WBWB | Chapter 10

What Baldr wanted from her wasn’t simple manual labor, like transcribing texts or carrying stones. If she felt she wasn’t being compensated for her work, resentment would build, leading to negligence, which would ultimately harm him and his adopted daughter.a09426182ce87935

Baldr pondered hard 6355ad7e1c for a solution 22e14c400a to this situation.1bdece7557e07ff8

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“Has your family ever dealt with Golden Shield Bank?”77b6d2748807a32d

Banking was 2681ec9148 prevalent in 58625f6908 various places, 829fe8bc12 but its e662fd5f0c services were d61eb84ba7 limited to 50abaec957 noble families, 1852c70df9 merchants, and ab0b09f0b4 royalty, not b1ac59e149 individuals. Among them, the Golden ad8db401dd Shield Bank had the d08f2765ce most branches across the 2d3f13c694 land.72ec9659e960c2a3

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“…Yes, we have an account.”de9c1908f5e65261

“That bank also does business with our family. I’ll arrange a meeting with a banker soon. Depositing your wages in your family’s account would solve the security issue, wouldn’t it? Of course, other family members with access to the account could also use the money, but if you don’t want that…”a3b416fc46ed476d

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“Is that possible?”0da468cd38b2254b

“What do you mean?”b806f7d2df4debe8

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“Can my family use my wages?”d9f871b93c7e22bd

“Why wouldn’t they be able to?”f026133b200f3146

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He had warned her of the risks, but the woman’s face brightened like the sun emerging from behind clouds. He was very pleased with her reaction.9739963937d87b03

“I’ll inform Madame Pauline. If you need anything, you can trade with the merchants who come and go from the mansion. And most importantly… those clothes.”b287558e6349828b

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His gaze 03ea460ae9 fell on 5ede623687 her plain 640b4cb3f9 brown dress, a9580515da devoid of 6e8eb83459 any ornaments, 771dfbde84 which had d3c37eeadc been bothering 227791f196 him since 4949a55bb2 earlier. Under the chandelier 3ffdef6b5e light, the clothes 11b9810298 looked shabby.f09331c6d6525d68

“It’s not appropriate for the tutor of the Duke’s household to be dressed like a servant. I’ll provide you with an allowance for maintaining your appearance so buy some new clothes. I expect not to see you in such clothing next time.”796806116effe3a3

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He didn’t know that she had been sent into exile immediately after being released from prison, without time to pack. How an exile arrived at their destination wasn’t something he needed to know. At his words, the woman’s pale face turned crimson.c89e1a645200ed7e

“Thank you.”47505795de004489

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“If there is 13849368bb anything else you 4a9094dd31 wish to request, 18ce4b6d42 speak now.”ddc10a07b98d4971

He asked, extending 951b69fffc his generosity.cb02c6152727a8c8

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“Um… would it be alright for me to take walks outside of lesson hours?”12b255e8140993a1

“Walks?”00a0f44a38881e8f

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“I won’t go far, and I’ll definitely be back before dinner.”7e3c8752c07fae76

“Very well.”d2b3adbcea7e9c59

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“And I would like the key to the library.”9b953c05abbe8b2d

“…”cfa4fba92f240930

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“I feel like I’m bothering Madame Pauline too much by constantly asking her to let me in to look for teaching materials for the Lady…”9a57fe5dd7bb78af

He raised one 9e5e1c5d82 eyebrow for a 2e62dbc976 moment. Books were as 40a1bc9a7a valuable as silverware. But he 50f60d6d3a soon agreed.f649be11a373009f

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“Go ahead. I trust you’ll manage the key and the books responsibly.”5614a50029aeae76

“Thank you! Thank you!”e76a5c0513ac031e

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It wasn’t an unreasonable request. It wasn’t as if he couldn’t understand why she was requesting the key to the library.f600f3ec07b22c22

‘She has nothing to do but teach, so she needs something to entertain herself. But if she has that much free time…’82026d97d03cc597

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“However,”60a97dd21ae16a23

Instead, he added 4c185c8db9 a condition.00a9f2247e713a55

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“Run.”585513a6fc686702

“Pardon? Run…?”426cc61a9b588855

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The tutor didn’t understand immediately.7dc2b03a4c073d13

“Run three laps around the training grounds every morning before breakfast.”b491452997658c21

