Chapter 144
Chapter 144
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 144
Chapter Title: Facing the Etiquette Instructors
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Lianus's face twisted upon hearing that the Queen had sent an etiquette instructor.
Paul handed over the letter and continued.
"Madam Sarete is currently here."
She had even come along with the letter, which meant she had no intention of hearing their side.
Lianus tore open the envelope containing the letter and scanned its contents. In summary, it stated that while the newly brought attendant didn't fit royal standards and should be dismissed, considering he hadn't received proper education yet, they were giving him a chance by sending an etiquette teacher.
But the content itself wasn't important. The problem was the final sentence.
"...Nil, it says you're taking the quarterly evaluation exam with me this month too."
"...?"
"Mm, every quarter, my older brother and I have to take exams too. The instructors submit reports... They must be planning to evaluate you and use it to kick you out."
Nod, nod.
"...You don't mind?"
Nod.
"Mm... Carus will at least take your side. But..."
Lianus reflected on all the classes he'd taken with Nihil so far. Swordsmanship... well, with the duke as the instructor, there was no issue there... In violin, his best friend had basically just been part of the audience. Finance, he'd simply sat quietly. They hadn't taken Imperial Studies together yet...
Thinking this far, he felt immensely relieved that Carus taught two subjects. The problem was his own etiquette instructor, Countess Tarandrus. No matter how he thought about it, she didn't seem to view his best friend favorably.
"...Nil, is this really okay?"
As Lianus asked, he slightly lifted the veil covering Nihil's face. Since they couldn't have a proper conversation, he at least wanted to see his expression.
But meeting those playful eyes, Lianus awkwardly lowered the veil again.
"Mm, yeah. Seems like it'll be fine. Butler."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"What's Nil's class schedule like?"
"Two hours every day."
"What? That's too much. Then when are you playing with me? There are twenty days until the quarterly evaluation!"
Nod, nod!
Nihil vigorously nodded in agreement, as if sharing the sentiment. His best friend apparently disliked two hours a day too.
"Since etiquette is part of my classes, tell them three times a week. One hour each. No more than that."
"I'll convey that. What about today's class? Shall we send her back?"
Shake, shake.
Before Lianus could answer the butler's question, Nihil shook his head first. Then he made a light hand signal.
-Wait.
Confirming the signal, the butler smiled faintly and asked.
"For how long?"
Nihil glanced at the clock and held up two fingers.
-2 hours.
"Nil, you have to impress Countess Tarandrus before the quarterly evaluation!"
Lianus clenched his fist determinedly as he spoke. Nihil smirked under his veil at Lianus limiting it to "before the quarterly evaluation" and nodded.
As he sat somewhat properly in his chair, Countess Tarandrus soon entered. She twitched her eyebrows at Nihil, who wore both a hood and veil, but forced herself to ignore it and greeted them.
"Your Highness, good afternoon."
"Yes, Instructor, good afternoon!"
The countess eyed Lianus's oddly enthusiastic demeanor with slight suspicion but dismissed it as him having a good day. After a brief hesitation, she even greeted Nihil.
"...Good afternoon to you too."
Nod, nod.
"...How can you just nod to an adult?"
"..."
Having decided to accept Nihil as a "student" now, the countess began to admonish him.
"Wearing a hood indoors is not proper etiquette."
"..."
As Nihil couldn't respond, Lianus racked his brain for an excuse. They needed to impress her, but he couldn't reveal the fluffy-eared head.
At that moment, the seasoned butler, who had deliberately stayed back to wait, stepped forward and quietly spoke.
"Madam, it seems the young master was teased for his appearance. Though it goes against etiquette, could you give him a little time until the emotional wound heals?"
At the butler's words, Nihil quickly pulled his hood down further. The countess looked at him with a subtle expression before quietly starting the lesson.
"...We'll end today's lesson here."
"You worked hard again today, Madam."
"..."
Even after the lesson ended, the countess didn't leave immediately and glanced at Nihil, who sat quietly. Nihil stared back at her, then rummaged in his pocket, pulled something out, and placed it on the desk.
It was a vial tied with a pretty ribbon.
"..."
As the countess just stared silently at the vial, Nihil nudged it closer, as if asking why she wasn't taking it.
She hesitated a bit before carefully picking it up.
"...Is this the same as last time?"
Nod.
"...Thank you."
With that, she bowed to Lianus and withdrew. Lianus felt relieved seeing her show a bit of fondness toward Nihil. He was curious what his best friend had given her, but since Sir Earnest was still around, he didn't ask.
'Sir Evan is late.'
Sir Evan's outings never exceeded half a day at most, but today felt a bit delayed. With Sir Earnest standing in as guard, he was probably handling as much as possible.
