Eugene has become a little bit sharper.
Hearing that the new Duke of Ernst was young, there was often a friction between others at every aristocratic meeting.
Even as it should have been, Ernst's elders had to empower Eugene, but the old serpents did not want to miss the chance to dominate Ernst to their liking.
This was followed by a wasting battle with unpleasant purposes. It was an intention to subdue young Eugene as the current Duke Ernst from the start.
When I was young, I didn't know about that of course, but it was different now.
As I thought about it, Eugene often returned to the mansion during the day when he was tired, or while feeling furious about something and sometime feeling cold.
At that time, I was just scared of him, and his cool eyes used to escape from me, but now it wasn't necessarily for me.
"Would you like to ask other relatives for help?"
I sneaked into the sound of leaks in his office.
Eugene returned to the mansion again today with a strong feeling of frost cold air. I thought through his mood it would have been a day similar to another day.
"Who's your relatives talking to?"
"The most recent exchanges have been between Count Scumahuha or the Marquis Leonard. If you are concerned about the work of the duchess while in outside, it is your personal opinion…."
I couldn't even hear the back story, so I left.
******
"From today on, my aunt is going to stop by and take care of you guys."
And the next day, I bite my lips slightly, looking at the lady in front of me.
As expected, it was Mrs. Leonard, Marchioness Leornard who came to Ernst.
"Eugene, I will will take good care of the children, so don't worry."
The lady with elegant red hair looked at Erich in front her and smiled warmly towards him.
"Oh, Erich.Why did you lose weight so
much? Aren't you hungry? You can't use be thin."
"Hm."
"I saw it at first glance in funeral. So you're Hari? My sister make you so pretty."
She said to me in a soft voice with a smile on her face, but I didn't miss the cold light in her eyes.
"So, I'm gonna take care of you from today, guys."
Ah. Marchioness Leonard, she was the one who had been disgusting me for 20 years in Ernst.
Of course, she didn't express that feeling to me in the presence of brother or other people. I had no idea what she was feeling now.
Since it was Marquis Lenoard wife, I was vaguely thinking maybe this time was a right decision that Cabel and Erich were able to recover quickly because she was actually there.
In addition, I understood that Eugene worried about us remaining alone in the mansion.
"Well thank you, Aunt."
********
"Erich, eat a lot. I really don't want to see you thin. Aunt bought a gift to give Erich. Let's eat and open it after that."
I thought as I staring at the two people in front of me with weak eyes. She pretend I wasn't in the middle of the table.
But what, I already knew it going to be like this. Before, while I was in this house, I was treated as person who wasn't leaving my own home.
But right now everything's different. I'm a person, but she treat me like I'm not.In fact, I'm more comfortable with it. Still, it certainly seemed better for Erich to have an adult who took care of himself.
It is said that Cabel is also recovering rapidly.
He said his ribs were broken, his arms were cracked, his concussion and bruises were so severe that it would take longer to heal.
I wished that the second brother would get better soon and come back home.
Frankly, Ernst now is so quiet. And no
matter how clueless brother Cabel is, Even now, I was worried that if it was okay for him to fall apart alone.
Of course, He is in good care of his
relative, Countess Schumaha, but still….
Oh, maybe it was because of my thoughts. The aim of the fork was wrong. The cherry tomatoes bounced off the plate showed a plump, light motion and ran over a large table.
The eyes of the two people in front of me were also nailed to cherry tomatoes.
"Maybe she need etiquette training."
Uhuk? Etiquette training right now?
Mrs. Lenoard muttered a self-talk, and I immediately opened my mouth.
"I learned basic etiquette."
Maybe she didn't know I was going to
talk to herself first, Mrs. Lennold frowned.
"From whom?"
"Um…From my mother."
"Somehow, Melissa had some soft corners to the children."
She shrugged down her eyes, seemingly understandable. I was inclined to say
more, but before I opened my mouth again, Mrs. Leonard spoke.
"Oh, Erich. You're done. Well done, well done. Then, shall we go to see the gift your aunt prepared?"
He took him out from the dining room, and I looked at the place where she left and raised my sigh.
********
"Teacher is going to come from tomorrow, so let's study hard."
Oh, it's coming. From what Mrs. Lenoard had been saying since she came to this house, it seemed to finally come upon me.
In fact, it wasn't Mrs. Lenoard that I really
hated. She was a tutor attached to me.
"Do I learn with Erich?"
"Do you not know that boys and girls are different in learning?"
I was just asking with the hope of a single line. Of course it was a dog horn of hope. Ugh damn.
In fact, it was common for aristocratic children to practice basic education with a tutor at a certain age.
Perhaps if the Ernst couple were alive, they would have tutored Erich and me.
I know that Eugene as the eldest son did the same, and the second, Cabel also struck a flimsy day and had a dedicated tutor since last year.
"I am the madam who will be in charge of education starting today."
"I see you for the first time today, Madam."
So no matter how much I hate this woman, I can't have a bad point right now. I greeted gracefully towards the lady in front of me.
I noticed that it was surprising for me to say hello in an authentic aristocratic way, and her eyes widened slightly.
It was obvious what she might have heard from Mrs. Leonard or other nobles.
You must have heard that it would not be a while or two to teach me, a sleazy girl who has grown up. And in the past, I was sure that the rumor was right.
