WBWB | Chapter 5

As I began to 66dd2e05ce tremble, the Duke observed 356a1872fb my reaction and continued 1cd0b11019 speaking.6e035035d791f821

“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.”fe723cd949e251db

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In other words…372d2aff562b1cc8

‘So you’ve been using nobles exiled here due to political strife as scribes.’341e7449df581594

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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.ae8d46e5f082cfaa

‘Making nobles work…’c134a7626d175b2a

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It was a story da4f6de82b that would horrify the fd01e14b9b nobles of the royal 71d5f74706 court, who had lived bfba715ab4 their lives without lifting f698145ea7 a finger. But I 6bd935a74f was relieved.5a822c787d3a86e4

‘Isn’t that alright? Giving me work means… he’ll at least let me make a living here.’6644af9fc20c2359

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I had d054c2e9fa worked in ce3587fb32 Franc anyway, d54ac8602e and transcribing dc5675a7c5 seemed much 2e71680eda better than 0a43ee8ed9 digging the 2fcdd6a2b2 earth with 147a8b6494 a pickaxe. I also agreed e4d2593c76 with the Duke 577aac7288 to some extent. It seemed better a10ff5412b to do some 4a766d6c00 work, as time 357d030e33 would pass faster, a38a533c53 rather than being 4d10856e97 confined and locked 9a6c5f9337 up doing nothing. My mind de170bbb3f began to 29c3962f29 work quickly.16889906070cc740

“Then, when should I begin my work?”865b256bb62bf9e8

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The Duke raised 494523dde4 an eyebrow slightly a798dbbc94 in surprise at 3603c650ca my words.0f3f0bc2195cd163

“You’re quick to adapt to the situation.”1ef065d4ab6a22a2

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‘I see.’c25e3c4d63b2bb62

I interpreted his 5c04cc37f4 words to mean c8d50c432c other nobles had 42fcdef263 resisted when he 83460bd281 made this offer.2a13210c9147e043

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“I had a profession in the royal palace as well, Your Grace.”56049feb7fef70c0

“Yes, you said you were a tutor. What did you teach him?”3b14aa820feb3a1c

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“Foreign languages, humanities, logic, rhetoric, and arithmetic.”06db14bc25d0b619

He looked disbelieving 4aed92a3a7 at my words.7f2ff13f75c3d6dd

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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?”99c0ac0ed76b35db

“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.”dcbf9b8a615b846e

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However, he did not 18abbfdcbf remove the suspicious look 295544357c from his eyes and 88e149b8b6 suddenly spoke in a f8e5f0ded4 foreign language.2af794de900b6678

“This is not mere curiosity. I have reason to ascertain your knowledge and depth, so please understand that I am testing you.”347639330885302d

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In this way, d99e0c1033 I spent time e5a1ae9733 conversing with him. We discussed various languages fc58176eda I claimed to know, 62fd9ceb6a logic, rhetoric, and the a9ecfc44b4 books he and I 5bf20b0c48 had read. As the 0c390b41a0 conversation continued, a0c63913b5 I grew 486d2aa5c9 increasingly surprised.e75cec46594513c6

‘Isn’t the Duke a soldier? How did he acquire such knowledge and refinement?’2af1ddd281b9d74c

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Perhaps I 0f25ee97dd had been 8962b5cbd4 unconsciously prejudiced. I had assumed caceba50da he was skilled 5ebd703e24 in killing people 57c2c6e589 but ignorant of 53ca038f63 humanities. However, his knowledge was c4720f9265 extensive, his words revealing 6698c4929a sharp logic and thought. Our conversation left 8e534e89df a deep impression d3b068c104 on me.01797c1f21059f5a

“Let’s end this conversation here.”6003564b32fdd1c6

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He switched 28ff8f459a back to 7a9022ec6f his native 10175071fe language.27dfa34dddce8eb9

“I want you to become my child’s tutor.”4ea47435d5495ff6

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That was something 57ed239116 I had never e7761d4884 expected.7b4c1b1db8bf47f0

‘A tutor?’26eb268701c10acc

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Typically, the lady 4446a96fd4 of the house b73a945474 had the authority 465519af19 to hire nannies a1d70b058a and tutors.cd669b31d7288f4d

‘Why the Duke, and not the Duchess?’c24f342e9ff23df8

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As if 135def746a reading my c984f6677c thoughts, the 8b417cd9cb Duke of b3aeef51e1 Skadi explained, 60a95f90c40b07ad

“I have no wife, but the child I’ll entrust to you is not illegitimate.”67d6a350fa5c3285

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“…”340a63a6755467ad

“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.”5ca65478a3648779

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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?’342944ba85692422

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.bc3474395a6f676f

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“What do you say? Will you become my adopted daughter’s tutor?”b689f019a3ad1035

“Yes! I will! I’ll be the tutor!”e4b8abbd3a0fef51

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Understanding the situation, 232d716094 I smiled brightly.3819ccb6b950d25c