This made Lianus feel a little sorry for Sir Evan, who had little free time. He was thinking he should hire more guard knights when Carus burst in noisily. The next class was history.
"Haha, Your Highness, best friend, long time no see!"
"We saw each other the day before yesterday."
"I barely held back from coming yesterday too! Oh, but... where's my secret friend, and why is Sir Earnest...?"
"Sir Evan is out today."
Walter, who had run into the young marquis, gave a light bow. Carus exchanged brief greetings with Walter, asking him to guard His Highness well today, then prepared to start class.
"Let's do it quick and wrap up fast! I even brought tasty snacks."
"Ah, Nil has another class today."
The two hours Nihil had told Madam Sarete to wait were almost up. She was probably fuming in the waiting room right now.
Having her wait was possible only because the previous class was with the higher-status "Countess," and it was the subject of "etiquette" that Nihil needed most right now. Any longer, and she'd just leave.
'Honestly, it'd be better if she did leave... but Nil seems to have some plan...'
"Why skip my class for another one! Skip the others and do mine!"
Having heard the situation, Carus threw a tantrum, begging him not to go.
"I'll go chase away that Sarete or whatever her name is! I'm a marquis, you know?"
"...Sometimes I doubt if you're really a marquis."
Especially lately.
"What etiquette lessons for a best friend~ You're not skipping because you don't know, right? I'll give you 200 out of 100 on the quarterly evaluation. Ah-, I came all excited to show my best friend something!"
Snap-.
As Carus kept whining like a child, Nihil snapped his fingers to draw attention. Then he held out his hand, as if saying show it. It seemed he meant he'd look at whatever Carus wanted to show before leaving.
Carus quickly approached Nihil, grabbed his hand, and whispered while writing something on it with his finger.
"I memorized that particularly emphasized sentence from every document, right on the spot."
Grumbling that it was hard to memorize, Carus slowly wrote the sentence on Nihil's palm. Then he stared at Nihil expectantly, burdening him with anticipation.
"..."
After deciphering the sentence, Nihil stayed silent for a moment.
When Nihil didn't speak, Carus thought he hadn't understood because he'd written too fast and tried to unfold his palm to rewrite it.
Nihil closed his forcibly opened palm.
"Ah! Did you get it?"
Carus beamed. Nihil worked his mouth under the veil a few times before pressing his forehead. There wasn't much he could say.
'Confidential. Copying prohibited.'
"..."
Of all sentences to memorize.
Of course... from a recorder's perspective, it was quite important. It just wasn't important to Carus.
Nihil sighed deeply and smacked the forehead of Carus, who looked like a child awaiting a gift, then stood up.
"Aah! Where are you going? Tell me about this first!"
"How are you so late!"
The moment the parlor door opened, an old woman's angry shout rang out, and Nihil glanced at the grandfather clock. He had arrived a full two minutes early.
Lianus, who had been secretly hiding around the corner to watch, bristled at the echoing tirade and started to rush over, but Nihil raised a hand from behind the door to stop him before entering and closing it.
"And what's with that outfit again! His Highness said you were an uneducated commoner, but I didn't expect it to be this sloppy!"
"..."
"What was the 2nd Prince thinking, picking up something like this! Even if you're half-baked, can he really be this thoughtless?!"
The old lady skipped the etiquette lesson she was supposed to give and began disparaging Nihil and Lianus instead. Whether the insults affected Nihil was another matter.
His ears ringing from her shrill voice, Nihil casually scratched one and sat on the sofa.
"Y-, you! Insolent brat!"
The old woman's face flushed red as she raised her voice again, but Nihil sat quietly on the sofa, waiting for her anger to subside.
After over 30 minutes of ranting, Sarete realized words couldn't harm him and picked up the switch.
"Stick out your soles!"
But naturally, Nihil had no intention of meekly taking it.
Sarete chased the dodging, hopping Nihil but collapsed onto the sofa, panting, in under five minutes. As she sat, Nihil deliberately plopped onto the opposite sofa to taunt her.
Unable to help it, Sarete offered a pen and paper to justify the corporal punishment.
"If a mute can't even write, what good are you! Copy this! One stroke per wrong letter!"
Nihil gladly nodded.
Expecting the attendant to act up, Sarete slyly raised the switch, but upon seeing Nihil copy the handwriting—even the smudged ink—she quietly lowered her hand.
"..."
Sarete gaped at the letters perfectly replicating her own script, down to the blurred ink. They were identical enough to seem copy-pasted, leaving no room to criticize the penmanship.
"Th-, then copy this too."
Sarete quickly scrawled a longer sentence in cursive, unfamiliar to children.
But the result was the same. Seeing him replicate even the tails of the letters perfectly, Sarete could only tut in dismay.
'Your Highness, is this for real?'