At the first meeting, I stuttered like a fool
and said,
"Oh, ah, hello, Madam."
Even if I think about it now, it was an
embarrassing memory to the point I want to bury myself, such a shameful memory.
"I will try my best to keep up with the teaching. Thank you."
But! I'm different! I was able to act and speak like this gracefully, unlike the time when I was like a country horse! And how much I had to beaten by this woman to be like that.
Oh, I hate it now I think about it. No matter how much it's for my education, there's nothing right to beat a young child without recognition every day.
So, after years of pain, I didn't know how excited I was when I finally said goodbye to this woman.
"Young miss is a formal learner of etiquette. Since this is the first time, I will teach from the basics. Be sure to dig in, as I will be demonstrating. If you can't follow my education properly, I'll do some punishment."
So, this time, I have to put it on again from the first lesson.
It seems I have succeeded in giving a good first impression unlike before, and now it remains only to show my perfect aristocratic manners polished for 20 years.
"Please remember what I do."
Well? But it's a little strange. Wasn't it the real basics like how to sit or walk when you first received education? Did I originally learn in this order?
Besides, I just go to training right away without even a simple test. It was a long time ago, so I remembered it as there was nothing to worry about.
I haven't been doing etiquette education a
year or two, and I haven't had any practical experience. It was you that surprised.
My body was young, and I was already able to show the proper manners as well as active ladies.
So, mimicking the Madam, who is in
front of me whilw was eating coldly, should be an easy task now.
"Now, let's do the same."
I sat quietly while the Madam demonstrating, watching and moving after her permission. It's easy to the point i want to yawn.
At a tea party, you have a face like a mask, and you can talk about everything with your mouth.
It should show elegant, refined handwork without burden. Since it's gonna be like this. I followed the same thing the Madam did.
Then she looked at me in amazement at how I looked good at courtesy as before. I noticr that she couldn't believe I would imitate her to this extent.
Hah, you will! Look at this elegance flowing from my fingertips! Maybe I shouldn't have to worry about the comfort of my legs anymore.
This time, I don't need to be beaten every day.
"Stand up and pulled up your skirt."
Yes, even if you look at it, my current manners are perfect. Huh? I realized what was she just saying in my ear and stopped.
"Have you not heard me? Get up and pulled up your skirt."
I looked at the unfamiliar face.
"Everything from one to ten is a mess. It's so incredible that it's so rudimentary."
What did you mean by that as I was following what I learned? I really wanted to say that, but I endured once.
"Is there something wrong with my manners?"
"Oh, you think I am just catching up
without a reason now?"
What the hell. From my point of view, I think my manners example was perfect just as a textbook. Did I just fail to recognize it, has there been a change in the manners?
So, is there a difference between the etiquette I used when I grew up and the etiquette I learned when I was young? Besides, I did it brilliantly.
"I hate to have say it many times. There are more things the young miss will have to learn."
Once I got up from my place as she told me. I still couldn't figure out what it was, so there wasn't a way not to do what she wanted me to do.
"Raise your skirt."
The madam was already holding the next round in hand.
"More. More up."
When I lifted my hem up to the thighs, only then the sparks fell on the back of my legs. It wasn't the calf where Madam used to beat me when she punished me.
It was because the calf was a position that was immediately visible when the hem of the skirt was seen due to running.
She said that it is embarrassing to be punished for lack of learning, so I must hide it from others, and all other people are doing the same.
Crack!
So, the area where she hoisted me up was fixed at the top where the knee was folded, about a finger higher.
Crack!
Ah, I was sleazy during my life, so I thought this would be okay, but it still hurts too. The skin becomes weaker as a child, so it might be because of that.
I couldn't sit back until she hit me five times.
"I'll try again. If you look like that again this time, you'll be punished the same way, so keep your mind straight."
Damn. Still, it was a good thing not to touch when sitting in the chair if it was in this position.
I just thought I should know why I was not right, and watched Madam move. And this time, I followed her equally.
"Walk on the skirt."
But it was just the same as before.
"Why are you standing still? Isn't that why you think your etiquette is good right now?"
I was able to see that this woman just holding an excuse to hit me. Still, I did not express my inner heart, but calmly said.
"If you have any problems, please let me know."
"I did tell you. Everything from one to ten is a problem."
I felt very angry now.
"Did I ask for something difficult? You just have to imitate it as you've seen, but you can't even do that. How embarrassed are you going to make the duke?"
Just beat it out and go out? Honestly, I didn't have a reason to be judged not right by this woman here right now.
"Do you think I'm doing this to insult the miss? Now, when Ernst's situation is complicated inside and outside, what do you do when you press on the family even by the existence of young miss? Of course, the miss is young, so even if I've already talked about it, you won't
understand."
But I heard that and she's looking at the side of the door, I stopped looking for a chance.
"Get up and pulled the skirt. After punishing you, I'll just point out what the young miss did wrong."
Eventually, I lifted the skirt up again in front of the Madam. The fragile sensation again broke into my fragile skin, and this situation was terrible, but now I endured because I didn't want to lead and create a conflict.
After hitting five times again this time, Madam told me the wrong part of my manners.
"When you was holding the pot, the angle of your wrist was wrong. Young miss would need a lot of practice."
Of course, it was just an excuse to make me ridiculed, so I just smiled.