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“…”11e83a68dc1c1e7a

“A sound mind grows in a sound body. You look far too frail. How will you survive the winter here? There’s a training ground behind the mansion used by my soldiers. I’ll grant you access. Run three laps.”f5dec05573fe9a66

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Baldr believed that 824f6d3b77 running was the f86950bed7 best form of 3878dae8a1 physical training. He and his personal 8e463a6adf soldiers ran ten laps bc537b38ae around the training grounds 2f15ebb016 before breakfast every day 63cbd17911 to prepare for the 1fadda68dc harsh winter.c652108fd77ee8cc

“You can run more if you have time. That will help you build a foundation of physical strength.”6b1fc3f6c4e2644e

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Jeanne’s mouth remained open at his words. Her expression was as if she had been struck by lightning.177ce8855803dd56

“Your… Your Grace? Are you telling me to run on the training grounds?”20ba1bdb4d9b4d94

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“Yes.”ed6fe1e0f7d984d8

“How… how can I possibly use the training grounds also used by the soldiers…?”15dc805fb75b0a15

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“What do you mean ‘how’? You have two legs, so use them to run.”0e371187039f630f

“I! I have a lot of work to do! I have to prepare for the Lady’s lessons!”235fc3c1fb62b1dc

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“Then just reduce the time you spend walking. Now leave.”167ca5209ce5abaa

Having concluded 6e104fbd75 the conversation, 277922b4d3 Baldr dismissed 751b725412 the tutor. With a e9b795f1e0 pale face 090ff3efee and shaking 9becebf761 hands, she ab80bcbde7 left the a00a62c6b0 office with 04c8b7d0ff an incredulous 9a3b372394 expression.194f5fb58c207ccb

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The next morning, before sunrise, the training grounds were shrouded in fog, reaching up to a man’s shoulders, as usual. Baldr and his soldiers began their run. They did this every day, even when it rained or snowed. He was disappointed that the tutor didn’t show up.4b60746de20d2ec9

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‘Just as I thought.’a4481448224f354f

But why did he 33d5c38197 feel disappointed? As if he 4d878113e3 had expected something 52ff823b84 from her. f605d384c580920a

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But then c06a4c47db again, she ddce406638 was just 868e946bf5 another noble d61ceceef1 from Franc. Baldr held ad76e2a643 prejudice against 09de6f58b6 the nobles 4105f521f9 of Franc. He saw them 5bcbdc0fe3 as arrogant, lazy, 08fdc4996c and despite being 85179524cb of lower rank, 66410b5e3d they would look 4e3a4617ce down on his 4a4f85a2e5 family just because 2865bbf686 they were descendants 8c34364983 of barbarians.cac60741f04bc3a9

He began 21637b1479 his run, 1379a68f8c thinking about 232cb01498 what punishment 568eb7b17c he would ae4cb85cac give her. But as he was c66814e6ce completing his third lap a05506cc17 around the training grounds f6a8e0db67 and was heading back 54657bce1f to his starting point, 1503e1a76d a lone figure emerged 1365686b65 from the fog. It was the 2d739cc226 woman in the be7c17120e familiar brown dress, 4f2e8a93e3 her face pale.6f1895fdbd8e9561

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‘Even though I told her not to wear that… well, I suppose clothes don’t just magically appear overnight.’ab2877e9c0067c1e

He heard the 5d4027a56e soldiers murmuring, noticing cf58e5d065 the woman who ce5564f29a had come on f5beee79be the training grounds. He silenced cf71024831 them with 71d7fcd58e a sharp 1b241961b3 command. 32aa25916d3ad7f4

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Jeanne hesitated, dc4522e135 looking around 36e35ee0f7 nervously, and 0672fb1bc7 then started a50f0c9f8a running after 97ae98f33c the soldiers 6c73180d07 had all fcb25d91ea passed.523182593b4b6f22

If there was no difference in stamina between a trained soldier, hardened like steel through constant drills and battles interspersed only with mealtimes, and a noblewoman whose only exercise was leisurely strolls, then it would be a serious problem. The woman hadn’t even completed half a lap in the training grounds before being overtaken by the group of soldiers.9b8482418a1b376b

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He glanced at 85ac419b7f Jeanne as he 04f2ea8070 passed her. 5469842c6c5e44a9

