The First Lesson

I headed straight to Era's quarters the moment I woke up the next morning. Today marked the start of her real training. I had one month to turn this girl into someone who wouldn't embarrass me in front of the empire's nobles.

Etiquette, culture, dance, conversation skills. The list of things I needed to teach her was overwhelming. But before any of that, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠there was one thing I had to confirm first.

When I opened the door to her quarters, Era greeted me with a bright smile.

"Leon! Come in, come in!"

I set a book down on the table.

"We're starting your studies today. But first, there's something I need to check."

I flipped the book open to a random page and slid it toward her.

"...Read this for me."

Era's expression froze.

"Uh..."

She simply stared down at the book for a long time.

"...Era? Aren't you going to read it?"

When she finally lifted her head, an awkward smile was plastered across her face.

"...Actually... I... can't read."

"How much?"

"...Just a few simple characters. That's about it."

Era lowered her head.

"I'm... sorry."

"Haa..."

I let out a sigh.

"It's fine. I'm not disappointed."

"R-really?"

"...Yeah."

It wasn't disappointment. It was confirmation. I'd expected something like this. A commoner from the lowest class with no family name wouldn't have received any proper education. Still, seeing it firsthand made it clear the situation was worse than I'd imagined.

'She can only write her name and a few letters? We're basically starting from absolute zero.'

"...Why didn't you learn?"

"...There was no one to teach me. After my parents passed away, I lived alone."

Era fidgeted with her fingers.

I glanced back at the book, then let out another sigh.

"...Fine. Then we'll start from the beginning."

"Huh?"

"We'll go through the letters one by one. I'll teach you."

Era's head snapped up.

"Really? Someone like me can actually learn this?"

"...Not 'someone like me.'"

I sat down in the chair beside her.

"I'm teaching you for your sake. Be grateful. Now, let's begin."

I wrote each letter on a sheet of paper and guided her through them. Of course, it wasn't easy.

"This is 'a.' Try writing it."

"...A."

Era gripped the pen and drew a shaky, crooked line. Even the way she held the pen was awkward.

"Hey, if you hold the pen like that—"

"Like this?"

"No. Move your fingers a little more—"

I took her hand and corrected her grip.

"...Like this."

"...!"

Era flinched the moment my hand touched hers.

"What?"

"...It's nothing. Just... your hand suddenly touched mine."

With her cheeks slightly flushed, Era adjusted her grip on the pen.

"...Okay. Try again."

This time, it came out a little better.

"Oh. There you go. That's it."

"Really?!"

She'd only written a single letter, but Era reacted as if she'd accomplished something incredible.

"I wrote it! I actually wrote a real letter!"

"...Yeah. Next one. 'Ya.'"

"Okay!"

Era eagerly copied the next character.

But as time passed, Era began to struggle. Whenever similar-looking characters appeared, she got them mixed up.

"...Is this 'ba' or 'ma'?"

"It's 'ba.'"

"Then what about this one?"

"That's 'ma.'"

"They look way too similar! Who even made them like this? It's so confusing!"

Era clutched her head in frustration.

I drew the two characters side by side with the pen and pointed out the difference.

"Look here. There's one extra stroke. With the stroke, it's 'ba.' Without it, it's 'ma.'"

"...Oh. It's just that one little difference?"

"Yeah. Look carefully."

Era stared intently at the two characters. Then she suddenly started tracing them in the air with her finger.

"...What are you doing?"

"...I'm memorizing them. I remember things better when I write them with my hand."

With a serious expression, Era traced 'ba' and 'ma' in the air one after another.

"This one is... ba... this one is... ma..."

It was so cute that I watched her for a moment.

"...Got it! I won't get them mixed up anymore!"

"Really?"

"Yes! This is 'ba,' and this is 'ma'! Right?"

"...Yeah. That's right."

Thrilled that she'd gotten it correct, Era raised both arms in victory while still holding the pen.

Several hours later...

"Wow... I've learned quite a lot, haven't I?"

Era was slow at reading, but once she memorized something, she rarely forgot it. She could still perfectly recall the stroke difference I'd casually mentioned an hour earlier.

'Hmm... she's more capable than I thought.'

It wasn't that she was stupid. She'd simply learned to read late. In fact, she had a sharp eye ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠for detail and could remember things remarkably well after hearing them once. She'd just never had the opportunity to learn.

"...Era. You're pretty smart."

"Whaaat?"

Era nearly dropped her pen.

"M-me? You think I'm smart?"

"Yeah. You remember everything I teach you really well."

"......"

Era stared blankly for a moment, then broke into a playful grin.

"Hehe. Then isn't it because Leon teaches so well?"

"...What?"

"You're so smart, Leon. That's why you're such a good teacher. So me remembering things well is half thanks to you."

Era casually shifted all the credit to me and smiled brightly.

"...What kind of twisted logic is that?"

"It's not twisted at all. It's true, isn't it? A good teacher makes a good student."

"...Who are you calling a good student?"

"Me. I'm saying it myself."

Era shrugged and picked up her pen again.

I couldn't help but let out a helpless chuckle.