‘At least I won’t die.’5f4efcf78b60acd3

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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.5c2018d2675af3ef

“I’m deeply grateful that you would entrust your precious child to me…”9bcd525aa305a33f

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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.224aebed79d82241

Was it because my 56c1a5d01c heart was overflowing with 72bdf3dedf happiness? 272babb34b725bf2

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No.781682a0dcc56784

“…Ugh, ugh!”cedef224b40423a9

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I stopped speaking bc31fa19a0 and immediately vomited.00250dc5e86d5ea5

Waaaaah— Chwaaak—f5481f56d376742a

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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.cc444042ffe5d3b9

“…”a872e34364cf0b91

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Chwaaak—f6ddadba1cd78810

It was embarrassing 7b559a9968 enough for me a96aeed3b0 to suddenly turn 4e56575ddf my head to 33716d0983 the side and b9db6e9ed1 vomit mid-sentence, but 23d8b06fe3 how mortified must da0c6b30d7 the Duke have 77190e3f2b been to witness f90fb2cb65 it?48fedca5bc91b3f9

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‘Oh dear…’465d9b2bde0b6454

As I raised 7a5ef8aa48 my head, tasting 27a6ab3d86 the sour bile, ca95c16054 the Duke was b5ce2a1bb3 looking at me.ae49bb2f0da2d8f9

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“…”3ee521678ce7b5c8

His eyes were 417496dc2d wide open, and 573f706f82 his mouth was 3133d93ea8 slightly agape. Sometimes, expressions e4c8e9be72 speak louder 49faeee8e4 than words.8d477f48d3dec73a

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I hurriedly wiped 64db8fc954 my mouth with 917886ed3d a napkin and de6003ff2f hastily tried to 181b69ab7f explain.0a59b71760f00b13

“I, I’m so sorry. I haven’t fully recovered from my journey, and my body…”8d632ab43575418d

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And then I saw 6643cd2085 him sigh shallowly and 1b8c4ad09f shake his head slightly. Afterward, he turned his 83327651ac head to the side 37542ce6db and spoke to the 944686bfb2 servant.ccdc8aec6ca21aec

“Escort Miss Toulouse to 752f143d9d her room and make f76dbfe88f sure to provide whatever 5b4365c5f4 she needs.”c153f0de3e659d8a

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“…”7da593123191006a

“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.”689e0da04633f1bc

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There is 100f7da1c5 a saying 2cbcb932ba that first 38ed690e8d impressions are 3ef4abb354 hard to 88188acb0f change. And I 411a4e351f had made dbd8122587 mine by a6834882a7 showing him 8dafac8d33 my unwashed 6087846ea0 appearance after 8b983ff957 days of 026ca4d25d travel and 4fb50d2bd3 then vomiting 2668a5faec on his db45772056 dining table. It would e065ab6168 be hard 083a2d51f3 to make e517440b5c a more 172efd5261 memorable first eac5f39fec impression than 1a6d071acd that.d1b6b1672af4ec03

* * *989d629e443603df

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As soon as bc5e3e7b0d I returned to eb93d123b4 my room and 6d417e3faf was alone, I 856ab7670e collapsed onto the 7df112a66b bed, burying my 72c764fede face in my af1e3cd8a1 hands in despair.ce0ac58b89d623b7

‘How could I do such a thing?’754f457b25101535

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I had been served 92d4a05722 a meal, yet to 1962faa6cd throw up right after 73c012517e was an act that 6f5360d4b2 went beyond rudeness. Had I d73b688b2d unintentionally revealed 22b6c39e49 to the b4f2986fae Duke of 90d2d5a630 Skadi that a1abbc291a the local 8237de0b32 cuisine didn’t d0d810878e suit my dc5a457bc6 taste?b3813c8634eba1a3

‘Why there, of all places?’83f81009e2fee012

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As I writhed ae4b31006e in shame, a c4a7135924 knock came from a3e30a33b3 the door. I opened the c9d939cc8f door to find 1be7b031a2 a short, rosy-cheeked 073a3194df elderly woman standing af5bcf6dd7 with her clasped 4095d83c30 hands resting near b819f28229 her stomach.3d0bdb0098562203

“Are you Lady Jeanne de Toulouse?”2abc06e65464708c

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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.18dfd22da6950290

“I am Pauline, and 961d18d7c8 I oversee the household 4a39520a13 affairs of the estate. I’ve come fc21ed6769 to inform c1fa64204f you of d196b27bbb the duties 1974df41c5 you will d8722a7971 be taking 84637d8973 on.”6f268e123e5bc8f2

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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.e798a1faea4f7fb0

“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.”79748e5af4dac3c1

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Madame Pauline 8de97c0634 didn’t enter 52153e1a26 the room e5a0526563 but instead 624a3f7890 stood at ced7bb4d67 the doorway, d6655b60d7 explaining my 226d81be7e duties and 25f2cd814f what I 371deed6ab needed to 17ca6676a4 know.31a79438bb40b8d9

“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.”85aae935b4cee321

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