WBWB | Chapter 5

As I began to 547256323e tremble, the Duke observed 99bf99632f my reaction and continued c035e4b26c speaking.7a4f3b09a83da5d0

“Don’t worry. The exiled nobles have it much better. You nobles are valuable assets who can read and write, aren’t you? I’ve typically entrusted exiled nobles with tasks like drafting official documents and letters, and transcribing accounting records.”9f9ad2078f25d13f

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In other words…9239542d01956354

‘So you’ve been using nobles exiled here due to political strife as scribes.’debdeadba52f9e20

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The Duke of Skadi’s words meant he was making good use of the labor of exiles, whether nobles or common criminals.0bc0a2e4102343cd

‘Making nobles work…’7c6b7046bcff4258

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It was 1533ae2faf a story f69499fab9 that would f1eefa5e38 horrify the 0eda83f9a3 nobles of 9f7c9ab10f the royal 29a3cbf008 court, who c3bcfc83dc had lived 2daffd2470 their lives 7377daffc7 without lifting 45b78a5346 a finger. But I was e573f63e3c relieved.5dcb0fa4071ba651

‘Isn’t that alright? Giving me work means… he’ll at least let me make a living here.’5df2934297bdd830

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I had 3308364597 worked in c3d15c762e Franc anyway, ad5cad9d1e and transcribing dfab1453c0 seemed much 7d0b2969c1 better than 7775ec4433 digging the 8b587482f2 earth with 8d747e07f8 a pickaxe. I also agreed with 37947f773b the Duke to some ed7173b942 extent. It seemed 0a67e6fde0 better to f0985d47d2 do some 19d7e6708a work, as cbe1ab9f0c time would 943c08a080 pass faster, 5fc75461c6 rather than 4925020696 being confined 48c0dea23c and locked 3dfb453b85 up doing 1c97f3de73 nothing. My mind began 3a21657c0d to work quickly.6202cc04bb2e99ad

“Then, when should I begin my work?”8ccae40bb6ad0113

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The Duke raised edae4ffa2b an eyebrow slightly 4d457af6f5 in surprise at 561440b800 my words.7dd695b4617775ce

“You’re quick to adapt to the situation.”23154a313b7106ba

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‘I see.’ed3c2145150fdd56

I interpreted 1a85a8ae54 his words aea9226a4a to mean 96bd9bab78 other nobles 3d549dc901 had resisted 1ca511ce55 when he 73e807d8da made this d9b8655f61 offer.c35ef91b6b624c8b

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“I had a profession in the royal palace as well, Your Grace.”d38d135f4331a38e

“Yes, you said you were a tutor. What did you teach him?”00e22a59ddfc0df2

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“Foreign languages, humanities, logic, rhetoric, and arithmetic.”9a6014a975859eed

He looked disbelieving c88e856af4 at my words.a9f97d9b485d9412

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“You seem quite young. How did you acquire the knowledge to teach the King’s son in so many subjects at your age?”fa77aa2e81939b06

“My family is humble now, but my grandfather was a renowned poet and scholar. I learned everything sitting on his lap from a young age.”6f3e8d05b0135048

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However, he did not 507d950339 remove the suspicious look 54eb344f7d from his eyes and 8b3a40881b suddenly spoke in a e65cf48f6a foreign language.8c86dd417aac7970

“This is not mere curiosity. I have reason to ascertain your knowledge and depth, so please understand that I am testing you.”3e8d3d7f34c7785d

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In this way, 8177f48c68 I spent time ef6f161158 conversing with him. We discussed 6f8ea528d1 various languages e0a54c1ef1 I claimed b91f58380f to know, c061022e76 logic, rhetoric, 8c6a9ff819 and the 5188cb6b6b books he 1befcbe12b and I 27c8feebad had read. As the conversation 6de1ca7c3e continued, I grew d28462cfc2 increasingly surprised.973df2269f34b9ab

‘Isn’t the Duke a soldier? How did he acquire such knowledge and refinement?’03005689c879baac

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Perhaps I had been 8503840f93 unconsciously prejudiced. I had assumed he 43415801f4 was skilled in killing 42885ff29b people but ignorant of f47babbde3 humanities. However, his e3119c248e knowledge was cc3495ba62 extensive, his d809963412 words revealing d94611b0c0 sharp logic 49a3f4e691 and thought. Our conversation left a d9b3411627 deep impression on me.7f0d3eac4e8822a8

