Chapter 32
Everything about Eluana—her gait, posture, speech, gestures—that had been ingrained until now was completely rejected. And to make matters worse, Eluana, who wasn’t a genius, kept making mistakes.
“Miss Eluana, you’re perfectly normal. Most people don’t learn this all at once.”
Madam René offered comforting words in a gentle voice, but they didn’t help at all. When the book balanced on her head dropped for the twenty-ninth time, a break was finally called.
As the exhausted Eluana slumped into a chair, Madam René gently tapped her back. Eluana quickly corrected her posture and muttered with a deflated voice.
“I don’t think I have any talent for this.”
“Etiquette isn’t about talent. It’s about effort and patience.”
Eluana’s gaze naturally drifted toward Louie, who was sitting with perfect posture and smiling brightly.
He was a prime example of someone who learned etiquette with natural talent.
“Louie is…”
Madam René, in a tone both firm and kind, said,
“Master Louie is special. I think he’ll be ready to learn reading and grammar next week. While he studies that, Miss Eluana can continue practicing etiquette. After that, you’ll both learn social dances and ballroom manners together.”
René mentally adjusted the lesson plans to match the students’ abilities. At that moment, Eluana blinked and spoke.
“…But I need to learn grammar too.”
Madam René hesitated slightly.
“I see. Have you never learned reading and writing formally?”
“I can read and write well enough to read books without trouble.”
That level of literacy had been enough back in Arden. In fact, very few people in Arden’s territory were literate. By comparison, Eluana had counted as an intellectual. But ever since she met Madam René, she had felt like an ignoramus.
“You can learn it.”
René responded elegantly, then left the room after telling her to continue practicing.
She went straight to Noah’s office. After knocking and entering, Noah looked up and swallowed hard when he realized it was Madam René. Her expression was unusual.
“I think we need to find a different tutor for Master Louie.”
This hit Noah like a bolt from the blue. Clearly, something serious had happened. He asked anxiously,
“Is there a reason you can’t continue teaching him?”
“Of course. Master Louie is a genius. He needs education designed for a genius. Not just in etiquette, but in a variety of subjects.”
René’s firm tone left Noah slightly slack-jawed with surprise.
“You’re saying… Louie is a genius?”
“I’ve never seen a child like him before.”
Noah nodded.
“Indeed. He’s also very mature. So that’s why… I’ll make the necessary arrangements.”
“Yes, please do.”
With a graceful bow, Madam René left the office. Noah swallowed nervously. He needed to inform someone right away.
Noah rushed to the Duke of Spes’s office and knocked urgently. As soon as the word “Enter” was heard, he opened the door and blurted out,
“Master Louie is a genius!”
Despite the sudden and contextless outburst, the Duke smiled lazily and replied,
“Of course he is. He’s Stella’s child.”
Wouldn’t it be stranger if he wasn’t a genius? The Duke smiled contentedly, and Noah said,
“I’ll screen several private tutors and report back.”
“Do that. Is the funeral for Ron Vita being prepared properly?”
“We’ve found a corpse with a similar physique. The hair will be dyed, and the eyes replaced with artifacts.”
“Time to prepare the children for travel, then.”
*
‘I’m exhausted.’
Eluana flopped face-first onto the reception room table. All she had done was practice walking, but she felt completely drained.
‘Forging a sword would be easier than this.’
Come to think of it, it had been a long time since she’d held a hammer. She reflexively opened and closed her hand. Just then, strangers entered the lavender room.
They were carrying armfuls of luggage and greeted Eluana and Louie politely.
“Hello, my lady. I’m Rosette, a fashion designer. It’s an honor to meet you.”
Rosette quickly introduced herself, then measured Eluana and Louie and began holding up fabrics in different colors next to their faces.
“My, everything suits you both!”
While Rosette exclaimed in admiration, white dresses began lining up in the lavender room—twelve of them, each with a different design.
“Now, you’ll try on each of these dresses. These are the basic styles. Once we see what suits your body type, we’ll create custom variations.”
Eluana, looking horrified, replied,
“But I already have so many dresses.”
“Oh dear? Dresses, jewels, and men—the more, the better!”
The unfamiliar women around Rosette giggled and began dressing Eluana in outfit after outfit. Louie was measured as well. He hadn’t brought many clothes, and unlike Eluana, he didn’t have a stocked wardrobe. So he had to be fitted for everything from loungewear to outing clothes.
At first, Louie seemed uncomfortable, but he soon adjusted and began placing various orders. He seemed so natural at it that it felt strange.