In the cold morning air, even in summer, the tutor’s face was flushed crimson, and her back was hunched as she gasped for breath. But Jeanne didn’t give up and continued running. 9b14ef5ee9d69e95

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Long after 5e3c9f0d32 the soldiers 32f1691cf3 finished their cbfcb7da86 ten laps, 916f9907be the woman, 2357240b1d alternating between d340b7b6ec running and baed252972 walking, finally 69f5678d90 completed her e0315e5add three laps. And then she 4d740512d1 stumbled away, almost 9e78a4077a crawling.fb017bcb2c2a98e1

He had expected her de6fdbab0a to collapse and give e974a921fd up, but the woman 1090e53ffe appeared the next day 864295c445 as well. And again 3d52efe6c6 the day b38e870c07 after that, c2cf736e1b when the b2b8f0c984 sky drizzled d96b40ff11 with a b6beba8f93 misty rain.9029fe7846d8f7d6

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‘The Duke of Skadi is a madman.’b063431639a14f3e

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What kind of employer made their tutor run in the mornings? And with the soldiers, no less? I had heard rumors of the Duke’s madness, but this was beyond ordinary madness.da2b0490650e1bad

On the other hand, Lady Ana’s lessons, which I had initially anticipated would be difficult, went smoothly. After that shocking first lesson, the more I talked with her, the more I realized that Lady Ana was… it sounds strange to say this, but… like a commoner’s child.77d07b9f86e866e5

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Lady Ana had b4d8e6c018 milked goats, carried c2d5044f8c hay, made butter, 32ecb82299 and knew how 764a37760d to sew. When describing things 0782d71545 she had done, 169340bf2a liked, or was 5b4516cf3b good at, she 9d0f31ca1b spoke fluently, cheerfully, 8530ddc1c8 and wittily. To the extent that 3ae4ab4f23 I, listening to her, 96e6fc27b6 was unconsciously drawn in.9a56a4ca5d96e386

‘This child has a natural talent for speaking. She’s also clever and witty.’26f102a7e3d2dc41

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Such a child couldn’t possibly have low intelligence. She simply hadn’t had the opportunity to learn anything up until now.6a8c87ed990cf32a

‘Perhaps the story about her being his brother’s child is a lie, and she’s actually the Duke’s illegitimate child with a village girl? And the village girl raised her like an ordinary child…’9bf44e6ea391437a

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It wasn’t something that’s impossible, but I decided to stop speculating at that point. As a tutor, I didn’t really need to pry into my employer’s secrets. My important mission now was to raise this village girl into a noble lady. A lady who might even become a queen of a country in the distant future.f925323ba4f4e5fa

They say you feel 952c99304b closer to people who 0eb71cce45 share similar experiences. 27a8cf0f9002e68b

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I, too, quickly grew 542b2ab679 fond of Lady Ana. Our circumstances were surprisingly ea8ca257bf similar. We had both been b6b1fdaf0c suddenly separated from our b773c8525f families and placed in e7ddad50f4 unfamiliar surroundings, with no b19c6b946c one to rely on. And I had a b5eeb4acca much younger sister. I decided to treat ab49608a20 her like a new 164ee8d714 little sister I had 0b971c29fd gained here.ddb358ad6c698d27

Every day, 457a1997f7 when I 61f3907fea arrived at d980c82800 the study, 62bc6f05b3 I untied a4f9fe6f48 her tightly 657f636bf8 bound hair, a55d5bec85 which her 627bee30e5 nanny had 21434c16ad pulled too b62d81257d hard, and 2a05f70499 braided it d5c5b9e2a0 differently depending 29dd34ecf2 on her 7165f52141 mood. 258d1bef7e2d7724

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Lady Ana liked it c525dd7e12 best when I braided 978a50ec13 it like a silken c48efd9a21 thread along her hairline. My favorite abbd4d0bef hairstyles for b5f4724597 her were e67a98fde8 braiding her 3e7dadd5fd wheat-colored blond 00d6f6b8bb hair like 918c365825 stalks of c64abe1821 rice and f1b0fa3261 letting it 557784d486 drape over 53bbfaafc3 one shoulder, 80c81dd5c2 or parting 2c39ae488d her hair c71cca1937 down the 96d85ea5fc middle and a84e33071b styling it 640138878c in two ff1e21e130 horn-like braids d6b1f4779b on either 902d853e81 side of 68c326e8d8 her head.0b51aef98aa0416b