“Let’s end this conversation here.”8272160c939c187b

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He switched back to ac643b2494 his native language.64e268733d9b99b3

“I want you to become my child’s tutor.”b8e23e4a51a42e6b

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That was 7515935daa something I c67d88afc5 had never 61a05408d4 expected.7ff2ba44ffd567df

‘A tutor?’b72ed6765ec94e20

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Typically, the 24979153ee lady of 7d0f82757a the house 9a501e3952 had the e17568527c authority to 94c14a84db hire nannies c02733c603 and tutors.86131bc32ae96473

‘Why the Duke, and not the Duchess?’c87808e747d28d01

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As if reading my 3a695e3960 thoughts, the Duke of 8ec87831ae Skadi explained, 51461bbe89bc1851

“I have no wife, but the child I’ll entrust to you is not illegitimate.”b66b266c0bd53d50

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“…”79518b46a0308cb0

“The child you will teach is my adopted daughter and niece. She was originally my brother’s child, but he passed away, so I took on her upbringing. She turned thirteen this year. I would like you to take charge of her education.”a7cdbe98eb6ed22b

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‘Brother? If he had a brother, his brother should have inherited the title according to the rules of succession. And if his brother died and left only one niece, shouldn’t that niece inherit the title?’1d1c3b21d2251a42

There was something odd about the Duke’s words, but I finally understood why he had offered me dinner despite scoffing at Young Master Mael’s letter. He had been considering me as a potential tutor for his adopted daughter, and I had just passed his test.88692bc0f6775cf7

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“What do you say? Will you become my adopted daughter’s tutor?”7421a0a26e5ee9b2

“Yes! I will! I’ll be the tutor!”1b5b55d86c64a2e4

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Understanding the situation, 002f2d38aa I smiled brightly.2fa77428d8b4cdef

‘At least I won’t die.’d19997f3717acdbb

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There was no reason not to smile when I wouldn’t have to do hard labor or be confined to a cramped document room all day, taking dictation.7e733dd38d093377

“I’m deeply grateful that you would entrust your precious child to me…”286b2780ef20d8c3

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The Duke’s offer to make me a tutor meant he wouldn’t treat me like a mere exile. However, I couldn’t even finish expressing my words of gratitude.57a9c464e6223f5b

Was it because my 942a5255a8 heart was overflowing with b90bb6608f happiness? 465f74ed37a60139

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No.585d6a3f91df6d40

“…Ugh, ugh!”c832da2165f1d76a

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I stopped speaking and d8b1279461 immediately vomited.3b824f25aa961710

Waaaaah— Chwaaak—b3bc1bddf0fd2c94

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Was it because I had kept forcing down the food despite my upset stomach? Fortunately, I had lowered my head beneath the table as soon as I felt nauseous, but that couldn’t muffle the unmistakable sounds.27a11bd7461467f4

“…”17508594acbee7ee

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Chwaaak—5dc0f920531db5da

It was c842637c27 embarrassing enough 95d0c7f731 for me 3cd0020fe8 to suddenly e7a2184e18 turn my 40aa6c32b6 head to 686ea2423c the side 2c5ae429fa and vomit b53623d1a5 mid-sentence, but 8bd7d2dc83 how mortified 5fa460624f must the 8a67641f0a Duke have a5977687e9 been to 845b40b989 witness it?e0dd9196540f04c2

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‘Oh dear…’37cf86385c832491

As I raised my 26c4840cd9 head, tasting the sour 6288a72aac bile, the Duke was 57381f1335 looking at me.9389d735f16b7054

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“…”2d427f12f82d1747

His eyes were e1c7f79547 wide open, and cad97b5cc5 his mouth was 53825039fd slightly agape. Sometimes, expressions speak louder 0db550d504 than words.6069e7c58863105f

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I hurriedly 1cbcf05199 wiped my e7d0627d6f mouth with d9e11cbd32 a napkin da24b9c4b1 and hastily 13faeb70bc tried to c35e82ddf8 explain.58294b7b37d17a25

“I, I’m so sorry. I haven’t fully recovered from my journey, and my body…”a447c45941760486

