"Do you really have to finish all of this by tonight, milady? Your homework isn't due until next week and it's already quite late," Madeline fussed worriedly over Stephanie's shoulder, twisting the fabrics of her skirt in restlessness as her stubborn mistress refused to see reason. "You've barely even touched the meal that Sir Theophilus delivered!"
"I know, I know but...there's just so much that I've yet to learn. I didn't have the privilege actual noble ladies had when it came to education about running such a large and prestigious household. Grandfather and uncle had only ever intended for me to live a simple but comfortable life, especially with the riches bestowed upon us that would make most people of our station weep with envy." The sable-haired girl smiled as she turned the page, "Frankly speaking, there is much I have to catch up on if I want to be able to stand beside Lord Oswynn and support him as a wife should."
The current her right now shouldn't even dream about marrying into the Oswynn duchy, shouldn't even hope that a man such as Lucius will voluntarily look at her and see something that sets her apart from the countless women who admired him wholeheartedly. If she was truly being honest, Stephanie Ines Lindell had no business trying to worm her way into the lives of high nobility when she was merely a commoner given a small and insignificant title thanks to the actions of her family.
However, that was Stephanie Ines Lindell.
She is now Stephanie Ines Oswynn, the current Grand Duchess Oswynn and legal wife to Lucius Moretto Elldrich Oswynn granted by his majesty, the king himself. Though the current king's choice was questionable, she can neither ask why nor try to escape her marriage.
Besides, Lord Oswynn had shown nothing but kindness & respect to her despite the lack of affection on both sides. Such considerate acts told Stephanie that despite their circumstances, they can make do with what they have and perhaps build it up into something wonderful. Neither of them were attached to anyone or had any previous engagements so it made things a lot easier for both of them.
"Yosh! I'll finish another chapter tonight before heading off straight to bed."
"But miladyyyy...what about your dinner?!?!?" Came the cry of an aggrieved Madeline who received a soft 'oops' from her mistress.
From his post just outside the duchess' quarters, Theophilus' ears picked up the two women's voices with ease, listening to the whole conversation without uttering a single sound. As silently as he slipped into position, he slithered away with swift steps when he picked up the sound of the brunette maid preparing to leave the room.
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To be buried in paperwork was the norm for Lucius, being ever the workaholic that he was. He actually could distribute MANY of his duties to his subordinates, but he preferred to handle all his business in person & without outside influence as much as possible that in the end he took on most of the work. It wasn't like he had anything else to do aside from performing his duties as the kingdom's only Grand Duke, seeing as he had no love for wine or women and riches were flowing so abundantly in his family vaults that he doubted he'd even make a dent in their coffers should he decide to live life as an idle noble.
He doesn't even look up from the report he was currently reading when he felt his steward's presence appear within the room.
"Lady Stephanie is currently in high spirits and has shown her willingness and enthusiasm to learn her studies by heart. Her tutors have also expressed their delight at how good of a student she is and with the progress she's making, I believe that she'll be finished with her schooling and ready to take up her duties as duchess much earlier than we initially anticipated."
Lucius briefly paused his reading, rich wine-colored orbs looking up at his faithful servant. In all the years Theophilus had served him, he had never once sugar-coated anything and simply described things as they were. The fact that the ashen-haired male had so many good things to say about his wife gave him much to think about.
"That will be all, Theo. Dismissed."
With a curt bow, the steward departed as silently and as quickly as he entered. Leaving only Lucius with new thoughts to ponder on.
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"...and that concludes our lesson for today. A fine job today as always, milady."
"Thank you for your patience, teacher. I don't think I'd have been able to progress this quickly had it not been for you and the others to guide me despite my foundation being quite lacking..."
"Not at all. I speak for all my colleagues and we are all of the same mind that it has been a pleasure to teach such a willing student."
After bidding farewell, Stephanie sighed and slumped against the plush velvet chairs as she sunk into the softness of the cushions. Studying non-stop could be quite taxing indeed, especially if one wasn't used to the constant influx of lessons from various subjects.
She'd learned the basic education needed of any person along with accounting and arithmetic from her parents back in the day and that was it. At most, one could say that she had the education level of those within the mercantile class because there was no way she nor her family wanted to groom her into a possible wife for a higher aristocrat.
"It's milady's break time. Perhaps you'd like to take a stroll around the estate to unwind for a bit? The fresh air and exercise would do wonders for your mood," suggested Madeline, unease clouding her features.
"I think I'll do just that then. Uncle always did say that a great way to relieve your stress is a good amount of exercise. Especially if the exercise makes you sweaty and gets your blood pumping despite being so exhausted!...Though he never did explain what specific sort of exercise could make one feel that way..."
"W-Well I'm quite sure that the b-baron simply forgot considering the many kinds of physical activities he experienced during his time as an adventurer!" The maid sputtered as her face erupted into a bright shade of red, resisting the urge to bury it into her hands lest her mistress become curious enough to pry into why she was so flustered.