Only after trying on and taking off all twelve dresses was Eluana finally free. While Rosette scribbled down notes combining designs and colors, a jeweler entered.
Necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and hair accessories were laid out in front of them. The jeweler waited for Eluana to choose.
When she didn’t pick anything for a while, he began to sweat nervously and asked,
“…Is there nothing you like?”
In truth, it was the opposite. Everything was beautiful—she simply couldn’t choose. And she had no eye for evaluating gemstones. Gazing down at the dazzling array of jewels, Eluana finally said,
“Call for Dave.”
“…Pardon? Yes, right away.”
As soon as the jeweler left, the butler Dave entered.
“I heard you called for me.”
Eluana asked the question that had been on her mind.
“Why is all this necessary all of a sudden? Louie’s clothes, sure—but my dressing room is already full.”
“Please speak comfortably. Now that you are a member of House Spes, you mustn’t speak formally to me.”
“But you’re a noble.”
“Before that, I am a vassal of House Spes.”
“…Uh, right. Okay.”
After Eluana lowered her speech, Dave answered her question.
“We called the designer because it seemed like you weren’t satisfied with your current dresses. You’ve only been rotating between a few.”
“The others are too flashy… so I didn’t wear them. Then, can I request more loungewear?”
“Of course. Please let us know anything you desire. Even in the future, just call the designer whenever you need anything.”
She had declared herself the heir. She’d have to get used to this lifestyle.
“I also don’t know how to choose jewels. Can you recommend some?”
“It would be an honor if you allow me.”
“How many sets should I buy?”
“As many as you’d like. If none please you, we can summon another jeweler.”
“As many as I want” was too vague.
“It’d help if you gave me some kind of limit.”
“There are none. You could buy the whole jewelry shop if you wish.”
“…Okay.”
She’d ask the Duke about this part later.
With Dave’s help, Eluana selected diamond, emerald, and opal sets. She also picked out a few brooches for Louie. By the end of it, she was completely exhausted.
As soon as the designer and jeweler staff left, teatime began. A maid brought in tea and cookies, then exited. Eluana immediately collapsed in her chair. Her body was sore, likely from using muscles she normally didn’t.
“I’m tired.”
Eluana groaned as she slumped over the table, watching Louie sip tea across from her. Louie, unfazed, silently set his teacup down just as Madam René had taught him.
Just a while ago, he had been a wild child in Arden. Now, he looked like a young noble raised in a high-ranking house. Louie, sipping tea elegantly, glanced at Eluana’s plate with longing. He’d already eaten all his cookies.
Some things never change.
“Here, just one more.”
Eluana handed him a cookie. Louie grabbed it with both hands and nibbled happily. Chocolate chip cookies were his favorite.
Eluana smiled fondly as she watched him eat, then sat up straight. As she reached for her teacup, the clink of porcelain startled her.
“Eep!”
She trembled slightly and focused hard to set the teacup down quietly again. Even so, a faint sound escaped.
She hadn’t learned it yet, but she’d overheard that making noise was improper. She didn’t get what was so bad about a little clinking noise, though.
Clearly, alchemy suited her much better than etiquette. Eluana slipped a hand into her pocket and fiddled with a steel marble. The cool touch soothed her.
She placed the marble on the table and focused. It began to tremble slightly, then moved precisely a fingernail’s width before stopping. Back when she was imprisoned, she could bend iron bars, but without a sense of danger, it wasn’t as easy.
Still, even a fingernail’s width was progress.
As Louie finished his cookie, he glanced at the pleased Eluana and said,
“The Duke said communication is important. Don’t just say what you want—listen to the marble too. Try greeting it first.”
“Huh?”
Eluana tilted her head.
Lately, Louie had changed in many ways—not just more mature, but with a whole different air about him. Was this how geniuses adapted so quickly?
“Go on, try.”
At Louie’s urging, Eluana focused again on the marble.
“Hello, little steel marble. I’m Eluana.”
Of course, there was no reply. What should she say next? Maybe, “Let’s get along”? As she awkwardly stared at it—
Louie tilted his head.
“Why’d you stop after just saying hi?”
“Well, talking to a marble is… weird.”
“Really? Hmm.”
Louie picked up a sketching pen Rosette had left behind. He drew eyes on the steel marble. Some of the glowing particles that surrounded him seeped into it, though no one noticed. Then he added a tiny mouth and put the pen down.
Satisfied with the expression he had drawn, Louie beamed.
“Look! It’s cute now!”
“It really is.”
As Eluana smiled at Louie affectionately—
Someone arrived.