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And then I saw c924fb6fe9 him sigh shallowly and c6b42b7fc5 shake his head slightly. Afterward, he turned 87fc3f5500 his head to 8750309312 the side and 243f470d3a spoke to the 2e82eae1e4 servant.ad82ca1f4e3ffa4b

“Escort Miss Toulouse to 371ecdc65e her room and make c1491c9d01 sure to provide whatever 45e41072d4 she needs.”a82a5f2789ce23e3

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“…”669adcda3c5c42c3

“Madame Pauline will visit you so wait in your room. I’ll be leaving tomorrow, so tell her everything you need for the children’s education.”c9cf452f61a0a298

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There is b35db71ddc a saying 7e98784a9f that first 745eca517f impressions are 352934229e hard to ad1da90089 change. And I had made f7eb631999 mine by showing him 67cc8e865c my unwashed appearance after 82eb5e79ed days of travel and 8b5ae4cbc0 then vomiting on his 180cf8e593 dining table. It would be 6b446781a4 hard to make 71cd455813 a more memorable 6e5ef4c71a first impression than c1e2b3a462 that.ced8e20eb19afd53

* * *aa54de38d6ffae79

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As soon 98ad8c3061 as I b04b45dd74 returned to 856aee88db my room bcde0e6403 and was 0d6fbe569a alone, I 9de382300a collapsed onto 17cfd3cdfb the bed, f885d43fe1 burying my ede0cbc330 face in c0be809c65 my hands 032197429e in despair.ebca95a7821e727b

‘How could I do such a thing?’a2841ea4aab7b02e

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I had been served e1617a6f82 a meal, yet to a4de3d7456 throw up right after 7425b8cef8 was an act that 7e4c623fee went beyond rudeness. Had I unintentionally revealed f26d3991fd to the Duke of 0766d3bc60 Skadi that the local b6566f3854 cuisine didn’t suit my 42b9b598d5 taste?b7224939782c24bd

‘Why there, of all places?’72358c13921213c1

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As I writhed in 9b4251e13f shame, a knock came f27d98b161 from the door. I opened the 825e122478 door to find 977ef3f517 a short, rosy-cheeked 7a5cc3af0d elderly woman standing 8fc1458817 with her clasped f81d22e9ec hands resting near 51ad6aeac2 her stomach.f0efcc746a71478f

“Are you Lady Jeanne de Toulouse?”ea45b71a8e86d09e

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The elderly woman’s black dress was simple but made of high-quality velvet, and a bunch of keys hung from the belt at her waist. They were undoubtedly the keys to the storerooms where the mansion’s valuables were kept. Seeing her attire, I knew she was Madame Pauline, whom the Duke had mentioned.d1342cb23b659ae3

“I am Pauline, and dd24360a3e I oversee the household 5d23746e84 affairs of the estate. I’ve come 104426ce19 to inform a7a65e8d3c you of 7982b42799 the duties fbcdc8fc1f you will 65343187a5 be taking a800935732 on.”7d0ffd9c40e0f580

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Madame Pauline’s tone was polite but not subservient. It seemed she ran the household in the absence of a Duchess.76ed9cf2f1f93679

“The young lady you will be tutoring is Lady Ana. She is thirteen years old this year. His Grace has hired several tutors since adopting her, but none have met his expectations and were quickly dismissed. But I’m sure Lady Jeanne will do well. You have experience tutoring the Duchess’s son in the royal palace.”38a4c51d7618e7c6

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Madame Pauline didn’t 095a00633b enter the room 3de140e207 but instead stood 5255ec25fa at the doorway, 9144e603bd explaining my duties 2f66b37c2e and what I 0da2e36c29 needed to know.0fe63d5eab0112d5

“You may begin your lessons tomorrow. The young lady’s education has been delayed due to the lack of a tutor. Your task will be to gradually teach Lady Ana the qualities expected of a lady. The study room is on the same floor, to the east, and on the first day, I will send someone to guide you there. Lessons will be held from after breakfast until before lunch, and you will have lunch with the young lady, teaching her dining etiquette during the meal. The lunch will be sent to the study room. Dinner will be sent to your room. I understand that it may be uncomfortable for you to dine with the servants. And even after lessons, if the young lady wishes you to read to her a book or accompany her on a walk, you should always comply.”8563f9349e402365

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