"Ah, this one is... whoa!"

Even while saying that, it seemed she'd neatly memorized another character.

By the time the sun began to set, Era had learned about half of the basic characters. Her writing was still crooked, but she could now write her own name clearly and neatly.

"...Look! My name! 'Era!'"

She proudly shoved the paper with her name toward me.

"...Yeah. You wrote it well."

"I want to write Leon's name too!"

Era carefully wrote 'Leon' ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠on the paper. The 'Le' was a bit slanted, but it was still legible.

"...How is it?"

"...Well. It's readable, at least."

"You're so stingy with compliments!"

Era pouted, then suddenly picked up the pen again. She began writing something else right next to 'Leon.'

"...What are you writing?"

"It's a secret."

"...What is it?"

"Don't look!"

Era covered the paper with both hands. But through the gaps in her fingers, I could see her writing something crookedly next to my name.

'L...e...o...n...s-'

Whoosh—!

"Don't look!"

Once she finished, Era quickly flipped the paper over.

"...You're not going to show me?"

"Nope! When I get better at writing, I'll show you then."

"...What did you write?"

"Who knows~ If you're curious, you'll have to wait about a month."

Era carefully folded the paper and tucked it into her clothes. I had no idea what she'd written, but seeing her smile so happily while holding it close, I decided not to press her.

'What could start with "s"...?'

'Slaughter??'

"...That's enough for today. You did well."

"Did I really do well?"

"...Yeah. For the first day."

Era clenched both fists in excitement.

"Tomorrow I'll memorize even more! Just wait and see!"

I gathered my things and left her quarters. Just before closing the door, I saw her take out that folded paper again and stare at it. She was smiling to herself, looking absolutely delighted. I smiled faintly and closed the door.

After leaving her quarters, I didn't head straight back. Instead, I changed direction and walked toward another destination.

Lizel's quarters.

What had happened with those maids yesterday still bothered me. It had been too organized, and Lizel's name had come up. The chances that she'd orchestrated it from behind the scenes were high.

"Hmm."

When I arrived in front of her quarters, a maid guided me inside.

"Your Highness the Prince, what brings you—"

"Is Lady Lizel here?"

"Ah, yes. She's inside."

As I entered the room, Lizel rose with a delighted expression.

"Your Highness Leon! ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠To think you would come visit me personally!"

She looked as if she thought something wonderful must have happened, now that a prince had come to see her of his own accord.

"Perhaps you've grown tired of that commoner fiancée of yours—"

"I'll ask you directly."

I cut her off.

"Yesterday. The maids at my fiancée's quarters. You ordered them, didn't you?"

Lizel's face stiffened slightly, then she smiled slyly.

"...Whatever do you mean? How could I possibly order such a thing? Your Highness, you misunderstand. I was simply concerned for you—"

"Ha."

I let out a dry laugh.

"...What a pathetic act."

Lizel's face hardened completely.

"...Y-Your Highness?"

"Do whatever you want. Try to interfere."

"...Pardon?"

"Whether you use the maids or do it yourself, I don't care what you do. Go ahead and interfere as much as you like."

Lizel looked visibly flustered.

"...W-wait a moment, Your Highness. What are you—"

I turned to leave, tossing one final remark over my shoulder.

"...But tell me something. Why are you so fixated on a mere commoner?"

"......"

"If you were truly a noble lady with proper character..."

I looked her straight in the eyes.

"...You wouldn't even spare a second glance at some insignificant commoner, would you?"

Lizel's face turned deathly pale.

"Getting so worked up over one commoner girl. Sending maids to harass her. Doesn't that just prove how much you're aware of her?"

I took a step closer and lowered my voice.

"A truly noble lady wouldn't even register a commoner in her mind. But it seems that's not the case with you, is it?"

"......"

"Then what's the difference between you and a commoner?"

"..."

Lizel trembled with rage. She opened her mouth to argue, but no words came out. If she lost her temper here, she'd only be proving that she was indeed conscious of a commoner. Her pride as a lady from a prestigious family held her back.

"...Behave yourself from now on. Like a proper lady."

With those final words, I left her quarters. I could feel Lizel shaking with fury behind me, but she wouldn't dare touch Era recklessly for a while. Not if she cared about her reputation.

On my way back to my quarters, I crossed through the imperial palace gardens. The light of the stars scattered gently across the night sky.

One month.

The daunting task of presenting Era—who had only just learned half the alphabet—in front of the empire's nobles weighed heavily on my shoulders.

But suddenly, that earlier scene came to mind. The way Era had written something next to my name, then carefully folded the paper and tucked it away, promising to show me in a month.

'What on earth did she write?'

I was curious. But at the same time, the fact that she wanted to show it to me in a month meant she believed she'd still be by my side then. It was her way of saying she trusted that she'd remain with me.

She didn't even seem to know that failing at the Imperial Great Festival would nullify our engagement. She was simply looking forward to the day she could write better and show it to me.

"...I have to make sure she passes."

I muttered quietly to myself.

No matter what she'd written on that paper, I would make sure Era could show it to me herself in a month.