Before Stephanie could even question her, the brunette took it upon herself to usher the duchess out of her seat and outside the study. There was no need to dwell on such things that were better said behind closed doors nor to taint Stephanie's innocent mind with the inappropriate advice of her beloved uncle.
Atop his perch on a high branch just outside the window, a certain steward resisted his own urge to break out into laughter at the maid's dilemma.
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Heavy grunts and the clang of steel rang across the training grounds as men pushed themselves to their limits. This was the place rumored to make even the most mediocre boy into men worthy of respect, because what else can they be when it was Lord Oswynn himself who took time and effort to supervise them whenever his schedule allowed him to?
Today was one of the days where Lucius had time to test and train new recruits for the kingdom's Knight Order. Tasked with protecting their nation and upholding justice, should it not be expected for them to have skills befitting a knight of the realm? That was why aside from training his own men that were loyal to his house above all else, he gave the same treatment towards anyone who fancied themselves to be knights in service of their nation.
Besides, if the knighthood operated smoothly then it meant less work for him in the long run.
"...keep your feet steady, especially when your opponent strikes. It would do you no good if you fly off the moment an adversary attacks," instructed Lucius from behind a new recruit, nudging his feet further apart before moving to someone else and adjusting their sword grip.
Seeing how many still struggled with basic drills, the duke sighed and ran a hand through his crimson mane, ruffling his wayward locks that cascaded across the expanse of his broad back despite the futile efforts his hair tie made to tame them.
"I will perform the basic drills once. Make sure to memorize the movements and take them to heart for they will be the very foundation of which to build your skills as a trainee knight."
Unsheathing the greatsword from his hip, the pitch-black steel gleamed in the light of day, its crimson adornments shining in contrast to the darkness of its body. This was [𝐀𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐨], House Oswynn's heirloom that had been passed down from generation to generation. It had been the first duke's weapon when he unified the lands that would make up their nation along with the first king.
He lifted the sword with ease and wielded it with such grace that a man of his stature shouldn't be capable of as he swung the weapon as if it was an extension of himself. His movements were precise, not a single action wasted with each twist, turn and thrust.
"Isn't this great, milady? The air here is truly fresh and the scent of the greenery makes one feel at peace...milady? What are you staring at?"
Stephanie gave no answer, eyes locked on the crimson figure in the distance. She watched him move from person to person, seemingly instructing each one as he corrected their stances or grips on their weapons until he stood in the center of the group and started to dance.
Dance, for that could only be the way she could call his movements as his body twisted in tandem with his sword, man and weapon seemingly becoming one despite the lack of a true opponent in front of him.
His muscles strained against the fabric of his clothes, seemingly ready to rip at the seams at any moment, but they held steadfast regardless of the burden they carried. By the end of his performance, Stephanie couldn't help but feel breathless after the display of skill and power. She'd heard countless stories of her husband's martial prowess, but it was another thing altogether to actually see him in action.
"To think, Lord Lucius even takes the time to oversee his subordinate's training despite being so busy..." Being a Grand Duke was no easy feat despite the gold and glory attached to such a title. "...I have to work harder so I can take on my duties as soon as possible and he can relax more!"
That was the glorious conclusion the duchess came to, startling her frazzled maid who thought she was already working too hard at the moment. Madeline wanted to cry, perhaps even scold the duke for showing her mistress how hard-working he was and inspiring her to put even more effort in her studies. At this rate she was going to run herself ragged!
"M-Milady..."
"Let's not disturb the duke, Maddie. We should go back and review next week's lesson before we start our next class!"
They left in a flurry of soft skirts, unaware of the wine-colored eyes that followed their every move from the moment they arrived near the training grounds.
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"...has been taken care of. The lands under their name have been secured along with their inheritance. Additionally, those that conspired to pilfer their family vaults have been apprehended and sent to the Ministry of Criminal Affairs along with substantial evidence of all their misdeeds throughout the years."
"Hmm..."
"That concludes the assignment you've tasked me, milord. However, speaking of them..."
Lucius looked up from the report he was reading through, raising only an eyebrow to signal Theophilus to continue.
"They have already shown their aptitude in studying beforehand, but word around the grapevine is that they saw a certain someone working so diligently that they themselves were inspired to work even harder. Now while that wouldn't be an issue, a certain maid has been at her wit's end because apparently her mistress is even forgetting whole meals now and staying up until the wee hours of the night."
"...I see."
"Shall I invite them to supper tonight then, milord?"
"...Hn."
"Very well, I shall instruct the cooks to prepare a feast. The first supper between the master and mistress is a monumental event after all. If we're lucky and you manage not to offend her then perhaps we might be able to welcome a little master in the near future."
"...???"