staring out at the garden, then moved to the corner, looking at the decorative patterns on the baseboard. You even, a few times, actually started reading that book, The Grand Etiquette, which was supposed to be just for show. Is my class more boring than those tedious formalities, so much so that it can't capture your attention at all?

"..."

"Therefore, we must have an impromptu test. You need to have a clear understanding of your own learning ability—now, tell me, what are the seven common resonance forms of Elemental Magic?"

"Resonance, harmony, saturation, attunement... and crystallization, materialization—"

"The seventh one?"

"...I don't remember."

"It's diffusion!" Karya raised his voice. "This is all fundamental knowledge. If you want to enter the Shadow Realm, you must master this knowledge—next question, tell me, what kind of rune crystal branches does the crystallization of Light Magic produce?"

"...Cracked?"

"It's radial! Light Magic is your talent; you can't be careless with such basic knowledge!" Karya's speaking speed began to increase. "Next question, tell me, what is the primary duty of a Spellcaster?"

"..."

"..."

At this moment, Lux suddenly remembered the records on banquet dining from The Grand Etiquette.

Though lying in bed, the poor young girl felt as if she were a duck locked in a cage, her mind being forcibly filled with knowledge like feed.

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